Disclaimer: No ownership of characters from the show, just the made up ones, nor the show itself.

Chapter 5.

Both riders were on their horses, but they let the horses walk as one of the riders had a very bad leg at this point. Callie had tied Ari's handkerchief around the wound and tied hard to stop the blood flow. Ari had gritted her teeth but knew it had to be done.

Now, as Ari was riding, she was holding her hand on her legwound, pressing down to cease both bleeding and pain. At this point she had lost quite alot of blood. She was amazed she had managed to cross the desert, although she knew she had had to manage, or else she would've died in the desert and noone would know. Noone would know she even existed, except her old gang. Maybe Avery would feel a little something if she died. After all, he had had a huge crush on her back when she herself pretended to be in love with him.

'We're close now, hang in there Ari' Callie said as she turned around in the saddle watching the other person that was in pain.
'Just be quiet and take us to your place' Ari bit off.
Callie shook her head and turned around with her back towards Ari. The hostility was getting to Callie. She hated it. Though she couldn't do anything about it. Ari needed help, and was accepting it but not more than that.
They finally arrived at Callie's small house on the outskirts of town. Callie dismounted her horse, and tied it up before helping Ari dismount. As soon as Ari was on the ground, Callie had her arm around her waist for support and Ari put an arm around Callie's shoulders.
They walked together into the house, slowly and carefully with Ari limping quite severely by now. A bullet from a rifle would cause more damage than a bullet from a gun or a pistol. This Ari knew all too well by now and she was in great pain and agony at this point but she refused to let this latina woman know it. She gritted her teeth and almost exhausted herself in the effort of making herself seem untroubled by her injury.

'Does it hurt much?' Callie asked. She almost regretted asking it when she saw the look she got from Ari. 'Sorry I asked but I thought it was the most polite thing to do at this point' Callie started to have enough of the hostility she was shown. She let go of Ari where she stood, and walked further into her house. She went to the kitchen to see if she could find something to clean Ari's wound with, as well as clean rags to wrap around the leg.
'Do I need to fetch a doctor? It looks like the bullet caused alot of damage to your leg.'
'No, no doctors. Just address the wound and leave me be.' The hostility was almost touchable in the air. Callie gritted her own teeth so she wouldn't say anything. She exited the kitchen, carrying some rags and a bowl of water.
'Well then, take off your pants' Callie said.
Ari looked at her with disbelief.
'Do you actually think I'm gonna take them off?'
'Well, you wanted me to address the wound, didn't you? I can't do that with your pants on, now can I?'
Ari just looked at her but after some seconds, she did as she was told and then she sat down in a chair. The blood started to soak the handkerchief around her leg again. She could feel it. Callie smirked inwardly. This blonde was really cute, and she couldn't wait to find out if it was a man, or as she really suspected, a woman. Now with the pants off, she could definitely see that it was indeed a woman.
She kneeled down in front of her, and started to address the wound, cleaning it and trying to stop the bleeding by pressing down hard with a piece of cloth. Ari winced but she knew that it had to be done, and it was easier with someone else doing it. She felt herself getting weaker due to the blood loss. She also needed some rest and something to eat and drink.
'Do you have any water?' Ari asked, quite neutral in her voice. 'I didn't had the chance to drink back there.'
'Yeah sure, just .. press down this cloth and I'll get you some water.' Callie said and got up on her feet again. This was the first thing Ari had said without making it sound like a threat.
Ari pressed down the cloth on her leg and winced some more as Callie went to get water for her.

A/N Okay this is a very short chapter I know, but I don't really know how to continue on it at the moment, so I decided I'd just post it to see what you guys think. Also, no flames please.