Chapter 2 – To Tomorrows

...

"You WHAT?!" Puck gasped.

"I let her go," Rachel repeated.

Puck looked completely horrified as he stared at the empty jail cell, opening and closing his mouth several times before finding his voice, "You let an outlaw, who helped ruin this town, wander around!? Why?"

"So I can let go too," she replied quietly.

"What are you going on about?" he huffed.

"…Daddy wouldn't have wanted her hanged, Noah. And all I've wanted these past few days was to have Daddy back here and telling me that everything is going to be better, and then asking me if I wanted to sing with him while he plays the guitar, and me… believing I could get out of this town and be anything. But this time he didn't come back like he said he would and I hate him for never listening to me when I asked him to stay! I hate him for leaving me. But I also don't want to forget him, Noah," she rambled, her voice breaking as tears began to course down her cheeks.

Puck looked at her sympathetically and sighed, saying, "And you think believing in those things he used to is going to make things better?"

She looked at him helplessly, "Yes? …I don't know. All I know is that… It's up to me now if I want things to change. I have to be the one to come back. So I let her go."

He finally hugged her, but added, "What if she brings whatever's left of James' Gang back here?"

"Then I'll shoot her myself," Rachel convicted. "I already gave her a second chance."

Puck laughed, "You can't shoot for shit."

This caused Rachel, through drying tears, to also break out into a laugh – the first since the outlaws came. She could count on Puck. It already started to sound like a better day ahead.

...

The tiny brown-haired girl with the big brown eyes confused Quinn. Sure, she seemed to be in some sort of depression, but Quinn never figured her for a crazy person. So imagine her surprise when this Rachel Berry left the cell door open one night after bringing in her dinner plate – and even placed a Colt revolver in a holster on the desk when she knew Quinn was looking at her, before walking outside.

After staring at the open door expecting a surprise consisting of fists and bruises to arrive, nothing happened, and so she decided to eat. After putting her plate aside, she waited for what seemed like forever for something to change that would tell her she was actually dreaming all of it up.

But then she realized that was the change. She wasn't dreaming.

So she stood and took her first step outside of her prison. She picked up the revolver and opened the cylinder to see that it was fully-loaded, save for one chamber that had a rolled up $5 bill inside. What is wrong with this girl. She strapped the holster onto her belt, fixed her black button-down shirt, and grabbed a matching black felt Stetson before stepping outside.

Under the night sky was the brunette, sitting on the porch still eating, with her wavy brown locks blowing against her dress. Serene and not crazy-like. Seemingly sensing her, brown eyes turned to look back and met hers. They were calm as well. Definitely not the eyes of a batshit lunatic. She was about to speak when the brunette stood up and started in towards the door.

"I'm letting you go. I want you people to leave McKinley alone, so please don't come back. Nothing good happens in this town, so you best be on your way before anybody sees you. I'm quite sure you can handle yourself, Quinn Fabray."

And with that, Rachel stepped inside. Quinn was free for the first time in her life.

And it was precisely that reason why Quinn still found herself on the outskirts of town the next day. She could go anywhere she liked but she didn't have anywhere to go. Sure, she was part of John James' Gang, but John James himself was dead; meaning the rest were probably scattered to who knows where. And none of them would have ever cared to look for her now. Hell, they didn't even care that she had been imprisoned.

Her mind returned to the cell where she sucked in the sting of the cloth that cleaned her face because someone was taking care of her wounds. Hands held her for the first time instead of hitting her. She had been running all of her life as an outlaw, taking lives and hurting others because it was all she ever knew how to be. But this crazy brunette went from wanting to hang her one day to telling her "I don't know what to make of you – you could be anything."

She could be… And she sure as hell can handle it.

That was when Quinn Fabray realized that there was nothing wrong with Rachel Berry. She was absolutely right.

...

Quinn was still hanging by a stable on a farm just outside of McKinley when one of the boys that used to beat her up in the cell slumped off the horse that just came galloping back. A couple of ranch hands ran to his aid, the rest looking alarmed.

"We… found some of the cattle," he gasped. He was bleeding out from his abdomen.

"Where?" a stocky older man commanded.

"Just north of town… They got Karofsky... And guns," he continued as he clutched his side.

"I'll get the mayor!" someone shouted, taking off while a couple of others took the boy inside.

"He won't be able to get help here in time," the same man stated roughly to the rest. He looked around and said, "If we're even thinking of getting the cattle back, it needs to be now! Who's willing to go?"

They remembered the James' Gang raid that took half their men and remained silent.

"I'll do it."

Quinn walked out from the side of the stable and they all looked at her questioningly.

"And who are you, Miss..? Never seen you around these parts," the older man motioned, scrutinizing her.

"Someone looking for a new direction in life," she replied.

"Well if you manage to get my cattle back, I'm sure I can find you something."

Quinn tipped her hat at him and went to mount one of the horses as the rest silently wished her well.

"Oh hell. Let me borrow that carbine," a brown-skinned woman spoke out.

She grabbed a rifle from one of the ranch hands – then a pistol for good measure, and climbed up on another horse before reining it in to stand next to the blonde. Quinn gave her a nod.

"Santana, what do you think you're doing? Those horses better come back alive!" yelled the stocky man.

But the girls had already taken off, scattering dust. The man turned to see Puck running towards him.

"That was Quinn Fabray, the outlaw we had locked up! You let her get out there on a horse to get the cattle she helped them steal, stolen back?" Puck said incredulously.

OH SHIT. Guess I ain't seeing those horses back either, he thought.

...

"Never had a partner before," Quinn said as the two galloped north.

"Never knew anyone loco enough to ride out on a suicide mission by themselves. You got balls, sunshine," the black-haired girl retorted.

"Ha, so do you it seems."

"Don't push your luck. I just need me some action."

"You need to prove yourself or something?"

"Something like that. The name's Santana Lopez."

"…Quinn Fabray."

Santana suddenly pulled on the reins, swerving around to a stop.

"The outlaw!?" she gaped.

"Is that a problem?" Quinn turned her horse around.

"Well, shit. How do I know you're not gonna put one in my head?" the girl called out, her finger moving to the rifle's trigger.

"Let's just say the odds are better with you alive," the blonde calmly replied, "You're not the only one needing to prove something."

After a few moments, the Latina moved her hand from her rifle and took out the pistol from her holster instead. Quinn watched her as she checked the chambers, locked it – then tossed it over to the blonde, who caught it with an apprehended smirk.

"Two guns are always better than one, Fabray," the Latina quipped as she rode past.

Quinn grinned as she caught up, "I'm starting to like you, Lopez."

Santana snorted and said, "Thanks, but I already got a girl."

"You're… Lebanese?" Quinn asked in realization.

"No, I'm Hispanic. What in the hell is that?"

"Saw it somewhere. Couldn't read, but it sounded like that."

Santana shook her head in amusement, "I'll be damned, Fabray. How'd you ever find your way around without being able to read a damn map?"

Quinn shrugged, "Always just followed the stars, I guess."

...

Something rumbled in the distance and the stocky man could feel the earth beneath the setting sun and his boots quiver. His ranch hands felt it too as they stopped and looked north.

There, over the distant hill, was a sight for sore eyes. A wave of cattle were ambling down towards them, their hooves thundering on hungry land and creating a swirl of dust. Bounding through the settling mist were four horses; two with riders' silhouettes. The hands hurriedly opened the corral gate as they counted in 127 heads.

"Sorry, we lost a few in the crossfire. Thought maybe these extra horses could make up for 'em," panted Santana proudly as she swung off her horse and walked towards him.

He looked over at the blonde who was handing over the new horses to one of the wranglers. Santana followed his gaze.

"Who would've thought an outlaw, huh? Girl went all McKinley hills on those cattle rustlers!" she added.

The noise had brought several of the townspeople over, and there was a bustle of energy as they mulled over the new arrivals. A brown-skinned gentleman in a tweed coat and bowler hat walked towards the big group that had formed around the two girls.

"Mayor Figgins! We got the cattle back!" someone yelled out, encouraging more whoops.

"Silence, people, silence," he motioned with his arms. He continued, "First, an announcement."

He lifted up a wanted poster of a woman with Quinn's cheekbones. The crowd quieted down and Santana looked to Quinn silently.

"This woman is wanted for aiding and abetting in loss of property and life in McKinley-"

"Mayor Figgins! This woman just helped save our cattle, and my ass!" Santana boldly interrupted.

Figgins held up a hand, "BUT, as we still have not appointed a new sheriff to handle these proceedings..."

He turned to Quinn and ripped the poster in half.

"I believe that aiding and abetting in the return of said property and this life-" gesturing at Santana, "can, for the time being, absolve you from the hangman's noose. However, there will be zero tolerance for any crimes of this nature for future reference!"

With that, he walked off as cheers once again erupted and Quinn found herself in the midst of strangers who were now patting her back. She noticed a little girl of about 8 that reminded her of herself as a child, looking up at her admiringly from the crowd. I could be different, she thought. Then she caught a familiar face glaring at her from a distance.

"Guess you can't shoot her now, Miss Berry," Puck said as they stood on the road, watching the commotion.

"Doesn't mean I can't learn how," Rachel replied, glaring away. Maybe she could glare away Quinn Fabray.

Nope. The blonde was smiling at the crowd. Rachel had never seen her smile. Her teeth were perfect and white and shiny, like garments of glistening snow. It was irritating… and quite lovely actually. Why is she still here?

The stocky man walked up to Quinn and offered his hand.

"Well, what do you say, Miss Fabray? I could use another cattle hand around here, especially one with your skills," he said.

"You trusting an outlaw, Sir?" Quinn asked from under her hat after some hesitation.

"An outlaw? You're the unlikely hero of McKinley, Fabray!" Santana grinned as she approached them.

"No. I'm asking you to trust a man who's seen his share of surprises in life be shocked to shit of what you did today. The name's Burt Hummel. I own what's left of the cattle business in this town, and I need people to drive these bovines down to El Paso when the time comes. Hell, we haven't been able to have a drive in half a year! You think you can figure out how to change that, Quinn Fabray?"

Quinn looked back up on the road. The brunette had already left.

She didn't know if Rachel Berry knew that she had been right, and Quinn wanted her to believe it too. And also because Quinn Fabray didn't know how to say those two words yet, as she had never been grateful for anything. But today everything turned upside down, all because of one girl who threw stars at her.

So she shook Mr. Hummel's hand and said, "I'll start tomorrow."