After listening to his sister tell him about her best friend and the basic outline of Mikel’s tragic now present life last night, he lay awake and thought of how to help the grey-eyed beauty. Killian couldn’t sleep though, not because of his thoughts during the night he heard the painful screams of someone trapped in a nightmare.

He will know because he suffers them also. On instinct, he rushed to her room but found Kelsey with her soothing her back to sleep. Her faithful companions were doing the same with their cries mixing with hers. To him, the dogs were sharing her loss. “How is she?” he asked his sister softly near the door.

“She’ll be fine. Tomorrow will be better.”

Killian wanted to go and hold her but simply nodded and stepped back. He knew night terrors weren’t easy and to see the woman who caught him by the gut suffering so, was painful. Back in his room he listened for any more disturbances and closed his eyes for the last four remaining hours of the night.

Killian was already up and making breakfast when Mikel came down looking pale and unsteady with her dogs walking on either side of her. He rushed to her side immediately and held her to his side. Unconsciously her head rolled to his chest, “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“Don’t be. I can tell you’re not well. Why don’t you go back to bed and I bring you your meal.”

She shook her head slowly. “I have to go into town to visit Doc then come back to check the new foals and calves not to mention the dogs need their shots,” she said running her hand through her hair. He let her sit by the table but stayed crouching low by her side.

“Miz Rysdale. You need to rest, I’m sure Doc will understand.” he pleaded with her. Peeking down at him under a hooded eye, she chuckled.

“Did you just call me Miss Rysdale?” she asked. The smile on her lips getting wider with every second the red flush bloomed across his cheek. He shaved earlier so his cheeks were full-on show.

“Yes, ma’am. I did.”

Mikel full on laughed heartily. It pained to laugh but it felt good. “Now you make me sound like a strict school teacher asking a question.” she teased.

The vision of her being a school teacher was surely not the same vision she had when he thought about it but he grinned either way. Looking up at her dazzling eyes he felt ten feet tall, she was smiling. “Thank you for that Killian,” she said after sobering.

“Part of my charm. So how about that breakfast in bed?”

Mikel raised an eyebrow at the innuendo with a muffled smile. “Oh come now woman,” Killian said with the rolling of his eyes catching her drift.

“Oh fine. Time to be serious. I will go back to bed for a nap when Kels gets up, tell her to come see me. Now tell me what’s on the breakfast menu,” she said with a large grin his way. Killian was at loss for words basking in her radiance that he nearly forgot what she was talking about. Shaking his head to get out of the clouds, he stood and gathered her in his arms holding her bridal style. She squealed from shock clutching onto his shoulders. “Killian! What are you doing?”

Her heady aroma of vanilla and cocoa butter stopped him, her hair gently brushed against his forearm but it was her beautiful face that was so close to his. For a moment he saw the want and curiosity in her eyes then guilt clouded them tearing those captivating greys away from his. He knew why. “I’m sorry for your loss Mikel. I promise that this isn’t me being disrespectful just trying to help. You mean a lot to Kels and that means the world to me. She told me the basics last night,” he said softly. His breathing hitched when she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

“Thank you,” she said, the warmth of her breath seeped through his plaid shirt sending goosebumps along his tanned skin. He knew she felt his shudder but said nothing. Holding her close, he looked over his shoulder to make sure the stove was off before going back up the stairs. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached her room. Gently he placed her on the bed and instinctively tucked her hair behind her ear. His hand stopped near her cheek when her body tensed.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” His voice grew very concerned when he saw the glittering of her eyes and a small smile. “No. You just remind me of someone,” she said quietly laying back against the pillows.

“Who?”

It took a moment for her to answer.

“Dominic,” she whispered looking out the large window that overlooked the green pastures where the horses grazed.

The mention of her husband’s name didn’t bring anger or jealousy but a sort of knowing. “Tell me about him. This man probably was one lucky bastard to land you as a wife,” he said with a teasing smile rocking back against the post of her bed. Mikel chuckled and rolled her eyes at his teasing. It put her at ease and comfort with him near. Glancing up at him, his eyes gave her his full attention, he really wanted to know. Pulling her knees up to her chin, she wrapped her arms around her legs and smiled at the memory of Dominic.

“He was what those historic novels call a ravishing rake.” She laughed remembering when she teased him with that title after washing his shoulder-length blond hair. “It was an arranged marriage just like historic times. Down to the ‘courting’. Leave it for high society to stay too traditional,” she said with a shake of her head. “We were two peas in a pod when it comes to rebelling against our upbringing. When I first met him I thought, ‘great, just how long I gotta stay married to this man whore’. He had a bad boy rep since he was 16. We met when he was 22 and I, 18. I remember that night of my birthday when we were introduced. We didn’t say a word to each other at first then he dragged me away from the party and said, ‘I’m all in if you are’”

“Just like that? He didn’t fight the engagement?” Killian asked wanting to know this man who married her. He sat on the bed hitching a sock-clad foot on the mattress letting his arm rest on it. Mikel smiled at the confused frown on his face. She can call it an adorable look but this big military rancher won’t like it one bit.

“Nope. We became the best of friends. He was funny, caring unpredictable and just beautifully reckless. He always had my best interest at heart. Possessive though. Shared our first kiss at a race car track. We were cheering on his friend Vincent Callisto.”

“The fuck! You know Vincent Callisto,” he shouted. Mikel laughed heartily once more at his expression. Killian Drummond will be the death of her. “Yes indeedy. He claimed godfather position on our first...” Her laughter died on her last unspoken word. Killian looked down to the subtle motion she was doing with her hands over her stomach. “You’re pregnant aren’t you? That’s why you look so pale. Morning sickness?”

She simply nodded her head waiting for him to be turned off by it. Pregnant for her dead husband.

“How far along?”

“Nearing 5-6 weeks. He didn’t know neither did I. I began to get sick a few days after his funeral.”

They stayed quiet for a moment then she felt his weight lifting off the bed. "I will bring some toast, bacon, and juice for you. I believe you haven’t checked a gynecologist with all that has been happening. After your nap we will go to one, I will make the appointment. I will call the doc and tell him we will see him later on in the day.”

Mikel stared at him with unbelieving eyes. His blue eyes soften when he looked at her and a blush stained his cheeks. “Too much?” he asked.

When Kelsey told Mikel of how caring and sweet her tough-looking army veteran brother was, she thought that will be knocked out of him by the remnants of war. But. It was still there. Killian was sweet enough to take up the role she was going to ask help with from Kelsey. “Uh.. no. No. Just I was going to ask Kels but.. if..” she stuttered.

“I want to,” he answered with a big smile then frowned in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

“The urge to please you, to make you happy is very strong. You make me feel wanted,” he confessed boldly. She was a bit taken back by his honesty but remembered a comment Kels made of him. “He’s totally a Captain America reborn. Protective. Honest. Kind. Dye his hair blonde and you got Steve Rodgers.”

Mikel smiled.“And you make me feel human again.”