Vin noticed the stranger sitting at the picnic table outside the restaurant. She shifted her concentration between her work and the activities of the town around her. Curious, since he had never seen her before, he started walking over half-expecting Buck to beat him there. A new, beautiful woman sitting alone in their small town warranted attention.
The tracker studied her as he approached. Sitting down, he noticed she wore a cute green and white dress with an ivy leaf pattern, knitted shawl around her shoulders, and a matching bonnet hiding her hair. Like she was trying to hide, not allowing her true beauty to be revealed.
When he reached her, he saw her writing something then looking intently at the saloon. She frowned, obviously not happy. Her pencil made cross-out marks on the parchment, she started over, and that was when he saw it. The slight change in the level of polish on the glass it was a touch dirtier than before.
Now this is strange, he thought to himself. "Hey," he said softly behind her, causing her to jump and frantically collect her papers. He kept one hand on his mare's leg just in case...a hard lifetime of watching his back kept him alert and seeing threats where others might not.
"You're not supposed to see me," she whispered breathlessly, still covering her parchment and looking like a scared rabbit caught in a snare.
"Yer a ghost?" he commented wryly while enjoying her flush. She recovered her composure quickly before writing a few lines. The town wavered for a few seconds, like heat rising off the ground, before settling back to normal.
She chuckled at that. "No, just supposed to be invisible."
"Why?"
She debated how much to tell him then figured she owed him the truth. Considering. "I'm a writer and this is my perspective of the world. At least, I think this is my variation of the world."
Vin stared at her and wondered if she was loco.
"You see, I like to write about the Seven of you and what you do but sometimes I just need to sit back and look at my surroundings. That's what I'm doing now. Making sure they match what's in my mind, straightening out the details. Enjoying the scenery." She winked at him, making him slightly uncomfortable.
The tracker changed topics before this got any farther. "Ya write about us?"
"Yes," she nodded, accepting his switch of ideas and still scribbling on her papers.
"About what?" His curiosity won out.
"Everything. I can make all of you do things if I want you to."
"Reckon y'all wrong about that. We don't do anything we don't want ta."
"Care to make a wager as Ezra would say?"
"Ya know Ez?"
"I love writing all those fancy words for him." He just gave her a look and she sighed. "I guess I need to prove it to you?"
He nodded, still wondering why none of the other Seven came over. He saw them all out and about on their daily business but they never looked his way. Or if they did they never showed inklings that they noticed him. Maybe she had something with this invisible thing.
"Go ahead and call out to the others. They won't see you or hear you at all. I've made you an observer like me."
He gave her a disbelieving look then called out to the passing Standish, "Hey, Ez."
Ezra continued without stopping.
"Ez, can't ya hear me?" Vin walked right in front of him and still the man ignored him, a highly unusual action. Keeping pace with his friend, the tracker waved his hand in front of the gambler's eyes without a reaction.
The woman smiled as she watched him, having experienced this herself when she first started writing. "I told you. They can't see or hear you unless I want them too. I'm Heidi, by the way." She smiled up at him.
"Vin Tanner." He put two fingers to his hat and tipped it in greeting. The tracker found himself impressed with the new perspective. "Ya can change it back, right?"
"Of course. Anytime you like. If you're nervous, let me know. I'll put you back without any memory of meeting me."
"I ain't nervous." Why would this woman make him nervous? Hell, Larabee in a bad mood was scarier.
"All right. Now, let me show you what I can do. There's JD over there. What would you like to see him do or say?"
Vin looked at the sheriff and thought for a second. Something simple, he told himself. Not that he really believed this but he played along. "Stub his toe."
She gave him a quizzical glance. "Well, that's easy. Sure you don't want anything harder?"
"Nope. Prove it." His blue eyes challenged her to do what she said she could.
"Okay. Watch." She started writing.
***
JD walked along the boardwalk with only one thought in his mind what should he get Casey for her birthday? Not paying attention, he failed to notice the board slightly askew from its neighbors and the edge caught the tip of his boot. He nearly fell, stopping himself with a hand on one of the support posts. Now his big toe throbbed. Great. He looked around but fortunately, no one noticed. He kept moving along as if nothing happened.
***
Vin watched in amazement as JD tripped over a board he could have sworn was just as flat as could be moments ago. "Ya really can change things, can't ya?" A touch of amazement colored his voice.
"Not much. I don't want to stray too far from what happened in...never mind. Did you want another demonstration?"
"Sure," he replied with a shrug. "There goes Buck with one of the ladies."
"What would you like me to do?"
He thought for a moment then leaned down and whispered in her ear.
She started laughing and said, "That's mean."
"Couldn't happen to a better guy." He smiled at her.
That smile was a killer, she thought to herself. "All right. Watch."
***
Buck led Miss Petunia away from the saloon toward her room at the end of the boardwalk. With one hand tucked around her waist and pulling her close, he counted himself lucky that he would have female companionship for the afternoon, something to do on a hot, dry day.
As they reached the back stairs, Miss Petunia led him up giving him teasing kisses the entire time. They disappeared for a few minutes then Buck came flying out of the room, his face flushed, and hoping no one saw him. Fortunately, no one but his audience of two was looking.
As he reached the boardwalk, the Chinese gentleman from the railroad construction site gave him a wizened smile and waved a bottle at him. Buck scowled and kept going, not liking this at all.
He suddenly stopped, turned, and purchased the vial, downing it in one gulp. Feeling better, he returned to Miss Petunia's room and was not seen for a few hours. The Chinese vendor bowed in their direction before disappearing down an alley.
***
"Hey! Why was he able to see us?"
"I let him- he's my addition to the story because I borrowed him from...um...let's just say he's part of the canon story and fair game for all us writers."
Vin walked to the mouth of the dead-end alley the smaller, older man turned down and found it empty. "Where is he?"
"Back with his own people at the railroad waiting for someone else to use him. I try to put the characters back where I borrowed them from so other writers can find them."
He nodded his understanding of that logic, or at least agreed to keep her happy. This day was getting stranger by the second.
Vin could not help but laugh at the expression on Buck's face when he left Miss Petunia's and after he bought the potion. This would be worth some serious teasing in the near future.
They were able to see him most of the time- she refused to go in the bedroom- and it made him a believer. This was too good; he wanted to have fun with all of his friends and hoped she would be agreeable to that. "Ya up ta writin' some more?"
"Always." The grin almost scared him full of mischief and dangerous ideas. It probably matched the one on his face.
"All right. See Josiah." The preacher currently was painting the outside of his church with Nathan's help.
"One of my favorites."
"What can you do?" he suddenly asked, wondering if what he had in mind was possible.
"Anything, darlin', anything," she said in a fair imitation of Buck's voice.
"Can ya make this happen?" He leaned down and whispered his idea in her ear and her grin widened.
"Oh, yeah."
"Do it."
"Watch and learn, baby." The two settled in for the show, Vin watching and her writing furiously. As she wrote, he stared at her. Her speech patterns changed and her use of endearments was years beyond what women in this age said. Not that he minded her calling him baby, but it was interesting to hear from a stranger.
***
From the other side of the town, the visitor moved with purpose down the boardwalk. Each step was placed precisely in front of the other, eyes only on the goal.
Josiah looked up from his painting to see a vision making her way toward him. With flowing hair brushed to a gleaming shine down her back, a blue bonnet tied over the long tresses, and a blue and white fancy dress that swished while she walked, she commanded attention.
He stopped; brush in hand, as she drew closer. Nathan kept working until he noticed his friend's distraction. They both stared at the beautiful woman making her way towards them.
When she reached them, she had the voice of an angel. "I'm looking for Josiah Sanchez. That would be you, correct?" she asked, staring directly at the preacher.
"Yes, I'm Josiah Sanchez." He put down the paintbrush and stepped closer, careful not to get any wet paint too close to her. When he reached the bottom step, she climbed up off the dusty street.
"Good. I was sent to give you a message."
"Go ahead," Josiah encouraged her, waiting for her to start speaking.
He was surprised when she climbed a couple more steps to even out their height and reached forward to pull him into a kiss. A long, scorching, very improper kiss that he returned after a moment's hesitation.
Nathan shook his head as Josiah lost himself in the sensations, a smile of bliss on his face. This day felt strange and was getting stranger by the minute.
A few minutes later, after they broke for air, she kissed his cheek and said, "Have a good day." With that, she walked away, ducking into an alley as he shook his head then followed. When he looked down the narrow passageway, she was gone.
Shaking his head, wondering if he had been in the sun too long, he found Nathan beside him. "Well, brother, either I am losing my mind or God answered one o my prayers."
Nathan chuckled and patted him on the back. "Take it as one of life's mysteries or God's gifts."
***
Vin liked the way she wrote that. "That was sweet."
"Thank you," she blushed at the compliment. "Now, you've got me in the mood to do this. Who are we picking on next?"
Vin thought for a second. He wanted to mess with Ezra now. "Can ya take us to the saloon?"
"Sure." Picking up her papers, she asked, "Walk or just be there?"
The second option sounded interesting. "Just be there."
"Okay." Next thing he knew, they were in the saloon in a dark corner with a view of everything. Ezra was sitting as his usual table shuffling his cards idly from hand to hand and waiting for something, anything to happen.
"What I want y'all ta do is this" he gave her soft, low instructions and her face lit up.
"This will make several people happy."
Vin gave her a startled look. "How so?"
"Never mind; you don't want to know," she said with a shake of her head. "Okay, let's have fun."
***
Ezra wished something, anything would happen to alleviate the boredom he felt. It seemed as if everyone else was doing something or getting some type of attention but him. The saloon doors opened and a petite, young woman dressed in an expensive skirt and blouse walked in. The skirt, crimson satin, and the blouse, a snowy white, both tapered to her every curve. Her dark, chestnut hair that flounced around her shoulders framed her heart shape face. She looked around the establishment without a thought to propriety, her wide eyes bright and challenging.
"Gentlefolk, I was told I might find a good game of chance in this locale. Is this information correct?" She boldly spoke to those assembled, but the lilt of her voice was that of a genteel southern belle.
Ezra straightened his cravat and smiled. "I believe I can oblige you, ma'am, if you would care to join me over here." He stood and indicated the seat across from him.
"I would be delighted," she replied and waited until he held the chair for her.
"What is your preference, ma'am?" Ezra asked as he settled himself across from her and watched her pull a wad of money from her reticule.
"Poker, of course."
They started playing a few hands and the pot kept growing, changing sides on the table as frequently as the cards fell on the table. By this time, they attracted a crowd and the stakes grew higher and higher as they bored of money.
"Unfortunately, sir, I must declare this our last hand. Shall we make this interesting?" she suggested.
"What did you have in mind?"
With a wicked smile, she challenged, "Let's play for the shirts off our backs. One hand, nothing wild, high hand wins." Various indrawn breaths and titters greeted this announcement. What she suggested stretched the rules of propriety even farther than when a gambler came to town and challenged their resident cardsharp to a game in the buff.
"How intriguing. I win, I receive your shirt?"
"In private, of course. And if I win, I get your shirt. In public, of course."
Ezra felt that was a little one-sided. "My dear, if I am going to lose any part of my haberdashery, I will remove it in private."
She shook her finger at him. "I understand that you have walked the streets of this town in only a tablecloth. Surely you have not learned modesty since then?"
He could not refute that.
She crooked a finger and leaned forward. When he matched her gesture, she whispered something in his ear and his golden-toothed smile flashed briefly.
Ever the gentleman, he could not ask her to remove her blouse in front of everyone so he agreed to the terms. They played the hand and he ended up with a pair of queens, king high. His smile lit the room until she laid down the other ladies, Ace of Spades high.
Having lost fairly, he admitted defeat and removed his watch, placing it on the table. Next came his vest, also neatly settled on the flat surface, then his derringer rig, then his shoulder holster, and finally his shirt, which he handed with a flourish to her.
The women applauded and Vin laughed at his friend's face, slightly embarrassed by the attention yet still smiling as he escorted the woman (after collecting his other belongings) out of the saloon to the hotel.
***
"Well, who next? There's Nathan and Chris left." She omitted the man beside her; she already had plans for him.
"And JD. Ya really didn't do anything ta him."
"What would you like?" All of a sudden, he found the pair of them in the jail cell of the Sheriff's Office where JD currently flipped through a book. "He can't hear us or see us." Vin looked a little surprised; he could understand being ignored in the saloon but definitely not in the jail cell.
The tracker gave her a look. "I saw ya."
"You are special, Vin Tanner. Very special...because there's too many women out there that like you and give you all these neat abilities you don't know about and I'm not going to tell you any more than that."
Giving a sideways look to JD, who seemed completely oblivious, Vin warned, "Ya might tell me later." JD never looked up from his reclined position, balancing the chair on the back two legs. "But right now I want ta have some fun...What I want ta see is"
***
Casey Wells walked into the Sheriff's Office carrying a basket on her arm. Aunt Nettie sent her into town with a homemade meal for the Seven with a little something extra for Vin and JD. Since no one had seen the tracker all morning, it was nearing four o'clock, she figured she would see JD first. "Hi, JD," she shyly called to him.
"Casey, um, hi!" So lost in his thoughts, he overbalanced and fell on the floor with the chair.
She started laughing then covered her mouth as he stood and glared at her.
"Don't go sneaking up on man like that. I could've shot you."
"I didn't sneak up on you! You were daydreaming!" she hotly retorted. It angered her to have him accuse her of something she did not do. "It's not my fault you fell."
"I did not fall. I was startled."
"Uh-huh." With a smirk, she set the basket on the table. "Aunt Nettie sent you a dinner for tonight and some apple pie."
He pulled his gunbelt up and smiled. "That's right nice of her."
"I helped make it."
"Even better," he said with a smile. The thought of sharing a meal with Casey more than made up for her making him fall.
They dug in with small talk, JD ending up with crumbs on his face from the fried chicken Nettie sent. After a few pointed gestures and JD not realizing what she meant, Casey moved around the desk and wiped his mouth with the napkin, leaning close to make sure she got everything.
***
"You're serious?" she whispered to Vin.
"Yup."
"That is just not right."
"Too bad. Write what I say, woman."
"Aren't you getting bossy?"
He smirked at her and she relented. "Fine."
***
JD wanted to put his arms around her; pull her into his lap, and kiss her senseless but something stopped him. So he settled for staring at her as she wiped the crumbs off his mouth and she likewise stared expectantly and a little nervously at him.
The moment stretched on until it became uncomfortable. Casey left first, taking her basket to the outskirts of the saloon to find the others. JD remained behind moaning about an opportunity lost.
***
"Well, who do you want to play with now? Nathan or Chris?"
"I have somethin' in mind fer Chris but it needs to be dark."
"As you wish." The lighting suddenly changed and darkness fell across the town. The nighttime fires provided lighting and everything looked normal. It was then that the power of her writing scared him. She changed the laws of time to make it night when he clearly knew it was around four thirty or so. She noticed his edginess. "Vin, relax. It's a writer's trick...you usually would not be invisible and actually live that time, have memories of it."
"If ya say so." He stared a little mistrustfully at her.
She sighed. "Haven't I done exactly as you've said? Nothing's happened that you haven't known about. I just moved us to where we wanted to be. Look, there goes Chris. Tell me what you want. Oh, what a loaded question...never mind."
His eyes narrowed a bit. "Loaded question?"
"Never mind, forget about that. We're wasting time."
The tracker decided that she had not led him astray yet so he told her his idea.
"Can I change that a little? I know someone with an incredible idea that she planted in my ear."
Vin shrugged. "Go for it."
***
Chris stalked through the town in a bad mood. No one had seen Vin since early morning and his horse remained in the stable. Every person he asked simply shrugged and said they never saw him.
Josiah told him an interesting story about what happened to him and Buck was strangely silent tonight, sharing a look every once in a while with Miss Petunia and JD looked like someone kicked his horse. Ezra disappeared earlier with a mystery female and had yet to make an appearance tonight. Still no Vin.
He decided to swing by the Clarion News again and see if Mary had possibly spotted the elusive tracker. Normally Vin told them if he was leaving because of the bounty on his head but today, nothing.
He opened the door to find Mary hard at work fixing her printing press. Ink spots covered her apron and when she looked up, little round dots covered her face where it sprayed on her.
"Anything?" she asked, straightening from her crouch beside the base of the machine.
"Nothing," he replied.
She went to lift the printer's box and he moved around to help her. "Let me do that," he said, easily moving it where she wanted.
"Thank you," Mary told him. "Now, if I could ask you a favor?"
"Sure." He turned to face her, his hat hanging behind him, his duster flat against his body in the still night.
"Give me a hand with this lever. It's stuck and I cannot move it."
Chris nodded and walked over to stand beside her. This part of the press leaned against the wall and the lever jutted out from the back of the beast. Together, side-by-side, between the wall and the press, they fit their bodies in the small space and both grasped the lever, combining their strength to pull it.
It would not go. So they pulled again. Nothing. This time, he placed her in front of him and stood directly behind her, giving them a better chance of bringing it down. It flew to the bottom position with their latest attempt and nearly took Mary to the floor with it.
His hands left the lever and wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into him as the press rattled. She turned around to thank him and found him too close.
With a tender hand, he wiped some of the ink off her face then leaned down and kissed her. One kiss was not enough so he continued, bringing her under his will. When he finally released her, she pushed back once, then twice, and then unloaded a hard slap across his face.
"You had no right to do that," Mary said in a huff before she stormed away, slamming the door to her private quarters. She thought, what just happened and why exactly did I slap him? I do not understand; I have wanted him to do that for ages now.
"Hell," Chris muttered before storming out himself to the saloon for a drink, his head too muddled by emotion to think about one missing tracker. He wondered why she slapped him; they'd been building to that point for months now and he thought she enjoyed ithe sure didbut hell, his face hurt. What just happened?
***
"And y'all say I'm mean?" Vin asked her.
"Writer's discretion." Her smile reached her eyes and she laughed outright.
"Uh-huh."
"You know, I better come up with a reason why no one's seen you all day today. They're probably getting pretty worried."
"Thought the same thing. Came up with an idea if ya want ta hear it."
"I'm all ears," she said, having enjoyed the time with him.
"Would ya care ta be my escort as we walk through the town?"
"I would be delighted."
"Ya have ta give me yer writin' tools and check yerself into the hotel. After all, that's proper." He did not mention he thought she was dangerous with the pencil and parchment.
"I'm not giving you my writing tools but I will write myself a carpetbag and place everything in it. Guess I'm getting a real experience today." Doing as she said, she created her own carpetbag to lie at her feet and she carefully placed the entire story so far in the leather portfolio inside with her toiletries.
"We'll have ta be seen walkin' in from the one end where it might be reckoned we spent the day out and about."
"Works for me."
"Then write, woman, and get us there. Not in the mood to hear Larabee'sbitchin'."
She wrote their transfer and they appeared where he specified. Next, she put the last piece of paper in her hand and wrote them visible, as if just turning the corner arm in arm. That parchment went into her portfolio very carefully because she wanted to savor this moment.
Buck came out of the saloon first and watched with a smirk, yelling over his shoulder at JD, whose head popped up just inside the batwing doors. They stared, causing Josiah and Nathan to look, followed by the thundercloud.
Green eyes met blue eyes and understanding dawned as they made their way into the hotel. The leader shooed the rest away from the entrance to the saloon and back to their tables. She checked herself into the hotel and Vin left her cordial like with a promise to see her the next day. They still had Nathan's adventure in her writing.
The next morning Vin arrived in the lobby promptly at ten o'clock to find her waiting for him. He took her arm and escorted her to the outskirts of town where she made them invisible again. They blinked back to Nathan's clinic and she asked him, "What do you want to do today?"
He sat in one of Nate's chairs and motioned her to sit as well. "I'd like to see this..."
***
Nathan walked out of his clinic with the sensation of someone watching him. Looking all around, he saw no one and realized how hot the day was. He knew before long he would have to check on the older folk to make sure they stayed out of the sun and drank plenty of water.
As he descended his steps, he saw Rain's horse coming toward his clinic. With a huge smile, he practically bounced over to greet her and helped her from the horse. He hugged her close and said, "Rain! I'm surprised to see you."
"Something brought me here today, Nathan. I do not understand it but I followed it."
After tending her horse, he showed her his clinic and the changes he made since the last time she visited. Next, he found himself in her embrace and a received warm greeting on an even hotter day.
***
"Okay, we gave Ezra, Buck, and Nathan a good time, Josiah a kiss, Chris a kiss and a slap, and JD a moment of so close and so far away," she sighed. It approached noon before she finished writing about Nathan and Rain.
"Yeah."
"So, what next?"
He said, "Surprise me." His grin waited for her to do her worst.
"Okay."
Next thing he knew they were at JD's favorite fishing spot where he often brought Casey. "Nice choice."
"Thanks. It's only getting better," she declared with a wicked grin. Perched on the rock, her papers on the hard surface, writing turned difficult but this was the most important part. The payoff.
The payoff to all the other writers who read this entire story who were robbed, as she was frequently told, in the series. Suddenly, they were no longer alone.
All around them were writers of different shapes and sizes and every walk of humanity worldwide. They stared at him in anticipation.
The red-haired new listmother said to her writer, "Get on with it." The listmother tapped her foot impatiently.
"Yes, ma'am," she replied and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment.
"What's goin' on?"
"It's hot, Vin, and we're...uh...I'm gonna cool you down," she told him with a wink.
"I'm just fine," he said then felt the world shimmer. No one was visible but he knew all those eyes watched him.
"Oh, don't I know that, but this is what's expected of me." She started writing in earnest.
***
Vin felt the heat getting to him, making him hot and sweaty under the coat. Normally he could stand it but today it was unbearable. Looking around, he found himself at the fishing hole with no idea how he got there. Figuring he was alone, he removed the jacket and placed it carefully on the rocks.
Boy, the water looked inviting. Taking off his boots and socks, stuffing the socks inside, he dangled his feet in the water and let it cool him. The cold felt incredible.
Next went the suspenders, easily undone from years of practice. Then the long sleeved dark blue shirt, leaving him in his undershirt and pants. His hat went on top of the coat while he pulled the undershirt over his head and exposed his muscled, brown torso to the sizzling air.
Something shimmered and caught his attention. Concentrating, the shape of a woman appeared on the rock not two feet from him. "Hey!" Memory returned in a rush.
She muttered under her breath about how the scruffy tracker had too many abilities for his own good and stared at him. "Sorry, Vin, but baby, just relax and enjoy this."
He crossed his arms over his chest and unknowingly gave the unseen writers a spectacular flex. "I ain't strippin' down ta nothin' for ya."
"Darlin', you can, you will, and you are," she replied. Her pencil flew furiously across the paper and he felt the urge to take off his pants.
He fought it and failed, unbuttoning them and pulling them off his lean hips. His drawers showed and he felt embarrassed but was unable to do anything about it. He glared at her.
Torn in two directions, she heard the sighs from behind her and thought of a suitable ending. "Thank me later," she said as she wrote something.
He dove into the dark water and it concealed him while cooling his skin. Okay, he could just stay here awhile. Then he would have to have his payback against her.
That was when he heard a voice. "You'll have to come out sometime, won't he?" The other writers giggled and chuckled at that.
"Didn't I see white drawers?" another said. "White, wet drawers?"
"Wet, clinging drawers on a bronzed, muscled body," another supplied.
"Aw, hell," he said and started swimming for the writer or cover, whichever came first. If he caught the writer, she would suffer right along with him. If he found cover, he'd wait them out.
"Aw, hell," she said and ran for the hills, leaving them to figure out the rest on their own and planning to hide from a scruffy tracker for the duration.
THE END