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It hadn’t taken long for Selena and Jamie to walk back to town.

Fear stabbed through her as she approached the scene of the bank robbery.

The body of Walter still lay where had fallen. Face down in the snow, surrounded by snow-covered buildings of the town that he had wanted so desperately to leave.

A fluffy dog stood guard beside his body.

A quick check revealed the faint tremor of a pulse. How much longer his heart would continue to pump remained to be seen. Selena removed her scarf and wrapped it around an oozing wound on her lover’s chest.

The bleeding had stopped…for now.

She looked up. Blinking rapidly as the gently falling snow entered her eyes.

“Jamie! See if you can find a doctor. Hurry!”

The young woman began to run as if a life depended on it

Selena couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret as she watched her sister vanish into the maze of buildings.

Jamie was such a good girl.

She deserved better than the life that she had been given.

Walter’s eyes flickered and then opened. “Are you an angel?” He asked in a groggy voice.

“No. I’m sorry. It’s only me, Selena.”

“Oh.” Walter’s voice was thick as he struggled to get out the words between gasps of pain. “Ahh. I thought an angel was here to carry me off to the gates of glory.”

“Not today.” Selena smiled. “Now just relax.”

“Not before I hear your answer.”

“Yes. Now please relax. A doctor will be here shortly.”

“Yes! Thank you.” Walter smiled a beatific smile and then closed his eyes. In the distance, Selena could see a party of men approaching from the train station. Jamie had found the help she had been sent for.

“You!” Bruno barked as he came on the scene. “What are you doing with my son?”

“I’m saving his life, I hope that’s alright.” She snapped back.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Bruno toward over her. He seemed about to explode but deflated as he took in the sight of the bandage Selena had prepared. “Just keep doing whatever you’re doing.” He said with the air of a man who knew he was beaten.

“Thank you.” She gathered Walter in her arms. She would take care of him as long as it took for him to heal.

“Hello.” The town doctor was kneeling for an examination. “I’m glad your daughter found me when she did. I was about to leave town.”

The medical examination didn’t take long.

“The bandage you made probably saved his life.” The Doctor stood as he completed his work. “Still, Walter isn’t going anywhere soon. As soon as the ambulance wagon gets here we’ll haul him in.”

“Thank you,” Bruno muttered as he placed his heavy hand on her shoulder.

Selena offered a grim smile in return.

There was no reason for the war between them to continue.

Walter’s recovery would be a difficult one, but by working together they could make it through. She had faith in that.

They were all family now.

The sight of a flower bravely shoving through a covering of snow was a sign of spring.

A new beginning.