[ realized I forgot to wrap up what happened in the last chapter for those that haven't actually seen the show and know — Raylan's dad stole drugs from that Perkins guy and sold it for money and got away with it but Raylan knows about it and wants him in jail. and Raylan went to Perkins' house and beat him with a baseball bat. twas very hot in the show and even if you don't watch it, YouTube the clip or something idk because whew he's so brrrr

also, Raylan isn't jealous yet of Tim Gutterson as he makes his arrival, but he will be soon enough. if Raylan can slut around, so can she ]

✵︎

DIDN'T KNOW RAYLAN HAD FRIENDS.

[ season 1 — episode 7 ]

AVA and Bambi were in the only hardware shop in Harlan, buying up supplies for Ava's big move to Lexington. She'd come up with the money to get a new place and she'd finally be leaving the tragic town goodbye — she just couldn't leave Kentucky completely because of the rules of her probation.

"Mike," Bambi called as she and Ava looked up and down the rows as the owner restocked some items. "Tape?"

"The tape is on your right," he called back, glancing at them.

Ava got turned around, frowning as she didn't see it. "Whereabouts?"

"Sorry, Sweetheart. My right."

Bambi spotted it first, crouching down as Ava checked above her. "Here we go — I see duct, hot melt, masking, filament."

Ava sighed and looked at Mike. "Where's the plain old American packing tape?"

"Bambi, check that cardboard box on the end," he instructed, and she shifted on her knees to go to the very end of the aisle, Ava joining her. Neither really noticed how Mike's eyes were glued to Ava's ass in a tight pair of jeans. "Yeah, that's it. Right down there."

But Helen sure did as she appeared at the older man's side. "Mike, raise your eyes."

Overhearing it, Bambi just rolled her eyes and moved in front of Ava. Only for the door to open and overhear Johnny shouting as he rushed inside.

"Mike! Mike?" he called, looking up and down the aisles, seemingly in a hurry.

"Yeah," the owner said while heading to the register.

Johnny took off his sunglasses and looked down at Ava, unimpressed. "Hey, Ava," he said, nodding. Then he glanced at his cousin. "Bambi." Finally, Johnny looked at Mike, stating his oh-so-important business. "Hey, I got a shopping list sent to me by Bo Crowder. He's getting out real soon, wants to do a little bit of deer hunting when he gets back."

Bambi rolled her eyes as Ava stiffened, still going through the tape.

"I left the list at home, but I think I can remember it," Johnny went on. "Yeah, he - he wants a good length of rope, maybe nylon, whatever's good at holding a knot in case he has to tie that deer up. He doesn't want that deer to break free."

He didn't even try to be subtle as he looked right at Ava. Then he headed over to her and Bambi, grabbing a roll of silver tape. "And some of this duct tape, the super sticky kind, real hard to peel off, you know? Some plastic sheeting, yeah, you know, just enough to line the trunk of his Buick, you know, in case it gets messy."

Then Johnny walked over to the display with shovels. "Shovel. Yeah, that's right, a shovel. Real sturdy, good enough to dig a nice big hole in rocky ground. And there was something else. Shit if I can't remember."

As he spoke, Ava sighed and stood up, coming to stand next to Johnny, seemingly unafraid.

"Oh, yeah, a chainsaw," Johnny recalled.

Bambi noticed how Helen left suddenly, the door ringing behind her.

"Hmm," Ava said, putting the tape down. "Mike, you fill that order for Bo and put it on my tab. You can send it to my address in Lexington. You can pass that address on to Bo, you know, if he wants to send a thank-you note."

Bambi smiled down at her shoes, thinking Ava was far braver than she'd have been. And clearly, Johnny wasn't expecting it either.

"Well, that's mighty thoughtful of you, Ava," he said, swallowing thickly before he looked at Mike again. "And if you don't mind one more thing. Mike, go ahead and throw in a map of Kentucky. Yeah. Yeah, the deer that Bo's hunting, it's open season wherever the bluegrass grows, but he might not pursue it past the state line."

Bambi realized he was just desperate for Ava to get out of Kentucky — Bo hadn't really sent a shopping list. But Bambi was the only one to really understand that he was just here because he liked Ava and didn't want to see her hurt.

That didn't matter though, because a second later, they all heard a shotgun cocking. Helen was behind Johnny and pointing her gun right at it his head, and no one doubted that she'd use it if he kept at it.

"Mike, I need you to check my trigger," Helen said. "Sometimes it just goes off on its own."

"Mike!" Johnny shouted in alarm.

"Shit, Helen. Come on, now!" Mike said.

"Helen, maybe you could point that gun
somewhere else?" Johnny asked loudly.

"Of course," she said sweetly before aiming lower, right at Johnny's groin. "Goodbye, Johnny."

Johnny, giving in, huffed and stormed off, but not before looking back at Ava. "Hey, tell Raylan I said, 'Hey.'"

Bambi rolled her eyes and looked at Ava, who relaxed once he was gone. "Sorry about that. Asshole runs in our blood."

"Not in your blood," Ava said, smiling weakly as Bambi reached for her hand.

"Want me to go home with you?" Bambi then offered, not wanting Ava to be alone.

"I'll be okay. Know your Saturdays are for catching up on grading," she told her, squeezing her hand. "Just give Johnny hell at the bar if you see him."

✵︎

It was later than Bambi usually stayed at the bar, but there had been a lot of assignments that week in almost every subject — something her students had moaned and groaned about. And she was right there with them, not excited about having to grade it all. But she was halfway done with it all now as she sipped on her Coke.

Johnny was there too, of course, but Bambi didn't bother him as he showed some girl how to shoot pool. There was no use in asking him about the hardware store when she knew his intentions perfectly well.

But someone else decided they wanted to have words with him about what happened.

"Johnny."

At hearing Raylan's voice, Bambi looked up, seeing him come over with Sheriff Hunter Mosley at his side. Bambi held back a scoff — Mosley wasn't exactly a good and fair Sheriff, and any time something bad around town happened, he cried Crowder as if there weren't twenty other criminal-inclined families around town.

"Hey! Raylan Givens in the house!" Johnny said, looking genuinely happy to see him before he looked at the Sheriff. "And looky here. He brought his little cop buddy.

"Get your clothes off, Johnny," Mosley said, making Bambi's eyes widened. She slid her papers in her bag and fully faced them, wondering what was going on.

"Pardon?" Johnny asked, leaning against the table.

"Well, I know you speak English. I believe it's one of your proudest achievements," he said snidely. "Take your clothes off."

Johnny just smirked at him, not making a move to do so. "You finally coming out as a gay man? Shit. Good for you."

"Somebody took a shot at Ava tonight."

"What?" Bambi asked in alarm, coming over. And she wasn't the only one genuinely surprised — so was Johnny.

"Old Raylan here put one in him. I want to make sure it ain't you."

"Johnny's been here all night," Bambi said defensively. "For hours. He didn't shoot Ava."

"Oh, like we can trust you," Mosley said in a spiteful tone, glaring at her. "You just as bad as your daddy and brother."

Raylan watched how Bambi flinched and swallowed thickly, just glaring at the Sheriff as Mosley turned back on Johnny. "Get your clothes off," he ordered once again.

"Well, I will if you will," Johnny shot back.

Mosley stomped closer, getting upset. "Get your clothes off!"

"All right, Johnny, listen to him," Raylan said warily, trying to keep the peace.

"You can arrest me if you want, but it might not go as smooth as you hope it would," Johnny spat.

"I'll show you how smooth!"

Mosley pulled his gun as Johnny lunged at him, but Raylan quickly put himself between the two before a real fight could break out.

"Whoa! Hey! Hey! This does not have to go sideways!" he said before looking at Johnny. "I know it wasn't you. If it was, I figure you'd be in a world of pain."

"Maybe you just grazed him," Mosley suggested, still so certain it was Johnny.

"I hit meat. I heard the man howl," Raylan insisted as he eyed Johnny. "And if Bambi says he was here, he was here."

"Like I said, I ain't takin' another Crowder's word," Mosley said.

And seeing that there was no other choice, Raylan quickly restrained Johnny, who cried out and fought him. But Raylan was stronger, so he couldn't get free as Mosley lifted his shirt, looking for a fresh gunshot wound that he couldn't find.

"Well, are you satisfied?" Bambi shouted, hating how everyone was watching Johnny get manhandled in his own goddamn bar.

"I want to see his ass!" Mosley snapped.

Raylan sighed and turned Johnny around, who kept shouting angrily as Mosley yanked his pants down enough to see his butt. Bambi just rolled her eyes and then looked at the ceiling, not needing to see more of her cousin than necessary.

"I'll be damned," Mosley huffed when he didn't see anything incriminating.

"Well?" Raylan asked, letting Johnny go, who instantly stood up and fixed his clothes.

"You're right. It wasn't him," Mosley said, pretending to not see the accusing glare on Bambi's face.

But then Mosley took it a step too far and punched Johnny in the groin.

"Hey, now!" Bambi exclaimed, coming closer and grabbing ahold of Johnny as he recovered.

"We know you're threatening Ava, boy," Mosley said, glaring at him still.

"That's true, Johnny. You're gonna have to answer for that," Raylan told him, glancing at Bambi. "And don't say it was about deer hunting. That ain't gonna fly. Bambi was there. She knows."

"I only did it for her own good," Johnny huffed. "I mean, shit, Raylan. Come on, Ava's a beauty. I always wanted to bed her myself. I just said what I said because I didn't want a pretty girl like that to get hurt."

Then he stood up a little better and glanced at Mosley. "Are you sure you ain't gay?"

"Did any other Crowders order a hit on her?" Raylan asked him.

"By 'any other Crowders,' you mean Daddy?" Bambi asked, all knowing the answer.

"Who's still in prison, by the way, as I'm
sure Mr. Big Boy here's been bragging about," Johnny muttered.

"That's right!"

"He could get the word out," Raylan insisted.

"Well, if he did, I didn't hear about it. I heard nothing. He doesn't tell me that shit anymore. I'm as good as Bambi," he said, sounding a bit bitter.

Raylan and Mosley, realizing they weren't going to get any answers, just shook their heads and left. And Bambi, worried about Ava, went after them.

"'Cause I am the business owner!" Johnny shouted after them. "I'm the respectable one!"

"Sure you are!" Bambi humored him as she went through the door. "Raylan! Ava?"

"She's okay, Bambi," he said softly, turning to look at her. "I was there and chased him off. We just need to find him, is all. But Ava is fine. You know how tough she is. They've got her at the station where she's safe."

Bambi sighed in relief and nodded her head. "Can I come to see her?" she questioned. "Please?"

"Now, hold on—"

"Of course, you can," Raylan told her, cutting off Mosley. "She's your family. You must be really worried. But we've got a few more stops to make before we go back to the station."

"Thank you, Raylan. I appreciate that."

✵︎

When they arrived back at the Sheriff's station, the sun was rising and Bambi was tired, but she didn't let it affect her. And when the car pulled up, they found Ava smoking on the street corner instead of safely tucked inside the station, which made Bambi roll her eyes playfully.

For someone that had a hit on her head, she wasn't too worried.

"I told them to keep you inside," Mosley said as they parked next to her.

"I started smoking, and they kicked me out," she said, amused. "Besides, no Crowder's gonna do anything in broad daylight."

"She's probably right about that," Bambi said as they got out of the squad car together. Then she rushed to Ava, who hugged her.

"I'll see if they found out something," Mosley said, heading inside.

"You find Johnny?" Ava asked Raylan, her arm still around Bambi.

"Yeah. It wasn't him," he explained. "Says he doesn't know who it was."

"You believe him?"

"I do," he nodded. "He says he was just warning you because he likes you."

Ava nearly laughed. "How sweet. I guess talking about plastic-lined trunks and chainsaws is kind of flirty."

"Well, in Harlan it is," Bambi teased. Then her expression softened. "You really okay?"

"Not even a scratch on me," she assured her. "My bed's all tore up though. Need a new frame."

"We can go lookin' at yard sales next weekend," she offered. "Get you a real nice one to take up to Lexington."

Then Mosley returned, sticking his head out the door. "They called around to all the hospitals and clinics within a hundred miles, no gunshot victims."

"Probably holed up in a cabin in a holler, licking his wounds," Raylan assumed.

"I guess I'll start looking at the cabins around here," he said.

"Like that'll be easy," Bambi sighed, knowing there was a cabin every hundred yards in the surrounding towns.

"What you gonna do?" Mosley asked, looking to Raylan.

"Well, as soon as she finishes her cigarette, I'm gonna get Ava the hell out of Harlan," Raylan explained. "And I figure Bambi's gone come to."

"Damn right, Marshal," she said, squaring her shoulders to look a little tougher, which made him and Ava laugh. "Ain't nobody touching Ava with me around. I'll fight 'em tooth and nail."

Raylan chuckled and shook his head, thinking of how she'd trembled at being held at gunpoint and gotten roughed up by Perkins' nephews. "Yeah, sure you will."

✵︎

Turns out, Raylan wanted to take Ava up to Lexington, where she'd be safe. And surprisingly, they were expected. A young, pretty woman was waiting for them behind the glass doors, and Raylan sighed when he saw her, opening up the door.

"Hello, Rachel. Don't suppose it's a coincidence, you standing there?" he asked knowingly.

A barely there smirk appeared on Rachel's face. "What do you think?" she asked before shaking Ava's hand. "Ms. Crowder, you're coming with me."

Bambi watched uselessly as Ava was led back into the hallway, leaving her alone with Raylan. He glanced at the Chief's office and then at her.

"Just, uh, wait here," he said stiffly before heading to Art Mullen's office.

Bambi stood there awkwardly with her hands behind her back, eyes on Raylan as he walked into the office, not bothering to close the door — which he'd regret. She watched as he moved to sit down before stopping, his boss telling him to stand.

They exchanged a few words before Art shouted suddenly, making Bambi flinch as her eyes widened. Everyone in the office could hear.

"Hell, I'm wondering myself! Let me see if I can get this straight? You shot somebody else? At her house?" he asked accusingly.

"He broke in. He took a shot at — He almost killed her, for God's sakes!" Raylan snapped.

"Where'd you pop it off this time? In her bedroom?" he yelled, earning silence. Because it had been in her bedroom, Bambi knew from Ava's comment about her bed frame. Raylan's boss laughed humorlessly. "Well, Vasquez is gonna have a field day with this one, isn't he? Just what in God's name do you expect me to do, Raylan?"

"I tell you to do one simple thing, refrain from screwing the witness in your own shooting, and you can't even do that!" he went on, clearly furious. "You think there's never gonna be any consequences for this? Just because we taught shooting together
at Glynco?"

"Whoa, whoa," Raylan interjected, "if you want to transfer me, by all means, be my guest."

"Don't — did I say I wanted to transfer you?"

Her eyes widened, realizing what he meant — Raylan could get fired if things with this investigation didn't go his way.

Bambi bit her lower lip and eyed the floor, feeling awkward and out of place as Art and Raylan lowered their voices — she hated it and wished that the Rachel person had taken her away with Ava.

"Sorry about them," a new voice said.

She looked up and spotted a handsome blonde man just a few years older than her who was standing behind a desk. He had a kind smile on his face as he walked around to the other side of his desk and leaned against it.

"They're always bickering like an old married couple," he joked.

"Well, remind me not to get married," she said halfheartedly. Then she tucked some hair behind her ear. "I'm, um, Bambi Crowder. A, well, I guess Raylan and I are friends."

"Didn't know Raylan had friends," he admitted. "Comforting to know you exist."

Bambi giggled and shook her head. "You're horrible. You'd hurt his feelings if he heard you, Marshal."

"Marshal Gutterson. Tim Gutterson," he introduced, offering his hand to shake. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a bit about you and your family."

It made her smile dim a bit. "Unfortunately."

"I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly. "Just, Raylan's brought you up a couple times the last few weeks. If he talks about Harlan, he talks about you."

"That's comforting," she admitted, relieved to know Raylan might actually enjoy her company. It was so impossibly hard to find friends who weren't deterred by her last name. "So, how long have you—"

"Bambi Crowder," Art Mullen interrupted as he came out of his office with a dejected Raylan.

"Yes, Sir?" she asked, standing a little straighter with her hands behind her back nervously.

"Raylan here is going to see Boyd Crowder at Big Sandy," he explained. "On the off chance he's not open to talking to the man that shot him—"

"I did not shoot him. That was God," Raylan declared, earning a glare from Art, who was not in the joking mood. "Sorry."

"Perhaps," Art continued, "he'd be open to talking to you, his baby sister. The quicker we figure out who was hired to come after Ava Crowder, the sooner your sister-in-law will be safe."

"Of course, I'll go," Bambi agreed. Then she glanced at Raylan almost nervously, which made him furrow his eyebrows. "Just Boyd, right? No other Crowders?"

"We ain't talkin' to your daddy if we can help it," Raylan said in a gentle tone. "But if it comes to it... for Ava's safety..."

"Got it," she said stiffly, swallowing thickly. "Well, let's get this field trip going."

✵︎

Bambi didn't want to be in the prison, sitting at a metal table bolted to the ground next to Raylan, waiting on her brother, but there she was. She hadn't seen him since that day she visited a few weeks ago and wasn't looking forward to it at all.

Rather than wait in silence for ten minutes, Bambi broke it, eyeing Raylan warily. "Can you... are you really in trouble for getting mixed up with Ava?"

"Oh, Art's just talk," Raylan said, lying to ease her nerves. "I am sorry you heard all that, though — me bein' called into the Principal's office and all."

She laughed a bit and shook her head. "Somethin' tells me you get called in a lot."

Raylan looked at her in amusement. "Maybe a little," he admitted. "But he loves to see me comin'."

"I bet you think everyone thinks that," she said, scoffing at his cocky attitude.

"Well, I am a delight and pleasure to be around," he insisted. "You wouldn't put up with me if not."

Bambi just smiled at him, but before she could tease him about his personality some more, the door opened and they watched as Boyd was walked in, wearing an orange jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him.

"Well, I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Bambi, Raylan, but you know how these places can be," Boyd said in a calm tone as they forced him to sit down. "So many gates and sally ports and highly invasive searches."

Bambi held back an inappropriate snicker as Boyd cast a look at one of the guards.

"What brings you to my house?" he asked.

"Oh?" Raylan raised an eyebrow. "This is your house now, huh?"

"Why, yes, prison is my home, if that's what you're asking, Raylan. This is where God needs me to be. Now, how can I—"

Raylan quickly cut him off. "All right. Boyd, I don't mean to be rude, but I didn't come to hear you preach, and I don't want to hear about my daddy, neither."

Bambi raised a silent eyebrow, not knowing what his father had to do with all this. Had Raylan been to visit Boyd again?

"Well, what can I do for you, Raylan?" Boyd questioned curiously.

"I need a reason to not bring the full weight of every available resource I can muster down on the heads of you and your father and every Crowder housed in this or any other federal penitentiary," Raylan said in a low tone, glaring at the man.

Bambi swallowed thickly, not used to seeing him so dark and angry. Something unfamiliar stirred inside of her, wondering if one day he'd care enough about their friendship to react in such a way — not that she ever wanted to be in a position to make him so vengeful.

"Well, who lit your fuse?" Boyd asked him.

"Do not feign ignorance."

"Well, I am surely not," he frowned.

Raylan tilted his head. "You don't know anything about somebody taking a shot at Ava?" he asked doubtfully.

Boyd leaned in, his face scrunched up in confusion. "What? Well, when did this happen?"

"You tell me," he shot back.

"Well, you think that I would do that, knowing me as well as you do?" he asked, sounding a little hurt as he looked at Bambi. "Bambi?"

"Do I think you ordered it?" Raylan asked, sighing. "No. I figure if you wanted that done, you had plenty of opportunities."

"You think our daddy did?" Boyd guessed.

"He's got the reason and the inclination, B," Bambi pointed out.

"Why, yes, he does, but I can assure you that he did not do this," he insisted, and because she knew her brother so well, Bambi actually believed him even without hearing it from Bo himself.

"You know this how?" Raylan asked, not trusting his word so easily.

"Well, I spoke to him the other day about Ava. And I told him that there was no peace in an act of revenge, but God was the comfort he seeks—"

Raylan huffed and cut him off. "Stop it."

But Boyd kept going. "For in the Bible it says, Romans 12, 'Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God—'"

Suddenly, fed up with him, Raylan reached across the table, grabbing at Boyd to attack him. Boyd jumped back, and Raylan crawled over the table, backing him into the wall.

"Raylan!" Bambi snapped, standing quickly.

Instantly, the guards rushed at Raylan and pulled him off. Raylan fought them, but was ultimately forced out as he shouted at Boyd, who just stayed there with a calm look on his face the whole time.

"Well, I'm so very disappointed in you, Raylan," he muttered.

As Raylan was dragged into the hallway, Bambi looked at her brother, unimpressed. When the door shut, silence fell over them, and Boyd slowly looked at her.

"How have you been, Sweet Sister?" he asked while sitting back across from her.

"Been better," she admitted. "Almost got shot once. Couple of thugs roughed me up another time. Raylan took care of them, though."

"Good," he nodded. "Though I must say that I am quite surprised seeing you two here together."

"Well, if anyone's gone be able to tell you're lying, it'd be me," she said softly. "And you ain't — lying about Daddy, I mean. Raylan's just not thinkin' clearly right now."

"That is quite evident given his explosion of fury just now," he said, shaking his head in a judgemental way. "Raylan Givens is an angry man."

"And yet you want me to stay near him," she noted.

"Only until Daddy is out. He can protect you from his enemies once freed from his bonds."

"His so-called enemies haven't shown up like you feared, Boyd," she sighed. "I don't need Daddy's protection or anyone else's. I can protect myself."

"Oh," he laughed, "I don't doubt that you could outshoot even the great Marshal himself even if he's not aware of your talents with a gun in hand just yet."

"He ain't," she said, rolling her eyes. Bo had ensured she knew how to handle a gun when she was growing up, but she hadn't touched one since leaving for college. "What use I got walkin' around with a gun like everyone else in Harlan?"

Rather than argue that everyone carrying was a reason why she should also carry, Boyd just moved on. "I do believe that should Raylan so choose to calm down, I could provide the bit of insight you two have come searching for. He need only forget his anger for a few mere minutes."

"A few minutes anger-free sounds hard for him," she said before looking at the guard in the corner. "Can he come back in?"

After a moment, he nodded and went back to get Raylan from the hallway, where he'd calmed down.

"You think you can behave yourself this time?" the guard asked him.

Rather than reply, Raylan just kept quiet and sat back beside Bambi. He rolled his jaw and then made eye contact with Boyd.

"Anyway, you were saying?" he asked, keeping his tone level.

"Well, I wanted to assure you that my father played no hand in this shooting," he explained. "And I spoke to him the other day about Ava, and he assured me that he would give her a pass, at least until he got out. However, if he saw her in Harlan, he could not guarantee that he wouldn't change his mind."

Bambi sighed in relief, realizing Ava would be safe so long as she stayed in Lexington.

"Now, he'd have no reason to lie to me, Raylan. He never has before," Boyd insisted. And as Raylan thought it over, both siblings studied his tense body. "You're so very disturbed, my friend. Let me ask you something. Where was this shot fired?"

"In her house," he replied, but Bambi knew that wasn't what Boyd was asking.

"But where in the house? Was it in the kitchen? In the living room? Was it in the bedroom?"

Raylan narrowed his eyes defensively. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Humor me. I think I might be onto something," he said, a glimmer in his eyes.

"It was in the bedroom. Why?" he asked tensely.

"Now, was Ava alone at the time of the shooting, or was she keeping company with someone?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"Was that company you, Raylan?" Boyd accused knowingly.

"All right. Thank you," Raylan said, moving to get up, not wanting to entertain him. "Bambi, come on—"

"Hold on. Give me thirty seconds," Boyd told him when Bambi didn't move. "I'm not trying to pry. I am honestly trying to help you out. Now, sit down."

Begrudgingly, Raylan did so. "Now, I know what it was like for you growing up in that household, having to watch your daddy rough up your mama—"

"Oh, dear Lord. We're not talking about my father again, are we?" Raylan asked in annoyance, especially not wanting to talk about this with Bambi there.

"I can only imagine what it must have been like as a little boy having to see something like that. Not being able to do anything about it. Well, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that's not a big reason why you got your gold star and your gun—"

"You know, I'm not an idiot."

"I would think that you vowed—"

"I'm not completely unaware of my motivations in life," Raylan told him, full on glaring.

"What I think that you might be unaware of is how powerful such a motivation can be. Powerful enough to cloud your vision, cloud your judgment," he went on.

"Are you even in the vicinity of a point?" he asked him impatiently.

"I'm closing in, I promise," he said, the corners of his lips turning up. "Now, you're laying in Ava's bed next to her, and someone takes a shot. Now, given Ava's bad blood with my family, why, naturally, you would assume it was a Crowder, but what if it was the assumption before that one that was erroneous?"

"What assumption was that?" Bambi asked, leaning forward on her elbows.

"What if Ava wasn't the intended?" Boyd asked as realization crossed Raylan's face. "Now, given all the enemies you've made over all these many years, what if that shooter was gunning for you?"

✵︎

How Boyd and Raylan surmised that Sheriff Mosley was in on the assassination attempt on Raylan, Bambi would never know. But Boyd revealed that after Bo was locked up, Mosley took over running the drug ring, working for the cartel over it from Florida.

The cartel that wanted Raylan dead, evidently.

And perfectly timed, as Raylan and Bambi were getting their effects back from the prison check-in point, Raylan's cellphone rang. It was Mosley who was calling.

"It's Raylan," he said simply. And because they were walking, Bambi couldn't hear what Mosley was saying on the other side.

It was raining when they stepped outside, and Raylan, while talking, walked around to Bambi's side and opened up the door for her. "I did. He said the second I saw you, I should shoot you in the face."

Then he went around to his side, getting in as Bambi buckled up. "You wasted enough time just then."

Now that they were in the quiet car, she could hear his muffled voice. "You know I got Ava? Pay careful attention, now, or she dies."

✵︎

Bambi was not involved with the rescue of Ava and the taking down of Mosley. But after a car chase and Ava absolutely wrecking the man who shot at them in her house, she and Raylan were safe, and the former Sheriff Mosley was behind bars with a broken hand.

Now, a visitor's badge was clipped to the fabric of the pink sundress that Bambi was wearing as she made her way into the courthouse where the U.S. Marshals were working. Part of her was anxious about showing up uninvited but then reminded herself that it was a public space — and surely Raylan wouldn't be annoyed at her for being there.

As she reached the glass doors, she didn't see the Marshal anywhere, but she saw two other familiar faces. Marshals Rachel Brooks and Tim Gutterson, which put her a little bit at ease even though she'd rather be with Raylan.

Bambi quickly plastered a sweet smile on her face and let herself inside with her free hand. Neither looked up from their work at first, but when Bambi cleared her throat while making her way over to their desks, she caught their attention.

"Miss Crowder?" Tim asked while standing up and straightening his tie. Rachel settled for a curious smile. "Can we help you?"

"You can call me Bambi. And well, I thought maybe I could help y'all," she admitted, her smile turning sheepish. "Um, well, I wanted to thank y'all for helping out my sister-in-law. Maybe the hit wasn't on her, but she was in real danger yesterday. I thought maybe your office deserved a reward."

"And the reward is in that dish?" Rachel asked, now standing as well as she looked at the covered pan in Bambi's hand.

"Yup," she said proudly. "I mean, maybe you don't like peach cobbler, but everyone always says I'm a good baker."

"Oh, hell yes," Tim said with a smile as she pulled the lid off, revealing the fresh baked good. It looked perfect — like something out of a cooking magazine. Tim glanced at Rachel. "We still got plates from Amanda's birthday cake?"

"Not sure," she cringed, moving to get them.

"Oh, I brought some paper plates and forks!" Bambi admitted, setting the dish down on Tim's neatly organized desk so that she could grab them out of her tote bag. "And napkins. School teacher and all. Gotta be prepared for everything, even messes."

"Well, we thank you," Rachel said, a soft, barely-there smile on her face as Tim cut her a corner piece of the cobbler. "But I know it isn't gonna taste as good as my mama's peach cobbler."

"Nothin's ever better than a mama's," she laughed. "Anyway, I guess Raylan is busy, but don't eat it all before he can get some."

Tim and Rachel shared a smirk, thinking of the newby that they still liked to haze every now and then. "We'll see," Tim said. "Besides, a grandpa like Raylan needs to watch his sugar intake."

"A what like who?"

All three of them looked up at Raylan, who'd entered the room with Art right behind him, clearly having heard Tim's comment, who was grinning mischievously.

"I think you heard me," Tim said boldly before bringing a forkful of cobbler to his mouth.

"Oh, that's Marshal Gutterson's way of calling you wise and in shape," Bambi said to Raylan, smirking a bit.

"Hey now," Tim said, smiling softly at her. "If I'm calling you Bambi, you gotta call me Tim."

"Alright, Tim," she said, happy to make some progress with Raylan's coworker. Then she looked at the very man she'd come for as well as his boss. "Raylan, Chief Mullen, I brought some peach cobbler just to thank you all for your hard work these last few days. Thank you for keepin' my sister-in-law safe."

"Well, it's just doing our job," Art said, eyeing Rachel's plate, "but if the reward is a cobbler that looks like it should have them cartoon scent waves above it, then I'll accept your gratitude."

Bambi giggled as Art joined them, getting his own plate. Rather than join them, Raylan hung back, watching the four of them interact with a fond smile. Given his history with Art and that he and Rachel and Tim were on the way to becoming, dare he say it, friends, it warmed his heart seeing Bambi get along with them.

"Raylan, come on," Bambi said, smiling beautifully at him over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Rachel chuckled, "because this is so good I'm considering not letting you get a slice."

"Oh, I could take you, Rachel," Raylan laughed while coming over, standing next to Bambi.

Bambi shook her head. "I don't know. She looks scrappy and resourceful."

Raylan scoffed and looked down at her. "Oh ye of little faith?"

"Faith? Careful or you'll start sounding like Boyd."

"Oh, heaven forbid."

[ do we like this banner more than the other one? I kinda hate them both but can't really make a better one. crying ]