The first night under the stars was pleasant. Billy was quiet for a long time; he ate his meal in silence.

"What's wrong?" Bess asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

Billy glanced up as if he had been caught out, he hesitated, his gaze returning to the ground before he finally spoke. "We'll be passin' near Fort Sumner tomorrow; it'll be strange leavin' it behind for good."

Bess nodded, "But like you said, we got t' disappear." She tried to sound comforting but knew how he was feeling; Fort Sumner was home, for both of them. She placed a hand over Billy's and he smiled weakly.

"I wonder if Doc an' Chavez are there." He glanced up at the night sky, pondering.

Bess patted his arm reassuringly, "Probably best we don't see them for a while after everythin'" she said, lying back onto her blanket.

Billy nodded slowly and lay down beside her.

---

They rose early the next day and began to ride once more, the sun grew higher and the heat more intense, beating down upon their backs until Bess began to feel sick with the temperature and a strange pain began to shoot through her body in jerky, jagged movements. She clung to her horse's reins as every ounce of strength seemed to leave her body; draining from her in a strange wave of feeling and she feared she would fall at any moment.

"Billy!" she called finally through dry lips.

Billy turned his horse around to face her. "What's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"I feel bad" Bess managed, panic merging with the sickness. Billy trotted over to her, his brow still furrowed, his eyes shining with concern.

"What is it?" he questioned again.

"Somethin's wrong" Bess said, as a wave of pain spread through her body, making her squeeze her eyes tightly shut at the sensation. "I gotta stop, I can't ride anymore." She winced and Billy swung himself down from his horse. He helped ease her down and they sat upon a spread out blanket for a while, Billy making Bess drink small sips of water.

Bess gritted her teeth as pain swept through her once again, "We gotta find someone!" she cried.

Billy's eyes widened as Bess tried to regain her body from the agony

"Is it really that bad!?" he asked, his voice a little too high pitched with panic.

Bess nodded and closed her eyes, her mind reeling, unable to think with the constant pain.

Billy glanced around as if searching for an answer, he was unused to being responsible for anyone's welfare before and now he had been thrown into this situation, he had to act.

"We'll have to head back to Fort Sumner; it's the nearest town that's safe."

Bess nodded again, not caring where they went, as long as wherever they ended up someone could stop the pain.

Billy helped her back onto the horse and grabbed her reins; he then began to lead them back towards their old home.

---

They arrived in Fort Sumner at twilight. Billy got down from his horse and led them both through the streets until Beever's came into sight, the familiar flaking sign giving him a brief moment of relief. He tethered the horses around back and pulled a weak and near unconscious Bess from the saddle. Bess wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling as if she would faint at any moment, but finding comfort in his arms and the reassurance that he held her. Billy carried her towards the light that flickered inside the bar.

Bess felt darkness enclosing around her and tried to fight it, she was afraid; afraid what all this meant, was she dying? After everything that had happened, it seemed so unfair.

"I… don't…. want…. to… die" she managed to whisper as her head lolled against his shoulder with the movement of his footsteps.

Billy glanced at her, "You ain't gonna die" he said almost teasingly, but Bess could clearly detect the uncertainty, the panic within his voice and dread shot through her; and with it blackness covered her.

---

"Beever!" Billy thundered as he burst violently into the bar, "BEEVER!"

Beever ran out from his room to be greeted by the sight of his old friend and 'great outlaw' Billy the Kid, his face twisted in torment and within his arms was the limp and seemingly lifeless form of Bess Rowan, the young girl he had once employed.

"Dios mío, qué ha pasado!" Beever said as Billy hurried past him to the back room where he laid Bess upon the bed.

"Billy?" Beever asked, trying to gain some kind of understanding of the situation.

"Traiga Deluvina!" Billy cried, his eyes wide with terror. Beever took a step backwards, unnerved by the sight of the usually steadfast young man overcome with intense fear.

"Rápidamente!!" Billy shouted, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Beever started as if shocked and ran out of the building to do as Billy bid.

Billy stroked Bess' hair and softly tapped her cheeks with his palms, trying to rouse her.

"Come on Bess" he pleaded, his eyes glossing over with unshed tears. "Don't you dare, ya hear me, you wake up!" he bellowed, anger making him grit his teeth. He gently shook her limp body. "Wake up Bess! Open your God damn eyes!!"

He stopped and watched as her head flopped backwards, down to the pillow. Her eyes remained closed as he stared into the pale face of the woman he loved, her lips were slightly parted. His heart hammered within his chest, he was losing her...

"Billito!" Deluvina's soothing voice made him turn.

"Ella no se despertará," Billy said, his voice childlike, "hacer algo por favor!"

Deluvina smiled warmly and ushered Billy out of the way. She gestured over- dramatically with her hands that he should wait outside.

Billy walked backwards into the bar area, his face pallid. He ran his fingers through his hair and turned, the bar was thankfully empty. He walked forward, giving Beever a glance that was glassy eyed.

"Qué sucedió?" Beever asked, lighting a cigar.

Billy ignored him and walked over to the table, his eyes roamed the room uneasily as if searching for some small hope or sign to cling to. Finally his face twisted in anger and he flipped over a nearby table, sending it to the floor with a loud crash. His breaths now came in laboured huffs as he tried to find any sense within his thoughts. Before he could dwell on the situation a moment longer the bar door opened. Billy's state had made him on edge and he whirled around, both guns drawn, and aimed skilfully at whoever would enter. Doc and Chavez's laughter died as they came face to face with the two barrels.

Doc glanced up, his eyes meeting Billy's, recognition flashing across his features.

"Billy?" he questioned.

Chavez raised his eyebrow in surprise, "Chivato?"

Billy gently let the hammers fall back and he raised one gun to his eyes as if hiding himself from his friends for a moment.

Doc turned to Beever, "What's goin' on?"

Beever sighed, "Bess is sick" he said, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"Sick?" Chavez repeated, concern appearing on his smooth face.

"We were headin' to Old Mexico" Billy mumbled, as if talking in a dream. "We were goin' to settle down an' have a life t'gether." He walked forward a little and seemed to sway, "An' now I've killed her."

Doc's eyes flashed, "What did you do you son-of-a-bitch!" he roared, rushing forward and grabbing onto Billy's shirt, pushing Billy against the wall with a hard thud. He shook Billy violently when Billy made no reply.

"Did she get shot?!" Doc cried in panic, "Tell me!"

"Easy" Chavez said calmly. "Sea tranquilo" he said, trying to soothe everyone's tempers.

Billy still stared unseeing into the room.

Chavez pried Doc's fingers from Billy's shirt and laid a hand softly upon Billy's shoulder.

"Chivato, what happened?" he asked, calmly, softly.

Billy blinked as if Chavez's voice had broken his trance. "We were ridin'," he said, his voice low and distant, "she seemed fine an' then she said she had pain here," he gestured to his torso.

Doc glanced towards the door, "I'm goin' in, see if I can help." He marched towards the door and flung it open causing Deluvina to shriek in surprise.

Muffled raised voices could be heard as Deluvina and Doc talked in broken Spanish and English. Finally she ushered him out, her face was unreadable and Billy stared at her, his gut tightened, waiting for the words she would speak.

"Usted es todo estúpido!" she declared, "Pare luchar!" She glared at each of them in turn. "Ella está muy bien. Ella necesita descansar." She wagged her finger disapprovingly. "Hacer ruido no ayuda. Comprende?"

Billy's eyes widened, "She's okay?" he said, forgetting to speak to Deluvina in Spanish.

"Si, si" Deluvina said, with a warm smile. "Ella está muy bien" she confirmed with a sniff and then a smile played upon her lips. "Muchas mujer tiene el dolor cuando ellos están embarazadas."

The bar descended into stunned silence and Doc furrowed his brow, his Spanish was not as good as the other men in the room.

He turned to Chavez, his face asking the question of what Deluvina had just said.

Chavez glanced at him, his mouth a little agape. "She says Chiquita is well and the reason she is sick is because she is going to have a child…"

---

Bess slowly regained consciousness. Her head ached slightly and her whole stomach still pulled and tugged in an unpleasant strange kind of pain. She moaned at the sensation and opened her eyes. The room was thankfully dimly lit and the light did not hurt her eyes. She rested a hand upon her brow and looked about her.

"Billy?" she whispered, suddenly afraid that perhaps she had died and this was somehow the afterlife.

"Hey Bess."

Bess turned at the familiar voice; she looked up into warm faces.

"Doc, Chavez." She said their names in one long breath.

"You fainted" Doc said matter-of-factly.

"You should rest Chiquita" Chavez said, laying a hand upon her head in a gesture of reassurance.

"Where's Billy?"

Doc and Chavez exchanged slightly nervous glances, "He had to get some air" Doc said, squeezing her hand.

"Am I real sick?" she asked, almost too afraid to know the answer.

Doc shook his head, "You're just fine."

Bess furrowed her brow, "Fine? I don't feel fine."

Doc glanced up at Chavez as if imploring for his friend's help.

"What's the matter?" Bess questioned, her heart beginning to flutter in the first stages of panic.

"Everythin's just fine Bess, it's just, well, the reason you've been feelin' so sick is because you're… pregnant."

Bess stared at him, her lips parted in shock. "I'm… what?" she whispered.

Doc gave her a nervous smile, "Deluvina says sometimes girls feel real sick in their fourth month of bein' with child."

Bess slowly sat up; Chavez came to help her, supporting her back with his hand. Bess looked up at Chavez as if he was the only one who could confirm the truth of the matter.

"It's the truth Chiquita" he said, his dark eyes kind and understanding of the shock she had just been dealt.

She rubbed her brow absently, "I'm gonna have a…" She couldn't finish, the word seemed to dry out upon her tongue before she could speak it.

Chavez sighed and lowered himself down onto to bed. Doc cleared his throat as if he were pleased the attention was no longer upon him.

"Did you notice nothing strange?" Chavez asked. "In my tribe, women would often feel sick or faint and could not stand certain food or smells."

Bess furrowed her brow in thought. Now her mind was upon the matter she could easily remember such instances. Feeling sick so many times, fainting in the courthouse, not being able to stand the smell of coffee.

Slowly she nodded, "I didn't think anythin' of it." She glanced up at Chavez, unsure if she were happy or dismayed by the news. The emotion of the day, of the past few months seemed to topple down upon her and she wept openly as Chavez comforted her.

When she had regained herself she wiped at her eyes and let her gaze drift down to her stomach. Tentatively she placed her hand gently over the small roundness of her belly, a fact that she had accounted to too much good food.

"Not much t' be done now" she whispered. She glanced back at the two men beside her.

"Where's Billy?" she asked again, her voice more demanding this time.

Doc and Chavez again exchanged that same nervous glance. Bess glanced at one and then the other, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Where is he?!"

"Gone, Chiquita" Chavez said quietly.

"Gone?!" Bess said, her heart seeming to jump sickeningly inside her chest.

"He left while you still slept, rode out of Fort Sumner." Doc sighed heavily, "I can't say if he'll be back Bess."

Bess stared at the wall, her mind reeled and she closed her eyes tightly, wishing bitterly to block everything out.

---

Spanish Translations:

Dios mío, qué ha pasado – My god, what has happened

Traiga Delvina – Bring Deluvina

Rápidamente - Quickly

Ella no se despertará – She will not wake up

Hacer algo por favor – Do something, please

Qué sucedió – What happened?

Usted es todo estúpido – You are all stupid

Pare luchar – Stop fighting!

Ella está muy bien. Ella necesita descansar – She is fine. She needs rest.

Hacer ruido no ayuda. Comprende? – Making noise does not help. Understand?

Ella está muy bien – She is fine

Muchas mujer tiene el dolor cuando ellos están embarazadas - Many women have pain when they are pregnant