Chapter Fourteen

Frank listened as Jesse told him what happened with the last bank. It had been a perfectly laid trap that had cost them too much. Jesse explained that he didn't want to go and do the job, but Cole had insisted.

"I knew the minute we got into town that something wasn't right," Jesse said as he sipped his coffee. "There was no one on the streets. And then when we got in the bank, it was like the people were expecting us."

Frank looked down at the ground and then over at Mattie. He smiled a little as he watched her groom Challenger and then turned back to Jesse. He took a long drink of coffee and sighed. "Then what happened?"

Jesse took a long while to answer. How could he relate how bad the fighting had been? It had been nothing but blood, pain, and shooting. He didn't remember anything but that. He looked over at Mattie for a moment and felt his mind slip back to the woman who was waiting for him.

"There was no money in the safe and it turned into a real shoot out. We managed to get out of town and Jim was shot. The poor kid."

"The railroad burned him out too," Frank paused to pick his next words. "There was no way you could have stopped him."

Jesse only nodded. "I'm done, Frank. This life, this crazy idea, I'm done. I just want to go home, marry Zee, and live another life."

Frank smiled. He knew exactly how his brother felt. He wanted to do the same thing with Mattie. He glanced over at her again, and this time she looked over at him and flashed him a smile.

"She's beautiful," Jesse said out of nowhere.

Frank turned back to him and his smiled broadened. "She's a lot more than that."

Jessed smiled too. He had never seen Frank so happy. He could understand why he was. If Mattie was a beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, Jesse knew why Frank loved her. She had saved his life and brought him back to the Gang.

"Are you going to stay with her?" Jesse asked.

Frank sat his coffee down and looked at his brother. He stared into Jesse's eyes and thought about his answer. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. He wanted to stay with Mattie, but there were so many things that had to be tied up before he could make a life with her.

"I don't know yet," Frank said heavily. "She had a life before I came along, and I'm not sure she will want to start one with me."

Jesse saw Mattie moving over to the fire now. She was so graceful and kind it seemed. She glanced over at them. Her eyes fell on Jesse for just a moment, and then they moved to Frank. Her whole face lit up as she looked at him.

"I think she loves you," Jesse said softly where only Frank could hear.

Frank smiled. "Yeah, she told me that last night."

"What did you tell her?"

Frank looked down at the ground and kicked a stray rock. He thought about the night they had just shared. He had told her that he loved her. He actually said something a little different from just a simple I love you.

"I told her that I had always loved her, even before I knew her."

"Frank, that's pretty amazing."

Frank stared up at Mattie and started to say something when he heard the sound of horses. Jesse turned at hearing the same sound. Both men stood up and reached for their guns. Frank turned to the clearing and saw some riders coming up. He turned to Mattie, who was walking toward Challenger to get the rifle.

Mattie reached for the gun when someone grabbed her from behind. She swung around and was face to face with Buck. He pressed his six-shooter against her ribs and held her firmly.

"I missed you, darlin'," he whispered.

Mattie growled under her breath and dropped her hand from the rifle. She looked around. The men were watching as Buck's gang came up. She wanted to scream but she knew that they couldn't help her now.

"Boys," Buck called out. "Drop your guns, or I'll kill the new mistress."

Frank turned to see Buck holding the gun to Mattie's head. She was standing so still and looked so scared. He pulled back his gun and stopped. Mattie was shaking her head. He quickly dropped his gun and signaled for the others to do the same. All the men dropped their guns and turned to Buck.

"Alright boys," Buck said, smiling. "Now, I'm going to go with my prize." He bent down, sniffing Mattie's hair.

Mattie closed her eyes to fight the tears that were filling her eyes. Buck yanked her toward his horse, and Frank moved toward her.

"Don't," Mattie said forcibly. "He'll kill you."

Buck turned and pointed the gun at Frank. Frank stepped back and looked at Mattie. She nodded, letting him know that she had a plan. Buck threw her on the horse and turned back to Frank.

"Don't follow me."

"Frank!" Mattie yelled.

Cole caught her meaning and tossed her a gun. She caught it with ease, but not before Buck started shooting. Mattie turned the horse still holding the gun and charged at some of the riders. She rode toward Challenger when someone yanked her off the horse. She smashed to the ground and got up slowly, shaking her head. She looked around and couldn't see anything except smoke. She got up, dodging the bullets.

Frank watched as Mattie got up. He couldn't see Buck anywhere, but he knew that he hadn't been shot. He saw Mattie go toward Challenger, and then saw Buck. He was going straight toward her. He grabbed his gun and stood up. He aimed carefully right as Buck reached for Mattie. Then let out a shot.

Mattie spun around at hearing a gunshot that close and saw Buck coming toward her. She could see the blood coming from his shoulder, but she also saw that he still had his gun and was reaching for it. She shot without hesitation.

Buck moved a couple of steps as the bullet smashed into him. He walked toward Mattie and reached for her.

"I loved you," he said as he feel forward, dead.

Mattie took a step away from him as the noise died down. Buck's men had lost their taste for a fight. She looked around and saw Frank. He was smiling at her and she only nodded. She then turned back to Buck and walked past the body.

"I never loved you," she said and walked into Buck's arms.