A Modern Cowboy's Dream

Keeping Sasha's Heart

After the evening tunes are finished Ana bids them good night and heads back over to wait for her kids and the Batson boys head back inside going upstairs. Doug puts his cigar out and sits down next to Sasha in the other rocking chair. He says "well what's on your mind?" Sasha sighs "not much. I'm just tired." Doug half smiles taking her hand and kisses it before holding it against his chest. "God gave me you." Sasha half smiles "I love you." Doug says "I love you too. Forever and always." Sasha sighs "no matter how angry you make me." Doug laughs "I have a bad habit of doing that it seems." Sasha simply says "hmp." Doug kisses her hand again making her smile. She says "I am a very blessed and lucky woman though. I've seen the worst a man can do to a woman." Doug says "I could never hurt you intentionally." Sasha smirks "key word intentionally." Doug sighs "I'm sorry for all the times I've went nuts in a nightmare." Sasha says "you don't have to apologise. I understand." Doug says "you shouldn't have had to suffer the bruises though." Sasha says "true love is suffering for those we care about. Everyone will hurt you at some point or you will suffer harm in the name of keeping someone else safe. I'd give my life for you or our kids." She gets up and comes over to him sitting in his lap "hold me." Doug puts his arms around her waist "as you wish." He puts his chin over her shoulder and rocks with her gently as she leans back into him. Doug says "if one of us is to die for the other it should be me for you." Sasha sighs "well, in the game of chess the Queen protects the King." She looks back at him and winks "just like with the thug the other night." Doug half smiles "I never said your point was invalid. I simply stated what I believe should happen if it comes down to the wire again." Sasha says with a smile "you men and your old school gentleman codes." Doug says "not every man abides by them anymore." Sasha says "unfortunately not, but you've taught our sons and Michael well enough." Doug says "to me its what's right." Doug then says "I thought you said you were just tired?" She half laughs "I am, but that doesn't mean I can't have an intelligent conversation." Doug says "dinner was excellent tonight." She half smiles "I'm glad." Doug asks "what do you want for Valentine's day?" Sasha shrugs "I don't know. What about you?" Doug says "sex." Sasha laughs "why did I even ask I should know that." She turns her head and kisses him "get me something good and I'll make you a very happy man." Doug says "I used to hate that holiday." Sasha shrugs "it's dumb but I get nice things so I don't complain." Sasha asks "what made you hate it? Is it because it is such a commercially filled day of buying and giving stuff?" Doug says "that was Alex's reason for hating it." Sasha smirks "then tell me why you hated it." Doug says "I hadn't met you yet." Sasha says "aww Dougie. That makes me feel bad for your younger self." Doug smirks "don't, he got what he wanted and she's in his lap right now." Sasha spots headlights coming down the driveway "the other children have returned." Doug says "hmm." They park and Caroline keeps referencing the scary movie they saw making Katya yell shut up in-between sobbing and tears. Doug says "I'm beating his ass." Sasha facepalms and gets up off of him. Michael prepares a defence having heard Doug and when Doug walks down there Katya rushes up hugging him tightly. "Now who wanted to see this movie?" Both Katya and Michael point at Caroline. Caroline says "you're such a baby! It's fake anyway and the people are stupid I think they're hilarious." Michael says "it was her turn to pick anyway next time Katya gets to pick." Doug says to Michael "so this is all Caroline's fault?" He nods "yes sir." Doug says "since she's the devious sister she gets a pass." Caroline giggles and Doug says to Michael "but remember son you make her cry I make you cry." Michael says "yes sir." Caroline smirks knowing she has her brother walking on ice and Katya is nightmare bound. Caroline says "he wanted to see it too!" Michael says "shut up!" Doug says "I didn't hear that. Come on baby girl let's get you to bed." Michael says "love you sweetie." Katya says "love you too." Caroline grins "bye cry baby!" Doug walks her back to the house where Sasha is waiting on the front porch. Doug pulls tissues from his pocket giving them to Katya "here." Katya says "thanks." The Davila twins turn heading inside to be met by their Mother "you're both horrible like your Father trolling her." They both laugh and Caroline says "she needs to get over her fears. I'm doing her a service." Once inside Doug says "I'll kill him for you if you want me to." Sasha shakes her head and Katya says "no." Doug sighs "fine." He then says "just remember that crap is made up even if it says based on a true story." Katya says "how do you know?" Doug says "because unlike you kids I've seen real scary. Man at his very worst including my self." Katya shrugs "I am a baby like she said." Doug says "then work on your self until you're not and keep going. Then one day you can be old and mean like your Mama." Sasha slaps Doug upside his head making him laugh "see?" Sasha says "idiot you always provoke me!" She rolls up a newspaper hitting him again. Katya smiles then laughs when Doug tries to hide from her rushing into a closet and shutting Sasha out. She throws the newspaper at the closet door the papers flying everywhere. Sasha turns to her daughter "don't ever get married if you don't want to deal with a man child." Doug comes back out "I am not a man child!" Sasha turns "yes you are a man child all married men are man childs!" Doug looks at Katya "your Mama is half right though don't get married just don't do it!" Katya rolls her eyes "whatever. Good night." Sasha smiles "good night, we love you." Katya says "love you too." She heads upstairs and Sasha sighs looking around. Doug says "you are such a mess maker." Sasha picks up the paper and says "maybe so but I at least pick up after my self." Doug says "and I don't?" Sasha says "I've seen how unorganized that barn has become. You have no argument." Doug says "I know where everything is sitting." Sasha says "and only you! Little Dougie will ask me half the time where certain tools are located." Doug makes a face "he knows I know." Sasha says "yes but your phone doesn't always work when you're in the field." Doug says "I've been meaning to ask you about switching phone companies." Sasha says "ask me again tomorrow it's late." Doug says "fair enough." She half smiles scratching his red bearded chin and face then kisses him. "I'll be upstairs." She goes to walk upstairs and Doug turns "Sasha." She stops halfway up the stairs and looks back down to him. Doug says "thank you, for everything you've done for me since the beginning." Sasha's eyes well up with tears and she comes back down to him taking both of his hands "no, thank you for everything you've ever done for me and our family. You've taught this little Russian woman what it means to be an American, but most importantly you lead home a prodigal daughter to Christ." She hugs him tightly sobbing in his chest. Doug swallows hard hugging her back and holding her there for what seems like forever. Doug sighs "well I was just a willing vessel as my old friend Preacher Man Massey always said of him self." She looks up at him in his weary watery green eyes and Doug wipes the tears off her cheeks "I was and still am an imperfect man." Sasha half smiles "Preacher Man was wonderful officiating our wedding. What ever happened to him?" Doug says "he hasn't changed he's still preaching the gospel all over. I see him online a lot." She half smiles and Doug kisses her. "You know we could argue all day long and yet we're still inseparable." Sasha half smiles "yes we are inseparable in heart and soul." Sasha says "I think I'd loose my voice screaming at you all day though." Doug half smiles "I'd lose my hearing or what's left of it." Sasha says "you should get hearing aids." Doug says "I'm not an old man." Sasha puts her finger over his heart "yes you are in here and have been ever since we met I knew you were old inside." Doug sighs "fine I'll consider it." Sasha says "no you won't I know that eyeroll." Doug says "sweetie, it's late let's not argue." Sasha says "alright." Doug produces a small rose from his coat pocket "for you my dear." Sasha half smiles taking it to smell. Doug takes hold of her leaning her over in a passionate kiss that always elicits a giggle when she's caught off guard. At the top of the stairs are three curious siblings who have been spying on their parents.