AU: Oakville, Texas; for Gene Hunt.

[ikissdhimbck]

**NOTE: This is part of a plot arc that was meant to occur in Milliways over the Spring/Summer of 2011 in Bar Time. It has since become an AU, and should be treated as a standalone plot not associated with any game, and not fitting into Kate's continuity.**



It's still dark outside when Kate wakes. The room is bathed in warm lamplight from the oil that was left burning overnight, but through the window she can see the first hint of dawn.

It's not the first thing she sees. She finds herself pressed to a warm body, naked and masculine, and feels totally disoriented. For the briefest, cruelest second she believes she's with Doc, his scarred arms wrapped around her middle; and then the heat of the room registers, thick and heavy, and she's brought back to Texas.

Back to Gene.

She blinks slowly, butterfly kisses against his breast, watching the rise and fall of his chest. Her mind is trapped in a haze of sticky dreams and clutching memories, unable to shake them even as the wheels start going. She tips her head back, and watches him sleep.



It seems like hours later, but really it's only a matter of minutes when she shifts away from him. She's taking care not to wake him at first, but the moment she moves her legs — good god, is she sore.

How she manages to get out of bed without waking him is a mystery. How she manages to quietly get dressed when every inch of her feels like it's been crushed by a boulder is another honest mystery. At least he's a heavy sleeper, and by the time she's snuffed out the lamp and rid the room of every last trace of her, light is starting to turn yellow while he slumbers on.

She gets to her room without anybody noticing, but doesn't stay long. She's in desperate need of a long, hot bath. She changes clothes, uses the basin and a small chunk of soap to try and mask the smell of sex, tidies her hair and goes downstairs to see the innkeeper.

Comments

[ikissdhimbck]

She touches her temples.

"Stupid, stupid — "

She cuts herself off and forces down a calming breath. Getting angry isn't going to help matters a lick right now.

"They want you on the stockyards. You're gonna hafta know how t'herd 'em. Rope an' wrangle 'em. Didja even look at the other volunteers? I doubt half of 'em even know how t'ride."

Not the way Kate rides, anyhow.

[the_gene_genie]

'Why?'

He casually pulls his fags out, and lights one up.

'He put me in charge of 'em here in town. I can jus' tell 'em what t'do.'

Can't he?

[ikissdhimbck]

"Gene, what are you thinkin'?"

She really, genuinely wants to know.

[the_gene_genie]

He continues eyeing her for a moment, smoking quietly. The badge is pressing so hard into the skin of his palm that it's starting to hurt.

'Why don' you teach me, then? Can't be too difficult.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She wraps her arms around her middle.





"How nice of you t'ask me."

Her gaze lingers on him a moment longer, and then she turns away. There's a pair of leather gloves in her bag, and a tanned hide jacket. Her room is practically pristine, because you never know when you'll have to grab your bags and run.

"I think this is all one big game t'you. Your favorite fantasy land you think y'can play around in an' be a hero. Like nothin' can touch you. An' it don't matter a spit t'you, any of the things I've said. Ever since the day we stepped outta Milliways. An' you laugh at me for warnin' you, for worryin' about my curse, an' then you go an stick yourself in the middle of some ruckus an' think you're jus' gonna delegate. Like them boys are gonna listen t'you. Or their bullets'll bounce right off."

She stuffs her gloves in her pocket and clutches her jacket with one trembling fist before she turns around.

"'Course I'm gonna teach you, you stupid son-of-a-bitch. I'm not jus' gonna let you go out there with your pants down."

[the_gene_genie]

He stays quiet while she talks. She's right, mostly. Not that he's aiming to be a hero, exactly. But he's pretty sure nothing can touch him, as long as he doesn't do anything completely insane. And nothing will ever make him believe in curses.

'Delegation's part of the job, luv.'

He pushes off the door with his shoulder, stubs his fag out on the way over and walks up close toher. The badge goes into his pocket.

'An' I don' think bullets bounce off.'

He sees her hand trembling and puts his on her waist, looking down at her with no confrontation on his face.

'Wha's this about? You know I couldn' say no.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She has half a mind to avoid him when he starts moving closer, but she doesn't. She stands stalk still, eyes flicking to the dull flash of silver when he pockets that badge, and then to the hand he places at her waist. Her expression doesn't crack or crumble, but something about her seems to quiet.

She catches his eyes.

"I know.





"I want the son-of-a-bitch who did that t'be caught jus' as much as you do. It ain't right. But I don't want you or I t'suffer because of it."

[the_gene_genie]

He thinks, mayne, she doesn't quite get it. But who's fault's that? He knows he's not exactly forthcoming with the things that move him, and he's not planning on changing that. So OK, if she thinks it's just about catching scum, that's fine with him. Particularly if it takes her mind off being angry.

'We won'. It'll be fine.'

He leans down to kiss her, his fingers tightening on her waist. But before he gets there, he murmurs,

'Have a bit of faith in me. I know how t'catch crooks, an' I've not been killed yet.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She shakes her head almost imperceptibly.

"It has nothin' t'do with faith."

But she lets him close the distance, even tipping her chin up to meet him partway. She kisses him halfheartedly, distracted by all the things that could go wrong. Curse aside, if that lawman figures out who she is, there'll be trouble neither of them can talk their way out of. She feels like she's sending him headfirst into a trap, but she has no clue how to warn him.

"If you die, I ain't never forgivin' you," she whispers against his mouth, brow creased with worry. "I won't even speak t'you if y'come back t'Milliways."

[the_gene_genie]

'Well,' he grins against her lips, and slips his arms around her properly, 'best not, then.'

He kisses her again, and again, and the elation at having that badge is allowed back in, rising through him like the bubbles in fizzy wine.

'Couldn' stand it, you not talkin' t'me. All that peace I'd have. No one peckin' my head, or givin' me gyp, or glaring like they hope looks could kill.'

He's walking her back towards the bed, and turns his fingers into a mock-gun, mimes shooting himself in the temple. But he's just kidding. There's amusement written all over his face, despite the sarcasm.

[ikissdhimbck]

The thing about Kate, is once you get her riled up enough she's pretty damn good at hiding her emotions. So, despite the amusement on his face, she still looks as scolding as they come.

But since he's going to move in like that, she reaches around and gives his backside a good pinch.

"When are y'just gonna admit it?" she mutters, stopping only when her calves hit the bed. "You like it."

[the_gene_genie]

'Oh yeah, can' get enough of it. Really does it for me.'

He rolls his eyes, still with humour despite the surprise at her pinch. And then his fingers are curling into her blouse, giving it a little tug.

'We were interrupted.'

Beat.

'An' much as I adore your tellin' me off about everythin', ever, there's other stuff you do like I like more.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She sighs long-sufferingly, and her lips twitch at last.

"So it would seem."

She runs her hands down his arms, curling her fingers against his palms. She rises on her tiptoes, pulling his hands away from her body gently, and whispers against his lips.

"But it looks like you've got a lotta learnin' t'do, now."

And in a very short period of time.

She drops back to the soles of her shoes and ducks under his arm, pulling at one of his hands to lead him toward the door.

[the_gene_genie]

...God damn it.

He scowls at nothing. And then digs the badge out of his pocket, and scowls at that instead.

'You've got a lot t'answer for already, mate,' he mutters to it, before turning on his heel with a sigh.

'Fine,' he tells her back, before following. 'But you're makin' it up t'me later.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She stops at the door, and gives him a once-over.

Her eyes fall upon the badge in his hand. She reaches for it, appraising each roughly tooled letter, fingering one of the blunted points of the telltale star.

There's a brief pause, and then she moves to affix it to his lapel.

There. Right where it should be.


After another beat she catches his eyes, looking neither happy nor sad. He is, after all, a lawman to his core.

[the_gene_genie]

He lets her take it from him, though there a brief pang when he worries she might be taking it away. But then he's watching her hands as they pin it to him, almost dumbly, like suddenly he can't believe this is actually real.

He's wanted to be Sheriff of a cowboy town since he was five years old. And this is as near as he'll ever get. There really aren't any words he can speak, but he does know he hasn't felt as proud since the first day he pulled on his beat uniform.

'Ta,' he says, not looking at her. He's still looking at the badge. And then he meets her eyes, and holds them. And then nods, once. None of this would be possible if it weren't for her.

[ikissdhimbck]

Her hand brushes his cheek.

The irony hasn't escaped her, but she tries not to linger on it. It's impossible not to notice the quiet reverence on his face. Just the quiet in general is so unlike Gene, and despite the fear and dread in her heart she can't help but be happy for him.

She rises on her tiptoes, only this time she does kiss him. Soft, and quick.

"C'mon, then," she murmurs, leading the way back outside. "Don't wanna be gone all night, sheriff."

[the_gene_genie]

Sheriff.




He can't stop the grin as he follows her out the door. There's no help for it at all.