The first rays of dawn shone through the windows as she lit the oil lamp in the kitchen. The stove was next, and the wood caught fire quickly beneath the kettle that she prepared the previous evening. Coffee was always the first order of business. Breakfast could trail behind, but Dick would reach for the coffee kettle first thing.

Lily had always marveled at Dick's ability to rise with the sun, no matter how late the previous night stretched. She'd seen him up as late as 3 am, and yet he would still be downstairs, mug of steaming hot coffee in hand by 7 am. By contrast, there probably wasn't coffee strong enough in the world to rouse her other boss from sleep before 9 am. By then, the smell of food and general noise would wake the rest of the men, and she'd make the rounds to wake the girls.

With a dull clunk, she set the cast iron skillet on the warming stove top. She'd picked up a hearty slab of bacon yesterday, anticipating the return of Luz and Ron late during the night. It would be a nice welcoming treat for them after weeks, nearly three months, out on a job. Shaking off a yawn, she reached for a long knife, cutting the meat into thick strips. It surprised her at first, but the quiet of early morning had become one of her favorite times of day. Everyone was still asleep or just waking up, and she had time to run through her list of chores for the day before opening time. Such a far cry from her previous life.

"Good mornin', Lily." Dick always sounded so pleasant first thing in the morning. She'd long suspected that this was also his favorite time of day, too.

"Mornin'." She smiled over her shoulder at him before turning back to the bacon. "Sleep alright?"

"Just fine, thanks. And yourself?"

"Can't complain." The first strip hit the pan with a searing sizzle.

"Mmm, that looks wonderful."

"Yes, sir. Thought it'd be a nice homecoming for Luz and Ron."

"You're going to spoil them." He smiled in amusement as he reached for coffee kettle, pouring a steaming mug-full. "They're going to think you actually missed them."

There was more truth on that than she wanted to confess this early in the morning. Instead, she offered a coy grin, glancing over. From the answering smirk on his face, she got the feeling he already knew.

"Well now, you sent them out for almost three months. Right in time for all that harsh winter weather." She still remembered when they had left in early January, and it was April now. "I want to show them that we've all missed them." She turned back to the pan, laying in the last strip. "Besides, Ron'll probably need something to improve his spirits after that long with only Luz for company. You know how they can get."

Dick chuckled lightly as he moved for the table, scraping a chair across the wood floor to sit. "That's why I sent them on it together. It'd be good for them both to learn some self-restraint."

"Either that," she said with a shake of her head, reaching for the basket of eggs, "or one of them won't come back." In that case, her money was on Luz. The younger man's playful manner had more than once grated heavily on the nerves of the older irascible man. Part of her wouldn't put it past Ron to put a bullet between Luz's eyes if he was pushed far enough.

"They'll both come back. Despite what you've seen, they wouldn't turn on each other like that."

She started cracking eggs in a mixing bowl, knowing that Dick was more than likely right.

He knew his men far better than she did. They weren't supposed to be her concern, anyway. Her concern was keeping up the front cover with the girls, and preventing them from finding out what business was really conducted out of The Easy Saloon.

"I may need to bring Doc Mul by today." She said, not looking over at Dick but able to feel his questioning gaze. "Ginny was complaining about that tooth again last night."

"That's fine. I hope it's nothing serious."

"Me, too. The last one was dreadful. If it is something serious, I don't know how I'll even get Ginny to agree to a procedure."

"If it is serious, we'll deal with it. If Luz isn't around, Nix can help."

"I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't know for sure that she'll even agree to see Doc Mul today."

"If she comments on her tooth again, you should just see to arranging a visit. I don't want to not take care of her."

She couldn't help a warm smile. Dick had always been so thoughtful and generous towards women of her station. He had expressed his displeasure from the outset of employing saloon girls, but he couldn't argue against Lew that a saloon of men offering only booze and cards would surely raise questions.

Instead, he laid some strict ground rules – the girls could decide if they wanted a trick for the evening, allowing them to focus instead on getting the men to play faro and buy booze, but if they accepted extra coin for taking a man in their bed that was their decision. Physical beatings from the tricks were absolutely not tolerated, and he would see that they were taken care of – fresh bed linens, medical care, clothing. Lily knew from personal experience just how lucky these girls were.

The hellhole that Dick and Lew had pulled her out of still haunted her nightmares.

She still awoke from time to time, damp from sweat, chest heaving to think that she'd find herself back in that flea-ridden, rank backroom at the Diamond Saloon. Still bruised and sore from her last trick, sticky from his cum, and packed in a too-small bed with soiled bedsheets along with the other girls. But when her head cleared and she realizes she's in her own bed, in her own room, alone, clean, warm, and safe…the overwhelming relief brings her to tears every time.

A comfortable silence had fallen in the kitchen as she whisked up the bowl of eggs and flipped the bacon. Dick had always been careful and quiet when discussing the girls. He didn't like the more common names – painted ladies, soiled doves, women of the evening – so it was just easier to call them the girls. And while Lily wasn't quite a madam in the traditional sense, she did see directly to them, while overseeing the more domestic aspects of the saloon. Most days, she likened her role to what being a housekeeper and a ladies' maid must feel like.

"Thank you, Dick. Really. I know Ginny is grateful. And I know I've told you before, but…felt like saying it again." She didn't look over at him, not wanting to make him more uncomfortable.

"Well, as I've told you before - it's the very least that any decent person should do."

"Then I guess there just aren't enough of those."

"Aren't enough of who?" A drowsy voice, still rough from sleep joined the conversation from the kitchen doorway, catching her attention. She offered a smile at Carwood as he walked towards the stove, shrugging the last strap of his suspenders over his right shoulder.

"Morning," Dick said, "Lily here was just saying how there aren't enough decent people in the world."

Carwood hummed, lips lifting to an amused smile as reached for the coffee kettle. "Decent people like yourself?"

"I mean decent people like Dick. And you. Unlike the rest of your rabble." She ribbed playfully, pulling down a stack of plates from the shelf over the worktable. Angling the spatula, she lifted the first piece of bacon from the pan, grease dripping freely from the ends.

"If you're including me in Dick's company, then I'm truly honored."

"You're already part of my Company." Dick said with the hint of a smile. "Rough night last night?"

"Not particularly. It was just late. But quiet." Carwood paused for a sip of coffee. "The house looked to have a good take. I'll get to truing up the numbers after breakfast."

"Leave it for Nix to handle. I have an errand in Smithville this morning, and I'll need your help."

"Yes, sir. Then, I'll see to horses - "

"That bacon smells like heaven." Scuffing footsteps accompanied the familiar voice that had been so absent. "The whole bedroom smells good enough to eat. Please say I can have some now."

"Welcome back, George." Dick's warm greeting, intermixed with Carwood's filled the kitchen as she picked up another piece of bacon, letting the grease run back into the pan before adding it to the pieces already on the plate.

She handed it over, smiling at Luz's boyish grin that aged him down at least ten years. "Eggs'll be ready in a bit. But be careful - might burn yourself."

"A small price to pay after three months of trail grub. Thanks, Lils. You're a real peach."

She shook her head, lips pursing in faint annoyance. "Don't let Ginny hear you say that. Go sit so I can finish this."

"What time did you ride in?" Carwood asked. "I sacked out around two."

"It was closer to three when I left the livery."

"You can go back to bed, if you want." Dick said.

"Not when the bedroom smells so good and I haven't eaten anything this good in months." Luz's words were half formed around the bacon in his mouth.

Dick chuckled softly. "How'd it go?"

"All's well and done. Another one in the books for Easy."

She lifted more bacon from the skillet, turning towards the table with a fresh plate in time to see Luz reach inside his pants pocket and pull out a rough, weathered envelope that looked fairly thick. She reached across the table as Carwood looked up, accepting the plate with a quiet murmur of thanks. The envelope went sliding across the tabletop just as Carwood pulled the plate back and tucked in.

"That's all of it." Luz started again as Dick reached forward, lifting the envelope flap. "Didn't even let ol' sticky fingers himself touch it." He sounded so proud.

"Ron's never once shorted me." Dick sounded distracted, likely thumbing through the bills in the envelope. "In fact, he usually pays interest."

"Nah, he's not that generous." Luz talked through another mouthful. "He's just trying to buy you off before he does something so bad that you'll have to save his ass."

"Where is he?" Carwood joined in. "I didn't see him sacked out up there."

"No, he didn't come back with me. He rode north. Towards the ol' Strothers Brothers mine. Said he'd be back in three days."

"Can't say I'm surprised." Dick said, looking up to see her hand him another plate of bacon. "Thanks, Lils. With the marshal service capturing the Pueblo Desperadoes rather suddenly, their rumored hideout at the abandoned mine is probably ripe for the picking."

Luz chuckled. "He just can't resist."

Carwood sighed around a bite. "It will get him in trouble day."

"Course it will," Luz agreed, "just don't put me out on the trail with him when it does finally catch up to him. I refuse to get caught in the crossfire."

"None of us gets to choose when the devil comes calling, George." There was a light reprimand in Dick's voice. "But we watch each other's backs."

"Yes, sir. Of course, I wouldn't let anyone take Sparky from us without a fight."

"Well, when he does get back," Dick said, words wrapped around a bite, "we'll have to tell him that he missed a darn good breakfast. Lily here thought to treat you two on your return with bacon and eggs. It's been nothing but oatmeal or cream of wheat around here for the last couple of weeks."

She turned, waving the spatula defensively. "I told you, it's far more rib-sticking."

"Except that Nixon cleaned out half the supply of brown sugar just to make it suit his taste." The reproachful shake of Carwood's head echoed in his words. "Westin charges a fair penny for brown sugar."

For all the responsibilities that she had, she was grateful someone else did the major provisioning and managed the money. She would gladly cook, clean, mend and tend, but her figuring skills didn't go beyond simple purchases - like the bacon and eggs - and even that had come courtesy of Lew.

"Speaking of brown sugar," she said, "we're also running low on flour, but I should have just enough for cobbler tonight. With peaches, I'm thinking. There was a fresh wagonload outside Westin's yesterday."

"Bacon? Peach cobbler?" Luz settled back in his chair, chewing contently. "Just so you know, Mr. Winters, sir – with food this good, I'm like to never leave again."

Lily turned with another wave of her spatula. "Well, you ain't like to see food this good again for awhile. Homecomings are only worth celebrating."

"Oh, but we still got Ronnie-boy's homecoming to celebrate." Luz grinned. "Just don't send me out again until I can enjoy his homecoming treats."

Dick frowned across the table. "I hope you didn't call him 'Ronnie-boy' out there."

Luz's answering grin wasn't exactly reassuring.

Lip shook his head, a combination of surprise and scolding across his features. "No wonder he rode out for the old mine. I'd need some time away from you, too."

She chuckled with a shake of head, wiping her hands on her apron as she reached for an empty bacon plate.

Yes, indeed. This was her favorite time of the day.


Seven Years Ago

The faint odor of smoke clung to everything. Clothing; tent canvas; leather saddles. Even the gritty excuse for coffee tasted like something straight out of a chimney. But maybe that was just because the smell was so ingrained in Dick's nose hairs after chasing it across the plains for nine days.

Nine days of pursuit without end, chasing the native indian war party westward across the plains with only a burning trail left behind to follow. His cavalry unit had been slow to muster after the last raid on Crooked Bend. Too slow. And it had given the war party a substantial advantage on distance. But Colonel Sink insisted that they persist in their hunt.

Privately, Dick was starting to take issue with the expense. The natives had learned how to best slow down the cavalry forces – burn the grass in the fields, the horses will starve, and the pursuit will fail. Nine days in, and Dick didn't care to remember how many horses had already been expended. It did nothing good for morale, and contempt was at an all time high.

That was even before the rains set in. Before the wild flames were reduced to smoking embers, before the charred plains were turned into a muddy, soggy mess. And yet their orders were to continue the pursuit unabated. As a Major in the cavalry ranks, Dick had to stand for it and rally his men. As his own person, Dick had to keep his thoughts in reserve.

He continued his stroll around the outskirts of the encampment, boots slogging and slurping through the thick mud. They weren't in any imminent danger of an attack, but Dick just couldn't sit still. A general air of riotous anxiety had been growing amongst the men, and frankly – between that and the putrid swampy, smoky smell that lingered – he had wanted a little distance. Some space and fresher air to think.

He rounded a tent, noting a stack of chuckwagon crates and Nix leaning against them, flask open. Dick wasn't surprised when Nix came over to join him. The other man's presence had always been strangely soothing. They were both so different, yet they had taken an instant liking to each other. More than just a liking if Dick were to be entirely honest. But that was a new realm with implications that he didn't dare linger on.

"I think it's clearing up." Nix said. "You think it's clearing it?"

"No."

"I think it's clearing up." Nix took a swig from his flask. "How are your men?"

"They'll be fine."

Nix pocketed his flask with a soft sigh, checking a passing glance to his pocket watch. "5:00 in New York. 4:00 in Chicago. Civilized places for civilized men."

"Should've been born earlier, Nix."

"What, and give up all this?" He looked over, reaching to light a cigarette and catching Dick's small smirk. "We'll go to Chicago. I'll take you there."

"Yeah. We'll see." Dick answered noncommittally. "I've almost got a mind to keep going west."

Nix looked out towards the charred, smoky horizon. "Sure, I can see the appeal."

"Can you?" He raised a skeptical brow. "I always figured you'd pack up back east when this was all over."

"I already know how that would play out." Nix took an inhale from his cigarette. "I don't need to risk a second failed marriage quite so soon. I'm more surprised at you, guts and glory. Continuing the westward charge, instead of returning to the family farm."

"There's plenty of land out west. Maybe not for farming but…someone has to be able to help these people, Nix."

"Who exactly are you talking about?"

"All of them – everyone. Whoever needs it, regardless. The people who have their land burned for no just cause; people who are forced from their homes without reason; people starved from their claims over diverted water rights."

"Helping the victims of injustice, you mean? Where it's not quite illegal to bring a deputized representative of the law into it, but it's still a wrong to be righted?"

Dick sighed. "The western territories are such a jumble of informal and annexed, and soon-to-be annexed, and wilderness. Officially, US laws don't even carry over to the land we're standing on right now. I know they're working on making it official, but that's why we're here first."

"And you think there's a business to be made of it? Have you considered the marshal service or the Pinkerton Agency might take offense to such a venture?"

"I don't plan on going that public with it. But help will always be available to those who need it."

"How will people know that?"

Dick scuffed at a mud clod with his boot. "Still working on the particulars."

"Well, we're going to need a front business." Dick tried to ignore the burst of affectionate warmth in his chest on Nix's use of the word 'we'. "How about a saloon? Lots of foot traffic. Booze loosens lips most of the time. Faro's an easy way to turn some money."

"I was hoping for something a little more…upstanding." He shot Nix a chiding glance, but there was nothing in his voice to support it. "But I can see the usefulness. Drinking and gambling one's troubles away seems common enough. We'll have to consider it further."

"We, hmm?"

"Well, one of us has to have a keen head for business."

"Don't look at me. I can probably help with start-up capital, though."

Dick wasn't going to mention his own savings yet. Meager as it would be compared to whatever gold-lined pockets Nix was offering. But if this was actually going to become a reality when they left this burnt mud pit behind, then they could spend hours sorting out the details. But what had been little more than a dream in Dick's mind for the better part of a year now suddenly seemed more real than ever before. And with Nix at his side?

What wouldn't they be able to do?

"It's just that easy, hm?" Nix mused, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Just that easy."

"Well then, there's the name – Easy Company."