February 15, 1872

"Eames!" Eames turned at the sound of his name.

"Roy, what's happenin' man?" The younger man was jogging across the street towards him.

"Ma wants you over for dinner tonight if you're free. I think she enjoys your company more than mine." He said with a grin.

"Well I am certainly better looking." Eames said with a wink. "I can…" His words fell short as he noticed the dark, black smoke curling up into the sky in the distance just behind Roy.

"What?" Roy said with concern, noting Eames's expression.

"Look at that." He turned, "Is that coming from the Tanaka farm?" Just between the hotel and the saloon they could see the black smoke out in the distance. It was several miles out but Eames knew that there were houses out that direction. Fires could get out of hand so fast, jumping from building to building until they consumed the whole homestead.

"No… No, look, it's on the wrong side of the river. That's the Smith ranch… What's burning? Eames… what's burning?!" Roy said again with concern.

A cold sweat had come over Eames; he knew it was the house, or the barn… Either way, the ranch hands or the family was in danger. How could it have started? He wondered.

"Roy, run and get the Sheriff, they'll need people out there to help put it out." He yelled back at the young man as he ran to his horse. Roy wasted no time and turned to run the other direction.

Roy had burst into the station only to find it empty… It took him a few minutes but he found Arthur out by the freight depot helping Herman Parker and his sons unloading the grocer's new stock.

"Arthur, Herman, there's a fire! We need help!" He yelled pointing towards the Smith ranch.

Herman told his boys to stay with the supplies as the men rushed to unhitch the horses. Together they quickly rode off towards the ranch. There were now flames visible in addition to the smoke plumes.

Eames hadn't realized when he rode out that he was going down the wrong road. He was on the wrong side of the river. Had it been summer his horse wouldn't have been able to get across but luckily it was winter… The river bed was dry and Eames crossed it easily.

As he approached the ranch he could see the stables were on fire. Flames had engulfed it and the ranch hands and Lewis Smith seemed to be hopelessly trying to put it out. Jane was pulling water from the well as her little ones sat by her, crying. Eames pulled in to a stop and practically flew off his horse. He grabbed two of the pails of water she had drawn and ran with them towards the fire.

"Eames, thank God you're here!" Lewis shouted, barely audible over the roar of the flames. "We've got to put it out! The horses are still in there, Peter went in to get them out but he hasn't come out!"

Stupid ranch hand, what was he thinking? Eames wondered, the heat from the fire already searing through him. But as he looked at the flames, he knew it was lost… Someone's got to help him… Without so much as a look back he ran towards the doors. As he jumped through the wall of fire he could barely hear the protests of Lewis and Jane "Eames, no, you'll die!" A voice screamed, sounding so tiny and far away compared to the roar of the fire.

Ariadne had gone over to Abigail's for tea that afternoon, after school. The ladies sat in the sitting room with Claire, discussing Ariadne's students and their antics.

Just as Abigail was about to speak they heard a thundering sound outside. She turned and saw Eames riding by like the Devil's hounds were chasing him.

"What in the world?" She wondered, standing.

"Abigail what is it?" Her mother asked as they all looked towards the window.

"I'm not sure, its…" Her words trailed off as she made her way towards the door.

As she opened the door and looked out in the direction Eames had gone, she saw a giant black smoke monster winding up into the sky. There was a fire!

"Mother! Ariadne! Come quick!"

When Arthur had arrived at the ranch, everyone was in a panic. He, Roy and Herman had jumped off the horses as fast as they could and rushed over. Roy and Herman went to the well to get water and Arthur ran over to the Smiths. He couldn't make out the words that Mrs. Smith was yelling but she was crying and her husband was holding her. When he made eye contact with Arthur there was dread and sadness in his eyes. Arthur knew something was wrong, really wrong. People didn't get that upset over their stables on fire. It took half a minute of trying to figure it out but then Arthur's heart began to pound…

Someone was missing… Someone who had left before he did, and would definitely be here by now…

Where was Eames? He turned to look at the stables, ready to collapse under the flames and he knew… That idiot was inside.

Arthur ran over to Lewis and had to shout over the sound of the flames and the kids crying, and his wife yelling. "Eames! Where is he?!"

"He ran inside a few minutes ago. I want to say about five but I can't be sure. Can someone last five minutes inside a burning building Sheriff?! He went in to help our ranch hand, Peter. The horses are in there too…"

"All I can see if a wall of flames! It looks ready to collapse!" Arthur felt an immense sadness overwhelm him… All for this man that was probably already dead and gone from this world. Who can last five minutes inside a burning building? Even if he had somehow found an area that wasn't on fire… It was a big stable; there might still be safe places to hide, but still… The smoke…

For a daft second, he considered running in and trying to save Eames… But then a large part of the roof collapsed and Arthur jumped back. There was no way he could get inside, find the men and get everyone out before he too perished…

He and Eames had started to get along too… The last couple months had been nice; Arthur supposed he had Ariadne to thank for that… He might even go so far as to call them friends at this point.

Oh God, what will Abigail say? Arthur wasn't a fool. He saw the way those two looked at each other. They might deny it, but it obvious. She's already had enough heartbreak with men in her life.

"Come on, we need to get more water on this! Let's make sure it doesn't get to the house!" Lewis yelled and he kissed his wife and wiped the tears from her eyes before she ran back over to the well.

Just then, one of the horses came bursting out from behind the flames. It seemed scared out its mind but luckily it seemed relatively unharmed by the fire. There was no chance to check though because it was running as fast as it could away from the stables. Arthur turned and stared at the space where the doors used to be… If the horse is still alive… Then maybe.

Another two horses came careening out and were soon followed by Eames who had the ranch hand wrapped around his shoulders. Lewis and Roy dropped their buckets and ran over to them at the same time Arthur did. Both Peter and Eames had bits and pieces of their clothes on fire and Eames had singed one of his eyebrows off but after ripping the jacket off him and beating the fire off their clothes, he seemed to be ok.

Peter was unconscious; Lewis helped him down to the ground and Roy went to get him some water. Arthur looked at Eames and a stupid grin spread across his face. "We thought you were dead!" he said, clasping his shoulder.

When Eames spoke, his voice sounded hoarse and strained, like an old man. "I thought I was too for a bit, but luckily the left side of the building wasn't quite on fire yet, don't ask me how. That's where I found Peter and the horses. It looked like we were goners for sure."

"Look at your hands!" Arthur just now noticed the burns all over Eames. "Come on, get over there and sit down."

"It's mainly just soot and ash, I don't think the burns are too bad. Were you worried about me Arthur?" Arthur just looked over to see the smirk on Eames's face. "How sweet… you were!"

Arthur laughed bitterly, the pain of losing Eames still fresh in his mind, "Just do me a favor and stop being the hero would you? Against my better judgment it seems we have become sort of friends haven't we?"

"You would have done the same thing and you know it…" Eames said looking at him. Arthur looked away but didn't deny it, it was true. Eames side stepped and gripped Arthurs shoulder to regain his balance. "I need to sit down I think, all that smoke went to my head…"

"Go sit by the house, get some water from the girls… Now that you guys are out safely I think we need to just let the building burn down… Not much to save anyway… Eames settled down in the shade of the house and closed his eyes.

Arthur looked up as he wiped the sweat from his brow to see the only three women in the world he didn't want to be here… His mother, sister and Ariadne had just arrived in a wagon.

Great, now not only will I worry about the fire and the Smith's and this ranch hand, but about these damn women as well.

Ariadne met his eye as she jumped down from the wagon bed and went straight towards him. Before he even realized what was happening she pulled him in for a giant hug. "Arthur, are you alright?" She asked, finally meeting his eye.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." He said with a smile, just happy to be in her arms "I could use your help though."

"Anything." She said finally letting him go.

"We need to get Peter into town. He's unconscious; Dr. Yusuf might be able to help. I can drive him in the wagon but I need you to sit in the back with him to make sure he's ok." Arthur said as they started walking towards the ranch hand.

Once they got everyone loaded and settled Arthur took off. He wouldn't want to trade positions with Peter for anything, but he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the way his head was currently being cradled in Ariadne lap as she stroked his hair and sang to him.

As the women got to the Smith ranch, the flames had already collapsed part the stables. It was a horrible site, so devastating. Abigail silently prayed that the animals were safe.

There wasn't anything else to be done to save the stable. Luckily, the wind was blowing in a favorable direction, away from the house. Jane, Lewis and some of the neighbors were still drawing water from the well and dousing the flames as much as they could just in case the winds changed. Ariadne went to help Arthur and a man lying on the ground as Claire went to tend to the children.

Abigail wasn't sure were to go until she saw Eames propped up against the house, sitting in the sun with his eyes closed. Her heart started pounding as she saw the condition of his clothes. His shirt and pants had black soot and burn marks all over them. She yelled his name and ran to him.

"Eames! Your clothes… You're burned, look at your hands… What did you…?" She stumbled through her words as her mind worked out the details.

"Love, please, it's fine. I'm fine. Those are just small burns." He said, still sitting with his eyes closed.

"What did you do?" She said, as she sat next to him and touched his hand.

He opened his eyes at her touch and looked at her. "Peter Gunderson, one of their men had gone into the stable to get out the horses. When I got here he still hadn't come out… I went in after him and found him on the ground in one of the stalls. It looks like he got knocked around when the horses panicked and he was unconscious. I got him out but I don't know if he's going to make it… Looks like Arthur and Ariadne are taking him to Dr. Yusuf. The horses ran off too, we'll have to go find them." He said as he looked around and started to get up.

Abigail gripped his arm and made him sit back down. "Eames, calm down, you need to rest. I'll make a salve for your burns and get you to bed."

He turned to look at her with a smile growing on his soot covered face. "So you won't marry me but you'll take me to bed?"

"Oh you! I see the fire and smoke didn't do too much damage, you've still got that quick tongue." She said, pushing his arm away

"Want to see how quick my tongue is?" He made his eyebrows move up and down and winked at her.

She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. "I'm going to start avoiding you again if you don't stop these inappropriate comments!" Even still she wasn't so shocked not to be affected by what he said. She did want to see how 'quick his tongue was'…

Eames laughed and looked at her, "So you were avoiding me after New Year's… Knew it."

Abigail smirked and had almost forgot where they were until she looked down at his hands again.

"Eames… I was so scared for you, you were laying here with your eyes closed and burns all over your clothes. I thought…" Her voice shook as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Love, don't cry… I'm here. I'm no worse for wear. I'm just glad you got here after I came out safely…" He said as he stroked her cheek.

"You saved that man's life." She sniffled and pulled a handkerchief out from her pocket.

He smiled and brushed the comment off. "Maybe, maybe not. Arthur said he was breathing but he hadn't woken up when they took him away."

"But still, you saved him, and the horses. You're a hero, Eames." She looked at him with adoration. He really is wonderful isn't he? Abigail thought

"I'm just a man; don't go falling in love with me just because I sought out danger and happened to come out alive."

"Oh so this wasn't just a ploy to get me to marry you?" She said playing back into their old game

He smiled "Well you caught me… It was all a big scheme…"

"You are ridiculous." Abigail scoffed but couldn't stop her laughter.

They both laughed until Eames started coughing roughly. Immediately she rubbed his back and said, "It's because of the smoke, you'll probably be coughing for a while. Let's take you home. Mother and I will bring you the salve and some tea later."

Arthur and Ariadne sat with the ranch man, Peter, in Dr. Yusuf's home. After about an hour, he had regained consciousness. The doctor had done an examination and discovered that one of the horses had kicked him in the commotion. Or at least that's what appeared to have happened, there was a giant bruise on his chest and from the sound of it, one of his lungs had been punctured. The doctor said that he wouldn't live much longer.

Turns out, there was some commotion in town while he was out helping with the fire. Four men with guns had robbed the bank. They were all wearing bandanas over their faces and no one seemed to know where they ran off to. Ariadne had stayed with Peter and the doctor while he went to talk with the men who had seen what happened. Luckily, the banker had been unharmed, but the bandits got off with almost a thousand dollars. Arthur didn't want to think about how many people in town had money in that bank.

Once he got back, Ariadne rushed to the door. "Thank goodness you're back. He's awake and he's asking for you." They hurried to the back room and Arthur went up to him.

"Sheriff…" The man spoke with a wheezy and raspy voice. It was hard to hear, it was so faint.

"Yes, I'm here." He sat in the chair next to his bed and grabbed ahold of Peter's hand.

"There was a man… The fire…" He couldn't even continue before he started coughing again.

Arthur was as patient as he could possibly be. But he needed him to continue. It was beginning to sound like the fire hadn't been an accident. Perhaps it wasn't a coincidence that it was right during the time that the bank got robbed. "Did you see his face? This man. Was he the one who started the fire?"

Peter rasped out again, "Saw him… Running towards the stable… His… Fire…"

Arthur could see him fading fast, his eyes were barely open anymore "But did you see his face." He urged on.

All Peter could do was shake his head, no… He didn't see the man's face.

Arthur wasn't able to ask him any more questions before he fell unconscious once more. Ariadne came up to Arthur and together they sat next to Peter.

It was only a few more minutes before he passed; the damage had been too much for his body to sustain.

"Did he have any family?" Ariadne asked quietly.

"No, not that I know of. He's worked for the Smiths for years, they were like his family." Arthur replied looking at her. His sadness was reflected in her eyes. He wiped a tear from her cheek and pulled her in for a hug.

Arthur couldn't stop thinking about the events that had happened today. Did the bandits start the fire outside of town so that no one would be here to defend the bank? It seemed plausible. Arthur had his suspicions about who could have done it but needed to be sure. Now, with Peter gone, there was no way to know…

More updates soon to come : ) Thanks for reading