"Face-Off"
Roads leading out of quiet little towns like Santa Helena should be devoid of travelers in the middle of the night. It was normal, the way things were supposed to be. But as Grisham neared the main road, the pounding hooves of another horse startled him. It also confirmed his frantic suspicions.
The sharp outline of Huntley flash through the bushes spooked him.
\What the hell!? No, it can't be! How did he...\
In the moment when Huntley passed by, Grisham saw something that made his blood run cold. A woman was unconscious on Huntley's horse.
\Oh God! Tessa!\
Keeping his panic down, he charged after Huntley in frenzied anger.
The bouncing finally woke Tessa from her unconsciousness. In place of the black ink she had been drowning in, she felt a stab of headache coming on as she tried to remember what had happened to her.
*That Huntley is going to pay for knocking me out!*
The almost synchronized beats of their horses' hooves on the hard ground caused Huntley to be unaware that he had company, until it was too late.
"You son of a bitch!!!" Grisham used the weapons of surprise and leverage to throw himself against Huntley as his charger got close enough to them. Knocking Huntley clear off the mount, Grisham was able to grab Tessa off the horse at the same time. Their momentum sent the pair rolling down into a shallow trench. Despite the thundering pain in his sides, Grisham kept Tessa wrapped protectively in his arms. Their rolling stopped as the pair hit a lone bush. Leaves, dirt, and scratches covered their faces as both looked up from their compromising positions.
Tessa was lying on top of him, her nightgown hitched up towards her thighs, while his hand was innocently holding her back, and the other was squeezing her bare thigh against his leg. Tessa clutched his jacket with amazing strength as her right hand wrapped around his neck, unconsciously stroking the sliver of bare skin not covered by the collar. Coming to his senses, Grisham let go of her and slowly push her off of him. A little disappointed at the loss of contact, Tessa tried not to show it as she quickly got up. She nearly lost her balance at the sudden movement, which prompted him to grab her a little too harshly; it knocked the wind out of her. Seeing that he was doing more harm than good, he reluctantly let her go.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? If he touched you, I'll mangle his..." Tessa was startled to see his eyes filled with worry and pain mixed with rage.
"I'm fine. Just a bump on my head. And a nasty headache." She tried to reassure him, but he was beyond restraint. Hurting Tessa was the last straw. Nobody hurts his Tessa, let alone kidnapped her.
"Grisham! C'mon we need to alert Gaston of Huntley's whereabouts." Tessa knew nothing good would come of the oncoming brawl that both men seemed to long for.
"He will never hurt you again, Tessa. He's getting what's been coming to him for a long time." Grisham climbed out of the trench to see Huntley staring down at him in the eye.
Knowing that Tessa was a little off on his side, Grisham was sure that if Huntley pulled out a gun, he would be able to shield her. Huntley's next move surprised him, however.
"Get your puny sword, Captain. If we're going to kill each other, I suggest we do it the gentlemen's way." Smirking at the wary captain, Huntley took several paces with his back towards the road.
"Since when did you know anything about 'gentlemen's ways', Huntley?" Grisham grounded out as he struggled to keep his injuries hidden.
"I would ask the same about you, Marcus. Courting Senorita Alvarado behind my back is a cardinal sin. 'Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's'." Huntley sneered into Grisham's face.
"This has nothing to do with her and you know it. C'mon, Huntley, you've wanted revenge ever since you found out I got away easily from that mess we made."
Screaming in rage, Huntley rushed towards Grisham with the strength of a bear. Grunting under the strain, Grisham tried to prevent Huntley's sword from coming too close. Throwing the weight back, the former captain was able to topple Huntley off away from him.
Even though Grisham's initial strength came from his rage, Huntley's gleaming eyes revealed the hidden force of madness residing within him. Although Grisham had thought he had healed from their previous encounters, the wounds seemed to open once again despite his convalescence. Grunting under the strain, he felt each attack getting too close for comfort.
While the two men traded insults and fought off each other's attacks, Tessa noticed Grisham's gun lying next to her. She gasped in horror; he didn't know that his holster was empty. Huntley could just shoot Grisham point blank without hesitation.
Picking the gun up quickly, she wondered how she would be able to hand Grisham his gun without Huntley knowing about the exchange. She didn't get a chance to figure out, because a wounded yell reached her ears. Taking her eyes away from the gun, Tessa felt the unbelievable terror grip her body. Huntley had successfully stabbed Grisham through the stomach!
The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed through her tensed ears. The sword was abruptly jerked out of Grisham's body; crimson blood stained the glossy blade. Huntley laughed crazily, his revenge finally made real, after all these years. The Hunter's eyes shone brightly emerald, the color of cold gems. His hair was a mass of red rising in demented swirls. The mouth twitched in uncontrollable smirks.
Seeing Huntley's maniacal appearance and triumphant smile, Tessa couldn't take it anymore. An unnatural growl ripped from her throat. Taking a direct aim at Huntley's chest, the loud bang and the sudden thud knocked him down in one swift motion. He didn't get up after that.
Letting the gun drop limply from her hand, Tessa scrambled toward Grisham's prone body, her face displaying a thousand signs of sorrow and disbelief.
"Marcus! Marcus! NO! No! You can't die!!! I can't let you die! Oh God...Stay with me, please! Please don't die! Marcus!"
The sight of Grisham's pale face and the blood pooling around his arm brought the reality of the situation down on her trembling shoulders. She had never really felt strongly for anyone like him before. Any other man, Tessa Alvarado would've taken it like the noblewoman she had been brought up as. There would be a time of mourning and she would move on with her life. But Marcus Grisham was not "any other man" she had ever met in her life.
He had been her strength, her support, her comrade-in-arms, and most of all her friend even when they were making fun of each other. What made Grisham stand out and get noticed was the way he could handle the Queen of Swords. Most men that Tessa had met never truly saw her beyond the "Don's daughter" facade. Grisham saw the capability and influence of Tessa Alvarado and he didn't shy away from it. Most importantly, he accepted that aspect of her. He seemed to able see past the airhead visage that Tessa always put on in front of everyone. She had used to dismiss him as Montoya's watchdog. But she had seen his best and worse sides and knew that he put on a visage of his own as well. They were meant for each other, whether they liked it or not. They were two of a kind and it had taken them too long to realize the truth. Destiny took them on two distinctive paths, but Fate made them cross each other's.
This time Tessa wasn't going to let the man she loved deeply go. She was not going without a fight. She needed him. And he needed her.
Trying desperately to stop the bleeding, Tessa looked down to see his hand convulsing uncontrollably.
*He's alive! Dear Lord, he's alive! Don't you dare leave me like this!*
Feeling wetness on his face, Grisham opened his eyes to see her tears dripping down on him in tender agony.
"Tessa." The low rasp filled her with relief.
"I'm right here," she replied fervently.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to....I tried..but...then he....." Grisham started to ramble as his mind drifted in and out of consciousness.
"Shhh...you shouldn't talk right now. Everything will be okay."
*Oh, I hope it will be okay.* Tessa gently caress his pallid cheeks with a shaky hand. She silently prayed to the Holy Mother to keep him safe.
The rewarding sounds of a dozen pounding hooves made their way towards the twosome. Stomping his way towards a crying Tessa, Captain Gaston was flabbergasted to see her with Grisham. Composing himself and quickly assessing the state of affairs, he yelled out instructions for El Cazador's body to be taken care of. Looking down on Grisham's injured body, he told Tessa that they would bring him back to the pueblo to Dr. Helm. Tessa wouldn't hear of it. She immediately told Gaston to sent for Dr. Helm while they took Grisham back to her hacienda. It was closer and they would have the most time to help him recover without enduring the long trip back.
"Marcus. Everything will be okay. I promised." The use of his first name and the assertive voice she used surprised her, but it was comfortable and familiar. Although, she was still quite worried about Grisham's state of being, she was confident again. Tessa had taken matters into her own hands again and she was not going to lose Grisham despite all the signs pointing to tragedy.
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A/N: So all it took was for Marcus to get stabbed for Tessa to say his first name?! Wow, he sacrificed a lot for her. But Tessa regained her strength at the end at the cost of his life. Hmmm....read my other works (i.e. "No More I Love You's" is a different outlook on what might've happened). I know, I know, shameless plug. But I need reviews on those too!
Roads leading out of quiet little towns like Santa Helena should be devoid of travelers in the middle of the night. It was normal, the way things were supposed to be. But as Grisham neared the main road, the pounding hooves of another horse startled him. It also confirmed his frantic suspicions.
The sharp outline of Huntley flash through the bushes spooked him.
\What the hell!? No, it can't be! How did he...\
In the moment when Huntley passed by, Grisham saw something that made his blood run cold. A woman was unconscious on Huntley's horse.
\Oh God! Tessa!\
Keeping his panic down, he charged after Huntley in frenzied anger.
The bouncing finally woke Tessa from her unconsciousness. In place of the black ink she had been drowning in, she felt a stab of headache coming on as she tried to remember what had happened to her.
*That Huntley is going to pay for knocking me out!*
The almost synchronized beats of their horses' hooves on the hard ground caused Huntley to be unaware that he had company, until it was too late.
"You son of a bitch!!!" Grisham used the weapons of surprise and leverage to throw himself against Huntley as his charger got close enough to them. Knocking Huntley clear off the mount, Grisham was able to grab Tessa off the horse at the same time. Their momentum sent the pair rolling down into a shallow trench. Despite the thundering pain in his sides, Grisham kept Tessa wrapped protectively in his arms. Their rolling stopped as the pair hit a lone bush. Leaves, dirt, and scratches covered their faces as both looked up from their compromising positions.
Tessa was lying on top of him, her nightgown hitched up towards her thighs, while his hand was innocently holding her back, and the other was squeezing her bare thigh against his leg. Tessa clutched his jacket with amazing strength as her right hand wrapped around his neck, unconsciously stroking the sliver of bare skin not covered by the collar. Coming to his senses, Grisham let go of her and slowly push her off of him. A little disappointed at the loss of contact, Tessa tried not to show it as she quickly got up. She nearly lost her balance at the sudden movement, which prompted him to grab her a little too harshly; it knocked the wind out of her. Seeing that he was doing more harm than good, he reluctantly let her go.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? If he touched you, I'll mangle his..." Tessa was startled to see his eyes filled with worry and pain mixed with rage.
"I'm fine. Just a bump on my head. And a nasty headache." She tried to reassure him, but he was beyond restraint. Hurting Tessa was the last straw. Nobody hurts his Tessa, let alone kidnapped her.
"Grisham! C'mon we need to alert Gaston of Huntley's whereabouts." Tessa knew nothing good would come of the oncoming brawl that both men seemed to long for.
"He will never hurt you again, Tessa. He's getting what's been coming to him for a long time." Grisham climbed out of the trench to see Huntley staring down at him in the eye.
Knowing that Tessa was a little off on his side, Grisham was sure that if Huntley pulled out a gun, he would be able to shield her. Huntley's next move surprised him, however.
"Get your puny sword, Captain. If we're going to kill each other, I suggest we do it the gentlemen's way." Smirking at the wary captain, Huntley took several paces with his back towards the road.
"Since when did you know anything about 'gentlemen's ways', Huntley?" Grisham grounded out as he struggled to keep his injuries hidden.
"I would ask the same about you, Marcus. Courting Senorita Alvarado behind my back is a cardinal sin. 'Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's'." Huntley sneered into Grisham's face.
"This has nothing to do with her and you know it. C'mon, Huntley, you've wanted revenge ever since you found out I got away easily from that mess we made."
Screaming in rage, Huntley rushed towards Grisham with the strength of a bear. Grunting under the strain, Grisham tried to prevent Huntley's sword from coming too close. Throwing the weight back, the former captain was able to topple Huntley off away from him.
Even though Grisham's initial strength came from his rage, Huntley's gleaming eyes revealed the hidden force of madness residing within him. Although Grisham had thought he had healed from their previous encounters, the wounds seemed to open once again despite his convalescence. Grunting under the strain, he felt each attack getting too close for comfort.
While the two men traded insults and fought off each other's attacks, Tessa noticed Grisham's gun lying next to her. She gasped in horror; he didn't know that his holster was empty. Huntley could just shoot Grisham point blank without hesitation.
Picking the gun up quickly, she wondered how she would be able to hand Grisham his gun without Huntley knowing about the exchange. She didn't get a chance to figure out, because a wounded yell reached her ears. Taking her eyes away from the gun, Tessa felt the unbelievable terror grip her body. Huntley had successfully stabbed Grisham through the stomach!
The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed through her tensed ears. The sword was abruptly jerked out of Grisham's body; crimson blood stained the glossy blade. Huntley laughed crazily, his revenge finally made real, after all these years. The Hunter's eyes shone brightly emerald, the color of cold gems. His hair was a mass of red rising in demented swirls. The mouth twitched in uncontrollable smirks.
Seeing Huntley's maniacal appearance and triumphant smile, Tessa couldn't take it anymore. An unnatural growl ripped from her throat. Taking a direct aim at Huntley's chest, the loud bang and the sudden thud knocked him down in one swift motion. He didn't get up after that.
Letting the gun drop limply from her hand, Tessa scrambled toward Grisham's prone body, her face displaying a thousand signs of sorrow and disbelief.
"Marcus! Marcus! NO! No! You can't die!!! I can't let you die! Oh God...Stay with me, please! Please don't die! Marcus!"
The sight of Grisham's pale face and the blood pooling around his arm brought the reality of the situation down on her trembling shoulders. She had never really felt strongly for anyone like him before. Any other man, Tessa Alvarado would've taken it like the noblewoman she had been brought up as. There would be a time of mourning and she would move on with her life. But Marcus Grisham was not "any other man" she had ever met in her life.
He had been her strength, her support, her comrade-in-arms, and most of all her friend even when they were making fun of each other. What made Grisham stand out and get noticed was the way he could handle the Queen of Swords. Most men that Tessa had met never truly saw her beyond the "Don's daughter" facade. Grisham saw the capability and influence of Tessa Alvarado and he didn't shy away from it. Most importantly, he accepted that aspect of her. He seemed to able see past the airhead visage that Tessa always put on in front of everyone. She had used to dismiss him as Montoya's watchdog. But she had seen his best and worse sides and knew that he put on a visage of his own as well. They were meant for each other, whether they liked it or not. They were two of a kind and it had taken them too long to realize the truth. Destiny took them on two distinctive paths, but Fate made them cross each other's.
This time Tessa wasn't going to let the man she loved deeply go. She was not going without a fight. She needed him. And he needed her.
Trying desperately to stop the bleeding, Tessa looked down to see his hand convulsing uncontrollably.
*He's alive! Dear Lord, he's alive! Don't you dare leave me like this!*
Feeling wetness on his face, Grisham opened his eyes to see her tears dripping down on him in tender agony.
"Tessa." The low rasp filled her with relief.
"I'm right here," she replied fervently.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to....I tried..but...then he....." Grisham started to ramble as his mind drifted in and out of consciousness.
"Shhh...you shouldn't talk right now. Everything will be okay."
*Oh, I hope it will be okay.* Tessa gently caress his pallid cheeks with a shaky hand. She silently prayed to the Holy Mother to keep him safe.
The rewarding sounds of a dozen pounding hooves made their way towards the twosome. Stomping his way towards a crying Tessa, Captain Gaston was flabbergasted to see her with Grisham. Composing himself and quickly assessing the state of affairs, he yelled out instructions for El Cazador's body to be taken care of. Looking down on Grisham's injured body, he told Tessa that they would bring him back to the pueblo to Dr. Helm. Tessa wouldn't hear of it. She immediately told Gaston to sent for Dr. Helm while they took Grisham back to her hacienda. It was closer and they would have the most time to help him recover without enduring the long trip back.
"Marcus. Everything will be okay. I promised." The use of his first name and the assertive voice she used surprised her, but it was comfortable and familiar. Although, she was still quite worried about Grisham's state of being, she was confident again. Tessa had taken matters into her own hands again and she was not going to lose Grisham despite all the signs pointing to tragedy.
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A/N: So all it took was for Marcus to get stabbed for Tessa to say his first name?! Wow, he sacrificed a lot for her. But Tessa regained her strength at the end at the cost of his life. Hmmm....read my other works (i.e. "No More I Love You's" is a different outlook on what might've happened). I know, I know, shameless plug. But I need reviews on those too!