~The Hunt~ Javier Escuella AU ✔︎

Three-Saving Annabelle Jenson

Two weeks passed and Annabelle was finally getting her stitches out. Well, she begged Susan which she finally has into doing.

Annabelle sat on her cot as Ms Grimshaw carefully takes the stitches out she winces a few times but tries her best to ignore it and listen to the soft strumming coming from Javier.

"There, all done, " Ms Grimshaw grabs her things and smiles at Annabelle once more before leaving.

Annabelle changes into her usual outfit and walks outside trying the canvas back onto the beams and walked further into camp.

"That is kinda brilliant... For you, that is. That is a real idea. I think that's the first time you ever had one of them" Arthur states to John.

"Shut up, " John walks closer to the edge Arthur following.

"you might be the first bastard to have half his brains eaten by a wolf and end up more intelligent, " Arthur roasts him once more making Annabelle chuckle as she listens from the campfire.

They both walk away and saddle up on their horses and racing off to God knows where.

"Querida, " Javier sits down on the chair and brings his leg up to polish his shoe.

"Javier, " She watches the handsome man before her as he polishes his shoe. He looks up and smirks. He stands to his feet and walks towards her handing his hand out.

"I have something you might be interested in?" Annabelle takes his hand and follows him to the horses.

"Sure what it is it?" she asks as she feeds Patch a sugar cube.

"A home robbery. Sitting on a lot of cash. Up at Cumberland Falls. Know it?" Javier pulls himself up on Boaz and looks down at Annabelle.

"Sure why not. I love doing home robberies" Annabelle sits comfortably on Patch.

"Especially with me, " Javier smirks looking back at her. She playfully rolls her eyes and follows Javier out of camp.

"Sure. Makes me feel some type of way, " Annabelle jokes smirking as Javier chuckles but his face heats up.

"Only for you, Hermosa, " he paused, thinking to himself. He chuckled before saying, "Just make sure you don't get shot again, "

"Ha, ha very funny Mr Escuella, but I don't plan to, " Annabelle caught up riding alongside Javier. He took a quick glance at her with a smirk before kicking Boaz into a full run.

***

The two outlaws arrived at Cumberland Falls and jumping down from their horses. They both crouched down and walked up the hill to get a better view of the place.

"It's a big place with a big barn. Must be where the money stashed." Annabelle looks through her binoculars as Javier listens to what she sees.

"Ok. Let's get a little closer to get a better look. I can't see with all these trees in the way, " Javier moves down closer to home.

"Be quiet and get behind the shed, " Javier whispers and quickly jumps the fence Annabelle following.

"You head over to that rock, and I'll make a distraction," Javier pointed near the side of the house on the other side. Annabelle nodded but gave him a confused look.

"What kind of distraction?" Javier smirked at the woman as she was just turning to leave.

"You'll see, Hermosa," Javier watched the woman run quickly and quietly to the rock hiding behind it.

She watches as Javier grabs a fire bottle and lights it up with his spur before chucking it in the shed. He quickly makes a run for it and waits on Annabelle's signal when the crazy people get in one spot.

One person came out of the house right next to her making her gasp but quickly recovered and aimed her rifle at the man.

"Aw swinkin' heck," more people rushed out to see the commotion and Annabelle smirked looking through the scope she shot one by one but more shots were being fired back.

Javier and Annabelle moved up on them shooting the people from the barn and the second house.

"I think that was...the last of them," Javier patted Annabelle's shoulder before looking around the place.

"It's definitely the barn. They weren't shy about guarding it," Annabelle tells him. Javier nods agreeing and follows the woman to the barn.

"Check around, can't be too hidden," Annabelle tells him as she climbs the ladder. The woman she killed earlier was hanging on by a thread so she just kicked the body to the ground making Javier flinch. "Sorry," she giggled but her eyes settled on a chest and opened it finding jewellery and some other valuables.

"Annabelle come help me move this," Javier called, Annabelle grinned and rushed down looking at the Mexican with his red poncho.

"The tough and confident Mexican now needs help from a woman to move the box," Annabelle laughs, Javier blushes he shakes his head looking away from the woman.

"Lo siento," Javier's eyes widen and he looked back at the woman stunned to know she knew Spanish.

"Está bien," Javier replied making Annabelle smile. She surprised him all the time and he couldn't get enough of her.

Annabelle helped push the box out the way to see a lock box open filled with cash.

Annabelle helped half the money giving him the other half. "We should ride alone," Annabelle suggested, but Javier had a different idea.

"It's a long ride back. Let's set up camp for the night," Javier told her as he looked up at the sky.

"Sure," Annabelle shrugged and whistles for her horse, Javier doing the same.

They both ride together in a comfortable silence as the sun sets behind the mountains.

Javier stopped on a big path of green on the edge of the mountain.

"Let's set up camp here. It's beautiful out here," Annabelle nods as she climbs off Patch.

"Sure is, I could stay here forever," she said as she got supplies and a bedroll out for the camp. Javier set up a tent for the both of them putting both bedrolls in while Annabelle made the fire.

"Do you remember in Tumbleweed at the bar. You got into a gun fight but you only had a knife," Javier chuckled at the memory making Annabelle blush.

"Yes, I managed to kill them all with only a knife," Annabelle answers as she cooks the meat for the both of them.

"See...I don't remember it that way. I remember you stabbing two men and you getting shot. Good old Javier stepped in just in time to kill the rest." Javier watched the woman hide her face from embarrassment but laughing still.

"Yeah...I remember. You saved my life. Thank you, everyone in the gang was saved by Dutch but I think I'm the only one that wasn't saved by him. You did. And I thank you for that everyday. Javier, you mean a lot to me if it weren't for you... I won't be sitting here right now talking with you," Javier nods looking towards the flames a small smile on his lips at the memory.

"I don't think I'll ever forgive myself if something ever bad happens to you," Javier told her.

"Oh shush. You're gonna make me cry," Annabelle leans her head on his shoulder as they both eat in silence.

Javier's heart was bursting to tell her. But he couldn't ruin of what they already had. The confident Javier now the shy Javier. He never felt like this before in a long time. But when he did, he was kicked out of his country for saving a woman's life and killing an important man. This time he had nothing to lose.