When the family, along with Ellie and Jackson, had arrived in town the next morning, Jackson made his way quickly over to the livery, but Ellie stood quietly next to Bear, her arm draped across the horse's neck. She eyed the bustling town with a fair amount of dread. She could read a little, but she could barely write, and although she knew the letters that made up words, she didn't know how to pronounce all of them or what they meant.

All the confidence that she had had that morning had disappeared, and when she noticed all of her new found friends had gone off to do their own things, she walked as quickly as she could away from the town center and towards the meadow.

It wasn't long after she had gone over there, though, that Daniel, while he was walking from Grace's café, had looked over towards the far end of the meadow where he saw what looked like a body lying on the ground underneath a tree. Worried that someone was hurt or worse, he hurried his way over there. As he got closer, though, he noticed that it was Ellie. She was lying there, staring up and tree above her, and her breathing was even.

He slowed his pace, and when he got close to her, he crouched down and said, "Hey there, Ellie."

"Oh…hi, Da…Mist…she..."

"Daniel's fine." He stated with a chuckle, understanding her confusion over what to call him. "What are you up to?"

"Have you ever looked at a tree from the bottom up?" she asked, sitting up.

"Can't really remember."

"You get a whole different perspective when you do. Its like you see it in a totally different way than you usually do."

He nodded, and then sat down. "So, why are you over here?"

Ellie looked down, and then away from him.

"You know," Daniel stated, "Sully used to do that too."

"What?" She asked, turning her head back around.

"Get all quiet and not look you when he didn't want anyone to know what he was thinkin' about."

"He's not usually quiet?"

Daniel outright laughed at that one. "Yeah, well…he only speaks up when he feels the need, but…he doesn't like to worry people either."

Ellie sighed and said, "Jackson might have a job but…I don't think I can get one too."

"Why not?"

"Because…I don't read to good, and my writing is even worse…"

"You know, there's always time to learn."

Ellie just shrugged, unconvinced.

"You know, I could barely read, couldn't even write until a couple of years ago."

"Really?" she said, cocking her head to one side as she looked back at him.

"Yeah. Sully, he helped me start up a gold mine in Nevada, and during the down time, he taught me. With practice, I'm pretty sure you could be just as good as anyone else in this town."

"You think it could work?"

"Doesn't hurt to try, does it?" he replied.

Daniel then stood up, and helped Ellie up as well.

"I guess not." She said, brushing herself off.

"Good." Daniel answered, patting her on the back as they made their way back to town.

…………………..

And so, for the next few days, Ellie would meet Daniel for her lessons. The fourth day in, she was up early, and went in with Brian as he made his way to school. When they parted ways, she made her way to the sheriff's building, where Daniel was sitting inside, reading a book of his own and enjoying the fact that it was quiet.

Ellie knocked on the opened door.

"Hi, Daniel." She said merrily as she walked in.

"Hey there, Ellie. I have a surprise."

"Really?" she asked.

Daniel nodded and held up a book, handing it over to Ellie. "You've been doing so well with the letters and everything, I think its time you tried reading something. Dr. Mike thought you might like this."

Ellie gently took the book from Daniel's hands, and read the cover. "Aesop's Fables…"

"Dr. Mike said she loved reading these when she was a girl."

Wow."

"Go ahead, read some of it."

Ellie sat down and opened the front cover. Finding one of the fables, she started reading aloud. "The Scorpion and the Ladybug. A Scorpion befriended a Ladybug who became a loyal companion to him. A time came when she struggled to cross a challenging and dangerous river, and so the Scorpion offered to take her to the other side on his back. He had come to care for her

and promised he would never harm her. But, safely across the river, he allowed his tail to dip upon her with its venomous sting. As she lay in greatest pain, she said, "... but, you promised... why?" He shrugged and said, sadly, "Because it is my Nature."

Regardless of our wishes, or even our intent, it is to our Nature alone that we will be faithful."

She sat back, a thoughtful look on her face. "Hmm. Do you think that that is true?"

"Well, I don't know, people can change, but…"

Their conversation was cut short when they heard a commotion coming from outside. Both ran out to see what was happening. Something had happened outside of the Golden Nugget, and it spooked a horse, which went running right towards the Mercantile. A man unknowingly walked in its path, and was in danger of getting pawed to death by the animal which reared in front of him. Jake came from his shop and moved the man away, but the horse was still thrashing around wildly. Ellie ran towards the horse and with a few soft touches and soothing words, and most importantly, without touching the reigns, she quieted the horse. Once the animal stood still, she took hold of the reigns, and led him back to the front of the saloon.

Ellie started walking back to the Mercantile, where Daniel still was, and where Dr. Mike had appeared to check out the man that the horse had almost injured. Sully noticed her first and walked over to her.

"You did real good, Ellie. Michaela mentioned you had a kinship with animals. Not everyone coulda don't something like that."

"Thanks, Sully." She said, a half smile on her lips.

When the day started to end, Ellie made her way back over to Michaela's clinic, to ride back to the homestead. Before heading there, though, she went towards Mr. Bray's store. Daniel had given her a few coins, telling her to go and find something she'd really like at the store, saying that she deserved a reward for what she had done that day. She wanted to decline the offer at first, but she noted the hint of pride that Daniel had in his eyes when looking at her…something she had only really ever seen in Jackson's eyes…and her parents so long ago. She stopped when she reached the door though, hearing the adults talking inside.

"Did you see what that girl did?" Loren said, almost accusatorily.

"Something just ain't right with her." Jake commented.

Dejected, but trying not to show it, Ellie looked down again at the money in her hand, and walked over to the clinic.

That night at the dinner table, she didn't say much, and barely ate anything.

"You feeling OK, Little One?" Jackson asked, using her old nickname he hadn't used in a while.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just got a little headache is all. I think I'm just tired."

"Are you sure?" Michaela asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. May I be excused?" Ellie asked.

"Of course." Sully said.

Ellie stood up and picked up her plate to take it to the kitchen.

"Don't worry, I got it." Brian said.

"Thank you." She replied to him.

"And thank you." She said to both Michaela and Sully, looking both of them in the eye before turning and heading towards the stairs. "Goodnight."