"The Dark Riders" was used as a part of 'The Dance' and 'Becca' wrote an alternative ending to it. Here it is.

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"That’s NOT true, Sarah. He loved you with all his heart. He’s pined for you for ten years," sobbed Nick as he drew his gun.

"Nick, don’t do anything stupid," reasoned Sarah. "You know Howie is faster than you."

"That's how little you know me, Howie. You've been gone for two years, how the hell do YOU know who I even AM anymore?" Aiming at Sarah, Nick said, "Put your hands where I can see them, Howie, or I’ll kill her…. just like you killed Brian.

Howie eased his hands out leaving his gun where it was.

Alex tried to ease out but Nick shot him.

"ALEX!" cried Sarah as she watched him crumple. "Damnit, Nick! Don’t do this! Think about Rebecca and the baby…your new son! You know you won’t live. There’s still Kevin and you know he WILL kill you!"

Aiming at Howie, Nick wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Brian was the only family I had…the only one who loved ME. You three saw me as a kid…you never respected me…you always thought I was a screw up! Brian…he believed in me. As his friend, I can’t let you go."

Howie and Sarah both saw how bad Nick’s hand was shaking and Howie whispered, "Keep talking, baby."

"Nick…please…."

"SHUT UP!" screamed Nick as he pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out and Howie fell back onto the bed.

"NOOOOOOO!" screamed Sarah. In a split second without thinking, she pulled Howie’s gun, but before she could aim it at Nick, the impact of a bullet, fired from the side doorway, sent the gun flying from her hands.

"Hold it right there. How could you do this?" Rebecca stood stiffly, Brian's hunting rifle aimed at Sarah, silent tears coursing down her cheeks.

"Rebecca?!" Sarah was in shock. Here was her meek, unassuming cook, prepared to kill her, and for what?

"You don't think I'd do it, do you," she cried. "But Nick and baby G.T. are all I have left in this world. I can't let you take that away from me."

Nick still aimed his gun at the couple, afraid to let his eyes waver for even just one second. He knew how heartless Howie and his gang could be, they'd been hardened over the years and would stop at nothing to achieve their nefarious goals. "Rebecca, put down the gun," he whispered.

"Nick?"

"Do it," he ordered, and as she did, he saw Sarah breathe a sigh of relief. Leveling a steely gaze at Howie and Sarah, he gave them his final ultimatum. "Get out."

"What?" gasped Howie, his hand pressed to the wound on his shoulder.

"You have till daybreak tomorrow to get out of town, all of you. I'll look the other way until then, but if I come back and find you here, I swear I'll kill you."

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The next morning just as the sun was rising over the ridge, the sheriff and his wife, holding their baby son, stood silently on the outskirts of town. A movement to the west caught their eyes and they smiled, knowing that everything would soon be right with their world. A week after riding into town, the three dark riders were headed out of town. This time, the short dark rider sat beside his wife, their sons with them. They were all headed north to a new life in Utah…together as a family in a new place.

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