Amelia walked into the house after saying goodnight to Ethan. She didn't feel like going to her cabin so she dropped in to get some of Bella's tea that she brewed up to help with sleeping. It had an herb called chamomile in it among others and Amelia found that it helped her relax. She needed that right now and she walked into the kitchen and saw Bella and Carla cleaning up.

"How was your dinner with Ethan?"

Amelia smiled at Bella as she went to go pour herself some tea.

"It went well…he wants to pick up where we left off."

Bella went to get herself some tea and they headed to the porch.

"Of course he does…he's a man who's in love with a woman…nothing unusual about that."

Amelia sat down on the steps and Bella joined her. It was a warm night but a soft breeze rustled through the trees.

"I know…he's always been clear about what he wants…"

"Who he wants…"

Amelia sipped her tea.

"That too…but I just don't know how I feel about that."

"You love him don't you?"

Amelia felt a bit taken aback by the question.

"Of course I do…I came back didn't I and I think mostly it was to see him again."

Bella smiled.

"Then there you go…Amelia this is another chance for the two of you to work it out and not get in each other's way like you've done."

Amelia smiled ruefully back.

"We've done so much of that but we're both very strong people with strong opinions on things that sometimes conflict with each other."

"That can make it difficult but it doesn't matter if you really want to be together."

"It's been hard like after the mining accident and the town was coming apart," she said, "Ethan wanted to take the children and leave…to go find work and I understand that but I wanted…I needed to stay with the town."

"Was it worth it?"

Amelia nodded.

"I think so…the town came back after that…at least for a while and Ethan returned with the children soon enough. It seems that Ben had some pretty strong opinions as well about leaving his friends."

"Amelia, neither of you are leaving," Bella said, "You both have roots here and I can see why. Paradise is a nice town and I can see myself settling here despite the ones who aren't happy about that."

"I used to hate the town but it all changed when I spent time with him and the children," she said, "I think that they changed us both that way."

"Nothing wrong with that but why then are you not getting back with him? You love him, you know he loves you and you're in the same place a little older and a lot wiser."

Amelia didn't speak for a long moment.

"I can't…I can't look at him and feel that way…I want to and sometimes…but I've been changed by what happened to me in San Francisco and I can't stop that."

Bella nodded.

"You mean how you feel about what happened."

"It's not just feelings it's how I react to everything…including him and I don't want him to see that."

"Well he's going to Amelia," she said, "if you spend time with him."

Amelia just looked out into the darkness. She hadn't wanted to hear that but she knew Bella hadn't said it to upset her. The woman gave advice that was very useful without flinching and she'd learned to trust her and take it. Not something that came easily to her.

"I just don't want to think that it's that I'm not…interested in him."

"I don't think he'd believe that," Bella said, "He's a smart man and a good judge of human nature for better or worse. Besides you know he's had his own world of pain not long after coming into the world."

Amelia knew that because he shared parts of that with her…and it helped her understand him a lot better including when he took actions that confused her.

"So I just told him I had to take it one day at a time," she said, "I think he understood but is it what's best for him?"

Bella sipped her tea again.

"Best for him…you mean as opposed to what he wants?"

Amelia realized that what she said sounded foolish but when she'd come back he'd been spending time with Martha who seemed to have designs on him.

"I just don't want to try again until I know I'm ready for it."

Bella shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with that…but I don't think you've got anything to worry about with him."

Amelia smiled.

"We'll see…and Martha's obviously interested in what the reporter had asked me."

Bella waved a hand.

"Don't worry about Ernie, he won't print any of it," she said, "once he finds out what's really going on and who the real villains are in his story."

Amelia hoped she was right.

Claire had been up late working on her lesson plan with the house being spotless. He felt some guilt that she had to take on so much but he'd learned that the need to be in charge of something was so woven into her personality there was no changing it.

"The boys are asleep finally," she said, "They were arguing over who would get to name the puppy."

"I haven't even decided if we're getting one."

"You should consider it. It'll make a good guard dog."

He put his gun and holster away.

"I'm still thinking about it….mostly who'll take care of it."

She looked serious.

"I'll make sure that they do it and I'll keep on them."

He smiled at his niece knowing that she'd do just that. It'd been a long day even without what had happened with him and Amelia. It had ended with him kissing her goodnight after dinner. She hadn't pulled away from him like he thought but she hadn't been like he remembered either. Still, he knew that whatever was going on, they'd face it together.

"How was dinner?"

"Nice…I rode with Amelia home because it was so late," he said, "We both had things to do after dinner."

"That's fine…I heard what happened at the ranch with the reporter."

Ethan figured it was possible that by morning the whole town would know about it.

"She's fine…she got upset by something he asked her."

Claire scrutinized him more closely in a way that reminded him of her mother, his sister.

"It's more than that," she said, "She's got a secret and that's what he's trying to find out."

Perceptive of Claire to figure that out, but Ethan knew it was more than that and so he didn't say anything.

"We'll be having dinner at Bella's tomorrow," he said, "Seems she's making a lot of food and needs some folks to help eat it."

Claire smiled.

"That'll be great…I'll be there anyway after I'm done with Axelrod's ledgers."

He looked at her wondering how she managed to hold three jobs but he'd been firm about not having all the money earned go to the mortgage on the ranch. She'd be saving the bulk of it in an account at the bank to use for college or traveling, whatever she wanted to do.

He said goodnight to her and headed to bed after washing up. He thought about all the issues facing the town. Plans to boost its economy and money loaned out with interest rates sure to rise and now a crime wave followed by private security men showing up in town to do his job. Men they didn't know much about and who could be even bigger outlaws than the ones they apprehended or deterred. What had happened to Amelia back in San Francisco was evidence of that.

If only he'd stopped her from leaving…but no it was something she had to do. He'd looked into her eyes that day she'd told she was leaving and seen fear there. She was going to run and he had to let her go. John Taylor told her as much and then later on, he said she'd be back.

She'd come back and it was like a part of him came to life again. If she'd been changed by what happened to her, at least she was home.

Amelia woke up having slept well. Except for the fact that she had a nightmare early on in her sleep which woke her up in fear. She'd been transported back to San Francisco that night standing there watching Warrick get shot dead and then they'd grabbed her…she'd tried to run but they'd caught her and taken her.

At some point when the men were hurting her a blow to the head had knocked her out for a while but her mind filled in the gaps of her memory and she woke up in flight until she realized that she wasn't there anymore but was back in her cabin on a ranch outside of Paradise. All was dark and quiet and soon enough she tried to relax and settle herself back on her bed.

She'd fallen asleep because she'd been very tired and soon enough morning arrived and she woke up and did her chores. Her dreams troubled her because they refused to fade away as her bruises had done months ago.

Feeding the horses and turning out the yearlings got her mind off of it and Clara taking the puppies outside to run around outside for a while caused the women to laugh at their antics. Amelia had missed so much when she'd been on her own moving from place to place and coming back…it had brought back a lot of joy even if it remained tempered by emotions she'd tried so hard to keep at bay. She didn't know how to keep that from Ethan but why would he want a woman who'd been so wrecked by something that happened and still bore scars from it? She didn't doubt his feelings but what would happen if he wanted more from her?

No, she couldn't think about that right now as she went to the barn and tacked up her mare to do some riding. Bella came out and gave her some envelopes.

"Could you mail these for me? Just use our account."

Amelia nodded as she took the letters and placed them in her saddlebag before getting on her horse to head off into town.

Ethan walked into his office and saw Burke standing there alongside Buster. Both men clearly wanting to see him about something.

"What is it," he said, "I know this isn't a social call…"

Burke and Buster looked at each other just as Martha walked into the room.