𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐭 ~ 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐝

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞

𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 with rain when Billy and Laurie arrived in a small town, they stopped outside of a building and dismounted their horses. Laurie was still shivering from the cold despite the fact Billy had given her his jacket in order to try and warm her up. The duo entered the saloon, Billy went over to the bar to order a drink while Laurie went and sat at a table. Her hair was stuck to her head as water dripped down her face, she shivered, slowly feeling the slight warmth of the saloon warm her up a little bit.

Laurie noticed a man in the corner of the saloon, he was reading the newspaper but eying Billy like a hawk as well as showing the same interest in Laurie. Billy took notice of this, noticing the man staring at both him and Laurie as well as how tense Laurie seemed under the man's gaze. So, he took his final whiskey shot and walked over to the staring man, leaning on the wall as he stared out of the window for a moment before he spoke.

"Why are you staring at me and the kid?," Billy demanded.

"Thought I recognized you is all, and I just wanted to make sure that she's okay. She's shaking harder than a hunted rabbit," the man replied calmly.

"And did you?," Billy asked, sending a piercing glare towards the man. He was already really on edge because of what happened back at the old camp, and he really didn't need any kind of unwanted attention towards him or Laurie.

"I don't know," the other man told him, reaching into his jacket. Billy reached for his gun, the safety clicking off as he was handed a folded piece of paper. "Depends if this is you." Laurie stayed where she was, watching the scene from afar as her leg bounced. Billy took the paper and unfolded it, reading the wanted poster made in his name.

"Now, I'm not saying that it's a great likeness," the other man said, "But it's pretty like, wouldn't you say? And if it is you, I highly doubt that the kid over there is with you by her own will. She looks underfed to me."

Laurie tensed as she listened to the conversation, realizing that they had probably just been caught. Billy was no kidnapper, though. Billy looked over at Laurie before he looked back at the man and set the paper down.

"I'd like to know why you're holding onto that," Billy demanded, keeping calm despite the fact that he had probably just been caught by a bounty hunter who could add kidnapping onto his list of supposed crimes.

"I'm ridin' with a good friend of yours," the man simply said as he took back the poster, folding it. Laurie froze at that sentence, realizing that this guy was probably a friend of Jesse's. The young girl stood up, getting ready to run if she had to. "He talks about you all the time, and to me, he seems awful worried about Little Red over there."

"Who might that be?," Billy asked as Laurie slowly made her way over to Billy, her steps were tense and nervous. Like a fawn stepping out into the open meadow for the first time.

"Jesse Evans. We're holded up not too far from here," the man said simply. Laurie's heart dropped upon hearing that name. The name of the man she had prayed to never see again. The name of the man who had struck her across the face. The name of the man who destroyed her sense of self. Billy pulled up a chair, sitting down as he pulled one out for Laurie.

"You know Jesse?," Laurie asked hesitantly.

"Sure, I do, kid," the man responded with a nod, "He's worried about you, ya know. Ever since the night you took off without reason." He paused for a moment. "Where are you two headed?"

Neither Billy nor Laurie answered as they exchanged looks, Laurie's nerves were palpable as she fidgeted with the hem of her sopping wet blouse.

"Maybe the three of us could ride over together, say hello to Jesse again. Show him that the kid is alive and well," the unnamed man suggested, "I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

"Last time I saw Jesse, things weren't too good between us," Billy told him, "And he was bein' a major ass towards Laurie."

"I don't think Jesse harbors any grudges. Not towards you, anyway," the man began, "And as for how he treated the kid, I've lost count of how many times he's told me that the way he treated Lauren is his life's biggest regret."

"She prefers Laurie," Billy jumped in, looking at the man.

"What's your name?," Laurie inquired, still fidgeting as she looked up at the man.

"I'm Pat Garret," the man introduced.

Laurie wasn't sure how she felt about seeing Jesse again, the bruise on her face from which he had given to her when he struck her had long since faded away. She hadn't seen him since that night, but part of her couldn't help but wonder if he truly meant it when Pat said that treating her like shit was his life's biggest regret.

It couldn't hurt to see if that was true, right?