Ella wandered back into the house, her heart felt light as if a great burden had been lifted from it; she smiled to herself as she closed the door behind her.

"I hope she'll be alright" Beulah said, glancing at the two other women in the room. "John Wesley is a dangerous man."

Ella gave her a reassuring smile. "You don't know Maria, she could whip them all I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right" Beulah mumbled. "Do you want some coffee?"

"No thanks," Ella said, glancing towards the bedroom, "there's no time, I gotta be ready when Maria gets back."

"He ain't gonna be happy" Beulah said, following Ella's gaze.

"He don't get a say" Ella said stiffly, Maria's strong will inspiring her to not back down.

Without turning to look at the older woman beside her Ella made her way to the back bedroom, closing the curtain as she entered. She turned and was surprised to see Joey already dressed; he glanced at her before gathering up her clothes and throwing them towards her. Ella caught them, her gaze once again returning to his face, confusion furrowing her brow.

"Get dressed quickly" Joey said, his cool, calm tone not faltering.

Ella obeyed, not wishing to stand around in her underclothes any longer. She quickly pulled her corset around herself and tightened it expertly; the many years of performing the task alone made it a quick and easy chore. She swiftly buttoned her corset cover and pulled on her petticoat before dressing herself in her final layer of a cotton skirt and blouse. She tucked the blouse into the band of her skirt and twisted her hair into a loose ponytail before returning her eyes to Joey who was gathering the rest of their belongings.

"Where are you goin'?" she questioned.

Joey glanced up as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. "We are leaving here."

Ella furrowed her brow, "Because of Call? But you said…"

"Suficiente!" Joey exclaimed, his eyes blazed, daring her to say the words she was about to speak, that he was doing just as his mother suggested, he turned from her, checking his last few belongings.

Ella bit back the words but she felt her own resolve harden. "I'm not goin', I'm goin' to travel back with Maria."

Joey spun around his look twisted with anger, his lips no more than a disgusted snarl. "You will come with me!" He paused and with gritted teeth pointed his finger to the empty space before him. "Ven aqui!"

Ella shook her head. "No," she said quietly, "I don't want to go with you." She paused, her eyes finding his, their depths silently telling him this hurt her more than she would ever admit, that leaving him was wrenching her apart and what had been done could never be undone no matter how many sweet kisses he laid upon her skin. "It's over." She breathed the words in a sorrowful sigh, glad to say to them and glad it was done.

They continued to stare at each other, after a few moments Joey walked slowly over to her, all traces of anger gone, replaced by a callous smugness that only revealed itself in his eyes.

"Help me with my bag to my horse" he commanded.

Ella's lips parted in surprise, it had been so easy. Her heart ached a little at the realization of his acceptance, that he was not going to fight her as she had expected, but she was also gladdened, it would be less painful for them both this way, to just let go and freefall to wherever the future took them. She watched after him a moment as he exited the room, she felt near sick at the feeling that she would never hold him again, that it was indeed just as she had said… over. But the lightness in her soul beckoned for her to see that things would be so much better now, that she could finally have her own life with no man to rely on or hurt her, only herself, the thought frightened and thrilled her.

She followed him out, giving the three women a warm smile. "I'll be back" she said, and continued out of the door. She found Joey tying the saddle bags onto Maria's horse and frowned at his actions.

"What are you doing?"

Joey did not look at her. "I will need another horse" he stated casually.

"You can't just take Maria's!" She took a few more steps forward until she was only a few feet from him. "We both need it to get back to the village." She stared at him a moment as he ignored her words. "You can't take it." She repeated.

"I do not care what my mother does." His tone was simple and unconcerned.

"But… Joey…" she began, her intent to talk some sense into him but her eye was caught by a flash of cream coloured material edged with lace poking out of one of the bags, she instantly knew it as one of her blouses, she opened the bag - studying the contents. "This is my clothing."

Joey turned to her and with a look of contempt brushed her hand away and buckled the bag closed once again.

"You can't just take my clothes!" she declared.

Joey turned to her; he closed his eyes in that familiar way that stated she was beginning to annoy him. "I am not taking your clothes."

Ella stared at him for a short moment, understanding coming in a wave.

"I said I wasn't goin'!" she said, taking a small step backwards. Before she could say or do anymore Joey had lunged forward, his hand enclosing her wrist and with a sharp tug he pulled her forward.

"Get on the horse" Joey instructed, his eyes unemotional.

Ella locked her eyes with his, defiance shining.

"Ahora!" Joey said, giving her another sharp tug towards the horse. Ella remained silent and still, refusing to do as he wished, trying to hold on to her strength and pride.

Without another word spoken between them Joey lifted her up, she struggled against him but he was easily able to place her in the saddle and force her to sit astride.

"If you get down I will beat you, Comprende?"

Ella stared down at him, her eyes smoldering with hostility, still she gave him a curt nod that she understood. Joey glanced at her before swinging himself into his own saddle. He reached back and took Ella's reins from her, leaving her only the saddle horn as support and with a swift kick to his animal's sides he began to lead them out of Crow Town.

Ella looked towards the saloon, her heart beating in soft thuds within her chest as she bitterly prayed that Maria would emerge, she thought about shouting, trying to grab Maria's attention but she knew over the dull, constant caw of crows her voice would be lost. Although she did not think Maria could stop Joey now they were both on horseback she knew that seeing her friend's face would at least give her courage, but the door to the run-down building remained closed. Ella noticed that the great pig was lying in the road, motionless, she instantly knew it was dead and distractedly wondered what had happened to it.

---

They travelled for many hours, the hot sun upon their backs. Ella found that out in the plains time had no real meaning, she sagged in the saddle, the heat feeling as if it were a great weight upon her shoulders. Her thoughts constantly drifted back to Maria, alone in that awful, lawless town. She had no horse, no protection apart from the old pistol she'd taken with her. Ella couldn't help feeling guilty, that it was somehow her fault Joey had left his mother abandoned to the likes of Hardin, if only she'd fought harder against Joey, if only… but Ella knew it was doubtful even Maria and herself could have overpowered Joey alone without sustaining some kind of injury and she wasn't giving Maria enough credit, she would know exactly how to get herself back home and avoid any 'bad' men.

She watched Joey as he led her horse, she was acutely aware that he had not looked back at her since Crow Town, she had even begun to wonder if he had forgotten she was there at all, but of course she knew he hadn't. Joey was well aware of everything around him even if it didn't appear he was paying attention. Ella studied his back, the outline of his body against the bright sky, and wiped distractedly at her damp brow, wondering when he would decide they should stop and when she would finally know why he wanted her with him, was it just the plain fact that he refused to let her return to Maria, was his hatred for his mother that deep and warped? Ella didn't think she'd ever discover how Joey's mind worked. His posture in the saddle looked so cocky and self assured, she knew he thought he knew everything, that his pride ruled him to the point that he was convinced he was near invincible, that he would never make a mistake and would always be the one to draw first, would always be the man to walk away unharmed while the other lay dead in his wrathful wake… Ella silently wondered what would happen the day he found out that death had a place for all of them and that everyone felt its icy hand gripping at their hearts, she found that she worried his death would come sooner rather than later. The thought was like a strange frozen rain dripping down her back and making her shiver in dread, even though she was determined she would now leave him when the opening presented itself she still loved him, more dearly and passionately than she would love anyone. How she knew this fact she did not know but she did know there would be no one else like Joey Garza, no one that made her blood run faster at the mere mention of his name, that consumed her thoughts and made her want to stay in his arms despite all his cruelty, all his anger… Ella knew she would not have tolerated this treatment from anyone else and it damaged her pride beyond repair to know he had such a fierce hold over her… but still the thought of losing him was unbearable, of knowing she would never see him again… She prayed silently to God or whoever would listen that for now Joey's confidence would win out and he would be the better man. 'Love' she mulled over the word she had just used inside her mind…love…it seemed a strange phrase to use in relation to Joey, love was meant to be sweet and romantic, caring and forgiving, Joey was none of these things. Perhaps love was not the right word…but if there was a correct term Ella could not think of it.

They stopped briefly to water the horses at a nearby stream. Joey passed Ella a canteen of water and she drank long and hard, the coolness of the liquid easing her dry throat from the many hours of breathing in dust. She glanced at him as his eyes scanned the surroundings.

"Where are we goin'?" she finally ventured.

Joey cast a lazy look towards her. "There is a town not far from here, we will sleep there."

Ella furrowed her brow, knowing this did not answer her question but also fully aware she would get no more out of him, he was distracted as if he expected an ambush at any moment.

"Do you think Call has found our trail?" Ella couldn't help feeling nervous. Would these lawmen even care the man they hunted had an unwilling captive with him or would the deadly bullets fly regardless? She shivered at the thought of cold metal burrowing into flesh and wondered what it would feel like…cutting her finger with a sharp knife or a pain so intense that no one could explain it…the morbid thoughts seemed to close in around her.

Joey glanced at her, his eyes cold, edged with annoyance. "No, he will just be leaving Ojinaga, he will have gone there expecting to catch me at my mother's house." He gave a smug smile as if he thought the man he spoke of was a fool. "He will not find my trail… but perhaps he will visit Judge Roy Bean." He paused as if he would say more but remained silent.

"How do you know?" Ella asked, curious as to how he seemed so certain.

"The gringo old killer, Hardin told me many things and I listened, he likes the sound of his own voice." He again cast a wary eye over the plains. "Call knows Judge Roy Bean well… I plan to go there soon but first I will watch and see this man they call the 'Great Killer'."

Ella studied his face. "Your ma told me that he only kills for money."

"Si."

"That Indian tracker that Hardin talked of a while back, Famous Shoes… he said you should kill him."

"Famous Shoes is an old man, I do not fear him."

"Hardin seemed to think you should, is he a great tracker?"

Joey nodded, his eyes narrowing as if her voice was beginning to grate upon his nerves.

"Then… maybe you should kill him Joey." She tentatively placed a hand upon his arm. "If Call can't find you, he can't kill…"

"He will not kill me!" Joey said shaking her touch from him, his tone stating that the conversation had gone too far. "Tu Veras, he will not get the chance, he is an old man and slow… He will not see me before it is too late."

Ella nodded, knowing to say more would only end up in an unpleasant ride for both of them if they were sore with each other. They mounted their horses and set off once again.

It was just as the sun was beginning to set that a town came into sight, it was smaller than Crow Town with fewer buildings. As they came closer Ella saw that it was an old boom town, one that had fallen into decay after the rush had been and gone. There was a small badly constructed saloon with a whore house above it and a few scattered houses, many of them looked empty and dilapidated. Joey guided both horses to the saloon before gracefully swinging himself down from the saddle and wrapping the reins around a tethering post.

Ella slipped down from her mount and gave her sore behind a rub, bringing life back into her numb flesh. She glanced up at the saloon and then at Joey.

"We stayin' here?" she asked unsurely.

Joey did not answer but gathered the belongings from the two horses and passed Ella her share before ascending the few wooden steps and entering the place. Ella followed, mumbling under her breath that perhaps Crow Town had been better than a whore house; these places brought nothing but bad memories flooding back to her.

She entered the dusty, small, one roomed place and glanced around it. It was thankfully near empty, two men sat slumped at a table, a finished bottle of whiskey lying on its side near them. A man behind the bar looked up as they entered.

"What do you want?" he asked squinting at them through the gloom of the badly lit room.

"Una habitación Lino" Joey said, not looking at the man. From Joey's tone Ella was instantly aware he knew this barman.

"Joey!" the man exclaimed. "It has been a long time! Katia has missed you."

Joey cast a cold, icy look at the man telling him his greeting was not welcome or wanted.

"We have a room, here." He tossed a key towards Joey. "The old spare one, left at the top of the stairs, you know the way." He glanced at Ella, "It isn't used by my girls senorita." He winked and Ella felt her gut recoil, just by looking at him she could tell his type, she knew he most likely beat his girls and raped them whenever he felt like it.

Joey did not say another word to the man but began to make his way up the stairs, Ella slowly followed, her gut not shaking the sinking, sick feeling that had bubbled within it just after the man began to talk. With disgust at herself she soon came to see that it was the man's words that had upset her more than knowing his type… Joey had been here before and from the sounds of it often, Ella felt a harsh pang of jealousy clutch at her and closed her eyes willing it away.