Chapter Thirty-Six

Brody stepped into the jail and nodded at Ty who was sitting at his desk discussing the day ahead with the executioner. Ty simply raised a hand in greeting and Brody made his way back toward the cells.

The jail was empty, just as it almost only was, and only one cell contained prisoners. Prisoners who were just finishing up the last meal they would ever eat, "Good morning," Brody greeted as he stopped beside their bars.

Benjamin looked at him with tired eyes and sat his plate aside, "Are you attempting to be humorous?"

"Nope. I ain't what you'd call a humorous man," Brody shrugged and rocked back on his heels, "The way I see it, it is a damn good morning."

"Please, sir," Mary pleaded as she rose and made her way toward him with a rustling of her stained and stiff skirts, "I am a woman, have mercy on me!"

Brody's brow rose as he looked down his nose at the sniveling woman, "Mercy? Mercy is for God to dish out. Me? I'm just the son of a bitch that's gonna send you to him."

"You're a monster!" Benjamin growled.

Brody shrugged, "Never said I wasn't. You were warned what would happen if you came after my family again."

"He's our son," Mary countered. "We brought that disgrace into the world and we were simply trying to rid the world of his evil."

"That man is no disgrace, that's a title that you and your husband have earned. I won't spend any more time in here talking to you. I just wanted to let you know that it'll be me pulling that lever today out there at the gallows and I'm damn excited about it too. It'll me sending your black souls straight to God so he can sort you both out."

"Can we see our son?" Benjamin asked.

Brody couldn't believe he'd ask such a ridiculous question, "No. No you can't see him. And he's not yours anymore. He's got a whole new family of folks now that think he's a good damn person just the way he is. He don't have any more need for a couple of judgmental pricks such as yourselves," Brody tipped his hat, "Have a good day now."

Brody walked from the back of the jail, tipped his head once again to Ty and the executioner and then stepped outside into the sunrise. He took a deep breath of fresh air and glanced toward the gallows that had been built just for Mr. and Mrs. Washington.

Executions were usually done over in Austin but Brody had pulled a few strings to have the trial and execution held here. The jury had been full of folks that cared a lot about Aiden and Nick and the judge had been a man who Brody knew was fond of men himself. Had it been a fair trial? No. Did Aiden's parents deserve a fair trial after what they'd done? Hell no.

Brody had promised Aiden that he would take care of those monsters and he kept his word when he gave it. He'd even talked the executioner into letting him pull the lever. Brody took care of what was his and he couldn't simply put a bullet in these folks the way he normally would have because Ty was being a stickler for the rules and insisted they needed a trial and a hanging.

It had been two months that the Washington's had been locked up in that cell. Two months waiting on the judge, going through the trial and building the gallows. Now finally justice would be served. Brody decided he didn't like doing things by the book. Two quick bullets the instant those two rode into town would have been quicker and simpler.

Laying his hand over his rumbling stomach, Brody decided to head to the diner for breakfast. There was still a good two hours before he was due to send Mary and Benjamin swinging.

***

Nick stood there on the outskirts of town and waited on Aiden's parents to be led up onto the gallows. He was going to stay here and watch those monsters die and then he was going to go home to the man he loved with this horrible mess finally behind them and over.

Aiden's nightmares had gotten worse since the wedding and he seemed continually convinced that someone else was going to come gunning for him. But they weren't. Brody and Ty had ensured that Mary and Benjamin had had no contact with anyone outside the jail and so they'd been unable to send letters or telegrams out to anyone they might want to hire.

Nick looked around at the crowd around the gallows. It was a small crowd, mostly consisting of men who were eager to see these two people, who had sent trouble to their town, die the way they deserved. In some towns hangings were family affairs and folks held picnics and played games while watching them but not here. Around here death wasn't something the folks saw every day and for the most part the women and children had stayed away from the hanging.

The sound of the jail's door opening echoed through the unusually empty streets. Instantly Nick's head whipped around to the jail and he felt his fists clench when he saw Aiden's parents step out into the sun. They squinted and seemed to shy away from the light which they hadn't seen in weeks. Aiden looked like his mother but had his father's eyes, Nick noted, but that was where the similarities between them all ended.

Aiden was Nick's life and had their trial found them innocent, Nick would have taken care of them himself. No one was going to hurt his man again and if they dared to try it then Nick would see that they were dealt with swiftly and without mercy. Nick was going to see that Aiden was taken care of and loved from here on out and eventually he'd be able to love those bad memories and nightmares away.

Nick watched as Ty and Brody led Mary and Benjamin to the gallows. Benjamin's eyes met Nick's as he walked past and Nick stood tall, met his gaze full force and then returned the gesture Benjamin had bestowed on him months ago and spit at the man's feet.

Anger flashed in Benjamin's eyes and he appeared ready to lunge at Nick until Brody grunted and planted his boot directly on Benjamin's backside causing the man to stumble forward and nearly fall before catching himself.

Brody shared a grin with Nick and then continued on his way.

Nick stood there in the street and watched Mary and Benjamin led onto the gallows. It was with mixed emotions and flashbacks of his own past that he watched Brody place the ropes around their necks.

The two prisoners passed up the offer to speak any last words before burlap sacks were placed over their heads. George Bass offered a few words for their souls in prayer and lowered his head as Brody walked to the wooden lever, met Nick's eyes in the small crowd and pulled that lever, sending Aiden's parents to their deaths.

Nick wondered if that feeling of satisfaction in his gut watching them swing back and forth was a bad sign for his soul but he figured it wasn't. After what those people had nearly taken from him, it served them right to meet their death. Honestly the hanging had been too quick. In Nick's opinion they had deserved to suffer a bit more.

Leaving the Washington's in the care of Ty and the undertaker, Nick headed off toward the livery where he'd left his horse hitched this morning. As he walked Brody fell in step beside him. "They're the undertaker's problem now," Brody stated as he lit a match on his cheek and lit the cigarette hanging off his lip.

"Maybe Aiden will be able to get a full night of sleep without waking up scared now that they'll be in the ground," Nick mumbled.

Brody shook his head, "I wouldn't be too hopeful of that, Nick. I know a thing or two about them dreams and they don't quit too easy."

The two men fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts as they unhitched their horses. As Nick swung himself into the saddle, Brody mirrored his movements and blew out smoke, "Let's get on home now, Nick. I'm sure our wives'll have some food waitin'," Brody shivered, "Yours is bound to taste a bit better than mine."

Nick chuckled for the first time in a while and the two men pointed their horses toward the ranch.

***

Aiden ran the broom over the already spotless porch and then tossed the broom aside. After rubbing face roughly, he grabbed the hand woven basket that Lexi had made for him and headed for the chicken coop to gather up the eggs.

It was Sunday so there wasn't much work going on at the ranch and Aiden was struggling to find things to keep his mind occupied and off of what was going on in town.

His parents were dying today. They were probably already dead. Aiden wasn't sure how he felt about that. Relieved? Yes. Sad? Yes. Regardless of what they had done to him and how they had turned their backs they were still his parents and it broke Aiden's heart to know what their relationship had become simply because Aiden was in love with a man; with Nick.

Aiden was getting the last of the eggs from under a hen that wasn't too happy for his intrusion when he heard the horse approaching the barn. Fear gripped him as his mind instantly went to every bad scenario imaginable. He scolded himself. It was Nick. He didn't even have to look outside the coop to know it was Nick. He could sense the other man's presence deep down. These bad nightmares that came both while he was sleeping and while he was awake were eating away at him slowly and he knew they were driving Nick insane as well.

They'd been living together out in this cabin for two months and not a single night had gone by that Aiden had woken up covered in sweat and half-crazy with panic.

Aiden stepped out of the chicken coop and felt relief fill him when he saw Nick hopping down from his horse, "Did ya get any eggs?" Nick asked.

"Twelve," Aiden nodded as he tipped his basket so Nick could see. He swallowed hard and forced his eyes to meet Nick's gray ones, "Is it done?"

Nick nodded hesitantly and Aiden stood there in silence trying hard to understand what he was feeling. Tears filled his eyes and before he could speak or make any sense of them, Nick was wrapping him up in his long, strong arms and pulling him against his chest, "I love you, Aiden. I'm sorry it had to come to this," he whispered.

Aiden simply whimpered and began to cry harder. He didn't know why he was crying.. was it sadness? Stress? Relief? Exhaustion? A combination of all four?

Nick grabbed the basket of eggs from his hand and sat them on the ground before scooping Aiden up bridal style. Aiden wrapped his arms tight around Nick's neck and kept his face pressed against his chest as tears continued to fall.

Nick carried him gently into their bedroom and laid him down softly on the soft bed before curling himself up against him, "Aiden, please don't cry. I don't know what to do when you cry."

"You're—" Aiden sniffed. "You're doing pretty good."

"I don't know what to say to make you feel better," Nick admitted. "It was fast and they didn't suffer..."

"I know, Nick," Aiden whispered. "And I know it had to be done. They wouldn't have stopped."

"You know how much I love you, don't you?" Nick questioned, holding Aiden a little tighter.

"Yes," Aiden felt his lips curve into a small smile. "And I love you just as much right back."

Nick put his hand under Aiden's chin and tipped his head back so they were looking into one another's eyes, "You just go ahead and cry for as long as you need to, Aiden. I'll be right here holding you." Nick pressed a tender kiss to Aiden's damn lips which of course only served to make Aiden cry harder as he clung to him.

***

Two more weeks came and went and Nick's worry for Aiden grew as did everyone else's. Aiden wasn't sleeping because he feared the nightmares that would wake him and he wasn't smiling as easily as he once had.

Nick missed his smile.

"Liz, can Aiden and I have fence duty today?" Nick questioned as he caught Elizabeth stepping out of the pony barn early on a Monday morning.

Elizabeth frowned as she crossed her arms, "I wasn't going to have anyone checking fences today.... Is he doing any better?"

Nick sighed and rubbed his neck roughly, "No." He growled with frustration, "I just don't know what to do."

"Be patient with him," Elizabeth replied gently as she put her hand on his arm. "To a certain extent I understand the betrayal and hurt he's feeling at knowing what his parents did to him. My father betrayed me in the end and I never had the chance to speak to him again. As did a man I considered an uncle and a woman who had been like a mother to me. I still have nightmares sometimes about what Brody and I went through. And Brody has nightmares quite often about his past and things he's done... things he's afraid of... Just be patient with Aiden. Things will get better."

Nick truly hoped she was right, "So about fence duty?"

"You all have your own cabin for those kinds of things," Elizabeth replied with a knowing smile.

Nick shifted his feet and looked down at the dirt. They hadn't done those things in a long while, "I know. But I think getting out in the air and reliving old times will be good for him. Hell at this point I'm willing to try anything just to see him smile again."

"Of course," Elizabeth nodded and her green eyes were sad, "You all can have the whole day to check those fences but bring him back to the ranch around six, okay?"

Nick frowned, "Why?"

"Don't question me, I'm your boss," Elizabeth winked. "Just do it."

Nick nodded, tipped his hat in thanks and then jogged to the ranch house to get some quick food for the picnic. If things went as planned then they would need sustenance.

An hour and a half later Aiden and Nick rode side by side in the midmorning sun. Nick glanced over at his man and smiled when he saw him squinting into the light. He reached down and tugged open the sack tied to his saddle horn.

"I got you something," Nick stated as he pulled out a brown Stetson hat and ran his hands over the soft leather.

Aiden's eyes widened, "You got me that?" he asked as he reached out and took the hat from Nick's hand.

"Yep. You gotta have a hat and this one oughta fit you a bit better than that old one you used to wear around. Sorry I didn't get it earlier."

"Nick... thanks." Nick waited for a big smile but it didn't come. Just a small ghost of one crossed over Aiden's face before fading away. Aiden slid the hat on and ran his finger over the brim. "It fits perfect."

"I measured your head while you were sleeping," Nick admitted. "I wanted it to fit just right."

Silence fell over them again as they rode side by side, "We're not really out here to check fences are we?" Aiden asked as the pond they had first made love beside came into view.

Nick shook his head, "No, we're not. I just wanted to let you relax for a day, Aiden. See something other than the ranch and the cabin."

Aiden nodded but appeared lost in thought so Nick gave up on conversation. They dismounted their horses and Nick pulled a tablecloth from the sack and spread it out on the ground. He then grabbed the sack full of food and sat down upon the blanket once Aiden had taken his place.

***

Aiden sat there as they ate a bit of their picnic and he kept looking at Nick from the corner of his eye. He wanted Nick. He wanted Nick to act as if he wanted him. He wanted Nick to act hungry and possessive and unable to keep his hands off of him the way he once had. But Nick didn't. Nick just sat there and stared into the pond.

Aiden couldn't blame him. Who wanted to make love to a crazy man who rarely slept, couldn't seem to smile and couldn't explain or put into words what was wrong with him?

Nick loved him, Aiden knew that, but he didn't think the man desired him anymore and that hurt. It hurt bad.

"It's a pretty day," Aiden offered, glancing up at the clear blue sky. Autumn was fast approaching but the days were still plenty warm and beautiful.

"Yeah," Nick grunted in agreement.

Aiden finally couldn't take anymore. He wanted Nick and, dammit, he was going to have him. Tossing his biscuit aside Aiden flung himself at the other man, toppling them both over. He pressed a hungry kiss to Nick's lips and felt Nick stiffen.

Pulling away a bit Aiden built up his courage a moment before looking into Nick's gray eyes. What he saw there only made his own hunger that much greater. Nick's gray eyes were dark and smoky and full of passion. Nick let out a hungry growl, that growl that Aiden loved so much, and then he lunged for Aiden, flipping him onto his back and covering his body with his own.

"Are you sure?" Nick questioned with barely constrained hunger.

"Of course. I've been wanting you a long time."

"Why the hell didn't you say so?" Nick demanded as his nipped at Aiden's neck. "I've been dying for weeks but I didn't think you wanted me."

Aiden pushed his hips up and groaned while Nick growled as the proof of both of their desires rubbed together, "I think it's clear I want you, Nick."

Nick looked into his eyes, his vision clearing momentarily. He propped himself on his elbow and smoothed a bit of Aiden's hair from his brow, "I love you, Aiden, and it grows every single day. I can't watch you hurt anymore ... I know I have no right to ask you this but please come back to me."

"I'm right here," Aiden replied with confusion.

Nick shook his head, "I need you, Aiden. I need the smiles and the laughs and the awkward rambling. Please, don't let what they did take that away from you and from me. Be the amazing man that I fell in love with and don't let them steal your happiness because they don't deserve to win."

Aiden stared up at Nick with shock. As much as he wanted to argue and say that he was still the same person, he knew Nick was right. He'd closed himself off and clearly Nick had been suffering because of it... Aiden hadn't even noticed there was anything wrong with Nick but the pain in his eyes was clear to see now. Aiden couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before.

"I'm sorry, Nick. I love you and you know that."

"I know," Nick smiled and kissed him tenderly.

"Bring me back, Nick," Aiden pleaded as he looped his arms around Nick's neck and pulled his head down. Aiden's lips curved in the first real smile he'd felt in a long time, "I want to be happy again."

***

Aiden and Nick rode back onto the ranch just before six that evening. Nick felt lighter than he'd felt in months. Finally Aiden was smiling and that light was coming back to his eyes. Nick knew there would be bad days and that the nightmares would still plague him at times but for the first time Nick truly believed that Aiden was going to be okay.

"What's going on?" Aiden's voice brought Nick from his thoughts and he followed his gaze to see tables set up with food and the whole ranch, and even some folks from town, gathered around.

"I have no idea," Nick replied honestly. The two of them dismounted their horses and Frank smiled as he took the reins,

"I'll see to these horses for you both. I think that party there is for you."

Nick and Aiden shared a look of confusion and then headed toward the crowd. Nick felt his heart jump a bit when Aiden reached out and took his hand. He glanced down at the other man and smiled at the look of confusion on his handsome face.

"What's all this?" Aiden asked as they stopped in front of Elizabeth and Brody.

"It's cuz we love you, Aiden!" Lexi exclaimed as she ran forward and hugged him tight around his legs, "And we don't want you to be sad anymore!"

Nick saw Aiden swallow hard and he knew the man was fighting back tears as he patted Lexi's blond hair, "Thank you, Lexi. I love you all too," Aiden replied, his voice thick with emotion.

"You never did get that wedding dinner," Elizabeth added. "And around here we always look for any excuse to get together and eat."

"Don't worry," Brody assured them, "She didn't cook none of it."

Elizabeth glared at him, "I'm not that bad of a cook."

"You're not that good either, mama," Nathan shook his head and then he took a step back and hid behind Brody when Elizabeth turned her angry gaze on him.

"You know, Brody, there might just be a man that comes along one day who appreciates my cooking skills."

Brody nodded, "Might be."

"And let me guess, he'd be one more man for you to shoot right?"

"Nope."

Elizabeth snorted. "Well why not? You'd just let me go with him?"

"I reckon your first meal together would kill the man good enough. Ain't no need to waste one of my bullets."

Laughter erupted around them and it was clear that Elizabeth was fighting back a smile, "You haven't died from a meal yet."

Brody grinned and pulled her into his arms, "That's cuz I'm one hell of a man."

Cookie nodded, "According to him, he was in the war and he can eat anything. Why he's the perfect man for you, Miss Elizabeth."

"Well that's enough of that," Jacob shook his head as he stepped forward and addressed Nick and Aiden. "We wanted to give y'all a dinner to officially welcome you to the family and congratulate you on the marriage. So eat, drink and have some fun."

"Thank you, Jacob," Nick tipped his head and Jacob shrugged.

"Hell, I might not get it but it's pretty damn clear you love that man and he loves you and it's not my place to judge that. The way I see it everyone deserves a happy ever after and I think it's about time that y'all got yours. Don't you agree?"

Nick looked down at Aiden and felt his heart constrict when Aiden smiled up at him. His brown eyes were dancing and he looked so....happy. Nick nodded, "Yes I do, Jacob. Yes I do."