For disclaimers see part 1

By WolfDragon.

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Ten days had gone by with Alex getting her strength back. The regular food and rest had done wonders on her battered body and her injuries were mostly healed. The gun shot wound she had suffered at her left shoulder was still bothering her but it hadn't kept her from putting snares in the woods to catch rabbits and small game.

Conversations between Alex and Michelle had become more relaxed as if the two women had known each other for years. Alex felt that one day she would feel comfortable enough to finally tell Michelle her full story. She knew that Mick wanted to know what she had done during the war. The younger woman had hinted to it many times during her stay at the relay but Mick always respected Alex's wish not to talk about it and quickly changed the subject every time, much to Alex's appreciation.

Right now, Alex simply enjoyed her growing camaraderie with the young blonde. It was something she missed dearly when she was part of the Confederate unit. Even though they had been at war for many years now, they always managed to have some periods of fun. Of all the men she had served with, Alex wished that her friend Gordon was with her right now. He would have loved Michelle.

Looking up from the fur she was curing, Alex felt a smile coming on as she looked at Michelle sitting in her rocking chair in front of the fireplace as she repaired Alex's long fur coat. It had become a routine for them for the past week with Alex going hunting and curing the rabbits' skins and Michelle fixing the long coat. The everyday life at the cabin seemed so natural to her it almost felt like they had been doing that for years. Alex shook her head with a smile and continued working on the last fur needed for her coat. That kind of life had been impossible only a few weeks ago. Alex decided to enjoy it for as long as it would last, knowing that she probably would never get another chance quite like this again.

Biting off the thread of the sewing she was doing, Michelle briefly looked up and glanced at Alex. The tall, dark haired woman had a nice smile on her face and seemed so at ease working at the small table not too far away from her. How she wished she knew more about Alex's life. Many times she had tried to get her to talk, but her hints had either been unclear enough or had been completely ignored. There was only one way to find out if Alex would talk about her life.

"Alex? Can I ask you a question?"

'Here we go again! ' The older woman smiled as she worked on the small piece of fur. 'She'll keep asking questions until I do answer her. So just do it!' Alex looked up and shrugged. "Sure."

'Oh god! She said yes!' Michelle blinked, surprised at Alex's response. 'Okay, ask something safe. The last thing I want is to have her clam up on me again.' "I…huh. Well, have you traveled a lot?" she asked, then bit her lip. 'Now that's a stupid question, Mick! You want her to talk and you ask her a question that she can answer with a simple no. Nice going!'

Alex took her time and wondered how she would answer. Should she just talk about the places she had been to in peacetime or should she talk about all the traveling she had done in the past four years. "Have you done a lot of traveling yourself?" Alex asked softly.

'I knew it. She doesn't want to talk about herself.' Disappointed, Michelle took another length of thread and continued working on sewing another rip. "Not really. Aside from Mansonville, I went to Magog a few times in the summer and went to Montreal only once in my life." She replied and concentrated on her work, feeling like Alex didn't want to talk.

There was silence for a while as both women were lost in their thoughts. Making up her mind, Alex nodded to herself and looked at Michelle. "Well, I guess I can say that I've traveled a lot." Alex started with a quiet voice. "Lived most of my life in a small town called Carson Pass some distance away from Kansas City."

Surprised at hearing Alex talk, Michelle didn't dare speak for fear that she would stop. She listened intently as the older woman talked about her hometown and her parents she had left behind.

"It's been four years since I've been home. I wonder what the war has done to Carson Pass." Alex stated as she put her knives and the rabbit fur away then cleaned the small table. "I left the town not too long after the war had been declared."

Seeing that Alex seemed willing to talk a little more than usual, Michelle decided to take a chance, "What have you been doing during the war?" she asked but didn't expect an answer. The reply she received surprised her even more.

"I joined the army." Alex said with a small smile and sat down in the other rocking chair beside Mick. The look of pure wonder on Michelle's face was a sight to behold. "Well, not the regular army mind you. No women could ever do that, at least not in the near future. So I offered my services to a special unit the Confederates were recruiting for."

The long fur coat she had been working on was momentarily forgotten as Mick shifted in her chair to listen and look at Alex. "You must have seen incredible things and places, right?"

Alex slowly nodded as she stared into the dancing flames in front of her. "The places would have been a lot more incredible it they hadn't been ruined by war."

"But Kansas City is a long way from here. What brought you all the way over here and way across Union territory? Didn't you say you joined the Confederate Army?" Michelle asked all excited, having hundreds of questions to ask.

A laugh escaped Alex's lips and she held up her hands to slow Michelle down. "Hang on there. It might be a good thing for you to take a breath once in a while you know."

"It's just that I want so much to know about you that…" Mick started and looked down, feeling her face flush at the sudden admission. "What I mean is…"

"It's okay, Mick. I haven't been too willing to answer your questions, have I? I guess that I'm not used to talking about myself very much."

"But if you feel uncomfortable you…"

"I don't mind, Michelle." Alex said and smiled as she saw the younger woman relax in her rocking chair. "Besides, I think it's about time that I tell you a little bit about myself. When I joined the Confederate unit, our main mission was to make sure that supplies didn't reach the Union troops. Either we destroyed it or brought it back with us whenever possible. Most of the time our work was done behind enemy lines and since most of us were civilians, we had no uniforms for the Union Army to spot us easily." A sudden grin crossed Alex's features and she chuckled. "Like Gordon once said, we generally made ourselves as annoying to them as flies around a horse's ass."

A laugh from Michelle made Alex look at the younger woman. "Sorry about the language." She apologized. "You get used to talking that way when you hang around soldiers long enough."

"No problems. You should hear some of the trappers and lumberjacks that come here once in a while." she smiled. "Is Gordon a friend of yours?"

"He was. He got shot not too long ago trying to save my life. Most of the men from the unit are dead. I'm the only one left alive I think." 'Yeah, me and the asshole who wants me dead!'

"I'm sorry to hear that." Michelle said and touched Alex's arm gently. "I guess Gordon succeeded if you're sitting here with me, huh?"

"I guess he did."

"Do you want some coffee?" Michelle asked as she stood up. "I'd like to know more about your time with the unit if you want."

"I'd like that," Alex nodded and watched Michelle prepare two mugs. "But I'm afraid the story only becomes more gruesome as the years go by." She half expected Mick to ask her how many people she had killed. A question that was always asked to soldiers and then the answer given would always be turned against them, making them sound like murderers. 'But you are a murderer!' the small voice in her head said, 'It was war! Either kill or be killed!' Alex silently shot back and closed her eyes, waiting for Mick to ask the unavoidable question.

Bringing back the coffee, Michelle handed one of the mugs to Alex and sat back down. "I know that war isn't a pleasant thing to talk about, especially if you lived through it. But sometimes it helps to speak to someone about it. I only wish that I could do something to ease your nightmares, Alex."

The dark haired woman looked at Mick in surprise. The conversation had taken a completely different route. Not only was Michelle not judging her but she was even offering her help. "The nightmares…" she sighed, "I'm sorry they woke you up." So it wasn't a dream after all. Alex barely remembered having someone beside her in the middle of the night, whispering soothing words until she fell back asleep. At first she had thought that it had been her memories of Jodie, but the touch had been different, gentler. She smiled at the thought of having Michelle so close to her.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Alex. You must have seen horrible things. I'm just thankful that I could bring you some kind of peace in your sleep." Michelle looked at the fire, unable to meet the blue eyes staring at her. She had been very lucky to wake up before the older woman did. After calming Alex, Michelle had fallen asleep curled up next to her and found herself wrapped in strong arms the next morning. The experience had been very pleasant but she sadly realized that it had probably been Jodie Alex was thinking about while she slept and not her. 'Where did that thought come from?'

"You're a very kind woman, you know that, Michelle?" Alex said with a smile. "How could I ever thank you enough for all that you have done for me?"

"You could be my friend?" Michelle said before she could stop herself and turned her head to see sparkling blue eyes and a bright smile directed at her.

"You already have my friendship, Michelle." Alex said simply.

'Oh boy! How do I reply to that?' Fidgeting with her coffee mug, Mick smiled shyly at Alex. "Thanks."

A comfortable silence fell down on the room and both women continued drinking while watching the dancing flames in the fireplace. Stealing glances at Michelle, Alex saw that the young blonde seemed content with the conversation they just had. A soft humming could be heard as Mick followed an imaginary song in her head, slowly keeping time with her rocking chair. Talking about herself hadn't been too bad, Alex decided. The next time her new friend would ask a question, she wouldn't be too reticent to answer.

"You know what I would like us to do tomorrow if the weather is good?" Alex suddenly said, "I have a few pieces of gold left. Maybe we could go to Mansonville so I can get some clothes and some supplies that I need?"

"Sure! That would be a great idea. Only if you feel strong enough though."

"I do. I…" Alex started and stopped, feeling suddenly shy. "I also would like to…I mean, I'm sure they have someplace nice where we can eat and…huh, if you want." 'Damn, it's not as if you were asking her out on a date, Alex!…Or are you?'

'Did she just ask me out to dinner?' Mick smiled and nodded vigorously. "I'd love that." 'Don't get too excited, Mick. Tomorrow's only a shopping day and dinner. Nothing more…or is there?'

"Great. Then I think we should get some sleep if we want to leave early tomorrow." Alex said as she stood up and stretched.

"I guess so." Michelle smiled and took Alex's empty mug away from her hands and brought them to the kitchen. "It'll be fun to show you around the village. There are very nice people in Mansonville. I'm sure you'll like it."

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Alex would have lied to herself if she didn't admit to being nervous. Showing up in a village less than two weeks after spending days on the run with a killer chasing her was not something Alex was looking forward to, but she did need supplies and this was the only way to do it. Besides, Mansonville was a good distance away from Newport Vermont and with the mountains and snow covering her tracks, there was a good chance that the killer had lost her. 'He never was a good tracker anyway!' Alex silently thought as she looked at the approaching village.

Mansonville had a population of about 300 souls, according to Michelle. The streets were filled with people walking from one place to another while sleighs pulled by horses glided along snow covered roads. There was nothing special about the town, at least nothing similar to New Orleans or even Charleston South Carolina. The village was mostly quiet except for the sound of children laughing and the barking of the dogs playing with them. Small bells on horses' harnesses could be heard as sleighs traveled down the streets, giving a festive air to a somewhat ordinary day.

As Michelle guided the sled dogs toward the general store, Alex could hear bits of conversation as the villagers greeted the younger woman. Most of it was lost on Alex as they spoke in a language she didn't understand. Wasn't it French that Michelle said she spoke? Cradling Mick's rifle in her arms, Alex looked around them and spotted the normal establishment every villages or city had. On her left, the doctor's office was next to the bank, while a smithy could be seen not too far away from the baker and the butcher to her right.

They had just passed a bigger building that was the local inn, which promised the best meal in town. 'Guess we'll find out if it's true later on.' Alex smiled to herself as she remembered the dinner she had promised Michelle.

"Whoa!" Mick called out to her dogs and stopped the sled in front of the general store. "We're here." She smiled and pushed her fur hat back and away from her eyes. Turning around at the excited exclamation, Michelle greeted a small boy that came running down the steps and into her arms. "Doucement Bobby!" she hugged the boy and tweaked his nose playfully. "Ton papa est ici?"

Having stepped out of the sled, Alex watched in amusement as the young boy nodded in answer to Michelle's question and pointed a small hand in the store's direction. An older boy walked out and waved at the young blonde.

"Greetings Miss Laberge. It's a surprise to see you in town so soon. Everything alright?" he asked as he put a coat on and stepped down the stairs.

"Everything's fine, Christopher. My friend here needs some supplies." Michelle smiled as she looked at the silent Alex.

"No problem. I'll bring your sled in the back of the store as always." The young man smiled at both women and left with the dogs but not before he cast an interested look in Alex's direction.

A giggle made Alex switch her glance from the boy to Michelle. "What?"

Picking up the young boy in her arms, Michelle smiled at her friend and watched the young man leave with her Malamutes. "I think he likes you." She teased.

"What?! I'm old enough to be his mother!"

"Doesn't matter. It just proves that he's got good taste." Michelle winked and climbed the steps and walked in the general store, still carrying the child.

Alex opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out. She tried again with the same result. Shaking her head with a smile, she shifted the rifle to her other arm and followed the younger woman, suddenly aware that some people were watching her. Taking one last look around before stepping into the store, Alex realized that she hadn't seen the sheriff's office then remembered that it was the British army that upheld the law in Canada. 'I'd better keep a low profile and carrying a rifle around town isn't the way to do it!' Especially not when most of the population had no apparent weapons.

"Miss Laberge! It's nice to see you again." A man in his sixties smiled from behind the counter and stepped around to greet the newcomers. He briefly brushed his hand through his thinning white hair and cast a curious glance at the tall woman standing silently behind Michelle. "What brings you to town?"

"Hello, Mr. Cole. My friend here needs some supplies." Michelle gave a quick kiss on the child's cheek before putting him back down. "Would it be possible to send Christopher to get whatever you don't have here?"

"Of course! Everything's possible for you my dear. What do you need?" he asked Michelle then looked at Alex as the young blonde waited for the taller woman to speak.

Alex reached into a pocket and pulled a piece of paper out then handed it to the man. "This is what I need." Her calm voice rumbled. While the elderly storeowner checked the list, Alex turned to walk around the store, checking the clothes and items for sale. Her keen hearing easily picked up the man's whispered conversation with Michelle and she smiled.

"Ah…Mick, could you ask…hmm, your friend over there to put her rifle away? It's making me a little nervous. People don't usually cradle rifles around here."

"You have no reason to be nervous, Mr. Cole, but we'll put it aside for the time we're in town. Would you keep it for us?"

"Ah…sure. No problem." The white haired man replied and turned his eyes on the dark haired stranger as she took two men's shirts and two pair of working pants off the shelves. She stopped a few feet away and quickly glanced in the younger woman's direction and smiled when she noticed that Mick wasn't looking. Shuffling through a couple of heavy sweaters, the taller woman chose one and quickly hid it with her already chosen clothes then carried everything back to the counter with her.

He watched as she silently handed the rifle to Michelle with a smile. Unable to hold the intense look the blue eyed woman was giving him, Mr. Cole concentrated on the list he was still holding. "Well, I have most of the things you need and the rest won't be any trouble to get."

Taking a small pouch out of her pocket, Alex took two golden coins out of it and held it in the palm of her hand. "Would that be enough to cover everything?" she asked calmly. The man's jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he spotted the gold.

"More than enough!" he smiled.

"Would it be possible to get the difference in coins? I'm sure Alex would appreciate having something else beside those." Michelle said as she indicated the nuggets Alex gave the storeowner.

"Of course." Mr. Cole smiled and gave the list to Christopher who had just walked in. "Take care of this for Miss…" he said and waited for the dark haired woman to tell him her name.

"Alex." Michelle supplied helpfully when her friend didn't.

"Ah…yes, Miss Alex. I'll have everything packed in your sled. How soon do you want it?"

There's no hurry. I would like to show my friend the town for a while."

"Oh! First time here, Miss Alex?" the owner smiled, "Where do you come from?" he asked the still silent woman.

Alex could feel the storeowner getting nervous by her silence. It was a game she often enjoyed with people she didn't know. But the old man seemed to be a friend of Mick's, so she decided to take it easy on the poor man. "Out west." She replied truthfully, 'Well, Kansas is west from here, isn't it?' There was no need to advertise her presence for the whole world to know, especially with the fact that she came from the United States. The last thing she needed was to have her location known to the killer that had been pursuing her only the week before.

"Not much of a talker, is she?" Mr. Cole whispered in Michelle's ear, unaware that Alex had heard him. "Everything will be done whenever you're ready." He smiled and took the rifle Mick was handing him then left the two women to help with the list.

A small tug on Mick's pants made the young blonde look down at the child still holding on to her leg. "What is it, Bobby?" The boy pointed a small finger at Michelle and then at Alex. With a smile he interlocked his index fingers, changed positions, and interlocked again. He raised his eyebrows as if asking a question. Michelle nodded and looked up at a confused looking Alex. "He wants to know if you're my friend."

Squatting down so that she wouldn't tower over the small child, Alex smiled at Bobby and looked at Mick. "How do I say yes?"

"Just nod your head and join your fingers like he did." Michelle instructed her and watched as Alex did so. Bobby smiled and put his extended hand with fingers touching his chin and forwarded it. "That means it's good." She translated for Alex and tousled the boy's hair. "So, are you ready for a tour of the village?"

Surprised at the latest development, Alex nodded and followed Michelle out of the store after they had waved goodbye to the boy. "What were you doing with the boy?" she asked as they walked down the steps and down the street.

"I was talking with him."

"With your hands?"

"Yes, its called sign language. I learned with the help of a woman that used to live here. I saw her talking, well signing is more the word, with her little brother. I've always been the curious kind and I asked her if she could teach me."

Alex let a little snort escape and she winked at Mick. "You, curious? Nah!"

Michelle playfully slapped the taller woman's arm and she laughed. "Well, I am and I'm proud of it. Because of that, I learned a great many things." A loud rumbling sounded from Michelle's stomach and caused both women to stop walking.

"Did you eat something before we left?"

"I did."

Alex raised an eyebrow at her and crossed her arms over her chest. "Like what?"

"I…hmm, well I had coffee and…ah, a bunch of cookies." She finished in a whisper.

"Just because I rarely eat breakfast doesn't mean you have to do the same, Michelle." Alex frowned at the smaller woman. "Come on. I promised you a nice meal and that's what you'll have." Looking down the street, Alex spotted a restaurant and pointed to it. "How about that place?"

Michelle looked at the place in question and shook her head. "Very expensive and the food isn't that great. We could go to the inn close to the store. Mama Tucker has the best food in the area and it doesn't cost much."

"If you like her food, then that's where we'll go." Alex smiled and guided the smaller woman across the street. "Tell me more about your ability with sign language."

"Oh, well, I was about thirteen or fourteen years old when Anne started to teach me. She learned in a school in Hartford and wanted to become a teacher for deaf children. There wasn't that many here so she moved to Montreal. But before she left, she taught me as much as possible. The rest I learned with a book that she gave me."

An elderly couple walking toward them smiled and greeted them. "Michelle, how nice to see you." The woman said and looked curiously at Alex.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Murray." Michelle smiled politely and stopped walking as the couple chatted amicably.

"We don't see you often in the company of strangers. Who's your friend?" Mr. Murray asked.

"She's helping me with the relay." Michelle said as she tried to walk around the couple. "I'm sorry I don't want to be rude, but we haven't eaten yet and I'm hungry. We'll chat with you later, okay?" Michelle grabbed at Alex's furred sleeve and pulled.

Looking back at the stunned couple, Alex bit a grin off as she followed the younger woman silently until they had stepped into the inn. "What was that all about?"

"I'm sorry. I love to chat with people, but once the Murray start talking, there is no stopping them. They're also the worst gossip in town." Michelle smiled sheepishly.

"Well, well, well! Just look at who's standing in my humble establishment!" A voice bellowed from the kitchen. Drying her hands on her apron, a heavyset woman grinned at Michelle and opened her arms for a hug. "How have you been little Michelle?"

"Mama Tucker! It's good to see you again." Mick smiled and hugged the woman back. "This is my friend, Alex."

"Welcome, Alex. I hope you two are staying for lunch, right?"

"Of course!" Michelle nodded enthusiastically.

"Great! It just happens that I'm serving your favorite today. You can hang your coats on the rack over here and just sit at a table. I'll be right back." The woman grinned and disappeared into the kitchen.

Walking back to a table near the fireplace, Alex whispered in Michelle's ear. "If they don't stop staring, I'll give them something to look at!" she growled.

Tilting her head to look at the people Alex was talking about, Michelle smiled and waved. "Hi there. Nice day isn't it?"

Sighing, Alex sat down and closed her eyes. "Is there anybody you don't know in this town?" she asked softly.

"Yeah…" Michelle grinned at the taller woman and pointed to the people she had just addressed, "…Them."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. And they're not staring anymore!"

Alex broke out in laughter at the mischievous look on Michelle's face. "It seems like ages since I've laughed this way."

"I'm glad I make you laugh." Michelle said as she played with her silverware. "That way I get to enjoy your smile." 'I don't believe I just said that!' Mick blinked at a silent Alex and tensed, not knowing how the older woman would react. 'Okay, what do I do now? Say something, Mick!'

"You have a nice smile too." Alex replied softly, "Okay, why do you always blush when I give you a compliment?" she teased, feeling Michelle relax suddenly. "I'm sure many young men must have given you compliments too."

"You're the only one who ever did."

"But…you must have had a boyfriend who…I mean,…" she watched as Mick slowly shook her head. "No?" another shake. "Damn! But you're such a beautiful woman!" Alex whispered without thinking.

Michelle smiled, beaming at the unexpected compliment and looked up as Mama Tucker came back with a serving tray. A bowl of steaming soup was placed in front of each woman along with a basket of freshly baked bread. A pitcher of fresh milk was also added.

"Now, you eat that and I'll come back a little later, okay?" and the woman walked back into the kitchen.

How was she going to explain to Alex that she had refused all the young men's proposals because she didn't feel anything for them? Friendship, yes but nothing more. At least nothing like the feelings she had for Anne, the woman who had taught her the sign language. Was it the soft voice that instructed her that caught Mick's attention or Anne's soft fingers as she gently guided Michelle's hands into words?

Those same emotions came rushing back again as she looked at the tall woman sitting in front of her. Alex was as different to Anne as day was to night. What was it that attracted her so much to Alex? Was it the long, dark hair, the high cheekbones and bronzed skin? The beautiful smile that graced her features or the way the piercing blue eyes seemed to reach deep down into her soul and turn her into mush? Michelle became aware that Alex was looking at her and she cleared her throat, trying to get her emotions back in check.

Michelle had been silent for too long and Alex began to worry that she had done something wrong. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. It's the last thing I want to do, Mick." Alex apologized, "I know you once told me that you were not the marrying kind, but I just assumed that maybe there was somebody in your life at one point or something."

"Don't apologize, Alex. It's just that I never found my tree in the forest." Michelle smiled as she gently squeezed Alex's hand, 'Until now.' She silently added. 'Now cut that out, Mick!' Looking down at their linked hands, she saw Alex's thumb lightly caress her skin and immediately felt her face flush.

"One day when you least expect it, you'll find that tree, Mick. You'll see." Alex smiled and gave the smaller hand a gentle squeeze before breaking contact. "You better start eating that soup or it'll get cold. What is it anyway? Smells good!"

"It's…ah, it's pea soup." Michelle said as she started eating, not knowing where to look anymore. 'Calm down, Mick. She is not interested in you…But how I wish that she would!'

"That soup is great!" Alex said between mouthfuls, "I've never had anything quite like this before."

"Mama Tucker will be pleased to hear that." Mick smiled.

Looking at Michelle, Alex was more confused that ever. Sometimes she felt like the younger woman was almost flirting with her and a few minutes later, it seemed like she was wrestling with her emotions, holding back. Trying to make Mick as comfortable as possible, Alex changed subject, or rather went back to their original conversation. "You never told me how the young boy, Bobby was it? How he came to know sign language?"

Michelle breathed a sigh of relief at the change of conversation and swallowed her piece of bread. "I taught him." She replied proudly. "No ordinary school wants to teach him because he's deaf and the specialized schools are too far away." She shrugged, "So I became his teacher. Even taught his father, Mr. Cole. But I won't be able to teach him soon because he'll eventually have learned everything that I know."

"You could go to the same school that your teacher went to and learn more. You could make a nice living that way."

Mick shook her head and smiled. "No. I love teaching Bobby but I don't see myself doing it full time. That kid feels like a little brother to me. I'm doing it to help him. It's enough that Mr. Cole insist to pay me for the lessons I give his child, but I only accept my wage in supplies for the relay."

"But she could be the best teacher we have in town," Mama Tucker said, suddenly beside Michelle, "Teaching kids like Bobby or the others. I've never seen a more gentle soul such as little Michelle here. But she's stubborn as a mule. She simply won't believe us when we tell her she's the best." She smiled as she took the two empty bowls of soup.

"Mama! Stop it!"

"Hush child. Never argue with Mama Tucker, you hear?"

Alex watched with an amused grin as both women exchanged teasing jibs. As she listened to the women laughing and remembered all of the people who had greeted Michelle and seeing the normal everyday life in the village almost made Alex forget who she was and how she had ended up in Canada.

Life here seemed so much calmer, more peaceful than the one she had always known in the Kansas territory. In Carson Pass, everyday was a struggle between armed bandits making trouble in the town and the always existing threat of being attacked by Indians.

Mother Nature seemed to be more generous here with its never ending forests and lakes than in Kansas where a rainy day was a blessing for the crops. From what she had seen so far with the hunting she had done, one could make a good living in the mountains where all the necessities in life were there for the taking, and Alex bet that once the lakes and rivers thawed in spring, fishing would be plentiful too.

Could she allow herself to start over again and live a normal life here? Or would life allow it? 'You can't change what the Fates have decided for us, Alex.' Jodie has once told her. 'No matter what you do, everything happens for a reason.'

A soft touch on her hand made Alex blink in surprise and saw Michelle look at her with a worried expression. "I'm sorry."

"Are you okay? Maybe coming to the village this early was a mistake." Mick frowned, "Your shoulder isn't quite healed yet."

Alex shook her head with a small smile. "I am a little tired but I really needed those supplies."

"What was on the list anyway?" Michelle asked, curiosity getting the best of her again. "If you don't mind my asking." She added with a grin.

"I don't mind." Alex said as she reached for another piece of buttered bread and chewed on it. "Aside from clothes and a new pair of boots, I need ammunitions for my revolvers. I also want some tools so I can build myself a small cabin. You've been kind enough to give me shelter, it's about time that…"

"What?!" Michelle exclaimed, surprised. "But I thought you liked it at the relay with me and…"

Alex held out her hands to calm the younger woman. "Hold on, Mick. I didn't say I was leaving. I just thought that you might want your privacy back."

"But…" Mick looked at Alex with sad eyes and sighed. "I kind of like having you with me. I thought you did too."

'Oh great! You did it again, Alex! Why is it every time you decided to do something that you think Mick wants, you end up hurting her?' "I like being with you too, Mick! It's just that you've been living your life on your own for such a long time, I thought that maybe…"

"I'm tired of living alone, Alex!" Michelle said from between clenched teeth. "I'm tired of only having the few visitors a month at the relay to talk to! I like the evenings we have in front of the fireplace just talking."

"I…ah, I didn't realize…" Alex mumbled, caught totally off guard by Mick's small outburst.

Michelle took a deep breath and slowly calmed down. "I'm sorry. It's true that I've been on my own for a while. But in the short time that I've known you, I've kind of gotten used to your presence and I like it. It's seems like forever since I've had a friend to talk with." She gave the older woman a sad smile and looked down at the table. "I know you said you were going to stay for awhile, but I kind of hoped that you would make it a little more permanent."

"But I…"

"No, you don't have to explain." Michelle quickly added, "You've got family back in Kansas, I'm sure that you can't wait to see them again."

"Michelle," Alex said with an exasperated voice, "Will you let me talk for a while?" she waited until the young blonde nodded, "Damn! I never met anybody who talked that much." Alex blew out a breath and brushed a hand through her hair. "What I'm trying to say is that I already decided to stay here. But I thought that it would be asking too much to continue sharing your cabin. That's why I wanted to build something of my own next to the relay. If you agree that is."

Silence greeted the older woman's words as Michelle stared at Alex in shock. "Oh!" she finally breathed when what Alex had said registered in her brain, "I'm so embarrassed! I'm sorry." Michelle shyly smiled at her. "I seem to apologize a lot around you, don't I?"

Alex was about to comment when the owner of the inn returned once more with another tray full of food.

"There you go. If you have an appetite close to Michelle's, don't worry." She winked at Alex, "There's plenty more where it came from." Mama Tucker smiled and put two plates in front of the women and added a carafe of coffee. "Just holler if you need anything, okay?" then left to welcome new customers.

"Nice woman. She seems to like you a lot." Alex smiled as she picked up her fork, "What's this? It smells good!" she asked as she prodded a piece of pie in her plate.

"I've known Mama Tucker since I was a kid. I used to sleep here when I was going to school and I would help in the kitchen for my board." Michelle explained. "As for the food, what you're poking at is called minced meat pie. The ham is cooked in maple syrup and so are the beans and potatoes."

Frowning slightly at her plate, Alex dug her fork at the beans and lifted a questioning eyebrow at Mick. "Baked beans in maple syrup?" she asked and took a tentative bite. "Oh! That's good!" she smiled and took a bigger bite. "This is really good!"

Michelle laughed at seeing Alex enjoy her meal. "I'm glad you approve. Just wait until you see the deserts!"

Both women continued with their meals, their previous conversation put aside from the moment. There would be plenty of time to discuss the near future and the inn wasn't the best place to do so. After having said goodbye to Mama Tucker, Michelle proceeded to show Alex Mansonville's main street.

More people greeted the younger woman and Alex started to feel a little worried when the citizens started asking too many questions concerning her. Wanting to keep a low profile, Alex gently asked Michelle to go back to the cabin, claiming that she was getting a little tired. Even though Alex had no proof that the soldier was still on her trail, the last thing she wanted to do if he was, was to provide him with indices of her whereabouts.

Further up the hill, a man walked toward his wagon. At least he had been lucky that his last delivery had been at the pub where he usually hung out and he had decided to stay a little longer to play a few games of poker. Climbing unsteadily on his wagon, the deliveryman sat on the bench and took his pocket watch out and tried to focus his alcohol blurred eyes on the time. "Damn! Didn't know it was that late! The boss will have my hide!" he grumbled and took the reins in his hands and got the horses moving down the street at a fast pace.

Walking back toward the general store, Michelle noticed that her sled was being packed and saw Mr. Cole giving his young worker, Christopher, a hand in tying down everything under the tarp. It had been a pleasant walk but Mick was looking forward to going back home to the peace and quiet the countryside offered. There was more traffic now, which made walking in the streets a hazardous thing to do.

As their stay in the village stretched into hours, Alex had become quieter by the moment, her eyes searching their surrounding as if danger could happen at any time. There was a lot more people out than when they had arrived, and Alex felt herself the subject of the population's attention. She could see men and women alike talking to each other in hushed tones, giving her weary glances as she and Michelle walked past them.

In any other city, Alex would have known exactly how to respond to their curiosity, but the only way she knew how to handle things like that usually left the people very shaken and scared of her. But this time her way of doing things wouldn't work. Some of those people were Michelle's friends and she had to live with them. 'Just behave! You'll be out of here soon enough.' Alex told herself and listened silently as Mick greeted the storeowner and kept her eyes roaming over the street and the passersby.

"Everything ready?" Mick asked as she scratched at her lead dog's ear.

"All that was on the list has been found and packed along with the extra items picked out." Mr. Cole smiled at Michelle and handed Alex a few coins. "And this is your change, Miss Alex. Anything you need, just let me know, okay?"

Alex turned her attention from the traffic on the street to the elderly storeowner in front of her and took the coins, putting them in her coat pocket. "Thanks."

"Will you be staying in this area for some time?" he asked Alex.

She was about the answer when her attention was diverted by an excited squeal of laughter sounding some distance away. Turning her head, Alex saw that little Bobby was making his way across the street to join them, unaware of the traffic heading toward him. "Look out!" Alex yelled at the boy, forgetting that he was deaf and that he didn't understand her warning.

Bobby had been playing with his friends when he noticed that his teacher and her friend were back at the store. He let out a high pitched squeal, hoping to get Michelle's attention and started to cross the road so he could hug her goodbye. The taller woman's sudden move toward him made Bobby slow down and finally stop, wondering why she was waving her arms and shaking her head.

The deliveryman realized too late that his wagon was going too fast down the hill and tried in vain to stop his horses when he saw a young boy stand in the middle of the street. "Get out of the way!" he screamed at the boy as he pulled the wagon's brake and pulled even more at his reins. The hard packed snow only made things more difficult as the animals skidded to a halt, the wagon's weight adding to the momentum.

Climbing over a snow bank, Alex jumped in the street and sprinted as best she could toward the boy, trying to keep her footing as she slipped on the icy ground. Knowing that the wagon was heading straight at them from the left, Alex spared a glance to the right and cursed when she saw a sleigh approaching only a few feet away. 'This is gonna be tight!' she breathed and caught the boy in her arms and kept running, barely avoiding the wagon that continued speeding down the street.

But the icy street had slowed her run more than she thought and she couldn't avoid the horse pulling the sleigh coming at her from the right. Turning her back as much as possible to protect the boy, Alex closed her eyes in pure reaction as the animal's shoulder rammed her. The collision caused the tall woman to crash land on her injured shoulder in the snow bank, still holding the terrified boy in her arms.

Everything happened so fast, Michelle thought. One moment she was speaking with Mr. Cole and getting ready to leave then the next thing she saw was Alex running across the street as if the Devil himself was after her. "Alex!" Mick screamed as the horse hit her friend and she started running toward her with the shocked storeowner close behind.

All the yelling in the normally quiet village had attracted people's attention and a small crowd started to gather around Alex's immobile body. The deliveryman had finally succeeded in stopping his wagon and was running back to check on the boy and woman he had almost hit. The driver of the sleigh was kneeling beside Alex, trying to get some reaction from her.

Shoving her way through the curious onlookers, Michelle knelt beside Alex and gently pushed a strand of dark hair away from her face. "Alex? You okay? Please talk to me." Mick pleaded as she stared at Alex, willing her to open her eyes. Lying flat on his back, Bobby was looking up at everybody with wide eyes, still tightly wrapped in his protector's embrace. "Are you hurt?" Michelle quickly signed and received a small negative shake of the head from the boy.

The storeowner carefully freed Bobby from the taller woman's hold and hugged his son, glad to see that he was unhurt.

A small grunt sounded and Alex slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times and saw a pair of worried green eyes looking back at her. "The boy…"

"Bobby's fine, Alex. Are you okay?" she asked again.

The tall woman nodded and gingerly sat on the snow-covered street, tightening her jaw as pain from her shoulder shot down her arm.

"Did you see that?" one man exclaimed as more people joined the crowd. "That was amazing!"

"What happened?" a man asked.

"That woman saved the boy's life!" said another.

"Who is she?" a woman asked as she tried to get a better view of Alex.

"She's a friend of Miss Laberge," Mrs. Murphy, the village's best known gossip said, "I heard Michelle call her Alex." She beamed as people gathered around her and listened to what she was saying. "I heard that she comes from out west. She's been helping Miss Laberge with the relay."

"You mean the both of them live alone in the mountains?" another woman asked. "That's not very safe, is it? Especially with all the wild animals we have around here!"

"Well, if you ask me, she looks like she can take care of herself quite well." Christopher piped in as he stood beside his employer, Mr. Cole. "You should have seen her run to grab Bobby! It was great!"

"Can we get out of here?" Alex whispered in Michelle's ear as she slowly stood up. "I don't feel too comfortable with all this attention." 'So much for keeping a low profile, Alex!'

"But you're the village's hero now, Alex." Michelle smiled, relieved to see that her friend wasn't too seriously hurt. "A least you're my hero. Thanks for saving Bobby's life." She said softly.

"Yes, thank you so much, Miss Alex." Mr. Cole joined in and shook Alex's hand gratefully. "I owe you a huge debt. Whatever I can ever do for you, you just name it!"

Alex shrugged and shoved both hands into her long coat's pockets. "The boy was in danger. I just reacted." She said simply then looked at Michelle, slightly tilting her head in the sled's direction.

Nodding with a smile, Michelle took her rifle back from Christopher's hands, "Thanks again for packing the supplies." She told the young man and smiled at the storeowner. "With all this excitement, I think we'll head back home now."

"Have a safe trip back. Thank you again, Miss Alex." Mr. Cole said as he pulled Bobby closer against him.

Before leaving, Michelle dropped to one knee in front of the boy and signed a warning. "Look both ways before you cross the road, okay?"

Bobby nodded sheepishly and gave the dark haired woman a quick look before leaving his father's side and wrapped both arms around Alex in a tight hug.

Alex looked up in alarm at Michelle, not knowing what to do. Never in her life had a child hugged her and the sudden move caught her completely by surprise. She reached a tentative hand and gently patted the boy on the head who barely reached her waist. As quickly as he had approached her, the boy stepped back to stand once more with his father.

Michelle smiled at the look of pure wonder on Alex's face and tugged on her friend's sleeve. "Come on hero. Let's go back home."

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Having brought all of her supplies indoor, Alex slowly took her long fur coat off and hung it on the peg beside the door. Striking a match, she lit the oil lamp on the table and gingerly prodded her right hip then winced as she touched a sensitive spot. "That's just great." She mumbled to herself, walking toward the fireplace with the lamp. "Not only did I manage to re-injure my shoulder, now I have a sore hip to deal with. You're getting old, Alex." She grumbled as she knelt on one knee and added some kindling into the fireplace.

The front door burst open as Michelle walked in, carrying a few logs. "I'm glad we're back. It looks like the weather will get nasty again." She said and dropped the wood beside Alex. "I'll go make sure the dogs are okay. It won't take long."

"Take this with you." Alex said as she handed the younger woman the lit oil lamp. "I'll have the fire going in no time."

"Thanks. Are you sure you're okay? You were pretty quiet all the way back here."

"I'm fine, Michelle. I was just thinking, that's all." Alex smiled reassuringly. "Go take care of your dogs before the storm hits."

"Alright. I'll make it quick."

Alex watched the younger woman as she left with the lamp and closed the door behind her. Was she really okay? Physically, yes. She had suffered worst injuries in her time with the unit than a bruised hip and a sore shoulder. But mentally, she didn't know. How could she explain that the simple act of saving a child's life had felt so alien to her, especially after spending years killing?

She turned her attention back to the wood she was piling and lit the kindling, blowing lightly to get the flames started. Satisfied that the fire had a good start, Alex stood up and pulled her two Colts out of their holsters. Taking the repair kit she had bought for her weapons, she sat in one of the rocking chairs and proceeded to clean her revolvers.

Her Colts Army 44 were all she had left of her days with the Confederacy. For so many years they had been used to get her revenge on those who had destroyed her life. She only hoped that she wouldn't have to use them again, but she would if it meant protecting the person that had started to give her life meaning again, Michelle. "We sure did see a lot of action, didn't we?" Alex spoke softly as she oiled her weapons.

Looking up when the door to the cabin opened, she saw Michelle walk in bundled up in her fur coat and hat and noticed that snow had begun to fall already. "Everything okay?" Alex asked.

Closing the door behind her, Michelle nodded and took her coat off and hung it beside Alex's. "The storm has started though and the wind's blowing hard. But the dogs are fine." She pulled her hat off and brushed a hand through her golden hair, trying to straightened it as best as she could. Glancing at Alex, Mick noticed her friend working on her guns. "Expecting trouble?" she asked half seriously as she took her boots off.

"Doesn't hurt to be prepared." Alex replied, not wanting to worry the younger woman and turned her attention back to her revolvers. The only weapon she had seen at the cabin had been Michelle's old but well kept rifle. Besides, she would feel much better to have her own weapons ready if trouble ever happened.

"You know, I was thinking," Michelle started as she lit the stove, "You said your unit's main mission was working behind enemy lines. What did you do?" she asked and took a jug from the pantry and pulled the cork out, emptying enough of the content for two mugs into a pot and put it to heat. "I'd really like to know more, if you want to talk about it."

Alex smiled and looked at the younger woman standing in front of the stove. "I don't mind." She stopped working and looked at the flames, trying to find a way to describe what the unit was about. "Captain Beauregard usually employed 20 to 50 men on raids. Using a hit-and-run style of operation, we plagued the Union officers and left them bewildered and wondering where we would strike next."

"That's where the 'being annoying as flies around a horse's ass.' comes in, right?" Michelle grinned, remembering the quote from their earlier conversation.

"Something like that." the older woman chuckled, "The Confederate army encouraged this confusion, since it led wary Federal units to reinforce too many points and drained needed soldiers away from the front lines. Then the army would locate one of the weakest points and attack it."

"So in a way, you worked with the army?" Mick asked, walking back to the main room carrying a plate of cookies and small cakes. She put the plate on the small table between them and sat down in the rocking chair next to Alex.

"We did. But most of the unit's members were civilians who were incredibly good riflemen and horsemen, bold men who disliked the routine of ordinary military life or too young to join the regular army." Alex thought back to such a young man, Toby. His young age and lack of experience had been one of the reasons why she and Gordon had kept an eye out for him. "The Captain favored these young troopers. I heard him say one day that 'they haven't sense enough to know danger when they see it, and will fight anything I tell them to.'"

Michelle listened to Alex speak, but couldn't get rid of the image she had in her mind of young boys obeying mindlessly to orders given, risking their lives for a cause they probably didn't even understand. She guessed that this was what the military was all about. But she couldn't picture Alex acting like that.

"Were the boys really that naïve?" Michelle asked softly, "I mean, they knew the danger they were getting into, right? I'm sure you didn't obey blindly like the Captain wanted his men to do."

Alex looked at Michelle and thought about that for a moment. The question had been an honest one and she felt that Mick wasn't criticizing her and her choice to serve in the war but that she really wanted to understand the why of it. "I knew the danger I was getting into. But you have to understand something about me, Mick." Alex said, taking a deep breath and let it out slowly. If they were going to share any kind of friendship, the complete truth had to be spoken.

"The day Jodie was murdered, I promised myself that I would find the five soldiers responsible." She started, turning her face to stare at the flames before them. "I searched everywhere for them but all I found were their names. So I decided that if I couldn't kill Jodie's murderers, I'd do the next best thing; kill any Union soldiers that crossed my path." Alex waited for Michelle to say something and when the younger woman kept silent, she looked up to see compassionate green eyes looking back at her. "You see, I didn't join the unit to help preserve the Southern way of life or for the politics. I joined because I wanted revenge."

Michelle reached for Alex's arm and gently squeezed it. "And did you get your revenge?" she asked softly, keeping her eyes locked on Alex's.

The older woman slowly shook her head, "No." Alex murmured. "My part with the unit stopped being about revenge some time ago. It took some time but I finally let it go." She gave Mick a small smile and continued staring at the fire.

"What made you change your mind?"

'What indeed.' Alex shrugged and looked down at the revolvers still on her lap. "All the horror I saw I guess. For a long time I believed that the Union soldiers were animals to be hunted down. Then as time went by, I realized that some Confederates weren't better. What started out as a unit with military honor ended up as being one of thugs and thieves."

Michelle could see that Alex was lost in her thoughts. Wanting to give her friend some time by herself, she gave the older woman's arm one last squeeze and stood up. "I made us something hot to drink. You want some?"

Alex slowly nodded and gave her friend a small smile. "I'd love that."

Michelle felt that there was more to the story but she didn't want to push. Alex seemed a lot more comfortable talking about her past and if her friend wanted to continue, she would do so. Of all the stories she had read in books, Alex's life story was the only one that caught her attention so much. Maybe it was because the main subject was a real, living woman instead of a fictional character and especially that she was staying in her own cabin.

Pouring the hot liquid into two mugs, Michelle brought them back with her and gave one to Alex before sitting in her rocking chair. She took a sip, enjoying the sweet taste and looked at her companion from the corner of her eyes, trying to keep from laughing at the curious look on Alex's face.

Holding the mug between her hands, glad at the chance to warm them up directly, Alex sniffed at the liquid and raised an eyebrow in surprise as she expected coffee or maybe tea. She took a tentative sip and licked her lips at the strong alcoholic taste. "What's this?" she asked Michelle and took a bigger swallow. "This is good!"

"It's called caribou. It's a traditional drink around here. You like it?" Michelle asked and smiled as Alex nodded, taking another sip. "It's made of Canadian Porto, Alcohol, and something Mama Tucker gave me from France, crème of cassis."

Alex let out a small whistle and lightly lifted her mug in a toast, "No wonder it has a strong taste! But it also tastes sweet."

"Hmm, there's also maple syrup in it." Mick replied with a grin. "You seem to be developing a taste for it."

"And it's all your fault." Alex said with a smile. "The guys would have loved this…caribou you said?" she saw Mick nod, "Anyway, it was a treat when we were able to get any alcohol to drink." She said, remembering with a smile the crate of whiskey she had stolen from the Union officer. "Hot meals were also something special. We only had some when we were hiding in safe houses. Most of the time we ate dried meats when we were in the field."

"Safe houses? Didn't you have army camps or forts you could go to?"

"No. The closest military installations belonged to the Union army. We were working behind enemy lines." Alex explained and leaned back in her chair, stretching her long legs in front of her. "We were once cautioned by higher ranking Confederate officers to not have any established headquarters anywhere but in the saddle. So we lived in safe houses throughout the region. Many had hiding places, trapdoors and secret wall panels that enabled us to go undetected when houses were searched by Union soldiers."

"That must have been a hard life," Michelle said, "Always on the go."

"It was." Alex agreed, "But in the time that Captain Beauregard was in charge of the unit, it was also very exciting. To evade capture and effectively employ the element of surprise, we moved constantly, demolishing bridges, destroying railroad tracks and stealing weapons and gold from the Union army."

"Gold…is that where…" Michelle started, thinking back to the gold nuggets Alex had paid her supplies with and suddenly stopped, realizing too late how her question must have sounded to Alex. "I'm sorry, what I meant was…"

"You mean if the gold that I have was stolen from the Union?" Alex asked with a sad smile. "No, it wasn't. That gold is what remains of my last pay. In those days, Captain Beauregard made sure that any gold taken from the Union made its way to the Confederate treasury to help support the war effort. Any man caught stealing would have been shot on sight." 'And the unit changed so much after the Captain's death. He would have hated to see all the things we did under the new commander.'

"This is why General Lee opposed partisan units for a long time, as did many old-line military officers. Too often men of questionable character with dubious motives filled the ranks of such units." Alex continued her voice hard and bitter. "When discipline broke down, the partisans often victimized the very citizens they had pledged to defend. Stealing what little possessions they had, even going as far as beat, rape or kill people when nothing could be stolen."

Michelle looked up at Alex in shock. "But…" she shook her head, "I'm sure the officers did something to avoid that, right?"

Alex smiled at the younger woman. "Sometimes, the officers were worst than the men." She replied simply and continued staring at the fire, not wanting to go into details. She had already said too much and if she judged by the look of confusion and horror on Michelle's face, she wasn't sure that telling her about the assassination missions she had been part of was such a good idea. At least not now anyway.

Both women drank their hot beverage as Michelle waited for Alex to continue talking while the taller woman waited for more questions she knew Michelle wanted to ask. But nobody spoke and the room fell into a comfortable silence. 'I think we've done enough talking for the day.' Both of them thought.

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Continues in Part 3

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