Chapter Text
Nursing a beer at the bar of a small saloon, in a Colorado mining boom town, enjoying the quiet buzz of noise around him, Jed Curry heard the door swing open. He turned to see who was coming in, because it paid to be alert, just in case the newcomer was bringing trouble.
He was a little surprised when he saw a pretty young woman enter. She was probably only a handful of years older than him, and definitely wasn't a saloon girl. To his mind, she looked a little out of place in the surroundings, but no one else seemed surprised to see her, and even nodded at her in a friendly manner, as she stepped in.
Jed eyed her discreetly, not wanting to be too obvious about his regard, but still caught by her.
From underneath a flattering blue hat, dark blonde curls peeked out. Her features were delicate almost elfin, and she possessed a pair of lovely almond shaped green eyes. Her clothes were of good quality, and well fitted, and Jed sighed a little as he saw a promise ring on her left hand. Someone was a lucky man he thought.
She was carrying a large basket, and walked with a firm resolve towards the bar, and as she spoke to the barman, it became clear why she was there, her voice sounding almost exactly how Jed had imagined it to. Warm, soft and well educated. "I've brought something for the girls who got sick from the flu. It's not much, just some medicine, a little money and some small necessities."
The barman's smile broadened as he said. "That is very kind of you, Miss Godfrey...the girls will be glad of it. It's been a rough few weeks for us all."
She nodded in satisfaction, and when her eyes fell on Jed, she gave him a friendly smile, and a cheerful nod.
He was about to speak to her, simply to comment on her kindness, when the door flung open, and a well-dressed man, probably around ten years older than the girl, marched in. He slapped her hard, across the face, then began yanking her with some force towards the door.
Startled by his undeserved aggression towards the girl, the Kid's hand slipped to his gun, and he said fiercely. "Leave her be!"
The barman catching his eye, shook his head in warning, but Jed ignored him, as the idiot glared and replied with a snarl. "Stay out of this stranger. This little chit is my fiancée, and how I treat her is no concern of yours. She knows as a respectable woman, she shouldn't be in here, and certainly not considering consorting with those girls, or smiling at strange men! I've told her that often enough!"
With a dismissive shrug, he turned back to the girl who was now cowering, her cheerful manner replaced by fear,. His grip on her right wrist was hard enough that it was already leaving a mark on the delicate skin, and he added viciously. "Isn't that right Annie?"
Pressing her left hand to her red and obviously stinging cheek, and looking down with a muffled whimper, she murmured. "I'm sorry Thomas...just with the flu...I've always... I just thought...and I was only being friendly."
"Now we're engaged, it's not your place to think girl, nor be friendly with passing riff-raff. You just have to listen to me, stay home, and be a good quiet girl!"
Despite it probably not being his place to step between a man and betrothed, Jed didn't even consider walking away, because now he looked, it was easy for him to see the heavily concealed black eye, and the carefully hidden bruises on her neck.
That added to the despair he'd spotted in her eyes, had hardened his resolve. He wasn't sure if his intervention would help her, but he couldn't watch her be hurt.
He stepped away from the bar, his hands still resting on his gun belt as he drawled. "Well she isn't your wife yet, and it doesn't look like she's real happy with how you're handling her. She did nothing to deserve that slap, she's just being kind is all, and that should be admired if you ask me."
The man said harshly.. "Now look what you've done Annie, made us a spectacle!" With that he pushed the woman behind him, eliciting a squeak from her as she hit the bar hard, before turning back to Jed, smiling with all the warmth of a rattlesnake, as he said coldly. "You know who I am boy?"
Jed shrugged. "Haven't a clue, I'm not much bothered neither."
Sizing up the other man, he could see that his suit was expensive, made from good quality weave. It was cut to fit him perfectly, and his hands were free from any sign of hard-work, and that, added to the clear expectation of being obeyed instantly, and how unused to being challenged he obviously was, Jed knew he had both wealth and influence in this town.
There was absolutely no need for him to be behaving as he was, except for the fact that he was most likely a complete walk-off, who obviously revelled in his power over people.
The man continued angrily. "I own half this town, and my brother owns the other half. But seeing as I am a gentleman, I'm giving you a chance to walk away."
Jed gave a snorting disparaging laugh, annoyed at the arrogance,then said calmly. "You and me have got a different idea of what bein' a gentleman means."
The man's face pulled into an even uglier expression.." You sure are cocky for someone who looks like they have nothing, sonny."
Jed knew he was walking into a mass of trouble, but the scared eyes of the young woman were spurring him on, and besides the man was a walk-off, pure and simple, and he was damned if he was going to back down from him, so he said calmly. "And you seem mighty scared, for someone who looks like he has everything."
The man glared hard and nodded to himself, as he snapped. "I will not stand for this, boy, but I will give you an even chance. Time to see if you got the gun to back up that mouth of yours. I warn you I have been trained by some of the best sharpshooters in this country."
He strode off towards the door without looking back, and Jed grabbed a handful of bills from his pocket, and handed them to the barman. "Ain't much, but give it to the girl for me."
The barman gave him a nod, and said gently to the girl. "Come upstairs Miss, the girls will look after you."
Watching them for a moment, satisfied he'd done all her could for her, Jed then exited the saloon to join his challenger in the square outside, aware of others following him out.
ASJ
Jed blew out a brief sigh of relief, when his bullet found its mark, and the man fell to the ground with a cry of pain, grasping his bleeding arm. Keeping his gun drawn, to dissuade anyone with an idea to shoot at him, he said loudly to the gathered crowd. "One of you, had better get him to the doctor fast, if you don't want him to bleed to death!"
Once he was sure one of men watching had done his bidding, Jed didn't linger, simply quickly holstered his gun, and turned to head for his mount, tied to the hitching post near the saloon.
He was almost there, when he heard feet running towards him, and a yelled. "Stop!"
Suspecting he was in trouble,he went to draw his gun, but as he did so, a shadow fell behind him, and something hard hit him on the back of his head.
Dropping his gun, as blackness immediately began to tug at his vision, he stumbled, close to falling his knees.
Four men converged on him, yanking him up, two held him tightly, as the others punched him hard in stomach, doubling him over in pain, as they said fiercely. "You need to learn a lesson in humility, boy!"
The assault continued, and despite the threatening fog in his head, he fought hard against the repeated blows from his attacker's fists and feet, even landing a few telling hits of his own. But it was clear, that he was fighting a losing battle, and as his strength failed, and the beating continued, he was very much afraid he wouldn't survive it.
Lying prostrate on the ground, with everything around him blurry and distant, except for the pain in his body, he heard a volley of several gunshots, as a voice yelled. "Enough. I'll deal with this."
Before he could work out whether the intervention was going to be good or bad for him, he lost the battle with the darkness that was creeping across his vision, and everything faded out, as he lost consciousness.
ASJ
Coming awake painfully with a muffled groan, he blinked through bruised eyes, and seeing the bars, he realised he was perhaps unsurprisingly in what he assumed was the town jail.
Replaying the confrontation through his mind, he was satisfied that the man was still alive, but with the aching in his head, and the throbbing pain in his body, he was struggling to think clearly enough to figure if that might make a difference.
He somehow doubted that it would, as he didn't think anyone would care to question the death of a no name drifter, who'd outshot, and therefore humiliated one of the big men in town.
Pain drowned out his ability to think, and he fell into a restless sleep, coming awake with a start when he heard the cell door creak open.
Squinting towards the noise, his eyes fell on a man with a badge on his chest, who was leaning casually against the inside of the bars watching him. He was shaking his head with a slightly amused expression on his face, and asked casually. "Well, son, that was some mighty fast shooting, made Tom Brewster look like he'd never touched a gun in his life." He paused then added. "How old are you exactly?"
Jed was often faced with this question, and it always annoyed him, so he answered as he usually did, with an irritated snap to his tone. "What's it matter?"
The man held up his hands in surrender, and replied with a small smile. "It doesn't matter much really, but you look mighty young to be that quick and accurate, especially against a man whose known as a good shot, so I was just curious is all."
Jed sighed, shutting his eyes briefly before opening them again. "Seventeen." The man stared at him unconvinced, which made him even more defensive, just like that look always did, and his reply remained fierce. "Well, eighteen, it's my birthday today!"
That was why he'd come into town anyway, wanting a cold drink, a little company, and a soft bed, to celebrate his special day, rather than another night of his own company, jerky and hard ground.
The man smiled and shrugged. " I'd have guessed younger, but you are likely older than you look. And son you surely know how to celebrate in style I'll give you that."
Jed gave a short laugh at the dry tone which hurt his chest as he said. "Don't mean much, 'cept that I've survived another year." He was suddenly worried that he'd been right about his intervention, and the pretty young woman was in even more trouble than he was, and asked quickly. "The girl?"
The man's expression softened into an affectionate smile as he said. "Ahh, the sweet Annie, she's good and safe with my wife and boys. Tom, the barman sent her to me with one of the girls, while her fiancé was being seen to, and together we persuaded her it's time she left town." He paused and added so softly that Jed almost didn't hear him. "Finally."
"Won't that cause you some trouble, especially as you also stopped my beating?" Jed suddenly remembered why the man's voice had sounded almost familiar, he'd been the one to chase his attackers away.
The man laughed, and shook his head. "This is my last day as the law in this town. I've got a position as a US Marshall, and me and my family are leaving for Denver in a few hours. We're taking the young lady with us, her and my eldest have been sweet on each other for years, only her Pa insisted a sheriff's son wasn't good enough for her...he passed not long after he arranged the engagement with Thomas Brewster, younger son of the best family in town." He paused and added sadly. "If he'd have known what his darling little girl was going to face..." The man trailed off, and silence grew between them.
Jed let the words settle for a few moments, then asked softly. "What about me? I don't figure folk will be thinking many kind thoughts with what I done today."
The Sheriff gave him a broad smile, and replied quickly. "You're in this cell, as it meant I could convince those men you'd pay for shooting their boss,. and however bad those Brewsters' are, lynching is a step too far, even for them, so I knew locking you up, would keep you out of harm's way." He paused and then added quickly. "and I figure I can get ya out nice and safe on the same train as us. I've nothing to hold you on. He drew first, and he's going to be fine in a few weeks."
Jed noting a twinge of disappointment in the man's tone at the fact the man would recover stared at the lawman his mind still foggy, and asked quietly. "Why you helpin' me like this Sheriff? You don't know me, and all I've done is give ya a headache on your last day."
The man gave him a warm smile and walked over to sit down on the empty bunk opposite him, Jed started to struggle to sit up, but the man waved him to lie back down as he said. "Stay where you are son, I know you're still in a lot of pain."
Jed flopped back onto the bunk gratefully, and asked again. "Why you helping me, Sir?"
"I told you my eldest is real sweet on Annie, well it was clear she felt the same, and might even have gone against her Pa for him even, but damn those Brewsters' they don't like losing anything, so they had my boy beaten within an inch of his life, though we couldn't prove it was them... was made to look like a robbery...never caught who did it. Dark night, quiet alley."
The man's face darkened for a minute, then he shook his head, and gave a soft laugh. "But my Billy, he's a strong one, and even as he struggled to recover from his injuries, he was planning on continuing to fight for his girl..but his ma." He stopped, his voice catching at the memory. "But his Ma, she begged him not to, terrified that he was going to get killed, because you don't cross that family more than once, and live to tell the tale."
He stopped again, and cleared his throat and added, "Then about a week later, dear Annie came calling, and told us all she wasn't interested in Billy anymore, that she was more than happy with the man her father had chosen for her... It was clear that she was lying, and that her heart was breaking, but none of us could budge her, then or later, though we tried, especially with how Brewster treated her. Watching that happening, and not being able to do a thing to help her, was breaking my son, which is why I decided we had to leave this town."
Pausing again, he rubbed his eyes before looking directly at Jed and saying sincerely. "So you see young man, you made things right, so this is the least I can do for you." After a moment, he added thoughtfully. "It's a good thing, Brewster's older brother is out of town, or we'd have trouble getting away. He's the smart one, but Thomas...well."
His face broke into a broad smile, and he dug in his pocket, handing Jed a small handful of notes, as he said. "This is yours, Annie won't be needing it, as we'll look after her now, and she can have whatever she needs." He paused, then added laughingly." Where are my manners? We've not been properly introduced son, and as we're gonna be travelling a ways together, seems like we oughta be, I'm Bill Golding."
Jed offered his right hand, which Golding shook gently, careful of the bruising, and replied a little hesitantly. "Jed, Jed Curry."
The man's eyes widened as he said. "Well, well, Brewster sure chose the wrong fella to challenge, didn't he? I've heard of you son."
Jed becoming used to that reaction lately, with his rapidly growing, unwelcome reputation, let the man's hand go, and sighed as he stated, sure of the answer." You want to change your mind about me going with you and your family."
Golding laughed, and shook his head. "Of course I don't, son, you done me and my family a real good turn. And possibly even the town, as I'm figuring Tom's brother will keep a better eye on him now." He then gave Jed a broad smile. "Besides son, travelling with Kid Curry is gonna make us all feel real safe."
ASJ
Golding had paid for a compartment, and Jed lying reclined on one of the seats, watched with a small smile on his face, as Billy and Annie cuddled close, holding onto each other like they were never going to let go.
His eyes then drifted to the Golding's two younger boys, who were sitting, heads together, laughing cheerfully as they read a brightly illustrated comic book. The slightly older boy, explaining words the younger one didn't understand with a teasing patience.
The sight brought a small ache to his chest, unrelated to his bruising, as his mind easily drifted to Heyes, and he closed his eyes with a small sigh and remembered how they'd parted.
Opening them again, he met the kind eyes of Mrs Golding, who was watching him with a soft smile, nodding over at her two youngest. After a searching glance she asked softly. "You got a brother, Jed?"
Jed shook his head. "Not a brother no," Though as he replied, it sounded like a lie, so he added. "Cousin, we grew up together, but we ended up separating, over a year ago now, we had a real bad argument, I said some right nasty things, that I didn't mean most of, well didn't mean any of 'em really, but I was angry."
Golding who'd been listening, turned from looking out the window and said. "I bet he said things to you too, son, and is probably wishing he hadn't, same as you are."
"I dunno Sir, I started it, he just reacted, so I figure his days for caring 'bout me are gone."
He wasn't sure what prompted his honesty, loneliness, the family's kindness, too weary to pretend, but his face softened into a sad smile as he remembered just what he and his cousin had got through together. The sense of loss he'd lived with since he'd ridden off, leaving Heyes behind him, spiked, and his eyes stung.
The lawman laughed softly. "I figure from your expression, that you and him were real close, and even if you aren't brothers, seems like you might as well be, so I would lay bets that your friend is hoping there's a way back for you two, same as you are."
Jed squinted at him, and his mind flew back to the day, for perhaps the 200th time since it'd happened.
Frustration had made him start the argument, and though Heyes had at first tried to stay calm, the situation had escalated quickly, and the words that had flown between them had been both vicious and heated. The argument had ended in a fierce brawl, leaving them both blooded and bruised.
He'd pulled his friend to his feet, then after a few moments of just glaring at each other panting, Jed had then mounted his horse still in a temper and set off riding, without looking back, ignoring whatever his friend had been yelling, assuming it was just more insults.
But now months later, after replaying the scene over and over in his head, he'd realised there'd been desperation rather than anger in his friend's tone, and had begun to wonder... and now hearing his own recent hope echoed back at him...but he blinked the feeling away, because even if Heyes wanted to repair their relationship, same as he did, there was no way he could find him, so he said regretfully. "Even if you're right about that, I've no way of tracking him down anyways..."
He trailed off with a small sigh, his eyes flicking back to the two boys, who were now enjoying playing a game of cards, and blinked again.
Golding looked at him, then his gaze drifted over to his eldest son, and Annie: Billy was dozing, with the girl lying curled up against him, fast asleep, her head on his knees, one of his arms was wrapped protectively round her, while his other hand was entwined in hers, and he said seriously. "Son, there's always a way."