Hahahahaha three year hiatus, I know no one's probably going to read this, but since it's a work in progress, I thought I ought to finish it, even if just for me. If you are still around, give me a holler in the review box. Couple more chapters, rewatching the movie tonight so will hopefully come in quick succession.

"Is your hand supposed to hurt this much when you write?" Anna asked, shaking her hand out and smacking it against her leg.

"It makes sense when you're not used to using them that way. You'll get used to it."

"My handwriting is terrible. You learned how to shoot faster than this." Anna covered her face with her hands "I am terrible at this."

Albert stood behind her, massaging her shoulders. "You're getting better. And it doesn't matter if it takes you three days to write that letter, it will still take them just a few minutes to read it. And Louise says – "

"I know what Louise says. That doesn't mean this goddamned town is going to follow protocol."

"Well," he said, "our only option is to finish this up and hope that they go for it."

"It's not our only option," Anna said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Albert asked. "You want to go all Clinch and Louis on these people and just shoot everyone else who wants her?"

"I mean…"

"Anna. What other option is there? Genuine question. I have no idea what else you think would work."

"If I have to, I'll run. I'll stick her in front of me on the horse and go somewhere else."

"Anna, we can't leave. We have all the sheep, a house, we'd never be able to sell without people getting wind of what…" he trailed off. "Oh my God. I'm not necessarily a part of this plan, am I?"

Anna's eyes welled up. "Albert, you're the only good thing that's ever happened to me."

He dropped down on the couch next to her, grabbing both her hands. "Anna…"

"My life was near constant misery. At her age I was already being fucked by the most ruthless killer in the West, watched him kill countless innocent people, can't even count the number of times he had his hands around my neck, and it was by pure dumb luck I stumbled across you. What are Kace's odds? A hell of a lot worse than mine. I can't stand by and watch someone else enter into the same kind of situation I was in. Even if it means sacrificing my own happiness."

"Anna, there has to be another way. I know it's selfish, but…" he shook his head. "I can't lose you. This isn't how it's supposed to happen. We're supposed to die in our sleep at forty, laying next to each other, and everyone talking about how fitting it is that we would only go if we could go together. And then they'd bury us in the same casket holding hands, and…"

"You've thought this through a little too much."

"I'm sorry," he said. "But when you spend your entire life feeling unworthy of happiness and then you find it…you let yourself feel it, and believe in it, and then if it goes away…"

"You survived losing Louise."

"I wanted to kill myself after Louise. I would have, probably, if you hadn't shown up. Odds are San Francisco wouldn't have fixed my problems. But you know? If I'd met you first, I wouldn't have given Louise a second look. I survived losing her only because I found you." He paused, a catch in his throat. "I can't survive losing you, Anna. I know that."

"I don't want to lose you, either," she said. "Trust me. Even entertaining the idea of running off without you terrifies me."

"Well, you do have practice eluding death."

"It also terrifies me because I can't imagine spending another second of my life without you, okay? If I have to do it, I will. But that doesn't mean it's my last option."

Your last option, Albert thought, is staying here. But he knew his wife. He knew she'd stop at nothing to keep Kace safe.

And as much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, he admired her for that. If Anna just let Kace go off and be the child bride to a white man who viewed her as less human, she wouldn't be the woman he loved.

"Kace is asleep," Anna said.

"Really? It's in the middle of the day."

"Yeah. But she's asleep." Anna glanced toward their room. "You wanna?"

He grabbed her hand. "Always."

Anna giggled. "You're so predictable."

"Oh yeah? Well, now I don't wanna." He let go of her hand and crossed his arms playfully. "How about that?"

"Okay," Anna said, dropping back down on the couch.

"Fine." Albert headed for the door. "I'm going out to sheer the sheep."

He turned and looked at her. She looked back at him. His neutral face cracked into a grin at the same instant she burst out laughing.

"We suck at this game," he said. Anna laughed, getting up and grabbing his hand before pulling him into their room.