These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

51.

so sorry that this hasn't been updated in an age. i've been busy with work and all sorts

**

"It's been too long." 

I looked up from where I was attempting to sew a hole in his pants that got ripped during the fight with Troy, seeing him pacing back and forth in the small bunkhouse. 

"Nick, please, stop. You're distracting me."

"She's been gone for two days, Taylor." he said, shaking his head, "She...he's hurt her." 

"No," I shook my head, put my things down and stood up, "Nick, listen to me. Your mom is tough, tougher than anyone I have ever met. If Troy tries anything, she'll put him in his place. Okay? You need to relax." 

Nick nodded and I smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek. 

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting up with Jeremiah?" I asked, moving to grab the gun that he had put under our pillow the night before, pointing it at the opposite wall, "Getting some gun training?" 

He yanked it from my hand and stuck it in his back pocket, "It's not a toy." 

"I know that." 

He sighed and grabbed his jacket, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Okay," I whispered, smiling when he came to give me a kiss, "Try not to worry. It doesn't look good on you." 

"I will," he promised, giving me a small wave as he went out the door and I went back to trying to patch up his pants. 

He was right though. Maddie and the others were due back ages ago but I wasn't going to let Nick see that I was worried. That'd just stress him out even more than he already was. 

Once I finally managed to do an acceptable job, I grabbed a sweater and made my way up to where the target practice area was set up, taking a seat on the grass so I could watch Nick practice.

He gave me a nod when he saw me watching and turned back to listen to what Jeremiah was telling him and lined up his shot. 

As he fired off a couple of rounds, I could see figures slowly making their way towards the ranch and I picked up the binoculars that were on a crate beside me. 

"Oh my god," I whispered, "Nick. Nick, that's your mom." 

I scrambled up from the grass and took off towards the gate, yelling for those who were manning it to open it. 

They were all limping and Troy was waving to his dad while I, along with other concerned family and friends, rushed by to get help our loved ones. 

"Maddie," I breathed, catching her as she stumbled forward and Nick appeared beside me to help gently lower her to the ground and I let out a shaky breath when I saw that they were all without boots, their socks were cut to hell and bleeding. 

"Mom," Alicia called worriedly, crouching down beside us and she handed her mom the water flask she was carrying while I attempted to examine her feet, which was impossible. 

"What the hell happened?" Jeremiah asked, looking at Troy.

"Maybe we should talk in private." 

"How's it looking?" Alicia asked, "Is it bad?" 

"I don't know," I murmured, "I can-sorry, Maddie. There's a lot of blood and I'm willing to bet that there's a whole lot of other things embedded in the soles too. We should get her back to the bunkhouse and get them cleaned." 

"What happened?" Vern asked, "We all have a right to know what went down out there. We gotta know how to defend ourselves." 

"It's Indians," his son said quietly, standing up with the help of his parents, "They slaughtered them. Slaughtered all of them."