Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Liberty Valance. I own Amy AKA 'Andy' and 'Kid', I also own Burney, Ted, Ms. Rathers, and Travis.
The evening sun cast eerie shadows on the ground in the small western town as a slight breeze blew; the heat of the summer was becoming less intense, a promise that fall was soon to arrive. The small town was quiet and for the most part uneventful.
21 year old Amy knew this for a fact, the cloth binds around her chest ached and stung as they dug into her skin. She ignored the pain as she carried a small but heavy crate filled with new shiny glass bottles of liquor for the saloon. Everyone in town knew her as Andy, a little kid without a home. Little did they know the little kid was really an adult woman running from her past.
"Evenin', Travis," she grunted to the bar keeper.
"Evenin', Andy, let me get that," the brawny bar keeper with the long and thick gray beard exclaimed.
"Naw, I got it," she replied, though her arms were beginning to shake from the strain of holding the heavy crate. Her shoulders ached, but she ignored the bothersome pain before setting the crate onto the floor beside the bar keeper.
"Anythin' else I can do?" She questioned, making sure to deepen her tone as much as possible without it sounding ridiculous. It had taken her nearly a month to find the right tone, but the time it took had only added to her story. All the townspeople were certain that 'little Andy was getting his voice.'
"Nothin' I can think of, you went to school today?"
"Erm...Yes, but Mrs. Maybelle kicked me out again, she said I was too smart," Andy smirked. She had an education from Boston and knew how to read and write. She knew the important events in history, though science and arithmetic had been difficult for her she passed with a low A.
"Well then, looks like yer gonna have to keep puttin' that education of yers to rest and just work hard like the rest of us....Pity that is," he commented.
"A lil hard work never heart anybody, and experience is the best teacher," she smiled.
"True," he replied then paused, "Ya best be goin' now."
Andy blinked, it was too early for anyone to come into the saloon right now, why was Travis kicking her out?
"Why?"
"Don't talk back to yer elders and do what your told," he practically snapped.
She quickly turned to leave, his sharp tone making her jump. Andy was nearly through the door when a cowboy dressed in a bright red shirt barreled past her, "Watch it, kid."
"Sorry, sir," she replied and waited for the large group to finish filing in through the door. The last person to enter was a cowboy that made her breath catch in her throat. She felt her cheeks begin to burn as she stared at him. He was taller than her, but not as tall as the cowboy in the red shirt. He was dressed in black and gray, a red sash around his waist. His dark eyes stared into her own. He smirked, obviously thinking she was terrified.
"What's wrong, kid, never see a cowboy before?"
"Uh....I have sir," She replied, "Just not one....So uh....Scary before."
"Leave the kid alone, Cowboy," Travis exclaimed, "You're here to drink, not terrorize. Andy, beat it."
She quickly ran out of the bar, her heart pounding. The night was becoming dark and the crickets had begun their tune, as the coyotes and wolves sang a mysterious song of their own.
"Andy Matthews, what are you doin' wanderin' around the night?" Scowled a tall blonde woman Andy recognized as Melinda Rathers. She was the town's 'Madame' and also very protective over children.
"Just finishing bringing some things to the saloon, Miss Rathers. Anythin' I can do to help ya?"
"What you can do is get back home, it's too lad for a lad like you to be out. I don't care if you do have your voice now, you're only a child."
"But I'm 14 now!" Andy argued, if only the blonde knew her true age.
"Don't argue with me, young man!"
"Yes, Miss Rathers," Andy sighed as she headed towards the town's inn. The room beside Old Christopher's had become hers as long as she continued to pay her rent on time.
"Andy, ain't it early for ya to be home?" Frowned the inn keeper, Burney Reynolds, Travis's grandfather.
"Yeah, but Miss Rathers would chase me in here with that parasol of hers if I didn't do what I was told," Andy replied.
Burney chuckled, "She's only lookin' out for ya, son. Go ahead and get to bed, I hear them cowboys will need some help tomorrow while they're here. You'll make some money, I want ya to be the first they hire. Go on now, bed."
She didn't argue as she climbed up the stairs to the second floor and walked into her tiny room. Once the door was locked and the curtains were closed she unbuttoned her shirt and untied the cloth bands from around her chest. She gave a sigh of relief once her restraints were gone.
A few minutes later she had changed into a knee length shirt that was baggy enough to hide all her curves. She never knew when she'd have to get up extremely early in the morning or late at night. There had been times in the last town she lived in her past had returned and she had to leave quickly. The townspeople in those towns had been shocked to learn that little Andy was really Amy, a strong minded woman from Boston.
She took her cap off and finger brushed her shoulder length hair. The town thought that Andy either had no hair or it was very short. She didn't have the heart to cut her curly bright red hair short, it was the only thing she had as a reminder of the past and of who she had once been. She reached onto the table beside her bed and tied her hair back into a braid and glanced at the mirror beside the bed.
No longer did the little boy with the big green eyes stare back at her. She now saw herself for she truly was: Amy Mattherson, a strong minded but scared woman running from her brother's murderer. She small, her face was cherubic and pale with pink cheeks. When she could still wear dresses her brother would always chuckle and say she looked like a small porcelain doll.
Andy shrugged the memories away, she was Andy Matthews now. A child who had lost his parents in Kansas from a dust storm that had spread fire across their tiny farm. Although small with a hard past he was a smart kid willing to do any work that came his way. Andy had lived in the small town of Lawless for nearly two years ago and still remained shocked that no one had discovered her secret.
---------------------------
A small ray of soft sunlight cased over Andy's closed eyes, causing her to moan and turn over onto her side towards the door. When she had gotten snuggled into the sheets and nearly asleep again someone began to pound heavily on her door.
"Andy! Get up! Mornin's here and the cowboys are up and they need help. C'mon one of 'um personally asked for ya! Don't dawdle, time is money!" Burney shouted.
"I'm up, I'm up already," She muttered.
"Huh? It's that a girl's voice I hear in there? Andy whose in there with ya?"
Andy gasped, she had forgotten to lower her voice! The door knob began to rattle and shake and she found herself glad she locked her door. She jumped on pulled on her trousers and snapped the suspenders over her shoulders, "Hold on, Burney, I'm comin'!"
"Open this door now, Andy! Yer too young to have a girl in there with ya!"
"There ain't no girl!"
"I heard a girl's voice, Andy who is in there with ya? Don't make me ask again or I'll throw ya out on the streets so fast yer head will spin!"
After hopping around on each foot as she got her shoes on she scampered to the door and unlocked it before swinging it open. Burney shoved past her and began to look under her bed and in the tiny chest at her bed which was bare except for other change of clothing.
"Andy, what is goin' on here?" He growled, "I heard a girl's voice," he turned towards the window and frowned at finding it tightly closed and locked.
"I just woke up and my voice was squeaky," Andy replied, fear twisting in her stomach. Oh please don't find out I'm not a boy, just go! Please! She mentally begged the old man. It was then she realized she had forgotten to tie the cloth strips around her chest, she quickly moved her suspenders so one was on her shoulder while the other hung down her left hip.
"Alright, sorry for jumpin' ta conclusions, ya ready?"
"Not yet, gotta take a leak," Andy replied.
"Oh," Burney replied before quickly walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.
Andy waited for a long moment before giving a sigh of relief. She grabbed the cloth strips and tucked them into her pants pocket before quickly walking to the outside. She shrugged out of her suspender and quickly unbuttoned the shirt and tightly wrapped the cloth around her chest. When she was buttoning up her shirt the door opened and the cowboy dressed in black and gray stared at her.
"Well, yer just everywhere aren't ya?"
She yelped and spun around, her shirt was only halfway buttoned.
The cowboy began to laugh hysterically, "For a little boy you sure act like a girl."
"I do not!" She replied, "I'm just....Shy."
"Shy, of course," the cowboy replied sarcastically.
Andy wasn't sure what to do part of her wanted to run, the other part wanted to slug this jerk so hard she left a nice bruise behind. However she turned, her eyes widened in horror. The cowboy was relieving himself in front of her. Then again, he was convinced that Andy was a he.
She quickly walked out the door, blushing hard and headed towards the stables where the cowboys were getting their horses. She paused near barrel of water that was used to clean hands with and quickly dunked her hands in, she shook the water off as she continued towards the cowboys.
"Hi, I understand you have work for me," she said to the cowboy in red.
He glanced up at her, "The Kid again? Naw, Kid, I didn't ask for ya, Ringo did. See that brown horse with the white streak down the front of its head over there? It's his, go wait by it."
She nodded before walking towards the horse, cowboys passed by her, most completely ignoring her. But one, an older cowboy with gray hair and a gray beard that looked like it needed to be washed, walked towards her.
"Who are ya?"
"Andy Matthews, sir," she replied, "I was told to wait here until the owner of the horse arrived."
"Ike Clanton," the man greeted, "Yer awful young to be workin' and on yer own. Where are yer parents?"
"Died 5 years ago, sir. Dirt Devil in Kansas spread fire all round our small farm. I got out but ma and pa didn't," she replied as she cast her eyes to the ground, "I tried to get them out but....The fire was just too big."
"Ain't yer fault, son, you tried," the man replied, his cold blue eyes hid his emotions, "I lost my wife a few years ago, though my sons here with me." He paused, "You got anyone who cares for ya?"
Andy paused, he knew he had just answered that question, but shook his head no.
Ike paused, "Well that might be changin', my son was about yer age when he put on his sash. Ain't nobody gonna mess with a cowboy. I'll talk to Curly Bill and Ringo and you'll be ridin' with us."
"Thanks, sir..." She replied unsure of how to tell the old cowboy that she had no idea how to ride a horse.
"Well, I see ya didn't run off somewhere," the cowboy dressed in black exclaimed as he sauntered over to her, "Names Johnny Ringo."
"Andy Matthews," she replied as she shook his hand. His dark eyes scanned up and down her form, she tried not to blush but failed miserably.
"Well girly boy you know where there's a blacksmith?" he questioned.
"The names Andy and I ain't no girly boy," Andy replied in anger.
Ringo stared at her and for a moment she wished she could have taken those angry words back. Her temper was going to get her killed. To her surprise the corners of his mouth began to twitch before he began to laugh.
"You got moxie, Kid," he smirked, "So where's that blacksmith?"
"Over this way, his name is Theodore, but he likes bein' called Ted," Andy replied as she led Ringo through the streets and to the blacksmith who warily eyed the cowboy.
"Andy how'd you meet this man?" The tall and muscular man questioned as he stepped between Andy and Ringo.
"I'm workin' for him right now, Ted," she replied.
Ted stared at Ringo before glancing at her, his brown eyes flashed with the intelligence that his face didn't show. His face was like a long oval, his cheeks were round. His nose was large and stubby, he didn't have a mustache but he had a large brown beard around his face that met with his sideburns.
After Ringo told the blacksmith what to do with his horse he walked out, obviously expecting Andy to follow.
"Andy, ya be careful ya hear?" Ted asked, "That man's dangerous, you know who he is?"
"Just a cowboy like every other man here," she shrugged.
"No, he's a Cowboy."
She stared at Ted, confused, hadn't she just said that?
Ted shook his head and muttered a curse, "Look the Cowboys are a band of bad men who go round shootin' people, they don't believe in now law. If they get sick of ya or they just want ya out of the way they'll shoot ya. Ya get your pay and ya get the hell away from them, you hear me? And that man there, he's Johnny Ringo, the second in command of that group. You don't want nothin' to do with him, he's a crazy gunslinger."
"He's payin me," she shrugged.
"I don't care, you find work with another Cowboy if you want, but ya stay away from the likes of him."
Andy watched the blacksmith turn away from her, she shrugged and walked out. She jumped and found Ringo leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a small smirk on his face.
"So he told ya of my reputation," he exclaimed, he looked towards the door and raised his voice, "I only shoot nosy blacksmiths who go 'round spreadin' rumors."
Andy stared at him and began to feel extremely uncomfortable, the fact he was a gunslinger unnerved her, but the fact he killed people without reason terrified her.
"I think I should be -"
"Oh, don't you start that now, girly-boy," Ringo scolded, "Don't let that blacksmith scare ya. He doesn't know anythin' about me or the Cowboys. We don't believe in the law because we are the law. We take care of each other. Now while ya were talkin' to Ted in there Ike came by and told me about ya, so I'm givin' you the option: you want a permanent place to stay that will be safe with us, and you'll have a family...Or you wanna stay in this old mining town that's dyin?"
"It ain't dyin," Andy replied.
Ringo rolled his eyes, "Look around, there's only forty people in this town, it's dyin, Kid. Yer gonna be livin' in a ghost town if ya stay much longer. So what will be it, safety and family, or alone in a ghost town?"
Andy stared at him, the offer was extremely tempting. The man who shot her brother and swore he'd kill her would never raise his pistol to a Cowboy, or would he? But if he did find her and try to shoot her the cowboys would shoot him first. After all the name Liberty Valance meant nothing to them. She would be safe, but at the same time she'd be letting down the people she came to know as friends.
"The clocks tickin' kid, make up yer mind already," Ringo exclaimed.
She glanced at him, then glanced at the inn where she had been living. She had grown closest to Burney and Travis at the Saloon, but if they ever discovered she was a grown woman they'd feel embarrassed and betrayed. They'd never speak to her again.
She nodded, "Alright, I'm in."
"Welcome to your new home then, Kid," Ringo exclaimed as he threw her a sash, "Tie that around yer waist. You know how to shoot a gun?"
"No."
Ringo laughed, "Course not, you know how to ride a horse?"
Again, she shook her head no.
"How can ya live in the West and not know how ta ride a horse?" Ringo asked.
"I dunno," she replied.
"You sure ya lived on a farm, Kid?" He asked as he eyed her once again, "Cause every farm boy or girl knows how ta ride a horse."
"My parents were over protective," she replied.
"Musta been, c'mere," he exclaimed as he led her towards Ike and another cowboy who wore the same clothing as his father. She guessed that was Ike's son.
"Ike, Andy here don't know how to ride...Can ya teach her? I gotta get ta the saloon and talk with Bill."
Ike nodded and the younger man stared at her astounded
"Ya don't know how to ride a horse?" He asked.
"Billy," Ike snapped, "Billy's got loose lips and don't always think before he says."
Billy scowled, "Somethin' I get from my old man."
Ike glared at him before he looked at Andy again, "Yer names Amnda?"
She tensed, "No, it's Andy, sir."
"Don't call me, sir, it's Ike," he exclaimed, "Yer one of us now. Now climb onto this here horse, her names Maybelle."
Andy walked over and stroked the horse's neck, "Hello, Maybelle," she greeted. The horse snorted before shaking its head from side to side.
Andy bit her lip and put her foot into the loophole on the saddle. The saddle began to slide over causing her to fall to the ground. Ike and Billy both began to laugh before Billy fixed the saddle.
"Look here," Ike exclaimed a minute later, you put your foot into the stirrup and put your hand onto the side of the horse's neck. Now don't go grippin' the hair, just hold on, ya won't fall, lift yerself onto the saddle." He demonstrated before climbing down, "Now you try."
Andy nodded and put her right root into the stirrup. She pulled herself up onto the horse and held onto the saddle horn for dear life.
"Now we're gonna start you off at a walk," Ike exclaimed, "You'll need to be ridin' by tonight 'cause that's when we leave."
"He ain't got guns," Billy exclaimed.
"Well, he'll get one but that will hafta wait 'till Curly Bill or Ringo teaches him how ta shoot. I ain't losin' one of my important parts," Ike exclaimed before grabbing the reigns and walking the length of the short street up and down four times before he turned to Andy.
"Now, take the reigns, when ya want the horse to go you jam yer heels into its side and flick the reigns. Now don't go off jammin' that poor beast too hard, ya just need a tap, horses are sensitive creatures."
Andy flicked the reigns, the horse did nothing. Ike waited.
She realized she had it backwards, she tapped her heels into the horse's side gently and it began to walk forward.
"If ya want her to go left tug the reigns to the left, if ya want it to go right tug the reigns to the right," Ike instructed.
Before an hour was up she was able to right Maybelle at a trot. After another hour she found herself being able to slide down off the horse and climb back down as if she had done it all her life. However when Ike slapped the horse's behind and it took off running she screamed her head off. Her heart pounded in terror as she clutched the reigns and shouted at the creature to stop. It obviously took her yell the wrong way and ran faster, she cried out in terror.
Suddenly Ringo's horse was riding beside Ike's and Ringo was reaching for the reigns. He grabbed hold of the leather and slowed his horse down, forcing Maybelle to slow down with them. After a long minute the two horses came to a stand still.
"Well that was mighty interestin'," Ringo smirked, "Ya scream like a girl, I heard ya all the way in the saloon."
Andy's heart pounded as she reached up and pulled her hat down back fully onto her head. She was glad it hadn't fallen off. If the Cowboys saw her hair they'd put together that her face wasn't one of a child but of a woman. She couldn't and wouldn't have that.
"I do not, I was scared!"
Ringo laughed again before slapping her back so hard it stung, "Ya know, Kid yer a comedy show that could outdo the Birdcage Theatre's shows any day!"
"It's my speciality," she muttered in sarcasm, causing Ringo to laugh again.
Ike ran over, "Maybelle ok?"
"Maybelle's fine, Ike," Ringo replied, "However Kid ain't."
"My names Andy," Andy replied.
"Not anymore it ain't," Ike replied, "Ya should feel honored that it was one of our leaders that nicknamed ya and not one of us."
"And be glad I didn't decide to call ya Girly-Boy, Kid," Ringo smirked, laughter shining in his eyes.
Andy glanced away and looked up at seeing the cowboy in the red shirt walking over.
"I take it you've never ridden in a day in yer life," the cowboy smirked before laughing.
Andy blushed hard, did they really have to rub that in? Yet she was going to be surrounded by men from now on, so she figured she had best get used to it. Then another thought hit her, a thought that made her heart skip a beat. What would she do when she had to relieve herself and they weren't anywhere near a town? Fear caused her throat to tighten.
"Kid looks like she's seen a ghost," The cowboy exclaimed, "What's wrong with ya Kid?"
"The boy's father didn't do a good raisin' him is what," Ringo exclaimed, "His ma raised him, he's too female."
"Now you ain't a woman now are ya?"
"NO!" Andy snapped at the cowboy.
The cowboy laughed, "The names Curly Bill Brocious," he exclaimed.
"Andy Matthews," she replied.
"Now, Kid, I've seen a lotta strange things in my time, but may I ask why ya have cloth wrapped around yer chest?" Bill questioned.
Andy gasped and looked down to see a few of her shirt's buttons had popped off. The shirt was old and nearly threadbare, she had been hoping to get at least another week or two out of it. Enough time to replace it since her other shirt was in no better condition.
She had to come up with a good story and quick! But what? Then it hit her, when she was a child she had met one of her brother's friends who had back aches for apparent reasons and he tied cloth up and down certain parts of his back. He swore it took the pain away.
"They're for my back," she replied quickly, "My back aches for no reason a lotta times, there ain't nothin' wrong with it....It just aches. The cloth helps."
Ringo looked her up and down, "I dunno, Bill," he smirked, "I get since he's young he's short but ain't his hips a bit...Round to ya?"
Andy tensed, fear entered her eyes.
Suddenly the small group of cowboys around her began laughing.
"We're just playin' with ya, Kid, don't take things so damned literal," Curly Bill exclaimed as he slapped her shoulder. "Let's get some better clothes on this kid, his are about ta fall off and I don't wanna be 'round to see that!"
------------------------------------------
It was near the end of the day and Andy found himself having a new pair of clothes and an extra set in her saddle bag. She had her own horse she had named Storm since he was black as night and his eyes flashed in anger whenever anyone else besides her got around him. The stable keeper, Lucas, had tried to keep her away from the horse in fear it would kill her. What he didn't know was that since the day he had gotten the horse as a young fowl she had come in to feed it and speak with it.
She soon also had her own gun belt, though it was empty. While they traveled to the next town Ringo and Bill both agreed to take turns teaching 'him' how to shoot. When both were convinced she was ready for her own guns they'd go into a local gunsmith's in a town called Tombstone and buy her ones like theirs.
And even though she was now an outlaw she was strangely happy and found herself in a place that she finally belonged in. She just hoped and prayed she could keep her secret and they'd never find out her true identity, though she was almost certain Ringo knew from the way he was always teasing her and calling her 'girly boy.'
"Kid, saddle up, we're leavin!" Ringo exclaimed as he climbed atop his horse, "Ride between Ike and myself," he called out.
She nodded and slipped on the heavy riding gloves Ike had given her, they were his old pair. She grabbed her reigns and waited for the other cowboys to go before she gently tapped her heels into Storm's sides and flicked the reigns. Part of her cursed the spurs on her heels. They had to cause pain for the horse. She tried to only use the part of her heels that didn't have spurs so she didn't harm the horse who had become her closest friend during the last two years. Storm walked between Ringo and Ike before all the horses took off at a run.
Storm and Andy easily kept up, as they left the town a large smile crossed her face. Andy was finally leaving her past behind.
