Family in Shambles

Epilogue

So...remember that little promise I made back in...like, chapter 65....hahahahpleasedontkillmehahaha

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1911 - 39 years old

"My god, Helen, are you ever going to listen to me?" Charles scolded lightly. Helen couldn't help but giggle from where she was resting against a tree, panting lightly.

"No...I thought that would have been obvious," she joked, shutting her eyes for a moment. Charles gently took hold of her and held her in his arms, and Helen gladly melted into him.

"Carrying hay bales and food sacks isn't a job for a pregnant lady," he told her. She opened her eyes at his words, seeing the smile on his face that she couldn't help but mimic.

"I still got some time before he's out, Charlie," she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He arched a brow at her, his hands settling at her waist. "What makes you think it's not a she?"

Helen giggled again, feeling happier than she had ever been. Probably the hormones. "Honestly, I pray that it ain't a girl, cause then you'll have another 'me' to deal with," she teased.

Charles laughed, kissing her forehead, but before he could reply, the sound of horse hooves caught their attention. They turned to watch the newcomer ride into their ranch and approach slowly.

"What the...John?!" Charles gasped, letting go of Helen. Wait, John?! Sure enough, John Marston stepped down from his horse, sending the couple a nod in greeting.

"What the hell are you doing here? Nevermind that, come on inside, I'll fix us up some coffee," Helen offered, going to hug him. "Oh, uh...that's okay, Helen...thank you," John mumbled, taking a step back. He kept his head down, which made her frown in confusion.

"Is everything alright, John? It's been quite a long time...did something happen?" Charles asked, worried. At first, John didn't reply, and his gaze settled on Helen.

"You...you're pregnant," he observed, his tone flat yet nervous. Helen stepped closer to Charles, her old feelings of hostility rising to surface. "Yes - 7 months along now," she replied slowly, taking Charles' arm.

John sighed, dropping his head again in what looked like shame. "I'm sorry for this...I really am," he whispered. Before either of them could question him, Charles and Helen were suddenly grabbed and shoved to the ground. "Ah!"

A sharp pain shot through Helen's body, making her wince and curl up. "Hey, watch it! She's with child!" John yelled. Helen looked up, and to her horror she recognized Agent Ross and his band of Pinkertons. "Well done once again, Mr. Marston," he said, nodding to John.

"What?! John, what are you doing?!" Charles demanded, struggling against his captor. Agent Ross glanced down at Helen, nudging her belly with his shoe and making her flinch.

"Carrying on the curse, I see," he commented, then turned to Charles. "Your friend here has been helping us track down the last of your little freedom gang. He's already given us Javier Escuella and Bill Williamson - and now you two," he announced.

Javier...oh god, no. John had turned away, his hat in his hands. "What the hell do you want with us?! We ain't done nothin' wrong, we've just been livin' our lives!" Helen spat, attempting to sit up.

She was shoved back down to the ground, sending another shooting pain throughout her body. "You and Mr. Smith here are still wanted criminals, Ms. Matthews," Agent Ross told her, leaning down a little over her.

"That's Mrs. Smith, you prick!" He chuckled at her, standing back up straight and glancing over at John. "Was she always this feisty?" he asked, but received no response.

"Well, now that we've got you both, thanks to Mr. Marston, we'll be taking you in - we're gonna watch you swing." Charles suddenly let out an enraged yell, breaking free from his captor's hold and lunging for Agent Ross. "Don't you touch her!"

Multiple bullets were suddenly fired, and Helen let out a blood chilling shriek when Charles crumpled to the ground. "NO!" She tried to crawl closer to him, but her captor had pressed his gun to her head. Charles' weak gaze was settled on Helen, his eyes fluttering and his breathing ragged.

"He...len...." he rasped, blood dripping out of his mouth. Tears were flowing freely down Helen's face as she stared at her dying husband, and she cried out again when his body stilled.

"NO, NO!! YOU MONSTERS!!" she screeched, kicking out furiously. A hard kick to her back made her gasp and curl up in pain, trembling furiously. "Well that was disappointing," Agent Ross muttered with a sigh, dusting off his bloodied clothes.

John was still turned away from the scene, but his cheeks were stained with silent tears. "John, how could you!! I thought we were friends - we were FAMILY!!" Helen cried, sobbing uncontrollably.

Agent Ross stepped closer to her, making her flinch away. "I guess you can't trust anybody these days, dear girl," he told her. He glanced down at her belly, his gaze flickering over to Charles' body for a moment. "And speaking of family...you're carryin' that savage's kid, aren't you?"

Finally, John turned towards them and took a few steps forward. "Hey now, this ain't right! That's an innocent kid, goddamn it!" he yelled, storming over to Agent Ross. He stopped, however, when the Pinkertons aimed their rifles at him.

Agent Ross scoffed, taking out his own revolver. "Innocent? With parents like them? It ain't gonna be long before we have yet another dumbass gunslinger tryin' to mess up our world's progress," he retorted, sounding almost offended at the thought.

Helen glanced down at her belly, sniffling and breathing heavily, but she no longer struggled. "This is almost poetic, you know." She glanced up at Agent Ross, who was smiling down at her. "Agent Milton killed Hosea Matthews, and your boys killed him for revenge."

Her eyes widened at his words, a searing pain erupting in her chest. No...no, NO! "And now, you and your little demon are going to die, too. But...this time, there ain't nobody here to stop me."

John's cries of protest were ignored as Agent Ross aimed his gun at Helen's head. She spat at his shoes, now fighting violently against her captor's grasp - she refused to go down without a fight.

"YOU SICK BA- !