•Tombstone• Brothers Under The Sun

Chapter 22

"I got some boys over there behind ya!" Curly Bill mused again, "Got you in a little crossfire. How do ya like that?" He was talking about the shootout.

Both Wyatt and Elle locked eyes, both knowing he was referring to the O.K Corral. The event flashed in Elle's mind, the blood, the bullets, the pain. The lifeless eyes looking towards heaven. Closing her eyes, she tried to calm herself and looked back over towards Doc and Wyatt.

Wyatt, now holding his shotgun close to his chest, looked off into another world, his brain moving faster then he was. Doc watched his friend as Wyatt was thinking of a plan.

"Come on! Think of something fast will ya!" McMaster's cried as more bullets struck the trees where the group was hiding.

Wyatt suddenly had a dark look upon his face. His eyes become glossed over, as if he lost control of his body, "no." He whispered.

"Wyatt." Doc coughed out. "Hey Wyatt." He spoke again once he got no answer.

"No." Wyatt spoke louder now.

Suddenly, he stood up from his hiding spot and marched towards the river.

"Wyatt!" Elle said as she watched in awe.

As the bullets flew past Wyatt, Curly Bill told his group to stop firing. This was the perfect opportunity for the Earp group to peek their heads over and watch as Curly Bill marched towards Wyatt, shooting his gun, but missing ever shot. Growing angry, Curly Bill threw his gun away and pulled out another, Wyatt being as quick as he was, yelled no and shot Curly Bill dead in the river.

Curly Bill fell lifeless to the river and his iconic red shirt, was now stained with his red blood. Upon seeing this, Elle looked at Doc who told the group to go to Wyatt who was shaking in the middle of the river. Running to the river, the group shot the other hiding cowboys and rushed to Wyatts side. As the others shot the rest of the cowboys, Elle put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder.

Upon her touch, he stumbled and fell into the shallow river. Doc Holliday reached for his friend and so did Elle. Now sitting in the river, Elle pressed her hands all over Wyatt's chest, looking for any bullet wounds.

"Is he hurt?" Texas Jack asked frantically.

Elle shook her head, "I don't believe it," she whispered looking up at the men around her, "He's perfectly fine."

Doc moved Wyatt's jacket and looked over his friend who was shaking. Wyatt's eyes were still glossed over, his eyes staring straightforward. But he never spoke a word. Elle put her hand to Wyatt's face which caused him to look at her with such pain. Elle felt her heart drop as she knew that face all too well. He risked his life by confronting Curly Bill, but he didn't care. What did he have to lose. He already lost Morgan, and Virgil was now safe. So what else. There was nothing else.

Doc Holliday stood up, and then helped Wyatt up out of the water. Elle watched as Wyatt silently brushed his friend off and walk to the area where they had hid. Doc looked down at Elle who was kneeling in the water, watching Wyatt walk off. Doc then offered Elle his hand which she took without hesitation.

Once the group got back to their horses, they decided to rest further down the river. Doc Holliday lay under a tree, coughing as his face turned pale and he became very sweaty. Wyatt Earp stood down by the river cleaning himself and thinking of everything. Elle took off her jacket and got a wrap to go around her arm which was split open. She also grabbed a needle and thread as the wound would need to be stitched back up.

Sitting herself down, she sat near Doc and rolled up her sleeve and started to thread the needle. Before putting the needle through her skin around the wound, she took a deep breath and stuck it in. Wincing at the pain, she gritted her teeth and stopped for a moment.

"Let me assist you darling." Doc said sitting up from leaning on the tree.

"No I'm fine Holliday."

"I insist."

Elle looked at him for a moment and sighed. She moved closer to him, Doc crossed his legs and leaned towards Elle who sat on her knees. Doc took the needle and slowly, but carefully, he pulled the needle through her skin and stitched her wound up. While doing so, Doc coughed once or twice, turning away from Elle and stopping his stitches.

"Your not doing too good Holliday." Elle stated.

"I'm a peach darling, don't worry about me."

"I don't plan on it." She mumbled.

Doc stopped for a moment and looked at her, Elle looked at him. He was only inches away from her face, but the two just smiled, knowing that they bothered each other. It was what they did.

"Where is he?" Texas Jack asked referring to Wyatt.

"Down by the Creek, walking on water." Doc said sarcastically as he finished up Elle's wound.

"Well, let's hope he's got another miracle up his sleeve." McMaster's said walking from behind,
"Cause if I know Ringo, he's headed straight for us."

Doc wiped his hands in the handkerchief he had, and lay a hand on Elle's shoulder, telling her, he was finished. Elle stood up and walked to Ash and put her things sway.

"Well, if they were my brothers, I'd want revenge too." Texas Jack said scuffing.

"Make no mistake," Doc said turning to the men. "It's not revenge he's after, it's a reckoning."

Elle walked back over and watched as Doc tried to stand up but started coughing into a fit, making him lean his hands on his knees for support. Standing back up, he turned to the group as Texas Jack spoke.

"Doc. You ought to be in bed. What the hell you doin' this for anyway?"

"Wyatt Earp is my friend." He said turning away from them.

"Hell, I've got lots of friends." Jack said laughing.

"I don't." Doc Holliday said softly. He turned away and made his way to the river and continued to cough.

Elle watched helplessly as Doc coughed some more. He was getting worse, and she had to admit, she was getting worried. Some nights he would be up coughing, so he would stand up and watch guard. He never slept anymore. His pale skin clashed with his dark eyes, heavy with sleep.

Sighing, Elle turned away and looked to Wyatt, who was alone by the river. His mind was else where. At that moment, Elle felt a deep connection to Wyatt. They were both the same in that river. They were both hurting, both in pain. Both had lost a part of them to the cowboys. Both wanted the reckoning.

Both were the same. They were forever bonded with this pain.