Sheriff Gus paced across his office, his hands cold as he poured out two tins of coffee. He slid one across his desk.

"You see, Doctor Schultz," he announced, plopping down in his seat across from the shorter man, "I had no idea the Wilson-Lowe gang existed much less were wanted for robbery. Show me them papers with the prices on 'em."

Schultz dug his hand in the pocket of his waistcoat, slipping out two neatly folded pages and handing them across the table. Django, who stood at the wall next to him, squinted at the posters, trying to read the names aloud.

"Willis Way," he said slowly. "That's five-hundred."

"So," the sheriff hummed, eyes glancing back and forth from either page. "That's five-hundred for Wilson, seven-fifty for Lowe…total of twelve-fifty," he set the posters down and opened his drawer, rustling through his things. "How about we make each them sidekicks worth one-fifty a piece, that way you get an even seventeen-hundred?"

"David...Varley," Django stuttered from behind him. "Three-fifty."

King smiled at the sheriff. "That's quite alright with us, isn't it Django?"

"Seventeen-hundred? Yeah, I like that," he paused before turning back to the wall as Gus began to count out the bills. "Warren...V-Vanders...two-thousand dollars-"

"That one," King blurted. Django took the bottom edge of the delicate page and yanked it from the wall.

Part of him wished they hadn't met.

He stared blankly at the dark ceiling, his eyes tracing patterns that didn't exist. Laying on his back, not having the slightest as to how late it had gotten, King felt guilty. He felt like if she hadn't fallen for him then maybe she'd be better off. She had everything ahead of her-she was young and beautiful with a good life and a loving family. He was sure every man and boy in town had tried their hand at her with just cause. Plenty of handsome ones, too.

But King couldn't wrap his head around it. Why him? He would only burden her with unnecessary pain and grief. She didnt need that, certainly not if it was all for the sake of being with him.

He typically didn't find women complicated as most men did, but Violet was a complete enigma to him. And she had no idea.

She had no idea she was wasting her life away pining over a man who could never satisfy her. She had no idea she had so much life and prosperity ahead of her with a better man. She had no idea she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and it broke his heart to admit how badly he wanted to love her.

Violet stared out the window.

Black.

She knew sleep wouldn't come easy. He was all she could think about. No boy in town could live up to him; the way he made her feel. They were all too ugly or too demanding or too sex-driven. But King was perfect; she knew it from the day they met.

Did he want her as much as she did him? She worried deeply that he didn't. It made her heart hurt.

The only thing she could really do was find out for herself.

Violet kicked her covers off, shivering as she crawled off the edge of her bed and tip-toed across the wooden floors. Opening the door agonizingly slowly, she peeped her head out, shooting a glance in either direction down the hall. Empty.

The house was dead silent, save for the occasional snore echoing from her father's room down the hall and the tiny creaks beneath her feet. She closed her eyes as she passed her brothers' room, silently praying she wouldn't wake them. It wasn't like she could see anyways.

It was a complete stroke of luck that she didn't scream.

A soft grunt escaped her mouth as she stepped into what she knew was a man's chest. The thought that she just ran into her father made her blood run cold and she shivered, only to be met with a rather unfamiliar voice.

"Sorry, miss." It was too high above her to be King's voice. Must be that Django boy.

"What are you doing out here?" Violet hissed, stepping back out of his shadow. The faint moonlight streaming through the window confirmed her assumption of his identity.

"I's tryin' to find the shithouse, miss," she wanted to smile; he looked so funny in the nightshirt his mother had leant him. "Didn't mean to wake nobody."

"It's fine- it's down that hall and out the door to the right." She pointed towards a dark doorway across the living area, illuminated only by a blue glow reflecting from outside, so soft it was barely visible.

He gave a small nod and maneuvered around her, following the trail of light. She waited until he ever-so-quietly closed the back door behind him before she swung back around and prowled towards the guest room.

He had hardly given sleep any thought. He knew better. His wandering thoughts of her were interrupted as the doorknob turned slowly; he was well aware who was coming. She may have confused the hell out of him, but she wasn't completely unpredictable.

She peeped her head past the door.

"Can I come in?"

King merely gestured for her to come forward. She crept in and shut the door as quietly as she could, not looking him in the eye.

"I need to talk to you," she whispered and walked towards the bed. "It's important."

He shifted the blanket off and threw his legs over the edge, sitting up as she settled next to him. Dim blue light flooded in from the window above the bed and made her eyes glassy. She stared at him pensively.

"I'm going with you," she blurted, louder than she intended.

King didn't miss a beat. "Like hell you are."

Violet furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "Well, why not?" she gritted.

"It's not safe," he sighed and stood from the bed, pacing to his jacket that hung on the footboard. "You need to stay here with your family."

Digging through the pocket, he pulled a small box of matches before moving around back to where Violet sat. He struck a match and opened the lantern on the nightstand.

"But it's boring here."

"You're telling me you'd rather be in constant danger than be bored?" It was more of a statement than it was a question. He lit the gas in the lantern and the room began to glow a dull gold.

Violet wanted to say yes. Bounty hunting was exciting, was it not? Anything was more exciting than living in the middle of South Dakota sewing pillows and cooking all day.

But she didn't want to be difficult.

"You can't," King reiterated, shaking the match until the flame died.

"Yes I can!" she whispered excitedly. "I want to do what you do."

"Bounty hunting?" Violet nodded. He frowned disapprovingly. "Why? I kill people for a living." Her expression fell slightly. "It isn't fun. Whoever or whatever made you think that way is wrong."

She bit the inside of her cheek and cast her eyes to the floor. He felt bad saying it, but he knew her naivety was going to get her hurt one day. She may as well be told before she got herself killed.

They sat in silence, every second feeling like an eternity. Violet finally turned to him, scooting closer and closing the gap between them.

"King?" she whispered, placing her hand at the back of his neck. He raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want you to go." She left a chaste kiss on his lips before moving down his jaw. "I miss you too much," her breath tickled his ear. She kissed down his neck and he looked to the ceiling to stop himself from letting her win.

"Please," she whined, biting his collarbone.

"Violet."

"Hm?" She reached under his nightshirt and he grabbed both her wrists, gently pulling her off him.

"I can't let you come."

Violet could feel herself tearing up. She looked away from him, biting her lip before he took her chin in his hand and turned her face to him.

"It's not fair," she choked, tears threatening to fall. King wrapped his arms around her, holding her head to his chest while he stroked her hair. He could feel her crying.

"I know, mein liebchen."

He laid back, letting her rest her head against him as he held her. They sat in silence for several minutes, save for the occasional snivel from Violet. When she was finished, she stared at the wall, head resting on his heart.

"King?"

"Yes, my dear."

She was holding his sides tight, pulling herself up to look him in the eyes. She lowered her voice again.

"Take me."

His eyes darkened. He couldn't pretend he didn't constantly think about it.

Wrapping his hands in her hair, he brought her face to his and kissed her hard. He felt her tongue teasing at his mouth and he sat up, pulling open the top button of her nightgown. He leaned back, pausing to look at her face again.

King smiled lovingly before leaning over to blow out the lantern.