Chapter IV Dick and Billy
By tk421beth
Okay...as of 12/28/05 I made some changes in this chapter. I had the year wrong on Jessie's journal entries. It needed to be changed!
Chapter Summary: Arriving at Blazer's Mill, Dick has a heart-to-heart with Jessie that shocks her into silence! WARNING: Character death in this chapter (sniffs and sobs)
Author's Notes: What would I do without my Naomi? Sister-in-law, friend, beta, and my drinking partner! Thanks again! Also, kudos to Sue! Thanks for the suggestions!
By the time we arrived at Blazer's Mill, we were all very hungry and very tired. It was decided that Steve would eat outside, to stand watch.
As we prepared to sit down for dinner, I chuckled a little bit, thinking how it was a wonder that Steve had shot a chicken, as we were coming into Blazer's Mill. Smiling, I remembered how on peyote, he kept on saying, 'Did you see the size of that chicken?'
It seemed I had a moment of free time, so I took out my diary and quickly began to write.
January 1878
Dear Diary,
I don't know what day it is, but everything in my life has changed, and not for the better. Murphy's men killed Father as we were arriving back home from the New Year's party. I don't remember much after Father was killed, or the funeral. Doc told me that I was in shock, and that was to be expected.
"What you writing about, Jessie?" Charlie asked me.
"It's none of your business, Charlie." I answered him, causing him and Billy to laugh loudly. I looked over at Chavez, Dick and Doc. They were huddled together, talking.
I've been staying with the Regulators since that terrible day, and it seems Billy is the only one who understands my need for revenge. He wants revenge too. Dick is upset that I am even involved, but there is nothing he can do about it now.
"Jessica, come here, please." Dick asked me, interrupting my writing.
"Okay." I swiftly shut my diary, and place it in my vest pocket. I then walk over to Dick, who was in the parlor, as the other Regulators sat at the table, getting ready to eat.
"Yes?" I asked him.
Dick had his usual serious look on his face. He held my hands in his and looked into my eyes. "This has gone too far. I swore to John that I would protect you, Jessica."
I sighed, and looked to the floor, waiting for the usual speech from Dick. He's been muttering the same things to me over the past few days, how I should have stayed with Alex. I shouldn't even be here. I'm just a young girl…and so on.
"We're getting married and moving to Vermont." He blurted out.
For the first time in my life, I was shocked into silence. This was unexpected, for sure! I opened my mouth to say something, but to my surprise, nothing came out. So, I closed it again. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Billy, Charlie, Chavez and Doc look over at Dick and I with great interest, probably wondering what was going on.
"It's the only way, Jessica." Dick told me, his hands cupping my face, talking rapidly. I looked into his brown eyes, as he looked back at me with concern and worry. "The only way I can protect you."
"Dick…what are you saying?" I asked him. His hands fell from my face and dropped to his sides. "Do you hear yourself? You sound crazy!" He sighed when I said that. "You're like a brother to me…I …I don't want to get married…oh, God!" I closed my eyes, my hands on my face, covering my eyes. This was too much for me to handle. My heart hurt so much, with Father being ambushed…killed…and now this! "I can't do it." I defiantly told him. "You can't make me! I won't do it." I stomped my foot on the floor in defiance.
"You will, Jessica. I know what's stopping you." Dick was now scaring me, he was talking so fast! "It's not about revenge! It's about Billy, isn't it? I know you think you love him, but it's not love! He's no good for you! Billy's only going to get you into trouble and break you heart!" Dick then starts to pace. "I'm what's good for you and I'll take care of you. I promised John that I would. Now, end of discussion! Let's eat."
Dick walked briskly over to the table, before I could say anything about Billy, or what we just talked about. Dick has always been direct and forceful, but this was different! What was going through Dick's mind? I didn't love Billy…I don't love anyone! I stood there for a moment before following. Oh, God! What the hell was this all about? I love Dick, but like a brother. I don't want to marry him! I don't want to marry anyone!
I finally sat down, still in shock. Billy, who was seated across from me, raised his eyebrow at me, as if to ask what was going on. I also noticed Chavez, Charlie and Doc looking at me with the same expressions. I just shook my head, looked down at my plate, and sighed. I didn't want to say or do anything at this point of time.
Dick eyed me with a smile, and gave the blessing of the food. It was like the conversation we just had never existed! "Lord, forgive us for our wrongdoings, for misguidance by heathen religions." He eyed Chavez when he said that. "Thank you for keeping us alive."
I stared at Billy, who picked up his fork.
"Lord," Dick went on. Billy sighed, and put his fork down. "Lord, be with us in doing the right thing."
Billy then grabbed his plate, ready to eat. I slowly smiled. I knew Dick wasn't done yet.
"Our Father, who art in Heaven," Billy snorted as Dick went on. "Hallow be thy name."
"Please, Dick. It's getting cold!" Billy pleaded.
Dick suddenly went for his gun, but Billy was much quicker. The both sat there, across from each other, guns pointed in each other's face. "I could've killed you, Dick, but I don't wanna to kill you. I wanna eat!"
"When we finish this meal, you little rodent, we're gonna go outside yard and see who has the right to run this group of Regulators." Dick glared at Billy.
"Richard, would you pass the gravy, please? And, please…KNOCK IT OFF!" Doc requested. I laughed nervously at that.
Steve suddenly came running in. "There's someone coming this way!" He announced.
"Just one?" Dick asked, lowering his gun from Billy, and looking outside the window. Billy lowered his gun and gave me a small grin.
Charlie looked out the window. "It's Buckshot Rogers."
"We got a warrant for him." Dick stated.
"Think he's come to surrender?" Doc laughed.
"Is he any good?" Billy wondered out loud.
"He's killed more people then smallpox." Charlie says fearfully.
"Well, hell!" Billy smiled, grabbing his shotgun. "Let's introduce ourselves."
I start to follow them out, but Dick grabs my wrist. "You're to stay in here." He commanded. "While I'm still alive, you will listen to me."
"The heck I will!" I yell, as I shake off his grip, and quickly follow Billy and Doc.
Standing outside, was a fat older man, with gray hair. At his side was a mule, loaded with supplies, and lots and lots of weapons.
"We've got a warrant for you, old man." Dick told him. I stood in between Dick and Billy, holding my shotgun loosely.
"You ain't got no business with that warrant no more, you son of a bitch." Roberts stated. "I'm on my own. I've come to pick up the $150 Sheriff Brady has put out each for the Kid and his sweetheart." Roberts looked at me, licking his lips. "The rest of you are only worth about $110, but I'll take it."
At this time, I didn't feel like arguing the point that I am not Billy's sweetheart. I'm more concerned about staying alive.
"What a sweet disposition." Doc muttered.
Roberts just smiled. "Let's dance!" He shouted, shooting at us, as we scattered.
Dick suddenly grabs me by the waist, and tosses me like a rag roll behind a huge pile of wood. I narrowly missed falling on Billy. I would've liked to believe that Dick was putting me in a good position to shoot. "You're to stay down!" He commanded. I then knew differently.
Shots were fired from Roberts and the Regulators. I take stock of the situation, and notice Chavez was lying on the ground, slowly crawling toward us, his leg bleeding. Doc raises his gun, but it suddenly flies out of his hand. Doc yells, and ducks, blood pouring from him wounded hand. This Buckshot Roberts is pretty good.
While Billy is shooting wildly, I peek over the wood pile, my gun armed and ready. I saw Roberts walk into the outhouse, still firing at us.
"What the…! He just went into the outhouse!" I tell Dick. We all shoot at the outhouse.
We all hear a groan and a yell, and the sound of Roberts body fall to the ground.
"Hey, Billy," Dick tells him. "Why don't you go over there and cut the son of a bitch in half."
Billy looks at Dick like he's crazy.
"I'm daring you, Billy."
Billy smiled, then got up, and slowly started to walk away from the wood pile. Suddenly, a shot fires from the outhouse, barely missing Billy.
Billy scrambled back to safety. "To hell with that!" He tells Dick.
"Just do it, Billy! You're supposed to be the brave one! The newspapers all say it!"
"Brave, but not crazy!" Billy answers.
This bickering went back and forth for a little while. Before realizing what I was doing, I stood up. "I'll do it." I declare. Before they can stop me, I slowly creep away from the wood pile, shotgun in hand.
Just then, I hear a shot fire, and I feel a throbbing pain in my chest. I scream in shock, as I drop down to the ground on my back.
"No!" I heard someone shout, as I see Dick run out past me. I heard more yelling and shooting, then feel a hand grip the back of my shirt. Oh, god, it hurts! Am I going to die? I howl out in pain, holding my chest with my left hand, and then realize that I am slowly being dragged back to safety. I gingerly grasp my shotgun with my free right hand.
"Are you all right?" Billy asked me, placing me against the wood. He looks down at me, his face full of worry. I don't say anything, surprised and pleased that Billy had the courage to drag me to safety under these circumstances. "Where are you hit?" Billy states, his hand now caressing my cheek. Chavez crawls over to me, also worried.
"I don't know…" I slowly said, and looked down at myself. "My chest…it hurts…" I tell him, still holding my left hand over my chest.
"You'll be all right, Bonita." Chavez tells me, holding my hand.
Billy glances down at my chest, and gently removes my hand, as Doc rushes over. Billy suddenly starts laughing like crazy. "She's fine! She's fine!" Billy shouts happily, as he reaches for my chest. What is he doing? I feel a slight tug from my shirt, as he shows everyone his reason for joy. I glance up warily, and see what Billy has in his hand. It's my badge, the badge that Billy gave me…now bent and ruined from Buckshot's bullet. That badge saved my life. Billy saved my life…again.
"Thank God!" Doc said.
"No!" Charlie screams. "He got Dick!"
"NO!" I scream. Forgetting my pain, I stand up, just to see Charlie and Steve shoot the outhouse like crazy. I gasp in horror, as I see Dick fall on the ground.
"Jessie, no!" Billy orders, as I hurry over to Dick. I kneel down beside him. I could feel the tears swell up, but not fall. Never will they fall again.
"Dick, oh, God! No." I sob, as Dick looks up at me. He reaches for my hand.
"Jessica," He says. "Thank God you're all right." Dick gives me a small smile. "I have to tell you…" He winces from the pain.
"Dick, no, don't talk. It'll be okay." I sooth him, gently caressing his face, his hair. "You'll be fine, see? Look! I'm okay. See, Dick? I'm okay."
"No, Jessica, listen. I have to tell you, I always wanted to tell you. On your birthday, you looked so beautiful… so beautiful. I had to tell you…" He pauses, as he coughs up blood.
"No, Dick, oh God! No…not again! Please, Dick..." I plead to no one in particular. "I'll marry you and go to Vermont! I swear I will!" Dick smiles at me as I say this, as I look into his brown eyes. "Please, Dick! Don't leave me!" I beg.
"Jessica," Dick whispers. "I love you. I have always loved you." He then releases my hand, and let's out his last breath.
"Nooooo!" I stand up shrieking, my hands clenched into fits, so tight that I draw blood. My eyes are blurry, as I notice my shotgun lying next to Dick's dead body.
Dick's dead body. Everything goes black, except for my shotgun. I pick it up and slowly walk over towards the outhouse.
The outhouse door suddenly flings open. There is Buckshot Roberts, smiling at me. He aims his six-shooter, and starts to shoot wildly at me.
I feel invincible, as Roberts bullets fly past me. Not one had touched me. I will not die today. I have a purpose. I take a final stance, and aim for his head, as more of his bullets fly past me. I pull the trigger, and it's done.
I fall back to the ground, on my knees, feeling weak and tired. I look at Dick, and feel the tears swell up once again. Dick is dead. Oh God! He's dead! It's my fault he's dead!
"Great guns of Blazer's Mill!" Charlie yells panicking. "Dick is dead and he's our foreman! He's dead!"
"We gotta get out of here. Murphy's men will be crawling all around here!" Doc shouts.
"Regulators!" Billy yells. "Mount up!"
I can't move. He loves me. No, he loved me. I never knew. What have I done?
"Bonita." Chavez comes over. "We have to go, now."
"Dick, oh Dick." I sob, touching his face, wishing he'd just wake up. It looked like he was sleeping. "We can't leave him!" I insist. "Not…not…like…this." I stutter.
"No. We leave now. We have to leave him, Bonita. His spirit is no longer here anyway." Chavez calmly tells me, as he helps me up, and walks me over to our horses.
I mount my horse and glance back at Dick, lying on the ground. Blinking back my tears, I put away my shotgun. I glance over at Billy, who avoids meeting my gaze. We all ride away in silence.
Much later, we begin setting up camp in the nearby mountains. Doc told us all earlier that he needs to go into the nearest town, to send a telegraph to Dick's mother in Vermont, and also needs to get fresh wraps for his wounded hand. Doc decides that it would be much safer if I stayed here with Billy, Charlie, Chavez and Steve.
I sit on the ground, watching Billy start to work on one of his guns. I start a small campfire, wondering what we were going to do now.
"What areya doing there, Billy?" Steve asks, filling his mouth full of tobacco.
Billy explains to Steve that he is cutting down the sight of his gun, so he can get an eight of a drop on Sheriff Brady. I stare at Billy, as he holsters his gun away. Billy then quickly reaches for it again, and shoots towards Chavez, who is standing on a large rock, looking down. The shot doesn't even faze Chavez.
"Billy, we can't touch the Sheriff." Charlie tells him. "Dick said so."
"Well, Dick ain't around anymore is he? Right now, Sheriff Brady is in desperate need of being removed from office."
Chavez glances over at us. "We're not going after Brady. No Murphy men, no more." He calmly states.
"Murphy's taking inventory in Tunstall's store right now and you're saying it means nothing to you?" Billy questions.
"It means nothing to me?" Chavez glares at Billy. "Murphy and his politicians have taken more blood from me than they ever will from you."
"How do you figure?" Billy presses.
"The Red Sands Creek Reservation, my mother's people. You see, Murphy was under government contract to supply us with beef, but two winters ago, he sent only rotten meat. No corn, no flour, just rancid beef crawling with worms."
I sighed, and stood up, as Chavez continues to tell his story. Wiping the weariness from my face with my hand, I walked away, not wanting to hear it again. Chavez had told me all about his people and how they were forced to live on reservations, how they were murdered. He truly is the last of his people.
Standing there alone, I thought of Dick. Tears swelled in my eyes once again. Dick said he loved me. Oh, God! Why didn't he say anything before? Why? I stood there, agonizing over the fact that I am relived that it was Dick who was killed, and not Billy. It could have been Billy. It was Dick, but it could have been Billy! I moan in anguish, as I close my eyes. I'm a bad person. Dick was a good man…no, a great man. He wanted to protect me, even wanted to marry me. My hands on my face, I cry out in pain, for the loss of my Father, and now Dick.
Shaking with tightly contained emotion, I make my way back towards camp.
I make it back to see Chavez standing in front of his horse. "I guess you don't know the meaning of the word pals." Billy tells Chavez. What was going on? Was Chavez leaving?
"Hey, Jess." Billy walks over to me. "Let's scout out and search the area, before it gets too dark, okay?"
I nodded, and mounted my horse. Charlie and Steve were cooking over the campfire. Chavez sighed, and sat down with them. I then look up into the sky. "Looks like rain." I comment. "Might not be a good idea to scout now, Billy."
He snorted, and then smiled at me. The first smile since we left Blazer's Mill. "C'mon, Jess! Last one up on the cliff is a three legged bull!"
Giving in, I grin ruefully, as I follow Billy up the cliff. It looked like we're going to be camping here for a few days, at least, until Doc comes back...if he comes back.