This Must Be My Happy Ending, For Danny

[Darla Hart]

Darla Helm



June 12th, 1869

At first having Bella's children dumped off on her and Danny was nothing but a nightmare. How the hell was she going to take care of one kid let alone two? Ellie was harder to keep track of, she was faster than the little one and ran around wanting to play with everything and asking what things were. Now was a perfect time to gag her and give her as a gift to Ming. How much could a kid like that fetch when being sold? Who could she sell her to? She was getting pretty old maybe a brothel would take her. Why not her mother had been a whore. No if Darla did that Bella would hunt her down and murder her. Besides being around the two kids was good for her on some level. She was learning how to deal with children which was very important right now. Already Darla was starting to show a little, she couldn't feel the baby move but it was getting very obvious that it was there. Every now and again Darla even caught herself talking to the baby or rubbing her own belly. While Ellie had gone away to the guest bedroom to have Danny read a book with her Darla was left alone with the smaller child whom was named after her own husband. For the first hour after Bella dropped him off all he had done was stand by the door crying. A few times he would fall over and lay on his blanket just screaming at the top of his lungs until Darla wanted to yell at him but she understood. He was just a baby and had been taken away from his parents. He was all alone with strangers he hardly knew and scared. He had no idea when if ever his parents were coming back because he was too little to understand. Had Darla been in his situation she would have cried too.

Luckily Lil Danny was quiet now though still very sad. With her husband off with Ellie Darla got down on the floor with the little baby and tried to see if she could make him feel better. "Hey...hey there little guy. Look what I have." Darla picked up one of his little carved wooden horses and made it run across the ground make the sound effects for hooves running over the ground. "Neigh...hey look there's a whole herd of them." She picked up a few of the other ones and stood them all up until it resembled a wild horse herd. Playing with the toys was almost more entertaining for Darla than the little boy sitting on the ground pouting and holding his stuffed bear with that tear stained face. "You must really miss her huh? I never really had a mother to miss like you do. She must be something special if you get this sad when she is away. I'm sorry, I'm not even one third as good as she is but I'm trying. I'm not good with kids you know but I'm doing my best. Just feel better." She ran her hand through his dark curls and smiled at him. The kid was pretty cute, pretty damn cute. It made Darla so much more excited over her own baby. Maybe when her baby was born it would cry just as much when she left it. Throw little tantrums because it loved her so much it didn't want to be away from her. Maybe it would get her pretty blue eyes or it could get Danny's green eyes. Either way Darla had a good feeling their baby would be beautiful.

Lil Danny turned around with his thumb in his mouth and looked up at her with his big sad eyes. It made her choke up a bit, before she had gotten pregnant she never would have found that cute or sad but her maternal instincts were getting stronger and it was a little heart breaking. He got to his feet and drug his blanket behind him knocking over all the horses she had set up. With his uncoordinated walk towards her he reached out with his hands and Darla didn't know what to do. She just caught him before he fell into her lap and picked him off the ground. Just like her did with his mother Danny wrapped his arms around her neck and rested his head on her shoulder, dammit he was so cute Darla wanted to keep him. "It's okay Little Danny she's coming back." She eased herself up off the ground with the boy still in her arms. It was getting a little harder to move around lickity split like she once did. Hell Darla could have run around the house like a wild child but she had to take everything slow no or Mina would yell at her. Since she had no mother taking care of her as a child Darla hardly had a clue how to make little ones feel better but she assumed after watching Mary and Bella she had a somewhat good idea. Rubbing his back lightly Darla sat back on the couch laughing a little when the tiny boy pulled his blanket up to his face. There were tools Darla had that most other people didn't as well, she was a performer, a dancer, and a singer. Maybe she wasn't the best singer but she was good enough.

"Hushabye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
When you wake you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.

Dapples and grays
Pinto's and bays
All the pretty little horses.

Way down yonder in the meadow
Poor little baby crying mama
Birds and butterflies flutter round his eyes
Poor little baby crying mama

Hushabye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
When you wake you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.

Dappled and grays
Pinto's and bays
All the pretty little horses."

[Daniel Helm]

---

June 12th, 1869
Hellfire Ranch House
Around 9:00 pm

Despite his intimidating demeanor and reputation for his volatile temper, in the right settings, amongst those who he truly loves and cherishes, a brief glimpse of Daniel Helm’s soft and nurturing tendencies shown through like an evening star. Many didn’t know of that side, the part of Helm that just yearned to sit with his wife and cuddle as they both drifted off to sleep at night. Didn’t know how easily he found joy in just listening to his friends talk about their days, knowing that they had a great day bringing a soft smile to his features. But sensitive men, men in tuned to that light-hearted side of their being didn’t last a day out in the old west. So there was a callous front erected to protect not only himself from the harsh western lifestyle- but also those he cared for. If the world knew just how easily the mighty Helm could be manipulated by putting his friends and family at risk, they would all be in a world of hurt. Sadly Danny’s protective wall was shoddily constructed and many had already breached the fortifying barrier to realize that Helm was a selfless son of a bitch who would do near anything in his physical power to save he loved- something that had nearly cost him his life last year. After the incident with Mason Radley Danny had become rather distant from those in Buffalo Creek Bay, kept his distance during his recovery to try and rebuild that barrier of cold distance. It was a futile attempt because it was in Danny’s very nature to be loving and protective.

So here he was, curled up on the guest bed with Bella’s little girl cuddled up into the crook of his arm as he read in his best voice her story after story, in hopes to send her off to bed. He embraced that nurturing side now, let those he trusted see just how caring he could be and in a way- that alone was more intimidating than his temper ever could be. For a man who was so dedicated to his family and friends, completely and full heartedly ready to defend them to the death was a bravery that many did not wish to test. Helm was a strong man to begin with, with dozens of scars as testament to his fights over the years, but even a flinch to harm those he cared most about, that strength became an unbridled dedication and fury that no soul had any chance of escaping.

“He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented. The end.” Running his fingers over the binding of the old copy of Rapunzel Danny glanced down at Ellie, practically half asleep resting her cheek across his chest.

“Will you read another book, Uncle Danny?” She murmured, her voice soft and warm with the coming of sleep as he yawned and snuggled deeper into his shirt.

Unable to keep that grin from his face at his own name, the sound of Uncle Danny still making his heart soar up into his throat every time he heard it, “That was the fifth book we’ve read tonight, Elizabeth. Don’t you think it’s time to sleep now?”

“Pleeeeasssee,” Her voice pleaded and she turned her eyes up at him, the big ‘ol puppy dog gaze tearing at his heartstrings. He’d have to thwart Henry something fierce for teaching the girl how to use those against him- his ultimate weakness.

“I suppose so, just because I love you- one more book. Then bed, got it?” Elizabeth squealed happily and wrapped her arms around his waist, uttering her thanks over and over before Danny pulled up the sixth book from his pile at the side of the bed. His mother used to read these to him as a boy and many were actually his from childhood and he could hardly wait to share these treasured tomes with his own child soon. “Alright, alright. Here were go, the wonderful tale of Little Red-Cap,” He’d barely gotten through half the book when he noticed Elizabeth had fallen asleep, her beautiful young face turned to the side and angleic in every sense of the word. With calloused hands that held a tenderness that many would not expect, he eased her gently to the bed, removed her shoes and covered her up for the night. With a soft kiss to the temple he rose from the room and retired to the living room where he had last left his wife with the youngest Scarborough child.

Daniel had been rather impressed with the boy’s ability to wail so adamantly and had only just noticed the silence as he walked from the hallway. The sight that greeted him and the sweet lullaby that hit his hears only warmed his heart, grinning brightly as he came up beside the couch. Kneeling at the arm he reached up and smothered the boy who was named after himself with a gentle kiss to the head before doing the same to his wife. “The two of you seem to be getting around mighty well, love.” He pushed one of her curls behind her ear before pressing his lips to her’s tenderly. “I love you so much.”

[Darla Hart]

Darla Helm



June 12th, 1869

The baby boy slowly drifted off to sleep as she sang to him and brushed his little curls away from his face. Danny was twice as cute when he was peacefully sleeping and Darla wondered if her own baby would be just as cute. She didn't know how cute newborns were, they seemed to get more adorable the older they got. Once they started walking and talking was when they were cutest like Mary's little girl but Danny's age was tragically heart wrenching as well. when her husband walked into the room Darla turned her attention away from the slumbering tot and looked up at him with a half smile trying to keep her rocking motion going so the baby wouldn't wake up. After Danny kissed them both on the forehead she let her small smile grown a little more and stopped rocking the baby hoping he would stay asleep now. "I never knew I would be so good with a baby. Perhaps I can be a good mother after all for this little one." She looked down at her own Belly and shrugged her shoulders. Darla smiled into his next kiss as he caught her on the lips. Her heart always raced a little faster when she was around him and she always felt so much more at peace. "I love you too Danny. Come on and sit down right here, you are more than welcome to join me on the sofa." She patted the seat next to her and glanced back at the baby when he twitched his hand and rubbed his nose in his sleep.

Darla had never known a baby to be so distraught when it's mother left him. Poor little bean acted like he had no idea his parents were coming back for him. It was nothing short of a miricale to her that they even got him to fall asleep. "I hope our baby isn't going to be this fussy. Crying I can deal with but not all the time. Sometimes I would like some peace and quiet. Having the baby cry constantly wasn't her main concern. Mina told her having a baby was the single most painful thing in all the world. she said it was so painful you wanted to rip yourself open just to lessen the pain. Her big sister talked like she knew how it felt, even clenched her jaw and hands they way she did when she remembered the pain she had felt over the years. It made Darla question her sister sometimes but then again she didn't think much about it. Her sister liked women and even if she spent some time with men on occasion she wasn't into them and Darla didn't think her sister could or would ever have had children. Where would they be if she had? Certainly Darla would have noticed but all the time she had been with Mina she could never once recall her sister getting pregnant. That would be very noticeable.

Leaning into Danny's shoulder she wondered how they were going to move the baby from the sofa to his makeshift crib. [color=006699]"So do you think I'll be able to deal with this little... bundle of joy? At least we waited to get married before we made babies unlike some people we know." Darla glanced down at the toddler. She wondered how he would feel years from now thinking about how his parents only got married because they accidentally made him. God that would suck. If ever their marriage turned out to be an unhappy one the baby would blame himself for his parents misery. Darla couldn't understand why a woman like Bella would marry a man like Henry or how a man like Henry could have such a beautiful little baby. Little Danny must have gotten it all from his mother aside from those eyes. "Your green eyes or my blue eyes?" either way it would be beautiful but some part of Darla was fishing for her blue eyes. Maybe her dark hair as well. That would be such a pretty little baby or maybe Danny's bright forest green eyes and her dark hair. Either way she was happy to know there was no way on earth that baby could be ugly. "Raven hair or brunette?"

[Daniel Helm]

---

June 12th, 1869
Hellfire Ranch House
Around 9:00 pm

Daniel couldn’t stymie that swell of his breast, that overwhelming since of sheer joy just watching his wife coddle the youngest Scarborough child. Something had just clicked when he saw Darla holding the children around town, from Mary’s beautiful Rose to Bella’s dashing little boy. That feeling he hadn’t yet known, that feeling of fatherhood was beginning to blossom in his heart and honestly before today he wasn’t sure he’d wanted anything more than to be just that. He wanted to be a Daddy. He’d be a good Pa too, he reckoned, at least he’d do his best to be. Being raised by such wonderful parents himself, amongst a pair of older brothers that no one could ever wish for Daniel Helm had a good basis to guide his parenthood. He’d turned out fine, he thought himself quite successful actually. He’d settled down from those rowdy days as a Pony Express rider for the benefit of his love life, though that initial love never worked out he was glad it didn’t. Being Land Officer opened new doors for him a nd without that stable desk jockey job he’d never dreamed of having he wouldn’t be married to the prettiest girl in Colorado running one of the largest cattle franchises in the west. Not to mention with the next generation of Helm on the way.

It was scary realizing that a life was going to be placed in his hands now, but the joy of having that honor quickly outweighed any true fear. “Of course you’ll be a good mother. It’s in your nature- it’s in your blood. You’re gonna make a beautiful mama.” Danny couldn’t help that huge grin that curled his lips, taking the seat next to his wife, unable to help himself smothering back Danny’s big dark curls again. The boy was a spitting image of his mother with those huge saucers from his Pa, a boy that was no doubt gonna melt the girls’ hearts one day. Just like his Pa. Looking back to Darla he gave a little shrug, “Not all babies are the same. You never know how much cryin’ they’ll do. Just depends I guess. And you can’t really base your judgment off this little squirt either,” Danny sniggered, “After all, his Pa is Henry Scarborough and I haven’t heard anyone bitch as much as he does.”

Leaning into the plush cushions of the sofa Danny snaked his arm around Darla’s shoulders, guiding her gently to his side. With a content sigh that could only be murmured by a man truly at peace with his life he sat there with that smirk unwavering on his lips. “Of course you’ll be able to. You’ll love this child like you’ve never loved anything or anyone before. And we’ll raise ‘em to be a good kid, get a good future.” His thumb caressed her shoulder lovingly, tipping his head back a little as he thought. “Whatever our baby has, blue, green- it doesn’t matter because they’re gonna be beautiful. I mean, look at their parents?” A little vain? Perhaps, but Danny just sniggered again, kissing her temple. “They’re gonna have the best life in the world and we’re gonna be the ones to give it to ‘em.” Nuzzling into the crown of her head he placed chaste little kisses to her raven locks, “I’m hoping for a boy though, you know? T’carry on my name, my legacy but if we have a girl I will be just as happy. Because she’ll be just as beautiful as her mother.”

[Darla Hart]

Darla Helm



June 12th, 1869

When Danny tried to tell her she would make a good mother because it was in her blood Darla tensed up and looked down at her growing belly. What did she have in her blood that would make her a wonderful mother? Neither of her parents were good parents. In fact both of them were horrible parents. Her mother hadn't even been old enough to have children yet. "Danny...parenting isn't in my blood. In fact my blood shows my family isn't a good family to be having children. My father was an abusive drunk who beat my sister and far worse to her. In all of history there was never a man Mina feared but him. Then my mother...my mother was a whore, she was only thirteen when I was born. She didn't even know what to do with a baby. When she was old enough to take care of me she just ignored me and the only parent figure i had growing up was an abusive madam who owned me and treated me like her cattle and my sister." God Darla was going to even be whored off at the young age of thirteen like her mother.

Darla felt the tears roll down her face as she started crying a little. Lately she was so sensitive, even rusty had accidentally made her cry. She tried to make herself stop before she woke up little Danny and just tried to get her mind off of it by bouncing the baby lightly again. Her tears stopped running down her face and she caught her breath again tensing up a little when Danny squirmed in her arms and whimpered. Her husband told her babies were not all the same obviously. They were all small people. Just like adult humans they were never the same, you had overly happy and friendly babies like Evelyn and then you had shy scared babies like Danny who god forbid was a big mama's boy and didn't like being away from his parents. "That's true, his father IS Henry but his mama is Bella and I have never met a woman who puts up with as much as she does." Their baby might not cry a lot because neither of them were big cray babies either.

Hearing Danny talk about this baby and seeing how affectionate he was to little Danny made her all the more happy she was having this baby with him. "You are going to be such a loving father Danny. No one else in the world deserves a baby more than you. I can't wait to have this baby more so to just see you be the charming father I know you are going to be. It will be hard to say who is more adorable, you or the baby." Danny made her feel confident in herself that she could be a good mother as well. With Danny around to help her she would pick it up quickly and just being able to watch Danny and Ellie was more than helpful to her. Though a one year old and a new born were hardly the same. Danny could walk around and was starting to get strong enough to go faster than a walk. He didn't run just yet, more like walked quickly and fell over. He even tried to feed himself though that only made a mess. A newborn would be helpless and unable to do anything. "I want a girl and you know why? Because according to you none of your brothers have had a girl and your parents never had a girl so she would be the first baby girl born in your family." Plus she would also be pretty like her mother and Darla wanted a beautiful baby girl to take after her. She never had that bond with her mother and so Darla wanted to correct it with her own baby. She wanted to get her pretty little dresses and put bows in her hair. Everything Darla wished had been done for her.

[Daniel Helm]

---

August 26th, 1869
Hellfire Ranch House
Around 9:00 pm

That swell that encompassed the whole of his chest faded, the heat of love and pride dithering to something that more resembled a fond sadness. The smile fell away, chapped lips pursed tight into a thin line. Unlike Darla, Daniel had had a relatively wonderful upbringing. Hell, who was he kidding, his childhood was amazing. He had the love of two adoring parents and the protection of two older brothers. They were never without money at the ranch, but not spoiled either. Hard work ethics and morals was sewn into his very existence from the years spent working the cattle and beside the other men who called ranching their life. There was that bleak hole of his latter child years where his mother was ruthlessly murdered in cold blood, bled out not but a few feet from his own unconscious form as the man had intended but failed to take his life as well. In retrospect, there is little that Daniel Helm could ever complain about from his past childhood, especially compared to his young wife. But her past did not control her future and he was still sure that she had what it took to be a good mama. “Exactly Darla, you have it in your blood because you know what not to do now. You know what you wished you would’ve grown up with, and now you can use your own dreams and make them our child’s reality.”

They had means to make their child’s life that of a prince or princess. They had the money, of course. Helm had even raised his hand’s pay in compensation for how much they were working with the massive herds which were bringing in a hell of a lot more money than he’d expect after only running for close to a year now. They had friends here that were more like family. They were good, honest people that would have great influence on their baby’s life, people that’d give them even more than they’ve already given to their parents. Danny wanted his children to know of their Grandpa Sam and know that he was really just a big teddy bear, he wanted them to grow up with Uncle Rusty and Henry, Have Aunt Bella, Lila and Mary teach them how to be ladies or gentleman. Even Uncle Davi and Cyrus could educate them, teach them better than any school house teacher could.

That smile came back and Daniel just snuggled closer to his wife, quite content in wrapping his arms around her waist with his chin resting on her shoulder. Looking down at the slumbering boy he couldn’t help but to imagine his own child. “I wanna be a daddy so bad. I wanna teach our kids to ride their first horse and shoot their first gun. I wanna walk them into their first day of school and see them walking down the ailse of their wedding….I just….” he couldn’t even express himself in words. He just wanted it all. The experience, the emotions, the love.

“You’re right, she’d be the first Helm born. Oh god bless her soul having to deal with all her uncles and little nephews, though I bet she’d get doted on so muh but her Grandpa,” Danny laughed at the thought of his father taking his little grandbaby to the local shops and going dress shopping to her little heart’s content. “I think it’d be wonderful to have a baby girl. But you know what? Whatever way it comes out, I’ll be happy. Because I am gonna become a parent with the love of my life and I couldn’t ask anything more.”

[Isabella Scarborough]

"Calm down Danny the baby hasn't even been born yet. You need to be patient when it comes to little ones. As much as I would like to plop this thing in your arms right now I can't." God though she wished she could, avoid all the weight gain and having this think move around inside of her. Darla didn't like the idea of begin pregnant. It was horribly alien to her, unnatural, creepy, gross. Darla still woke up in near panic fits because she was growing in size. Despite her vanity and kissing her figure goodbye Mina had told Darla all about what does in most come out, which meant the baby had to come out...and it wasn't pleasant. From what Mina told her, and Mina knew a lot it was perhaps the most painful thing you could ever know. A nice way to build up Darla's comfort in this whole situation.

"I'm not so easy to please...but yes I guess either way I'll love it, I have to I'm going to be their mommy. They are going to be half of me. Probably a little bit of Mina as well so we should be careful." That was a scary thought. A little Mina running around causing hell. Darla remembered what Mina was like as a child, she was a rebel, a monster, and mean as hell. Once she had chucked a rock right at her mistresses head. Mina also use to chase the boys around, not like most girls did. No Mina chased them down to give them beatings. Jump on their backs and punch them in the head till they passed out. If she had a boy the chances of him being worse were possible. Darla didn't want a trouble making child. Hopefully that mean streak was inherited from Mina's mother and not their father although their father hadn't been a lovable man. In fact he had been the only human being Mina feared.

Still holding little Danny Darla moved to hand him over to Danny. She couldn't hold him anymore her arms were getting tired and she felt a little busy. "Can you take him my arms are getting tired and I need to stand up." Darla didn't even give him a chance to take him but rather she shoved the toddler into his arms and stood up moving away towards a window so she could open it. As she crossed the room and reached fro the window everything around her blurred and went into a sort of tunnel. It was rather interesting really, just a flurry of shapes and colors sliding together into one point of focus where she could still make out the shimmering glass. Taking another step Darla went down and passed out. She could have stood up too quickly or she could have just been one of those women who fainted when they were pregnant. According to Bella she had been a fainter but even when she wasn't pregnant she fainted. Slipping into darkness Darla just laid there nearly sleeping.

[Daniel Helm]

---

August 26th, 1869
Hellfire Ranch House
Around 9:00 pm

Those who knew Daniel knew from experience that he was an impatient bastard, if he wasn’t doing something all the time he was practically going out of his mind. The notion of just sitting around like a bump on a log was absurd, just sitting, waiting, doing nothing made him squirm uncomfortably. Sure there were days, more so now that he was older, that he’d just want to spend the entire day laying in bed laying about the house. But that was different, that was more a ‘special’ occasion, putting off work to the next day to get a fresh charge. But this was different. Asking him to be patient was like asking him to tread out and walk on the surface of the water, and contrary to popular believe Daniel Helm wasn’t Christ nor was he his descendant of any sort. Being forced to wait for the impending arrival of his child was nerve wrecking and just torture in every sense of it, but he supposed good things don’t come all that easily…or quickly for his matter. “I don’t like waiting,” He pouted with a light scowl, looking like a child as he crinkled his nose. “But I suppose I have to.” To further accent his rather unwilling nature to wait he groaned and threw his head back, sighing.

Helm was a peculiar fellow when he was around his woman, acted much more like he did in his youth, like she was the only person he felt comfortable with not acting like a responsible adult all the time. It could have been because she was his wife, that they knew things about one another that no one else knew, or maybe it was her age that inclined him to act this way. Darla always was getting on his case about being “old”, so maybe his childish petty antics could somehow shorten that gap- at least in their minds. At least in Danny’s mind. Darla cherished her youth like she did her body, the both of them quite vain creatures, the prime of their age with looks that many would envy, but Darla particularly adored her physically appearance. Having the baby was frightfully real for Darla, especially when she was going to start gaining wait from harboring their child. He only prayed that his presence would ease the stress on her. “Whatever child we have, boy or girl, they’re gonna have Helm and Hart blood in ‘em which means they are gonna be a handful. But they will be good kids because they have good parents.”

Before he could elaborate on what they should probably expect from the incredibly volatile combination of Russian and Irish offspring, she was transferring the youngest Scarborough boy into his empty arms. With little to no hesitation he gathered the bundle up, watch Darla little curiously as she stood up. Thinking it was probably time to put the boy to bed with his sister Daniel left the room to lay him beside her in the guest room. While he was making sure the both of them were comfortable and cared for, the hard sound of something hitting the floor caught his ear. “Darla?”

His feet had barely hit the parlor floor when he saw her in a heap on the floor, on his knees beside her body in a matter of seconds. Gathering up her prone form in his arms he was gently, smoothing her hair back as he begged her to wake up, “Darla? Darla! Please, Darla wake up. Are you alright?” he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown when he curled her up in his arms, carried her back to the couch where he lied her down before retrieving a small bowl of water and a washcloth. Bathing her forehead in the cool liquid he continued to coo to her, beseeching her to at least open her eyes and let him know she was alright. Please be alright.

[Darla Hart]

Darla opened her eyes nearly launching forward until she noticed Danny's face was very close to her own. She grabbed onto his arms with a vice like grip and sat up looking into his eyes for a moment as if she had something very important to say. She held eye contact with him for a moment longer opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. At a complete lose for words until she grabbed her stomach and leaned over the couch. Darla put a hand over her mouth and cried trying to keep herself from throwing up. She didn't like throwing up, it was the most repulsive thing in all the world and left a bad taste in her mouth. After fighting it she moved her hand to her chest and looked back at Danny with watery eyes.

"Oh god Danny that wasn't pleasant at all...did I fall? I think I got up too fast and it made me a little dizzy. I didn't think I really had morning sickness...it's not even morning right now that just isn't logical. This baby's clock is a bit off, I think it's broken." She swallowed hard to keep herself from gagging again. Mina had told her all about the joys of pregnancy. Again how Mina knew about it she had no idea. Maybe she had gotten a girl pregnant before. The very though made Darla laugh to herself, might make Danny think she had gone a little nutty though. She would have to explain later. Right now she was still a little too dazed to really have a good laugh and if she really started she might just throw up on the floor, something she didn't want to do just now.

Biting down on her thumb nail Darla went back to a rather serious look on her face and locked her eyes on his once more. "You don't think the fall hurt the baby do you?" Frightfully her passing out could have been from her drinking vodka earlier as well. Darla had been having a few panic attacks over the pregnancy and it seemed vodka always calmed her down. Could have been that her mother actually use to give her vodka to put her to sleep...or get her black out drunk so Darla could sleep through all the pounding and screaming in the brothel. No sane child could fall asleep in a brothel, Darla had been a very sane child laying awake at night with eyes wide open and the burning sting of vodka in the back of her throat knowing some day very soon that was going to be her as well. Those bruises on her mothers body would belong to her. Thank god for Mina saving her life.

[Daniel Helm]

---

August 26th, 1869
Hellfire Ranch House
Around 9:00 pm

Daniel thought he’d near have a heart attack when Darla suddenly sprang from her unexpected sleep, latched onto Helm like she was either fixing to tell him something or head-butt him. Unable to help a wince he watched her carefully before she suddenly turned away, overcome with an overwhelming sickness as she near heaved off the side of the couch. There were some instances that Helm had the speed of a jackrabbit, and this was one of those times. Darting off to the kitchen and returning with a bucket he normally used for milking the cows he put it under Darla in hopes to catch her sick before it could get all over the floor. When it seemed she had warded off her dry heaves he thumbed away the stray tears that’d escaped the corners of her eyes in her efforts, frowning a little at how miserable she looked.

Easing the tension with a little laugh he shook his head, brushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear he shook his head. “Babies aren’t rightly predictable, Darla. The first months you’ll get sick no matter what, no matter what kinda day but as you get further along that’ll go away, I promise.” Well, at least that was what Helm had heard. He couldn’t rightly vouch for it himself from first hand accounts, he knew plenty of pregnant woman back in Carson City but he never rightly knew of their more physical symptoms of the pregnancy beside the growing bump in their bellies. He’d have to go ask Mary about it, she’d had a child and was already close to having her second. Helm could talk for days about pregnant cows or horses but he figured that was nothing like human babies or pregnancies. “It’ll be fine, don’t worry. The sickness will go away soon I bet.”

Taken aback by that serious look in Darla’s eyes he thought a moment on her question, his own eyes becoming stern and his face void of emotion. Stoically rolling back on the balls of his feet he stood up. Without a word he glanced over toward the area he’d not picked her from moments ago and took a deep breath. “I don’t know, it weren’t far a fall I don’t think that could hurt the baby. But from now on we need to be careful. We can’t hurt the baby. They’re fragile ya know? The smallest of things could hurt them. That’s why we talked with Mary, remember? No riding for a while, no running around, no corsets and no drinking. And definitely, if ya find yourself to help it, no more fainting.”