Chapter Eight-Dirty Sanchez

Hell Bent for Leather

By EmiliosLoofah (otherwise known as tk421beth)

Chapter Summary: It's time for Billy and Jessie to leave Juarez. Charlie insists on coming with them, even when Jessie tells him to stay.

Deep down, though, she knows that they need more than just Charlie with them in order to survive.

Authors Notes: Billy traveled quite a bit to bypass the law and bounty hunters alike. White Oaks, Roswell, Fort Sumner, and Las Vegas (New Mexico Las Vegas-Not Nevada, LOL!) were some of the places he had visited.

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

Mid August, 1878

The weekly dance was being held tonight and many people from the nearby towns were expected to arrive.

I felt bad about shouting at Billy and Charlie earlier. I really felt that Charlie should stay here in old Mexico, but Billy wants Charlie to come with us. What Billy wants…Billy gets.

I apologized to both Billy and Charlie. Charlie took it well, giving me a big hug of forgiveness, but I got a much colder reaction from Billy. As I told him that I was sorry, he looked at me straight in the eyes, a look of annoyance clouding his face. He didn't say one word to me.

With Manuela's urging, I wore one of her nicest dresses, a beautiful dark brown one, with white ribbons attached to the sleeves, waist and hem. She wore her best red lace dress, and then we both worked on each other's hair, styling it up.

"You and Billito are fighting, no?" She asked me.

I sighed. "He's still upset at my outburst earlier, but he'll get over it."

"Bueno!" Manuela stated, grabbing her shawl. "Shall we have our men escort us to the fiesta then?"

I was sitting alone, wondering where Billy had gone. He has been pretty distant this evening, and I didn't push him. I glanced towards the couples dancing, spotting Charlie and Manuela dancing and laughing together.

"Quieres bailar?" A gruff voice asked me. Do you want to dance?

I glanced up to see a Mexican hovering above me. He was filthy dirty, wearing a huge sombreroon his head, and was well armed as well. It's Dirty Sanchez! I observed, staring at him in awe. Dirty Sanchez is well known for his huge black mustache, black eyes and angry demeanor. He and his three compadres were the meanest set of banditos out of south Texas. They robbed trains, banks and everything else they could get a hold of. Some people called Dirty Sanchez the Jesse James of the West.

"Ah! You don't speak Spanish? That's okay…I speak English." He flashed his yellowed teeth at me. "So…would you like to dance?"

Why is he talking to me? Doesn't he know who I am? "No thank you, Senor." I told him, turning him down. "I'm waiting for someone."

He laughed at my reply. "Don't be a silly girl." He said, grabbing my arm. "Let's dance querida."

My eyes narrowed. "Let go of me."

He just smiled; his meaty fingers still grasping my upper arm. "Do you know who I am?"

I just sat there, staring up at him.

"Puta!" He spat, staring at me. "I'm Dirty Sanchez, you stupid bitch!" Apparently, he was used to being recognized.

"So bloody what?" I countered.

This made him laugh again. His hand still gripping my upper arm, he proceeds to force me up, slamming my body into his. "You're the prettiest girl here." He whispered, his eyes roaming my body. "You should feel honored, querida."

I made a face. His breath was stale, reeking of cheroot. Dirty Sanchez also has unbelievable bad body odor. It took all my might not to throw up. "I'm not you querida you…you…pendejo!"

He didn't laugh at that. He narrowed his brown eyes at me. "You will be…after tonight." He pulled a large knife from his belt and threatened me with it, forcing me to walk with him. "Perhaps if you please me, I won't kill you"

I didn't say a word. I was concentrating on how I was going to get out of this situation. Why didn't I take my six-shooters? Or my knives even? Where the bloody hell was Billy when I needed him?

"Is there a problem here?" Charlie abruptly stood in front of us, holding his shotgun menacingly at Dirty Sanchez.

I sighed with relief.

"Well, well! Charlie Bowdre!" Dirty Sanchez greeted him, suddenly letting go of my arm, and sheathing his knife. "How've you been, amigo?"

I held my breath, wondering how these two knew each other. "Just fine, Sanchez." Charlie then looked at me. "You okay?"

"Fine thanks, now that you're here." I quickly moved behind Charlie. "I guess this is goodbye." I said to Dirty Sanchez over Charlie's shoulder.

Dirty Sanchez tipped his hat towards me, his black eyes not once leaving my face. He then said goodbye to Charlie, and quickly left.

"Bloody hell!" I exclaimed, grabbing onto Charlie's arm. "How do you know him?"

Charlie chuckled. "One meets several colorful people here in Juarez, Jessica."

I laughed with him. "Thanks, Charlie." I kissed his cheek. "I think I'll stick to wearing my weapons from now on."

"Rightfully so." He agreed, as we walked to the other side of the fiesta.

"Have you seen Billy?" I asked him.

Charlie didn't say anything. His eyes darted from one side to the other side of the party before he finally replied no.

"Where in the bloody hell is he?" I complained, as we sat down. "I know he's mad at me, but I'm worried about him. I haven't seen him for some time."

Charlie continued to be silent. I knew something wasn't right. He knew where Billy was, but wasn't going to tell me.

I scanned the crowd of people, trying to spot Billy. I caught Manuela's eye, instead. She was talking with her mother and sisters, and waved at me. I waved back, and unexpectedly spotted Billy.

Just like last time in Juarez, he was dancing with a young Spanish girl. I just rolled my eyes, and cursed under my breath. What else could I do?

"You ready to leave tomorrow?" Charlie asked me.

I nodded. "Manuela's taking it well." I couldn't keep my eyes off of Billy.

"She's a good wife."

Manuela came over, and soon she and Charlie were dancing again. I felt the familiar pangs of jealously as I continued to watch Billy with another woman. The song finally ended, and I observed him hold the girl close and whisper something in her ear that made her giggle.

Fuming, I stood up, and left. I decided not to make a fool of myself here at the dance.

"Jessie!" I heard Billy's voice behind me. "Jess…wait up!"

I turned to see him run up to me. "Where do you think you're going?" He sounded mad.

"I'm going back to the casa. I've had enough of the dance tonight."

"But we didn't dance yet."

"I don't care." I glared at him. "Why don't you go back and dance with that woman again?"

He chuckled. "Are you jealous?"

"No!" I blurted out a little too quickly.

"You are jealous. God damn, Jessie!" Billy laughed, much to my annoyance.

"Shut up, Billy! Stop laughing! If you weren't so bloody busy dancing with every damn woman in the plaza, you would have saved me from being ogled by Dirty Sanchez."

"You met Dirty Sanchez?" He looked impressed. "What's he like?"

"A right asshole he is." I spat, causing Billy to laugh even more. "Would you stop?" I tried to sound upset, but I felt a smile develop. Damn him and the power he has over me! "I even called him a pendejo." I added, trying to impress Billy.

"Shit, Jessie…you sure are tough!" He kept on laughing, his arms encircling me by my waist. "I can't believe you called Dirty Sanchez an asshole!" He said, nuzzling my neck.

Dirty Sanchez wasn't the only pendejo here tonight! Smiling at Billy, I giggled against his neck.

I was forgiven…and so was he…

21 December, 1878

Four months have past…four long months. I have never worked so hard in my whole life. We have been rustling cattle and horses and bringing them into Texas to sell. This was our way of life. We had no other way to make money, unless we wanted to rob banks or trains, which really didn't appeal to Billy at all. To even think of settling down somewhere was absurd.

I began to think that this wasn't the life for me. But them, where could I go? I was an outlaw, just like Billy himself. 'I'll take care of you.' I could still hear Billy's voice that terrible night at the McSween home.

Billy, Charlie and I had just spent a few days in Tularosa, and now we were riding back to Fort Sumner; when we hit Tinnie, it started to snow.

"This reminds me when I was a boy." Billy started to say. "We chopped down a tree in the nearby forest a few weeks before Christmas. I was the one to do it. I picked the biggest, most beautiful one, chopped it down, and rode it back home."

I then realized that this would be the first Christmas without father. I missed him terribly.

"You okay, Jessica?" Charlie asked, riding up next to me.

I was just thinking about father."

"Yeah," Charlie sighed. "I miss him too."

"Let's chop down a tree right now!" Billy stated, obviously trying to lift our somber moods.

"You're mad!" I slowly began to smile.

Billy winked at me as he dismounted.

"What are you doing?" I questioned him, as the snow subsided.

"You heard me. We're gonna chop down a Christmas tree!"

"And drag it all the way to Fort Sumner?" I questioned as I dismounted.

"Yup!" Billy produced a hatchet out of his saddle bag, and started to look around for an appropriate tree.

"I'm gonna check the area out." Charlie told us, riding slowly away. He was forever paranoid of the bounty hunters and law looking for us. We moved around so often, they always seemed to be on the other side of New Mexico that we were on.

"Here's the one!" Billy exclaimed excitedly, touching a huge ponderosa pine tree.

I smiled, watching Billy chop down the tree. He took his time, talking to me as he chopped the giant down.

Soon, it was on the ground. I was ready with some burlap and heavy rope. "It's so beautiful, Billy." I told him, as I started to wrap the tree.

Billy walked up behind me, and slid his arms around me, holding me close. "Not as beautiful as you are."

"Billy!" I could feel my face turn red, as I looked up into his eyes.

You know, I never really thought I would say this to anybody, but I really do…care about you, Jess. I really do…"

"Holy shit, Billy…you did it!" I heard Charlie laugh, as he rode up.

I waited for Billy to finish what I was longing to hear…but it never came. I could feel the mood slip away, as Billy took a deep breath and gently pushed me away. He grabbed his canteen off his horse. "We really need to make sure this burlap is soaking wet, so the needles stay moist."

I stood there stunned. Was this all I would ever get from Billy? But, for right now, it was enough. Billy cared about me…

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