"Misty Lee, you better wash up and come inside."

"Yes mama." Misty shoved her wavy auburn hair away from her flushed face. She had been hard at work in the small garden at her parents' house in the mountains just above the small town of Landrum South Carolina. She had come home from college in hopes of losing her stalker. No such luck, she had to be on guard at all times.

Misty scrubbed her hands and face over the sink in their tiny mud room. She turned off the faucet and dried her sun reddened skin.

Her older brothers, Shaun and Samuel, teased each other as they sat at the table. Amanda and Kaden, the youngest of all of them, set down the plates and silverware.

"Misty, you're all red." Sam gasped dramatically.

"I know, I didn't use enough sun screen." Misty lowered herself into the chair between her older brothers. "So what are you two doing this afternoon?"

"We're gonna go hunting and hopefully get something good."

"Have you checked the traps yet this morning?"

"No, but if you want to go do that while we go hunting you can."

"Sounds good." Although they didn't have much money, thanks to the little critters in the woods- they never went hungry.

#

She scribbled out a note for her parents saying that she had to leave and that she would check in when she got the chance, but she didn't mention where she was going or how long she would be gone. Misty grabbed a duffel bag and hurriedly threw clothes inside. She had to run, she had to get away from Josh. She ran to her car, it was almost three o'clock in the morning and it was inky black with all of the trees blocking what light reflected off of the moon. So dark, that Misty was jumping at every sound. Terrified didn't even begin to describe her. Misty drove as fast as she could possibly go on the rocky back mountain roads in her small Ford escort.

Driving first to Georgia, stopping along the way at every major truck stop for a short half hour nap, a shower, or a bathroom break. She zig-zagged across the country- seeing the sights as she went. She picked up small jobs whenever the money ran out. But she made it a point to never stay in one place for more than two weeks.

Every single morning the moment she started moving around, her stomach would roll and she'd be forced to dry heave alongside the road or wherever she managed to lay her head that night. Johnny Cash's song 'I've been everywhere' became her life. After going from east coast to west coast, northern border to southern border, she stopped back in Western Nebraska and was trying to get another job, which was hard since she was nine months pregnant.

Misty had 'upgraded' to an old, 1995 dark green SUV from a junk yard outside of Austin. Late one afternoon, with the quarter sized hail falling hard and the wind howling outside, sometimes rocking the bulky car with its force, Misty felt pain like she had never known before. She felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside out. Sweat dripped down her face and body despite the cool temperature outside. All she had to catch her baby with was a tattered-but-clean t-shirt. Swaddling her baby girl in the tattered college tee, Misty cried tears of fear, relief, and self-pity. She was completely alone in this world and now she had a tiny, defenseless life to care for.

Misty weakly cradled her baby to her breast to keep her warm. She laid back against a lumpy pillow and covered herself and her child with a heavy, stained sleeping bag that she had unzipped.

Early the next morning she was woken up by a sharp knocking sound on her car window. A peek through the tinted window told her that a concerned State Trooper stood at the back with a flashlight. Misty popped the back door open and protected her crying bundle from the rush of damp air.

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" He kindly asked, his muddy brown eyes warm with genuine concern. Misty knew she looked horrible.

"I couldn't drive in the hail. I went into labor and I don't have a phone to call for help."

"Come on Ma'am. I'll take you to the hospital." At her skeptical look, he grew more concerned. "Ma'am, I ain't gonna hurt you none. You need medical attention."

"I don't have insurance, or money. I can't pay for medical bills." Misty could feel a new wave of tears coming on. Her baby needed to be checked over by a doctor and she was still bleeding. She couldn't even produce enough milk to feed her baby. The officer gently touched her hand.

"Ma'am, I'll make sure all of it is taken care of. Come with me to the hospital." Misty could only nod. She felt so weak that the officer had to help her onto her feet. He spotted the blood and realized he had come just in the nick of time.

#

Officer Joel Perkins sat in the room with Misty Lee Rundell, giving her moral support. She lay sleeping peacefully; she was no longer bleeding profusely, and he had made her eat a full meal so she could regain her strength. Joel called his wife and had her come to the room to help the young mother and also buy whatever the mother and baby would need.

The young woman absolutely refused to accept any kind of charity, so his payment was getting to hold her baby girl, who she had named Autumn Marie. The baby girl wiggled in his arms and squealed wanting food. Joel readjusted her and patted her bottom to calm her. Smiling at her sweet, chubby face. His wife came and sat next to him. "Joel? How is she going to make it? She's so vulnerable."

"I'm going to send her west to Medicine Bow. I have a couple of good friends that live there."

"Which ones?" Joel smiled, remembering his wild childhood.

"Colten and Jackson." His wife leveled him a look that said, 'really?' "They're good guys and you know it."

"Yes, but Jackson? He's a horrible grouch and he doesn't come off as the Friendly Giant." Joel's wife crossed her arms under her breasts. "And Colten is an incorrigible tease not to mention a womanizer of sorts."

"And she'll never meet two men who are more than willing to die for her than hurt her. Colten, while he isn't big on children, he'll make sure that she is looked after. Jackson may be a little rough on her emotions, but he'll take good care of her."

"She doesn't need someone like him to take care of her, Joel. He's so angry and bitter towards women."

"Trust me Hon, just trust me." Joel smiled widely as he looked back down at the baby in his arms.

#

"Go to Medicine Bow Wyoming. There you will meet Sheriff Colten Jacobs, he's a good friend of mine and he'll take good care of you." Joel smiled at Misty as she sat behind the wheel of a newer Ford escort. He had managed to finagle the car out of the impound, had it re-licensed and ready to go. Now, Misty was all packed up and ready to drive on to Wyoming.

"Are you sure that we'll be safe there?"

"Colten is a very protective man. He'll take good care of you." Joel squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I promise."

#

Misty drove like the hounds of hell were on her heels. The sooner she made it to Medicine Bow, the better she would feel.

The drive was long and the wind blew the sleet across the highways, leaving ice in places and leaving other spots bare. She'd had another run-in with Josh, thankfully Joel had been there to take care of him, but not before the bastard had beaten the hell outta her. Then the bastard escaped somehow!

She gently touched her swollen and pain-filled face with cool finger tips. Looking in the rearview mirror, she saw her daughter sleeping soundly in her car seat. Misty breathed a sigh of relief and knew without a doubt that she would die for that baby if it kept the angel safe. Maybe, just maybe she'll find peace and safety in Medicine Bow.

After nine hours of nearly constant driving, Misty finally arrived in the tiny town of Medicine Bow. It was around noon and the town was coming to life. People strolled toward a small diner and the bar. She pulled into a parking spot in front of the Sheriff's office, a small building with barred windows. Misty grabbed Autumn's carrier and walked into the building as quickly as possible.

There was a spunky older lady sitting at the front desk with bright red cat-eye glasses, short blond hair that was curled perfectly, and a straight gleaming smile upon her lips. "What can I do for ya, Honey?" Her eyes softened as they lit upon the many bruises and the baby carrier that must've weighed as much as she did.

"I'm looking for a Colten Jacobs. I was sent by Joel Perkins-"

"Oh Joel is such a sweetheart. Always has been. Just go through this door right here. He should be at his desk." Misty lugged the heavy baby carrier through the worn, heavy wood door.

A man with messy dark blonde hair sat behind a dinosaur of a computer monitor, studying something and clicking on the keyboard. He looked up at her with wide startled blue eyes. He swallowed hard as he took in the dark bruises, split lip and swollen eyes that were barely slits. His gaze traveled to her baggy clothes, the heavy baby carrier and up to her limp auburn hair that glowed red under the fluorescent lights. "Take a seat ma'am." He stood slowly to help her with the carrier. The little baby started crying, Colten smiled as he awkwardly slipped her out of the straps and cuddled her close, shushing her softly.

The young woman in front of him looked somewhat relieved and somewhat worried when he sat back down behind his desk with her daughter in his arms. "What is your name ma'am?"

"Misty Rundell. I was sent by Joel Perkins. He said you could help me."

"I can try. What do you need help with?"

"I need a safe place to hide."

"Who are you hiding from?"

"His name is Josh- Josh Kresoux. He's a police officer from South Carolina. He manages to track me down and he'll beat me half to death and then he lets me go."

"Like a game of cat and mouse?" She nodded.

"I need to protect my daughter and make sure he doesn't get to her." Colten nodded this time.

"I know some people who could use a waitress here in town. Jenny needs help and Bartholomew needs something to look after besides my friend and I's lack of love lives. At least as a waitress, you'll never be left alone with anyone, your daughter could be there with you, and you'll be in town should something happen."

"Will we be safe here in Medicine Bow?"

"My Deputy and I, even his ranch hands- who I sometimes deputize, will keep you safer than a nun in church. Unless that guy manages to slip into town under the radar, you won't have any problems here." He smiled softly at her. "I'll take you over to the diner and get you situated there. I'm sure Jenny and Bart will let you stay in their rental home."

#

After getting Misty settled in at the diner and in the rental home, Colten and his Deputy went to the bar for a couple of drinks. "Man- you should've seen her today. She's nothing but skin and bones lugging that baby carrier around. She looked like a spooked horse in a thunderstorm- ready to bolt at the next clap. I could hardly move without her flinching."

Jackson took a swig of his beer before setting it back on the polished bar. "Must not have much of a backbone if some guy beat on her."

"She's barely five foot four, Jack, she weighs no more than your left leg!" Jack pressed the bottle to his lips once again, sipping this time. "Jack, she needs us to protect her and that baby."

"You know how I feel about women-"

"Get over it Jack! It's been three years since that bitch left!"

"It may have been three years, but I refuse to be betrayed again."

Colten sighed, his best friend since preschool was being a pain in the ass. "She's beat to hell, on the run with a brand new baby, and she needs us to keep an eye on her."

"Who is she running from?" Jack rubbed his forehead.

"Corrupt cop. Name is Josh Kresoux out of South Carolina. I don't know how to handle it. How do you stop someone who has all of the resources to track her down?"

"Go off the grid. We do a cash only system, nothing in her name and cross our fingers. We give her enough time to heal up and then we do something that brings that bastard into the open and cuff 'im."

"We can't do anything unless he does something illegal. Assault won't keep him in jail very long. The poor girl sounds like she has been on the run for quite some time."

Jackson made some sort of grumbling sound. "For all you know she could be a lying, scheming, hateful, blood-sucking bitch."

Colten punched Jackson hard enough on the shoulder to make the massive man sway. "Even a heartless bastard like you would've taken pity on the little gal. I'm sure she would be right pretty if she wasn't covered in bruises or have a split lip. Why when the swelling goes down, maybe we can tell what color her eyes are."

"Okay, I get it. She got roughed up. Bart and Jenny can watch over her though. Bart's an old bulldog and Jenny's got one hell of a swing with a rolling pin."

"Okay, let me ask you this. If Sandra had never happened, would you shrug off a woman- a single mother- being chased down, beaten, raped, and being scared for her life as well as her child's?"

"No, but now I know better than to trust what a woman says." Colten shook his head at his friend's deep rooted hate for women.

"Misty Rundell is giving me more questions than I have answers for." He took a deep draw from his beer.

*

And that is the end of Healing in Medicine Bow's second chapter!! Please tell me what you think!