"She's doin' good." Sadie observed.

Sadie watched as Mary-Beth rode Gray in the meadow. She was a little unsure at first, but gradually progressed and now she looked like a professional.

Ethan put her through a few tests, like laying a broken branch in her way, startling Gray, making her come to a complete stop. He made her push Gray into a gallop then come to a complete stop, a canter, a trot, then back to a slow stroll.

"How am I doing?" Mary-Beth asked.

"Doing really good–" Ethan replied. "Did Gray have any issues?"

"No, I don't think so," She said, circling Ethan. "Do you want me to get off?"

"Do you want to get off?"

She smirked. "Well…that's a loaded question there cowboy."

He opened his mouth to speak, then realization set in and he found himself blushing profusely. He looked down, nodding his head.

"You're funny, Mary-Beth. Uh, you can continue riding if you want."

She circled him once more, then urged Gray into a trot. He leaned against the old broken wooden fence, watching as she powered Gray as if he was her horse.

"Hey Ethan–" Molly called out. "Can I have a word?"

Ethan glanced over his shoulder. "Sure, Mis O'Shea. What'd you need?"

"Call me Molly–" Molly corrected. "Uh…does Dutch seem off to you?"

"No more than usual, I reckon–" He shrugged. "Why?"

"I...I really love him, but he keeps saying loyalty means everything–"

He really didn't understand what she was trying to say, but he allowed her to continue, of which she didn't.

"With all due respect, I'm not quite sure I understand. Is Dutch okay?"

"That's the point," She heaved a sigh. "I was thinking of asking ye, well, you and Miss Gaskill–"

"Ethan!"

Uncle's unsettling voice interrupted their conversation.

He rolled his eyes. "Excuse me, Molly–"

She left, feeling a bit dejected. No one ever had the time for her, and when they did, they were always being called away on some kind of business. It was as if she didn't exist to others.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing! Nothing - well, I bring a gift...the great gift of information."

"Information?" Ethan raised a brow. "What kind of information?"

"Oh it's a great one. The greatest for someone young like you."

"Interesting," Ethan gripped his belt. "So now I have to risk my neck and make you some money...while you lounge around, am I right?"

"You know, it ain't right treatin' your elders this way!" Uncle argued. "What would your father say if he heard you?"

He smirked. "He probably would've said it before me!"

Uncle shook his head. "I'll tell ya what…kids these days. Bill! C'mere!"

Bill was reluctant, but he walked over as commanded.

"What'd you want, old man?"

"Will you be my other fool? You too, Charles."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"Ethan's goin' out today to make a little money–"

Ethan snorted. "No, I am not."

"You just said–"

"I say a lot of things, old man," He teased. "Alright, I'll go as long as you ride with us?"

"I got lumbago!"

"Nah, you're just a compulsive liar."

"No need to be like that," Uncle scolded. "Charles, have I ever lied to you?"

"I hardly know you." He replied.

"Exactly. Now you boys should do this. It's easy and I'll only take a small commission for my information...but it's now or never."

Ethan snorted. "Then it'll be never."

"Oh, God help me," Uncle grunted. "Fine, fine! I'll do it."

"Good–" Ethan waved his hand. "Well go on, what is it?"

"It's a supply wagon carrying payroll. It'll be briefly unguarded as it passes through just around here. Very easy pickings."

"I'm in. Just as long as we get paid and see you work for a change."

Ethan whistled for Gray and in the middle of his lesson with Mary-Beth, stopped, turned and started trotting over.

"Wow, he really listens!" Mary-Beth giggled. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Uncle has a job for us, so we'll have to finish this tomorrow," He helped her down. "Hope that's okay?"

"Oh yeah, completely. Gray is your horse, after all–" She reached out and caressed his face. "Be careful, will you?"

"Don't worry, I will." Ethan assured, and to make it true, he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I look forward to more of this, so you come back in perfect health–" She stroked Gray's mane.

The horse snorted in response.

"Maybe tomorrow we'll try a ride to town?"

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"Come on then, you miserable bastards!" Uncle groused.

After saying goodbye to Mary-Beth once more, he and the others followed Uncle out of camp. He was, apparently, running the show today.

"How did you get wind of this?" Bill asked. "We've only been down here all of five minutes."

"While you boys were off fishing, playing lawmen, or whatever the hell you've been doing, I've been getting down to business."

Bill rolled his eyes. "Finding the nearest opium den or brothel, I'm sure."

"Hey, if you don't want in on this, that's fine by me," Uncle spat. "Do us all a favor and head home!"

"Just give it a rest, you two." Ethan warned.

"Just have a little faith for once, will ya? I've been scoping jobs like this since you fellers were knee-high to a grasshopper."

"Whatever you say." Ethan mumbled.

"Okay, hold up here–"

"We should cover our faces." Charles suggested.

"They'll be passing through up ahead."

"When?" Bill asked.

"Soon! Should be here any time now."

"Let's keep this quiet and clean," Charles added. "Nobody needs to die here."

"There!" Uncle pointed. "You see it?"

A wagon…their wagon. The men eagerly rode it down, realizing they only had a small window to accomplish this.

"Stop the wagon! I said, stop the damn wagon!" Bill ordered. "Now, don't try anything stupid and we won't do anything unkind."

"You know boys I don't want to get shot, but this is a mistake," The driver warned. "I work for Cornwall Kerosene and Tar–"

"Fuck." Ethan mumbled under his breath.

He rounded the wagon and climbed in the back.

"So you know him?" The second man questioned.

"Who doesn't?" Charles said.

Bill snorted. "I hear he's rich enough to share the wealth around and not miss it too much."

"Oh, he'll miss it alright."

The young cowboy found a small safe with decent loot.

"Well, it's something–"

"Shit–" Bill heaved a sigh. "Hey, think I see something!"

Ethan glanced over just in time to see men on horseback fast approaching.

"Ahh, great–"

"They're being robbed up ahead!"

"Let's go!" Ethan jumped on Gray's back.

Gunshots rang out from behind him, sending his heart into his throat. Bill upholstered his gun and shot the drivers; a bullet each in the head, right between the eyes. Their bodies stilled, then fell to the ground with a thud.

"Bill!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Ethan sputtered.

"Nice going, Uncle! Most guarded wagon in goddamn history!" Bill shouted.

There was no time for questions - they had to flee.

The dusty roads fell into the luscious pastures of Lemoyne; the countryside of which they used for cover. Bullets were flying overhead, whizzing by their ears and tearing through their clothes and hats. There was no time to retaliate though, they just needed to shake them as quickly as possible.

"Where the hell are we going!?" Bill yelled.

"Getting outta here! What kind of dumb question is that? Dig in boys, come on!"

"You can move fast when you have to, can't you old man?" Bill taunted.

"Just shut up, Williamson!" Uncle snapped. "Get off the trail and into the woods! Let's shake 'em and then meet back at camp!"

The outlaws entered the woods and downhill at full speed. Which they soon realized wasn't enough to shake the lawmen.

"We need to find a place to lie low!" Ethan suggested. "We can't risk leading those men back to camp!"

"He's right!" Charles said. "They'll find a way."

The small thicket of trees opened to an abandoned farm, with a few broken down outposts.

"The barn!" Uncle pointed.

Ethan jumped off Gray, grabbed his pistol and shotgun, then slapped Gray's rear; sending him and the other horses deep into the woods. He ran towards the barn and hid deep within the shadows.

"Here, right here!"

"What the fuck happened back there?" Ethan snarled.

Bill waved his hand. "Don't start, kid."

"What's your problem? You killed innocent men!" Charles reminded.

"They worked for Cornwall!" Bill argued.

"They didn't even have guns, you fool!"

"I did what I had to do! They would've let them assholes kill us!"

"Enough!" Uncle interjected. "Keep yellin' and they'll hear us!"

Ethan tore his cold, steel-like gaze away from Bill.

"Alright…douse the lamps. After a while, we'll sneak outta here–"

"I'll take the first watch." Charles volunteered.

The young degenerate sat down against a wooden beam, as he contemplated on how he continuously got himself in situations like this. But before long, his eyes drooped and sweet sleep consumed him. He needed it after that short burst of adrenaline wore off.

As night fully engulfed the countryside, Uncle began waking the cowboys so they could sneak out as planned.

"It's dark enough now, let's go." Uncle ordered.

"Hey, there's a light by the house." Charles observed.

Just as Charles pointed out the light, a few men rounded the house and called for whoever was inside to come out. A few seconds later, a lone man appeared in the doorway, hands raised.

"Get out!"

"Don't shoot me please!"

"Any more of you's inside?"

"N-No."

"Damnit." Ethan whispered.

"I ain't got nothin' to steal, mister."

"Is this your place?" The gunman asked.

"Sorta."

"Why don't you just tell me what you heard?"

"Well, I heard some noises by the barn a while ago."

They watched as a couple of armed men approached the barn. He motioned to Charles and Bill to be quiet, then silently ordered them around the small barn; they hid where they could.

"The place looks deserted." One man said to another.

Ethan peered through the slats in the wood and what he saw made his heart jump into his throat; Cornwall's men.

"You head inside, I'll go round the back."

The place was suddenly illuminated by a lantern and they all felt exposed. Ethan, who was closest to the men, felt the most exposed.

"Place looks empty to me–"

Suddenly, a bucket off to his right clattered to the ground.

"Shit!" Bill shouted.

"What the fuck?"

Charles aimed his shotgun and blew the man's head clean off his body. His body slowly crumpled to the ground, his lantern landing in a pile of old hay, which quickly ignited. The band of outlaws soon found themselves in the crosshair of bullets and a growing fire.

They all hurried to the back of the barn behind some old crates, as they awaited Cornwall's men. They didn't get too close to the fire, but they got just close enough that they were able to take them out. Ethan turned around and began firing from the back of the barn, where more of Cornwall's men relocated.

They probably thought they could surprise attack them from behind, but Ethan was already two steps ahead.

"Where are they all coming from?" Charles shouted.

"Looks like Mr. Cornwall upped his security!" Ethan teased as he reloaded his shotgun.

"How about we stop robbing Cornwall for a while?" Charles suggested.

"I didn't know we was robbing Cornwall, alright?" Uncle reminded.

"If we don't get outta here soon, we're charcoal!"

Bill ran full force into the side of the barn, creating a makeshift doorway for them to escape. Which to be honest, a stiff wind could've knocked it over, but they were grateful Bill was so durable.

"Let's head into the woods! Into the trees, come on!" Bill shouted.

"Where are we going?" Charles asked.

"We're gonna try to lose them!"

"Let's split up - try to confuse 'em! Ethan, you're with me!" Uncle ordered.

"Anything dumb, Bill, and you're on your own." Charles warned.

Ethan and Uncle hid behind some boulders, just as a pair of lanterns appeared at the top of the hill, cutting through the midnight fog and smoke. Behind them a few armed men hurried up the trail, not realizing they were right there.

"We need to be quiet–" Ethan whispered. "You take the left, and I'll take the right."

"Your right or my right?" asked Uncle.

Ethan rolled his eyes.

"You see anything?" One of the men asked.

Ethan unsheathed his knife, which glistened in the moonlight. It wasn't his first choice when it came to self-defense, but when push came to shove, it always worked. He crept around the boulder and stealthy followed the man for a few paces, before standing and wrapping his hand around his mouth.

He quickly drug the blade across his throat, then brought him to the ground. He thought Uncle would have an easy time as well, until he heard his name being shouted. Ethan cursed as he ran around the boulders, only to see a struggle between Uncle and one of Cornwall's men.

"Bastard! Get the hell off me!"

Ethan hurried over and stabbed him in the side of the neck, then twisted for good measure. He pulled his knife free with a sickening squelch. He wiped the blood off on his pants, then offered a hand to Uncle.

"You alright?"

"Well, I could have done it on my own, but it's better that you did it."

Distant gunfire told Ethan that Bill and Charles ran into some trouble. That or…Charles killed Bill. The men followed the sound of gunfire until they located where it was. They hid behind some trees, as they watched Charles and Bill take care of the few men that were leftover.

Who knows how many there were and if they even got all of them. Ethan grabbed his pistol and shot one man that got just a little too close. There was so much commotion, he didn't think the other would spot him and Uncle. Unfortunately, he wasn't that lucky as one man did see him and took a shot.

Ethan ducked just as a bullet grazed the tree and pieces of bark scratched his face and flew in the opposite direction. The band of outlaws scattered the woods, hiding behind trees and boulders, as the shootout continued. And just as Charles peered around from the boulder, a man raised his pistol.

Ethan acted quickly and put a bullet in the side of his head. And then…there was silence. But they knew it wasn't the good kind. The men that got away were getting reinforcements, which meant they only had a small window to get out of the woods and back to camp.

"We all still alive?"

"Just about!" Bill called out.

The band of outlaws went and retrieved their horses who'd gotten spooked from the gunfire, then just as quickly as they found them, they were leaving the area. Ethan looked over at Bill, ready to thank him for saving their lives back at the barn, when he noticed a look of scorn on his face.

"What?" Bill snapped.

"I'll deal with you later." Ethan warned.

"We got some money, didn't we?" Uncle asked.

Ethan heaved a sigh. "Yeah, but now we have Cornwall on our asses again–"

"It was an honest mistake."

The group split up and went their separate ways. Ethan went a different way to avoid any conflict, and to make himself even more safe, he crossed the river to hide his tracks. He used the lantern to guide him, as the moon was now covered with clouds.

At this hour, most of the camp was fast asleep, with the exception of a few lanterns flickering at the table. That was reserved for those too drunk to sleep.

"Ethan!" Mary-Beth cried out, arms open. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck, inhaling deeply. She was warm, and sweet and she was home.

"Glad you're back." Arthur said truly.

He knew Ethan could take care of himself, but he was a father and once a father always a father.

"Pa."

"You must be starving. I'll get you something to eat." Mary-Beth insisted.

"I'll be here."

"So what happened?" Arthur asked.

"Uncle had a tip off, but it went wrong," He shrugged. "Cornwall's men showed up–"

"Ah shit–" Arthur sighed. "Did they know it was you?"

"I don't think so...but I wasn't gonna let them find out. Is Bill here yet?" Ethan asked.

"He came back a few hours ago," Arthur jutted his chin towards his area of camp. "He wasn't too happy."

"He shot the two drivers of the wagon we were robbing; both of them. They didn't even have a gun."

"Asshole." Arthur muttered.

"I mean, I never thought that...I know Bill's an idiot, but not like that."

" I know," Arthur nodded. "I hope Dutch'll do something."

"Hosea would," Ethan shrugged. "I'm not saying Dutch wouldn't but Hosea wouldn't hesitate."

Arthur clapped Ethan on the shoulder. "Well since you're back I can finally hit the hay. Night kiddo."

Ethan smirked. "Sorry I disturbed your beauty sleep."

"Nah, it's just a little cat nap. I'll sleep when I'm dead."

—-

June 20, 1899

I don't know what happened. Bill lost his damned mind and shot a couple of innocent people. They were working for Cornwall, I know, but neither were armed and they were trying to cooperate as much as possible. Cornwall's men are around here, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Pinkertons are too. I was hoping to write only good things this time, but I was wrong. Well, there is some good to write about; I started giving Mary-Beth riding lessons on Gray and she's already a natural.

I hope to be able to buy a horse for her here real soon. I'm sure she'll want to put some of her money forward, but I kinda want it to be a surprise. And I like having someone to take care of. Beau Gray and Penelope Braithwaite are two people who were born with everything: servants, luxuries, and a roof over their heads.

Yet I don't envy them at all, but this love thing…they got it right. When I first met them I thought they were crazy, but then I realized that could've been my life if I had stayed with my mother. but after speaking with them both, I quickly realized I didn't want that life and I'm glad that I don't have it.

I have all the freedom in the world with the gang, and I can love Mary-Beth and marry her if I should choose to, and no one can stop me.

E.M