Up from the ashes - OPEN

[Duke]

Duke kicked a charred piece of timber and saw something shiny. Several coins lay in the dirt so he reached over and picked them up and blew black ash off of them. All that remained of his beautiful saloon and casino laid in a pile of blackened timbers that still smoldered from the blaze.

It was a sight to behold. The night sky was lit up from the huge blaze while the bucket brigade struggled in vain to control the fire. Most everyone got out except for an unlucky few girls. Their bodies had been drug away and buried in the cemetery outside of the town. As far as he could tell he lost he lost the blonde named Lucky and two Chinese girls. The only one unaccounted for was Esperanza. It was feared she had been incinerated in the fire but he had his doubts. Right now he had better things to do than worry about a whore.

Right now his main concern was rebuilding his very lucrative business and the birth of his child. Sapphire was expecting again but the birth was still several months away.

[sapphire]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,background-color: #272029; border: 3px solid #e1e1e1; padding: 45px; border-radius: 0px 0px 200px 200px;] S A P P H I R E I am strong and wise ... She had just returned to Del Fuego from a small trip with her daughter. The entire journey had been against her doctor's advisement and when she returned to the now-familiar town, his glare burned holes into her. She had to bite her tongue so she didn't politely tell him to go screw himself. She moved to stand silently behind her husband, her lips pursing into a thin line. How did she respond? The Blackbird had been his entire life up until recently. Beside her, Rachel sneezed and rubbed her eyes, clinging to her mother's dress not long after. A low chuckle slipped past the woman's lips. "You know, if you sneeze three times, you'll be rich." The blonde's tone was teasing as she attempted to lighten the rather grim mood. Her hand lifted to her husband's shoulder and a sympathetic look crossed her soft features. "It'll be all right, love." She murmured, unsure of what else to say. Even though she only had the best of intentions, the words sounded hollow and cold to her own ears. A wave of nausea rolled through her and she shrugged it off, not wanting to unload the contents of her stomach in front of her daughter and husband. She doubted there was much left to unload but one could never be too careful, she surmised. "It could be worse." She edged, trying not to upset him any further. Nearly six years ago, his life had come apart in a burst of flames, much like his saloon, only back then it had been her faking her own death after discovering she was pregnant with Rachel. "Daddy should smile." Their daughter piped up, teetering over to her father and clinging to his leg with a broad smile tugging at her lips. ... And I know no fear Words;; 296 Muse;; Click Tags;; Duke Notes;; N/A

table by MudBug

[Duke]

"Daddy should smile."

Duke looked down at his tiny daughter, her bright smile in the middle of the smoldering pile warmed his heart and brought a grin to his lips. But this was no place for his child and pregnant wife. Reaching down he lifted Rachel into his arms and put his hand around Sapphire and drew her close.

"Let's go home," he said to them both and led them away from the scene of devastation and headed to the house he had built for his family. His now growing family. His daughter felt as light as a feather but he loved the feel of her tiny arms around his neck as he carried her.

"I'll rebuild," he told his wife. "The Blackbird will be bigger and grander than before."

[sapphire]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,background-color: #272029; border: 3px solid #e1e1e1; padding: 45px; border-radius: 0px 0px 200px 200px;] S A P P H I R E I am strong and wise ... She sighed quietly and kissed her husband's cheek once they got into the house they now shared. "I'll get started on supper." She murmured, giving him a gentle squeeze and lowering her head to peck her daughter's cheek. The girl giggled and bit her lip, gazing up at her father with wide eyes. "I missed you, daddy." She chirped happily, keeping her arms wound tightly around the man's neck. Chuckling quietly, she wandered away, resting her hand against her stomach. Rachel began to squirm. "Daddy, why is mommy sick? Is she okay, is she gonna die?" The girl queried softly, moving her head to tuck it against the crook of the man's neck as she breathed deeply, nestling against him happily. "Daddy should tell a story." Though the girl's thoughts were many and her curiosity boundless, there was a point when she forgot that she shouldn't play Twenty Questions, especially when the topic she was butting into was rather sensitive. The girl squirmed and puffed up her cheeks. "Daddy, why did you take us away from that place? Wasn't that where all the pretty ladies were? Who did it, was anybody hurt, when did it happen?" She took in a breath, readying herself for another round of questions. She hesitated when she met her mother's gaze and faltered, mumbling a soft apology. Her cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment. ... And I know no fear Words;; 230 Muse;; Click Tags;; Duke Notes;; N/A

table by MudBug

[Duke]

"I missed you, daddy."

"I missed you too, Rachel," he grinned as he carried his little daughter. It was a short buggy ride but they lived just on the edge of town in a comfortable house.

Relaxing on a couch he continued holding Rachel as she chirped question after question. "Daddy, why is mommy sick? Is she okay, is she gonna die?"

"You're Mommy is fine," he reassured his daughter.

"Daddy should tell a story."

"Once upon a time there was a little girl named Rachel who's Mommy and Daddy loved her very much. They loved her very much they decided they wanted her to have baby so Rachel would have someone to play with."

Rachel was very quiet as she sat in his arms and rested on his chest, hearing his heart beating.

"Daddy, why did you take us away from that place? Wasn't that where all the pretty ladies were? Who did it, was anybody hurt, when did it happen?"

"Don't you worry about it, sweetheart," he kissed the top of her head. "Daddy is going to rebuilt that place and make it bigger and grander than before," as he spoke he had already contacted several people who could supply him with all the supplies and goods he would need to rebuild the Blackbird.

He also had an idea of who was behind its destruction but, without proof, he kept his suspicions to himself.

[sapphire]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,background-color: #272029; border: 3px solid #e1e1e1; padding: 45px; border-radius: 0px 0px 200px 200px;] S A P P H I R E I am strong and wise ... After an hour or so had passed, she set the table and dished up the meal, glancing over at her husband and chewing on her lower lip. "Rachel, honey, go ahead and wash up for supper." She was about to be sick again, she knew that. She wished that the sickness was one of the things she could cut out of the 'miracle of procreation.' Sighing softly, she went to her husband after their daughter had scurried away to do as she was told. "Care to talk about it, or are you just going to sit there and stew?" She queried sweetly, tilting her head. She glanced toward the table and sighed once more. "Just going to wait a bit for supper to cool down and knowing our daughter, she's going to take her sweet time. We have time to talk and all things considered, I don't think it's quite appropriate for us to be shedding our clothes wherever we damned well please." Her tone was teasing as she took the now-vacated spot within her husband's lap, lowering her head to rest it against his shoulder. Her hand dropped to rest against her abdominal region and she began to wonder when she'd start needing bigger clothes to suit the new life that grew within her womb. "So...boy or girl?" All she wanted was for the child to be healthy but still, she wanted to know what her husband was hoping for. So, that wasn't entirely true. She wanted it to be healthy and a boy. The last time she'd given birth, it was to twins and one of those twins hadn't even made it out of infancy. She never brought up the fact that she'd nearly died during childbirth, figuring it to be just a part of life. What difference would it have really made? Duke had thought her to be dead at the time, anyways. She shook the dark and depressing thoughts away, nestling against her husband. ... And I know no fear Words;; 327 Muse;; Click Tags;; Duke Notes;; N/A

table by MudBug

[Duke]

"Care to talk about it, or are you just going to sit there and stew?"

She was talking but he didn't hear much if anything. He had zoned out into thoughts all his own.

"So...boy or girl?"

"Huh?" he looked at her, her voice finally penetrating his concentration. "Oh, a boy, definitely. I may be taking a trip to Santa Fe, next week" he told her. "I know a man there who will help me rebuild the Blackbird. I have some ideas I need to talk over with him," he looked at her. "I hired a nanny for Sarah. She should be coming in on the stage today. I want you to come with me," he told Fire. "After I finish my business we could sight-see. I think you'll love it there."

[sapphire]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,background-color: #272029; border: 3px solid #e1e1e1; padding: 45px; border-radius: 0px 0px 200px 200px;] S A P P H I R E I am strong and wise ... Her brow furrowed as her husband's words registered. "I don't feel comfortable, leaving our daughter in Del Fuego." She said quietly, glancing down at her hands. "Perhaps, she and the nanny could accompany us? I'd feel more at ease, knowing with absolute certainty that our daughter's safe, especially considering everything that's happened in town." She paused momentarily to cringe. Her daughter wasn't exactly big enough or generally remotely capable of defending herself, and she doubted a nanny was either. Sapphire had one advantage that they didn't. She was quite the sharpshooter and it hadn't come without a price. She had learned to do all of the tasks that a man was 'supposed' to do after she had fled Duke's side. She hadn't wanted another man in her life, 'til death do us part. She shifted quietly in her husband's lap and took hold of his hands, bringing them to rest against her stomach. "Glad we agree on something." She teased, trying to lighten the mood once more. She hated to see him feeling so low, especially now that they were expecting another child. She kept trying to tell herself that things would be easier, now that she was there to stay, though there was always some small seedling of doubt. "Is Magowan well? If he's feeling under the weather, maybe I could bring him a couple of meals." It was the least she could do for him, considering how well he had dealt with Rachel. "I was also thinking I could pick up a few things and make a blanket for the baby." It had been something that had been on her mind for some time, and she knew it wouldn't be made overnight. ... And I know no fear Words;; 282 Muse;; Click Tags;; Duke Notes;; N/A

table by MudBug

[Duke]

"I don't feel comfortable, leaving our daughter in Del Fuego. Perhaps, she and the nanny could accompany us? I'd feel more at ease, knowing with absolute certainty that our daughter's safe, especially considering everything that's happened in town."

She had a point. The nanny he had hired would be left vulnerable with Rachel.

"That's fine," he told her. "This will give me an excuse to pay for a personal car for us to travel in. It'll be like living in a moving house," he told her and smiled at Rachel. "We'll have fun," he told his tiny daughter.

"Oh Boy! We're gonna ride in a choo-choo!!" she yelled to her mother and made sounds of a train engine which made Duke chuckle.

"Now, go play with your dollies in you room while I talk with your Mommy," he kissed her forehead before setting her down on her feet. Rachel scampered to her room making "Choo! Choo!" sounds as she went.

"Is Magowan well? If he's feeling under the weather, maybe I could bring him a couple of meals."

"Magowan is fine. He's shacked up with some floozy outside of town for now. He'll be coming with us as our bodyguard. One can never be too careful these days," he told her.