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"Well thanks. First we need to dig up some fat worms though." Cord told him.
"I know just where to find some, too." Charlie told him.
"Good. Well then, let's get things together and get out there, they bite early of a morning you know." Cord offered the information.
Charlie went to get his gear and in minutes they were strolling through the saloon again, headed for their horses. Everyone seemed to notice how Charlie took to Cord and now that Cord announced it was his kid, they accepted it.
"We'll be back around noon, I expect." Cord told Lilly as he passed her.
"Be careful, and catch some for supper." Lilly told him.
"Only if you'll cook them." Cord turned to smile at her.
"It's a deal," she smiled and kissed Charlie on the cheek.
Cord grinned, "Don't I get one of those?"
"You already did, remember?" She smiled.
"I always did like seconds." He reached to pull her into his arms and kissed her solidly on the lips. Unprepared her arms went around him, but Cord turned her lose before it became too involved. It was enough to show his possession of her in the saloon.
"Later…" He whispered.
Lilly stood there breathless for a long moment.
~*~
"Well now, those are some good size worms." Cord told Charlie as they used an old can to put them in.
"I always find some around here." Charlie informed him. Cord noticed how confident Charlie acted. Fishing had to be important to him.
"Well you certainly know where to look." Cord responded with a smile.
Charlie looked up at him, squinting from the morning sun. "Ma says you are my real dad, is that true?"
Cord hesitated for only a moment. "Well…what do you think about it?"
Charlie set the can down and looked up at him again, his expression platonic. "I just got one question."
"Okay, pardner, what is it?" Cord asked picking up the can of worms and scouring the edge of trees that lined the banks of the creek.
"Where you been all this time?"
Cord couldn't stop the chuckle. Cord squatted so he could face Charlie head on. "That's a good question. Well, I tell ya, I went to war first off. Came back, saw your Ma and then I took off again."
"Why?"
"Why what?" Cord asked
"Why did you take off again?"
Cord stood up, chunked a rock into the pond and decided to tell Charlie a little about himself. "Well Charlie," He squatted once more, looking him right in the eye. "We're going to be a family soon, and I want you to know things about me. People around here will talk about it and I'd rather you knew right off. I killed a man, here once…"
"Killed a man?" Charlie came to stand closer, his young brown eyes searching Cord's. "Who?"
"His name was Dubs. He was a very rich and powerful man. But, he was also a mean man. He wanted my Ma to move off her place so he could have it. Took a gun to her…"
"Gosh…what did you do?" Charlie's eyes widened.
