I know I've had my faults in the past. Hell I still do. But my friends accept me for who I am; a con man and a gambler. There were times when I thought that I couldn't have friends because I couldn't trust anyone and no one trusted me, but they were different.

They trusted me to have their back, and I could always count on them to have mine. I remember when our faithful leader grilled me on walking out on them.

I really needed that talk. If I hadn't turned around and went back I would have lost them forever and I wouldn't have such a good relationship with these six men.

Some of course are still shaky because first impressions can be a real pain in the ass to erase, but we're at a good place.

The leader still has lingering doubts about me walking out which I try to refute in every job he gives me I do my darnest to prove him wrong.

I may still shy away for the menial labor that might cause me to break a sweat and get my clothes dirty, but he knows that. Money still has a firm grip on me and even though I almost walked out with a thousand dollars in my pockets our leader didn't give me another talking to because I had gotten shot.

I know I have my faults and I know I've messed up on many occasions, but do they really have to go this far?

I screwed up one job and let the prisoner go free. It's not like I was the first or the only one to ever have this happen to. So why am I to stay behind and watch the smelly prisoners while the others go and rescue the general store keeper's daughter? My questions to the unfairness of this arrangement was only given half ass answers.

That someone needed to guard the prisoners.

That it was my turn to watch the jail.

That someone needed to stay and watch the town.

That I would probably prefer being home and playing poker than rescuing the damsel.

It was a small job and not everyone needed to go.

Yes, that was it of course.

Sulking is not something I do because my mother always said a gentleman never sulked like he was a child, but I was pretty close to looking like I was to them.

As always our leader stayed back and didn't say anything. Why would he? Every shitty excuse was given. There was none left to say.

My hand that was shuffling the deck of cards slipped and the sturdy paper fell on the floor.

I didn't bother to move to pick them up until the others got up and left the building.

My eyes lingered on the ace of spades that had fluttered a few feet away. A hand picked it up and my eyes met the cold steel eyes of our leader.

Pulling my attention back down to the cards I dropped I began to pick them up.

He doesn't say anything which is what I would've expected, but now the silence was beginning to irritate me. I couldn't stop myself before the words slipped out.

"Do you wish to explain to me why I am the chosen one to chaperon the hostages or do you have some sub-par excuse to give me too, Mr. Larabee?"

"You've been favoring our left shoulder. You were injured when the prisoner escaped and haven't seen Nathan yet to get it fixed. You'll be staying here to guard those who are as stubborn as you."

He handed me my card before standing up and walking out the building.

I couldn't help but laugh. Well now, I guess I deserved this. But was it really necessary for the others to lie about it? I guess I deserved that too. What I still couldn't stop grinning about was that I didn't know how I deserved such good friends.

A/N: So I made this when I was a freshman in college and found it in my folder. Just a short treat.