Legal: I own nothing but the idea.
Important to know:
*This is 100% A/U fluff!
*It's 1882 somewhere in Ontario.
*Jake and Clare are related by blood and Darcy doesn't exist.
*That should do it, I didn't use everyone in the story just a few and this is a one shot!
DeGrassi Saloon
"We open soon get upstairs, and change I got you something new to wear it's on your bed," Jake orders when I'm done washing the bar of our family saloon.
Jake is only a year older than me but he inherited the bar when our parents died and he makes me work in it as a saloon girl. In the mornings before we open I clean upfrom the night before with some help from our other employees Jenna, Maya and Bianca. Jenna and Maya work here as waitresses and singers. Bianca is a waitress and poker dealer, I just work as a waitress but Jake doesn't care how the customers treat me. Bianca and the other girls do, they're my friends pretty much my only friends.
Maya is the youngest of us at sixteen, she's engaged to Adam who is also my friend, best friend actually, we've known each other our whole lives, he's also the local tailor. Jenna is secretly married to Dave, he own the horse ranch just outside of town and they have to be secretly married because Dave is black and while Dave is free here he can't marry a white girl. Bianca is the most independent woman I know; most women by Bianca's age are engaged or married by now but not Bianca. She gets plenty of suitors but she never sees any of them for too long, she says marriage isn't for her and she probably would have left town all ready but she sticks around to keep an eye on me. I was engaged to Eli but he gambled too much and gambled away all his money, he still comes into the saloon to see me but I was never sweet on Eli, it was an arrangement my father made before he and my mother were killed. Jake is supposed to marry Maya's sister Katie this summer but she's currently in Europe with her parents, they decided not to take Maya. Her parents have always neglected Maya a little but she's been in love with Adam for a long time and he's wonderful to her.
"You don't really want me to wear that?" I question upon seeing my new dress. My old one had been provocative to put it nicely. It was crimson red with black lace trim; it went all the way down in back but only to my knees in the front. My boots keep my ankles covered but I was still showing a lot of skin, I was sure I'd be arrested for indecent exposure if Jake didn't give the sheriff free food and drink. This new one could hardly be considered a dress; it was little more than a red and white striped corset with black ostrich feathers to cover my behind.
"You'll wear what I say you'll wear, we need to bring in more money or we're going to be broke. Now change and get downstairs, oh and from now on you'll lay with any man that can the price," Jake tells me.
"What?! Jake you ca…" I start but he's already closed the door and I sink down on the bed. I can't believe my own brother is going to sell me, there's a cat house in the town but Jake's been greedy ever since he became man of the house. Unless I run away or get married I have no choice. I would run but I'm not sure I could make it on my own and I am sure Jake would send the sheriff after me. If I don't get downstairs Jake will come up so I start changing, garter belt, fishnets and this thing that I don't think can be considered a dress. Last my boots, then I comb my hair and put on rouge before going back downstairs, Jake smiles when he sees me in this thing but the other girls gape.
"Is Jake making you wear that?" Maya asks as I come down the stairs and go to my friends.
"He's also decided to whore me, I'll have to go upstairs with anyone that can pay the price," I inform them.
"Bastard, how can he do that?" Bianca spits angrily.
"He says the saloon is going under," I reply.
"No he's just greedy, we'll just have to keep the men from paying and maybe one of us can sneak over to the sheriff," Jenna comments.
"The sheriff won't do anything," I sigh.
"We'll think of something don't worry Clare," Bianca assures me.
"Hey I'm opening up all of you get to work," Jake barks at us as he opens the doors.
All the regulars come in, most of them older men looking for an afternoon drink or late lunch. Poker and entertainment won't start until this evening, all the men that come in give me a look for my new outfit and a couple of them whistle.
"For the right price you can take her upstairs now," Jake informs them.
He informs everyone in the afternoon crowd but there are no takers, at least not today but the way they're looking at me that may change. Eli comes in a little after eight, just as the poker game is getting started. I don't even know Eli's there until his arms come around me.
"Eli you shouldn't be here," I tell him.
"Hey unless you're drinking get out," Jake snaps at him.
"I just came to see Clare," Eli says as I walk to the bar to get a bottle of whiskey for Bruce's table and Bruce slaps me on the ass as I walk past him.
"If you ain't drinking get out, you're not engaged to Clare any longer," Jake comments pulling Eli out the door, "but if you get the money you can come back and bed her." With that Jake tosses Eli out.
I'm sure now that Eli will go beg, borrow or steal the money he needs to sleep with me. I take the bottle of whiskey to Bruce's table setting it down with four glasses and Bruce pulls me onto his lap.
"So how much are you? Maybe I'll pay to take you upstairs," Bruce laughs. Bruce is disgusting and the thought of him touching me turns my stomach.
"Twenty bucks," Jake replies and I let out a sigh of relief, at least he made my price high.
"Are you crazy? That's uh…more than double for a whore at the cat house," Bruce complains.
"Four times as much," Johnny informs him.
"Yeah but Clare is pure and high class, a hundred to break her in for the first time, twenty for everyone else," Jake grins.
"Hey Clare we need more drinks," Bianca calls to me and Bruce lets me get up to do my job. As I'm walking over Maya grabs me and turns so that Jake can't see us.
"Adam's closing up and I'm slipping out to go tell him what's going on," she tells me in a whisper and I nod, I'm not sure how Adam can help but I know he'll try.
Maya goes out back under the rouse of needing the washroom and getting more rum and I go to the poker table to get everyone's orders.
(ADAM)
I was closing up shop finally, it had been a long day but Mrs. Stone had brought in several dresses for altering just before I normally close and then she had stayed in the shop looking at the newest clothes. I was going to go to the saloon for dinner and to see my beautiful fiancé singing and also keep a watch on Clare like I do every night. She and I had been friends all our lives, I wish I could do something to help her because I hate how Jake treats her, I always have. I hate how Maya's family treats her too but soon as I proposed to her she moved in with me. Maya and I even talked about having me marry Clare just to get her away from Jake's control. The plan became too complicated so we never did, and anyway I'm in love with Maya not Clare, but sometimes I wish we had gone through with it.
"Adam?" I hear my fiancé's voice calling from the back of the shop.
"Maya shouldn't you be at work? I was just closing up and heading over," I tell her going over and greeting her with a soft kiss.
"I had to come see you, Jake has Clare in a new outfit, it's worse than the last one," she tells me.
"I presume he doesn't care when boys like Bruce touch her," I comment sighing heavily. Clare should not be subject to that treatment, her brother should protect her but Jake just doesn't care.
"No but it's worse than that, for a hundred dollars you can bed her for the first time ever and after that it's twenty dollars for anyone that wants to lay with her," Maya informs me and my mouth drops open.
"He's prostituting her? He won't care what men do to her so long as they pay!" I exclaim angrily.
Clare once accidently spilled a drink on a customer, he backhanded her so hard half her face was bruised and swollen for weeks. All Jake did was laugh, me and some of the other townsfolk ran the guy out of town and the girls took care of Clare but Jake didn't care at all that Clare had been struck.
"We have to do something, we can't let it happen," Maya says with a worried desperation in her voice.
"Owen's gang is close by," I enlighten Maya.
"How do you know?" Maya inquires twisting her face at me.
"Because Drew came to see me last night, I got them some supplies and I know where their camp is. They might be our only hope of getting Clare out of here and somewhere out of Jake's reach. Go back to work I'll ride out to Drew, he'll remember Clare she was his friend too I'm sure they'll help," I tell Maya.
"Be careful," Maya tells me giving me a chaste kiss and going out the back door.
I lock up and go to the stables to borrow a horse; Owen's gang is camped a few kilometers out of town. Drew is my older brother, he got in a huge fight with Mom when he was fourteen and left home, he hooked up with Owen's gang and now he's an outlaw. They come near town once every few months or so and I see Drew, sometimes they hide out in our basement. After Mom died of cholera Dad passed away soon after and I inherited the house and family business, pretty sure Drew never would have lived this life anyway and is much happier being an outlaw.
Owen Milligan is the leader of Owen's gang, all I know is he's been on his own since twelve and he's widely considered a mean cold-hearted son of a bitch. He's always been nice to me but maybe it's just because I'm Drew's brother. Owen's legend is pretty wide in these parts and exactly how many men he's killed is a point of some debate, I've heard everything from 3 to 30. I do know firsthand from Drew that they've robbed four trains, six banks and twelve stage coaches throughout Canada.
Also in the gang is Fitz, no one is quite sure if that's a first or last name but that's all he goes by. Famous for his knife skills and not someone you want to mess with. And Lucas is the last one, he's known as the undertaker because he's more likely to kill you than talk to you. He's probably the scariest of the bunch but Owen keeps him under control. It might seem crazy that I'm about to ask a bunch of outlaw killers to help save my best friend and essentially turn her over to them but Clare will be much safer with them than with Jake. At least I know Owen and his gang won't rape her or sell her and they'll get her to somewhere safe that Jake will never find her.
When I'm close to their camp I dismount and start walking and whistling, it's a whistle Drew and I used when we were little and it's the only way they'll know it's me.
"Adam?" Fitz questions stepping out of some bushes with both his ivory handled six shooters cocked.
"Yeah it's me," I tell him and he steps closer so he can really see me, then he grins and puts his guns back in the holsters.
"What brings you out here?" He queries walking me toward the fire which is behind some bushes and in a little canyon so they're pretty well hidden.
"I need to talk to Drew and ask for some help," I reply.
"Hey baby brother," Drew grins while Owen and Lucas simply nod.
"You remember Clare?" I ask Drew.
"Yeah sure sweet kid, saw her in the saloon the other night she's looking good," Drew smiles.
"You know her parents died and Jake took over, he's never treated her well and Maya just told me he's offering Clare's virginity to anyone that can pay a hundred dollars. When she's no longer a virgin it'll be twenty. Being a whore will break Clare and Jake won't care at all what the men do to her so long as they pay. I was hoping you'd help get her out, far away from Jake," I plead mostly to my brother but really to them all.
"I've been in the saloon a few times which one is Clare?" Owen inquires.
"She always has the most provocative dress, light brown curly hair and bright blue eyes," I reply.
"Okay we'll get her out, it'll have to be a fast clean break though. I'll go in with the money like I'm going to sleep with her. I'll get her upstairs and sneak her out with Drew while Fitz and Lucas rob the saloon so we get our money and something for our trouble," Owen says and I let out a sigh of relief.
"I'll get some clothes from the shop and put them in a saddle bag on the horse I borrowed to get out here. She can take that one and I'll just say you guys stole the horse," I remark and Owen shrugs.
"We'll need to pack up camp, give us an hour," Drew tells me.
"Good that will give me time to pack up some stuff for Clare," I nod and get up.
I get back on the horse and ride back to town, giving the horse some oats when I get back so he'll be good and ready to run when this plan goes into action.
(CLARE)
Maya had come back and told me Adam had a plan, which explained why he came in the saloon as late as he did; usually he came in as soon as he'd closed up. So far no one had the money to take me upstairs which I was grateful for. In this one case it was actually good that Jake was so greedy because he was not bargaining on the price of taking my virginity and no one had a hundred dollars on hand, especially with the bank closed for the night. I did hear several of the poker players say they were trying to win enough for it. They wouldn't of course, Bianca makes sure of it, she doesn't exactly cheat, she just deals creatively so that the house wins most of the time which is why Jake hired her.
It's nearly a little after eleven now, if I can make it through five more hours I won't have to bed anyone tonight. Adam's been here for about 30 minutes, sipping slowly at a sarsaparilla since he doesn't drink alcohol. He hasn't said anything to me but I hope it's just because he doesn't want Jake to hear. Suddenly the doors burst open and we all look over, Owen Milligan is standing there, his black slacks and long black coat are covered in dust so it looks like he's had a hard long ride. However his blue shirt and brown vest look somewhat clean so I think he must have come from somewhere close.
"You got money Milligan? No money no service," Jake comments but eyes the black revolver that Owen has sitting in it's holster low on his waist.
"Yeah I got money," Owen replies taking out a chunk of paper money. "Hey blonde girls you sing don't you?" He calls to Maya and Jenna and they both nod. "Well let's hear it then," Owen commands putting a $20 on the bar and ordering a bottle of bourbon.
Jenna and Maya get on stage and Mo, our piano player, starts playing a tune they can sing to. I get a fresh bottle of bourbon from the stock room and give it to Owen, he looks me up and down with a lascivious grin and I can feel Jake smiling with greedy pleasure.
"For a hundred dollars you can take her upstairs and take her virginity," Jake offers him and I feel my breath seize.
"Come here and let me have a look," Owen commands and when I don't move Jake pushes me roughly. I walk to Owen and he spins me around to look me over. "I'd say she's worth a hundred," Owen smiles putting a hundred dollar bill down and then he picks me up over his shoulder walking toward the stairs as my chest tightens and my stomach churns. Owen is running taking two stairs at a time and the last thing I see is Bianca looking terrified for me. We get into my room and Owen closes the door, I start crying because I can't help it, this man just paid to take something from me, something I can never get back. "Stop your bawling I ain't gonna bed you, we're friends of Adam's, Drew's right downstairs waiting for you," Owen informs me and I instantly stop crying.
"He is?" I query as I wipe my tears away. I remember Drew and I knew he'd joined with Owen's gang but I never thought they'd be rescuing me.
"Yep and we have to hurry because our distraction should be coming in any second now," Owen comments opening the window. "You'll have to climb to the edge of the roof and jump down to Drew," Owen says.
I nod and climb out on my hands and knees; I hear a commotion in the saloon I'm guessing is our distraction. I see Drew now and I smile, I can feel holes being ripped in my stockings and the ostrich feathers falling off the back of this thing but I don't care. I get to the edge of the roof and hang down, I feel Drew holding my legs and I let go of the roof. He sets my feet on the ground and grins at me just as Owen jumps down.
"We gotta move, we'll meet Fitz and Lucas at Nelson's bluff," Owen says and Drew helps me on a horse that I recognize from the town stables.
They jump on their horses and we take off, I kick my horse into a fast gallop, I'll miss Adam and my other friends but I can't get away from Jake fast enough. I know where Nelson's bluff is, Adam, Drew and I used to explore it as kids.
"As soon as we see Lucas and Fitz we ride again, we'll need to get a good four kilometers out. We can spend the night at the old Baker's farm, it's out of the way and it's been abandoned for years. At first light we ride again, we'll take you east and out of your brother's reach," Owen tells me and I give him a big grateful smile.
We sit on the horses, letting them drink from the small creek while we listen for approaching horses. My heart is pounding because I'm not safe yet but I feel safe with Owen and his gang. I listen to my pounding heart for a moment and then I hear pounding hooves, several of them and then gunfire. When we see the outline of whom I can only assume are Fitz and Lucas we take off again, kicking our horses into a fast run they go galloping across the land. Fitz and Lucas just behind us and still shooting, at the sheriff I'm assuming but possibly a posse from town.
The wind rushes by me and it sounds as if it's saying "freedom", I kick the horse to go faster, the air is getting sweeter and I can taste freedom. We're out of the town border and Owen turns, we ride into the woods and lose the posse. One by one I hear our pursers drop off and the thundering of horses dies down until it's just our five horses. We keep going until we reach the Baker's old farm house, I've heard of it but never been there, it's been abandoned for as long as I can remember. The house is about falling apart but it doesn't matter Owen says we'll sleep in the barn anyway. Owen helps me off my horse and Drew gets the saddle bag.
"Clare that's Lucas and Fitz," Owen introduces me to the other two and they smile at me. "Anyone get hurt?" Owen questions after we tie up the horses and go into the barn.
"We shot Jake in the arm but Adam got all the girls out as soon as we were in just to be safe. No one else got shot at the saloon but we got the sheriff and his posse a few times," Lucas says in a very nonchalant almost callus way as he talks about wounding and possibly killing people I've known my whole life. Funny thing is I'm actually glad Jake was shot, he deserved it. I know Dave wasn't anywhere near there and Adam, Maya, Jenna and Bianca were safe and unharmed and knowing that I don't really care who else got hurt.
"We leave at dawn, Lucas take first watch," Owen commands
I'm exhausted, Owen puts his coat out and I'm asleep almost as soon as I lay down. I'm still afraid of Jake finding us and I dream about it but I sleep through the night. Fitz wakes me up just before dawn and Drew hands me my saddle bag.
"You can change in here, we'll wait for you outside, leave the dress behind," Drew tells me.
"Here you might need these, we stole them from the saloon," Fitz tells me handing me Dad's revolver and holster.
They all go outside and I rip this horrendous excuse for a saloon dress from my skin. I feel like I can breathe again, in fact I take a deep breath and it feels good to breathe. It's a free breath; I don't care if I spend the rest of my life on the run so long as I don't have to see Jake ever again. Taking off my stockings and boots I'm now entirely nude but I'm not the least bit afraid of Owen and the guys peeking in or walking in. I look in the saddle bag and see that Adam packed me clothes that are practical for riding, black slacks a soft pink blouse and a black vest with a dark blue riding jacket. I put them all on and get my boots back on, strapping the holster around my hips so that the sheath for the gun hangs at my thigh. I pick up Dad's pistol and open the door to outside; all the guys look at me. Lucas smiles giving me an approving nod, Drew smiles with pride a smile he usually reserves for Adam, Owen and Fitz have their mouths open and their eyes popped out. I seem to be more appealing to them in these clothes than in that skimpy saloon dress. I still know they won't try anything though; I just smile back and holster my gun.
"Quit staring," I say walking over and mounting my horse, "and let's ride."