Desert Rose
Summary: Au: Ororo is a woman driven by revenge. When she stumbles upon a small town she finds herself in a whirl wind of new friends, new enemies and complicated relationships. However when she is force to choose between her desire for revenge or settling down to live her life will she choose the right path?
Author's Note: Okay, I'm kinda excited about this story because its very different from anything I have ever written before. It's an western so its filled with its usual goodies of action, romance, drama and adventure. It features most of the x men characters so there is something in here for everyone and just so I can keep a tad bit of mystery to this story I wont reveal any of the pairings in this summary.
Dodges bowling pins and bananas thrown by angry audience
Lol now on to the story and as always reviews, suggestions, criticism are appreciated.
Chapter One- A Town Called Serenity
Ororo Monroe tied down her chestnut mare to the post outside the town's general store and took a moment to observe her surroundings. She had just completed a three day ride from Georgia and she was finally in Serenity Texas and all she wanted to do was sleep. She was exhausted and worn down from the journey and she felt that at any moment her legs would give out from beneath her, and she would collapse. At her side was her best friend Anna who was puffing on a cigar oblivious to all the open stares she was attracting from passing citizens of the town. It was frowned upon for a woman to smoke and while Ororo detested the filthy habit, she knew Anna was too stubborn to ever give up smoking and too independent minded to care what others thought of her. The afternoon was unbearably hot and Ororo wished that there was a brook nearby where she could bathe to get some relief from the humid weather. Her eyes watered up as horses jogged past her kicking up dust. That, along with the heavy smoke drifting from the cigar, caused her to sneeze.
"The cigar is not quite subtle, Anna. We are not trying to draw attention to ourselves, remember?" Ororo reminded somewhat amused.
Anna snorted and smiled at her slyly.
"You and Ah are gonna stick out like soar thumbs no matter how much we try not to. Ah mean look at us," she drawled.
Ororo couldn't help but smile at the ring of truth in her friend's words. Even with a hat on she knew she drew attention merely for being a black woman walking around freely. She had been born a free slave yet in the South being free didn't mean that much. Freedom didn't exclude her from the cruelty and harsh words that were afforded blacks who were still slaves. What made things worse was that her features were not those of a usual black woman. Her hair which was braided and tucked under the hat was a shocking white, and her eyes were a striking blue. Most people made the mistake of assuming she was a quadroon, an offspring of an mulatto parent and a white parent, but both of her parents had been black which further puzzled people.
Across the street in front of a saloon an old man was sitting on the steps playing a harmonica. The melody was rather sad and depressing and she welcomed the wistful nostalgia that washed over her at the thought of her parents. Her father use to play the harmonica with such passion that everyone said he had a gift. Many nights after supper her mother would dance barefooted with her in the front yard on the small piece of beautiful Louisiana land they called home while her father played. Those had been the happiest times of her life and unfortunately a tragic incident occurred that had cruelly stolen that happiness from her. Her childhood had came to a screeching halt when a gang of bandits had descended on her home on a cold Christmas Eve when she was ten. Her mother had hid her in the barn while the men had burned their home down. She closed her eyes fighting back tears as the horrific memories washed over her. Her father had been murdered in cold blood and her mother had been viciously raped before being killed as well. For days she had hid in the hay stack too afraid to leave and had it not been for a Mormon caravan passing through she was sure she would have never came out of hiding. She had been taken under the wings of the religious nomads and when she had became of age she had broke from the pack to travel on her own.
"Yes, but you could at least make an effort. We do not wish to have another incident such as the one that took place at the Trading Post not too long ago," she pointed out softly pushing to the painful memories to the deepest corners of her mind.
Anna mumbled something insulting under her breath as she reluctantly snubbed out her cigar.
Ororo had first met Anna when visiting a trading post in Colorado Springs. Ororo had been attempting to buy supplies for her journey to Texas when a gang of outlaws had descended upon the place attempting to rob the store keeper who had been an timid old man. Ororo, driven by the need to protect the innocent man, had interfered blindly and if it hadn't been for Anna storming into the store with her guns blazing, Ororo was certain she would have died that day. She owed Anna her life and the two women had formed a quick friendship that seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. They were a lot alike. Anna had lost her parents in a tragic railroad accident and she had been taken in by a tribe of Apache Indians that had raised her like she was their own. She was rebellious and despite many attempts to teach Anna the ways of a "proper lady" Anna had stubbornly insisted on marching to the beat of her own drum. She was constantly shocking people with her loose tongue, opinionated views, and her wardrobe. Today was no different as she stood out wearing a pair of men's trousers and a loose white blouse. During her time with her Apache family she had cut silky her silky brown hair short, pierced her ears and had an eagle's feather dangling out of her left ear lobe.
They walked into the general store where the old store keeper greeted them with a puzzled smile.
"May I help you?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, I am in need of ammunition. Do you carry bullets for a pistol such as this?" Ororo asked politely, slowly drawing her firearm from its tan worn holster and placing it on the counter.
It was silver in color but the butt of the weapon was ivory white with a silver lining. It was the only thing in the world that she had left that had any family sentiment. It had been her fathers most prized possession and she carried it not only to have something to remember him by, but she had sworn that when she caught up with the gang that had brutally murdered her parents, she was going to use that very gun to extract revenge.
The man let out a low whistle as he peered over the rims of his gold spectacles admiring the weapon.
"She is quite a beauty. Ain't seen one of them around since before the war. What are you doing with somethin this fine?" he asked suspiciously.
Ororo fought to keep her anger under control.
"It was my father's," she said stiffly.
Then your father must have been a no good thief. I ain't sellin' bullets to the daughter of a thief. Now get out of my store," he said coldly.
Anna rolled her eyes and Ororo could see she was quickly becoming agitated.
"We got money. Just sell us the damn amunition and we'll be out of your hair," she paused and smiled slyly as she took notice of the thinning gray strands on top of his head, "or the lack of."
Ororo stifled a giggle which further infuriated the store keeper.
The man glowered at them evenly.
"I do not do business with loose tongue harlot's," he said nastily.
Anna could feel her temper flare and before Ororo could stop her, she had leaned across the counter and grabbed the man who was about her height and weight by the collar and yanked him towards her.
"Anna," Ororo warned.
"Listen here you mean ol' coot. We have traveled miles to get to this God forsaken town and we are tired and not of good spirits. You can either sell us what we need or Ah will bury the spurs on my boot so far up your," she started.
"Is there a problem here, Eric?" a deep baritone voice boomed from the entrance of the store.
Both women whirled around coming face to face with a rugged burly man with a brown cowboy hat perched his head, wearing an amused expression on his attractive face. Ororo tensed as she noticed the gold start on the man's vest. He was the sheriff and from the looks of it, he was very intimidating.
"I don't take kindly to strangers commin' into my town startin trouble," he growled.
Anna open her mouth to retort when Ororo quickly stepped in. The last thing she needed at that moment was for Anna's big mouth to get them in trouble and thrown in the town's jail.
"We only wish to make our purchase. We have no desire to make trouble," Ororo said firmly.
The sherrif eyed them suspiciously and she tensed knowing that he was more then likely wondering where they were from and whether or not if they were dangerous and outlaws.
To her surprise he brushed past them and stared down the store keeper with his cold grey eyes.
"Sell them the ammunition Eric," he said keeping his voice low and neutral.
The older man blanched.
"I am not going to sell these wenches any of my products," he said out outraged.
The sheriff smirked and leaned across the counter and said something quietly to the store owner. Moments later Eric looked at the girls balefully before reaching under the counter and pulling out a few boxes of ammunition.
"That's going to be three dollars," he said physically seething.
Ororo reached into her jacket and pulled the appropriate amount of money laying it on the counter.
"Thank you," she said coolly, gathering the boxes of ammunition.
They all walked out of the store and Anna let out a deep sigh.
"Ah apologize for mah actions in there. Ro always say I am a bit of a hot head. The name is Anna," she smiled extending her hand to the sheriff.
The man looked at her taken aback by her boldness but accepted her hand.
"I'm Logan," he said tipping his hat in a gentlemanly fashion.
Anna grinned and stepped aside so he could get a better view of Ororo.
"This is Ororo. She's kinda shy so don't take offense if don't say too much," she warned.
Ororo smiled shyly and he nodded his head acknowledging her. She could see curiosity as he gazed at her, but unlike most stares it wasn't unfriendly and that made her relax slightly.
"Ah wish for once that we could just do what we gotta do without some bastard makin things hell for us," she grumbled shoving her hands deep into her trousers pocket.
Logan flinched at her language but remained silent. Behind him Ororo who was busy filling the saddle bags on her mare with the things she had purchased from the general store.
"You gals are just passin through town?" he asked.
Anna turned to him exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Yes. We're headed West," she informed.
He arched an dark eyebrow surprised.
"That's dangerous territory. Scalpers and outlaws are all scattered around those parts. It ain't too safe for two women to travel there alone with no male escort," he warned.
Anna grinned before pulling out her half finished cigar and rolling it between her fingers lazily.
"Ah assure you sheriff, Ro and Ah are mo' then capable of takin care of ourselves. As you may have noticed we ain't exactly the delicate type," she assured before striking a match and lighting the stooge oblivious to the dismay on Sheriff Logan's face.
Ororo shook her head amused.
"Where's the saloon around here? Ah can use a drink, Ro. It's hot as the devil's," she started but stopped short when the doors to the establishment in front of them flew open and two men came flying out into the street pummeling each other.
"What in the blazin hell," Anna exclaimed.
"I think you may have just found the saloon, Anna," Ororo said wryly watching one of the men who was obviously drunk shout obscenities at his foe.
Ororo and Anna stood back stunned as both men scrambled to their feet shaking their fist at each other. People filed out of the saloon and other nearby establishments to watch the confrontation.
"Shouldn't you be doin somethin, sheriff?" Anna exclaimed.
Logan smirked and folded his arms across his chest.
"Not really, miss. Bobby and Lebeau do this everyday like clock work," he chuckled shaking his head.
"You are a dirty rotten cheater, Lebeau. I saw you pull that Ace from the bottom of the deck. I want my money back you lyin whorin thief," the blonde haired man said, red faced with anger.
A collective gasp came from the proper dressed women of the town who no doubt found the accusation and the situation scandalous.
The other man, Lebeau, only smirked in response. He was taller then most men, but from where Ororo was standing he was well defined and incredibly handsome. He had long auburn hair that was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and he was wearing a rather dressy burgundy colored shirt that had a few bottons left open at the top revealing a flash of the tan skin that was beneath the fabric.
"Remy ain't gotta cheat, mon ami. You just be a lousy card player and a drunk. Stay de hell out of my saloon Drake," he growled his dark eyes flashing menacingly.
Drake stumbled forward and decked Remy in the jaw causing the him to fall to his hands and knees a few feet away from where Ororo and Anna were standing. He slowly rose to his feet using his sleeve to wipe the trail of blood from the corner of his mouth when he looked up and locked eyes with Ororo. She could see the startled look on his face and she huffed irritated looking away from him once his stare had become borderline leering. While she was use to people openly starring at her, she still found it annoying and rude.
Remy quickly recovered from the blow and delivered a swift punch to Drake's guts before following it up with a left hook leaving the blonde man sprawled out on the dirt road unconscious.
Anna smirked and leaned in close to Ororo.
"What a man!" she said slyly.
Ororo bristled.
"He is not a gentlemen by any means," she said curtly.
Remy turned and grinned boyishly at the crowd.
"It really wasn't a fair fight, non?" he chuckled stepping over Drake's motionless body heading back towards the tavern.
Ororo noticed a lot of the younger women giggling behind their gloved hands and sending admiring glances in Remy's direction who in return flashed a charming smile causing them to swoon.
How arrogant, Ororo thought to herself with not remotely impressed.
Logan rolled his eyes and none too gently pulled the drunk Bobby Drake off the ground.
"Somebody go and get Hank from Cecilia's diner. Drake is gonna need some doctorin'," he said gruffly to whoever who was listening.
Remy ran his fingers through his hair and stopped briefly in front of Anna and Ororo with a self satisfied smirk on his lips.
"Ladies," he said with an arrogant nod of his head, acknowledging their presence before dusting himself off and walking back into the saloon. Seconds later the crowd that had gathered dispersed and went about their business.
"Welcome to Serenity," Logan snorted before hauling the drunken unruly man onto his shoulder and carrying him to the clinic.