Wanted (Jack Kelly x Reader)

.7.

--ᴊᴀᴄᴋ--

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 couple minutes were probably the longest of my 17 an' 3/4 years. It felt like forever before the captain appeared, on horse behind the runner. He dismounted, swinging down next to Y/N and me and cursing softly. "How long's he been asleep?" 

"I ain't exactly got a clock on me, sir. Also he's a she." That probably could have come out better, but the way the captain's face was drawn let me know that the quicker he worked, the better. 

"Hm?" The man asked, distracted as he pulled things from a bag, adjusting the fabric around Y/N's wound. "This is gonna have to come off. But I don't know if we should move him..." He mumbled to himself. I cleared my throat again. 

"Sir. We can't do that here. Or at all. Well, I guess you'se a doctor, so it's fine, but I'm pretty sure Y/N will kill me if I'm there when you do that. Look at me, I'm ramblin', but the point is--" 

The doctor did a double take, glancing over her body with a shocked Pikachu face. "Well that certainly changes things." 

"I wasn't supposed t' tell you but I figure it's better than, uh, y'know," I stammered, unexpectedly embarrassed. 

"Quite," The captain murmured, standing up abruptly. "Well, there's not much else to be done-- we'll move her to the camp. They ought'nt be too far behind, and then I can treat her in my wagon." 

I nodded, looking down at her face. Her eyes were twisted shut, and her brows were drawn tight in pain. A pang shot through me, and I shook my head sharply to alleviate it, standing up carefully. 

"She needs to be woken," The man said, shooting a glance at the other men, who were standing a respectful distance away from the doctor and his work. Or, rather, were smoking and talking amongst themselves, seemingly unaware. The captain's face twisted into a frown, and he dropped his voice. "And I'd think we'll keep her secret safe for now. Until she's well enough to make her decision on her own." 

I nodded. Hopefully she'd be okay with me telling the captain-- not much else I could have done. But he was a decent man, and he'd brought Emma with him after all. So he wasn't the worst to know about her. 

*

I sat outside the captain's wagon as the hour stretched on. My boot tip scratched patterns in the dirt-- I hadn't had a proper chance to draw in months. Unconsciously, the lines of a face formed, and I rolled my eyes softly as I stamped it out. If I was going to draw her, I was going to do it right. 

A soft creak from behind me, and I spun to see Emma, beckoning me towards the wagon with a wan smile. She'd been helping her father, and of course now knew. 

"She's restin' solid now, and the bullet's all out. Didn't splinter or anything, so she should have a quick recovery. Barring infection, of course." 

"Can I see her?" I said, eyes flicking past the girl towards the covered wagon. 

Emma shrugged, obviously okay with the fact. So I scrambled past, sticking my head into the wagon and trying to avoid stepping on any of the blankets that nestled a sleeping girl in the middle. She was dressed in a fresh dress that must have been one of Emma's. I wondered what she'd think of that when she woke up, I wondered what her decision would be. 

I couldn't make it for her, so I'd have to wait to know. The only thing I could do was wait, but at least she was safe. And while I was waiting, that color yellow of the dress really brought out her eyes...