LAST CHANCE → sean macguire ✔

one , nine

The Grays and Braithwaites were being used. The charismatic smiles of Lemoyne's newcomers seemed trustworthy at first, but then three horses were stolen and whole tabaco fields were burned to the ground. They finally realized they were being double-crossed and each found their own ways of retaliating. The Braithwaites kidnapped John's little boy while the Grays set up an ambush for a group of them, disguised as a simple protection job offer.

Willa was a bundle of nerves as soon as Sean left. She had pleaded to Dutch not to let him go, then she had pleaded to Sean not to go. It just didn't feel right, she said, didn't feel right at all. Well, Sean went anyway-- damn his ego-- and Willa was left to stew in the camp.

Charles tried to distract her with hunting, but she was shaking so bad that she destroyed her kill and scared away any prey nearby with a loud outburst.

Tilly tried to distract her with gossip, but that just turned into Willa fretting even more about Sean, nervously picking at her clothes and skin to stop herself from riding to Rhodes on her own.

It was quite obvious to everyone, now, that the pair were sweet on each other, so most of them tried to distract Willa from her fears while Sean, Micah, Bill and Arthur got the job done.

"He'll come back."

"Yeah, that kid always gets out alright."

"Slippery as an eel, that one."

"My, Willow, I never thought that boy would settle down for anything," Hosea pointed a meat-clad knife her way, "But you've changed him. For the better, I'd say." Willa offered him a smile and crossed her arms.

"It's been a project, let me tell you." She huffed, remembering a few times she'd had to escort him from a bar so he wouldn't run off with some whore he couldn't afford, though her heart swelled at his words. Maybe she had really changed him. Deciding that talking to Hosea was better than freaking out around the camp, Willa took a spot across from him at the fire, "This is a bit much, don't you think? What happens if the Grays and Braithwaites find out that we've been playing them for fools this whole time?"

"Hey, it'll be alright. I'll just charm the wits out of them, then we're gone with the gold. Gone to Tahiti." Willa let her gaze wander over to the rock, where the stash of thousands that she shared with Sean was buried. Guilt wormed it's way into her gut.

"You think we'll make it?" Her voice was quiet-- far away. Footsteps approached the pair at the fire.

"Of course we will. We just need more money, then we'll disappear," Dutch took the spot beside Hosea, who passed him a piece of cooked meat, "You can come, too, if you wish. You'll always be welcome with us." He nodded to Willa, who smiled.

"That's real sweet, and I'm real thankful... But I have family here. My mother and sister don't even know if I'm alive. I never... I never got a chance to see them yet." Willa swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked at her hands, then back up at the men across from her, "I've become like my father." Her voice caught in her throat.

"You're nothing like him, Willow. I met him once and he was not a fun feller, had a real bad god-complex there. You're a much better person than he could ever hope to be." Hosea assured her. Willa was shocked.

"You knew my father?" She tried to steady her voice, but she couldn't.

"Of course. Hosea's right, and we'll make sure we get you back to your family in one piece. I'm sorry it all played out like this." Dutch took a drag from his cigar and Willa nodded, the ghost of a smile barely twisting her lips.

She didn't want to, but she asked the hanging question, "And Sean?"

It was a knowing look that passed through Dutch's eyes like a lightning bolt in a dark sky. He had been there-- experienced that kind of fierce love once upon a time, and he had lost just as easily. Willa could see in his eyes the story of his life, the fucked up past of the infamous Dutch Van der Linde.

And he smiled, "He can choose whatever he wishes."

"Dutch!" Lenny's voice was panicked, urgent and quick, "Something's wrong in Rhodes! They're shooting-- oh, shit." He stopped short when he saw Willa, practically falling over himself. Last time he was in camp he had watched her head out hunting with Charles, and there she was. Back all too soon.

"Willa, think about this." Dutch was already up, advancing towards her. Willa barely heard anything, she was breathing so hard and her head was swimming in a thick fog. All she could think was that she knew it and no one had believed her.

"I... Shit." She shook her head, eyes closed, then slipped right through Dutch's fingers. He grabbed for her, but missed by an inch, and she was gone. She didn't even bother saddling Horaz, or even bridling him. They had grown a stronger bond in the time that Willa had been with the gang and she could ride the stallion without tack, "Get me to Rhodes, boy. Sean's in trouble."

Sure enough, the gunshots were audible as she drew closer to Rhodes. Her heart was pounding and she could hear the others behind her, calling out for her to stop, but Horaz shot forward like a bullet out of a gun. Willa grabbed fistfuls of Horaz's mane and buried her face into it, preparing for what was to come.

The powerful horse snorted when they neared the town and Willa noticed that the gunfire had ceased completely. She pulled Horaz short and scanned the street. Not a soul moved for a horrible moment, just the wind blowing up dust around the dead bodies that littered the street.

"Sean?" She called, looking around frantically. Micah and Arthur came out of the gunsmiths, their guns ready, only to be met by a terrified Willa. She practically jumped off of Horaz, "Sean?" Her voice was strained and her eyes burned from the threat of tears. Dutch, Lenny, and Hosea rode up in that time.

"Willa, wait. Sean's--"

The door to the sheriff's office flew open and four men came out, one with a gun to the head of the Irishman in question. Willa's guns were out in a blink and the men were down just as fast, then her pistols hit the ground and she barrelled forward. Sean met her half-way and their embrace seemed to shake the ground.

"Shit, you stupid man. I thought I'd... I though I'd lost you. I thought..." She buried her face into his shoulder and he ran his hand through her hair.

"Shh, I'm okay. It's alright-- t'hey didn't get me." He whispered. Willa broke the hug and pulled up, looking straight at Sean. She frowned, examining every detail of his face like it was the first time she'd ever seen it, "It's cute to see you so scared for me."

Then she smiled, "I hate you, ya know that?" She laughed. Sean was quiet for a minute, then his words sent butterflies filling Willa's whole body.

"I love you."

The kiss wasn't unexpected, but damn was it good. They fit together like puzzle pieces, completing the complex picture of each other, and this kiss reflected that fact perfectly. So full of raw, untampered emotion that it left the pair breathless with pounding hearts.

"I still hate you." She scrunched up her nose, though her lips were tingling and she was smiling more than ever before.

"Finally, you two. We had bets going. Now, let's get out of here before more show up." Dutch called. Willa blushed furiously as soon as she remembered that the others were watching. Charles held out his hand to Javier, who reluctantly shoved a fistful of cash into Charles' open hand.

"I gotta admit, I wasn't sure he was going to man up." Arthur teased as the group mounted their horses. Willa snorted.

"Hey, shut up old man! I was getting to it, just waiting for t'he best and most dramatic time to lay t'he line. It's called seduction, and I'm a master at t'he art." Sean retorted.

"It's called being a nervous pile of shit around her, but you actually did it. I feel like I have an obligation to be proud of you two." Hosea spoke up, chuckling.

They all turned away from Rhodes with smiles, leaving the dead bodies of the Grays to rot like the best of them. There would be a party later.