The Stallion

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own the Magnificent Seven.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4 – Elizabeth

Leaving Emma and Autumn was hard but Elizabeth knew if the situation was going to get any better back home she had to continue forward. Joshua and Teddy rode hard until they couldn't any more. The trio set up camp for the night, around a cluster of Joshua trees. Teddy was sent out to look for firewood.

When Joshua and Elizabeth were alone, Elizabeth noticed her pulse quicken as though something was about to happen. She turned quickly to alert Joshua but he was already right behind her. The thing she sensed was him. Elizabeth took a deep shaky breath and let it out slowly.

"You scared me," she told him, "I thought something was sneaking up on the camp."

"It's ok little stallion no one is going to get to you while I'm around." He tells her slipping her into his arms in a reassuring hug. Elizabeth continues breathing deeply absorbing the smell that was distinctly him, whiskey, sweat, and a sweet musk.

"I guess I am a little jumpy after..." she trailed off her eyes looking haunted. Joshua used his hand to push her chin up to look at him.

"What happened? You were here one minute and then your mind went off to somewhere else. What happened in Rose Creek? It seems like more than just your brother being murdered that's got you scared." He tells her.

"Your very perceptive," she tells him looking away stepping out of his touch. "I don't think you would like me as much if you knew what happened to me there." Elizabeth refuses to meet his eyes. Joshua goes to sit and pats the spot next to him in a motion that she should come sit down next to him, which she does albeit reluctantly.

"You can tell me or you don't have to," he says removing his heavy coat and placing it around her thin shoulders.

Elizabeth takes a deep breath and begins to tell him the story, everything. She told him about her brother being murdered, her being kidnapped, even her almost rape at the hands of Bogue. Then she told him the thoughts she had, had since that night. Elizabeth told him that if Bogue ever took her again she would kill herself. She would have no part in his games.

Elizabeth kept her head down while telling her tale, and when she finally looked up she didn't see what she was expecting. Joshua was calm, the redness leaving his cheeks from his previous anger. The twig he had been holding was crushed into dust. Joshua turned to face her completely, "I never want you to think that is an option," he tells her placing his cool hands on her tear stained cheeks, "I don't think I could live in a world where someone as beautiful as you is no longer in it."

Elizabeth's heart began to beat out of her chest, "why would you say that? You barely know me. And now you know that I'm broken goods." She tells him rising to her feet, walking towards the Joshua tree. Joshua stood quickly and followed her turning her around to face him.

"While that may be true, and I know we haven't known each other long. I have seen you. I have seen the brave woman who would try to save me from bandits, the woman who would leave her security to climb on a horse with a man she hardly knew. I know you feel it too. When we touch it's like dynamite, you make me explode. I don't know what this is between us, and I don't want to push you after what you told me. But, I want you to know this, I don't care what happens to me but as long as I am alive you will never go back with that son of a bitch. I will kill him before I ever let that happen. You have my word." Joshua finishes looking at her in his arms.

Elizabeth couldn't help the pull that made them move closer together, she couldn't keep her eyes off his mouth. It was something they both wanted. Closer, and closer until there was almost no space between them. Teddy came barreling through the trees and threw down the logs making the two of them jump apart. Teddy looked between the two noticing he had clearly interrupted something, and tried to apologize but Elizabeth held up her hand silencing him. She turned and got under her blankets, closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Joshua doing the same. Teddy finished lighting the fire, and decided to take the first watch for the night.

Several Hours Later

Elizabeth woke with a rush, the nightmare of Bogue and his wondering hands and mouth plagued her to the core. She raised her head, and noticed that the other two men were fast asleep. Elizabeth knew she would never get back to sleep and decided to take watch of the camp. Grabbing her gun she stood and noticed Joshua's eyes on her.

"Oh Joshua, you scared me again! I thought you were asleep." She whispered harshly to him.

"I woke up when you did, you were shouting. I guess your buddy Teddy over there is a heavy sleeper." He tells her sitting up against a rock.

"Oh..." she looks away embarrassed, "I...well I...was having a nightmare about... him again. I get them all the time now."

"I know, and every time you get them I wake up. We have been traveling together for three days you know." He smirks at her.

"Well, I don't know what to do about it," She tells him.

"Well I have an idea, how about you come over here and sleep next to me, and I can keep an eye on you and the camp for a few hours, and then I'll wake you up and you can do the same for me."

Elizabeth knew it wouldn't be proper to sleep next to a man who was not her husband but the lack of sleep had keeping her up at night and she had not had a good rest in the week since it happened.

"Ok," she tells him grabbing her blanket and knapsack and throwing it down next to his. Elizabeth hands him the rifle and when she sits down he pulls her into his chest. She lays her head down and breaths deeply, feeling safe for the first time in a week. The last thing she feels before the darkness takes her is the feeling of his lips pressing firmly to her head, and she falls asleep with a smile on her face.