A/N- Here we go again... (thanks again to the Person Who Read This for always being boundlessly enthusiastic. Honestly would still be stuck halfway through this thing if it weren't for her so, y'know... much obliged, pardner [tips imaginary cowboy hat]). To clarify, this chapter is set in the present. Don't worry we'll get to the courtship eventually I swear.

The Calm Before the Storm

The tall stranger rode out of New Litchfield early the morning after the eventful poker game, her big brown horse hitched to a wagon loaded with supplies for the ranch she worked on. She didn't know anyone there well enough to say good bye. Little Joel the blacksmith's apprentice, hungover and humiliated, stood in the wide open door of the smithy (the structure on the westernmost edge of town) and watched her fade off the west as the sun threatened to break the horizon behind him.

When she'd passed him by, she'd put two fingers to the brim of her hat, smirked in a self-satisfied way and said, "Nice to see you getting your color back there, hoss..."

He glared at her until she disappeared over the rise about a half mile out of town, cursing both her and the fact he had to be at work at such a fucking ungodly hour. His boss Big Joe Caputo, a no nonsense sort with an impressively bushy mustache (more hair on his upper lip than on the top of his head) appeared behind him and cleared his throat, giving him a stern look, "You plannin' on doin' any work today, Luschek?"

Joel glared at him, "Yeah, yeah..."

"Don't take that tone with me, you lazy sack of shit. You're fuckin' lucky I took you on at all, considerin' how you left things at the roomin' house..." Caputo pinned him with a glare, daring him to talk back.

For once in his life, Joel recognized he was at a distinct disadvantage and shut his trap.

Caputo gave him another second, seeing if the moron was going to let his mouth fuck him over again, but nothing appeared to be forthcoming. He nodded curtly, "I'm gonna work on the sheriff's horseshoes. You sweep the place out, scrub the floors, then you can give me a hand."

Little Joel's jaw twitched. He fuckin' hated the sweeping bullshit and Caputo knew it. But he nodded once sharply. Caputo glared at him a little more before moving into the back of the shop where the forge was.

Swearing profusely under his breath, Joel took up the broom and began sweeping (doing so in an aggressively incompetent manner), growling about all the indignities that were thrust upon him by everyone around him, the bitterness settling in hard...

That night Joel was back at the bar, losing again. Cursing under his breath. "Fucking whore...She ruined my luck..."

One of the other regulars, an ex-soldier named Donaldson with a face looked like it was carved from a particularly craggy and unforgiving block of stone and half his left leg gone thanks to a Confederate shell, turned hard blue eyes to Joel, "Real men make... and ruin... their own damned luck, Joel. Don't go blamin' the stranger. She didn't force you go all in on a damned pair of tens..."

Before Joel could answer an amiable voice floated over from the table next to them, "You let a woman join your game?" The tone was light, incredulous, not the least bit hostile.

Joel turned in his chair. There were three men at the table all with dark hair, dark eyes and deep tans. Foreigners of some sort, far as Joel could tell. He didn't cotton to foreigners generally but these fellas were all wearing very expensive suits and more importantly very shiny irons. And if the events of last night had taught him anything it was to respect a dangerous looking bastard with a gun.

"Ain't my first choice either, mister, but the fat man runs the bar calls the shots and he lets it go," Joel scoffed contemptuously, "Dunno you could even call her woman to start with. Works on a ranch or some such. Got rougher hands than the guy digs ditches outside of town, wears men's clothes like she's got a right to 'em..." The dusky gentleman just smiled placidly, his apparent amusement encouraging Joel to roll on, "Hell betcha if you pulled her britches down she'd have a di-"

"That is most amusing," said the man still smiling amiably, much more friendly than the stranger had been. "Does she live here, in this town, this woman?"

"No," said Joel. Given the smithy's location on the edge of town, right next to the livery, he was privy to the comings and goings of many of the towns frequent visitors. He was enjoying this man's attention, enjoying being someone who had information he wanted, "Comes in maybe once a month, stays maybe a week then leaves."

"Ah," the man glanced over at his companions, then back at Joel, "and would you know where she goes home to?"

"Nah. Just that she rides west. They's probably a dozen settlements out that way. I don't get out that way much..."

The man nodded, "Ah... a pity... you said she comes here once a month?"

"Or thereabouts..."

"Well. That is most interesting. A capable woman," the man chuckled, "I would be most eager to encounter her... Most eager indeed," he signaled to the O'Neill at the bar, "This man... his next drink shall be on my bill, yes?"

O'Neill nodded acknowledgment, eyeing the stranger warily.

The man turned back to Joel, "Thank you the enlightening conversation, mister...?"

Joel felt his chest puff out slightly... no one in this shitpile of a fuckin' town ever called him mister... fuckin' disrespectful fucks... "Luschek," he replied, "Joel Luschek... and... uh, thanks for the beer."

Another nod, and then he turned his attention back to his companions. Joel looked back toward his cards, pleased as always to have been important in any way.

Alex got back to Haven just after noon. She'd have been back in only half that time if it hadn't been for the supplies she'd had to haul.

She passed straight through the town waving at folk who were out and about. Normally she'd have thought of stopping at the saloon to exchange pleasantries and indulge in a beer with Nicky but the encounter with that fucking caveman the night before combined with the fact that this month's trip to Litchfield had been a few days longer than usual, had left her more eager to get back to the ranch than was customary.

The ranch was a ways west of town, modestly sized enough that it could be run by two people (three if need be). It was as close to a home as she had in this unforgiving bastard of a world. She'd lived there on and off since she was barely more than a babe in arms, daughter of a frightened abandoned woman left in Litchfield by the man who'd dragged her out west, who was rescued by the kindly woman who used to own the place.

As she came over a rise she saw it appear in front of her: the ranch house with its side yard that backed up to the creek, the dozen head of cattle they had stretching off beyond. She felt her heart lift at the sight and once again marveled at how blamed sentimental she'd become over the last five years and more surprisingly, how little such sentiment bothered her nowadays. (although considering all she had been to in the five years prior to that perhaps it shouldn't have been shocking that such things appealed).

From this distance she had a good view of the whole ranch and could see its other occupant down by the river, facing the water as she filled a pail. A large genuine smile split her normally stoic face as she looked at the blonde by the river. The smile she only ever wore for her.

Alex urged the horse on faster.

Piper finished filling the second pail from the river, and was about to turn around when she heard the sound of hooves and the creaking wheels of the wagon over the burble of the creek. She turned and saw the wagon come to a halt in front of the gate to the ranch house yard.

Her water forgotten, she smiled broadly and took long strides to where Alex was sliding off the wagon's bench.

Alex practically took a run at her and before Piper had taken three steps, she was wrapped up in her strong arms, breathing in deeply, happy and relieved to see her again.

After a long embrace, she tilted her head up and met Alex's smiling face and gray green eyes, "Alex..." she breathed, smiling

"Well hey there darlin'..." Alex drawled back, leaning down to kiss her as long and hard as was wise when they were standing in front of the house. They both knew that a kiss could rapidly get out of hand especially when it had been so long since they'd seen one another and they didn't want anyone riding by getting a free show. The people of Haven were mighty tolerant, but some other folk weren't. Piper knew they were capable of fending off about any threat (had been required to prove it a time or two), but she didn't like having to do it. Didn't like Alex being forced back into her old ways... it almost never turned out well.

"I missed you."

"Missed you too, kid," said Alex grinning.

"How was town?"

Alex shrugged, "Typical," she cocked an eyebrow, "Little sore about havin' to wait two days longer'n usual for your fancy god damned Parisian perfume, but..."

Piper shoved her shoulder lightly, "You like that scent..."

Alex lowered her voice and said, right next to Piper's ear, "That ain't even near the top of my list of your favorite scents darlin'..."

Piper felt the blush run up her cheeks and suddenly felt the need to be inside... away from prying eyes. Significantly closer to their bed...

But...

"We have to unload the wagon."

"I know," Alex sighed, her voice a might huskier than usual, "I know..." she leaned down and kissed Piper again briefly, "... always so fuckin' responsible, Miss Chapman..."

Piper arched her own eyebrow, "Not always... but I'd prefer not to have my 'fancy god damned Parisian perfume' stolen whilst we're inside... and I would hope we'd be inside for a good long while..." (Alex smirked at that) "Besides, I've got Ford here. He's tending to the cattle, and I wouldn't want him to come looking for us," (the poor man had walked in on them once in the barn... an incident that had left him flustered, Piper quite thoroughly mortified, and Alex laughing heartily) "He'll help before he has to get on home... which means we can dismiss him all the quicker..."

Alex tightened up the embrace for another long moment (long enough that Piper was considering forgetting about Ford and the supplies in the wagon and every other damned thing and just dragging her off to bed), before sighing and saying, "All right... let's get this real work over with then..."

They always went in to town for their supper on the evening Alex returned from her monthly trip to Litchfield. They made for an odd sight (or would have, had the people not been so used to seeing them). It was the only time Piper pressed Alex hard to dress in her Sunday best, which for Alex just meant clean pants and shirt and actually beating the dust out of her long jacket (although the blonde could never get her to leave the house without at least one iron attached to her hip). They were so different from one another, at least in appearance, that it was sometimes almost jarring. Dark and light. Civilized and untamed. Refined and coarse. Any two opposites you could think up they would fit.

Tonight, they were at Red's saloon, Alex drinking whiskey and bellowing with laughter at some off color joke Nicky had made (outside of the ranch house, Alex only really relaxed and let her the stoic mask fall at Red's), Piper sipping a glass of good French wine Red had brought all the way to this godforsaken place specifically for her (a privilege Piper had paid a pretty penny for), smiling at the back and forth, pretending to be shocked or offended when things get especially unladylike.

They sit close even when they're engaged in separate conversations, one of them always in contact with the other, Piper's free hand on Alex's leg, Alex's arm slung casually around Piper's shoulders. Unthinking, like it's just something that happens naturally when they're anywhere near to one another.

Not all the folk are especially... open minded... about such an arrangement, even in a place like Haven... but unlike most places, the ones don't approve keep their opinions to themselves... Everyone knows how it works here, and besides, Piper Chapman when she turns on her charm can be a formidable force... as can Alex Vause when she turns hers off.

So they live in relative peace, happy and content, and though sometimes they struggle, just as everyone else does out here, harsh and unforgiving as it is, at least they have each other.

And so far as either one of them was concerned there weren't a whole lot of things in the world might change that.

They stayed until near midnight. Red's the only real place to get a meal in town outside of one's own kitchen, and so it was always crowded on any given evening, but the crowd usually thinned this late. Besides, Alex had begun eyeing Piper in a way that was causing Piper's neck to turn furious shade of pink. Alex had "gotten reacquainted with the territory" (as she liked to put it) several times not long after Ford had mounted his horse and ridden up towards town (looking strangely relieved to be away from the palpable tension between them), but... it had been near on a week, and Piper couldn't deny that she was feeling exactly the same way.

So they said their goodbyes (Nicky giving them a knowing look before going back to grinning at Lorna) and nearly fell over themselves getting back in the wagon and making their way down to the ranch...

Alex was stirred from her sleep by someone pounding on the door. She generally slept light, a habit formed during her years with Kubra, not just because of the nightmares that became her constant companion, but because they always seemed to be living on a knife's edge of danger and a deep sleeper was often the first man killed or taken if someone ambushed them. Since taking up with Piper, her sleep was no longer so tormented. When the old ghosts would occasionally see fit to pay a call, waking her up, heart pounding, gasping for air like she was drowning, Piper was always there to soothe her back to sleep…

But she still woke up at the slightest disturbance. Piper slept much more soundly, an ability borne of 18 years living in safety and comfort (if not happiness). It had never been necessary for her to be that alert when Alex was there, and when Alex wasn't, she slept badly anyway.

The pounding continued steadily and Alex frowned, disentangling herself from Piper and groping around on the table for her glasses. She slid them on, then picked up her pocket watch and glared at it. Three AM. She swore under her breath. They'd barely slid into a sated, exhausted sleep an hour and a half ago… and they had to be up at god damn five… "this better be fuckin' good," she muttered as she slid out of bed, still half asleep. She hastily pulled on her pants and pulled her shirt on, but didn't bother with buttoning it all the way up.

She didn't feel as though the situation held any real danger, knowing that if someone meant them harm it was unlikely they'd be polite enough to knock at the door, but there was a low key thrum of anxiety in the back of her brain as she pulled one of her pistols out of the belt that was draped over the door handle of the bedroom (there was no such thing as too careful) and padded quietly downstairs. Three AM was a might early for callers… and early callers generally didn't bode well

Her natural caution took over entirely as she reached the bottom of the steps and she moved smooth and quiet towards the front door. Another round of pounding. She approached the door and glanced out the little window at the side, keeping herself angled so she could see out but the person was unlikely to see her. Her brow furrowed as she realized who it was.

She unlocked the door and slid it open halfway, keeping her gun hand hidden. All her plans to be cool and impolite to the visitor had slipped away when she'd seen who it was. Miss Rosa didn't go making unannounced late night calls to folk unless something passing serious was going on. And she didn't make calls to the Chapman ranch except on the very rare occasions she was invited.

Alex respected her, owed her her life, but she was wary of Rosa and her gang… there was something around being around any of them, listening to them laugh and recount their latest job that stoked the dormant flame of her thirst for adventure. Alex truly didn't want anything to do with most aspects of that life anymore, it was a promise she'd made to herself, to Piper, to Celeste, to Diane's memory (to all the people that truly mattered to her anymore), and she wasn't going to break it… the violence, the fighting, the killing, none of it held any appeal for her at all. If she never pulled a trigger again, she'd die happy. But there was always a small part of her, deep down, that loved the exhilaration of riding fast towards an adventure, towards a thrill, towards danger. That loved the challenge of it. Mostly she kept it tamped down tight and acknowledged it without truly longing for it… but being around Rosa's gang always brought some of it to the fore…

She shook the thought and said, "Evenin' Rosa..."

"Sorry to pull you away from your warm bed," Rosa said, her face grim, her tone indicating urgency and not a hint of regret for pulling Alex away from anything, "but we got trouble. Big trouble..."

Alex was silent. In her experience, it was best to let everyone else do the talking until it was clear what course she ought to take.

"… Lorna's gone."

A cold hard lead anvil dropped into the pit of her stomach at Rosa's words. Lorna… Lorna was possibly the sweetest person Alex knew… a bit touched in the head sometimes, but sweet… and Alex liked her, always found her amusing… but it was Nicky she was thinking of now. Nicky'd never say it, but Lorna was more than passing important to her… much more. Alex was too stunned by the news to speak and Rosa continued before she had a chance…

"Her fuckin' piece of shit husband hired some dogs to come find her. Managed to track her here… waited til she was on her way back to the Roost after visitin' Nichols and snatched her…"

Alex managed to shake off her shock… there was a massive storm of emotions brewing in her chest (worry for Lorna, worry for Nicky, anger at what had happened...) she pushed them all down, focusing on cold hard fact, knowing time wasn't anywhere near on their side, "When?"

"Nigh on an hour ago…"

"The fuck was she doin' travellin' alone at fuckin' two in the morning?"

"She wasn't… Flores was with her…" Rosa's face darkened, "They came up on 'em from behind, like the fuckin' cowards they are, shot Blanca off her horse, then grabbed Lorna. Blanca got one of 'em but the others got away. Blanca managed to crawl back up on her horse somehow, got back to the Roost… weren't that far from it, maybe a quarter mile… got lucky there…"

"The one she got... he alive?"

"No. She got him in the wrong part of the part of the gut and he was dead when we got back to him, bled out… pity… would've liked to have had a good long talk with him…"

Alex shuddered at the thought of what Rosa's idea of a talk was… she'd seen too much of that with Kubra. She knew Rosa wasn't as cruel as Kubra, but when someone in the gang was in danger… Alex had seen what people were capable of in times like that. She wasn't keen on reliving any of it.

"You got a plan?"

Rosa nodded, "Ride after 'em. We know where Lorna's from, reckon that's where they're headin'. Hopin' to catch up with 'em afore they get there," she shrugged, "I know, ain't much of a plan, but reckon it's all we got right now."

Alex raised an eyebrow shrewdly, "And you're figurin' I fit into this how?"

Rosa took a deep breath, "Well, that's the part I reckon you might not like so much…"

After Rosa was done explaining what she need from her, Alex went back up to the bedroom and woke Piper. The look on Alex's face told her all she needed to know. She put on her dressing gown and they went downstairs to the kitchen where Piper began moving about, preparing coffee as Alex sat at the table and explained what had happened (she knew she should be getting ready, but didn't want to do a thing until she'd laid it all out for Piper). Lorna gone. Rosa pursuing...

"Nicky wanted to go with them. Was chompin' at the bit in fact... Rosa told her no and she about leapt out of her skin..."

Piper frowned, "You told me Nicky couldn't do anything that might be deemed too strenuous..."

"That's right," Alex nodded, her expression pained, " Doc told her that her heart won't be able to take it, not after all that strain she put on it, after she near died... But that don't mean the girl listens. She's my oldest friend, but there's times she don't think... especially when someone she loves is in danger."

"So I would assume Rosa told her no again..."

"She did. But Nicky kept pressin'. Normally, Rosa would just have knocked her out, but not with Red there... 'sides if she did that Nicky'd just wake up and follow 'em. Rosa was startin' to lose her cool... so Red stepped in with a suggestion..." she trailed off... frowning... this was going to be the hard part...

Piper had just finished pouring her a cup of coffee. She turned slowly to look at Alex when she noted her change in tone. "Alex..."

"Red suggested I go with them. Nicky trusts me in a way she don't trust Rosa or her people... and Rosa knows that I wouldn't be a liability... Nicky said if I would agree to go then she'd stay here..."

Piper closed her eyes, hand still gripping the coffee pot, "You said you were done with that. With all of it."

"I am done with it, darlin'," said Alex sighing, "But this ain't what you might call a typical situation."

Piper was silent for a long moment, then opened her eyes, pinning Alex with her blue gaze as she handed her the tin cup of coffee, "Is it an endeavor that could get you killed?"

"Where we live walkin' down the street can get you killed..."

"Alex... you know very well that isn't what I mean..."

Alex looked down at her coffee, dipping her head once, "I reckon it might. Any job like this... there's no guarantees." She'd never felt the need to really explain herself much to anyone because she'd rarely put much store in the opinions of others. Piper though... she needed Piper needed to understand.

"You promised me..." she repeated.

"I promised you I wouldn't cause trouble. I've kept that promise and I damn sure don't intend to break it

"And yet you're riding out to meet these bounty hunters with Rosa and her gang of criminals..."

"That gang of criminals saved my life, Piper," Alex said simply, "If not for them you'd never have met me. Lorna and Rosa... that's a debt I ain't never repaid..."

Piper huffed a frustrated breath, "I know. And you know I don't judge anyone here but..."

"And it ain't even for them, not really. Rosa's the one I'm ridin with but Nicky is the one I'm doing this for. And you know... You know what she done for me over years... you know there ain't a way I can say no if it'll mean saving her from going out there..."

"Alex... what about your own life..."

"If I go out there there's a real possibility I come back with not a scratch. You ain't never seen it full on, but I'm good, Piper. Real good... And Rosa... she and Ruiz and Cindy... they're not as good but they're still more'n capable. From what Flores said it's maybe three men we got to deal with... as close to a sure thing as you can get..."

"You've always told me there is no such thing as an 'easy job' or a 'sure thing'..."

Alex half smiled, quietly cursing Piper's near perfect memory... "Piper... it's the difference between me goin' out and probably livin' and Nicky goin' out there and most likely dyin'. You know I can't let that happen..."

Piper's eyes flashed, "And what about me? Did you concern yourself with how I might feel about such a thing?"

"God damn it Piper, yes of course I did... but..."

"... but you'd made up your mind before you even woke me..."

Alex said nothing. The silence spoke volumes. Piper held her gaze for a long moment, then stormed out of the kitchen straight to the front door, which she opened, stepping out into the night, then slammed behind her. Alex's jaw tightened, emotions running hot through her brain. She looked at the coffee cup in her hand, thought hard about throwing it at the wall, then reconsidered. She took a long sip of the hot, strong brew (made precisely the way she liked it... Piper always made it precisely how she liked it).

She threw a glance over her shoulder at the front door, then turned back, ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "Fuck..."

Piper was out in the yard staring out across the creek into the dark, lit only by the moon, an image that struck even Alex's unpoetic heart as achingly lovely. Even if she'd been the one that hurt her.

She watched her for a moment before ambling forward and putting her arms around the blonde's waist, tentatively at first then tighter as she felt Piper relax rather than fight her (she'd learned the hard way about underestimating the strength of Piper's temper).

She hooked her chin over Piper's shoulder and kissed her neck lightly, "You know I didn't mean to hurt you, honey."

Piper sighed deeply. Alex felt her melting into the embrace.

"And you know why I have to go..."

"I know," Piper said quietly, her tone resigned, if not exactly defeated, the initial flare of temper faded, "Just promise..."

"Piper..."

"I know you can't promise it'll all be all right. Please just promise to try. Please. I think I could do without you, if I had to... but lord I don't want to have to."

Alex nodded, "I promise I'll do everything in my power to come back to you," they stood like that for a bit and then Alex added, a small smirk on her lips, "And I am the best you know..."

That drew a laugh. And small and rueful as it was, it still lifted a little of the weight in Alex's heart, "You're lucky I find unbridled egotism attractive..."

"It is my best quality," Alex sighed, "I told Rosa I'd be at Red's at 4. I have to get ready..."

Another sigh, heavy now, "All right... god damn it..."

Alex wasn't sure she'd ever seen Nicky looking so out of sorts, not even when she was out of her mind on opium. Almost every part of her appeared to be in a state of unrest, agitated, almost vibrating with anxiety and anger, energy building up and having nowhere to go.

She was pacing back and forth in front of the bar, smoking a roll up held in one shaking hand, eyes darting to and fro, never settling longer than a split second. Red was leaning on the bar, still as a stone, watching Nicky. To anyone who didn't know her, she was the picture of stoic calm, a port in the storm currently spiraling through the bar, but Alex could tell she was worried about Nicky. It was in the furrow between her brows, the way she was nursing a tall glass filled near to the top with vodka.

Behind Nicky, Rosa was talking to the members of the gang who were going with her as they took stock of their gear and supplies. They were keeping the party small. Rosa reckoned that the fewer there were, the faster they could move ("And it leaves more to come after us if it goes wrong," she'd said with a wry smile). The group was to consist of perpetually sour faced Maria Ruiz and perpetually smiling Cindy. Maxwell and Rosa's man Marco were staying behind to tend to Blanca. Alex knew that Rosa also considered her the kind of asset that could take the place of two of hers. ("I know you don't like to think on it too much, Vause… but you're deadlier than all of them rolled into one…"… Alex had tried not to wince at that).

Alex was sitting on a barstool facing towards the room, her back leaned against the bar, watching Nicky, frowning. She'd already checked her own equipment: her well-worn but reliable pistols, her rifle, and the knife Celeste had given her what seemed like a lifetime ago… the one that Rosa had pulled out of the Dingo's back and returned to her after she'd returned from the dead. She only needed to secure it all to her person and she'd be ready to ride.

After their talk, Piper had insisted on coming with her back up to town. She was standing next to Alex's stool, leaning into her, head on her shoulder, right arm wrapped as tightly as possible around her waist, fitted as closely into her as she could be without actually crawling into her skin with her. Alex's left arm was draped over her shoulders and Piper was holding on to her hand as tightly as she was clasping her waist. Having spent all her arguments, and understanding that there was not a thing she could say to talk Alex out of this, she was not letting go of these last few precious minutes of closeness.

She hadn't said much since coming up, probably afraid that words would bring emotion to the surface, and Alex knew how Piper disliked acting like a "weak kneed debutante", even though she'd more than proved herself to the people of this godforsaken town that first winter. Alex could see the muscles in her jaw flexing, and the determined steel in her eyes as she kept up the front, looking at Nicky, avoiding Alex's eyes. Deep down, Alex knew Piper was dreading her leaving, and she felt awful for causing that feeling in her… but there was nothing for it. Alex owed both Nicky and Rosa too much to refuse this…

Nicky was talking a mile a minute, her words as fast and as nervous as her movements. "I want to go, Alex… I want to go god damn it… I want to go so fucking bad… I want to find that asshole and cut off his dick and stuff it into his…"

"Stop talking foolishness…" snapped Red, "You know your heart won't be able to take it…"

"My heart?" Nicky spat, "my heart is fuckin' gone, Red… and if we don't get her back, it'll stay that way…"

"Lorna wouldn't want you riskin' your life like that, Nick," drawled Alex, low and soothing, cutting off whatever harsh words Red might have been contemplating, knowing that they would just agitate her friend more, "And you know you can't shoot worth shit…"

It was true. Nicky couldn't fight worth a damn. She was useless in such situations, and not just because of her weak heart. Even before she'd gotten sick, the best she could do was spirited scrapping and that was no good against the kind of men who'd taken Lorna.

Rosa looked over at Alex, "Vause! We're leavin' in half a tick."

Alex gave her half a nod, felt a shudder go through Piper… felt like the bottom of her heart was dropping out.

Nicky made a sound halfway between anguish and frustration and stopped pacing, walking over to Alex and Piper, putting a hand on Alex's right shoulder, gripping it hard, "I told 'em the only way I'd stay here is if you went, you know that right?"

Alex nodded. Rosa had explained this with a great deal of exasperation. As good a fighter as Alex was, Rosa was still a bit wary of her, of what she'd done with Kubra. She also didn't like to take Alex away from her promises (knowing that Alex's continuing peacefulness was a good thing for everyone)… or to make Piper angry by taking Alex away at all. But all that was nothing weighed against having someone like Nicky tagging along… and short of knocking the girl out (which was out of the question given who her "ma" was) there was no way she wasn't tagging along if Alex didn't go.

"Bring her back to me, Alex… bring her back… I don't… I dunno what I'll do if you don't…"

Alex stood up. Piper moved with her, not relinquishing her hold on either her hand or her waist. Alex took a step forward and clapped her free hand on Nicky's shoulder, "If it's in my power, I will."

Nicky was still for the first time since they'd walked in, holding Alex's gaze. Then she nodded once, short and sharp, and turned to follow Rosa and the others out the front of the bar to the street, Red on her heels.

Alex was left alone with Piper in the bar. They could hear the sounds of the others making final preparations drifting in from outside. Alex shut her eyes and took a deep breath, in and out slowly, steeling herself for what she would see on Piper's face when she looked down at her.

She felt Piper shift, both arms now around her neck, grip still bear trap tight, her face buried in the crook of Alex's neck. It was the way the blonde clung to her when she was upset or feeling particularly emotional. She couldn't remember Piper holding her this hard for a good long while and it added another weight to the growing collection settling into her heart. Alex hooked her chin over Piper's shoulder and wrapped her arms securely around her waist, trying to communicate everything she was feeling through the action alone.

Alex could sell Bibles to an atheist, but when it came to expressing her innermost feelings, words almost always failed her. She had always been better at showing such things rather than saying them out loud.

"I still don't like this…" Piper said, her voice thick with emotion, muffled by Alex's neck.

"I know..."

"And you know that I will be quite disappointed should you come back damaged in some way?"

Alex smiled, "Yeah, darlin', I know…"

Piper drew back and looked up at her. Alex knew there were probably a thousand things she wanted to say out loud because they were all written clearly in her eyes. As much a mystery as Piper could be to her at times (especially when she was in a foul mood), there were others when Alex knew what she was thinking, felt it deep down.

Be safe

Don't do anything reckless

Don't let anyone draw you into something you can't win

…come back to me in one piece…

(because Lord knows what I might do… what might become of me if you didn't…)

Alex nodded, her forehead coming to rest on Piper's, saying the only words that really mattered right now, "I love you…"

Piper's breath hitched for the barest of moments, but when she spoke, her voice was soft but strong, "I love you too…."

Then Alex leaned forward the short distance between them and kissed her hard, putting everything she was feeling and everything she wanted to tell Piper into it. Not promises necessarily, because she knew she might not be able to keep them, but reassurances… reassurances that she would do everything in her power to come home… that Piper was the most important thing in her life…

All too soon, there was a call from the door. "Vause, they're leaving…" It was Red. Her voice clipped and no nonsense, but not nearly so harsh as it normally was. Alex pulled away. Piper's eyes were shining, but there was a look of determination in them. She knew Alex was aware how she felt (like part of her heart was being taken away into uncertain territory… Alex knew because she felt the same way), and she had obviously made a promise to herself not to try to make either of them feel any worse about this. Alex kissed her once more, softly, on the cheek, and then reluctantly let go of her.

She turned towards the bar, pulled on her gun belt, fastening it securely, then slipped her knife into the holster at the small of her back and slung the rifle over her shoulder. She took Piper's hand and they walked out the door together. The dim light of the lantern lit saloon gave way to the even dimmer light of the torch lit street. Nicky was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, restless gaze darting between the riders, smoking another roll up, Red standing next to her, arms crossed, expression hard. Rosa, Ruiz and Cindy were on their mounts, ready to go.

Alex squeezed Piper's hand once more looking over at her with a small smile. There was no more to say, nothing more to do, certainly nothing more that they wanted to show to anyone else, even those they called friend. Piper let go of her hand, and Alex walked over to her sturdy black mare. She pulled herself up into the saddle, placed her rifle in the holster attached to her saddle.

Their party complete, Rosa looked over at the three women standing on the porch and said, "Should be back in no more'n five days…" then she gave them a wave, pulled her horse around and rode towards the east edge of town, Cindy and Ruiz following. Alex touched her fingers to the brim of her hat, took one last look at Piper, then turned and headed after them.

Piper watched them until they receded into darkness. It didn't take long. There was only the barest sliver of moonlight visible above, and the only other illumination on the lone dirt street was the guttering torches on the outside of the saloon, and Mendoza's rooming house.

Her jaw was clenched against the tears she could feel forming. She was going to be strong. She had learned early in her time here that there were not many other ways to be if one wished to survive here ("if you look weak, you already are…" it was something Red said so often Piper could recite it in Russian by now). The only time she allowed herself to show true vulnerability was when she was alone with Alex… Alex who was riding off into God knew what unknown dangers…

She was still staring off into the darkness, expression drawn when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked around and saw Red, "Come on, Blondie. Let's get you a drink, yes? Something nice and strong…"

Piper drew in a breath, "Oh… that's... that's kind of you Red, but… I have to get back…" Even as she said the words the thought of going back to her large empty house and trying to get an hour or two of sleep in the empty bed she and Alex had been lying together in a mere hour ago was causing a pain in her chest, a physical ache that had been steadily building since Alex had woken her up and said she had to go and was now about to reach a crescendo Piper wasn't sure she'd be able to fully contain.

Red's eyes were possibly the softest Piper had ever seen them. "One drink, honey. Just one. I guarantee it will make you feel better."

The sudden flash of panic she always got at the thought of having a drink settled in for just a moment (an old instinct borne of many very bad experiences), but it receded just as quickly. She hadn't had an… episode since she'd left Boston. When she drank now, it was one or two glasses and nothing more. They knew not to serve her more.

She sighed deeply, "All right. One drink."

"And then maybe you stay here tonight?" she half smiled, "Or what is left of the darkness anyway, before you must go back down to the ranch and work?"

Piper smiled back weakly, "Perhaps…"

Red guided her gently back towards the saloon, and Nicky followed, still jittery, but now silent. None of them turned to look back into the darkness.

Meanwhile, a ways to the East...

Fahri was tired and wanted little more than to sleep, but he knew that Kubra always wanted a report the moment he returned from one of his circuits, collecting from various allies and subordinates. It didn't matter the time of day, Kubra always seemed to be awake.

They had ridden out of Litchfield late that morning, made a couple of short stops on the way back and then arrived here about a half hour ago. Fahri had taken care of the horses and then found his way to Kubra's office.

Kubra sat behind his desk. He offered Fahri tea, which Fahri declined. "It was generally uneventful. The Coopers in Twin Valley are doing twice as well as last year and their output has increased accordingly, as have, they claim, their expenses. They provided me with ledgers, and I will be studying them in detail. Aside from that, all was well with our other contacts."

"Excellent. Was there anything else of note?"

Fahri hesitated for a moment, considering whether to mention what the drunken blacksmith's assistant in New Litchfield had told him. He did not think the man terribly reliable, but the way the others had reacted to the story told him that there might be some truth to it. There was also, of course, no guarantee that the tall dark woman with a rancher's hands and a gunfighter's garb and manner was her...

And of course, even if it was her, Fahri wondered whether bringing it to Kubra's attention would be wise. They had no other solid information to go on. There were at least a dozen settlements, some fairly sizable, to the west of Litchfield within a reasonable day's ride... There was no question of Kubra wanting to know about the information. She had always been his biggest disappointment. He had had such grand plans for her...

Fahri had not been at Kubra's side when the man had decided to punish her (he'd been away on a run, much like the one he'd just returned from), and had he been he would most likely have advised against it, would at least tried to argue for making the girl see sense rather than taking such extreme measures. He had been the one who had found her... he still remembered first setting eyes on her, laying waste to half a dozen men with her bare fists at a saloon much like the one they had eaten at in New Litchfield. He had rendered some small aid to her (she barely needed it) and approached her, telling her she had a talent that should be put to better use than punishing small minded men who would call her a cheat... He had always been fond of her, had always wondered if maybe he could have kept her from her fate somehow...

But he was being sentimental... and such sentiment had no place in his chosen line. Besides, Aydin and Ahmad had been privy to the conversation with the drunk as well, and would likely report it to Kubra when they spoke to him the following day. No, it was best to be forthcoming. Fahri had seen firsthand what happened to those who were not entirely honest with Kubra Balik.

He met his bosses' fierce gaze and nodded once, "Yes, sir, there was one more thing. We heard a most interesting piece of news while we were dining in New Litchfield. Perhaps you remember Alex Vause..."

A/N- FYI, when I'm writing these, the look in my head is very Lonesome Dove (all desolate dusty towns and big ranch houses). If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. considering making a sideblog on tumblr just for posting pictures of dusty towns and big ranch houses... more from the past next chapter I promise.