Outlaws to the End (HotCider & heartofcourage)

[HotCider]

Pastor Davis smiled at the couple. He took one last sip of his coffee and nodded. “All right. Let’s get you lovebirds on the train then. I’ll meet you out front.”

Ian flashed an excited grin at Elizabeth. He looked between Nancy and Pastor Davis. “Thank you for everything. We really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome Ian,” Nancy replied with an honest smile. For once, she wasn’t bullying him. Amy stepped down from her stool at the sink. She ran over to Ian and threw her arms around him and Elizabeth.

“I’ll miss you Uncle Ian and Aunt Elizabeth,” she said.

Ian blushed and patted Amy on the head. “I’m an uncle now,” he said in a hushed tone to Elizabeth, smirking in amusement.

“You’re a pain in the behind,” Nancy said having overheard him.

Ian closed his eyes and mentally groaned. “You know, I take back everything I said.”

Nancy yelled, "Chris! Come say goodbye to your bad influence!"

Chris had been playing with his toys when he stood and raced over to Ian, throwing his arms around him, and then Elizabeth in a similar fashion as Amy.

"Aw, why you got go?" Chris said, frowning at the floor.

Ian patted the boy's head. "We'll be back. Maybe I'll bring you and Amy a souvenir."

Nancy's eyes widened. "You better not. There isn't anything there for children!"

Ian couldn't stop grinning with mischief.

 

[heartofcourage]

The children said their goodbyes and Ian couldn't help but antagonize Helen in those final moments. Elizabeth gave him a glance and shook her head. "I'll make sure that whatever it is, is appropriate for little ones."

She gave them all a small smile and laughed. "I'm not about to let him corrupt your children too much, Helen."

A sharp horn blast sounded from outside the house and Elizabeth grabbed Ian's hand. "Come on. We have a train to catch. Unless you want to stick around to entertain the kids?"

 

[HotCider]

“Of course not!” Ian quickly exclaimed. He raced outside the door, dragging her along. He flashed a grin at Pastor Davis when they reached his vehicle. As excited as Ian was, he didn’t forget to be a gentleman. He opened the door for Elizabeth to allow her within before closing it behind her. He then walked around to the other side and entered the vehicle. He didn’t just enter. He jumped in, shoulder-bumping Elizabeth. “To the train station!”

Pastor Davis chuckled. Ian’s enthusiasm was infectious. They were headed to Sin City, and he should have been worried for them, but he knew what this place meant to them in their journey. He put the vehicle into gear and said, “We’re going to stop by the court and process your marriage license first, and then I’ll see you two off.”

The court process had felt so official. After writing down his information, Ian knew that their marriage was for real. They were lawfully wed and nothing was going to undo it. When the applications were turned in, Pastor Davis drove them over to the station. Ian got him and Elizabeth their tickets, and then he gave Pastor Davis an appreciated and manly hug goodbye.

“Thank you for everything pastor. I mean it,” he said. He clapped his hand against his shoulder and grinned the brightest he’s ever grinned.

 

[heartofcourage]

Signing her name on an official court document sealed the deal for Elizabeth. Standing there in that courthouse had been surreal, almost as surreal as getting married in the middle of a river that her husband had doused her in. Everything about the moment had felt right though. She was happy, more than she had ever been in her life.

When they made it to the train station, she was itching to get on that train. She wanted to be with Ian on a great adventure. She made small talk with Pastor Davis as Ian bought them a ticket on the next train to Vegas. She wondered if they would have another sleeper car or if they would just be with the rest of the masses in the main cars. It didn't really matter, she suppsoed. They'd make it to Vegas one way or another.

"Thank you for all that you've done for us." Elizabeth murmured as Ian returned and told the pastor the same. "We wouldn't be here if you hadn't come back for us at that house."

 

[HotCider]

Pastor Davis nodded happily. “I would do it all again too,” he told Elizabeth.

“You two go on your way. I’ll have that license waiting here for you when you get back, and maybe even another meal, Nancy-willing. You’ll have to tell us what happened.”

Ian laughed, “You know what they say, pastor. Whatever happens in Vegas stays there.”

He glanced at Elizabeth and winked at her before he raced over to board the train. The ride wasn’t as long as the one they had crossing the United States. Going from Utah to Vegas was an hour and some change, so he got the cheapest ticket. They had a booth to themselves. There weren’t too many passengers traveling from Utah to Vegas.

Ian waited for Elizabeth to sit down before he happily spoke lowly, trying to restrain his excitement, “We’re actually doin’ it, babe! We’re gonna be in Vegas in the next hour or so. I’m gonna get me a shave, brand new clothes, and I’m gonna take my baby to the casino.”

 

[heartofcourage]

Elizabeth waved to Pastor Davis as Ian rushed towards the train. She had to jog to keep up with him. Sometimes he had a one-track mind when it came to getting what he wanted. As they took their seat in their booth, Elizabeth relaxed back against the seat with a sigh. It felt good to be back on the road again, getting to where they wanted to go.

"I know you're excited, but we need to come up with a plan. We don't want to waste all of the money that we have." Elizabeth said as Ian chattered excitedly about what they were going to do and see in Vegas. "Junior should have wired the money to a bank for us to pick up. We can do that first thing and then get ourselves a hotel."

 

[HotCider]

Ian’s lips twisted to the side as he gave Elizabeth a really? look. His eyes rolled over to the window, glancing at the prairie the train was cutting through. In a few minutes, it was going to turn into desert. Ian listened to her as she spoke to him like a responsible adult. She did remind him that the money he had been talking about was her brother’s. They might have been married, but Junior was Elizabeth’s actual brother.

“All right. Whatever you want to do,” Ian said nonchalantly. “We can just stay for a day or two, come back to Utah to pick up the marriage license, and be on our way to California. Once we get settled there, we can always arrange to meet your parents and shock them with the news.”

He held up his hand, waving it before the invisible bulletin, “Cage bird marries former bank robbing thug.”

 

[heartofcourage]

"They might disown me after all of this." Elizabeth said with a sigh as she leaned back against the cushioned train seat. "In fact, I know they will."

She looked at Ian and knew that he might be the only family that she had when this was all said and done. Besides Junior, that was. She had done absolutely everything in opposition to what her parents expected of her growing up. She might have even bankrupted them by not marrying Stephen and gaining access to his money.

"You sure that you're alright with marrying someone who doesn't have a penny to their name?" She asked in all seriousness. "I could get a job when we settle. Not that I have any marketable skills, but I'm willing to try to make us both happy."

 

[HotCider]

Ian smirked across the table at her, sat back in his seat, and extended his arm across the back of it. At her question, he returned, “Are you? I’m not exactly a bread winner.”

He then whispered lowly, “You chose a bank robber over a bank baby, remember?”

“If your parents disown you, then they just weren’t worth a darn baby. We’ll be all right. We’ve come this far on our own. I know we can handle anything.’

He decided to change the subject. He didn’t want her stressing over her family. “What do you want to do in Vegas? If you had to make a list, what would an old cage bird wanna do?”

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know. What do people do in Vegas?" Elizabeth asked as Ian seemed pleased as punch about their little journey. "I mean, besides christening another bed as husband and wife. Do we gamble? Do we eat too much food?"

She gave him a little grin as she said that. "I'll let you corrupt me in any way that you see fit. You're the master of disaster."

 

[HotCider]

“And proud of it,” Ian added to her Master of Disaster comment. Under the table, his foot gently stroked her ankle as she put in his mind christening their hotel room as husband and wife. For someone who said she didn’t know what to do, she came up with a lot of naughty ideas. “We can do all of that. This is where you need to put all of your Christian morals aside. We’re goin’ to Sin City. If you wanna have sex, do drugs, eat until you’re sick, and gamble your life away, this is where you do it. Whatever happens in Vegas stays.”

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's not Christian morals, babe. It's Catholic guilt. Years and years and years of Catholic guilt." Elizabeth said with a grin as she felt his foot stroking her ankle under the table between them. "You're supposed to save your best for your husband. Which I guess you are now, so what's the harm in living a little?"

"We can find a hotel and then a casino. Let me see what all that is about. Then we'll eat and drink until we can't stand it anymore." She said, lying out everything in front of him that she wanted to accomplish on their honeymoon.

 

[HotCider]

Ian smirked as he listened to her sinful wish list. "You're really cutting loose," he said. "I guess you've been waiting to all this time. This is your chance to be as open with me as you ever been without having God leaning over your shoulder."

His brown eyes trailed over to the window as he watched the passing fields. "I never would have thought of this if I hadn't met you. Not Las Vegas just...having a goal that meant something. When I look back at all that we've been through to get here, I can't believe it." He then cracked an amused grin and chuckled. "More all the drama we experienced than the actual trip. We had our little odyssey."

Ian slipped out of his booth and walked around the table that separated them to slide in next to Elizabeth. He playfully slid until he pressed her against the wall before he gave her more room. Turning to face her, he took one of her hands in his and said, "I am glad you are still with me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"What if I wanted to keep a few secrets? If I told you everything, I would bore you to tears after too long." Elizabeth said with a soft smile as he came around to her side of the booth, pushing her into the wall before taking her hand and giving her a handsome grin. "I'm the one that's glad you stuck around. I'd still be in that little hellhole in Chicago otherwise."

She leaned over and kissed his stubbled cheek as she squeezed his hand. She pressed her forehead against his temple then, closing her eyes and just soaking in the moment.

'I thought I would have to get married in front of a bunch of strangers at a church in Chicago. I'm sure he would have decided on everything, from my dress to the flowers to the guest list. I'm happy that we did our wedding this way. Just the two of us and some strangers that cared." She murmured. "Borrowed rings, a swampy dress, and a strange little family sounds a hell of a lot better."

 

[HotCider]

Ian smiled as he enjoyed the warm feel of Elizabeth’s hand. His smile broadened when her petals touched his cheek before she leaned in and got comfortable. He listened to her share with him her thoughts about their private wedding. “I still want to have another one. I want everyone to see that we’re together. A former thief and caged bird.”

His hand became firm as he gave her hand a squeeze. It had mostly been to control himself. He had wanted to put his hands all over her, and he had to resist kissing her pink, full lips for it would have only made it worse. Ian’s chest swelled as he inhaled a deep breath and sighed through his nostrils. It was mainly at himself for being such a horn dog around a woman promising him naughty times in his future. He would have been a liar if he had told her he wasn’t thinking about her tantalizing promises. There was a raised and hard bulge in his lap that he tried not to pay any mind to. He had to calm down. Soon.

Ian’s lips twisted the more he tried not to think about it. His heart thumped quickly and his palms became hot. Finally, he said quietly, “Remember our first time? We were in a train.”

Unlike their first time, they weren’t in a private sleeping car. There were others catching a ride to Las Vegas, but not many had populated their area of the car. Ian turned his head, slyly glancing over his shoulder into the aisle to see most of the passengers asleep, reading, or watching nature pass by. The corner of his mouth quirked impishly as he took Elizabeth’s hand that had been joined with his own and rested it on his raised lap, saying nothing to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Elizabeth’s blue eyes flicked open, glancing his direction as he practically purred at her. She knew that tone, knew what thoughts it was hiding. Then he took her hand, pulling it along with his until she so intimately touched him in the middle of a crowded train car.

“Ian…” She whispered in the softest voice, her cheeks growing crimson.

Her fingers flexed ever so slightly, feeling the hardness of him against her palm. “We were in a private car on a train.” She murmured softly, daring to look into his eyes as he mused about their first time together.

“I don’t know what you expect me to do…about this.” She said in a slightly dry tone, but still curious as to what he might have in mind for this little “problem”.

 

[HotCider]

She didn’t say no, and she didn’t recoil. He figured she was just as interested as he was. Ian glanced ahead, checking the car doors. “No one’s looking,” Ian whispered to her before he turned his lips into her neck. He kissed the side of it gently as he took her hand and slid it down his pants into the heat, humid depths. With his hand on top of hers, he folded her fingers about the strong neck of his cock. She could feel it already slick and damp with his pre-cum. His fingers pressed on top of her own, sliding them along his engorged length.

“You touch mine, and I’ll touch yours. Is that fair?” he asked, chuckling quietly behind a grin.

 

[heartofcourage]

A soft sigh escaped her lips as he kissed the side of her neck and guided her fingers beneath his pants. He was already slick and hungry for her as his hand encouraged her. She nervously flicked her eyes around the car, noting that he was right in his assessment that no one was looking. Yet...

"I swear if you make a scene..." She whispered as she gave his cock a squeeze and felt him pulse in her palm.

The fear of being found out gave her a little thrill. As she followed his lead, stroking with the speed that he encouraged, she couldn't help the hitch in her own breathing. Cheeks flushed, nipples doing their best to press against the stiff fabric of her dress. What Ian did to her and the power that he had to make her feel this way she would never understand.

"Maybe when we make it to Vegas you can teach me how to use my mouth." She whispered innocently.

 

[HotCider]

Ian’s back arched a little in his seat when she started stroking him. He removed his hand from on top of hers to place it flat on the table. He grinned at her, turning almost onto his hip at how antsy she was making him feel. He had to stifle a moan, turning his head to pretend to clear his throat. “Make a scene? Me?” he said innocently.

His hand closest to her passed over the top of her thigh and was near ready to slip beneath that Christian girl dress he disliked so much when out of the corner of his eye, Ian noticed the ticket inspector appeared in the window of the car door. Quickly, Ian brought both of his forearms to rest upon the table as he leaned forward to obscure Elizabeth from sight.

The inspector didn’t seem too concerned. “Good day. How are you folks? Enjoying the ride?’

Ian was forcing a controlled smile on his face. It had been bad timing, and he was cursing all that be for getting a seat closest to the door. He reached into his pants pocket to remove the two tickets he knew the inspector would ask him for and offered them to him. “Oh yes, it’s quite comfortable and we can’t wait to get to Las Vegas.”

The inspector clipped the tickets and grinned. “You’re going to have a great time. Have you ever been there before?”

Ian was anxiously staring at the tickets the conductor held in his hand. “No; this will be our first time.”

“Oh! Let me tell you. You have to go see…”

The man was a talker and while Ian usually liked to share some of his southern charm that moment was the worst time for a full-blown conversation. Elizabeth had riled him up, and he was feeling hornier than a goat. Ian was staring at the inspector with the most practiced patience that was quickly becoming thin.

 

[heartofcourage]

The confidence that oozed off Ian was incredibly annoying. That shit eating grin, the way that he seemed to have complete control of the situation even though she felt like they were about to be caught at any moment. His rough fingers were starting to travel up her thigh when the door to the car opened and the inspector entered. Elizabeth froze, blue eyes wide as she tried to remove her hand from Ian's pants only to be trapped when he leaned forward and cut off her escape.

Everything narrowed in as Elizabeth barely heard the conversation. His rod still pulsed in her hand, just as stiff and hungry as it had been, but she didn't move. She had visions of prison, of being kicked off the train and stranded in the middle of nowhere yet again.

"Babe..." Elizabeth murmured, tilting her cheek against Ian's shoulder. "I don't feel so good."

She squeezed him with her palm, a subtle signal to hurry this the fuck up.

 

[HotCider]

Ian tried not make an aroused and awkward face when Elizabeth had squeezed him. He had heard her mention being sick, and played right into it. “Oh hey, sorry to cut you short buddy. My wife ain’t feelin’ too good,” he told him.

The ticket inspector looked at Elizabeth with concern. “Motion sickness?”

“Yeah, she doesn’t due too well on trains.”

He gave Ian back the tickets and tipped his hat. “Well, I hope she gets better soon. Have a nice day folks.”

“Thanks pal.”

Once the inspector walked away, Ian sat back in his chair with a long, mischievous and relieved smile. They had just gotten away with murder for all he knew. For Ian, that adrenaline rush had just made everything hotter. He turned at the waist to face Elizabeth and smirked. “That was so close,” he whispered.

 

[heartofcourage]

“You absolute bastard.” She hissed through clenched teeth as he simply laughed and grinned at her. “If he had caught us, we would have been tossed from the train.”

Still, she didn’t stop. She simply leaned her head in and pressed her her forehead to his, her blue eyes staring into his brown gaze. “You owe me, pal.”

 

[HotCider]

Ian grinned in amusement at her reaction. “It’s nothing we’re not used to, and don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”

He pointed down at his lap. “You’re still holding onto me.”

As she leaned forward, he leaned himself to meet her. “I intend to repay you tenfold when we get there. Because you know…”

He shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “I don’t want Miss Christian girl to get so scared of her husband playing in her panties.”

 

[heartofcourage]

“There’s a time and a place to….play in my panties. A public train isn’t one of them.” Elizabeth muttered as she started to pull her hand free from his pants. “And you trapped me while he was here. Leaned forward so that I couldn’t pull my hand free.”

 

[HotCider]

The playful expression left Ian’s face when he realized she was serious. He sighed and sat back against the backrest, facing forward and keeping his hands to himself. “I didn’t trap you. I was keepin’ him from seein’ you with your hand in my pants,” he grumbled. “Good grief that dress…”

He sat forward, crossing his arms upon the table and resting his head between them. He blamed it on the dress. He blamed everything on it. Ever since they went to Utah, she had become such a prude; and while he would never tell her that, that was what he thought. “Sorry, I even bothered,” he irritably apologized.

I should have waited, he mused. While he didn’t care about where they had sex, it took two to enjoy it, and she clearly wasn’t. Are we there yet? He feared the rest of the train ride was going to be awkward silence between them.