Bonnie sighed and ran a hand through her hair as she worked effortlessly on the ranch. Her demeanor had sunk slightly and she seemed much more withdrawn. She glanced over at the gate... Hoping to see John riding through, though she knew that hoping for something so ridiculous was more than foolish. John had been gone for about a week and she worried constantly. John had an undesirable and rather dangerous job to do...
"Bonnie!" Drew snapped and Bonnie jumped, turning her attention over as her father approached.
"I-I'm sorry, daddy, what is it?" She asked.
"What's goin' on with you? Ever since that outlaw boy left you've been aloof... Did you become smitten with him or something?" He scoffed and Bonnie's face scrunched up.
"No." She spat, and her expression was enough to keep her father from prying.
"Well... Amos and the farmhands need your help with the cattle, ours got mixed up with another ranch we need to separate them." Drew explained and Bonnie groaned.
"What do we pay those boys for?" She grumbled and quickly began walking towards her horse.
Riding out, she replayed her father's words in her head, had she been aloof? She didn't remember being despondent but she was definitely depressed.
"Help!" A sudden call broke her concentration and Bonnie pulled back roughly on her reigns.
Looking over and noticing a tipped stagecoach she raised her brows and quickly kicked her horse in the direction. When she arrived she saw a man on the ground, a black eye and trying to get up.
"S-Sir oh my gosh what happened?" She asked as she quickly dismounted her horse and kneeled by him, helping him sit up.
"Some goddamn bandits... M-Made off with my horses and my money..." He groaned and coughed as Bonnie looked him over for other injuries.
"What's your name?" She then questioned as she gently touched his eye, watching him shrink away slightly.
"... Charles." He replied and allowed her to gently feel for any chips in his skull.
"Looks like you've busted a blood vessel..." She muttered.
"W-What's your name, Miss..?"
"MacFarlane... Bonnie MacFarlane." She muttered.
"That's interesting... Woulda thought you might've said Marston... Seeing how cozy you are with him." The man said and Bonnie paused, glancing at the other's face a sudden smirk plastered on his lips.
"... How do you..?" She murmured suddenly standing and reaching for her weapon.
"Don't even think about it." Charles hissed and stood, the stagecoach doors flying open and four more men climbing out.
Fuck.
"W-What do you want with me?" She asked shakily.
"... Drop it." Charles demanded, pointing to her weapon as three more guns were trained on her. "Drop it!" He snarled and Bonnie jumped but slowly reached down and took ahold of her pistol and tossed it towards him. "... Seems you and our old friend... Been getting a little close hm?" He asked and Bonnie pinched her lips shut in a thin line. "You seem to be at least... Him walkin' out of your house at all hours of the night... Walkin' out in your undergarments... He fuckin' you?" He asked and Bonnie took a breath.
"He and I-" A sudden slap was given across her cheek as she sunk to her knees.
"Don't lie to me." Charles said but then looked to the other men and smirked. "... Maybe we should see what John likes about you hm..? Got a tight cunt?" He asked, kneeling down in front of her, her glare suddenly landing upon his own. "... Let me tell you right now little missy..." He crowed. "If you think about suddenly becoming a hero... I will make sure to gut you like a fish after fucking you into oblivion... Got it?" He asked.
"... Yes." She whispered quietly and Charles grinned before he stood up and without a warning, he drove the butt of his gun into her face, sufficiently knocking her unconscious.
John felt like a glorified errand boy, he was running around desperately trying to get people needed to take Bill down, there was a drunk who reminded him somewhat of his father, ironically his name was Irish who was supposed to be supplying a machine gun, Seth a filthy grave robber who had connections in getting into Fort Mercer without an army assault, West Dickins a con-man who took advantage of the average working man who was willing to use his stagecoach as a Trojan Horse. Marshal Johnson and his deputies were all the guns he needed if the plan went accordingly but these people were a fucking mess... Thankfully Norman was in captivity, shorting Bill a vital asset.
The outlaw rubbed his eyes tiredly, his expression reading a subtle rage as he strolled through Armadillo. He seemed to be a favorite by local prostitutes but even in times of great stress, he wouldn't sink that low... Not that there was anything wrong with prostitutes.
"Hey honey why don't you come by and see me... I can rub that look off your face." A supple brunette woman crooned as he trudged by.
"No thank you, ma'am." He said politely.
However, despite readying to lay down the law with Johnson so to speak, he walked up towards the door and furrowed his brows as he heard Mister MacFarlane speaking in a panic-stricken fashion.
"I don't have a clue! Alright, but it's got to be something to do with that government boy!" He cried.
"We'll talk to him, find out what he knows." Johnson tried calming Drew down as John walked inside, Mister MacFarlane's gaze was set ablaze towards him.
"Fuckin' is. Where is she, Marston?!" He snarled and stormed towards him.
"Who?" John asked and stepping backward defensively.
"Who? My daughter, you fucking scum. Where's Bonnie?" He roared and John tilted his head, Bonnie?
"I don't know. I haven't seen her since after the fire. Why?" He asked, his heart beginning to speed up, fear beginning to wrap around him like a blanket.
"Why? Because she hasn't been seen since yesterday morning. I don't think I can cope. If I lose another child-"
"Now Drew, nobody's lost anything yet. I'm sure she's fine-"
"Oh, Mister Marshal! Mr. Marshal! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" A sudden voice howled from outside, everything happened so quickly, Bonnie was gone?
"Who the hell's that?" Johnson asked softly, the small posse walking out and noting another outlaw on horseback.
"Even better. Good day, Mr. MacFarlane." He cackled.
"Get down from that horse, boy, or I'll shoot." The Marshal warned.
"I wouldn't recommend that, mister. Not if Drew MacFarlane wants to see his Bonnie back in one piece. Hey, Mr. MacFarlane, it's a nice girl you got there." The outlaw chortled, John's breath hitching in his throat, he had to remain professional.
"Get down from there!" Drew raged.
"You know, part of me's got to thinking I should just marry her myself. Give her a baby and that." The man taunted, a vein beginning to pop out of John's neck, the man making special eye-contact with John, he knew this was revving John's engine.
"What do you want?" Johnson inquired.
"That's better... I want Norman Deek. I want him set free. Then you get your daughter back, mister." The outlaw negotiated and John bit his tongue subtly.
"We don't do deals with outlaws, boy." Johnson growled.
"Yeah, you do! Let's not waste each other's time pretending otherwise. Whole government themselves ain't much more than a bunch of crooks. This is the land of opportunity, mister, and I'm giving you the opportunity to get your daughter back before fifteen friends of mine take out all their anger and their loneliness on her." The stranger retaliated.
"Where the hell is she?" Drew seemed to beg.
"Bring Deek up to Tumbleweed in a couple of hours. And don't go getting no funny ideas, or I will slit that whore's throat myself! You boys have a pleasant afternoon..." The bandit provoked and rode off quickly.
"What do we do?" Marshal Johnson asked.
"We do as he says. You and me, Marshal. Mr. MacFarlane, I'll get you your daughter back. I owe her that." John promised seriously, he would die before he would let any more harm come to Bonnie.
"Please do..." Drew murmured.
"Hurry up, boy. Let's go. Quick as you can deputy, and make sure he's tied on good. Stay with me, Marston." Johnson ordered.
"I won't let anything happen to her, sir." John gave his word and reassuringly rested his palm on Drew's shoulder as Deek was hoisted onto Johnson's horse.
Bonnie woke up in a dark room, her head was pounding and she squinted at the lamp above her head. Her blouse was disheveled and her belt was gone but she was clothed, when she went to sit up she felt something strapping her down. Looking over she noticed her hands were tied and she suddenly felt her heart jump into her throat, she didn't know where she was... She remembered being struck but before she could panic a few men walked into the room.
"Look who's awake." One crooned... A familiar man.
"You..." She growled quietly.
"Sorry sweetheart... Gotta do what you have to do." the blackeyed man chortled and stood at the foot of her bed.
"W-Why?" She asked.
"Well seeing how... Comfortable you are with John..." Charles purred, moving to Bonnie's side and running resting his hand upon her breast.
Bonnie glared up at him and wiggled a bit as he started sliding his hand down her stomach, opening the rest of her buttons as he did so. His hands were nothing like John's... They were hard, rough... Disgusting.
"P-Please don't..." She whispered quietly, hearing the other two men who were watching chuckle softly.
"But why..? You seem to like people like us..." Charles mused.
"John is nothing... Like you." Bonnie seethed.
"You think you know John Marston? You know how many people he's killed? You don't know nothin' about John... You did this to yourself baby girl... But I have to admit... Couldn't have done it without that little farmhand of yours, mustache I'm sure you know him." He informed and Bonnie;s eyes widened.
She knew Amos disliked John but would he go so far to surrender her to creeps like these just to get back at John?
"Oh did I strike a nerve? Not like it matters... Once John is dead you will be too... But how about we have a little fun before then?" The man asked, Bonnie's eyes filling with tears as he climbed on top of her and began undoing Bonnie's pants and pulling them down.
"S-Stop..." She whimpered and began struggling, suddenly arching her knee up and striking him in the groin.
Her assaulter gasped and held his now bruised testicles before Bonnie would scoot up and free one of her legs, kicking him in the face, hearing his body slam to the floor. His friends quickly swarmed Bonnie and pointed their guns at her face.
"You dumb cunt!" Charles screamed as he got up holding his already blackened eye.
He shoved one of the other men out of the way and began bashing away at her face, holding her throat with another hand, sufficiently choking her. When he was finally finished, Bonnie gasped for air and coughed.
"... I'm gonna make it hurt." He growled and straddled her hips again, roughly ripping her shirt completely open and forcing her legs open as he took out a knife, but before anything could take place, another man walked into the room.
"They brought Deek... Marston's with'em." He said and Charles cursed under his breath, reluctantly releasing Bonnie.
"Tie the bitch up... Kill her if she tries anything..." He murmured and turned to the door.
"John... Will bleed you like a hog..." Bonnie sneered, her eyes still feisty as she watched her captor turn to her.
"Looks like we'll see... He's got a nice welcome party waiting for him..."
John and Johnson rode up to Tumbleweed, definitely a crooks paradise, it was abandoned and far enough outside of town that the law didn't bother checking it out unless under special circumstances like this. John's heart was racing, fear was plaguing him. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Bonnie, he knew this was his fault and the fact that he had an affair with her made Bonnie even more valuable to Bill... John would make sure he died slowly.
He got off his horse as did Johnson but John placed a hand on Johnson's shoulder.
"I'll do this." He said. "Just be behind me in case this goes south, this is my fault..." He said.
"Wanna be a hero..? You just wanna hog all the glory... Cuz you were fuckin' the farmer's daughter..." Deek chortled, Johnson raised his brows and glanced to John whose expression hardened, now was not the time to set his reputation straight.
"Let's go Norman." John murmured, not willing to fuck his chances at getting Bonnie back by losing his temper with this low-life, placing him on his feet and roughly shoving him forward.
"I bet my boys are making her real comfortable... Just like you did..." Normal cackled again and John shoved him again, but before another word could be spewed, Norman felt John's rifle roughly pressing against his back.
"Say another word... Give me a reason to kill you Norman." John said oddly calm and Norman bit his tongue, while he wanted to believe that John wouldn't waste Bonnie's life, the fact John seemed so calm it was eerie... He had a good poker face.
Johnson and Jonah followed from a distance as John neared the other bandits, Bonnie was nowhere to be found.
"Where's Bonnie? I thought we had a deal..." John hissed.
"When you're wrong! We don't make deals with the law." The bandit informed.
"It's a trap! John take cover!" Johnson yelled as the outlaws suddenly pumped Norman full of led.
Thankfully Norman made a good human shield, John dove behind an old broken wagon as more bullets whizzed by. He didn't care about anything at the moment... He just had to find Bonnie. Beginning to shoot back, one by one the outlaws fell.
"Where's Bonnie you bastards!?" He roared and moved forward.
Hearing a woman screaming on the far side of town John peeked around the corner of an empty house he saw them dragging out Bonnie as she kicked and screamed, suddenly putting her up to a few posts of wood, tying a noose around her neck and kicking out whatever she was standing on.
"Bonnie!" He yelled and raced forward, she should have been dead already but in their haste, the loop wasn't tied right so it didn't snap her neck.
He pointed his gun and shot, uncaring that he was being fired at from all sides, if he took his time Bonnie would choke to death. Taking out his knife as he got close to her he cut the rope quickly and catching her in his arms, wincing as he felt a bullet puncture his left bicep but he quickly ran her to cover as Johnson and his deputies helped take care of the remaining thugs.
Bonnie hacked and coughed as she leaned against the old stagecoach. When the bullets stopped flying John stood and looked around before he looked to Bonnie and kneeled next to her.
"Bonnie? Bonnie, can you hear me?" He asked, reaching in and carefully taking hold of her cheeks, she looked up, tears running down her face and launching herself into his arms.
"Y-Yes I can hear you... Y-You stupid man..." She whimpered and John sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around her petite, beat up form and just hugged her in his arms.
"I'm so sorry, Miss MacFarlane..." He said and buried his face into her hair.
He then pulled back, looking her over. John was enraged as he saw her broken and ripped apart shirt, her loosened brassier and her unbuckled pants but she was intact. He then looked at her face, seeing her swollen eye, he would need to take her to the doctor but for now, he leaned in and kissed her forehead before scooping her up gently into his arms.
"I got you now..." He whispered to her.
Bonnie's thin body was shaking as she weakly wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned her head against his chest and tried regulating her breathing, he approached Marshal Johnson and the white-haired man looked the two up and down, a slightly suspicious look in his eyes.
"... Was what he said true?" He asked John, not going into specifics for Bonnie's sake.
John didn't say anything but his eyes spoke for him in the way he looked down at Bonnie as she closed her eyes so she didn't have to see the dead bodies, eventually though, he spoke.
"... Not now, Marshal Johnson." He said, now was not the time, thankfully Johnson respected that and nodded his head. "I'll meet you back at the station but I need to get her to the doctor." He said.
"You need to get yourself there too." Johnson said and motioned to John's arm.
John looked to his bicep and grimaced a bit, amidst trying to forget Bonnie he forgot that he was shot. He knew his arm was beginning to give out now that his adrenaline was wearing off and Bonnie looked up at him, but John would not fail her.
"I will... I just need to make sure she's safe..." He explained and Johnson nodded.
"You sure you'll be alright?" the Marshal inquired as he mounted his horse.
"Yeah, I'll see you around." John said and carefully hoisted Bonnie onto his own horse.
It was then that Bonnie saw all the blood making its way down John's arm.
"J-John you're bleeding." She gasped as he hopped onto Harlow.
"I'll be fine once we get to the doctor..." He replied and wrapped an arm around her waist before kicking at Harlow's sides.
Bonnie didn't say anything the whole ride back into Armadillo, but John wasn't surprised. He didn't know what to say... He knew what he wanted to ask but he feared the answer too much to do so... If she were raped. Before they reached Armadillo, John slowed Harlow to a trot so that he could take his hands off the reigns. He quickly took off his denim vest and put it around Bonnie's shoulders and instead of going around to the front he lead Harlow to the back door. He knew Bonnie wouldn't want to be seen in public this way.
John slid off of Harlow, his shirt now half soaked in blood as he took Bonnie into his arms again.
"I-I can walk..." She contested.
"I know you can." He replied, managing to send a small smile down to her.
John then opened the back door, Dr. Johnston jumping.
"Sir you can't be back he- Miss MacFarlane? Mister Marston?" He asked in a confused fashion. "Dear god what happened!?" He asked as he saw all the blood on Marston's clothing and how beat up Bonnie was.
"She was kidnapped and-"
"And I'm fine... Please sew up his arm." Bonnie interrupted, and John sighed.
John waited out in the waiting room for Bonnie for what felt like days, he knew she would need to be inspected top to bottom... His arm was stitched and bandaged after the bullet was dug out of his arm, which wasn't fun. As he sat in the chair he thought for a moment, remembering that her clothes were shredded. He hummed softly and walked out of the doctor's office, it was early evening, maybe he was lucky enough that the stores were still open.
Walking into a women's clothing store was... A tad more than uncomfortable for him, and seeing the woman at the counter automatically looked fearfully at him he held his hands up and she looked him up and down seriously, the dried blood on his sleeve not doing him any favors.
"I'm not here for trouble ma'am..." He said honestly and the woman seemed to calm down a bit. "I promise... I'm here cause a lady friend of mine needs a coat." He said and the lady visibly sighed in relief.
"What kind of coat?" She asked, approaching the counter.
"Uh... Something that will keep her covered and warm on the ride home... She... Had a rough fall and tore her shirt and I just want her to feel comfortable in public." He explained and she nodded, pausing for a moment she walked over to a shelf and slowly waded through the fabrics.
"Any idea on her size?" She asked.
"Honestly no... She's small though, thin and... Elegant." He said, unable to stop the small smile from creeping across his face, however looking up he noticed the woman smiling softly towards him.
"Sounds like a lucky woman... Will this do?" she asked and pulled out a thin overcoat for cool summer nights, it was a cream color and it extended down to her calves, it was perfect for something to get Bonnie home.
"It'll be great ma'am, thank you, mind bagging it for me?" He asked.
"Of course not, that'll be seven dollars." She replied and John pulled out the money needed and walked back to the doctor's office with a bag in his hand.
When he walked in, he watched the doctor walk out to grab some medicine.
"Hey, doc... How is she?" He asked softly.
"... Honestly... I don't know. Physically she'll be fine but..." The doctor replied and John sighed, nodding quietly, but after a few more minutes the doctor poked his head out. "John? She wants to see you." He said and John swallowed but nodded and walked into the back room.
Thankfully the doctor left the two to talk by themselves and he saw Bonnie sitting down on a table in medical garments, the doctor had her remove her torn up clothing. He placed the bag near the table and sat next to her.
"... You wanted to see me?" He asked, reaching over and taking her hand, but she took a few moments before even responding.
"John... A-Amos sold me out..." She whispers and John tilted his head.
"What do you mean?" He questioned.
"He... He told them that you and I were... Having an affair... I-I was on my way to attend to the cattle outside the ranch a-and this man was on the ground... I went to help him and he revealed to me that he knew about us and that Amos put them up to it... I don't know what to do... I want to just tell the Sheriff... B-But part of me... Wants to deal with it myself after what those dogs put me through." She snarled and reached up and wiped her eyes as tears began streaming again.
John quickly stood and reached up, running his hands over his chin as his blood began to boil.
"That son of a bitch." He growled. "I'll kill him." He sneered.
"John." Bonnie said and John looked over. "Please... I need to think about this before I do anything rash... Please don't say anything to my father I need to do it." She pleaded.
"You want me to just pretend I don't know about this? After what happened to you-"
"I know what happened to me..." She snarled and looked up at John, slightly surprising him, and the question he had feared most popping up into his head once again.
"... What did happen to you?" He finally asked, the dread evident in his gaze and Bonnie sighed.
"... I got knocked out and woke up... A few of them tried... W-With me but... I managed to show them I wasn't a damsel who would put up with their disgusting hands on me." She said and John sighed in relief, but he was still enraged at the thought of Bonnie being fondled by another man, especially without her consent.
"Are you done here..?" John then asked and Bonnie nodded.
"I suppose I'll get dressed with whatever is left of my clothing." She sighed but John quickly swiped the bag and handed it to her.
"Put this on over your clothes... It'll be dark by the time we get home... So this might help." He revealed and Bonnie finally perked up a bit, looking into the bag and gasping softly.
"John... You didn't have to-"
"I know... I'll wait for you." He said and reached forward, taking her hand noting the rope marks from the bindings, he pulled her hand up and planted a kiss on her wrist, Bonnie smiled and nodded before John released her hand and walked out.
When Bonnie walked out, the coat seemed to mold to her body perfectly and covered all of her exposed flesh from before. John then escorted her out to Harlow and helped her mount him before he climbed atop of the horse behind her. She leaned back against him and rested one of her hands resting against his legs as he lead Harlow back towards the ranch.
John was right, it was dark by the time they returned to the ranch, Amos and the ranch hands talking and laughing by the corral, the bunch all gasping when they saw the state of Bonnie.
"Miss MacFarlane! Are you alright?" Amos asked and ran towards her.
"I'm fine Amos... Please leave us alone." She murmured.
"B-But Miss MacFarlane please just tell me what happened-"
"She said... Leave us alone." John hissed and stepped in front of Bonnie, shielding her from view and glaring the other down with such intensity he actually said nothing as John lead Bonnie into the house and shutting the door behind them.
"Bonnie!" Drew gasped as he saw her walk in with John, racing over to her and enveloping her in his arms, trying to keep his composure.
"Hey, daddy..." Bonnie said tiredly and hugged him, he then looked to John and after releasing Bonnie he suddenly hugged John to his surprise and John stiffly hugged Drew back.
"Thank you, Marston... I-I'm sorry for earlier..." He thanked and released John.
"Don't worry about it Mister MacFarlane..." John replied and Bonnie smiled in relief.
"Daddy... Mind if John sticks around for a little while..? He needs a new change of clothes and... I need to speak to you... John if you want to stick around to speak with my father about... You know... But you don't have to. At least let me get you a new shirt." Bonnie said and John nodded.
"I don't mind... I told you I would help you deal with the problem I want to know what you two plan to do about it." He said and Drew furrowed his brows in confusion.
"Come on daddy... Let's go talk." She uttered and walked with Drew and John into the living room.
"That son of a bitch!" Drew yelled, John smirking subtly since he said the same thing. "We need to kill the bastard!" He spat.
"Daddy we can't just-"
"After he had my daughter assaulted you're damn right I can!" Drew said and turned to John. "Marston, you don't mind getting your hands dirty do you?" He then asked.
"No sir..." He replied but Bonnie's face scrunched up.
"Dad how dare you!" She scoffed. "I refuse to just expect John to do this because of what everyone thinks of him!" She argued.
"Miss MacFarlane I honestly don't mind..." He interjected.
"John I mind." She replied and Drew sighed.
"What do you want to do?" He then asked.
"I just... I don't want someone's death to be because of me..." Bonnie said and both Drew and John stared at her in a dumbfounded fashion. "I know it doesn't make sense just... Please let me sleep on it tonight... John, walk with me?" She asked and John looked to Drew for silent permission, after the older man nodded, John stood and walked with her out the back door.
The walk was tense, John following Bonnie and sitting next to her on the swing as they had done when John's feelings for Bonnie began to develop. His eyes started darting around and when he saw that they were out of sight out of mind he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and felt her lean into his form. He felt ultimately at fault...
"... I'm sorry this happened." He finally said.
"I am too..." She replied and looked up to him. "But there's nothing we can do about it... So... Apologizing and dreading over it won't do us any good." She said and John chuckled softly.
"... I will dread about it until something's done with Amos... Deal?" He asked and Bonnie sighed and nodded.
"Deal..." She said and John looked down to her and leaned in, pressing his lips against hers for a moment. "... I missed you." She then said.
"... I missed you too..." He affirmed and ran a gloved hand over her hair.
He would make a point to make sure that anyone who hurt Bonnie paid very dearly... He cared about her too much to turn a blind eye.
