LAST CHANCE → sean macguire ✔

one , five

Arthur came into the bar a couple hours later. Willa had learned a lot about Dutch in that time and vice versa. The gruff man came and sat down without even looking at her.

"That boy..." He just sighed. Dutch chuckled and took a drag from his cigar.

"John's an idiot, but he's a good kid. He'll get there... just you wait. Have faith." Willa took a shot of whiskey and cleared her throat.

"So... What's the plan right now? Where's John?" She peered out the window. The table moved like someone had shrugged. Willa narrowed her eyes, but she couldn't see around the rich-looking fat guy who came riding up.

"He's off selling those sheep. Strauss is around here somewhere." Arthur answered her.

"Wait..." She had caught sight of something behind the man. Something familiar, like a certain shirt. She got up and ducked close to the window.

"Dutch Van der Linde! Come out here now! I... Have some people of yours!" The fat man called, his voice booming. Dutch had froze with his glass to his lips, eyes narrowed, "My name is Leviticus Cornwall. I'm the man that you've been stealing from!"

"They got John and Strauss." Willa whispered.

"Well, let's go put on a show then." Dutch took a shot, then made his way to the door. Cornwall said something to another man, then rode off with a shield of men around him. John and Strauss were still being held with guns to their heads.

"Arthur, how are we gonna get them out of this?" Willa whispered as the trio approached the door. Maybe this was it. Sean would be pissed.

"I'll make the first move. Let Dutch do the talking-- it's what he's good at. As soon as I shoot, you do." Arthur seemed to have dropped whatever grudge he had with her. It was a serious situation, though, and they needed to work together if they wanted to get away with everyone's lives.

The air was hot and muggy when Willa stepped outside, angling herself at a shadow so she would be able to see and shoot. People began talking, but that was far away. She was focused on the look passed between John and Arthur. John nodded in the slightest way and Arthur looked at Dutch, then Willa, then nodded back to him.

It felt like it all happened in slow motion, but it really only took a heartbeat. Arthur whipped his gun out and began rapidly firing. Men dropped dead and then Willa felt pain. Her vision was blurry, but pushed past it and began shooting. The blobs in front of her dropped like flies, then her vision focused in again.

"You okay? That's a hell of a shot to take." Dutch was beside her, helping her. She looked at him, eyebrows furrowed, then her shoulder. That's where the pain was resonating from-- the bullet wound in her shoulder.

"Aw, fuck. I'm fine. Just..." She pressed her other hand to the wound, then kept firing at the law men that came at them. Strauss was on the wagon, crying in pain and fear. He had also taken a bullet, but his one was in his leg.

Willa's arms hurt and she just wanted to lay down and sleep, but she pressed on and kept firing as John and Dutch pushed a wagon through the town for cover. Arthur did most of the killing, while she shot at the lawmen's feet, still hesitant of killing.

Eventually, they made it to the other side of the town where the horses were. Willa grimaced as she tried to mount Horaz, but the attempt was in vain. Horaz was throwing his head, sidestepping and acting spooked.

"Here." Arthur pulled Willa up onto his horse and rode away as more lawmen arrived. Horaz was running right beside them, close enough for Willa to pat him.

"Sorry, I should've been paying attention." She sighed. Arthur chuckled.

"Your brains would be on the wall if it weren't for John kicking the guy. You should thank him later." Willa smiled, promising that she would.

"So... What's Dutch gonna do now? I assume that Leviticus Cornwall knowing we're here isn't something that's... Good, right?"

"Right. We're going to be moving somewhere else... I guess, well I guess you're with us now."

Willa nodded, pressing her hand to her shoulder harder. Horaz let out a high whinny and she reached out to pat him again, "Good boy. Yeah, you were right. I really should listen." He snorted and she laughed. Arthur turned into the trees and Willa prepared for a lecture as they neared camp.

"Willa!" He called immediately, "Willa, what happened? I'm gone f'er two days and ye get yerself shot? C'mere." Sean reached up and helped her down, fretting the whole time. He swept her hair off of her face, "Yer pale. Blood loss. Shit, shit. Willa." She caught his hands and held them tight, looking at him fully.

"Sean. I'm alright. It's just a bullet. Stop fretting and help me get it out, then you can freak out all ya want." Her voice was soft, but strong. It never wavered. Sean nodded, composing himself once more with a quick breath in.

"I just..." He sighed, "I was worried. Let's get you fixed up."

So he helped her to a table and Grimshaw hurried over to start working on the wound. The bullet wasn't deep and it took only a little while to get out, then there were stitches. Willa was bandaged up and commanded to stay out of trouble. The whole time she was getting fixed up, she avoided looking at her hands or the blood around to avoid getting nauseous.

She had an... Issue with blood. Funny, for a hunter-slash-recent-outlaw to be sick at a little blood, but it was her fatal flaw. She would kill the prey and take it home, but Libbie, her sister, would have to skin it.

At one point, Sean noticed her clear avoidance of the blood, "Ye got a problem wit'h blood or somet'hin?"

"Uhm, you could say that. Oh, and, Mr. Macguire, if you don't want me to throw up on you then I suggest we keep it at that and keep the blood over there. Or I will make your life very difficult." He lifted his hands in surrender, an innocent look on his face.

"I wasn't gonna do anyt'hing. Completely harmless, I swear." Willa laughed, but then she winced as Grimshaw secured the bandage around the wound. The older woman had the ghost of a smile resting on her face when she stood back to observe her work.

"Well... You'll live. Can you help her to her tent, Mr. Macguire? And make sure she rests, please!" She waved as she walked away. Sean stooped down and helped Willa up to her feet, then they made their way to her tent-- Willa cursing herself for putting it so far away from the rest. They eventually made it and she flopped down in exhaustion.

"Sleep. Ye need yer strength." He sat against the closest tree across from the tent. Willa let out a content sigh and closed her eyes. A long, quiet moment passed.

"Sean?" Her voice was small and wavering-- sleepy.

"Yeah?"

"Will you be there when I wake up?"

There was silence again, then a chuckle.

"Of course. I'll always be here." Willa smiled at his words and let herself relax again.

"Thank you."