Just a quick note to thank everyone who has been reading. It really means a lot. I almost didn't publish this story because it was a little bit different AU from other M7 stories and I was worried no one would like it. So thank you for just being the nicest bunch of people and so goodhearted. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review. I wish I could tell you how much it means.

Chapter 37

Ezra rolled over, groaning at the early hour. It had been a restless night. He had done his best to not think of the havoc Maude could wreak, how on edge she made Kaylee, and why in the world Kaylee would want Maude as their houseguest, but he hadn't had much success. Really, he hadn't had any success.

He squinted his eyes open, wishing he hadn't heard Kaylee tossing and turning worse than usual last night. He wished he could protect her from Maude and was already regretting agreeing to the visit.

Kaylee's side of the bed was empty, the covers tossed back in a rumpled mess.

Ezra rubbed at tired eyes and pushed up to sitting. The bathroom door was open, no light on. He pushed up to sitting and looked over on the floor on Kaylee's side of the bed, but the place that Barney claimed nightly as his bed was empty.

Ezra heaved a sigh. Kaylee was an early riser by nature, something Ezra couldn't understand, but this was early even for her. He shuffled towards the bathroom and saw the t-shirt of his she had worn to bed on the floor. Her hairbrush was strewn on the counter, along with her toothbrush and a couple stray hairbands.

Ezra picked up the shirt and brought it back to the dresser. He looked out the window towards the barns, but there were no lights on.

He didn't bother making the bed, just pulled on his jeans and a warmer shirt, a pair of socks, and opened the bedroom door. The door to the guest room Maude occupied was closed, no light or sound coming from behind it. Ezra knew they would have a reprieve from Maude for at least the next several hours. And then hopefully he could load her into her rental car and see her off. Kaylee didn't need to prove anything to Maude. And certainly nothing to him. Not when she was already strung tight enough to snap.

Ezra tried Kaylee's phone, but it buzzed from the kitchen counter, forgotten or deliberately left, either way it was useless for Ezra to call her.

He told himself it was good she was getting some space from Maude, time to regroup after the unpleasant arrival of his mother yesterday. He pulled on his jacket and boots and headed out to take care of the morning chores, bulls, horses, and a herd of cows needing feed and water.

The horse barn offered him some reassurance. Alcott's stall was empty, Kaylee's saddle and pad absent from the rack. Ezra hoped she would be able to ride away some of the tension. And if she couldn't, they could stick Maude on a horse later and take their chances the horse wouldn't bring his mother back.

#

Kaylee rocked with her mare's loping hoofbeats. She wasn't sure if she was still on Ezra's property. She had seen the bunkhouse Vin and Buck shared, and then Chris' house in the distance, dark in the stillness of the predawn. She rode past the still ranch, following a faint trail that had been beaten into the ground by other riders, or maybe a herd moving through the pastures.

She tried to get her thoughts to match the mellow, rolling gait. The morning was peaceful, the not up, but its light just starting to move the darkness from the horizon ahead of her. Her thoughts were anything but peaceful.

She wanted to have peace. She wanted that so badly. After the insecurity and constant unpredictability of her mother during her childhood and through her teen years, Kaylee wanted nothing more than peace. Security. A home with Ezra. And she could have that. She just had to get Cletus the last of his money. Something she thought she could do. And then Maude had shown up.

She had to show Maude that she was trustworthy and, more importantly, that she deserved Ezra. She knew it wasn't just that Maude knew she was hiding something. She was nothing like what a mother would want for someone like Ezra. Ezra was smart, successful, and apparently more well-off than Kaylee had realized. A high school drop out who was raised by a drug addict in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska was hardly what someone like Maude Standish would have wanted for her son.

Kaylee saw lights ahead and slowed Alcott to a trot, then a slower jog. She blinked against the sting of the cool dawn air in her eyes. The only sound was Alcott's heavy breathing and her hooves against the grass.

The door to the small cabin opened and a figure was silhouetted against the light coming from inside.

"You're out mighty early."

At the sound of Josiah's familiar voice, Kaylee relaxed in the saddle and changed direction to head down the hill toward the house.

Josiah stepped off his small porch and came to scratch the horse's neck.

"Everything ok?" Josiah asked.

Kaylee tried to wave off the question, like it was ridiculous. "Yeah, of course. Everything's…" But she trailed off, she was at a loss to find a word to describe the unsettled fear that Maude's visit brought.

"I have hot coffee inside. You have time for a cup?"

The idea of not going back to Maude just yet had Kaylee nodding. She swung her leg over Alcott and dismounted. Josiah took the reins and tied them to one of the porch posts. He held the door for Kaylee.

The warmth coming from the cast iron cookstove was immediate and Kaylee moved closer, warming up her fingers. She had been so focused on getting outside, getting some air before Maude woke up, that she hadn't thought to grab gloves on her way out the door.

Josiah removed a tin coffee pot from stovetop and set it on the scarred table, big enough for just two chairs. He pulled cream from a small fridge and got down two crockery mugs.

Kaylee took the chair nearest the stove.

"How were things with Maude last evening?" Josiah asked, taking a seat himself and pouring the coffee.

"It was fine. Good. I mean, ok," Kaylee faltered. She met Josiah's eyes and could tell he saw through whatever she was saying.

"Maude can be a bit much to handle," Josiah said.

"No, she's fine," Kaylee said quickly. She knew whatever problem Maude had with her was well-deserved. "I mean, she's being nice to Ezra, and that's what matters."

Josiah blew on his coffee before taking a drink. "You think Ezra thinks that's all that matters?"

Kaylee frowned deeply, staring down at her cup that was more cream and sugar than coffee.

"Josiah, why did you marry me and Ezra?" she asked without looking up.

She was met with only the sound of Josiah taking another drink. She looked at him and saw the ghost of a smile playing around his mouth.

"Would you or Ezra have taken no for answer when you decided to get married?" he asked.

Kaylee thought back to that day in the Texas heat. How determined Ezra was to marry her. Her chest warmed at the thought, finally chasing the last of the chill from the cold morning away.

"I was honored to be a part of your special day," he smiled.

Kaylee shoved her mug back and forth on the table in a small circle.

"It's really quiet here," Kaylee said, moving away from thoughts of Maude.

"I like the quiet. Gives a person time to think."

Having complete silence, solitude, to be alone with her thoughts sounded like a nightmare. The direction of her thoughts must have shown on her face because Josiah chuckled.

"Don't worry. No one is going to force you to dwell on your thoughts here."

Kaylee managed a small smile.

"You know Ezra will choose you every time," Josiah said.

Unless Maude told Ezra the truth. And even if she didn't find what Kaylee was hiding, that she was taking money from Ezra to send to Cletus, it didn't take much to see Kaylee was woefully unsuited to Ezra. She had served Ezra's mom tuna noodle casserole last night.

"Kaylee," Josiah said. Kaylee looked at him, her stomach starting to clench with nerves. "Ezra loves you."

Until he saw her through Maude's eyes. Kaylee's hand tightened on her mug. But maybe…

Maybe she could change the way Maude saw her. The thoughts started coming, picking up speed, fueled by hope. Maybe she could show Maude that she could fit into Ezra's world. She could show Maude she wasn't just a high school drop out, too young and too low-class for Ezra.

She pushed her chair back, already thinking of what she could do.

"What are you thinking?" Josiah asked, lines appearing between his brows as he watched her.

"Thanks for the coffee, Josiah," Kaylee said sincerely. The time with Josiah had helped. She knew what she needed to do now.

"You sure you don't want to stay a bit. Maybe lay low till Maude decides to go?" Josiah followed her to the door. "Whatever you're thinking—"

Kaylee quickly shook her head. "It'll be fine now," she said. She needed to get home and go to town to pick up supplies. Maude wouldn't be able to find a thing to say against her by this evening.

"Thanks again!" Kaylee called, pulling herself up into the saddle and turning Alcott back towards Ezra's. She nudged Alcott back into a faster lope, her hopelessness burning away like the early morning frost as the sun came up.

#

Buck smiled even as his shoulders tensed. He made sure the smile came through in his voice.

"That's real good of you to protect the privacy of your workers," he said. "I ain't asking for any information. Just wantin' you to pass along a message. It's for Inez. Inez Rosillos. She's a waitress—"

He listened as the man on the other end of the phone told him he wasn't taking a message. That their waitresses did not accept messages or solicitations from customers.

"I ain't a customer!" Buck exploded. "I'm—I'm—"

What was he? Just some man Inez spent a week with. But she was so much more than that to Buck.

The man told Buck if he called again, he'd block Buck's number and hung up.

Buck threw his cell phone across the room.

"What'd that phone do to you?"

Buck didn't turn to face Vin. He jammed his hand through his hair. This was ridiculous. He couldn't get Inez back if he couldn't even talk to her. And if she didn't answer his calls, then…

"I'm goin' to Vegas," Buck declared. He spun around and faced Vin.

Vin leaned on his crutches in the doorway of his room. He raised an eyebrow at Buck's declaration.

"That's what I'm doin'," Buck said, warming to the idea. "I'm goin' to Vegas. I'm gonna track down Inez and make sure she doesn't get away until she knows exactly how I feel and that I need her like I need air. That I'll suffocate without her." He needed his keys. He could leave today. Now. No. He needed clothes. He had to pack. He changed course, heading towards his room.

"Buck," Vin said behind him.

"Ain't got time, Vin," Buck said. "I'm gonna get Inez."

Vin followed him into his room. "I'm real sure any lady would love to be tracked down and held hostage, but you should slow down, Pard."

Buck waved off Vin's concern, pulling out the first clean clothes he found in his drawer. Not many. He wasn't the best at keeping up on laundry. "No one's takin' anyone hostage," Buck said.

Vin lifted that eyebrow again. Buck was getting a little annoyed at that look.

"You just gave me a speech about trackin' her down and makin' sure she can't get away. I ain't sure soundin' like some evil mastermind is the way to go about this."

Buck slowed. He hadn't said any of that. Had he?

"Look, Buck," Vin said. "Inez sounds real special. I know you're hurtin'. But some gals might think a man huntin' them down and cornerin' them is intimidating."

Buck let go of the handful of shirts he had been holding.

"But that don't mean you got to give up," Vin assured him. "You can write her a letter. A note tellin' her how much you miss her." Vin's mouth quirked in a grin. "Maybe leave out the parts about trackin' her down and suffocatin' without her."

Buck sighed.

"You can give her your number. Your address. And maybe she'll write back, or call."

Buck doubted that. The look on Inez' face when they said goodbye was final. So final. But he had the name of her employer and nothin' else. And Vin was making sense.

With his heart somewhere around his toes, Buck pitched the clothes back towards his dresser, not caring whether they landed in the open drawer.

"Thanks," Buck said. Even if Inez ripped up his letter without reading it, at least he wouldn't have her thinking he was a crazed lunatic. He owed Vin for that.

"Good luck," Vin said, angling his way back out the door on his crutches.

Buck sank down onto his bed and dropped his head into his hands. He had no idea he could feel this way about someone. And no idea how he was supposed to get over someone like Inez.

#

Ezra had heard his truck pull in earlier and looked to see Kaylee heading into the house with an armload of grocery bags. He had seen Alcott back in her stall, and his truck gone earlier, so assumed Kaylee was steering clear of Maude. A wise choice.

Maude had headed into town herself, earlier, no doubt to do some shopping or find someone to bring into her latest pyramid scheme, but Ezra had finally felt like he could breathe.

Now, he found himself working closer to the house, keeping an eye out for the return of Maude's rental car. He had no intention of leaving Kaylee to fend for herself in spite of Kaylee being the one who insisted Maude stay with them.

The sound of an alarm drifted across the yard and to the barns and Ezra paused, rake in hand where he was cleaning stalls, to listen. He set the rake aside and headed toward the house, picking up his pace when the alarm continued to sound.

He opened the door to the blaring smoke alarm and Kaylee swearing like a sailor. Or her version of it.

"Darn it all! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Ezra opened a couple of windows on his way to the kitchen, then pulled a chair over and silenced the alarm.

Kaylee was completely focused on the smoking mess in front of her.

"Shoot! Frick!"

Ezra tried to hold back a smile at her G rated distress.

"What's wrong?" he asked, even though the smoke and the glop of a meal in front of her made it clear.

She looked at up at him then and Ezra did a double take.

Kaylee's eyes were lightly lined with eye makeup, her lids smudged with a small amount of color, and her lips coated in gloss.

Kaylee's face fell further at the look on his face. She reached a tentative hand towards her face. "It looks awful, doesn't it? I don't know how to wear makeup. I tried, Ezra, I'm trying so hard, but—"

"You look lovely," Ezra cut her off. "Beautiful." And she did. Her makeup was tasteful. It just wasn't her.

And then Ezra noticed her hair. Her clothes. She was wearing a jean skirt. Her hair was held back with a silver clip. She looked beautiful.

She looked miserable.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm making…" Kaylee paused to look over at recipes covered with splatters from whatever she was making. "Creamy spinach stuffed salmon with garlic butter, curried roasted eggplant, and baby asparagus tarts." Her lips trembled. "At least, that's what it's supposed to be."

Ezra couldn't have felt lower if he had kicked a puppy. He took Kaylee's hands and pulled her towards him, folding her into his arms. He should have made Maude leave. He should never have listened to Kaylee's insistence that she wanted to get to know his mother. He felt Kaylee's fingers grip his back through the weight of his jacket.

And then she was drawing a deep breath and pulling away. "I need to get this in the oven. Or on the stove…" Her brow knit and she pulled the recipe books closer, studying them, her lips moving as she read them silently to herself.

Ezra took off his jacket and hung it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He pushed up his sleeves and took one of the recipe books. "I'll work on the eggplant." He looked at the assortment of cooking dishes filled with unrecognizable ingredients.

"It's that one," Kaylee said, pointing at something that wasn't close to resembling eggplant in any form.

Ezra nodded like he had complete confidence in what she had started. "You focus on the salmon." He tried not to recoil from the asparagus mixture. "And we'll cook up some asparagus tarts for Barney tomorrow."

Kaylee nodded, squaring her shoulders and looking somewhat encouraged. Or at least like she was ready to do battle alongside Ezra. Ezra didn't have the heart to tell her that they would need something stronger than eggplant and salmon to neutralize Maude. A silver bullet and garlic would be more appropriate.

#

"That town never ceases to amaze me with how quaint it is," Maude said. She took the plate Kaylee had dished up for her with a nod of thanks. "How you can live so far from civilization, Ezra, it boggles the mind."

Kaylee pressed her lips together. The dinner smelled…acceptable. And it looked good enough. She couldn't manage to cut her own salmon, her hands were shaking with nerves. She just wanted this meal over with.

Maude cut a tiny piece of fish and put it in her mouth. Next to her, Kaylee noticed Ezra didn't look concerned in the least by Maude's response. He seemed unaffected by anything Maude said or did, unless it was directed at Kaylee. And Kaylee didn't want to come between Ezra and his mother.

She felt pressure on her thigh and, though Ezra didn't give any appearance of anything but eating, his hand gave her a light squeeze of encouragement. She slipped her own hand under the tablecloth to link her fingers with Ezra. She gave up pretending to eat.

Maude didn't comment on the meal, but Kaylee took that in on a breath of relief. No comment was better than criticism. Better than saying anything that made Ezra bristle and feel like he had to defend her.

It was well past dark outside, the meal preparation having taking most the evening, and the house should have felt cozy with the meal on the table and the warm glow of the lights. But Kaylee couldn't feel anything. She was too on edge with Maude sitting across from her.

Finally Maude set down her fork. "It's been a long day. I hope we'll get some time together tomorrow, Ezra."

"Tomorrow will be your last day here, Mother," Ezra said.

Kaylee felt her eyes widen as Maude's narrowed.

"It's been a delightful visit as always, but it's a busy season for me, getting things ready for winter."

Kaylee looked at Ezra and saw his face set like stone. She looked back to Maude and saw the older woman must have seen the same thing in Ezra's face.

"I have so much pressing business to tend to back home," Maude said. "I really couldn't stay much longer anyway." She gave Kaylee a look that fell short of a smile. "I appreciate your hospitality."

She swept upstairs in a wake of expensive perfume and clacking of heels.

Kaylee wanted to sink back in her chair, but she had enough worry holding her rigid. "Are you—"

"I'm very sure," Ezra said. He looked down at Kaylee's untouched plate. "Are you hungry?"

"I don't like eggplant," Kaylee confessed. "Or spinach."

"And dinner with Maude doesn't exactly stimulate one's appetite," Ezra said.

"It doesn't," Kaylee said apologetically.

Ezra stood and took the plates to the sink, dropping his and Kaylee's leftovers into the dog dish near the patio door. He and Kaylee worked in silence, cleaning the kitchen and loading the dishwasher.

Ezra pushed the button to start the dishwasher and took Kaylee's hand. She was too tired to argue with him about keeping Maude here any longer. Too exhausted from hiding everything from him. The constant tension of the last two days with Maude was crushing.

Ezra opened the door to their room and Kaylee gave a light sniff.

"What's that?" she asked.

Ezra grinned and led her toward the bed. He brought over a pizza box and paper plates from the dresser. "I'm afraid it might be cold," he said.

"How in the world did you get pizza delivered?" Kaylee asked. She settled onto the bed carefully, feeling awkward in her skirt. She tugged it down when it rode up and finally laughed when she saw Ezra's appreciative look.

Ezra looked away from her legs and set the pizza box on the bed between them. "Mr. Wilmington was very accommodating. He went to town and picked it up." Ezra's eyes darkened with concern. "I don't believe you've eaten a thing since my mother arrived. And I had my doubts when I saw our meal in its early stages."

"It looked disgusting," Kaylee agreed without offense. She took one of the slices, cheese falling off of it and angled it into her mouth. "Mmmmmm…" she hummed appreciatively. "I should make eggplant and spinach salmon whatever more often."

Ezra laughed and settled back against the headboard with his own slice. "And we should definitely employ Buck's food delivery services more often."

"But maybe without Maude here," Kaylee ventured.

"Oh definitely without my mother here," Ezra agreed. He smiled at Kaylee and she felt like she could make it. They had managed to withstand a visit from Maude. She had gotten another payment to Cletus while she was in town. And when Ezra looked at her like that, it made her think they would weather any storm.

#