For Them, We Must

Who's next?

"The fuck are you doing?" John yelled and Oakley was sure the whole valley heard him.

Jamie looked stunned by John's outburst, gripping his rifle as the group met him over by the trees.

"What?" Jamie asked, his eyes glancing between all of them.

"Was that you?" John asked.

"Was what me?" Jamie looked at him.

"Did you fire your gun?" Kayce asked.

"No," Jamie said.

"Then why are you coming out of the trees with one?" John snapped.

"I went to see who did fire the gun," Jamie said. "It woke me too."

"You went in there?" John didn't believe him. "By yourself before all of us got up?"

"No one else was up when I came out," Jamie argued. "So I went to see if I could see something."

"Bullshit," John snarled.

"There were two shots," Oakley said softly but only Kayce seemed to acknowledge he heard her.

"Did you find something?" John asked.

"No," Jamie frowned.

"Of course not," John shook his head.

"It wasn't me!" Jamie said.

"You think you're in any position for anyone of us to fucking believe you?" John yelled.

Oakley took a deep breath.

"Dad," Kayce tried to sound gentle but his eyes made Oakley feel like Kayce's opinions weren't far off from his father's.

"It wasn't me," Jamie said again.

Rip walked away from the group. Oakley's eyes followed him to where he stopped in front of the wranglers and started to give them orders. She looked back at Jamie.

"You need to tell us right now if it was you," John lowered his voice.

"Did you not fucking hear me?" Jamie glared.

"Where did you go?" Kayce asked Jamie.

"Back about thirty yards," Jamie poured over his shoulder.

Kayce reached his hand out for John's rifle. After grabbing it, Kayce looked at Jamie again.

"Show me," Kayce said.

"Kayce," Oakley reached out and held onto Kayce's arm.

"He said he didn't find anything," John said.

"And you don't believe him," Kayce looked at his father. "So let me see it for myself because you will believe me."

John stared at Kayce for a second before nodding his head and walking away. Kayce looked at Oakley who was still holding his arm.

"Go back with the kids, baby," Kayce said.

"Don't go out there," Oakley felt her words tumble out of her mouth.

"It's okay," Kayce nodded. "We'll be right back."

But Oakley didn't let go of Kayce.

"I know these woods," Kayce tried to reassure Oakley.

"It's me," Jamie said, making them both look at him. "She doesn't want you to go with me."

"She's fine-"

"No," Oakley interrupted Kayce. "He's right."

Her eyes stared at Jamie. It was the first time the two of them had spoken in a few weeks almost. Kayce stepped so he was partly blocking Jamie from Oakley.