A few days later you and sadie were woken by the train jostling to a hault, looking out the window you noticed a sign "welcome to El Paso Texas" hanging above the statiom platform.
Y/N: Well, Sadie looks like we made it.
Sadie let out a grunt before she stood and approached the window before looking out for herself.
Sadie: sure does, I suppose we should get or gear and ride out then?
Y/N: unless you want to stay on this train and see where you end up that's probably a good idea.
Sadie: As tempting as that sounds we've got work to do.
Y/N: yes ma'am, you get yourself freshened up and grab your gear I'll go tend to the horses and get them ready.
With that you walk out of the cabin you and Sadie had been sharing making your way to the horse car. Once you arrive you saddle Sadie's horse and then attend to Bo.
Y/N: hey bo, bet you'll be glad to get off this train huh.
Bo let out a soft neigh as if he were answering you and gave you a slight shove on the shoulder.
Y/N: alright alright fair enough, let's get you saddled up and ready to go.
You pat Bo on the neck and give him a carrot before you saddle him up. By the time Bo is all saddled up sadie is approaching.
Sadie: Well you sure do work fast ?
Y/N: Yes ma'am fast and efficient although somethings I prefer to take my time.
With that remark you give sadie a wink and her cheeks redden almost instantly.
You and Sadie then grab your respective horses leads and walk them off the train car. Once outside and off the platform you inhale a deep breath and stretch your back and shoulders.
Y/N: as nice as those modern comforts are nothing can beat the feeling of being outdoors and fresh air.
Sadie: You mean you don't aspire to have your self one of them big fancy Saint Denis mansions, quite frankly I'm shocked.
Y/N: oh ha ha, I aspire that about as much as you do being one of those high society princesses fearing a broken nail.
Sadie let's out a chuckle.
Sadie: fair enough, so where we headed first ?
Y/N: the saloon and then the general store.
Sadie: the saloon?
Y/N: yes the saloon, I'm hungry.
Sadie: When aren't you hungry?
Y/N: after I eat of course.
That smart comment earns you a smack upside the head.
Sadie: Smart-ass.
Y/N: well you asked, come on lunch is on the government today.
Sadie: a girl could get used to that.
Y/N: out make no doubt about it, we have to justify our spending at the end of the year.
Sadie: just wait until the get the bill with all that dining you've been doing.
Y/N: well I'm not much use if I'm hungry. One stomach growl when I'm sneaking up on my suspect and boom game over.
Sadie: well we wouldn't want that now would we?
Y/N: No ma'am .
You and Sadie begin walking down the street looking between the various businesses and eating establishments.
Sadie: seems like a nice enough town.
Y/N: yeah it's not to bad huh? I mean it's a little big for my taste.
Sadie: so you don't like cities, noted.
Y/N: oh no this job has given me a general distrust of these places, always having to look over your back and what not.
Sadie: I suppose, though in my estimation not much difference between looking over your shoulder for man or beast.
You two reach the saloon and tie your horses at the hitching post.
Y/N: that maybe but at least with an animal you know it's either hungry or protecting its young, man would shoot you in the back for the sport of it.
Sadie: alright I'll give you that one, so where would your ideal place be?
You two continue to the bar where you both order the beef stew and a beer before going to sit at a table.
Y/N: honestly a small town would be perfect for me, something like Blackthorn here in Texas or that place you lot were camped out at in Valentine.
Sadie: speaking of Blackthorn what's it like ?
Y/N: it's similar to Rhodes just more spread out, the sheriff there Pat Garrett has done alot to bring law and order there and it's been working.
Sadie: then why does your friend J.D. have to be there ?
Just as you're about to Answer your food is delivered and you two begin to eat.
Y/N: well the simple answer is an extra layer of deturnet, where Pat's jurisdiction ends outside town limits as a Ranger J.D. has jurisdiction in the entirety of Texas. Criminals are less likely to get up to no good when the law can chase you anywhere in the state.
Sadie: alright I'll give you that one, so why don't all states have their own Version of the rangers ?
Y/N: that's a good question and truthfully I don't think there is a reason. Though between you and me I think states are paying close attention to how the Rangers here are working. If they like what they see they may implement something similar.
Sadie: and if it fails ?
Y/N: well as federal Marshall's they'll have us. And of course local Sheriffs and what not.
Sadie: Pinkertons?
Y/N: No, they aren't recognized law enforcement, like back at the Camp Milton was acting outside his authority. Technically I could have arrested him then and there.
Sadie: but that would have derailed your investigation.
Y/N: Exactly and believe me there's othing I would have wanted more than to drag him to jail in cuffs. But most of this job is playing the long game you know ?
Sadie: So patience is a virtue huh?
Y/N: Exactly and trust me sometimes this job really tries your patience.
By this time you both finished your lunch and make your way to the general store, you buy some steaks for supper and make your way back to the horses. You place the stakes in your saddle. You nod at Sadie and you both mount your horses and start riding out of town.
Sadie: so how far is it from here to Blackthorn?
Y/N: we'll be there around noon tomorrow, I know of an abandoned cabin we can hold up I'm for the night.
Sadie: So what exactly is the plan once we get to Blackthorn?
Y/N: well after we getting settled we'll meet with Pat and J.D. and get what ever information we can from them, after that we'll do some scouting and see what we can find.
Sadie: and arrest who we can?
Y/N: Exactly, with one exception.
Sadie: who?
Y/N: Colm.
Sadie turns to you with a look of shock on her face.
Sadie: WHAT!?!
Y/N: Here me out, I have a theory, I have a feeling Micah along with the pinkertons and Dutch is also working for the O'Driscolls.
Sadie: I'm listening.
Y/N: Think about it, someone like Micah wants three things, Money, Power, and Fame. He's already getting paid from the pinkertons and the gang so theirs the Money, think of the Power and Fame he'll have if he can run both gangs.
Sadie: I suppose that makes sense.
Y/N: And you can bet your ass Milton and Ross know exactly where Micah is and what he's doing.
Sadie: and what about Dutch? You said on the train you had a feeling Dutch knows more about Micah than he's letting on.
Y/N: Oh I stand by that I just don't think he's expecting Micah to be working along side the O'Driscolls. But you know what really puts the final nail in the coffin for me?
Sadie: Whats that?
Y/N: well let me ask you this, have you noticed how easily the O'Driscolls Milton and Ross have found the gang lately ?
Sadie: yes now that you mention it, ever since Arthur broke him out of jail in strawberry they've been on us like a bad rash.
Y/N: kind of funny how that works huh.
Sadie: and you havent told Dutch because?
Y/N: let him dig his own grave. If he would have been honest and up front with me from the start I'd have extended that olive branch, but I sat down with him man to man and he lied to my face, that my dear means the gloves are off.
Sadie: so when do we tell the others ?
Y/N: not until I have irrefutable evidence to support my theory. So for now it stays between us.
Sadie: What about Pat and J.D. ?
Y/N: if we manage to find the O'driscolls and Micahs not there we'll give them a description and tell them to get us a message.
Sadie: and if they see him?
Y/N: we'll come back and grab him.
You tow ride in silence for a while long before you look at Sadie.
Y/N: Say Sadie
Sadie looks in at you.
Sadie: yes ?
Y/N: you never did tell me about your horse, she's gorgeous.
Sadie: Shouldn't I be concerned you're only me because you like my horse?
Y/N: well that would depend.
Sadie: On what?
Y/N: On how much she likes me.
That earns you a swat on the arm.
Y/N: bust seriously what's her name and where'd you get her? I don't recall Jake ever mentioning wanting Turkoman's
Sadie: that's true and we never had any, we had an old war horse that would haul the wagon but the O'Driscolls stole that one.
You notice a tear rolling down Sadie's cheek so you reach over and place a hand on her arm.
Y/N: hey if it's to hard you don't have to tell me.
Sadie: No, I want to. Talking about these things helps or at least that's what I'm told.
Y/N: let me guess Abigail told you that?
Sadie: How'd you guess?
Y/N: don't get me wrong Grimshaw puts on the show of being the gangs mother figure but Abigail actually acts the part.
Sadie: you're an observant one huh.
Y/N: comes with the job.
Sadie took a deep breath before continuing.
Sadie: Well she doesn't actually have a name yet, nothing I've come up with seems to fit so if you have any ideas I'm open to them.
Y/N: I'll think on it and let you know.
Sadie nods and continues:
Sadie: As for where I got her, Arthur gave her to me and I didn't ask.
Y/N: that's probably for the best.
A few moments later the abandoned cabin comes into view.
Y/N: there it is, not to bad eh.
Sadie: well well a roof over our heads this certainly is a surprise.
Y/N: and it's somewhat furnished if I recall.
Sadie: so you've been here before?
Y/N: a few years back yes.
As you ride up to the front door you and Sadie dismount and look inside.
Y/N: welcome home.
Sadie: well I wouldn't call this home but it'll do.
Y/N: oh come on its that that bad.
You say leaning on one of the chairs as it breaks sending you falling to the floor. Sadie just starts laughing.
Y/N: ok I'll admit it's a fixer upper.
Sadie helps you up
Sadie: you think?
Y/N: well at least there's no snakes in here.
Sadie shivers at the thought.
Y/N: I'll bring our stuff in and get the horses bedded down for the night make yourself comfortable.
Sadie nods and you walk out, once you place all the gear in the cabin you lead the horses to the stable beside the cabin and close the door. Upon returning Sadie's already got the stove going for heat.
Y/N: I'll get the bed fixed up if you want to boil the water for coffee ?
Sadie: sure.
You then go into the bed room and clean it up a bit so it's liveable walking back out Sadie's got the coffee finished and on the table.
Y/N: when you're hungry let me know and I'll start dinner.
Sadie nods.
Y/N: so tell me about you and Jake, I've missed so much after we went our separate ways.
Sadie: well believe it or not we met in strawberry, I worked the dest at the hotel in town, Jake had stayed there while he was going through the process of buying land.
Y/N: so it was a love at first site type deal?
Sadie: it was, though he was very shy and goofy it was kind of adorable.
Y/N: yeah that's Jake alright, he'd always been shy and goofy around beautiful women.
Sadie: even when we were married he was that way around me at times, but that slowly faded and he got more confident around me and we fell into a happy life.
Y/N: well nobody can say Jake didn't love with his whole heart. It was the one thing everyone back home admired about him. He had a big heart and he was genuine.
Sadie: he did and he was, I miss him everyday.
Y/N: yeah, me too.
Sadie: so tell me about You and Jake.
Y/N: what would you like to know?
Sadie: you said you two were best friends, tell me about that.
Y/N: well our parents were friends, our fathers actually worked together for a time but once my mother had gotten ill my father stayed home to look after her. Anyway we had met in grade school and hit it off instantly we even more excited to discover we were neighbors.
Sadie: seems like you to were destined to be friends.
Y/N: more like brothers.
Sadie: yet you lost contact once you went to law school.
You nod slowly.
Y/N: sure, life just got in the way and after a while I questioned if to much time had passed to reach out. Looking back now i wish I would have.
Sadie: I think he would have liked that.
Y/N: looking back at that last letter I can tell how proud he was of you and the life you two had built. You were good for him Sadie, you were without a doubt his best friend so thank you for being that since I wasn't.
Sadie reached over placing her hand over yours.
Sadie: Don't beat yourself up to much Y/N it's not like he tried to reach out to you either.
You flip your hand over so you're holding hands.
Y/N: I know but now it's to late.
Sadie: well now you and I have each other and Jake lives on between us. His memory won't be forgotten.
Y/N: you, are a remarkable woman Sadie Adler, you know that.
Sadie just smiled.
You just look into her eyes
Y/N: "Hera"
Sadie: what ?
Y/N: your horses name, "Hera"
Sadie: Whats it mean?
Y/N: The name is a reference to the Greek Goddess of women, marriage, family, childbirth, in all of which Hera took on a “protector” moniker
Sadie: well well Y/N is well read who'd have thought.
Y/N: I guess I'm full of surprises huh.
Sadie: Hera, I like it.
Y/N: well there you go honey, your horse has a name.
Your stomach growled causing Sadie to laugh.
Sadie: really hungry again ?
Y/N: you're surprised ?
Sadie still laughing.
Sadie: No.
Y/N: well I'll get supper started you just relax.
With that you get up and fry up some steaks. After a while the food is finished and eaten you and Sadie make your way to bed, once you lay down Sadie turns to you.
Y/N: do you want to get an early start tomorrow or sleep in for a bit?
Sadie: if we sleep in doesn't that decrease our chances of finding the O'Driscolls? You know time is of the essence.
Y/N: they aren't exactly difficult to find if you want to we can stay in for a bit.
Sadie smiles and cuddles up to you.
Sadie: let's stay in then.
Y/N: I was hoping you'd say that.
Sadie tilts he head up and kisses you a kiss you're more than happy to return.
Sadie: Goodnight honey.
Y/N: Goodnight Sweetheart
And with that you both fall into a peaceful slumber.