Butterfly

Calm Amidst the Chaos

The gang gets to work as soon as they arrive in Shady Bell.

Arthur and John take to searching the streets, gaining the information they need about the man, Angelo Bronte. Hosea does some digging about the town with Elizabeth, while Dutch plan their next move.

"Do you think they'll find him?" Elizabeth asks Pearson as she helps him with cooking. The girl enjoys cooking with Pearson. It is the only thing they can bond over besides fishing. The man is one hell of a fisher, having had a lot of experience in the navy.

"I'm sure they will," he replies, chopping up the deer and rabbit for their stew before plopping then into the pot. "Have some faith in your father and brothers, kid."

Elizabeth smiles, sighing in resignation. "I do. It's the people of this city I don't have faith in," she says, putting the carrots and the potatoes in the pot. She adds more wood to the fire as its flames start to die. "They say a lot of crooks run the city--who's to say they won't run us around in circles, lookin' for Jack?"

Pearson shrugs as he leans back against the food wagon. "Well, you have a point there," he says.  "But it won't come to that. I'm sure of it."

The man takes out his accordion and plays a melancholic tune. He had been on edge since Sean got shot up, and rightfully so. The Irishman was his drinking buddy, his confidante and best friend.

"We'll be okay, Pearson," Elizabeth says suddenly, trying to convince them both. Pearson stops for a moment and looks at Elizabeth leaning against a tree. He knows better than to doubt the young lady when she seems so sure of herself. She is her father's daughter after all.

The night creeps in and Dutch, John, and Arthur make their way back to camp, with little Jack in his father's arms. The camp rejoices the return of their little prince, the boy cuddled up in his parents' arms as Javier plays on his guitar. The night is full of merry-making, drinks, and food.

"Join the celebration, Kieran!" Elizabeth stumbles towards the man, already tipsy, and hands him a bottle. "Go easy on the whiskey there," Kieran chuckles and takes the drink. The girl waves him off and stands next to him, Karen approaching the two. "What you two doin' back here?"

"Just," Kieran sighs, a bit sadly as he watches the gang sing and make merry. "Just givin' you all your moment," he says. Elizabeth sees the sadness in the man's eyes, the longing to belong, to be accepted.

It reminds her so much of Bill, only more mellow compared to Bill's aggression when he first came along.

She pats his back and looks at Karen, who is just as perceptive. "Give the rest some time, Kier. They'll get there," Karen tells him with a warm smile, something they rarely saw since her lover was shot up back in Rhodes. Sean was asleep, thanks to the morphine, and resting up in his and Karen's room, giving the woman some time to relax for a moment. "Bill likes you enough already, I've seen you two talk here and there. If that ain't enough, there's also Arthur and Liz, Mary-beth and me too."

Kieran nods, a small glimmer of hope filling his chest. The three put their drinks together in the name of their new friendship.

A few hours into the night, Dutch decides to linger a bit closer to the fire before heading inside. He is exhausted from days upon days of fighting and running. Not to mention Molly O'Shea's tireless ranting and raving at him for attention. He begins to wonder how on earth he had loved such a woman.

As he makes his way inside the mansion, he hears Arthur and Kieran's passing conversation. "You know," the former O'Driscoll hiccups, fully soaked in whiskey. "I'm glad I joined you all when I did."

"How so?" Arthur asks, slightly tipsy himself, with Elizabeth nearly sobered up next to them. "I feel more welcome, 'n a way," Kieran hiccups again. "I have more use here, treated far better than with Colm O'Driscoll."