For the last couple of weeks Lee had been waking from nightmares. The incident with Simon and Caly seem to have brought them back in there full content. On this night, Lee woke with a start. Being her bunk was over Jimmy’s bunk he felt the whole bed shake when she was startled. Quickly he pulled on his pants. He stood and looked at her to see if she was okay. He noticed that she was clutching the necklace he had given her for her birthday.

Softly calling her name, he reached over to her. Lee rolled over quickly giving him a knowing glance. Jimmy gave her a reassuring nod and said, "Let's go outside to talk so we don't wake the others." Lee nodded, not trusting her voice, got up and quickly dressed.

She followed Jimmy out onto the porch of the bunkhouse. Jimmy turned to face her as she closed the door. "Sorry, I woke you, Jimmy. It seems that the nightmares have returned more frequently now." She paused then continued, "Sometimes it's only the guys who attacked me, then other times it's just Simon, but there are times that its all three of them together."

Jimmy took Lee into his arms. "Its okay, they are dead now. They can't hurt you or anyone else again."

Lee stayed in his arms and said, "Jimmy, you don't understand."

"You can explain it to me then." Jimmy said.

Turning away Lee said, "There's no way you could understand unless you have gone though it, Jimmy. After seeing what that bastard did to Caly, all my memories came back as if it happened just yesterday."

Pulling her close Jimmy said, "Well, I am here if you need to talk. "They stood there for awhile. He wanted to make sure that she was okay before going back inside. Gently lifting her chin so she would look at him. He lightly kissed her and said, "Are you okay? I know what you saw upset you, but you can't let them win. I will always be here to protect you. Remember that's why Kid and I are teaching you to fight. That way you can stop something like this when you're on a run by yourself."

Lee nodded and let Jimmy lead her back into the bunkhouse. On the way in Lee asked, "Jimmy, have you talked with Catherine yet?"

Looking at her, Jimmy replied, "I tried but she didn't want to talk about it. So I am going into town today to talk to her about it."

Lee knew that Jimmy would keep his word and talk to her about it. Making sure that she was okay to go back to sleep, Jimmy went back to sleep himself.

The next morning Jimmy rode to town knowing he couldn't face Lee unless he talked to Catherine. He rode to the hotel and dismounted, tied Sundancer to the post and went inside. He saw Eddie at the desk. Walking over he said, "Hello, Eddie. Is Catherine around?"

Eddie looked up and said, "Hello, Jimmy. Catherine is in the office."

Jimmy nodded and said, "Thank you, Eddie. You have a good day."

"You’re welcome, Jimmy. You do the same." Eddie replied.

Jimmy knocked on the office door and opened it saying, "Catherine, can we talk a minute?"

Catherine looked up from her papers and said, "Sure, Jimmy. Come in and have a seat. What is it that you need to talk about?"

Jimmy walked in and sat down saying, "Well, Lee told me about what Eddie overheard. I just wanted to make sure that you won't say anything to make her lose her job."

Catherine smiled saying, "Don't worry, Jimmy. I won't say anything to get her fired. She has a right to make her own way. If Teaspoon finds out, it won't be from me. Jimmy nodded letting out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Good. I'm glad you will keep your word. Keeping your word means a lot to people out here. I'm not saying that you wouldn't keep your word. Just telling you how people are around here. You are a good person, Catherine. I didn't think you would say anything. I'm glad we are friends."

Catherine nodded saying, "I always keep my word, Jimmy. I didn't mean for Eddie to find out. I am sorry."

Jimmy smiled and said, "I know you didn't. Ok, let’s say no more about it, I have to get back. I still have chores to do."

Catherine nodded and stood as Jimmy stood. Walking him to the door, Catherine said, "I am glad you stopped by today."

Jimmy said, "I am too." Catherine waved as Jimmy mounted up and rode off towards the station. As he rode, Jimmy decided that he needed to stop by and see Teaspoon about how he could get Catherine to understand he only likes her as a friend. He saw Lee ride into town with the pouch and head for the post office. He watched her go into the store. Then he headed over to the jail where he was certain Teaspoon would be.

Lee walked into the store and over to the post office and handed Blythe the pouch saying, "Hello, Blythe. How are you today?"

Taking the pouch, Blythe said, "Hello, Lee, I'm fine. How are you today?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure got here early today."

"There was no trouble this time."

"Did you sleep well? You look like you're tired."

"Nightmares. They'll go away, they always do."

Jimmy dismounted and tied Sundancer to the post and walked into the jail saying, "Teaspoon, can I talk with you?"

Teaspoon came out of the back room. "Sure Jimmy what about?" Teaspoon asked.

Sitting down Jimmy said, "I have a problem that I don’t' know how to solve. Catherine seems to think I am in love with her. But I'm not. I only like her as a friend. I love someone else. I want to be her friend. How do I keep her friendship without hurting her?"

Teaspoon sat back and put his feet on the desk saying, "Well, I think you need to be honest with her. Tell her you only want her friendship. Tell her you love someone else."

Jimmy nodded knowing Teaspoon was right. He needed to be honest with Catherine. Jimmy knew he had to tell Catherine that he didn't love her. That he only wanted to be her friend.

Back at the post office Blythe handed Lee some wanted posters and said, "Can you take these to Teaspoon for me? I am pretty busy right now."

Taking the posters, Lee nodded and left the post office. She walked over to the jail. She stopped when she saw Jimmy inside talking with Teaspoon. She was waiting outside so as to not interrupt them when she overheard Jimmy say, "I'm not in love with her, but I want to be friends with her. I don't know how to keep her friendship and not hurt her." Lee walked in and handed the posters to Teaspoon and left without saying a word to either of them.

Jimmy wondered what was wrong with Lee. He would talk with her when he got back to the station. "Teaspoon, it’s just that with Melissa being only 12, I don't want to hurt her. Would I handle that like I would handle Catherine?"

"That situation, Son, will have to be handled very delicately."

Jimmy waited for Teaspoon to continue and when he didn't Jimmy asked, "So, how should I handle it?"

Teaspoon looked as if he was going to say something very wise and said, "I don't know."

After Jimmy left Teaspoon picked up the wanted posters he had just gotten and was flipping through them when he came across one for a Kevin Zarchary. He remembered from his Texas Ranger days that Keivin Zachary was a ruthless man. He had robbed ten banks and killed three men and two women.

Jimmy found Lee by the pond. He noticed that she had been crying. He also saw that she was trying to hide the fact that she had been crying. "Lee what has you so upset?" He asked as he knelt down beside where she was sitting.

Turning away from him she said, "Nothin’"

He knew that something was wrong. He knew her just as well as he knew himself. The fact that she wasn't confiding in him, hurt him and worried at him at the same time. So he tried again. "Lee, I know that something is wrong. Please tell me."

Lee turned on him and accused him, "You lied to me."

Jimmy saw the hurt, betrayal, and the fire in her eyes and wondered what he could have possibly said that made her think that he lied to her. Sighing he asked, "What do you think I lied to you about?"

"You said that you loved me."

"I do love you, Lee"

"You told Teaspoon that you just wanted my friendship and you didn't know how to tell me with out hurting me."

It dawned on Jimmy that she must've heard what he was telling Teaspoon. Trying not to laugh Jimmy said, "I wasn't taking about you. I was talking about Catherine and Melissa. Lee, I love you. And that won't change."

Jimmy gently kissed her lips and whispered, "You are the one I want to be with, no one else."

Lee smiled and nodded. Knowing he was right and that she had just misunderstood what he had said. This was all new to her. She never had a beau before. None of the boys had ever loved her the way that Jimmy loves her now. She was just insecure, but she didn't know how to be secure in what she was feeling.