Sam had just came back from his trip to town. Apparently Sheriff Hinton's mood hadn't changed from how he had been a few days ago. It had been almost three days and he was still as he where that morning when he had tied James up. Sam was nervous and refused to tell Melissa what sort of discussion he and Sheriff Hinton had, and Sheriff Hinton had sent him further away again, to hunt down some criminal whose name was Peter Mackenzie, apparently he had been murdering people for the last few years and he had now been seen somewhere out of Colorado. Sam was packing his things on his saddle bag, looking utterly disappointed. He didn't seem happy. Probably because Sheriff Hinton had turned mighty strange towards him. Melissa was worried for him, not only because he wasn't acting like himself, but because he was going to hunt down a very dangerous criminal, although this time, another fellow lawman named John Wilkes would accompany Sam. It made Melissa slightly calmer about his trip, yet, she was scared to lose him like she had lost her dear parents.

Sam packed the last things on Bob and then looked at Melissa who looked at him with worried eyes. He smiled at her and gave her a heartwarming hug. Melissa closed her eyes as he hugged her. Begging that he would come back in one piece to her, she didn't even dare to think of what she would do if she lost him as well. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a few days." He said as he stopped hugging her and smiled.

"Just be careful, don't take any risks." Melissa said as Sam mounted Bob. "I won't. I'll send you a letter as soon as I can." He said. "I'll see you soon partner! Oh, and say hello to James from me." He said as he blinked his eye and rode away. Melissa smiled and waved at him, Sam knew that she would spend time with James when he was gone, who else would she be with? Sam and James were the only ones in this sad diluted town she actually wanted to spend time with. After Melissa lost sight of Sam she headed inside to grab her brown long coat and black hat. She was wearing her blue comfy dress as usual and her light brown hair fell perfectly as she laid the hat on her head. And of course, she had her holster with her revolver in it. When she had everything she needed she mounted Belle and headed for James cabin.

Today she thought of inviting James for a fishing trip. After all they hadn't seen each other for three days and now when she wasn't busy with all the farming work Sam usually laid on her, she could see James. She missed him, and was very excited to see him again. This time, Melissa had brought her own fishing rod, it was Sam's but seeing that he wouldn't be home for a few days she figured he wouldn't miss it very much. As she rode past the forest and past town, she reached James cabin. Still looking the same, beautiful and peaceful by the lake and the forest. She smiled as she saw his horse, Macain, outside. Indicating that he was home. She hitched Belle beside Macain as she knocked on the door. No one opened. She took a peek inside the windows but couldn't see no James. No footsteps could be heard from inside either. Melissa thought it was weird, Macain was home so why shouldn't James be home? She went around the cabin and headed towards his back yard where his smaller storage was. And there he was, sitting on the ground, trying to fix a fence that had been totally destroyed. Melissa looked at him as he swore and kicked the fence when it wouldn't stand as he liked. She laughed loudly and James suddenly noticed her.

"Is the fence upsetting you?" Melissa asked as she laughed and walked towards him.

A huge smile appeared on his face and he laughed as well.

"Melissa! What brings you here?" He asked. She shrouded her shoulders and smiled.

"I thought maybe you would like to head out on a fishing round, but you seem to be very busy." She said and pointed at the fence. "Well, some fellers came by yesterday night and destroyed it." Melissa inspected the face, shaking by the thought that someone would actually destroy something for others like this. "For real? Why would anyone do a thing like that?" Melissa asked surprised.

James shrouded his shoulders and tried to raise the fence once again. "Someone who doesn't like me very much, someone in town is my guess. It's not like it's the first time." He said.

Melissa sighed as she saw how destroyed the fence was, and that it wasn't the first time something like this had happened made her angry."I'm so sick of those people in town, we're all humans, aren't we?" She said upset. "You and me both." He said and smiled.

"I guess I should help you then." Melissa said and sat down beside him. James smiled and chuckled a little. "You're a poor fisherwoman, are you a poor fence builder as well Miss Summers?" He laughed, as he looked with his beautiful light brown eyes at her. "I may be a poor fisherwoman, but I tell you, I know fence building Mr. Alden." She said as she grabbed the hammer and started to raise the fence. "Well, be my guest." James said as he stood up and helped her raise the fence. Together they held it up while Melissa pounded a pole in so the fence could stand on its own. When she had pouded done, both of them dropped the fence and it stood by itself for some seconds, before it fell to the ground again. James looked at Melissa with surprised eyes. "Don't say it." She said and held up a finger towards him. "What was it now again? You knew fence building?"James laughed as Melissa pushed him back a bit and laughed as well. She then picked up the fence and raised it again, while James grabbed the hammer and pounded the pole in.

They walked themselves through the whole section with fence that had been broken. James pounded and Melissa raised and held the fence. As they had gotten far and was almost done, there was only three poles left to pound in. James hammered while Melissa still held the fence. She inspected him once again and he smiled at her when he noticed it. "Don't be jealous because I'm better at this than you, I'll teach you, don't you worry about that." He laughed. Melissa smiled and shredded her head. "I think I have had enough lessons from you, thanks." She laughed. "Hey, we caught the fish? Didn't we?" He said as he moved onto the next section. Melissa followed and raised the fence once again. They laughed together once again as they usually did.

After a while James grabbed Melissa's hand as she was fixing the fence. She looked up at him and smiled and he dragged her towards him. He gently placed her hand on the pole and gave her the hammer. She laughed as he swapped place with her and immediately dropped the fence she had just held. He quickly raised it up once again as Melissa managed to pound the pole in. After they had fixed the two that were left Melissa proudly looked at their work together and smiled.

"See? I told you I was a good fence builder." She said and looked at James. "Well, I have to admit, it does look professional, for you at least." James laughed while he looked at her. She shredded her head and laughed at him while she picked up the hammer and gave it back to James, who laid it further away by the shred.

Melissa still stood and looked at the fence. Further away she could see the lake and some trees. James sure had an amazing view. James came back and stood beside her, he looked at her and smiled while he also switched his gaze towards the lake.

"You have a very beautiful spot here James." She said.

"I agree." He said as he looked at Melissa. She turned back to him when she realized what he had meant. Did he just call her beautiful? James turned away from her, realizing what he had said and nervously scratched himself on his hair. Melissa chuckled a little at him.

"This calls for a drink!" Melissa suddenly said.

"It certainly does, but unfortunately I'm all out. I believe we emptied the last bottle of whisky when you stitched me up." He said.

"Well, let's head into the saloon then, I'll buy you a drink." Melissa said as she walked towards Belle, gesturing for him to follow her.

James grabbed her hand and stopped her. His hand felt warm once again against hers. "In town? You know how people feel about me." He said.

"Screw the people James, what more can they do?" Melissa said.

"Well, I still have a cabin they can burn down." James said and chuckled.

"Then I'll be here to stop them." She said and grabbed his hand. Melissa dragged James to the horses, she mounted up on Belle while James still was optimistic about the whole thing. But he wanted that drink, and it was like Melissa said. What more could they do to him? So he mounted Macain and together they headed towards town.

While in town James got nervous. People looked at them as Melissa rode beside him, talking to him as a friend. Some men looked weirdly at them as the hitched their horses outside the saloon. James followed Melissa upstair and took a deep breath before she opened the door to the saloon. A piano could be hear playing but stopped as they entered. Some men were playing poker to the left, smoking cigarettes and drinking whisky. All of them looked at Melissa and James as Melissa gestured for James to follow her towards the bartender. Some working girls smoked in the back as also their eyes were on Melissa and James. James looked at everyone who inspected them, feeling scared that he would be kicked out once again, or worse, beaten. The bartender's name was Richard Phillips, he was almost the only one who actually was nice to James, at least when he wanted to. Never so friendly that Melissa and Sam was towards James, but friendly enough for him to be seen in the bar without a weird look as the others gave him.

"Good day Mr. Phillips." Melissa said as she leaned on the bar. Mr. Phillips was holding a whisky bottle, he was cleaning it while he looked up at Melissa and James who now stood at the bar. "Good day Miss Summers, Mr. Alden." He said."What will it be?" He asked, looking a little suspicious at James and Melissa. Melissa looked at James for an answer. "What will it be partner?" She asked. James looked at the shelf, then he turned his head around to watch the men playing. Afraid that they would hurt him.

"Well?" Melissa asked once again. James turned his gaze back to Mr. Philips and Melissa. "Whisky?" He said nervously. "Make it two whisky then." Melissa said as she looked at James. He looked scared and not as comfortable as he had done before. Melissa laid her hand on James shoulder and tried to look at him. He pushed off her hand. Not because he didn't want to have it there, but because people looked even more at them when Melissa was so friendly towards him. Melissa looked weirdly at him as he did what he did, but then she understood why. She followed his gaze to the men sitting by the table and then she looked back at James.

"James. Screw the people." She said and smiled. He looked back at her, still scared but a little smile appeared on his mouth. As Mr. Phillips gave them the two drinks Melissa grabbed her glas, raised it as she smiled." A toast for a great fence building!" She said as James toasted with her. He chuckled a little and forget for a while the people who looked at them. It was like Melissa said, screw the people.

"But you know I did most of the work." He said. "In your dreams, you would have been screwed if I hadn't stopped by." She laughed. James smiled and drank the rest of the whisky. Then he looked straight into her eyes as he smiled once again. "I suppose you're right." He said. Melissa once again got caught up in his beautiful eyes. It felt like they told a million tales. His tales. Wonderful tales. Melissa smiled and drank the rest of the whisky in her glass while they stayed like that for some time, just smiling and looking at each other. Melissa once again inspected James face. His beautiful face.

They stayed in that bar for about an hour. James bought more whisky for them as they sat on the bars chairs. Talking about their past life. About how Melissa's parents died and how she had came into the saloon they were sitting in, completely lost. James told Melissa a bit more of his brother Mike. Apparently they were very close before they had been separated, but it was so long ago that James didn't remember much of his brother.

They told jokes and laughed while people in the saloon looked at them. They looked at them with hate and disgust, like James and Melissa weren't humans, like they were two insects that needed to be destroyed. However, Melissa and James ignored their hatress eyes and laughed loudly together. Melissa felt like she really knew the whole James now, like their relationship had developed so much. Like their love had developed so much.

As they decided to leave they said goodbye to Mr. Philips and walked outside. They grabbed their horses and lead them to the edge of town where they would go separate ways. As they stopped and looked at each other, Melissa felt like she needed James to know how she felt. She didn't know if he felt the same, but she needed him to know. She couldn't keep it inside her anymore. As James smiled towards her and was on his way up on Macain, Melissa stopped him before he could get up.

"James, I need to tell you something." She said as he looked at her. "Okay, go on." He said while patting Macain. Melissa didn't know how to tell him, what if he didn't feel the same? Would it ruin their relationship? Would he back off? Millions of questions but no answers. And there was only one way to get those answers.

James stood right in front of her, smiling his wonderful and kind smile and looking at her with his light brown beautiful eyes. Patiently waiting for what she would tell him.

"It's just....I...I think I love you..." She carefully said. James looked all pale at her, like he couldn't believe what she had just said. Melissa got scared and worried, had she ruined things?

"I understand if you don't feel the same...I just needed you to know and it's okay if you..." She stopped as James laid his hands on her cheeks and gently kissed her beautiful lips. His lips felt soft and warm against her and her whole stomach had butterflies in it. The kiss was short, yet, so powerful that it felt like her whole body exploded. She laid her hands around his waist as they kept going on with the kiss. He gently tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as the kiss stopped. He smiled his wonderful and bright smile as Melissa leaned in for another kiss. He followed her move and once again their lips touched each other. Their hearts beated once again together as their love finally spread its wings across them. Melissa didn't want it to end. She wanted to be in James arms forever.

 There they were, kissing each other, risking to be seen by others and by that judged. But they didn't care, it was like nothing else mattered in the whole world. For a short moment only those two existed. For a short moment they escaped from reality for a while. "You know what? I think I love you too Melissa Summers." James said as he smiled at her. Melissa chuckled a silly laugh as she hugged him. She once again felt safe in his strong arms, and as she closed her eyes she once again could hear his strong and beautiful heartbeat. Everything was for once, perfect. 

waking up the next day felt like a dream to Melissa. She looked out through her window from her bedroom as she smiled, thinking of what had happened yesterday. James had told her that he loved her too and they had kissed and everything was just so wonderful. James had even followed her home and spent the night at hers and Sam's farm. When Melissa turned around and looked to where James had laid she saw that he was gone. So she got dressed in her blue dress as usual and went down stairs only to find James in the kitchen, making breakfast. He had boiled some eggs and had some bread at the table. He turned around as he heard Melissa who got into the kitchen. He smiled at her and Melissa sat down by the table.

"A man in the kitchen, a sight to behold." She chuckled. James grabbed two glasses of milk and sat down by the table while he chuckled as well. "Well, I am pretty good in the kitchen." He said and smiled.

They ate their breakfast and felt pleased. Melissa felt very grateful and happy. It was like her whole body had been filled with happiness and love as she looked at James. Maybe they would get married someday? Who knows. But for now, she enjoyed being in his company. Melissa laughed as she thought of what Sam would say when he got home.

"Why are you laughing?" James asked as he took a sip of the milk and smiled at her.

"I wonder what Sam will say when he gets home? After all, I think he knew the whole time that you and I would be more than friends." Melissa said as she smiled. James chuckled as he crumbled on his bread and looked into her eyes. "I reckon he'll be very pleased with himself." James said. "Yeah, probably." Melissa responded. They ate their breakfast as they smiled and laughed together. Feeling pleased with each others company.

James wanted to stick around a little while longer and promised to fix the fence that he and Sam never finished fixing. Melissa was going to head into town to buy some ingredients for the supper she planned to fix later. As she mounted Belle, James stood by her side while he kissed her hand and smiled. "Farewell my lady." He chuckled. "Farewell Mr. Alden." She said as she tilted her hat slightly towards him and smiled, then she trotted away on Belle. Everything had got so fast, yet slow. Never in her wildest dream could she think that she would fall in love with James. But ever since she met him, she knew he was something special. Melissa smiled to herself, happy and joyful. She looked up to the big blue sky as she thought of her dear parents. "You would be proud of me mother." She said as she looked.

As Melissa reached town people as usual were already up. Working girls was running over the streets to earn some money. Some ladies was standing outside a meat seller. Some men were laughing while they smoked. Melissa inspected each and every one of them. Almost two years in this town, yet, she saw no one she liked. First, Melissa headed into the medical store to buy some bandage and oil as it was gone at home. Then she hitched Belle outside of the general store. When she walked in she noticed a older man she had never seen before, she politely greeted him as she also noticed Mrs. Rose. Melissa for once didn't mind talking to Mrs. Rose, she was in a good mood and not even Mrs. Rose could destroy that. But Mrs. Rose didn't seem like herself, she didn't greet Melissa as she usually did, nor did Mr. Wild. Melissa thought it was weird and decided to greet them instead.

" Good day, Mr. Wild and Mrs. Rose." Melissa said as she walked up to where both of them were standing. "Miss Summers." She said while Mr. Wild just nodded at Melissa. Both of them seemed completely different from who they usually were. Especially Mrs. Rose.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked Mrs. Rose who barely looked at her. Mrs. Rose looked at her with a mean expression. "No Miss Summers. Nothing is bothering me." Mrs. Rose responded. Melissa looked weirdly at her, while Melissa grabbed the ingredients she needed and then walked up to Mr. Wild. "Alright then." She said as she looked at Mrs. Rose.

Mrs. Rose then turned around and walked up to Melissa. "Except for one thing." She said and looked straight into Melissa's eyes.

"Okay?" Melissa asked as she laid her things on the desk. "I just think it's weird how you act." She said as she looked judgely at Melissa. "How I act?" Melissa confused asked. Mrs. Rose nodded as she looked at Mr. Wild who seemed to agree with whatever she meant.

"Forgive me, but whatever do you mean?" Melissa confused asked.

"Well, you live with a man who is not your husband, nor your brother. You are never seen in any other company than him and now, you've started to accompany that immigrant living outside town. I just think it's strange." Mrs. Rose rudely said. Melissa didn't think that her mood could be destroyed today, but somehow, Mrs. Rose mangaed to destroy her mood by her judgeful eyes and words.

"His name is James Alden, he is not an immigrant, and he's a fine man and all of you would know that if you actually gave him a chance." Melissa said as she paid Mr. Wild. Mrs. Rose seemed almost offended by what she had said. Like Melissa were the one who did wrong.

"I thought more of you. But I guess you can't expect much from a orphaned girl. It's a shame though, you and that immigrant." Mrs. Rose rudely said.

Melissa felt like punching her face in for even have the gut to mention her parents. She was so rude that Melissa almost considered shouting right into her face how ugly she was, inside and outside. But she understood that it wouldn't help. What she also understood was that Mrs. Rose knew about her and James and would probably spread rumors across town making them hate Melissa as well. But honestly, Melissa couldn't care less, she was so sick of all the fake and selfish people in town that she wanted to puke at them all.

"I'm so sorry that I lost my parents to some revengeful men and became an orphan and that Sam became like a brother to me. It was stupid really." She sarcastli said."James is my friend, and he will always remain a close friend, as will Sam. I may not be married to some wealthy oil man or be perfect in some way, but unlike you I actually give people a chance before I judge them. Excuse me." Melissa rudely responded as she walked out. She was so tired of the whole town. The people. Everyone seemed to judge you for whatever you did. She couldn't understand why it was so bad to hang out with James? Yes, James had another skin color than the rest of town, and yes, James was the first black man in this town, but what difference did it make? James is till one of the most kindest and most caring people Melissa had ever met.

As she mounted Belle she could see Mrs. Rose walk out the store. Just looking at her, with her judgy eyes and with her mean face. Melissa didn't even look at her, she just rode away. Outside of town where her mind started to boggle, she was certain that Mrs. Rose would make up rumors of her and make the people hate her. But she wasn't worried for herself, she was worried for James. They had already destroyed his fence, beaten him once and the looks he gets in town is just another way to show their hatress. What if they would actually hurt him? Melissa was scared. James meant everything to her. Just like Sam did. She couldn't lose neither of them. Maybe, James and her had to keep their love a secret, a secret they never had. To protect James from the towns hatress.