March 2, 1872

Arthur had investigated the bank robbery and tried to find anything that would connect it to the fire but so far he had come up empty handed. The only word was that of a dead man, and even then all he saw was a man near the stables. Arthur knew Nash was involved… It was starting to worry Arthur; these problems with Nash were getting worse. First he was bringing prostitutes into town, then causing trouble at the general store, now robbing banks and arson?

Did Nash realize that his actions had killed a man? Arthur wondered if he was running with a new crowd and what their ultimate plans were. They now had money, strategy and the most deadly bullets on the market. And each time Nash executed something it was a bigger crime than before. What could be next, how many more people had to die before Arthur could stop him?

The town had pitched in to help the Smith family rebuild. Luckily it was a smaller stable, just 6 stalls and a loft for feed and storage. Everyone came together and while the men helped raise the new one, the children played in the wild grass and the women cooked lunch and dinner. It was a wonderful day.

Spring seemed to have started early for Wyoming, it was sunny and warm out, just as it had been all week. Ariadne hoped it would stay this way.

After dinner everyone had gathered around in the open area between the house and the new stable. It was the perfect way to end the evening, with a dance! Ariadne and Abigail had been talking about it all week. Even Mal was excited; apparently these dances were much more fun than ones she used to go to in New York. Ariadne had been anticipating it with nervous excitement.

After about thirty minutes of dancing, Ariadne made her way over to the table with the drinks. She had just finished her sweet tea and was turning around to find Eames, her dance partner for the next dance when she heard someone speak, just behind her. "Ariadne, would you do me the honor of this next dance?" She jumped a little but whirled around to see who it was.

"Arthur! Oh hello, I didn't see you there." Why did she have to get so flustered when she was in his presence!? "Umm… I'm so sorry, I can't, I promised Eames I would dance with him." As much as she had been looking forward to dancing with Eames, now she wished she could say she wasn't going to…

He looked slightly deflated but quickly regained his composure and said, "Maybe later then…"

"Yes!" She said with a little too much enthusiasm, "I mean, I would like that."

Arthur smiled at her and tipped his hat as he walked off just as the music picked up again.

"M'lady…" Eames said as he stepped up beside her several moments later. She glanced to her side and responded.

"Hello Eames," she said with a smile as she took his arm. "How are your burns?" She asked noticing he still had strips of fabric tied on his hands.

"Oh they're fine; they were bad the first week or so but not so much now. Abigail made me a balm and it healed them right up. I just put these on because we were working today." He said looking at his hands.

"But, on to more important things! How are you enjoying your first Wild West country dance?" He said as the guitar and violin kicked in. Dom had sat down next to them with Jimmy in his lap and together they were raking a spoon against a metal wash board. Jimmy kept giggling and trying to help his dad. The sound of the metal raking against each other was actually wonderful and it went along with the other instruments perfectly.

She laughed as she and Eames spun around each other. "It's fun! The pace is much faster than the dances I'm used to."

They hopped and skipped around each other before turning and dancing with the other couples on the floor. At one point Eames took her and they side-stepped down through the crowd and ended on the opposite end of line. It was very similar to the dances she had learned in New York, however the pace was faster and rather than the graceful steps of the Victorian era waltz, they were jumping around each other. It was very fun.

Ariadne barely had time to catch her breath as she took the arm of the woman next to her and before she realized it she was wrapped around Arthur's arm. "Looks like I got to dance with you after all." He said as they spun around. She smiled at him but didn't have a chance to respond before they changed partners again.

A few seconds later she was back at the end of the line with Eames and she said, "Eames, promise me we will have more dances in town… I just love this!"

He laughed and they twirled around again. "I'm sure I can figure something out."

"Maybe I should ask Abigail to help you." She said with a smirk

He looked at her with surprise but then threw his head back and laughed. "Nothing gets past you does it love?"

"I'm surprised I got the change to dance with you at all!" She said as they went down the center of the floor again.

Arthur watched as Ariadne and his sister laughed and talked. They had become great friends it seemed. After they taught Ariadne to shoot, it seemed that she was always around. She had even come for dinner last week on one of the days he went home. It was brilliant luck; Arthur hadn't wanted the evening to end.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sweet voice. "Arthur, I wondered if you had a moment?" He turned to see Ruth standing by him looking nervous.

"Ya, is everything ok?" He said as he turned to face her. She usually didn't look so scared. Had someone done something to her?

She smiled and shook her head but the look in her eye didn't change, "Oh, yes of course, I… Um… Well I just wondered if you… Um… It's just that, on New Year's, I kissed you… And I had hoped that maybe you would…"

Her words fell silent as she looked at him and then down to the ground. He had never seen her look so flustered.

"You hoped I would have asked to court you?" He tried to finish her statement.

She blushed and looked at back into his eyes, "Yes. But it's been a couple months… And…" He could tell she was trying to hide her disappointment.

Before he could say anything she swallowed and took in a breath. "I just can't keep wondering. It's always been you and me, Ashley and Roy. I had hoped that meant something special… But then I see the way you look at Ariadne and I feel like I've been replaced. Maybe I was never in a position to be replaced… I don't know." She had always been his friend… Seeing her like this was killing Arthur, he never wanted to hurt anyone!

"Ruth, please don't look so sad… I never meant to hurt you. I just can't help it… We've always been friends, I just didn't think it was fair to lie to you and let you believe my feelings were anything but that." Arthur sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "And then Ariadne came into town. And I don't know… I just fell for her… Please, I'm so sorry, please don't cry…" Her bottom lip was quivering and he could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm not… I'm sorry it's just hard to hear, you realize I'm sure. But I suppose I'd rather you love someone else than just reject me because you could never love me…" The first tear fell and she was quick to wipe it away. Always acting so strong, never letting anyone see how vulnerable you are. He thought as every moment made his feel even worse.

"Ruth… I'm sorry." What could he say? His words failed him and he just muttered a stupid apology.

"Arthur, really don't be… I think I've always known you didn't feel the same way…" She took another deep breath and looked at him again, this time with determination in her eyes, "I think I am going to leave town… It's been hard enough living here hoping you could someday want to court me. But I think now I'll die of embarrassment knowing we had this conversation and that you love someone else…"

"Please don't go, I won't say anything… I'm still your friend. And I do care you for." Arthur knew he couldn't stop her from making this decision but he wanted to. It was one thing to deny her feeling and pretend they could just be friends forever but if she left he would lose her all together.

Her laugh was tinged with sarcasm. "That's why I have to leave. I can't do it anymore." They stood in an awkward silence for a moment, Arthur wanting to comfort her but knowing that was exactly the kind of thing he shouldn't do. Then he had an idea, a small comfort if this all played out like she wanted.

"You could go live with my aunt in Denver… If you wanted to, I mean." He said, almost pleading with her. "She never had any children and would love the company. Go talk with my mother about it, I'm sure they can set something up. If you have to leave, at least I know you would be safe and happy with her."

She smiled as he gave her his handkerchief to wipe a tear from her cheek. "I wish things could be different Ruth." He said with absolute sincerity.

"Don't be… I'm going to go find your mother." She said as she gave him back his handkerchief, "This could be a wonderful adventure for me… Please don't tell anyone though… I don't want any gossip to start."

Arthur gave her one last sad smile, "Of course. Ruth… I'm Sorry…"

She looked at him for a second and then turned and walked away.

He watched her leave and couldn't help feeling wretched. He had caused this… As much as he tried to pretend they were just friends and things could always stay that way, it was his fault she was crying… And leaving.

In reality she was a wonderful person, lovely, nice… Just great. It wouldn't take long for some young man to sweep her off her feet. Arthur knew he shouldn't feel so guilty but he couldn't help it. He could have been that person; he could have made her feel happy and wonderful and everything she deserved to feel. It just wasn't meant to be was it?

As he looked up he saw Ruth and his mother talking at one end of the house, near the new stables. His eyes panned the crowd until he saw Ariadne. She seemed to sense his gaze and looked up. When she saw him staring she smiled. His mood was ever so slightly increased and he gave her a small smile in return.

Eames felt like he was 18 again. He hadn't felt this nervous around a woman in years. He knew it was the perfect moment to kiss her. He would walk her home, she would thank him for the dance and then… It was a storybook ending.

Only it wouldn't be their ending. It would be their beginning, he could see it now.

Oh my God, listen to yourself. Stop being a sap Eames, he thought, you were married for Christ's sake. You know how to do this. It's not like you've never been through this before.

"Eames, thank you for asking me to dance tonight. I wasn't going to, but… I… I had a nice time." Abigail didn't want to admit how much she had enjoyed tonight. He was wonderful. She wished it didn't have to end. She couldn't deny how blissful she had felt in his arms. Through the whole night they had danced with almost no one else, it was surely going to cause talk in town tomorrow. But right now Abigail wasn't thinking about that. She was thinking about the handsome man standing in front of her. This man that was looking at her like she had always hoped someone would again.

"Abigail… you're beautiful." Eames whispered. His hand was caressing her cheek and his face was much too close to hers. She couldn't take her eyes off him. His chiseled chin and strong defined cheek bones created a wondrous image. Like a Greek god. He had stubble on his face and the light from the moon created shadows that made him look rugged and mysterious. But everything else paled in comparison to his eyes. His eyes were a light blue color, so steely that they looked almost grey. They were sparkling in the moonlight. The whole thing seemed like a dream.

"Eames, this can't be. I'm too…" She pleaded him, even though she didn't know why she was saying it. She wanted him. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone. Her feelings for Trenton seemed like a childhood crush compared to this.

He smiled slightly, looking from her eyes to her lips and back again. "You don't have one good reason to say that darling. You're not too old, not a nun, not spoken for by anyone else… And you want me to kiss you right now just as badly as I want to kiss you." His voice was husky and she felt the shivers go from her head all the way down to her toes.

He took her silence as a sign that she wanted him to continue and moved his hand from her cheek to under her chin. As he was raising her face towards his she felt her eyes closing and could almost feel his hot breathe against her lips. His other hand made its way to her hip and he slowly pulled her closer to him.

Just before his lips reached their destination, the couple heard footsteps from inside the house. Eames opened his eyes and saw Abigail's lovely face hovering just inches from hers. He looked at her before turning quickly and taking a side step so that he was standing next to her, rather than pressed sensually against her, right at the moment the front door opened.

"Oh, Joseph. Abigail. I didn't know you were out here," Miles said with a startled expression.

"Hello Mayor, I was just walking your daughter home. The dance finished just a little while ago." Eames said as he reached out to shake the Mayors hand. He had always respected this man, but had no assumptions that Mr. Wilde couldn't see what was going on here. He was no fool. Damn the luck for him coming out here at this moment!

"You know I've told you to call me Miles… And thank you for the consideration for her safety. I know it's not a far walk, but you can never be too careful with all the problems this town has had lately." He said as Abigail walked up to him.

"Good night Daddy" She said as she looked up at her father. Then she turned back to say goodbye to Eames.

"Thank you for walking me home, Eames. I had a wonderful time. We'll have to do it again. Soon." She said it as she looked straight into his eyes.

He knew what she meant. He could still see the fire in her eyes and knew she wished her father hadn't interrupted them either.

So much for "We can't" Eames thought with a grin as he turned down the road and walked home.