Chapter 7: Lend Me Your Ears

Jamie leapt up, backing away from the poor saloon girl, feeling nauseated as the heavily metallic smell of blood filled his nostrils. Pushing back through the crowd as forcefully as he pushed his way in, he finally broke into the open street.

He bent over, bracing hands on shaking legs and took deep, shuddering gasps of air to keep from being sick. The ear…he could have stood it if it hadn't been for the ear, looking so brutally out of place, and so profanely crammed into the silently horrified mouth.

There had to be a message in the mutilation. Perhaps a man in a passionate rage could slit a woman's throat, but he didn't cut off her ear and stick it in her mouth on the saloon porch.

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks, the shock having clouded his mind until now. His head spun with the realization.

Rose's ear. Was this some sort of message for her? A warning of a job that was to be finished? A job started long ago, and stopped by Wild Bill Hickok? Was the man was here, still looking for his lost daughter? Would he know Rose was here as well?

Whatever the case, she was alone in the house, and had surely not locked the door, expecting him to do that when he came in. If anyone was intending to do her harm, all he'd have to do would be open the door and climb the stairs. She'd think anyone coming up the stairs was him, and wouldn't know to be on guard.

Like he'd suddenly been hit by lightning, he leapt into the air and turned, dashing for the saloon, where Mesa was tied.

He ran head-on into someone and stumbled backwards with shock.

"Careful mate. You'll bloody kill us both!"

Jamie was sure the dislike showed on his face when he found himself face to face with John Morgan.

"What's all this fuss about?" John asked, waving a hand vaguely toward the crowd. His clothes were rumpled and his eyes heavy. He had either been asleep or drinking or both. Jamie narrowed his eyes.

"There's been a murder. A saloon girl. Her ear has been cut off," Jamie reported, watching John carefully.

"Her ear? Surely that wouldn't kill her?"

The dispassionate manner in which he absorbed the news troubled Jamie, but then Jamie knew he himself did not have the makings of a lawman.

Jamie realized that the news of the ear had no effect on John and that likely meant Rose hadn't told him about her own ear and he was pleased by that, knowing it was something only those people with Rose's full confidence knew. "Her throat was cut too. I gotta get home. Rose is alone."

John nodded, his green eyes now troubled, "Yes, I'm sorry to have kept you. You'll-" he paused looking embarrassed, "You'll watch after her?"

Jamie might have been angered at the implication that he needed to be asked to look after Rose, and would have pointed out he'd been looking after her long before John had come into the picture, but the worried look on John's face stopped him.

"I'll watch her. And send Teaspoon back here to meet you," Jamie nodded.

"Thank you," John said, and started to rush by him to the growing crowd.

Not having time to wonder at the sudden change in both of their attitudes, Jamie continued on his journey.

With nimble fingers that worked quickly although trembling in fear, Jamie tightened the saddle. He went to grab the reins, and stopped suddenly, drawing in breath quickly as a pair of dark eyes met his own from the shadows.

Jamie instinctively grabbed for his gun, but realized in his fury, he'd stormed out without one.

Then the man stepped forward, and Jamie exhaled.

"Good God, Carlos!" Jamie gasped, "I could have killed you!"

Carlos raised his eyebrows and gave him a quick grin, "Not without this."

He held Jamie's gun belt to him.

"Thanks...What are you doing here anyway?" Jamie wondered.

"Making sure you didn't do anything stupid. The girl ...she is dead?"

The question brought Jamie back to the danger at hand, "Yeah. It may have something to do with Rose. I've got to get to her. You have a way home?"

"Si," came the answer, as Carlos melted back into the shadows.

"Rose!" Jamie bellowed as Mesa tucked his haunches under his body and hopped twice before stopping by the front stairs to the house. The horse, usually mulish with him, had run his heart out, as if he knew his mistress was in danger.

"Rose!" he screamed again, bursting through the front door, which was, as he predicted, unlocked, and ran up to her room.

"Rose!" He shrieked, feeling icy terror grip his heart when he saw her undisturbed sheets. She was nowhere to be found.

"Rose!" He screamed for the fourth time, crashing through the house with gun drawn.

He was just coming down the stairs when the door swung open. With a mighty cry, Jamie raised the gun.

"For the love of God, Jamie! It's only me!"

Jamie lowered his weapon when he saw Patrick standing with his hands raised in the dim light.

"Where is she?" He asked hoarsely.

"Do ye mean to hurt the lass? Because I willna tell ye!" Patrick said.

"What are you talking about, Patrick?" Jamie said in utter confusion.

"I'll not let ye lay a hand on her, Jamie! Be ye my boss or no'!"

"Have you lost your mind!" Jamie exclaimed.

"No, but I'm of the mind that ye have, after ye acted like Lucifer himself tonight in the stables, lad! And now you're drunk and stumbling about with yer gun and screaming like a madman. What has gotten into ye Jamie McCloud?"

Jamie had forgotten all about his last words with Rose, and felt a desperate pain clench his heart as he feared the last words he ever said to her would be the cruelest to ever leave his lips. "Patrick, she's in danger! There's been a murder in town, and the murderer cut off the victim's ear! Like the man who did it to Rose…" His voice hitched with fear. "She's not here!"

Patrick sighed with relief, understanding Jamie was scared, not angry, "She's safe, Lad, breathe easy!"

"Where?"

"I told her to go to Rachel tonight. I didn't want her to be here when ye came home drunk. Not in yer state of mind."

"Do you really think I'd hurt her, Patrick?" Jamie asked, breathing more normally now that he knew Rose was safe.

"From the look on her face when she left the stable, I'd say ye already hurt her," Patrick said softly, then seeing the look on Jamie's face, put a hand on his shoulder, looking up at him. "Don't take it to heart lad. Ye'll sort it all out in time. We all say things we don't mean, aye?"

"I seem to be doing that more often than not these days," Jamie nodded, "I have to go tell Teaspoon. They'll be needing him in town."

Patrick nodded, "I've another horse saddled outside. Best ye not ride up on her horse or the lass is likely to kill ye instead of the other way around, aye?"

Jamie ran up the stairs to Teaspoon's house, his boots making loud thumps in the quiet night. He banged on the door hard, the grip of fear wouldn't leave him until he heard from Teaspoon that Rose was there safe.

Rachel opened the door with bleary eyes, squinting in the light of the lantern Jamie held at his side.

"Rachel, is Rose here? And Teaspoon?"

Rachel nodded, "Yes to both questions," she murmured, confusion on her face. She was still half asleep.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Rachel. Something's happened in town…"

A gruff voice sounded from behind Rachel, "What is it, son?"

Rachel stepped back and motioned Jamie in. The air was quite chilly tonight, and a fire burned low in the fireplace, lighting the room.

"Teaspoon, there's been a murder in town."

"What!" Teaspoon exclaimed, "Damn it! Sweetwater's been peaceful for three years!"

"There's more…" Jamie began, and cast a worried glance at the stairway, lowering his voice, "It was a saloon girl that died, and she had her throat cut and her ear cut off."

"Rose?" Rachel said softly, her fingers curling around her own throat.

Jamie wondered sardonically if everyone else was incredibly smart to figure out the significance of the ear so much faster than he had, or if he was an incredible idiot for it to take him so long.

"Isn't the man who cut her ear dead?" Teaspoon asked in confusion, "I thought Jimmy…"

Jamie shrugged, "Rose was never sure. She said she didn't know if he killed him or not. Uncle Jimmy didn't ever tell her."

Teaspoon nodded and reached for his coat.

"Teaspoon?" Jamie said suddenly, "Do you think it would be best not to tell Rose all the details? I don't want to panic her if it's nothing."

Rachel's voice broken in, "Jamie, honey, what if it is? Doesn't she have the right to know?"

"Right to know what?" the sleepy voice asked from the top of the stairs.

Jamie looked up to see her standing on the first landing, a huge yellow cat in her arms. Her hair was free, a tangled mass of glowing red gold that tumbled around her face and shoulders. Her white night dress covered her from neck to toes, but Jamie still felt his face heat as he looked at her.

Her eyes met his, and he saw the anger and the hurt in them, and again, remembered his careless words in the stable. How in the world could he apologize for something like that, and more so, how could he make it right? After the scare he had, finding her gone, thinking her in danger, it was all he wanted.

Her eyes shifted to Rachel, then Teaspoon, "What is going on?"

Rachel and Jamie turned their eyes to Teaspoon, leaving the choice of how much to tell her up to him.

Teaspoon shifted, then looked at Rose, not meeting her direct gaze fully, "Rose, I don't want you to be scared, but a girl in town was stabbed to death."

"Which girl?" Rose asked quickly, the rosy flush leaving her cheeks.

"A saloon girl," Jamie supplied quietly, not looking at her. "No one you knew."

Teaspoon nodded, "I've got to go, but Jamie's going to stay here as an extra gun with you and Rachel." His eyes shifted to Jamie in question, and Jamie nodded his acceptance of the task, "I don't want you going anywhere alone for the next few days, understand? It may have just been a one time thing, but just in case this person plans on making a habit of this, God help us, I don't want to take chances."

Rose looked a bit paler still, but nodded bravely.

Teaspoon kissed Rachel briefly, and left the house.

Jamie, Rose, and Rachel stood in awkward silence for a moment before Rachel sighed and clapped Jamie on the shoulder, "Here, you look cold. You can have the couch. Rose, back to bed with you, too."

Wordlessly, Rose nodded, and still carrying the big cat in her arms, disappeared with a swirl of white material. A minute later, after covering Jamie with a blanket and kissing his forehead lovingly, making Jamie doubt she or Teaspoon knew why Rose was there, Rachel padded softly up the stairs to her own room.

Jamie was exhausted, but sleep was elusive, yet again. Over and over his own words haunted him: If you want to be a lawman's whore like your mother, far be it from me to stop you! The memory of the words was punctuated by the image of the dead saloon girl that wouldn't leave his thoughts.

The look on Rose's face after he had spat the words was one he wasn't likely to forget. A fury unlike he'd ever seen emanated from her, but something else…something heart shattering and painful. Then he knew what it was, the unexplained glimmer. It was the fear that he was right.

"I'm not right!" He said aloud.

Before he knew it, his bare feet were on the cold hardwood floor and he heaved himself up, walking lightly, missing the creaky step by habit of sneaking outside many a morning when he used to spend the night with Rachel and Teaspoon frequently.

He didn't knock. He knew she wouldn't answer him, even if she was awake. Her door swung open soundlessly.

She stiffened, but didn't turn around. She was sitting in a chair by the window, the quilt thrown over her lap, and the ancient yellow cat Marvin sleeping on her legs. She had been stroking him idly, but now her hand paused on his head. The only sound in the room was that of Marvin's blissful purring.

"Rose?" his voice was half question, half plea. She didn't look or answer, but she didn't tell him to go away either, which he took as a positive sign.

"Rose, I don't ask that you say anything at all to me, only that you listen. Will you hear me even though I ain't got the right to ask it?"

Rose thought hard about it, her heart sticking in her throat. Finally, she nodded her head but couldn't look at him.

"Good," Jamie breathed a sigh of relief, then confronted his next problem, what to say.

"Rose…I just I haven't been able to think right or draw a full breath of air since I said that to you in the stables…you know..." when he saw her hand clenched in restrained anger on the arm of the chair, he realized she did, in fact, know.

"I can't imagine what made me say something like that. I don't think that way about you, your mother...or Uncle Jimmy. I never could. I think I just wanted to hurt you as much as knowing you kissed John hurt me. And I went too far."

She stiffened indignantly at this but still remained silent though he heard her push the air out through her nose in a sigh of frustration.

"Rose, since the party, since I kissed you," her knuckles were turning white now, "You're all I can think about! I never felt like that before. And I've been pacing my room at night, wondering why you ran away like that!"

"When I saw you dancing with John Morgan, I hated him. Hated him because I knew I'd driven you to him, although not why. I was crazy with jealousy. I denied it to everyone, including me, but seeing you with him still just makes me feel sick. And then tonight, when I heard you ask him to kiss you, I can't tell you what I felt. I was so angry at you! Angry at you for not thinking that what we shared was something special…angry at you for not knowing that it's not always like that, of course you wouldn't know that yet…but you will!"

He saw her grip relax a bit, and knew that she already had discovered that earlier, when she kissed John. He felt dark satisfaction.

"Hurting you...It didn't make me feel better. I couldn't even look you in the eyes afterwards, I was so ashamed of myself. And it hurt me more because I knew I'd hurt you to the bone, whether you'd show it or not. And Rose, I know you probably can't believe this of me right now, but I wouldn't want hurt you that badly for anything in the world…because I do love you."

She startled at that confession, and bent her head.

Rose blinked hard at the tears that sprang to her eyes. Tears because he had hurt her deeply, but more so because he'd said the words that could turn her world upside down. Wanting to plug her ears and not hear him anymore, but also wanting to remember every word that came out of his mouth, Rose breathed deeply.

"But Rose, I felt the pull of that before John. I need you to know that. To believe me. It was the second I saw you riding into the ranch by my father the day you came back from the horse sale. My eyes had been aching for the sight you for a year and a half, and I didn't realize why until I saw you sitting tall on that horse. When I said that you belonged at the ranch the night of the party...what I meant was we belong here. Together."

Jamie walked to the bed and sat down, but she still didn't turn around.

"I've been all over the world. I've seen castles and monuments, battlefields, crowns, artifacts, and paintings made by the Masters. They don't compare to you, Rose."

"Jamie…" her voice was hoarse, tortured.

"Let me finish!" He commanded her in a voice that she usually would have defied instantly. However, tonight, she grew still again.

"I know, Rose, what you want to say! I know you are with John now, and that you like him. Hell, you may even love him a little, I don't know. But I couldn't let you go on without knowing your options. I don't expect you to return my feelings…not now, not after tonight. But once, you did love me, and you were honest with me, and I owe you the same. But if I'm being honest I have to tell you this too…"

He gathered his wits, praying he'd be strong, "I do love you, Rose, I think I always have in one way or another, and I don't know how I know this, but I just do...my feelings won't change. But I won't bother you with it again, unless you ask me to. I'm not like my father was. I can't do what he did when he proposed to my mother three times. I've too much of her in me to do that. I tell you this tonight, but I'll say no more of it. I can't. It's your decision now. And Rose, if you don't feel that way...now or ever...It's alright. I will be alright. You don't owe me nothing and all I know is that I want to be in your life however you want me there...friend, brother, more."

Rose blinked, letting the tears fall freely down her face. She sat, staring out the window for what seemed like forever, not knowing what to do.

"Jamie?" She suddenly whispered, and turned around.

He had already gone.

Rose woke slowly, feeling a dull ache between her eyes. She lay perfectly still for a minute, trying to remember if Jamie had really been there last night, had really told her that he loved her.

"Damn you, Jamie!" She growled, when she realized it was too vivid to have been a dream, "Why now?"

He'd just complicated everything! Her feelings for Jamie were still a tangle of emotions, one wrapping so tightly around the other that there was no way she felt capable of straightening them out.

He infuriated her as much as he delighted her. He pushed her, challenged her, knew how her mind worked to the point that he could bend her to his will…and she bend him to hers, and if both of them weren't careful they had the power to destroy each other.

But maybe the power to save one another as well.

Then there was John, who was worldly, and new, and exciting. Who had seemingly strong feelings for her, who didn't think of her as a child like she feared Jamie still did. John was an accomplished lawman. Wouldn't her father have wanted her to be with a lawman, like him? Someone who loved the law enough to put his life on the line to uphold it?

No matter how long she'd dreamed of Jamie coming to her and laying his heart to her keeping, he couldn't have picked a worse time to do so. She was exploring her feelings for John, and she liked him, and she did not think it was fair to forget that because Jamie McCloud had the worst timing in the world!

She dressed and climbed down the stairs groggily. She lay awake forever last night, replaying the words in her mind. What in the world had made him go from telling her she had the potential to be a whore to telling her he loved her? Had the murder shaken him up? Had he fallen on his head?

She was relieved to see Jamie was nowhere in sight for breakfast, and under Rachel's watchful eye she forced the food down, kissing Rachel before heading out to ride the short distance to home to do her chores.

Jamie was out in the stables, and straightened in surprise when she walked in the door. For the most awkward moment their eyes met.

Then Rose smiled slightly, a strained smile, but a smile none the less, and Jamie breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't angry over last night.

Seth and Patrick, seeing the exchange, sighed in relief also, and all was better, if not well.

The week proved trying. Jamie and Rose, alone in the big house, did their best to avoid each other. Conversation was polite at best when they did meet for meals, and no more was spoken about what had passed between them the night at Rachel's. Jamie kept to his word. He gave no sign of the feelings he revealed to her, and Rose knew that if she ever did change her mind, it would, in fact, have to be her to bring the subject up.

She was watched like a hawk. Seth, Carlos, Patrick, or Jamie accompanied her everywhere around the ranch, and Jamie stayed at home at nights rather than go off with friends or go play cards with Seth. Teaspoon or John escorted her to town the two days she went.

"Do you think the killer is that dangerous?" She asked Teaspoon as they drove back to the ranch after a trip to Tompkins' store for oats.

"Well, he hasn't hurt anyone else, but we ain't caught him neither and have no leads. He may be long gone but we're just being careful Rose. You'll have your freedom again soon enough, sweetheart," Teaspoon added, eyeing her.

Rose nodded, and sat back against the seat, disguising a sigh of frustration as a yawn.

"You'll keep a close eye on her John?" Teaspoon asked, almost flinching with worry as he held Mesa's reins.

"You know I will, Marshal," John promised, "But don't you think this chap is long gone by now? We'd have had more trouble if he wasn't."

"Probably is, but I'm not taking any chances with that girl!" Teaspoon said, and then shut up quickly as the door opened, and Rose emerged, looking beautiful in a bright summer green dress.

Teaspoon chuckled in amusement as she easily swung onto the horse, skirts and all, and arranged them gracefully around her.

"We could have taken the Buckboard," John pointed out with a smile, charmed by her stubbornness.

"I told you, I'd rather ride! After being kept around here like a prisoner," a poignant look at Teaspoon made it clear just who the blame was being placed on, "all week, I'm ready for some exercise!"

"Fair enough," John grinned, and they started for Sweetwater at a gallop.

Patrick looked at Jamie, standing against the shadowed wall of the stables, half expecting him to chase after the pair.

Much to his surprise, Jamie turned, heaved a deep sigh, and even smiled wryly at Patrick, "Damn me for a fool," he said, and walked off with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Give her time Lad," Patrick called softly after him, "She'll no' settle for an Englishman…I know it. Not if old Patrick here has had any influence on her!"

"That meal was wonderful. Especially after a week of my own cooking! Thank you, John." Rose added with a laugh as she followed John into the marshal's office.

He laughed as well, "So are you saying you aren't a good cook?"

Rose nodded in the affirmative, "I'm saying that I can burn water, John. Louise swears I must be somehow related to her. Apparently, my father was a better cook than us both!"

John laughed too, and then caught her hand, "Ah! It is too bad! I suppose I shall spend the rest of my days starving then!"

"The rest of your days?" Rose asked, the smile fading from her face slightly.

"Yes, the rest of my days." John smiled, and said, "Oh, don't play foolish Rose! You're a very smart girl, you know!"

"Yes, I am," Rose agreed, "But I've no idea what you are talking about, John."

He pulled her closer so that she stood in front of his perch on the desk between his knees. He reached up to tickle her under her chin, and she pulled back slightly.

"Surely you know how I feel about you?" he asked.

"How can you know how you feel about me?" Rose asked, a lump forming in her throat, "You've only known me two weeks to the day, John!"

"That's long enough to know I've never met anyone like you, Rose! I think I'm in love with you!"

"Think you are in love with me?" Rose asked, "Isn't that something you should know before you tell a person?" And not always then, she thought.

"That's my smart girl! You don't let me get away with anything!" John smiled, and Rose grimaced. "I want you Rose. Heart, mind...and body if I am being quite honest." He smiled in a way that might have charmed her had he not just said what he had and his eyes swept along the length of her in a way that left her feeling a bit like she had when Jamie had called her mother a whore.

"John…I do like you-but you saying these things to me is not right, I'm not ready to hear this!"

"But I'm ready to say it!" John said brightly, and laughed, catching her wrist and pulling her closer, "I am ready to do a lot more than talk about it. Let's get married! I want to be with you always! I know it's right! You're so beautiful, Rose, the loveliest woman I've ever seen! I'd be proud to have you on my arm as my wi-,"

"As what? As your ornament!" Rose spat out, pulling her arm out of his grasp and looking at him incredulously. Jamie's words came back to her, John's pale by comparison.

"No, Darling…hear me out…I'd be proud to have you for your beauty, of course, but also your spirit, your passion! There's so much of you I want to know," John smiled suggestively and picked up her hand, gently nipping at the base of her palm. "I know you are curious to learn more aren't you? I am an excellent teacher…"

Rose pulled her hand back, horrified, "You'd marry me to get into my bed?"

John smiled, "Well, I would hope that was part of the arrangement at least. Unless...would you'd be willing to let me in your bed without the trouble and formality of a wedding?"

"I am so stupid," Rose growled, furious with herself. Her eyes flashed to John's. "But not as stupid as you!"

John jumped to his feet, and pressed her face between his hands. "I think you anything but stupid! Ask me to kiss you again, Rose! I just don't want to wait for you any longer I love you so much. No one needs to know…"

Without waiting for her to ask, he leaned forward and did kiss her, his mouth forceful and demanding. He reeked of wine fumes, and finally Rose understood his behavior.

He was drunk.

She said as much when she pushed him away, bringing her hand smartly across his cheek.

His eyes glowed in anger and he grabbed her wrist tightly.

"You let go of me!" Rose growled fiercely.

John did so. "I'm not that drunk Rose. I may have been careless, and I may have frightened you…but I meant everything I said. I do love you, and I do know that I want to marry you, bed you. I'll ask you again and again, until you say yes."

"Well, you'll be asking a long time. Because I'm not marrying anyone that I've known for two weeks, John!" she started for the door.

"Let me see you safely home!" John said, stumbling forward slightly. When the wine kicked in, apparently it did so quickly.

Rose slammed the door in his face, and half ran a few steps in case he tried to follow her.

Two confessions of love in one week. When it rains, it pours, she thought, and strolled the streets of Sweetwater to clear her head.

Since it was still early when she left John to sleep off his intoxication at the marshal's office, Rose opted to stay in town, rather than go back to the empty house. Jamie, with the assumption she was in John's keeping, had decided to ride the fence with Patrick, and wouldn't be back till late, and Kid and Lou weren't due back for two more days.

She ambled along the streets quietly for an hour, enjoying the heavy fragrant air of summer. When she felt somewhat more composed, she decided she had time for a visit. She made her way to Elizabeth Walker's home. Although when younger, Rose had wanted to claw the girl's eyes out for turning Jamie's head, they'd become good friends in the past years.

The lights inside beamed brightly, and Rose smiled as she knocked on the door. Elizabeth was funny and always full of gossip, and visiting her was usually a fun diversion. She hoped John would be sober enough to escort her home when she was finished here.

Her knock wasn't answered, but knowing that Elizabeth's parents were in Boston for the month, Rose tried the knob and found it open.

"Elizabeth! It's Rose!" She called from the bottom of the stairs. She heard a muffled sound, and took it as an invitation.

She went up toward Elizabeth's bedroom. The sound came again, and Rose wrinkled her brow.

"Elizabeth?"

This time the sound was louder, a gasp and gurgle.

Rose covered the last few feet rapidly and burst into the room. A scream rose in her throat, but never quite made it out of her trembling lips.

Elizabeth was lying on the floor on her back, a steadily growing stain of blood running across the floor in every direction from her.

Rose flew to her side and kneeled beside her, trembling hands working to rip at her own petticoats to form a bandage. Her medical training turned out to be a curse at this moment though. Her throat was cut badly, and there was nothing in the world that could save her.

Goosebumps ran up and down Rose's body as she kneeled over her friend, murmuring reassurances through tear-blurred eyes. If Elizabeth was still alive, that meant whoever had done this hadn't been gone long. In fact, he must have still been in the house when she entered it. Might still be in the house now.

"Oh God," Rose breathed slowly as Elizabeth's hand finally relaxed for good, then in earnest prayer for her friend she murmured it again, "Oh God, please look after her."

Who? Who would do this to Elizabeth Walker? A lover, an enemy? Surely Elizabeth had neither!

And then Rose spotted something lying in Elizabeth's other hand, now cold and limp at her side. She reached over her friend's body to lift it, and pried her hand open.

Blood rushed through Rose's ears and lights flashed in her eyes. She gagged but did not wretch, and felt a trembling begin deep in her bones.

Suddenly her scream pierced her own ears as she stood up and stumbled away in horror.

In Elizabeth's lifeless hand, were her own ears.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for your kind reviews. Rose and Jamie were my first story-carrying original characters, and I had forgotten how much I love them until I started reposting this story from 1998/99!