The evening wore on and Joey continued to sleep. Ella gathered his clothing and folded each piece carefully, placing them neatly on the seat of a nearby chair. She noticed that his shirt had a small hole appearing near the collar and took it with her to her seat by the fire. Finding herself a needle and thread she began to repair the damage. Her mind wandered as she worked, the fact that in truth she did not know what direction her life was going in began to gnaw at her. She knew that having any kind of future with the man that now slept in her bed was a foolhardy idea and yet she still could not force herself to tell him to leave and not come back… Even if she did she didn't think he'd listen and she did not think her resolve would last long if he was forever around her. She found that her thoughts were constantly interrupted by his image, thinking of him became almost a normal daily occurrence and she knew that even if Maria had given her a choice to leave him and stay or be with him and leave, she would have chosen the second option even though it was the unwise choice.

She gave a sharp cry as the needle slid into her finger, producing a spot of blood on the fabric she was working on. She brought the injured pad to her lips and sucked it gently for a moment. Ella's head jerked as a soft knock sounded at the door, breaking her more jarringly from her thoughts than the needle prick. She got out of the chair, laying the shirt on the seat she been sat upon and went to the door, unbolting it, assuming it was Billy again and that he had forgotten to ask her something earlier.

Ella's eyes widened as the open door revealed Maria.

"Hello Ella" Maria said with a small nod, the corners of her mouth turned down as she spoke.

"I… come in" Ella said, moving aside to allow Maria room to enter.

Maria gave another small nod and stepped inside, her eyes studying the interior as Ella again locked the door.

"Joey is here?" Maria's eyes were drawn to the shirt.

Ella glanced at the shirt and then at the older woman. "Yes" she said, watching Maria intently for any hint of reason as to why she had come. "He's sleepin'."

Maria nodded again and took a seat at the table. "I came because I cannot seem to feel right about what happened between us."

Ella sank down onto a chair opposite her and remained silent waiting for Maria to continue.

"I was angry; I have had time to think." Her eyes met Ella's; they still held an edge of stone to their depths. "Do you love my son?" she asked bluntly.

Ella was taken aback by the outright question and glanced away feeling flustered. "I don't know" she said finally.

Maria gave another small nod. "I am disappointed that you lied to me Ella, you were my friend." She paused. "But if you have feelings for Joey…."

Ella tried to avoid her gaze, the questioning making her feel uncomfortable. "I care about him, an' I worry about him… I even like spendin' time with him sometimes so... I guess I do have feelings for him."

Maria studied her with her deep brown eyes, her expression softening at the young girl's words, knowing easily from Ella's body language that she was already lost and just did not know this fact yet.

"And Joey? What are his feelings?" Maria asked slowly.

Ella couldn't stop the small whisper of a dry laugh that escaped her lips. "Joey… I don't know, you know well he don't talk much on his feelings."

Maria gave a wry smile before again meeting Ella's eyes with her own. "I am worried for you Ella, I love my son… but also I know him." She paused. "I hoped you would tell me you did not feel for him… but I see clearly that is not the truth and my heart is heavy with this news." She paused again. "You are a strong woman, but I do not know if you or anyone else is strong enough to stay by Joey's side, even I find it hard and he is my own blood…" Her words trailed off.

Ella fidgeted, not quite knowing what else to say.

"I want to tell you to leave the village, to stop before things become any worse, but I know you will not listen so all I can say is that I hope you are strong enough to withstand the whirlwind you have allowed into your life… I will say no more."

Maria rose from her chair and began to make for the door. Ella stood and reached out touching her upon the shoulder, Maria turned.

"Do you… think you will ever be able to forgive me Maria? You know I'm sorry for… everythin'." Ella cast her eyes down to the floor. "I don't know why I lied, I guess I was ashamed…"

Maria smiled, "I have already forgiven you." She patted Ella's hand, "But I can no longer help you."

Maria left leaving Ella feeling guilty, depressed and confused. She returned back to her chair by the fire and finished repairing the shirt before her eyes began to flutter closed on their own accord. She pushed herself to her feet and folded the shirt before making her way past the curtain and placing it with the rest of the pile of neatly stacked clothes.

Ella removed her own clothes down to her cotton chemise and pantaloons before tiredly slipping under the covers beside Joey. She gave a drowsy sigh and moved closer to his form, letting her arm rest in the slight curve of his waist. He shifted a little at her touch but did not stir enough to wake. Ella studied his face in the gloom, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She smiled a little as her gaze grazed over his handsome features; in sleep he looked contented and almost angelic. She gently brushed a strand of hair from his brow and allowed her eyes to close.

---

The sound of heavy movement woke Ella from her slumber. Her eyes flickered open and she let out a low yawn, her gaze finally focusing as Joey climbed over her and started to pull on his clothes.

Ella took in a sleepy breath. "What time is it?" she mumbled pushing herself into a sitting position.

"Late," Joey said, "past noon."

Ella gave a low groan. "How come whenever you come here I end up sleepin' too long?"

Joey didn't reply but carried on dressing, he paused for a moment as he was about to put on his shirt, his fingers brushed near the collar before he again resumed, buttoning the shirt quickly.

"Where are you goin'?" Ella asked, pulling the covers from her body and sitting on the edge of the bed, fetching her own clothing from the floor.

"Why must you know everything I do?" He asked in slight annoyance. "The Saloon, I want a shave." He walked up to the small mirror hanging on the wall by a rusty chain and picked up a comb and began to tease out the knots from his hair.

"I might come with you, if you don't mind the company" Ella said ignoring his terse comment and finishing the last button on the top of her blouse before tucking it quickly into her skirt.

Joey smoothed his hair with his hands before turning to look at her. "Why?" he asked simply.

"I just thought it might be nice to spend some time with you outside of this house is all" she said, trying to keep her tone casual. "Whole town knows now."

Joey's lips curved into the ghost of a smirk. "So what my mother said was true."

Ella's eyes widened slightly. "You were awake yesterday?" she huffed indigently. "You should have made it known you were, it ain't polite to listen in to others' conversations."

Joey gave a small shrug and turned back to the mirror.

"What did you hear?" Ella asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Joey looked at her through his reflection. "That you are in love with me." His tone was strangely flat as he spoke the words.

"Now, I never said that"

Joey again smirked, "Si usted dice tan."

Ella glanced down, feeling a heated sensation bloom in her cheeks at his blasé attitude to her feelings. Finally she looked up to see him putting on his dark grey jacket.

"And what about you, do you feel anythin' for me?" She paused as his eyes closed briefly and again opened, fully upon her.

"You can come if you want" he said, after a moment of silence had passed.

He walked out, leaving her alone and Ella cursed softly under her breath, feeling like a dog begging its master for a scrap of attention. Finally her resolve faltered and she pulled on her boots, lacing them as quickly as she could before following him.

---

The saloon was already occupied by three Texan men when they arrived. Ella felt their eyes upon her as she followed Joey in; he cast an unconcerned glance their way before talking quietly with the barber. Ella tried to avoid looking at them, not wanting to give any of them an opening to talk to her, she knew she was luckier than most women in the village, she wasn't Mexican and therefore in their bigoted eyes she had to be treated with a margin of respect.

Joey slowly took a seat in the barber's chair that sat bathed in the full light of a large window. Ella sat down nearby and chanced a glance over at the Texans, feeling as if she could not speak in their presence, she could easily sense Joey's dislike of them.

"Can you believe it?!" Ella heard one of them say, he was a little shorter than the other two, scruffy, and to Ella's eyes he looked like a trouble maker once too much drink had been poured down his throat. He knocked back another shot of the amber liquid he was drinking, before he leisurely gestured in the direction of Joey and Ella. "Damn Mex's takin' our women, it ain't right."

Ella glanced at Joey; he closed his eyes for a moment as if trying to control his anger before he signaled for the barber to start. The man did not hesitate, sensing the volatile situation. He began to lather white soap onto Joey's cheeks and chin and then proceeded to carefully run the straight edged razor across Joey's chin and upper lip with expert ease.

"Well," another continued, "just take one of theirs."

The three let out rough, dirty laughter before the scruffy man's eyes were drawn to the large window Joey sat in front of.

"Oh" he said, patting his friend warmly. "Well, well, well." He walked a little drunkenly towards Joey, his eyes on something outside.

Joey turned slightly at the sound of his voice, his eyes calmly watching as disgust hinted upon his lips.

"Hold on Jethro!" He gave out another dirty laugh and Joey's look darkened.

Ella peered out, trying to see what the Texan had seen, with a trickling dread she realized Maria was walking down the road carrying a basket.

Joey gave him a soured glance over, as if sizing up the repugnant man.

The Texan wasted no more time but hurriedly made his way out and down the steps followed closely by his two companions.

"Hey puta!" he called towards Maria. "Hey puta, wait up."

Ella saw Joey calmly raise his hand, silently instructing the barber to stop. The barber did as he was told; his eyes already taking on a foreboding and scared look. Joey leaned slowly forward watching the scene for a moment.

"When I tell a whore to wait, she better wait!" the Texan said, catching hold of Maria.

Ella slowly stood up to gain herself a better view. "Maria should put that dirty snake in his place" Ella hissed, feeling indignant anger on her friend's behalf. "All they do is cause trouble when they come."

Joey did not reply, he slowly wiped the remaining white lather from his face with a cloth.

"What about a drink puta?" The Texan was holding Maria's arm. She stared at him for a moment before violently wrenching herself from his grip.

"I am no puta senor!" Maria turned and walked past him trying to hold onto her dignity. The Texan watched after her, his face betraying not only his disappointment but his shame at being rebuffed so harshly.

The other two men had already mounted their horses and gave a sharp laugh at their friend's humiliation.

"You're not near as pretty as you used to be Jethro!" one of them crowed while the other again began to chuckle.

Joey slowly pushed himself up from his chair.

"Where are you goin'?" Ella asked suddenly startled that he was leaving the saloon. She chanced a glance at the barber who looked down at his feet, his expression saying all too plainly that nothing good was going to come of this.

"Joey…" Ella tried, not quite daring to go after him as his certain strides took him towards the doorway, his hat hanging loosely from his hand. "Just leave it be..." Ella tried, the conviction in her voice faltering. She knew full well she couldn't talk him out of anything once he had his mind set on it. She gave a low groan and shared another uneasy look with the barber.

"What's he doin'?" she said, almost under her breath.

Joey reached the doorway and placed his hat casually upon his head as if he were doing no more than leaving the saloon for some other innocent errand. The only tell tale sign that all was not well was upon his lips which were tight and hard for a moment before relaxing into their usually fullness.

The Texan man made for his own horse with unstable strides, his face verging upon a blush at his friends' teasing. He reached for the reins.

"Senor?" Joey said calmly, his face not giving a hint of the anger that was boiling just beneath the surface, his eyes glinted slightly betraying some form of pleasure.

The Texan turned all his frustration upon the young boy before him. "Yeah, whaddya want Mex?" he asked, his tone belittling.

Joey did not answer, his face was calm, his mouth tightened once more for a second before he raised his hand, a gun curled firmly in his palm, his finger locked upon the trigger. He cocked it with ease, his cool blue eyes staying fully upon the man before him. The Texan's bravado disappeared, his expression flashing to fear.

Without hesitation Joey pulled the trigger. The sound echoed through the village and Ella jumped in surprise at just how loud it was.

"Oh lord," she breathed, "he shot him!" She rushed out onto the porch, her eyes drawn to the dead man lying near the bottom of the steps - a single bloody gunshot to his head. Ella heard a few women scream and call out in shock as the realization of what had just happened descended upon them. The Texan's horse had taken fright and was trotting away down the path. Ella couldn't believe what she was seeing, Joey had been so calm, so uncaring…how could he shoot a man without flinching as if it were no more than deciding what food to eat, this man's life had meant nothing to him…

Before Ella could find her voice Gordo bustled out of where he had been working, his white apron stained with fresh pig's blood and a knife clasped in his hand. The two other Texan men glanced around them, suddenly afraid, and without pausing spurred their mounts onwards and out of the village. Ella noticed that Maria too was now in the street, looking around her in confusion as she tried to gather news of what had just happened. Gaining some form of events she turned and picking up her skirts began to run over to the saloon as Joey descended the stairs indifferent to the panic around him. Ella had to admit that his attitude scared her a little, her feelings only heightened as she heard murmurings from woman around them, 'Diablo' they mumbled their eyes upon Joey.

Gordo rushed quickly towards Joey. "What have you done?!" the man said, his voice almost pleading Joey to acknowledge the scale of the problem he had just brought down upon the village. "Now the hard Sheriff is going to come from across the river, he's going to beat us all!"

Joey did not turn to face Gordo, his demeanor still unruffled. "No," he said certainly, "he will only beat her!" He turned back as he heard his mother's running footsteps, his gaze focusing upon her. "She made it happen." He turned again, unconcerned once more and intent on walking away from them down the path.

Ella rushed hurriedly down the steps, her heart in her throat as Maria rushed after her son catching him roughly by his arm and forcing him to face her.

"What have you done?!" Maria asked angrily.

Ella walked slowly up behind her friend, knowing that she should keep her distance in this moment.

Joey looked back at his mother as if she were stupid. "I killed a gringo Mama" he said slowly, his tone was as if he were talking to simple minded child. "I only like gringos when they're dead!" His voice suddenly became harsh as he spoke. He turned once more to walk away, in his mind the conversation was over but again Maria spun him roughly around to face her.

"Now we will all be in trouble! Doniphan will come...the hard sheriff. If he catches you, he will hang you!" Maria said force and anger backing her words, trying to instil some emotion into her son, trying to make him see what he had done, the danger he had not only to put himself in but the whole village.

Joey smiled faintly a mocking light in his eyes. "He won't catch me, Mama." His voice was soft, like velvet. "But you know, he may catch you and the old man there." He said meaning Gordo who now stood behind Maria watching with wary eyes. Joey's smile widened slightly as if this idea thrilled him.

Without warning Maria pulled her son into a desperate embrace. "Joey!" She said the tone of her voice bearing not only her frustration but her love for her child. "Joey." She repeated regaining herself but not releasing him from her arms. "Go, go away, go to Crow Town." Maria whispered near Joey's ear, her voice pleading with him to listen to her advice. "Even law men do not go there!" She pushed him roughly from her. "Vayate!"

He turned quickly from her and again continued his path down the road not looking back, placing his gun back in its holster as he walked, unconcerned with what had just come to pass.

Ella came up behind Maria and laid a hand softly on her friend's shoulder. Maria covered Ella's hand with her own as if she badly needed the contact of something kind.

"He is bad, that one, he is bad!" Gordo said heatedly from behind them.

Ella squeezed Maria gently not knowing what to say or do, but knowing that just like Maria and the rest of the village she felt shaken to her core.