Sam cast a glance at the tall, black haired girl who had once been her best friend, back when Tulsa was the center of her universe and she'd never heard of Four Corners.
"Oh, he's...." Sam began. "I really don't know. Missing me, I bet."
Lyndelle moaned. "That is too sweet for words. But since he's not around, how about Jake Harper?"
Sam burst out laughing. She knew Lyndelle's ways. Every week a new boy was the object of her affection, and she could never understand the concept of commitment.
"I mean, Sam, that boy would walk through a fire if you asked him to," Lyndelle continued.
It was true, and Sam knew it. Once upon a time, Jake Harper had been Sam's prime admirer, and it seemed that now since she was back in Tulsa, he would be after her again.
"Jake is very sweet," Sam said.
"But?" Lyndelle asked, expecting more of an answer than that.
"Lyn, I'm engaged."Sam replied.
"So? JD's not here. Besides, you don't really want to spend the rest of your life in that dusty little town, do you? Jake is going to medical school, he's going to be a doctor." Lybdelle raised an eyebrow at Sam, dropping a hint.
Sam pretended to laugh, but inside she hoped her whole visit to Tulsa wouldn't become a forum for Lyndelle to attempt to play Matchmaker. Sam had come to Tulsa to deliberately get away from the idea of Love for a while, and to clear her head,
"Sam?"Lyndelle asked.
"Yeah?"
"Somethin's wrong. Why'd you really come back?"
"Nothin's wrong!" Sam insisted. "I've just got a lot on my mind right now."
Lyndelle doubted the truth of that. Sam was different. The once giddy girl was more...mature, maybe? Somehow darker, too.
"If you ever need to talk, you know where I am."
Sam smiled. "Thanks."
But she knew she'd never tell.....
Sam was completely enjoying her little vacation. Her aunt Meg had sent her downtown on some errands, and Sam had been more then willing to do them, for it meant some time on her own, to remember the good old days when she was young and Tulsa was home.
The town was cleaner and noisier than Sam remembered, but she attributed it to the dust and relative silence of Four Corners.
She'd bought the sugar her aunt requested, when she got the greatest shock of her life. She'd come out of the general store, when she saw a familiar face across the street.
It can't be!she thought.
Crossing for a closer look, she dodged carriages and realized who it was.
Michael Winston.
Sam's heart stopped.
Michael saw her and his face lit up.
"Sam?" he asked in shock.
"What're you doing here?"they both asked at the same time.
"I'm visiting my family," she managed, "What are you doing here?"
"We're..um...."
And Sam knew exactly what they were doing.
"You're not gonna rob the bank are you?" she whispered.
"Yeah," he admitted. "We should keep walking."
Taking his arm, she strolled quickly beside him until they were in the stable.
"Where are we going?"she asked when he saddled two horses.
"To the others."
The others. Bryce. Sam felt every emotion humanly possible. She'd never planned to see the Winstons again, except on a Wanted poster and in her dreams.
They rode out of town for a few hours, to a little cabin in the woods.
"You always hide out in the same style," Sam observed, remembering their last hideout, which had been reamarkably similar to this one.
"We take what we can get," Michael replied.
They rode up and tied up their horses. The front door opened and Curtis came out.
"Sam!"he exclaimed. He leaned back inside. "Hey, Bryce! We got a surprise for you!"
Out the door came Bryce Winston.
His eyes widened and jaw dropped. Sam laughed and went towards him.
"I didn't think I'd ever get to see you again."he whispered.
Sam looked up at him.
"I'm here."she said. It was all she could manage.
He took her into his arms, as Michael and Curtis went inside.
"I missed you."he said, his face buried in her hair.
Sam couldn't talk for some reason. All she could do was squeeze him tighter.
The entire evening, Sam had felt welcomed by everyone except Higgins, whom she knew didn't really like her anyway. He never had.
Sam had enjoyed dinner over which she'd caught up with them. They'd told her all about their plans to rob the bank, which gave her a bad feeling, but she ignored it. Sam noticed it was getting dark out, so she stood up to go.
"I have to go," she said. "No one knows where I am, and I was supposed to be back hours ago. They'll be worried."
They all flashed weird, surprised looks at her.
"You can't leave."Higgins said.
"Yes I can," Sam said, not getting it. "It's not that dark out yet, I know the way."
"No, you're not leaving."Higgins stated. "You know too much."
"What do you mean?"She was getting scared.
"Sam, you know all our plans. You know as much as we do. If we let you go, who's to say you won't go straight to the law on us?"
"I never told anyone about you before," she insisted.
"That was just a few hundred dollars, this bank is huge."Michael said. "We can't take the chance."
"Bryce..." Sam began, glancing at him.
"I'm sorry Sam."he managed, his heart breaking at the expression on her face.
She slid back into a chair and looked around.
"So, what do I do?" she asked. "Just stay here forever."
"No,"Higgins replied. "You join us."
"Join you?"she asked in shock.
"Yeah."he said."We head out immediately afterwards, and you come with us."
"What if I don't want to?"she asked. "My family...."
"You're going to."
"Can you excuse us?"Bryce asked the others.
Bryce took Sam out behind the house.
"Sam, I'm so sorry."he said. "I didn't know..."
"I'm not a robber!"she exclaimed. "I don't want to do this! No one knows where I am. They'll all be worried."
"I'll help you get a letter to them," he said.
There was silence between them.
"Are you tired? You look tired," he asked, trying to comfort her.
"No, I don't want to do this!" she protested. "Let me go right now. I'll go home and head back to Four Corners and I swear I'll never tell anyone about you and you can go rob whatever you want...Please!"
"I can't," he said. "They'd kill me."
"I'm not a robber."she repeated.
He tried to embrace her, but she punched him and pushed him aside. As fast as she could, she ran around the house and got on Michael's horse. She gallopped away from the house..into the woods.
After a few minutes, she regretted that. She had no idea where she was headed, or where she was at all. The path disappeared. On her way towards the house, she hadn't paid attention to the way, figuring they'd return her to home later.
Sam panicked, and leapt off the horse. As soon as she was off, the horse took off running.
Everything was shattered. She'd actually left JD behind, and thought Bryce was a real man. She wished she'd never left Four Corners.
If I were in Four Corners right now, I'd be safe, laughing..she thought, struggling not to get scared. I'd be helping Rain with wedding plans, or playing cards with Ezra, or watching Billy, or JD would be holding me...JD.....
She dropped to her knees and prayed as hard as she could...
Behind her, she heard voices...The Winstons, after her. Higgins, swearing up a storm; Bryce, calling her name...
And she couldn't run from them, because she had no idea where they were, or which way she was going to go....
Suddenly, she knew what to do...
The only way to escape was to go along with the whole plan long enough to let the seven know where she was. Bryce would let her get a letter to JD, and she'd lace it with hidden meaning so he'd find her. That was what she'd do...
So she stayed where she was.
"Sam!" Bryce cried, seeing her.
Higgins reached her first and grabbed her roughly.
"Never try that again!"he ordered, his face full of fury.
"I'm sorry." She nodded, and bit her lip,there was nothing else to do.
Higgins shoved her to Bryce, and got back on his horse.
"I'll do whatever you want me to."she said.
"You're right."Higgins said. He rode away.
Bryce embraced her, and like the actress she was, she wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm sorry."she said. "I just got so scared." Buck had told her once that no man could resist a helpless female, so she subtly pouted and pretended to shiver.
Buck had been right. Bryce's grip tightened around her. "That's okay."he said soothingly, gently brushing back her hair. "It's okay."
"I'm so tired.."she whispered., slumping in his arms a bit.
"Let's get you back."he said, and got her back the horse she'd ridden off on, which they'd captured.
Back at the cabin, Bryce led Sam to a back room and helped her to bed. She didn't feel tired, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep.
She awoke in the darkness a while later to feel someone slipping in beside her.
"Bryce?"she hoped.
"Ssh."he said. "Yeah, It's me."
He lay down beside her.
"Is this okay?"he asked, indicating his being there with her.
Sam trusted him more than anyone else at that point, besides, she wanted to maintain an attitude like she wanted to be there, so she nodded.
Instantly, she felt awful. She'd never done this sort of thing before. JD ws supposed to be the one lying beside her, not Bryce. If JD had been next to her, she wouldn't have been nervous at all..
"Come here."Bryce whispered, and pulled her towards him so her head rested on his chest, his arms around her. She had to admit, it was comforting to have his arms tightly around her. She couldn't stop wishing they were JD's arms though...
"We'll be fine."he said. "You'll be fine. We know what we're doing, we've done this for a long time. I'll get your letter to whoever you want, so you can let them know you're alright. No one's gonna hurt you Sam. I won't let them."
Sam nodded into his chest.
If there was ever a time I needed you guys she thought, hoping somehow by some miracle Buck or someone would realize something was wrong It's now.
She fell asleep praying.
The next day, the Winstons set about getting Sam into robber mode, teaching her how to shoot, and everything else that went along with it. She amazed them all by being a great shot.
Thanks Vin!she thought, remembering their lessons.
Sam also wrote her letter:
Dear JD
I am having a great time here, but I miss you terribly. I can't wait to see you again! Everyone here is just as wonderful as before , but I can't wait to get home..How's everyone? Are Nathan and Rain planning the wedding yet? Has Melanie caught my father? You must write me back about all this, for I'm dying to know...I love you.
Love
Sam
Bryce okayed that, and she slipped it in an envelope and addressed it. Unknown to anyone, Sam slipped a smaller note inside.
Ezra
I need you to tell everyone everything you know. I'm in a dangerous situation and you're the only one that can help me. You know exactly what I am talking about. I know you promised never to tell, but some promises are made to be broken. I'll write again.
Sam
The letter was mailed that day, with one to Sam's family, assuring them that she was alright and not to worry. Sam clung to the hope that everything would work out, but she was optimistic about it all. After all, they were the "Magnificent Seven", as her cousin Timmy had been so excited to ask her about!!
By day, the gang of outlaws hid in their cabin, planning their conquest.
By night, they went to town and scoped out the territory.
David had managed to locate some clothes small enough for Sam. Men's attire, a pair of overalls and a pair of huge boots that made her feel like a duck, she had to waddle in them.
It was decided the boots wouldn't work if she had to run, so she switched with Michael, whose feet were bigger and boots smaller.
They gave her two guns and a gun belt, plus a bandana and a hat.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she looked like a young, short, Buck Wilmington.
Her hair was too long, so she chopped it off quite a bit, which served the purpose exceptionally well.
Until then, Higgins hadn't really bought her act. But there was something so final about her chopping her hair off, that suddenlly, he gained a respect for the girl.
So, a week after Sam had met Michael Winston on the street, she committed her first crime.
She robbed a bank. Higgins knocked the guard down while she and Bryce worked alongside the others to clear out the bags of money. Then, they leapt on their horses and rode away from Tulsa.
Gallopping as fast as the wind, Sam suddenly felt a strange new feeling. The feeling of incredible freedom. No one could tell her what to do.
Bryce glanced over at her and saw the half-smile on her face as her now short hair blew in the wind. He knew she was one of them now..
Josiah Sanchez and Nathan Jackson came into the saloon where JD Dunne and Ezra Standish were enjoying a mid-afternoon game of poker with Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner.
"Anything there for me, Josiah?"Ezra asked, noticing the older man held the day's mail.
"Nope," The Preacher shook his head. "But Sam wrote."
JD practially leapt out of his seat to grap the letter. He tore it open and pulled out the letter, skimming it quickly.
"Let me guess.."Ezra teased. He switched into a high-pitched voice. "JD, I miss you and love you more than anything. I can not wait until the day when our lips shall meet again..Am I close?"
JD laughed. "Kind of."
"Not surprising," Chris teased. "JD, you dropped something."
JD leaned down to pick up the slip of paper.
"Well, my friends," Ezra drawled. "Are you ready for me to take your money?"
"We wouldn't be sitting here if he weren't," Vin grinned.
"Not if you were smart," Ezra said, the slick grin appearing on his face. He was prepared to win some big money....
"Ezra?" JD asked, confused.. "It's for you, from Sam."
"What is?"
JD handed him the note he'd picked up. "What do you know?"he asked.
Ezra read the note, and looked up at his comrades.
"Um...I uh..."he stammered.
"Whats it say?"Chris asked, taking the note from Ezra. Vin and Josiah read it over his shoulder.
"She says to tell us what you know," Vin said. "She's in trouble."
Ezra began to talk. "Well, you see-"
Buck burst in the door, waving a piece of paper.
"You all are not gonna believe this!"he cried.
He threw the paper down. It was a wanted poster.
Sam was on it.
"Wanted, Dead or Alive," JD read. "For Armed Robbery and assault of an officer, The Winston clan, Bryce, David, Higgins, Curtis, Michael, and....."
He couldn't finish, so Buck did.
"Samantha."
Vin leaned to Ezra in a non-friendly way.
"You best tell us what you know," he suggested.
"What?"Buck was confused, so Chris handed him the note.
Faster than lightning, Buck had Ezra by the neck.
"What is she talking about? What do you know?"he cried.
"Buck, let him go," Chris calmly ordered.
Buck did, and all the men gathered around.
"Talk," Buck ordered.
"It's not that easy.."Ezra tried to figure out how to phrase this news.. Finally deciding that blunt would be best, he started talking.
"You remember the Winston boys I gather?"he asked.
"We all know Sam befriended them," Chris said.
"Well, thats where you're sort of wrong. Yes, she befriended them, but she, uh, also, sort of...well, she ..um..."
"Ezra.."Buck warned.
"She fell in love with one of them."Ezra blurted. "She thought she did anyway."
Everyone's eyes flickered to JD, whose expression dropped to a look of the most awful sadness anyone could have ever had.
"What?" Buck exclaimed.
"It's true, I swear," Ezra said. "She helped them get away so he wouldn't be killed."
"So she didn't single-handedly try to stop the robbery?" Nathan asked.
Ezra shook his head. "Somehow she met up with them there and..."
JD took a deep breath. Sam, his Sam, in love with someone else...it couldn't be true.
"But she's in trouble now?" JD asked. "She said so.."
"Looks like she met up with them again," Vin said. "Only this time, they didn't get away."
"We ride in ten minutes," Chris said, as he left. Only JD and Ezra were left behind.
JD slumped back into his chair.
"I'm sorry," Ezra said, not knowing what else to say.
"Do you really think she loves him?" JD asked, devastated.
"JD, I know Sam almost as well as you," Ezra explained. "From what she told me, I don't think she loves him at all."
JD glanced up at Ezra, eyes full of hope.
"She was just so confused, so scared about whether she was ready to be married at such a young age and all...Then he came along and swept her off her feet and didn't pretend to want to marry her or anything like that."
"I never meant to scare her," JD said.
"This isn't your fault," Ezra assured him. "I can tell you one thing, though. Her biggest fear was that she didn't want to hurt you or lose you..JD, I'd bet my life on the fact that she still loves you."
JD smiled. "Really?"he asked.
Ezra nodded.
"Let's go rescue your damsel, shall we?"Ezra asked.
JD got up and ran out of the saloon. leaving Ezra alone.
I hope I'm right...he thought.
Four days after the robbery, the Winstons and Sam were holed up out in the woods, not in a cabin this time...They slept outside, under the cover of trees in the rain and wind, and it was a miserable time for Sam.
About the only thing that made it bearable was her hope that JD had gotten the letter and that Ezra had come through done what she'd told him to do. If all that had occurred, Sam knew the seven were more than capable of tracking her down, regardless of where she'd gone. Vin was the best tracker anyone could have ever known, and she had every bit of confidence that he'd be able to locate her.
So she obediently went along with everything she was expected to do. She played her role as best she could, although she still couldn't stop the feeling of dread when Higgins glared at her, which was often, or the fact that she had no idea what robbery was all about.
Bryce, Sam had to admit, was wonderful. He taught her everything she needed to know, and was always there for her whenever she wasn't sure of something or scared. He was her support, she trusted him. She slept in his arms every night, praying for it to be over. But she played the sweet, innocent, girl in love..
And he fell for it....
The seven had ridden for five days, non-stop gallopping, to get to Tulsa.
Arriving there, they located Sam's family, whom no one had ever met before. Sam's Aunt Meg was a short, round woman with flaming red hair and a cheerful disposition, who, upon hearing why they were there, immediately invited them inside.
"She wrote us, saying she was alright," Aunt Meg explained.
"What's going on?"An older man asked, coming in the room. "Who are they?"
"Bernie, this man is Buck Wilmington," Meg explained. "Samantha's father."
"Oh, so I finally get to meet you," Bernie said, taking his pipe out of his mouth and offering Buck his hand. "I'm Sam's uncle...I was Lucy's brother."
"Nice to meet you," Buck said, taking his hand.
"And this is the young man Sam's going to marry,"Meg finished.
"Nice to finally meet both of you," Bernie said.
"Sir, do you have any idea where they might have headed?" Nathan asked.
"They?"
The seven looked at each other.
"We think she's fallen in with The Winston clan, the ones who robbed the bank,"Vin explained.
"Actually, we know she has," Josiah cut it.
"I don't believe it!"Meg said. "Sam's a good girl, she'd never..."
"We don't believe it was her choice.."Chris said. "You don't know where she is?"
Meg and Bernie shook their heads...
"Are you gonna find her?" came a tiny voice.
Out from under the table came a small blonde girl, about five or six years old, clutching a doll.
Buck kneeled down to her level.
"Yes, darlin'"he said. "We are."
"Daisy, go outside," Meg gently ordered the little girl, who scampered away, seemingly reassured by Buck."That's our daughter."
"Gentlemen," Bernie said. "I'd ride with you but I'm afraid I'm too old for that sort of thing, so I trust you to find her."
"Don't worry." JD said. "We'll find her."
Off the Seven went....
"So, after we're finished with this one, where do we go?" David asked, as the six outlaws sat around their fire, discussing the next night's work.
"I figure Mexico," Higgins said. "They'll never catch us there."
"Mexico?" Sam asked in surprise.
Higgins glanced at her, a little taken aback by her tone. Sam had almost earned his respect as one of the gang in the past few weeks, but she sounded unsure now, and unsure was a bad thing in a situation like this.
"Yeah," he replied. "It's really the only safe place."
"Oh," Sam said, and made herself shut up.
She knew if they made it to Mexico, the seven would never find her. And even if they did, it would take a longer time, and she missed home so badly already...
Bryce took her hand and squeezed it.
She glanced over at him, and he grinned a little at her.
Not meaning it, she returned it.
Michael yawned. "I'm exhausted."he said, and stood up. "I'm going to sleep."
The idea appealed to all, so they all headed to their seperate bed areas..
Bryce and Sam made their way to a tiny patch of grass under a tree, far away from the others. Sam took off her gunbelt and tossed it down.
"That thing weighs a ton," she whined.
Bryce laughed. "Yeah, I thought that too, at first, but after a while you stop feeling it."
Sam smiled. He really was sweet..
She practically fell down on the grass, ready to sleep for hours and hours. Sleep was a wonderful escape. Dreams came in sleep, and her dreams were becoming her life.
Bryce lay beside her, and she didn't pay any attention when he moved a little.
Suddenly, from nowhere, his lips were on hers...Sam almost died of shock, she hadn't been expecting that at all..His hands moved quickly, unbuttoning her shirt, even as he continued kissing her. She struggled to push him off her, but he was bigger than she was..
This can't be happening.. she thought Not again!
"Please..no!"she managed..
Bryce was at least partly a gentleman, and pulled back. Agast at the expression in her frightened eyes, he sat up next to her. She gathered her shirt and closed it around her..
"What's wrong?"he asked, genuinely confused.
"Don't ever do that again!"she ordered in a very cold voice.
He held up his hands in submission.
"Can I ask why?"he questioned. "I mean...I thought you wanted to.."
"I don't," she said, surprised at the strength in her own voice. "I....just want to go to sleep."
Something about her demeanor told him she wasn't being honest..That something else was really wrong.
"Sam, you can tell me anything," he reminded her.
"I just don't want to.."she repeated.
"Did JD ever....??Is that why?" he asked.
"No!"Her response was so immediate, so fast, that he believed it. "I don't want to talk about it...Can we just go to sleep?"
"No," he said, getting closer to her. "I want to know why you're acting like this.."
"You surprised me, that's all.."she insisted."I wasn't expecting you to do that."
Sam was realizing she needed to keep him happy. If he wasn't on her side, none of the others would be. The important thing was to keep him believing that she wanted to be there, that she wanted to be with him.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I just..you surprised me." She managed to laugh a little at the end of that..
Bryce's face, which had been concerned, softened to a smile. He ran a finger across her cheek.
"I'm sorry too," he said. "I shouldn't have done that, but you just looked so pretty, and..."
She took his hand. "It's okay."she said.
He leaned in and placed a long, soft, incredibly romantic kiss on her lips..Sam quivered...He had a way of doing that to her....
Days later, the seven rode into a new town, Carlton. Immediately, they found out the town had been robbed only the day before. So even before they could look around for clues, they readied to set off...
A boy, about fourteen, ran up to Vin...
"You fellas lookin for the robbers?" he asked.
The seven looked at each other, questioningly..
"Yes, we are," Josiah answered.
The boys face lit up and he came down towards them.
"You lookin for Sam?" he asked, and could tell instantly by their faces that they were.
"Well," he said, holding up a piece of paper. "Sam paid me to give this to any of the seven men who came lookin for her."
"Hand it over, boy,"Buck said.
"Not so fast."the boy said. "And my names not 'boy', it's Scott."
JD took a step forward.
"Okay. Scott,"he said. "Hand over the paper."
"I am supposed to ask you a question first, to see if you're the right men..Lotsa folks are after them right now," Scott said.
Buck sighed impatiently. "Ask then."
"Which one of you is JD?"Scott asked.
"I am," JD replied.
"What month is she supposed to marry you?"
"September!"they all cried.
Scott handed the note over to JD...
"What's it say?"Chris asked.
JD looked up...
"They're headin for the border."he said.
Sam and the Winstons rode into a small town, scoping out the area. It was small, no law was evident, and there were few citizens even around. They'd seen a ton of farms as they'd ridden in, so they assumed it was largely a farming or ranching community.
"Well, boys," Higgins said, referring to Sam and the rest. "This town looks ready for a little shake up, don't you think?"
Curtis grinned. "Definately."
Higgins looked over at the bank. "Tonight."he said.
"Tonight?" Bryce asked, used to having days to plan.
"Bryce, there's no danger here at all."Higgins said. "Besides the sooner we do it, the sooner we can head to Mexico, and the sooner we're free."
"Oh," Bryce said.
"Come on," Higgins ordered, leading the others through the town.
Bryce pulled his horse so it was next to Sam's, a way back from the rest of their groups.
"Sam, can I ask you something?"he asked.
"Sure," she replied, watching the town go by...
"When we get to Mexico, will you marry me?"
Sam almost fell off her horse in shock. "Oh..well, I wasn't expecting that."she admitted.
Bryce smiled a little. "I'm full of surprises."
"You certainly are," she said.
"Will you?"he asked.
Sam had to answer.
"If we make it out of here alive, and we actually get to Mexico.....yes,"she said.
His brilliant grin caused her to smile, even though she knew that one way or another, she'd never get to Mexico with them.
Regardless of what it took to get away.
In the dark cover of night, seven riders entered Gardner, a tiny little border town dangerously close to Mexico.
"Think we can maybe sleep sometime on this little trip?"Ezra whined in his tired drawl from the back of the group..
Buck shook his head. "Not until Sam's back."
"I can't believe she'd do something like this," Vin said. "It's not like her."
Nathan turned and looked at him. "It's not her fault, she probably got forced into doing it."
"What town is this again?" JD asked.
"It's called Gardner," Josiah explained. "Even smaller than Four Corners."
"You think they're gonna rob this bank, too?"
"If we're lucky, we'll show up before they do anything," Chris said.
As they rounded a corner, the seven saw the group of Robbers running out of the bank.
"Too late," Vin said, as they kicked into a gallop.
"Aw hell!" Higgins cried. "We got company!"
Turning, Sam saw the seven riding in, and her heart raced happily. Her prayers had been answered. The Winstons dove for cover. Sam threw off her hat and bandana and started to run towards the seven. Higgins was too quick for her, catching her and dragging her into a nearby building, where David had hidden.
"What the hell are you doing?"David asked, as Higgins tied Sam's writsts together with rope.
"She'll be a great hostage," Higgins replied.
"Let me go!"Sam said, managing to kick Higgins.
He slapped her across the face, and looked ready to kill her, but David jumped in and blocked Sam.
"She told them where we were," Higgins cried. "She's a traitor!"
David stared blankly, having never seen his brother this angry before.
The door burst open, and in came Chris and Vin.
"Sam?" Vin asked.
But again, Higgins was too fast for them, pressing his gun against Sam's throat.
"Don't even try it!" He ordered. "I'll kill her, I swear!"
Both Chris and Vin knew he was serious, and lowered their guns.
"Open the door," Higgins ordered David, pointing to the back door.
David stood there, dumbfounded.
"Dammit!" Higgins screamed. "Open the damn door!"
Obediently, David did.
"Guard them, keep them here," Higgins indicated Vin and Chris.
David nodded.
"I'm sorry Sam," he said.
Higgins dragged Sam out the back, and was met by his remaining brothers.
"What are you doing?"Bryce asked, seeing the gun to Sam's head and her visible shaking.
"They're here cause she told them where we were! "Higgins said.
Sam moaned as he pressed the gun even harder into her neck.
"You're not really gonna kill her are you?"Michael asked.
Higgins grinned wickedly.
"If I have to."
"Hold it!"came a familiar voice.
Around the corner came Buck, JD, Josiah, Nathan and Ezra, guns drawn, ready to kill if necessary.
"Drop your guns!" Higgins cried. "I'll kill her I swear it!"
Before they could, a shuffle caught everyone's attention. Chris and Vin came out of the building, Chris with a gun to David's head.
"Let her go!"Chris ordered.
"No!"Higgins said. "You let him go!"
He cocked his gun.
"If you let her go, we'll let you all get away alive," Josiah attempted.
Higgins laughed.
"Yeah, I'm dumb enough to believe that!" he sneered back. "You'll be after us in two seconds!"
"If you kill her, we'll be after you forever," Chris replied. "Your call."
Higgins looked around at the seven men with guns drawn, ready to shoot. He saw the blank, scared faces of his brothers, and knew they'd be no help at all. Sam shook in his arms.
"Let her go," Bryce said.
"Like hell I will."Higgins replied.
JD and Sam made eye contact. Sam wanted nothing more than to run to him, she knew now that he was her life.
She looked at Buck, whose eyes were cold in both fear and anger. He wasn't looking at her, his eyes were staring hard at Higgins.
Ezra winked reassuringly at her, and she almost smiled. Had she not been more terrified than ever before in her life, she would've.
"Higgins, let her go!"Curtis ordered.
"Shut up!"Higgins screamed.
He began to walk forward with Sam.
"Drop your guns," he ordered. "Or I'll kill her."
With no other choice, Chris shoved David to the ground and followed his order, as did all the seven.
"Get their guns," he ordered Curtis.
Curtis stood there, refusing.
This was too much for Higgins. He moved his gun away from Sam's head and shot Curtis, who staggered backwards. At the same time, both Bryce and Ezra (who still had his Derringer) shot Higgins.
Sam slammed her elbow into Higgins and the force of that, combined with the two shots, sent him flying backwards.
Buck and JD took off running towards her, as did Bryce, who reached her at the same time.
There came the strangest moment of Sam's life; seeing Bryce and JD face to face. As the two young men stared at each other, Buck grabbed Sam and held her so tightly she thought she'd break.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"You're here," she said."You're really here!"
Pulling apart, Sam got between the two men and faced Bryce.
"Sam?" he asked.
Off her finger, she pulled the silver ring and handed it to him. Bryce knew what was happening, and nodded, tears in his eyes. She kissed his cheek.
"This wasn't what I meant by adventure. Goodbye Bryce," she whispered."Thank you."
"Goodbye Sam," he replied. "You're welcome."
She turned to JD.
"Is he why you left?" JD asked, his voice brimming with pain.
She nodded. "The dumbest thing I ever did."
JD inhaled deeply, not looking at her. Buck, overhearing the whole thing, couldn't believe what was happening.
"I'm so sorry," Sam apologized. "I'm going to apologize to you for the rest of your life for this, I know. I thought I needed freedom, and adventure, and that I didn't want to be tied down, but I was wrong. I need you. You're all I've ever needed. I don't mind ties as long as they're yours." He looked at her. Through the layer of dirt and tears, he saw her eyes. They weren't lying. "I want you, JD,"she said.
JD looked down at her, and saw the fear and seriousness in her eyes. Those eyes, how much he wanted to take her in his arms at that moment. But everything inside him was built up too much, and instead he just nodded and walked away to help the others, leaving Sam with Buck.
"He hates me," Sam whispered, her greatest realization being what a great thing she had lost.
Buck looked down at her, his daughter who he realized he didnt know at all. "Hurts, doesnt it?" She nodded. Buck nodded too, and walked away from her, leaving Sam standing befuddled and alone in the street. Ezra saw the whole thing, and felt a pain over everything. He prayed the men would be able to forgive.
Vin, Chris and the others had rounded up the remaining three Winstons, and tied them up. The local sherriff came onto the scene and arrested them all, so they were taken to the jail.
Afterwards, on the way home, Sam rode up next to Ezra. JD was heading the pack, avoiding her. Buck was behind them.
"Thank you," she told the Gambler, praying he wouldn't turn away from her too.
Ezra looked at her, confused. "For what?" he asked.
"For breaking the promise," she said. "Never promise me anything again.." Secretly, she wanted to thank him for still treating her the same.
He laughed. "I won't. I promise."