Gabriel: It seemed like the desert went on forever. Dirt and heat stretching to the horizon. Hard to believe the land could change so dramatically from the lush green of Colorado. Gabe pulled his hat off and wiped the sweat off of his brow, riding up to pull beside Rosaleen "I admit Arizona hasn't quite been as accommodatin' as the Brown Palace, but having our own horses is a downright luxury" Gabe looks over at Howell and Bogue riding ahead of them "If I had to ride double one more time I believe I'd have invented some fresh new blasphemies"

Rosaleen: Rosaleen ignores the blaspheming part. "You and Howell just didn't work on yer horse tricks as much as James and I have." She smiles wryly at Gabriel. "As much as I miss a soft bed and a good night's sleep, I agree. It is lovely to have Juliet here." She says, lovingly patting the head of her dark grey and black speckled horse. "Are you really going to keep callin' yer horse "No Name", Gabe?" Don't you think he deserves somethin' better, darlin'?

G: Gabe cocks an eyebrow and grins at rose, patting his nameless horse's neck. "I don't tend to make a habit of naming things I might have to end up eating if our supplies run low!" He puts a shushing finger to his lips and points at the horse, rubbing his stomach theatrically

R: Rose gasps dramatically! "Gabriel Prior!" She turns to No Name and says, "Don't you worry darlin', I won't let this horrible man eat you. He knows he couldn't take me anyway." She grins at Gabe. Looking at him like this brings up a twinge of sadness. She tries to keep the feeling out of her smile, but looks back to the trail to hide any change.

G: Gabe's smile fades a bit. Rose looks like this more and more these days. It's harder to get her to smile as she used to, but it's worth it. Gabe presses on. "We'll see how you feel when I'm feastin' on Nameless filet mignon and Juliet starts lookin' like a walkin buffet!" "Juuuliet." Gabe rolls the name around on his tongue. "A rather Shakespearean name for your tastes Rose. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the sun! And Juliet is a horse!" He leans in "Are you wonderin' if a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet?"

R: "And we'll see how you feel when you have to use yer own legs to carry you across this desert. You ain't gettin anywhere near Juliet if you eat yer horse. Filet minon my arse!" She playfully puts on a very serious stern face to drive her point home."I think Juliet is a pretty name. She's a pretty horse who deserves a pretty name. Don't ya darlin'." She says into Juliet's mane as she bends over to hug her. I wasn't really thinking about the tragic romance part. Those dumb kids should have run off from their stupid families when they had the chance. And to answer yer question, no, I am the only one who smells this sweet." There is something about Gabriel for Rose. He's always been able to get through to her. Even when she stubbornly tries to resist him. The whole world could come crashing down around her and he could make her feel like it was the best day she'd ever had. And that thought for her is so bittersweet. And it makes her mad because she doesn't know why. But she's too tired to follow that thought for long, so she turns her attention back to the conversation, allowing herself to settle into something familiar and sweet.

G: "If they run off and live happily evah afta it doesn't make for much of a story does it? The literary world owes those two a debt of gratitude for not bein smarter! I imagine 'the mildly scandalous incident of Romeo and Juliet' would not have quite carried the same gravitas!" "You know they say love makes fools of us all." He smiles at her conspiratorially "But I think we both know most people start out as fools already! Love just gives them an excuse to flaunt their foolishness." "Good thing you and I are the exception darlin'."

R: "Ha! I suppose you're right!" But something in what Gabe said nags at her. She's not so sure she's not a fool. Maybe once she thought herself better, but now... "I guess we are darlin'. Clearly love has only made us better and smarter..." She says this cheerfully, but it doesn't quite hit right. All Rose wants is to be who she was, to rewind, go back. Why is it so goddamned hard to not just be like she was! Her face falls, but this time she doesn't turn away from him. "Gabriel. Do you think we can survive all of this? Whatever this is?Is there a future out there for us?"

G: Gabe looks out across the flat Arizona landscape and thinks for a moment. "Rose... " He turns to her and meets her eye "I honestly don't know if anyone will survive all of this. In the long term no one does of course... but If there's even a chance we have to try" "When I think about what happened in Coldwater, what keeps happening all around us, what's happened to me... whatever it is, all that keeps me sane is you." He reaches out and touches her arm "I know things have felt... irregular between us recently. There's no denying it." "But there ain't never been a moments doubt in my mind that I love you. More than anything. These... abilities, miracles, whatever the hell they are... I would give them up in a second if it meant not losing you." He sighs, tired from the ride, tired from everything. "It's just that we have got to utilize every advantages we can. I know I've changed... in the way I act... even think..." He squeezes her hand "But I'm still the man who loves you. I've worn different names, been different people, but that truth has never wavered." "So if there is a future for you and I, I aim to do everything in my power to protect it."

R: Sane. Rose gets hung up on that word in her own mind. She doesn't know how she could keep anyone sane anymore...if she ever could. She knows what Gabriel says is true. She knows this, she believes him. Truly she's never really doubted it, but a gut wrenching pain boils up inside her. How can he be so sure of anything? She looks at him knowing his words are meant to comfort her, but she just feels awful. She loves him. She loves him so much she would destroy the whole world if it meant she could save him. And as that thought fills her mind, she just wants to run and never stop, run to the ends of the earth. She wants to get away. Get everyone away from her. She wants to get him away from her. As far as she can go. She wants to rip her own heart from her body. But she just says. "I know darlin', I know. I love you too." She can't hide the tiredness and sadness on her face this time. She knows that is a very poor response to what he just said, but she can't muster anything more.

​G: Gabe hears the words. They came with that same reservation he had come to know so well recently. There was still something broken between them. But things broken can be mended, and Gabe would find a way. I'll fix this. Somehow. I have to.