ikissdhimbck | OOM: Room #100 - Visit from Bill, following fight with Ramon

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OOM: Room #100 - Visit from Bill, following fight with Ramon

[A few days after this:]

Kate isn't expecting company. Of course, she never is, when Doc already happens to be in the room with her. So when there comes a light, but steady, knock at her door this morning, they exchange glances.

Doc signals to her to step away from the doorway, taking quiet steps over to where he left his holster the night before. He quickly withdraws his Colt, and silently moves toward the door.

"Who is it?" he calls gruffly, while Kate waits on the other side of her desk, back pressed against the wall and sixshooter in her hand.

.

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Bill has been slow to admit and accept that his friendship with Kate is never going to be what it was. The past few weeks the truth has been staring him in the face, but he's refused to see it; wanting to believe that eventually things would sort out, he'd be able to help her, and things would go back the way they were.

Her response to his offer, they way she hasn't looked him in the eye more than a few times during this whole conversation, and the finality of her decision to leave, puts an end to the hope he'd been holding onto. So many things have changed for him over this past year or so, and this is one of them that isn't going to get fixed.

She's still his friend, though, even if things are different. He hopes she knows that; he wishes he could tell her, but he's got no words to the effect, and no argument to try and convince her to change her mind.

Goodbyes are hard, and if she doesn't want any, he won't make things harder by trying to insist.

So, he gives Doc a nod, then stands up; sucking in a quick breath of air when his body protests the movement.

"Alright, not sure when we're headin' out, but if we don't see you I'll be sure an' leave a note t'let you know we're gone an' okay."

"The sooner, the better," she murmurs, trying to keep the strength in her voice.

(She knows.)

((And she will miss him.))

"Thank you, Bill. For stoppin' by t'let us know."

Doc rubs the back of his neck.

"You take care of yourself, y'here."

"Sure."

Bill nods, standing beside his chair for a long uncomfortable moment, apart from them and knowing that even if they aren't saying it, this could be goodbye.

"Y'all -- good luck."

He gives another quick nod before he turns around and heads for the door. The hallway gets a swift scan before he steps out, closing the door behind him.

Kate watches him as he leaves, a million words on her tongue, but none on her breath. She doesn't feel... right. About any of this.

She wants to yell after him to be safe, to watch his back and keep his eyes open. She wants to tell him just how sorry she is for everything she's done, and how much she wants to take it all back. But all she does, is watch him leave.

After a moment, with the weight of the silence in the room suffocating her, she pivots on her heels and looks at Doc. There's a lot of sadness there, but her frustration is still burning bright.

"'We'll deal with that when we get to it'?"

She scoffs, shaking her head as she moves toward the bathroom.

Doc just watches Bill leave as well, listening for his footsteps to fade.

It's Kate's harsh words that snap him out of his thoughts, and he glances over at her, slightly confused and a little surprised.

"Well tellin' him we wasn't never gonna consider it wasn't gonna go over well."

"I don't like dishonesty."

You should know that, goes unspoken in her tone of voice.

He looks down.

liar

"Well...what if we ain't bein' dishonest? What if someday, s'alright t'come back?"

"Maybe that's the sort'a thing you want t'discuss with your lover, 'fore y'undermine them in front of other people," she snaps, walking past as she moves into the bathroom.

That stings.

Doc watches her disappears into the bathroom, working his jaw as he tries to figure out just what he wants to say - just what he should say, to a comment like that.

He's drawing blanks for a moment...and then he walks to the doorway.

"I apologize...I just didn't think that considerin' comin' back wasn't an option for you. I wouldn't mean t'undermine you in front of nobody."

"It wasn't just that," she sighs in frustration.

She's brushing her hair with long staccato strokes that look more appropriate for making hay.

"I know you got the right t'lead, an' I'm supposed t'submit. But we ain't even married! Y'aren't even my head. I felt like a child, not a partner."

"Kate, y'ain't..."

I would never try to control you like that.

He steps into the bathroom and moves behind her, carefully shifting his hands in an effort to cover hers - not touching, but to get her to stop brushing her hair.

"...just stop a second, please?"

Reluctantly, she lets her hand still.

She can see his reflection in the mirror. She looks down to avoid making 'eye contact'.

"You're right."

A pause, to let that since in.

"I ain't your husband, and I ain't your head. But you are not a child...and I would never think I had the right t'control you like one. I'm sorry you felt like that was what I was doin'. If we were married, or if I was your head, even then...yes, there'd be a level of respect there, but it'd be mutual. I would never look t'control you."

She silently soaks in his words.

"At least maybe then you'd bother conferrin' with me," she mutters lowly. "Or warnin' me. Or even just seekin' my opinion."

She tosses her brush back to the vanity with a loud clatter, leaning away from him to pick up her perfume.

He nods, looking down.

Duly chastised and informed.

"Yes, ma'am."

It's not sarcastic - it's sincere, heartfelt, and respectful.

Her finger pauses over the lip of the bottle.

"Thank you."

For understanding.

She applies the white pepper behind her ears and below the hollow of her throat before putting the bottle back down.

"It's not like I like the idea of all this. I just. I don't wanna give false hope. An' I'm tryin' t'show that I mean t'fix the mess I've made, not shove it off onto some man t'fix it for me."

"You will fix it," he says quietly, watching her as she places the perfume on her skin and then the bottle to the counter. He allows the scent to 'settle' on her skin before he steps forward and carefully slides his arms around her middle, his hands skimming down her sides. "I know you will. You'll keep 'em safe."

Doc leans down and nestles his face into her hair, breathing deep.

"Love this scent on your skin, y'know. More'n anythin' in the world...s'sweet but it's spicy, got a hint of a kick and fire...jus' like y'do, darlin'."

A thrill races through her belly as his hands slowly slide down her hips. She lets her arms drape over his and leans back, inhaling on instinct when he does.

Glancing back into the mirror at last, she smirks when she catches his eye.

"You're tryin' t'distract me, Cowboy."

Not that she sounds terribly upset about that.

He fights the devilish grin that pulls at the corner of his mouth.

"Not entirely. We do have chores t'be takin' care of today."

Eventually.

After they go talk to a tree.

She breathes a short laugh, shaking her head in 'disbelief.'

She turns her head until she can see him -- not his reflection -- out of the corner of her eye.

"That so? You troublemaker; you're settin' t'mess up my makeup, is what you're plannin' t'do."

He tilts his head around so that he's looking at her, faces close.

"I'd kiss you, but I'd get that lipstick all over my lips and I'm afraid that shade'a red just ain't my color," he teases.

Of course, he's not entirely teasing when he leans in and briefly brushes his lips against hers.

"You'll fix this."

She sighs. This is the most at ease she's felt all morning, and she's grateful to him for that.

Twisting an arm around, she wipes the tiny smudge of red from his lips with her thumb.

"I hope so."

All she wants is to ensure her friends will be safe. If she can do that one little thing, then maybe her life will not have been such the utter failure she fears it has become.

She gently nuzzles Doc's cheek, letting her temple rest against his. She squeezes his hand, as if to reassure him.

"An' you'll back me up."

"Always, even if it's through hellfire n'rain strong 'nough t'drown Noah."

No matter what.

He interlaces their fingers and gently squeezes her hand in response.

She draws in a calming breath and nods.

"Right, then. Let's go."

She'll fix this.

Even if it's the last thing she does.

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OOM: Room #100 - Visit from Bill, following fight with Ramon

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