I'd Do Anything For Love - Young guns Fanfiction

Salty Beginnings

Heavy rain blotted down on the land as well as us. Tonight I had finally had enough of Murphy's bullshit as well as his men's. I had packed as much as Ulysses could carry and set off. I had already had a start of a plan.

The plan had consisted of packing my shit and heading to Mr. Tunstall's cattle ranch. Murphy and Mr. Tunstall aren't the best of friends. Mr. Tunstall, however, had once told me in secrecy that if I needed a place to stay I could come over. So that's where I'm heading.

The rain had gotten heavier and it didn't help that it was night. I did hear talk the other day the Eastern states had gotten a pretty bad rain fall with some harsh winds. Still, Ulysses and myself trekked through. It also didn't help that the only thing we've eaten since breakfast has been Neco wafers. The wafers are addictive. I swear they're the best candy I've ever tasted.

The rain has gotten so much colder. How is it this cold? I live out west in New Mexico. We barely get rain here! Its unbearable! It could just be the harsh winds making seem colder. But still I can feel tears coming to my eyes.

I'm cold. I'm tired. I'm wet. I'm irritated. I'm stressed.

Just great. The stress is making this entire situation worse.

A light starts to illuminate in the distance. Fences and a house are coming into view. More trees too. Tunstall's Ranch. I just hope he lets me in like he said he would. I look down to Ulysses and he looks up to me with a worried look in his eyes.

We head up towards the porch of the house. Luckily there's a overhead above it to keep us dry. Many people know that cows can walk up stairs but not down stairs. That's not entirely true for Ulysses. He's trained perfectly well for knowing how to fall if he does fall.

I hop off of him and stagger up the stairs with him close behind. My hands are cold and numb but I still knock on the wooden door of the house.

"Who could that be at this time and in this weather?" I can hear Mr. Tunstall's voice among his Regulators inside talking about God knows what.

Mr. Tunstall opened the door to me shivering cold and wet to the bone.

"Colleen! Come in! What are you doing here?" He sounded very concerned. At this point I couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down. I fell to the ground sobbing.

"P...please Mr. Tunstall... I need a place to stay. I'll.... I'll work on the ranch or something to pay ya back." He bent down to my level.

"How about this. I'll go and get you a clean set of clothes. You go upstairs and take a bath in the guest bedroom bathroom." His voice was soft. I nodded and sniffled.

"What about Ulysses?"

"He can stay on the porch. I know how close you two are. The Regulators will be sleeping in the living room tonight due to the storm. If you want you can sleep in the guest bedroom or down here with us." He sounded more like he wanted me to sleep in the guest bedroom. Still, I'd rather sleep in the living room to be closer to Ulysses.

Once again stumbling up the stairs I had made my way up to the guest room to take a bath. After getting in and all that jazz I heard talking from down stairs.

"Why is she staying here? She's Murphy's kid!" It was Dick. I've always hated him. His nickname serves him justice.

"You don't know her past, Dick!" That was...Steve? Wait. Since when did he care? I mean, every time I've come around here or see him he just shys away.

Anyways, I continue bathing. I can hear the others taking up for me. Steve only talked once during the small argument. The rest openly argued until Mr. Tunstall told them all that if I needed a place to stay then I had a place to stay.