Chapter Text
Luke was drunk, drunker than he'd been in a long time. Which, quite frankly, was just fine by him. The week has started out fine enough. He'd gotten back from a run to San Francisco on Tuesday, Wednesday he found out that he'd been carrying a letter addressed to him. The letter was from his grandmomma's preacher in Shenandoah. Seems she'd died in the night about two months back and the letter had only just gotten to him. On Thursday, one of his horses died from colic. Friday morning Sime and Davey had left on the stage. By noon Luke had saddled up and made the ride to Timberline. He got to Timberline at eight and had started drinking, four hours later he hadn't stopped.
He sat at the bar, glass in one hand, a near empty bottle of rye whiskey in the other. Pouring himself another shot he downed it in one before refilling his glass. He heard a woman's voice ring out, her southern accent standing out over the din of the crowd. “Gentlemen! I'm so glad to see y'all here with us tonight. I hope y'all have been enjoying the show, we've sure enjoyed performing for you.” Luke turned to see where the familiar sounding accent was from, a short brunette stood on the small stage at the back of the saloon. “Sadly though, it's time for us to go.” She was greeted with a round of disapproving jeers. “Oh, well, I suppose I could give you one more song...” The men cheered and Luke watched the other showgirls walk through the crowd looking for prospective customers for the night. The crowd fell silent as she sang the sad tune.
“Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena,
The snow is on the ground again.
The sun's low down the sky, Lorena,
The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been.
But the heart beats on as warmly now,
As when the summer days were nigh.
Oh, the sun can never dip so low
A-down affection's cloudless sky.
A hundred months have passed, Lorena,
Since last I held that hand in mine,
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena,
Though mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months, 'twas flowery May,
When up the hilly slope we climbed,
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bells chime.”
Luke stood at the bar, staring at the woman, she was beautiful. Her curves were accentuated by the corset she wore and the short, dark blue dress and petticoat made her skin appear paler that it was. He turned to the bar and waved the bartender over. “Who's she?”
“We loved each other then, Lorena,
Far more than we ever dared to tell;
And what we might have been, Lorena,
Had but our loving prospered well --
But then, 'tis past, the years are gone,
I'll not call up their shadowy forms;
I'll say to them, "Lost years, sleep on!
Sleep on! nor heed life's pelting storms."
The story of that past, Lorena,
Alas! I care not to repeat,
The hopes that could not last, Lorena,
They lived, but only lived to cheat.
I would not cause e'en one regret
To rankle in your bosom now;
For "if we try we may forget,"
Were words of thine long years ago.
Yes, these were words of thine, Lorena,
They burn within my memory yet;
They touched some tender chords, Lorena,
Which thrill and tremble with regret.”
The burly man behind the bar smirked at Luke. “That's Melody, she's the best girl we've got... Probably to pricey for ya, son.”
“'Twas not thy woman's heart that spoke;
Thy heart was always true to me:
A duty, stern and pressing, broke
The tie which linked my soul with thee.
It matters little now, Lorena,
The past is in the eternal past;
Our heads will soon lie low, Lorena,
Life's tide is ebbing out so fast.
There is a Future! O, thank God!
Of life this is so small a part!
'Tis dust to dust beneath the sod;
But there, up there, 'tis heart to heart.”
Luke glared at the bartender. “I don't remember askin' your opinion.” He finished what was left of his drink. “Just give me another glass.” Luke grabbed his hat along with the two glasses and remaining whiskey. Stumbling a bit in his drunkenness he made his way to the table closest to the stage stairs. As Melody climbed down the stairs Luke stood, trying to maintain his balance. “Miss Melody, ma'am, could I please offer you a drink? I'm sure it's not the most appealing offer you'll get tonight but,” He looked down sheepishly. “I haven't talked to anyone from down South in a coon's age. 'Sides, I haven't heard anyone sing Lorena since I was soldiering. I certainly haven't heard it sung that pretty.”
Melody smiled at him and nodded. “I'd love to have a drink with you soldier boy, it's like you said, to many damn Yankees out in these parts.” She sat in the chair Luke pulled out for her and took the drink he offered sipping the rye slowly. “You seem to have me at a loss soldier boy, you know my name but I don't know yours.” She looked him over, taking in his dirty blonde curls and stormy gray eyes, he was handsome and couldn't be much older than her twenty six years.
“Luke, Luke Perry, ma'am. I'm from Virginia, where abouts are you from?” He leaned closer to hear her voice clearer.
“Well, first and foremost Mister Perry, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't call me ma'am. My name is Melody, and to be quite honest with you, I'd prefer to call you Luke if you'd allow it.” Luke nodded, smile growing on his face. “Well,” she continued “now that we've gotten that worked out. I'm from Georgia. Atlanta, specifically, I'm sure you can guess why I left.” She smiled sadly at Luke. “So, what's got you look'n so sad?”
Luke studied the table quietly before speaking. “I've been homesick for a while now, and I just found out my granny died.” When Luke looked up Melody couldn't help but notice how lost he looked. "It's just been a tough week all around, and with my birthday comin' up, knowin' that none of my friends'll be there..." He trailed off. Logically, Luke knew he was making a mistake. Painted ladies were always trouble, and as much as he'd like to pretend that these ladies weren't all soiled doves, selling themselves after hours, he couldn't, even drunk he was too honest with himself. He prayed to the whiskey in front of him that the next shots would help him push aside the thought that Melody was only talking to him for the money. Melody put her hand over Luke's own and stayed quiet a while, at a loss for what to say. Luke looked at the whiskey bottle as if it had betrayed him, and poured the last two drinks. Throwing back his drink Luke looked up at Melody, he looked at her heart shaped face staring longingly into her blue eyes. "I'm sure you've got more important people to talk to tonight ma... Melody. I'd hate to keep you."
Melody squeezed his hand and smiled broadly. "It just so happens, Luke, that I would rather stay and talk to you than be anywhere else in this world right now." She finished her drink and leaned in closer to Luke, whispering in his ear she asked. "Whadda ya say we go for a walk? I've been here all day." The two left together and walked to the edge of town. Spying a boulder large enough for them both to sit on, she smiled. "Give me a hand up, won'tcha Soldier Boy." Luke laughed and lifted her on to the boulder, quickly climbing it himself. "You know what I miss the most? Magnolia trees. Y'know the ones that were so big you could walk in them like they had stairs."
For the first time that night Luke's smile met his eyes. "Growin' up, we had a magnolia in granny's yard. I'd get in so much trouble climbin' that old tree. Broke my arm falling out of it once." Tentatively, Luke put his arm around Melody, sighing contentedly as she leaned into his side. The two southerners sat there trading stories and laughing. Luke found himself telling her more about himself than he'd told anyone in a long time, it felt good and his bad mood had completely gone. Before he'd thought it through, Luke had turned and lifted Melody's chin. Pressing his lips to hers he kissed her deeply.
Melody sighed into Luke's kiss. She felt safe by his side and lighter than she had since her grandfather had left her in Timberline. Luke's lips were soft against hers and she melted into the kiss. Smiling as he peppered her face with gentle kisses, she slid into Luke's lap. Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and lacing her fingers through his curls. she smiled at the moan it drew from him. As his lips pressed against the side of her neck Melody sighed. She couldn't ever remember a man making her feel like this before. Luke was sweet and caring, she felt safe as his strong arms wrapped tighter and pulled her closer to his large frame. She knew she should stop this, whatever was happening here would end poorly, messily. She couldn't convince herself to stop though, she liked being in Luke's arms.
It was late now, the clock in the center of town chimed three and Luke finally pulled back to look at Melody. She was flushed and her lips were a deep pink, kiss bruised color. He smiled before pressing his forehead to hers. "Melody, can I... What I mean to say is, I'd like to take you to bed." He held his breath waiting for an answer, his hand stroking nervously up and down her back.
Melody frowned. She wanted more than anything at that moment to go with Luke. To feel his strong arms around her, to know for sure that men could be gentle. To not wake up feeling ill and used. She shook her head sadly. "I... You don't want to know me Luke, not like that." She slid out of his lap and away from him, shivering at the sudden lack of warmth. "I'm not a good woman to know." She couldn't look at him, couldn't stand to see the look of hurt on his face. Best to make it impersonal, hurt him now so she doesn't have to hurt later. "This was fun Luke, but I'm am expensive woman. You had a good time, I brought your mood up, that's that." She slid off the boulder, and looked up at the man she wanted to comfort. He looked so sad, so alone up there. She couldn't stay. She started back toward town, back to her small room in the saloon, back to her isolation. She'd get some sleep and try to forget that Luke Perry had ever come into her life.
Luke's voice rang out in the quite night. Bitterly he asked "How much do I owe you then?"
Melody winced at the pain in his voice and willed herself to keep walking. Without turning around she called back to him. "Consider it an early birthday present soldier boy." When she got back to her room Melody sobbed. Mourning for a normal life, a life where she could've run off with Luke, a life where she could be happy, she cried herself to sleep.