Miss Morgan

Forty

June 1899
-John-

We walk into the sheriff's office in Rhodes and Dutch introduces us to the sheriff and his deputy. "This is Bill, Arthur, you've met Ivy, and this is John. Boys, this is Mr.- oh, I'm so sorry, Sheriff Gray."

"How are you doin'?" The sheriff slurs at Arthur and nearly falls out of his chair. Jesus this is the man in charge of this town? This guy is hammered.

"Fine." Arthur grumbles.

"Tough business you boys had." The sheriff shouts.

"We did?" Arthur looks at Dutch who gives him a look.

"There's no need to pretend with me, sir. Life can be tough." The sheriff waves his hand around the air and Bill nods in agreement.

I notice Ivy's breathing getting louder and glance down at her. Her eyes are widened a bit and glazed over, looking straight ahead but it looks like she's not seeing the room around us. Her breathing is in short bursts and her mouth twitches slightly so often. It's the same look that was on her face when Cornwall's men tackled her in the street in Valentine.

I nudge Dutch, gesturing to her while the sheriff continues his drunken rampage with Arthur. He and Arthur watch her for a second and then the sheriff stumbles out the front door.

"Ivy?" I question, lightly shaking her.

"What the hell's wrong with her?" Bill asks.

"Doesn't matter, get her out of here, Marston." Arthur growls at me. "Before the sheriff comes back in."

I grab Ivy's arm and quickly pull her out the back door. I lead her around the side of the building and help her up onto Old Boy's back. I mount up and pull her hands around my waist. I get us to a spot outside of camp where there's a partially collapsed building.

I pull her down off the horse and set her on the stone wall. "Ivy?"

"Hmm...?" She mumbles.

"Ivy... look at me." I practically yell at her.

"Go to hell." She growls at me and her eyes darken. What the hell?

"Shit... Ivy, it's me, John." I shake her a little.

"No... this ain't real..." her breathing becomes ragged and she looks around in a panic.

"It's real, wake the hell up."

Her eyes look around a moment until they find mine. "John?" Her face softens.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" I notice her eyes focusing more and more on mine.

"What happened? Where are we?" She looks around.

"We were at the sheriff's office then you blanked out and I brought you here." I explain. "What the hell was that?"

"Where's Sean?" She looks around in a panic.

"I don't know, probably back at camp. Why you so concerned about Sean?" My heart sinks again thinking about how I caught them getting real close by the fire last night.

"No, no, no..." she whispers, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Shit, I'll go get him. Just calm down would ya?" I jump into the saddle and leave her at the ruined house. I probably shouldn't leave her alone but I'm so angry and confused as to why she's so close with him all of the sudden. I have no reason to be this jealous but it should be me she wants.

I find Sean standing watch on the edge of camp. "Sean, come on. Ivy needs you." I bark at him.

"Of course she does." He laughs.