Jesse Mccree sat alone at a random bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Back from a job he felt weary but wasn't ready to go back to his little shack and sleep, so instead he was keeping himself out of the rain, out of trouble and awake by drinking whiskey by himself. It was the dead hour, where the bar was mostly empty-the party animals gone but the stragglers still hanging around and no one bothered anyone else while some soft music drifted through the speakers. He nodded as the bartender offered him the whiskey bottle, waving his fingers so the man would leave it beside him, as he poured the brown liquid into his glass he heard the door open but didn't bother to look.

Satisfied with the amount Jesse put the bottle down and lifted the glass to his lips and sipped, the liquid fire warming him as it traveled through him. He held the glass up to his eyes and inspected the neat liquid inside, sighing to himself as the song changed, and a body appeared two seats down from him.

"Oh, nothing for me thanks, just waiting out the storm." The voice was female, out of habit Jesse glanced over to see a short woman wearing a leather jacket climb up on the seat and place her arms on the bar. The woman reached up and removed her glasses from her face, shrugging off her jacket as the bartender spoke, making her stop.

"Shelter is for customers only." The big man growled, jerking his thumb to the door as lightning flashed fiercely.

"I'm guessing directions cost too huh?" The woman asked coolly, sliding her jacket back into place as the bartender nodded silently. "Alright, well, ain't got the cash to wait this out."

"I got ya." Jesse said, nodding to the bartender as the man cocked an eyebrow at him. "Ladies choice." Jesse raised the glass in his hand as a salute and took another long sip.

"Care to share yours cowboy?" The woman smiled, sliding off her stool and coming to sit by Jesse as the bartender placed a small, squat glass in front of Jesse.

"Long as you can't outdrink me." Jesse smirked, pouring her some of the whiskey until she stopped him.

"No worries there-Whoa, whoa, that's enough partner! You tryin to share or kill me?" She laughed as she slid the glass over to her.

"Names Mccree," Jesse held out his good arm to her and she shook it awkwardly, "Jesse Mccree."

"Sarah." The woman smiled back and lifted her glass, taking a small sip. "So is it just for looks?"

"What?"

"Your outfit, or are you a real cowboy?" The woman asked, her eyes flowing from Jesse's hat to his boots, taking it all in. "Shouldn't you be out wrangling some bad hombres?"

"What do you think is payin' for your drinks darlin?" He chuckled, removing his peacekeeper revolver from his hip holster and laid it on the bar, making the woman cough in surprise. When she gathered her composure, she whistled in admiration, pointing to it she asked.

"May I?"

"Sure, just let me empty it first." Before Jesse could pick the gun back up the woman scoffed and grabbed it, emptying it without the need of explanation, much to Jesse's surprise.

"Oh, please cowboy, not my first firearm." She laughed and handed him the bullets before closing it back and inspected it, careful to not point it at anyone or put her finger on the trigger.

"You said you needed directions?" Jesse asked, watching her carefully as she turned the gun over gently and ran her fingers over the metal, taking extra care to keep the trigger clear.

"Yeah...but I doubt this place looks the same." She laughed and looked down the gun as if she was going to shoot the bottle on the shelf in front of her. "I was here years ago, wanted to visit a place I remember." She hummed and a distant look crossed her face as she laid the revolver back on the bar, barrel pointing away from them both.

"You weren't kidding about the firearms." He chuckled, watching as she blinked herself back to the present. "Someone taught you well."

"Yeah..." The woman sighed and picked up her glass, the same distant look appearing again. "Sure did." She tipped the glass back and took the rest of the drink as a shot before standing up and tapping the bar. "Care to share a lil more? I don't think I'm going anywhere for a while," she looked over her shoulder to the door as the rain pounded down. Jesse dipped his hat in acknowledgment as the woman wandered off to the jukebox across the bar.

Jesse poured the same amount back into her glass and picked up his own for a drink when the soft music disappeared from the speakers, as the glass touched his cracked lips a new song started and he recognized it, feeling annoyance he looked over his shoulder. The woman was leaning against the jukebox, looking down inside it, her leather jacket pulled up and showing the curve of her back as a guitar riff sounded through the speakers, making a few people look up and glance around.

"Turn that shit off," Jesse growled, hearing the singer starts singing, the woman shifting slowly, lazily dancing.

Man, it's a hot one / Like seven inches from the midday sun / Well, I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone / But you stay so cool

"Oh, come on cowboy." The woman chuckled, turning and leaning against the jukebox so she faced him as he turned to glare at her. "Humor me for a song or two. Wouldn't have pegged you for a music hater." She pushed off the jukebox and slowly danced, shifting her hips from side to side.

"I like music just fine," Jesse growled, turning back to the bar, gripping whiskey bottle. "Just not that song."

My muñequita / My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa / You're my reason for reason / The step in my groove, yeah.

"It reminds you of something." The woman guessed, still dancing to herself, eyes closed. "It does me too." She slid her jacket off her shoulders as she slowly turned. "So, which is it Mccree?"

"What," Jesse growled, suddenly regretting to help the woman.

"The memory...is it good or bad?"

"First one, then the other," Jesse grunted, taking a long sip before sitting his drink down and looking back at her. "What about you?"

"Same." She chuckled, turning once and coming back to the bar, sliding onto the stool as Jesse looked her over. She was dressed a little odd but not much ever shocked Jesse anymore. Her shirt wans't much at all, a small red belly shirt with a ruffle around the top and arms, two red cords going up and tieing behind her head, leaving her stomach uncovered until her black skinny jeans near her navel.

"So why torture yourself, and me with you?" He asked, sliding her the other glass as she tapped her heel on the stool.

And if you said, "This life ain't good enough." / I would give my world to lift you up / I could change my life to better suit your mood / Because you're so smooth

"Because," she chuckled and looked at him sideways, lifting her glass to her lips. "We'd run out of things to talk about otherwise," Jesse grunted as the music continued, he struggled to keep himself in the present, instead of melting into his memories as Sarah tapped along quietly with the beat. "Let's play a game." She said smirking as Jesse finished off his glass and picked up the bottle.

"What game?"

"A guessin game."

"Don't like guesssin games."

"Humor me some more cowboy." She laughed, "We'll make it interesting hm?" She gently took the bottle from him and finished pouring the last of the bottle in her cup before waving it at the bartender for pick up but he ignored her, turning his back to her. "We take turns guessing the memory, and if we get it wrong we drink."

"What if we get it right?" Jesse asked, not really interested but he had nothing better to do.

"I dunno, what would you want if you win?" He glanced over at her as she sipped on her whiskey.

"You tell me where you wanna visit. What do you want?"

"You tell if you know someone, someone I'm looking for." She propped her hand up on the bar, holding up her head. Jesse cocked an eyebrow at her, "I've not seen them in a long time, but I have one photo of them."

"Six guesses a piece sound fair to you darlin?" Jesse watched as Sarah gave him a wary look before sitting down her whiskey and smiling softly, nodding her consent to the terms. Jesse whistled to the bartender and tapped the bottle against the bar. "We're gunna need another." He told the tender as he walked over. "Alright Sarah, shoot." He turned in his stool until he was slightly facing her, watching as she fiddled with the glass in her hands in thought, lips pressing together in a half pout.

And it's just like the ocean under the moon / Well, that's the same as the emotion that I get from you / You got the kind of loving that can be so smooth, yeah / Gimme your heart, make it real / Or else forget about it

"You..." She pointed at him, raising an eyebrow. "Got cheated on, walked in on your woman...wife maybe...doing her lover to this song." Jesse scoffed, raised an eyebrow back at her as her look turned cocky. "Don't tell me I won already?"

"Drink." Jesse smiled, shaking his head as his chest rumbled with laughter.

"Damn." Sarah murmured before sipping a long one of her whiskey and shaking her head. "Your turn."

"You got drunk with some girlfriends and partied to this song all night, but you also remember waking up sick, so while you feel sexy listening to it, you keep yourself in check."

"Ha!" She laughed and shook her head, tapping his glass with her blue painted nails. "Drink cowboy." She watched as Jesse raised his glass to her and drank, she put her hands under her chin. "Hmm...with a reaction like you had-its gotta be woman related." She kept her head forward but looked over at him. "You fell for a woman, but found out she was married."

"You suck at this game." Jesse laughed again, sliding her glass into her hand as she turned to face him, face scrunching up in annoyance as she crossed her legs. "You seem set that mine involves messin around with a woman," He put his right foot on her stool and leaned on the bar, watching her as she drank her punishment. "So maybe your tryin to deflect? You got cheated on, and walked into them dancing to this song."

"Cheated on yes, a few times-" She admitted, sighing heavily, her eyes looking at Jesse's knee beside her, her expression turning sad and heartbroken. Just as Jesse was about to apologize, her green eyes snapped up and locked with his brown ones as a smile spread across her nude colored lips. "Drink, cause it has nothing to do with the song."

"Damn darlin you had me goin there, I thought I won." He chuckled and took the rest of the whiskey in the glass and looked around for the bartender who had disappeared without bringing the new bottle. "Your turn sugar."

"Alright..." She pursed her lips together in thought, her leg slightly bouncing with the beat to the song. "If I didn't know better, you were trying to tell me the song has nothing to do with a woman...does this mean it involves a man?" She turned her head slightly and looked Jesse's face over as his mouth came open a little in shock and his eyes widened.

"Whoa now," He held up a hand as Sarah covered her mouth with her hand. "Now it ain't like that. I like women, I was just-"

"Alright, ok, ok, I get it." She laughed and sipped from her glass again before sliding it to Jesse's metal arm on the bar. "Looks like we're really sharing now." She smiled as Jesse wrapped his metal hand around the glass and raised an eyebrow at her.

"What happens when we run out of whiskey?"

"Shall we call it a draw?"She asked.

"Jesse Mccree doesn't end things in a draw," Jesse smirked. "We need a tiebreaker."

"HHmmm..." She pursed her lips together and tapped a finger to the side of her head. "We could do a bonus round."

"Oh?"

"We tell each other the memory, saddest experience wins?" She shrugged as Jesse twisted the glass in circles.

"Sounds boring," Jesse mumbled, picking up the glass and taking the last of the whiskey in a large shot and turning the glass upside down. "No thanks Doll." He stood up, digging out some cash from his wallet and tossing it on the bar before looking down at her, "Thanks for the company. Hope you find who your lookin for."

"Thanks for putting up with me Mr. Mccree." Sarah smiled and stood, shrugging on her jacket and adjusting it.

"Just call me Mccree." He dipped his hat and earned a laugh from her, he smiled to himself as he walked over to the doors, holding it open for her as she stepped through, looking up at the sky, dark with clouds. "You said you wanted to visit a place right? Do you remember the street name? Or what it looked like?"

"Oh," She smiled as she zipped the front of her jacket up, covering herself. "It was a little rental house." She put her hands inside the jackets pockets and looked down at her feet. "I went there for a vacation once. Wanted to see if it was available. But," She tucked some of her hair behind her ear as the wind blew through the street and stirred it. "It was so long ago, I'd say it was torn down by now. It used to be on the outskirts of town but I didn't see it on my way in."

"How long ago?" Jesse asked, stepping in front of her to shield her from the wind as it picked up, his poncho shaking and the edges of his hat moving slightly.

"Years...I guess it's been close to twenty years now."

"Twenty huh? Just how old are you?" He asked, turning his head to the side, looking her in the face.

"Jess Mccree." Sarah gave him a mocking shocked look and put a hand to her chest as if she was offended. "You never ask a lady her age!"

"Over Forty then." Jesse said flatly, "Only women that are forty and over make a deal of hidin' their age." He jumped back though as Sarah kicked at him, just barely missing his left kneecap, her face flushed pink in the cheeks.

"Thirty-six! You asshole!" She snapped. "I was sixteen the last time I was here!" Jesse barked out a hearty laugh as she crossed her arms and turned away from him in a huff.

"I'm sorry Darlin I was only teasin." He turned her around easily by her shoulders and smiled down at her. "Don't be mad~," he teased as she closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. "Aw now don't be like that," he smiled as she opened one eye and looked at him, he offered up an apologetic look, leaning down until he was looking up at her. He wiggled his eyebrows at her and gave her a goofy smile, cracking her angry pout into a snickering grin as she shook her head. "Can ya tell me what you remember what was on the way to the place?"

"I-I guess so, but we never finished our game?"

"Oh darlin I already won." Jesse smirked, tipping his hat up with his gloved index finger.

"Excuse you?" She laughed, her brows knitting together in confusion. "You never guessed right why the song makes me sad and happy."

"You fell for a guy," Jesse explained, turning away from her and slowly stepping away. "I'm guessing at a dance-which is where a lot of lil girls fall in love, and he ghosted on you. Leavin you wantin more like a lovesick pup." He waved his mechanical index finger. "That's why it makes you happy and sad. You're happy-remembering him dancin...probably making a damn fool of himself-and when you remember how he ghosted you-it makes you sad that there wasn't more."

"How did you?" Sarah's mouth hung open in shock, following after him quickly.

"Easy," Jesse grinned, lighting a cigar and looking down at her as she caught up and walked beside him. "I don't much like loosin.."

"That makes no sense Mccree."

"The way you were a dancing around in there.." he nodded with his chin to the bar as they walked away. "Didn't fit a woman who was fulfilled or taken, those kinds of women dance different. The way you move, you're in search of him aren't ya?" He looked down at her without turning his head, taking a draw of his cigar. "That's why you came back after so long ain't it?"

"Not quite," Sarah chuckled, "But I'll give you the win. I'm actually here on business. But I won't say the idea of finding him again didn't influence my choice to come back."

"I see," Jesse murmured as they turned a corner and started down a new street. Ahead there was shouting and hollering, making Jesse slow down and hold his mechanical hand up in front of Sarah, making her stop. "Hold up now, looks like we got trouble.."

"Trouble?" Sarah echoed, peeking around the large man's arm that blocked her view. Ahead was six men of various sizes, painted in neon colors in the shape of skulls and bones as they destroyed a building's front. Jesse tensed and used his outstretched hand to move her behind him. "Jesse?"

"Here." Jesse grunted and removed his hat, pressing it down on her head, covering her eyes. "Hold this for me darlin, I gotta reload." He opened up his revolver and filled it with shells, before closing it back and putting it in his holster. Taking her hand, he stopped her from removing his hat. "Keep it on, and keep your head down." He wrapped her in the bright red fabric of his cloth and smiled down at her as she peeked up at him from around the rim of the hat. "It's a good look on ya."

"What is it with me and cowboys." She laughed and dipped the hat back down so it covered her eyes and face as Jesse tugged on her hand, leading her toward the men.

"Hey~" One man yelled at the sound of the clicks on the pavement of Sarah's heels. "What we got here?" He came closer to Jesse who ignored him, pulling y/n behind him. "A cowboy and a lil la galla..." Jesse pulled Sarah's hand and made her speed up a bit.

"Whoa, where's the rush cabron?" Another man called out as two men cut off Jesse's path, making y/n bump into him and grip his shirt. "How much for how much?" The man pulled on the poncho and made Sarah flinch into Jesse's back, keeping her head down and silent.

"Sorry boys, this one's mine." Jesse chuckled in a friendly manner, one hand wrapping around Sarah's shoulder and the other resting on his hip by his gun. "And we best be getting on, its awful late and we're dog tired." He winked and tried to side step to the right but the guy put his hand on Jesse's chest as the men lined up, looking menacing.

"Come on now Jefé, don't chu want your girl to make a lil money?" the guy asked, smirking. This guy seemed liked the leader, stepping up beside the guy who had blocked Jesse's attempt to sidestep. "I know its late, but we'll be quick with her." The guy grinned, makkng the neon printed green skull on his face stretch, "Is she trained?"

"Trained?" Jesse asked, watching as the men circled them a little more tightly, his grip on Sarah's shoulder tightened.

"Yeah...you know." Green skull chuckled and it erupted laughter from the group. "To take multiple guys at once?"

"Now that ain't no way to be talkin about a lady, especially in front of her." Jesse snapped, his hand resting on his revolver as he glared at Green skull. "Now, how about you let us mosey on huh?"

After a moment Green Skull sucked his teeth and snapped his fingers, signaling his crew to let them through, which caused backlash and complaint as Jesse pulled Sarah through.

"Oh, but wait!" Green Skull laughed, making Jesse turn to look at him, gently and silently urging Sarah to get behind him once more. "There's six guns here..." he pulled out a pistol and held it to Jesse, ready to shoot. "And you only got one."

There were three seconds of intense silence before a flurry of gunshots. Jesse stood rigid, revolver in hand as the barrel smoked.

"One's all I need." Jesse said as there were thumps, he opened the revolver and the shells fell from their holes as he reloaded. There was an deafening silence as he did, Sarah tried to pull the hat off to see what happened but Jesse pushed the hat over her face to keep her from seeing the men and grabbed her arm, pulling her further down the road. Once he was satisfied with the distance, he let go of her and took the hat off. "Sorry about that darlin'. Didn't want ya t see that mess."

Sarah's face was a little flushed as Jesse took back his cover and wrapped it around him before replacing his hat on his head, smiling down at her.

"Now, what was that about you and cowboys?" He asked, watching as she blinked herself back from thought.

"Hu-oh..." she laughed and ran her hands through her hair to fix it. "The guy, the one I'm looking for...he was big into Cowboys too."

"You got a name for this mystery man?" Jesse asked as they both went back to walking.

"Yes and no. "

"Pardon?" Jesse asked, seriously confused.

"We never exchanged actual names but we had nicknames for one another." Sarah smiled and wrapped her arms around herself, eyes growing distant.

"What was yours?" Jesse asked, trying to bring her back.

"Rosa." she laughed, "He would call me all sorts of names but the one that stuck was Rosa." A sweet smile crossed her lips at a memory long since past and Jesse could see how the name could stick.

"And his?" Jesse asked as he stepped off the pavement and onto a dirt road that lead to the outskirts of town that was mainly occupied by homes and rental houses.

"Thief."