A/N: I don't own Darquesse or Anton.
I had to admit, it was an amazing sight. The legendary Dead Men arrayed on our front porch, weapons at the ready. Hard men, all of them. But all the Dead Men seemed to recede from view as I looked at Anton. He held our son in one arm and cradled Daisy, his beloved double-barreled shotgun from Hell in the other. The breeze picked up, whipping my hair in my face and I smiled as I stared at him, then dipped my head and laughed. "Feels like a bad Western, doesn't it?" I asked, smiling at Anton.
He said nothing and I studied him and Larrikin. It did feel like a Western. Only the roles were reversed this time. The horrified parent clutching the frightened child as the outlaw stared them down was the father. I almost swore I heard a theme to an old Western I liked and realized I was humming "Cheyenne's Theme" under my breath. This was never the way I'd imagined dying, but then, it never is, is it?
"I've never been kissed by a Daisy before." I said, cheerfully. "Suppose it's gonna hurt." I offered, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "If it's not you, Anton, it will be somebody else. Word will get out. It always does." I assured him. The silence that met me was eerie as he continued to stare.
"Mama!" Larrikin wailed and I winced. I feared he'd run off that porch and the worst would happen. My son would get shot.
"Son, you stay with your father. Now, I love you two more than anyone is this whole, wide world. And I would die to protect you. But I'm a bad person, son. And I've got to pay for the sins I've committed. Go inside." I ordered. He shook his head, crying.
"Mama!"
"Now, Larrikin!" I roared and he jumped at the anger in my voice, then ran inside. The door banged open and shut and silence fell again, only to be interrupted by his muffled sobbing from inside.
"Do it." I said, leveling my steely gaze at Anton.
It's funny what goes through your mind at a time like that. I thought about everything that had happened between us over the years. Our first meeting in the Midnight Hotel when I'd gazed into those gentle eyes for the first time. Serving in the war together, when I received both his friendship and stinging sarcasm as needed.
Our courtship, and how very sweet and tender our first kiss had been. Making love to my husband for the first time, the very first time I'd been with anyone. Though I still doubted him when he claimed I was his first. I didn't mind. We had over ten years of marriage and raising a fine son. I was sad to be leaving all that behind, but I could think of no other man I wanted to pull the trigger more.
I met his eyes, trying to read the emotions there. What I saw made me wince. He still loved me. He was betrayed, he was hurt, but despite all that he loved me. He wanted me to stay and I couldn't think of a finer man on the planet at that moment. "They'll hunt me down, you know that. I can't endanger any of you. It has to be this way, Anton. I have to die. And who better to do it? You've been an interesting man to know, Anton Shudder. And, for what's it's worth, I love you."
Dang, nothing can go right for her, can it?