She was cold. So cold she was shivering. And Abby never shivered. She pulled her hat down farther on her head and tried in vain to pull her coat tighter. Was that a light ahead? She checked for her guns, the two on her hips, the rifle on the right, and the shotgun on the left.

"Good," she thought to herself. She was ready for Four Corners. She rode to the stables and put up her horse. "Can you direct me towards the hotel?" she asked the man at the stable. He gave her directions, and she walked towards it, in the cold rain. She swung open the doors and walked in. She saw a young woman working the desk. "I'd like a room for tonight," Abby told her in a low whisper, so no one else could hear.

"Room 14, up the stairs, all the way back and it's on the left," the young girl told her and Abby climbed the stairs, trying not to drag her bag. She found her room and set her bag on the floor. It was not much of a room, but if would do. Not like she was planning on staying for long.

She undressed, put on her night shift, and laid down. She immediately fell asleep. Abby was abruptly awakened at the sound of a loud banging at her door. She quietly got her pistol, slid out of bed, and padded slowly to the door. She could hear quiet cussing outside, like the man couldn't get into his room. She quickly opened the door and shoved the gun into the man's stomach.

"May I be of assistance?" she politely said quietly. She dragged him inside and threw him on the bed, shutting the door. The man looked surprised.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I thought that this was my room," he said shakily. He didn't look very old, 23 or 24, but he looked scared to death. He was clearly drunk, she could smell the liquor on his breath.

"Where's your room, boy?" Abby asked the young man.

"Number 13, ma'am," he replied. She had noticed he carried two guns on his belt and proceeded to take them off, since drunk men can be deadly. He got the wrong impression."Uh, ma'am I, uh...." he stammered as she pulled off his belt.

Abby uncocked her gun and threw his guns over her shoulder. She helped him up, and let him lean of her shoulder as she led him to his room. He took out his key again and she unlocked the door. She helped him to his bed, laid him down and took off his boots. She laid his guns on the nightstand along with his key. He had passed out.

She locked the door and quietly slipped out, and was startled when she saw three men staring at her. She quickly hurried back into her room, realizing she was still only in her nightshift. She locked the door again, and looked at her watch. "12 midnight," she muttered to herself. She laid back down and fell asleep.

Buck, Ezra, and Vin didn't know what to think. They had just seen a beautiful young woman in her nightgown walk out of JD's room. Buck had a good look at her, long curly red hair, long legs, and a pretty body. He'd have to talk to her in the morning. But still, they were all confused.

"Well, I guess the boy can take care of himself," Buck said aloud and went into his room, with the other two doing the same. What they hadn't seen was her pistol hanging at her side. Buck and Ezra had sufficiently gotten JD drunk and had come up to see if he had gotten up to his room all right. Apparently he had.

The next morning, Abby woke up feverish. "Damn," she thought to herself, "How can I do my job when I'm sick?" Abby was a bounty hunter, and the U.S. had hired her to capture Vin Tanner, dead or alive. She quickly washed herself in the basin, swearing to find a bathhouse in this town, and put on her one and only dress. It was dark green, with a low neckline outlined in off-white lace. She put on her boots and slipped one of her derringers in her right boot. Then, she slipped the other one inside the front of her dress. Then, she set out to find her information.

Buck was waiting outside the sheriff's office looking at the hotel, waiting for his mystery girl or JD to come out. Suddenly, JD staggered out. Buck chuckled and went outside to greet him.

"Mornin' boy, have fun last night?"

"No," replied JD, "First you got me drunk, and then I went to the wrong room. This gal opened her door, shoved a colt 45 in my stomach and pulled me in. She took my guns and then I passed out. I don't know how I got back to my room." Buck gave him a hard look.

"No jokin?"

"No jokin'," JD told him. They went in and told all of it to Chris. He was worried.

"Why would she pull him into her room?" Chris asked himself. "Keep an eye on her for awhile, okay?' Chris told them. They nodded and headed to the saloon for breakfast.

Abby was already in the saloon, finishing her breakfast. She saw the boy she'd helped last night enter with another man. The boy was good looking, but his friend was even more so. He had a dark brown mustache, and a quick and easy smile. He seemed to be nice. She quickly wiped her mouth, and decided to go and meet her guest. JD spotted her and pointed her out to Buck. Suddenly, she got up and started to walk over to them. She smiled and approached their table. Buck kicked JD under the table and stood up. JD got the picture and stood up too.

"Hello gentlemen. May I join you?" Abby asked politely. Buck smiled and took her hand.

"We'd be delighted if you would be so kind as to grace us with your presence, ma'am. My name is Buck Wilmington and this here's my friend JD Dunne." he replied and gently kissed her hand. He came around and pulled out her chair. She sat down, and so did Buck and JD.

"My name is Abigail Schroder, but you can call me Abby." She looked at JD. "So, JD, I believe you were the one that interrupted my beauty sleep last night, weren't you?"

"Uh....yes ma'am, but it was pure accident. I was ......" he stammered.

"Why, I didn't think beautiful ladies like yourself needed beauty sleep,'" Buck said, cutting off JD with a smile. Abby grinned, she liked Buck for some reason. He was a sweet gentleman, so far. And the boy was very nice too. JD was furious. He was trying to talk with this lady and Buck kept cutting him off. Suddenly, another man came to their table. He was a fine dresser with a southern drawl.

"Hello boys. Well....what do we have here?" he looked at Abby.

She looked up and smiled, "Hello, sir," she said. Ezra took her hand and delicately laid a kiss on it.

"My, my. May I have the pleasure of dining with such a lovely lady, Miss...?"

"Abby, Abby Schroder," she replied and smiled. Her head was light. "Is it because of my fever or Buck?" she asked herself. She could feel her cheeks were hot, but she wasn't blushing. But, she sat as Buck, Ezra, and JD ate their breakfast and she drank some water.

"Well ma'am, I hate to leave but we all have to check in at the sheriff's office," Buck said as he was getting up. He had noticed Abby getting a scarlet look in the face.

"Yes, we must go,"Ezra said and he and JD stood.

"Yes, I had better be on my way also," Abby said and stood up. She was so light-headed. She had been sitting between Buck and Ezra. Ezra had turned around to get his coat and Abby faltered. Buck saw her start to fall and caught her in his strong arms, feeling she had gone limp.

"Why, she's burnin' up with fever," Buck exclaimed, and Ezra and JD looked at them. They all had looks of shock on their faces.

"Hurry up, let's get her to Nathan," JD said quickly, and they hurried out the door. As they hurried down the street, they passed the sheriff's office where Chris saw them go by. Josiah and Vin were standing in with Chris and ran out the door when they saw them.

"Boy, Buck sure works the girls fast don't he?" Vin said under his breath as they ran to catch up with them. When Josiah and Vin got there, Buck was laying the pretty girl on the patient's bed at Nathan's clinic.

"She just stood up and fainted," Buck told Nathan with deep concern in his words and eyes. He told everyone to go out of the room, and everyone except Buck started for the door. "I'm not leavin' Abby," he said, and everyone knew they weren't going to make him.

"Have a seat," Nathan told him, and everyone else left. Nathan checked her out. "It's nothin' serious, just a bad cold, ‘spect she got it from bein' out in that rain last night." Buck gave a sigh of relief. Nathan chuckled, "You were startin' to like her weren't ya?" Buck gave a boyish grin. Buck helped Nathan cover Abby up and Nathan gave him a basin of water, a washcloth and instructions to keep her head cooled.

"Where're you gonna run off to?" Buck asked him.

Nathan replied, "To get some breakfast, you'll be fine." And he left them alone. After Nathan had gone, Abby woke up. She felt a sense of danger, and opened her eyes with a start. Buck was startled and almost fell off the chair he was sitting on. She had started to reach for her derringer in the front of her dress, but stopped when she saw Buck. She put her head back down on the pillow.

Buck had seen her try to reach inside her dress, but for what? He looked at her questionably. "What do you have in there, ma'am?" he asked. She looked at him and didn't answer. "Abby, if you don't tell me what you have in there, or take it out, I'm forced to go in after it."

She slowly brought up her hand, slipped the derringer out, and gave it to him. Buck raised one eyebrow, and unloaded the gun, laying it and the bullets on the nightstand. He felt her head, the fever had gone down. "You gave me and the boys quite a scare," Buck told her.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"At a friend's clinic," he said, "You had a bad fever." She felt her head, it was cool.

"Well, thank you Buck for taking care of me. I feel much better," Abby said, looking into his deep blue eyes, and smiled in spite of herself. He dropped that concerned look he had on and smile back at her. "So, can I get up and leave or am I confined to a bed?" Abby asked him. He started to open his mouth when Nathan came in. He smiled, and Abby sat up and greeted him. "Well Nathan, am I good to go?" she asked him.

He checked her out and said, "Yep, good as new." Buck reloaded her derringer while she got out of bed and straightened her dress. He handed it to her and watched her put it back in it's place.

"Shall we?" Buck asked, lending his arm to her.

"We shall," she said, taking it. They walked out and down the steps.

"Would you like to meet some of my concerned friends?" he asked her.

"Why, I love to meet new people," she said. She liked Buck. She would have to show him her real side. They walked towards the sheriff's office, arm to arm and entered. Inside, she smiled as she saw JD and Ezra. "Why, hello boys," she said and shook JD's hand and Ezra gently kissed hers. Buck shook his head, chuckled and introduced Abby to the others.

"Abby, this is Chris Larabee and Josiah Sanchez, our preacher. Hey, where's Vin?" Abby looked a little stunned. Vin is their friend?

Chris saw her surprised look, and told Buck, "He's gone out for some breakfast."

Buck nodded his head and said, "Well, Abby, would you like me to walk you around and give you the full tour of Four Corners?"

She wanted him to but she was tired, "Oh thank you so much but no thank you. I would enjoy it if you walked me back to the hotel, though," she told him. "Thank you all for your hospitality, boys. Maybe I'll see you later tonight."

They all nodded, and Ezra said, "I hope you feel better." She smiled and took Buck's arm again. They walked to the hotel and said goodbye. Abby walked up the stairs, went into her room, and took off that god awful dress. She put on her nightshirt and laid down to dream about Buck and Ezra. Back at the sheriff's office, Chris was thinking. Why would she be so surprised to hear Vin's name? Buck came in with Vin.

"Buck, did you notice anything strange about Miss Abby?" Chris asked.

"Well, at the clinic she was carrying a derringer in her dress," he told him and JD looked shocked.

"How did you know that?" he asked, already thinking he knew.

"When she woke up, she reached for it, and I made her take it out," Buck explained.

"Where is it now?" Chris asked, and Buck replied, "I gave it back to her." Chris looked at him as to say, "You idiot," but didn't. "Let's keep an eye on her boys, alright?" he said.

They all nodded and went off in their separate ways. Later, they all gathered at the saloon, except Vin who was keeping watch at the sheriff's office. It was past supper, and Buck had lost hopes in seeing Abby again tonight. Little did he know she was watching him from the back of the room, dressed in her pants, button-down shirt, and hat. She had put all her hair up in her hat, pulled on a jacket, and strapped on her gun belt and two colts. She still had her derringer up her sleeve. Buck went up to the bar to order another drink, and Abby walked up to him with her hat pulled down to cover his eyes. She hated what she was about to do, but she needed more information about Vin. She pulled her colt out and shoved it into his stomach.

"Come with me," she said in a hoarse whisper, so he wouldn't recognize who she was. He politely put down his drink and quickly punched her in the face and knocked the gun out of her hand. She fell backwards, knocking her hat off and spilling her red hair out. She hit the floor with a thud.

"Abby?" Buck whispered in a shocked voice.

"Damn you, all you had to do was be helpful," she said as Buck tried to help her up. She pushed his hand away and got up by herself picking up her gun and rubbing her already black eye. Chris came up behind her and took the guns out of her hand and holster, handing them to Buck. He put some cuffs on her and took her to the jail, leaving Buck at the saloon, speechless. While taking her to the jail, Chris found the derringer. He laid it on the desk and threw Abby into a jail cell. She sat down and looked at Chris and then at Vin.

Chris looked at her, "Why are you here?"She sat there. "Tell me or you can just sit and rot in there."

"I want to talk to Buck, alone," she told him.

"That's impossible," he told her.

"Fine then, Ezra," she informed him. He nodded his head and told Vin to get him. Chris walked out as Ezra came in. He unlocked the cell and sat down next to her. "Before we get started, I think you should look in my right boot. There you'll find a bowie knife," she said. He reached down and pulled it out, sticking it in his belt.

"Now, why are you here?"

"I'm a bounty hunter and I'm trying to catch Vin Tanner,"she told him. Ezra was a little shocked.

"They sent a girl?"

"No, they sent a woman, who made some bad mistakes, or she would have caught her bounty," she told him. Ezra told her about how Vin was setup and was innocent. Abby believed him. "I'm sorry, I was just doing my job," she told him, "I had no idea."

He nodded and asked, "Now, will you behave or should I leave these cuffs on?"

She chuckled, "I'll behave."

He let her out of the cuffs and gave her her bowie knife and said, "I think you know where to find the rest of you weaponry."

"Yep," and picked up her derringer, sticking it in her shirt. She opened the door and as soon as she did, Chris, Vin and JD drew their guns.

Ezra stepped in front of her, saying, "She's fine, boys. Let's not shoot an impeccable young woman."

"What do you mean?" Chris asked.

"I'm a U.S.Marshal," she said, flipping out her badge, "and I was here to collect bounty on Mr. Tanner's head." She smiled, "Ezra told me about it. I'm not going to try to take him in," and stuck out her hand to Vin. He shook it and looked at her. "I know what you're thinkin, I can't go back in until I have your head. Well, I guess I'm done with that. Time to.." she said and stopped when she saw Buck.

He was carrying her guns and still had a shocked look on his face. She walked down and took her guns and put them on. She took his arm and walked off telling him what happened. After Abby and Buck walked off, the rest of them went back to the saloon. A little while later, Buck came in with Abby behind him. Buck sat down and Abby went up to the bar. She brought back a bottle and some shot glasses. She put one next to Buck and sat down with the other. She poured them and threw it back.

"I hear that you play a mean card game," she said to Ezra. He smiled, and she asked, "Want to play a game?"

"Sure," he said and they walked over to the card table.

"Well, what did she tell you on your little walk?" JD asked.

"Well, I know she's from Illinois, and has no family. She's a loaner, and a good marksman. And she has no job." Buck looked at Chris. "Can she stay here with us for a bit?"

"I guess," Chris answered, "but make sure she doesn't try to kill Vin."

Buck laughed, "I'm the one she stuck the gun barrel into." Abby came and sat back down at their table with a wad of cash. They all turned to see Ezra with his head on the table.

"Looks like Ezra's gonna cry," Josiah said and everyone laughed. They all had a few more drinks and Abby decided it was time to get to bed. She stood up and told them all goodnight. Buck stood up and walked her to her room. She opened the door and came in. Buck had that look on his face, like he was gonna throw up. She opened a window and stuck his head out. He threw up and pulled his head back in. He was weak, and she helped him to the bed to sit down. As soon as he sat down, he passed out cold. She sighed, changed into her nightgown, and laid down next to him.

Buck awakened with a pounding headache. He opened his eyes and was very surprised to find himself next to Abby. "Oh dear Lord, what have I done?" he asked himself aloud. He looked under the sheets. He was still dressed except his boots and guns on the floor, but Abby had her nightshirt on. All of Buck's moving around woke Abby up.

"Well, good mornin', she said.

"What happened?" he asked her.

"You passed out on my bed," she answered him. She got up and went behind the dressing curtain. He sat up and put his boots on. Abby came out dressed in the same clothes she had on last night. He watched her as she put on her gun belt, stuck her knife in her boot, put the derringer up her sleeve, and then put her hat on. She went downstairs and he followed her.

"Well, I'm gonna go over and see the boys, you gonna come?" he asked.

"No, I think I'll take a walk," she answered him. He nodded and she started to walk away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into an ally. "What the...." she started but was cut off when Buck kissed her. She had a surprised look on her face.

"I gotta be goin', so I'll see ya later," he told her. She smiled and kissed him.

"Okay." Buck smiled as she walked off. Abby walked around awhile, until she saw a white building. Must be a church, she said to herself. She walked in and didn't see anyone. Then she heard a banging coming from the floor in front of her.

"Hello," she said and the banging stopped.

"Hello Abby, can I help you?" She knew who it was.

"Hi Josiah, how are you?"

"Just fine, and you?" There was a pause. Josiah got up and sat down on one of the benches. "Anything I can help you with, sister?" She came and sat down next to him.

"Josiah, I'm so scared. What's gonna happen to me?"

"Well, what do you mean?"

"I have no job, no family, no house. I mean, what is the good Lord gonna do with me?"

He chuckled, "If He told everyone what their destiny was, why would we live it?" She smiled.

"What denomination is this church?"

"Whatever you wanna call it."

"Thanks, Josiah."

"No problem, although I don't think I did anything."

"You listened. That's enough." And she got up and left.

"God, you work in some damn mysterious ways."

Buck walked in and everyone looked at him. Chris, Josiah, and JD were gone. "You're in some big trouble," Nathan informed him. Buck looked puzzled.

"JD thinks you ruined Miss Abigail's reputation. Now he's looking to shoot you and Chris went off after him," Ezra explained, "You didn't, did you?"

"No," Buck said, shaking his head, "I passed out on her bed and she let me stay there till mornin." He walked outside and leaned up against the building. Abby came up and hit him on the shoulder.

All of a sudden, they heard JD exclaim, "You dog-face piece of no good!" Buck and Abby turned to see JD point a gun at Buck.

He fired and Abby yelled, "NO!" and jumped in front of Buck. The bullet hit her chest and she fell into Buck's arms again. He caught her and she was unconscious again. Nathan and Ezra ran out to check on her and Vin raced out and tackled JD, taking his pistol. Chris came up and helped Vin drag JD to jail. Buck gently laid Abby on the boardwalk and looked for the wound. Nathan was puzzled; there was no blood. But she had been hit. Ezra held her head and pointed it out. It had hit her on her right front shirt pocket. Nathan looked at it. He pulled out her marshal badge with a bullet in the middle. He opened her shirt, and found only a bruise. "She's gonna be fine," Nathan said. Abby woke up and was looking right at Ezra.

"What happened?"

"You took a shot for Buck, by JD", Ezra told her.

"Where's JD?" she asked.

"Inside." She got up and walked inside.

JD was in the cell, crying, "I killed her, oh God I'm sorry I shot her." She took the key from Chris and opened the cell. She walked in and tapped him on the shoulder. He stood up, "Oh my God, she's ..." and was cut off by Abby's punch to the eye. He fell onto the bed and was unconscious. Everyone was quiet and Abby sat down in a chair. Buck came over and kneeled next to her.

"You gonna be alright?"

"Sure, not a scratch on me," she told him. Josiah walked in and looked around.

"What have you all been doing?"

"Getting shot at," Abby told him with a smile. Buck was still kneeling and she hit him in the arm. "Why do you look so gloomy? I'm not dead yet," she informed him. JD woke up and groaned.

"I'm sorry for shooting you Abby, but why did Buck have to hit me?"

Everyone laughed, and Ezra said, "She has a punch like Buck, but thank God she don't look like him." Abby smiled and then sat up.

"Does anyone else hear that?" she asked. They heard several whispers outside, and Abby got up and looked out the window. "Oh, no," she whispered.

"That doesn't sound good," Buck murmured.

"The government didn't trust me to finish off Vin, and they sent reinforcements," she explained.

"Reinforcements? Like more guns?" asked Vin. "Like the United States's finest."

"Large problem," Ezra said under his breath.

"You all stay in here, I'll see if I can't distract them," she said. Abby straightened up her shirt and hat and started towards the door. Without warning, Buck jumped up and kissed Abby. They stood there holding each other for a moment, and then Abby opened the door a little and stepped out. Buck took out his pistol and looked out the window. The others did the same.

There was a quiet moment, and then Abby drew her pistol and so did the men outside. One of them fired a couple of shots and Buck started shooting at them. They were both down and everyone ran outside. Abby was on the ground; she had been hit in the arm, but she was alright. She stood up and put her gun back in the holster. They started to go back in and bandage her up, when she saw one of the men on the ground bring up their gun.

"No..." she shouted and stepped in front of Vin as he fired the shot. She took the shot in the chest and knocked into Vin, falling on the ground. Vin shouted and dropped to the ground to help her. Buck came up close to her and pressed his hand down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. But it was useless. She brought her hand up to Buck's neck, and died, saving her bounty's life.

Afterword: Buck was silent for the rest of that fateful day, but soon came back as his old self. Vin was ever thankful that Abby saved his life and now puts flowers on her grave every year. The two other marshals were reported missing and they never caught Vin. In the great words of Josiah Sanchez, "God works in damn mysterious ways."