April 22, 1900

Black Diamond. 

I lay in the tree early this morning, unable to sleep. I’d watched the sun come up and tried to get the images of the past day out of my mind but it seemed to be a losing battle. The sound of horse hooves came over and I looked down to see Alex dismounting Leo. 

“Hey Trin!” he greeted as I slid down the tree. “Are you okay?” 

I walked over to him and hugged him tightly. “Can we get some coffee at the saloon...?”

“Yeah, coffee would be good.” 

“I guess you heard..” I looked over at him as we walked over to the saloon and took a seat at the bar. 

He grabbed us each a mug of coffee and asked, “You need a splash of whiskey this morning?”

“Yes please.” 

“Yeah, Aly and Stormy told me what happened,” he nodded and poured the whiskey in my cup, sliding it to me. “How are you feeling about it?”

“It was awful, Alex. She just started shooting at us. Aly deputized me and then I shot back. I didn’t mean to kill her...” I sighed. 

“I’m so sorry, Trin,” he took my hand. “I know you never shoot unless you have to.”

“After the situation with Jack, I was just gonna stay out of it. Ger promised it wouldn’t go to court. But that was my biggest fear. The second I heard she was dead I panicked...” I felt the wounds in my abdomen and reached to rub them with my other hand. 

“Did you get shot too?” he looked at me with concern. 

“She shot at me first. That’s when I pulled my gun.”

“Are you okay, physically? Aly didn’t tell me that part.” 

“My arm wasn’t feeling the greatest because of it either. My chest hurts... moreso when I remember how it happened.”

“If she shot you, you don’t have anything to be ashamed of. You had to shoot her.” “I’m not ashamed I just...” I shook my head. 

“I know, maybe that’s not the right word.” 

“She almost killed Dave,” I looked at him with worry. 

“Wow. Trin, you did the right thing, even if it feels awful.” 

“Before she shot at me. I was on the porch telling Aly about Dave when she came around and decided to shoot at us. I don’t know if she hit Aly...”

“No, Aly was okay,” he shook his head and I sighed with relief. “I don’t think she realized you had been hit though.” 

“I didn’t even go to make sure Sasha was okay. I ran to the clinic as much as I could. I knew Ger and Myst were still there with Dave. Think I’ll be laying low today.”

“That’s probably a good idea. You need to rest and heal.” 

“It did get me thinking though... I want to be there at your wedding. You both mean too much to me and I’d feel awful if I wasn’t there.”

“That’s great! We both really want you there. You our best friends. It wouldn’t feel right to not have you there.” 

“Exactly. Do I get to wear a tux?” I winked at him. 

“You can wear a tux. I kinda like the idea of you in a tux.” 

“Me too. They’re more comfortable than dresses.”

“Actually, I thought you might prefer one to a big poofy bridesmaid dress,” he chuckled.

“I’d nudge you if I had the energy to,” I glared at him playfully. 

“Hey, I know you well! You don’t like dresses.” 

“Mmhmm. Only when I perform.”

He reached over and gave my hand a squeeze. “I’m really glad you’ll be there.”

I smiled and squeezed his hand back. “Me too. It feels right. Guess I can throw out those cases against Sasha now huh..”

“Yeah, I supposed you can.”

“You feeling any better?”

“You know what? I am. Mysti told me I was more a hero than anything. And now about this wedding, I just feel a peace.”

“You are a hero. It isn’t easy to do what you did, but someone had to. And I’m so happy to hear that you feel that way about the wedding. I kept debating back and forth on whether or not I should ask you... I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable in any way. But you are my best friend.” 

“At least we won’t have to worry about her.. I knew the second I saw her in Goldfield we were in for it again.”

I reached over to hug him gently and winced at the pain as he hugged me back.  “Guess I should get these bandages checked huh? On my stomach?”

“Want some opium for that?” he gave me a teasing wink. 

“Don’t tempt me... I might get addicted on that stuff.”

“I have time to change them now if you want.”

“Sure. Maybe we could go to my place? Then I can just stay there and rest.”

“Yeah, that would work. Your place is clean.” 

We headed out of the saloon and ran into Pet in front of the clinic. “How are you two today?” 

“Been better,” I admitted. 

“I’m great. Probably better than Trin. She got shot yesterday. Again!” 

“What’s wrong hon?” Pet looked at me. “Ohh, Who shot ya?” 

“Getting a bit tired of being target practice so much lately. Alex was going to check on my bandages,” I looked down then, not wanting to say Sasha’s name. 

Pet asked if we knew where Mark Grey and his family lived and Alex directed her to the right place. He offered to take her there and promised to look at my wounds later this afternoon so I went home to rest. 

A couple of hours later I came out and saw Ger and Aly sitting in the garden in front of the sheriff’s office. They were talking about Aly’s decorating around the courthouse and Ger looked over at me with concern. “You okay?” 

I walked over and sat down slowly beside Ger. “It’s been a rough night and still feeling it from getting shot yesterday. Did what I had to do I guess,” I shrugged. 

“How bad is it hurting?” 

“Hurts worse when I remember how it happened.”

“Hun, there are no words anyone can say that will make you feel any better...just know no one here blames you for what happened,” he promised. 

“I know.... she shot me first,” I nodded. 

“Trin I’m just glad you’re alive to BE upset over it,” Aly said. 

“Right...” Ger agreed. 

“Glad she didn’t shoot you too.”

“Yeah you know, I was only half asleep when that happened. And in bloomers.” 

“And had been shot already,” Ger added. 

“There was little I could to do protect everyone, so you did that for me, and it’s ok Trin. Yeah, I was recovering,” she nodded to Ger. 

“At least you deputized me. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”

“You didn’t arrest her. Well uh... Granted she was dead...” 

“Even if you weren’t deputized...you were justified in protecting yourself,” Ger said and I nodded to him. 

“Just not when someone threatens to tie me up....” I looked at Ger and shook my head. “Sorry.” 

“Depends on where you are...and who it is,” he stuck his tongue out at me. 

“Trin. Do you know what I would have done if someone threatened to tie me up?” Aly asked. 

“Do you think I should drop the charges against Jack?” I looked at Ger. 

“That is up to you Trin...I can’t say yes or no,...and what would you have done sis?” 

“Let him get close enough, then deliver a good swift kick toward the groin, and been thankful for wearing heavy boots that day,” Aly continued. 

But you and Lil both said I should have been arrested for pulling my gun out. But according to Bree’s statement, he had his gun out too I just didn’t see it ‘cause I was focused on Bree.”

“If he already had his gun out you can have yours out,” Aly said. “And I’d let that arresting comment go, Trin. It didn’t happen. Ok?” 

“I was going by your statement Trin, and we discussed this yesterday.” 

“That’s why I apologized as soon as I said it. I’m just tired and emotional right now.” 

“And LiL doesn’t know a thing, she ain’t law,” Aly added. 

“I’m sorry, Ger,” I looked at him. 

“No problem....I know you are not yourself today.” 

“The courthouse looks nice, Aly,” I told her with a smile and then said. “Means I get to wear a tux.”

“My favorite part about it is the yellow hat on the gnome,” Aly smiled and then looked at me. “You can be a best woman and still wear a dress! People might think you’re a lesbian,” she laughed. “Just saying! Women who wear suits to weddings usually are.” 

“Wait....if you are wearing a tux, does that mean I have to wear a gown?!?” Ger blinked and I laughed. 

“Guess that means I get to write a speech...” I chuckled. 

“But that makes me really happy....it means a lot,” she smiled at me and then looked at Ger. “Gerric you better NOT wear a gown while you walk me down the aisle, then people are gonna think I am a lesbian.” 

“Ger in a dress....” I shook my head and we all laughed at that. 

“I’m really happy to have both of you there. It means SO much to me,” Aly kept smiling and I reached over to squeeze her and. “Trin?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I know you’ve been hurting and trying to rest and stuff, I completely understand that, but have you had a chance to get anything from Stormy for statements?” 

“Yes I did. Here let me hand those to you...” I said and handed them over to her to read. 

“Oh, and I would like a copy of the warrant when you give it to Jimmi,” Ger requested. 

“Think I’m gonna lay down for a bit,” I said then and said goodbye to them before heading to my apartment to lay down.