LAST CHANCE → sean macguire ✔

one , ten

When the group got back to camp, Abigail was hysteric.

"Where's my son?" She hurried to meet them, John not far behind. Dutch dismounted, meeting the pair half-way.

"We need some explanation, Abigail." Willa spoke up, sliding off of Horaz to tack him up. Everyone started talking at once, so Willa slipped away to find her saddle. When she got back, Dutch was mounting back up again.

"Willa, you're coming, too." He pointed to her as she secured the saddle on her horse. She blinked at him.

"Alright. Coming to where, exactly?" It wasn't like she was going to say no, but she had missed the conversation.

"The Braithwaite's took Jack. We're going to get him back, now." Dutch didn't wait for any further questions, just spurred his horse forward. The others followed, Willa not too far behind. They had left the other girls, Uncle and and Bill to watch the camp while the rest were away. Willa just hoped that nobody had any more surprise ambushes for them.

"Why would they do this? Ambushing us, I get that, but taking a kid? That's overboard." Willa sighed. The others nodded.

"They wanted to get us where it hurt most, and that's one of our more sensitive spots. But we need to keep our heads, right John?" Dutch looked at the man, who was silently fuming.

"I'm going to kill all of them." He answered. Willa could see his knuckles were white around his reins. It made sense-- it was his son who was missing. Willa knew she would be just as pissed.

"We gotta be smart about this, John. It'll be alright." Arthur spoke up. They were nearing the Braithwaites manor and Willa slowed to be beside Sean.

"Wha'ddya think about all this?" She murmured. Sean shrugged.

"We get t'he boy back and kill everyone in t'he process. 'ts what we'er good at." He chuckled. Willa smiled, then reached out and took his hand.

"Be careful." She searched his eyes intently. He smiled back.

"You too. Though I can see that this'll be a piece of cake."

Willa hoped he was right. The gang arrived at the Braithwaite's manor soon after and dismounted silently. Everyone drew their guns and followed Dutch's lead, first behind the brick wall. Willa's heart was pounding and her palms were sweaty.

"What's the plan, Dutch?" Arthur asked, peeking around the wall.

"I say we walk up to the front door, give them exactly what they want." Dutch whispered, then looked at Hosea for his opinion. The old man just nodded, so Dutch pulled away from the wall.

The gang filed into a line that stretched across the whole walk-way, guns poised or resting on shoulders. Willa looked to her sides, seeing everyone steel-faced, but anxious inside. She felt like a real part of something with these people. Weren't her mother and sister better off without her, anyway? She was, now, just another outlaw in the family.

She could almost imagine making it to Tahiti with the gang-- living out their last years in complete peace.

"Get down here you inbred piece of shit!" Dutch called, holding both his pistols at the ready. Willa had her own pistol glinting in the moonlight, along with her knife in the other hand.

The front doors swung open and a handful of men walked out, "Get out of here. Go on, get, if you value your lives." One called back. Dutch raised his eyebrows, looking from one end of the gang's line to the other.

"Us? You're going to kill us? Kid, just get us our boy and we'll be on our way," Dutch sighed, "I'll even let you all live if you bring us the boy."

None of them moved, except the few who were fidgeting nervously.

"Don't let them in! Kill them, kill them!" A woman's voice came from within, then bullets were flying. Willa threw herself down behind the fountain to get her focus back. She fired a few shots out, which hit a couple of the boys, then she saw an opening at the door. They could make it inside.

"Dutch!" She called, jerking her head towards the door when she got his attention. The older man nodded once.

"John, Arthur, Willa, get inside. I'll be right behind you!" He called. The trio jumped out of cover and, guns still blazing, they charged up to the front door. Dutch was still yelling instructions, but his voice was drowned out by the gunfire. Another guy ran out of the front doors, gun poised to shoot, but Willa was faster and a bullet tore through his throat. They got inside, covered Dutch's move, then moved through the house as a force.

There were few inside to retaliate, but they sure we're fighting to protect the woman of the house. They made their way upstairs, shooting anything that fought back, until they made it to a door with voices inside.

"We'll hold the door, Arthur and Willa you go outside and finish them off." Dutch instructed, then he and John began kicking at the door. Willa met Arthur's gaze then, nodding once, they hurried out to the balcony. They were clearly winning and, soon, all of the Braithwaite's were gunned down. Willa searched the group for Sean, waving down when she finally did see him.

Dutch and John had gotten the door open when they got back and, after killing the guys inside, there was one door left.

"Stop... Stop it, leave me alone!" A woman cried within. Willa kicked the door, surprised to see it fling inwards on the first try. A few gunshots went off and a bullet caught Willa in the side. She stumbled back, then lifted her gun and shot the guy too many times to count. The woman inside, Mrs. Braithwaite, crawled to the boy's body, crying loudly.

"Leave me alone, leave me alone. Just leave-" Willa kicked her in the gut, sending her sprawling on the floor when the others joined her. She was cupping her side and hiding the pain as best she could, but it was quite clear. She had been shot. Again. Sean was going to be pissed, again.

"I'll take care of our friend here, John you get Willa back down to the others. I'll find out where Jack is." Dutch nodded to Willa, then looked down at the woman.

Willa decided that the best choice was not to argue, so she let John help her back down the stairs.

"Willa! What happened t'his time?" Sean hurried to her once they were outside, grabbing her arms. Willa shook her head, smiling.

"I'm fine, Sean. It's just a little bullet wound. I'll... I'll be fine." She fought to keep her eyes open, now leaning heavily on Sean for support. He helped her onto his horse, then pulled himself up.

"I'm taking her back t'a camp before it gets worse, John. Tell Dutch where we are, tell him we're fine!" Sean was already leaving before he finished talking. It had been a long day and Willa just wanted to rest, now. She wrapped her arms around Sean's body and leaned into his form, letting her eyes close.

"Willa, you hold on. Don't fall asleep on me, now. We're gonna get you fixed up real soon. Willa?"

The last thing she remembered was falling, then hitting the ground.