Chapter One:

The Last of It

"That's the last of it, Axel."

"That's my girl," Axel pulled Naminé close to him, the money bag between them digging into his gut as he kissed her playfully. She jerked the bandanna off his nose.

"If you're going to kiss me," She started, reproachfully, but Axel had already tossed the sack aside and was diving deep into her mouth, "….at least take the mask off…." She finished, breathlessly, several moments later.

"Anything you say, Miss Pearl," Axel removed his cowboy hat, carefully setting it on the carved mahogany table. "After all, it was you who reminded that conductor how much he'd benefit from opening our safe, eh?"

"It was a fine piece of shootin', wasn't it?" She let her hand pat the butt of her six-shooter delicately. "But he'll need to be replacin' them boots."

"You're an animal," Axel laughed, stepping closer again, pulling off his vest. Naminé wrapped her arm around his waist and tilted her head up, prepared for a kiss. Axel bent down, and just before their lips met, he swiped her pistol, firing it out the front window, which was glass-less and open to allow the faint prairie wind to waft through.

"Easy!" Came a shout from outside, the voice calm despite the fear that doubtless lay beneath the surface. Axel tugged his vest back on, motioning for Naminé to arm herself. She grabbed the shotgun from off the wall, clicking the safety off expertly.

"Who's there?" Axel called, keeping his gun leveled at the front door.

"A friend," The voice hailed again. This time, Axel recognized it. He reacted by whooping and tossing the gun at Naminé, who slid it into its holster before returning the shotgun to it's stand.

"That you, Roxas?" Axel threw the door open and embraced the man who stood there, a young lad whose face was browned by sun, and whose hair was wild from being worn under a hat all day.

"Axel!" Roxas laughed and returned the hug. When he was released, he tipped his hat respectfully at Naminé, "Miss Pearl. Real pleasure to be seein' you again."

"And you, Roxas," Naminé allowed with a warm smile. She did not curtsy, but offered forward a hand to shake, which Roxas took and shook firmly.

"You look tired," Axel observed.

"Been ridin' two days straight," Roxas replied, taking a seat at the table and stretching his legs out with a sigh. His chaps were dusty, and so were his boots. The spurs, Axel noticed, were sharp and shiny; Roxas had just replaced them.

Axel took a seat as well, reaching for the bottle of whiskey that served as the centerpiece. He took a deep belt before offering it to Roxas, who declined with a sad shake of his head.

"I've told you to lay off that stuff," He reproached.

"And I've told you I know my own business," Axel retorted. "Naminé—"

"Get it yourself," She told him. "I'm going out—we never unsaddled the horses, and we got back three hours ago." She closed the door behind her, and they heard her footsteps disappear behind the small cabin, to the make-shift stables and corral at the rear it.

"You should be more careful," Roxas told Axel, as Axel stood, uttering complaints about useless wenches. "Your name's been spreadin' too much around here lately." Axel sat back down, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Roxas pushed a newspaper across the table. A picture of Axel lit the front cover, his mask down and grinning like a fool as he fired a pistol into the air. "Your face is too familiar. It's time for you to move on, brother."

"Ah. I think I've seen this paper," Axel took another swig of whiskey, then pushed the bottle aside to flip through the pages. About the second front, he stopped, flipping the paper around so Roxas could see it. "Sundance Kid?" He laughed. "You're pretty famous too."

"That's why I'm movin' west." Roxas tapped his fingers on the table, nervously. "I found myself a woman, and I promised her I'd put an end to this life of crime. I've got enough money for us to live comfortably on for some time, and anyway—"

"You serious?" Axel interrupted him, pulling the smoke from his mouth and meeting Roxas in the eye.

"Yes. You think I'd joke? Anyway, I think you should come with us. You and Miss Pearl are gettin' too comfortable here—it can't be too much longer before they discover your hideout, and then where will you be?"

"Movin'." Axel shrugged. "But…this talk about givin' up crime…You wouldn't really consider goin' square, would you?"

"Never been more serious about anything in my life."

"It's the family trade," Axel tipped the bottle again. "Our pa was a train-robber, and his pa before him busted stage-coaches."

"Yes, well, if you recall, little Hanyer married respectably enough—he's a successful rancher down in Texas. He's got as much a' Pa's genes as you or I."

"Every family's allowed one black sheep," Axel bit down hard on his cigarette, obviously deep in thought. "But…Roxas…what makes you think they won't find you out west? Moving further into the boonies isn't gonna make life any easier for your li'l lady. Who is she, anyway? She a looker?"

"I left her with our horses. She's gorgeous."

"Pretty enough to die for?" He swallowed more booze. Roxas stared at him. Axel spread his hands.

"Just askin'. I mean, y'know. It could lead to that. You're as bloody and evil and guilty as sin. So'm I. We have been since we was…what, twelve? Some lawman catch you—and settlin' down means you gonna run into a lawman—and it don't matter how long you been square. They find out you're Sundance, you gonna swing. You think your li'l miss can live with that?"

"I don't plan to get caught, Axel. If I have to, I'll be a lawman."

"You'd dog?"

"For Miss Kitty, I'd even rat." Axel made a face.

"You…ah, hell." Another swig, "I ain't even in that deep with Pearl."

"She's as much your business partner as your lover," Roxas shrugged. "Miss Kitty's gonna be my wife."

"Congrats," Axel said dryly, lighting his smoke at last. There was a long pause when neither of them said anything.

"So…." Roxas stood, breaking the silence. "Are you going to at least consider? Come with us."

"No." Axel looked out the window. "Movin'….I can't do it. I like it here. Look out that window. See the view?"

"Axel, even if you don't come with us, you're going to have to leave here sooner or later. The law'll be on to you."

"They'll never find this place. We hid it too well, we hit places too far away."

"I hope you're right." Roxas didn't sound convinced. "You're sure, then?"

"Yeah." Axel stood as well, collecting his hat. He held out a hand for his brother to shake. "I'm sure. Good luck with the weddin' and stuff. I'd hate to be a bandito in your law country."

"You know I'd never dog you."

"Not even for your Miss Kitty?"

"….No. You're my brother." Roxas shook Axel's hand, biting his lip as if he wanted to say something more. "Miss Kitty and I should be on our way." Axel walked him to the door, and watched as he disappeared to the stables. He didn't go to meet Miss Kitty. He hated the wench already. Roxas…Roxas was the only family he had left. He sucked the last life of the cigarette out of it, then put it out on his boot, flicking it into the grass in front of the cabin.

Axel glanced over his shoulder, back into the small, two-room house. His eyes fell upon the half-empty bottle of booze. Yeah. That sounded real good.