Title: Steel Justice
Author: Michael Martins 
Rating: R for violence and situations
Email: amichl111_@hotmail.com
Keywords: M/S romance alternate universe
Summary: Mulder and Scully are in the wild west as gun slingers being 
hunted by the consortium.  
Disclaimer: No money was made from this story Mulder Scully and company 
are owned by ten thirteen productions and Chris Carter. 
The story is mine but the characters are yours.

Author warning story is a little violent

                The man stumbled out of the bar his body swaggering in 
the wind as he half ran half lurched away. The entire 
street was empty. As the houses occupants huddled from the sound of that 
first shot. It was a peaceful town and very rarely people 
got involved unless they were saints and no one ever accused them of 
being anything but what they were people. Who lived there 
lives in fear. The man looked behind him as if to try and give himself 
hope that he would live to see the next day, and exercise in futility
 if you ask me. He was scared now. With a widening wound in his shoulder 
which he clutched at desperately through tears of pain and 
fear he began running towards the nearest salvation... any salvation. 
FREEZE... The man stopped and looked at the man who had just commanded 
him to stop. He nonchalantly removed the cigarette from
 his mouth and dropped it to the ground. He put it out with a quick 
scrape of his cowboy boots. His beaten black jeans and black trench
 coat did little to mask his height. He opened the coat further 
revealing a Grey buttoned shirt and two silver guns that glittered in 
the 
bright sun. If the wounded man had better eyesight he would have seen 
the guns inscriptions written on the sides: TRUTHSEEKERS. 
The man's hat covered most of his face. He seemed to be looking at the 
ground then he rose the sun illuminating his features. 
Black sideburns with a hint of stubble on his face. His eyes crinkled in 
a grim expression. His cold eyes stared at the man. Almost 
100 feet away from him. "I'll ask you to stop once." he said simply. The 
man looked at Mulder as if contemplating his thoughts. 
Nodding his head in agreement he began to remove his gun belt the man 
watched him. In the last instant as if believing he had 
fooled the man in the trench coat. He whipped out his weapon. The man in 
the trench coat fired once. The Truthseeker fired giving 
off a loud <BANG>the bullet whizzed through the air squarely hitting him 
in the chest. The man fell to the dirt dropping his never 
fired gun as he looked at the man in the trench coat who had shot him 
walking steadily towards him. 
He managed to gasp out: "who are you?"
The man removed his hat and looked down at the dying man on his knees in 
the dirt. My name is Fox Mulder I'm a bounty hunter.
The dying man nodded his head as if he suspected it, which he probably 
did and fell to the ground dead. Mulder looked at the ground 
as the dust settled on the man he had killed. "You were never good for 
much Spender not when you sold out the gang you were running
 with. Not when you killed that sheriff with two children.... Rest in 
Peace Jeffery Spender Rest In peace.   
                                          | 
x-
	
                "I do believe you heard me I said let the girl go!" her 
voice was controlled and any listener could hear that she was
 barely masking her rage. "Who's going to make me little girl, you? Go 
back to the kitchen maybe the boys and me, when were 
done with this whore we'll give you a ride." The drunken man laughed and 
continued to grope the woman.
"I'm not in the habit of repeating myself so I'll tell you this once let 
her go and I may not hurt you too badly. The man laughed
 and looked at the red headed woman wearing a brown trench coat and Grey 
pants with a white shirt underneath. He looked at 
her and drooled. "You don't look like you have much too offer but we'll 
take you around anyway." She closed her eyes with
 disgust as the man released the woman he was groping and moved towards 
her in the bar area. As soon as he was near enough 
to her she opened her eyes and he saw the most intense blue eyes he had 
ever seen. Before anyone could so much as spit she 
swung out with her fist connecting with his face. knocking him to the 
ground stunned he barely had time to sit up before she 
hauled him to his feet and punched him full in the face again. He flew 
over the table landing on his back. The woman faced the bar 
and with out breaking a sweat took a swig from his bottle of Whisky. 
With her back turned she could hear the sound of chairs being
 pushed away from tables and the bar doors squeaking as people left 
quickly. She turned around with the bottle in her hand to face 
5 men about 4 feet away from her. "We don't oblige hitting women but you 
made the mistake of running with the big dogs." The man 
spat brown juice from his mouth and looked at the small woman. She just 
raised her eyebrow a millimeter and finished off the last of 
the bottle. "Oh don't do anything special for me on my account..." she 
said smiling slightly. "Kicking the tar out of morons always 
makes my day." 
Infuriated the man yelled and lunged at her, The woman Hurled the bottle 
at the man's face which shattered on impact. He fell
back howling in pain as he clutched his cut eye. One of the men dropped 
to his knees to help the wounded man while the other three
 came at her. The woman not only rose to the challenge she reveled in 
it. The first one went down with a quick kick to the groin and a 
haymaker to the chin. The second one took a little persuasion to lay 
down 'a 'la chair to the back of the head. She was left to have a little 
fun with the third man. She let loose a volley of punches hitting him in 
the face, bloodying his nose almost instantaneously, 
but he had no time to check she wailed on him repeatedly. He gave a half 
hearted swing at her and was rewarded for his trouble with 
sharp <SNAP> and his double jointed arm was now triple jointed. He 
screamed in agony as she twisted his arm the rest of the way 
around. He passed out from the pain. Then almost instantly the final man 
who had helped his friend with the glass wound pulled out and prepared 
to let loose with his Peacemaker. He hesitated for a moment, not firing. 
The woman reached from the back of her trench coat and removed her bull 
whip. She 
slacked it out and swung it out. The man's shaking hand was wrapped with 
hard prepared leather. He felt his grip on the weapon loosen at the same 
time 
he was hauled forward with a full heave from his attacker the woman 
grunted at his weight and twisted him around so his back was facing 
her. With a sharp kick her boot connected with the back of his kneecap 
he fell to his knees on the ground and she grabbed the back of his
 head slamming it in to the nearest table. He dropped to the ground 
unconscious. The man with the glass wound still half conscious raised
 his weapon "WHO ARE YOU?" 
Staring at him Grimly and angrily she said "I'm Dana Scully."
The only sound heard after that was the sharp angry crack Of Scully's 
Whip.    
  
*************************

              "So you found him then?" The balding man asked looked up 
at the man sitting in front of his desk. U.S. 
Head marshal Walter Skinner was engraved in the silver desk nameplate. 
"Yeah he was spotted at the bank He used 
the alias Jason Spencer to hide the money."  Skinner snorted, "Most of 
my regular freelancers don't even bother finding 
out the names of the criminals there hunting...I don't get you Mulder 
you can read your smart why the hell don't you join the
 marshals? Or even the Lone stars. I mean half the men I command don't 
like you because you get so many of there guys and
 you do it well the other half can't figure you out at all You could go 
as far as you want hear but instead your content with the 
reward on these guys." 
"I have my reasons Mulder answered quietly. Do you have it?" 
"150 dollars right here. Do you want your next assignment?" Mulder 
looked at him. "All right all right Mulder you don't
 have to be that way just trying to levitate you a little bit." 
Mulder looked at him again. "Don't."

************************
	
               IF YOU DON"T SHUT UP WITH YOUR MOANING I'M NEVER LETTIN 
YOU MAGGOTS OUT! 
The prisoners quieted down as the sheriff roared at them. Shaking his 
head Sheriff Bucks shook his head and sat down
 at his desk that little lady had done a number on them damndest thing I 
ever saw he thought to himself. One woman taking down six 
guys in a bar with nothing but a bull whip and her fists. He would have 
taken her in too. For disturbing the peace as well as horse theft 
but she left town quickly after the fight...and he didn't really feel 
like setting a posse up to go after a woman who could fight like that. 
She 
earned her freedom from his wrath. He could look the other way when he 
deemed fit, and the horse was probably already stolen by those
 guys anyway. He had no doubt that they were guilty of something he had 
run a wire down just a ten minutes ago. Those boys had been 
asking for it anyway but jeez. They looked like they had tangled with an 
ornery Bull and lost. 
  He sat back and took a swig from his coffee mug looking at the paper. 
"Huh Jeffery Spender got shot." Spender had made off with 
nearly $650.00 in a bank heist after selling out his gang. Fox Mulder 
brought him down. "What kind of a name is Fox?" he said.
"A good one if you know how to use it."
               The sheriff promptly spat his coffee through his nose a 
man had appeared out of nowhere right in front if his desk. "How 
did you get in here?" he asked thoroughly shocked. 
"Through the door." The man answered uninterestedly looking about the 
room he said My name is Fox Mulder I'm looking for a 
guy that calls himself Alex Krychek. Have you picked a guy up by that 
name around here?" 
"No, you no your not the first person here asking about that guy. Two 
other people were here asking."
"Let me guess was one of them named Colton, Tom Colton.
"Yeah how did you know?" 
"We've met before he said grimacing slightly if you want to call it that 
he's tenacious but he hasn't got a pot to piss in if you get 
my meaning... Who was the other one?"
The sheriff grinned a little "Oh a real wild cat that one she came in 
here..."
"Excuse me SHE?"    
"Yeah it was a woman anyway's she come in here looking for that guy, and 
I told her what I telled you we havn't 
seen that guy around here. She stormed out angry and two hours later I 
got this sorry bunch in my cells seems they
 picked a fight with the wrong woman."
Mulder glanced around the corner at the six prisoners and flinched 
slightly. "Bull whip right?"
"You hit it right on the nail there sir. The doctor said it was the 
worst he'd ever seen."
"What was her name?" Mulder decided that he'd better be on the lookout 
for this woman he didn't like talent 
muscling on his territory and Alex Krychek was his territory."
"Guy with the bottle cuts said her name was Dana Scully."

*********************************

                     Mulder began his heavy ride Krychek was in the area 
and he would be found. He was going to make damn sure
 that it was him and not one of the other two. Scully he thought to 
himself that's an interesting name I'd hate to be Krychek if
 she got to him first what's she after from him though. She hadn't said 
she was a bounty hunter and she most definitely had never
 been seen around these parts before. What does she want?
                     Scully looked at the newspaper article. Bounty 
Hunter kills Jeffery Spender. " Huh, Fox Mulder that's a weird name. 
She stuck the paper in her pack and saddled up her horse. She looked at 
Krychek's WANTED poster ". His face was a little 
bit older but so was hers. " Yer days are numbered Krychek. I swear to 
you on that". She vowed. 

*********************************                     
                     
                     Alex Krychek lay down on his horse blanket resting 
in the shade of a tree. He was three miles from the nearest town 
and wasn't in any hurry. He lay back cooling like a snake in the shade. 
Opening his eyes for a moment and saw it a cloud of dust 
coming from behind the grasslands hills. He cursed under his breath 
there was no reason for someone to be travelling off of the
 path unless there was someone tracking something or someone. Better off 
not to take chances. Alex leapt on to his horse and 
spurred it in to a gallop. 
                     Mulder appeared over the edge long enough to 
realize what was transpiring. Krychek had spotted him and eliminated 
the chance of surprise. Mulder gritted his teeth and urged his horse 
faster to try and catch up with the escaping criminal. Mulder 
was steadily gaining. "ALEX KRYCHEK STOP RIGHT THERE! He yelled over the 
galloping hooves of the horses. Alex just tried
 to go faster. Mulder pulled out one of his guns and took aim  for the 
shoulder or leg. Suddenly a shotgun blast was heard. Scaring
 Mulder's horse Krychek's continued. "NO!" Mulder screamed he was 
relieved to see that the shooter had missed. The same shooter
 who was incidentally coming up beside him. She had apparently come from 
a direction in the east. He saw her raise her weapon and
 take aim to fire again. 
"No" Mulder leapt from his horse knocking the woman with the shotgun 
off, of her horse and on to the ground. Scully preparing for
 this in mid air twisted so he would land on the bottom half and she 
would land on top. Mulder landed hard. Feeling the wind knocked
 out of him he had the chance to see Krychek making his escape. His 
attention was quickly diverted back to his present predicament. 
Scully lashed out angrily with her fist landing one squarely in his 
face. his head jerked back and hit the ground just as she was about 
to make another shot at his head. He moved and she hit ground. Grunting 
in pain he hauled himself up to a standing position. Groaning 
as he felt his bruised back. Scully still on the ground kicked him in 
the knee. He sank to the ground howling in pain. She rose to her feet 
and was about to kick him in the face when he lashed out with his good 
foot and connected with her ankle knocking her to the ground 
beside him. They began rolling in the dirt pulling and grabbing. Scully 
got off two good punches to his mid section Mulder ended it with
 a swift jab to the ribcage. Both panting sweating and slightly cut and 
bruised looked at each other. Mulder wiped the blood from his 
mouth and offered her his hand "Hi I'm Fox Mulder."
Scully looked at his hand and spat distastefully in the dirt. Mulder 
withdrew his hand. 
"Why the hell did you stop me?" She asked angrily. 
"You were shooting to kill. I needed information from him."
"Well while you were protecting your "informant" you let him get away." 
She accused. Nodding Mulder whistled to his horse. 
The animal trotted up to him and Mulder mounted him with ease. "Your 
horse seems to have departed for better or worse. You 
look like you could use a ride in to town. Since your horse leaving was 
partially my fault, can I oblige you?"
Scully looked at Mulder with trepidation then grabbed his outstretched 
hand and swung her self to the back. As they rode in 
silence she said: "I've heard of you Fox Mulder they say your one of the 
best bounty hunters around next to me of course."
"Well isn't so nice to be so highly regarded." 
"How did you get in to the bounty Hunting business Dana?" 
"Scully and if you don't mind I don't talk to competition."
"Competition?"
"Right Alex Krychek you want him for information and I want him for 
something else."
"I suppose I can't fault your logic so what do you say we put aside our 
differences you can call me Mulder. I just want the 
information he has you can have the bounty when I'm done with him."
"No splitting?"
"No splitting." Mulder urged his horse to a canter as Scully mulled it 
out.
"Alright Mulder you have a deal." 
"Partners then?" Mulder asked.
"Partners." Scully agreed. She smiled a little to herself she liked this 
guy he was smart, not like most guys and unlike some people
 he at least cared about his personal hygiene. 

**********************************

                  The ride in to town was short they didn't hurry 
because they knew there prey thought that he had slipped the loop. 
An inquiry at a bar led them to a building and both took double takes at 
what they saw. The building was the Governors office. 
They both went inside. "Mulder that guy in the bar must have made a 
mistake there's no way Krychek would hide out here." 
"Maybe he's not hiding Scully stick close."
"Scully looked at Mulder's back angrily. "Don't tell me what to do and 
don't try to protect me do you understand that Don't Even 
Try IT."
"Alright sorry. You don't have to get mad." As they began moving up to 
the stairs where the main office was located they both felt 
uneasy. They moved in to the next room. A woman smiled from behind a 
desk as she was getting up to leave. "Oh you're here. There 
waiting for you inside." The woman smiled gesturing to the door before 
she proceeded down the stairs. Both thoroughly confused 
looked at one another. Mulder shrugged and they went inside. A man was 
sitting in a lavish office. His chair wasn't facing them it 
was to the large window which overlooked the dust town. His office had 
hundreds of Animal heads and other assorted Pelts and furs. 
The hardwood floors were covered with Persian carpets. "Ahh, Mulder 
welcome please sit down." A voice from behind the chair said. 
                 Mulder and Scully remained standing the man swiveled 
around. And looked at the two Partners. He hid his surprise 
behind a cigarette. Exhaling slowly he looked at them both. I'm the 
governor of this state he said as he puffed at his cigarette. 
I must commend you Fox Mulder you have become quite a thorn in our 
sides. His look barely held back his contempt.
 He ignored Scully completely as he continued on about how dangerous 
Mulder had become as a loose cannon. Both of them 
felt the lasso being thrown around there necks by this mans words. 
"Come out Alex." The smoking man said as the door beside him opened a 
clean and freshly shaven Krychek emerged from the 
side room. He finished buttoning the collar of his new suit as he stood 
beside the smoking man. "I must apologize for the 
deception Mr. Mulder but we can't have you interfering with are progress 
can we? Mulder heard the scuffling from the room they
 had entered it had been a trap all of it they were being set up. "As 
governor I have granted Alex here full immunity. As 
a reward for saving my life. Your attack almost succeeded if it had not 
been for Mr. Krychek's timely assistance right after you
 burst in to my office shooting. I daresay you'll hang for this 
transgression."
"What about Scully?" Mulder asked quietly."
"Ahh yes thank you Agent Scully you've done your job well. You led 
Mulder right to us I trust you gathered some
 information about him. Krychek told me about the shooting quite a 
clever idea. Gaining his confidence like that."
Mulder looked at her shocked. "I trusted you he said quietly." 
"Mulder he's lying what can I say to prove to you that I'm not..."
"Just shut UP I don't need to hear anymore of your lies you spy." 
With that the door burst open Four men came in and leveled there weapons 
at Mulder. Mulder expecting this quickly 
dropped to the ground and spun behind the desk that the cigarette 
smoking man had been occupying. He came up beside
the smoking man grabbing him around the neck and aiming the gun at his 
head. "One of you move and I turn his head in to 
a canoe." Even if you do get me I'll kill him going down. I'm going to 
exit this room the way I came... your going to stay to the
 sides and let me pass. Mulder began moving forward. Completely 
forgetting about Krychek. Alex was a poor shot luckily. He
 fired once the bullet ripped in to Mulder's shoulder. Yowling in pain 
he dropped to the ground and let go of his hostage. 
Moving behind the cigarette smoking man's desk he barely made it to 
cover. Before the room erupted in gunfire. Time to improvise
 Mulder thought firing three shots blindly hitting at any target. He 
didn't stop to see if any were fatal. He leapt through the window, 
glass shattering everywhere as he rolled from the roof on to the ground 
he grunted but rolled with it. Landing on his bad shoulder he 
screamed in pain, and began running down the street. 
"MULDER" Mulder looked up to see Scully racing towards him on a horse 
with his in tow. Near one to look a gift horse in 
the mouth he climbed on to his and urged it forward just as the shooters 
began pouring out of the building. They rode out 
of town quickly. None of the shooters gave chase. The smoking man lit a 
new one from the doorway of his office as he watched the 
two people leave. "Leave them they won't get far. Come along we have 
more important things to discuss." He said leading the men 
back in to the office.

	Dusk. 
"Mulder just let me look at it."
"Keep the hell away from me!" Mulder said "I don't trust you how did you 
get out of that room anyway. How do I know that this 
isn't just another one of your damn tricks. Your lucky I don't shoot you 
right now." Mulder edged away from the woman biting
 down as his shoulder began aching again. He sat on a rock far enough 
from the camp fire so that he could avoid Scully but absorb some
 warmth. He stripped off his shirt and looked at the wound it was deep. 
He began to pour a bit of the brandy in to the wound then taking 
a sip of it as well. He began tying bandana around the wound to try and 
staunch the blood flow. He screamed in pain when he felt the
 pressure build. Scully fed up went over to him. "Mulder you can bleed 
to death if you don't let me treat it. I was a nurse in the war and I
 know how bad bullet wounds can get. So just put your paranoia aside for 
a moment and let me look at the wound, all right?" Mulder nodded
 in defeat he couldn't handle the wound alone. "You were a nurse in the 
war?" Scully nodded affirmatively looking at the wound. "Is that 
what got you started in this... the war?" 
"No" Scully sighed she knew that he still didn't trust her so she 
decided that there was only one way of convincing
 him she had to open up. 
"I was hunting Alex Krychek for another reason. It wasn't for money, he 
killed my sister in a bank robbery near San Francisco. 
I've been hunting him ever since. I want him dead more than anything 
else and I won't rest until he is." Mulder nodded, and 
groaned as the pain rushed in to his shoulder. When Scully finished her 
ministrations he felt much better. The wound had been cleaned 
and dressed. "How did you get out of that smoking bastards office?" 
"I went in to the bathroom Krychek came out of and went through the 
window in there. I landed near the horses and figured you could u
se a hand."
Mulder gripped her hand tightly. "You saved my life thank you." Scully 
smiled a rare smile "your welcome." They lay down on their 
blankets looking up at the sky Mulder looked at the sleeping Scully on 
the other side of the camp fire. He smiled she had opened up
 to him and he hadn't told her anything he decided that he would. 
Closing his eyes he dreamed of a woman with a fiery temper and quick 
wit.

Morning

"Where are we going?"
"I have some friends that can help us out and I noticed you didn't carry 
a sidearm."
"My shot gun was all I ever needed." "Well that may be good for kick but 
it takes to long for you to reload and side arms 
are good for in hand fighting."

             They rode in to the town. The sign said welcome to Grassy 
knoll. Mulder and Scully tied there horses in front of a 
building. "Who are these people?" Scully asked. "There a posse that like 
to call themselves the lone gunmen. You won't read 
about them in those dime novels and you won't read about them in any 
papers but they're the real deal when it comes to information 
and weapons. Mulder entered the building from a side door to come face 
to face with a shot gun. Scully dropped to the ground 
pointing her shotgun at the owners lower region. Mulder slightly upset 
said. "Scully put that away. Langly for the last time you 
can't point a gun at me every time I come in one of these days someone 
is going to get shot." "Sorry Mulder" the man apologized 
lowering the weapon. Scully looked at the man coldly. He was dressed in 
a blanket covering and his hat showed just enough blond hair. 
"This is my partner Dana Scully. She's helping me out."
"Whew Mulder with the amount of trouble your in you need a lot of help!" 
"What are you talking about Langly?" Langly took a paper from his desk. 
We pulled this from the wire earlier this morning. Your 
wanted on conspiracy charges the U.S. thinks that you're a spy and your 
"Partner" here is wanted as an accessory. They hang traitors 
you know that don't you?" Mulder read the sheet. He cursed inwardly. How 
much is the price on our head?" 
"High enough." Said Langly, looking at the fugitive sadly.
Mulder crushed the paper. "Right well Langly were going to need a 
refitting some new guns for my partner and I need you 
to water the horses." Langly nodded to him. "There in the other room 
I'll bring the horses round back." 
"I'd better go first Scully." She bristled at his words but grudgingly 
allowed him access. Once inside she nearly gasped the entire
 room looked like a medieval torture chamber. Rusty chains axes and saws 
adorned the walls along with branding iron's and every 
other type of weapon short of a cannon was on the wall. Even then she 
spotted a cannon partially covered in tarp in a corner. 
There were three desks with a telegraph wire in one. "Hey guys" Mulder 
greeted the two remaining men at there desks they waved
 in response. Scully this is Frohike and Byers.  "Hi" 
"How do you do Miss Scully" Byers said politely. Tipping his hat. 
Frohike looked up from his chair and struck a match on his boots 
lighting and taking a slow drag from his cigar. "What do you need this 
time Mulder?" he asked. 
"Well there on my tail just like you suspected and Krychek is definitely 
involved with this one. Were talking governor here." 
Frohike Jumped from his chair "I knew it I just knew there was an 
involvement in this. Those deaths were just too well connected to be
 accidents!" 
"Yeah anyway my partner here needs something better than what she has. I 
think you'd better saw about 8 inches of that barrel 
anyway. Langly appeared and relieved Scully of her rifle. "I'll get the 
hacksaw." 
"How are those two doing for you Mulder?"
"The truth seekers? Just great there sights were dead on."
"Yeah we read about them with the spender incident. Anything useful on 
him?"
"Nahh he was just a two bit snake in the grass. His hood was impressive 
but his bite was weak.
              There conversation continued on for a period while Scully 
sat back listening disinterestedly to there continued
 babbling. She decided that she had, had about enough when the gunmen 
brought out the newest nudie books to show Mulder. 
With a huff she went through the door to look for a tavern she was 
hungry and she needed a drink. She closed the side gate after 
checking on her horse which was resting comfortably for the night. It 
was dark out but from the sounds of the tavern across the 
street things were still in full swing. "Dana Scully?" 
"Yes wha... GHHKK" She gasped in suprise as a rope went around her neck. 
She was roughly pushed to the ground she tried to 
fight back as her hands and legs were tied. The rope was pulled so 
tightly she couldn't even scream she had problems just trying 
to breathing. She lay on her stomach in the dirt. While she heard voices 
behind her back none she recognized.
"What should we do with her?"
"You know what we do with traitors... no matter what there bounty is in 
the grassy knoll. Assemble the others were's about to have 
us a hangin." Scully felt the ropes her legs were tied to becoming 
tightened on the other end. And she heard the sound of a horses cry. 
>From her view she could see torches being lit. The cries of people on 
the street began to grow louder. The rider spurred his horse 
with a loud "Giddyap" Scully knew how painful horse dragging could be 
she tried to maneuver herself on to her back to minimize 
her injuries. She felt a sharp pain as she was kicked in the ribcage. As 
she dragged by. She felt blood running down her cheek she 
hit her chin on a sharp rock as the crowd yelled there approval. She was 
swung from left to right as the rider spurred the horse faster. 
Her back felt like it was being flayed with a knife. Another large rock 
ricochet'd off of the horses hoof cutting her face just above
 her eyebrow. She involuntarily rolled on to her side bruising and 
cutting up her arm in the process. The horse pull ended. She was 
groaning as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her entire body felt like it 
was on fire. She wanted to scream but the dust choked air with
 the rope cruelly prohibited it. Through the shouts and the torches she 
felt the lynch mob surround her and lift her on to the now 
vacant saddle as the ropes binding her legs were untied. She felt the 
noose around her neck tighten as it was tied to the scaffold. 
She hunched over on the saddle a bleeding sack of pain. She wanted to 
scream and curse them all but she couldn't even that now.
 The ring leaders voice boomed around the rest. "It is the judgment of 
this fair town that this... this Traitor be hung and executed for 
crimes against the United States of America. Let judgment be swift and 
brutal." 
               Scully looked around the crowd her eyes rested on the 
leader. He raised his gun to the air one shot would scare the horse
 <Her horse!> to run leaving her to dangle and hang. She heard someone 
shout from over the crowd she couldn't see who but she
 knew the voice "Scully RIDE!" followed by a loud <BANG>. The shot from 
the ring leaders gun never rang out. She felt the choking 
rope go lax she urged the horse forward in to a gallop never looking 
back just urging the horse froward before she passed out from the
 pain. She felt the blood running down her cheek. She rode for what 
seemed like hours, when it was actually only a few minutes she 
almost fell from the horse. She was in so much pain, it was a miracle 
that she had not done so yet. Slowly as the ringing in her ears 
subsided she heard the sound of another horse beside her. She barely 
heard anything as Mulder slowed her horsed down to a stop. 
He slid out of his saddle speaking gently so he wouldn't spook the horse 
or Scully. The moment that he was beside her she promptly 
fell in to his arms. She was unconscious.
                Mulder brushed the hair out of her forehead looking at 
the angry cuts and welts on her face and neck. He closed his eyes 
damning the people who had done this too her. He had been forced to hold 
back until the right moment and he had almost been too late.
 He cradled her in his arms and lifted her in to the saddle of his 
horse. He tied her horse in tow and positioned her so that she was
 in front to make sure she wouldn't fall off on the back. He rode 
another ten miles till he came to a medium sized body of water. The
 grassy area was shaded with trees and the horses had grass to graze on. 
He lowered Scully in to the shade as he set out a blanket
 for them and began to wash her cuts. Her neck was already turning to an 
ugly purple and the cut on her forehead just above her 
eyebrow was swelling. He washed the other cuts she had on her chin and 
cheek. He forced a drop of brandy down her throat and
 rubbed some in to the cuts as well. She groaned a little as he undid 
her shirt. He grimaced slightly and covered his eyes as he positioned 
her on her front. When he saw her back he almost gasped it was a mass of 
cuts and bruises. Blood oozed from several wounds 
and angry welts marred her creamy skin. He cursed every thing that he 
could think of as he cleaned each of the cuts individually. 
He vowed vengeance to the people who had instigated this. He cleaned and 
bandaged the cuts as best he could and he had 
finished with the last just as Scully was coming to.
               "Mulder?" she asked shakily and quietly. Her wind-pipe 
hurt.
               "shh... Scully drink this and lay back. Were safe for 
now." But Scully persisted 
               "Thank you Mulder. You didn't have to save me you thought 
I was a spy but you did it anyway. Thank you." 
Any doubt that Mulder had about her allegiances died at that moment. As 
she lay back in the shade healing he knew of one truth. 
He loved her. 

*******************************
                
             The reportee entered the room. Good news sir. He said 
looking at the smoking man confidently. I was 
able to hire some people to do the job for us. It's amazing what people 
will do for money he said grinning evilly. 
"I assume that Mulder and Scully are both dead and you have there bodies 
as we speak?"
"Umm no sir I'm sorry we only succeeded in getting to Scully first." 
"Then I assume you saw her hang?" 
"We received the assurances of all the people involved with the little 
"Lynch Party" that they would not live to see the light of day."
"Did Dana Scully tell where Mulder went?" the man said exhaling smoke 
through his nostrils. 
"Were expecting word on there condition soon...sir" he lowered his eyes 
to the desk avoiding the smoking man's sullen stare.
"Am I to understand that you DID not see them captured and hung that you 
DID not see there bodies. 
And that you MOST DEFINATLY DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE DEAD OR ALIVE?!  he 
rose from his desk and hurled
 his ashtray at the incompetent messenger the messenger caught the 
ashtray in the back of his head as he was exiting the room. 
"KRYCHEK GET IN HERE!" 
Alex hurried in almost tripping over the comatose messenger. Lying at 
the doorway. 
"Yes sir."
"Mulder and Scully are still alive he spat. I have every belief that 
there coming back here and that there might be reinforcements. 
I want you to gather every man we have working for us, and hire anyone 
else that you can find. Go to the armory and out fit
 them with are "Special shipments" that came in last month." He said 
grinning slightly as if almost an after thought. Looking 
down at the unconscious messenger he said to Krychek. "Oh and dispatch 
someone to that dust ball of a town and bring in the
 people this incompetent moron hired. To shed some light on whatever the 
hell happened over there."        
 
*******************************************

               The moon was high above them and a coyote was howling in 
the distance. "Scully opened her eyes and smiled a
 half grin at Mulder who was sitting up alertly watching for any signs 
of intruders. "How did you know about this place?" 
she asked him after swigging some more water. From the water pouch. The 
gunmen showed me a map just before I stopped 
the hanging. They said it was out of the way and nobody in the town 
knows about it."
"It's wonderful." She said laying back on the blanket and watching the 
stars.
"Scully I'm so sorry that I didn't get there sooner. I had to wait for 
the right moment to come and It was pure hell watching you go
 through what you did I would do anything to change places with you. I 
wish that I could have done mo..." Scully cut him off as 
she sat up.
"Mulder Shut up it wasn't your fault I shouldn't have been out in the 
first place while we were wanted anyway. Anyway I don't
 think that that little lynch mob was completely accidental anyway I 
wouldn't be surprised if that entire thing was being orchestrated 
by that smoking bastard in the first place. She said scowling. Then 
grimacing as the cut on her chin throbbed slightly. "how bad is it?"
"It's pretty good actually the cuts weren't really as bad as I first 
thought."
"You know Mulder it's too bad your such a lousy liar." She said with a 
half hearted grin. She actually felt better. 
Mulder had bandaged her up pretty well and the brandy was numbing the 
pain. 
He placed another pillow behind her so she could prop herself up in to a 
sitting position. He sat beside her and lightly ran his 
fingers over her face. "Are you okay Scully?"
"Yes" she answered softly. He knew that he should have backed away that 
he should get out of her personal space but instead 
he moved closer. "I'm glad." he replied. His hand wrapped around her 
neck and there heads moved closer until there lips met. 
They kissed passionately for a moment before Scully shoved him to the 
ground furiously. "HOW DARE YOU." She accused. Looking 
at him angrily. Mulder stunned pulled back. "Scully I'm... I'm sorry I'm 
so sorry." He moved to wards the edge of the water. Stunned.
 He had screwed up he had made the mother of all mistakes and nothing 
would ever hide the shame or embarrassment he felt. 
             Scully watched him by the water. She felt remorse as her 
features softened. She wasn't angry about the kiss she had enjoyed it.
 She hadn't kissed in a long time and those few seconds had been magic. 
She rose and immediately wanted to sit down.
 Her entire back felt like it was on fire. She shrugged it off and made 
her way to Mulder crouching just behind his shoulder. 
Mulder didn't even look behind him. As she sat. "Mulder... I wasn't 
angry at you or the kiss. I was angry about what I did. 
I enjoyed it." Mulder still said nothing. Since Melissa was killed I 
haven't allowed my self to feel anything all I've done 
is fight and shoot. I've been angry for so long that I don't know how to 
be happy about something. Mulder this is crazy to
 you and it's just like that for me. But I love you and I swore I would 
never say that to anyone again. I swore to myself that 
I would never love anyone or anything because it hurt to much to let 
them go or to watch them die. So I wasn't angry at you I
 was angry at myself."
Mulder turned to face her after her confession. I love you Scully. No 
other words were needed. 

              The stars will burn forever brightly in the sky after were 
gone. But even they are not eternal The sky will be lit by these 
glowing balls of fire for a period of time, till the gods deem fit to 
extinguish there bright light. The constellations will die and the
 night will be darkened. But that night Dana and Fox screamed in 
defiance to there mortality in the night sky as they crashed 
down upon one another in waves of ecstasy till long after The stars had 
disappeared.  

**************************************

               The afternoon heat beat loudly on the street the 
cigarette smoking man watched from the doorway of his building. 
His forces were mounting in the town and soon they would be facing a 
determined pair. Who if not out for blood were out for vengeance. 
Flicking the butt out in to the street he retreated back to his office.

**************************************                

                They rode to the entrance of the town determinedly. Both 
in there fighting modes. She dismounted urging her horse away.
 After she pinned a note to the saddle. They watched the horse run in to 
the town. Mulder lit his cigarette and handed one to Scully 
they both watched and waited. 

***************************************

                "I want the roofs covered at all times. I want ground 
cover for each man and two guns per man. 
The goal is that when they come down this rode we shoot them to ribbons. 
I'll be manning the wagon understood?" 
Krychek was instructing his posse of 32 men on there positions and 
targets when an un-manned horse rode up to him.
 He pulled a note off of it's saddle and looked at it. His hands shook a 
little as he read it. The note said: Were in a killing 
mood Krychek and I'm gunning for you. "Alright, there here every body 
spread out and take your position they'll be coming 
from the east end. They all took positions aiming in the direction that 
the horse had come.

****************************************

                 From the western entrance of the town Mulder and Scully 
watched shaking there heads a little. "They have cow spit for brains." 
Scully said. Mulder nodded silently in agreement. As Scully checked her 
weapons and her pack. The gunmen had given Mulder 
the guns to give to her. The Scalpel 900's were powerful handguns with a 
great distance. Along with the sawed off shotgun she had 
more than ample means of protection. She tucked the shotgun in to her 
side holster and placed the pack on to her shoulder. Mulder 
dismounted and tied the horse to a post. "We have one shot at this so 
strike fast and hard. He said. She nodded and they split up. 
Scully took to the roofs while Mulder went by way of the street. 
                  A sharp shot rung out and a man fell to the ground 
next to Krychek. The entire group was stunned they had no idea where 
the shots were coming from, four more people went down as the gunmen 
moved in panic. "HE'S BEHIND YOU HE'S BEHIND Y-UCKK."
 Krychek looked up to see the man on the roof loose part of his face. 
"He's On The West Side!" Krychek yelled over the gunfire as three
 more men went down. They were being picked off,  he thought 
desperately. That Mulder had set them up. 
                   Mulder picked his first shots quickly firing one 
after another trying to get as many as he could before they got there 
bearings.
 He had estimated a minute and a half the man on the roof had made it 
thirty seconds he took cover and began firing rapid shots with
 both guns.
                   On the roof Scully was having better luck plowing 
through them it was easier. Because they were separated. She advanced 
slowly spotting the next one behind the water tower of the next 
building. So intent was she on hitting her next target she never 
noticed the man coming up behind her she heard the hammer cock back and 
an angry voice said drop it. She spun around to find herself 
face to face with a gunslinger with his gun to her face. "Drop your 
guns" he menaced angrily. Scully raised her hands as the guns 
clattered to the rooftop. She didn't blink or breath only looking coolly 
at his guns she said simply. "Your safeties are on." His eyes 
deviated to the gun he was holding for a moment but that was all Scully 
needed to pull out her double barreled  shot gun from her hip 
holster. She fired her first shot low separating his balls from his body 
then she fired the second shot blowing his chest through his back. 
He spewed blood as he fell from the roof top landing on the ground 
below. Wiping her face Scully dropped to her knees and with out 
even looking fired another kill-shot at the man sneaking up behind her. 
"I hope Mulder's okay." She thought as she wiped the blood
 from her face. 
                     Mulder had been forced in to a corner and was left 
with the difficulty of getting out of it. Taking the cigarette he still 
had 
clenched between his teeth Scully had opted to dispose of hers right 
before the gun battle he reached in to his pouch and extracted 
another present the gunmen had given him. He took the stick of dynamite 
and lit the fuse with the cigarette. He threw the flaming 
explosive at the clump of gunmen and covered his head as the weapon 
detonated. The gunfire had stopped on his side. He rose from 
his covered corner freshly reloaded and gunning for blood. spinning out 
as one of the survivors of his dynamite stick began running 
towards him with rage in his eyes he was missing one arm. Mulder fired a 
shot blowing his brains through his head. Whispering to himself
 it's time to get dirty. He began walking down the street wide open with 
no cover anywhere and no back up except for Scully on the roof he
 was doing a suicide walk. The sun beat down on him as he walked down 
the street a bullet hit the ground inches from Mulder's left leg he 
fired hitting the man in the chest without stopping. The second shot 
shattered a window he fired again separating a good chunk of the mans
 face with one shot. With that the street seemed to erupt in gunfire the 
remaining gunfighters all shooting blindly at there target under the
 impression that one of them was taking careful aim. 
                      Scully watched from the rooftop horrified at what 
Mulder was doing. "He's crazy!" She thought "If he survives this I'm 
going
 to kill him." She fired the hand guns simultaneously hitting two men 
and wounding a third. She finished him off more alert than 
ever now that Mulder needed her. She shot two more men who looked like 
they were getting a bead on Mulder from below.  
                       Gun fire was still erupting around Mulder. He let 
loose fast and sure never stopping always advancing 
He never fired blindly each shot hit it's mark one hit a man in the neck 
removing his Adams apple and life with it. Another shot resulted in
 the mans unique ability to allow others to see through is ears. Mulder 
picked them off with deadly accuracy. None of the gunmen could 
concentrate. They ran the risk of not only being shot from below but 
from above as well and they were quickly losing there numbers. 
Mulder picked off two more people he could only spot three men remaining 
on the ground. He fired as they retreated behind a covered 
area. <CLICK> <CLICK> his last rounds were gone. He cursed inwardly. He 
had a pretty good idea that there was more firepower 
hidden in that area. He reached in to his bag and took the second to 
last remaining stick lighting it with his last match. He threw it in 
to the area and dove for cover as the area exploded in smoke and blood. 
A severed hand landed next to him. No more gun fire. 
                    Scully saw the explosion and watched Mulder rise 
unsteadily to his feet. She two men remaining on the roof which was
 good for her because she had only three shots left she fired hitting 
one man in the abdomen he toppled off the roof. The other spun 
around and Scully almost gasped. It was the ring leader of the lynch mob 
Rage began to build in the pit of her stomach. "Well ain't
 this a surprise the man drawled. For you maybe. I guess you haven't 
heard no one escapes from Montgomery Mgee." he said sneering. 
Scully dropped her gun. "I guess you haven't herd when you cross me you 
die HARD." She whipped her shot gun firing with both barrels. 
Severing the hand holding the gun. He screamed in agony. Not noticing 
Scully advancing on him. She reached from behind her coat and 
extracted her bull whip. She whipped it out and with a loud <SNAP> 
wrapped it around his neck he gasped and gripped but still in pain 
all he could do was claw at the rope with one hand. She walked to the 
edge of the roof spotting a rafter long enough to do the job and
 she pushed him off of the roof following almost instantly she gripped 
the handle as the rope got caught on the rafter. Mgee jerked 
spasmodically for several seconds his eyes popping out of his face as 
his tongue swelled up and exploded before he went limp. She
 dropped to the ground letting go of the bull whip as Mgee dropped to a 
pile on the ground.
 She ran to Mulder "Where's Krychek?"
                 "I don't know I haven't seen him."
 "I'M RIGHT HERE!" they spun around to find themselves face to face with 
Krychek on a wagon armed with a gattling gun. "Oh Shi..." 
Mulder and Scully both dove for cover as Alex let loose a volley of 
rapid fire. The whole wagon shook from the vibrations of the powerful 
machine gun. Neither of them could get close enough to take him down. 
Krychek laughed as the bullets rained around them. Mulder 
devised a plan "Scully! Throw things at him!" Scully looked at him like 
he was crazy "Mulder how the hell are we supposed to stop him
 by throwing things? she shouted over the loud ra-ta-ra-ra-ta-ra-ta. 
What are we supposed to throw?!" "Anything! I have a plan." Scully 
shrugged and threw a loose brick at Krychek Mulder watched his 
marksmanship. "Keep throwing things Scully he's getting better." 
"That's a good thing?!"  
"Very!" Mulder threw a bucket which Krychek promptly turned to 
splinters.
"Mulder your plan better work soon were running out of things to throw 
are you trying to wear down his ammo?" 
"No but I thought he might like a little target practice before the main 
course." Mulder extracted the last stick of dynamite from 
his bag and flung it directly at Krychek. Krychek on pure instinct fired 
at the moving target. The bullets ripped through the dynamite 
detonating it and knocking the surprised Krychek to the ground. Mulder 
and Scully rushed forward. Krychek was cut and bleeding. 
"He's all yours Scully." Scully looked at him with disgust. "You're a 
pathetic rot Krychek. Your not worth killing." They both turned
 around to leave Alex Krychek extracted his last gun and took aim at 
Mulder's back. Scully sensing her lover was in danger spun around.
 Firing two shots into the animals chest. His blood covered the dirt. 

              Scully gripped Mulder's shoulder as they began to walk 
towards the Governors office. It was time to end the game. They 
advanced up the steps both of them tired wet with blood bruised and 
angry. They kicked open the door to his office the cigarette smoking 
man turned to face his assailants. "I must commend you on a game well 
played." He said puffing away at the cigarette. I never believed 
that two people could do so much damage." He sat down at his desk. "To 
think all this trouble because of Alex Krychek" he mused "None
 of this would have happened if it had not been for him." 
Mulder stepped in. "That's where your wrong I knew all about you. I knew 
about the guns you've been running in to help the other 
political factions I know about the cover-up you've been pulling with 
the taxation. Krychek was just a lucky bonus on my part. I was 
gunning for you anyway. So don't think this was fate."
"So what do you expect me to do Mulder? Give up we both know I'll be out 
of prison in a matter of hours. You can't hold me in any 
type of field. I'll be president in a few years Mulder. My ally's will 
see to it."
"I can still kill you." Mulder said looking at the man levelly.
"You would shoot an unarmed man Mulder how UN-sportsmanlike." 
The cigarette smoking man opened his drawer and stood up simultaneously 
firing a shot at Mulder's head. Purely 
on instinct Mulder fired the last bullet from Scully's gun. He hit the 
man in the stomach. Then he watched him fall to the ground. 
"That wound will take days to kill you even if I wanted to put you out 
of your misery I can't and I wouldn't." Mulder picked up the
 cigarette smoking mans gun and holstered it. As they left the room 
Mulder looked at the man bleeding on the floor and said simply 
"Die slow."

                Mulder rounded up the horses looking at Scully. Scully 
looked at him worriedly. "Mulder how are we going to explain this?" 
"I know a guy who's been begging me for years with a job in the U.S. 
Marshals. I think that once we explain what's happened he'll be
 easy. What about you I could use a partner." He stated. Scully smiled 
at him and kissed him. 

They rose on to there horses and with a loud YAHH. They took off in to 
the sunset. Two riders for justice and truth had found 
each other, and nothing would tear them apart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE END

I am not violent, I swear I just can't stand all those westerns where 
they never show what really happens when you get shot or hung.
 My apologies for the goriness, and in my defense I edited out the 
branding iron scene.  
Well except for maybe that scene with Spender AKA Doughboy that one was 
a gimme.

"To live outside the law you must be honest."
Bob Dylan