𝔴𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔰𝔲𝔫 ⟡ ʀɖʀ2

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟸𝟶

           I tracked those Pinkertons all the way back to Saint Denis. Obviously I knew they were going to let that poor kid hang over stuff he didn't even want to get roped into. He deserved a hell of a lot better than anything Dutch had given to him and same to Selina and their unborn kid. All three, I knew they needed some sort of freedom and they'd get it before we all knew it.
"So how do you purpose we get Asher outta this mess, Mrs. Adler?"
"Ya know, I haven't given it much thought. But all I know is he's gonna get outta here. That's it. I need to get that boy back to his girl and his child."
"There's some sort of revenge within this isn't there?"
"No revenge, just know--- Just know if the roles were different, Jake was still alive and with us and he got caught, I know he'd do the same for me."

She's silent for a moment and I know that she knew I was right. "Well if Jake was alive, you know you wouldn't have slept with Asher." She makes me laugh before I just shake my head. "We don't speak on that no more. It happened, I care 'bout him, but not in that way. Things happen between folk, doesn't mean I don't look upon it rather fondley. He found who he needs to be with though, that's good enough for me."

I'm still trying to look for any sign on where this kid would be, where they would take him. My only good reasoning would be to wait at the gallows till he got put up there. We'd figure it out as we go.

"You never did talk about what would happen if Asher never did meet Selina. What do you think?"
"If he had never met Sel? Well, he'd have to wait a couple years before I'd be even remotely ready to commit to him. He's about, ya know, four years younger than me too. Kind of hard to think about us being older. Guess what I would want is us marryin', settlin' down. I'd just be what Selina is to him. But--- That's not important now."
"You was sweet on that boy wasn't you, Sadie?"
"Only a bit. I still care for him. Think that still counts as something."
"Selina knows about everything you two did?"
"She does. She's not mad, as long as it stays the way it is now, he's only sweet on her. Committed to her, that's what matters to her and me. I want him to be happy... Exactly why my stupid ass is out here wantin' to save him--- All for her... Why are you out here anyway Abigail?"
"Well, I already told you, that boy, he reminds me of Jack. Well, if Jack was going to grow up and be like his father and be a part of this gang. Something about him just makes me want to protect him. That and I do want him to be there for his son or daughter and Selina. I think they're truly meant to be together."
"Sweet of you, Abigail. We'll get John back when this is all said and done. I know we will. Right now, just need this one back and safe. He's been through too much already."

I knew everyone was well aware of my feelings toward Asher a few months back, now, it was just all different. I wanted him with his girl and his child. I needed it to happen so I could look back and be grateful for him and everything he did for me when I lost my husband. He was a good fellow, he deserved nothing but good things in return.
"Look, here comes one of those prison wagons now."

~ Asher Sanders POV ~

The night was a long one, I had been beaten, tortured, everything in between. They wanted me to talk about Dutch, the gang, everyone. Telling me if I spilled the beans, they'd let me go. But I knew that meant they'd only go after Selina and everyone else, even though Dutch proved that he could've cared less about me when the Pinkertons picked me up, I couldn't do that and for me being silent, they decided I needed to swing for it. If only my mother and father could see me now. I know they'd be disappointed. Seeing me in a gang, not married to a girl that was carrying my child. I can hear my mother screaming at me now, if they hadn't died, pretty sure with the woman being pregnant and us not being married, they would've kicked me out anyway and Selina and I would've been here, full circle. I got blood still dripping from my nose and I can barely breath as well. Sure they kicked me enough in my ribs for me to have a couple broken ones. I just felt like utter shit again and I only did just heal from the whole shoot out within the bank here. I wanted to die now though, I could've given two thoughts on anything. Just wanted the pain to cease and for my life to be normal again. I knew that I had Selina and the child to think of, but right now, I accepted that this was how I was going to go out. We stop right outside the Saint Denis gallows and I just know that this was the end of the story for me.
"Get the hell over here, boy. This is where it all ends. Roads point ya to the gallows."

I look at the police officer like he's insane, shake my head and move out of the back of the wagon. He doesn't give me much time to collect myself as he's nearly shoving me through the crowd of people. Never had so many people spit at me and tell me that I deserved to die.
"Kill the bastard!"
"He deserves to swing!"
"Fuck these outlaws and their bad lives."'

Sent chills down my spine knowing that this was what my life had come to. I just shake my head as I'm being escorted up the stairs. The male behind me is not even hesitating to push me as I'm placed right above the trap door. Another man came and put the noose around my neck.
"Asher Andrew Sanders... You are hereby charged with murder, treason, kidnapping, and many other things that we can not name for you have nearly done everything within the book that we could name. Do you have any last words before this crowd watches you swing?"

I was looking down for the moment, trying to think of what I could say that wasn't vulgar enough to make this crowd go even more insane. When my eyes direct up, I spot Sadie and Abigail heading into the crowd. Both worried but Sadie had her pistol out and I knew she was going to attempt to save me at this very moment. I knew she wasn't one to be secretive and when her pistol came up. I finally have something to say. "Yeah, fuck all of you."

Boom.

The male who was going to pull the lever is down and the noose around my neck is shot too. I can't untie it for my hands are bound behind me. "Mrs. Adler and Ms. Roberts, what a pleasant surprise." I shout to them before Abigail is quick to come up and untie the items behind my back and shoot my chains on my ankles and remove the noose from my neck..
"We need to get ya outta here, Asher. You look like hell again, you poor boy."
"Ain't no trouble, Abigail. Thank you. Thank you so much."

She gives me a quick hug before helping me down the stairs, we're just about out of the park in which everything was held before I was tackled down by an officer. "You ain't goin' nowhere, people are here to watch you die, one way or another." He smacks me in the face with his gun, which sends a ringing through my ears before pointing it directly at me, though a bullet is shot right through his head. I'm blinking as I'm trying to keep myself awake. I wasn't going into one of those deep sleeps again. It already fucked me up once and I was sure the second time it would just end my life. "Asher? Asher, come on!"

Sadie helps pull me up and I'm just focusing on my breathing and making sure my eyes stay open.

"Let's take this here wagon, hurry! Get him on the back!

The two girls helped me into the back and they're quick to head out before more of the law showed up. I was fading in and out but I was coming to without much trouble this time around. I could see the two of them still looking back at me to make sure I was still awake. I just watched the road as it left me. I swallowed hard as I'm trying to keep the whole cottonmouth situation in check, they also hadn't fed me all night because they were too busy trying to get me to talk. "They get anything outta you, Ash?" Sadie finally questions before I shake my head. "No... Never. Even if Dutch watched me get dragged off by 'em, I ain't ever talk."
"That's why I came after you, said no one was gonna come for you."
"He did?"
"He had no intention. Said you could handle yourself."
"Yeah, I can handle myself against the entire army of Pinkertons who had me strapped to a chair and a gun pointed at my head the entire time. Lucky they didn't just kill me there."

She shakes her head slightly and I just look up as best I can, though my eyes are more on the sky right now. "Thank you, Sadie. Thank you both, for worryin' 'bout me and takin' the time to come and rescue me."

"You'd do the same for either of us, Asher. You would, we know it."

I just nod my head as best I can before allowing my eyes to drift back to the road that has dirt kicking up upon it. I wasn't imagining anything other than death earlier on today, and then these two girls, they came and saved me from that fate. Couldn't ask for anything better and I was glad that Selina didn't come along either, she didn't need to be in that mess and Sadie and Abigail seemed to be unharmed.
People did care for me, it just all depended on who did.