"So far, so good."

His, or another’s you couldn’t help but wonder. “You’re not gonna bring trouble down on me again are you Sam Chisolm?” You asked with a mixture of seriousness and a joking tone.

“Not if I can help it.” He answered honestly.

“Well then, come on in.” You said turning with a smile and walking into the main room, the seven men followed “I’ll get you some rooms ready, and have the cook make up some food for you gentlemen.”

“That’s mighty kind of you, thank you.” The tall stocky man in the back said, his voice did not match his appearance nor his reputation, and it caught you off guard, but you gave him a small nod and smile.

“Are you going to introduce yourselves or am I going to have to guess who you all are?” You asked, looking around at the others.

“Well I thought our reputations might have preceded us.” A man said as he leaned against the counter. Short red hair, blue eyes and a flirty smile, you looked to his hands and saw him toying with a playing card. “Joshua Faraday.” He said with a wink

Sam rolled his eyes a bit before he motioned to the others, one at a time “Vasquez. Jack Horne, Red Harvest, Billy Rocks and Goodnight Robicheaux” He listed off their names one after the other.

Taking out seven keys, you began to hand them out “Quite the group you got yourself here.”

Goodnight walked up to you and Sam. “Now that you know who we are, who might you be? Sam has told us very little.” He spoke smoothly and with a kind smile as he watched you closely.

You turned fully towards him and smiled politely “Y/n L/n, at your service.” You nodded your head a bit before walking away from them “I’m going to inform the cook that we have visitors in need of food.” Stopping you turned back and locked eyes with Goodnight “Mr Robicheaux, is that blood on your jacket from someone else, or are you in need of care?”

Goodnight glanced down at his chest and smiled “I assure you I’m alright-”

“He’s not.” Billy broke in, his voice serious.

You looked from Billy to Goodnight “Alright then. I will bring you some bandages up to your room momentarily.” You said before rounding the corner, leaving Goodnight to look at Billy with a glare of annoyance.

- - -

Knocking on Goodnight’s door, you entered after you heard him call out. Stepping into the room, you see him now standing at the window, staring out. He was wearing no shirt, but had a rag pressed to his shoulder, now red from blood. You frowned in concern as you set your tray of supplies down.

Goodnight smiled at you “Thank you very kindly.” Seeing you begin to unwrap the bandages he took a few steps closer “You need not worry yourself with me, I assure you I can handle it.”

“Nonsense.” You replied quickly yet softly “I’ve dealt with much worse.” He met your eyes and you saw his gaze soften lightly “I’d appreciate it if you’d let me help you Mr Robicheaux.”

A soft smile graced his lips as he took a step closer, he leaned his head a bit closer and spoke a bit softer, a gleam of gaiety in his eyes “Only if you call me Goodnight.”

You smiled at him “If that is what it takes Mr-...Goodnight.”

His smile widened as he sat down on the edge of the bed. You sat on the other side of him and began to clean his wound. Goodnight couldn’t help but watch you as you did so. He noted the delicate features of your face, as well as the determined gaze in your eyes and the careful movement of your hands. You’ve clearly dealt with wounds before. There was more to you than met the eye, and Goodnight found himself inclined to learn just all there was.

- - - - -

In the five days that the seven had been staying in your inn, you grew fond of all of them, and you liked to believe they thought the same of you. The longer you learned of their adventures together, the more you wished you had been there. You had been dormant for a long time, and began to miss travelling and adventure.

You and Sam told them all about how you had met, how you hadn’t always been inn keeper, but instead a rookie bounty hunter that worked alongside Sam for a bit before he became a true professional. After a few too many close calls with death, you took to being a business owner, and housing wanderers and the occasional outlaw. But you had grown bored. And now, with the seven, you began to grow restless, and you were sure Sam noticed. Part of you wanted to ask if you could tag along with them for a while, but you were afraid he would reject you, refusing to let you come.

Besides the want for adventure, you also hated goodbye’s, especially to friends. And the more you spent time the seven, and especially with Goodnight, the harder you thought goodbye might be. Goodnight had grown on you much more than the others. You thought him charming, kind, funny and impressive. Goodnight seemed to share an interest in you, but you feared you might be mistaking his casual flirting and need for company as genuine affection. You feared you might be making a fool of yourself.

“A lot on your mind?” A voice broke you from your thoughts.

Turning away from the window, you smile at Sam as he approached you “I suppose.” You replied.

Sam came and stood next to you and looked out the window “He’s taken quite the liking to you you know?”

Following his line of sight, you see Goodnight, Billy, Joshua and Vasquez all standing in the front, practicing with their guns. You let out a small laugh “Which one?”

Sam chuckled “Well actually, I’m pretty sure they all have. But, there is one more than the other. And I think, perhaps, the feelings aren’t quite one sided.” You shyly met Sam’s eyes and he smiled softly at you “I’ve known both of you for quite some time, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see why. Or, that you two would be well suited for one another.”

You felt your heart begin to beat faster as he spoke, and looking out at Goodnight, you let out a sigh “How can you sound so sure?” You asked softly, clear uncertainty in your voice.

“I guess I just know these things.” Sam said casually, before he patted you on the shoulder lightly, and turned to leave. You looked back out the window and watched Goodnight for a few more moments, getting lost in thought all over again.

- - - - -

The rest of the day went smoothly as you enjoyed the company of the seven, as well as some alone time when they went into town. And now, you looked up at the partly cloudy sky as you finished bringing in some clothes from the clothesline. There was a cool breeze blowing that seemed to comfort your distracted mind. As you stared off to the horizon, you were unaware of Goodnight watching you from the doorway.

He had a fond smile on his face as he watched you close your eyes and relish in the cool breeze. Finally he broke the silence “Beautiful day isn’t it?”

Your eyes shot open as you turned to the sound of Goodnight's voice. When you saw him leaning casually against the doorway with a smile on his face, you wondered how long he had been there. The thought that he might have been watching you for some time sent heat rising up your neck.

Ignoring this, you smiled at him “Yes, it is.” Goodnight pushed himself off the door and left the doorway, walking up to you. “How’s your shoulder?” You asked as he did.

He smiled “Feels just fine, thanks to you.” He said with a nod of his head and a bright crooked smile.

“Good, I’m glad.”

Goodnight adjusted his stance a bit, seemingly thinking of what he was going to say. Meeting your eyes he smiled, but with an obvious apprehension behind them “Would you do me a favor Y/n?” He asked finally.

You nodded, straightened up a bit “Of course.”

He smiled, feeling a bit more confident “Go on a walk with me?”

You were a bit thrown off by this, having expected him to ask a chore of you. But his question instead made you nervous with excitement. You smiled a bit “Where to?”

He smiled in response before taking a step away from you and holding out his arm for you to take “I suppose you’ll see soon enough.”

You squinted and gave him a quizzical stare before slowly looping your arm through his. You were apprehensive, but knowing Goodnight would do you no harm, you took the chance and began to walk with him, letting him lead the way.

You walked away from the town and into the small wooded area nearby. Having often walked through this area in the evenings, you knew it well. You and Goodnight had walked in a comfortable silence as he led you to a small worn out path, one you knew as well. Clearing his throat he finally spoke “I wanted to thank you, for all you had done for us while we were here.”

You shook your head and smiled at him “There is no need to thank me Goodnight. I’m glad to have helped. Sam has been a good friend; and I’m glad to have made even more.”

Goodnight smiled “I’m glad to have met you Y/n, very much so.”

You felt butterflies in your stomach as he smiled at you, and even more when he took your hand in his and turned, pulling you along gently off the path and through to a clearing. “Where are you taking me?” You asked with a small laugh.

Just as you asked, you stepped out into the clearing and spotted a small blanket in the grass. On it was a wicker basket. “I wanted to show my appreciation for what you've done for me, and, also to...well, in all honesty I just wanted to be alone with you.” He finally admitted as he turned to you.

A smile broke out on your face as you realized what he was doing “A picnic?” You had clever glee on your face as you looked at the scene

“I thought you might like it.” Goodnight said, glad to have elicited such a reaction, whatever nervousness he had been feeling leaving him.

Leading you over to the blanket you couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled out of you “Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected this from you.”

Goodnight let out an almost offended scoff, but it was laced with amusement “I’ll have you know, I am not only a gentleman, but a romantic as well.”

You laughed at this as you sat down beside him on the blanket. “Well that I could have assumed.” Admiring the setup of the picnic as Goodnight handed you a glass for a drink you smiled “This is my first picnic.”

Goodnight smiled as he poured your drink into your glass. “Though that is a shame, I consider myself honored to bring you on your first. I’ve known a great deal of wonderful things to happen at picnics.” He spoke smoothly with a flirty tone.

After sharing a drink and some food that Goodnight bribed the inn cook to make for him, you found yourself sitting side by side, shoulders pressed together as Goodnight told you a story. An almost unbelievable one at that, but, you listened intently as he did so, enjoying the sound of his voice as he spoke.

When he finished and turned to you, he watched proudly as you stifled some laughter. His eyes scanned over your face and he found himself wanting to be even closer to you. He accepted that he had grown to adore you, and hated the idea of leaving and not seeing you again. Something he brought up to Sam and Billy, both of whom saw it coming a mile off.

As your laughter faltered, you let out a breathy sigh, still amused from his story. But when you looked to Goodnight and saw a serious look on his face, your smile fell and was replaced with concern “What is it Goodnight?”

Slowly, Goodnight brought up his hand to your face. He stroked his thumb across your cheek gently before taking it away. Sitting up a bit he stared intently into your eyes “How would you like to come with us?”

You thought your jaw might have fallen off had you not had more control over yourself. You shook your head slightly “What?”

“With the others and I, I mean. Come with us. We all discussed it, and all of us are open to it if you are.”

“Is this Sam’s idea?” You asked, your heart dropping a bit.

Goodnight shrugged his shoulders. “He certainly had a hand in it, but I’m the one who first brought it up.”

“You are?” You asked, more curious and hopeful now.

He nodded “Yes. I-” he hesitated for a moment “Well to be frank, I've fallen quite hard for you Y/n, and I can’t stand the idea of leaving without you now. So, I’ll ask again, will you come with us...Will you come with me.?”

As you processed his words your entire being was filled with an array of emotions you couldn’t control, but the most dominant than the rest was the pure rush of excitement. They all wanted you to come with them, and Goodnight felt just as you did. Part of you was convinced you were dreaming.

Smiling brightly at Goodnight, you nodded your head fervently “I’ll come with you Goodnight.”

Goodnight grinned with relief and excitement, and before he could stop himself he leaned towards you, fervently kissing you, bringing his hand to your face as he did so. You were surprised by the sudden kiss, but leaned fully into it a moment later. When you both ran out of breath, you pulled away, smiling childishly at each other as you pressed your foreheads together.

Goodnight let out a small chuckle “I told you wonderful things happen at picnics.”

xx End xx