Chapter Fourteen: Final Showdown

*"It's Darien! He's here!" Hiiro's eyes darkened and he didn't bother to finish tying his horse to the hitching post. Immediately he climbed the stairs and checked her over. Her cheek looked red and slightly swollen, and her wrists were already a black and blue color where he could see Darien had grabbed her.

"Where is he?"

"They just left to bathe in the river. Hiiro, they don't know about you yet! They think your things in the spare room are my father's old things, but I don't know how much loner it will be before he realizes they aren't! Hiiro, he'll kill you!"

"No he won't." He tried to reassure her by pulling her into a delicate embrace. Kissing her cheek gently, he sighed.

"Hiiro, what are you going to do?"

"Come on!" He told her.

"What?"

"We're riding back to town. By the time they realize you've left we'll have reached the town and come after you. It will buy us time to get ready for them."

"But Hiiro, it's nearly dark! You want to have a showdown without light?"

"There is no other alternative." He said grimly. "Anything to keep you safe." He told her softly. Their eyes met, and stormy blue met swirling sapphire. Everything forgotten in the moment, they leaned forward and their lips firmly met in a hungry need for each other. Fiery sweetness shocked their beings and smoldering passion engraved itself within the two hearts. As they pulled away, Hiiro gently teased her lips in small, sweet kisses.

"I love you." He told her gently, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. It was the first time he had truly said it, and her heart basked in happiness hearing it.

"I love you too." She told him sweetly, bringing her hand up to caress his. He loved hearing those words roll from her pure tongue.

"Come on!" He told her.

"Hiiro…"

"No."

"How do you know I was going to protest? I'm all for leaving with you… I just wanted to tell you that you are a sinful man." She smiled slightly, and Hiiro had a hard time containing his laughter. He smiled and chuckled deeply.

"I know." He told her. She winked, and then swung up on the horse and giggled. "Speaking of sinful…" Hiiro groaned as he mounted the horse behind her.

"Hmm?" She asked innocently.

"Try not to move much." He muttered to her.

"Hiiro, I'm on a horse." She pointed out.

"And I'm right behind you." He grinned, and she blushed deeply. But she nodded, and he kicked the horse into a gallop.

Not ten minutes later Darien and his group walked back into the house, expecting to find Serena in the kitchen, fixing their dinners. But there was no noise. Darien walked into the kitchen to find no Serena. Quickly he assumed she must have gone out to milk the cow or pick vegetables- but then he noticed how nothing had been touched. The stove had not been lit, there were no utensils out, and there was no food around.

"Damnit!" She was gone. He quickly assumed she must have tried to flee for the town, and then gathered his men together. They saddled and rode out at a brisk canter. Darien knew that once Serena got to town she would not be able to hide, and she would never go past the town, so to him there was no use in hurrying. He would have her, one way or another.

)(

As the horse, sweating profusely and foaming at the mouth from its hard ride, road into town, a few lights went on to see what the commotion was about. Quatre's clinic door opened, as did Trowa's. The room above the horseshoe smith shop lit up as well, and then Wufei appeared on the darkened streets. The three men on foot gathered around the horse as Hiiro dismounted and Serena swung off after him.

"He's here." Hiiro told them.

"Now?" Wufei asked.

"Now."

"How do you know?" Trowa asked.

"Because when I got home he was there waiting for me." Serena muttered blushing.

"Quatre, take a look at some of her bruises." Quatre nodded, but Serena shook her head.

"I'm fine Hiiro. I'm more worried he's going to burn my house down for leaving." She told them.

"He won't do that. But he will be coming after you." Hiiro told her. He glanced at the other men.

"Serena, we chose a place for you to hide during the fight so you don't get hurt." Quatre explained. "Come on, I'll take you there." She looked around at the other's faces and nodded.

"Alright then. But please be careful, all of you."

"We will Serena, we will." Trowa assured her. Hiiro glanced at her, and she could see the love and determination in his eyes. She hoped her shone back equally as bright, but said nothing and let Quatre lead her away. She didn't really notice where they were until it was too late.

"Quatre! You can't lock me up in the jail!" She cried out.

"I have to Serena, for your own good. We don't need you seeing one of us get shot and then running out to us- you'd be killed out there."

"No!"

"I'm sorry Serena." He turned to leave, then turned back around. "Serena, I know you love Hiiro, but I have to tell you, I love you too. And though you will never return my feelings, know that I will always be here for you, in life and death." He spoke quietly.

"Quatre!" She gasped.

"I'm sorry Serena, but I had to tell you." She held out a hand through the bars, and he took it. She brought hid hand through the bars and kissed it.

"I'm sorry too Quatre." She told him softly. He gave her a sad smile, then turned and strode out of the jail.

"She taken care of Quatre?" Hiiro asked.

"Yeah." Trowa eyed his friend sadly. He knew, he knew…

"Let's go." Wufei broke the heavy silence. They could hear hoof beats in the distance. They each took their positions. Quatre was behind some large barrels near his clinic. Trowa was hidden behind the saloon's building, Wufei was perched in his window above his shop, and Hiiro stood in the center of the one street of the town, waiting.

As Darien and his posse rode into town, they slowed their horses and looked around. In the light of the full moon Darien could see one, lone figure standing in the center of the town, defiantly. But Darien had never before seen this man in the town.

"Wild Shields." Hiiro stated calmly as Darien approached him.

"I see you've heard of me." Darien smirked. "But who are you?"

"Hiiro Yui." Darien gasped and cursed.

"I see you've heard of me." It was Hiiro's turn to smirk.

"You're the bounty hunter who's been destroying all my lovely handy work back east." Darien sneered.

"And now I'm here to finish the job."

"I haven't time for games boy."

"Missing someone?" Hiiro asked. Darien's eyes narrowed. "You can't have her Shields. You don't deserve her."

"Where is she?" Darien yelled, pointing a gun at Hiiro.

"You won't shoot if you want to know." Hiiro taunted him.

"What do you want?" Darien screamed in bloody murder.

"A showdown."

"With me?"

"Right now." Hiiro told him with finality.

"Very well." Darien smirked. "Stay out of this." He told his friends. This kid was signing his own death warrant. He dismounted and gave his horse's reins to one of his friends. "Ten paces, then we draw."

"Hnn." And Hiiro stood back to back with Darien and then began to count off ten paces. On his tenth pace, Hiiro turned around and looked back at Darien. This pig was going to pay for hurting Serena, for hurting everyone he had in the past. Hiiro's fingers itched and his hands sweated, but he never lost his cool. Then his hands gained a mind of their own, and in a practiced and graceful move, they drew his guns.

Darien looked at the by before him. What the hell did this kid think he was going to accomplish? Darien had the best shot in the west- he was legendary for it. Then again, Hiiro Yui. He was legendary for his ruthlessness and deadly aim, regardless of the fact that he put his gun to use helping the justice system. This boy thought he was going to win? Darien opened and closed his fingers, readying to grab his guns. He saw Hiiro's eyes gleam in the moonlight, and his hands darted for the gun.

As Hiiro and Darien drew their guns, everything happened in slow motion. Quatre swung himself around and aimed for the nearest target. Wufei instantly pulled his trigger, shooting the bullet he had trained on his nearest opponent. Trowa brought out two guns and after carefully using the split second he had to aim; he fired both shots at the two men in the center.

The horses reared and two men fell, dead. Another lolled his head to side, blood dripping down his chest in a clear indication his had been shot. Two of the men managed to pull their guns and shoot, one for Quatre and one for Wufei. Quatre and Trowa heard Wufei cry out in pain and curse. 'Well, at least he wasn't dead'. Was Trowa's last thought before he tried to fire again. But the black night swallowed the bullets and his aim was off- he was unsuccessful.

As Hiiro pulled his gun, he saw Darien doing the same. But before Darien could do anything more, Hiiro had pulled the trigger. Darien did much the same, pulled the trigger before he even had the gun aimed. As Darien's bullet ate through the flesh in Hiiro's side, he cringed in pain. But the bullet hadn't lodged itself in him, only grazed him. He fought the pain and looked to see Darien staggering about, holding his stomach.

Hiiro aimed again, but before he got his shot off, another of Darien's men shot him again. This time the bullet hit Hiiro's left shoulder. As he grunted in pain, he fell to the ground, knocked off balance by the shot. As he hit the ground, Hiiro saw Trowa kill the man who had just shot him. Looking around on the ground, Hiiro saw feet coming toward him. Looming over him was Darien, gun shaking, stomach bleeding profusely.

Just as Hiiro was sure this was the end, another gunshot rang out. Darien dropped the gun and fell to his knees.

"Kitten?" Darien uttered. The woman he loved…

One more shot echoed through the empty street, and Darien fell, dead. But who could have shot it? Hiiro had distinctly heard Quatre fire all six of his bullets, Trowa as well. Wufei was injured and couldn't have, so who…? He tried to sit up to see, but he felt a gentle hand press him back down to the ground.

"Just you lay your head down Hiiro Yui." An angelic but very worried voice told him. "Darien's gone Hiiro, just you rest." And Hiiro slipped out of consciousness.

"Quatre!" Serena cried out. In a matter of moments both Quatre and Trowa were at Serena and Hiiro's side. Wufei stumbled over soon after they did, his leg bloody.

"Serena? What are you doing out here? We locked you…"

"Quatre, can you help him?" She asked breathlessly, her eyes pleading with his. He looked down at Hiiro's still form.

"Trowa, can you get him into the clinic?" Trowa nodded and picked up Hiiro's body. He followed Quatre into the building. Serena turned to Wufei, who's leg had to be killing him.

"Wufei, lean on me." She told him.

"Serena, I can't. You're…"

"A strong woman Wufei. Nothing more, nothing less. Let me help you?" He nodded, and she carefully helped him into Quatre's clinic- most of her mind still focusing on Hiiro. *

~~~ Now then. Shall I kill him? Or keep him? Hmm…don't put it past me folks, I just might… -Vixen ~~~