I'm sorry it's been sooo long but I must say I am honestly surprised how many people follow this story. I'll try to start bringing it to a close soon, it's been a while since this series aired at this point. Also apologies ahead of time because I usually reread chapter updates for days before posting to check for mistakes but this one I wanted to get out quickly so sorry for any mistakes I missed. I DO plan on finishing this story.

West Virginia, 1888
New Years Day

"Will?"

I slapped my hand down over my cousin's mouth, lifting a finger to my own as I shushed him harshly. Across the room in our bed, Abigail sighed in her sleep, turning over to give me and her brother her back. It was after midnight and moonlight streamed in through our window, splashing my wife in a color so pale, her yellow hair looked white as milk. When I was sure she had not woken, I turned back to Cotton.

"Get dressed and grab your gun," I whispered to him before pulling away. The young man looked confused as well as sleepy, but he nodded slowly, catching onto the fact that he needed to be quiet as he hopped out of bed and began to gather his belongings.

Trusting my cousin to not wake his sister, I slipped out of the room, feeling strange as I had to tip-toe through my own damned house. Every room where men usually slept had doors hanging open revealing empty beds. The balcony outside that overlooked the pathway approaching the house was barren, the rocking chairs still in the night. Every able bodied Hatfield man had gathered outside, ready to ride into Kentucky territory.

As I reached the bottom level of my house, I winced as a floorboard groaned under my weight. Part of me was convinced Abigail knew exactly what I was up to and was just waiting for her moment to strike. She would have every right to after all; I was deliberately paying no heed to her warning to not let Cotton ride tonight. I knew that if something went amiss, she would be fit to be tied, but I could not stand to let her continue running this house the way she did.

God knew I loved my wife more than I loved breathing, but for too long she had been acting as if her brother were her only child and barring him from being treated like a man. He was her exact same age and yet she coddled him like an infant. I understood where the sentiment came from; Cotton-Top had not been God gifted with a whole abundance of brains. But if anything that was all the more reason to have him involved. I had always thought my cousin needed to be treated as normal as possible, and did not know why Abi wanted to get in the way of that. Still, I was hesitant to defy her, even if I would sooner be shot dead than admit it aloud.

I waited in my dark kitchen until Cotton came down the stairs, dressed and gun holstered at his side. His hair was a mess and as he stretched and yawned, I saw Abigail in him and had to smirk.

"Did you wake you sister?" I asked in a hush. Cotton-Top shook his head.

"Nah, Abi's sleepin'. Should I go get her?" He moved as if to rush back up the stairs and I caught him by the scruff of his neck. Shaking my head, I aimed us both for the front door, hurrying to exit the house before any of the women woke up.

Outside, the general grumbles and sighs of my surrounding family put me on edge. For a group of half drunk, gun-toting men, they honestly were being surprisingly quiet, but I was paranoid thinking of Abigail asleep in bed possibly waking from one of them sneezing too loudly. Even the use of torches had been an issue when we had started out since I did not want to risk their light bouncing into my bedroom.

Finally armed and dressed like the rest of us, Cotton moved off to the side where Billy, a friend of Elliot's just shy of his fifteenth birthday, showed him how to properly check the barrels of a pistol. Taking a seat, I cringed internally thinking of what Abi would do to me when she found out I had taken her brother on this ride. I took a swig of liquor courtesy of my big brother to ward off thoughts of my soon to be furious wife.

A hush came over everyone suddenly and I turned to see my pa making his way out of the cabin I shared with Abi and for the last week, my entire extended family. The devil had been lain up in bed for the last few days and you could smell it on him passed all the tobacco and the sweat. The sickness; tangy and foul as he coughed every few moments, an unhealthy sheen still gracing his forehead. My daddy was getting old.

"Hunted like animals by hired trash," he grumbled just loud enough for all in attendance to hear. "Family and friends...kidnapped and murdered." His head dipped, no doubt thinking about my uncle Ellison as we all recalled someone we had lost in this damned feud. Skunk Hair was not far from my mind. "Law stood by, law's done nothin'." An irritated grumble as my father put a leg up. "If there was anything I had that...by giving it, I could end this ugly struggle, I would give it gladly." He paused to take a drink of water to sooth his likely burning throat. "I'd give my life if it would end this."

"It would not." I elbowed my uncle Jim as a way to wordlessly tell him to hobble his lip. My father barely glanced in our direction.

"What I will not give," he continued, voice like stone as he spared a moment to look at everyone assembled, "Is one more drop of this family's blood." A rumble of agreement. "So tonight...this New Years day...we end this forever."

The strength of his speech's finish was downplayed by the coughing fit that followed immediately after. My own chest hurt just listening to him wheeze and hack like that but God would condemn me as a liar if I said my main concern was not his coughing waking up the women inside. Billy spoke up then to proclaim he was with my father and it was only slightly amusing to see the huffing man proclaim him too young to go. Any argument he may have made to the contrary was cut off by the approaching sound of hoof beats and we all turned to see Johnse riding towards us.

"Thank the stars I ain't too late," the blonde breathed, dismounting quickly and approaching the huddle, hat in hand.

"Ya got lotsa time, Johnse," Jim spoke up again, voice heavy with sarcasm, "We're all just waitin' for your pa to finish his coughin' fit." My pa looked embarrassed and my brother looked concerned. The devil had taken a seat some time ago and held his own hat in his hand as he avoided his firstborn's eye.

"We can be there by dawn," he huffed, once again addressing the group at large. "Make our approach with the sun at our backs. That time of the mornin' and with the day it is they won't expect nothin'. We harm no one we don't have to. Once Randall sees how it is he'll surrender himself to protect the others from harm. Then we take him alive."

This was the first I was hearing of McCoy being taken alive. His had certainly not made any effort to take ours alive so I was surprised one Anderson Hatfield would want to give him the courtesy. I spoke up as our pappy took a swig of his canteen.

"I thought we was gettin' rid of him."

He turned to me looking positively ancient.

"Once Randall McCoy is extradited as our prisoner of war," he explained, probably slipping into old army jargon without even realizing it, "We'll execute him here in West Virginia." He dawned his hat again. "The state where he committed his crimes as is proper."

We all nodded, agreeing to this as my pappy capped his drink and handed it to my uncle Lias. As he stood to move though, he staggered. Staggered and would have fallen had I not rushed forward and along with Lias, caught him up under his arms. His breathing was ragged and he sagged tiredly. I could feel his layers of winter clothes getting damp with his perspiration and I was reminded just how sick he had been.

"I'm not dizzy," he insisted, face flushed. I frowned at him, but nodded. He didn't fight it as Lias and I began to usher him back to his seat. "I just...stepped on a stone or somethin'."

"I know," my uncle conceded, squatting down to pat his older brother on the arm, "But we still gotta get you to the doc."

"No, there's no time." As the proud man moved to stand again I felt real worry trickle into my bones and I stopped him, painful though it was for me to do so.

"You're too sick, Pa," I said quietly but firmly, staring up at him out of my good eye. He sighed, the weight of the world heavy on his shoulders as he spit into the dirt. I looked out at my family. It almost didn't seem right for the Hatfield clan to ride out without Anderson Hatfield, but he would not survive the night if he came. We would have to go without him."We can do this."

"It'd be a worthless trip," Jim butt in once more, gun resting between his feet as he stared at us, "If you start coughin' like that and give us all away."

While not really what I was worried about, I knew my favorite uncle had a point. And I could see in my pa's eyes that he knew it too. His graying head nodded slowly, his breathing becoming less labored as he raised a warning finger to all of us.

"No one but Randall taken," he insisted, turning to me for a confirming nod, "And him not harmed...or ya answer to me."

We all nodded and Jim Vance hefted his gun, telling us all to saddle up. I bid my father good night and Lias sent him off with his word we would bring back a kicking Randall McCoy. Looking up, I saw my brother idling in the shuffle, looking downcast as was his wont for what seemed like forever these days. Going by him, I bumped his shoulder with mine. Not in a harsh way like I did when we were bickering, but in a brotherly way like I did when we were getting on. I did not want him to lose heart and turn tail at this, the final hour. He followed close by me, saddled up in sync with me and as we rode out, he rode beside me.

"You scared?" he asked, loud enough for me to hear him in the departing din that had no doubt woken Abi, but not loud enough for any of the other men to hear.

"Scared a what?" I asked, recalling a time when I had asked my wife the same question, long before she was my wife. I caught my brother's eye.

"A the McCoys," he clarified, riffle already in hand though we would be riding long into the night and morning before he had a use of it. Hopefully.

"Nah," I lied, smirk playing on my face just a bit as I recalled why Abi had claimed to be so fearless all those years ago, "Pa ain't scared of 'em so I ain't neither." I was a little scared, but the boyishly dopey grin I got to see my brother wear was enough to help me not think of it. We had not smiled together in a while.

"Me neither," he chuckled, looking away. I had a feeling he was lying to, but I would not call him on it just as Abigail Mounts had not called me on it in 1874.

We fell into a companionable silence after that, but Johnse road right beside me all through the night. When we were not talking I was free to think over the plan and how our formation should be heading in. I looked around regularly to check on Cotton, but he rarely strayed from Robert E's side, the two battling back and forth about Lord only knew what.

I was surprised to see my younger brother with us. I was surprised to see a lot of these men with us. While I knew Hatfield was a large and proud clan, I did not think so many would risk the trip since there was no doubt in my mind the law would come for us not soon after this night. Rob with his new wife and Johnse with his questionable one were just two of the few I had not thought would show their faces. I was ashamed at myself for thinking this ill of them and did not mention it once throughout the entire ride.

We approached with the sun at our backs just like my father had said, tying the horses far enough back that they could hopefully not be heard, but they were still within running distance. On quick foot we approached the old McCoy house and I could hear as well as feel my heart pumping loudly as we drew closer. I had my gun drawn and held against my chest like the others, and Johnse and Cotton ran as my flanks. Uncle Jim lead the whole gang.

When we were closer, the old hunter held up a hand telling us to slow. The house was in perfect view now, quiet and dark in the morning. I wagered everyone inside was asleep as we all prowled along the perimeter. Jim sent us off to our positions after promising death to anyone that backed out now. I knew he was serious and spared a glance at my older and younger brothers, hoping they were not thick enough to take our uncle as a bluffing man.

I grabbed Cotton, having already decided long before that I would do my best to keep him in my sites at all times. While I did not support the way Abigail babied her brother, I could see where she found her reasoning. I would not carry Cotton through this, but I would try to ensure his safety just as I would have had he been my own brother. We ran side by side along the far side of the house, me shushing any attempts he made to speak as we kept low to the ground. Johnse had lingered to talk to Uncle Jim, but besides him our group had scattered out, surrounding the McCoy in the early morning fog.

"RANDALL MCCOY!" Jim had waited until we were all crouched and ready. I pulled Cotton down by the shirt collar since he had remained standing straight and open like a fawn in a meadow. "YOUR FINAL DAY HAS DAWNED! SAVE YOUR FAMILY AND SURRENDER YOURSELF, YOU HEAR ME? YOUR FINAL DAY HAS DAWNED."

My uncles words echoed throughout the surrounding wood eerily and I felt my cousin shift beside me, his fidgeting manner disturbing the brush around us. I noticed Johnse finally running off to his position and knew I had to get moving myself because my place was elsewhere.

"Ok, Cotton, you stay here."

"Where you goin'?" His whisper sounded more like a shout to my ears and I sighed irately, pushing him back down to the ground as he moved to stand with me. I had placed him behind a fairly thick tree.

"Don't you 'member? I gotta go in there with Jim and them to get Ole Randall."

"What if I see a real McCoy?" His pale features made it look as if he were glowing in all this dimness and I crowded him further to the brush. He could end up an easy target otherwise.

"You won't."

"Well, what if I do?"

"Well then that's whatcha got your gun for isn't it?" I huffed in exasperation. The late Ellison Hatfield's son looked down into his lap, invisible brow rising as if only just realizing he was armed. I tapped his hat brim to get his attention. "If someone comes at you then use it."

"Don't leave me alone, Will."

I did not know if I should have been surprised at my cousin's request, or expecting it. He had so rarely been alone in his life it had never occurred to me that perhaps he was not too partial to it. I knew for him this situation had to be a bit scary, but I was determined to prove Abigail wrong. Cotton-Top was a man and it was high time he started acting and being treated like one. Still, I was a bit on edge to leave him to go confirm everyone's position with Jim, but looking around the immediate area I spotted a familiar head of blonde hair similar to my own.

"You ain't alone," I insured my brother-in-law, pointing, "Johnse's just over there beside that tree." I pushed the white-haired young man down again as he went to peak beyond his hiding place. "You ain't alone, Cotton, but you gotta stay low, ya hear? Bullets is gon' be flyin' soon and I don't want you gettin' hurt." His brow furrowed and I got to see him look annoyed, possibly for the first time in his life.

"I wish Abi was here," he grumbled, giving me his back as he huddled up to the tree. I huffed through my lips, turning to head back towards the front with a shake of my head.

"Me too."

Leaving my cousin crouched there was hard but I did it, thinking the whole time of the fit Abi would be pitching if she actually had been here. Making my way back to the front at a run, I kept my gun up and at the ready, checking behind me every few moments so that no McCoy sympathizer could get the drop on me. At the front, Jim was lent against a tree drinking casually as if it were any old hunting day but for the rag stuffed bottle of liquor held in his free hand.

"Jim, we got all sides covered now," I told him, only slightly out of breath, "Won't be no way he gon' get out without us seein' him."

"Whose got the back?"

"Cotton-Top." My uncle sagged and turned his eyes heavenward as if asking for a miracle and I bristled. This was why Abi was so protective of her brother, no one gave the kid a damned chance. "Johnse's with him," I defended, not knowing why I had to. When my uncle still did not look pleased, I fought back a groan of my own but took it as reason to keep a closer eye on Cotton. "Alright I'll go check 'em out."

"WE GOT YOUR WHOLE FARM SURROUNDED, MCCOY." Jim's words met my back as I went bounding back the way I had come. "MIGHT AS WELL COME OUT. DO IT NOW AND WE'LL SPARE YOUR FAMILY." I thought this was a strange and dangerous sort of bluff since we had been told specifically not to hurt anyone we did not need to.

Before I all the way to Cotton I could hear a small tune being carried on the wind and I cursed. Picking up my pace, I rounded on the tree where my cousin sat, fixing leaves and berries into his hat and whistling to himself. He was worse than a sitting duck because at least ducks did not whistle letting everyone know exactly where to find them even when they could not be seen. I smacked my hand down over his mouth, ten times more roughly than I had just hours ago, shushing him even more harshly.

"Be quiet!" I hissed. He whined painfully beneath my hand and I removed it, setting my eyes to the surrounding area, noting the familiar head of blonde hair I had spotted earlier was gone. I cursed.

"Sorry," Cotton whispered, rubbing at his cheeks that I suspected may bruise from my hands, "I got this tune stuck in my head-"

"Where's Johnse?!"

"He said to watched the back is all I know," he told me truthfully. My bad attitude went over the albino's head as he simply shrugged. "And don't let no one out."

I grumbled below my breath, grabbing my cousin's discarded gun and forcing it back into his hands. Next grabbing the front of his shirt, I pulled him so that he was actually at least facing the back of the house and told him again that he needed to watch it before running off. I was hoping to find Johnse before things went down hill, but the window of free moving time was closing and I knew I had to find cover.

"Randall Mccoy." Jim wasn't shouting anymore. We could tell everyone inside had woken up and was listening. "Come out and face the day, or else I'll have to burn your house down. Do you want your little ones consumed with fire? Their wee bodies a hissin' and a steamin'! RANDALL!"

By the end of Jim's little speech I had found cover right up beside the house and was waiting. I could not see the back from where I was, but I could just make out Cotton's snowy head. The few moments of silence following the threat of fire was broken by the sound of a door slamming the side of the house. I jumped, cocking my gun as I tried to see around my own cover, noticing my cousin turning off to the side.

"Cotton, what's that?" The boy was scrambling for his gun and my heart fell into my gut. Trouble so soon?

He fired off a shot and the next thing I knew, so had someone else. And someone else. And someone else. And someone else. We had officially opened fire and the house was being split into with bullets. I ran from my spot to find a better vantage point and to figure out what the hell Cotton had seen.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Jim yelled, his plan going up in flames as our clan literally jumped the gun. I ran towards his voice, heart thumping. "HOLD ON! I SAID HOLD YOUR FIRE!" When he saw me approaching, I could see on his face that he was down right furious. "What the hell?!"

"Cotton started shootin'," I had to admit, shame at already failing to stand by my cousin weighing heavy on me, "He musta seen Randall stick his head out."

"Well, go find out!" I did groan this time, already tired from running back and forth so much, but still went.

"MY PA'S NOT HERE!" I think we were all a bit surprised to here Calvin McCoy speaking up from inside the bullet ridden house. "HE STAYED OVER AT PINT FIELD LAST NIGHT!"

"I SAID FOR HIM TO COME OUT," Jim responded, not buying the obvious lie.

"HE'S NOT HERE!" Calvin insisted. "AIN'T NOBODY HERE BUT ME 'CEPT WOMEN AND CHILDREN!" That was partially true at least since the screams of the McCoy daughters had been apparent when the shooting had first started. I was close to the back again now.

"RANDALL! WE'RE ALL WAITIN' FOR YA!"

"HE'S NOT HERE!"

When I finally reached Cotton, he was staring off into the woods, pink lips open in still apparent shock. I came up beside him, looking in that direction, wondering what God had let happen in the moment I had turned my back. The younger man was pointing aimlessly, fragments of words and sentences falling from his mouth as I grabbed him by his shirt front. His gun was still smoking.

"Cotton!" I seethed, worry and anger clouding the usual soothing tone I had when talking to him. He looked scared to see me this way. "I said don't let nobody out the back. Nobody out the back!"

"M'sorry." I held back the urge to cuff him by simply giving him a harsh shake at the neck. Standing with a huff of disgust more at myself than at him, I ran off towards the front of the house again. "I'm sorry!"

It really did hurt me to hear my cousin sounding that put down, but how could I explain to him that my anger was with myself and not him? Already this day had gone to hell and I wanted more than anything to go crawling back to Abi, hat in hand and begging for forgiveness. As I heard another shot ring out and a window shatter, I knew I would not get the chance to soon. Lord willing I would get it some day.

"Son of a bitch! YOU'RE BURNIN' WOMEN AND CHILDREN, YOU COWARD!" Calvin shouted, smoke already rising from the windows as the liquor caught fire to the wood house. Those women and children were screaming. "WHAT KIND OF DEVIL ARE YOU, JIM VANCE?!"

What kind of devil was right. As I reached the front again and saw the flames rising, I imagined it was my house burning and my wife screaming and shivered. I was ashamed of myself for wishing this ill on them and I knew God would not forgive it. I did not want to be there, but with my cousin and so I sprinted back to the rear of the house, clearing the smoking residence just as another shot rang out. My heart all but stopped

"Cotton!?" The boy was standing, whole body shaking and gun smoking again as he looked after something I could only hear. Retreating children. "Cotton, what happened?"

"I-I let them out the back." Looking over, I saw a body lain in the dirt and froze. Cotton had shot one of them. Then and there I knew Abi would have my head. Still, I was beyond relieved to see Cotton-Top unharmed. i grasped his shoulder.

Telling him once again to stay low and that he had done good enough, I slunk towards the body, gut twisting the closer I got because I was starting to believe Randall McCoy really wasn't here. And I knew Calvin was still inside fighting Jim and his fire at the same time. Coming up on it, I looked down into the open eyes of McCoy's third daughter, Alifair. Her face was smoke smudged and her hair still bed messed. The blood stain spreading out over her night gown told me Cotton had somehow managed to shoot her straight through the heart and she looked like she had seen the devil. I took off my hat and rubbed my knuckles down the back of my head roughly.

"Ah shit."