You wake up the next morning with a groan, your side is still bothering you.
Y/N: I really need to get this bullet out of me sooner rather than later.
Sadie stirs next to you.
Sadie: you mind, some of us need sleep, we can't all relax like you do.
You scoff
Y/N: a thousand pardons M'Lord.
Sadie rolls over and looks at you placing a quick kiss on your cheek.
Sadie: Smart-ass.
Y/N: you expected less ?
Sadie: from you ? Noooo
Y/N: do I detect sarcasm Mrs. Adler?
Sadie: sarcasm from me? Never.
Y/N: No, not hardly.
Sadie: well seeing I'm awake what are your plans for the day?
You roll to your side to face her.
Y/N: well actually I wanted to talk to you about that.
Sadie: about what?
Y/N: well originally I was thinking of going into Rhodes and sending word I'd been found.
Sadie: I feel there's a "but" coming.
You just nod.
Y/N: but I can't ride Bo in and people are going to recognize ol Ghost over there.
Sadie: who knew becoming a legend could be so difficult.
You chuckle
Y/N: well more of a ghost story than anything. Something like Bigfoot. Someone claims to see me but no one else has.
Sadie: well then Bigfoot what are you going to do?
Y/N: what do you think about me keeping this whole death charade going for the time being?
Sadie props herself up on her elbows.
Sadie: that something you want to do?
You just take a deep breath.
Y/N: maybe? I mean it gives me the freedom to deal with these gangs in a more permanent way but I don't want to lose myself to my own legend you know?
Sadie: so what are you going to do ? The pinkertons will recognize you if you wander out all normal like, the O'Driscolls and Raiders know you but hey don't know you're "death"
Y/N: I know.
You rub your hands over your face and groan.
Y/N: I guess I have to keep this charade up until all this business gang and Pinkerton business is finished. Which also means I have to leave camp.
Sadie looks wide eyed.
Sadie: why do you need to leave.
Y/N: if the Pinkertons come back they'll recognize me.
Sadie nods and sighs.
Sadie: well remember, where you go I go.
Y/N: are you sure you want to leave everyone?
Sadie: sure, I'll miss them but you're really the only one I need.
Y/N: how did I get so lucky?
Sadie: Good question.
You sit up and place your lips on Sadie's.
As you break apart, you look up at her.
Y/N: we'll need a plan, and we'll need to tell those in the "need to know" what's going on. There's some here I wouldn't put any trust in whatsoever.
Sadie: speaking of trust what's, with the sudden tension between you and Dutch?
Y/N: I'll tell you later, I don't want to say to much here, you never know who's listening.
Sadie I assume you'll tell those in the need to know as well.
You just nod your head.
You Sadie both get up and get dressed.
Sadie: you're not hot in that coat ?
Y/N: oh you have no idea, but it's mostly just the weight.
Sadie: it's just leather it can't be that heavy.
Y/N: oh yeah? Go a head and bunch me in the chest.
Sadie: what why?
Y/N: just do it, and don't hold back.
Sadie hauls off and hits you as hard as she can. Her punch is stopped dead as you don't even budge.
Sadie shakes her hand.
Sadie: OW! what the hell!
You open the coat revealing layers of steel plating sewn to the inside of the coat.
Y/N: bullet proofing my love. It'll stop a pistol close up and a rifle at distance but it's heavy as all hell.
Sadie: and you couldn't have just told me that?
Y/N: would you have believed me of I just said "oh its heavy because I'm lugging around steel plates sewn to the inside of my coat?
Sadie shakes her head
Sadie: probably not.
Y/N: Exactly.
The rest of the morning passes by rather uneventfully. Dutch has been ignoring you and the general atmosphere is just tense.
You were talking to Sadie and Arthur
When Lenny comes running into camp.
Y/N: I have a feeling things are going to come to a head sooner rather than later
Sadie notces Lenny and stops him.
Sadie: Lenny what's the hurry?
Lenny: it's Micah he's almost back!
Sadie, Arthur, and Lenny look at you.
Y/N: Me and my big mouth. Alright I'm going mount up and ride just outside of camp, see if I can't get around him.
Arthur: what are you planning?
Y/N: ideally dragging him to the jail in Rhodes and then Dutch and I are going to have a real long talk.
You start putting ash around your eyes, followed by your gloves and mask.
As you mount Ghost you turn to Sadie Arthur and Lenny,
Y/N: tell everyone you can to remember they've never seen me before.
They nod and you ride off. Once you've over a hill off to the side of the camp you dismount and wait.
5 minutes later Micah rides into camp and makes a be line right to dutchess tent, he has a nervous look on his face.
You say to yourself,
Y/N: well, well that all but confirms my suspicions.
A few more moments pass when you see Micah and Dutch walk out of Dutch's tent and shake hands.
Everyone surrounds them, it's a similar scene to what happened with the pinkertons. You mount up and ride into camp, you dismount ghost and shoo him away.
Y/N: MICAH BELL!
everyone turns around staring at you wondering what you're planning. The colors all but drained from Micahs face. You start walking towards them as Micah draws his revolvers.
You think to yourself. "Alright Dutch nows the time to show where you stand, stop him or let him shoot me" a question that's soon answered.
You keep walking as he opens fire into your chest, the plates hold until his ammo is spent. The looks on everyone's face is amazement and in the case of Dutch and Micah absolute fear.
You're now face to face with Micah, knowing you could just tell Sadie to cuff him you decided to haul off and knock him out.
Y/N: Charles you Lenny and get this piece of shit to the Sheriffs office.
They nod and haul Micah away.
You step to Dutch taking your mask off you're mere inches from his face.
Y/N: you and I are going to have some serious words.
With that you sweep his leg out from under and place your boot on dutch's throat, unholstering your gun you point it at his head.
Bill points his gun at you, in response Sadie aims her rifle at him, Arthur draws his revolver and and watches for anyone else drawing their weapons thankfully no one else does.
Y/N: now that I have your undivided attention, why did you send Micah after me in Texas.
Dutch: I don't know what you're talking about.
You pull the hammer back on revolver.
Y/N: nows not the time to lie, so I ask again. Why!?
Dutch: It was never supposed to go as far as it did, he was just supposed to follow and make sure you didn't drag the law back here.
Sadie: He met with O'Driscolls and set a goddamn ambush.
Dutch: I'm well aware Mrs.Adler.
Y/N: there's more you're not telling me. What is it.
Dutch: there's nothing
Growing sick of the lies you put your revolver back in its holster, you kneel over Dutch and punch him in the mouth.
Y/N: Don't bull shit me, I'm not in the mood. Now talk.
When he doesn't reply you punch him again.
Y/N: I said talk.
Dutch still says nothing. You stand up and address the rest of the gang.
Y/N: this whole thing? It's done its time for you to choose life or death. Those that want to ride with me can, those that stay with Dutch I promise this, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth now choose.
Bill: some do good law officer you are, you know you can't threaten us like this.
You walk over towards Bill
Y/N: well here's the beauty of it Bill, the Marshal office believes me to be missing, actually the should be declaring me killed in the line of duty soon. So as far as I'm concerned I have free rain to hunt the likes of you as I see fit.
Bill: and what's to say I don't go talk?
Y/N: I knew you were stupid but I didn't think you were that stupid. What are going to do? Walk in to the Marshals office? Or are you going to tell everyone I'm "death" nobody has my body you'll just add more fuel to the story. Now shut your mouth.
By this point Charles and Lenny are back, and Sadie gets them all caught up on what's happened.
You walk back to the center of where everyone's standing.
Y/N: now I ask again, who's staying and who's leaving?
Soon the camp had broken into two groups. Standing with you were Sadie, Arthur, Mary Beth, Charles, Lenny, Sean, John, Abigail, Jack, Pearson and Uncle and Hosea Tilly Karen and Kieran.
The rest decided to stay loyal to Dutch.
Y/N: this is your last chance, leave and live or stay and die with Dutch.
When no one else moved you looked at your group.
Y/N: get packed up i'll keep watch until you're ready to go.
You walked over to your saddled and grabbed your shotgun and stood guard
An hour later everyone was ready to ride out.
Dutch: after all we've been through, this is how you re pay me, bunch of goddamn snakes!
Y/N: Maybe they grew tired of the lies you've been sprouting.
Dutch: I should have killed you the minute I saw you!
Y/N: I wish you'd have tried.
You hand Sadie your shotgun and tell her to start leading the others out of camp.
Sadie: what are you going to do?
Y/N: stay here and make sure they don't follow, I'll catch up don't worry.
Sadie nods:
Sadie: you'd better.
With that Sadie leads the group out of camp, you wait half an hour before you turn to mount Ghost, you hear a shot ring out and feel the bullet ricochet off your back. You turn to see Dutch holding his revolver. You draw your revolver and shoot the gun out of his hand.
You walk towards him punching him in the nose as he falls you draw your revolver.
Y/N: Here's a little something to remember me by.
You squeeze the trigger sending a bullet through his knee cap. You turn and walk away. As you mount up Mrs. Grimshaw and Swanson approach
Mrs. Grimshaw: I'm sorry about how things turned out Y/N.
Y/N: me to Susan please when you have a chance to get out take it, you're better than this.
She nods
Y/N: and you swanson stay off the bad stuff.
Swanson: I will try.
You nod.
Y/N: good luck to you both, you're going to need it.
With that you put your mask back on and ride out of camp. A while later you catch up to Sadie and ther others.
Sadie runs over to you as you're dismounting ghost.
Sadie: How'd it go ?
You sigh
Y/N: well I shot Dutch so that should stur the hornets nest.
That catches everyone's attention.
Arthur: you... you shot Dutch.
You just nod.
Y/N: only after he shot me in the back, and I shot him in the knee cap, told him it was a little something to remember me by.
Tilly: so what's the plan ? Where do we go from here ?
Y/N: You're free. You can do and go where you please.
Karen: no we can't we're wanted remember ?
Y/N: yeah about that. I may have gotten government pardons for everyone with the exception of Dutch, Micah and Strauss before we left for Texas.
You walk around handing them papers to each of them.
Y/N: keep them with you for the time being, it takes a while to make it into the files. You know how the government is.
Everyone nods and laughs.
Mary Beth: we're really free ?
You nod.
Y/N: you are, you can live out the rest of your days in peace.
Tilly: and you won't think less of us if we don't stay with you.
Y/N: not in the least.
Tilly walks up and hugs you.
Tilly: thank you Y/N I think I'll choose to ride out in the morning.
Y/N: well I'm that case it was a pleasure to meet you ma'am.
Tilly: like wise, and hey I'll be able to tell my future kids I was friends with a legend!
You chuckle
Y/N: maybe wait until they're grown up before telling them about me.
Till walks over to the others.
You look at everyone else.
Y/N: can I have everyone attention please?
Everyone turns to face you.
Y/N: I need to know who's going to ride with me and who's leaving, I need to start planning out next move.
Karen and Sean were the first to step forward.
Sean: we'll be taking our leave Y/N.
Y/N: No problem, the best of luck to you both.
Karen gave you a hug and Sean shook your hand.
Sean: it's been fun you spooky bastard.
You shake your head.
Y/N: Karen, good luck with this one you're going to need it.
Karen: don't I know.
With that they ride off.
Y/N: anyone else? Mary Beth?
Mary beth: oh no, I'm staying with Arthur.
You nod.
Y/N: Pearson, Uncle?
Pearson: you're gonna need a cook.
Uncle: I got no where to be.
Y/N: what about you John, you've got a family to think about.
John: we're staying, I can help out on guard duty.
Abigail: I can sew and help with wounds and what not.
Y/N: good enough let's ride out then.
Sadie: where we headed?
Y/N: We'll set up camp back at horseshoe overlooking for now. Once we're settled there we can get a more solid plan set in place.
And under the cover of night everyone makes their way back to the familiar campsite.