*Author's Note*

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Broken & Hard-Hearted Works

Novella POV:

"Mornin', baby." Cap's deep drowsy voice whispered as he placed a kiss on top of my head while running his thumb over my hipbone as his hand held my hip.

With my eyes closed I told him in a sleep laced voice, "Morning, Will."

Before anything else could be said the loud sound of my phone going off could be heard. My phone just happened to be in my purse that was on the mirrored-dresser, across the damn room. I let out an annoyed groan since I really didn't want to break out of Cap's arms to go get my phone. Cap didn't say a word, just lifted his arm off me so I could sit up and get out of bed. Silently I dragged my naked ass out of bed and over to my purse, which in turn caused Cap to whistle lowly at me as I did so. Horny bastard…

When I grabbed my phone out of my purse and looked at it I nearly had a heart attack. Turning to look at Cap, iPhone tightly clutched in my hand, I told him, "It's Tolbert."

"Oh…" Cap trailed off, sitting up in bed. Motioning to my phone with a slight wave of his hand he sighed, "Reckon ya outta answer, see what he wants."

I just nodded my head, feeling my chest tighten, before swiping the green accept button on my phone. Walking back to the bed, where Cap was awaiting me, I put the phone to my ear and said, "Hi, Tolbert."

"Don't 'Hi, Tolbert', me, Ella! Ya fuckin' had yer dumbass brother pick me up from jail t'tell me yer out o'fuckin' town?!" Tolbert's angrily velvet gruuf voiced shouted out of my phone as I sat down next to Cap on the bed.

"I didn't have Moses pick you up, that must've been Perry." I informed Tolbert as I covered myself up with the blankets.

"But yer out o'fuckin' town, ain'tcha?" He asked accusingly, his velvety tone vibrating with revulsion.

"Yea, so what? I went out of town for the weekend. I don't know why you're pissed bout that." I told Tolbert, my flowing voice going up an octave since I was getting aggravated.

"Cause he's crazy." Cap muttered under his breath, leaning against the pillows and the headboard, as he listened to me talk to Tolbert.

"I'm pissed cause ya got me locked up then ran off, leavin' me t'rot." Tolbert accused in an angry snarl, his usually smooth voice rumbling.

"I didn't get you locked up, you and your nasty off the rails temper did that." I spat before quickly adding, "Also, I didn't run off, I'm spending the weekend out of town for some me time."

"Ya should be spendin' time wit' me, pickin' me up from jail, but yer not. No, yer bein' a selfish bitch, thinkin' of yerself. How ya think I feel, huh? How ya think my lil girl feels?"

"Don't go there, Tolbert. If I was such a selfish bitch I wouldn't be on your useless dead-end case. Shut up and spend time with your kid before you do something stupid to get yourself into more trouble."

"Useless dead-end case? Ya hear Hatfield lies an' now ya think the case's useless? How dumb-" Tolbert began to rant until I cut him off with a loud and frustrated snap off, "They're not Hatfield lies, Tolbert. They're your lies. I asked you to your face if there was anything else on the case I needed to know and you said no. What happened in court was on you."

"Ever'thin' got all twisted up. Ella, ya didn't even try t'help me when that fog-eye-" Tolbert began to say before I cut him off with a loud protest of, "Don't say that!" Whether I was protesting his accusations or his nasty nickname for Cap I wasn't sure, even though most likely it was the latter. Oh lordy…

"Ya didn't even try t'help me when that fog-eyed Hatfield was treatin' me like shit. Ya just looked at me an' let him do it." Tolbert accused before asking me in a heartbroken, but velty gruff tone, "How could ya, Ella?"

"It's a Hatfield favored court, Tolbert. Your indictment was set in stone the moment we walked inside, you showing out and making an ass out of yourself by being hateful and trying to strangle the ADA just put the nail in the coffin. There was nothing I could do." I defended myself, feeling so upset that I was on the verge of shaking.

"Horseshit!" Tolbert shouted, causing my head to flinch away from my phone a bit. "Ya could've don-" I didn't get to hear everything Tolbert was yelling at me cause Cap yanked my phone away from me, turned it off, and tossed it over onto his nightstand.

Instantly I felt Cap wrap his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. "That crazy bastard shouldn't 've treated you like that. It wasn't right, baby."

"I know, Cap, I know." I sighed, leaning my head into his shoulder.

"I'm goin' for his jugular in court." Cap told me, his deep wave of a voice hard as stone. "He ain't getting away with treatin' you like shit. Crazy murderous McCoy already killed my uncle and now he's goin' off on ya." Cap ranted, his tone course and waving. Clutching me just a bit tighter he vowed firmly in his crashing wave of a voice, "I ain't letting nobody hurt what's mine."

"I'm yours?" I asked, my usually flowing voice a bit shaky.

"You've been mine since the moment we met, Nova." Cap stated, his deep rolling voice a tone softer than usual, as we sat together. I just nodded my head, not really having any words to say back. "If ya want I can make us breakfast." Cap told me as he rubbed my arm comfortingly.

"Bacon, eggs, and pancakes with extra syrup and butter?" I asked, my flat voice livening up a bit, as I looked at him with a tiny ghost of a smile on my lips.

"Yep." Cap simply popped, slightly nodding his head while shooting me a smirk.

"Okay." I remarked, which cause him to gently pat my arm before getting out of bed.

Walking over to where his boxers were at by the dresser he told me, "Ya can take a long, hot shower to calm down with if you want." I just nodded silently, watching him grab his boxers from the floor. While stepping into and pulling on his boxers Cap told me, "You can also unpack your bag. I got a few empty drawers ya can use and your work clothes can get hung up next to mine."

"Yea, I'll do that." I nodded from my spot on the bed.

"I'll see ya downstairs." He vowed before walking out the door, leaving me to do my own thing for a bit.

The warm water spraying out of the showerhead cascaded down my back, penetrating my muscles and relaxing me. Relaxing my body, I mean, not so much my mind. Thoughts were reeling in my head, guilt trying to wiggle its way inside of me. Some of what Tolbert angrily yelled at me made sense in a way. Even though I claimed I couldn't do anything to help him, a part of me knows that's a lie. I could've fought harder, could've demanded that the prosecutor cease in his hostile questioning and baiting of my client, but I didn't. Instead I let Cap badger Tolbert, edge him on til he snapped and lunged across the stand at him. Oh my god, I was such a horrible defense attorney.

I upset and let down the entire McCoy family, except for Selkirk since he was on the Hatfields' side in all of this, and my Uncle Perry. The only one that didn't seem mad was my brother, Moses. Nope, he seemed ticked off that Tolbert opened his mouth in the first place.

As I lathered and rinsed my hair I could smell the aroma of bacon and pancakes on the griddle wafting throughout the house, traveling up the stairs. The image of Cap cooking popped into my mind, making a small smile cross my face. But as quickly as the smile came it left whenever I suddenly thought about how Tolbert probably makes breakfast for his daughter, Sally Elle, and how cause of me and my stupidity he might be locked up or executed and never be able to cook and care for her again. Damnit, I didn't want to be the reason his daughter became an orphan.

Oh god, why was everything so fucked up? Why couldn't I just do what was expected of me, stay in Pike and spend time with Tolbert and Sally Elle. Why did I have to come to Logan to be with Cap? Damnit, Cap's on the other side of the case and I'm spending my free time with him. He's gunning for Tolbert, along with Pharmer and Bud, and I'm making love to him and getting in deeper and deeper with him. What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to be worried about Tolbert, but instead I feel an indescribable need to be with Cap.

I turned the knobs off, causing the water spray to quickly cease and stop. As I walked out of the shower, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself, I remembered how my brother thought that if I messed around with Cap it could help us with the case. That me being with Cap could cloud his judgement, make him soft. As I padded out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, to get changed and to put away my things, I couldn't help but think that since our intimacy wasn't clouding Cap's judgement maybe it was clouding mine instead.

I felt confused, but one thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want to leave Cap. For some reason I couldn't go, I felt like I had to stay. Even though I knew it was foolish to be with him, I couldn't go cause my feelings ran deep for him. So deep that it terrified me.

Thing is I'm not sure how I feel about Tolbert anymore. I loved him, hell at one point wanted to be his wife, and took damn near a year to put myself back together again after he left me, but I wasn't sure if I was able of loving him wholeheartedly with no reservations. Tolbert wanted me to love him back the way I had before he hurt me, broke me, but I don't know if I can.

As I got dressed I did my best to clear my mind. By time I was putting my clothes away I felt a tad bit better, or at least I wasn't overthinking like I had been in the shower. As I walked downstairs with the smell of bacon, pancakes, and eggs hitting my nose I felt myself let go of my anxiety and guilt a bit. Whenever I walked into the kitchen I was met with the sight of Cap placing two loaded plates on the kitchen island, right next to a pair of coffee mugs.

Cap must've heard me walk in cause he looked at me while saying, "Your breakfast is ready, baby."

"Thanks, Cap. It looks delicious." I smiled at him as we both took our seats next to each other.

"Figured after we eat I'll shower, change, then we can go to the store." Cap told me before taking his first bite out of his breakfast.

"Okay." I simply told him, cutting off a piece of my pancake with my fork and knife.

"Ya feeling better?"

"Yea, I am."

"Good, cause I don't want you mopin' round me all weekend. I want my Nova, not a depressed shell." Cap remarked as he picked his bacon up off his plate.

"Don't worry, just being around your cocky ass is enough to cheer me up." I told him before biting my piece of fluffy goodness off my fork.

"Better be." He smirked before tearing into a piece of bacon with his teeth.

Bright fluorescent lights lit up every inch of the store as I pushed the large grey buggy, complete with rolling squeaky wheel, down the meat aisle of the Walmart. Cap was walking right by my side, actually more so up my ass, as we closed in on the section marked Beef. Ah, his favorite section. The man was a red meat and potatoes kind of guy. Would never know it by how lean muscled he was, but I think his height had a lot to do with that tho. I mean he's not a stick, weighing in at nearly 190 pounds, he just kinda looks like one since he's so tall.

"Babe, ya want some grilled steaks tonight?" Cap asked, tossing a pack of T-bones he grabbed from the display cooler into the cart. From over my shoulder might I add.

Eh, what he really meant was, I want grilled steaks for dinner tonight, but I'm just asking to make you feel like you're picking them out for us. I didn't mind, he was actually good at making steak. "Sure."

I was looking at a chuck roast whenever I felt Cap's hand slid around my waist, him standing flush against my back as he looked over my head to see what I was looking at. "Ya making that tomorrow tonight?"

"Thinking about it. I know you like pot-roast so…" I trailed off, still debating on whether or not I felt like being bothered with making the roast.

Cap grabbed the package I was eyeing and just tossed it into the cart. "Let's go grab some bacon." He urged, guiding me to walk up a few paces to where the breakfast meats were at. Of course, that man wanted to grab bacon, he loved the stuff more then a fat kid loves cake.

As soon as a few packages of bacon hit the inside of he buggy I heard a slow drawl of, "Cap, Novella, well I didn't know ya'll were together."

"Hi, Selkirk." I told the tall light brown-haired man, opting not to make a remark about me and Cap's relationship.

"Been together since Baltimore. Took a small break when we got back to the Tug, but we're back on track now." Cap elaborated on our relationship to Selkirk, who seemed to be a mutual friend.

"That's good. Glad I'm not the only one with a thing for Hatfields." So, I was right, his wife's a Hatfield.

"How's the wife and baby doin'?" He had a baby too? Oh lord, bet the McCoys hate that.

"Good. He's been tirin' her out, so I offered to do the shoppin' this mornin'." Well, that was nice of him to do. "By God my boy's gettin' big an' he's just 'bout a month old." Selkirk bragged on his boy with a huge grin on his face. Looking between me and Cap Selkirk said, "Ya mind if I steal her for a minute, Cap? Haven't talked to Novella since she went for schoolin' 10-year ago, like to catch up real quick."

"Go ahead, talk for a bit." Cap told Selkirk, giving permission for us to talk. "I'll just be up right 'head lookin' at lunchmeat and cheese." Cap informed me before grabbing the buggy from me and walking off.

"You and Cap, uh the McCoys ain't gonna like it. They disowned me, they'll disown ya too." Selirk told me, scratching his neck, as soon as Cap was out of earshot.

"I know, Selkirk, but we're not saying anything about us til after the trial's over. It's too complicated."

"Hmm…well, just be careful 'bout Nancy and her husband Bad Frank. She don't like kin traitors and he's not all there. Pulled a gun on me an' threatened to kill me cause I married a Hatfield, work for Anse too."

My eyeballs bulged, nearly falling out of my head, as I asked squeakily, "Really?"

"Mhm. Be careful 'round the McCoys. They might be my kin, but they're not all right in the head."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind." Shit, so Nancy and Bad Frank were dangerous. Like silent sleepers or something, more deadly then they let on. Great, just great. I'll just have to make sure her and her husband don't get suspicious of me.

"Also, Cap's not the type to do relationships, he's with ya then you mean somethin' to him."

"Oh…" I trailed off, slowly nodding my head.

"You and Cap should come over to my place for supper one night. Sure my wife'd love to meet ya." Selkirk offered genuinely with a smile.

"Yea, that sounds good." I smiled before telling him, "I better get back to Cap, but it was nice seeing you."

"Nice seein' ya too. Have a nice day." Selkirk told me before taking off down the aisle heading to the chicken section.

As I walked up the aisle, heading to the deli where I saw my giant of a guy standing in line, I couldn't help but play what Selkirk said over and over in my head about how I mean something to Cap cause he's not the relationship type of man. So, does that mean he changed slightly cause of me? That I'm something special to make him care, want something more.

I shook my head to snap myself out of my thoughts becoming coming up to Cap's side. "So, what're we getting?" I asked him, looking up a bit due to his height.

He looked down at me and slung an arm over my shoulder while telling me, "Pound of ham, turkey, cheddar, and swiss." We both like those and I knew that's why he was going to order so much. If I didn't have a key to his house I doubt he'd be ordering 4 pounds of meat and cheese. He cared.

"Sounds good." I simply told him, leaning my head against his shoulder.

I noticed that the couple in front of us were superglued together. They were all giggly and hand holding, smiling and teasing each other. They seemed in love or at least like they really liked each other.

I remember that's how me and Tolbert were when I was a teenager, always together and sick in love. Looks can be deceiving cause even though we looked in love Tolbert dumped me and a decade later here I am standing in the Walmart deli line with Cap.

But me and Cap weren't like that. We were just silently standing in line while looking at the number board behind the deli counter, waiting for it to eventually show our ticket number. His arm was slung over my shoulder and I was leaning against him, but we weren't superglued together and could easily part from each other when need be.

We weren't a cute sick in love couple. I suddenly realized that I was broken and he was hard-hearted, and perhaps that's why we worked.

After arriving back to Cap's we brought the groceries inside and started to put them away in his kitchen. Actually, I was putting them up while he just sat at the island watching me flitter around while dragging on a smoke. Right as I grabbed a bag of rice out the grey plastic Walmart bag that was on the counter Cap's phone started to ring. I didn't think much off it as I made my way over to the pantry. "Hey, Pa." I heard Cap answer his phone right as I placed the white rice onto a shelf. My heart froze, dropped, and tightened in my chest all at the same time. Why in the world was Devil Anse calling for? He practically ran Cap out of the house, turned him out cause of me. What the hell's going on?

Cap POV:

"Hey, Pa." I answered my phone, sitting at my kitchen island watching Nova put something up in the pantry.

"Son, how're you doin' this mornin'?" Pa asked me, his voice deep and daunting.

"Doin' good, Pa."

"You got your girl with you?"

"Yea, Nova's staying with me." I honestly answered. I wasn't going to lie, she was with me and as long as I had my way she's continue to stay with me.

"Bring her over tomorrow night for dinner." Oh, I wasn't expecting that.

"Ya sure, Pa? You want me to being her over after kickin' me out cause I chose her?" I asked while watching my girl stack some canned vegetables up, putting them away in our pantry.

"Cap, you're allowed back into the house." Ah, so Jim was able to talk some sense into him after all. "Your mama wants to meet this girl Cotton told her 'bout, so be over for supper."

"A'ight, we'll be over." I told my pa, more then happy to be able to bring Nova to family dinner. She already hit it off with Uncle Jim and Cotton, I knew the rest of the family would warm up to her too.

"Pick up your brother on the way. Bye, see ya tomorrow." I was told before the phone went dead.

"Pa and ma want to meet you. We're goin' to their place for dinner tomorrow night." I told Nova while placing my phone onto the countertop.

"Yea, I kinda figured that out from your half of the phone conversation." Nova told me, closing the pantry before walking over to me. Taking a seat next to me she simply said, "Does your family like pie? I can make an apple pie to bring over since we bought a bag of them."

God, how'd I get so lucky to find her? I'm a cold-hearted bastard and I got this sweet girl that wants to bring an apple pie over to a family that's tight knit and skeptical of strangers. I'm thrilled that she wants to bring over a desert, wants to intergrade herself with my family. Taking a drag off my cigarette I nodded and told her, "Make the pie, they'll love it."

AN:

Oooo Tolbert's pissy ass isn't winning any brownie points with Novella right now. Uh-oh. Tolbert does know how to make Novella question herself and feel confused don't he. Anywho, Cap and Novella are officially established now. Next up is Sunday dinner with the Hatfields.