(To Alice Kramer, you wonderful commenter you! All your comments make me smile and give me hope in my future as a writer. I love your expressions! I do quite love the saying "They see the sun and don't kneel at it".)

Night had soon blanketed Enterprise with a dark cover. The nightshades had been pulled swiftly over the entire town. Not even the stars had chosen to come out tonight. A light wind blew, shuffling around loose wooden slats on abandoned homes. Thunder rumbled ominously from a distance, just adding to the suspense inside the Sheriff's handsome mansion.

"Where's the little Chekov?" Scotty asked. Uhura, Scotty and Bones had all gathered in the living room in front of a warm fire that they had started with much effort.

Bones looked down the hall, frowning in dismay. "He's in his room upstairs." Bones rumbled. Scotty adjusted himself to face Bones.

"Alright, what'd you do McCoy? Why is little Chekov upstairs?" Scotty asked, imploring endlessly. "Is he cryin'? What's goin' on now?"

"I didn't make him cry. He just chose to run up there." Bones dismissed Scotty's idle questions. He needed to keep his eye on the prizes…

"Then tell me! Wha' happened?" Scotty asked.

"He asked me if I had ever loved anything or something…or had an emotional connection to anyone. When I said no—" Bones sighed and started, but was quickly interrupted. He knew that would happen. You could never get a full sentence in when talking with Scotty.

"You said no?! No, to the boy you're literally fallin' in love with?" Scotty popped his palm against his forehead. He was befuddled and utterly confused.

"But I don't have any…I don't want to have any emotional connection with anyone." Bones sighed.

"Why? Why? Tell me." Scotty begged.

"Because. In my line of work, it's dangerous. The people I love could be used as poker chips against me." Bones replied softly. Uhura assessed the situation and took her turn in speaking to Bones. Maybe she could reach him.

"Listen…it is tough…trying to accept love into your life when it's been gone for so long…but sooner or later you have to learn to love. In Enterprise, you're safe with us. We already have our own border control. You can just stay here and enjoy life." She smiled, hoping that it would better Bones' mood.

Bones ignored every single one of their words. No matter how much he wanted to believe that they were right, he couldn't. His job wasn't border control. It was to steal and kill. Being an outlaw means leaving behind any traces of life that one might have had.

"I can't do that. The only thing that is important to me is my gun. It's been with me through everything. It's my reminder of what I need to do." Bones gripped his gun, which was lying in its holster.

Uhura couldn't believe that words that were coming out of Bones' mouth. Had he heard nothing she said?

"Leonard Bones McCoy! You listen to me and listen well." Uhura stood up and stood dominantly before Bones, crossing her arms. "You've got nothing important to do here except keep that young boy alive. And why are you doing this, you ask yourself? Oh maybe because you just chose to…or it felt right. Am I correct?" Uhura asked.

"Yes, but—" Bones started.

"No! None of that! You could have left the town, left Pavel in that Saloon that night, left him here in this house to be tortured again! But you didn't…now have you done this in any other town?" Uhura exclaimed.

"No…"

"There's my point! You could have left. But you didn't. Do you know why? Because you are in love with him! You can't just push him away like some sort of abused puppy!" She softened. "I think you two need each other. He needs you as desperately as you need him."

Bones sat back on the couch, thinking about what Uhura had just told him. She was right about everything. The only thing she didn't understand was that he was an outlaw. They would soon find out and finally understand, and in that understanding, they would drive him away or kill him for the bounty on his head. But the more he thought about Pavel and the feeling of being happy once again…the more he welcomed the idea of love.

"I just think it's a bit emphasized too much. Love stories make me sick." Bones was not going to give up that easily though. Uhura groaned and walked away from the stubborn man, sitting by the fire.

"Welp, you've gotta give in sometime." Scotty told him. Bones just shook his head and waited for the night to be over.

Pavel sat in his room, listening to the wind rustle the dead tree limbs outside his window. The mobile rattled softly against the frame, giving a lulling, familiar and comforting sound to him. Night had officially come and the moon was no where to be seen. No stars...nothing. Not even the constellations would witness his horrible injustice.

Pavel was soon beginning to give up on the thought of a hero type figure that he hoped Leonard would bring. Leonard didn't love him. He had only said the words. The only thing that man loved was his gun and that was it. It was nearly heartbreaking for poor Pavel. His soul was being crushed and he was starting to cry again. All he could think about were the good times that he had experienced with Leonard. The first time he met him and fixed his hand up…the time when Leonard saved him from being shot…And then another new, fond memory began to float up. The wonderful kiss they had shared on the couch in the living room. Pavel had never loved that couch so much in his entire life.

Bones was starting to think that no one as coming tonight. There had been no forced break in's, no angry knocks at the door. Just good ole' fashion silence. Both Uhura and Scotty was becoming weary and were nearly falling asleep by the warmth of the fire. Bones himself was starting to fall asleep. But that was rudely interrupted by a loud bang on the front door. It startled everyone as they jolted from a hypnosis type state.

"How polite. They knocked." Bones muttered as he grabbed a sawed off shotgun and got off the couch, heading to the door. Uhura grabbed one of the fire pokers and Scotty grasped an empty bottle of scotch in his hand. Both of them followed Bones to the door.

"Chekov…oh Chekov! Come to the door. We have got a surprise for you!" The voice on the other side of the door cooed. "This time it's rocks and fire. Not just fire. Thought you might enjoy something a little different."

Bones, unable to take the taunting anymore, flung the door open, looking dead into a man's eyes. His nose was crooked and his arm was in a sling. Bones knew who this was. It was the man that people had classified as Jared…The one who almost killed Pavel. The man's eyes lit up when he saw that the Stranger had opened the door for him.

"Shut up before I blow your fucking brains out." Bones growled.

"Oh! I didn't know that you were going to be here. I guess it just make twice the fun…where's the little Russian rat?" The man peered over Bones' shoulder, looking around for Pavel.

"It's none of your business. You shouldn't even be here. With a broken arm and such." Bones pointed to the man's broken arm with his gun.

"I can still fight and shoot." Jared smirked. He raised up his healthy arm in the air, producing a small pistol in his hand. He kicked his foot through the screen door, bursting into the house and shot a bullet past Bones. It whizzed past his ear, hitting a wall. Behind him, there was another crash and a yelp.

"Leonard!" Pavel cried out. Both men looked up the stairs.

"So you're keeping him locked up in his room. How kind of you." Jared hissed.

"Scotty, Uhura, go get Pavel." Bones ordered.

"But—" Someone started, but Bones just glared at both of them quickly before returning his glance to Jared.

"Do it." Bones told them. Both of them ran off and up the stairs, leaving Jared and Bones.

"You told me to pick on someone my own size. This is what I'm doing." Jared taunted.

"Well I'm not having any of your bullshit today…Jared." Bones snarled back, raising his leg and kicking the man square in the chest, propelling him back into the screen door, breaking it and falling through.

"Jared?" The man laughed while on the ground. "Is that what they call me?" He laughed some more, struggling to get up with his broken arm. Bones advanced towards him, kicking open the door, entering onto the porch. It's when he got a good, clear look at the man.

He wasn't bulky, but he wasn't tall or lean either. He was average. Barely any hair on his head. A forked, spear like tattoo crawled down his face, curving around his eyes. A larger, more detailed tattoo was centered in the middle of his forehead. His eyes were deep set and menacing. The man had an almost rodent quality to him.

"Then what is your name?" Bones inquired, leaning over the strange man, holding the gun to his head.

"Nero." He spat and grabbed Bones' gun, launching feet away from the porch. Then he grabbed Bones' arm and flung him to the ground with a heavy thud. Rising above his opponent, he smirked. "I am going to break you like you broke me. Except I won't let you live."

"How kind." Bones smiled in an unfriendly manner.

"Of course…" Nero grinned, baring pointy edged teeth. Reaching a long hand out to Bones, he grabbed his neck and swiftly lifted him off the ground.

Bones was being suspended in mid-air, his lungs being cut off from all oxygen. He struggled to breath and started to panic, clawing at Nero's hands. Nero just laughed and looked at the petty man, dangling inches off the ground, fighting for his life.

"It's so amusing…seeing you squirm, thinking that you'll actually live…" Nero slammed Bones against a wooden post, holding him against it. "When you won't!"

"What makes you so sure?" Bones struggled to speak, but was able to spit his words out so that they made sense.

"What makes me so sure? Certainly you are not being serious? If a man submits himself to love…especially with another man, that automatically deems him weak and unable to fight. It's perfect actually." Nero scoffed.

"Just because I love someone and that someone is another man…doesn't make me any less man." Bones struggled to catch is breath as he wasted precious air that he might need.

"And how is that?" Nero implored.

"This." Bones lifted his legs up and kicked Nero in the throat, causing him to be dropped to the ground, but Bones scurried to his feet quickly, scrambling for his gun. But Nero was quicker. He grabbed Bones by the ear twisted his head downwards, nearly breaking Bones' neck.

"Not much of an effort. I'm starting to think I was right." Nero laughed. Bones grabbed Nero's arm and shifted all his weight onto Nero, flipping him over.

"Think again." Bones responded hoarsely. Nero lay flat on his back, trying to get up. But it was quite difficult when Bones had his foot on the man's chest. It was just long enough for Bones to grab the gun and hold it at Nero's head. "Do you surrender?" Bones asked.

"No." Nero hissed. He grinned and swiped Bones' foot out from under him. Bones fell backwards, but quickly regained himself, advancing towards Nero, who stood ready to fight.

Bones balled his fist up and took a giant swing at Nero, missing. Nero smiled, delighted by the simplicity and easiness of this game. Bones wouldn't take it. He regained himself and held the sawed off shotgun in his hand, smacking the butt of it against Nero's bald head. He stumbled back slightly, thrown off. Bones took this opportunity to swing and hit Nero's nose, making the man cry out in agony. It was still healing. Bones, now knowing that things would go his way, attacked Nero with the ferocity of a mountain lion. There were swing and hits, misses, dodges. Bones attained a bloody nose and a bruised collarbone while Nero had gotten everything he deserved.

When Bones was done with him, he took the knocked out man and slung him over his shoulder, walking to the center of town where more people were gathering. Bones grunted and wandered over to the water tower, grabbing hold of the wooden beams. He slowly inched his way up the tower beam by beam. It was at least 25 feet off the ground. As he climbed, the weight on his shoulder became heavier and heavier. It would be moment before Bones wouldn't be able to support himself or Nero.

Bone made it in time at the top of the giant water barrel. He dropped Nero on the ground next to him and pulled out the shotgun from his waist. He made sure it was loaded and pointed it into the air, pulling the trigger. The shot rang out through the whole town rendering everyone outside quiet. They all looked up at the water tower to see the Stranger standing on top of it. Once Bones knew that he had their attention, he began to speak.

"You people kidnap and torture a young man who has done nothing wrong to you!" He started. He wasn't quite sure what to say or how to say it. But he had a lot of emotions to get out. "You send people into his home…invading his privacy! And you kidnap him! Well I want to show you what happens to people who step a foot through that door who intend to hurt him!" Bones yelled. He grabbed Nero by the collar and lifted the limp man up.

"This is Nero! I am sure you all have heard of him. The one who organizes these things. Well look at him!" Bones shook Nero in his hand. People stared in wonder and shock at their leader. "Now if you don't want this happening to you…I suggest that you leave that poor boy alone! And if you don't, you'll end up like Nero here…or worse." Bones finished his speech and dropped Nero roughly onto the ground. Bones put the gun back into the loop on his waist and began to climb back down the water tower. He would leave Nero up there and watch him try to get down in the morning.

When Bones touched the ground, he looked around at everyone who was staring at him. He dismissed them and headed back to the Sheriff's house, hoping that Scotty and Uhura would keep Pavel safe. Behind his back there were murmurs and whispers. Though no one spoke his name. No one knew his name. He planned to keep it like that.

A cool breeze blew past him, giving him an eerie feeling about the whole town. He stopped and turned around, giving a 360 to the entity of Enterprise. During the daytime it was a quaint, cute little town with no violence what so ever. But during the night, it turned into a ravaging ghost town from Hell. Bones tried to shake the eerie feeling from him but it wouldn't go away. He turned back towards the house and kept going, wanting to get out of the town square before some brave soul caught up to him.

Bones made his way up the stairs and to the screen door, which was broken to some extent. He pushed through it and walked right into the house. It was dark and it looked like there had been a wild skirmish on the first floor. Bones looked all around for any sign of life. There seemed to be none.

"Pavel! Scotty! Uhura!" Bones called out for his friends, hoping that they would respond. There was nothing. Bones walked further through the house, wandering through all of the rooms. "Pavel!" Bones yelled out once again. Bones wandered aimlessly, starting to panic. When he reached the entryway to the kitchen he stopped. No one was anywhere…they were all gone. Had someone kidnapped them while he was outside, fighting Nero?

Upset and quite angry with himself, Bones leaned against the entry way frame and put his hand to his forehead. Near him there were slight rustling noises and then a creak emitting from the floorboards beneath him. Bones straightened up and looked around for the source of the noise.

"Hello? Pavel? Is that you?" Bones asked. No one responded. "If it's someone coming in to kill Pavel, just take myself instead. He's gone. He's probably miles away by now!" Bones yelled throughout the house.

A closet door beside him swung open and someone leapt out, grabbing onto his neck, clinging tight. Bones put his hands up and towards his guns, trying to fend off the person on him.

"Let go! I will kill you!" Bones threatened weakly.

"Leonard! Eet ees me! Pavel!" Pavel's voice filled Bones' ears. Instant relief flooded him. He let go of the guns and wrapped his arms around the kid, lifting him of the ground, squeezing him tight.

"Pavel…oh for god's sake! What the hell were you doing in there?" Bones asked, his voice muffled against Pavel's ruffled clothes.

"Scott and Uhura told me to hide. So I ran downstairs and hid in the closet." Pavel explained.

"Where are they now? Scotty and Uhura?" Bones asked as he set Pavel down.

"Zey are…ah I think zat zey are in ze liquor room, hiding as vell." Pavel tried to remember where Scotty had told him where they were hiding.

"Scotty! Uhura! It's Bones! Safe to come out now!" Bones yelled through the house. There was a clatter and then the pounding of footsteps with the occasional curse from Scotty.

Uhura and Scotty came barreling down the hallway desperately trying to get in front of one another. Scotty had a broken bottle in his hand and Uhura was wielding the fire poker.

"Are they gone?!" Uhura asked frantically. Bones looked around.

"I'm guessing so. I mean, I just beat their leader to shreds and then gave them a pretty menacing speech. They shouldn't be coming around." Bones shrugged. His eyes were suddenly heavy and his eyelids began to droop. "I think I'm going to…go sleep." Bones pointed his thumb towards the stairs.

"I theenk zat it vould be best eef ve all vent to bed." Pavel suggested. Scotty nodded, definitely wiped out from all the drinking and fighting he had done. "Zere are guest bedroom upstairs. Three." Pavel pointed upstairs.

"Thank you Pavel. It is much appreciated." Uhura smiled and ruffled the yong man's hair before heading up stairs, stick still in hand. Scotty waved goodbye at Pavel and began to treacherous, drunken journey up the stairs.

Pavel and Bones stood there in an awkward silence. Bones knew that he would have to sometime apologize to Pavel for saying what he had said. But tonight was no that night.

"Well, see ya in the morning Kid." Bones brought Pavel closer, hugging him against his chest. Bones closed his eyes and the emotions just sink in for a moment. He just let himself enjoy this wonderful feeling that would be gone by morning.

"Goodnight Bones…" Pavel smiled into Bones' shirt. He knew that Leonard liked it when he called him Bones.

"Goodnight kid." Bones let go of Pavel and walked up the stair with him following. As he turned to go into his room, Bones glanced at the last of Pavel, entering his own small room. That kid sure got to him in ways that no other woman had done before.

Bones entered his room and closed the door quietly behind him. As soon as he knew that he was alone, he tore the vest off, unbuttoned the shirt, and pulled off his pants. All he was left in was his unbuttoned shirt and a pair of boxers. The heat had gotten to him and he been attacking his body, so when his clothes were stripped off it felt like heaven. What felt even better was crawling into bed, nestling himself under cool sheets and a soft pillow. While he drifted off to sleep, he heard the soft chimes of Pavel humming to himself….

Bones was awakened by a loud crack and a burst of light that lit up the house only momentarily before it was rendered in darkness. He sat up and looked around. No one was in his room. As he began to lay back down, he heard the unmistakable pitter patter of rain falling on the roof. Then it was following by a flash of lighting and a large sonic boom of thunder. His door flew open and someone came running in.

"Leonard! Leonard!" It was Pavel.

"Yes? What is it?" Bones asked groggily. He didn't know what time it was but he assumed it was still night since the sun wasn't even out yet.

"Ze lighting storm…" Pavel whimpered.

"What about it?" Bones asked, turning over in his bed to see the exhausted yet frightened boy shaking in his room.

"Eet scares me…can I sleep in your room?" Pavel asked. Bone groaned and sat up.

"Pavel it's night…I'm tired. You have your own room. Go to bed." Bones said.

"But Leonard! Ze lightneeing storm scares me." Pavel whined, walking closer to the bed. Bones knew that there was no way he would win in this fight, so he might as well give in.

"Fine. Get in." Bones waved the kid over. Pavel smiled, running over to the bed and crawling on and over Bones so that Pavel was the one closest to the wall.

"Zank you." Pavel uttered quietly. Bones rolled his eyes and lay back in bed on his back. He could feel Pavel moving and breathing next to him. The sounds were so sweet and welcoming. So kind and innocent. So goddamned adorable. This kid would be with him through everything. He already had. Bones flipped over on his side, lightly touching Pavel's shoulder.

"Pavel…" He started.

"Yes…" Pavel returned sleepily.

"Uh…I really love you. And I'm not lying to you this time." Bones told him. Pavel flipped over and faced Bones, eyes still tired, but overwhelmed with happiness, a smile adorned his angelic face and Bones couldn't help but feel warm inside.

Bones reached out a hand and cupped Pavel's chin, bringing him closer, giving him a simplistic, loving, soft kiss that lingered up until Pavel broke away, eyes filled with tears. He hugged Bones tightly and gently kissed his slightly bruised neck.

"I knew you did." He whispered. Bones gratefully embraced the hug and knew that things were going to turn out…decent. Bones held Pavel, who had curled up beside him. It was the sweetest thing ever.

The notorious outlaw and the abused Russian both fell asleep together, knowing that everything was going to turn out okay.