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Magnificent... 8?	By : SisterWine Category: M through R > Magnificent Seven Views: 1621 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: MGM Home Entertainment and Mirisch Corp. own the Magnificent Seven. I make no claim to the series or characters. The other characters in the story, are mine.

Chapter List
- 1-Magnificent... 8?
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Part Four
- 5-Part Five
- 6-Part Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Chapter 8
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 10
- 11
"NO!" Lyla shrieked and buried her face in her hands as the overwhelming force of tears cascading down her ashen cheeks. She could feel Mary's arms around her and Chris to the other side, whispering in her ear that it would be alright but nothing seemed to calm her. Shaking her head, Lyla became more distraught as the past few weeks weighed heavily on her.
Jesse sat in his chair and stared at the judge, calmly. He was numb and couldn't move. Turning his head, slightly, he looked over at Ezra, who was just as mystified as he. "What about Lyla? What's gonna happen to her? She can't go back, with him."
"Fear not, young man. I assure you, your lovely bride will be taken care of." Ezra patted Jesse's shoulder and then stood up. "Your honour, may I inquire as to why there were no closing statements?" He met eyes with the judge and then glanced over his left shoulder, at a tear-ridden Lyla, sobbing on Mary's shoulder.
"You may. And it is my official power to cut to the chase, when I feel it necessary. My ruling stands, Mr. Standish. Sit down." The gavel banged again as Judge Travis eyed Ezra, daring him to say something out of order. "In the ruling of Sheriff Drake being held in contempt of court, his bond will be set at $20. Mister Larabee, Mister Wilmington, please escort the sheriff to jail where he might arrange for release." The judge sat firmly in his chair and contained his anger. He had had enough of playing games with the visiting judge and sheriff and taking on a case that had become a total sham. His eyes moved to Lyla and watched as Chris stood from consoling the young woman.
Charlie shoved Judge Carson aside as the elder man leaned over to speak to him. "Hell no! I ain't leavin' here without my sister! That brat," pointing over to Jesse, "brainwashed her into thinkin' he loves her." Charlie pointed an angry finger over at Jesse as the young man finally was able to stand up and face him. Ignoring the banging gavel and the presiding judge's yell to to have order, Charlie made a step in Lyla's direction and was stopped abruptly as he came face to face with Buck and Josiah.
Seeing his wife's emotional state, Jesse gathered his anger and focused it on the sheriff, ready to shove through Ezra to protect her, if needed. In catching Ezra's eye and watching him shake his head in discouragement, he shrugged against it. "She's a grown woman, Charlie! Ain't no way I'm lettin' her leave with you!" Jesse growled as Judge Travis banged the gavel and Ezra stood up to contain his client.
Lyla stopped her sobbing and shifted, panting and placing a hand on her stomach. "I don't feel well. Can we please go?" Sitting back and reaching for Mary's hands, she felt weak and ill and just wished to get away from the screaming and the trial that had just condemned her husband to prison. "Mister Tanner? Please take me back to my room?" Turning and reaching for the man behind her, Lyla ignored the calls to her from her brother and Jesse and, instead, allowed Vin to help her to her feet and escort her to the door. Nathan followed behind Vin while Mary made her way to speak to Judge Travis, who now waved her over with a questionable look.
Bending close to her father in-law, Mary explained that Lyla wasn't feeling well and wished to return to her room.
The judge nodded and banged the gavel hard on the desktop. "Order! Mister Larabee, please remove Sheriff Drake from this courtroom. I am doubling his fine of contempt to $40. He will remain in a cell until he's had time to cool off. I will not have you interrupt my court, again, young man. Mister McCall," sighing and looking to Jesse, who silenced himself upon hearing the gavel banging, "the marshal's stage will be here to collect you, in three days. At which time, you will be transported to Yuma Prison to serve no less than five years, with good behaviour. After such period, I will review your case for possibility of parole. I suggest you use your time wisely, young man. Mister Standish, Mister Dunne, take your prisoner into custody." With a final bang of the gavel, he ended the court session and stood up to leave.
"What about Lyla? She can't go back with him. He'll make her life Hell! Please, Judge!" Jesse's voice filled with concern over his distraught wife and not for himself. He hadn't struggled as JD placed the cuffs on him. The numbness had returned but the shock never left him. Jesse turned his head to look at the open door that Vin had escorted Lyla out of. His heart sank. He felt grateful that the judge gave him life instead of a noose but not so happy knowing that he wouldn't be able to see his wife for 15 years.
Charlie fought against Chris and shoved Buck back as the two men grabbed him to be cuffed. "She's my baby sister, damn it! I'm the only family she has left. She's leavin' with me."
Judge Carson, who had sat quiet, with a quizzical look, now stood and approached Judge Travis. "I demand to know the reason for your abrupt ruling and why the closing arguments were forgone." The older gentleman glared at his successor as he leaned on the table, between them. He narrowed his eyes and watched Oren's expressions change. "You have no authority to overrule my findings. This shady dealing of a courtroom will be the first on my list to have you removed as a judge, Travis."
Oren Travis paused in his collection of papers and personal belongings to dump them in a pile, on the table and retrieve the same wire the medical examiner had sent to him, not minutes before the resuming of trial and holding it up for the elder man to see. "My 'shady' courtroom just corrected your misuse of the justice system, Mister Carson. This same wire, from the Salt Lake City Medical Examiner's office informed me of tampering with facts in evidence to see that Jesse be hanged for a crime that was not proven. Furthermore, your one-sided trial to convict Jesse has been under investigation by the Judiciary Committee. That young man would have been the fourth victim of your misuse of the Judicial System. Therefore, on the grounds that your first ruling has been dismissed, by the Committee, this young man was granted an appeal. Until which time as untampered evidence has been found, proclaiming his innocence, he is remanded to Yuma Prison for aiming a weapon at a man of the Law with intent to pull the trigger. The court is in adjourn. I suggest you find yourself a good lawyer for the Committee. Good day, counselour." He then made his way over to where Jesse stood, staring back at him with a calmness he had shown so many attackers. "Jesse, I will speak to Lyla. If the young lady wishes to stay, she will be well accomidated here, for as long as she likes. If not, I cannot force her. Gentlemen." Nodding to JD and Ezra to escort Jesse out of the building.
Jesse only nodded and fought back the anguish in his throat. "Thank you."
~~~~~~~~~~
Chris and Vin sat at a corner table of the Saloon and ate in silence, reflecting on the chaos on the day. The sun hadn't even bothered to go down yet, both men were physically exhausted from the trial and reprocussions. Chris sighed and sat back as Judge Travis walked up and calmly asked to join them. He nodded as the weary judge pulled out the vacant chair, at the table, and sat down. "Some rulin', today." Shoveling another piece of roast into his mouth and chewing, glanced over at the older man with a tilt of his head.
"Not one of my usual ones." Judge Travis waved Inez over, for her to bring him a beer and a meal. "That young outlaw took it better than some of the other grown men I've sentenced. I suppose the young lady had other expectations of the outcome."
Vin nodded as he chewed a bite of bread. "She's pretty upset. Had to pick her up and carry her upstairs. Poor thing passed out, at the door to the hotel. Nathan's with her, now." Chewing and swallowing a bite of potato, he reached for his glass and took a gulp of beer before setting the glass back down on the table. The memory of holding Lyla in his arms and carrying her up the stairs, with the help of Nathan, was still fresh in his mind. "Mary said she didn't eat anything this noon and barely touched anything for breakfast, this morning."
Chris thought about the judge's ruling and explanation as he chewed his next bite. "Ezra took Jesse back to his cell said Jesse was very quiet and only spoke up once to ask about the stage. He wasn't relieved to be spared from the noose but rather a bit hurt he didn't get that punishment."
"He's been putting himself through Hell tryin' to talk himself out of him bein' the one that pulled the trigger that killed his pa. That tends to take a toll on a man. I reckon lettin' him live doesn't help all that much, especially when he has to live with never knowin' who really killed the sheriff." Vin sat back and sipped his beer.
Judge Travis sighed as Inez placed a beer and a plate of food down in front of him. "I'll keep close watch on Mister McCall. He seems like a level-headed young man. The warden is a friend of mine, and it might be possible to work something out for him to work in the warden's program. That'll keep him out of general population, in case anyone knew of the incident in Echo. That is the extent of my reach, though. Jesse'll have to do his time, just like anyone else."
Chris nodded. "Jesse's a good kid. Been through Hell. He might appreciate any chance he can get." He glanced over as the judge took a bite of carrot and then looked past him to see Nathan walk into the Saloon and spot Chris. "Nathan. How's Lyla doin?"
Nathan sighed and removed his hat as he sat down, opposite the judge. "She's fine. A bit dehydrated and weak from not eating but, she's more concerned with how Jesse's doin. Been askin' when she can talk to him. I came to bring her some sandwiches and build her strength back up. She can barely stand on her own." He stood again to order food from Inez before excusing himself from the table to wait for the food.
"I'll have a talk with her, after she eats something. I'd like you seven to be on hand for the next few days. Just in case Judge Carson and the sheriff try something." Judge Travis took a bite of roast and chewed, thinking about the day's events.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Lyla brushed her long, wet hair. A bath had felt so nice, after a restless nap. She sat at the small dressing table and vanity, by the window, her face felt the warmth of the sun on the window. Small birds tried their best to cheer her up with their tiny songs but couldn't manage even a faint smile. She faced away from the door, not wanting to remember where she was. Lyla felt a prisoner in her own freedom as the darkness seemed to crowd her more and more. Her clean dress had been dampened with the remnants of her bath and chilled her arms and legs with the slivers of wind that crept in through the cracks in the siding and window pane.
She paused as she listened to heavy footsteps, outside her door. Hard-soled shoes and no weapon gave her a shiver. The footsteps stopped just outside her door and soon after, a knock. "Who is it?" Lyla knew by the way they had walked that it hadn't been any of the seven men or Mary and it made her all the more uneasy.
A muffled voice, thick and heavy as the footsteps, came from behind the door. "Mrs. McCall, this is Judge Oren Travis. On your husband's request, I would like to speak to you."
"Jesse?" Lyla clutched the handle of her hairbrush and stood up. She faced away from the door and turned, using her free hand to feel for the side of the bed and then the wall and finally the door as she had made her way across the room. Feeling for the doorknob and turning it, she cracked the door open and listened for a moment. "Jesse sent you?" Lyla swallowed. Her heart beat loudly.
Judge Travis breathed and lowered his tone to speak to her. "Yes. He asked me to have a word with you, about your decision of residence. May I come inside?" His voice softened and displayed no indicators of false testimony.
Lyla nodded and opened the door to invite him in. "Please." She listened to his footsteps and the soft wrinkling of his clothing as he stepped into her room. She had so many things she had wanted to say to the judge, some begging him not to send her husband away, some demanding he change his decision but, she kept quiet and listened to him walk over to the wooden desk, next to the tall wardrobe, and turn the deskchair around to sit. Closing the door and trying her best to move about the room she had been captive in, to sit on the settee, next to the bed.
Judge Travis watched and waited for her to sit before he sat down. "Mary mentioned to me that you weren't feeling well, during the sentencing. I hope you've recovered."
Smiling, nervously, Lyla nodded. "Yes. Thank you."
"Now," Judge Travis shifted on the chair, "how has your stay, in town, gone? Are you being treated well?"
Lyla nodded. "Yes. It's been fine. Mister Larabee and Mister Tanner have been very nice, to me. Mister Sanchez reads to me and Mister Wilmington is quite the conversationalist, at meals." She paused and gathered the strength to say what she had wanted to, for so long. "I want to be with my husband, Judge Travis. Jesse hasn't done anything wrong. Why are you doing this, to him?" She pleaded with him but ultimately knew the judge wouldn't relent his findings. Tightening her mouth and refraining from tears, Lyla found herself listening to the judge's actions more than his words. She had a rough time figuring him out, as he wasn't like Mary, at all.
Oren sighed and sat back, in his chair. "Young lady, I gave my verdict, not to punish Jesse, but to help him think about his actions. Granted, he is a well-behaved young man for his reputation; however, loaded or not, son of a sheriff, or not, Jesse aimed a weapon at a man of the law, with intent to pull the trigger. That is a jailable offense, here, or could have lead up to a hanging. Whether or not, it was his bullet that claimed the life of Sheriff McCall, or not, has yet to be concluded. Jesse knows that. Right now, though, he chooses to focus on your well-being. Mister Larabee and Mary have both agreed that you would be well cared for, if your decision is to remain here. Mary has offered to help brandish employment, if you so choose, or to help you further your education. Mister Standish has also chipped in and will work with you for accomidations. The other options, of course, may not be to your liking. As you've stated, Sheriff Drake would see your privelages expired. Perhaps, another place, you might express to reside, until you and Jesse can be reunited?" He watched her shake her head slightly but said nothing.
"What would you have concluded if Sheriff McCall did fire his own weapon at Jesse? You heard him tell the court how mean he was." Lyla calmed herself enough to ask the question that had weighed on her mind for most of the week.
Sighing in thought, Judge Travis shifted. "Had Jesse waited, self defense would have been another ruling. Since he was the first to aim his weapon, that puts Jesse at fault."
Lyla hung her head in defeat. "I want to be with my husband."
This time, it was the judge's turn to shake his head. "Yuma is no place for a delicate woman."
"Then, arrest me, also. Put me behind bars because wherever I go, now, will be a jail I cannot escape from." Raising her head and staring forward, not knowing that she met his gaze, Lyla assessed her own situation. "You see a good but misguided youth in need of correction. I see you are taking away the only person who let me feel safe and comfortable with who I am. I am no more free here than I am in Echo. I have no other family of my own. I cannot and will not burden Jesse's mother with my misfortune."
He could see the faint spark of courage, in her eyes. It had grown brighter as the moments passed. "You have done nothing wrong."
"I have." A tear slid down her cheek and she made no effort to wipe it away. "I'm blind."
~~~~~~~
The marshal's stage pulled into town just after one in the afternoon. It stopped in front of the telegraph office and a tall, barrel-chested man with an old '73 Winchester rifle stepped out and looked around. Brushing himself off and making his way to the small jail, he called back to the driver to wait. Opening the door and looking at both empty desks, on either side of the door, his brown eyes fell on the young man, sitting on the bed, in his cell. "Where's the sheriff?" His deep, gravelly voice filled the room.
"Ain't no sheriff. Just seven men." Jesse never betrayed his calm demeanour as he stared up at the man.
A bushy brown mustache flinched as the man snorted. "Lookin' for a man named Larabee." He hadn't been impressed with the lack of welcome, nor the prisoner's expression. Marshal Cain Johnson had been one to command attention when he entered a room. A decorated man, well versed in military tactics and the apprehension of dangerous criminals had played to his war-hero ego. He had been a high-ranking captain in Sherman's army and tended to look down on those who opposed his line of thinking.
Jesse raised an eyebrow at the man. "Try the saloon."
"You sassin' me, boy?" Johnson gripped the barrel of his rifle tightly.
Jesse's tone hadn't changed. "Nope."
JD cleared his throat as he stood in the doorway, behind Johnson. "Can I help you, Mister?"
"That's Marshal Cain Johnson, boy." Johnson turned around and eyed JD with an unimpressed look. "You Larabee?"
JD shook his head and then smiled, holding out his hand to properly greet the Marshal. "No, sir. My name's JD Dunne." The smile faded as he was met with an equal grunt and glare as Johnson stared down his nose at the young lawman.
The marshal cleared his throat with a loud growl and demanded to see Chris Larabee so that he could collect his prisoner and head to the next town to collect some failed bank robbers. Leering as JD stumbled back outside and ran to fetch Chris, he then turned around and sized up the young outlaw, in the cell. "Take some girl's doll?"
"Nope."
"That's right. Little boy like you killed a man."
"The sheriff." Again, Jesse's calm demeanour didn't waiver as his deadpan stare remained on the marshal, now standing in the middle of the office part of the jail. Staring at the older man hadn't helped infiguring out what the next three days travel would endure but, he found solace that it would be the best part of the next 15 years. Jesse had doubted very highly that Judge Travis would keep his word and grant him parole in five years.
Familiar footsteps on the boardwalk hinted Chris hadn't wasted any time making his way back to the jail to greet the marshal. Rounding the corner and stepping into the jail, Chris stopped introduced himself to the imposing lawman. "I'm Chris Larabee."
Marshal Johnson turned and half expected to see another young greenhorn, standing beside him. "Marshal Cain Johnson. I'm here for my prisoner." He made no attempt to be cordial to the man he had read stories about, nor had he cared that Chris had been considered one of the fastest gunmen in the territory. Johnson reached into the small pouch clipped to his belt, behind his back, and retrieved his personal pair of cuffs for Jesse to wear. "Hurry it up. I wanna keep my deadline." He sneered as Chris moved to retrieve the keys from the desk, to the right of the door.
"Mr. Larabee, can I say goodbye to Lyla, first? Please?" Jesse stood at the bars and silently begged to see his wife before they left.
Once again, JD stood in the doorway, watching. Looking to Chris and nodding, JD volunteered to escort Lyla over to see her husband one last time. He turned and hurried over to the restaurant, where Lyla and Mary had been having tea.
Chris grabbed the keys from the top drawer and made his way over to Jesse's cell, with Marshal Johnson right behind him. Chris shoved the key into the lock and turned it, making a loud clanking sound and then a twisted screeching noise as he opened the door for the marshal to cuff Jesse. He had wanted to say something but didn't have the opportunity to formulate words. He knew Jesse was guilty of pointing a weapon at his father but felt bad that he was being punished for stopping his abuser. Even though, it hadn't been proven it wasn't Jesse who pulled the trigger.
Placing the iron cuffs around Jesse's wrists and tightening them, Marshal Johnson hadn't cared to hear about a woman coming to say "goodbye" to the man she loved. In his eyes, criminals didn't love anyone or anything but themselves and used anyone and anything to further their egos. Grabbing Jesse's left arm and shoving him in front, towards the door, he grunted a "thanks" over to Chris and didn't bother to wait for Chris' reaction before shoving his prisoner out, into the street.
Jesse dug in his heels and did his best to delay the marshal from hurrying him into the stage as he caught sight of Lyla, JD and Mary hurrying to see him. "Lyla!"
"Jesse!" Lyla had hold of JD's hand and walked between Mary and JD. She stopped, to determine where the call came from.
Grunting and growling, Marshal Johnson pulled Jesse close to him and snarled into his ear, "I ain't got time for your sissy stuff, inmate."
Shrugging out of the man's heavy grasp and turning to face his captor, Jesse growled back, "And I ain't leavin' without sayin' goodbye to my wife."
"Aw, should we get a tintype made, for her?"
Jesse held back his anger as Lyla grew closer. "Won't do no good. She's blind, you oaf." Jesse turned back and took two steps towards them. Raising his arms to encircle them around Lyla, they hugged and kissed. He whispered something in her ear that had made her cry as he held her tightly. "I have to go now, love. You'll be alright, here. I promise. They're good people here. It won't be that long til I can hold you, again." He kissed her lips, gingerly. "I love you, Lyla McCall."
Tears streamed down her cheeks leaving damp red lines. "Take me with you, Jesse."
Jesse shook his head. "I can't, darlin. You'll be safe, here." With a final sincere kiss, Jesse released himself from her and turned back to the marshal and Chris, waiting at the door to the stage. "Mister Larabee," stepping closer to the stage and spoke quietly. "I can't ask you to protect her but, I'd appreciate it." He tried to hide his nervousness as he hadn't really wanted to be that close to the stage bound for Yuma Prison.
Buck and Vin strode up the walk and stopped in front of the jail. Their gun hands resting on the grips.
"Get a move on, inmate." Johnson shoved Jesse towards the door of the stage. He grew more impatient with every minute wasted by Jesse blubbering over leaving his blind wife.
Chris swallowed and glanced over Jesse's shoulder to a weeping Lyla and nodded his answer. "I give you my word, Jesse."
Nathan and Ezra had made their way outside of the saloon and stopped, just beyond the swinging doors, to watch as the marshal collected his prisoner. Ezra leaned against the support beam and toyed with a deck of cards while Nathan looped his thumbs around his gunbelt and shook his head. Neither had thought Jesse deserved such a steep sentence yet, they could not confirm he had been completely inocent. Nathan knew all too well the anger that came with being oppressed and didn't really blame Jesse for retaliation. Ezra shared the same sentiment though, his pride had been on the mend for having lost the case.
Josiah sat reading his book of scriptures, just outside of the restaurant, where he had been having a cup of coffee, and glanced up at the marshal's stage. He stood and placed the book down, on the table as he stepped to the edge of the walk and squinted to see the exchange of words between Jesse and the grumpy marshal. He caught Buck's eye, from across the street and looked away, almost upset at the sight that unfolded. His heart went out to Lyla as he watched her whole world collapse in front of her and there was nothing she could do to hold on to steady ground.
As Jesse nodded and stepped toward the open door to the wagon, a shot from a double barrelled rifle rang out and riccoheted off of the door, not a foot and a half from Jesse's right arm. He had jumped. He had remained calm all this while and had jumped at the sound of a gunshot. Ducking and looking around to find the shooter, Jesse's heart pound in his chest. "Charlie," he panted to himself.
"Jesse!"
Crouching down, as the rest of the group had done out of reflex, Jesse spun around and realised Lyla had still been within reach. "Lyla!" He had taken a step back towards her when the marshal grabbed his arm and snarled for him to get into the wagon. "I ain't leavin'!" In the time it had taken for him to stand up, turn around and come face to face with the ill-tempered marshal, Jesse had reached across and grabbed Johnson's revolver from it's holster, on the marshal's right hip, and pointed it at him.
"JD, get Mary and Lyla inside!" Chris called and drew his gun as he gazed at the tops of the buildings, across the street, searching for the disgraced sheriff.
Grabbing Lyla by the waist, as she had resisted to leave without knowing where Jesse was or if he was alright, he struggled to get her onto the boardwalk. Mary had been on the other side of him, trying to also calm Lyla down when the second shot rang out, this time, barely missing Mary's foot.
Lyla screamed and kicked for JD to let go of her. She was able to break free as they both fell to the ground, as a result of her flails. Scrambling to her hands and knees, she crawled ahead and felt her way across the street as another shot rang out. Lyla paused to ball herself up and scream in terror for her husband. She had been curled up in the middle of the street, exposed and easy prey.
Chris waved Josiah and Vin to search the buildingtops for the sniper while Buck and Nathan searched the boardwalks as he, himself, made his way over to where Mary crouched, just inside the sheriff's office. "You alright?" Keeping himself low, he quickly checked her for injuries.
Mary nodded and shifted as she spotted Lyla, in the street. "I'm fine. What about Lyla?"
Chris finally looked over to find Lyla still huddling in a tight ball, in the middle of the street and called to JD, who had done his best to make it over to her, with no success. "JD! Get Lyla outta the street!" Drawing his gun and, crouching low, he made his way back to the side of the wagon, where Marshal Johnson stood and surveyed the buildings. "Marshal, you might wanna get Jesse outta town. We draw the shooter out, into the open and away from innocent people, my men and I can take care of it."
Jesse watched JD crawl closer to Lyla, drawing his gun. "No," he mumbled under his breath and swallowed as pushed himself out, from under the cover of the horses of the stage, and ran himself into JD, toppling them both while sifting JD's other gun out of his holster. "He's mine!" Jesse growled at the younger man, pinning him to the ground. "You get her outta here. I got Charlie." He stood and turned to raise his head and voice to the skyline. "Your fight's with me, Charlie! Leave Lyla outta this! You hear me, Charlie?" He had forgotten almost completely about the handcuffs on his wrists, as he clutched JD's gun in his left hand. He aimed it at the tops of the buildings and desperately searched for his brother in-law.
Firing another shot and ducking out of sight, he could hear his sister screaming and knew he had missed his target. "I hear ya, McCall! She's my sister and you turned her against me!" Charlie's ominous voice came from everywhere and nowhere as he had remained hidden since witnessing the other five men pan out to look for him.
Screaming out of fear and frayed nerves, Lyla flinched at the hands that grabbed her and then the voice at her ear, telling her what JD was trying to do. "What's going on? Where's Jesse? Tell me!" Lyla felt pushed and pulled in every direction and stumbled to regain control of herself as JD helped her up, onto the boardwalk and into the nearest business.
"He's fine, ma'am. He asked me to get you outta the street. You're safe, now." JD knelt down, beside her, as she sat down on the floor, under the window.
Lyla shook her head and fought back the sobs. "Why is Charlie doing this?"
Shaking his head, JD didn't know what or how to tell her what he didn't know. "I don't know, ma'am. Are you hurt, anywhere?"
"No. Is Jesse alright?"
JD didn't answer and only stared at the armed prisoner, still standing in the middle of the street, searching for the assailant.
After the second time of hearing no answer, Lyla's mind began racing with voices of Jesse's demise. "Jesse!" She had started to get up but was held down by the youngest of the seven men. "Let me go. He needs me." Her hands sweat and fisted into her dusty skirt and her ears rang with screams from other patrons and gunshots. Her breath caught and skipped in her chest, wondering what was going on and feeling utterly helpless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The marshal had been standing silent, clutching the stock of his rifle and staring carefully at each window and building outline that he could see. "Who the Hell is so trigger-happy?" His mouth tightened as the lack of shadow or movement shaved off pieces of his temper.
Chris followed the marshal's eyes with his own. "Former sheriff of Echo. The young lady is his little sister and Jesse's new bride. We find him alive, you can have him."
"Two for the price of one, huh? Sounds like an interestin' trip."
Exhaling his frustration, Chris cocked his gun and raised it to shoulder level. "Sheriff Drake, you don't have to do this! Jesse's going to prison! No need for you to go with him!"
"He took my last piece of family I had and turned her against me! Got no job to go back to, no family! He deserves to swing, not go to jail!" Charlie shouted from where he sat, corned in an upstairs bedroom of the hotel/saloon. "His Pa damn near ruined everything and then, that brat had to come along and poke his nose where it wasn't wanted." Charlie got to his feet and carefully walked towards the door of his room and peeked out, into the hall, listening for footsteps of on of the other seven. His heart pounded in his chest and his breaths came in short intervals. He could hear Jesse shout something to him from the street.
Jesse turned and glanced over his shoulder, listening. "You had no reason to kill him, Charlie! He was your friend and my Pa!" Dividing his attentions between the empy street, where JD and Lyla hid and Charlie's disembodied voice came from. He could feel the ground start to give way, underneath him as the moment became more and more surreal. He had wanted to be vindicated. He wanted to be free from his sentence but most of all, he had wanted to know why his father was killed over something so petty and dasterly.
Charlie made his way down the hallway, to the side door, cracking it open and checking for gunmen. Making his way down the stairs, he focused on the relief of aiming and pulling the trigger, one last time, killing the last of the McCall men. If he had to go down, as well, that was the way he had wanted to go. Pausing at the corner of the building across the alley, Charlie took a breath and snapped a glance back at his target, still standing in the middle of the street, in cuffs. He had been a building down from the jail and on the same side of the street, which made it harder to be spotted. "All I wanted was to be able to support my family and myself. I tried several times to get that old fool, Bromley to listen to my side of things. Sloan couldn't take care of the town. Failed as a sheriff and a father. He got in my way, Jesse! Couldn't let him ruin everything. Not the way he destroyed his own family! Carson was the only one that saw it." Taking a deep breath and turning the corner, Charlie walked to the middle of the street and aimed his revolver at Jesse as the outlaw turned around to face his attacker.
"That's why you thanked me, back at the schoolhouse? Framed me for killin' my Pa." A shiver raced down Jesse's back yet, he remained collected in the face of danger.
"Call it a blessin' in disguise." Charlie sneered at the younger man as they stared at each other. "I liked him. I really did. But, he was gonna spoil my future. Kill the town with his drunken ramblings."
Jesse caught movement from the corner of his eye and turned to fire a warning shot at the marshal's left foot, stopping the interloafer from killing the mad sheriff. "He's mine." When he turned back to focus on Charlie, he could see the rage and hatred in the man that now held him at gunpoint. "Why aim at Lyla, Charlie? She's innocent. Ain't done nothin' wrong."
"You took her away from me, McCall. Stole my baby sister and turned her against me. After everything I did for her! You're just usin' her! Admit it!" A low growl started in Charlie's throat as his voice carried over the short distance. He was down to one last shot and fought to contain himself from pulling the trigger and being down with it.
Shaking his head and parting his lips to speak, both had been caught off-guard by a third voice, coming from Jesse's left. To his horror, Jesse turned to find Lyla calling for him and blindly running towards his voice. "LYLA!" His movements felt as if his boots were full of sand and he was running in quicksand as he started towards her before turning and firing back at the disgruntled sheriff that now aimed and fired at his own sister. Jesse had stepped in front of her as the bullet tore into his stomach, barely missing his major organs. His own bullet had caught Charlie in the chest, causing the sheriff to stand in shock before dropping his gun and falling to his knees and then face first, into the dirt.
Lyla screamed loudly as she felt Jesse's weight against her. Her hands were wet and he gasped for breath, in her arms, as they slipped to the ground. "Jesse?! What's happening?" Within seconds, the closeness of being surrounded by Chris, JD, Nathan and Vin was becoming unbearable and she gasped for air. Her eyes filled with tears as strong, weathered hands lifted her to her feet and turned her around to sob into the chest of the man what held her. She was confused and scared and angry that her brother would do this. Pounding her fists into the strong, warm chest, Lyla screamed for her husband and demanded to know what was going on.
Ezra held on tightly to the young woman and refused to let go, even as she cursed and pounded on his chest. Stroking her hair and remaining silent, he waited for her to calm down before hushing his voice to speak to her. "Young Mister McCall will be just fine, my dear. Calm yourself. Mister Jackson will do everything he can to see that Jesse doesn't go anywhere without you."
Mary's heart ached as she watched Nathan and Buck carry Jesse up to Nathan's room while Chris and Vin examined Charlie's body. Her eye caught the marshal, closing the door to the cell of the wagon. Making her way over to him, she did her best to stop the shaking in her muscles before acknowledging him. "Marshal?"
Cain Johnson had softened his scowl and took a moment to watch Lyla and Ezra. He thought back to his own sister, in Maryland, and how she fragile she had been from an early age. "I'll wire the judge for a pardon and tell him about the confession."
Mary nodded. "Thank you."
Cain didn't respond. His eyes still focused on the hysterical blind young woman.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck stood at the foot of the bed and rest arms against the tall wire footboard. He had been staring at Jesse's unconscious form for an hour. Nathan had finished and Josiah had prayed and now, all that was left to do was wait. Buck hated waiting. The helplessness tore at his gut as the remnants of Lyla's cries and pleadings pounded in his ears. He swallowed, dryly. It had been two days and not even a stir from the young man. Buck growled to himself.
The door opened and slow, even steps made their way up to him.
"He ain't moved. Not one inch since Nathan dug the bullet out." Buck shook his head in silent anger.
Chris stood beside his friend. "The judge is on his way back to re-examine Jesse's case. Marshal Johnson told him he witnessed the confession, himself. He even put in for a pardon for Jesse." His eyes fell on Jesse's sleeping face.
"This kid, Chris. The cards were against him and he still chose Lyla's life over his own, like it was nothin. After all he's been through,-- all both of them have been through-- if Drake hadn't've confessed, this boy was gonna do someone else's time, all to keep the peace. A man like that doesn't deserve a bullet in the gut. Or, to be hangin' on Death's doorstep. That badge is a powerful thing but, it ain't worth ruinin' lives over." Buck's voice barely made it over a whisper. He was exhausted and hungry and needed a damned drink. But, not before he saw a sign of life in the young man that now lay motionless in bed.
Chris nodded. "He'll be alright, Buck."
End
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Magnificent... 8?