A long moment of tense silence hung between the three as Jesse tried to think of some way he could get Rosa out of the way of harm. But that would require him taking down Gabriel who stood smirking at Jesse like a father who had just caught his kid with his hand in the cookie jar before dinner. Gabe stepped through the curtain and let it swing shut before adjusting the sleeves of his suit and nodding to Sarah in greeting.
"Hello again Sarah, or should I call you Rosa?" He half closed his eyes as he looked Sarah over slowly, she frowned hatefully at him. "You grew up rather well, didn't you?" Gabe raised a brow and Jesse took half a step forward to remind Reaper of who his real enemy was.
"Ew." Jesse could hear Sarah groan softly. "That's creepy."
"What do you want Reaper?" Jesse snapped as Gabe put his hands in his pockets, "Keep yer hands where I can see 'em!"
"Relax ingrate," Gabe rumbled with a chuckle, "I'm not here to fight. Least, not right this second. My business right now is with her." He looked past Jesse to Sarah who stepped around Jesse and crossed her arms. Then he looked back at Jesse with a sneer, "I'll deal with you when I'm done." Jesse started to snap at him when he spoke directly to Sarah. "You need to reconsider the offer." He said flatly, "Akande isn't going to be so generous if you turn him down a second time…you wouldn't want to put your family in danger, would you? Because after a request, and a deal…. comes an order. Besides….is money laundering really the worst you've ever done your life, Rosa?"
"Tell Akande," Sarah growled with sass, making Reaper blink and stare in surprise, "To go fuck a cactus."
For just a moment Reaper looked so angry he could strike, but then he started chuckling until he roared with laughter, tilting his head back and covering his eyes with one hand as he kept guffawing. Jesse tensed, trying to think of what would happen if he tackled Reaper back through the curtain when Gabe let his hand fall from his face.
"God, you even talk like him." Gabe groaned and held one of his sides, "You two really were a match made in cowboy hell." He gave one last chuckle, "Even after being apart for two decades your still so far up each other's ass it's unbelievable." The smile faded away quickly into the hateful frown Jesse saw all his life. "You two can comfort each other in hell then." He shrugged and looked behind Sarah, "Sombra."
As if from thin air, Sombra appeared behind Sarah and pointed a gun in her face, making a clicking noise to dissuade Jesse from making any movements as she slowly lead Sarah toward Gabe. Sarah went smoothly enough, looking only a little scared when Gabe grabbed her by her chin and leaned down to meet her at eye level.
"Remember. You brought this on yourself. You were given a clear choice," Some recognition flared in Sarah's eyes and fear crept in behind it, but still, she stood firm. "And you chose wrong."
"Reyes." Sarah gave a small gasp of shock as he let go of her chin and nodded. "What happened to you?"
"Not everyone gets a happy ending kid." He turned and nodded to Sombra who put her gun to Sarah's head and made her move to stand beside the curtain. "As for you," Gabe growled to Jesse, reaching inside and pulling a shotgun as if from nowhere. "You know the drill brat. Move, and Sombra shoots."
"What about me?" Sarah asked, sounding serious as Sombra gave her a disbelieving look. "What if I move?" Jesse looked at her and shook his head, he knew she was prone to having a smart mouth when challenged with authority, but he didn't want her sass to get her killed.
"That's exactly what you're going to do," Gabe turned, and Sombra moved to stand in front of Sarah, pointing her gun directly at her, one hand swiping the air and making a small screen appear. "Are they ready?"
"Yes," Sombra answered, smiling through the screen at Sarah who seemed to be studying Sombra's gun. "You're not taking this very seriously," She pursed her lips, "Are you that scared?"
"No," Sarah answered flatly as Gabe turned his head to look at her. "Just looking at your grip." Sombra looked down at her gun and gave a questioning grunt before glancing at Gabe who narrowed his eyes. "Never tried that model before."
"You're awful chatty. Since you're so talkative, say your goodbyes, and then we can get down to business." Gabe snapped his fingers, and Sombra gave a half-hearted 'yeah, yeah' before she muttered to low for Sarah or Jesse to hear. She walked Sarah back to Jesse and stopped her a foot away, pointing to Jesse's gun as she spoke.
"Go on lovebirds, do the whole 'I will always remember you' bullshit so we can get this moving. I'd rather not vomit." Sombra gagged as Jesse slowly stepped closer to Sarah but took his hand off Peacekeeper so Sombra would back away. Jesse wrapped Sarah in a tight hug and put his lips to her ear.
"I'm so sorry Darlin' this is exactly what I was afraid of…"
"Not your fault Thief."
"I dunno how yet, but I'm gonna get us outta this."
"You make it sound like I'm worried."
"Honest truth…you should be."
"Alright, that's enough." Sombra complained, "Let's get going chica." Sarah smiled and leaned up, pressing her lips to Jesse's cheek firmly, one hand on the other cheek to hold him in place as Sombra commanded. "You walk in front."
"Bite me." She growled, nuzzling Jesse's cheek with hers as she stood tiptoe.
"What?" Sombra snapped, tightening her hold on her gun as she pointed it at Sarah's back, pressing it into her to show her she wasn't playing. Sarah's lips brushed Jesse's before Sombra grabbed her by her hair and pulled her away forcibly. "Care to repeat that? A little louder?" Sarah yanked herself free, turning to face Sombra with a snarl that was unlike her.
"Bite. Me. Bitch." Sarah growled slowly walking around Sombra with measured steps as the Latina narrowed her dark eyes at her. Gabe chuckled something under his breath and crossed his arms, seeming interested in where this was going. Sarah never let Sombra face her back. Instead, she turned so that Sombra was between her and Jesse before squaring her shoulders and holding out her hands to her sides.
Jesse gave a silent, pleading look to Sarah and froze when she smiled at Sombra. Jesse wished later than he had been wearing a body cam so he could relive the next few moments in slow motion to see absolutely everything. Sarah sidestepped to the left and grabbed Sombra's gun by the barrel and twisted it from her grip all in one fluid motion while slamming into her with her shoulder into her chest, one leg hooking around her ankle to knock her toward the ground.
Gabe snarled and started to take aim for Sarah who was wrenching away Sombra's gun, but Jesse was faster by few precious seconds. Jesse fired a warning shot over Sarah's head and grazed Gabe's shoulder, so he lowered his weapon and glared. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the theater and screams erupted, causing what sounded like a stampede. Jesse silently hoped he hadn't killed anyone or hurt anyone besides Gabriel.
Sombra's hold was broken quickly enough, she tried to get up but Sarah turned the gun on her as she quickly got to her feet and stood over her, one foot on each side. Slowly Sombra laid down flat and put up her hands, Sarah put a booted foot on Sombra's stomach and pointed the gun at the center of her chest.
"Now, how about a little exchange hm? You tell us what Akande's got planned." Jesse snapped angrily as Gabe tightened his hold on his shotgun.
"And what would I get in return?" Sombra asked, not really sounding interested but annoyed.
"I don't give you back each bullet individually, as a back-ally piercing?" Sarah threatened which surprised Jesse into looking over his shoulder at her.
"She got feisty as she aged." Gabe laughed at Jesse who ignored him, watching the women.
"Shut up!" Jesse warned.
"Try it." Sombra dared, flicking one hand as three purple lines attached from her hand to the gun as Sarah pulled the trigger. Click, click, click. The gun was useless now. "Ha! Now, what are you going to—" Before Jesse could remind her that she was still outgunned, Sarah lifted her shirt high with her free hand enough to reveal the bottom of her bra, which doubled as a holster for a pistol. She cleared her clothing and turned off the safety before kneeling, one knee each of Sombra's hands, so they laid flat on the ground, unable to hack. Both guns trained on her head.
"Try me." Sarah threatened.
"You weren't supposed to be armed!" Sombra complained angrily, "You don't have any ccw's or registration for firearms. I checked!"
"What," Sarah cooed sarcastically, "You think you're the only one who can carry illegally or knows about paper trails and serial numbers?" Sarah scoffed, "Please, after what happened to us," She jerked her head toward Jesse, and her face darkened with hatred. "I swore I'd never be a pawn again. Not for you, not for anyone." She didn't look up from Sombra's face, "Thief, whats the plan?"
"There is no plan," Gabriel growled, "Thought you'd know by now girl, he never plans anything all the way through." He chuckled as Jesse continued to wrack his brain, trying to think of a getaway, cursing himself for being precisely as Gabe said.
"You know," Sarah tilted her head to the side, looking at Sombra, "You'd think after training him, and living with him and bitching as much as he did about the cowboy—he'd know a little more about him." Sombra blinked up at her confused as to why she was speaking to her instead of Gabe. "Plans go wrong, especially where he's involved," She nodded in Jesse's direction, "But he's got luck, and sometimes it's all you need."
"Luck runs out," Gabriel smirked.
"Just a matter of whose luck's gonna run out first. Your…ours….or theirs?" Sarah grinned, turning to look at Gabriel who narrowed his eyes, pulling the second shotgun from his suit slowly as Jesse took aim for Gabe's head, his index finger itching to squeeze.
"She's out of her mind," Sombra snapped, giving Gabriel a disgusted look, "Finish this already."
"I wouldn't if I was you." A flat voice said from behind Gabriel.
"Yeah," A deeper voice chuckled, "We might be the best shots in the room, but its hard to miss from point blank." Gabriel lifted his hands slowly as two figures stepped through the curtain. Poe was holding a pump-action shotgun to Gabe's back, Tosh smirking as he waved a revolver in a wave to Jesse who gaped.
"What are you two doing here, get the hell outta here!" Jesse warned, as Sarah greeted the boys.
"Don't you worry Uncle Jesse." Tosh replaced the gun behind Gabe's head. "Mom evacuated everyone from the building, no one got hurt, and it's not like we aren't trained."
"You what?" Jesse watched as a slow, sloth-like smile stretched across Poe's lips.
"Aunt Sarah took us to classes….we're all trained…."
Jesse wanted to laugh, it was the strangest miracle he had happen for him, but he was thankful at any rate. He reached into his pocket and pressed the button on the communicator Genji had given him at the bar before waving slowly moving toward Sarah and Sombra.
"Lady luck with me again," Jesse chuckled, "A'ight boys. You two stay on him, don't even blink ya hear? Sarah, here." Jesse reached into the nearby box and grabbed a handful of zip ties meant for tieing down props, "Hold these. Sombra, I doubt I gotta warn ya what's gon' happen if you try n get away or pull your little trick again."
"Yeah, yeah." She grumbled as Sarah slowly got to her feet, but as Sombra sat up a hint of a smile teased her lips before she vanished. Sarah stomped her foot down where she thought Sombra still was but was upturned by the invisible advisory, landing hard on her back, the wind knocked from her lungs.
"Damn it!" Sarah shouted as Sombra laughed gleefully. Jesse scanned the room for the telltale sign of the shimmer, like a heat wave that would tell her position, but as expected Gabriel made his move.
He elbowed Poe in the stomach, displacing him, so the gun lowered and wrenched away Tosh's weapon to quickly in the shock of the vanishing woman. He shoved the boys with such force that they exited the room, falling through the curtain with shouts and grunts before he too vanished in a streak of black smoke. Jesse holstered his gun and grabbed Sarah by the elbow, hauling her to her feet as Tosh and Poe re-entered the room, looking scared.
"We gotta go," Jesse said under his breath, scanning the room. "We gotta put distance between them and us," he jerked his head to Poe and Tosh who started to argue, but Jesse pointed a finger at them, "Boys, get back with your mom n' sisters. Their business is with us, you separate from us n' they outta let you be."
"BUT!" The boys both shouted in unison but Sarah interrupted them.
"Don't argue." She wrapped an arm around each of their necks in a quick hug. "He's right. Get with everyone else and make sure they're ok. Doomfist might have some others watching the family, it'll take everyone to keep each other safe…" The boys hugged her tightly before she pat a cheek on each boy and smiled at them. "Don't worry about us. Can't get rid of us that easily." Poe turned to leave quickly, Jesse thought to himself that, that was probably the fastest he'd ever seen the monotoned youth move. But Sarah held Tosh back by his wrist. "Where're the keys?"
"Here!" Tosh dug in his back pocket and produced a keyring, "Its around the corner, full tank."
"That's my nephew." Sarah pinched his cheek and then turned him by his shoulder and pushed him away. "Go on now." When the footsteps died away, and she was sure they had gone, she looked at Jesse sadly.
"We're gonna be ok," Jesse promised, hoping he was right. He took her hand and kissed it before smiling at her. "We just gotta get through today." He held his hand out for the keys, but she laughed at him.
"Oh no," She pulled him through the curtain and toward the door. It was dark out now, the long since set and the moon above providing light that the dying street lamps did not. "My bike, I drive."
"Bike?" Jesse asked as they exited the theater and she lead him further down the alley to a parking lot behind the building where an impressive black motorcycle left. "I take it, that's the chopper I was told about?" Sarah smirked at him and spun the key ring around her finger as she got closer, "Nice." Jesse laughed as she started it up, flaring into thunderous life easily with the turn of the key and throttle. "But I don't ride bitch," Jesse told her sternly.
"For you cowboy," She laughed as Jesse sat down on the seat and adjusted himself, so he was comfortable. "I will take the bitch seat." She climbed on behind him and undid the one set of clasps on the bags that were mountain onto the sides before she wrapped her arms around his waist. "So where are we going for the distance?" She looked over her shoulder and saw a cloud of black mist slowly take form into the shape of a man. "Thief!" Jesse looked over his shoulder to see the glint of light coming from the shotgun in Reaper's hand before as he hit the gas and steered the bike down the way they had come. Shots rang out but missed as they sped through the alley and roared out onto the empty road.
For a while, it seemed like they had lost Reaper, Sarah looking periodically over her shoulder in surveillance as Jesse steered them toward the outskirts of town, heading for his cabin. As they passed the destroyed church, the sound of a second engine roared to life, and a black jeep began following them.
"Friendly?" Jesse asked as he glanced behind him to see the fear in Sarah's face.
"Nope!" The windows of the jeep had been rolled down, Sarah couldn't tell who was driving, but she recognized the long purple arm and gun that stuck out from the passenger side. "Sombra!" Jesse swerved to avoid the shots as they kept gaining ground. "Slow down!" Sarah yelled as she slowly let go of Jesse's waist, which caused him to panic.
"No way in hell!" Jesse barked, "Just a bit further!"
"I said slow down!" Sarah barked back, "Trust me!" There was something in her voice, a fierceness Jesse hadn't heard before. She was sure of herself, and whatever she had planned. Jesse eased up a bit, the bike losing speed as the Jeep caught up, the driver's side even with Sarah on the rear seat.
"Pull over!" A voice commanded right before, "CRAZY ASS BITCH!"
Jesse heard an ear-splitting gunshot, then a second and a screeching of tires before a second loud bang. Jesse glanced over his shoulder to see Sarah reloading a sawed off, double barrel shotgun that had been hidden away in one of the bags on the bike.
"Where the hell you'd get that thing!" Jesse yelled as he sped up, the hotel was coming into view now.
"Never you mind!" Sarah laughed, turning and taking aim at something behind them. "Take a left!"
"Are you sure!" Jesse snapped, he didn't want to head to the hotel, but he trusted that she had a plan.
"Yes!" She yelled back, the sound of the gun going off settled it, Jesse turned the bike and sped past the foyer opening with space to spare. Across the dining patio and into the field, two more sets of gunshots sounded before a loud snarl of rage that echoed. Jesse slowed the bike and turned it in a large arc to miss the large dead tree and caught sight of two shapes dropping from the hotel's roof and giving chase to a cloud of black smoke back the way they had come, a third streaking past through the sky. "Friends of yours?" Sarah asked breathlessly as Jesse let the bike idle, putting his boots on the ground to hold it up.
"Yeah, old friends from work." Jesse laughed again as a van stopped in the foyer. "C'mon. Why don't you meet 'em." Jesse lifted his feet and felt Sarah wrap her arms around his waist as he drove the bike to meet to two figures running over to meet them. One much faster than the other, a brunette with a British accent who ran alongside the bike until Jesse brought it to a stop and shut it off, an older man with a red visor and varsity style jacket approach.
" Ello Love!" The girl greeted as Jesse put down the stand and got off the bike. "Didn' expect to get an SOS call from you!" She smiled brightly and held out her hand. "Good to see you, McCree."
"Tracer." Jesse took her hand and shook it once, "76." Jesse nodded to the older man who nodded back in return. "Genji and Hanzo after Reaper?"
" and some others are watching over Sombra and the two talon foot soldiers that were with her in the van." Soldier explained before setting his sights on Sarah, "That was an excellent shot from the back of a speeding bike. Jesse," The way he said Jesse's name made Sarah narrow her eyes at him, gently pinching a piece of Jesse's shirt in her hand as he spoke. "We'll handle Reaper. Winston and Brigitte are with your family ma'am." Soldier nodded to Sarah who simply nodded once to show she understood that this meant they were safe. "We'll send them your way once we get Reaper."
"Thanks." Jesse took a deep breath, "Been a hell of a day, wouldn't mind some peace a mind before Ami tries to kill me."
"A bit later then," The girl named Tracer laughed, there was some static that alerted everyone but Sarah who watched on silently as Tracer and Soldier put a hand to their ear and then nodded to one another.
"Reaper's making a break for it, Sombra disappeared too. You two better lay low," Soldier warned as Tracer zipped away in a flash of blue and then returned half a blink later to say a proper goodbye, then gone again before anyone could stop her. "McCree." Jesse had started to turn to look at Sarah and offer an explanation when Soldier made a grunt like he wasn't sure what to say next. "The offer still stands…You knew Gabe probably better than anyone…We could use you at the new Overwatch." The older man turned his back to them. "If you change your mind, use that gadget Genji gave you, someone will come by to fill you in."
Jesse and Sarah watched silently as Soldier returned to the van where Tracer was bouncing on her feels excited and it peeled away from the hotel in a hurry. Jesse closed his eyes and felt the adrenaline slowly start to fade away, his muscles feeling as if they were sagging after being pulled taught in fear and danger. He looked to Sarah who was staring wide-eyed into the distance, her face pale and her hands slightly shaking from the adrenaline dump.
"So," She said finally, "That uh….'government job'…." She lifted her hands and made air quotations as she spoke, "You had when we met…."
"Yeah?" Jesse chuckled, having a feeling he knew where she was going with this.
"Overwatch?"
"Blackwatch." He corrected, turning and closing the distance between them, smiling down at her.
"Blackwatch." She repeated, her mouth slightly open in shock. "Huh…."
Jesse took a moment to look around and realize what had happened in the last few hours. He looked over to Sarah, she was a bit disheveled, and she looked worn out, but she was otherwise whole. She glanced at Jesse and shook her head, putting her hands on her head and raking her fingers through her hair before tucking it behind her ears and chuckling breathlessly.
"This, life or death adrenaline thing…" She pat her chest over her heart quickly as if to mimic its beats. "Is a bitch cowboy, how…" She took a deep breath and Jesse could swear he saw a vein in her neck pulsating from her blood flow, "Do you deal with this, all the time?"
Jesse chuckled and felt a wave of relief flow through him, she wasn't ready to throttle him over the whole ordeal, and she wasn't running to get away from him. He took it as another sign of fate. He could see the flush to her cheeks and the way she shifted ever so slightly from foot to foot before turning in half circles as she tried to get her breathing into a steady rhythm.
"You get used to it." Jesse admitted, "Once you get done, you know," He shrugged lazily, looking up at the sky as the sun started to rise. Dawn painting the sky above in soft pinks, yellow and orange. "After the shittin' yourself part. It comes in stages."
"The adrenaline or the shitting yourself part?" She asked with a laugh, her nose and eyes crinkling as she tried to resist. Jesse doubled over, putting his hands on his knees as he bellowed in gut aching laughter as she turned and leaned on him, her hands on his shoulder as she joined him. The sound of their laughter stretching across the field, welcoming the first rays of sunshine and celebrating the safe calm. When the laughter died down to giggles and smiles, Jesse looked up out toward the hotel, his face starting to ache from the ear to ear grin he was giving.
"Oh god," He gave a last soft laugh, "That's why I love you." Jesse's smile dropped, and he suddenly felt cold as Sarah stood upright, one hand still on his shoulder.
"What did you say?" She asked as Jesse looked up at her, still doubled over, he let his mouth hang open in a soft 'uh' before closing his mouth and standing up quickly, making her back up a step. Jesse started to open his mouth and say something, to deny he had said anything at all in hopes of a better moment. Instead, Jesse closed his mouth and turned away like he was going to leave, he stopped a few steps away and reopened his mouth and lifted a finger before thinking better of it, he closed his mouth, licked his teeth before sucking them and nodding. Turning back around he stormed off toward the hotel, to fast to be walking but not really jogging as Sarah yelled after him to stop and repeat himself.
"Jesse! Answer me! What did you say!" She ran ahead and cut him off before they reached the patio for the dining area and held out her arms to stop him from walking around her. "I want to know what you said." Jesse refused to look at her, looking above her into the distance as if seeing someone she couldn't. Sarah looked over her shoulder and scanned the field, then back toward the hotel but didn't see anyone. "Jesse?"
"I said I love you." He blinked and looked down at her, his smile slowly returning, until he was grinning happily again. "I love you, Rosa. Have since we were youngins." He reached up and took her chin in his metal hand. "I'm sorry Rosa. I think we both done enough waitin' around." Jesse leaned in closer, meaning to finally take the kiss but she stopped him with the tips of her fingers.
"Wait, thief." Her voice was soft, not angry or disturbed but still, Jesse was hurt. He pulled away and let go of her as she pulled her hand back, cupping one hand with the other as if she had been burnt.
"You don't…want me to?" Jesse swallowed hard, confused and hurt as he looked away from her, not sure he could look her in the eye. He had thought so often of the kiss and desperately wanted to take it now. But her hesitation was eating at him faster than any doubt he had ever had about himself. "You don't feel the same?"
"I don't want…" She pointed over her shoulder, to the row of hotel rooms behind her. "Look, I want to be alone, after everything that happened…people are going to be looking for us and…" She smiled at him and stepped slightly to the side, leaning down, tilting her head so she looked up at him and he was forced to look her in the face. "Seems like everyone in the world has terrible timing." Jesse didn't know what to say but didn't object as she reached down and took his flesh hand in hers and pulled him gently into following along beside her.
Across the dining patio, to and up the stairs. Sarah lead him down to the room she had used, the door unlocked. Jesse wasn't smiling, doubt still chewing away at his mind until Sarah reached up and cupped his cheek. "Thief talk to me, you look so sad. I thought you would be happy?" Jesse sighed heavily and pat her hand as it rested on his face before locking eyes with her. It was as if Gabriel was still around, mocking Jesse with laughter. Fear of the lack of a response from his confession growing into a slight panic.
"Truth be told darlin', I'm a bit afraid of what you got to say, or rather, what you ain't said." He admitted quietly as she gave him a shocked stare. "Part of me feels like you love me. You wouldn't a' held on to all those things in your trunk if you didn'…. but…you ain't said it back either. It don't take no time to say it, yet you ain't." He took in a deep breath as if to brace himself as he babbled. "You say you wanna be left alone, and you don't want me to kiss you, and it's makin' a mighty big doubt in my mind. So this doubt is makin' me think, maybe I'm just a silly ol' fool, and you don't love me. Maybe you never have." He closed his eyes and pulled her hand away from his cheek, gently lowering it, so it hung by her side. "So, if you don't—then we got nothin' else to talk about."
Jesse waited for a second and saw the look on her face, her brow was pulled together, and she looked a bit angry with accusation in her eyes. Jesse let go of her hand and started to turn, muttering a goodbye with as much dignity as he could muster without choking on his tongue when he felt a tug on his sereape. Though it wasn't overpowering, he was pushed into the open door, causing it to swing inward and slam against the wall by both Sarah's hands.
"You listen to me, Thief." Sarah snapped, she had to stand tiptoe, so she was closer to being eye level with him, and she looked very indignant. "I have waited two decades to say what I need to, to you. I don't want anyone screwing this up, you or anyone else. Hear me?" she pointed a finger in his face and pressed herself against him so he couldn't move away. He started to open his mouth, and she made a loud 'Ah-ah!' warning and poked him hard on the chest with her finger. "Shut up!" Jesse clamped his mouth shut, eyes wide.
"I tried like hell to find you for years-we finally reunite with each other, and we end up running for our lives from terrorists—damn near kill ourselves to get here." She pointed her finger at his nose, growling each word out with such fury that Jesse half expected a slap across the face to accompany her anger. "And then you pull a damn pouting act because you dropped the bomb before you were ready and I'm taking my time." A slap did come, but not hard across the face as Jesse expected. Instead, she smacked him on the chest and narrowed her eyes at him. "I didn't want to get started telling you how much I love you; when anyone could have found us and interrupted! To quote you, we've waited long enough!" She grabbed his serape and pulled him off the door slightly. "So shut the hell up, and kiss me already!" Jesse grabbed her gently but firm by her cheeks and turned her, so she pressed against the wall beside the door, and this time gave no opportunity for distraction or diversion.
He pressed himself against her, pinning her to the wall and pressed his lips to hers hungrily. The first kiss was short and soft, the tenderness that had grown between them in their younger days—the kiss that should have been that night on the dance floor; however, as he pulled away she bit down on his lip and pulled him closer for another. Harder, more desperate and passionate with this one. Jesse could hear her moan just slightly against his lips, begging for more. He let go of her face and pulled off his serape, tossing it to the ground without breaking away from her as her hands traveled up his chest to his neck, up into his hair before taking off his hat and throwing it blindly further into the room. Jesse broke away and took three short, heated breaths before smiling at her, lifting one foot to swing the door shut with a slam.
***
Jesse woke slowly, blinking his sleep filled eyes reluctantly as he looked up at a ceiling he vaguely remembered. Then a thought registered, What did I dream about? He laid in the bed, feeling the crisp sheets against him when he realized a few things:
Not only had he not had a nightmare, he hadn't dreamt at all. He'd gotten a good night's sleep for the first time in so long that it began to worry him when he realized the next few things.
He was naked in a bed that wasn't his own.
It was the middle of the day, judging by the light trying its best to peep inside the room around the drawn curtains.
He wasn't alone.
She was naked too.
Jesse looked over to the right side of the bed to see a woman with brown hair turned on her side close beside him, her back to him, the covers pulled over her slightly. He smiled, watching the sheets rise and fall with her natural, unburdened breath. He rolled over and wrapped an arm around her, pressing himself against her as he kissed up her arm to her bare shoulder.
"Jesse," Sarah murmured sleepily, "I love you, but I can't go more than three cowboy, no matter how much I want to."
He chuckled at this and rubbed his lips against her skin, taking in how soft and cool it was. "Sorry darlin' I didn't mean to wake ya, you go back to sleep. I'm check on the old man." There was a sleepy moan as Jesse ran his hands over her arms and trailed his fingertips down her side before she took his hand and tried to get him to lay down with her. He kissed her hand and rolled out of bed, finding his clothes with little difficulty. He slipped on his underwear and his pants and made a silent decision to leave it at that, he was only going down the hall, and when he got back, he was climbing back into bed to be with her.
Jesse picked up his brown button up flannel shirt and put it on the nightstand beside Sarah as she dozed gently, Jesse leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before smoothing her hair and heading out the door as quietly as he could. He looked out over the hotel's lower floor to see that nothing had changed since yesterday. There weren't any vehicles waiting, or people watching, so Jesse got to keep feeling relaxed until he peeked into Santana's office. The elderly man was sitting in his bed, half asleep when the sound of the door startled him into jerking awake and reaching for a bat that was propped against the bed.
"Easy San, it's just Jesse!" Jesse laughed as he held up his hands and stepped inside, the carpet a nice change on his bare feet as opposed to the icy concrete of the walkway.
"Jesse!" Santana gasped, putting down the weapon and waving him inside. "Come mijo, come, I must tell you!" Jesse walked over to the bed and raised a brow at him, curious as to what a shut-in elderly man would suddenly have to tell him. "I had, the most wonderful dream last night mijo," Santana pat the bed and Jesse shook his head with a smile as he sat down on a clear spot at the end of the bed.
"Did ya now?" He smiled and pat Santana's leg, "What was it about?"
"You!" Santana pointed a long, gnarled finger at Jesse who made an interested face and nodded for him to continue. "But before we get into all that. Go to that picture over there," Santana pointed across the room to the couch where Jesse had been sleeping the nights before. There was a photo of a cowboy on a horse, the sun setting in the background. "Take it down and get the bag that's behind it." Jesse gave him a concerned stare.
"San, what you been into?"
"Nothing boy! I been savin' up for years, for when you'd need it." Santana reached down and laughed his raspy, weak laugh as he squeezed Jesse's hand and then waved for him to do as he was told. Jesse stood and started to cross the room when Santana began laughing hysterically and wheezing. "She sure did a number on your back boy!"
Jesse jumped and whirled around in a circle, trying to look at his back when he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror on the wall. Long thin red marks were laced across his back from the curve of his shoulders to the waist of his pants, and Jesse felt his ears get hot in embarrassment. He laughed uneasily and agreed before doing as he was told and took a black bag from a false portion of the wall and brought it back to the bed. Santana urged him to open it, and when Jesse saw the bundles of cash, he shook his head.
"San I can't this, you need to use this." He shook his head, "I do alright with my bounty huntin'."
"You need it." Santana insisted, digging around in the bag until he came to a paper rolled tightly with a string. He passed it to Jesse. "Read." Jesse took the string off and unrolled the paper, reading silently until he realized what it said.
"This is your will!" Jesse barked, "Why are you showin' me this?" But Santana just waved his hand for Jesse to keep reading it. "You…your leavin'…" He sunk down on the bed slowly, rereading the paper. "You're leavin' me the hotel in your will?" He looked up to see Santana smiling happily at him. "Why….why all this?" Jesse waved the will paper at the bag of money and shook his head. "I don't understand."
"I'm dying Jesse…" Santana spoke softly, leaning back against his pillows and sighing. "And last night, I had the most wonderful…not a dream…" The old man shook his wrinkled head slowly, "More like a vision…you need to give up bounty hunting boy and settle for somethin' a lil less dangerous. For their sake."
"Whose sake?" Jesse asked, sitting on the end of the bed again.
"Rosa, and Belle's."
Jesse didn't know what to say for a bit, he hadn't seen Santana since he had originally told him that he was going to work—and then Santana hadn't been able to remember him at all. Yet somehow, he knew that Jesse and Sarah had reunited, the words 'she did a number on your back!' came back and embarrassed him more, he half wondered what the old man had heard yesterday and last night when a more important thought came to him.
"Whose Belle?" Jesse asked, putting the will paper in his lap and idly looking over the words.
"Mi nieta." Santana sighed blissfully, putting his hands on his chest and lacing his fingers as he closed his eyes.
"You don't have any granddaughters named Belle," Jesse reminded him. "Joel never had kids." Jesse started to go on when Santana chuckled and stopped him.
"Ella será hermosa…." Santana went on. "The most beautiful baby you will ever see mijo…Your eyes and hair, and Rosa's beautiful face and heart." The elderly man sighed happily, "But she will be as stubborn as you both," He chuckled and opened his eyes, sending a cold shiver through Jesse, "That's why you named her Belle….after that outlaw you told Rosa about as kids…"
"I…never told you about that…" Jesse said quietly, leaning back away from Santana who nodded slowly.
"I know, I know…Mijo…listen to me, and listen good." He moved one hand to point at Jesse, "Take the money, fix up the house…open the hotel again and settle down, get married…You two owe it to one another to do it right…And don't make them worry about you." His face became grim. "I won't be around forever Jesse…please…tell me you hear me."
"I…I hear you…" Jesse rubbed his eyes with one hand, shuddering as he fought back a sob. "Santana, thank you. For everything." First one tear, then countless streaked down Jesse's cheeks as Santana smiled warmly at him. "I might not a'been your blood, but you always took care ah me." Jesse got off the bed, he wrapped the elderly man in a gentle hug. "I love you San. You will always be my family."
"Jesse?" Jesse slowly let go of Santana's neck and turned to see Sarah wearing Jesse's shirt, and her jeans form the day before, standing in the doorway. "Is everything ok? Your crying?" She stepped inside and joined him at the bedside where Santana chuckled and gave Jesse a mischievous look. "Santana?" She asked gently, pulling the old man's fading eyes on her. "Do you remember me? My name is Sarah,"
"Rosa…" Santana corrected softly and reached up, patting her cheek gently. "I am so happy to see you again mija…"
"You remember!" Sarah sounded like she could cry, squeezing his thin hand in hers gently.
"I had always hoped," Santana smiled and pat her hand in his free one. "That you would come back, and make an honest man outta him." Santana nodded at Jesse, making them both chuckle. "Mija, you are a wonderful woman. And you will be good for him, but please forgive him when he is stubborn…Don't mind him when he is to stressed out to talk….and don't be afraid to tell him what you think when you think it…" He waved a finger at her and gave a weak wink. "And take it easy on his back next time, the poor boy isn't going to be able to move when it settles." This made her face light up light a Christmas tree as she glanced over and noticed the marks on Jesse's shoulder, which was shaking with laughter as he rubbed his eyes.
"Alright, quit embaressin' me." Jesse's cheeks matched the color of his serape as he wrapped an arm around Sarah and put his head against hers.
"It makes me happy," Santana smiled, leaning back against his pillows as he held out a hand for both Rosa and Jesse to take. "To see you two reunited…you have something very special…do not let stubbornness and strife cause you to forget it…" He squeezed both their hands before sighing heavily. "Mijo, I'm tired now…I want to rest." Jesse pat Rosa's arm and nodded toward the door when Santana reminded him. "The bag Jesse, take it." Jesse picked up the bag and planted a kiss on Santana's balding head before he told him.
"I'll come back and check on you a bit with some food okay?"
"No food Mijo." Santana sighed, closing his eyes, "I'm not hungry." Jesse looked around the room and noticed that there weren't any containers with half-eaten food, and he started to grow worried, but Santana let out a soft snore and Jesse sighed, shaking his head as he left the room and shut the door behind him.