LAST CHANCE → sean macguire ✔

four , two

Tuberculosis.

"Shit." Willa breathed once they were past the door. Her whole body still hurt from fighting through the mud with the weight of Arthur's body to carry and now her knees were shaking.

"Don't tell anyone, yet. Please." Arthur caught her arm and Willa's gaze snapped up to him.

"They'll want to know. You heard what that doctor said. It's bad, Arthur. Dutch'll wanna know. Charles and John, Sadie--"

"And you will not tell them. Not even Sean. Especially not Dutch... I doubt he'd do anything good." Arthur grumbled, then he turned away and began to walk. Willa watched him for a minute, then hurried after him.

"What will you do now, though?" She prodded. Arthur shrugged.

"What I have to. The gang is... Well, I don't see it going on much longer, but when it does end it'll be fast and bloody. You, Sean and Libbie have to be ready to get out when it goes," He stopped in front of the saloon, "I know you don't have a good reputation here. Besides, you should get back. Tell Charles that it's just a cough. The time will come when they'll know."

Then he turned to the saloon and disappeared inside.

Willa stood there for a moment, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The smell of animal shit was stuck in her mud-stained clothes, but she couldn't care less. She had just made amends with Arthur, and now he was dying.

Funny how the world works.

With a heavy sigh, Willa turned away and whistled for her horse. The ride back to camp was as silent as ever. She didn't hum or whistle any tunes, just kept her eyes level with the road ahead. The unnamed mare felt her anxiety and developed a bout of its own.

"Welcome back, Willa." Javier's voice made her visibly jump and she attempted to hide it with a smile.

"Hey, Javier. Anything new?"

He shrugged, "Not that I know of. Charles got back a couple minutes ago."

"Oh, good. Thanks." Willa urged the mare forward, into camp, then quickly dismounted and untacked her.

"Oh, Willa! You're back! Just wanted to say thank you for catching that game-- we were getting a little low on stock." Pearson greeted her from the food wagon and Willa waved, saying a quick "you're welcome" and hurrying to the campfire, where most of the gang was gathered.

Sean was sitting on a chair backwards, listening intently to Uncle tell a wild story about his young days. Charles was there, too, along with Sadie, Karen, Jack and Libbie. Willa's hands were ice cold and her body was shaking, from exertion and hunger, but she just wanted to be warm, so she slipped onto the chair behind Sean and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her hands into his coat at the same time. She pressed her cheek to his back, feeling the chuckle that bubbled in his chest.

"Home so soon, love?" He found her hands in his coat and wrapped his around them to warm them faster. She smiled.

"Not soon enough." She murmured, taking in this feeling. She was still dumbfounded that she was even able to hug him. She had once been convinced that he was dead, and here he was, warming her cold body with his embrace. Smiling and laughing like he should be.

And to think, she was ready to give everything up on an assumption.