Disclaimer: Credit for characters and dialogue goes to their respective creators.
Author's Note: I am not a native Spanish speaker.
----- Scene endings and beginings.
--- Different scenes but all within the same time-frame.

Ever since Tulio and I had come to live in Lincoln, Murphy had always had it out for my brother. I didn't completely understand why, but Murphy never came after me, even when I killed his profit. Maybe it was his way of "swooning" me for my body. The old bat, he knew it wouldn't work. Maybe I was only protected because of John Tunstall and Alex McSween.

I had disappeared off to bed before the boys came in from the cold, and there I laid as I listened to the six boys walk past my door. I soon dozed off, only being awakened by a knock that seemed to come only a moment later. I slowly stood from my bed and made my way to answer the door.

"Chavez...?" I crossed my arms and furrowed my brow, still sleepy.

"Sorry to wake you... you aren't all right. You haven't been all day." He whispered, watching my face.

"Chavez, you of all people should know how I'm feeling. Tulio was my brother, my only family within six-thousand miles. And my parents don't even know he is dead, yet. I'm feeling guilty is all." I looked at the floor, it was quiet, only Steve's snores could be heard. Chavez silently pulled me into a tight hug and I wrapped my arms around him.

It was a known fact that Chavez and I were in love. The Regulators knew, John knew, even my brother had blessed it before he died. But we, Chavez and I, hadn't done anything about it. I had feared it would put the lives we had at present in jeopardy, Chavez reluctantly agreed. So, it was promised we would put our feelings for each other aside, for the most part.

We stood, locked in my doorway fir a moment more before we pulled apart. It was quiet again. I glanced from the floor to my friend's bowed head. He was so much taller than me, I came only and inch above his shoulder.

My hand rested on his shoulder, "I'll be fine, just a little sad is all. Nothing to worry about."

I gave him a smile. I hesitated before kissing him on the cheek, he took it further. We moved slowly, our lips locked in a meaningful kiss. I pulled back,
"Goodnight, Chavez."

With that I closed my door and leaned against the backside, waiting to hear footsteps. Only when I did, only with those footsteps did the tears begin to fall.

-----

I was a little irritable the next morning. I was running late with breakfast and Steve wasn't helping any. He was pestering me by explaining the process of a hog's digestion. How he knew so much was a mystery I didn't want solved.

"...and ya' see, when hogs eat wood or rocks, well, it's almost natural for them to-."

"Shut up!" I couldn't take it. I whirled around and faced the tobacco chewing man, "And for God's sake, spit that out! If I find you chewing that mierda at this table, let alone in this house, I'll skin you alive!" I could almost feel the daggers in my eyes.

Steve scooted his chair back and shuffled to the front door to spit out his tobacco, he mumbled something that sounded like, "Damn Mexicans."

I raised my hands and turned back to the food, "No soy Mexicano, pendejo!"

"Is there something wrong?" John asked, looking sternly at me, he came from his office.

"Not at all, John. Breakfast is ready."

--

The rest of the morning was cold and quiet. The boys and John went about their chores, as did I. By noon my cleaning was done, as well as lunch being made. With my extra time I sat back in a wooden chair on the porch, reading the news paper.

"Whoooa!" I looked up in time to see Billy trip into the hog pen, again. I went to help him.

"You should really work on your balance, Billy." I said as I poured the slop into the trough.

"Uh, sorry to make you do this, Sam." Billy apologized as he brushed off his pants.

"It's all right. I've just been wound tightly, lately." I glanced at the hill, "Get down."

"What?" When Billy saw the men on the hill he dropped down to the ground and rolled to cover. I noticed him pull his pistol out of its holster.

Murphy, his men and Sheriff Brady rode down the hill and came to a stop in front of the Regulators, who were ready to fight. I reached down for the second bucket, "Stay low." I whispered.

After finishing with the slop I took the buckets back up to the house and stood between Chavez and Dick, waiting for John.

"Good afternoon, gentleman." John came from the house and came out to the group, flanked by Doc and Dick.

"Good afternoon, John." Brady tipped his hat.

"John, Mr. Dolan and Mr. Murphy here are complaining about their merchandise wagon being plundered on several occasions on their way into town. Eh, quite frankly, John, they think you're behind it."

"That's a fargin' lie and you know it!" Dick yelled.

"Richard!" John snapped, "Sheriff Brady, Mr. Murphy is going to continue to come to you..." I tuned John out and looked around at Murphy's men. They looked rugged and mean, I glanced over at Murphy.

"Well, the Belted Earl has spoken. Look behind you, Earl. All I see are hired thieves and a Spanish concubine." Murphy and his men laughed. Blood rushed to my cheeks as my gaze dropped to the ground. Chavez squeezed my hand.

"This young lady is nothing of the sort, though a fine cook. These boys are promising young men, all acquiring and education." John defended. Murphy dismounted his horse, signaling to John to come talk to him privately. They were heading to the hog pens, I tensed.

I feared for Billy, the man he had killed a week beforehand had, in fact, been a Murphy man. John finished the conversation with a raised, "Get off my property!"

Murphy climbed back onto his horse,
"You are ambitious, Earl. But you'd be better off selling ladies' undergarments in Hemstead." The Murphy men laughed as they eyed me.

Chavez quickly pushed me behind him and drew his weapons, the others did so almost as quickly. Murphy's men had drawn their guns as well, a Mexican stand-off.

"All right men, that's enough! Clear the way!" Brady called, trying to calm the storm.

Murphy's men fell back over the hill,
"This is a new country. We won't be bowing down to you no more, Englishman. Get ready for Hell!"

Later that day, one of Murphy''s men came looking for a job. Apparently he had been fired for saying something to Murphy. His name was Jay McCloskey.