Bryn glanced down at the two men sleeping in Nathans clinic. First Buck had been shot, along with Vin and now Ezra lay there with a broken leg and the possibility of pneumonia lurking about. Seamus had died of pneumonia. Bryn shivered. She and Lily had volunteered their time to Nathan and had sat up with the sick to give him and the others a much needed break.

Ezra moaned and instantly Bryn was at his side, talking soothingly to him and wiping his fevered brow with a cold compress. Buck woke up and gave her a sympathetic look.

"He'll make it little lady." Buck rasped, his own fever had finally broken a few days ago and his healing had begun.

"M' husband died of pneumonia Mr. Wilmington." Bryn tried to keep control of herself. "Now m' best friend left in th' world lies close t' th' same fate."

"Ezra a tough old.... guy." Buck reined in his language. He liked the young widow, but Ezra would kill him if he did anythoing about it. "He'll live."

"Aye, I hope yer right." Bryn sighed and the room lapsed into silence once again.

Bryn woke to the tender touch of Ezra's hand on hers. She looked into confused green eyes and smiled.

"So ya finally wake." Bryn gently teased.

"What..." Ezra grimaced as his leg injudiciously moved. "The young man, KC saved me. I was trapped."

"Did you see who did this to you?" Came a steely voice from the doorway. Chris Larabee.

Ezra blearily shook his head, then lapsed back into sleep.

Nathan checked him over and grinned.

"Fevers broke, he's goin' to be alright now." He smiled wider at Buck's exaggerated look of relief.

"Good thing too," Chris still sounded very annoyed. "With Buck and Ezra out of it and Vin barely recovered, we're down on manpower."

"I'll be back soon, pard." Buck said quietly, hating the feeling of helplesness he had been forced to endure.

"Get some more rest, Buck." Nathan admonished. "Maybe tomorrow you can go outside for a spell."

"That would be a nice change." Buck admitted, sick of the four walls he had memorized.

"Now you get some rest Bryn." Nathan pushed the widow out the door "Chris? See her home?"

"I'm on my way out to my place, if anyone needs me." Chris said into the room and then dutifully and silently escorted Bryn to her room, nodded to her and left.

Bryn had the feeling something was terribly wrong, but was too tired to think on it. She made herself ready for a nap and lay down. She was asleep before she could count to ten.

A red rose greeted her as she opened her wardrobe, along with another note. This was getting creepy.

"We will be meeting soon, my Songbird. And all will be well then. Nothing will bar out happiness again," the note read. Bryn shivered, this was definitely getting creepy.

Lily had headed out after Chris and she was getting ready for the night. Soon she was in the bar ready for her first set. As she entered the room, she saw something that made her laugh. Buck and Ezra had escaped and were sitting at a table, eating dinner and talking to Vin, Josiah and JD. Nathan was nowhere to be seen.

"Playin' hookey are we gentlemen?" Bryn smiled and laid a hand on Ezras shoulder.

"We felt the need to. . ." Buck smiled widely at her in his normal good humor. "How did you put it Ezra?"

"Reflect upon new scenery in a quainter establishment." Ezra grinned and then grimaced. "I do, however owe Mr. Tanner a debt of gratitude for playing my crutch."

"Buy me a coffee Ezra, and we're even." Vin drawled and Bryn noticed that none of the men were drinking whiskey. Vin noticed her look. "Nathan gave them some herbs that he says can't be mixed with alcohol, so we're all suffering togather."

"At least you get a good dinner and a show." JD laughed, winking at Bryn.

The men laughed and settled in for Bryn's first set. Bryn noticed Molly sitting in the back, partially hidden from the rest of the room, watching. Bryn smiled at her and took the stage.

An hour later as her first set was ending, she began to worry. Where was lily? Her fear was further founded when Chris Larabee walked into the saloon and joined the others at the table, a rare grin and a shake of his head was all that marked his notice of Buck and Ezra's jailbreak. Ezra looked pale and weak, Buck more robust, but both were looking a little under the weather. Nathan would soon wake up and haul them out anyway, but Bryn was worried more about Lily.

She ended her set and walked up to the table.

"Where is Lily, Mr. Larabee?" Bryn looked around, surely she came back with him.

"I don't know I haven't seen her." Chris said shortly.

"Surely she saw ya earlier," Bryn was really alarmed now "She went t' visit ya this afternoon!"

"I never saw her." Chris half rose in his chair. The others were alarmed now too.

"Maybe Terrance knows something." JD got up and went over to Lily's partner who was glaring at the young KC.

"While he's talkin' t' Terrance, I'll check at th' livery." Bryn was out the door before anyone could stop her, or join her.

He watched as Larabee entered the saloon and smiled. Now the chaos would begin and he could be sure to catch his pretty Songbird in his net. The cursed Gambler was still alive, but if he got his way, that wouldn't matter anymore. She would belong to him.

Smiling, he watched as the confusion began and almost couldn't believe it when the object of his desire exited the Saloon alone. Now he would make his move.

Bryn entered the deserted stable feeling slightly scared. What did she think she was doing all alone here in the dark. She quickly went over to where Lily's horse was usually kept and found an empty stall. Lily was missing.

Suddenly the hairs stood up on the back of her neck and she whirled around. A man, slightly familier stood there. A length of rope and a threatening smile met her now terrified gaze.

"Now you will be mine forever, Songbird!" The man growled.

Bryn tried to run but he struck her down and quickly put his weight on top of her. He was so heavy she couldn't draw enough breath to breathe let alone cry out. He took a secong to run his hands over her and Bryn thought she was going to be sick.

"Pretty." he mumbled. "So pretty."

Bryn felt her breathing get short and darkness entered into her vision. She was passing out. He was crushing her! Gasping, she realized her hands were being tied and a gag was roughly thrown into her mouth. The last thing she remembered was his sickening breath as he kissed her cheek.

KC watched as Bryn exited the saloon, headed for the livery. So Lily was missing now. Doubt tore through KC and he hesitated, out on the porch in front of the saolln. Then he made a decision. He needed to find Lily. Hurrying to the stables, he saw a shape heading down ther alley carrying something heavy.

Entering the livery, KC quickly saddled his horse and headed out. Vaguely wondering why he didn't see Bryn there.