***Hey guys! I just wanted to thank Linda and Snowbird for helping me out with the tub/washroom thing. You Sully-Saved my day (and that's the best kind of saving!), and then cracked me up. Another steamy WARNING.***

He felt himself a monster, as he held her sobbing body in his tight embrace. Although, Teresa was in tremendous pain, Jake couldn't help but relish how good it felt to hold her in his arms. To feel her pressing warmly, intimately, into him, like no other woman ever could. Feeling her hot salty tears soaking into this shirt, Jake squeezed her closer, inhaling the sweetly alluring floral essence of her hair. They were braided as one, and he knew words could only hold as much weight as a feather on the wind, compared to the comfort his body was giving her. Jake slid his hand up around the back of her slender neck, allowing his thumb to gently stroke the delicate skin underneath her ear.

The man made no more noise in his approach than a soft breeze would stringing through the tall grass in the meadow.

"I will take care of the young ones, tonight," Cloud Dancing spoke with finality and resolve. In truth, he had foreseen this episode, had already fed them dinner, and was preparing them for a makeshift overnighter, when Jake and Teresa arrived. "I have already promised them a night of storytelling in the nursery…"

Jake's eyes flickered from stressful worry to profound appreciativeness. It set him at ease knowing that his children would be watched over under Cloud Dancing's nurturing wing. Nodding his agreement, Jake watched as that blessed man calmly turned and made his way up and into the house.

Waiting until he could see the soft yellow light of the oil lamps casting their glow in Izzy's nursery window, Jake adjusted Teresa in his arms. Her jarring sobs had diminished into weeping murmurs that lightly breathed against his neck. Lifting her so that they stood Jake swiftly swept Teresa up into his arms, and carried her into the house. Gently, he set her down into the crook of the sofa, before kneeling down before her. His large white hand cupped her face as his thumb gingerly wiped the tears from under her eye and lightly nudged her chin up. Though her lips were trembling, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile, as she looked down at him through tear stained eyes. His face had softened, the slant of his eyes rounded showing a calm dark cobalt color, as his lips pressed into a crooked smile. Somehow, their hands had found each other, with the fingers of her bandaged hand entwining clumsily.

"I'm gonna take of yah, alright," Jake was forcing his voice to sound light. "Jus'…jus' wait here."

Jake waited for her to nod before pressing her hand to his lips. The shadows of his past crept up on him, casting his own words forth. You are my concern. They wrapped around him as he hurried down the narrow hall that led out towards the kitchen and dining room. …but I must manage this on my own… Teresa's words fought against him. No matter how Jake attempted to spoil her, she just had to handle things herself, and it had amazed him that she was allowing him this much. Well not this night, Jake was resolute, and not this situation!

xXx

Framing each window were deep mahogany stained moldings which set off the muted stormy blue hue of the walls of the kitchen and dining room. These two rooms sat at opposite ends at the back of the house. Jake walked down between the two open spaces, opening the large oak double doors at the center of the back wall. He propped each solid door along its own adjacent wall, before he entered the small washing room. To the right of him was what Sully and now Jake considered an indoor plumbing situation of which had caused quite a ruckus to install.

It had taken Jake, Sully, Hank, Matthew, and a mostly supervising Loren to dig out the drainage ditch. Although it had been a delightfully cool spring day, the arduous labor of digging and hauling had taken its toll on the men. Jake and Hank had already perspired through the thin gray fabric of their long john tops. The suspenders which were holding up their dark slacks dug irritatingly between their shoulder blades impeding their good humor. And the only shade afforded them came from the brims of their hats which were periodically drenched in the squat barrel of water that sat off to the side. Matthew's wintergreen sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows, as his fair skin scorched red under the sun. He rolled the wheel barrel as fast as Hank and Jake could shovel out dry mound after dry mound of dirt.

But it was Sully who'd had his hands full, putting his craftsman's skills to work building the actual not so out, outhouse. Unlike the other's he seemed built to be out in the sun. His bronze skin glowed with the radiant glimmer of his sweat. Now and then Sully reached up his hands to tighten the blue bandana which he had tied around his head like a band. Sully's arms worked free and bare as he hammered board after board forming the walls that would go around the seat.

"Ah Yah gotta dig out the bottom first, 'fore yah widen the sides!" Loren tugged at the wilting collar of his dry shirt. He stood close to the edge of the trench delegating opinions to Hank and Jake. "Or the whole things just gonna cave in on yah!"

The two well dusted men exchanged irately irritated glances. "Keep yappin' old man and I'll knock yah down here tah do some actual work!" Hank growled through his grinning teeth, as he and Jake nodded mischievously to one another.

"Aw, yah know I can't put a lot of weight on my bad leg," he rubbed at his thigh, suddenly feeling the need to nurse it.

"Right," Jake rolled his eyes before using his heavy boot as weight to plunge his spade deeper into the tough soil. Working in tandem, they laughed as they hoisted their scoops of dirt up in Loren's direction dusting him from head to toe. Sputtering and coughing he fell back landing in Matthew's wheel barrel.

"Will you quit messin' around!" Matthew chastised Loren helping him out of the barrels bed and onto his feet. "Never seen a man work so hard not tah work."

"That's it…I needa break," Hank threw his shovel into the shallow wall next to Jake like a spear. Springing nimbly, he used the protruding handle as a step out of the trench. "I'll jus' see what yah little missus s'got in the kitchen," he'd winked.

What had happen next had been pure speculation on Jake's part, as he had merely shrugged at the suggestion of stopping and continued in his work. He had supposed Sully had loosely boarded up the seat, planning to secure everything once it was inside the small washroom. It was probably at that exact moment Hank had taken advantage of the fact that Sully had wandered inside the house to visit with Dr. Mike and a then very pregnant Teresa, who were sitting at the kitchen table. To this day Hank refused to divulge exactly how he'd rigged the damned thing, but the events were as follows.

Several minutes had passed and Jake struck the metal spade into the crumbling clay of the loam tinted earth. The small rocks clinked and clattered with each toss, as Jake worked out his own rhythm. All the while Loren's now quiet shadow cast over Jake blocking out the sun.

"Hey Jake!" Hank had called down to him from somewhere close to the house. "Sully says you're open for business. You can uh…try er' out for we bring er' inside."

Jake nudged one corner of his mouth back, thinking it odd to try out such an accommodation. However, it had been such a taxing day. Jake's body was aching from muscle to bone, and he hadn't seen his wife practically all day long. He knew she was only in the house, but he'd missed her. Missed seeing her dusky waves fall brilliantly over her shoulders. Missed the swell of her belly, where what he'd thought at the time was his son. Using Hank's makeshift handle step, Jake hoisted himself from the trench, finding that Loren had mysteriously disappeared along with Matthew. Strutting over to the fat barrel of water by the house, Jake washed the charcoal toned dirt from his arms, face, and neck.

The sun was finally giving way to the early evening, sending an intoxicatingly cool breeze to chill the air. Jake inhaled the its crisp clean comfort, catching hints of jasmine and hawthorn on the lightly wafting wind. His eyes traveled up and down the finished outhouse. Sturdy in appearance, Jake took a few steps forward inspecting the tightly fitted seams of Sully's immaculate work. The man truly was gifted, Jake had thought, taking notice of the fact that not a single nail head was visible. It was then that he heard it. Something moved from within, startling Jake as he back away nearly crashing into Sully and Matthew.

"I…I think there's something in there," Jake pointed unsure what to do.

Sully shrugged nonchalantly with a crooked grin, "It's probably just the loose boards rattlin'."

"Loose bor-," but Jake didn't have a chance to finish as he heard Hank give out a loud whoop for joy right before a loud yet muffled rattle occurred. As if on cue, the walls which hadn't been nailed down shook and fell away, with a booming crash revealing the finished seat and bare bottomed occupant, Loren Bray.

Astounded, Loren crossed his legs, meshing his lips up under his nose in boiling anger. His face glowed hotter than a boiled lobster clear up to his snowy hairline. Hank rolled out from around the hobble his arms wrapped around his flanks laughing so hard sound barely escaped his lips, as he fell to the ground in front of Jake. Standing akimbo Jake fought his mouth painfully attempting not to laugh, while Matthew smiled though trying to hide his amusement at such childish behavior.

"Mr. Bray!" Teresa's voice drew everyone's attention, as Michaela instinctually flung her hand up to cover Teresa's eyes.

"I can't believe you are all acting like children!" Michaela scolded them unwilling to cast a glance in Loren's blushing direction. She led Teresa away from the door, stifling a grin while attempting to appear displeased.

"YOU said it was finished!" Loren fumed yanking his pants up with one hand and shaking his fist at Hank.

"I…was…supposed'tah…get Jake!" Hank spewed between mounting fits of laughter.

Sully's glowing blue orbs hooded under his worried eyes, "Yah didn't have a chance tah go…did yah?" His lips pursed, hoping he wasn't going to have to build another seat.

xXx

The modest washroom joined the back of the house through the wide solid oak double doors. To the left of the now secure "inhouse", was the wide high backed copper bathing tub. For added privacy, Jake had incorporated a thick round brass pole which affixed to either side of the wall. From there he'd hung a heavy patterned canary privacy curtain, much like the one from the barbershop. It divided the room, in such a fashion, as one may bath yet remain hidden from "inhouse" users.

Placing a filled massively stout tarnished copper kettle onto the fired up stove, he took up a shiny tin bucket from it's place under the sink. Jake busied himself transferring bucket after bucket of water from the red water pump at the sink to the copper tub. He continued in this fashion until the kettle released a noiseless cloud of steam from it's open spout, prompting him to heat the chilled bath water. Leaving the stove burning, that it might warm the air, he paced back into the washroom. Jake had been so preoccupied making things nice for Teresa that he hadn't noticed her watching him from the archway of the hall.

She found she couldn't take her eyes off his hands as they poured fragrant powdered soap into the now steaming water. His fingers dipped within the placid glass like surface stirring and agitating the water into suds. It was then that he caught her, and their eyes locked. He could see how she'd been studying him again, as she had been on the way home in the wagon. Desperately, Jake wanted to know what she was thinking, what she was piecing together in that lovely head of hers. However, she wasn't ready to tell him, and he knew that. Jake fought his curiosity, allowing one side of his mouth to curl up into an inviting smile. Slowly, Teresa stepped cautiously closer to him, almost as though she were expecting something fowl to slither forth and taint this touching scene.

There was something so abstract about watching Jake perform these tasks. It wasn't much different from what he did at the barbershop for his customers, and yet there was something more in the delicate care he was affording her space. Something in the way, he laid out a white linen towel over the brass ladder rack against the wall. Something in the way, he took her by the hand and ushered her behind the canary curtain which he had fluently drawn around them.

Attempting to reach up and undress herself, Jake stayed her hands against the middle of his chest. Even through her bandaged palm, she could feel his heart beating in a churning rhythm. "No," it was just one word and yet the simple sound coupled with the intense desire burning in his eyes, set her own heart to leaping up into her throat.

"Jake. I may take car-" she began but seeing how his brow steeped with pain, she relented.

Releasing her hands, Jake moved to stand close behind her. His steady fingers made quick work of releasing the hooked seam which held the back of her dress closed. Teresa felt the muscles around her ribs tighten as Jake slipped the brocade sleeves down passed her now bare arms. His hands slipped down her cinched waist between the skirts of the dress and her thin lace chemisette, plunging the outer article down to the ground. She could feel his warm breath lightly caressing the skin at her neck as he halted gripping her waist before he went on. Jake stood before her once more. He looked down the length of his chest, swallowing hard as he peered into her dark amber eyes. They sparkled with wonder, still trying to mask the extreme heartbreak she was feeling. God how he wanted to kiss her. How he want to feel her warm silken lips against his, to taste her, to savor her. Instead, he controlled himself with a gruff grunt.

Kneeling down at her feet, he began unlacing her ankle high boots; however, at the sensation of her slender hands resting demurely on the top of his shoulders he felt his eyes glaze over. As Teresa leaned on him for support in order to step out of her boots, Jake's entire body tensed. Fighting against himself once one, Jake dared to look up at her. Teresa's stomach rose and fell with her own hard breathing as she watched him. It took everything in Jake not to pull Teresa down underneath him. Only, this wasn't about pleasure. It wasn't about reclaiming her body with his. More than anything Jake wanted to show her that it was her soul he wanted. Her love and her trust were more valuable to him than his desire. Jake wanted to show Teresa that he could and would take care of her in every sense, and without fail.

"I think," she gulped. "I may manage the rest."

Jake relented, releasing Teresa from his attentions so that she could remove her undergarments and slip into the blessedly warm tub. She reclined slowly, her hands gripping the tubs smoothly lipped edges. The water enveloped her body lapping around her shoulders, leaving white opalescent frothing bubbles against her lightly tinted skin. Before the thought even entered her mind, Jake was up on his feet and delicately removing every silver pin within her hair. He took great pleasure in removing the silver chained basket which sent wave after satin wave of ebony silk down around her. The heavy bottom tresses immersed themselves beneath the waters depths, clinging to her skin like slippery black vines. Teresa leaned her head back dipping what was left of her hair into the fragrant water. It smelled of rosemary and jasmine which set her senses into a gentle calm. Closing her eyes, she nibbled slightly on her bottom lip before looking up at Jake.

"We were not so very kind…in the beginning," she threw it out there. Wet noodles of hair curled about her softened face as she leaned closer to the side of the tub.

Jake's shoulders fell as he came to sit up against this same side on the floor. He brought his knee up so that he might rest his outstretched arm. Lips pursing into a line, he let her words sink in, "Teresa. What'er you sayin'?"

"I had…a…a…uh," she struggled trying to remember the way the saying went. Jake turned his head watching her pat her shoulder with a confused expression on her face. The slightly comical gesture tugged the corners of his mouth up before he realigned with his outstretched arm. He adored her all the more, when she couldn't recall common idioms; though, she continued to try.

"Ah chip on your shoulder," he chuckled softly feeling the wet driblets of water, she playfully sprayed him with, dance on his head.

"Yes, a chip on my shoulder…And you-"

"I know what I was!" he cut her off. Jake's cheer died as fast as a storm could dominate a clear sunny day. He loathed the memory of it. It shamed and tortured him every time those past deeds slithered up to the surface like a repugnant uncivilized deformed creature. A creature that spewed ignorance, acted out of fear, and wrought only loneliness and anger. How Jake despised that creature only to find that no matter how he tried to dispel it, it reared its ugly form on his soul like a scar. A rotten scar to remind him, what could have been, and how blessed he'd become. His extended hand swiveled in the air so that the palm faced the ceiling. "I uh didn't mean tah snap at yah."

He heard the water slosh and splash as Teresa shifted, laying one arm along the edge next to Jake's head. Resting her chin thusly, she tilted her head in his direction.

"I know you do not like to think about it," she paused as his closest hand reach up over his shoulder. Jake's fingers entwined with hers along the tubs lip, pinching and caressing each digit. "I do not like it much myself. But when I see Lucy with Cloud Dancing… and Izzy, so at home in his arms I feel a shame for the past. And it hurts to remember…" she bit nervously on her lip. "Sometimes I think I deserve to feel this way as punishment for how I was. But it makes it a little less, to know that they will know to show only kindness and love. They will have it better."

"Is that what you've been thinkin' about all this time?" Jake's face soured. She was cutting deep, and he found little relief knowing she tortured herself as much as he did. Somehow, it sliced into his heart worse, knowing she felt she deserved it.

"My old self fights with my new self," Teresa sighed abruptly, readying herself for this next part. "I want to demand the council make her leave town. I want you to use your standing to do it…and that is wrong. And I hate myself that I would ask that of you."

"What about your other side?" If it was only that easy, he thought.

"I do not know," she laughed at herself causing Jake to swivel about to look at her. "I-I ask myself. How would Michaela handle such a thing?"

Jake raised his eyebrows completely shocked. He turned completely on his knees now, taking her misted face in his hands. What could they do? Knowing how Dorothy had been chastising Loren for days now without making a dent, made him uneasy. No one was closer to Loren than Dorothy was, and if she couldn't convince him, what hope did he have. From up above them a muted gleeful chortle permeated the ceiling followed by the rhythmic hum of Cloud Dancing's voice. Jake smiled exhaling roughly with the knowledge that his offspring were with their grandfather.

With his thoughts so distracted, Jake was utterly taken off guard by her gentle hand which nudged his face in her direction. Teresa had risen partially from the water her thick waves glistened wetly, lacing over her shoulders concealing her breasts. Her arms slid up his own, wrapping around his neck pulling him into her nymph like embrace. Eyes warm and dark as oak bark crackling in a fire, Teresa licked her lips, "I have been watching you…because I can see the ache in your eyes. And I can see that it is pain for me because I have pain. I have never known such love, until you. My heart, how I love you."

Jake's heart raced, at the sound of these words. It was as though they were being spoken for the first time all over again. His hands slid down grabbing hold of her wet shoulders nearly slipping off with all the foaming suds of the soap. But there was no need as Teresa pulled him down closer to her and pressed her lips to his. This was love! This was true love happening to him. Jake knew what her words meant and although Teresa had never spoken of her first husband to him, he'd understood the weight of this. He not only had her heart, but he had her soul. Releasing him from her delicately soul shattering kiss, she rested her forehead against his.

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you…I love you."