Saved By The Outlaws

Chapter Thirteen: Returning Home

A/N: To all of you that have read Taking A Trip With An Outlaw, you may just really like this chapter... Here's a character's point of view that I hope you were not expecting! One that TATWAO would be very familiar with! :D  Enjoy!!!

Chapter 13 – Returning home

It had been 2 days since my son had left, almost 3 and every night I found myself out here, waiting. Waiting for him to come home. I found myself slowly dozing off to sleep as I glanced up one last time to the horizon and in the last flickers of the sun light, there was horses and men making their way towards the house.

Immediately I began to smile and I found myself stood up and making my way towards them, however I didn't manage to get to the end out the porch before I saw the silhouette of the men. 5 horses, but only 4 men riding them and then as I glanced around the crowd of the men I saw the limp outline of the man slung across on of the horses that I recognised to belong to our family. One of my horses. No. That couldn't mean that it was Isaac. Not my son!

My heart seemed to stop beating before I swung open the door to the house and yelled for Liam.

“Liam!” I cried “Oh gosh, Liam!”

Quickly, I found myself in his arms as everyone barrelled their way through the door and onto the porch.

“What is it Grace” Liam shook me lightly “Grace, what's wrong?”

I pointed to the distance and as Liam turned to look at the sight I saw only minutes earlier, a look of dread crossed his features and he understood entirely.

“It might not be him” he whispered into my ear.

I clung to my Liam for dear life “then who Liam? Whoever it is, it's someone that we know, but what if it is our son. I can't lose him. I almost lost him just a week ago, he can't have gone now. He can't.” I cried as Liam tried to soothe my cries rubbing circles of my back as he held me close, preventing me from collapsing.

“Lily, take everyone back inside” Liam ordered with no room for negotiation, Lily was quick to comply as she hurried everyone back inside before closing the door.

“Grace, stay calm. Until they get closer we can't be sure. So stay calm.”

I listened to Liam's words and matched my breathing to his as I gradually calmed myself down and watched as the men got closer.

As the got closer I found myself relaxing still as I recognised the outline of the son, still sat upright on his horse. Liam had too, for he whispered the exact thing into my ear “our son is fine Grace.”

The boys got closer and closer an I found myself running out of Liam's arms and straight towards them as I saw Isaac bring his horse to a halt, leap off and run towards me. I opened my arms as he slammed into me and began to cry. My boy hadn't cried on me for over 10 years and yet here he was, weak at the knees and crying tears onto my shoulder.

“It's ok Isaac” I soothed

“It's not” Isaac croaked back with a tear sodden voice “Ma, Bill got shot protecting me. He died ma. Right there. Right in front of me. He just, died.”

“Oh Isaac” I whispered as I pulled him closer to me. Over his shoulder I caught Liam talking to the other lads about what had happened before signalling to Guy that he should take Hannah home and get Fred.

Liam took Prior and Rupert into the house as they helped carry in Bill's body and directed the horses to the stables leaving me outside the house with Isaac.

“He was threatening Carly ma” Isaac spoke holding me tightly “the man that killed Bill was threatening Carly and so I fought him, but he cheated and went to shoot me. Bill stopped him and tried to get the gun but he shot him. The bastard shot him, and now...I don't know what to do. Carly is still in danger and he knows we're here. I'm sure of it. I can't lose anyone else ma.” Isaac sobbed as I continued to hold him.

“You won't have to Isaac, we protect out own my son. We won't let any harm come to anyone under our roof. Nobody else will suffer I promise.”

Isaac nodded as I directed him towards the house and towards the place that held my son's most dearest person. Someone that he needed right now, and someone that I knew my family was now very much going to protect.

Carly Sanders.