This happens after the civil war once they've all rejoined the union.
And just to make sure it's clear, they do both survive, just a scar from the bullet and near death.
Enjoy!
~~~~~
No one's POV
A bunch of the states sat and chatted in the main room. Sharing a few drinks, a few laughs, mostly good times all around. Although no matter how many laughs could be heard, the underlying tension was still present as ever.
Suddenly the doors flung open. Every slowly turns to see a very angry looking Cali. Nevada takes a step towards her but before she can speak Cali storms over to where Texas and some of the other southern states are seated. She slammed her hands on the table in front of him.
"YOU JERK!!!" She yelled. He simply rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his drink.
"What did I do this time?" He asked.
"I told you you're not allowed to come back and you still came back!!!" She yelled.
"Well fortunately for me you don't get to make those decisions." Texas leaned back in his seat, taking another sip of his drink. She didn't like his answer much.
"Well you still haven't apologized!"
"For what? You holding a gun to my head?"
They went back and forth for a while. Most of the others getting lost in their disagreement. Right up until one particular line.
"WELL YOU KNOW WHAT?! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!" Cali yelled. Everyone froze, including Texas.
"What?" Texas blinked, staring at her, waiting for her to say she was joking. Surely she couldn't be serious.
"You heard me! I challenge you to a duel!"
"Cali... don't do this..." Nevada took a step towards her. Cali whipped around and glared at her.
"Shut. Up." She turned back to Texas who was still drinking, his expression neutral once again. "So?!" She demanded.
After another long sip he answered,
"No."
She laughed. A long laugh. She finally settled down enough to say, "Why not?! Are you scared?!"
He looked at her. She looked back. He took another sip.
"Fine." Everyone seemed shocked, Cali seemed pleased.
"Texas..." Georgia turned to his brother.
"If she wants a duel she'll get a duel." Texas told him. "You're my second Georgia. Cali, who's yours?" He turned back to her. Now she seemed surprised.
"My... what?" She asked, Alabama let out a laugh.
"This'll be easy, huh Tex!" He announced through laughter. Texas stayed neutral in expression. He turned to New York who was stood off to the side.
"York, you know about duels, help out Cali." He turned back to his drink.
"Well- I mean- Jersey knows more!" York scrambled, glaring at Jersey.
"Yeah, cause all your guys keeping comin' here and shootin' each other, you deal with it." Jersey quickly left. York let out an annoyed sigh.
"Fine." He walked over. "How much time we got?"
"Tomorrow we can meet up for peace talk and arrangements." Texas answered.
York quickly ushered Cali out of the room and they started down the hall.
"YOU NUTS?!" He smacked her upside the head.
"Hey!! He's had it coming for a while!!" Cali retorted.
"Yeah, and now you'll have a bullet coming at you!"
"You don't know that! I could win!"
York looked at her unimpressed.
"Really? You? You could win? Against Texas?"
"Yeah!" Cali responded, almost offended.
"Whatever, it's your funeral."
They made it to the library. York sat at one of the tables by a window, gesturing for Cali to sit with him.
He started going through everything a duel entailed, all the small technicalities and such. Cali listened carefully, determined as ever.
"Make sense?"
"Yeah. Yeah it does." Cali thought over everything she had just heard.
"Tomorrow you guys will have peace talk, which means you need to pick your second, and quick."
She thought for a moment.
"I don't have to pick you right?"
"Please don't pick me. I've become the unofficial overseer of this and being your second is just another responsibility I don't need."
Cali looked out the window. Suddenly her face lit up.
"I've got it!" She quickly got up and ran out the door.
She started heading towards a house she never thought she'd visit willingly again. Yet here she was, knocking on the front door. The door slowly opened.
"Hello, New Mexico."
Cali's POV
He looked just like how I remembered him, just taller.
"Hola Cali, what are you doing here?" His expression seemed annoyed.
"You don't like Texas, right?" His expression quickly changed to one of intrigue.
I quickly started explaining what happened to him. The whole civil war thing and how now I want to duel Texas.
"And so I need a second and I was wondering if you would do it for me?" I asked. He had never liked me much either, but I was hoping the power of a common enemy would kick in.
"Sure."
~Time Skip~
New Mex and I walked into the meeting room Georgia had set up. As soon as Texas saw New Mexico he shot up out of his seat.
"Why are you here?" He growled.
"Hola Tejas, I am dear Cali's second." New Mexico smirked as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
Tex's eyes widened. And then narrowed with anger again.
"That's not my name." He glared daggers.
"Oh? Then what is your name Tejas?" New Mex poked.
"Texas." He spat.
"Why don't we get started." Georgia intervened.
After about an hour or so of back and forth it became obvious we couldn't reach a peace. So we arranged a time and place.
Texas' POV
Here we are. I stood on one side of the long field while Cali was on the other. Georgia stood with me, New Mexico with Cali, and New York and a doctor in the centre, farther back of course.
Louisiana's angry words are still running through my mind. Maybe she was right about this being a bad idea, maybe she wasn't, it doesn't really matter at this point. I fiddled around with my gun. Contemplating what I was going to do.
I have an idea, it's just a matter of if I go through with it or not. I might end up doing it just on pure adrenaline.
"You ok?" Georgia asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah... I'm good..." I answered.
"Ok then, let's try this one more time." Georgia patted me on the back before him and New Mexico went to go to the centre to try peace talk one more time. I couldn't hear the full thing, just the end. "OK THEN! BE LIKE THAT YOU PIECE OF SHIT! THIS'LL BE EASY!" Georgia yelled. He stormed back to me. "Looks like we're doing this." He tried calming himself down.
"Yeah, I guess so..."
"Is everyone ready?" York shouted loud enough so his voice could be heard from both ends.
I turned to look at him.
"Yes." I responded, he nodded and looked over at Cali. I looked over to her as well. She seemed nervous. Really nervous.
"Y-Yeah!" She answered. He looked at her a second longer and nodded.
"Good luck, go get her." Georgia told me before him and New Mexico went and joined York. The doctor turned around. Cali and I stood there, looking at each other.
New York started counting and Cali and I walked towards and then past each other.
"1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
FIRE!"
No one's POV
One gun pointed to the sky.
The other pointed to the opponents chest, right to the heart.
"TEXAS!" Georgia and the doctor ran over to the boy who lay on the ground, smiling, and covered in blood.
New York and New Mexico ran to Cali who was panicking.
"Get back to the house!" York instructed.
She quickly obliged. Running back, and getting to be the messenger to all the anxious states who were waiting.
As Texas was quickly rushed to the doctors office. He smiled, and before blacking out let out a faint,
"Good job... Cali..."