"You know Meg, I was thinking about entering the Rodeo."

"Really?" Meg said distantly.

"Yeah. I figured if I enter all the events, then I will win one of them. Besides, it's all for a good cause. It's going to help build a church"

"OK," she said not really hearing her husband. "Luke, we need to talk."

Luke got �butterflies in his stomach� afraid of what she might say.

"Ian kissed me again."

"So you've made your choice?"

Meg hung her head, "No."

"You better make it soon, Meghan, 'cause if you don't I will. And you might not like my choice." Luke got up from the table and left. He didn't know what to do. He was losing his wife. While he didn't want her to stay because she felt like she should or had to stay, he didn't want to loose her either.

Meg didn't know what to do. She just sat stunned. She never expected Luke to walk out like that. Just then Liz started screaming. She went and tearfully picked up her daughter. She had hoped that she would be able to talk to Luke about this.

Meanwhile, Luke went to the saloon. When Ian saw Luke sit down with Steven, Charlie, and Simon, he sent a drink over to the table for Luke.

When Desi told him that Ian had paid for it, he got up and took it back to him. "I can pay for my own drinks. You just stay away from Meghan."

Ian sipped from his own drink and sighed. "I wish I could."

"You better."

"You may not want to believe this Luke, but I love her."

"You love her? Just like you did Sheila? You oughta be ashamed. Trying to steal another man's wife by lying to her."

"Ian laughed softly. "This is nothing like what happened with Sheila. Meg is special, this may have started out the same way but it's different now Luke. Do you want to know why I did what I did?"

"No I don't. I thought I was a good friend to you."

"You were . . . you are." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You don't know how difficult it is to be compared to you all the time. Luke Saunder's the golden boy."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about my father. It was drummed into my head from the time we were boys, how I should be more like you. I was never good enough"

"You're father did that? He was so sweet. I could go to him if I couldn't go to my own father."

Ian shrugged. "And when you left he'd look at me and see my faults. None of your problems would ever make you any less but me . . . well that's another story. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't seem to measure up. I was always two steps behind you. It'd be easy to say I did what I did with Sheila because I was trying to be you, and I wanted what you had, but the truth is I wanted to hurt you."

"Well you succeeded. Meg, too? This all just a charade just to get back at me for something that your father did?"

"When you left the farm I thought I would finally be free of his condescension. I thought he'd finally turn to me and be proud, but I was blamed for sending you away. Then all these years later your parents come back with tales of your beautiful bride, and it started all over again. I came because I wanted to destroy your happiness. I wanted you to feel what I felt, and I didn't care how I did it, or what I had to do to make it happen. But then Meg welcomed me. She's special Luke, and I started to care. Somewhere in the middle of my revenge I fell in love with her"

"If you really loved her, you wouldn't interfere in her marriage."

Ian took a long swallow of the whiskey in his hand. "I would if I wanted to be her husband."

"Ian, she already has a husband, now leave her alone! You stay away from her or you will regret it!" Luke left to go back to his table.

The blonde man wondered just what his friend meant. The Luke he had known from childhood would never hurt a fly, but now Ian was trying to take something that he wasn't going to give up easily. He saw Luke turn, and he knew that no matter what he wasn't going to give up. "I'll take that chance, Luke." But Luke never heard him. Ian drained the rest of his drink, placed his hat on his head and with one last look at his one time best friend left the saloon to go home.

Luke played poker with his friends until midnight, when Charlie saw that Luke was too drunk to go home, he took Luke to his hotel room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day, Meg and Caly were talking but were interrupted by a commotion outside. Meg excuses herself hoping that it was Luke returning home. Caly keeps herself busy watching the twins until she hears Meg scream. Then she goes to find out what happened. As she approaches the parlor door, several men show up with Meg in their midst. One of the men asks for money, and when Meg says she doesn't have any, he strikes her causing her to fall on the floor, and Caly drops to her knees to help her friend. As the men begin to search the house the two women huddle together with the twins under guard.

Meanwhile, Buck had the day off, and since he was concerned for his friend, he was going to let her know the rumors that were going around town that Vanessa had told him plenty about. She had heard it from Elena, and of course Elena had heard it from Charity.

Since Star was in the barn, and Buck had just tied up his horse to the porch, he had no idea that Caly was there. He knocked on the door, and Meg opened it a crack and gasped. Then he pushed the door farther open and saw her black eye.

"Meg, is everything ok?" He asked concerned.

Meg's mouth dropped open, and she turned to look behind her quickly before giving her attention back to the man in her door. "You have to go." She whispered.

"Did Luke or Ian do this to you?" Buck asked as he tried to gently touch the bruise on her face. Meg looked away before his hand reached her.

"I'm fine. Please Buck just go." She had to get rid of him. There was a man just a few feet away with a gun trained on her back and another in the parlor holding Caly at bay. "Luke's not here." She said urgently.

"He's in town. I'm all alone here."

Caly heard Buck's voice but couldn't figure out how to let him know what was going on without putting the babies in danger. Buck just nodded. He was going to find out who did this to her and beat the crap out them. See how they like it. There should be no reason to hit a woman.

Meg's eyes widened, when Liz began to cry then suddenly was silenced. "I've got to go."

Buck left and went to the barbershop. When he saw Luke he yelled, "How could you? How could you hit Meghan like that? I thought you were a decent man!"

"Wha . . . Wha . . . Buck what are you talking about? I've never lifted a hand to Meg!"

"Really then how did she get that black eye?"

"What black eye?" Luke asked as he realized that something was very wrong. Instead of waiting for an answer he rushed home. Luke thought that Ian had hit Meg and might still be there.

Buck realized that Luke was not the one that had hit her, so he went to get Teaspoon, fearing that something was very wrong at Willow Manor. After talking with Teaspoon, Teaspoon and Buck left the jailhouse. Teaspoon hollered at Jimmy and Cody who were just coming out of the store with some supplies for Rachel. Jimmy and Cody slung their sacks into the wagon and met Teaspoon and Buck in the middle of the road where the two of them were already on their horses.

"What's wrong, Teaspoon," Cody inquired as they stopped in front of them.

"Something's wrong out at Luke's place."

"Well, we're with ya Teaspoon." Jimmy shouted as he headed back to the team and started unharnessing the horses. Jimmy and Cody jumped up on the horses and rode them bareback. A mile out they met Lee coming into town, and she joined them.

Meanwhile at the Willow Manor Luke rushed in and saw a big burly man holding his wife and shaking her. He was also trying to rip her shirt. Luke didn't think. He just reacted. He pulled the man away from his Wildcat and knocked the man out with one punch. Now free of her attacker Meg ran into her husband's arms.

Luke held his wife and kept telling her, "It's ok, It's ok."

She took a shuddering breath, "They're everywhere"

Just then Luke heard a voice that he did not know, "It's far from ok. All we want mister is our money."

Meg gasped as Luke placed her behind him. "We don't have your money." She said in a voice that bordered on hysterical.

"You didn't find a money bag on this property? I find that hard to believe because this is where we dropped it, and it's not here." The leader of the group said. "Now stop lying and give us our money, and no one will get hurt!"

Meg began to tremble uncontrollably. "Our babies." She whispered.

"I know, I know, I'm thinking." Luke whispered back.

Meg nodded behind him then realizing he couldn't see her, she placed a gentle hand on his arm and squeezed it trustingly. The leader held them at gunpoint and motioned for them to move. They went upstairs and into their bedroom with the outlaw following right behind them. Caly and the twins were there.

Luke was surprised to see Caly, but Meg interrupted any greetings, "I feel faint." She said as she collapsed on the bed. Luke unbuttoned the top two buttons on her bodice while Caly fanned her. Meg grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm glad you're here." She whispered.

"Well, you can thank Buck. He actually thought that I gave you that black eye."

She smiled weakly. "Not you. Never you."

"No, I would never hit you."

Just as Luke was about to kiss his wife, one of the outlaws stepped inside the bedroom, "Now don't get any ideas. We'll be watching you."

After he shut the door, Luke looked at Caly, "Caly do you think that you might be able to get the twins to safety?"

"If you could distract them, then I could try." Caly said. Just then they heard shouting and the outlaws running around inside breaking windows and shooting.

"Get in the closet with the babies!" Luke told the women. Luke glanced outside and saw Teaspoon and the riders. Help was here. Luke grabbed his gun from the vanity drawer. Meg panicked and tried to pull him into the closet with her, but he managed to free himself, "Meg, don't worry I won't let anything happen to you or the twins. Buck came back with Teaspoon and the other riders." Meg shook her head silently. She wasn't worried about herself or the babies.

"Buck's here?" Caly asked. Luke nodded. "If we could get word to them that the babies need to be safe--"

"Right. OK, stay right here." Luke said as he went to the window. He opened the window and saw that Lee had crept up right under the window. "Lee," he whispered not wanting to attract the outlaws� attentions, "we have the babies up here. If we lower them down to ya, could ya all get them to safety."

"Of course." Lee motioned for Jimmy, and he ran up beside her, "Jimmy, I need help! They're going to lower the babies to us." She said as she pointed up to the window.

Meg and Caly stripped the bed of it's sheets and wrapped the babies in them and lowered them down one at a time. Lee too Liz and Jimmy took Grant. Next Caly climbed down the makeshift rope made from the sheets, and just as she got out of the house, one of the outlaws came in. Seeing the window open and Luke and Meg near it the outlaw snarled, "You're not going anywhere." He motioned them back from the window at gunpoint. "Where's the other girl and the babies?" He asked as he looked out the window and didn't see anyone. Meg took a deep breath and said a silent prayer for her children and her friends.

"They're safe." Luke said.

The outlaw was about to strike Luke when he heard his name being called, so he left. Meanwhile out front, Teaspoon was hollering at the outlaws to drop their guns and to come out with their hands up. Cody had already shot one in the arm using his rifle. But Teaspoon had stopped him from firing any more, afraid that the outlaws might harm Meg and the children.

Cody instinctually had fired back at the outlaws when they had started shooting at him. He swore under his breath for doing such a foolish thing because his actions might cause the hostages their lives. He dived for the wagon where Teaspoon was holed up and he laid his rifle against it. "Sorry Teaspoon, it was just gut reaction to shoot back."

"That's ok son, I saw Jimmy and Lee get the babies to safety along with Caly. Now all we have to worry about is Luke and Meg." Cody nodded, and then they both turned their attention back to the house.

Around at the back of the house, Buck hadn't seen any movement at any of the windows so far, so he kept creeping up towards the porch until he was finally on it and near the door. The outlaws must be keeping their attention on Teaspoon and Cody at the front of the house, Buck thought, so he finally slipped inside the back door.

Jimmy and Lee rode the babies to safety, and Jimmy told Lee to stay with them while he went back to help Luke and Meg. Riding back towards the house Jimmy saw Buck entering the back of the house, so Jimmy tethered his horse and followed in Buck's footsteps.

As soon as the door closed behind the outlaw Meg sat on the bed and stared at her husband. The sudden realization that she'd been missing something hit her. An unexpected feeling of restlessness overwhelmed her, and she found herself thinking of Ian. What kind of woman was it that thought of another man even though she could be killed at any moment, and here was her husband who had risked his life for hers. Meg realized it was a woman who was unsure of her own heart. In that instant she made a decision that would affect everyone in her circle, and she prayed it was for the best. "Luke?"

Luke turned to her and gave her his full attention. She inhaled deeply, this was probably the wrong time to do this but she wanted to have it done with as soon as possible. "I've made a decision."

Luke took a deep breath himself. By her actions, he didn't think it was a good decision.

"I think we need some time apart from each other." She shook her head quickly and corrected herself. "No wait, I need time away from you. I think we should separate for a while." Meg hadn't realized how difficult those words would be.

It was as Luke had feared. Well, he wasn't going without a fight. "Meg, after what happened here today, I don't feel safe leaving you here alone anymore. Not until these men are hung. I love you and I love my children, and I'm not going anywhere right now."

She nodded in understanding. "I need this Luke. I need time to assess my feelings for both you and Ian, and I can't do that if you're here. I don't want you leaving today. I can give you a few days to get yourself together."

"Meg, please, don't do this." Luke said as tears that he couldn't control came down his cheeks.

Meg closed her eyes and turned away from his pain. "Please Luke. The sooner I figure out how I feel, the sooner this whole thing is settled. You said I had to make a decision soon. This is the best way to do it." Her voice broke. "Please understand."

Luke nodded. His voice broke as he said. "Alright, I'll leave for two weeks, and if you haven't made your choice by then, I'll make it for you."

Meg nodded her agreement as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She took a few moments to gather her courage then looked up at him. "I think we should have some rules."

"What do you mean?"

"This is as much your house as it is mine, but I think that maybe I should be warned before you come over." She realized how that sounded then bit her lip. "Not that I would be doing anything wrong. I just want to make sure I'm alone." Suddenly realizing that didn't sound any better she frowned. "I mean I don't want you and Ian coming to blows anymore because of me. So I'd just rather make sure that when one of you is here the other isn't."

"Then I'd have to go to his." She replied softly. "Or risk going into town with him. I'd just rather not have the town knowing about this, but I will if I have no other choice, Luke."

"If you don't want the town to know, then where am I supposed to stay? You don't want me here, so that leaves out the guestroom. Meghan I'm only worried about your safety. I don't want him in this house, but if I'm not living here, then it's not my choice is it?"

He had her there and she furrowed her brows to think. "Maybe there's no way to stop the town from knowing about our separation, but they don't have to know that I'm allowing myself to be courted by a man who's not my husband. It's only for a short time, Luke. Don't you trust me? Do you think I'd betray you in our bed? The same bed we made our children in?"

"Meghan, I trust you. I have always trusted you. It's him I don't trust."

"He's a good man, Luke."

"Meghan, we all thought that Simon was a good man, too."

She paled at the reminder. "This is different. I trust him, Luke, and if

that makes me a fool, well then I guess I am. It's a chance I have to take."

"Meghan just be careful. And if you want to know when I'm going to be here, I'll tell you. I'm going to be here every day after I close the shop to see my children, and I'm not leaving until you and the kids are safely in bed."

She gave him a small smile. "I thought you might want to be here to put Liz and Grant to bed, and I'll agree to that, but what if Ian wants to see me for dinner?"

"I won't make it easy on you for that. I'll leave, but you'll need to get a baby sitter. I won't watch the kids so another man can try to steal my wife."

"I will, I promise. Will you be coming over for lunch too?"

"I might. I'll have to see. But I do want to be able to have the kids all day on Sundays since the shop isn't open on Sundays. Do you want to still go to church together on Sundays, or do you think you need some time away from God, too?" As soon as he said that he regretted it. She reared back as if she'd been struck. "I'm sorry, Meg, I didn't mean that."

"I'd never deny you your children, but I don't know if I could spend all day with you. Maybe I'd give you one full Sunday and the other to Ian." She spoke softly but couldn't hide the hurt in her voice.

"Then bring the kids over to Daniel and Serena's. It's the only day I have to spend the whole day with them.

Meg nodded. "I suppose that's it then."

"Just remember we are still legally married. And if you need me, I'll be staying with Charlie."

"I'd never betray you Luke." She glanced at the bed to emphasize her meaning. "Thank you for doing this. You didn't have, to and I appreciate it."

"I mean it Meg. You have two weeks or I make the choice."

"Two weeks." She repeated softly then glanced up at him unsure what to do next. "So do we shake on it?" She held out her hand to him.

Luke couldn't bare to shake her hand, so he pulled her in for a hug. And he held on as tight as he could. Meg could see the tears that were now falling freely. She wrapped her arms around him and held onto him just as tightly. She then turned her head into his neck and breathed in his familiar scent. She wondered what would have become of her if he had never entered her life. Luke pulled back and stared down into her face just as the door opened and the outlaw walked back inside.

"Aw, look at the pretty picture. Now come here, wench!" He said as he grabbed Meg.

Struggling against the outlaw Meg yelped "Luke!"

Luke pulled his gun and fired. Since Meg was in the way, he was only able to hit the man in the leg. The outlaw screamed, and Meg pushed all her weight into him and then got away as he fell backwards to the floor. Luke knocked the outlaw out with the butt of his gun, and then he turned to his wife and smiled. She was safe again.

Meanwhile downstairs Buck and Jimmy had heard the gunshot from upstairs, and so had the other three remaining outlaws. One had his good shoulder leaning against a wall while his hand was holding his wounded arm. He was very weak. He felt like he might pass out any minute. The other two outlaws were standing near windows to shoot anything that moved. But when they heard the shot from upstairs they turned around from the window. The one they guessed was the leader of the gang was motioning for his partner to check out the gunshot upstairs. That's when Buck and Jimmy made their move.

Buck and Jimmy came out of hiding and Jimmy shouted, "Don't move." They both had the outlaws covered. "Drop your guns." The outlaws were smart enough to know when they were beat, so they threw down their guns. Jimmy went forward and kicked them out of the way. Meanwhile outside Teaspoon and Cody were wondering what was going on inside. They were worried because they had heard a gunshot come from inside, but it had sounded distant, so they knew the target had been for somebody inside. "Buck, I can handle it." Jimmy said. Buck nodded and then ran up the stairs hoping to find Luke and Meg safe. "Teaspoon, Cody, it's under control." Jimmy hollered out to them.

Teaspoon and Cody came in the front door to see Jimmy guarding two prisoners. But as Cody swept his eyes around the room, he noticed another outlaw who had drawn his gun up and was about ready to shoot Jimmy. Quickly Cody transferred his rifle to his other hand, and in a split second he drew his gun and shot the outlaw's hand. The outlaw squealed and dropped his gun. Cody went over and kicked the gun away. He then roughly helped the outlaw to his feet.

�

Buck had entered the room and was happy to find Luke and Meg ok. Luke and Buck dragged the unconscious outlaw downstairs. Jimmy directed two of the outlaws outside, Buck and Teaspoon took the unconscious outlaw outside, and Cody pushed the wounded one outside. Lee brought the horses to them while Caly had the babies with her. Buck and Teaspoon slung the unconscious outlaw aboard a horse, Cody helped the wounded outlaw mount his horse, and Jimmy made sure the other two outlaws mounted up. He also tied their hands to their saddlehorns and took their reins to lead them back to town. Cody didn't tie up the wounded outlaw because he knew that he was too weak to try getting away. He did however tie the unconscious one to his horse, so that he wouldn't fall off on the ride back to town.

Luke saw Caly come back inside with Grant and Liz in her arms, so he pulled her aside. "Caly, can you watch the babies for a little while? Meg and me need a little time alone."

"Sure." Caly said. Meg had told her what had happened, and she knew that Luke and Meg needed some time to work on their marriage.

Luke went back upstairs to their bedroom to get his wife. "Meghan, you said I had a few days?"

She had her head down in her hands. She looked up sadly at the sound of his voice and nodded. "Yes."

"Then come with me."

"Where?"

"You'll see." Luke grinned with is new idea.

Meg's brows furrowed and wondered why her husband looked like the cat who just ate the canary. With a slight smile she rose from the bed and put her hand in his. "Lead on." As they started to leave the house, Meg asks Luke, "What about the kids?"

"Caly's going to watch them."

"Oh."

On the way to the spot that Luke had in mind, he stopped and picked some of the wildflowers that were on their land. When they got to the swimming hole, they almost forgot their troubles. They had been here several times since they were married. They started having fun like they used to, most of the tension gone.

Luke knew that this could be last time he had with Meghan as his wife. He wasn't about to let the opportunity pass him up. As Meghan was getting out of the water, she slipped. Luke grabbed her to keep her from falling. As she looked into her husband's eyes, she forgot all about Ian. Luke kissed his naked wife and gently laid her down on the ground. He knew that this might be the last time he made love to his Wildcat. He was going to make sure that she never forgot him.

As Luke and Meg walked into the house, they saw Caly and Buck asleep on the couch. Meg thought that the twins must have gotten colic, by the way that the young couple looked. Luke gave Meg some money to give to Caly for babysitting and went upstairs. After Meg saw Caly and Buck out she went upstairs to find her husband, hoping for more of what they had at the swimming hole. What she found instead was Luke packing his things.

"Luke, what are doing?"

"You wanted me to leave."

"But it doesn't have to be tonight," she said hurt that after their wonderful lovemaking he could just get up and leave.

"Meghan, if I don't do this now, then I'll never be able to. I can't drag this out. If I do, I won't have the strength to leave when you need me to. Meg, I love you with all my heart, and I'll tell you, this is scaring the Hell outta me. The thought that I might loose you . . . it's taking all I have to do what you have asked me to do. If I wait, that strength might never come back. Just remember that Jesus said, 'what God has joined together let no man tear apart.' I'm sure that means woman, too. And God has joined us together."