November 21, 1899

Coronado. 

Bright and early this morning I woke up and headed outside, getting Watson from the stable. I mounted and started out for a morning ride. Yesterday had been an intense day and the night had been filled with nightmares from the past. It was as if every bad guy I had ever faced was coming at me in succession. But this time I was able to defeat each one of them without fear and without anxiety. It was as if each nightmare that came was a display of how I’d overcome and then all those faces had turned into shadows as if ghosts of my past now defeated. 

Riding around Coronado, I felt a peace that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I knew that something inside me had changed and I finally believed everything everyone had always been telling me about how to face the enemy. I knew that things as a Pinkerton detective would never be the same. I could approach cases with confidence knowing that I could handle anything that came at my way. 

I returned to the house and walked inside. Alex was walking down the stairs and greeted me with a gentle hug. “Morning, sweetie,” I smiled at him. 

“Good morning!” 

“I was thinking...” I started, looking into his eyes. 

“Yeah?” 

“Let’s go away this weekend. Just you and me. Some time away from all of .... this, and process everything that happened yesterday.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “That would be a good idea. Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere... We could even go up north and visit Ma and Josh.... Show them the rings...”

“That would be nice,” he smiled and I leaned my head on his shoulder as he held me close. 

“How are you feeling today?” I asked. 

“A little sore,” he shrugged and looked at the bruises on my arms. “How about you?” 

“I went out for a ride this morning... To process things... Didn’t really sleep all that great. Lots of flashback nightmares.”

“I didn’t sleep well either.”

“So a weekend away is just what the doctor ordered..”

“That sounds perfect.”

“We should start packing,” I said, helping him upstairs. I started to dig through the closet and pulled out my clothes and looked back at him. “Make sure to dress warm. They’ve probably got snow up there.” 

Alex was laying down on the bed and said, “Just throw whatever into my bag. I’m not too picky. I should have warm stuff from when I lived in Boston.”

I chuckled as I looked over at him. “You want to do something other than packing, dear?”

He grinned at me and winked and I threw the clothes into the bag and then headed over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Alex took my hand and I looked in his eyes, “What’s on your mind, dear?”

He shrugged then sat up to kiss my cheek. I smiled and kissed him softly. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family...”

“I have to admit, I’m a bit nervous about that,” Alex nodded. 

“They’ll love you... They’ll see how happy we are. They’ll see I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time and it’s all because of you.”

“And I’ll love them because you came from them.”

“I just hope these shiners clear up before we get there. I don’t want to meet your mother looking like a thug.”

I giggled and said, “Once she hears how strong we both were.... She’ll be nothing but proud.”