Chapter 52: If you're going down, I'm going down too
'To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.'
-Lewis B. Smedes
It was the night before the council meeting and tensions were high. Becca was making dinner as Joel gathered up their supplies. He was packing their bags. She didn't want to jump the gun just yet.
There was still a chance the council would change their minds. They wouldn't care about them being married. They would send her off to a QZ. For good this time. They could also send her to the gallows. She would have to tell them she was pregnant. They wouldn't kill a pregnant woman. They would wait until after she had the baby. How nice of them.
Joel came up to stand behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders,'You okay? I can cook. You don't got to do all the cooking, ya know.'
'I know.' She nodded,'I like to though. It keeps my busy. I miss working.'
'I know.' He sighed as he kissed the back of her head,'You'll get to be a nurse again, Becca. I know you will. They're gonna change their minds.'
'And if they don't?' She shook her head,'You keep saying they will, but you don't know that, Joel. You don't. They could send me away again. They could hang me.'
He growled softly as he slowly turned her around to face him,'That ain't gonna happen. I ain't gonna let that happen. They try any of that and we're gone. Me, you and Ellie will get as far away from here as possible.' He sighed,'I still think we should do that.'
'And your brother?' She frowned,'I don't think Tommy would appreciate us moving halfway across the country.'
'I didn't appreciate it when he fucking up and left me in Boston.' He snorted,'I don't think he has a say in my life.' He shook his head as he held her face in his hands,'Anywhere you, our baby and Ellie are. That's home to me.'
'I miss her.' She sighed shakily as tears filled her eyes,'I miss my daughter. I'm afraid I'm never gonna see her again.'
He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her head to his chest,'You're gonna see her again. I can promise ya that.' He nodded,'I already planned it. I know Ellie wants to see her mama.'
'I love her like my daughter.' She whispered admittedly,'I know I'm not her mama and I can't replace her, but I really feel that way towards her.' She shook her head,'When she thought I was a Firefly. It hurt worse than it did with you. I thought she…trusted me and I never wanted to lose that between us. I know it's wrong.'
'It ain't wrong.' He shook his head adamantly,'Ain't nothing wrong about the way you feel. You are her mama. The closest thing she ever had to one. I know she feels that way about you too. I feel that way too. She is our daughter.' He placed his hand over her stomach and rested his forehead against hers,'No matter what happens. We stick together. We're a family. Ain't nothing gonna tear that apart.'
She looked up at him and squinted her eyes,'So you really believe that I'm not a Firefly? That I wouldn't do something like that?'
His eyes widened as he looked over her face,'Baby girl.' He shook his head as he lovingly kissed her forehead,'I don't what I was thinking that night.' He averted his eyes downward,'I'll regret that for the rest of my life. I don't think that. I never thought that.'
She leaned up on her tiptoes and held his face in her hands,'I forgive you. If tomorrow doesn't work out the way we hope I want you to know that. I don't want to go in front of the council tomorrow being angry at you. I want us to be united.' She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes,'I love you so much. So much. And if they try and send me away or…I want you to know. Even when I thought I hated you. I never stopped loving you, husband.'
Tears filled his eyes as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He laughed softly as he shook his head,'I never thought I would hear you say that again.' He ran his hands through her hair and pressed himself against her,'I love you too, my beautiful wife. More than you'll ever know.'
She held the back of his head as she pressed her lips against his. His eyes widened and he froze in shock for a moment. He couldn't believe she was kissing him again. He quickly recovered and held her face in his hands. He gently pushed her against the counter, his tongue swiping across her lips desperately seeking entrance.
She opened up for him and sucked his tongue into her mouth. Dinner was forgotten as they got lost in each other. The kiss was a mess of a lips, tongue and teeth. His hands were wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him while her hands were in his hair. She tugged on the strands of his longer hair, making him moan softly in her mouth.
His body trembled with need as she her small hands grasped at his hair. His mouth devoured hers as he relished in her taste. He never thought he would have this again. She tasted like she always did. His.
If they've learned anything from this it's they they belonged together. They spent a week in this cabin, pushing and pulling at each other. They've gotten through most of their issues. They were still building trust between them, but the love was still there. Burning brightly just as did when they first met.
She slowly pulled away from him to catch her breath. She smirked and tugged on his beard,'I would clean this up. Don't want you showing up in front of the council looking like a madman.'
He shook his head and laughed,'I don't think shaving is gonna help that.'
'It's more for me.' She grinned as she ran her hands through his beard,'My skin will thank you.'
His eyes looked over her body as he licked the taste of her off his lips,'Your skin, huh?' His hands loosely grasped her waist, giving her space to pull away from him, but she stayed put,'What parts of your skin are we talking about?'
He leaned in close to her and nuzzled into her neck. He pressed his nose against her skin, breathing her in. He was reeling at the fact she was letting him touch her again. He knew she was nervous about tomorrow. If he could ease her worries he would. Even if it was only for a little while.
She cupped the back of his head as she kissed his forehead,'I'll guess you'll have to shave and find out.'
He groaned against her skin as he kissed along her jaw,'I'll shave my fucking head if it means I get to touch ya.'
'Don't do that.' She laughed and shook her head,'I actually like your longer hair.' She ran her hand through it,'It's sexy. I hope our baby has your curls.'
A flash of sadness came across his face,'Sarah did and…William. They both had curly hair.'
She smiled softly, remembering the photo she saw of Sarah,'She was a beautiful girl. She truly was. Was William? What did he look like?'
She checked dinner before he pulled her over to sit at the kitchen table. She sat on his lap as he wrapped his arms around her,'William looked like a mixture of me and…Tess. He looked a lot like me, but acted a lot like Tess. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. It wasn't always bad between me and Tess.'
'You loved her.' She shook her head,'You're allowed to love her, Joel. I don't expect to be the only woman you've ever loved.'
'But you are.' He ducked his head to hold her gaze,'You are. I ain't ever loved another like I love you. I ain't ever looked at someone and…have an entire future planned out in front of me.' He shook his head as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders,'I never believed in love at first sight, but when I first laid eyes on ya I knew you were somebody I was gonna love. I didn't know how or why, but I knew. It wasn't just your looks. That's always been a bonus. It's everything. I can't explain it.'
'I feel it too. Just like I felt it back then.' She laid her head against his,'We were always meant for this, Joel. You wanna know a secret?' She smirked as she leaned in close to him, whispering in his ear,'I've always had a little bit of a crush on you. Ellie used to tease me that I was sweet on you.'
He laughed and shook his head,'She used to break my balls about it too. She said if I didn't get it together she was gonna ask ya out for me.' He took her hand and kissed her palm,'God, you don't know how much I wanted ya. All those nights with you sleeping in the guest bedroom.' He closed his eyes and sighed,'Those little dresses ya used to wear around the farm.' He kissed her cheek and breathed her in,'You drove me crazy. Ya still do. I'm crazy about ya, baby girl. And I'm sorry that I hurt ya.'
She placed her hand over his mouth and shushed him,'Stop apologizing and just love me good like you did before. When we were happy. That's all I want.'
He grasped her thighs and wrapped her legs around his waist,'You got it, honey girl.' He kissed all over her face as his hands grasped her waist,'I'm gonna love ya good. So fucking good. Just you fucking wait.'
She grinned as she grasped his biceps,'Is that a threat?'
'No.' He shook his head as he nipped at her chin,'It's a promise.'
They ate dinner as much as they could. Their nerves were still on edge. He helped her clean up the kitchen.
She changed into her pajamas as Joel sat by the window cleaning his rifle. She looked over at him warily. He was shirtless and wearing only a pair of black jogging pants. His hair was wet and slicked back from washing up. He also shaved his hard as well, leaving only his mustache and goatee, but he still had some stubble left on his cheeks.
She walked over to him and he placed his rifle on the floor, propping it up against the wall. He spread his legs, giving her room to sit down on his lap.
She made herself comfortable on his lap as he leaned back in the chair. His eyes trailed up and down her long legs. The red nightgown she wore was thin and short. It went up to her mid thigh. The straps were thin and barely even there. He wondered if she wore this for his benefit.
God, he fucking hoped so.
His index finger slid underneath the strap of the nightgown. He looked over her, shaking his head in disbelief,'So fuckin pretty. I ain't ever seen this before.'
'Maria gave it to me in her care package.' She grinned,'She said it was a gift for me and you.'
His eyes rolled into the back of his head as she moved in his lap to get comfortable. He didn't know how far she wanted to take this. He would go at her pace, but he would take whatever she gave him.
He chewed on his bottom lip as he placed his hand on her stomach and kissed her neck,'You're the best I ever got.' He hummed softly as she pressed her back against his chest,'I missed you against me like this.' His hand rubbed her stomach and he smiled against her neck when he felt the fluttering against his hand,'I gotta give Maria flowers or something for this nightgown. I love your body, honey girl. Feels like it was made for me.'
She turned around in his lap and held his face in her hands, looking over his face,'You're so handsome.' She slid her hands over his bare chest,'Sexy. I always wanted you too. I would watch you on the ranch too, ya know?' She leaned up, whispering in his ear,'You weren't the only one. I used to lay in bed thinking about you too. Every damned night. I never thought you would come around. Always thought we would never end up together.'
His hands slid up her legs and gripped her bare thighs. She wasn't wearing any underwear and he felt dizzy. He wanted her so much he felt like he was going to pass out. His heart was pounding hard in his chest and his blood pumped hotly through his veins. Her warmth burning him from the inside out.
Her hand was caressing his face and grasped it, nuzzling and kissing her fingers,'We're together now. We're always gonna be together. You're never getting rid of me. Never again. You're my woman. My wife.'
She smiled at his words as he kissed her palm,'Not just in name?'
His eyes widened and he shook his head,'In everything. Every fuckin way you can be my wife.' He sighed as he cupped her cheek,'As much as I wanna take ya to bed tonight. It ain't right.'
'Why not?' She frowned as she felt her confidence deflating,'Is it because I'm pregnant?'
'Fuck no.' He shook his head and laughed,'If anything, it makes me want ya even more.' He played with the ends of her hair,'You don't know how much I want ya right now.' He arched his hips and pressed his erection against her backside, letting her feel how much he wanted her,'I don't want it like this. Cause ya think this is the last night we're gonna be together.' His eyes met hers, wanting for her to see the depths of sincerity in them,'When I make love to ya again I want it to be in our bed. Not my brother's. I want it to be in our home.'
She opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed his lips against hers silencing her. He pressed his forehead against hers, whispering,'I'm gonna bring ya home, honey girl. I'm gonna take ya to our bed and make ya mine all over again.'
She closed her eyes and sighed. She really hoped he was right. She wanted it to work out. She wanted to go home. Wherever that may be.
They sat there and held each other for a while. Their hands roaming every so often. They relished in these quiet moments, knowing tomorrow would determine the course of their future.
She brought him to bed with her that night. She let him hold her as she laid her head on his chest. Neither slept that night. They stayed awake, thinking and waiting for Tommy to arrive.
Neither spoke the following morning. They were anxious and nervous to get it over with. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she has faith in her husband and his family. All she had left was faith.
Joel brought their bags to the door as Becca made sure she had everything. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, nervously wringing her hands in her lap.
He looked over at her and sighed. He walked over to her and got down on his knees in front of her. He grasped her legs and gently shook them,'How's my beautiful girl doing?'
'Nauseous and nervous.' She shook her head and frowned,'I don't wanna die, Joel.'
'You're not gonna die.' He cupped her chin and stroked her bottom lip with his thumb,'The minute they talk about any of that I'm getting ya the hell outta there. I ain't joking, Becca. We'll run away.'
She sighed as she stared down into her lap,'I don't want to run anymore. We're having a baby. Ellie deserves to have a stable life.'
'So do you.' He nodded,'I didn't do a very good job of protecting like I shoulda. I'm the reason all this happened in the first place. I'm gonna make it right this time. They ain't taking ya anywhere. You think Ellie wouldn't want to go with us?' He snorted,'She already said she would have her bags packed and ready. You're not doing this alone. Me and Ellie got your back. Just like we should've in the first place.'
He took a deep breath as he reached into his pocket and took out her ring,'I've been carrying this around ever since I…took it back. It belongs to you though.' He nervously chewed on his bottom lip as he looked over her face,'Will you marry me? Again?'
She nodded and smiled tearfully,'Yeah, I'll marry you again.'
He took her left hand and slid it on her ring finger,'I never shoulda taken this off ya. I don't plan to do that again. I want you to wear this for the rest of your life.' He lifted up her hand and kissed her knuckles,'Marrying ya was the happiest day of my life. I didn't…stick to my vows that I shoulda.' He shook his head,'You deserved a better husband. I plan to do things right this time.'
She reached for her bag and opened it up. His eyes widened in surprise when she took out his wedding band,'I've been holding onto this too.' She held up the ring, smiling shyly,'Will you marry me again?'
He laughed through his tears as he nodded,'Fuck yeah.' He extended his left hand out to her,'Lay it on me.'
She grinned as she slid his wedding band back onto his finger,'This was Richard's ring. Sharon gave this to me. She thought he would want you to have it.'
He nodded as he looked down at the ring. He wanted to trust Sharon, but there were a lot of mitigating factors to consider. Just because someone was kind didn't mean they weren't capable of evil things.
He took her left hand in his and tangled their fingers together,'We're never taking these rings off. I ain't wearing it on a necklace. I ain't hiding it from anyone. I want all of Jackson to know you're mine. You're my wife.' He sighed,'That's where I went wrong. I never shoulda hidden ya away like that. I was proud to be your husband. I…was never ashamed of being married to ya. I know ya thought that, but it never had nothing to do with that.'
'I know.' She leaned in close and kissed his lips,'We both made mistakes. We learned from them. No more hiding. Me, you, Ellie and baby. We're the Millers. We're a family.'
Joel didn't get a chance to respond. There were two knocks on the door. They both stared at the door as the knots twisted in their stomachs.
He held her face in his hands and kissed her lips, whispering,'I love you so much.'
She nodded as tears fell from her eyes,'I love you too.'
He got up from the floor and took her hand, pulling her up from the bed. He walked over to the door and looked through the peephole, seeing Tommy standing there.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. Tommy hugged his brother, patting him on the back,'You good?'
'I'm good.' He kissed his brother on the cheek, whispering,'Thank you.'
Tommy smiled wryly and patted his cheek,'Don't thank me yet.'
He turned to Becca and hugged her tightly. He felt her shaking and kissed her temple,'It's gonna be okay.'
She looked up at him and gave him a small smile, hoping he was right.
Tommy smirked when he saw the rings on their fingers,'Is this for show or are you guys all loved up again? Please tell me you're back together again. I got a bet going with Ellie and I really don't wanna lose.' He bristled,'I hate cleaning the Rec bathrooms.'
Becca and Joel shared a smile, thankful for the distraction.
Becca placed her hand on her hip as she cocked her head to the side, staring up at Joel,'Are we back together again?' She feigned a frown,'I honestly don't know. You've been giving me so many mixed signals.'
She smirked as he grasped her waist and pulled her to him,'You got a smart mouth, ya know that?' He narrowed his eyes,'I'll show ya mixed signals.'
Tommy rolled his eyes as he tugged on the reins of the horse he brought for them,'So I should tell Ellie I won the bet?'
'Not likely.' Joel snickered as he walked into the cabin to get their bags.
Becca walked over to the horse and threw her bag over it. Tommy walked over to her and placed his hand on her back,'How are you doing? Seriously? Without my brother around.'
She sighed as she shook her head,'I'm scared to death. He keeps telling me it'll be okay and that he'll protect me. He can't protect me from this, Tommy. No one can.'
'We can and we will.' He wrapped his arm around her shoulders,'I know Joel is…full of himself sometimes, but his heart is in the right place. He loves you, Becca. I know that for a fact. I've never seen Joel like this with another woman.' He shook his head,'I thought he loved Esther, but when I see the way he looks at you. It doesn't compare. He looks at you the way I look at Maria. I know if I fucked up like he did I would be doing everything in my power to set things right. I do know one thing though. Joel isn't gonna stop until this is over. When he sets his mind on something. There's no stopping him.'
She watched as Joel came out with their bags and averted his eyes between them,'If I didn't know any better, I would swear you guys are talking about me.'
Tommy grinned as he took his bags from him and placed them over his saddle,'All good things I swear.'
Joel stared at him unconvincingly as he threw his saddle over Tommy's horse,'Yeah okay.' He helped Becca on the horse as he looked up at her,'He bad mouthing me, baby girl? You would tell your old man right?
She looked over at Tommy, smiling knowingly,'I plead the fifth.'
He hopped on the horse in front of her as she wrapped her arms around him,'Married ten minutes and you're already ganging up on me.' He snorted,'I bet Ellie's ears are ringing. She's sore about missing the party.'
'So you two are back together.' Tommy smiled gleefully,'I knew it. It was the nightgown wasn't it?'
Joel looked over at his brother and shook his head,'I don't even wanna know how ya know about that.'
Becca looked up at him and smiled softly. She was thankful for him and Tommy. They put her at ease. They even had her thinking everything was going to be alright.
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She felt like she was going to throw up as they rode up to Jackson. She held onto him tightly as the gates of the community opened up for them. She felt her stomach in knots. She remembering coming to this town four years ago scared, beaten and mentally wounded. She worked through her issues, got her shit together and built a life for herself here.
She fell in love here, made friends, worked and got married here. She conceived a child here. Her life truly began in Jackson. It could end here too.
Joel placed his hand over hers and rubbed it soothingly, whispering,'You okay, honey girl?'
She swallowed harshly as she saw the deputies horses riding towards them.'Ask me that in a little bit.'
He glared at the deputies as they came for them. She watched as he slid his pistol out of its holster and took a deep breath. This could either end in a shoot out or men were just overreacting.
'I ain't gonna let no one touch ya.' He squeezed her hand softly,'You're safe with me.'
The sheriff aimed his rifle at Joel and Becca,'Stand down. Hand over the fugitive.'
Tommy sighed and shook his head,'Stop with the dramatics, Harold.' He frowned,'She isn't a threat and you know it.'
'You know the rules, Thomas.' Harold aimed his rifle towards the ground,'Step off the horse, Miss Bennett.'
Becca cleared her throat as she peered over Joel's shoulder,'It's Mrs. Miller actually.' She grinned as she lifted her left hand up,'Surprise! We eloped.' She placed her hand over her chest,'I must say. This warm welcome just melts my heart.'
Joel smirked at the surprised look on Harold's face,'I know the rules too, bub. I'm an outright citizen of this town and she's my wife.' He stared down each one of the deputies,'Any one of you fucks try and touch her I'll break your fucking jaws or blow your brains out.' He shrugged,'It all depends on my mood. And I ain't in a forgiving mood right now. So you stand down.'
Harold's eyes widened as he lowerred his rifle,'You think you're slick don't ya?' He scoffed,'You think marrying some Firefly whore makes you somebody.'
Joel looked back at Becca, seeing the hurt flash across her face. He lifted his pistol up, aiming it at him. He had four guns pointed at him as the deputies cocked their rifles. He didn't even flinch as he smirked,'You talk to my wife like that again and so help me God you'll wish your mama had an abortion.' He sneered at the deputies,'You think you're so fucking tough with these snot nosed punks at your back.' He nodded,'I'll get ya alone. I can promise ya that.
Harold had a look of fear on his face, like he wouldn't be taking evening strolls anymore like he used to.
Becca sighed as she placed her hand on his arm holding the gun,'Joel, don't. He isn't worth it.' She looked at Harold and sneered in disgust,'He doesn't hurt me. I remember he cried like a bitch when he broke his pinky. He would piss his pants if he ever got into a fight with a real man.' She held her chin up high,'I may be a whore, but I'm not a Firefly. When they come here. I'll pray for you as I watch you die slowly.'
Joel and Tommy stared at each other, their eyes widening. Joel didn't know what came over her, but he was so proud of her for sticking up for herself. She fought fiercely for their family.
Tommy cleared his throat as he met Harold's eyes,'The council knows she's here. We have a meeting with them. As I'm sure you know. We don't want to be late. I don't think the council would be very happy if we kept them waiting. They would be mighty upset with you, Harold. They might even demote you.'
Harold's cheeks reddened as he nodded towards his deputies,'Stand down.'
Their horses parted as they let them through. Joel glanced back at her and gave her a small smile, whispering,'I can't wait to get ya home.' He shook his head,'You got me so fuckin hot right now.' He shook his head,'You don't even know.
She looked up at him and smiled sadly. She hoped she could go home. She wanted this to end well. At least part of their journey anyway. She knew they had a long way to go, but if they got through this they could get through anything.
They stopped in front of the town hall and she felt the nausea creeping up once again. They got off their horses and Tommy walked over to them.
He placed his hand on Becca's shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly,'It's gonna be okay. You have a lot of people in your corner.'
Tommy had a knowing smile on his face, like he was aware of something they didn't. What the hell was going on? What did he know that they didn't?
Tommy patted his brother's arm as he winked at him. He walked into the town hall, giving them a few minutes alone.
She looked over his face. She saw the fear in his eyes. She knew he was just afraid as she is. He just had a better way of hiding it. He didn't want her to worry and she loved him so much for that.
He held her face in his hands and rested his forehead against hers,'We got this, baby. We're gonna go in there. Give them hell then we're gonna go home to our girl. I'm gonna take ya to bed and we ain't leaving until I say so.'
She closed her eyes and smiled softly,'We'll never leave then.' She sighed shakily,'I hope you're right. I really love you, husband.'
He stroked her cheek tenderly as he bent down and kissed her lips,'I love you, my wife. I love you so much.' He took her hand as he nodded towards the door,'Let's get this show on the road. The quicker we get this over with the sooner I can get ya into bed.'
She took a deep breath as she gripped his hand with both of hers. She stared warily at the door as they walked inside. She was scared to death as she held onto his hand like a lifeline.
She walked into the town hall and her eyes widened when she saw everyone. There was everyone from the hospital she worked with and some of the patients she took care of. Betsy and her son. Maria, Tommy and Sebastian. Tears filled her eyes as she saw Ellie.
Ellie turned around in her seat and her eyes widened as she saw Becca. She smiled brightly, whispering under her breath,'Mama.'
Tears fell down Becca's eyes as she looked at Ellie. She wanted so much to go over to her, but couldn't do that. Not right now anyway. She still had to plead her case. No one in town other than Joel could speak to her until the council made their decision. She hated living under their rule of thumb, but they would play nice for the safety of her family.
She couldn't believe everyone came out for her. She truly thought everyone washed their hands clean of her. The whole time she was in Arrow Head, she thought she would have to defend herself alone. She was wrong. People did care about her. She mattered.
Becca blew her a kiss and nodded, whispering,'I'm okay.' She held her gaze,'Its gonna be okay, baby.'
Joel smiled tearfully as he watched the tender exchange between them. How could he ever think this woman was a Firefly? She wasn't made for them. She was too good of a person. Shit, even he didn't deserve her, but he would spend the rest of his life loving her the way she deserved.
He was a hypocrite. He was an ex Firefly, an ex raider, an ex smuggler. You name it. He's done it. Who was he to judge anyone?
He realized he projected his self hatred onto her and she didn't deserve that. He was so quick to judge everyone else. He never took the time to look at himself in the mirror. Almost losing her again made him take a good long hard look at himself. He wasn't anything special, but this woman loved him. It was the only special thing about him.
Becca looked at all her friends and family, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe they were all here for her. They came for her. They were standing by her. Just as they should've done in the beginning.
He kissed her temple as he pulled her close to him, whispering, 'See, you're not alone.'
He stared at Ellie, who gave him a small smile. He wondered if she had a hand in all this. People did give her credit, but she had a good heart and cared about people. She was considerate. She was a lot like Becca in that regard.
Ellie wasn't always this way. She was a lot like him and Tess. She had a dog eat dog attitude, but the more time she spent with Becca; she became warmer. She started opening up more and not letting her anger get the best of her. She was calmer and listened to reason. The girl could teach him a thing or two about being an adult. To think he almost took that away from her.
Two deputies stood in front of them. One of them grabbed Becca's arms. Joel grabbed the deputy's arms and shook his head,'Get your fuckin hands off her.'
Tommy sighed as he got up from the bench and held out his hands,'They want your weapons.'
'Good for them.' He glared at the deputies,'They'll be waiting a long fucking time.'
'Joel.' She shook her head and sighed,'Just give them to Tommy so we can get this over with. Please.'
Joel rolled his eyes as he handed his weapons over to Tommy. He held his arms up and spread his legs, letting the deputy frisk him for anymore weapons.
When he didn't find any, he turned his attention to Becca. He tried to put his hands on her, but before he could say anything she took a step back from the deputy,'You don't touch me.' She glared at him,'I know my rights too. So unless you got a female deputy I suggest you stand down or my husband won't be the one you're gonna have to worry about.'
Joel felt his chest swell up with pride. God, he really fucking loved this woman. She had guts. She was not only fighting for herself, but for their children. For them.
Becca stared long and hard at the deputy. He was the same asshole who watched her in jail for two days. For two days, he starved her. He took her food and neglected her. She thought about killing him with her bare hands, but she knew that wouldn't be good. It would only cause them more trouble.
Joel narrowed his eyes at the deputy. He recognized him. Judging the uneasiness look on his wife's face; she recognized him too.
He placed his arm between Becca and the deputy,'I would steer clear of her if I were you.' He narrowed his eyes,'Neither one of us are very forgiving right now.'
The deputy's eyes widened slightly as he took a step back from them. Tommy put their weapons in his knapsack and set them at his feet. The deputy took his post by the door as the council members came out and took their seats at the front.
Joel held tightly on her hand and tangled their fingers together. They walked to stand in front of the council members. They looked over at Sharon, who had a stoic look on her face.
Sharon nodded slightly at Becca, giving her a small smile. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. She truly didn't know what was going to happen.
Bobby slammed the wooden hammer on the desk, silencing the town hall. He averted his eyes between Joel and Becca,'The meeting is in session. I ask everyone to refrain from commenting until the meeting is over. No one but the council and participating parties may speak. Any outbursts will not be tolerated and you'll immediately be absconded from the town hall.'
Joel and Becca looked at each other and shared a knowing smile. Bobby took his job way too seriously. He wasn't even a lawyer or judge. Before the outbreak he was a mechanic.
Bobby folded his hands on the table as he focused his attention on Joel,'You've brought us here today because it's come to our attention you would like to denounce your accusations. Is that correct, Mr. Miller?'
'Sure do.' He nodded as he gripped her hand tighter,'I was a stupid asshole for ever thinking this woman would betray me. Betray us.'
He took a deep breath. He wasn't very good at public speaking, but he would do it for her. He would do anything for her. She was worth it to him.
'I took some time and consideration.' He swallowed harshly,'She ain't a Firefly.' He nodded,'I used to be one. Me and my brother. That ain't no secret. I've done a lot of bad things in my life. Things I ain't proud of, but I'm trying to put all that behind me. I'm putting down roots.' He lifted their intertwined hands,'I made this woman my wife. I love her with all my heart. I…ask that you let her come home. With me and our daughter. Where she belongs.' He sighed shakily, laying it all out on the line,'Please let her come home.'
Becca's eyes widened at his words. His tone was pleading. She's never known him to beg so openly. He didn't bow down to anyone, but he was doing it for her. She's truly forgiven him. He was atoning for his sins. She wouldn't fault him for that.
Bobby turned his attention to Becca, a surprised look on his face,'Is there anything you would like to add, Miss Be…Mrs. Miller?'
She looked up at Joel, who gave her a nod of encouragement. They relied on each other in this moment and fed off each other's strength. This is what it came down to. Fighting for each other.
'Yes I would.' She took a deep breath as she exhaled it shakily. She was afraid, but she knew as long as they were together; they could get through anything,'I've spent almost four years in this town. I've…gotten to know some really great people. I've formed relationships with these people.' She looked back at her friends and family,'I've built a life for myself here. I've served this community to the best of my ability. I've helped bring some of your children into this world. I've…taken care of people. I've saved lives and some I couldn't, but I never stopped. I always did my part. Without complaint. Without fault.' She looked at every single member of the council,'I know all of you. You know me. I've done things I'm not proud of, but never that. I would never betray this town, my husband or my family.'
Bobby sighed and shook his head,'Why would your husband accuse you of things that aren't true?'
She looked up at Joel warily and sighed,'Someone framed me. I don't know who, but someone did. We're working on figuring that out.'
Another one of the council members scoffed and slammed their hand on the table, 'So we should just let you back in? You could be compromising the safety of the entire town.'
Joel snorted and rolled his eyes,'You brought us here knowing that was always a possibility.' He shrugged,'We're here. There's nothing that can be done about it now. It's too late. The only thing we can do is deal with it as it comes.'
Becca looked back at Ellie, who had a concerned look on her face. She shared the girl's fears. They both had a lot to worry about. She gave her a smile and a nod. She didn't want the young girl to worry. She's had enough worry to last her a lifetime.
Becca let go of Joel's hand and stepped forward. She couldn't rely on Joel for this. It was something she needed to do on her own. She needed to stand up for herself.
Joel's eyes widened as she stepped away from him. He didn't reach out for her. As much as he wanted to; he understood this is something she has to do for herself.
Becca closed her eyes momentarily. She placed her hand over her stomach as she felt the quickening. She could do this. Her baby deserved a fighting chance.
'Death can come at any time.' Tears filled her eyes as she took a deep breath,'We've always been in danger. Regardless of who or what may be after us. Outside of these walls, people are still dying, suffering and…fighting. What makes us any different or better than them? We can all think Jackson is safe and secure. Maybe it is.' She shrugged,'Who knows. I've seen what this world can do and…the evils people are capable of. You can't do anything to me that hasn't been done before. You want to banish me or execute me? For what? For being human. For…wanting to love and be loved. You can't do whatever you want to me, but you can't take my truth away from me.'
Sharon sighed and shook her head,'So Mr. Miller can do whatever he wants to do and you're just going to let him? The man who's supposed to be your husband?'
Becca turned to Joel and shook her head,'I understand what he did was wrong. I know that. You can better believe I took care of it too.' She frowned,'Whatever happens between me and my husband is our business. I came back here with him today because I love him very much.' She smiles tearfully at Ellie,'I love our daughter and I want to come home. I want to be with my family. Everyone deserves that right.'
She turned back to the council and sighed,'So do whatever you want with me, but my blood will be on your hands.'
She took Joel's hand and grasped it tightly. He met her eyes and nodded his head,'Anything you do to her. You do to me. You try to take her away from me and I'll take her so far away from here none of ya will find us. I can promise ya that. I'm making amends for what I done. Maybe it's about time you do the same.'
Bobby looked down the line at his fellow councilmen,'Is there anything else anyone would like to add?'
Becca had to roll her eyes. She knew no one else could speak on their behalf. Their support was enough for her. Just them showing up let her know she wasn't alone in this fight. It would take a village.
He was met with silence and nodded,'I consider this meeting adjourned. We'll have a decision within the hour.'
The councilmen stood up from their seats and exited the room. Becca kept her eyes focused on Sharon. She hoped to God that woman didn't ruin this. She would slit her throat herself.
Joel wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He kissed the side of her head, whispering,'Ya did so good, baby. I'm so proud of ya.'
She looked up at him and gave him a small smile,'I'm proud of you too. I just hope it's enough.'
He looked at her warily and nodded silently, hoping for the same.
He led her over to the bench so she could sit down. They couldn't talk to anyone on the other side of the room. Not until the council made their decision. Well, Joel could speak to them. Becca was forbidden to do so.
She looked over at her friends and family longingly. She wanted so much to go over to them. She wanted to hold her daughter and let her know everything was going to be okay. She was just a child. She's been through more suffering than most adults, but she had a pure heart. She was inherently good and didn't deserve any of this.
She placed her hand over Joel's and sighed softly,'You can talk to your family. Just because I'm not allowed to doesn't mean you shouldn't.'
He frowned as he shook his head, stroking her hair,'You're my family.' He leaned in close and pressed his hand against her stomach firmly, whispering,'I'm exactly where I should be.'
She closed her eyes and smiled tearfully. He was a good man. He just made bad decisions sometimes. They were all guilty of that.
They waited for over and hour with trepidation. Her palms were sweating when the councilmen walked back into the room. Their faces showed no emotion. She had no inclination of what was going to happen. She was afraid, but she would be strong for her family.
Becca and Joel stood up and walked to stand in front of them. She gripped his hand with both of hers. They clung to each other, needing each other's strength in that moment.
Bobby banged the hammer on the table to quiet everyone down. He folded his hands on the table, pausing dramatically as he stared down at the piece of paper in front of him,'We've discussed everything at length. We've gone over all the statements given to us by members of this community on your behalf.'
Her eyes widened in surprise and she shook her head in disbelief. People wrote statements for her? She was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support.
Bobby was still speaking as she focused on what he was saying,'You have a lot of friends here, Mrs. Miller. Our citizens consider you to be an invaluable member of our society. You're a respected nurse and reputable citizen.'
'No shit.' Joel mumbled under his breath, putting her slightly at ease.
Bobby nodded and gave her a small smile,'My wife and I have come to know and respect your ourselves. We feel…it was an injustice what was done to you.' He looked at Joel sternly,'It never should've happened.'
Joel hung his head shamefully. He knew there wasn't anything he could say. He was the reason why all this happened. He let his anger and insecurities get the best of him. He almost gave up the most important thing in the world to him.
'We are indubitably sorry for what was done to you.' Bobby sighed,'I know there isn't anything we can do to take it back, but we can make things right. As of today, you are welcome back to Jackson County with open arms. If any danger should arise, we will make sure you're protected as a citizen of this town.' He gave her a warm smile,'Mrs. Miller. You may go home.'
Her eyes widened as she broke down in tears. The relief washed over as she clasped her hands together as if in prayer,'Thank you. Thank you so much.'
She turned to Joel, who had tears in his own eyes. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, sighing in relief. He was overcome with so much relief and emotion. His wife was coming home with him.
He knew the fight wasn't over. The worse was yet to come, but she was home. They didn't have to hide away in some cabin like criminals. They were exactly where they belonged.
Joel turned to the council and curtly nodded his head,'Thank you.'
He met Sharon's eyes, who had a small smile on her face. He wondered if she influenced their decision. She would still have to give him a reason to trust her.
Becca saw Ellie making a beeline for her. She crouched down and opened her arms as Ellie ran into them. They wrapped their arms tightly around each other as they broke down into sobs.
Becca held the back of her head as she held her,'I'm so happy to see you, baby. I missed you so much.' She leaned back and kissed all over her face,'So much.'
'I'm so sorry.' Ellie cried softly,'I didn't mean it. I know you wouldn't do that. I'm sorry.'
She held her face in her hands and shook her head,'You don't have to be sorry about anything, honey. I don't want to talk about that anymore. I'm home and it's all that matters.'
Ellie nodded as she clung to her. Joel walked over to them and bent down, wrapping his arms around them. He didn't care if anyone saw him emotional. He didn't care if people saw him as weak. He had his family back. He wouldn't give this up for anything or anyone.
Maria and Tommy gave them a few moments before they walked over to them. Tommy handed Joel his bag of weapons back, knowing he was going to need them.
Maria hugged Becca tightly and kissed her cheek,'Welcome back, sister. I've missed you.'
'I've missed you too.' Becca closed her eyes and smiled softly,'Thank you so much. For everything.'
'It wasn't just me.' She looked over at Joel,'Your husband was the one who got all of us together. He made sure you wouldn't be walking into this alone. You deserve to be here just like everyone else.' She slid her hand between them and rubbed her stomach softly, whispering,'We got things to talk about.'
She nodded and smiled softly,'We do.'
Maria stroked her cheek and nodded towards Joel and Ellie,'Go home and be with your family. They need you.'
Becca nodded as tears filled her eyes. She walked over to Joel and Ellie. He held his hand out to her and grinned,'Let's get you home.'
She smiled tearfully as she took his hand. She wrapped her arm around Ellie's shoulders and nodded,'Let's go home.'
The deputy stepped aside as they walked out of the town hall. She took a breath of fresh air, smiling to herself. She couldn't wait to go home.
She looked over and saw the sheriff staring at them with a concerned look on his face. She waved at him and smiled sweetly,'Did you hear the good news, sheriff?' She smirked,'I'm back in town.'
His eyes widened and he shook his head, sighing exasperatingly. These three were going to keep him busy. He would keep a close eye on them, making sure they didn't stir up any trouble.
'Look!' Ellie pointed and Becca followed her line of sight.
Her eyes widened when she saw Dusty. She ran up to her horse and wrapped her arms around her. The horse neighed softly as she nuzzled into her. She cried softly, thinking about her sister she lost.
'I'm sorry about your sister, girlie.' She kissed her nose and stroked her,'I know you miss her. I miss her too. I'll take you to her so you can say goodbye.'
Joel and Ellie walked up to her. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, squeezing it softly,'You okay, honey?'
She looked up at Joel and Ellie, nodding her head,'Yeah, let's go home.'
Ellie climbed on her own horse as Becca and Joel mounted Dusty. She ran her hand over the saddle she got him for Christmas. It seemed like such a long time ago.
She wrapped her arms tightly around Joel waist. He placed his hand over hers and they rode the trail back to their house.
Her heart pounded as she saw their ranch in the distance. He heard her gasp and he glanced back at her, grinning,'Home sweet home, baby girl.'
She nodded as tears fell from her eyes, whispering,'Home sweet home.'
Ellie brought the horses to the barn while Becca and Joel went inside the house.
She looked around the living room and shook her head in disbelief,Everything is exactly how I left it.'
He scratched the back of his neck and laughed nervously,'I…I uh did take everything down.' He shook his head sadly,'It hurt to look at it, but I put everything back up.'
She nodded as she looked up at him,'Cause you knew I was coming home?'
'Cause I hated myself for what I did. Still do.'He shook his head,'You made this home. I don't wanna be here without you.'
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close,'I'm here now.'
He bit his bottom lip as he looked over her face,'That you are, pretty girl. You ain't leaving again. I'll tie ya the fuck down.'
Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she smirked,'That seems fun.'
His eyes widened and a rush ran through him. The smirk on her face did him in. He wondered if she was serious about that. He's done a lot of adventurous stuff back in his day. Would she ever trust him with her deepest and darkest desires? The things she craves?
Ellie came running in the house and into the living room,'Let's go and show her what we did!'
Becca looked up at Joel questioningly and he shrugged,'We wanted to surprise ya.'
Ellie grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the steps excitedly,'Come on. You're gonna fucking love it!'
'Language.' Joel said sternly as he pointed his index finger at her,'What did I tell ya about that?'
Ellie rolled her eyes and groaned,'I can't curse in front of the baby cause they'll think it's okay.'
'You're gonna have to tone it down too.' Becca smirked at him,'The baby's gonna grow up cursing like a sailor.'
Ellie snorted as she grinned back at them,'In this house? That's the least of their worries.'
Becca shook her head and laughed. She couldn't argue with that. It felt good to be home though.
They brought her to the guest bedroom. Joel and Ellie stood in the doorway as she stepped inside. She looked around the room and shook her head in disbelief.
The walls were painted yellow and there were horses, giraffes and animals painted on the walls.
She turned back to them with tears in her eyes,'You guys did this.'
'I painted the animals.' Ellie stated proudly,'Joel painted the rest though.'
He crossed his arms as he leaned in the doorway,'I'm gonna start working on a crib.' He nodded,'We're gonna make sure our baby has everything they need.'
She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. She walked over to them and held them tightly,'Thank you so much. This is beautiful. Thank you.'
He bent down and kissed the top of her head,'You deserve it. I'm gonna go bring our bags in.'
He walked downstairs, leaving Becca and Ellie alone.
Ellie shifted nervously on her feet and sighed softly,'So you're immune too, huh?'
'Sure am.' She nodded,'I got bit a few years back. I thought I was done for. I was gonna kill myself, but I realized the bite wasn't getting infected. I never told anyone. You and Joel are the only people I've told.'
Ellie's eyes widened and she shook her head,'I won't tell anyone. I swear. The kids who were staying with Sharon. They…escaped.'
'What do you mean they escaped?' She shook her head,'Where did they go?'
'No one knows.' Ellie shrugged,'They escaped a few days ago. At least that's what Sharon said.'
Becca pursed her lips as she stared out the window, seeing Jackson in the distance. Something wasn't right about this town. Something wasn't right about Sharon either. She would've worry about that today though.
Today was a good day.
Becca wrapped her arm around her shoulders as she led her downstairs.'I don't want you thinking about that right now. Come on. Let's eat something. I'm starving.'
Becca made an early dinner for them. It felt good to be back in her own kitchen, cooking for her family. She knew the trouble wasn't over, but inside these walls they could be happy. Nothing could touch them here. At least she hoped not anyway.
She went upstairs to get a shower and changed while Joel and Ellie cleaned up the kitchen.
Joel whistled lowly as he walked upstairs. He was anxious to spend some alone time with his wife. While they spent time alone at the cabin, they didn't get to enjoy their time together. Tensions were too high to think about anything else.
She was home now. He could take her in their bed. Fuck, he could've wait to feel her again. It's only been two weeks, but felt like forever.
He opened the door to their bedroom and saw her sleeping soundly on the bed. He smiled to himself. She was curled up on her side in her pajamas, her hand resting on her stomach.
He didn't fault her for falling asleep. He knew she was exhausted. She hadn't slept much at the cabin. She had been too sick and nervous.
He took off his shirt and unbuttoned his jeans as he walked over to the bed. He kicked off his jeans and carefully slid in the bed beside her. He gently slid his arm underneath her, being careful not to wake her. She mumbled softly as she curled into his chest.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her and closed his eyes, sighing softly. He didn't care that he didn't get to make love to her. There would be other nights. This was better than anything he could've ever hoped for. She was home with him and in their bed.
He was never going to let her go again.