As he walked through the dusty paddocks, he tried to blend in.
He still could not believe that Section had finally let him go. He had not been performing up to par for quite some time now, especially since that last mission where he lost his wife. Wow... how long had it been now?
Nikita did mange to make the time fly and he was thankful for that. She had become quite dear to him and he loved her deeply. Even if he could never show it....
"Hey Dude!"
His reflections were interrupted by the bright young woman who owned the place. She was headed over to him and her smile could melt the heart of anyone, even himself. She was in her early thirties and had inherited the place from someone in her family the best he could recall.
"Hi yourself." He greeted her, somewhat stiffly. He didn't do well with other people. He figured now was as good a time as any to get some practice on that one. He smiled at her.
"So. How are you liking the place so far? Think you will be happy here after all?" She asked him as she twined a rope around her elbow and back again, forming a lariat. She was a bit shorter than he was but it suited her. She was dressed as you might imagine, in jeans and denim shirt. A red bandanna was knotted around her neck and the sun had brought out the auburn highlights in her dark brown hair.
He snapped to suddenly, realizing that she was still waiting for his reply. "Um... yeah. I think I will be. Thanks. Here... can I help with that." He reached awkwardly for the rope and she gave him a speculative look before finally turning it over to him.
"Sure. Give it a try. It's really quite easy once you know what you are doing." She moved closer to him and showed him how to position his hands on the lariat and pointed out a nearby fencepost for him to lasso.
After a few feeble attempts, they were both laughing and coughing in the dust that had been stirred up. "That is one thing I don't think I will ever get used to out here. The dry heat." She said, turning to head towards the house for an iced tea. "Care to join me?" She called over her shoulder.
He paused for a split second, then figured, what the heck. Following her at a more cautious gait, he approached the house slowly.
Aly looked out of the large picture window wondering if he would ever make it in here. She had needed some extra hands around, especially with the tourist season about to begin. City folks were always wanting to come out to a real working ranch, and play *Dude Ranch* for a week or two. She didn't mind and it brought in some much-needed capital for the leaner months.
She had hired him on the spot, though she still couldn't figure out why. Something about him had just intrigued her.
She had just finished pouring the iced tea into two tall glasses when she heard his booted feet echoing in the hallway.
"Back here!" She called out to him and he emerged through the doorway.
They had talked and laughed for a good hour while finishing the entire pitcher of iced tea. Time passed quickly when they were together.
Aly decided to take him around and let him get aquainted with the other hands. She introduced him to the cook, the wranglers, the cow punchers, and the blacksmith. He made friends slowly, she could tell. He was very reserved in his greetings... almost as if he had not been around people in quite a while.
Aly stood off from the men a bit as she watched them try to make the new man feel comfortable here at his new *home*. She decided to go check on the mare that was prime for foaling while they showed the new man the ropes.
He was clapped on the back so many times he felt like his teeth were rattling in his mouth. Finally excusing himself from the hardy bunch of cow-pokes, he made his way across the pastureland and onto a small rise. He watched the sun as it got lower and lower into the sky.
As he looked out across the rolling hills and saw the horses and cows grazing in their respective pastures, he felt a tear tweak the corner of his eye. Speaking to himself, and the wind he supposed, he said, "Oh, Nikita. I wish you could see this too. I miss you."
He watched the sun descend on the horizon and thought back to his days... no, years at Section. How he had managed to win his freedom he still could not figure out. He just took his stuff and hit the road. No one had to tell him twice.
He didn't know exactly how long he had wandered, nor how far. How he ended up here, on a Dude Ranch, was still a mystery to him. But, then again, probably the last place Section would ever look for him when they changed their minds.
And yes. They WOULD change their mind. He knew them too well.
Aly watched him from her perch on the fencepost nearby. She still couldn't quite figure him out. She knew he would feel more comfortable in a day or two. He was wearing the black leather pants and jacket that he seemed to feel were his second skin. She made a mental note to take him into town tomorrow for some shopping. No way he could make it out here in clothes like that!
And those earings! The other hands were really going to get him on those if he didn't do something soon.
She jumped down from the post and brushed the dust from her jeans.
"Walter!? Ready for suppertime?" She called to him. He turned towards her and waved his reply. He ambled down the hillside and caught up with her as she headed towards the big house.
"Aly? Did I thank you for hiring an old codger like me yet?" He said with a smile.
She looped her arm through his and grinned up at him. "No thanks needed. I like you and you will do great here."
The two walked along arm in arm and headed up to the house.