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Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: Ain't mine.
Author's Notes: Nothin' really.
feedback welcome! eagleimaggs_7@yahoo.com
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The eight women gathered around the casket that was perched at the front
of the Four Corners church. It was a simple box decorated with red
roses
and lilacs.
"She looks so peaceful." Shawna glanced down at her writing partner.
"I
just wish we could have finished our story."
Kelly patted the distraught girl as she too gazed at the reclining form
of Kim. It had only been a couple of hours since the showdown and the
seven protectors' had been nice enough to let them hold the funeral
here. Josiah even agreed to do the proceedings.
"Ladies," Nathan stepped forward. "I truly am sorry for your loss. I
only wish there was something we could have done to help." The healer
bowed his head shamed he couldn't save the young woman.
"Its alright, Nate. We knew you done the best you could." Cassie sniffed
as she patted Jackson softly on the upper arm.
"If theres anything you need, you just let me know." Nathan smiled sadly
and went to join Buck, JD, Ezra, and Josiah on the front left pew.
"I can't believe Maggie would do this. Isn't there something we can
do
to make her undo this tragedy?" Diana glanced helplessly to her
friends'.
"Maggie's a hard nut to crack. Especially in one of her dark moods.
If
we want this reversed, we're gonna have to fight as lowdown as she
would." Penny looked expectantly to Cass.
"Penn's right. If theres one thing I know about my best friend, its
she
won't do anything she doesn't want to unless provoked." The blond paused
trying to come up with some idea.
"What if we just ask her?" Judy raised her eyebrow in question to the
other seven.
"Nothings that simple with Maggs." Mog shook her head knowingly. The
dark haired woman was a reincarnation of Attila the Hun.
"Well, I'm coming up blank." Shawna gave her friend another glance.
"We
better do something quick." The woman noticed the palor of Kim was
getting lighter.
"Okay, I think I may have a plan, but we're gonna need help." Cassie
smiled slightly at the girls' before letting her gaze wander to the
men
that would be their saviors. Vin Tanner and Chris Larabee.
Chris immediately got a sinking sensation as the blond's eyes fell on
him. "Oh no. Not again." The gunslinger let his eyelids slide shut
as
the feeling turned into full blown terror.
"Their heading this way." Vin looked around suddenly for the closest
exit but saw they were trapped. "Damn."
The two men stared at the approaching mob then one another. "It was
nice
knowing, pard." The tracker gave the other man a half smile.
"Yeah. Thats what they can put on our headstones." Larabee grimaced
slightly as a flashback of a recent graveyard scene raced through his
mind.
"Um. Excuse us, but we need your help." Cass cleared her throat as the
deadly glares were launched her way.
"Why should we help you?" Chris wasn't hiding any of his disgust.
"Well, we need to get Maggie to bring Kim back quick, but the only way
to do that is to blackmail her." Penny crossed her arms and watched
the
thoughts play across the mens' features.
"What kind of blackmail?" Tanner knew what these ladies' were capable
of
and was sure he would somehow be right in the middle of this.
"The thing or rather I say person, Maggs would do anything to avoid
is,"
Mog stopped not sure how the bounty hunter would react.
"Well?" Vin looked at each girl suspiciously.
"Charlotte." Judy's voice was barely above a whisper, but the sudden
paleness of Tanner's face told that he had definately heard the fated
word.
"We're sorry, Vin. We know how hard this is for you, but thats the only
weakness we can think of for Maggie." Diana stepped forward and placed
a
soft hand to the tracker's shoulder.
"You eight are most definately insane. You can't ask him to go back
to
Charlotte." Chris jumped to his feet and the last of his sentence was
said in a low hiss.
"Easy, Chris." Kelly backed up slightly as the black clad man started
to
advance. "We don't want them to get back together, we just need to
get
her here. And the only person to do that, well...." The woman was happy
when the irate leader seized his onslaught.
"He doesn't have anything else to do with the witch?" Larabee wanted
to
make damn sure of what they were getting into.
"Right. All we need is for Vin to bring Charlotte to town so Maggie
can
see her. Then we give her the choice, either bring back Kim or we put
them two together." Cassie regretted her words as she noticed the droop
of Vin's head. "Its stictly a bluff, we promise."
"Alright. I'll do it." Tanner sighed heavily as he rose to his feet.
Chris looked from his best friend to the stunned men on the pew beside
him. "This better go as planned or...." Larabee let the threat hang
on
the wind, but each woman knew the full intent.
"Don't worry." Shawna hoped her smile didn't show how hopeless she was
feeling about this whole thing.
***********************
The sun was shining at an angle as the dark haired girl trotted through
the field of flowers. She hadn't felt this good in weeks, so was
enjoying it to the max. But suddenly, a black cloud floated over the
sun
casting the girl and the plants around her into darkness once more.
"What the hell?" Maggie stared at the sky then at the ground around
her
horse. Thats when she saw it. The Black Rose. It was standing in the
middle of a bunch of daisys'.
"Damn. They've went too far now." Maggs knew the symbol the rose meant,
Charlotte. The plague on the girl's favorite character had weasled
her
way inside. "If I find out somebody had a hand in this, there will
be
more than one funeral today."
The dark haired girl bent down and plucked the vile weed from the earth
and took off at a dead run toward Four Corners.
************************
Six of the town's protectors' and the eight women stood outside the
church awaiting the arrival of Vin and Charlotte. They hated having
to
do such a drastic thing, but knew it was the only way.
As they watched the street, two shadows finally emerged from the other
end of town heading their direction.
"I hope this works." Judy swallowed as she saw the vision of evil riding
beside the tracker.
They held their breaths as they watched the attempts the harlot was
making toward Tanner. He tried to veer away, but was caught a couple
of
times.
"Okay, where's Maggie?" Buck, a man who loved the ladies, had had about
all of this he could stand. But before anyone could answer, the sudden
scream and yells of the townsfolk was the response to their vigilance.
Vin and Charlotte had made it to the church steps but neither dismounted
as they watched the cloud of dust coming toward them. As the dirt began
to settle, a form emerged riding a beautiful black stallion with look
of
murder in her dark eyes.
"You best have a damn good explanation for this, or my deathfics are
gonna be the least of your worries." Maggie shot icy glares to the
women
until her gaze fell on the hussy.
"Well, hello Maggie. I've heard quite abit about you." The silty voice
made the woman's stomach turn and she almost hurled at the harlot.
"Apparently you haven't heard the right things or you'd be running for
the hills, you biddy." Maggs was mad.
"Easy, Maggie." Cassie knew what the girl's dark temper could lead too.
"I think we should talk in private."
"Nope." Maggs turned and stared intently at her friend. "You better
say
what you have to now and quick."
The blond flinched hoping they hadn't gone too far. "Okay, heres the
deal. You bring back Kim and we get rid of Charlotte."
The dark haired woman surveyed all the faces now, seeing the challenge
etched there.
"Tell ya what. I'll bring back Kim," Maggie waved her right hand toward
the church and then resumed her speech. "and get rid of Charlotte."
The
most evil grin creased the girls' lips as she lifted her left hand
up,
revealing a black rose. Then in slow motion Maggie began plucking the
petals from the flower and slowly chanting with each. "I hate her.
I
hate her even more. I hate her. I hate her even more...." On and on.
And
as the petals began to vanish so did the queen. With the final pull,
a
wretched scream pierced the air and then faded into oblivion.
"Hey, did I miss anything?" Kim stepped out of the church noticing the
group gathered around a riderless horse with black petals strode around
its feet.
"Nope. Just doing a little weed-eatin'." Maggs glanced at her friend
and
smiled softly as she turned her horse back toward the grove she had
been
prancing around.
Shawna grinned widely at her newly resurrected writing partner. "How
do
you feel?"
Kim frowned slightly before answering. "Hungry."
The group chuckled loudly as another story got a happy ending.
*****************
The End
