The Outlaw's Return

Reunited

CHAPTER 12 - Reunited

I was preparing myself for death. I didn't know when it would come, but I knew it would be soon. I watched the two pair of boots walking towards my face. I felt two hands in my hair, which pulled me up. It hurt, but I was closing myself down. All I could think about was Britt. My son would never know his mother or his father. I prayed that Landon would take care of him and raise him as his own. I didn't know where John was, and was pretty sure he was already gone. Just like I was about to be gone.

I was dropped to the ground. "Boss!" Someone yelled and I heard gunshots all around me. I crawled to the side of the barn where the horse stalls were and I crouched against the wall. I covered my head and listened to all the yelling and screaming of young, drunk women. A man fell to the ground in front of me and I grabbed his gun.

I looked around, but didn't see anyone I recognized. I saw James laying on the ground scrambling to get away from someone. All I could see through the bottom of the stall was legs. I knew those legs. I pressed my face deeper into the dirt to see a little higher. I couldn't see above the waist. I knew who it was, and I was scared to death. I wanted to run out to him, and then again I wanted to hide. I was scared to see his face, so I slid away from the gap in the wall and pressed my back against the far side of the stall.

"Where is she, James?" I heard that familiar voice demand. James didn't say anything, he didn't have time to do anything but spit. The last shot fired, and I stayed quiet.

"Cole, let's look around. She couldn't have gone far. She was just here." That was Seth. The charming and mysterious man, who was also a sarcastic smart ass. I had to admit that I had missed him. I missed Cole too, but in a different way.

I heard them walk around for a little while and listened to their guesses of where I might be, but they didn't find me. I hid myself in the hay pile and stayed there. I heard Jack say he was going outside to look around. Seth went with him and it was just Cole and me inside the barn. I started to break out in a cold sweat. My body began shaking involuntarily and I knew I was having an episode.

There was a large crack in the wood next to the hay pile. I looked through it to see where he was, but didn't see anything. After a few minutes, he walked in front of my view and stopped. He looked around, and then looked at the crack I was hiding behind. He couldn't see me, but I could see all of him. It hurt so much.

He took a few steps closer, and knelt in front of the crack. I held my breath. "Cassidy."

I didn't move, I didn't think, I didn't breath. I froze for what seemed like an eternity. He could see me. I didn't notice that one of the lanterns hanging close to the stall was shining light through the crack and lighting up half of my face. Cole stood and came around to the door. He slowly opened it and stepped inside the stall. Never taking his eyes off mine, he came closer and closer until he was right in front of me.

"Why are you hidin' from me? Why are you shakin'?" The hurt was evident in his sweet voice. I had dreamed of hearing that voice for almost a year.

"I was scared." My voice was low and crackly. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I noticed then that in the last week or so, I had lost most of the little baby weight I had gained when I was pregnant. My belly was almost flat again.

"Of me?" Cole asked curiously. He pulled his hat off and lay it on the ground next to him. I could see all of his face then, and I remembered why I found him so attractive. Piercing blue eyes, strong face, scar on his left cheek, and a little scruff around his face.

"No."

"What are you scared of, darlin'?" He asked as he touched my face, like he was making sure I was real.

"My heart." My throat had a lump that I was trying to keep down. My eyes began to water and I looked away. There was no reason for me to cry, yet that is exactly what I was about to do.

"Cassie, I'm so sorry.. for everythin'. I thought I was doin' what was best for you, but I can't live without you. When I found out you were pregnant, I had to come find you. I'm a stupid son of a bitch, Cassidy... but that's why I need you."

I continued to cry. My heart hurt, but was happy at the same time. I was a whirlwind of emotions and I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt two warm, rough hands encircle my waist and pull me to my feet. I had fought this for so long, and was giving in. I grabbed those shoulders that were in front of me and held on for dear life. Cole squeezed me and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

After the storm of emotions calmed and Cole and I had reunited, we stepped out of the barn and into the red light from the sunrise. The wind was blowing lightly and the smell of fresh rain was drifting on the air. The ground was wet and soggy. I looked around and saw a few men walking around the area, probably just doing their morning ranch chores. I saw the big, black horse tied to the post in front of the ranch house. There were two other horses next to him and I knew they were Seth's and Jack's.

Cole walked right next to me, we weren't even an inch apart. I was happy that I had Cole again, and that I finally knew why he wanted me to leave him almost 10 months ago. I hoped John was okay and had escaped somehow. All I wanted was to go find my baby, our baby. Cole had not seen Britt yet and I couldn't wait for that.

"Cole, we need to move out. Howdy, Cassie." Seth said with a grin. I couldn't help but return a smile. I was glad to see him. I hugged him. "You don't look like you had no baby, Miss Cassidy. Ain't you supposed to be fat?"

I laughed and lightly slapped his arm. Cole smiled and looked at me with those pretty blue eyes. He swung into the saddle and pulled me up behind him. He didn't speak until we were away from the ranch.

"What does he look like?"

"Who?"

"The baby."

"You." I simply said. I smiled when he turned around to look at me. He wore a boyish grin that made him look much younger. I loved to see him smile like that and hoped I would be able to for a long, long time.

"We headin' back to Sunset Ridge?" Seth asked from behind us.

"Yeah!" Cole yelled. I wrapped my arms around him and held on. I couldn't wait to get home and get my baby back in my arms. Both of them.