Author's Note: Please keep in mind that this chapter has not been rewritten yet. I feel that I should place this warning that I do believe it is quite obvious the change in my writing style since this final chapter. At the moment I have been working on getting these first few chapters rewritten up to par so as not to have such an embarrassing reminder around. As soon as I'm finished with the rewrites then I will continue with the story. Besides, can't quite now. It's been far too long.

Chapter 2: An Ordinary Life

There's a kind of rhythm that comes from working all day everyday for several weeks in a row, albeit it a tiring one, but a rhythm no less. I had aches in my muscles that could probably win prizes, and a pain in my head that could at least keep me in bed for several days, but leaving chores undone would have warranted an attack from many.

Understand this: I did my share of the work, but some things were still "accidentally" overlooked.

Instead of doing the things I was assigned, in the weeks following my arrival I spent most of my time learning about the people in which I would be living with. Since I had never met any of them before each time I looked at one of them carefully there was something else that I noticed.

I quickly learned that Jet wasn't nearly as tough as he pretended to be. Beneath his, I'm in charge so listen to me exterior that he always wore around us hands, he truly cared about others. The only thing that surpassed his loyalty was his uncanny ability to notice when anybody had even touched his beloved Bonzai Trees.

Apparently I wasn't the only one to ever wonder about the origins of Jet's mechanical arm. Stories of its creation were soon being woven. Most of which included him losing the original while crawling into an abandoned mineshaft to rescue a lost calf. It had become a ritual that on every Wednesday evening, we would gather in the den, and create a tale of the man's noble deeds. Some stories were too outlandish.

The most ridiculous tale was that it was taken by beings from the future that rode the air in ships much different from our shuttles called zip crafts. They flew into the sky to return to their home somewhere in the stars, called Gan-Eh-Made. But of course I never believed it, since the nearest town was a city by the name Ganyemede. The Black Dog, as most everyone had come to call Jet, didn't mind the stories at all. In fact, he usually joined the workers to hear what great deed he had done this week.

I guess I hadn't really expected to see the "mentally disabled" child again. Most importantly, I didn't expect to learn that she was actually highly intelligent, just….weird. Edward Wong Pepsi Howdy…ah hell, it's not like I could remember her entire name. I just settled for Ed or "Hey kid!"

I'll stop rambling now.

It's kind of hard to find the words to describe her. She was a computer whiz, the secret behind keeping the ranch together. Only a select few were privileged to know that she was actually the one who kept the ranch up to date. I only knew because I walked into the dining room at the wrong time.

Then there was Spike, an agent for the devil himself. A seemingly heartless man, at least towards me, that only worked when Jet was nearby or those jobs that he claimed were actually worthy of his attention. He lived for the challenge of something new and difficult. If it was a simple task, he'd simply skip it, and I'd be stuck with the fault when it was discovered unfinished. Besides, no matter what I did right or wrong, it always seemed to merit criticism from him.

And looking back, the criticism was the penetration mark . . .

It was one of those days when I had finished work early, and planned to prove myself once and for all, but of course you know how those things usually go. Usually the heroine just struts up to an obstacle and beats it down with whatever object nearby, but this was exactly the opposite.

I had been sifting through the supplies in the barn when the sound of hooves could be heard beating a path through dirt. Mentally I was pleading for it to be Jet, but the voice proved otherwise. "What are you doing?"

Ignoring him, I had continued lifting objects, most of which I recognized, but I inspected each one as though it was the first time I had ever laid eyes on one. "It's called a brush."

A glare was sent his way. "I know that."

He leaned forward in the saddle; the bay gelding nickered below him as though it had understood the joke. It was a beautiful creature, with such unyielding reddish brown. "Doesn't look like it to me, or you've been neglecting yours."

"Go manicure your nails or something!" I turned to face him fully, his long legs unwinding themselves from the saddle.

Of course he folded his hands, inspecting his nails with a haughty smile. "Already have."

I ignored the mocking grin that followed, and stood, head held high in defiance as I strode passed him, pausing long enough deliver the rage that I was attempting to channel into my eyes. I was about to turn nuclear.

Approaching his horse, I held a hand upturned towards his nose, the other slowly coming to rest on his neck. "What's his name?"

Another self-righteous smile lit the demon's face. "Swordfish II."

I knew it was a joke. "Why would you name your horse Swordfish II?"

He actually had the gall to give me a look as though I were the strange one. "Because I already had a Swordfish."

Forgive me women of the world, but I was about to turn positively postal. He was too much. "You can't be serious."

"Why not?" I ignored him, my fingers traced along the saddle. "Don't"

I smiled innocently. "Don't what?" Gripping the pommel, I pulled, one leg finding its way into a stirrup, as I mounted Swordfish.

"Faye, get off!" He was standing near-side, his fingers underneath the bridle.

Determined to ride the animal beneath me, I had tugged at the reins. "Let go!"

"No! Get off!" His other hand was reaching for the reins, but I jerked away. "He's got a vice towards-"

The rest of his words had been lost as the bay shied away. The stomping of his forelegs on the ground was accompanied by a shrill squeal. Spike and I had both hurried to try and calm him.

It had been a hopeless task.

The bay had reared onto his hind legs. I remember trying to lean forward to keep balance, and hold tight to the reins, but the leathers had slipped from my fingers and then there was a rush of air around me.

The ground had met my backside with a strong slap of pain, and I laid there staring up at the blue sky.

"Woah! Easy boy."

I forced myself to sit up. The barn and world around spun in a drunken dance. "I'm okay." I had pressed my hands to the sides of my face, hoping to shake the world into a stop. "Thanks for asking."

Two jean clad pair of legs had shifted in front of me. "I warned you."

The ground spun beneath my legs as I lifted myself. "You didn't warn, you fussed!"

His eyes flashed as he came to hover above me, but I wasn't going to back down. I had met his gaze eye for eye and found myself straitening to add to my height and angry appearance. "You can't be serious about staying here."

Hell with trying to hold most of my anger back. "What's that suppose to mean? I was invited here! That means someone actually wanted me here, unlike somebody!"

He laughed in my face, his voice pulled with sarcasm. "And your mother was so distraught about leaving you." Noticing my confusion, Spike continued. "You do realize that she had to beg Jet to let you come here."

"That's not true!" I could feel my fingers twitching to slap the smirk from his face. "The only one who had to beg to come here was you!"

He didn't answer, his eyes concentrating on something behind me. Of course I had just stood there, everything in me aching to continue arguing, but he stepped away, Swordfish and my crime forgotten.

"It's not like you've never been thrown off before!" I called after him, hoping to rekindle the squabble so that I might defend my honor.

He didn't answer, and I stood there gaping at him, gaping at something beside the paddock's fence, where many of the hands had gathered.

It was the first time I saw her.

Swordfish II snorted, his head shaking the mane along his neck into disarray. "Jealous?" I glanced at him, rubbing his neck softly.

She was beautiful and delicate, but demanding and strong. Her golden hair caught the sun like newly bloomed marigolds in spring, and her full red lips tilted upward into a shy smile.

"I don't see what the fuss is about? I guess she's pretty, in a washed-out soft of way, but nothing at all special. Just ordinary."

She was ordinary. Her slender figure wasn't as striking as mine, but enchanting in a simple way. She wasn't graceful, but her movement was fluid. She was perfect. She was a beautiful ordinary.

So she was the Julia that everyone had spoken of. She was the angel that appeared every Tuesday with a pitcher of lemonade for the boys. I had heard that she was with Spike's friend Vicious, but I caught the hidden smiles and innocent gestures. They were secrets that all women had learned, but her silver haired lover didn't notice.

The men huddled around her, each speaking out of turn to earn her attention and suddenly I found myself like any hot blooded woman, longing for the looks she was receiving from any man.

Her loose blue shirt and gray pants seemed so perfect to my stained yellow tank that barely reached my navel. Suddenly, I despised my mud covered jeans and face, and found myself agreeing with Spike that I had neglected my hair that was now matted and falling from its clasp while hers was merely a breath short from perfect.

It was at that moment that I realized the truth. Men fought for her eternal affections. They only fought for my bed.

My head pressed against the gelding, as I continued to rub him. As though in understanding, he nuzzled me, nose pushing me to face him. "You'll have me, huh?" I hugged him, eyes finding their way back to the angel, and the silver haired man who was now eyeing Spike suspiciously.

I didn't know it then, but something was going to happen on that ranch, something that would change all of our lives.

We'd gone to the county auction one evening after our chores were done.

It was a lively place that was overly crowded and loud. And I loved it. Trailers were parked everywhere their owners scattered amongst the small holding pens outside the arena, with the scent of manure and sweat lingering in the air around it.

"We're here to sell cattle, nothing more." Jet glanced between me and the demon, never once laying eyes on Ed.

Spike shrugged indifferently, and then strolled off into the crowd with his hands thrust into his pockets.

"That means no buying." Of course Jet was now speaking to me only. I was slightly offended that he assumed I would be the one to do something reckless. Just like a man to assume things.

I lit a cigarette. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry so much. It's giving you wrinkles." He mumbled something in return, but I was already too far away to hear. Unfortunately I hadn't got far enough away to escape the other who began calling for me.

"Faye-Faye! Faye-Faye wait up!"

Weaving between the men and women, I continued, hoping the girl would lose sight of me.

"Faye-Faye! Edward wants to come too!"

My mind reprimanded me for not stopping, and I tried to suppress the urge to stop, but my legs slowed disobediently. I had paused, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air with annoyance. "Hurry up then."

"Yay! Faye-Faye and Edward will explore!" The girl moved beside me, flinging her arms and legs in front of her, over exaggeratingly, and I had already begun to mentally kick myself for waiting.

A bark behind us had her bellowing something different. "And Ein will come?"

"Yeah." I huffed at my cigarette, as though it would release me from my captors. "Ein can come too."

"Alright!" And that was how my evening was decided; me, the kid, and the damn mutt.

People were scattered everywhere, and sometimes we found it difficult to move without bumping into someone. So with each bump to my leg, or unmentionables, I found myself glaring at the men around me, unable to determine if it was truly accidental. Most of the men just grinned, and leered suggestively at me.

And of course I wasn't the type to ignore it and just walk away. I was not my mother's child. "What the hell do you think you're smiling at?"

When he only dropped his eyes south of the border, I opened my dictionary, creating several new insults. "You bastard son of a dickless transvestite whore!"

Of course the man blinked at my words before filtering into the crowd without so much as a snappy comeback, while Ed stood below me awing at my choice of words. "Transvestite wh-"

I clamped my hand over her mouth. Kids these days really had developed nasty tongues.

"ARMPH!"

And nasty manners!

She bit me!

Whatever happened to the days in which everyone spoke cleanly, and didn't hurt other people?

I jerked my hand from within the girl's mouth and whacked it across the back of her head. "Don't do that, okay?"

Two gold coins twinkled up at me. "Ai-ai Faye-Faye!"

After a few hands of cards near one of the holding pens, we finally entered the arena. For a county auction, there seemed to be a lot of people there.

My eyes scanned the seats for Jet. I wasn't about to sit alone with the dirty mouthed kid and the lonesome cowboys.

Ed dashed ahead of me, turning into an aisle and bounding across the men and women sitting there. I had followed her, smiling innocently at the rugged men, so that they'd stand to let me pass.

"What are you doing?" Jet was eyeing me suspiciously, cardboard bidding sign in hand.

I glared at him. "Just thought I'd join you." Just like a man to be suspicious.

"Alright amigos!" The arena grew silent as two figures appeared in the showing circle. "It's time to get started!" The dark skinned man looked like an escaped rodeo clown. He was dressed in full cowboy apparel including the chaps. I found myself staring at the man as though he were lunatic. Outside of a rodeo, no one dressed as he was. "The Maricopa county auction "Big Shot" is now ready for bids!"

The crowd cheered as his blond female partner who was wearing a similar outfit, smiled hands clasped together. "Oh Punch! We've got lots of studs this evening…" She wiggled her hips in abuse of the feminine wiles. "And some horses too!"

My mental draw dropped at the joke, while strangely, the people around me laughed.

"That's right Judy. We've got some of the finest."

Her bottom lip folded out, while her hands propped on her hips. "Well don't just tease me. What's first?"

Giving Jet a sidelong wave, I returned to my feet. "I'll be back in a few okay?"

"Fine." He said dismissively.

I found myself back outside in the cool night air, surrounded by a group of men. I smiled. I blushed. I giggled at their jokes. I even played shy on certain topics. I did all the things that women have done for attention throughout history, and it was all fake. I needed to feel desirable again.

A dark cloud lowered. "Don't let the innocent face fool you boys." I hated that man. "She's actually a shrew."

"Go away, Spike" I didn't even bother facing him, until a soft voice reprimanded him.

"Now that wasn't a nice thing to say." Julia.

I spun to face her; I had to see up close, this particular brand of beauty, wit, and charm that was labeled . . . Julia.

She smiled at me, and then walked away hand in hand with Spike, into the heart of the auction.

The men that had been entrapped by me were now beginning to sift away after the angel. The floppy sleeved shirt that only reached her navel was the same as the pale blue that I wore, and somehow it was more striking on her, but she wasn't anything special. So why did all the men love her?

I had been left alone amongst the crowd.

I needed a cigarette.

The inside of the auction had grown even more crowded since I had left, and once again I was shuffling through a cramped aisle.

Jet handed me his bidding sign the moment I felt the comfort of the chair beneath me. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom. Just hold it. Don't bid on anything."

A growl was his only answer.

"Faye-Faye!"

"What?" I slumped in the seat, too tired to even ignore Ed.

She climbed into the seat next me. "Are Faye-Faye and Jet-person playing musical chairs?"

"Yes we're playing musical chairs."

"Can Ed play too?"

"Sure." I said blowing smoke from my nose.

Ed leapt to her feet, and paraded down the aisle, in which many annoyed grunts soon began emitting from.

Something caught my eye down on the bidding floor.

A dusty buckskin Morgan mare was about to be bid on.

She was beautiful. Deep blackish points and a dusty tan connecting the rest.

I had to have her.

Each time the price was raised, so did Jet's sign numbered 43.

I hadn't even realized that Spike and Julia were seated on the row behind me until the demon cowboy leaned forward and warned me. "Jet will have your head for this."

The sign was raised anyways, and a deep voice boomed my name from the left. Seconds later Jet was beside me. "What are you doing!"

"Take it out of my pay." The sign popped up again.

"You're damn right I'll take it out of you're pay!"

Up again.

"You already owe me for the boots!"

Up again. "I'll pay you back."

"You're already in debt."

"Yeehaw!" Punch threw a hand in the air. "SOLD to the lovely lady in blue!"

After the auction had ended and the crowd loaded their trailers for the trip home, I finally was united with my purchase.

I had ridden horses only a few times before coming to the ranch, let alone owned my own mare.

She was beautiful, and I was young.

"You couldn't even ride Swordfish," Spike was propped against the trailer, amusement clearly written on his face. "What makes you think you can ride her?"

I smiled running my hands along the side of the animal. "I can learn."

Edward was seated behind me on the ground with Ein. "What's Faye-Faye gonna name her?"

A quick glance to the excited red head and a pat to the mare's withers were given before I finally spoke. "Redtail."

"What?" Spike was genuinely confused. "She doesn't have any red on her. Her points are black." He readjusted the buckle on his jeans. "I can understand Blacktail or Tanbelly, but Redtail?"

I allowed a smirk to cross my lips. "Well if you can call yours Swordfish II then I can name mine Redtail."

His chocolate eyes stared at me in disbelief before he turned to get in the truck, disbelief replaced with disgust.

I smiled at Redtail as Jet's bulky figure came around the trailer. "It's late, let's put her up so we can go home."

Nodding I helped him load her into one of the stalls of the trailer.

How innocent it all seemed.

I never knew that my life could change so much just by buying a horse.