Trouble showed up in the form of Shane Brody and his two brothers. They had always walked the shady side of the law. The man who became Todd was well aware of their reputation and despised them. When they rode into town looking for trouble, they borrowed more than they could pay back.

In the cantina where 'Todd' sat in the shadows, they began picking a fight with a young man who favored a girl who worked there. The Mexican had plenty of spirit, but no chance at all against three. 'Todd' stepped in, unwilling to see one more man die needlessly.

"We had a difference of opinion on how to treat women, and let's say I had to persuade them over to my way of thinking, but they didn't become believers willingly." Todd told me quietly. I understood. He went on.

They thought they had it all figured out, three against one, only this one man was worth ten such as they. The Brody brothers found that out too late. Jim Brody went for his gun and 'Todd' killed him with two quick shots. Throwing himself to one side, he came up firing, putting a slug through the second brother's side, a potentially fatal wound. Shane Brody realized his chips were down, and he chose not to cash in.

'Todd' had told them to clear out, and gave them two horses, one rifle with eight shots, and two canteens of water.

"I see you south of the Rio Grande again I'll put you underground with that one," he indicated the dead man on the floor.

"You'll regret this mister," threatened Brody, but 'Todd' only shrugged.

"Not if I see you first," he replied casually. "Get moving before you become an only child,"

"What happened then?" I asked, engrossed and caught up in the account.

Todd looked at me quietly for a moment then shook his head.

"I stayed a while longer in that little village, but the peace had been broken, death had found me, and I got restless. When I finally rode out, I left behind all that I was, even my name, and took a new one wanting to start over. I came across a fresh grave on the way to the border, figured the second brother died before they made the next settlement. Shane Brody kept goin' north, and you'll never guess where he ended up."

My eyes widened as I understood.

"He lives in that town!"

"He runs that place, Lilli, and the law, such as it is, is in his pocket. He took one look at me and knew exactly who I was." Todd rubbed a hardened hand across his jaw. "It's been nigh on fifteen years, and he made me as soon as I walked in the room.

"There was a man at the bar, troublemaker written all over him, but I kept my distance and just ordered a drink. This man walks over and insists he buy it for me, but I wanted nothing of his like and refused. He blew it out of proportion and began to bait me for a fight. I tried to walk away, really I did, but he called me out, namin' me a coward and a murderer from Mexico. A man can't have a life in this country with words like that left unchallenged, so I turned around. He reached for his gun and I shot him.

"It was fair, but I'd been herded and branded before I knew it. Brody claimed it was murder, that the man was drunk and didn't know what he was sayin'. The whole room backed him and I was bundled off to jail and left for the lynchin', only I wasn't in mind to accept such hospitality."

"It won't stand Coop," I said firmly. "I'll not have anyone come here hunting trouble, especially with the man I'm going to marry. If death is what they want, I suggest they check out the cemetery I'm setting up just for their like,"

"I heard you pegged two Indians yourself. Impressive for a woman who claims she can't shoot straight." He arched a brow at me as he smiled.

"I was luckier than I had any right to be."

"Lorelei Stone, you are perfect, just the way you are," Coop's voice had gone low and warm, sending a flush through my veins.

"Cooper, I don't want to lose you," having him back after thinking him dead made me tremble with anxiety. What if something happened to him?

"I'm not goin' anywhere, Lilli, I'll not leave your side again, come what may."

I closed my eyes as he kissed me again, wrapping my arm around his neck to pull him close. He kissed me a long while, lingering on my lips as one lingers in the shade on a hot day, reluctant to move. We were still locked together when a soft knock sounded on the door and a man cleared his throat. Cooper broke away from me and sat up as Frank came in, somewhat bashful but also suspicious. He eyed Cooper as he came to my bedside.

"Now that you're awake Ross and his boys are pullin' out. We've a good bit of grub, an' we're leavin' behind some for you. There's beans and bacon, coffee, sugar, corn and flour, though not so much as you deserve." He smiled tenderly at me, putting a calloused hand on my shoulder. "It does a heart good to see you, Lilli girl, it surely does."

"You're really leaving, Frank?" My heart dropped a little as I'd hoped he'd stay.

"I got travel in my blood child, I'm not one to put down roots, but Jinx asked to stay behind, to help out a bit, if'n that's alright with you." He kept his eyes on me, ignoring Coop.

"Tell Jinx that's fine with me, but unnecessary. He's done so much for me already,"

"He's ain't a wanderer anyhow, more of a man who likes peace an' quiet. He'll be a good one to have on hand." Frank assured me. "Ross is impressed with your setup here, says we could use more places like this scattered across the country in likely places."

"Places for outlaws to hide from the law?" I smiled as I said it. "Yes, I can see how he would think that useful; tell him to try a canyon southeast of here, near the mouth of the Dirty Devil River."

Frank arched a brow then grinned at me as he leaned down to kiss my brow.

"Please come back and see me, Frank," I put a hand on his arm and smiled into his eyes. "I have so little family; I'd not like to lose touch with anyone."

"Can't say when I'll be back this way-"

"Then learn to write," I snapped gently. "So I know how you are."

"I'll try to come see you," His smile was mischievous as he put on his hat. "You watch yourself, Lilli Stone." Turning toward Cooper, he gestured towards the door. "A word, mister?"

I swallowed a smile at Coop's expression as Frank ushered him from my bedroom, closing the door. Frank Gin was not a passive man, and in his heyday had been impressively formidable, with all the protective instincts of a grizzly bear. Cooper was about to get the 'watch your step or I'll trim your ears' talk. I'd heard him give it once before, although it had not been for my honor.

When the door opened again, Jinx slipped inside, a wide grin on his face.

"I don't know what Gin is tellin' that gent, but it looks mighty serious."

"Cooper Todd is a good man, but Frank doesn't know him, and wants to ensure he'll care for me properly."

Jinx's brows went up then he chuckled.

"I shoulda figured you'd be marryin' that one, the way he carried on when he got here."

"Was he really so difficult?" I asked, smiling a little, but serious.

"Ma'am, if there hadn't been five to one, we'd all be six feet under right now." Though kind, Jinx wasn't kidding.

"I suppose I'm grateful that Coop's such a reasonable man then," I agreed slowly. "He knows not to buck a stacked deck."

"You don't mind me stayin on, ma'am?"

"Call me Lilli, and no, I don't mind at all, so long as you don't mind sharing rooming with Mister Todd. He intends to stay here until the wedding."

"Well then, I can keep an eye on the two of you." Jinx smiled at me and nodded his head. "I'll leave you to rest Miss Lilli, get as much as you can, and stay off that leg, doctor's orders."

"Yessir," I answered, watching until the door closed behind him.

Smiling a little, I nestled back into the mattress, warm but somewhat uncomfortable. My leg hurt terribly, my shoulder ached a bit, and I could feel the stitches in my face, but I was alive. Cooper had come back. Wounds healed and pain faded, so all in all, there was little to complain about. I was feeling hopeful of the future.

It never occurred to me to ask Coop if he'd met Ranse during the war, and when the thought did come to me much later, it no longer mattered.

~~~

The sun was incredibly hot. Sweat dripped steadily down my ribs and spine as I lay nestled among the boulders. Jinx, Coop and I had been dug in up here at the rim for the past five hours, since just after breakfast. We'd wanted to scout the area and hunt some game but Blackfoot warriors were waiting for us. When the shooting started we split up and jumped our horses into cover.

Jinx was out in front, so he was off down the trail, bedded down in the scrub brush and boulders, and had a good view of what lay below us. Coop was to my left and less than twenty feet away, but isolated in a shallow dip in the slope, with only two large boulders for cover, one just ahead of him, and one to the side. His horse had scrambled back over the rim into the valley.

I was just off the trail itself, directly on the rim, amid a jumble of rocks and brush. We had no shade, though we had each thought to grab our canteens as we leapt from the horses for cover.

Taking a small amount of water in my mouth, I held it as I glanced around, letting my eyes roam the landscape. There were too many places that offered good cover out there. A skilled Indian could creep up upon us, and we'd not know he was there until it was too late. That thought worried and depressed me.

Setting the canteen down, my knuckles grazed across a flat-topped rock. Jerking back I cried out as the heated stone burned my skin and instantly bit my tongue. Too late.

Bullets spattered the boulders around me. Head low, I grabbed my canteen and scurried farther into the remains of the ancient slide. From somewhere, or someone, they'd gotten a hold of more rifles. The Indians seemed to have plenty of ammunition at the moment. They were hoping to bounce a bullet off a boulder through me, as I never came in the open.

Jinx opened fire, a second later Coop's rifle joining in, then all was quiet. I checked my rifle, and wiped my palms dry on my dress. I'd seen nothing, so there'd be no point in wasting bullets.

I'd spent the winter in rehabilitation, Jinx keeping me on complete bed rest for nearly three months. Cooper kindly but firmly enforced the order. Though I'd been almost mad with boredom, I ended up being thankful. My first steps on my own were mostly pain free. I walked with a slight limp but had full use of my leg.

The scar on my face had healed well, though not quite as thin as I wanted. As I had told myself months ago, wounds heal, and pain goes away eventually. It was just a scar, and I wasn't that pretty to begin with. Small loss.

Coop and I had married only two months ago, a private and quiet ceremony right here in Blue Water, with Jinx as witness. An obliging parson traveling northward had spoken for us. It was the heat of summer now, and we'd fought off four Indian attacks since then. Behind me, the hillside was cleared out for graves, boasting eight stones already. Each stone marked the grave of an Indian that had bought more trouble than he bargained for.

We chose that spot on purpose. It was immediately visible to all who came into Blue Water, a sober warning for those who'd seek trouble. My musings were interrupted by a subtle waving of leaves where there was no breeze.

Settling on my stomach I propped the Colt's twenty-one-inch barrel on a rock in front of me and took sight. Taking up the slack on the trigger, I waited. Long moments ticked by but I stayed still, certain a Blackfoot was making a try for Coop. Though looking straight ahead, I let myself take in everything around me, knowing a person usually spotted movement he wasn't looking directly at. My skin started to burn as I lay in the sun, salt stinging my eyes as sweat dripped into them. There!

Shifting slightly, I gently squeezed the trigger, the report echoing in my ears. Pulling the hammer I immediately shifted a little more to fire again. Answering bullets screamed off the rocks around me as the Indians tried to pin down my location. Pressing in against the dust, I stayed low and still. They could not see me, so were guessing where my shots came from. The way I figured it, there was no need to help them.

Jinx's rifle spoke in four distinct shots, and from somewhere down the slope was a thin cry. Coop opened up, the rocks echoing with thunder as rifles barked. Shifted a little to peek slowly around the flat edge of a boulder, I saw distant flashes of horses moving away. Jinx called out to us.

"They've had enough! They're pullin' out!"

"Stay your place!" this came from Cooper. "An injured Indian is worse than a live one! Don't show yourself 'til you're sure."

Long minutes went by and the sun seemed to gather strength. Oppressive heat waves shimmered in the distance, making the ground look like long stretches of cool water. That made my thirst blossom and glancing around for my canteen I gasped. It lay against my side, but the ground was soaked with the water, a hole right through the side of it. If I'd not kept it with me, that bullet would have punched right through me. I would have died in minutes. Like Ma. Suddenly cold, I realized just how close death had come to me.

"Lilli, you alright?" Coop called lightly to me, his voice barely carrying the short distance between us.

"Yes," my voice didn't shake, but my husband picked up on the thinness of my tone.

"You hit?" his words was sharp with worry and I heard him start to move.

"No!" it was a loud cry, to stop him from coming into the open. "Coop, no, I'm alright!"

Our last skirmish with the Crow Indians had left us the victors, but Jinx had almost been shot down by coming out too soon. A dying Indian had taken a shot at him, missing him by inches. It'd been a reminder not to be reckless.