Babette's Story (Lawless Fanfic)

Chapter 10: Clarity

Two days had passed since Jack was beaten. I couldn't bring myself to visit Jack to see how he was doing, with the risk of coming face to face with Forrest. I thought that maybe if I tried to stay away the feelings I had would cease. Truthfully it scared me to feel the way I did about someone other than family. This quiet mysterious man who made my heart flutter with just one glance. Who vowed to keep me safe. A man whose myth and legend was slowly sinking in to my reality.

Staying away from Blackwater station was getting harder to do when it was all I could think about. Forrest' face remained a vision in my head throughout the days. I managed to busy myself with house chores to keep me from running out the door. Pop and the boys were out back helping aunt Gillian expand her garden.

"Earth to Baps." Eli said snapping his fingers in front of my face. Waking me from my trance like stare. "You're in another world these days." He snickered.

I gave a breathy awkward laugh. "Sorry about that. Busy mind, can't shut it off ya know." I said as I pointed to my temple. He sat down at the dining room table, taking a break from his field work in the sun.

He gave me a pointed look as if he were deciding on his choice of words. "Do ya mind if I ask you somethin'?" I gave a nod encouraging him to go on. "Did something happen to your friend? That Bondurant kid?" I stared at him wide eyed not sure if I should tell him. I was worried he would try to ban me from the station. Going against my first instinct I thought it best to be honest.

"Yea, he kinda had a bad run in with a deputy." I shrugged.

"Kinda?" He raised an eyebrow. "I seen the damage that was done. I would say he more than just had a bad run in. Were you with 'em?" I shook my head, my eyes falling to the ground.

Staying quiet for a moment I came to the decision that I was going to tell Eli a few things about that day. "I found him that way on Cricket's front yard. That new special deputy did a number on 'em." I took a deep breath feeling the lump building in my throat. "It was pretty brutal. Seeing 'em laying on the ground with blood everywhere. Kind of hit home." I bit my lip.

Eli looked worriedly at me. At a lost for words, no doubt. Being that I usually open up to Richie than him. "I'm sorry you had to see that Baps." He said as he got up from his seat to pull me in his arms.

"I'm fine Eli. It was just troubling to know that someone of authority would do that to an innocent kid." I assured him.

"I've seen him 'round town whenever I run errands. He's kinda hard to look away from." He chuckled. "Walks around with a permanent sneer plastered on his face. Heard from the boys at the mill that he's from Chicago." He stepped back from me.

I laughed at Eli's remarks. "Yea, he's creepy." I said, careful not to mention the looks that he gives me and Angie.

"Ya know....." Eli paused scratching the back of his head. "Sometimes being the older brother makes you blind to the younger sibling getting older. Especially when that sibling is the only girl in the family. I know we shelter you, but that's only because we see you as the baby mama brought home." He smiled at the thought. Eli was finally giving me insight to why he and Richie were so overprotective.

I smiled back, "I was the fragile porcelain doll. Mama would always tell me that story. How she would tell you to be really careful so you didn't break me." I shook my head in amusement.

"Me and Richie really thought you were a doll ya know?" He smirked. "We took it upon ourselves to keep you from getting broken. She would always tell us that we had to protect you from the bad things in the world." He laughed without humor. "She made us promise to look after you before she past. I guess we took looking after you to a bit of the extreme.