Wolf and Scarlet One-Shots

Town Ain't Big Enough ...

Western AU, if you couldn't tell. Kind of like the beginning of Scarlet, compressed into a western one-shot.

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Scarlet gritted her teeth.

She hefted up the heavy box full of potatoes and shoved it into the back of the covered wagon.

The horse pulling it whinnied in protest.

Scarlet laughed, almost like she could understand the animal.

"I don't wanna hear any of your complainin', Ergo. Now let's hop to it!" She climbed onto the wagon and took the reins. Ergo the horse huffed indignantly, but began trotting down the old dusty road into town.

They passed an crumbling cobblestone sign that read "Benoit Farms". Stuck to it was an yellowing paper fluttering in the wind. In bold script, "Michelle Benoit, missing." A black and white picture of an old woman was below the text.

Scarlet glanced at it, and her expression was sour. She continued down the road.

Just as she was seeing the first glimpses of the town, a gun shot rang out, and Ergo slumped to to ground, dead.

The wagon tilted towards the ground, and Scarlet, in shock, fell foreword onto the dusty floor, rocks biting into her palms.

Something above her clicked cynically, and she looked up.

The sun was bright in her eyes, but she could see a man, silhouetted by the light, towering over her on a horse. He moved a tad to the right, covering the sun and revealing his face.

His features were harsh, with a jagged, broken nose, lips twisted into a sneer, jawline so sharp it could have cut through wood. He was covered in scars.

He was handsome, but dangerous looking, especially with the gun he had pointed straight at Scarlet's forehead.

"Yur wagon," he snarled, his voice deep and scratching. Scarlet glanced at the guns barrel.

"Only one bullet?" she asked, using sarcasm to chase away fear.

"Only need one," he said, pushing the gun onto her head. Her spine tingled at contact with the cold metal, but she didn't show it. "The wagon," he persisted.

"And who says I'll give it to ya?" He jabbed the gun hard onto her skull, but she had a trick up her sleeve. Quick as a flash, she had a knife out, and stabbed it into his side.

He yelped, falling off his horse and tumbling to the ground. Scarlet pulled her knife free and scrambled to him, planting her foot on his wrist before he could reach for his gun.

The guy sputtered. His wound wasn't fatal, he'd be alright, but a jab right there hurt like hell. Scarlet would know.

"What's yur name pardner?" she asked, putting her other foot on his chest and leaning forward on her knee.

The man growled. "Why would I tell you?"

Scarlet grabbed his gun and pointed it at him. "I only need one bullet."

The guy just stared at her with a steely gaze. "Wolf," he finally said. "The name's Wolf."

Scarlet laughed. "I need a real name, or that stab in your side will be the least of you worries."

"That's my name!" he barked. "It's Wolf!" Scarlet eyed him down suspiciously, but he seemed to be telling the truth, so she stood up from him.

She unhooked Ergo from the wagon, placing a hand on his hot, sun-baked neck.

"Sorry old friend," she murmured, and grunted with effort as she pulled him away. She hitched up the new horse and put the guy (his hands and feet bound tight) in the wagon.

She flicked the reins, and she was off down the road again like nothing had happened.

"Please," the man, Wolf, pleaded from the back of the covered wagon as they approached town. "I just need some food for my brother. He's sick."

"Likely story," Scarlet answered. He was silent for a moment.

"I might know where your grandmother is." Scarlet pulled on the reins and the new horse bucked to a stop.

She turned, glaring daggers at Wolf. "You should be real careful 'bout what you say."

"But I do. Please, all I ask for is a little supply of food and I'll help you. Your missing grandmother is the talk of the town."

Scarlet looked away, tears stinging in her eyes.

The sheriff had declared her grandmother's case a lost cause, but Scarlet knew she couldn't be dead. What choice did she have?

"Ahh, to hell with it." She held out her hand to Wolf, who stared at it, dumbfounded.

"What?"

"Let's shake on it," she said impatiently. "You help me look for my grandmother, and I give you food. Deal?"

He hesitated, his eyes flashing with worry. "If you shake my hand," Scarlet cautioned. "You have to know that I will do anything and everything to get my grandmother back, and I'll expect you to do the same." Wolf took a breath, maneuvering his bound wrists, and took her hand. They shook firmly.