She sat bolt upright. Kyle was next to her and it was lighter out again. 'Oh God, this is really happening,' she thought. She noticed that several of the men were moving about as if getting ready to leave. Kyle placed a hand on her shoulder and she jumped.

"Hay, it's alright," he said soothingly. She noticed that he still seemed weak but was trying not to show it. Brenda and Jamie had both woken up and were making their way over to Kyle and Molly. The four friends huddled in a little group unsure of what to do. .

"Now what," Brenda asked, somewhat annoyed. Molly absently pulled the binder out of the end of her hair and shook her braid out. She needed a shower and wash her hair. She pulled it back into a ponytail and replaced the binder. Nathan was the first to approach the group. He knelt next to Kyle and checked the bandage. .

"I should change that again before we head out," he said. .

"Wait a minute," Jamie said and leapt to his feet. "Head out where?" .

"We need to get you back to town," Nathan answered simply, turning back to Kyle. .

"We can't go with you," Brenda said, panicking. "We have to get home." .

"Where is home?" it was Cheyenne's voice. The four of them looked at her as if she asked them what the distance in centimeters it was from here to the moon. How were they possibly supposed to answer her question? .

"Can he travel?" Chris came over and asked Nathan indicating Kyle. .

"Should be fine," Nathan answered him. .

"Good, you take her," he said indicating Brenda then he looked at Molly. "You'll ride with me." Molly froze. .

"No," she found herself saying, not realizing she spoke until seeing that all eyes were on her. .

"What did you say?" he asked her. She looked him dead in the eyes.

"I said no, I'm not going anywhere with you," she was trying to keep her voice from shaking and was failing miserably. .

"I didn't offer it as an option," he said moving toward her and grabbing her arm. Molly tried to shake him off as Kyle tried to step in between them but was stopped by Nathan. To everyone's suprize it was Cheyenne who came to Molly's defense. .

"Let her go," she said threateningly. Chris knew better than to get into it with Cheyenne and they didn't have time to argue with nearly a day's ride ahead of them. He released her arm. "You will ride with me," she said to Molly. .

"Let's go," Chris ordered looking straight at Molly. Molly walked over to Cheyenne who was already on her horse. She turned back around and murmured one last prayer that someone, anyone would find them. She looked down at her hands and did the hardest thing she'd ever done. She slipped off the sliver Clighdaugh ring she'd worn since her confirmation when her grandfather gave it to her. She put the sliver band up to her lips whispering, "Daddy, please find us." and let it slip from her fingers on the ground. They would know they had been here if they found it. She'd never taken it off so whoever found it would know they were in trouble. Molly took a deep breath and allowed Cheyenne to help her on the horse. .

Vin watched from the side of his horse as Molly placed her hands up to her lips and then saw something sliver drop to the ground near her. She made no move to pick it up. He waited a minute and walked over to where she'd been standing and picked up a sliver ring that had a carving of a heart being held by two hands with a crown on top of the heart. She was leaving it behind as a marker that they had been there. He wanted to hand it back to her, but he knew if he did it in front of Chris there would be another scene. He remembered her confession the night before and he felt guilty about causing her to reveal something that had so horribly happened to her. As much as he might want to he couldn't take it back. He saw the look on her face as she allowed it to fall from her grasp, it was as if she were letting go of her soul. He put the ring in his pocket promising himself that he would give it to her later, away from everyone else. .

Life seemed to freeze as the group made their way into the town. People stopped whatever they were doing wherever they were doing it to try and figure out who was with the seven men that had been entrusted with the protection of the town. Cheyenne got off the horse then reached up to help Molly down. Brenda walked over to her along with Kyle and Jamie. Several people began to gather around as if waiting for someone to explain or at least say something. Molly looked around her. A woman with blond hair had come out of a building across the street and was talking with Chris. She suddenly felt trapped. She was feeling completely panicked, what were they going to do with them, how would anyone find them now? .

"Molly?" Brenda's voice seemed so far away. "Molly, what's wrong?" Brenda put her hand on Molly's shoulder and she didn't even seem to notice. Everything seemed to be closing in on her. "Kyle, get over here," Brenda yelled. Kyle came rushing over. .

"Moll, what is it?" Molly looked up at him and suddenly she couldn't support her own weight. Kyle grabbed her, forgetting for a moment that he was hurt. The pain that shot through his arm was almost enough to completely lose his grip on her. Brenda grabbed her from behind as Jamie tried to get in to help. Nathan saw what was happening and made his way to the group. She was completely unconscious, her head in Brenda's lap. .

"She's only fainted," he told the concerned group of friends. A small group started to gather around them. "Josiah, help me get her up to my place," he instructed. Josiah knelt down next to her and gently picked her up. Cheyenne knelt next to Brenda who looked up at the woman with a pleading look in her eyes. .

"Come with me," she told her. The two boys started behind them and Cheyenne abruptly turned around. "Stay here," she told them. .

"I'm going with her to make sure that nothing happens to her," Kyle said and attempted to push past her. Cheyenne wouldn't allow it. She drew her gun and pointed it at him causing Brenda to jump back from her and everyone around them to freeze. "You are staying here." She said as if daring him to challenge her. Kyle took a step toward her.

"I swear to you, on everything holy if anything happens to her, if anyone hurts her I won't care how many guns are pointed at me. Do you understand?" .

"No one will hurt her," she said, lowering her gun and reaching for Brenda's arm. Brenda flinched away from her. .

"Bren, you don't need to go with her," Jamie said. She looked straight at him. .

"The one time she asked for something from me, I wasn't there. Out of all the thousands of times I have ever needed her she was there and the one time she asked me…" her voice broke and she looked at Cheyenne. "My best friend needs me, please take me to her." Cheyenne nodded and led her to Molly. .

Molly could feel herself being lifted and held against someone, then a voice. She couldn't understand what he said, but it wasn't familiar to her. Then a flight of stairs. She was scared. .

"No," she whimpered. The voice shushed her. She lifted one of her arms and tried to push at his chest to get away but he just tightened his grip on her. She was being put down on something soft, a bed? .

"Molly," this voice was different. Her eyes flittered open she attempted to pull herself into a sitting position but Nathan wouldn't allow her to. He put his hands on her shoulders to keep her lying down. "It's alright," he said. She tried to sit up again, feeling more light headed. "You're going to faint again if you don't settle down," he said, trying to keep her calm. The door opened and Cheyenne and Brenda stepped inside. .

"Moll," Brenda said, walking toward the bed. Nathan blocked her path. .

"I need to check and see what made her do that," he said. .

"You mean other than the fact that she's scared out of her mind?" Brenda snapped and pushed past him. "I'm here," she said taking her friends hand. Molly shot up and threw her arms around Brenda. .

"Don't let go of me, please don't let go," she cried. Brenda stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. .

"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere," she kept repeating. Nathan realized that him, Cheyenne and Josiah being in the room was not helping the girl any. He motioned for Cheyenne and Josiah to follow him out. Kyle and Jamie were standing at the bottom of the stairs and Nathan motioned for them to come up. .

"They're inside," he said. "Molly's pretty upset." The two boys didn't answer, instead they opened the door and walked inside. .

Molly felt completely out of control. Brenda was holding her, rocking her back and forth but she couldn't seem to calm down. 'What right did she have?' she thought to herself. She thought of what Cheyenne had told her the night before about what had happened to her. She heard the door open and Jamie and Kyle walk inside. She pulled back from Brenda. "She was raped. Four men killed her father and then they beat and raped her," she said. .

"Who?" Kyle asked. Molly looked up at him. .

"Cheyenne," she answered. .

"It's apples and oranges," Brenda told her. Molly looked at her confused. "I've known you practically all my life. You don't think that I know you feel like you don't have any right to complain? What happened to her is just as bad as what happened to you." Molly stood up. She didn't know what to say. Brenda was right. .

"What do we do now?" Jamie asked. Kyle looked at him. .

"Why don't you and Brenda go outside and tell them that Molly's okay. We'll be out in a minute and then we can work on how we get the hell out of here." Jamie nodded to him and led Brenda out of the room. Molly found that she couldn't meet Kyle's gaze. He moved to put her arms around her and felt her stiffen. It seemed all to often lately a common reaction every time he tried to offer her any kind of comfort. She stepped back from him. She remembered what Cheyenne told her about letting someone in. She had wanted to with Kyle, but he was always dismissing it or trying to make it better. He moved toward her. She walked to the door. She went to open it but he put his hand on the door to prevent it from opening. "We're not leaving here until we fix this," he said to her. She whirled on him. .

"Fix this? You can't fix this. Would you just stop trying to make it better. It's not getting any better it's getting worse," she yelled at him. He reached out for her but she pushed his arms away. "You don't see it do you?" .

"See what?" he asked. .

"That every time you touch me, I just want to crawl right out of my skin." Kyle flinched at her words and the door flew open, it was Cheyenne. Molly and Kyle both jumped. .

"What did you say to her?" she demanded from Kyle. .

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked back. Josiah entered the room in an attempt to calm Cheyenne down. .

"She is hurt and she needs you," Cheyenne yelled at him. .

"I know that," Kyle yelled back. Molly didn't know what to do. They both looked ready to kill each other. .

"Cheyenne, stop," Molly said to her. She ignored her and continued to advance on Kyle. Nathan and Chris had both come into the room along with Jamie and Brenda to see what was going on now. .

"You will never know," Cheyenne screamed at him. Molly jumped in front of the woman. .

"Stop it, just stop. I am not your problem. I am not your problem to solve," Molly yelled at her. Her head began to swim again. It was Nathan's turn to take control. .

"I want everyone but Molly to leave, now," he ordered. Everyone made a move to the door and she began to panic again. The last thing she wanted right now was to be alone in a room with one of these men. .

"I'm fine," Molly insisted. .

"Out, now," Nathan repeated. Jamie led Kyle and Brenda out of the room followed by Cheyenne, Chris and Josiah. The door shutting was the scariest sound Molly had ever heard. Nathan waited a minute before turning to face Molly. What he saw made him think that maybe he'd done the wrong thing. Her face was a mask of pure fear, her brown eyes huge and tear filled. Her hair was falling down and she was shaking. .

"You mean other than the fact that she's scared out of her mind?"

Brenda's words rang through his head as he looked at Molly. She had been trying so hard to stay strong ever since they found them, looking at her now, Nathan knew she was barely hanging on. She spoke first, her voice barely audible, .

"What are you going to do with us now?" He wasn't quite sure how to answer her. He remembered the last time he spoke to her, the desperation in her eyes to go along with the desperation of the request she didn't vocalize but he knew what she wanted just the same…for him to look the other way while she ran. He knew better than anyone that feeling of being trapped and there being nothing you could do about it. He walked up to her, she backed away from him into the wall. Before he could say anything, the door opened causing them both to jump. Buck walked in and motioned for Nathan to come out with him. Molly walked to the window and looked out. She heard the door open again and saw Buck's reflection in the window walking toward her. She found herself freezing up again, remembering what had happened at the house. She closed her eyes against the dizziness grabbing for support at the window ledge, willing it with what was left of her strength to go away. Buck saw her swoon and reached out for her arm in case she should faint again. .

"Maybe you should lay down?" he suggested, attempting to lead her toward the bed. She shook her head. .

"I just need a second. I'll be fine," she said, not about to put herself in any type of position where someone could take advantage of her. .

"At least sit down then," he said, not wanting to push. She nodded and allowed him to lead her to the bed and help her sit on the edge of it. The dizziness passed. "Better?" he asked her. She nodded. .

"Where are the others?" she asked him. .

"They're over at the jail," Buck answered her. Had she had any strength, she would have leapt from the bed. .

"You put them in jail?" she yelled, the dizziness came back full force and Molly put her head in her hands. .

"Easy," Buck said to her kneeling in front of her. "I said they're at the jail not in the jail. There is a difference. Maybe I should have someone get Nathan." .

"God, this is such a mess," Molly said in her hands. "I can't believe I thought it would help, that I was stupid enough to think that it would just magically make it better." Buck cut her off. He hated hearing anyone berate themselves, especially about something that wasn't their fault. .

"You thought what would help?" he asked her. "Molly what happened to all of you?" She looked up at him.

"It doesn't matter now. We're stuck here and it's my fault." .

"Does it have to do with what you said happened to you last night?" Molly didn't answer him. "Molly?" If she couldn't make Cheyenne who had been through something similar understand then she certainly couldn't make this man understand. .

"Is Kyle all right?" she asked him. She remembered he'd been the one to break her fall when she fainted. She hoped that him catching her didn't cause anymore injury to his arm. .

"He is fine," Cheyenne's voice came from the doorway causing Molly to jump from the bed and Buck to draw his gun at the sudden sound of her voice. Neither one of them had heard the door open. "I wish to speak with Molly alone," Cheyenne said nonchalantly. Buck holstered his gun and turned to Molly. .