Jackson stood inside the corral with Autumn sitting on his arm as he watched Misty bond with the very friendly mare that he was working with. He couldn't get over how much his life had changed in the year that his two angels had been living with him. He enjoyed being a daddy- Autumn was his pride and joy. She was just starting to walk and practice her 'words'. She even called him 'Da-da' on more than one occasion.

Misty had blossomed into a carefree, loving woman, who was silly and open. That woman was something else. She kept him on his toes- and he was loving every minute of it. Their 'fights' always ended with them being horizontal. Granted there were some days where he left early in the morning on his horse and didn't come home until well after dark. It was the time he needed to clear his thoughts and take a moment to step back and analyze what was going on. There was no doubt in his mind that having Misty by his side day in and day out was more than he could have ever asked for. She held him each night- and sometimes during the day- the woman seemed to sense what it was that he needed most. If he just needed to cuddle and have her close, or if he needed some extra tender loving care, she was there . Jackson even noticed that he was more agreeable towards his ranch hands, which made everyone happy.

He had bought her a ring, but he didn't know when, or how he was going to propose to her yet. He wanted it to be a surprise, but he didn't want to rush the woman. For the last few months he had been crossing his fingers- hoping that she would get pregnant from all of the unprotected sex, except it seemed that she still couldn't keep a baby. Those moments were heartbreaking, and there were lots of tears, but Jackson had faith that one day, they'd be able to get and keep a child.

He had been training new deputies in town, but none of them would stick around very long- or they wouldn't make the cut. He was ready to have days where he didn't have to worry about getting called in. Jackson would gladly spend the whole day with Misty and his daughter.

"Jackson?" The fear in Misty's voice made him shake off his thoughts. She pointed toward the weeds along the fence edge where a large, moving lump was located. Jack handed Autumn to her just as a shot went off. "Run into the barn, in my office, there's a pistol in the top drawer. Whatever happens, stay there."

"What about you?" Misty grabbed his arm.

"I'll be fine now go!" Jackson pushed her in the general direction and dove to open the gate. The spooked mare darted out toward the pasture. Jack ducked behind the stock tank just on the other side of the corral fence. He needed to think fast because he didn't know how to get rid of the guy. He poked his head over the tank's edge to assess the situation. A bullet went sailing through the crown of his Stetson, sending it flying. Jack cursed under his breath. They had grown too comfortable in the last year to keep an eye out for Josh.

Jackson saw his pickup and knew that he needed to grab the pistol from under the seat. The only problem was- his truck was nearly thirty yards away with nothing to give him cover. Jack dashed over to the thick wooden fence post closest to the driveway. He mentally counted to three before making a mad dash to the bulky vehicle. He dove under it just in time for a bullet to nick his arm. Thankfully, it missed what the guy was originally aiming for- his heart. "Sonavubitch!" He crawled under the truck to the driver's side. He hopped up and flung the door open and grabbed the gun before dropping back down and under the truck.

From under the pickup, on his belly, looking out- he tried to find the man who was shooting at him. Jackson squinted as he tried to find the man behind the tall weeds, "That's it, I'm never letting the weeds get that tall ever again." He shook his head. Whoever it was, camouflaged the barrel of his rifle with the weeds around him. Jack spotted a flash of bare metal and pointed his pistol in that same direction.

"Get out from under that pickup Deputy." The voice was behind him. Josh had moved when Jackson was too busy trying to grab his gun while getting shot at.

Jackson dropped his head. He crawled out from underneath, just in time to get pistol whipped across the face, and the pistol he had kicked out of his hand. Which wouldn't have helped Jack anyways- he couldn't risk firing a shot now that he faced the barn. Blood dripped from his mouth and the cut on his cheek. "Where is she?!"

"You'll never find out." Another hit had Jack reeling. Josh yanked Jack on to his knees by his shirt front. Jack spit blood into Josh's unshaven face.

#

Misty hid her daughter in the office behind the heavy desk before grabbing the .44 caliber pistol from the desk's drawer. She heard the shots stop. Fear had her hands shaking violently. She needed to help Jackson. Suddenly, there was a single shot and Jackson could be heard cussing a blue streak. Misty poked her head out of the office door, checking to see if the coast was clear.

"You see Cowboy, that bitch is mine! I've watched you two for months now. I've seen everything you two have been doing." He yanked Jack's head back by his hair. "She doesn't scream enough when she's with you."

"Real men don't torture their women." Jackson's speech was slurred. She heard a sickening thud and Jackson cursed loudly.

Josh growled animalistic-ly and pointed the barrel of his 9 millimeter between Jackson's eyes. "Do you really want to kill a Deputy Sheriff? Do you realize that I have twelve armed ranch hands?"

"Shut up!"

"I've never met a man who had to drug a woman just to get in her pants. You must be seriously lacking."

"Shut up dammit!" Josh screamed. Jackson gave him a bloody smirk.

"You've gotta be compensating for something. What's the matter Josh? You can't get your teeny-weenie up unless you draw blood? Are your microscopic boys so brain-dead that you can't-" This time a fist landed against his already bruised cheek. Jackson knew that if he just antagonized him, he might be able to get the upper hand. "You're too fake to be a dick, you're a fucking dildo." A hit to the face caused his left eye to swell almost completely shut. "I bet you were real popular in high school. Especially in the locker room." Another hit to the chin. "The girls must've put you down in the Tiny Dick book instead of the Hate book." By now Josh's face was the color of an over ripe tomato.

All at once, Jack knocked the pistol away from his head and tackled Josh to the ground. Jack could finally land a few solid punches of his own. But with the blood loss from the hole in his leg and the gash in his arm, he couldn't pack the wallop that he usually did. Josh and Jackson rolled in the dirt, both trying to get to the gun. Josh kneed Jack's wounded thigh as he dove for the gun. Jack hollered out in pain.

Josh scrambled to his feet and kept his hunting boot firmly pressed to the angry wound on Jack's thigh. Jackson hissed and crunched up as the pain shot through his whole body. Josh pointed the gun at Jack's face. "I will kill you and that bitch!"

#

Misty stood frozen in the shadows of the barn's interior and watched with tear filled eyes as Jack knelt in the dust, blood dripped from his fingertips and soaked the denim of his jeans. His life's blood was slowly leaking from his body. And the damn fool kept antagonizing the monster in front of him. He wore a bloodied grin that scared the bejesus out of her. She came to the realization that he didn't care whether he died or lived, but he wasn't going without a fight. That man showed no fear while staring into the eyes of that monster.

When Josh stood above Jack's prone form, gun pointed at her love's face, rage seeped out of every pore in her body. She stalked out of the barn, the pistol in her hands leveled with Josh's chest. Tears may have tracked down her cheeks, but she was seething with fury.

#

Jack's coffee colored eyes bore a hole into Josh's soul. If he was going to die today, the man was going to have to live with seeing his face in his nightmares. Jack stared straight into Josh's face. Jack was prepared to die, and laid stalk still. He just prayed that the woman he loved would stay out of sight.

Jack, quick as a flash, whipped his service pistol out from under him as he used what strength he had left to sit up and pull the trigger. All at once, four shots rang out and Josh's finger tightened on the trigger. Jack fell back onto the parched earth.

#

Misty sprinted out to where Jackson lay, fearful of what might have happened to him. Josh was sprawled out on the ground- two holes in his chest and one smack dab in the middle of his forehead. "Jackson! Jack? Please be okay." She fell to her knees at his head. She held his clammy, bruised face between her hands. "Jack?" She pressed her lips to his busted ones briefly.

He smiled weakly. "Call Colten." His voice was barely a whisper. He gently cupped her cheek in one massive calloused hand. That wobbly smile still on his lips, he brushed his thumb over his angel's lips. "I love you Sweetheart." He heaved a sigh as his eyes drifted closed and his body went limp. As if it took all of his strength to tell her, for the first and last time, that he loved her. Misty cried and kissed his forehead.

Johnny jogged up, and pulled out his cell phone. "Hey Colt, it's John. Shit got a little western at Silverman's."