Hope's Heart

Chapter Twelve

A/N: Chapter Twelve is up! I have to tell y'all that this story is winding down and will probably be finished very soon. I hope you like this one :)

Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve

Hope got up early the next morning, sleep having managed to elude her for most of the night. Dressing herself and Maggie, she headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Nellie was already up, pouring some coffee into the cups of the lodgers who would later be coming downstairs. Luc sat in the corner, his injured arm still in the sling, drinking his own cup of coffee. He smiled at Hope and Maggie as they came in. "Morning."

"Morning." Hope smiled back.

"You got in pretty late last night," Nellie said. Her tone was innocent, but the look in her eyes told Hope she was eaten up with curiosity over how last night had gone.

The young woman flushed slightly. "Did Maggie go to bed alright?" she asked.

Nellie nodded. "Went down like a lamb. Sit down; I'll be servin' breakfast in a minute."

Hope gave a slight nod in response and lifted Maggie onto the bench, casting a quick look at Luc as she followed Nellie, the dark-haired man giving her a small grin as she passed.

Hope stifled a sigh. This was going to be a long day.

~

Angel was already at the shop when Hope got there a couple of hours later. She waited until Maggie was settled behind the counter with her doll and Hope had seated herself and begun work, and then the question came.

"Sooo....how was it?"

Hope glanced up. "How was what?" she hedged.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "You know what I mean! Come on, tell me!"

Hope couldn't hide a smile. "It was..." Nice didn't nearly cover it. "It was lovely." She could feel herself blushing. "Really lovely."

"Really?" Angel's hazel eyes danced. "Did...anything happen?"

"Angel!" Hope hissed, casting a quick glance in Maggie's direction. 

The other girl rolled her eyes. "I'm only asking!"

Hope sighed. "No, nothing happened. But I did enjoy myself, though. At first, I thought I wouldn't because of...a lot of things, but I'm glad I went now."

Angel smiled. "Good. I was wonderin' when you two were gonna stop dancin' around each--" 

Her words were cut off as the shop door opened and two men strode in. At the sight of them, Hope's blood froze, but she spoke calmly. "May I help you?"

The next minute, she was staring down the barrel of a gun. "You can start by comin' with us, little lady." 

~

"Calvin!"

The shout made Calvin turn from his conversation with Sven. His gaze focused on the man striding down the street and he frowned. "Jack? What do you want?"

The saloon owner strode up, his unkempt hair blowing in the morning breeze. "Got somethin' to tell ya."

Calvin straightened. "What's that?" There was no love lost between him and Jack, and the fact that the saloon owner was actually talking to him told Calvin that it must be serious.

"Remember those two guys you pulled off of Angel?"

The bounty hunter nodded.

"One of them was carryin' a sawed-off Winchester, like the ones they used in the war. Didn't really remember it until yesterday; when I saw these." He held out a couple of posters.