Author's Note: The last chapter for this year - with a lot of pov switches in this one. Hope you like it. ≧◡≦
On another note I'd like to show you a sketch of Ann but unfortunately I cannot post any links on this site. :,(
Chapter IX: Feeling
Ann was waiting in front of the saloon in Valenine since early in the morning now. It was Monday, Payday. Denying that she was extremely nervous would've been a lie – after all the Del Lobos weren't any tiny little obscure gang. Probably Sánchez would – as he always had done in the past – bring two, maybe three men with him. The bounty huntress, however, was well aware of the fact that his death wouldn't solve the problem forever but only temporary. Buying some time was better than nothing, though.
Gladly she had been able to make some money from bounty jobs in Saint Denis within the last few days but of course it wasn't enough to pay Sánchez once and for all. It doesn't have to; still he'll have your back. At least she hoped that Arthur would. Pissed off as he had been last week, she could consider herself lucky, if he would show up at all.
And anyways, the events of that night were crossing her mind for days now. It all was just so… awkward that she kept asking herself what had been wrong with her to nearly get laid by a fucking outlaw. Of course she had a few too many but that wasn't an excuse; she simply didn't recognize herself anymore 'cause that wasn't characteristic for her. Maybe you were just too sensitive to the whole conversation with him, to the fact that he wanted to help you.
Shaking her head, Ann consulted her pocket watch. 10 a.m. Although they hadn't arranged a specific moment of time she was already wondering where on earth he was. "Still time before evening, Mister Morgan," she murmured, sighing.
Mister Morgan, however, allowed himself plenty of time, still not appearing after a few hours later – not that Ann was surprised at all. Well, okay, she actually was because she was assuming that he was a relatively honest man by now. Apparently he wasn't, though.
But Ann was sure she would make it on her own, too. Killing Sánchez and his men wasn't too hopeless. She would take him hostage while killing the other bastards. In theory it sounded so easy but still there was this unease within her now that she most likely couldn't count on Morgan; she simply had no one covering her ass.
Getting more unsettled the more time was proceeding, the bounty huntress began strolling up and down the town's main shops and suddenly – when she was passing one of the side paths – was grasped. A gloved hand covering her mouth, she was dragged into the shadows.
Supposing that her sudden attacker was most likely Diandro Sánchez, Ann immediately started to oppose. She wanted to scream, catch anyone's attention but couldn't utter a single clear word. Before she even knew what was happening she was pushed against one of the house walls, the stranger's hand still on her mouth. She kept struggling until…
"Sh, sh, sh!" A deep coarse and familiar voice that belonged to Morgan.
Somewhat relieved, Ann sighed and looked him in his pale eyes. At least he wasn't a Del Lobo, only a Van der Linde. Returning the look, he finally removed his hand from her.
"You're late," she then simply tried to cover her shock. "Already thought you'd chicken out." Hell, he was so close to her body; she could smell his breath, could smell him. She just needed to look up at him and it already set her teeth on edge again.
Maybe noticing the change in her, he took a step back. "Not robbin' any banks 'n coaches is takin' its toll."
Unimpressed, Ann raised her eyebrows. "Should've known it was you robbing the Valentine bank." Considering his teasing, it seemed at least that he had calmed down again during the last few days since their last encounter. So chances were good that he was more sociable than back in Rhodes.
"Who, me?" Morgan asked, exaggerated. "I thought I told ya that I ain't do no such things."
"'Course you don't."
"However." Rubbing his chin, he eventually leaned against the wall opposite to Ann. "I'm gonna need your help later. You, Miss McBrady, need to keep these guys busy as long as possible. I kill the first one, you kill Sánchez. In that turmoil I'm gonna shoot the rest of 'em. You think you can do this?"
Bewildered, the bounty huntress crossed her arms. "Really, Mister Morgan? I'm nearly killing you, I'm distracting some fucking Lemoynes and you're asking me, if I can keep a bunch of assholes busy?" That discussion again – how she hated it! How she was hating proving herself to other people!
But Morgan stayed calm. "I ain't askin' if you can keep 'em busy, I'm askin' if you dare to kill Sánchez."
Changing that little detail in his question didn't make things better for her. If anything she even got more pissed – and once she was in a pretty pissed state she often wasn't able to contain her words anymore. "Just gimme cover and don't run away again, okay?"
He said nothing, only clenched his teeth and she knew she had hit him. She wasn't even sorry about that. He deserved feeling bad right now for making herself feeling like a doormat that night when he gave her that damn feeling that it was her who did something wrong. Hell, thinking about fucking feelings all the time bothered her even more. She couldn't even stop to do that at this very moment! It frustrated her, so she was taking it out on him – very well knowing that it might have been unfair.
Morgan, however, was waiting for her little blowup to end. After a while he just asked: "You done now?"
Heavily breathing, Ann nodded her head. Obviously she was done – a nervous wreck for days! Because of him! Because of everything. "… I'm sorry," she eventually softly remarked.
"Why you apologizin'? For that I nearly fucked the shit outta you?"
Something told her that his self-perception was kind of strange. He always claimed to be a bad, bad man when in fact he was the contrary – polite and helpful. Sometimes a bit odd but still likeable. Almost a man of honor. Ann assumed that he was occasionally switching between moods because of that distorted self-perception. Whatever had happened within his life, it most likely made him drawing back from people he wasn't quite familiar with. Right now, while he was the one accusing himself for what had happened, she really wished she had known more about him – but she didn't. She did know shit about him, except that he was an outlaw and once had a wife or a girlfriend named Mary. That creeping compassion for him – Ann wanted it to end. Vice versa it was probably the same because… there was something, otherwise he wouldn't have spared her.
"Maybe for hitting on you last week?" she asked, being stressed out. "Why's it you're so fucking self-destructive? Because of this Mary girl?" And again, she immediately regretted that she hadn't thought about choosing her words carefully before.
Morgan was laughing in response, though. "What the hell ya talkin' about, woman?"
"My name's Ann and I'd prefer you calling me that. I'm not your woman!"
"Fine then, Ann," he leaned forward. "Now listen carefully. I'm gonna help ya 'cause I gave ya my word. But fuckin' stay outta my business, understand that? I said it once: You'll regret it. Just go back and live your fuckin' life." Pushing himself away from the wall, the outlaw took a peek at her once again before he left the shadowy side path.
Go back and live her fuckin' life? What was that even supposed to mean, if there was nothing she had left at all? So big of you, Mister Morgan! Ann watched him leave in both, anger and wistfulness. All she wanted right now was to get over and done with this day.
Arthur was taking up position on a formation near Citadel Rock. Taking his sniper rifle off his shoulder, he tested his sight and range. As already assumed it turned out as a very good spot for keeping an eye on the train bridge. Now he just had to wait until evening, for the damn Del Lobos and damn Ann to arrive.
Why on earth did she have to be that pushy? Hadn't he made himself clear enough that he didn't want to talk about anything that was going on in his life? Not about Mary, not about anything else. Yet last week seemed to still bother her – but she couldn't know better. He didn't even blame her.
His horse next to him was pawing the ground, suddenly reminding him of the essentials. They still had to get money – a lot of money –, if they wanted to continue a life in freedom. Robbing the bank in Valentine kind of escalated, so they now had to look for another hiding spot sooner or later since Arthur felt that Sheriff Gray was becoming more and more suspicious.
Living a life like this – always on the run – wasn't something a woman like Ann should experience. Hell, it was always the same! He had Mary, her father hadn't thought he was a good match for her, they had gone separate ways, she had married another man. He had met Eliza, they had gotten Isaac; they both had been killed for nothing. Then he had met that bounty hunter and so many parallels had shown up. She probably was used to better men than him because he'd obviously ruin her, if she got too close to him. Then there was all that sad life story of hers, with her mother being dead and her father passing… Arthur had no doubts that it was some kind of catalyst for him becoming a bit – too – attached to her. He was realizing all this now and it had to end.
The sun was setting while he lied in waiting.
It was about 7 p.m. when Ann headed out southwards. The way down to the railroad bridge wouldn't take her long, she thought. It actually didn't and she dismounted her horse only a couple of minutes after leaving Valentine, patting her companion. "I die and Arthur will take care of you, I'm sure," she whispered, eyes closed and forehead leaning against Calido's. "Wish me luck, okay?"
Calido nudged her, as if he was trying to cheer her up, to encourage her. Ann patted him again and then checked her belt for her knife as well as the revolver. She'd need them. Hopefully Morgan was out there as well. Just in case.
Spotting three riders heading right towards her from the distance, she suddenly tensed up. When they came closer she realized that no one of them was Sánchez. What the hell?! Why wasn't he with them? That wasn't clearly the way she had wanted to settle this deal. Morgan would kill every single one of them, meaning Sánchez was still out there. Somewhere. Fuck!
"Ah, Miss McBrady, I suppose?" the trio's leader said once the small group had come to a halt not far from her. "Mister Sánchez is sending his apologies for not bein' here today. He's hopin' ya takin' no offence."
Ready to draw any weapon at any time, Ann examined the three Del Lobos. None of them was familiar to her. "Not at all," she retorted.
"Well." The unknown leading man jumped off his horse; the other two men followed his suit, weapons ready. "I was told ya still owin' us 'bout 500 dollars. For ya sake I'm hopin' ya brought the money."
"Not quite."
The Del Lobo grimaced.
"If we could put off the last 150 dollars," Ann tried to debate. Maybe no one had to die here and now, if they took the deal and simply gave her some more time. The worst really didn't have to come to the worst.
"My, my, Miss McBrady. Ya still wanna keep us waitin'? Interest's not getting' less, ya know?"
"Well, fuck you then," Ann coldly said. With nothing to lose, she reached for her knife, caught the guy who was in charge and held the weapon right to his throat, facing his two companions. "Stay back!" the bounty huntress yelled. "Stay back or I'll kill him!" Her heart was pounding heavily; she needed to stay focused, if she wanted to hold the upper hand.
"Relax, lady!" one of the Del Lobos tried to reassure her while the other was aiming his rifle at her head.
Ann didn't listen but drew her revolver instead, all of a sudden shooting the guy in his head. "I. Said. Stay. Back."
"Fuckin' bitch!" It was that man she was holding hostage; he punched backwards, right into her stomach, making her tumble. Inevitably she had to let go of him, facing him after he turned around, coming for her.
Arthur watched the proceedings through the scope of his rifle, ready to pull the trigger at any second. Ann, as she wanted him to call her, was still discussing with three Del Lobo members when she suddenly took one of them hostage. "Good girl," he muttered, now aiming at the two other men and admiring that smart move of hers. She really knew what she was doing.
Ann was drawing her revolver and aimed at one of the remaining men, shooting him without hesitation. Sadly she lost her focus and so the guy who seemed to be the leader was able to free himself from her, punching her in the stomach.
"That's it," Arthur murmured again, aiming for the now attacking Del Lobos. Holding his breath, he first sniped the leader and then the other man, both their heads almost exploding. Only then he breathed again and waited for possible reinforcements to show up. When nothing happened, he finally got up and jumped onto his horse to pay Ann a visit and to check on her as well.
