His Savior, Her Hero (A Tim Gutterson Story)

A Taste of the Bennetts

"Rough day?" Art asked the sniper with a knowing and teasing smile.

Tim sat in a chair and sighed, "You have no idea."

The chief picked up the stress ball on his desk, playing with it for a moment, "You gonna tell her?"

"I have to."

"Tim," Art sighed as he sat down. "Let me tell you something about Harper that you seem to not know yet. It's okay to keep secrets. She hasn't told you everything. You wouldn't know half of what you know if you hadn't read her file. Hell, you probably would have left her after she nearly died the first time."

"Harper doesn't need someone who keeps secrets from her."

Tim hadn't realized the severity of his words until he saw Art's grin. He didn't try to explain himself. He meant what he said.

The door swung open, "Donavan's been with the goddamn Bennetts this whole time?!"

Harper had tears running down her red face, her lips quivering in anger.

"We just found out," Art told her.

She nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes, "I know."

"Go home and get some rest. As soon as you're able to shoot a gun, I'm sending you to Bennett county," Art said with a teasing smirk. Before she could argue, he made the situation a bit worse, "Don't worry. Raylan will be with you."

Tim hadn't expected that much anger to come from his small girlfriend. She was still livid when they got in the car.

"Baby, is it the Bennetts or that Donavan's alive that's got you upset?"

"The Bennetts," she spat as she sniffled, glaring out the window. "Of all the people to beg for help, he goes to the goddamn Bennetts."

"I don't know who they are," Tim said.

She sighed, "Bennett county is...a gray area. Neil's going to be pissed when he hears about it." Looking at Tim, she told him what seemed to be the problem, "Neil's step-sister married into the Bennetts for the drug trade. Our strictly mercenary family stepped out of line, and now, the Bennetts are untouchable."

"They can't be killed?"

"Not by a Delaney."

"What about you?"

She looked at him, "Not until Donavan's dead, and since he's taken refuge with the Bennetts, my hands are tied."

Tim frowned. He couldn't go to Bennett with Raylan. Raylan clearly had history with the family and he would be going in blind. He needed Harper's backup.

"There's nothing we can do?" He asked.

"My out is marriage or a kid," she said as she stared out the window.

Tim felt his heart sink. That was cruel. He couldn't do that to her.

Even though he had said he was completely fine with having a child with the woman, he had seen too many marriages fall apart. There was always something, a lack of communication, lack of money, lack of sex, or someone was cheating. Abuse usually started after any of those reasons. He had seen it first hand with his own family.

The entire ride was silent. Harper was furious, her thoughts racing on how to fix the messed up situation while Tim tried to figure out if he wanted to marry Harper. The thought felt so final, even though he knew he would never leave her. He loved her. She meant everything to him.

When they got to the house, Harper got out of the SUV while Tim stayed.

"You okay?" She asked.

She had no idea what was tearing him apart. What she said shook him to the core, and she seemed to not understand that. Was marriage that far from her mind that even discussing it with him had seemed ridiculous?