Joey sat upon the bed cloaked in a fetid silence. The whore had been dead for nearly an hour; her blood was drying upon his skin, flaking into brittle red clumps. The pool of blood that surrounded and covered her had already begun to congeal. The whole room seemed to have a tangy, metallic smell to it and he breathed in deeply, somehow the aroma calmed his senses, it was strangely pleasant in its own way. His thoughts were not upon the dead girl lying nearby, he had already forgotten her existence, she was no more than an inanimate object to him now, his mind was fixed upon the dull ache that pulled unpleasantly inside of him somewhere. It frustrated him immensely that no matter how much he searched he could not find the place it came from, it seemed to move just when he was certain his mind had located it. He assumed it was not something that literally hurt inside him, but that it was dull need for her, for Ella… he felt angry at the thought and dismissed it, but still he could not stop the feeling akin to pain, flowing like the very blood through his veins and he did not think he could fix it… not unless he could think of a way to still it for good.

He finally rose from the bed and went to a small wash stand in the corner of the room, he filled the bowl with fresh water from a jug and taking up a cloth began to clean the blood from his skin. He was pleased that at least his clothes were unspoiled and still lay in a pile on the floor. Once he was finished he dressed slowly, taking his time in the act, letting his mind mull over certain options and courses of action he perhaps could take. He knew he did not want to feel this way again, maybe if he had never enjoyed himself with her he would not feel this way, he would not have needed to find himself a whore on this night and he would not have had to kill her, it was all Ella's fault that it had happened…

He finished buttoning his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair, making himself look presentable once more. He stared at his reflection in an old dirty mirror for a moment and gave a smirk, the answer had been staring at him the whole time, she had even managed to cloud his judgment and planning it seemed, but only for a short time. His gaze was drawn to the bloody dead woman and he turned, studying the corpse fully before he walked forward in casual steps, his hand gripped the knife and he took the soiled weapon over to the basin where he washed it clean. He studied the blade, watching the candlelight glint off the sharp, metal edge. He closed his eyes and remembered the feeling of his knife cutting through flesh, bringing an end to the woman's life and it was all so clear. He smirked again and re-opened his eyes, all he had to do was remove the temptation fully then the ache would stop, once he was finished with Call he would see that it ended…

---

Ella was able to ride the next day. She felt much better in her mind but her body was weak, she knew with some good rest and perhaps, if she was lucky, some of Maria's cooking, she would be back on her feet in no time.

Doc treated her as if she were made of precious china, at any other point in her life this would have annoyed Ella, made her feel as if the person treating her this way thought she was weak, unable to care for herself… vulnerable, but with Doc it wasn't this feeling at all. She felt safe as he made sure she drank enough water or that the blanket was wrapped tightly around her. She didn't think another human being had ever treated her with such tender love and care. His smile always made her smile in return and her heart seemed to feel almost weightless in her breast as his eyes looked at her, concern shining from within.

They entered Ojinaga at noon, it was a cold winter day and the wind was harsh, battering against her cheeks and leaving a smarting pain behind. But the familiar sights of her old home, of faces she knew just from a glance warmed her heart and seemed to keep the cold from reaching her bones.

Then her eyes fell upon the one face she had longed to see for so long. Maria's brown eyes flashed with recognition and she walked towards them in hurried steps. At the sight of her old friend's concerned expression Ella's emotion burst like water breaking through an unstable dam. She covered her mouth as loud sobs began to come forth from deep within her and tears poured unrelentingly down her cheeks. She clumsily got down from the horse, her muscles still felt shaky from lack of use and she swayed as her feet touched the ground. Her legs hadn't been expecting the impact and they began to give way, within a moment warm strong arms surrounded her, supporting her and taking the weight away from her tired limbs. Ella looked up into Maria's face, her friend smiled welcomingly; her eyes glistened with unshed tears and glinted with worry.

"Maria" Ella breathed, wrapping her arms around the older woman and holding her as tightly as she could manage.

"Ella, what has happened?" Maria asked, returning the embrace. Her gaze went to Doc, re-asking the question.

Ella's senses quickly came back to her, Doc still did not know about Joey and this would not be the best way for him to find out, she would tell him when she was ready, whenever that may be… she didn't even know if the time would ever be right to depart the information.

"I was abandoned." Ella said pulling back and looking at Maria, telling her silently not to mention Joey with a stern look and slight shake of her head. Maria seemed to understand from Ella's signals that now would not be a prudent time to mention her son. "Mox Mox captured me."

Maria drew in a breath through her teeth. "The Manburner?!"

Ella nodded and glanced back at Doc. "Doc saved me." She had already decided now was also not the best time to mention that Doc was part of the posse that was hunting Joey down, she would avoid all talk of Call if she could and warn Doc when they were alone, when she felt stronger and able to handle the backlash the revelation would cause from both sides.

"Are you badly hurt?" Maria asked, running her hands over her young friend's injured face.

Ella shook her head. "They're old injuries from Mox Mox and his men." She paused, licking her dry lips. "I'm just weak is all, I came down with a fever, a bit of rest and I'll be fine."

"You shall come home with me!" Maria declared, her tone warning them both she would not take any arguments. "You too Doc, I shall feed you and you can clean yourself."

Doc gave a small grin. "I'd be much obliged for that Ma'am." He gave a tip of his hat.

Ella continued to clutch onto Maria, her legs didn't seem to want to hold her weight.

"She is too weak to walk." Maria's normal authoritative ways made Ella smile, she had missed them. "You carry her; I will lead your horses, si?"

Doc gave a small laugh at the obviously formidable woman before him and nodded.

"I can walk" Ella protested as she was guided towards Doc, knowing that the statement may prove to be false at any moment.

"Now, don't argue," Doc chuckled, "besides, I don't mind, you don't weigh all that much." He grinned again at his good humored teasing and Ella couldn't help but smile.

Doc carefully picked her up and Ella wrapped her arms about his neck for support. Maria led the way towards the house with the horses and Doc followed. It seemed most of the town had come out to watch her return, Ella thought that no doubt they were all wondering what had happened to her, whether it was Joey's doing or if Joey was already dead, killed by Captain Call and ridding them of any more of his unwelcome visits…

The sight of the old adobe she had once called home made tears brim once more in Ella's eyes, it hit her suddenly and with unexpected force that she hadn't really thought she would ever see this place again. Teresa and Rafael, she soon learned, were visiting Billy and Ella found she was a little glad of this fact; she wanted a moment to bask in the silence and peace that the little home offered. Inside was warm, welcoming and homely.

"Put her on my bed" Maria said, gesturing to the curtain behind which lay one large iron bedstead and three other make shift beds in alcoves. Ella had never really ventured beyond the curtain; her own bed had been in one of the small alcoves in the main living space. As she was carried in, Ella found that despite herself she wondered which bed had been Joey's…

Doc sat her upon the bed and knelt before her, unlacing her tired, worn leather boots. His actions were soft and Ella smiled feeling grateful for his gentle hands upon her sore feet.

"Hope they don't smell too bad" she said with a weak smile.

Doc laughed. "They don't smell at all, maybe I have too much dust up my nose" he teased, making her smile again.

Ella could hear Maria bustling around in the kitchen and turned her gaze back to Doc. "Doc," she began, drawing his attention away from his task of unlacing her second boot, "it's best you don't mention Call… or that you're a lawman to Maria."

Doc furrowed his brow. "Why? She don't seem like the law breaking type" he joked.

Ella gave a wry smile and then her courage failed her, now wasn't the time to lay the truth out before him. "Call hung her father and brothers when she was a child… she don't have any fondness for lawmen cause of it and even less for Call, she's still bitter." Ella knew she was in fact telling the truth, but she wasn't telling him everything, perhaps that could come later.

Doc nodded. "I see, well I'll keep quiet, say I was just passing near the area and saw Mox Mox's tracks."

Ella smiled a little more warmly. "I think that's for the best." She rested a hand tenderly upon his cheek and felt that all too familiar flicker within her, a strange buzzing feeling that seemed to rest flutteringly within her stomach.

The curtain lifted and Maria poked her head through, interrupting their conversation. "She must wash." She was carrying a large bowl of steaming water, soap and a cloth. "I will find you water soon, you can eat until she is washed and dressed. Food is on the table."

Doc gave a certain nod and a friendly smile. "Thank you for taking such good care of my Ella."

Maria grinned; this man's sweet words pleased her. She stood aside so that he could get past her before she entered the small room, drawing the curtain fully behind her. She placed the bowl upon a chair and turned to Ella, without a word, only a reassuring smile, Maria began to help Ella out of her dirty clothes until she was dressed in just her loose undergarments. "When you are clean I will go and get your clothes from your old house, Gordo has still been looking after it."

"Gordo?" Ella asked in puzzlement.

"Well, I made him look after it" she grinned.

Ella gave a small laugh. "Thanks, it will feel good to be clean."

"These wounds on your face" Maria asked, her finger circling near a few of the bruises, her tone was as if she was afraid of the answer. "Were they done by Mox Mox or…" she hesitated, "My son?"

Ella smiled weakly. "No, I was telling the truth, it was Mox Mox and one of his gang members." She lowered her gaze. "I was lucky to get away with so little I guess."

"Yes, you could have been killed, that man is evil!" Her eyes bore clear dislike at even thinking of the Manburner.

"He was," Ella corrected, "he's dead."

"Dead? How?" Maria's eyes widened.

Ella suddenly found her mouth dry; it had been so easy to nearly trap herself into revealing all about Call and Doc, her mind rushed. "Doc's friends" she said finally, sighing as if she was tired.

"Where are his friends now?"

"They had other business" Ella lied. "Doc followed one of the gang members that took me a good few miles, had thoughts of making me his woman I guess, but Doc caught up to him and he brought me back."

Maria nodded. "I felt you did not want me to mention Joey" Maria said lowly so that her voice would not carry.

Ella glanced at her friend. "I don't want Doc to know" she admitted.

"I will not talk of him, but you must tell me now while we are alone what happened." She hesitated, "Is he safe?"

Ella glanced once again at Maria, even though her argument with Joey now seemed to have happened so long ago the pain of it still felt fresh, like poking at a wound that hadn't fully healed. She nodded. "He's safe as far as I know."

"He left me with no horse, no food and no water." She paused. "I want ya to know Maria that I didn't want to leave Crow Town with him, he forced me…"

Maria gave a slow nod, her expression stating she had expected as much. "But why did he leave you?"

Ella found her mouth felt dry once more. "He found out… about my past" she said with effort.

Maria looked a little surprised. "You did not tell him?"

Ella shook her head. "I knew he'd be mad, you know how he dislikes… whores."

Maria nodded. "He dislikes women, that is the truth, dislikes all people." She dipped the cloth into the hot water and lathered up the soap as if she had to do something with her hands. She began to clean Ella's arms and face with gentle strokes.

"It would never have gone well." She paused. "Joey… has never really been interested in women or love…" She paused again. "I was shocked when I found out you had been together, I did not think Joey would ever want anyone else but himself for company." She washed Ella's neck and the young girl flinched as the cloth skimmed over her bruised, tender skin that still remained from her and Joey's last meeting. "What is this?" she said, leaning closer to inspect the faded injury. "Was this Mox Mox too?"

Ella hesitated. "No" she said slowly, knowing that there was no point lying to her friend, lying had already got her into too much trouble and she was still doing it, the least she could do was be honest about everything else. "It was Joey." Maria's eyes widened and she took a deep breath through her nose as if suppressing her anger. "He was upset when he found out about my past… like I said, you know what he's like." Her words were no more than a whisper, she didn't want to remember that day, right now she didn't really want to remember Joey.

Maria's gaze was drawn again to the discolored skin but she remained silent, the anger remaining to blaze behind her eyes. "I will let you finish washing, leave your under garments on the chair and I will wash them soon, I will go and get your fresh clothing." Maria gave her a warm smile before turning and leaving the room.

Ella obeyed Maria and washed herself fully, leaving her undergarments in a neat but dusty pile on the chair before wrapping herself in a snug blanket. Ella knew that Maria was not upset at her; she knew her friend's reaction had been caused by shock and anger. No mother ever wanted to be shown how bad their child could be and Maria knew Joey was not only bad but dangerous to even those who loved him.