Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven.

CHAPTER 12 – It's your choice

Previously….

"That's my whore!" Daryl from the whore house comes out to the front making a grasp for Autumn who is in Vasquez's arms.

The people stand aside letting him through. Before he can reach Autumn, Goodnight, Billy, and Jack all have their guns trained on him. Vasquez kisses the top of her head gently pushing her to stand behind Joshua.
"What did you just say to her?" Vasquez asks the man slowly, his accent thick with rage.

Daryl takes a deep breath and takes a step back repeating, "That woman is my property she was sold to me fair and square for twenty dollars. I will not lose my investment!"

Vasquez moves his hands behind him, pulling out a worn leather pouch, inside is money, lots of money. "Then I will buy her back from you. Twenty dollars you say? She is worth millions but I will settle for this amount," Vasquez tells him pulling out twenty dollars.

Vasquez turns around and looks at Autumn who is clearly not happy about being sold again, even if it is to the man she cares for. He walks over to her and hands her the money.

"Buy yourself free from him," he tells her.

Autumn takes the cash from his hand slowly, and walks down the steps of the building and handing Daryl the twenty dollars. When he tries to object all seven men pull their guns on him urging him to take the money and forget about ever owning her again. Daryl quickly takes the money and retreats back into the crowd. Autumn finally free runs back up the stairs and into Vasquez's arms where she stays.

Sam steps forward, "Now we are here to help you people, but we need your help too. We have seven days until Bogue returns." When Emma turns to object Sam continues, "three days for the news to reach Bogue, one day for him to plan, and three days for him to return. That's seven days."

The crowd around them begin to panic. "Now if you want to leave I understand, but you need to get out tomorrow. Any man that stays will be trained to fight and will be expected to help. You have tonight to decide." And with that Sam, the six other men, and the four woman leave the sheriff's office and move towards the Saloon to get lodging for the night.

Due to the deaths of Bogue's hired guns there is plenty of room in the hotel for the night, and every man gets his own room. Joshua carries Elizabeth up the stairs and into his room and goes to fetch Billy to finish checking her over.

"Well she got very lucky, I don't think she has any cracked ribs. She will just be in some pain for a while I gave her some pain medication and she's resting now. She will need someone to look after her tonight in case something is wrong with her head." Billy tells him. Josh thanks him.

When he enters the room and closes the door he is consumed by grief, he could have lost her today. Elizabeth could have died today and he wasn't there to protect her like he promised, he failed her. Elizabeth sensing someone was there, opens her eyes to a sight she will always remember. Joshua on his knees holding her hand in his own and openly crying. She was in so much pain watching his like this she sits up in bed and he raises to his feet immediately.

The two of them begin to talk at the same time.

"You first," she tells him nodding to him.

"I am so sorry honey. I promised that I would protect you and today I failed." Elizabeth tries to stop him telling him it's not his fault but he continues, "I don't know what I would have done today if you died. I would have never forgiven myself. Elizabeth….I have grown to care for you, deeply…I think, no I know I love you. If you had died today Elizabeth so would I."

Elizabeth is speechless. Until her face breaks into the largest smile and tears start pouring out of her eyes. "Whoa what's going on?" Joshua asks shocked by her response.

"They are happy tears," she shakily replies, "I love you too Joshua. You have blown your way into my life and broken down all my walls. After what happened with…that man. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to love any man. God, you are everything to me, and I could not live in a world without you." Elizabeth throws her arms around him pulling him to her mouth and kissing him as though her life depended on it.

When the two of them were fully spent on each other's lips, Joshua carries Elizabeth down the stairs and to the dining room with the others. Emma can tell something is going on between the two of them but she just smiles and keeps it to herself.

The group order their food, and wait. This is the last moment of peace they would have for a while. Tomorrow they would find out how many guns they will have, and if the fight is even possible for them to win. Drinks and stories are shared around the table. At one point even some of the ladies of the night join in, offering themselves to the lonely men. Autumn looks on with sympathy knowing this could have been her if not for the man sitting beside her holding her hand under the table.

"How about you cowboy?" Priscilla one of the woman asks Vasquez.

Tony looks down at Autumn, instead of looking at Tony, she looks up at Priscilla. The two meet eyes and Priscilla knows she is in deep trouble with the feisty woman. Autumn stands and the two square off, Tony looking between the two women. The others at the table are silent watching the exchange. Out of the corner of her eye Autumn notices Akira and Elizabeth go to stand behind her, them letting her know they have her back.

Autumn looks down at Vasquez again, seeing the pride in his eyes.

"I think your services are not required here Priscilla." Autumn tells the woman.

Priscilla slowly backs away from the table, and towards the stairs the three women following close behind her. Intimidating Priscilla was not just their game, they wanted all the women in the bar to know that these three gentlemen, Joshua, Tony, and Red were not to be messed with. When Priscilla reachs the end of the stairs she quickly turns lifts her skirts and runs up the stairs. Autumn turns around and grins at the other two women who nod back to her with grins of their own.

The three women return to the table, and Akira notices Red Harvest leaving the hotel for the outside. She quickly gets up and follows him out. When outside Akira is unable to see him and makes to walk around the building. When she reaches the back side Akira is pushed roughly into the back wall and Red Harvest is in front of her with a knife to her face. Akira gasps.

"What are you doing?" she asks him out of breath.

"I thought you…I thought you was someone else," he tells her slowly lowering the knife but not moving away. In fact he moves closer as to pin her to the wall.

"Red…" she begins but is cut off by his hand gently covering her mouth silencing her.

"Are you…ok?" he asks her struggling with his English.

"Yes, I am fine. A little shaken up but no harm." She tells him, gently moving his hand off her mouth.

"I fear for you today." He tells her touching her cheek.

"I fear for myself today," she moves her hand to his own, "why did you fear for me Red?" she asks, closing her eyes as his thumb caresses her cheek.

It's been so long since Akira was treated with such tenderness that a tear slips out of her right eye onto his hand. Red noticing this moves so both hands are cupping her face. Akira opens her eyes to see the man in front of her. Not a savage as Indian men are usually called but a man.

"I care for you," he tells her moving his forehead to her own. The two stay like this for several minutes wrapped up in their own little world.

"I…care for you too." She tells him. Red Harvest looks into the eyes of the Apache woman who has stolen his heart, and kisses her.

Akira who has long been without passion or love moves right with him. His hands moves from her face to her waist and lifts her against the wall, her legs coming to wrap around his waist.

The two kiss as though the world would stop spinning if they stopped. After several minutes the two pull away to breath. Red's forehead coming down to meet her own, their breathing in synch with one another.

"That was…," she starts but is cut off again.

"ʉ kamakʉtʉ̆ nʉ" he tells her, his eyes closed head down.

"What does that mean?" she asks.

He looks up at her, "I love you." He tells her.

Akira is shocked for a moment, then smiles, "'sil n'zhoo'" she tells him back.

Although he does not speak the language he smiles because he knows she loves him back.

"We should probably head back inside," she tells him moving her legs from his waist and sinking back to the floor. Akira being a whole head shorter than him looks up to see his smile radiating back at her.

"Happy," he tells her, "you make me happy."

Akira blushes, as he grabs her hand to lead them back inside the building.