A year ago she had been broken out of Sisika, freed from the work detail. She owed it to Mrs. LeClerk, any other person may have accepted their husband's death and the word of the killer being caught and yet Jessica didn't. She put thought into what was said and dug deeper than wanted and if not for that, well, Nora would have been six foot deep by now or perhaps burned without a proper burial.
The last thing she had been told by Mrs. LeClerk was to not find herself into too much additional trouble, but having taken her hand to a gun and enjoying the thrill of the fight, Nora couldn't keep that promise. Sure she didn't go to any near town and shoot the first soul in sight, she was sensible and she had morals. She shot those that needed shooting even if it meant she'd get a price on her head.
It was how she met Maggie Fike. A hard woman solidified by her past, cruel in her words but kind in her heart. She had originally intended to hire Nora's brother as an associate, but Harry declined and so she took on the job. Maggie was contempt with Nora at first, hesitant as lack of knowledge did not provide her with judge of character but Nora was quick to impress, having rescued Marcel from his captors efficiently.
It was what convinced Maggie to send Nora out to rescue her nephew Lemuel and when she returned with him, she knew immediately the bond the pair would have in the future.
She noticed the way he leaned into her, how tightly wrapped his arm had been around her waist and how they were often seen smiling in one another's presence.
She also noticed how often Lem would find an excuse just to spend more time with Nora but soon he stopped searching and became more forward, asking her out on dates which he wouldn't call 'dates' rather 'a trip to town, to find potential customers'.
They became inseparable, two best friends working together. The last time Maggie saw her nephew so happy was when he would go out on his fishing trips with Danny-Lee.
She remembered how quiet Lem was for the first couple of day's after he had been rescued from the prison transfer, how forlorn he looked to be. But Nora was quick to comfort, understanding as she was unfortunate to make it to Sisika. With her kind words her nephew became far more happier, accomplishing something that Maggie herself may not have been capable of doing.
But eventually Nora changed.
That burning fire inside her dimmed, she was no longer passionate about holding the gun to her enemies and grew paranoid. The slightest noise would startle Nora and she would rise out of her chair suddenly, drawing her weapon on the opening air and almost firing a shot before she realised it had been her nerves.
Maggie grew distrustful towards Nora, marching down to Cripps as she bitterly told him that, "that girl was not cut out for the line of work, she was startled and not what they needed."
But Maggie kept her on with Lem's convincing. He saw the potential and she saw how much he cared for Nora.
They cared for eachother.
