*Author's Note*

Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews.

Don't Shoot The Messenger

Allie POV:

As I rushed up my brother's makeshift front porch, Tolbert was untying his horse from the back of my wagon. I could hear the sound of his saddle rustling (caused by him mounting his horse) as I reached the door and knocked on it. I could hear Tolbert's horse trotting off as Nancy swung the door open. "See ya found 'im." Nancy remarked, tilting her head towards the site of Tolbert riding off behind me.

"Yea." I nodded before quickly asking, "How was Captain W.? Was he good?"

Leaning slightly against the doorframe, she told me,"Yes, he was good. He's a quiet child, quieter than most."

"He's a bit shy's all." I told my sister-in-law, causing her to nod.

Looking over her shoulder, Nancy loudly called out to my son, "Captain W. your ma's here t'get'cha." Turning her attention back to me as my son ran thru the door, she suggested, "Ya should bring 'im by t'visit on one o'Abel's days off. He'd like it, seein' ya an' his nephew."

Grabbing my son's hand, I gave Nancy a tight smile. "Yea, I'll keep that in mind."

"Me an' Abel's startin' to try for a family; I hope you'd be involved in your niece's or nephew's life when the time comes and don't shun 'em cause o'your husband's family."

Her words cut deep. How could she think that I'd shun my brother's kids cause of who their mother was? They'd be Abel's, not just hers. Hiding my hurt, I assured the black-haired shrew, "Of course, I'd see his children. He's my brother."

"Good." Nancy smiled in an overly sweet way that made me feel uneasy. Her black eyes pierced me as she stated, "Proves we're more alike than you'd care admit."

I didn't have anything to say to her that'd be polite, so I just gave her a forced line of a smile before turning my back on her and walking off the porch. I heard my sister-in-law let out a half-chuckle behind me as I made my way over to my wagon with my son. The sound of the door shutting echoed in spring air as I reached the wagon.

"Mama, Auntie make cookie." Captain W. told me as I picked him up and placed him onto the wagon's backboard.

What? Nancy baked cookies with my kid? Wow, that's unexpected. Never thought that woman had a nurturing or a culinary-adept bone in her body. "That sounds nice of her, sweetie." I smiled at my son, climbing up a bit slowly into the wagon due to my big belly. "Well, let's go home so we can do some cookin' and cleanin'."

"Okay." Captain W. nodded as I grabbed the reigns and snapped them, making the wagon move in a slow pace away from my brother's small house.

Shaw POV:

I had a pounding headache and the shakes pretty bad. I couldn't do nothin' 'bout it since I was locked up in a room. A dark fuckin' room might I add since the windows were boarded up and there weren't any matches, candles, or oil lamps in the bedroom I was trapped in. I felt like a goddamn prisoner in this room. I was going crazy without anything to drink. God, I still can't believe that Uncle Jim whacked me upside the head with a fryin' pan and locked me in his room yesterday. He said it was for my own good, but I have to disagree with that.

Goddamn, I was feelin' so bad. I was shaking like a leaf, anxious as fuck, and sweatin' bullets. Oh god, I needed a drink bad. Real bad. Of course, the only thing in the room to drink was a water jug. Asshole, he would remove the shine from the room before locking me up in it. Hell, the smell of jerky hung heavily in the air and it made me want to puke. It was coming from the bag of jerky on the bedside table, a bag that I didn't want in the room.

I couldn't get comfortable, kept tossin' and turnin' due to my state of distress. I was tired too since I didn't get any sleep last night. Damn, if I didn't get a drink or get out of this room soon, I'd turn into an insomniac with a bad case of the shakes.

Meanwhile A Few Miles Down The Road…

Jessa POV:

I was hanging up laundry whenever I was startled by a velvet smooth voice (I hadn't heard in a while) telling me, "See yer doin' laundry, Jessa."

Spinning around and giving him a deep scowl, I asked, "What the hell do you want, Tolbert?"

"To talk." He simply said, giving me a shrug.

"You need to leave cause I don't want to talk." I told him, feeling my heart pounding hysterically in my chest. Oh my god, didn't I already tell him last time he was here after Shaw was hurt that I didn't want to be bothered with him? God damn, he knows I don't want to talk.

"Jessa, please, just hear me out." Pleaded Tolbert, holding his hands up as desperation shone in his stormy eyes.

Folding my arms over my chest and narrowing my eyes, I asked a bit harshly, "After everything you've done, Tolbert, why should I?"

Taking a few steps forward to close the distance between us, he groveled, "I'm sorry 'bout the miscarriage. Truly sorry 'bout it, Jessa. So much that it disgusts me that I caused ya harm."

"Save it for someone who cares cause I don't want to hear it." I snapped, feeling my simmering anger boiling over about the subject of my miscarriage. Something very painful that I didn't want to talk to him about.

His face was mere inches away from mine as he poured out the high octave, but smooth, confession of, "Jessa, I know yer hurt by what happened, but so am I. I hate myself for what I'd done t'ya in my own blind-anger. I didn't think ya'd get hurt, just saw red an' acted out of anger."

Of course, he's using his temper as an excuse. Backing up and in or so, I bluntly told him, "You being angry doesn't excuse what happened, Tolbert. It doesn't make it right either."

Tolbert's shoulders sagged as he cried, "I know that, darlin'. I know an' it kills me."

If looks could kill, well, Tolbert would be dead right now with how deep and hard I was cutting my eyes at him. I couldn't keep my anger bottled up any longer, causing me to bluntly snap, "Don't give me that 'it kills me' bullshit, Tolbert. You have no idea what I been thru. I lost my baby, one that I was lucky to even conceive, and bled for days afterwards." A guilty look came over his face as my words hit him. Shaking my head, I seethed, "I've been thru hell cause of you, Tolbert. Right now, I hate you, so much."

"Do ya think we get past it?" Tolbert softly asked. His velvet timbre hitched a bit as he added, "I mean we were once close friends, in love too."

Dear god, what is wrong with him? Shaking my head, I told him, "I can't forgive you for what you've done. Your actions sent my life spiraling out of control."

"Give me a chance, Jessa. Ya once did when everyone said I was a hot-tempered, bad man. Ya once gave me a chance t'be yer friend an' more." He begged as if his life depended on it. Oh my god, he could win the groveling Olympics that's how desperate his pleas were.

"A lot happened, Tolbert. What we had's gone."

"I don't think so. Kinda hard t'just give up on yer lover. Yer first choice, not the constellation prize."

Shaking my head, I sighed, "Life's not a book or a play, Tolbert. Things don't work like that." Waving in a general direction, I dismissively ordered, "Now, please get off of my property."

Instead of doing as he was told, Tolbert craned his neck and looked at my kids playing under a nearby tree. An unreadable look appeared on his face as he let out an astonished sigh of, "He's gettin' big. Sam's Hill, I 'member when he was crawlin' 'round an' babblin' nonsense."

"Don't worry 'bout my son. Not when you didn't give a damn years ago."

Tolbert recoiled with an offended while telling me, "That's cold, darlin'."

"It's not cold, it's the truth." I told him with a slight edge in my voice. I didn't need to remind him how he struggled with fatherhood, he was there and knows what he did.

"Give me a chance t'make up for my mistakes. Just give me a chance t'win yer friendship." He pleaded, sounding like a broken record since he kept begging for forgiveness every few minutes.

"No." Flew out of my mouth as fast as lighting.

Tolbert nodded, a dejected look on his fallen face. He was about to turn and walk away whenever my son ran up to my side and innocently said, "Hi, mama friend.", to the redheaded shiner.

Oh shit…

Tolbert knelt down on his knee, making himself eye level with Silas, and simply said. "Hi, Silas." Pointing to the toy in my son's hand, he asked, "What'd ya got 'ere, son?"

Hearing him call Silas son sent a shiver up my spine. How dare he call him that. Before I could snap at Tolbert, I felt a tugging on my skirts and looked down only to see Lydia. She was motioning for me to pick her up while saying, "Up, up."

I picked up Lydia while Silas simply answered Tolbert's question with, "A pony." He held the toy out to Tolbert. "See."

"Yea, I see." Tolbert nodded, taking the toy and observing it. "Ya like ponies?" Tolbert asked, handing the toy back to Silas.

"Yea. Piggies too." Silas nodded, taking back his toy.

Taking my son's hand in my, I suggested with a smile, "Silas, how bout we go back to the tree so you and your sister can play underneath the shade while I finish up hanging up the laundry."

"Okay, mama." Silas nodded, his golden-brown hair lightly rustling.

"I can keep an eye on 'em, Jessa." Tolbert offered, standing up to his full height. Oh my god, has he lost it?

"No, Tolbert." I curtly told him, starting to walk off with my kids towards the nearby tree.

Quickly following after me, he begged "Jessa, don't be like this. I ain't gonna do 'em no harm."

I stopped in my tracks only to give Tolbert a hard and level stare. "Get off of my property before I go inside, get a gun, and make you leave."

"I'll go; let'cha calm down some for a few days 'fore I come back wit' the intention o'talkin' wit'cha." Tolbert told me before turning his back to me and walking off to where he had his horse hitched.

God, I hope he doesn't come back. He has no reason to.

Devil Anse POV:

It was almost quittin' time and I was overseein' the cleanup of the loggin' camp whenever one of my distant kin rode up. We weren't too close, only saw each other at fairs an' festivals, but he was still family. Knowin' that he wouldn't be comin' by unless it was important, I went over to the hitch post and greeted him with, "Dave, what brings ya by?"

"Hal an' Ed Levinger were gunned down an' killed by a Pinkerton, Frank Phillips, at the Pikeville Saloon today." He told me while dismountin' and hitchin' up his horse.

"God damn…" I shook my head, leanin' 'gainst the hitch post. Pullin' my pipe outta my mouth, I asked, "What happened?"

"The Pinkerton came up t'our card table wit' a warrant for Hal's arrest." Arrest warrant for what? My brow arched, causin' Dave to clarify the reason for the warrant. "Some claim 'bout not payin' land tax." Not givin' me that chance to say a word, Dave finished the account of the gunfight with, "Ed came up 'hind Frank Phillips causin' Hal to tell 'im he weren't goin' nowhere cause Ed had a pistol on him. The Pinkerton grabbed his gun, shot Ed without even takin' it out 'fore shootin' Hal dead."

"God damnit…"

"Ed got a couple more shots off, hittin' the Pinkerton 'fore he shot him dead." Dave explained before tellin' me in a whisper, "But what really shocked me was your daughter-in-law watchin' from the balcony wit' some McCoys."

"What? Allie was there?" I asked in disbelief. Why in the world would Allie be in a saloon wit' McCoys for? That girl was pregnant, due sometime soon too.

"Yes." Dave nodded 'fore goin' on to explain, "She came into the saloon lookin' for somebody an' ended upstairs talkin' wit' McCoys."

"Hell…" I sighed, shaking my head. Placin' my pipe into the corner o'my mouth, I asked, "This Frank Phillips gonna be in town a while?"

"Think so. Saloon owner gave 'im a free room t'recover in since he got shot in the ass."

"If he ain't gone in a week let me know an' I'll take care of it." I told him. We both know what I meant by takin' care of it too. I ain't gonna let no man that killed my kin freely run 'round, embarrasin' an' shamin' the family in these parts.

"Yes, Anse." Dave agreed with a nod.

"If you'll excuse me, I need a word wit' my son." I told Dave 'fore walkin' off into the direction Cap was in, doin' watch duty.

Cap was a diligent worker, a fine shot, an' a great son. He reminded me a lot of myself so I knew what I was gonna say was gonna not just hurt him, but make him mad. I know if anyone ever talked ill 'bout my Levicy…well there'd be hell to pay. I knew I had to tell him 'bout what Dave saw, even tho I knew it was gonna be hard on his marriage. I just hope that Allie was lookin' for her brother an' not lookin' for a real McCoy at the saloon.

Comin' up to my son's side, I told him, "Cap, I got somethin' to tell ya 'fore I send you home."

With his rifle slung over his shoulder, he looked at me and asked, "What, pa?"

"Dave, my third cousin, came by just now an' told me the Levigners got shot today at the Pikeville Saloon."

"Oh, so we gotta go after who shot 'em." Cap concluded, bringing his rifle to hang by his side.

"Not yet, son. The man's injured; if he ain't gone after his healin' time then me an' Jim'll deal with it." I told Cap, earning me a nod of understanding from him. Letting out a deep sigh, I pulled my pipe outta my mouth and told him the heavy news of, "Dave said he saw Allie there, up on the balcony wit' some McCoys."

"What?" Cap coughed, sounding like he drank some whiskey the wrong way. Shaking his head adamantly, he rambled exasperatedly, "That can't be true, my very pregnant wife's at home wit' our son takin' care of the house. She wouldn't be in a saloon, not wit' no McCoys either."

I knew he'd have a shoot the messenger reaction. Just knew it cause that's how I'd be. "Cap, I'm just tellin' you what I've been told." I said in a futile attempt to calm him down.

Cap didn't say a word, just locked his jaw and gave me a curt nod. His good eye was turnin' into a dark blue pool an' I knew my son was mad. Whether it was at me or his wife, I didn't know. He just stalked off towards the hitchpost. Hell, Allie was in for it when Cap got home. I just hope all of this was a misunderstandin', for both my son and daughter-in-law's sakes.

Allie POV:

I was placing the last platter on the kitchen table whenever the front door bounced opened followed by my husband's deep waving voice asking, "Why were ya in the Pikeville Saloon today, Allie?"

Holy shit, somebody told on me. Damnit… Shit, I needed to think up a lie and I needed to do it quick. "I wasn't there, Cap. Maybe whoever said I was made a drunken mistake." I told Cap, hoping that the lie would work. Oh, it just had to work. I mean he had no reason to doubt me.

"Yea, Dave must've been mistook." Cap agreed with me, his deep tone a bit tight as he removed. his hat and jacket. "Hell, he must've got all mixed up after seein' the Levigners get taken down by some Pinkerton." He told me, hanging up his things before making his way into the main room where our son was playing.

Yea, the gun fight was some crazy shit. I couldn't tell him that tho. "Oh…" I simply let out, watching my husband scoop up our son effortlessly in his arms.

"I'm gonna take your word for it, but if I hear anymore tell that you're meetin' wit' McCoys…"Cap told me in a warning tone while making his way into the kitchen with our son perched on his hip.

"You won't hear anymore 'bout it cause it won't happen. I promise." And that was the truth. I had no intentions on ever setting foot into the Pikeville Saloon ever again. Once was enough for me.

Cap placed our son in his seat before taking his all the while telling me, "Allie, since your brother's married to a McCoy that might be why Dave thought he saw you. It's a given that Abel socializes with his new kin."

"Abel works for pa, Cap. I don't think he'd be running around with McCoys, not when his job's on the line." I told Cap, placing a steaming cup of coffee in front of him before placing a cup of milk infront of our son.

As I went to fetch myself a glass of milk, I heard my husband say in a blunt, but icy cold tone, "I'll be talkin' to pa 'bout that, but in the meantime, darlin', I don't want ya seein' your brother anymore."

I nearly dropped the jug of milk I was holding as my husband's words washed over me. Turning around to look at him, I asked, "What? But why?"

"He's married to Nancy McCoy, that's why. His tie to her's damning to you, us, and Hatfield family." Cap firmly answered in a matter-of-fact tone as he placed some food onto his plate.

"Cap, you can't forbid me to see my own brother. Not when yours is married to a McCoy too." I told my husband while grabbing my glass and making my way over to the table.

"Goddamnit, my brother's married to a docile one; not a shrew unlike your brother." Cap snapped at me as I took my seat next to him.

"Cap-" I began only to be interrupted by his deep waving timbre snapping harshly, "I'm not budgin' on this, Allie. I've made the decision that we can't be 'round Abel for a while and that's final."

"But he's my brother. Can't he at least be able to see the baby when it comes?" I pleaded, feeling a sense of dread fill me up, as I started to make a plate up for Captain W.

Cap's face was like a slab of slate as he told me in a cold and hard tone, "I'll consider it."

He wasn't going to consider it. No, not with how hard he was acting. He was only saying he would to pacify me. I just nodded my head and let out a simple, "Okay.", as I finished with my son's plate and began to fix mine up.

Would I truly coldshoulder my brother? Well, I didn't want to, but I also didn't want to find out how my husband would react if he learnt I was visiting Abel either. Hell, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

A Few Miles Down The Road…

Jessa POV:

It was dinnertime; me and Mary were settling the children into their seats after setting the table whenever Todd walked in with the surprising announcement of, "Shaw wasn't at work today and when I went to the schoolhouse to ask Sully where he was he said that Uncle Jim locked him up in a room so he can dry the shine outta his veins."

"Jesus Christ…" Flew off my lips and lingered in the air as I placed a hand over my chest. I knew that Uncle Jim wanted to help Shaw get sober, but I never dreamt that he'd lock him up in some sort of homemade detox. I can't fathom how bad his withdraw must be.

"Yea, he ain't gonna be workin' for a while." Todd remarked while hanging up his hat and jacket.

The livery, I almost forgot that Shaw was the main runner of it. Oh no, that kind of work was too much for Todd to take on at his age. "I'll go to the livery tomorrow with you." I assured the boy, letting him know that I'd be taking on the weight of livestock brokering, while he made his way into the kitchen.

"No, stay home with the chil'ren. I'll be fine runnin' the livery myself." Todd told me, taking me aback, as he reached the table.

"Are you sure?" I asked, placing Silas' plate in front of him before going on to make up a plate for Lydia.

"Yea, I ran it today without any problems." Todd nodded as he began to make up his own plate.

"Okay, but only if you're sure you can handle it." I sighed, giving my daughter her plate before taking my own seat at the table.

"I can handle it, Jessa." Todd assured me, causing me to just nod.

"Since Shaw's locked up does that mean he's not coming over on Saturday?" Mary asked while cutting up her bakes chicken.

Shaking my head, I honestly told the little girl, "No, Mary, he won't be coming over."

"What about Easter?" She asked, taking a bite of her chicken.

"He'll be missing that too." I told the little girl, eating a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"Oh…" Mary sighed, her eyes sadly falling onto the food that was piled on her plate.

"Looks like it's just us til Shaw's sober 'nough to be free or dies locked up, one of the two." Todd shrugged in a devil may care way, cutting his chicken and eating a large forkful.

Oh my god, Todd's attitude towards his brother's situation was a little disturbing. How could he be so nonchalant about Shaw being locked in a room, fighting his addiction to alcohol? At least Mary was worried about Shaw. Hell, just when I thought things couldn't get worse they do. Silas was going to be devastated on Saturday when Shaw doesn't show up since the boy's so attached to him. Poor lil Lydia, she just had her birthday and now she won't be seeing her daddy for a while. I just hope that Shaw can detox without getting sick or stroking out.

I just want the kids to have a decent father, but it seems like the universe isn't letting that happen at the moment…

Meanwhile Near The Tug River…

Tolbert POV:

I was sittin' at the table, ettin' some pork stew, while Nancy was restin' in bed whenever Abel walked thru the door. He looked tired, like the devil worked him t'death, as he took off his hat an' coat. "I saw yer sister t'day." I informed 'im as he hung up his things.

"Scheming 'gain." He stated, headin' ov'r to the stove.

"We ain't schemin'." I denied, rollin' my eyes at Abel, 'fore ettin' a spoonful o'stew.

"So, what'd my sister want to see you about?" He asked, scoopin' himself some stew into a bowl.

"She needed to tell me 'bout how crazy Jim Vance barred Shaw in a room. Wanted me t'know that I can freely see Jessa wit'out havin' t'worry 'bout that Vance Bastard." I answered Abel, ettin' my stew while he walked ov'r to the table an' took his seat 'cross from me.

Abel's eyes grew to the size o'saucers. "What? He locked him up in a room?"

"Yea, t'sober 'im up." I nodded, scoopin' some stew up wit' my spoon.

"Hell, it'll either sober him up or kill him." Abel shook his head, ettin' his first spoonful o'stew.

I placed my spoon in my bowl an' looked 'im dead in the eye 'fore sayin', "I'm sure yer gonna hear 'bout it, so reckon it's best it comes from me, but Allie had'a go to the Pikeville Saloon t'find me an' there was a gunfight 'tween Hatfield kin an' a Pinkerton when we were there."

"WHAT?!" Abel shouted at the top o'his lungs while droppin' his spoon into his bowl wit' a loud clank.

"Don't yell, I'm tired an' got a bad headache." Nancy groaned a few feet 'way from where she was curled up in bed wit' a damp rag on her head.

"Sorry, Nance." Abel softly apologized to my cousin 'fore roundin' on me an' snappin', "Why on earth would ya see a whore in the middle of the day? Hell, go get your dick off at night with whores like normal people." Nervously, he ran a hand thru his dark hair. "Oh my god, what if somebody saw her and tells the Hatfields? Hmm?"

"Doubt that'll happen since the Hatfield kin that saw her got shot dead."

"You don't know how much kin Devil Anse has. I swear that man's related to so many people it ain't funny and one's bound to tell him 'bout my sister being in a whorehouse with you."

"Oh well…" I shrugged, pickin' my spoon up outta my bowl.

As I resumed ettin' my stew, Abel stared hard at me an' gritted, "Oh well? That's all you gotta say?"

I wiped the corner of my mouth off an' nodded. Abel's gaze got even darker an' heated as he narrowed his eyes at me. Pointin' my spoon at 'im, I stated the truth he needed t'hear. "Yer sister knows what she's doin'; how bein' 'tween families is dangerous, but she's still doin' it in order t'protect her best friend." Abel just shook his head an' let out a worried sigh. "I'm sure she'll talk her way outta anythin' if she's backed into a corner." I assured wit' a shrug 'fore goin' back t'my stew.

Abel didn't say a word, just shook his head an' let out a snort 'fore diggin' into his pork stew. Ah, reckon he was mad at me, but I could care less. I had'a win back Jessa; didn't have no time t'pay him no mind.

AN:

Yikes, drama's brewing isn't it?