She pushed through the crowd, desperately trying to get through. She had to get to him. As she pushed her way through the last group that stood in her way, she came face to face with horror.
On the gallows, was her beloved. Noose around his neck, hands tied behind his back. Her breath caught in her throat. Time seemed to slow down.
"...No..."
He looked at her. She could see the misty look in his eyes. He gave a light uneasy smile. And mouthed the words, "I love you".
"No..."
A movement out of the corner of her eye directed her attention to the man standing at the lever. He had just pulled it.
She looked back as her companion fell down. "Noooo!" Her pained scream pierced the air as his body jolted from the rope around his neck. She tried to get to him, but a couple of people grabbed her and held her back. "Mickeeey! Nooo!" She broke lose from the two people holding her back, rearing back her fist and hitting one in the face with as much force as she could. The result broke the man's nose. She also swung at the second person that restricted her, breaking the nose of the woman that held her.
Minnie jumped onto the platform, her body going numb as she saw the limp body of her dearest companion. She moved over to him slowly, her mind not wanting to believe what she was seeing. "...Mickey...?" Her whispered voice carried the last bit of hope and will to live she had left out of her. She took his body and rolled it. And when her watery eyes saw the lifeless ones of his, that was it. Her world came crashing down around her. "...No... Nooo!" She held him as she cried her life out over him.
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"Gah!" Minnie awoke with a start. Sitting up in bed, her breaths were rigid and rapid. Blinking, she realized she had been crying in her sleep. Her gaze fell and her eyes locked with the golden band on her finger. The one put on her hand by the same handsome and dashing young mouse that had stolen her heart. Well, he didn't have to, really. She gave it to him, after all. And the same person that met that horrible fate in her nightmare.
Fist balling, she held the ring close to her heart. "Don't worry, Mickey... I'll get you outta this. I promise." She turned to look out the window. Knowing she couldn't go back to sleep after that nightmare, she slid out of bed and walked over to the window. She saw the moon casting it's white light across the mountains and valleys beyond the town. Her mind was now going into overdrive. She needed to hatch a plan. And soon. Walking back over to the dresser, she already had an idea. And she knew just who to see. She grabbed her gear and headed for the door, stopping for a moment when she saw the moonlight casting a glow on the ring on her finger. She smiled. "I promise."
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
There was no way they could do this... It wasn't right! He was innocent! They couldn't kill him... There was no way in heck she was going to let that happen.
The small figure pushed through the crowd of people. And with each person her pushes and shoves became more desperate. "Let... me... through!" Shoving past people, not caring in the slightest how angry she made them. She heard the whispers, even the complaints thrown at her. She didn't care. Darn them all! If they were willing to let this happen then why should she care?
Minnie pushed her way through the last line of people and was face to face with the same scene from her nightmare. The wooden Gallows. And on the platform, was her dearest companion, her best friend, and beloved, a noose around his neck. "...Mickey... No...!"
One eye was black, evident someone had hit him before dragging him there. And she felt the spike of anger shoot through her heart. Her fist gripped. These heathens... All these people... If he died, the bastards would pay!
Mickey's eyes fell into the crowd and widened when he saw the scared eyes of his companion. A hand balled into a fist over her heart. He told her when she visited him the prior night not to show up. He didn't want her to see what was going to happen. He knew he was innocent as well, but how could he prove it? They knew who was behind it, but that person had help, and that help was also big in the town. And now... His own mind was blank as he wracked it trying to think of a way out of it. But he was running out of time...
"Any last words, mouse?" the executioner asked. Mickey could hear the smile in his voice. He was too eager to pull the handle and turn him into a dangling fish from a hook.
Mickey couldn't think of anything. Other than Minnie. He looked at her. His mouth moved to form the words "I love you", but he saw her smile. And not one he was expecting. And she mouthed the words, "I'll save you".
BANG!
A shot rang out through the air, and the rope fell loose. Mickey had been lifted up a bit, just enough to add a little tension. And from the beating he took the night before, he was too tired to stand and collapsed onto the platform coughing. He looked up and what he saw both wowed and stunned him.
Minnie jumped onto the Gallows, holding her .44 caliber S&W Model 3 revolver, and knelt down to him while keeping her gun raised. "You okay?" Her voice, still a little shaky, was still just as warm and soft as ever.
He coughed again before nodding, giving her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. Ya saved me..."
"Hey, I told you I had your back," she said, giving a wink his way before standing up, aiming her gun at the executioner as she stepped in front of Mickey, protecting him. "One move and I'll turn you into swiss cheese." Her voice was determined. Mickey knew that tone. Don't. Mess. With her.
"Heh! You think you can take us all on, little lady?" The executioner stood defiantly as a few people from the crowd moved forward a bit.
Minnie looked at the crowd and grinned. "Heh! You didn't think I did all this without a plan, did ya?"
It was then the sound of galloping was heard. Minnie, along with everyone looked to see a stagecoach speeding toward the platform. The horse skidded to a halt with the door of the coach flying open just feet from the Gallows.
"Atta boy, Tanglefoot!" Minnie cheered.
"Quickly! Get in!" said the reinsman, Doc Static, waving to the young couple. Laying on the box next to him was a 1866 lever action rifle.
Minnie knelt down, still keeping her gun pointed in the direction of the executioner, the closest one to them. "C'mon!" Using her free hand, she pulled a knife from her belt and cut the rope loose from his hands, then helped him stand as she pulled one of his arms around her neck. "I've got you." She gave him a gentle smile before turning back to the crowd with a smirk. "Sayonara!"
With that, the mice leapt into the coach, closing the door behind them. Static whipped the lines. "Heyah!" Tanglefoot snorted and began running, the coach leaving the area in a cloud of dust.
Mickey sighed heavily, sinking down onto the seat. He was seconds away from being a goner. He opened his eyes and saw Minnie looking behind the coach, her gun still raised.
"Whew... No one's following us..." She lowered her firearm, placing it back in the holster she had on her side. She sank down onto the seat, exhaling a deep breath of relief. Then she looked up at him, and gave a little smile. "Here..." She got up and moved onto the seat next to him. "Let me get this off you..." She began to undo the rope still around his neck. "...It doesn't suit you..."
There was a tinge of sadness in her voice. And he reasoned it was probably from almost seeing him die. "Hey..." He felt the rope fall off his neck and turned to her. "I'm okay. Ya got there in th' nick o' time."
Minnie smiled softly but that smile faded as the memory of him with that noose around his neck was etched into her memory. She saw it in her nightmare, and now, in reality. And it scared her to no end. "...You almost died... In my nightmare... I saw you..." Her voice hitched. She wanted to forget about that horrible dream, and what she just saw. "...I saw you hanging there... And then... that almost happened..." She sniffed, and wiped her eyes.
He pulled her close and she didn't waste a second hugging him tightly.
"I don't wanna lose you..." She squeezed him. As if she let go he'd vanish from her arms.
"I don't wanna lose you either." He returned the gesture.
For a moment, the two stayed like that before she pulled away, lifting a hand to cup his cheek. She then leaned close and kissed him. Warmly and deeply. This was the kind of kiss that, under normal circumstances, would lead to what she wanted to do in her mind. But there were other matters to attend to first. They could celebrate later, once they got back to camp. Pulling away, it was there she really saw the purple and black around his eye. "Your eye..." Those beautiful deep brown eyes she loved staring into that always made her feel like she was floating.
"Aw, it's nothin'," he dismissed with a confident little smile. "I'm made o' tough stuff."
"Who did it?"
That tone wasn't that of a question as if asking how's the weather. No, it was the kind that said, "Tell me who it is so I can make them pay for it later."
"...Shyster..."
He saw it in her eyes. Her own deep brown eyes that matched the rest of her. Soft and warm. But at times like now, when she was angry, they would tend to have what looked like an amber hue. A sign of the fire raging inside. Though he couldn't blame her. If Shyster had touched her, he'd also be thinking whatever she is now.
"We're going to prove he's the one behind everything. And prove you're not." Her voice was determined. Something that reignited the fire within him to not give up.
"An' if we don't?" he questioned, just on the chance they couldn't.
She gave a little chuckle as she leaned back on the seat, giving him a little grin. "Well... we can always get the heck outta Dodge. Plenty of places to go. Just us."
A little grin swept across Mickey's face. "An' the Doc?"
Minnie's lips twitched and shifted to one side in a cute thoughtful expression. "Mmyeah, he can come too... Just as long as he gives us plenty of alone time."
Mickey couldn't help but laugh. And his laugh made her laugh. This was what they needed.
"I love you," she said, moving her face closer to his as her thumb rubbed his cheek. "Don't ever forget that."
"Don't hafta worry about that," he said, resting a hand on her side. "Ya remind me every day."
"Duh! Ya forgot your keys the other morning. Of course I'm gonna remind you!" she said with a playful laugh before kissing him again.
"Ya know that yer an accessory now, right? Ya helped me escape. Now they're gonna be after you, too."
"And?" she said matter of factly before grinning. "I told you I had your back, and I'm not gonna let you down. I told you you're not alone. I'm here, by your side. We're in this together. We live together, we die together. That's our promise, right?" She held up her hand, smiling.
"Right," he said, placing his hand palm to palm with hers, gripping each other's hand.
"Together we stand. Together we die," she said.
"Together we stand. Together we die," he said.
They smiled, nodding together before sharing another kiss. Then they relaxed, sitting side by side. But only for a moment before she leaned against him. They snuggled and settled for the ride back to camp.
End
