It was late in the morning when Rose woke. She rolled over lazily, thinking she was still a young girl in her bed at home. She startled when she realized it was not her childhood room nor her bed she was sleeping in. The sun was high in the hollow, and the leaves were throwing patterns across the end of the bed where the extra quilt Forrest had given her was still laid out.

She climbed out of bed and went to open her bag. There was a small pitcher of water sitting on the vanity that had not been there the night before. She pulled several pairs of clothes out and laid them out across the bed. She washed up and headed downstairs.

The room was empty save Miss Lilly who was standing behind the counter. At the sight of Rose she wiped her hands on her apron and disappeared into the kitchen. She reappeared moments later holding a covered plate. "Sleep well?" she asked, setting the plate on the counter.

Rose nodded. "I did, thank you. Did everything go alright with you and Dan?"

Miss Lilly nodded. "I got word though that my mama is sick, so I will be away for a while. Dan is relieved I imagine. I just stopped by this morning to make sure everything will be okay for the boys...but I got here and found you. Looks like they will be just fine."

Rose blushed and dug into her breakfast. "Where are-" She started to ask.

"Boy's are already out workin," Miss Lilly said.

Rose glanced at the clock on the wall and nearly choked on her biscuit. It was nearly ten-thirty. "I can't believe it's so late. I can't remember the last time I...slept." She confessed.

Miss Lilly looked as though she understood more than she said because she nodded. "It's easier to sleep someplace you feel safe," then Miss Lilly turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

The boys didn't make it back to the store for lunch, but Rose and Miss Lilly were able to handle the lunch crowds easily. The two of them had just finished cleaning up when Dan appeared.

"You ready?" he asked.

Miss Lilly nodded. "I had hoped to say goodbye to the boys, but I don't expect they will be back for another couple hours."

"How long will you be gone?"

Miss Lilly sniffed. "I don't know. However long my mama needs," she said with a sad smile.

Rose nodded and Miss Lilly wrapped her up in a hug.

"You take care of those boys for me," Miss Lilly said sternly. "And you make sure Forrest eats. Make sure Arthur don't fight too much, and Peter gets some sleep. Them boys run themselves all day and night if someone ain't watching them."

"I will," Rose promised and Miss Lilly hugged her.

<><><><><>

That night Rose worked behind the counter for the first time by herself. At first she was terrified. Her heart pounded every time one of the men came near the counter. But as the night wore on, she found with the counter between her and the regular's she gained confidence.

She had been serving for almost an hour when Arthur came in. He looked rough, like he had been drinking, and he staggered once. He spotted her behind the counter and smiled at her. He came up and leaned across the bar. "How's it going tonight?" he didn't slur but spoke slowly and over annunciated his words.

Rose stayed back against the wall. She wasn't so much afraid of Arthur, he had never given her a reason, but she had never seen him drunk before. "Where are your brothers?" she asked.

"Why?" he did slur that time. "You look'in for Forrest? Or do you want ol' Petey?"

Rose just shook her head. "Just wonder'in is all." She looked down at her hands. "Can I get you some supper? Have you eaten?"

At that moment a group of rowdy men came in the door. There were three of them, laughing and talking. The first came up to the bar. "Even'in Mr. Garrett," he said nodded his head respectfully to Arthur. "Can I get a jar beautiful?"

Arthur stepped forward. "No you may not," he wasn't his usual jovial self anymore either. "You can leave."

Rose already had the jar in her hand and looked from the man to Arthur and back again. Arthur seemed to have sobered in those moments, and was standing up straight, his hands fisted at his sides. She suddenly remembered Miss Lilly's words about not letting Arthur fight.

"Arthur," she said, leaning forward and touching his arm. "Arthur let me get you some supper." And she turned to get a plate from the kitchen.

She didn't know what happened in those few seconds her back was turned but the next thing she knew Arthur had thrown the man up against the counter and was punching him repeatedly across the face. She froze, uncertain what to do. His friends immediately leapt up from their table and came to their friend's aid.

Rose shouted something unintelligible as the two of them jumped Arthur from behind. But instead of looking worried Arthur wooped loudly and grabbed a stool from behind him. He swung it like a bat and took out one of the two. But the swing had cost him, and his level of drunkenness made him stumble as he fought not to overcorrect.

The remaining man reached behind him and pulled a gun out of his pockets. Rose looked down around herself, she had seen them pull a gun from behind the counter but she hadn't ever found it. She dug around beneath it and her hand touched cold metal. She pulled up the shot gun and pointed it at the remaining man. "You leave here you hear!" she yelled at him. She was amazed to realize she wasn't afraid for herself, she was afraid for Arthur, and her hands gripping the shotgun were steady.

Arthur was holding his hands up for the remaining man to see.

"You drop that missy, before someone gets hurt," the man said.

"The only one getting hurt is you Cassidy," Arthur said. He leaned forward so only Rose and Cassidy could hear him. "You better shoot me," he said seriously. "And you better make sure I'm dead. Or I'm comin for you."

At that moment one of the regulars smashed his jar across Cassidy's head, knocking him to the ground. Arthur jumped forward and snatched the gun away from him before he could recover, and kicked him brutally in the face while he was down.

Rose looked away as the blood ran onto the floor.

Arthur came to the counter, set Cassidy's gun near her and took a long swig from his jar. He was grinning from ear to ear. "You okay, darl'in?" he asked, his jade colored eyes were glittering with excitement.

Rose looked down and realized she was still holding the shot gun. She put it back and nodded. "I'm fine," she promised and gave him a reassuring smile. It was strange to find that she was fine. There was a slight tremor in her hands as the adrenaline burned off. But it wasn't the other man that had scared her, instead she stared at Arthur with suspicion. This was a side to him she had never seen before and if she was honest it made me a little nervous.

Arthur nodded. "Okay," he turned to the room. "Thanks Tom for the assist," he said with a cocky smile. "Let me see to these boys and I'll let you lose to me at poker."

Tom laughed and went back to his table.

Arthur turned to Rose, leaning over the bar so he was close to her. "Bring Tom another jar since he broke his." He grabbed one of the larger men and heaved him over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

Peter and Forrest returned a short time later. Forrest didn't say a word; just took the books from behind the counter and disappeared upstairs. Peter approached and sat at one of the stools.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

Rose nodded, but she felt like her eyes were still a little too wide. It was her first night here and already she was reminded of the violence that was so prevalent in their lives, and their comfort with it. Arthur, who was so playful and flirty had just about kicked a man's head in on the floor in front of her and had laughed about it after.

"Are you sure?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, why?"

Peter snorted. "Cuz there's too much blood on the floor for everything to be all right. And the only time Arthur is ever in this good a mood is after he fights someone."

"Um, Arthur came in, had been drinking and got into it with someone named Cassidy."

Peter nodded. "Those are the boys been giving Dan a hard time. I'm amazed Arthur let them leave."

Rose swallowed hard. "He drug them out of here. Don't know what he did with them."

Peter didn't seem fazed by the information. "Why don't you head on up to bed. It's late. I'll handle clean up."

Rose shook her head defiantly. "I said I could handle this and I can. I don't need to be coddled." She glared at Peter. He hadn't done anything to scare her and she wouldn't be pushed around by him.

Peter smiled and leaned over and gave her a peck on the forehead before she could flinch away. "Go to bed Miss Rose. You've had a busy day."