Chapter Seven…Posole and Pals…OR, My back hurts!

Hell Bent for Leather

By EmiliosLoofah (otherwise known as tk421beth)

Chapter Summary: With the killing of Lawrence Murphy, Billy and Jessie head out of town. Do you all know what hell bent for leather means? It means get the hell outta here! Well…loosely translated!

Authors Notes: Other than green chile (my favorite!) there is another food dish celebrated in New Mexico: Posole. Posole is pork stew made with hominy. Of course, you can't eat it without some fresh tortillas! It tastes good on eggs too! Special thanks to my friend Vicky, who introduced posole to me. She doesn't read my fan fic, but I wanted to add a thank you to her anyway!

Special thanks to Tom and Sue! Thanks for the comments, ideas and suggestions!

Pantz…this chapter is dedicated to your Regulators! Kick those Murphy/Dolan asses!

Early August, 1878

Billy and I decided to stay at old Fort Sumner for a few days, to prepare for the long trek to Charlie and Manuela's home, in Juarez, old Mexico.

I knew that we had to keep on moving. I read the paper daily, and after I killed Murphy, there was a lot of attention given to Billy and myself in the papers, but so far, it seemed no one was looking for us and there was no reward posted for us…yet.

The day before we left, I walked into Beaver's place, the only Saloon in Fort Sumner. Billy was at the bar, laughing at something the bartender told him.

The bartender indeed looks familiar to me…he is the tallest man I have ever seen, with dark brown hair, beard and mustache, and brown eyes. Who is he?

I walked up, and ordered a whisky.

"Jessie!" Billy smiled. "You remember Pat Garrett, don't you?"

"Oh, yes…hello there, Mister Garrett!" I smiled at him, feeling stupid that I didn't remember who he was. He poured a hefty shot of whisky for me. "I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you…"

Chuckling, he gave me a smirk. "I recognized you." He teased. "And you can leave out the Mister."

I remembered the time when we were in Juarez. At first I thought Pat Garrett was a bounty hunter, and was after Billy. All he did was inform us about the McSween ambush that was planned. Then, I thought he was paid by Murphy to seek out Billy and myself; to tell us to go to Lincoln and fall in their trap. Listening to the local folk talk for the last few days, I decided that Pat Garrett was a man that could be trusted. Furthermore, Billy seemed to like him fine. That was good enough for me.

I searched my vest for some money to pay for the drink. Where did I put my money? I checked my trousers, my satchel, but couldn't find a penny.

"That's all right, Tunstall." Pat Garrett said, as I frantically continued the search. "This one's on me."

"Thanks! So…what are you doing here…Garrett?" I asked him, using his Christian name, as he did mine.

"I take care of Beaver's place when he's out of town…been thinking of opening my own place here."

"That would be nice." I pulled out some chewing gum out of my satchel and popped it in my mouth. "Want some?" I offered to Billy and Garrett.

Garrett declined, but Billy took a piece. I laughed, knowing full well that Billy wouldn't turn down a piece of gum. He loves sweets of all kinds.

"Well…" Billy told Garrett. "We're leaving tomorrow."

"Where are you both headed?" Garrett asked, cleaning the shot glass that I just used.

I opened my mouth to say Juarez, but Billy quickly interrupted, telling Garrett that we were headed north, to Las Vegas.

"Well, have a safe trip, you two. Hopefully, we'll see each other again." Garrett offered his hand out to Billy, while looking at me.

"Likewise." Billy smiled, shaking Garrett's hand.

"See you soon, Tunstall." He winked at me.

"See you, Garrett!" I threw over my shoulder, as Billy and I walked out of Beaver's Place.

"What was that all about?" I asked Billy.

"Jessie…" Billy stopped walking, and took my hands in his. "It is wise not to tell people where we are headed…even people that we think that we can trust. Understand?"

"I understand, Billy." I told him, looking straight into his eyes. "You can count on me…" I smiled up at him.

Billy laughed. "I know that."

We made it to Juarez in the middle of the day. Billy and I walked over to Charlie's house, and knocked on the door.

Charlie himself answered the door. He looked at us with genuine surprise, then absolute happiness. "Well! I'll be damned!" He shouted, embracing me in a bear hug, twirling me around. "Ain't you a sight for sore eyes?"

I laughed as Charlie let me unceremoniously down, and then grabbed Billy in a hug also, without the twirling about, I may add.

"Damn, I wish Manuela was here, but she went to see her Mother before the siesta starts." Charlie explained, grinning from ear to ear. "What in the hell are you both doin' here?" He asked, leading us inside the casa, with the offerings of food and drink. Charlie and Manuela lived in a simple adobe style home, as the other villagers in Juarez did. "Not that I'm upset." He continued to grin, as we sat in the kitchen.

"We needed to get away." Billy told him, as Charlie served us some tequila, and empanadas, small fruit pastries. "Uh…I need to use the privy." Billy stated.

I watched him leave, as I then turned my attention back to Charlie.

"So!" He smiled at me. "How have you been, Jessie?"

"I'm fine…I think." I grimaced. What can you say about what just happened?

"I know…" We seemed to be sharing the same thoughts. "I read about you and Billy in the papers."

I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"How are you and Billy…doin'?"

"Okay, I guess." I shrugged, as I bit into the apple empanada.

"When are you gonna get married?" He blurted out.

I almost choked. "I don't know, Charlie. We haven't discussed it." I glared at him as a feeling of uneasiness unexpectedly washed over me. I wasn't totally sure how Billy exactly felt about me. I knew that he liked me, that much was true. But did he love me? Does Billy love me as much as I love him? I remembered what Chavez had told me the last time I saw him: 'Love given without merit may perceive as foolish folly.'

"I'm just askin', jeesh, Jessie!" Charlie uneasily laughed. "You don't have to get all riled up about it."

"That's okay." I gave him a small smile, letting him know it was all right with me.

"Well, sweetheart?" Billy asked as he came back into the kitchen. "Did ya ask him how long we can stay?"

It was decided that we would stay a week. I smiled, remembering a quote from Ben Franklin: 'Visitors and fish smell after a week.'

I gladly helped Manuela around the house, making breakfast, lunch, supper, cleaning, and washing. It was monotonous labor, and I'd rather work a cattle drive, then to be forced to do all this work!

But…I was glad to have the female companionship. Growing up without a Mother, the only close female contact I had in America was Susan McSween.

Manuela is a sweet girl, and only a year younger than me. Thank God I learned to speak Spanish, or we'd just be smiling at one another.

Earlier today, Manuela put me in one of her dresses, and pulled up my hair in a neat knot, all the while saying that I'd never get married if I continued to parade around dressed like a man. As I proceeded to tell her that I had no interest in getting married, she snorted her reply as she handed me a pair of rope sandals. Unbelievable as it sounds, the sandals fit my feet perfectly. They were comfortable as well!

"Billito is very handsome, Jessie." Manuela told me with a giggle. "You must be so happy."

"I am!" I giggled back, as she worked on making the posole for supper. I had the task of making the tortillas. We were almost done, much to my relief!

"And you…you are so beautiful."

"Manuela!" I felt myself turning red. "Stop that!" I flicked some flour at her.

"You both would make some beautiful babies. Why not get married?" She pressed.

I sighed. If it wasn't Manuela, it was Charlie trying to pressure me into marriage. "What's the damn hurry?" I grunted.

She just smiled, adding some more spices to the posole.

"That smells so good!" I heard Billy's voice. He too, is only speaking Spanish while in town. "When's supper?" He asked hopefully.

"When it's ready, Billito!" Manuela laughed at Billy's disappointed face. "After the siesta."

"Can I take Jessie away for a while?" He asked Manuela.

"Sure." She winked at me, as I quickly washed my hands, and followed him outside.

"Figured you can use a break." He held out his arm to me. "Let's take a short walk before the siesta."

"All right." I was so glad for the break! We walked slowly away from the house, hand in hand.

"You look real pretty in that dress."

"Thanks, Billy." I felt my cheeks redden. "Manuela made me wear it." It is a beautiful dress; white with bright red, blue and green flowers embroidered on the lower skirt.

"Your hair looks real pretty too. I haven't seen it worn up for sometime. I think I like it that way."

I laughed. "Billy! Stop that now. I know you…" I knew something was on his mind."What's going on?"

"Can you be ready to leave by tomorrow morning?"

"What?" Why?" I questioned him, stopping to face him.

"We need to get out of here."

I looked at Billy like he was crazy. "But…but…"

Billy had a serious look on his face as he waited for me to finish.

"Can't we stay here?" I finally uttered.

"Not anymore." His hand reached inside his vest pocket, and he pulled out the New Mexico Independent.

"Oh, that's just brilliant!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes. "Bloody hell!"

Laughing again, he gently nudged my shoulder with his and began to read. "Billy the Kid and the Sweetheart Shooter." Billy looked down at me with a grin, as he watched my eyes narrow with loathing. "I will pay $700 reward, total to any person or persons who will capture William H. Bonney, alias Billy the Kid and Jessica M. Tunstall, alias the Sweetheart Shooter. Deliver them to the sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico. Satisfactory proofs of identity will be required for said reward. Signed…J. Dolan."

I didn't say anything. What in the bloody hell were we going to do now? Run for the rest of our lives? Oh, God!

"You okay, Jessie?"

"Of courseI'm not bloody okay, Billy! Seven hundred dollars! Think about how many people are going to be coming and seeking us out!"

"I know." He replied, taking my hand in his. "That's why Charlie is goin' with us!"

"Charlie? No…Billy!" My eyes widened with horror. "He can't come with us! Charlie's married…settled…"

"Pals…remember, sweetheart? Pals. Good ole Charlie remembers the meaning of pals. Not like some other Regulators we know."

I didn't know what to say. Billy is in charge, and I knew I couldn't change his mind on this matter. He tenderly took my hand in his, as we walked back. I knew what he was thinking. If this information was in the Independent, it would be most likely be in several newspapers around the country. We need a lot more people riding with us...more than just Charlie Bowdre.

We made it back to the casa. "Let's take our siesta and we'll talk about this later."

Arriving in the small bedroom, Billy opened the door and let me inside. As soon as I heard the door close, Billy pulled me close to him. "Shit, Jess….you've bewitched me."

I gazed into his eyes and felt momentarily off balance by the look of passion on his face. "Have I?" I questioned innocently, my hands on his chest.

"You know damn well you have." He told me, tossing his hat on the small chair, his blue eyes not once leaving my face. "If we didn't make it back here at the time we did…I would have taken you then and there…outside…and to hell with everyone."

My mouth went dry. Thoughts of the vision evoked by Billy's provocative threat raced through my mind. I wanted to tell him that I was under his spell, but that didn't seem to matter now.

His mouth captured mine in a smothering kiss. Closing my eyes, I surrendered to Billy. As my body swayed into him, his kiss turned even more demanding; his hands on my waist, pulling me even closer to him, if that was possible.

His hands roamed under my dress, as he began to place hot, wet kisses on my neck. He suddenly picked me up, and I felt my legs wrap around him, as I moaned with pleasure. My arms were around his neck, my fingers in his hair.

Kissing my mouth again, he turned us around, my back now against the wall. I heard his gun belt drop to the floor with a loud thud during our heated kiss. His pants soon followed.

"Billy!" I gasped with shock, as he tore my undergarments away. I knew then that he had no intention making it to the bed.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart." I obeyed Billy at once, looking down at him, his blue eyes full with desire. "I need you, Jessie." He whispered, his hands on my waist, holding my legs up and around him. "Right…now."

"Yes!" I cried out. "Oh, Billy…I love you!"

With a smile and a grunt, Billy slid up and into me. We fit together perfectly, as if we were made for each other. Suddenly, all thoughts and fears receded in that moment of our pure physical and emotional connection.

"This is the best damn posole I've ever had!" Billy announced happily.

"Thank you!" Manuela giggled. "But Jessie did help me."

I smiled at her, as she squeezed my hand.

Charlie chuckled, raising his glass of wine. "Here's to the two most beautiful women in Juarez!"

"Damn straight!" Billy agreed, making me laugh, and Manuela blush. We all drank the sweet red wine and ate the rest of our supper heartily.

Manuela is putting up a brave front. She knew Charlie would be leaving with us in the morning, and I'm sure she tried to coax her husband into staying. Manuela can't begin to understand the relationship these two men have. Charlie just couldn't say no to Billy…few people could.

I tried talking to Charlie right after supper. "Charlie…for God's sake, stay here with Manuela! You're married…settled!"

"It's done, Jessica, I'm going with you both." He firmly stated.

"You can't!" I pleaded with him. "You shouldn't! This is about Billy and me! Not you! Charlie…please!" I gently held onto his upper arm. "The Lincoln County War is over. For me…for Manuela…stay here in Juarez!"

Charlie looked down at me, his brown eyes studying my face. He sighed, and stated again that he was going with us tomorrow morning.

"Damn you to bloody hell, Charlie Bowdre!" I shouted with frustration, much to Charlie's surprise. "You always have been so bloody stubborn!"

"What's going on in here?" Billy suddenly rushed into the sitting room.

"You!" I yelled, pointing a finger at him. "You talk about pals, but do you really know the true meaning of the word?"

I walked up to Billy, my finger poking him in the chest. He looked down at me with an angry look, but didn't speak. "I don't think that you do, Billy! If you did, if you really were Charlie's pal…you wouldn't have asked him to come with us back to New Mexico!"

With that, I stormed out of the room.

Well, hope you all liked that chapter! It was pretty long, but I missed writing about Billy and Jessie!You know what to do! Click on that little button and review! I heart reviews! Thanks!