Chapter one (James)

James Richardson sat in his saddle a pie clamped between his lips. He gazed over his plot of land (I’ll leave ye tae paint the picture :D) and thought how lucky he really was. An ex-outlaw turned lover and father; it could have turned out very differently. The sun slowly vanished behind the trees on the western edge of the property. He twisted in the saddle at the sound of dashing footsteps.

“Aaron,” said James calling his oldest child. “Where’s that firewood? D’you want your ma ta freeze?”

“Comin’ pa,” said Aaron stumbling under the weight of the wood.

Aaron and James headed down the snaking path toward the house. James led his mare to the barn and tattered it. He patted the horse’s noise before heading into the house.

“Faith, dear?” he asked as he closed the door behind him.

Chapter One(Faith)

"Mother." The little girl called from the front porch of the ranch house, "Pa and Aaron are coming back now."

Faith Richardson smiled, "Good. Come help me to set the table for supper, Lizzie."

Lizzie nodded and scampered inside, closing the door behind her and began helping her mother to get the table all ready for supper.

When James opened the door, Lizzie ran straight for him and hugged him around the waist. "Pa!"

Faith turned from the sink and dried her hands, smiling at her husband and daughter, "Lizzie, don't squeeze him too hard now."

Faith left the hand towel by the sink and came over to James and Lizzie. She gave James a hug and quick kiss. "Supper's ready, if you're hungry." She looked around, "Where's Aaron?"

Lizzie nodded eagerly, "I read all about Noah and Esther!" Then she stared up at her father, "Who's Hamlet?"

Faith returned her son's hug and smiled down at him, "Are you hungry?"

aaron grined at his mother and said, "im 13 rember."

Faith smiled and rolled her eyes at James, "Hamlet is from Shakespeare, dear." She looked down at Aaron and ruffled his hair, "You're still twelve, Aaron. Almost thirteen, but still twelve."

"Let's eat!" Lizzie spoke up, "I'm starving!"

(I’m off Scotty! Man I suck at these family scenes)

Lizzie followed her mother and sat down, rubbing her stomach in anticipation.

(see ya! Actually you're doing really good compared to most guys I know =D)

"Corn, potatoes and beef." Faith replied picking up James' plate and serving him some food. "I hope you like it, it's a new recipe."

Lizzie waited somewhat impatiently for her mother to serve her. Once she got her food, she was about to start eating when Faith smacked her hand none too gently with a wooden spoon.

"Your father has to say the blessing first." Faith admonished her daughter, who turned slightly pink and hung her head.

James folded his hands and cleared his throat. “Dear load, thank you for this wonderful bounty and the gift of being together in good heath. Amen!” With that he drove his fork into his meal.

"Amen!" Lizzie echoed and immediately started eating.

Faith began eating as well, commenting to James, "Do you think you're all set for your trip tomorrow?"

“I got you somethin’” he said pulling a fat package out from under the table. “I thought you could use a new dress.”

"Ooh!" Lizzie grinned, "Mother's getting a new dress!"

Lizzie smiled at her father and opened the package, squealing in delight as she unwrapped a doll. She hugged the doll to her and then ran over to James giving him a hug as well. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

James pulled his daughter into the hug. “I’m going to miss you,” he said kissing her check. “Oh Aaron I almost forgot…” he pulled out a long, thin, package. Aaron tore at the paper reveling a 22 rifle.

“Its beautiful!” he said in amassment.

"How long are you gonna be gone, daddy?" Lizzie asked, stroking her doll's hair.

Faith stared at the rifle and then at James. "James! Did you really have to spend so much on us?"

(I lost the email, but bad dudes next is good. Maybe we should start with yours and he could meet dick in bar or somthing.)

Faith smiled at James, "Thank you James for everything and we're all going to miss you."

(I was thinking that we should have Faith and James actually like put the kids to bed first and then we can go on to the bad guys.)

(sounds good!)

Faith smiled at her daughter and stood up, "Go on, you two, off to bed." She started to clear off the table and then stopped suddenly, placing a hand on the slight bump of her belly. She looked up at James, her eyes sparkling, "He moved!"

(I'm thinking as far as the house goes....there could be three rooms downstairs: The main room(kitchen, dining and the like); James and Faith's room; and Lizzie's own little room. And then upstairs could be Aaron's loft.)

(again sounds good!)

"Daddy!" Lizzie called to James from her bedroom door, "Can you come tuck me in, please?"

"Awww five whole months!” he said imitating Lizzie. “Coming princess.” He walked into Lizzie’s small room smiling.

Faith laughed again and continued clearing the table as James walked off.

Lizzie jumped onto her bed and burrowed down underneath the sheets, smiling up at her father.

“I know,” mumbled Aaron sleepily.

James turned and kissed Faith goodnight. “I’m getting too old ta climb that ladder. “ He grinned at his wife.

Faith returned the kiss and then laughed, "You're not old, James!"

(Hey are you keeping that all together?)

(what do you mean exactly?)

“I guess your right,” he said shaking his head at his wild thoughts. “I have to leave soon.”

(I’m off, I have writer’s block! Tomorrow’s my last day of school till Jan second so we can write some more later!”

(aww, that's okay. yeah after tomorrow, I'm off until Jan 7!....I think)

(okay, so, we end that chapter here. And we'll start the next one now. Did you want me to start?)

And now Chapter Two(Rigel)

The man muttered several obscenities under his breath as he stomped along the boardwalk. He ran a grimy hand through his sparse, grey hair and turned into the saloon, hoping that getting a drink under his belt might help. He entered the saloon and made straight for the bar, ordering a mug of rye and noting the presence of a weathered older-looking man with bright, almost too bright, green eyes.

(Your turn! =D)

“You god dammed son of bitch,” bellowed Dick rising from his chair to tower over the man. “I needed that eighty bucks!”

He brought his fist forward and connected with man’s jaw. There was the cracking sound of bones shattering. Dick’s hand was wet with the gambler’s blood; he dusted it off on the center of his cotton shirt. He started toward the door, sweeping the wad of bills into his hand as walked by the table. He noticed a younger man staring at him.

“What the hell you lookin’ at?” he asked anger burring in his eyes.

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