Scarlett groaned as she adjusted herself in the dress she felt was too tight for anyone. Being in the hot desert air was not helping matters either. Waving the fan as Sam did most of the talking she just tried to keep herself out of the sun at the fancy party her fake husband had managed to get an invitation to. She had never heard of a patio party but she supposed the rich would take any occasion and make a party out of it, even building a fancy deck onto the back of an already large enough house. Keeping with what the other men were like, Scarlett was happy to see the plan was working.

Leaning against a tree for support, she closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the small breeze that would come by every few moments.

"I never understood why women suffer so much for fashion." she heard a male voice comment from beside her.

Turning her head, and blowing one of her red curls off her face she saw a tall man with chin length blonde hair, blonde scruff and not even looking her way as he took a sip of the drink he held in his hand.

"Isn't that all women are for? To be put on display and others to marvel at?" she retorted as she continued with her fan.

The man knew she made a fine point as he looked around the party. She saw his odd movement from his hand in his pocket gripping something tight, to the grip he held of the stem glassware in his hand. He was waiting for something.

"I can't say much on that note, I don't have a wife to put on display as you so politely put it. Though I believe a woman should be able to dictate what she wears and does." he replies as he nods his head, almost as if he was agreeing with his own comment.

"Really, most prefer barefoot and pregnant. Though the more money you have, the fancier the footwear may be." she challenged as she followed his gaze throughout the party.

"Perhaps, though not all men are alike just as all women are not alike. The father of the lady throwing this party is a true crook, killing farmers in the night and buying up their land. Do you support such people?" he asked and now turned right to face her, making direct eye contact.

Shaking her head, Scarlett felt the blood boil beneath her skin. This was the rumored home of her father's killer's daughter. Sam had got them here to see if they had any information on where the killer might be, however she now had a feeling something much bigger was at play.

"Never. I am a woman though, what would I know?" she asked with a shrug as she broke their gaze.

He grinned at her as he walked right up to her. She didn't fear him but did do a double take at him when she noticed he was invading her personal bubble and that did put her on edge.

"When I say so, hide behind that tree. It is about to get very messy." he warned her before gently guiding her behind the tree and gently pressing her against it before looking back out to the party.

"Are you trying to kill me or take me for ransom?" she asked as she looked up at him right in the eyes again.

"I wouldn't have moved you out of harm's way if I wanted you dead, ransom isn't worth it and takes too long. I just saved your life." he said as he looked down at her. "Name's Doc, what about you Red?"

"Scarlett." she replied before her head had time to stop her.

"Fits you, well Scarlett stay behind this tree and hope we don't hit your husband." he said as he took her hand and placed a light peck against her skin. "Hope to meet you under better circumstances one day."

With that she heard a gunshot go off and the man pulled out his own gun and walked forward. Swallowing, Scarlett lifted her dress but she only had a small dagger that would only do well to defend her own life not the lives of others.

"You rich folk think you own everything, now the time has come to pay it forward." a male voice called out loudly.

She could hear the multiple gunshots going off and fear overcame her, tears threatened to spill from her eyes unsure she would get out of this alive. Barely turning to see what was going on, she saw multiple people dead on the ground, none of them were Sam though so that was good news. Charles, nor Henry or even Jasper came with them because they had no idea something like this could happen.

"Take the woman, she'll know how to get to her daddy and we'll make him pay and not with money either." the male called out again as she heard a woman scream.

Sneaking enough to follow them to their horses, she watched as one of the men with a red bandana over his face put the woman on a horse. Her hands were bound and there was a gag over her mouth.

Feeling something cold on the back of her neck, Scarlett slowly lifted her hands into the air.

"Looks like we got a curious cat here boys." a younger male called out to the group as he forced Scarlett forward.

"Bring her with us, the rich prude could use some company." the leader with the red bandana called out.

"I'll take care of her." She recognized Doc's voice as he came up behind her and tied her hands behind her back. "You should have stayed put."

"I want the same information you do." she whispers back to him.

That caught his interest, he helped her up to his horse and mounted right behind her, keeping one arm around her waist to keep her steady he noticed she didn't put up a fight at all. Maybe this woman was telling the truth, but it made him wonder why she would want to know the information they were after.

"Let's head back." the leader called as they took off.

They were coming up to a ranch and just by the entrance she saw four fresh graves, these men were probably out for revenge as well, not that she could blame them if that was the cause. She could hear the rich girl mumbling trying to scream as Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Welcome to hell, you'll be put to labor and questioning." one of the younger men piped up.

Scarlett had been through some farm work in her life but she didn't see why she would be questioned. Doc helped her down off the horse as the leader grabbed their real target and then started walking inside.

"Doc, you work on that one we got the princess." The last one laughed as he walked inside.

Scarlett looked at Doc unsure what he would do with her. Granted she had an opportunity to run now, she could knock Doc out, take his horse, go get the others and come back to ambush the men as well as get on the daughter's good side where she might give Scarlett the information she wanted much easier.

"Don't even think about running." Doc sighed as he untied her hands.

"Stop reading my mind." she replied with a flat face.

"You want information and so do we. Why do you wanna know though?"

"That woman's bastard of a father killed my father, I swore revenge and that's about it." Scarlett told the truth and Doc blinked his eyes repeatedly. "Don't believe me? I have no reason to lie."

"That's the thing, I do believe you. I commend you for your bravery but one woman against that ass is like a death sentence." he informs her.

"Well, Doc, thank you for your concern but I am sure that I will be just fine." she said as she picked up her fan and was about to fan herself again when three men came out of the house.

"What now?" Doc asked, confused.

"We may have been a bit rough...Doc come make sure she's still alive." the man sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

Shaking his head, Doc grabbed Scarlett's hand and rushed inside. When she saw a man was on top of an unconscious woman something in her snapped. Pushing Doc off her, she went to the man and grabbed him by his ear pulling him down off the bed and off the woman. He turned to look at her as he saw her doubled up fist come and hit him right on the cheek.

"Uh...Doc? He was trying to wake her up..." the leader rolled his eyes.

Scarlett held her hand as she looked back at the men in the room.

"I couldn't help it, I just reacted." she explained as she nursed her hand.

"Makes sense but none of us are that gross. Now little Joe will have a big bruise." the native laughed as Scarlet backed up to the window.

Doc chuckled as he went to the woman and checked her pulse. It was there but she was asleep and truly needed rest. They tied her ankle to the bedpost to make sure she couldn't get away.

"You can rest knowing she is alive but that you need to calm down with her, can't get anything from a dead woman." Doc said as he stood up.

Scarlett began to feel weak as she put her hand on her chest and the other on the wall to steady herself. She was trying to take deep breaths but her body wasn't managing to do it. Doc noticed and was about to go to her but she collapsed right there onto the floor.

"Did we kill her?" the youngest asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I know what ales her. Give me some privacy, I'll take care of this." Doc said as he watched the others leave the room, closing the door behind them.

Going to Scarlett he turned her so she faced up and undid the buttons of the front of her dress. He didn't want to embarrass her in front of the others but when he saw the corset he knew that was the culprit. Taking his knife he sliced right down the middle of the corset allowing her lungs the room they truly needed to breathe. Taking in a deep breath she shot right up into his arms.

"Hey, hey it's ok. The corset was restricting your air supply, I cut it to give you more air." he reassured her as he held her in his arms.

Scarlett nodded, she believed him. Taking in a deep breath and filling her lungs to their maximum capacity. Pulling away she looked at him and tried to come to terms with everything.

"Thank you, I owe you one." she smiled.

The door behind them opened and there was an older man, he looked down and saw the position Doc and Scarlett were in and raised his brow at the position. Neither of them spoke a word at first but the man looked over at the bed.

"I told you boys I would take care of this, now you've brought two women here. The children should not pay for the sins of the father." the man said as he walked over and cut the woman's leg free. "I suggest you release them tomorrow before I turn you all in."

With that the man turned and left. Doc helped Scarlett to her feet but she had to cover herself quickly since he had cut right down her corset. Taking off his shirt out of panic he quickly put it over her. She looked confused and unamused as she looked down at his shirt on her.

"Sorry, that was Thomas, his wife and three daughters were killed by that man. We went to take revenge but now I guess we have to come up with a new plan." Doc shrugged.

"Oh my story is not much better, I've denied every man my parents tried to marry me off too but in order to finance my revenge I had to agree to marry said man once I got my revenge." she just admitted to him out of the blue.

"You have had quite an interesting life. Why marry him though? You got the daughter here for the moment, befriend her and try and get her to think we took you both unsure who was who and get the information that way." Doc pointed out and Scarlett nodded.

"Let me fix myself and then lock me in here with her." Scarlett said as she turned around and buttoned her dress back up.

Doc walked to the door and caught his shirt she threw back to him. He turned back and saw Scarlett lay down on the floor to act as though she had been trapped in the room as well. He caught her eye and against his will he felt something deep within his heart for a girl he had just met. A girl out for revenge for the death of a loved one, just like him.