Come What May

Restless. The night before they were due to set out on their journey toward Annesberg and the train robbery seemed to pass by at a crawl. Jake found himself mired in fitful dreams, bits and pieces of memories still haunting him, reminding him of every sin and mistake he had made that ultimately led him here. It's slightly before dawn when he wakes from another few minutes of sleep, blinking out of the past with his skin crawling and finding himself in a reality equally as nightmarish.

It was quiet and cold, his breath like ghostly wisps in a beam of sinking moonlight sneaking in through boarded windows. To his side, Mia lay. Asleep with red rimmed eyes, having cried herself in to unconsciousness pining for their daughter, as she did every night.

The guilt is overwhelming, as is the sense of impending dread that lingered in his gut. There would be no more sleep for him tonight, he didn't need to see any more echoes.

He rises, moving quietly for someone of his size and stature. He could be a whisper when he wanted to, and he zips up his jacket and lets himself out in to the morning without rousing a single soul. His boots crunch in the drifts of snow and he watches them disappear, swallowed up by the white powder with every step. He couldn't help but see the beauty in it all. There were worse places to spend the last of your days, he supposed.

Lighting up a rare cigarette, he leans against a supply wagon and gazes out toward the east, drinking in the dawn. A wistful smile passes across his face as he compares it to the memories of the many sunrises he had watched over the years, out in the desert watching the rising sun turn the sky to fire, scorching the sand and sometimes blinding when it gleamed off of rock. Everything had seemed so limitless back then, like he was untouchable, like it had all meant something. As though Alexanders promises made him somebody.

How content he'd been to thrive on fear. What a gullible fool.

He finishes the cigarette and drops the butt in to the snow, tucking his hands in to the pockets of his jacket as the sun crests over the snow capped mountains and the world around him shimmers. He feels the warmth of it on his face and for a moment closes his eyes, it was unlikely he'd have another opportunity to bask in the peace of an early morning, he takes it now. A memory to have with him when the moment finally came.

Feeling eyes on him, he opens his. Expecting to spot one of Leanna's men or maybe one of the friends he suddenly felt so distant from. Instead, he meets the eyes of a passing Buck that had spotted him bathing in dawn's rays. The creature holds perfectly still, watching and waiting. Friend or foe? To run or hold ground? Whatever he had to do to survive.

"Hey, buddy." Jake murmurs quietly, gazing toward the animal.

There's a puff of nostrils and the muscles at the majestic creatures shoulder bunch and quiver, coiled like a spring and ready to take off at a moments notice. Run, never look back.

But it doesn't, it simply watches him as the sun clears the sky line and begins it's journey toward the heavens. Jake's eyes flick upward toward the greyish blue sky, not a cloud in sight despite the whispering wind. Spring was almost here for sure. New beginnings. A new start for the people he protected with his life. If he could get them clear of this it all would have meant something. Even if they hated him for it.

When he looks back down the Buck still stands, it's little tail swishing as it stretches it's nose inquisitively toward him.

"I'll be damned." He mutters, his brow furrowing as he gingerly removes his hand from the pocket of his heavy winter jacket and rests a broken piece of cracker in his palm.

Velvety nostrils puff in his direction as the Buck takes a hesitant step. Jake does the same, moving to a crouch so as to be less threatening, he offers the animal all he had.

Stalemate.

The Buck lifts his head at the caw of a crow and Jake's eyes follow him, practically holding his breath. He tosses the piece of cracker toward the deer and there's a stamp of hooves and a snort of a sound, the flight instinct almost taking hold. But food was hard to come by in such harsh conditions, sometimes, you just did what you had to.

The Buck sniffs out the cracker and takes it, crunching it swiftly and then pausing only to snort in Jake's general direction. He smiles, lifting his hand in a small wave as it turns and bounds away, leaving the smallest imprints in the snow. "Good luck out there." He says quietly as the creature disappears out of view.

Amazing, life still had the ability to surprise him, now and then.

Behind him he hears the unmistakable sounds of their camp awakening. Voices rising, wood creaking as doors are opened and people begin to go about their business. It was going to be a long day, the start of a lengthy journey. Perhaps his last. There was a strange sort of calm that came with that. He'd looked death in the eye many times before and fought against it like a fiery blaze. But this was different, this time there was no other way out that he could see. No other way to get them out, or save his daughter. As long as they were going to be okay then so was he. He was at peace with that.

"You!" Sure enough his peace is shattered by the bark of one of Leanna's men. "What're you doing out there?"

Jake turns without a word, sticking his hands back in to the fleece lined pockets of his coat and trudging back towards the buildings as the weatherbeaten lackey continues to reprimand him.

"Alright alright, keep your hair on." He grumbles as he passes, eyes lifting to the threadbare mop that sat on top of the other mans head. "What's left of it."

"Funny, funny guy." He snorts, jabbing Jake in the small of his back as he heads for the schoolhouse, where the others were waking.

It's a somber morning as their little family gather around the crackling fire and eat a bland breakfast. There's too-strong coffee and those without appetites. He tries again to sit beside Ripley and talk with her, but she turns her attention to Valerie and utterly ignores him. It's like a dagger to his chest and for a moment he sits watching her speaking with the girl, part of him wanting to push. To make her listen to him. But what good would it to? He didn't want the fight that would surely follow. She had every right to be angry with him for the situation he had landed them in.

There was no amount of explaining that could be done.

So with that in mind he gets back to his feet and gathers up his saddle bags and the bedroll and clothing he had readied the night before. Tucking it beneath his arm, he heads out in to the snow in search of Leanna. If he was doing this trip, he needed a horse, unless she expected to make him walk.


* * * * * * * *



By mid-morning Jake remained horse-less, but then so did the rest of Leanna's captors. She had promised him through a toothy grin that mounts were being prepared for all of them and should arrive before noon. That meant even if they did get right out on the trail, they wouldn't even make it down from the mountains before nightfall. They might have to ride through the night if they expected to make good time.

Standing beside one of the barns, he passes the time picking apart and piecing together his trusty revolver. Their gun belts had been returned to them along with other gear they had had on them the day she raided their home. It was so very tempting to put the damn thing to her temple and blow her brains out all over the snow, but the knowledge that his daughters life would be forfeit should he do such a thing kept it from happening. He had to hand it to her, using the children against them was a stroke of cruel genius. It sounded just like something Alexander would have done and he wonders if she realizes or revels in the irony of that.

"There you are."

To his side, Isabella's voice brings him around from his meandering thoughts and he lifts his head from his task, casting a small smile toward her. "Here I am." He confirms.

She stuffs her hands in her pockets with a deep sigh and comes to lean against the wall beside him. He plucks up a component of his revolver from a barrel, clicking it in to place. "She want us to walk to Annesberg or what?"

Jake lets out a breath of a laugh, hitching his shoulder. "Say's horses are comin'. Might have to ride through the night to make time." He murmurs, focused on his gun.

"We'll never hear the end of it from Ripley." Izzy observes.

"What else is new?"

She smiles at his response, watching him as he finally makes the revolver whole again. He gives it one last rub down and slides it in to the holster at his hip.

"How are you so calm?" She asks him, folding her arms across her chest.

He blinks. "Would you prefer if I weren't?"

"No. Just.. she wants you dead."

"I'm aware of that."

She leans closer, conspiratorially. "So do you have a plan? Something you aren't telling us?"

"No." He answers, honestly.

It's her turn to blink. "But she's going to kill you!"

Jake draws a breath. "If that's what it takes."

Isabella pushes away from the wall angrily. "Then how are you so calm?!"

"What would you like me to do?" he asks steadily, his voice quiet and even. "We fight back, my daughter dies. Those kids die. I can't... I can live with a lotta things, but not that. My little girl deserves a chance at a life. If this is what I gotta do.."

"She deserves to have her father around!" Isabella argues.

Jake just swallows, dipping his chin in a small nod. "Well, I'd like that too."

"So then fight her!"

"How?" He asks, leveling his eyes on her. "We make one wrong move she sends people to kill them. People we don't know the location of, people we might not be able to get to in time if we can even fight our way free of her men. It's not a risk I'm willin' to take."

Izzy's jaw clenches and she glares at some distant point behind him.

"I'm open to suggestions, Iz.." he adds, helplessly shrugging. "I been through every scenario I can think of, none of em work out in our favor."

"I thought you were supposed to be some kinda strategic genius." Izzy snaps.

He chuckles breathily. "That was when I didn't have anyone I loved on the line."

Frustrated, Isabella goes to turn away. He reaches out, catching her arm and drawing her back to him. "Don't. Please. I had about as much of people turnin' their backs on me as I can take. Not you too."

She frowns deeply, a sadness in her eyes that tugged at his heart and ramped up the guilt he felt tenfold. "Nobody's turning their backs on you, Jake."

"Ripley is. Yuliy can't even look at me.. Leon's mad as hell. And I understand why."

"Do you?" She asks.

"Yeah. It's my fault this is even happening." He mutters.

Folding her arms again, she studies him. "They're angry because they don't want to lose you. None of us do, and we all know that's her plan. That once she has her gold then you're.."

Swallowing, he looks away as she trails off, quiet for a moment or two before he whispers. "I don't know what else to do. At least this way, people I love get to live."

"Knowing you died for us."

He shrugs. "It's better than dead with me."

"Will you stop being so fucking noble!" she hisses at him.

Quieting, he gazes at the ground between them for a while. Churned up snow blending with damp earth, a muddy, messy sludge beneath their boots. There was a metaphor there somewhere, but he was too tired to process it.

"I ain't got any other choices. This is all there is.. and I need you." He murmurs eventually.

"Need me to what?" She mumbles.

"To take care of them. Mia and Lizzie. She's gonna need someone.."

Lifting her hand, Isabella swipes a tear that falls without her permission.

"Please."

She simply nods, biting her top lip while the bottom quivers.

"You and Leon get em somewhere safe, away from all this. Far as you can go. I got some money stashed back at the ranch, Mia knows where it is. It ain't a lot but it'll getcha a new start." He reaches out to her again, resting his hands at the tops of her arms and talking quietly. "I'm alright, Iz. If this is how I go out then I'm okay with that, I just need to know they'll be taken care of."

"What about me?" She sniffles. "You're my best friend."

He offers her a sad smile. "You're the toughest person I know. You'll be alright. Marry that Doctor or somethin'.. be a real family. Leave all this in the past."

She brings her hands to her face and lets out a quiet sob in to her gloved palms. Jake gently gathers her up, holding her to his chest for a while and resting his chin on the top of her head, he closes his eyes.

"This isn't fair." She whimpers in to his clothes.

Smiling wistfully, he rubs her back. "Eh, I cheated death enough times. Figured it had to come collect one day. Least I know I got someone waitin' for me on the other side. If there is one."

He feels her fists bunch at the back of his jacket, her smaller form fighting against the reality they found themselves in.

"Remember back in Saint Denis.." he asks thoughtfully against her hair. "The night before we broke out Leon. You said if we lost him then.. you were just gonna let fate play it's hand?"

She nods against his chest.

"I told you that whatever you needed to do, no matter what.. I love you, and I understand."

Silence. He swallows and brings his hand to the back of her head, petting gently.

"I need you to do the same for me, now."

The sound she makes against his chest is heart rending, but after a minute or two she pulls it together and makes him proud. Leaning back, she looks up at him and straightens the lapels of his heavy jacket, giving her hands something to do. Busy work to focus her mind as she holds in further tears.

"I do love you, Jake Torres. I'll make sure they're taken care of."

Smiling, he gently rubs her back and nods. "Thank you."

Their moment is cut short as the camp erupts in to a bustle of noise and bodies. Men emerging from the main house while the others spill out from the broken down school. Blinking and gathering his thoughts, Jake leads Isabella out from their hiding spot and in to the main Colter street, looking down toward the river.

"Paloma!" Isabella gasps, excitement and relief in in her voice as she breaks away from him.

Their horses, saddled and carrying supplies and each of their own weapons, are led toward the hitching posts beside the stables. Jake watches with a soft smile as his friends hurry toward their mounts, greeting equine friends like long lost family, which they were.

Folding his arms, he feels the tug of grief in his heart for Blue. When he lifts his eyes again a cold fist of fear wraps around him. The last horse to be led to a post is a familiar sight.

"Yasha.." he breathes, hurrying forward.

She was as faithful and loyal a mount as any man could have ever hoped for. The horse he had grown up with in Alexanders gang, learned to ride upon. She had taught him everything, she'd been through more gunfights and gang wars than he cared to count, and she bore the scars of them all the same as he did. She was once a powerhouse of a horse, tall and strong and afraid of nothing. You could fire a canon beside her and she wouldn't flinch.

When he left the gang, he had retired her from that life. Age taking it's toll on her joints and her stamina. He'd moved her from stable to stable as he traveled, keeping her taken care of, a well earned rest, to be pampered until the day she finally passed.

Now she was here, fetlock deep in snow and saddled for war.

Reaching her, he says her name again as he draws up beside her. She greets him with the softest wicker and flurry of velvety nostrils. Recognizing him immediately. He offers her the other half of the cracker he'd had in his pocket, petting her neck as she takes it and crunches. Blowing over his palm in search of more.

"Who's this?" Ripley asks, wrinkling her nose at the evidently aging animal. The flecks of grey in the once blood bay fur on her head, and the patchyness of the rest of her silvery coat giving her away. "Look's on it's last legs."

Izzy elbows her in the ribs. "That's his horse from before."

Ripley's frown deepens. "From Kilgrave's gang?"

Jake lifts his eyes to the girl while rubbing Yasha's brow. "She might be an old lady now, but she's robbed more trains than I have." He says, proudly. "She knows what she's doing."

"She wants you to rob a train on an old nag?" Ripley scoffs.

Jake just smirks, looking back to Yasha and stroking a pricked ear. "Don't listen to her, girl. We'll be alright."

Yasha snorts in agreement as behind them a handful of Leanna's men join them with their own horses. To the side, Faith struggles with her own mount. A mountain of a Kladruber mare named Sugar that was far too big for the girl and seemed anything but sweet.

"Dammit! Hold still!" Faith pleads, hopping around with a foot in the stirrup as Sugar refuses to stand. An eventual half rear sees Faith on her ass in the snow.

The look on Ripley's face is not lost on either Isabella or Jake.

"At least I can get on my old nag." Jake muses.

Leon emerges with saddlebags over his shoulders, approaching River laden with guns. "Lets get off this goddamn mountain." He grunts as he passes.

"Gladly." Jake huffs.

As they mount up, Leanna watches from the doorway of one of the barn. She smiles sweetly as they gather to leave.

"Good luck." She winks at them.

Jake's stomach ties itself in a brand new knot.