Vaughn's p.o.v.

I awoke this morning with a strange feeling of foreboding, yes I was elated to know where Chelsea was now, but I couldn't shake the feeling something bad was gonna happen.Today was the animal festival and there was gonna be a race today on my Uncle Cain's property. Chelsea was gonna be among the riders, and from what I could tell from watching her ride her odds for winning were looking good.

I was helping my uncle and others with set up getting pens ready for incoming animals for the race, pet contest, and livestock contest. I was actually looking forward to cheering her on, knowing from her letters that she'd been getting ready for this race for quite a while so I knew she was looking forward to it.I was eating a bowl of porridge at the table in my uncle's house taking a break as my cousin sat at the table.

"You know you and Mérida were cute together at the reception yesterday.", said my cousin. I grunted.

"Hey Hanna, speaking of Mérida, is she working today.", says my cousin's fiancé, Elliott. As he takes another bite of his food.

"Um not today, this would be her day to work Melody ranch, but she took the day off so she could rest after the wedding work was done and be ready for the festival.", said my aunt Hanna, as she stirred some food.

 "You do look cute with her Vaughn, but what about Chelsea?", said my blond cousin returning to the subject.As my aunt began coughing.

 "Not right now Julia.", I growled glaring at her while I got up and washed out my now empty bowl, and putting it on the drying rack before going outside, and go to the barns and get to work brushing animals.

Chelsea's P.O.V.

I was so excited about the animal festival, I got up bright and early and started my morning with a run, to stretch my legs. Knowing my ruse was discovered by Vaughn in a way took a little weight off my shoulders. I wasn't sure what he wanted to discuss after the animal festival but I wasn't concerned.I decided to run the trail that runs to Melody ranch and back because it was such a sunny day, as I ran by a stumbled on Chloë, she was hiding behind one of Angela's trees crying.I stopped and knelt beside the crying red-head putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Chloe what's with the waterworks.", I said. As she looked up at me tears running down her face.

"It's my fault.", she sniffled "Angela's hurt and it's my fault.", she sniffled again.

"It's Ok Chloë just tell me what happened.", I say hugging the little girl.

"A man came over to the ranch while I was helping Angela with the garden. He said he was gonna take me away, and I screamed, and ran to Angela.", she said sniffling ready to sob, " He attacked and Angela fought him telling me to run. He forgot about me and I hid but I saw him knock Angela out and drag her into the barn." she said more upset.

"Ok Chloë can you tell me anything about the man.", I ask.

"Yah he had red spiky hair and yellow eyes and he was tall.", she said. And it struck me, Angela was alone with Laval in that barn. I put my hands on Chloe's shoulder's and looked into her eyes.

"I'm gonna try to get Angela out of there but I need you to be a brave girl and run to the festival where everyone is and get help.", I say looking in her eye. "None of this is your fault Chloe, but I need you to run now as fast as your legs can carry you.", I say turning my cell phone and turning it to vibrate so it doesn't give me up.I watch as Chloë nods in understanding, before she runs towards Flute Fields. I look to make sure I have my knives and my pistol ready. I watch the barn and look for away I can sneak around and into it and I realize its gonna take a lot of luck.

 I manage to get to the little space between Angela's barn and coup and I can hear the distressed noises of Angela's livestock. I peek in through the window as I see the man who occupies most of my nightmares as he hangs Angela by her wrists from the ceiling rafters. She looked battered from her fight with Laval and there was blood dripping down her face.I hoped Chloë was fast. Well for now the direct route was the only way in, and I can't leave Angela here with him who knows what that monster would do to her.

 I take a deep breath and pull out my pistol cocking it as I creep up behind my former abuser and place the barrel of my pistol to his head.

"Hands behind you head creep!", I say in a firm voice as he turns to face me.

"I remember you.", he says looking at me with his eyes full of lust.

 "Untie my friend!", I say not taking my eyes off of him. I give him a hard glare like what I'd seen Vaughn use on several occasions.

 "Come on baby, you know you don't have that killer instinct.", he says with a grin.

"You wanna find out the hard way, I'll unload this thing into you if it'll keep your grubby mitts off of my friend.", I say.

"Awe you know you don't belong here, your nothing but street trash like your parents, meant to die on the streets anyway.", he says eyeing me.

 "Those are lies, it doesn't matter what they are or where, in the end its my choice how I turn out.", I say as he continues to stand there. "Now untie my friend and get down!", I say as he drops something I don't see onto the ground making a loud noise spooking the Cattle in the barn so they race out of the barn and I'm knocked down against the wall while he grabs my friend down and carries her outside. As the animals clear out I scramble and grab my fallen 9 mil, and run out.He tosses my unconscious friend like a sack of potatoes over one of the horses, and jumps on behind her smacking it hard as he takes of on the poor scared horse. I hop onto the first horse I find and take off after him, I'm not letting him alone with her for a second.

Vaughn's P.O.V.

We were done setting up quickly thanks to many of the locals that came to help. The blue haired guy, Luke walked up to me where I was helping Owen move a last table. Every so often I saw Owen look toward the road like he was looking for something.

 "Hey dude where's your wife, the race starts soon?", asks the carpenter.

"I don't know she should be here by now, she kept teasing me last night how she was gonna beat me at the race, and now she's late.", says the red-headed miner scratching his head.

"Angela never misses a festival.",

"Hey come to thing of it Mérida is missing too.", replied the carpenter.We looked down the road as the little red-haired girl from the wedding comes running down it with tears in her eyes yelling

"Owen! Owen!", as she came running up and ran right into the miner's arms.

"Hey Chloe it's ok I'm here what's wrong?", he said soothingly stroking the little girls head as she leans down.

"A mean man tried to take me and Angela stopped him and told me to run, so I ran and hid, and then he knocked her out and dragged her in the barn.", she says sobbing. "Then I ran into Chels, I mean Mérida and she told me to run here for help and that she was gonna try and get Angela out of there." as the miner's face went ghostly pale, while the blue-hair ran and began grabbing guys. I checked my pistol as I went into the barn to grab a horse, I wasn't wasting any time getting to Chelsea

. As I exited with the horse I heard heavy horse steps heading our way, and riding past us was a man with red hair with and unconscious farmer on his horse, followed by another horse with the very woman, I was about to go look for.I looked next to me as the miner grabbed his horse he'd brought and hopped on ridding after the pair and I followed suit, as well as a few other guys that were there. I heard what sounded like gun fire farther up where Chelsea was directly behind the guy and saw her grab her arm a moment, but that was it. Unfortunately it spooked the horse who reared up as Chelsea tried to calm it but lost her grip being thrown off due to no saddle. I came up and reached down to her as she excepted my hand coming onboard behind me.

"We can't let him get away Vaughn.", I hear her say breathlessly as I nod in understanding and ride after them.

 "Get the horse as close as you safely can I have an idea.", she said as I began to catch up to the man who was having trouble with his horse and the farmer who was now stirring.I could feel Chelsea move her hands from her waist to my shoulders as she began to stand up on the horse, "Keep her steady Vaughn, I've only got one shot at this.", she says firmly

And I can't help but wonder what she's got in mind. I'm startled and so it the man on the other horse as Chelsea lands behind him wrapping her arm around the mans neck, and begins to struggle with him. "Vaughn Lasso the horse and slow it down so Owen can grab her or Angela gonna fall in a minute.", I hear her shout. Taking her lead I pull my lasso off my belt and rope the frightened horse and start to pull on it as the cowgirl on the next horse pulls the man of the horse and they land on the ground. I want to get off and help Chelsea but I'm busy tying the lasso to my saddle, as Owen rides up to us and grabs his wife before she falls off with one big arm pulling her to himself bridal style.As soon as I have the horse secure I look for Chelsea whose to caught up in the scrimmage with the man, and there's no mistaking the anger in those gorgeous blue eyes.I notice both her and the assailant have dropped there guns and Chelsea's busy doing her best to keep him from getting it. Her face is bruised and she looks like she's bleeding, as Calvin finally arrives with Cain.Luke comes to me and I hand him the horse I'm on as I jump off, as man Chelsea's fighting knocks her to the ground.

"I'm gonna enjoy making you suffer whore!", he shouts at Chelsea. That tears it and something snaps in me and a sack him to the ground,

 "Get away from her! "I yell catching his focus as he looks at me.

"You think you're gonna stop me Cowboy, the slut's my property, and I can do as I wish!", he snarledIt was then I had an idea why this man was here, as he looked at Chelsea with a look of pure lust.

There was the man responsible for taking my Chelsea away from me in the first place, and there was no way he was gonna take my Chelsea a second time. I ball up my fist and feel a satisfying crack when it connects with his face as he wrestles back.I hear another crack but this time its his fist connecting with my face. I could feel the anger and hate towards this man fill me at the thought of everything he may have put my Chelsea through, and the thought of his hands all over her.

I continued to fight with this creep. As we rolled apart and were both standing again, and I noticed he'd managed to retrieve a pistol, and had it pointed at me. Chelsea was still on the ground, and appeared to be having trouble trying to stand and her right arm was hanging limply.

"Laval surrender you have nowhere to go.", I heard Calvin call out as Laval grins and looks at Chelsea moving his aim to her, I notice for the first time she's also bleeding profusely from her arm.

"Yea how about if I kill you pretty little whore?", he says cocking the pistol. He fires and I jump to cover her as I feel the bullet enter my left arm.I hear Chelsea call out my name in worry looking up at me but I stand ignoring the pain and keep myself between us.

"You think you're gonna save her cowboy, naw I'm gonna take her and let you watch while I break her, I'm gonna make her into that lifeless shell I abandoned when we were getting raided, and then when she begs for more of the crap I pumped into her so she couldn't defend herself, I make you watch while I slowly disembowel her alive.", he says spitting out the words.

There was no way I was letting this dastard within five feet of Chelsea, "Oh but I didn't get to the best part, when I'm all done you get to die.", said the man. I looked trying to think as Calvin had a gun aimed at Laval, who had one aimed at me and Chelsea, Luke was holding his axe with a furious look on his face and my Uncle Cain studied the situation while holding the horses.

I had my pistol in my vest and was trying to decide if I could get it fast enough, as I kept my self in front of Chelsea whom was grunting as she stood. I heard her let out a loud whistle and before I knew it I heard banging from the barn as a painted horse charged out.The sight of the stallion charging at him caused Laval to curse as Chelsea jumped and rolled to where her pistol was lying as Laval aimed at the horse Chelsea's pistol fired, and I watched as he dropped the pistol he was holding.

The horse upon reaching us reared up and kicked the man in the face making him fall down as the horse began to trample him.Before I knew it the man was unconscious and the horse trotted as if nothing happened to where Chelsea was struggling to stand again. I ran over to her and ignored my bleeding arm to help her up as the horse came and began nuzzling Chelsea.

"Awe Flynn that's a good boy, yes I love you too.", she said with a smile stroking his snout. "I said he was protective." she said with a grin as she looked over at me. I took my bleeding arm and cupped her face before pulling her face closer and kissing her, forgetting the pain I was in as she leaned into me more.

"Well Angela's with Jin and Owen at my ranch, we should head back so Jin can look over you and Chelsea as well.", said my Uncle Cain after clearing his throat.I help Chelsea onto the antsy looking paint as I grab the other two horses and the five of us make our way to the ranch where Owen is busy hovering over Angela as she leans into Owen.

 "Is Angela gonna be alright?", Chelsea asks as she trots up. I climb off my horse and hand the rope with Angela's horses to Renée who quickly accepts.

 "Hey dad, can you come with me and Mom and get Angela's critters in for her.", my brunette cousin asks looking over me and Chelsea. After I put my horse away I return and help Chelsea down and set her on the bench before putting Chelsea's horse away. I return to find Jin administering to her as

Calvin lectures her. I sit down next to her as she leans into me while Irene looks over my arm.

"I'm just saying Chelsea you should have called me right away.", Calvin says pacing as Jin rolls his eyes while Luke hitches up horses to a cart.

"Hey Luke help me move Chelsea to the cart her ankle's sprained.", says the doctor as blue-haired carpenter lifted her up gently and placed her on the cart while the miner grabbed his farmer and set her there.

"Hey cowboy till I look at that gunshot would and get you looked over you get in cart to. And Calvin, stop stressing out my patient.", shouted Jin startling Calvin.

I climbed on to the cart and sat so Chelsea could lean up on me, looking sadly at the festival area before leaning her head on me, also. I looked at her bruised face and studied the little cuts now on it, and I realized she was in running clothes again like that day I ran into her on the Island of Happiness. I wrap an arm around her wanting to keep her close as we ride into town.

Upon arrival Chelsea and Angela are whisked off and Luke gives me a hand going in because by now I'm feeling light-headed but Chelsea's ok, hurt but she's ok.Through out the day I get visits from my aunts and uncle and my cousins and there significant others. Owen even stopped by to thank me for helping get his wife back.

I hoped Chelsea was faring well she was pretty banged up.After a little while I hear a knock on my door and I look up to meet a pair of sparkly blue eyes as she walks in using her crutches. Jin had put my under awhile ago to remove the bullet and know I had stitches and a sling on my arm. Chelsea had it a little harder with a sling and a pair of crutches and I get up taking my good arm and help her to a chair in the room.

"Thank you for what you did today Vaughn.", she said as water surrounded her blue eyes I cupped her face and stroked the tear away with my thumb.

"Your one crazy girl, but I suspect if you hadn't intervened yourself Owen would be a widower.", I say as I detect a hint of mischief in her eyes as I hear Owen's voice say,

"The what is ok?"

 "Well now he knows he's gonna be a daddy.", she says with a wistful grin but her eyes are still wet.

"I was so afraid when he had that gun pointed at you I might lose you.", she finally says after several quiet moments as I pulled her over and onto my lap holding her close with my good arm while she cries a little, as her guard falls down.

Earlier she'd had a gun pointed at her, been in a fight, a horse chase, and according to Owen she'd been trampled by cattle and she still had kept her cool and put on a brave face.

"It's alright I'm here now Chels.", I say as I hold her close and kiss her head.She felt so right here in this moment, if Calvin were to tell me she had to leave again I wasn't sure I could let her go this time. She could have been killed today, and then she'd be gone forever. I needed to keep her by me where I knew she'd be safe and I'd have the reassurance that she was ok.She calmed down a bit before Jin came in.

"Vaughn your cleared to go, but I contacted your work and put you on working restriction.", said the doctor. "Chelsea you also clear to go and I spoke to all four of you bosses and you on work restriction as well, so you know work for a few weeks either." as my cousin Julia comes in with a bag.

"Here Vaughnie if you can release Chelsea long enough you can change your shirt.", she says with a giggle now that she's in on the joke. "And Chels your cute as a blond."

 With Jin's help Chelsea moved back to her chair and I began to look through my bag for a clean button up shirt.As Chelsea chatted politely with Jin while he handed her a bottle of pills, I dug through my bag for a fresh shirt and pulled off the old shirt. I caught Chelsea staring at my chest for a moment, before she blushed and turned back to Jin. Pretty soon in came Luke and Kathy with a wheel chair.

"Come on Chelsea lets take ya home for the day, you can visit with your boyfriend later." said the smiling barmaid as Luke lifted Chelsea and moved her under protest to the chair.I chuckled catching the others off guard as Chelsea pouted sweetly at me before being carted off.