John Taylor got up from where he'd sat next to Amelia where she lay on the bed. She hadn't stirred at all even as the Indian examined her.

"What's going on?"

Ethan barely contained the concern in his voice. John Taylor just looked at him.

"She's got a head injury…can't tell if there's any bleeding inside," he said, "or any damage though her signs were good….probably will come out of it soon."

"How soon…she hasn't moved at all since we got here."

John Taylor knew how to be patient when Ethan wasn't and to be patient with him.

"Could be hours, could be days," he said, "but she'll come out of it. She's a strong woman, young and she's got a will about her."

Ethan knew that and a good dose of stubbornness that matched his own…which is why they'd gotten in the most fiery of arguments when they first met. Neither of them willing to back down when fate put them on opposite sides of an issue or the town…but they'd fallen in love anyway.

"Talk to her…she can probably hear you."

Ethan just nodded and took her hand again then he looked up at his friend.

"How'd she get the head injury…?"

John Taylor shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he said, "blunt object probably pretty small…a rock maybe…"

"When she fell…"

"Maybe or someone hit her with one."

Ethan had worried that it might have been the result of someone trying to hurt her or worse…but if so, who and why?

"She was heading back to Bella's ranch when it happened."

"Maybe she was followed," John Taylor said, "There's a lot of strange things happening in town since the Wyatts arrived trying to change everything."

Ethan sighed.

"I know…everything's happened so fast," he said, "Wyatt brings in all these investors, still haven't seen any of them yet and then the private security getting the businessmen to sign up."

John Taylor nodded.

"Starting up the fears of unlawfulness taking control of the town," he said, "Having his men commit those crimes…getting a new business owner to sign up after each one."

"I remember Amelia saying that's how it was done in San Francisco," he said, "It's a financial racket."

John Taylor sighed.

"There are many different kinds including those they used on my people…but maybe that made her someone's target."

Ethan digested that, looking down at Amelia's still face.

"Maybe…but she wasn't the only one that figured it out and she didn't advertise it," he said, "As far as I know she didn't have much contact with any of Wyatt's men."

"Maybe it's something else Ethan but you need to find out in case someone comes looking for her again to finish what they started."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck knowing that his friend might be right. Better to keep Amelia out of sight for a while, let anyone who might have done this to her believe he'd been successful…at least for a while.

Virgil returned to the cabin.

"I got some stew on the stove if you'd like some," he said, "Your friend Bella helped me."

John Taylor smiled.

"I'll have some of it before I leave," he said, "I'll head back into town and just pay attention."

Ethan nodded and knew if anyone could find out information, it'd be John Taylor.

"I'll stay here…if you could get word to Claire…just tell her I'm helping a friend."

John Taylor nodded.

"I'll do that…"

Then he left with Virgil and Ethan sat alone with Amelia, willing her to open her eyes, telling her to wake up but she just lay there not moving in silence.

Amelia didn't like the fact that she and Ethan had been on opposite sides. She'd not wanted him to risk going after the assassin that had sworn to kill him. She'd been the one that had brought him into their lives after rescuing him from an accident. He'd hit his head and suffered amnesia, his memory wiped fresh like a baby's.

Until one day his memory had returned in a flash, she'd known it and he'd shoved her into a closet and rammed it closed with some furniture.

It'd taken her over an hour to free herself. But when she did, all she could do was think about Ethan out there not knowing someone would be trying to hunt him down and kill him. So she'd gotten on her horse and sped on down the road back to his ranch. Praying as her hair whipped behind her that she'd get there in time to warn him.

She'd failed and he'd been killed only no one could find his body. That made proving that the man had committed murder difficult to say the least. Impossible said the man even when she'd wanted to get Scotty's gun and shoot him.

But Ethan had been alive after all, watching her from the doorway as she played some dirge on the piano, not bothering to wipe her tear streaked face. Damn she'd lost him and hadn't ever told him how much she cared for him. He'd betrayed his arrival and she turned around to face him and then plead with him to just let the man get on the stagecoach to leave town empty handed and not confront him. But Ethan folding onto her face with his hands and looking into her eyes told her he had to do it…but that no one would kill him.

Before he left, he'd just kissed her, his lips seeking hers and she surrendered herself to him and the sweetness of how it felt to experience that with him before he left her again…their hands reluctantly parting.

Damn, she'd gone from sadness to relief to weariness at the thought that she might still lose him again to another gunfight. Every time she'd had to say goodbye to him, it'd torn another piece out of her heart. She hadn't realized how much she'd lost of it until that very last time before she finally left.

But she'd come back far from the person she'd been and yet, he'd still wanted her when she didn't think anyone would let alone the man she left behind.

"Amelia…"

She heard that voice again. She knew how it was his voice and she struggled to find him in the darkness. Then she felt a ray of warmth on her skin and a soft voice pulling towards it with each step..

She opened her eyes slowly…allowing them to adjust to the light. He sat there next to her and she felt his hand wrapped around hers and she squeezed it. His eyes blinked open and she saw a look of relief and then happiness on his face.

"Amelia…"

She tried to touch his face with her fingers on one hand but she didn't quite make it. He took that hand and kissed it before laying it down on her stomach.

"Ethan…."

"You're awake…"

She blinked her eyes again.

"Where am I….I don't….what happened?"

He squeezed the hand he still held harder.

"You're in a cabin up the mountain…a man who lives up here found you by the river…you were knocked out."

"I….my head…"

"You hurt it…"

She reached up with one hand to touch a bump there, surrounded by angry bruising.

"I don't remember…what happened," she said, "except I was riding…"

"You were heading back to the ranch…"

A frown appeared on her face.

"No…I don't know…I was leaving town…I had to go somewhere fast but I don't know…"

He stroked her face tenderly looking down at her, seeing the agitation on her face.

"Amelia, take it easy," he said, "You need to rest. John Taylor said…"

"He was here?"

Ethan nodded.

"Yes…Bella fetched him and he looked at you and said you hit your head," he said, "but not bad, just enough to knock you out for a while."

I don't…except I felt something hurt…but the river…I…was in the river…"

"Did you fall in it?"

She started to nod but her face lined in confusion instead.

"I don't remember…maybe…my horse…"

"She's back at the ranch," he said, "She found it on her own. That's when Bella and I knew something was wrong."

"I'm…tired…"

He stroked her face and she found it very soothing enough so to close her eyes again, knowing that he'd be there with her.

"Go to sleep…I'll be right here," he said, "If you need anything…"

"But what about Claire and…"

"They'll be fine," he said, "John Taylor will look in on them."

She settled back down against the pillow and closed her eyes. Her body relaxed and her breathing became softer. John Taylor said she needed plenty of rest and he'd make sure she got it. He pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and she curled up on her side.

John Taylor had left some tea to steep with hot water and give to her in the morning…and evening for several days to help with the healing. But for now he knew she'd soon be asleep. As she drifted off, he wondered again if it hadn't been an accident. She appeared to have little memory of what happened at least right now but if someone had followed her for an ambush, then they might come looking for her if they learned they'd failed.

As long as she stayed here she'd be safe but what to do next? He couldn't risk losing her when he'd come so close. Maybe Ernie would know something but he'd have to wait until she was better before he'd go to town to question him

But he had to come up with a plan, he had to find a way to protect her and if someone had done this to her he'd go after him and there'd be no place that they could hide.