Magnificent Eight

Hope

"He's gone," Ves said, looking at Emma. She picked up Ethel from the grass and looked at it.

Emma shook her head violently. "He came to shortly after you came out here," she grunted out. "Harvest Moon, Goodnight Robicheaux is alive."

Ves's eyes widened and she looked at Emma harshly. "You get him back to the town safely, alright?" She ordered as she took a few steps backwards and Emma nodded, gesturing for her to go. Ves turned and began sprinting; her determination out weighing the pain in her leg. The grass cut her thighs as she tore through them, jumping over bodies as she drew closer and closer to the town. "Sam!" she screamed as she drew closer. "Sam!" she saw Sam come running out from behind a building and running towards her. "Sam!" they met each other and grasped forearms. "Is what Emma said true?"

Sam nodded and pulled her into him. "You saved his life, Ves." she hugged his torso tightly. "Vasquez got to him and started to pick him up, Goodie jumped up and started screaming, for you. He thought you had died."

"I thought he did," she said, pulling away.

Sam smiled down at her face of hope, bringing a hand up to her cheek. He would never say it, but she reminded him of his sister, just like Emma had. She was the only reason he, Vasquez and Red didn't up and leave right after the fight. Those chocolate eyes brought tears to his own as he smiled down at her. "The doctor, he's looking at him now. Said that strap of leather is what saved him. He's stitching him up in the tavern as we speak."

Sam looked down at her as she threw her head back. Something he was not ready for happened. Her lips parted as she stared at the sky, the red slowly fading. "Thank you, God." she rested her head on Sam's chest for a moment.

"You still have Ethel?" He asked. She pulled back and looked down at the gun in her hand. "He left it in good hands," Sam whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. Ves bit her lip and looked towards the town. "Go get him." Without another word, Ves nodded bolted towards the town, Sam right behind her. As she rounded a building, the crowd of townsfolk turned to see her, sprinting towards them. "Make room!" Sam called and the people of Rose Creek did. They parted like a sea and she ran down the middle of the street, tears streaming as she took a quick right, heading up the tavern steps. Red and Vasquez were standing in front of the stairs and she stopped to look at them, thankful she didn't lose them too.

She threw her arms around her brother for a moment and he hugged her tightly as well. "Go," Red said, egging her up the steps.

"Aye, the cabron needs you," Vasquez agreed, sliding his cigar into his mouth. Se let go of Red and hugged Ves tightly, making him laugh and hug her back as well. "Go, Amiga. I'll still be here."

Ves slowly pulled away, realizing her war paint had smeared on their shirts. She looked up the steps, Sam by her side as she began to climb. Walking along the balcony, she was holding her breath until she reached an open door. She jolted to a stop in the doorway and looked in. On the bed laid Goodie, shirtless as a doctor was stitching up his wound, the bullet on a metal tray beside him.

"Goodnight," She whispered, a hitch in her breath as he moved his head to look into her eyes.

"Harvest Moon," he groaned in relief and pain before shutting his eyes and losing consciousness.

"Were you the one that tied the leather?" the doctor asked, not looking up from his work.

Ves fought the tears back as she choked slightly. "Y-yes."

"Quick thinking my dear," the doctor said. He cut the string with a knife and looked at her. "You saved this man's life." He picked the tray and stood up. "He's very lucky you were there."