Northern Peace and Perils, Part 6
Alex was glad that the trip from the cabin to Mansonville hadn't taken a long time as snow started to fall gently. Politely declining Mr. Cole's offer to stay for dinner, she asked for the use of his horse, wanting to make it back to the relay well before the snow started falling.
Riding back, Alex jiggled the coins the store's owner had given her for the trip and looked down at the money in her hand, smiling. "Not too bad. With a few more runs, I'll have enough money to get a horse of our own." She hated borrowing things from people and a horse was no different. Alex thought back to her beautiful Kentucky Saddler she had left in Newport Vermont, the day she had been forced to go on the run and wondered what had happened to the mare.
After pocketing the money, the tall dark haired woman patted the bag that had been tied to the saddle's pommel and grinned, "Sure can't wait for her reaction when she sees this!" Then reaching in her shirt's pocket, Alex made sure that the smaller package was still there and smiled even wider in satisfaction, "But I know that she'll love this one even more."
At the cabin, Michelle grabbed her mitts and opened the oven door. Being careful not to burn herself, she gently took the maple sugar and apple pie she had baked out and deposited it on the counter to let it cool a little bit. Knowing that it was a favorite of Alex's, the younger woman had quickly started preparing the dessert, wanting it to be ready for when her lover came back.
Whistling softly as she tidied up the place, Michelle couldn't help but wonder if she had forgotten something. She had baked the pie, the cabin had been cleaned and everything was put back in its place. The dogs were… "Oh! They're still outside!" Mick exclaimed. She grabbed her shoulder bag and put a small jug of apple cider in it. "I'm so excited that Alex is back, I completely forgot Lone Wolf!"
Taking her jacket off the hook and opening the door, Michelle walked outside and juggled the bag as she slipped into her fur coat. Trudging through the snow, she shook her head with a smile, "I'm worst than a school girl. Alex comes back and I forget everything."
She found Lone Wolf quietly sitting on a log, watching the Malamutes play as he smoked his corn pipe. The tall Indian smiled as she approached him. "I'm so sorry. Alex stopped on the way to town and I…well, got side-tracked." She said with a shy smile.
"It's okay, Little Fox. So, everything went well on the run?"
Michelle nodded, "She's tired but glad to be home." Tucking a strand of hair behind an ear, she looked up at the sky and frowned. "I just hope she makes it back to the cabin before the weather gets worse."
"Well, the work is all done here. Maybe we should head back ourselves." Lone Wolf said as he stood up.
"Thanks for the help, Wolfie. I really appreciate it." Taking the small jug out of her bag, Michelle handed it to her friend with a smile, "Thirsty?"
"Oh yeah, thanks."
Following the dogs that had raced home ahead of them, Michelle and Lone Wolf chatted amicably as they walked among the maple and snow covered pine trees, neither hearing the figure that was following some distance behind them.
Sensing motion behind him, Lone Wolf started turning around to look when something hard hit him solidly on the head. Darkness overtook his senses and the last thing he remembered before crumpling into the snow was Michelle's surprised exclamation.
"Wha…" Spinning around, Michelle came face to face with the traveller and saw the heavy branch he was holding in his hand. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled and knelt down beside the immobile Indian, letting her shoulder bag fall to the ground. Touching his head softly, she pulled her hand back and saw blood on her fingers. She looked up and glared at their attacker. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"My revenge, little girl, and you're going to help me get it." The stranger smiled and motioned for the woman to get up. "You have something that I want and since I know that she's back, I want her!"
"Who are you?" she asked again, refusing to leave Lone Wolf's side. This definitely wasn't looking good.
"Do you know that I saw the both of you together, kissing? I'm sure your lover told you everything about me," he sneered, "My name's Nathaniel Johnson." He bent down to grab the smaller woman's arm and pulled her up roughly.
'Johnson? Who the hell…Oh God, no!' Understanding dawned on Michelle and she swallowed nervously. Alex would soon be home and she had to find a way to warn her friend of the man's presence. "What do you want from me?" she demanded as she tore her arm out of his grasp.
Looking at the spirited young woman standing defiantly before him, Johnson smiled, "I want your cooperation. Just do what I tell you and nothing will happen to you. I'm only interested in Carmichael. As long as I have you with me, she'll have no choice but to surrender and come back with me to South Carolina."
"You're dreaming! She'll never go back with you." Michelle spat nervously and started kneeling again as a strong hand suddenly grabbed her coat and jerked her to her feet again. A low growl sounded behind Johnson and both looked to see one of the Malamutes baring his teeth at the man. "You better let me go right now before the dog shreds you like a rag doll."
Looking around them, he spotted more wolf-like dogs slowly approaching. Pulling Michelle to the left, Johnson let the branch he was holding drop to the ground then quickly pulled his revolver out of its holster and aimed it at the animal closest to him.
"No!" Michelle screamed and tried to knock the gun out of his hand only to realize that she was to late.
******
Crossing the old bridge, Alex spotted the two maple trees that had grown entwined and remembered that she had promised to show them to Michelle. Chuckling to herself, she imagined Michelle's reaction to the unusual tree and could bet that the younger woman would give them their own name, as was her habit to christen everything.
To her right was the abandoned mine, its entrance barely visible as shrubs and small trees blocked it and she wondered what life must have been in the area when the mine was in full operation. Alex snorted, "Definitely noisier than now," she answered to herself.
Enjoying the peace and quiet the mountains offered, Alex closed her eyes and hummed softly as the horse made its way through the forest at a regular gait. It wouldn't be long now before she would lie in bed with her lover and spend the night making love.
Alex guided the horse that had started to become agitated due to the coming storm and took the left path and started up the road leading to the cabin. She pulled her coat's collar higher as the wind picked up, sending the once gently falling snow into the beginning of a blizzard. "Well, it doesn't matter," she said with a smile, "I don't think we were going anywhere for the next few days."
Alex was about a mile and a half from the cabin. Just one more hill to climb and she would be able to see the relay. She smiled as she imagined Michelle waiting there for her and her heart began to beat faster in excitement, thinking of the evening they would spend together. Lost in a daydream, Alex was completely unprepared when a gunshot rang out, spooking the horse she was riding.
Trying her best to stay in the saddle as the mare reared, she finally lost her grip and was sent crashing to the ground with a thump. 'Someone's shooting!' she thought in a panic and rolled under a large pine tree, hiding herself as best as she could. Pulling her Colt revolver out of its holster, she scanned the area in search of any movement. 'It might just be a hunter.' Alex told herself, trying to get her breathing under control, ‘No matter what it is, it sounds too damn close to the cabin'
******
As the shot rang out, Michelle saw the animal crumple to the ground. "You bastard!" she cried and hit the bigger man's chest with her fists. At the sound of the gunshot, the other dogs had fearfully backed away from the man and whined at their dead companion.
Releasing his grip on the smaller woman, Johnson lifted his hand in the air and backhanded Michelle in the face, sending her crashing against a tree. The force of the impact caused her head to hit the trunk solidly and she slowly slid down to the snowy ground, unconscious. "Stupid woman," he mumbled under his breath as he looked at the blonde. Her lip had split upon impact and her cheek had already started to color. "At least this way, you won't give me any more trouble."
Reaching for the Indian's jacket, Johnson tucked a small note into his pocket and grabbed the smaller woman, shouldering her inert body. He walked a short distance to where his horse waited patiently and let Michelle fall across the horse's neck, then climbed onto the saddle. Ever since he saw that the dark haired woman had returned, Johnson had spent the previous time leaving horse tracks in the snow, wanting to cover his escape as best as possible.
All he had to do now was to bring his hostage to a safe place and wait for the bitch to find the note and come to him. He smiled and urged his horse forward. He had been looking forward to this day for years. Not only would he get his revenge for the humiliation he had suffered in front of the men when she first joined the partisan unit, but he would finally teach her a lesson in what is a woman's role in this society. 'Women playing soldiers! Ah!' he snorted, 'Too bad I already killed Beauregard. I would’ve loved to make him pay for the rank he gave her. I should've been the one to be promoted to Sergeant, not her!'
******
Taking a calming breath, Alex slowly slipped out from under the pine tree when she heard no other shots being fired and crouching low, she squinted her eyes to try to examine the area through the falling snow. Her spooked horse had continued up the road without her and now she had no other choice but to walk the rest of the way to the cabin. Holding her revolver in her hand, Alex got underway and kept her eyes scanning her surroundings.
‘If a hunter was nearby, what was he shooting at so close to the cabin?' she thought and walked a little faster. Looking up, she saw the relay up the hill, 'Or maybe it was Michelle shooting at something.' The sudden thought made her start into a jog and she arrived in no time. The place was quiet and the mustang she had seen a few hours before, which belonged to the traveller, was gone.
Alex put her weapon back in its holster and grabbed for the reins of her horse to tie them around the post. After she took the parcel she had attached to the saddle, she walked into the cabin to find it silent. She deposited the package on the kitchen table and looked in the rooms for any signs of life. Michelle's rifle was still on its rack next to the door and it seemed like the weapon hadn't been fired in some time. 'Who shot that gun then?' "Michelle, where are you?" she sighed.
"I still have some work left to do in the woods. Lone Wolf is giving me a hand with tapping more maple trees," "Of course!" Remembering what her friend told her just before leaving, Alex left the cabin and headed toward the sugar shack, grumbling under her breath as she thought of Michelle still working in the beginnings of another snowstorm.
Her keen hearing picked up soft whining sounds somewhere in front of her and she started running, using the well-worn path. She saw a figure sprawled on the ground that was surrounded by the Malamutes. "Lone Wolf!" Alex quickly knelt beside her friend as he started to move and helped him sit up. "What happened?"
Groaning softly, the Indian reached for his aching head and tried to focus his attention on Alex. "Someone…got hit from behind."
"Where's Michelle?" she asked more forcefully than she had intended.
"She was right beside me." He explained and looked down at his bloody fingers. "Hugh!"
Taking a quick look around them, Alex spotted the dead dog and Michelle's shoulder bag not too far away. Turning her attention back to the still sitting man, she noticed a paper sticking out of Lone Wolf's coat pocket and pulled it out. "Shit!" she exclaimed as she read the note.
Hello again, Carmichael.
I've got your little playmate with me. Do what I say and she'll be fine. Meet me at the abandoned barn close to the old bridge and don't try anything stupid or your friend will get it.
N. J.
P.S. If you think I'll fall for a stupid trick like Parker did, you're gravely mistaken.
Feeling the rage slowly building inside her, Alex crushed the paper in her hands and threw it on the ground. "Damn you, Johnson!" she yelled then growled, "You touch one single hair on her head and I'll make you suffer in ways you can't begin to imagine."
"I'm sorry," the Indian murmured, "I didn't see him until it was too late." He slowly stood up, helped by Alex and took a deep breath. "What are we going to do now?"
"Don't be sorry. You couldn't have expected this to happen." Alex replied as she kept a good grip on his arm until he was steady on his feet. 'I'm the one to blame. I should've known that Parker wasn't the only one after me, especially since Johnson was in Vermont too.' She looked at the older man, "Can you make it back to the cabin?"
"I'll be okay," Lone Wolf said and held Alex's glare, "I'm coming with you. That man is dangerous and…"
"No, you're not!" she shot back, "I'll meet him alone. It's me that he wants. He'll leave Michelle alone if we don't try to trick him." She picked up Michelle's shoulder bag in the snow and gave it to her friend.
"But…"
"You're hurt, Lone Wolf. Go back to the cabin with the dogs, okay?" Alex glanced at the dead dog and its companions, 'I hope Michelle didn't see this, she loves them so much.' she thought and softened her voice as much as the situation allowed, "Listen, having Michelle involved in this mess is already too much. I don't want to risk you too. Please?" She waited until Lone Wolf grudgingly nodded and then patted the man's arm. "Thank you."
He watched the tall woman as she turned around and started running down the path leading to the old bridge. Shaking his head, he shouldered the bag and whistled for the dogs to follow. "Come on," he sighed, "I'll take care of your friend later." He picked up the discarded note and took a look at it. "The abandoned barn…" Giving one last look at the retreating figure that was partially hidden by the blowing snow, he said, "I'll bring the dogs back Alex, but I'm going to go and get help. You're not doing this on your own, my friend."
******
Pain was the first thing Michelle felt as she came to her senses. She opened her eyes but her pounding headache quickly made her change her mind. She licked her lips and winced as her tongue hit a painful spot and wondered why it tasted salty, unaware of her injury. A shiver raked over her body and she opened her eyes, more slowly this time to see where she was.
As she lay on the ground, Michelle tried to sit up but the ropes binding her legs and arms made it impossible to do so. Grunting slightly, she carefully glanced around her and saw that she was in some kind of tunnel. The ground she was lying on was cold and muddy and she looked up at the ceiling and saw stalactites made of ice, the drops making small splashing sounds as it hit the puddles underneath, causing the noise to echo down the corridors.
"Where am I?" Michelle asked no one in particular and tried to remember. She had a vague recollection of being on horseback then being carried like a sack of potato into a darkened shelter. Hearing footsteps, she nervously looked up and saw a figure holding a torch approach her.
"You're finally awake," a man's voice sounded as he squatted next to her and placing the torch against the rocky wall. He grabbed her coat in his hands and roughly lifted her up, placing her in a sitting position.
"You!" Michelle exclaimed as she recognized Johnson. She bit back tears, remembering her beloved dog that he had shot earlier, "Why are you doing this?" she asked, wanting to understand, "What did I ever do to you?"
"You? Nothing. It's your girlfriend that did something to me." Johnson explained as he studied the young blonde before him. "And I want her to pay for that." He lifted a hand and reached to touch her cheek but she jerked her head to avoid him. Scowling, he grabbed her hair and pulled her close to him, "You seem to be as stubborn as she is. I hate that in a woman."
"I guess I'm lucky then." Michelle mumbled sarcastically under her breath and winced as he tugged her hair again.
"Yeah, you're lucky…you're lucky that I don't have time to waste with you or else I'd be showing you better manners." He roughly slammed her against the rocky wall and grabbed the torch as he stood up. Johnson walked to a small pile of wood, threw the burning torch on it and watched as it started to burn. "Any last words for Carmichael before I take care of her?" he asked as he pulled his revolver out to inspect it.
A mixture of fear and anger started to rise within Michelle as she struggled with her bonds. The worry of suffering any injuries was quickly replaced by fear for her friend's safety and anger for not being able to do anything about it. "What are you going to do?" Mick asked with a shaky voice.
"You can't be that naïve, can you?" Johnson snorted, "I'm going to kill her, what else?" Shoving his weapon back into its holster, he turned around and looked at the woman lying on the ground. "So, you just take it easy and I'll be back for you soon." Ducking under a wooden beam, Johnson stopped and glanced at his prisoner once more, "Oh, I forgot to say that you can scream all you want, nobody will hear you." Laughing, he started making his way out of the tunnel.
"No!" Michelle screamed and continued struggling with the ropes holding her prisoner.
******
If there was one thing that Alex was thankful for, it was for the falling snow. Because of the wind, visibility was near impossible and it gave her a chance to approach the barn without being seen, but she knew that Johnson would be waiting and ready for her. He wasn't an idiot like Parker was and she would have to be even more careful in her dealing with him.
Walking slowly around the barn to find a secondary entrance, Alex bit back a curse when she found none other than the main door. 'What the hell do I do now?' she thought as she tried to find a way to get into the structure. Going in with guns blasting wasn't an option. She didn't know if Michelle was inside and if she was, where exactly was she being held?
'Okay, so he knows I'm coming.' Alex reasoned, 'If he went through all that trouble to find me and then kidnap Michelle, I'm sure he doesn't want to shoot me on sight. He must want something out of me, maybe he knows about the list that I have.' She carefully peeked between two wooden panels to try and spot him, with no success, 'Or it may just be a simple case of wanting revenge.' Alex shook her head as she thought about all the times that she had bested him. 'Can't say I don't know about that feeling.'
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Alex slowly pushed the door open and walked inside.
'It could be so easy to just shoot her!' Johnson smiled as he watched the tall dark haired woman slowly make her way inside the barn. Her long fur coat was opened and slightly pulled back to allow her hand to rest on the grip of one of her guns. 'But there would be no satisfaction in doing that.' He hated to admit that she was a better shooter than he was and he knew that provoking her into a duel was suicide. He kept his eyes on his nemesis as she scanned the area, obviously looking for something. 'Or someone,' he chuckled silently. "Looking for your little friend?"
Startled, Alex turned in the voice's direction and saw Johnson leave his hiding place behind a wall of hay, pointing a revolver at her. "Where is she?" she growled, keeping her eyes locked with his. "If you did anything to her…"
"Don't get so excited Carmichael," he smiled and stopped a few feet in front of her. "Just in case you get out of control, I want you to throw your guns away, very slowly one at a time."
Clenching her jaw, Alex took another quick scan around the barn, hoping to see Michelle. Turning her attention back to him, she slowly reached for her right Colt and pulled it out with two fingers on the grip, then threw it to the ground sideways.
"You can stop looking for her, she's not here." He chuckled as he watched her pull the second revolver out and got rid of it.
"Where…is…she?" she asked again, her voice timbre getting deeper with every word.
Johnson sighed dramatically, "I'm so disappointed in you. I came all the way from South Carolina just to see you and all you think about is your little friend."
"Cut the crap, Johnson."
"Do you honestly think that I would tell you?" he laughed and started walking around the now angry woman, "Not a chance. But I know why you're so worried about her safety. You're afraid that you won't be able to save her, just like you were unable to save your other lover." He grinned as the blue eyes glaring at him slowly turned to ice. "Oh yes, I know all about that, Carmichael."
'Why didn't you just shoot him and got it over with?' a voice screamed in her mind. Why indeed? It would have been so simple, no more hassles and she would've been rid of him indefinitely. "I just don't want to see you in trouble with the law. I care too much about you." Michelle's words came back to her and she struggled with herself to keep calm. 'There must be another way of dealing with him.' "I don't have all day, Johnson. What do you want?"
"What do I want? Let's see, first I want you to apologize for the humiliation you put me through in front of my men."
"Your men?" Alex snorted, "You have illusions of grandeur, Johnson. You never had any men to lead. All you were good at was to obey orders like a well trained dog." She could see that with every insult uttered he was getting more upset. "As for the humiliation well, I gave you a chance to back off from the bet, you were stupid enough not to take it. What else do you want?"
Gripping the gun tighter in his hand, he glared at the taller woman, "And I want you to pay for stealing what I deserved to get. Naming you Sergeant was the biggest mistake Captain Beauregard ever did. I should have been the one, not you!"
"I hate to say this but I agree with you on one point." Alex grinned, catching Johnson off guard, "I didn't ask for that rank but it was given to me. In fact, anybody else should have gotten it but you." Watching as the man got angrier by the moment, Alex crossed her arms over her chest and chuckled, "I had no control over that one." 'Keep doing this and he'll lose control. More chances of him making a mistake that way.'
His temper was getting out of hand and he did everything he could not to yell at her. "You think you're so smart, going around pretending to be a man, what a laugh. Playing soldier, wearing pants, you even have a woman as a lover! You'll burn in hell for that!" Johnson could see that his words had no effect on the woman, in fact she seemed very much relaxed, not the reaction he was looking for.
"And you won't for beating those black men? I saw you, we all did, but we were ordered to shut up. That's one of the crimes I'm guilty of," she replied sadly.
"They were slaves!" he yelled, not caring anymore that he had completely lost control. "You shot two prisoners at point blank range. I guess that makes us the same."
"Not the same, Johnson. I have a conscience, you don't." 'And a very guilty one at that,' she silently added.
"Then if you couldn't stand war, you should have stayed where you belong, in the kitchen!" A burst of laughter from the dark haired woman surprised him and he blinked at her.
"In the kitchen? Obviously you never tasted my cooking!" she shook her head, "If you did, you'd beg me to go back to the battlefields." 'Alright, I've had enough of this.' Taking one step closer, Alex glared at him, almost taunting him to make the first move. "You said something about pretending to be a man. I think that you're the one pretending. No real man would aim a gun at an unarmed woman."
That did it. In an angry move, he threw his gun away and pulled his knife out of its sheath then pointed the blade at his enemy. "I'm going to give you a lesson, woman. I'll show you what a real man can do. You'll regret the day you ever made fun of me. "
With an evil smile, Alex stood in a relaxed half-crouch and waited for him to make a move. 'I promised you Michelle that I wouldn't kill, but I didn't say anything about defending myself.'
******
After putting the dogs in their pen, Lone Wolf stood beside Alex's horse and gently brushed his hand along the mare's side and untied the reins. "Easy girl, nothing personal but I'm not too crazy about horses, so just take it easy okay?" Swallowing nervously, he grabbed the saddle's pummel, slipped his boot in the stirrup and swung his leg over the horse. "O Great Spirit, give me the strength to do this." Holding the reins tightly in his hands, he turned the horse toward the path and started down the snowy road.
With the weather getting worst by the moment, Lone Wolf feared that he wouldn't see any trappers on his way and would have to go all the way into town to get help. The further he went, the longer it would take for them to come back and do any good. He let the horse make its own pace, concentrating instead on the surrounding woods, trying to spot any human activities. Coming up at the junction in the path, the tall Indian looked down one road, the one leading to Mansonville and then the other, where he knew his friends' cabins were located.
"You better be there, Keshata." He muttered and decided to take the path that would lead him to his friends, hoping his gamble would pay off. Half way down the road, a silhouette caught Lone Wolf's attention and he squint his eyes, trying to identify it. The figure stopped walking and turned slightly to face him. After a moment's hesitation, it continued walking but this time, heading straight for him.
Completely covered in furs, the only things visible was the rifle the figure had leaning against one shoulder and the two partridges in the left hand. Stopping close to the horse, the figure let the birds drop to the ground and shifted the fur hat higher above the eyes to take a better look. "What are you doing out here in such a weather?" the man asked as he recognized the rider, "You're halfway dressed too, are you nuts?"
"Kurt!" Lone Wolf sighed, glad to see a familiar face, "I need help."
Taking a better look at the Indian, the hunter noticed the dried blood on the side of his head and frowned, "What happened? Who did this to you?"
"No time to explain. Michelle needs our help," he said as a shiver shook his body. The light jacket he was wearing did very little to protect him against the wind. "She was kidnapped and may be held in the abandoned barn, the one close to the old bridge. That's where he told Alex to meet him."
"Who is he?" Kurt asked, "What does he want with Alex?"
"I don't know!" Lone Wolf replied exasperated, "Listen Kurt, I know you don't care much for me, but I'm asking your help to find Michelle, will you do it?"
"Of course I'll help," Kurt said as he grabbed his partridges and swung them across one shoulder. "She might be at the old barn?"
"That's where the note said for Alex to meet him but Michelle might not be there though. We'll have to see what's going on."
"I'm on my way." Taking his rifle in his hands, Kurt looked at the Indian as he continued down the road, opposite from where the rendezvous point was. "Where are you going?" he yelled over the blowing wind.
"Get more help." Lone Wolf yelled back, "I just hope Alex can hold on until we get there," and urged the horse forward.
******
Michelle closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. As soon as Johnson left the tunnel, she had started to drag herself as best as her roped feet and wrists could allow toward the small fire burning some distance away. Determined to make it, she grunted as she continued to move across the muddy ground, trying her best to ignore her wet clothes that caused her to shiver uncontrollably.
All her brain was telling her to do was to get as close to the fire as possible to get warm, but another part of her was saying get there to burn the ropes holding her prisoner and escape. "I've got to warn Alex." She kept repeating the phrase, pushing her forward when her body started to refuse to obey.
A few feet more and she was finally beside the fire. Leaning on her side, Michelle rested her head on the ground for a minute, wanting to catch her breath, not caring that her hair and the side of her face were in the cold mud. "What did we do to deserve such a day?" she muttered, thinking about her friend fighting for her life. "If we get out of this mess Alex, you'll owe me one hell of a backrub."
Bringing her knees closer to her chest, she carefully swung her hips to try to kneel on the ground but failed miserably. "The idea seemed so simple," she complained and tried again, this time moving a little more but falling back to the ground. She blew a frustrated breath, "Come on, you can do this!"
Trying for the third time, Michelle swung hard and succeeded in getting to her knees but barely stopped as the momentum almost carried her to her other side, nearly landing her in the small fire pit. "Damn!" she breathed nervously and rested her forehead down on the ground, her hands tightly roped behind her back. "That was too close for comfort."
Sitting up on her heels, she jerked her head to get her muddy hair out of her face, "Okay, what do I do now?" she asked as she looked at the fire. The flames were low and in order to get the fire to burn the rope, she would need to put her wrists as close as possible to the burning embers. "That doesn't look good. Any more bright ideas?"
Glancing around, Michelle couldn't find any tools or maybe sharp objects that she could safely cut the ropes with. All that she could see were rounded rocks and pieces of wood. "If I can manage to get on my feet, I can always hop out of here." Nodding to her latest plan, Michelle tried to stand from her kneeling position, but her frozen legs refused to cooperate and buckled under her, sending her crashing back to the ground.
Biting back tears of frustration, the young woman closed her eyes and thought of her lover, wishing she knew what was going on. "Be careful Alex, please. I don't want to lose you," she said softly, "If she succeeds…no! When Alex succeeds in getting rid of Johnson, she's going to worry to death not knowing where I am. I really need to get out of here!"
One more deep breath to gather her remaining strength and Michelle shifted to lean on her back as best as her hands would allow. She heard a faint splashing sound and looked at her feet, which rested in water. Looking back at the fire, an idea crossed her mind and she smiled, feeling that success was close at hand. "Let's see if that will work!"
Trying to soak her leather boots as much as possible to protect her feet from the flames, Michelle moved her body to get her roped ankles toward the fire and lifted them up slightly to bring them as close as possible to get the cord burning. She could feel the heat of the flames as it slowly traversed her boots and started warming her cold toes, but the heat slowly became intolerable as the water evaporated and left the leather to overheat.
"Damn, that's too hot!" she growled, anger starting to rise at the possibility that she might fail once more. "I have to do this." Soaking her boots in the water again, she shifted her legs so that the knot holding her feet together was to the side. Approaching the fire again, she held her breath as the flames continued to painfully heat her feet but watched with a hopeful expression as the rope started to burn and put all of her strength in her legs to help her bonds break.
******
"You know, I've been dreaming about this day for a long time," Johnson grinned, feeling his confidence slowly come back to him. "I'll finally get my hands on you."
Keeping her eyes on the man as they circled each other in the middle of the barn, Alex slightly tilted her head and snorted, "Sorry to disappoint but you're not my type." Getting tired of this game, she straightened slightly and stared at Johnson, "Could we get on with this? I have better things to do." She sighed, 'Like finding where Michelle is.'
"In a hurry to die, aren't we?" Johnson snickered, "Nothing would please me more than to beat the crap out of you." He knew that without her guns, he had a fighting chance at winning this the way he wanted and prove to her that he was the strongest. "Come on, I bet you're itching to teach me a lesson too, right?"
'No guns which means less chances to kill him and this way I'd be able to keep the promise I made to Michelle.' Smiling to herself, 'And when I get my hands on him, I'll pummel him senseless.' She slowly nodded, "Another thing I agree with you. This must be your lucky day." Moving her hands away from her body, Alex lifted an eyebrow at him and smirked, "Ladies first."
With a growl, Johnson lunged at her and swung his blade sideways, hoping to cut her across the stomach.
Alex easily jumped back and out of his reach. "Oh, you can do better than that!" she taunted with a laugh, causing the man to get angrier. 'I should've taken my coat off when I had the chance. Fighting with it on will be a little awkward.'
"Damn Bitch!" Johnson yelled and jabbed the knife forward.
Seeing the move coming, Alex sighed silently and blocked the thrust with her left arm and quickly shifted to give him a sidekick to the stomach. "Let me know when you've had enough," she said as she reached for her boot and pulled her own knife out of its sheath.
Bending over as the air escaped his lungs under the force of impact, Johnson glared at the woman and clenched his teeth, "Fuck you!" In a rage, he charged her and rammed his shoulder in her stomach, sending the both of them to crash on the ground in a shower of loose hay.
The shock of the hit made Alex lose her grip on the knife as she landed, her head painfully slammed against the frozen ground. She cleared the dizziness away just in time to see Johnson straddle her and bring his fist down against her jaw in one hard blow. He grabbed her throat and did his best to strangle her with one hand while the other descended toward her chest, still gripping the sharp blade.
Wrestling with him as she tried to stop the advancing weapon, Alex realized her opponent's position and jerked her knee up, hitting him in the crotch. Johnson let go of his hold on her as he howled in pain and she pushed him away to put some distance between them. She watched as the man collapsed on his side, holding his injured part.
Outside in the snowstorm, Kurt had finally made it and was walking toward the barn when he heard noises inside. Shifting his rifle in his hands, he slowly approached the abandoned building and peeked between the wooden planks just in time to see a tall, dark haired woman knee a man between the legs and he groaned in sympathy at the sight.
'Wouldn't want to get Alex mad at me!' he thought and sighed in relief as the situation appeared to be in Alex's control. Moving away from the wall, he continued to walk around the barn and headed toward the door.
Wincing slightly as her fingers brushed against her aching jaw, Alex stood and grabbed Johnson's coat with both hands, pulling him up to his feet. "Fun's over." She growled and pulled her right arm back and let her fist connect with his head, sending him back to the ground in a heap.
Alex took the time to close her eyes and take a deep breath, willing her racing heart to calm down. 'It's over,' she kept repeating to herself. Looking down at the immobile man, she sighed and knelt down to one knee beside him. She slapped his face a couple of times to wake him up and roughly grabbed the front of his jacket as he began to stir. "Where's Michelle?" she demanded.
Blinking a couple of times to clear his head, Johnson stared at her in shock when he realized that he had been bested, yet again. Trying furiously to think of a way out of his situation, he tightened his hands in anger and felt something hard still clutched in his hand, then he remembered. He bit back a smile as he looked up and into furious blue eyes.
"Where is she?" Alex asked again, shaking him more forcefully this time.
"Go to hell!" Johnson spat and prepared himself when he saw the woman lift her right hand and got ready to backhand him in the face. 'Just what I needed!' he grinned and swung the knife he was still holding as hard as possible, the sharp blade finding its mark.
"Shit!" Alex growled as she let go of Johnson and stumbled back a few paces, clutching her left side. She knew that the knife had done some damage but she didn't dare check on her injury. She pulled her hand away and found it coated with blood. 'Damn idiot!' she chastised herself, 'I should have known better!'
"Well, well, well," he chuckled as he got up, keeping his blade aimed at Alex. "I didn't think that you would've been that easy to fool. It's kind of disappointing. I was hoping for a better hunt."
"Glad I screwed up your plans, Johnson." Alex said from between clenched teeth and winced as she crashed down to one knee. "But the hunt isn't over yet."
"Oh, I think it is." Approaching the injured woman, Johnson sneered at her and glanced at his bloody knife. "You're just like a wounded animal. Usually, I would put it out of its misery, but guess what? I won't. I want you to suffer. I want to see you bleed to death." He saw her reach into her fur coat and quickly moved to stand behind her, his left hand pulling her long hair back while the tip of the knife he was holding grazed her tender throat, "You're not so tough now, are you, bitch?"
Catching sight of some movement through the holes in the wooden wall, Alex stilled her body as she waited to see what the person was going to do, hoping against all hope that it was a friend and not a foe. 'Who's being easily fooled now, Johnson?' The figure was nearing the door and Alex let a plaintive sound escape her lips as she moved slightly, bringing all of Johnson's attention on her.
The man roughly pulled at her hair again and painfully pressed the knife into her neck then smiled when blood started to seep from a small cut. "You're gonna be a mess when I'm done with you," he murmured in her ear. "And I'm going to enjoy it so…"
The sound of a door crashing open made Johnson jump and look to his left to see a man dressed in fur aiming a rifle at him. Another movement caught him by surprise as the woman he was holding at knifepoint suddenly knocked his arm away from her.
Alex used all of her strength to bring the two of them up. She pushed him back a few steps only to be stopped abruptly by something solid. The sound of air being expelled from lungs and low moaning made Alex turn around quickly and gasp at what she saw.
What had stopped them from crashing to the ground was one of the barn's thick wooden pillars. Johnson stood against it with a dazed expression on his face and he slowly looked down, seeing the tip of a metal hook protruding from his chest.
"Damn!" Alex breathed and stepped closer to him. She gently lifted his head to look into his dark brown eyes and said softly, "Tell me where Michelle is."
"No," he smiled, knowing he was a dying man, "I won't."
"She's done nothing to you. Why are you doing this?"
"All I ever wanted was…to hurt you and I just…found the best way to…do it." He closed his eyes and coughed, causing some blood to slowly trickle down the side of his mouth. "You're too late, Carmichael."
"Too late? What have you done? Tell me!"
"I buried…your…little slut…so deep, you'll…never find…her." He chuckled weakly and died.
She grabbed the man's jacket and shook him, "Johnson!" Alex screamed in frustration and growled as a hand gently touched her arm.
Kurt quickly stepped back as he saw the fury and pain written all over the woman's face. "We'll find her, Alex," he said reassuringly, "Somehow, we'll find a way. But we need to get you to a doctor first."
Looking down at her bloody hands as if seeing them for the first time, Alex slowly shook her head and murmured, "I promised Michelle, no more killings. Look at what I've done."
"He was going to kill you." Kurt said softly, "You had to defend yourself, Alex." He lifted his hand to touch her arm again but changed his mind, "It wasn't your fault, it was an accident."
Shaking her head, Alex looked away from Johnson and winced as she was reminded of her injury. She took her coat off, let it drop to the ground and inspected the wound. The knife had caught her in the left side but the deep scratch on her gun belt indicated that the thick brown leather had taken most of the knife hit. She was bleeding but the cut wasn't life threatening, at least it wouldn't be unless she couldn't get it under control.
She spotted one of her revolvers not too far away from her, bent down slowly to retrieve it and put it back into its holster. A wave of dizziness rose within her as she stood up and she wavered slightly. She was tired from lack of sleep and the blood loss was making it hard for her to keep her eyes open. Not willing to sit down for fear that she wouldn't be able to get up again, Alex walked to the wall and leaned against it.
Kurt saw Alex waver and picked up her second Colt and knife, then handed them to her. "Will you…" he looked at the woman in hesitation, "…will you let me look at your wound? We need to pad it to stop the bleeding."
Alex nodded silently and closed her eyes. 'Now's not the time to collapse!' she chastised herself, 'I need to find Michelle. Where could she be?' She could feel the young man's fingers slowly open the shirt where it was cut and heard him softly clear his throat. Alex looked down at him, "What?"
"I…hum, I need to cut the shirt a little bit more to see better."
"Go ahead," she replied tiredly and sighed. She watched as he gently tugged on the shirt, trying to open it more but his hesitant movement got on Alex's nerves and she reached for the material and ripped it apart in one quick tug. "Happy now?" she growled at the nervous man. 'What's that guy's name again…he was with Michelle when…Kurt! The name's Kurt.'
"Er…thanks." He mumbled and leaned closer to inspect the wound. "Shit! I really need to get you to a doctor, you'll need stitching."
Alex blew a breath and tried to calm her rising temper, "No time. Just patch it up the best you can." She said as she put her second gun back in its place and sheathed her knife at her boot.
"But…"
"Damn it, Kurt!" she yelled, "I told you I don't have the time!" She leaned her head against the wooden wall and closed her eyes again. 'So much for wanting to stay calm.' Another deep breath and she looked down at the young man who had stepped away from her in fear and gentled her voice. "I know you're trying to help but I need to find Michelle as quickly as possible."
"I understand." He replied softly and looked around for something to cover the wound with. "I need…"
"Use a piece of my coat's lining." Alex told him as if reading his mind. "It'll do for now." Concentrating on Johnson's last words, she tried to find a hint that would indicate where he had hidden her friend. She only hoped that he hadn't literally done what he had said. "I buried her so deep, you'll never find her." She repeated the phrase over and over again, trying to make sense of it. "Buried her so deep…buried her…where?"
Kurt looked up as he started ripping the lining out of Alex's coat, "What was that?"
"Where would you bury a body at this time of year? The ground's all frozen." She continued mumbling to herself.
"You want to bury him now? Why?" Kurt asked, confused. "I thought you said that…"
"Not Johnson." Alex replied impatiently, "In winter when people die, where do you put the bodies until they can be buried?"
"We have an ice shack in Mansonville that…"
"That's too far away from here." Alex cut him off and started pacing, trying to ignore the pain. "Johnson would've never had the time to go there and come back. It must be somewhere closer to here."
"There's a small area we use near the south entrance. The door to the mine is always locked…"
Alex spun around and stared at the young man, "The abandoned mine?" she asked as she remembered seeing the entrance on her way to the cabin but hadn't noticed any door. "Is there another way to go in?"
"Sure, there are three entrances but they don't connect. In fact, one of them isn't too far away from here. There's all kinds of bushes and…"
"Why didn't you say anything before?" Alex growled and grabbed the pieces of cloth Kurt was holding and padded her injury as best she could. "I'm sure that's where Johnson brought Michelle. It would make sense! Come on." She finished patching herself up and headed toward the barn's door.
"I didn't say anything because you didn't ask!" Picking Alex's fur coat off of the floor, Kurt hurried after the tall woman, "Wait! There's a blizzard outside. At least get your coat on!" he grumbled as he stepped out into the falling snow.
******
Michelle cursed in her native tongue and moved her bonded ankles away from the fire as more than just the rope started burning. She rolled her legs in what little water was left in the puddle to stop her pants from burning even more, then lay her head down on the ground to rest and get her ragged breathing under control. "Will something finally go my way today?" she asked no one in particular as she closed her eyes.
She was wet, cold, hungry and tired. The frustration of not being able to free herself was getting to her and she slammed her heels on the ground. "I'm getting really fed up…" Michelle started and blinked as the rope holding her feet together broke apart. She sat up easily then looked at the burnt rope and snorted, "If I had known that all it took was a tantrum to free myself…"
With her hands still solidly tied behind her back, she shifted to her knees then stood up on wobbly legs. "Now all I need is for Johnson to show up!" Michelle muttered and took a few steps to get the cramps out. She wasn't sure how long she had been tied, but she knew that something must've happened between Alex and that maniac. She fervently prayed that her lover was uninjured and safe. She even surprised herself hoping that her friend had dealt with the man.
She bit her lip as she thought back to Johnson shooting one of her dogs. "When I get my hands on him, he'll be sorry he came all the way here and messed with us." Taking a look around, Michelle saw that the little cave where she was had two entrances, but remembered the one her kidnapper had taken to walk out of there.
"Okay, let's see where that leads." She carefully started making her way out and slightly ducked under a wooden beam. The corridor was dark and she couldn't see any kind of light. She hoped that the exit was just around the corner but was disappointed to see that she was wrong. What she found was that the corridor split in two with both paths leading into more darkness.
Turning back slightly to look at the diminishing light coming from the dying fire in the cave, Michelle took a deep breath and made a decision. "I have a better chance of not running into him if I move around than if I stay in there." Nodding at her logic, she chose one path and started walking as quietly as possible. She soon found herself at the end of the tunnel and was forced to make another decision. "Turn left or right? Let's try the right path."
Her eyes were slowly getting used to the darkness but not quick enough that she didn't see the obstacle in her way. Her booted feet caught something low and solid and unable to use her hands to stop her fall, she went sprawling to the ground. "What the…" Michelle grumbled and kicked at the offending item. Expecting a rock, she was surprised to see that it didn't move and the sound it made when she hit it sounded metallic.
Getting back to her knees, she inspected the ground more closely and found that there were rails leading down the corridor. "Why would there be rails…" she thought with a frown then stood up slowly, careful not to trip again. "Where did he…" An idea crossed her mind and she sucked a breath in surprise, "I'm in the mine!" she realized, "Of all the places I didn't explore in this area, it had to be the mines."
Looking both ways but unable to see anything, Michelle sighed, "Rails are used to get the rocks out of the mines. Let's follow them and hope I'm heading in the right direction." She mumbled softly and started walking.
******
Walking through the snow with some difficulty, Alex heard the horses way before she saw them. She quickly grabbed Kurt's jacket and pulled him to hide as best as they could. The wind carried two male voices but she couldn't make out the words. Having often heard Michelle speak, Alex knew that it wasn't French and it definitely wasn't English.
Spotting the two riders, Kurt smiled and stood up from his hiding place, "It's Lone Wolf. Guess he found more help." He took a piece of dried meat out of his pocket and handed it to Alex. Seeing that she was not responding, he shrugged and turned his attention back to the two men.
Alex looked up at the young man with a surprised expression. "Wha…What do you mean found more help?"
"We're over here." Kurt waved his arms at the Indian and his companion until he received a reply and turned to face Alex. "How do you think I knew where you were?" he asked with a grin and took a bite of his jerky. "Found Lone Wolf on my way back to the cabin all bloody and shaken up. He asked me for help and well, you know the rest."
Frowning, Alex watched as the two Indians approached them. "Thought I told you to go back to the cabin, Lone Wolf. You're hurt and should have seen a doctor."
Kurt nearly choked on hearing that, "What's good for the goose…" he started and blinked as Alex gave him a hard stare, "Never mind."
"Just be thankful that I didn't listen to you, Alex and found some help." Lone Wolf smiled, "I can see that things turned out all right. You both look unharmed."
Kurt shook his head and was about to speak when Alex elbowed him in the arm. "Ouch!" he complained but stayed silent. 'Is she always this grouchy or is it because she's hurt? I'll have to ask Michelle if…no, when I see her.'
"Well, I must admit that I'm glad to have help. We think that Michelle might be hidden somewhere inside the mines." Alex explained as she pulled the collar of her coat higher to protect her ears from the freezing wind. She watched as Lone Wolf turned to the Indian sitting on a horse beside him and spoke in the dialect she had heard previously.
"Keshata says that there are at least four paths inside." Lone Wolf explained, "Two were used to get the rocks out but they were blocked some time ago when the roof collapsed. We can go around by going…"
Alex listened silently as the Indian continued talking. He looked older than Lone Wolf and was slightly shorter but the way he sat on the horse made him look taller. Both men had their hair loose and Alex could see feathers braided in the raven locks. The tunics that they both wore were nearly identical and she smiled slightly as she recognized the beadwork on the shoulders and collar. Michelle had made the exact pattern on the buckskin tunic that she had given her when they had first met. 'Hang on, Michelle. I won't stop 'til I find you.' Alex promised and turned her attention back to the men.
"So, if we split, we'll have a better chance at finding her." Lone Wolf finished explaining, "What do you think?" he asked Alex.
"Huh, splitting up is good." She replied, not too sure on what she was agreeing for, having missed most of the conversation. She followed the older Indian as he jumped off of his horse and started heading toward the mine's entrance with Kurt and Lone Wolf close behind.
Once inside, Keshata held his hand up and headed down one of the paths after uttering a few words. "He says that there's some kerosene not too far away." Lone Wolf explained, "He comes here often when hunting. It's a good shelter in weather like this."
"I'll go find us some branches to make torches." Kurt said and left the two friends alone.
The Indian saw Alex wince as she bent down to retrieve a broken pick handle but didn't say anything. If she was half-stubborn as he was, he knew that she wouldn't complain and would refuse to even talk about it. 'Just like a real warrior.' The Indian approved with a nod.
Alex slowly started walking down the corridor, trying to see where it was heading. 'So many paths, what if we miss her?' She asked herself and leaned against the uneven wall. She resettled the cloth that was covering her wound and sighed. 'God, I hope we'll find her soon. She must be cold and hungry.' She shook her head at the thought, 'She didn't deserve this.' Hearing footsteps behind her, she straightened and faced Lone Wolf, "What?" Alex asked when she saw him watch her.
"Keshata says that the torches are ready." He smiled and gently held her arm as she started making her way back to the entrance. "We'll find her, Alex. But somehow, I feel like she's going to be the one finding us." He chuckled softly and walked back with his friend, "She's one determined lady."
"That I know, my friend. That I know." Alex smiled for the first time since the whole mess started.
A burning torch was handed to them and each started their search by walking down a chosen path. Keeping her senses on full alert, Alex listened for the slightest noise or any signs that would indicate Michelle's location. Holding the torch in front of her, she came upon another corridor and grumbled under her breath, "Thought there was only four paths. Now which one do I take?" Letting her instinct take over, she started down the left one.
******
Michelle froze as she thought she heard something close to her. She held her breath as she listened intently but heard nothing else. "Don't start to panic, Mick." She said softly, "Just concentrate on getting out of here and stay calm." She took a few more steps and stopped again. "Damn itching nose!" she grumbled and faced the wall cautiously so she wouldn't knock her head and brushed her nose against the rock to scratch it, wishing that her hands weren't tied behind her back.
'There it is again!' she silently told herself, not willing to have her voice echo down the path. 'It almost sounded like footsteps.' She blinked a few times as she thought that her eyes were playing tricks on her. 'No. That corridor is definitely getting brighter. Someone's coming with a torch. God, I hope it's not Johnson coming back!'
The light was coming closer and Michelle could see that the path she was walking on turned to the left. Even the rails were visible in the growing brightness. 'Okay, if it's you Johnson, be prepared to have the surprise of your life.' Taking a deep breath, Michelle bent down at the waist and started running down the corridor to meet whoever was coming, ready to ram them with a shoulder tackle.
******
Alex stopped walking as she heard the pounding of feet on the ground. 'Someone's running directly at me!' she thought and realized that there was nowhere to hide. She was about to call a warning when a figure came charging down on her, the body low and ready for impact with both hands behind the back. In a fraction of a second, Alex recognized Michelle and changed her posture to catch the blonde instead of blocking her way, wanting to protect her friend as much as possible. 'This is gonna hurt!' she thought and let the torch drop to the ground.
Wrapping her arms around the narrow shoulders as Michelle reached her, Alex spun her body to the right to stop the running woman from crashing head first, but which sent the left side of her own back slamming against the wall with a solid thump. Pain from her wound and the shock of the impact caused Alex to lose her breath then she slumped down the wall, her arms tightly holding the fighting blonde so that no harm would come to her as they hit the ground.
"You bastard! What have you done to her!" Michelle screamed as she kicked at the figure holding on to her.
"Michelle, it's me!" Alex quickly said, trying to calm her, "It's me, Alex!" and bit her lip as the intense pain nearly caused her to lose her grip on her lover. "It's okay. Calm down."
"You son of a…" she continued in pure rage.
"MICHELLE!" Alex said forcefully and brought the squirming woman away from her to make her look at her. "It's okay, it's me."
There was something about the voice, something familiar. 'That didn't sound like Johnson.' Michelle thought and blinked, looking into blue eyes that she knew, oh so well. "Alex? Oh god, it's you! It's really you!"
Sitting on the ground with her back against the wall, "Yeah, it's me." Alex smiled and winced as the younger woman rested her forehead against her chest and pushed herself to kneel on the ground. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Michelle nodded vigorously, "I'm so happy to see you! I was so afraid that…" she stopped and swallowed a few times, trying not to cry, "I'm so glad to see you're okay."
Alex looked at her lover and saw the sorry state she was in. Her hair and clothes were wet and half of her face was covered in mud. She also noticed that Michelle's pants had been burnt slightly but what made her angry enough to forget her pain was the split lip and swollen cheek that marked Michelle's beautiful face.
"Did Johnson do that?" Alex hissed as she softly touched her lips, watching as Michelle silently nodded. "He's lucky I…"
"I'm okay, Alex. Honest. But…but…could you untie me though? Can't feel my hands too much."
"Yes, of course. I'm sorry." Having Michelle with her back facing her, Alex took the opportunity to place her hand against her bleeding wound to try and sit straighter but quickly changed her mind as a bolt of pain shot through her. 'You're in big trouble this time, Alex.' Seeing that her friend was waiting, she reached for her knife and cut Michelle's bindings then looked down at her hand and saw blood on it. She tried to hide it as Michelle, now free, turned around.
"Thanks, Alex. What happened to Joh…" she started and stopped as she spotted the bloody hand her lover had tried to hide. "What happened to you??" she exclaimed as she reached for the hand and examined it, "I don't see any cut. Where does that blood come from?"
"It's not so bad, Michelle. It's just a scratch and…"
"Like hell it is! Scratches don't bleed this way!" The younger woman said as she knelt beside Alex and opened the fur coat, "Were you shot? What happened?"
Alex sighed and shook her head. She knew that Michelle wouldn't let go. "It looks worse than it is, Michelle. All I need is some stitching, that's all." She explained softly and then patted her left side, "Johnson stabbed me."
"That damn…" she growled from between clenched teeth, "Just wait 'til I get my hands on him! I'll…"
"He's dead, Michelle."
The young blonde blinked at Alex in surprise, "Oh…" and bent her head to take a closer look at the cut. "Well, serves him right. After all the trouble that he's caused us," she mumbled. A hand gently lifted her chin and she stared into sad blue eyes.
"Don't say that, Michelle. You told me that there were better ways to deal with men like him than with violence." Alex said softly, "I promised you that I would try to do it your way but I…"
"And you did, Alex. I told you that." An unexpected voice said from further down the corridor. "What happened was an accident."
Michelle nervously turned around, fearing the worst and relaxed when she saw Kurt's smiling face. "Kurt! What are you doing here?"
"We're the rescue party. Looks like we didn't have much to do. Glad to see you're okay, Mick." He said as he squatted down beside the two women. He looked at Alex who seemed more in pain than when he had last seen her. "Somebody looks like they're not, though. Ready to listen to me now that we know Michelle is safe?" he asked with a grin.
Alex shrugged her shoulders with a sheepish look as Michelle glared at her. "I was going to," she said, "eventually."
"Well, you're going to listen to me, want it or not!" She stated as she started taking care of Alex.
Kurt rested a hand on Mick's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Lone Wolf and a friend of his are here too. I'll go and get them, okay?" he smiled, "Now don't you give her any trouble, Alex." He teased and whispered in Michelle's ear, "But somehow I know she'll listen to you more than she did me."
Michelle watched him leave and chuckled. "You gave him a hard time, didn't you?"
"All I wanted was to find you." Alex smiled tiredly and tugged on Michelle's arm, "Come here. You look like you need a hug." She opened her arms and wrapped them around her lover as she cuddled close against Alex. Both of them were sitting on the cold ground, their backs resting against the uneven wall but neither cared about the discomfort.
"I missed doing this so much." Michelle said softly as she lightly brushed her fingers across Alex's stomach and rested her head against her shoulder. "I only wish that your coming back home hadn't been ruined like this."
"I'm sorry." Alex whispered and gently kissed the blonde head under her chin.
"Sorry for what? What happened wasn't your fault, Alex."
"In a way, it was. If it wasn't for me…"
"If it wasn't for you," Michelle cut her off, "I would've spent the past month not knowing what being in love feels like." She explained softly, "I understand what you're trying to say Alex, but no matter what we do, we'll always have trouble blocking our way, either coming from our past or from something unexpected." Michelle looked up with a grin, "And talking about trouble, you obviously didn't see the kind of boarders the relay shelters sometimes."
Alex chuckled, "We'll just have to keep them in line, now won't we?" She tightened her embrace and closed her eyes as she rested her cheek against Michelle's head. "The past month was the best I had in a very long time. I didn't think I would be able to love again. I owe you so much, you know that?"
"I owe you just as much, Alex. So I say we're pretty much even."
Hearing voices approaching them, Alex gently tilted Michelle's head and kissed her softly, taking her time. "I think it'll be a while before we're alone again. I just wanted to say that I love you."
"I love you too." Michelle said with tears in her eyes and kissed Alex again. "I hope that we'll have some peace and quiet now. I really want us to spend some quality time together."
"We will. That, I promise you." Alex said and looked up as Lone Wolf, his friend and Kurt walked down the corridor toward them. 'In more ways than one.' She silently added.