Another Sunday at church. The Reverend was in the middle of an energetic sermon about the fine line between good and evil and how everyone had to choose a side.

I was thinking about damn Johnse and how again and again he couldn't make the right choice to stand by Roseanna. It nagged me more than it should have- probably because I was the only one in the McCoy household allowed to see Roseanna occasionally so I knew how much his choice was hurting her.

I caught sight of a blonde head in the crowd across the aisle from me. Cap had his head down and his brow furrowed n concentration as he stared at the back of the seat in front of him.

I watched him for a minute until all of a sudden he looked up and connected with me. Had anyone else caught me staring, I would have been mortified, but I could tell by Cap's gaze that he was trying to communicate something to me. He nodded ever so slightly toward the back of the church. He wanted to talk to me after church out where we used to shoot together.

I glanced around to see if anyone was watching then looked back at him and gave an equally small nod. He seemed content with this and turned back to the Reverend.

I was nervous. After everything that'd happened with the Hatfield's and McCoy's in the past few weeks, I didn't know what he'd say. We had certainly become friends but I knew better than to hope he would ever choose his family over me. On second thought, maybe I shouldn't go talk to him. But when the sermon came to a close and the congregation filed out into the sunny Sunday afternoon, I found myself making excuses to uncle Randall and aunt Sally that I needed some time by myself and would be back before the sun was down.

Calvin looked worried as I made to go off into the woods with my book. "Please be careful, Rebecca. You never know what could be lurkin even this close to the church on a Sunday. Wouldn't want anythin to happen to you, ya know." He turned a little red after admitting that last part.

"I know Calvin- I ain't looking for trouble. I'll be just fine, I just need a little time to myself," I said, concluding the matter as I turned on my heel away from the church.

Since Calvin had told me his feelings for me and that he intended to marry me, I'd been cautious not to lead him on at all. At least until I knew what I even felt towards him.

I wound through the trees as my feet followed the familiar path to the clearing where I stopped under the bullet-ridden target Cap had carved into a tree. Cap wasn't in sight so I propped myself against a rock and pulled out my book.

I was so deep in my reading that I didn't notice Cap until his shadow crossed over the words I was reading. I rolled my eyes exaggeratedly at him before putting the book down with a thud.

He looked at me trying to hide his growing grin but failing. "I ain't never seen a girl read as much as you."

"Well I like readin', it can take me a million miles away when everythin gets so darn crazy round here," I said. "Do me a favor and slap Johnse in the face next time you see him for me."

He laughed, "Already have actually but I'd gladly do it again for you."

He looked up at me with a shining look of sincerity in his one good dark blue eye. "I really am sorry for all the trouble he's caused. And thank you for your help in savin' him that night. That was really brave of you."

"Me? I just followed Roseanna out into the woods to your house so she wouldn't get herself sick or killed in that terrible weather. It was all her you've got to thank for it."

"Bout that, how is she doin'?"

"Well, wish I could say she's doing a little better. She's starting to get sick out at her Aunt Betty's and uncle Randall still won't let any of the McCoy's go see her except me, and that's usually only when he don't know I'm gone to see her. I've just never seen her so broken."

"He does ask about her…" he trailed off. "We ain't all like that you know. I love him, he's my brother, but Johnse can be so dumb sometimes. He doesn't always make the smart decision." He looked up into my face, eyes heavy with meaning, "I wouldn't do that like him."

I stood and stomped a few paces away, "She made the hard choice. She left her family and everyone she loved for him. She saved his life and he still can't do the right thing. The honorable thing. She's carrying his baby, what more of an ass could he be." I looked him in the eye, "you think what you like now Cap, but when the time came you would choose your damn Hatfield family just like him." I was angry, he was a Hatfield. I shouldn't even be here talking to him. Of course he would choose his family.

He was up on his feet and starting towards me, loud and defensive.

"You don't know that, Rebecca." I had somehow gotten backed up against a tree and Cap was yelling from very close by. "You can't know what I would choose just like that."

My blood was boiling. I yelled back, "your brother couldn't stand up and make the right choice, what makes you think you could."

Cap was inches away.

"YOU DO DAMN IT."

Without a warning his lips were on mine. I couldn't back away further and I wasn't sure I wanted to. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. Cap's hands were on my face, tangled in my hair, pulling on my waist. After my shock wore off I was just as hungry as he was, kissing back without thinking.

I pulled back for a breath and my mind finally caught up to me. I panicked. What was I doing?

"Cap I… I have to go."

I turned without looking back and practically ran back in the direction of the church. In my haste, I'd forgotten my book back at the clearing but that hardly seemed to matter right now.

Cap. Kissing Cap. I had not seen that coming. I'd never been kissed before but if that was what kissing was like I certainly didn't mind. I put my hands to my lips with a smile, remembering the feeling of his.

On my way home I over thought everything I could until I was more confused than I started out. I made it back to the McCoy house, through my chores and dinner without saying much of anything. No one noticed that I was so quiet or if they did they left me to myself.

I was sitting on my bed torturing myself with thoughts when Alifair came into our room with a light in one hand and a book in the other.

"Rebecca, you left your book out on the porch. Silly! You wouldn't want it to get ruined out there."

She handed it to me and I masked my confusion. I was positive I'd left it at the clearing with Cap as I rushed to leave. Alifair turned out the light and our bedroom went dark except for the moonlight creeping through the window. The moon was bright enough to read by.

Figuring I couldn't sleep anyways and might as well try to lighten my mind, I turned to the page I'd left off at just a few hours ago.

Something was different in the corner. It was tough to make out in the limited moonlight. But I could just make out small handwritten note in the bottom of the page. Neatly written in one small line.

I choose you.