OOM sorta: Rooms, back door, stables, in the morning.

[ikissdhimbck]

She wasn't joking.

The next morning, Katherine shows up at Doc's door, bright and early.

(The sun might not even be out yet, but eh, details.)

She's bundled in high boots, a long coat, and a scarf--his scarf--in preparation for the chilly morning. One gloved hand reaches out, and raps lightly on his door.

If he doesn't answer, she will only take that as invitation to knock louder.

.

Comments

[scurlock]

"Handful. I don't make it habit to think on them all too often," he admits. "Otherwise I'd sleep worse than I already do."

It's an honest admission, and one he doesn't tell many people, and he doesn't look at her when he says it, just focuses on the way ahead.

"Every man I ever shot, it was either gonna be him, or it was gonna be me. But that don't make me proud of the fact that I got blood on my hands and lives to my name. We did the right thing, gettin' justice for John. It wasn't pretty. Killin' never is, but sometimes...you just can't help it."

[ikissdhimbck]

He may not be looking at her, but she's looking at him, blue eyes soft and concerned and focused on his profile.

She doesn't say a word, because there's really nothing she can say. She's worried for him, and were they not on horseback, she would probably close the distance between them and squeeze his hand. It's the only reassurance she can offer.

As it is now, she is helpless to do anything but just sit as she is and listen to his words, his ever changing picture in her head morphing yet again.

And it's like she's seeing things through a dirty window.

[scurlock]

"But more than the men I've killed? I'm not proud of runnin' and leavin' my friends behind."

There's something about being on horseback, for Doc. It's comfortable. Natural, even. The boys would go riding, for long hours at a time. Sometimes they'd joke with each other, talk about bullshit that nobody cared about. Talk about women. Talk about anything. Sometimes they'd never say a word, too tired, too hungry, too sore. But the saddle was home.

Outlaws don't get to put down roots and raise families because it ain't safe, so the saddle and a strong, sturdy horse, a gentle rhythm of hooves on the earth, that's home.

"I ain't proud of not havin' been to a single goddamn funeral in three years," he adds, voice quiet, a little rough around the edges of his words. "More than all those men I killed, I ain't proud of leavin' my brothers behind."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Doc."

It's concern and protestation and empathy all rolled into one, but she knows there's nothing she can say. Nothing she could say could ever erase that kind of guilt.

She bites her lip and looks down, brow furrowed in three deep ridges.

"I s'pose... if you had stuck around, you would have ended up dead, too," she murmurs, thinking the words over in her head. "Now, I don't know what kinda buddies ya'll were, but... I imagine if I were one of your pals, greetin' you at those pearly gates, I might be powerful angry with you for not gettin' out when the gettin' was good."

She shakes her head, pushing her blonde waves back behind her ears.

"Wouldn't want you to share my fate, just 'cuz I was unlucky. You didn't pull the trigger, 'n you didn't lead them false. You were their friend. You rode with them. Fought with them. Daresay they trusted you; I know you trusted them. That should be enough, shouldn't it?"

She doesn't know.

"Should be enough. You carry their memory on, 'n if they're watchin', if they're listenin', then they know that. They hear that. And, hell, I'd be damn proud if I was them. I'd be touched.

"Don't know if that means a lick, but it's... something to think on, I s'pose."

[scurlock]

He's quiet as she speaks, taking the time to get his emotions back under his own control. Not that they're far out of his reach - they never are, because he can't let them get away from him - but it takes him a minute.

Doc nods, slow and easy.

"Means more than I can really say, if we're bein' honest," he admits, finally. "Thank you. I just...hell, gets to me sometimes," he says, as he then and only then looks over at her and offers her a small, half smile. "Thank you."

She'll be able to tell from his eyes that it means a great deal to him to hear that.

[ikissdhimbck]

"'Course it does. If it didn't, then I'd start to worry. But you miss 'em, and you want to believe you've done right by them. So it's gonna get to you sometimes," she murmurs, shaking her head before meeting his eyes.

She knows what it's like. Maybe not on his level, maybe not under such extreme and harsh circumstances, but death is death. And it gets to you sometimes.

She sees the gratitude in his eyes, and she matches the tiny grin on his lips, nodding her head once.

"Don't have to thank me for a thing," she mutters, looking back out on the trail ahead.

She wishes she could do more.

[scurlock]

"Don't have to do a damn thing I don't want to," he points out, gently. "But I want to thank you cause I don't got many friends who give a damn anymore."

It's a half-truth, but sometimes he feels that way.

They ride on a good, long while, until he hears the sound of water, and surf, and knows they're near the inlet.

"Do me a favor?"

[ikissdhimbck]

"That ain't true," she protests, tipping her head in a gesture that screams 'Oh, Doc.'

She doesn't say anything else for a good long while. But when he asks a favor from her, she gives him a look of wary suspicion.

"What's that?" she asks.

[scurlock]

"Ride up front? I ain't taken him 'cross runnin' water this wide before, where the ocean and the lake meet, and I think it might be easier if he has someone to follow. Nova don't give a damn about water."

A pause.


"And I know, it ain't."

[ikissdhimbck]

She smiles at him.

"You got it," she nods, gripping the reins a bit tighter and urging Nova forward without further prodding. The horse leaps into a canter, making an awful ruckus when his hooves hit water.

She doesn't pull back to slow him, though. She just lets him blow on through the inlet, throwing spray every which way, and laughs softly. The water is cold - oh so cold - given the wind and the temperature, but it feels good.

She won't let Nova get too far ahead, though.

[scurlock]

Doc gives them a few steps ahead before he lightly spurs the gelding on, and the first steps into the running water are met with hesitation and no small amount of protest.

"C'mon, you're alright, you see him up there? He's leavin' you in the dust..you big baby...there you go...c'mon, there's a good boy, that's it," he urges, hand firm on the reins and voice steady. "There you go...see, ain't so bad..."

She doesn't get too far ahead, and Doc talks the horse across the wide stretch of shallow water, eventually getting him up to a canter once they hit dry land on the other side.

[ikissdhimbck]

She's far enough ahead that she can pull on the reins and turn Nova back once they've crossed the inlet, letting him step a circle as she peers over her shoulder at Doc and the gelding.

"He all right?" she calls, though she can see that he is.

Nova takes a few antsy steps, wanting to go again.

[scurlock]

The gelding looks a bit pissy, but Doc nods his head. "Yeah, he's alright, just bit skittish. Probably don't like the sound of it," he calls back.

One corner of his mouth lifts in a smirk.

"Kind of makes me laugh, considerin' what I was thinkin' of callin' him."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Oh?" she prompts, returning the smile as he catches up and she lets Nova loose again.

"And what was that?"

[scurlock]

They ride awhile, the only sound that of hooves in a rhythmic tattoo beating against the ground, an easy pace.

"Well I was thinkin', since he's from Will's time and all, should honor that. And he's a hell of a horse...was thinkin' 'bout 'Lionheart'. Kinda funny, considerin' cats don't like water."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Suits him," she chuckles, shaking her head. "King of all beasts, don't like sharing his turf with other critters... yeah, I'd say it's a right smart match."

[scurlock]

"What do you say, buddy?"

The gelding is more interested in running, and the prospect of more sweet hay and a good brushing, than whatever the human would like to call him. Doc doesn't mind, in fact, it makes him laugh.

"Lionheart it is, then."

[ikissdhimbck]

Katherine laughs, too, feeling the homestretch itch her own self.

"You know, you never did finish schooling me on my outlaw lessons," she calls to Doc, over the sound of beating hooves. "An' there's somethin' I've been wonderin'."

[scurlock]

"Well it's only the first day," he protests, shooting her a glance as he nods his head, but the motion is lost in the easy gait of the run. "What did you want to know?"

[ikissdhimbck]

"Well, it's about them 'brazen acts of an outlaw nature,'" she begins, looking ever-so-serious. "Figure sooner or later I'll have to be committing some m'self, so as to earn the title, 'n I was wondering on what type of repercussions one might have to worry 'bout, if'n they were to--"

She tips her head back in a gesture of mock contemplation.

"--I don't know, say, steal another fella's horse?"

There's about half a second for Doc to see that evil spark in her blue daggers, before she and Nova set off like a rocket down the path home.

[scurlock]

Doc stares after her.

"Ain't nothin' worse than a horse thief!"

It's hollered loud enough for her to hear, before he urges Lionheart after the pair. She'll beat him back, but he doesn't mind. Much, anyway.

[ikissdhimbck]

She laughs the whole way back, clamoring up to the stables with a "yeeHAW!"

Her chest is heaving just about as bad as Nova's is, and she leans forward in her seat to rub his slick coat with pride and affection once they've stopped.

"Good boy! You're a fine fella, yes you are! I'll make sure you get an extra scoop of oats tonight, my champion."

Her face is all innocence when she looks to Doc, big blue eyes round and childlike.

[scurlock]

Well, hell. He can't be mad at that face.

Doc pulls up the reins as they head back into the stables and just resists the urge to smirk.

"Careful, now. Wouldn't do to let him get fat," he drawls, before he moves to dismount and tie the lead off to a rail. His whole body is humming with the adrenaline from the ride, as he moves to run his hands over Lionheart's neck, praising him for cooperating so well.

[ikissdhimbck]

"After a run like that, I think he can stand to have one extra scoop," she protests.

Because it's fine to spoil him when she's the one doing it.

Her hair is an absolute mess, falling in her face like broken wheat stalks, accentuating the 'I'm just an innocent angel' look she's currently sporting.

She's careful to pamper Nova after she dismounts, brushing him down real good and throwing a blanket over his shoulders while she cleans his tack and puts it away. True to her word, she makes sure he gets that extra scoop of oats, and plenty of fresh water, taking the blanket from him after he's stopped perspiring.

Only after he's comfortable does she look to herself, peeling her coat from her shoulders. The legs of her trousers are wet from the ride through the inlet, chilling her despite the fact that she's flushed from the hard ride back. Her face is red at her cheeks and the tips of her ears and nose.

"Well, shoot," she mutters with a lopsided grin, wringing the legs of her pants out best she can.

[scurlock]

"I think," he comments, after having done the relative same with Lionheart - a good brushing, blanket, cleaning and stowing the tack and getting him food and water - and then looking at her. "I think you and I should take that lunch and head inside, sit by the fire. Dry you out, and feed ourselves. Like a picnic."

A beat.

"Cept indoors, though I'm sure Bar'll give us a blanket if we'd like one."