Don't care if he's guilty, don't care if he's not...

He's good and he's bad and he's all that I've got.

Oh Lord, Oh Lord, I'm begging you please -

Don't take that sinner from me...

Oh don't take that sinner from me.

It had been a few days since Cap and I had gone on that "walk" and I was eager as ever to see him. But that was put aside as Bucky and Roy held him up by the shoulders. "Mama!" I shouted, running towards my brother as he fell. Our mother exited the cabin as she gasped, yelling at Alice and Florence to fetch some towels and clear off the table.

J.J had a bullet in his left arm, right leg, and one just below his ribs. "Who did you piss off, boy?" My mother questioned as she helped him inside and told Roy to fetch the Doctor. She asked Bucky what had happened.

"We was just walking through the woods'n we heard some yellin'... Roy wanted to go see what it was and I didn't, so I told him if we go check it out, we best run far and fast if someone spots us." Bucky explained quickly.

"There were McCoys everywhere, mama... Oh, God - They were everywhere." He whispered as he leaned against the table and fell into the chair, shaking his head. "J.J was tryin' to get 'em to calm down. but they wouldn't - One of 'em shot 'im, Roy fell backwards from the sound... We couldn't get to him after they shot him the first time, then they shot 'im again and again... We only got to 'im aft'a they done and cleared out." He finished, watching our mother put pressure as J.J was bleeding everywhere.

The house grew silent as we waited for Doc, he burst through the door with Roy behind him and cleared my mother out of the way. "The one beneath his ribs tore through, Mary... But I'm gon' have to pull out the other two."

Bucky and Roy held him down as he screamed, Sam and David trying to look at J.J as Alice and Florence covered their ears. I swallowed harshly as my hands shook, Doc asked me to get J.J some more whiskey and I did. After the bullets were removed, Doc stitched the wounds and wrapped bandages around his arm and leg then thoroughly wrapped his stomach.

"Now, I don't want you doing anythin' that could potentially tear your stitches... No huntin', no horse ridin' - Don't go down to the whore house either." Doc whispered in J.J's ear as he nodded, coughing up some more blood. I wiped it away quickly and sat beside him. When we got him into bed, he asked Bucky and Roy to stay with him instead of going to do chores for a moment and they began to talk. I was busy with cooking soup before Roy and Bucky came out.

"What did he want?" I asked as Bucky's face was semi-pale and Roy's legs were wobbly. "He told us why he was shot."

"Why was that?" I questioned as they sat down. "He said they shot 'im because he was defending your honor... Said you and Cap Hatfield were havig relations and he shot at them, so they shot back..." Roy stated.

I stopped stirring the soup and glanced back at them. "We aren't." I replied, shaking my head. "You and 'im behind that buildin' tells us otherwise." Bucky replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Anna, you can't go 'round with him... Pa won't let ya' - His family is dangerous."

"You don't know anythin' 'bout his family." I muttered, letting the soup do it's own thing as I untied my apron and quietly began to do my chores, watching Roy and Bucky glance at each other everytime I mumbled something.

Once I finished I went out and road into town, buying some things that mother needed before coming across some McCoys. My nostrils flared as I clenched my jaw, I put the items inside my horse's satchel and began to walk over to them before I was pulled between to buildings and tried to scream as my mouth was covered.

I tried to kick out my legs but stopped when I looked up and saw Cap. "I heard what happened." He told me, watching me as I angrily glanced out of the alleyway. "I'm going to kill 'em." I snapped, Cap shaking his head as I went to move. He only grabbed my arms as I tried to fight him and held them against the building my back was to. "Not if they kill you first, Anna."

I stopped moving and looked down. "Please let go of my arms." I said, watching him stare down at me. He wasn't pinning me to the wall with great force, he was actually being very gentle. "Are you gonna try and kill the McCoys near us if I do?"

"No..." I trailed off, looking down. "Look, I wanna kill 'em too." Cap whispered, letting go of my arms. "But give it time, Anna... Things will level out soon enough." He reassured me. I furrowed my eyebrows as he said that.

"The hell does that mean?" I asked, watching him. He kissed my forehead and led me around the buildings to avoid the McCoys as we both went into a shop. I saw Cotton looking at the candy and I smiled to myself. He always seemed to brighten up my day even if the dreariest things happened.

"Hey there Cotton." I said, standing beside him as he looked at me. "HI, Miss Anna!" Cotton grinned brightly, forgetting about the candy for a moment. "Are you gonna get anythin?" I asked him, tilting my head. Cotton shook his head.

"I don't have any money..." He told me honestly as Cap came and stood beside me. I handed Cotton a couple coins, telling him to get whatever he wanted and he bounced with excitement and did just that. "You've gotta stop doin' that, Anna." Cap told me, putting his right arm on my left shoulder and lean against me. I rolled my eyes and looked up at him.

"And why is that, William?" I questioned, tilting my head as I blinked rapidly a few times. He made a face and rolled his eye. "Because he gon' start relyin' on you."

I sighed and moved to the Necco Wafers, taking a roll and holding it beside me. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothin'... Just - Getting attached to people is gonna kill you someday." Cap told me honestly, shaking his head as he spoke, obviously not wanting that to spook him. "I'll be careful, Cap." I told him softly, checking to see if anyone was watching before I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "For you - I promise. I'll be careful." He took his arm off me as I went to pay for my wafers, Cotton had purchased a few bubblegum pieces and some molasses candies. He asked if I wanted him to pay me back, and I shook my head.

Cap tried to give me the money I've been giving Cotton and I refused it, telling him to "shove it back in your pocket or I'll shove it somewhere else" which caused him to laugh and smile a bit. I opened my wafers and handed Cap a couple, watching him wave to me before getting on my horse and riding home, ignoring my mother's questions as to why I was gone so long.

We set up dinner and my mother said she had put on a second pot of soup, I was about to ask why when I heard horses and wagons and looked out. The whole Hatfield immediate family was outside our cabin. I almost squealed in delight as my mother told us all to go get cleaned up. When we came down, the house was full of conversation.

I laid eyes on Jim Vance and couldn't help but try and stay away from him before I backed into someone. I glanced up to see Johnse and smiled. "My bad..." I blushed at the handsome man, as he chuckled. "It's my fault... Is it alright if I go see J.J?" He asked me, I nodded and let him wander up the stairs. I glanced around to see Cap with his lips pursed as he stared at me. I watched him and saw Robert E. talking to both Florence and Alice. Bucky and Roy began a conversation with Johnse as he came down and Sam and David were helping my mom.

"Hey, Cap." I smiled, standing beside him as he didn't say anything. "Do ya wanna go see J.J? I mean, you two aren't horribly close but..." I trailed off, watching him take a sip of whatever he was drinking. "Did I do something in the few hours I last saw you?"

"What were you and Johnse talking about?" Cap snapped, not meeting my eyes as I put a hand on my hip, immediately figuring it out. "Why are you jealous?" I countered as he stood, setting his mug down and walking up the stairs. I followed him and yanked him into my shared room with Florence, and Alice. "Answer me." He didn't say anything.

"Cap, there is nothing to be jealous of." I spat at him, watching him look at me. "Do you find him handsome?"

"Yes, but -"

"Do you think he has a way with women?"

"Cap, yes... But not in a good way,"

"That's all I needed." Cap told me as he went to open the door, I closed it and stared up at him. "Don't be a prick, he's handsome but so are you. Far more than he is. He has a way with women yet he doesn't always have clear intentions. You do, so be quiet. I like Johnse -" I told him as he huffed. "As a friend. I like you as so much more - I... Cap, I love you."

Both his foggy eye and his normal eye widened, watching me. "I mean, I have for a while. Who wouldn't? Women go after Johnse and overlook you because they don't want warm-hearted and clear headed all the time. They want fast and careless. That's good for me, though I supposed. I get you all to myself." I giggled, watching him try to fight a smile.

"Before you go assuming that I like someone else over you, please don't." I told him softly, leaning up to kiss him gently. His arms wrapped around my waist as he pulled my closer to him, his mouth moulding against mine with such longing that my knees were weak. I wrapped my arms around his neck and lost myself in the kiss we had both been waiting for. We pulled away at the same time and I licked my lips, blushing as I looked down. "I love you too." He whispered into my right ear, I pecked his lips as he moved back and then I opened the door.

We walked downstairs just in time for dinner and sat beside each other, telling a few stories and I told him what happened with J.J in between. I felt free now that I had told him my feelings... But there was something I couldn't explain... Have you ever felt like you've found the perfect person for yourself, yet you feel like something will ruin it. Something will tear it away? That is exactly how I felt.