A Truth Revealed

The day after Slim Taft hauled the man that he had once thought was his friend into town to the sheriff, the sheriff showed up at Ethan's place. Ethan was still unconscious and Emily was sporting a good sized purple bruise on her left cheek. "Papa!" Emily cried, running down the front steps of the porch and into her father's arms.

"Oh, Emily." John said, looking at the bruise on his daughter's cheek. "I'm just glad that this was all that he did to you, but Emily, I have to ask you first because you know Louise. Last night this fella that your friend Slim hauled in, said that he had hurt Louise too and hurt her bad. What was this about? I stopped by Oliver's on the way out and Louise said that she was fine."

Emily snuggled herself deeper into her father's arms and said, "I don't know Papa. She didn't say anything to me yesterday and I was out walking when he attacked me. I'm the one that scratched his face." Emily, however, did know what the man in her father's jail was talking about, but she wasn't going to reveal Lou's secret. It wasn't her place.

John released his daughter and stood back, "How's Ethan doing?"

"As well as can be expected, I guess. Would you like to come in?"

John didn't say anything, just followed his daughter in the house. "Where's your friend Slim?" he asked once inside and not seeing the lanky young fellow who hauled the other man into town the day before.

"Out working with the cattle, I suppose. He told me that he wouldn't leave until Ethan was well again."

"Oh. Well tell him I would like to talk to him. I need someone to take over the sheriffin' in Rock Springs. I think that young man would be a good choice. He's honest and seems to have good character. I think he would be a good choice to take over when I retire in a few months."

"I'll tell him Papa. Would you like to see Ethan?" Emily asked.

Her father again didn't answer her, just followed as she led the way into the room where Ethan was still laying unconscious. She went over and laid her hand against his forehead. "How has he been doin'?" John asked, again.

"Well he still hasn't come around, the doctor said it may take a while but he hasn't gotten a fever, yet." Emily said, taking the chair by Ethan's bedside.

"How are you doing, sweetie? Are you taking care of yourself?" John asked his daughter. He thought she looked pale and drawn.

"Yes, Papa. I'm fine." Emily said, turning big blue eyes on her father. Then she looked back at Ethan and stroked his hand. "We were supposed to be married in May Papa." she said, quietly, almost sadly.

"You still will be Emily." John said, moving towards his daughter. "Ethan is a strong boy and the fact that he loves you, well that just makes him that much stronger."

John stayed a while longer and then headed back to town. Before he left he hugged his daughter and told her, "Remember what I said, honey."

When John returned home that night his wife met him at the door. "How's Emily?"

"Well, she has a nasty bruise but that's all. She said she was able to fight the fella off." John said, taking his hat off and hanging it by the door.

"What was she doing when it happened?" Casey asked her husband.

"Out walking, along the creek. Louise wanted her to get out of the house. This was good in my figuring she needed to get out. I'm more worried now what will happen to her if that boy doesn't wake up and soon." John said to his wife.

"What do you mean John?"

"Well she's having a hard time dealing with the worry and wait of him just lying there. I just hope he comes around sooner rather than later." John said.

At Ethan's place, Emily was fixing supper for herself and Slim. Ethan had been out for almost a week now and she was beginning to worry. She finished preparing the meal and then called out the door. "Slim, supper is on!"

A few minutes later the lanky cowboy came to the house. "What da ya fix good tonight Miss Emily?" he asked, coming in and taking off his hat.

"The usual, beef and beans." Emily said. "Come and sit down."

They sat down to eat and while Slim dug in and ate heartily, Emily just picked at her food. "Somethin' wrong Miss Emily?" Slim asked.

"No, no." Emily said. "Oh, Papa stopped in earlier today; he wants to talk to you."

"Really? What did he want?"

"He wants to ask you to take over the sheriff's job when he retires later this year." Emily said.

Slim was quiet, thinking, "Really?" he asked.

"Yes. He said he thought you would be a good person to take the job over for him the end of December."

"Oh, well I'll maybe stop by there tomorrow if I can." Slim said.

After supper, Slim went back to the barn and Emily washed the dishes. After they were done she went in and knitted for a while and then she prepared for bed. Ethan had stopped having the thrashing episodes so she had taken to sleeping on a palate on the floor so that she could be close to him if he did need her.

The next morning Emily was out in the kitchen cooking breakfast for herself and Slim and thinking about what a grey day it was going to be. For the end of September it had been quite chilly and Emily wasn't looking forward to another long winter. Then she heard it, very weakly at first.

"Em? Em?" Ethan called, very weakly.

Emily couldn't believe her ears so she sat the frying bacon back and ran into the other room. "Ethan? Ethan?" She said and knelt next to his bed, taking his hand in her's and laying her other one against his cheek. He turned his face into it and Emily began to cry.

Ethan looked at her through half closed eyes and in a weak, hoarse voice said, "Em?"

"I'm right here. I'm right here."

He opened his eyes more fully now and slightly moved his head on the pillow before wincing. "I hurt Em."

Emily was still crying, "I'm sure you do. The doctor said you could have some laudanum if you woke up, but only after you've eaten something." she said, drying her tears on her sleeve.

Ethan turned his head more fully towards her, "What happened to your cheek, darlin'?"

Emily touched her cheek and looked at Ethan, "Nothing."

"It doesn't look like "nothing"." Ethan said his voice still hoarse. "But I don't feel like fighting about it now."

"Are you hungry?"

"A little." Ethan said his eyes sliding shut again.

Emily went out and prepared some cornmeal mash for Ethan and took it back into the bedroom. "Ethan, I have some mash for you."

Ethan opened his eyes part way again and said, "Ok. Why does my middle hurt so badly?" he asked.

"You broke some ribs, when the cow run over you." Emily said. "I'll help you sit up a little." She put her hands under his arms and helped Ethan slide himself up a little so that he could eat easier.

"Thank you." Ethan said.

Emily sat the bowl on his chest, with a napkin under it and began to slowly spoon mash into his mouth. He only ate a little before he stopped her. "No more. Not now anyway. Where's Slim?"

"I'll send him in after he finishes eating breakfast." Emily said. She watched as Ethan slid back down in the bed and fell asleep again. Then she went back out and finished preparing breakfast and called Slim.

"How's Ethan this morning?" Slim asked, as he did at every meal.

"He woke up this morning and ate a little. He's sleeping right now but he wants to see you when you finish eating."

"Ok." Slim said.

Emily was able to eat that morning. Ethan had woken up and she felt a hundred times better without the worry hanging over her head that he wouldn't.

When Slim finished eating he went into the bedroom and shut the door. He was sure that Ethan had seen the bruise on Emily's cheek and she had refused to tell him what had caused it, so he knew that was what his friend wanted to talk about this morning. He pulled the chair up next to the bed and said, "Ethan."

His friend opened his eyes and smiled, "Hey Slim."

"You look like hell my friend." Slim said.

Ethan tried to laugh and then deciding that it hurt to much, settled for a smile, "Feel like it too." Then he became serious, "What happened to Emily, to her face, I mean."

Slim became somber as well; this was not something that he wanted to tell his friend, his real friend. "Dusty." was all he said.

"Dusty?" Ethan asked.

"Yup, Emily went for a walk, down by the creek, to try and calm her nerves and her fears. When he saw her get away from the house aways he attacked her and tried to, well you know."

Ethan felt sick and wished he could get up out of the bed, but knew that he couldn't. "So he, he, you know. He did that to Emily?"

Slim saw the despair in his friends, face and eyes. "No friend, he didn't. She fought him off, scratched his face, which caused him to jump back and she got up and away. But he hit her, across the left cheek before that."

Ethan closed his eyes, groaned inwardly. "Well I guess that was better than the other option."

"Yeah. I think he's responsible for that other gal's baby too." Slim said.

"Louise?" Ethan questioned.

"Yeah, I overheard them talking while I was getting ready to take Dusty to the law and she said that it was Dusty who attacked her over a year ago. Well I was doing some figuring and that would have been timed right, I wasn't riding with Dusty then."

"Well thank you Slim. For taking care of them." Ethan said. "What about the cattle?"

"They're fine. I've been taking care of them." Slim said. "I may be sticking around for a while too."

Ethan gave him a questioning look.

"Emily's Pa, he thinks that I would be good to replace him as sheriff."

Ethan could hear the excitement in his friends, voice. "That's good. Now will you do me another favor?"

"Sure." Slim said.

"Help me up."

"For what?"

"I need to use the privy."

"Oh."

Slim helped his friend up and into some clothes and his boots. Then they slowly made their way out into the front room, Emily fretting the whole time and into the back yard. Slim helped his friend to the privy and let him do his business and back to the house again. "Where do you want to go?" he asked Ethan.

"Let me have a straight back chair in the sitting room." Ethan said.

"No he's going back to bed. Slim, when you go to town this morning you can stop at his parents place and send them over and then send out the doctor." Emily said.

Emily won, and Ethan went back to bed. He was laying there later that morning, while Emily was out humming in the kitchen. "Em! Come in here."

She breezed into the room, "Yes dear, what can I get you?"

"Sit down." Ethan said, patting the spot on the bed next to him.

Emily sat and he reached up and caressed her bruised cheek. "Slim told me what happened to you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do something about it though and I'm glad that he didn't hurt you worse than this." he said, touching the bruise again.

Emily leaned her head into the touch. "It wasn't your fault." she said. "You were hurt and I should have stayed with you rather than going out walking."

"Ok so what's Louise's excuse?" Ethan said, quietly.

"Louise? What do you mean?"

"Slim, he overheard you gals talking before he hauled McGuire out of here." Ethan said he couldn't call his former friend by his first name, not after what he had done.

Emily didn't say anything. She would not reveal Lou's secret, not even to Ethan. "I can't tell you."

"I understand." Ethan said. Then he asked, "Does Oliver know, I mean the truth, not the story that you girls came up with?"

"I don't think so." Emily said. Then pulling back from him and smiling, she looked Ethan right in the eye. "Can I have a kiss, Mr. Stabler?"

Ethan smiled for the first time in over a week. "Of course."

Emily leaned down and they were enjoying a long lingering kiss when Ethan's family, well everyone but the boys came tumbling into the house. "Etan!" they heard Katie scream.

Emily pulled back and Ethan leaned back on the pillows that Emily had fluffed under his head. He was waiting for Katie to jump on the bed and cause the screaming pain in head and ribs to begin again. Katie came running into the room but stopped before she made it to the bed. "Etan, your awake now." she said, coming around by Emily to kiss his cheek.

"Hi Katie. Yes I'm awake. Did you miss me?"

"Yes!" the little girl said.

The Stabler's had only been there an hour when Louise came driving up in Oliver's new buggy. "Whoa!" she said, coming to a stop in the door yard. She grabbed up baby Jesse and rushed into the house. "Emily!" she cried, holding Jesse close.

Emily, who had been in the bedroom trying to get Ethan to eat some more dinner handed the bowl to his mother and went to her friend. "Lou! What's wrong?"

"It's Oliver. Your father was telling him what his prisoner had been saying about me at the jail and so then Oliver came home and he asked me about it and, and so I just finally told him the truth. He was furious. He started yelling and saying awful things. Oh, can I stay here with you and Ethan for a few days, at least until he calms down." Louise said.

"Of course you can stay here. I'll take care of Oliver if he comes out here." Emily said. She watched from Ethan's bedside as Louise took Jesse and went into the sitting room.

'What's wrong Em?" he asked.

"Nothing time won't fix." Emily said. She took the bowl of hot broth from Olivia and went back to feeding her husband to be.

Olivia and Elliot along with Katie left later that afternoon and Emily went to check on Louise after making sure that Ethan had fallen back to sleep. "Ok, Lou, tell me exactly what happened with Oliver."

Louise seemed to go into a trance as she replayed the scene that had taken place in her home earlier that day. "Oliver came home for lunch and told me that he had been talking to your father earlier in the day. He told me about that Dusty, talking about how he had hurt me and how, "that boy of hers" was his. He wanted to know why this man was making this claim when I had been married and lost my husband shortly before I found out I was pregnant. I finally broke down Em. I just couldn't sit there and lie to the man I love any longer. I told Oliver the truth, and he was hurt, I could see it in his eyes. But I don't know what he was more hurt over, the fact that Dusty McGuire had hurt me or the fact that we made up that story. I just hope he can forgive me Em and come back to me."

Emily sat quietly while her friend told her story, and then said, "He'll come around Lou. He loves you and I know that he'll come around."

Later that afternoon, Emily and Louise began to cook supper and Ethan woke up again. Because Jesse was being so fussy and getting underfoot, Louise took him in and left him with Ethan. "They can entertain each other." Louise said, with a laugh.

They made a pie, and a nice beef stew. Emily thought that Ethan need things to eat that would go down easy due to partially inclined state of rest that he was in. When Slim returned he had Oliver in tow. Oliver came to the house while Slim went to the barn. When they saw Oliver coming Louise went into the bedroom with Ethan and Jesse, leaving Emily to deal with her brother.

"Emily." Oliver said when he came to the door.

"Yes, Oliver?"

"Where's Louise and Jesse?"

"In the other room." Emily said. "But wait, Oliver, I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Louise. She, we made that story up to protect her. Her parents were sending her away to get rid of Jesse. Now tell me, do you still love her?"

Oliver looked at his sister, "Yes, yes I do. That's what I came to tell her. I love her and I don't want her to go running off."

Louise came out then with Jesse in her arms and Emily faded back into the other room.

She and Ethan left the two alone until Louise came and said, "We're going home now. I'll see you later Lou."

"Alright. I'll see you later." Emily said.

Slim came in for supper and then disappeared back into the barn, leaving Emily and Ethan alone. "Well that was a bad situation that turned out right." Ethan said, leaning back against the head board of the bed. He was shirtless, but the white tape the doctor had wrapped tightly around his ribs could be seen.

"Yes it was. Two bad situations turned out alright I would say." Emily said. "You could have died Ethan and I would have been left alone, and Oliver, he could have pushed Louise away and left her and Jesse alone. I'm glad the truth came out though."

"Yes, that was alright. I'm glad that your ok too." Ethan said, picking up her hand and kissing it. Then he looked at the ring that rested on the third finger of her left hand. "Are you sure you like that ugly 'ol ring?" he teased her.

Emily looked shocked, "Ethan! Yes, I love it and you know it!" She drew her hand away from him and scrunched up her nose at him before leaning in close to his face. "I love this ring and I will not allow you or anyone else to take it away from me."

Ethan's face fell and in mock sadness he said, "So you just love the ring then, you don't love me?"

Emily pulled his face close to her's then and said, "Yes I love you. I love you more than all the rings in the world, I love you so much I cried for days when you got hurt. I love you so much that I'm going to marry you next May and live with you for the rest of my life. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good, cause I love you too and I'm going to marry you next May and I'm not going to get hauled off by bandits or run over by cows anymore, ok." Ethan said.

He kissed her then and it was one of those kisses that was so perfect, that lasted just long enough that you didn't have to take a half an hour to get your wind back. When he did pull back he looked at her and smiled. "I love you. I want you to go and sleep upstairs tonight, ok. No more sleeping on the floor."

"What if you need me?" Emily said.

"I'll be fine. I'm going to be sleeping and so are you. You don't need to worry about me." Ethan said.

They argued for a few more minutes before Emily finally gave in and went upstairs to bed after helping Ethan get settled. He still had trouble moving about from his leg injury and his taped ribs. She waited down stairs until she was sure that he had fallen asleep and then she went in and kissed him one last time. "Goodnight my darling." she whispered.

A/N: What a hard chapter to right. It took me a long time to get all figured out how it was going to come out that Dusty McGuire was the one who raped Louise and produced Jesse. SO please R&R and let me know what you think. Did I do good or does this chapter suck?