Three days later Callie was sitting outside of the diner waiting on Grayson to get back from the farm. She looked out over the dusty street and thought back over the last week and a half since Grayson had come back into her life. Callie should have been happier than she had ever been in her life but something was holding her back.

Grayson worked hard to put on a happy face and try to hide his pain from her but she could see it. She knew that he and his father were still not speaking and Callie had half a mind to go straight to Jack Fields and tell him what a fool he was being and tell him the real story about what had happened between Grayson and Phillip. She would not do that though because it was not her place.

Grayson had trusted her with his secret and she would not betray his trust. She understood his reasons for keeping the story from Jack and although she thought he was being foolish she was also proud of his devotion to his brothers memory.

Most of the whispers around town had stopped. She and Grayson could now walk through the streets without hearing the words 'brother killer', 'cold blooded murderer, or 'Grayson's whore.' Of course the last whisper, 'Grayson's whore' had ended abruptly the first time that Paul Thomas had uttered it outside of the saloon when Grayson and Callie had been walking by and Grayson had proceeded to break his nose. No one else had had the nerve to utter that statement again, at least not where Grayson or Callie could hear them.

Callie knew that she and Grayson needed to speak about their future. She had been putting it off the last few days because she was enjoying their newfound life together but Callie needed to let Grayson know that if he did not want to live here in this town with all of the rumors and bad memories that she would follow him anywhere.

True she loved this town and she had friends here that she would miss dearly but she would do anything to make sure that Grayson was happy and she was starting to doubt that he could ever truly be happy here.

Callie's thoughts were interrupted when she saw Thomas walking out of Raymond Colliers office. Thomas had a smug smile on his face but Raymond looked angry and scared.

"She must never know, Raymond." Callie heard Thomas say. Raymond gave a curt nod and then walked back into his office, slamming the door behind him. She watched Thomas mount his horse and ride away before standing and smoothing out her tan skirt. She was very curious as to why Thomas was having meetings with Raymond and who she was and what she could never know about.

Callie was about to knock on the green door of Raymond's office when she heard a horse gallop to a stop behind her. She turned to see James on Grayson's buckskin, his face full of worry.

"James, what's wrong?" she demanded.

"It's Jack. He's dying and Grayson didn't want to worry you but I thought that you should know…." Callie didn't waste another second before reaching out for James's hand. He helped her into the saddle behind him. They were riding out of town when Peter stopped them.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Jack is dying." Callie replied. Peter nodded.

"I'll be on my way." he said. Callie shook her head.

"No, you don't need to worry about…."

"Hush, Callie, you know I've never been able to mind my own business." he argued. Callie simply nodded and then wrapped her arms tight around James' waist as they galloped out of town.

888

"Grayson Fields, how dare you not come to town and get me yourself." Callie scolded as she jumped from the horse and ran to Grayson's arms. Grayson glared over at James and Peter.

"I think some people need to learn how to mind their own business." he said as he wrapped his arms tight around her and breathed in the comforting scent of lavenders.

"Don't you dare act like this is none of my business." Callie scolded.

"Callie, don't be mad at me. I didn't want you out here worrying about things. I was going to leave soon anyway."

"Leave?" Callie demanded. "Gray, you should be up there with your father right now." Grayson shoved his hand through his hair and shook his head.

"Why? Lauren is up there with him and that's all he wants. I was told to get the hell out of his house." he said. Callie could see the pain etched deeply on his face and it broke her heart. She laid her hand on his cheek and raised on her toes to press a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Gray." she said. Grayson grunted and pulled his face away from her though he kept his arm tight around her waist.

"I'm gonna go check on Lauren." James said.

"Good. She needs somebody up there with her. The doc left about an hour ago. He said there was nothing else he could do." Grayson replied. James nodded and walked away.

"Is there anything I can do?" Peter asked. Grayson cleared his throat and looked around.

"Take the horses to the barn and get them something to drink." he said. Peter nodded and grabbed the reins of the buckskin and his mare and led them toward the barn.

"Gray, you need to go back up there." Callie said gently. Grayson shook his head and led her up to the porch. They sat down on the swing and Callie curled up against his chest.

"He doesn't want me there." Grayson said quietly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"You need to tell him the truth, Gray." she said matter-of-factly. "Before it's too late." Grayson was silent for a few moments and then he sighed.

"It won't do any good, Callie. He doesn't want me around and he wouldn't believe me if I did tell him. I'd rather just let the man die believing that Phillip was innocent."

"Do you really think Phillip would have wanted you to sacrifice this much for him? Do you think that he would have wanted you to sacrifice your reputation and your relationship with your family for him?" Callie demanded raising up and looking him in the eye. Grayson looked away from her.

"Phillip's opinion doesn't matter anymore. He lost the right to have one when he shot me."

"What?" Lauren's tear filled and tired voice came from the doorway. Grayson and Callie both looked over at her with shock. Her brown hair was a mess of tangles and flyaways around her face. The dark circles around her eyes looked like bruises and her face was as pale as snow.

"Nothing." Grayson replied quickly. Lauren walked toward him slowly and then without warning she swung her hand and caught him sharply on the cheek.

"Don't you dare lie to me for another second!" she yelled angrily. James ran out the door at the sound of her yell and looked from his wife to his brother-in-law with confusion.

"What's going on?" he asked. Lauren pointed at Grayson.

"Grayson was about to tell us about the night that Phillip shot him." she said. Grayson shook his head.

"No, I wasn't." he replied.

"Dammit, Grayson! You shot Phillip after he shot you didn't you? And then you reloaded his gun and kept it a secret so that nobody would think badly about him." Lauren exclaimed.

"You have an overactive imagination." Grayson replied. Callie stood up and glared down at him.

"No she doesn't, Gray. It's time to tell your family the truth and quit lying to protect your brother! He's dead, you're not, and your family deserves to know the truth." Grayson stood up as well, towering over Callie as he glared down at her angrily.

"Callie, I'm warning you…" Callie snorted and stuck her finger in his chest.

"Warning me of what, Gray? You don't scare me so quit trying." she said and she saw every bit of his defenses crumble. He no longer looked tough and intimidating. He was now sad and defeated.

"I did it for Phillip, Callie. I didn't want anyone to judge him. He didn't know what he was doing."

"So it's true?" Lauren asked. Grayson looked at her and gave a small nod.

"He was drunk, Lauren. He shot me and was going to do it again… I didn't have a choice." Lauren stared hard at her brother for several seconds before throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him while crying tears through his shirt.

"I love you, Grayson. I'm so sorry I ever doubted you." Grayson patted her on the back awkwardly while he fought back his own tears.

"Go talk to dad." she said in his ear. "Quickly before it's too late." Grayson pulled away from her and was about to refuse when he looked over at Callie and saw her nod.

"Talk to him, Gray." she said. Grayson sighed. He knew he could not deny any request that Callie made. He nodded once.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked gently. Grayson shook his head. Callie pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"I love you." she said. He nodded and then turned and walked into the house.

Grayson walked into his father's room and immediately feared he'd come in too late. Jack was lying still as a corpse on the bed. His eyes were open but didn't seem to be focused on anything as he stared up at the ceiling. Only when Grayson heard the rattling of Jack's lungs as he took a breath did he realize that his father was still alive.

Grayson walked up to the bed and ran his hand through his hair. He cleared his throat and his father's eyes looked into his own.

"Hi dad." Grayson said.

"Hi…Grayson." Jack said though his voice was barely more than a raspy whisper. His lips were dry and cracked and his old skin was so pale it was nearly translucent.

"How are you doing?" Grayson asked. Jack managed a weak chuckle and for just a moment Grayson saw something other than hatred in his father's eyes as he looked at him.

"I've been better. I…need..to talk to you.." Jack said before a coughing fit hit him. Grayson looked at his father helplessly and then grabbed a glass of water off the bedside table. He lifted his father's head up off the pillow and helped him take several small sips to calm his coughing.

"I'm sorry about Phillip, dad. I'm sorry I killed him." Jack shook his head.

"I… don't understand…what happened.. But I'm sorry." Jack said. "I don't.. hate you, son." Grayson sat the glass back on the table as his eyes filled with tears. He was unable to fight them back and they slid down his cheeks.

"I love you, dad." Jack nodded and then his entire body stiffened and his breathing became more shallow and harsh.

"Dad! Dad…." Grayson looked at his father helplessly. He listened to his father's breaths as they became further and further apart and his eyes became less and less focused as the life drained from them.

Grayson waited until there was no sound in the room other than the ticking of the clock. His father's breathing had stopped.  The shallow, raspy sounds ended quickly and Grayson shook his head in denial.  It just didn't seem right. Jack Fields had always been a strong man. A stubborn man. Too strong and stubborn to die like this… Quietly in a bed after fighting tooth and nail for his last breaths.

Grayson broke down then. He cried like he had not cried since he'd been ten years old and his mother had died. He clung to his fathers body and buried his face in his shirt that smelled like stale sweat. Grayson didn't know how long he stayed that way until finally he stood straight and dried his face with his hands.

He felt like his boots weighed one hundred pounds a piece as he made his way back down the stairs and out to the porch.

"He's gone." he managed to choke out. Lauren collapsed with heart wrenching sobs into James's arms. Callie threw her arms around Grayson's neck and he clung to her almost desperately.

"We'll go to town and get the undertaker." Grayson said after several minutes. Lauren nodded and let James lead her into the house. Peter walked up with his and Grayson's horses.

"Did you tell him?" Callie asked gently as Grayson pulled her up into his lap on the saddle.

"We made our peace." he replied kissing her hair. "I just thank God I have you, Callie. I love you." Callie leaned closer into him.

"I love you too, Grayson. You'll always have me."