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Cheyenne plucked the cigarette from between her teeth, resting her forearm on the bar in front of her. She stared down at the mahogany bar, her cold, flat, blue eyes flickering over every grain in the wood.
Her head still down, she felt Milt Joyce's presence nearby. She tapped a finger on the bar to get his attention.
"Usual." said softly, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"Of course miss."
Cheyenne raised the cigarette to her lips and took another long drawl, eyes closed. Cigarettes and whiskey always took the edge off. She needed that more now then ever.
"Chey." a man spoke from behind her. Wyatt Earp sat on the barstool beside his sister, a hand on her shoulder empathetically. Cheyenne didn't move from his touch. She was too drained to move. It was as if her legs were pinned to the floorboards of the saloon.
As soon as she had heard the news of Morgan, she knew she had to fight back. Get revenge on the cowboys. But she wasn't sure she had much fight left in her.
"How you holdin' up?" Wyatt asked. Cheyenne lifted her head to meet his crystal blue eyes filled with sadness.
"I'll get over it." Cheyenne said plainly, picking up the glass of whiskey Milt had just brought over. She brought the glass to her lips, taking a slow sip. The burn of the cheap whiskey in her throat replaced the longing feeling.
"We all will. In time." Wyatt muttered, taking a cigar from the stand and placing change on the counter. "Chey... He was by himself. I wasn't there fast enough."
"It's not your fault Wyatt." Cheyenne began. "Everyone's got their time to go. Morg was just too damn innocent for this world."
After a moment, she turned to her brother.
"This is the beginning of the end, Wyatt."
Wyatt didn't say another word. He just stuck his cigar between his lips, thoughts racing through his mind. There was one word though, that shone through them all.
Justice.
~
Cheyenne patted her horse's neck, grateful to be back on her own mount. Spade had gained some weight in his time off in Tombstone. His coat was shiny and healthy. He was strong. Cheyenne had a feeling the extra strength would be helpful on the journey they were about to endure.
Doc coughed roughly, adjusting his guns in his holsters. He sat on his white stallion beside Cheyenne, packed and ready to leave Tombstone.
Cheyenne wasn't so sure of his condition. He seemed weak and fragile, as if he could fall off his horse backwards at any given moment. He was paler than ever, his grey vest drenched in sweat.
Cheyenne had two intentions- avenge Morgan and keep Doc Holliday alive.
"Where's Kate?" Cheyenne blurted out before realizing. She bit her lip and looked away, cursing herself for bringing the woman up in conversation.
"It appears she was the antichrist." Doc said mysteriously, his face unreadable.
Deciding not to discuss further, her eyes fell upon the pine casket in the wagon in front of her. The thought of the person that was inside made her stomach churn. Life felt so empty without Morgan. Pointless.
"Only the good die young, right Morg?" She mumbled to herself.
Virgil and the women would be going to San Francisco. They could make a decent living there. A life worth living.
Virgil urged the carriage horses on, Doc and Cheyenne following close behind. They halted at the Crystal Palace. Cheyenne spotted two figures sitting on rockers.
Ringo and Brocius.
Cheyenne's gut twisted in a way it had never before.
Wyatt halted his horse to stare down at the two cowboys.
"I want you to know it's over. We're leaving and we're not coming back." Wyatt spoke coldly.
Ringo and Brocius looked at each other with an emotionless expression on their faces. Ringo's eyes flickered over to Cheyenne and Doc for only a moment, before training his eyes back on Wyatt.
"Well... bye." Brocius snickered.
Ringo sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He leaned over to Curly Bill.
"Hey, you smell that? Smells like something died." Ringo smirked, leaning back in his chair.
"Oh, Jesus Johnny..." Curly Bill stifled a laugh.
Wyatt turned his head and spurred his horse, his jaw clenched. That remark cut him deep. Probably even deeper than Ringo intended.
Cheyenne knew it was just a dig to get Wyatt to act out. Do things without thinking.
And she had a feeling it was going to work.
~
After a long day of travelling and fighting, the group of six had began to get weary. Texas Jack Vermillion and Turkey Creek Jack Johnson had joined McMasters, Wyatt, Doc, and Cheyenne in their fight to end the cowboys.
The six had stopped to set a camp for the night.
"Here." Cheyenne dismounted her horse, immediately walking to the creek to collect water for the men to drink. Spade immediately lowered his head and gulped down the cool water.
Reaching into her saddle bag, she grabbed a herbal remedy that Virgil's wife, Allie had given her before they left Tombstone.
"Cheyenne. Doc's condition is only going to get worse. I'm worried for him." Allie had said, embracing the younger woman.
"Believe me, it's all I've been thinkin' about for weeks."
"Here. It wont help him any, but it'll soothe that vicious cough he's got." Allie handed her a small pouch.
"Thanks." Cheyenne said softly, opening the bag. Inside was a small, pleasant-smelling bundle of herbs.
"Boil some water and make that gambling man of yours some tea when he gets real bad."
Cheyenne had nodded, pocketing the remedy.
"Chey?" Wyatt asked from behind her, waking her from her thoughts.
"Yeah?" Cheyenne turned to face her brother, two full metal canteens of water in her hands.
"Need anything?"
"Yeah. Go tell McMasters to get some kindling. Gotta make something for Doc. To keep him goin'."
Wyatt nodded, walking back up to the camp without another word.
Cheyenne spotted Doc leaned against a tree, his hat over his face. She walked up to the man, sitting beside him.
Doc picked his head up, looking over in her direction. He looked even worse, if that was even possible. Taking his hat off, she could see his hair was drenched in sweat.
"Hello darlin'..." Doc coughed, his teeth chattering. The red circles under his appeared to get darker by the second.
"Don't die on me, Holliday." Cheyenne whispered back. She looked around her, making sure none of the others were around.
She slowly rested her head on Doc's chest, folding her knees into her stomach. Doc wrapped his arm around the woman, too weak to say a word. They just sat there, enjoying each other's company.
