DISCLAIMER: No profit is made in any way shape or form from this fan fic. All of the Magnificent Seven characters are the property of Mirisch, Trilogy, MGM, CBS, and now TNN. The twins, however, are mine. Captain McNelly was an actual Texas Ranger during this time period. Sam Crockett is just a name.
WARNING: There are spoliers for the episode "Obsession" in this fanfic.
Many thanks to Linda Backer for allowing me to reference Red.
However I would like to state that I do not wish my characters borrowed without my knowledge or consent. If you are not certain a character is canon or mine, I will be happy to let you know. Just ask or look at my list of original characters.
NOTE: Thanks to Paula, Wen, Judy, and Winnie for taking their valuable time to beta this.
RATING: PG 13
The wind had turned colder, and the rain was coming down in sheets. He shuddered as the cold rain dribbled from his hat onto his neck and made little pathways beneath his shirt. Damn, he missed his buffalo coat. He hadn't had a warm night since it had been destroyed in the rockslide. If that bastard who'd caused it wasn't already dead, Vin Tanner would have hunted him down and killed him. That coat had kept Vin warm and dry for years, and no matter how much grief his friends had given him over it, it was like a second skin that protected him from the elements. Well, if he got pneumonia and died from it, they'd all be sorry. He looked across the barren landscape and wondered for the hundredth time why he had chosen this particular route. It was closer to home by two days; that's why he'd chosen it. He just had a feeling that he had to get home as soon as he could.
Home, he shook his head and smiled despite the cold rain that made him shiver. He couldn't quite believe that Vin Tanner had someplace he actually called home, but he did. He also had friends there waiting on him. They hadn't wanted him to go off by himself, but he had felt that he'd needed to when he'd gotten word that the old chief was dying. He had to go and pay his respects, but since the old friend was a renegade Comanche war chief, Vin Tanner had gone alone. He wouldn't even let Chris come with him to watch his back, and he trusted Chris as he would himself. He told the others only what he needed to in order ensure their safety. When the unlikely source of news had appeared in the form of Kojay, Vin knew that he had to go and see the old man despite the risk. There was no need to mix Chris up in this if Vin had been caught by the army patrols.
It had been almost a month since he had departed in the early morning hours out of Four Corners like a dog sneaking a bone out of the kitchen. He didn't want anyone of his friends following him. If they didn't know when he left and where he was going, Vin felt he had a better than average chance of getting to and from the hideout in one piece. Besides, the renegade Comanches were more likely to kill any other white man on sight before Vin could let them know he was with them. He'd made it just in time, the old war chief telling the boy he had helped raise into a man that he was only waiting for his son to say goodbye. The last years of his life had been spent fighting the white man, but he had never stopped loving his adopted son with the blue eyes and easy grin. At sixty years, he'd still been a virile and formidable warrior until the rifles of the blue coats had riddled his body with bullets. Vin didn't know how the chief had survived all that time waiting on him, but this man had been the father of his blood brother, and he had treated Vin no differently than he did his own son. Vin felt a piece of himself die with the old man when the last tie he had to his Comanche family died. Just as he had mourned and never forgotten his mother, his Indian brother and sister, this old man joined the list of people buried but kept alive in Vin Tanner's heart.
Vin looked down at the six-pointed metal star Vin had wrapped in buffalo hide that the old man had returned to him before he died. It had been the only thing that Vin had had of his real father with him when he'd run away from the orphanage they had placed him in. He had given it to the old man the day he had called him son. The chief had been a stern but loving father and had given Vin the role model a wild young boy had needed to turn himself into a man who fed on justice. Had Vin known the old man had survived the massacre the soldiers had drug him kicking and screaming from, he would have done everything in his power to join him and seek retribution for all the murdered souls. The old man had known that and had allowed the white man to take the only son he had left back to their society. He knew that none of their teachings could alter the man Vin Tanner would become, but he also knew his blue-eyed son would be safe amongst his own kind. It wasn't until Vin had heard of the renegade Comanches living in the mountains that he realized that his adopted father was alive. Vin had found him, but the old man had sent him back to the white world reminding him that there would be no peace unless men like Vin Tanner made the white man believe that there was room enough for both in this vast country.
Vin didn't know how that could happen when there was so much hatred on both sides for all the treachery and death that had been traded over the years. He had been allowed to leave the makeshift village alive and unharmed because of the respect their dead chief was held in, but Vin knew if he ever returned there, it would be as a dead man. That part of his life was over now, and Vin was returning to the family that he had found in Four Corners. Well, he would if he didn't die of exposure first. He shivered again as the wind blew more of the cold rain into his face and around his body. His horse was keeping a brisk pace despite the rain and the mud. It was almost as if the horse knew that it would find warmth and food home when they finally got there.
Nathan would take one look at him and order him into a hot bath. Then, when he was all dry and warm again, the healer would poke and prod at him and force him to drink some damned sissy concoction that tasted like ditch water. And Chris Larabee and company would all be there backing Nathan up and making Vin follow orders. You'd think he hadn't lived most of his twenty-five years alone the way these people coddled him. Hell, Nettie would find out about it because JD would tell Casey, then Nettie would show up to fuss at him and prod and poke at him until he was bruised, and she was satisfied that he was back in one piece alive and well. Sometimes it was a trial having six brothers because if JD didn't spill the beans to Nettie, Buck or Ezra would make a point of letting the old girl know that Vin Tanner didn't have any more sense than to ride in the freezing rain without a coat. Didn't matter that his coat had been put down by order of Nettie Wells.
Vin shivered again and then sneezed. 'Oh Lord, don't let me get a cold.' They'd wrap him in wool and keep him prisoner for weeks. He didn't know who took it more as a personal insult their doctoring skills were needed, Nathan or Nettie. And Chris would glare at Vin for worrying everyone. Sure, he was a week late and had left with only the note tucked under Larabee's door telling him what was going on, but he wasn't worried about the Larabee glare as much as he was worried that Chris and company had gotten into trouble while he was gone. Leave it to them to need his sharp shooting while he was gone. He'd heard of trouble near Four Corners while he was gone, but the information had been sketchy at best. That's why he couldn't stop for shelter right now, he had to get back home in case they needed him. He sneezed again, and he wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve. Didn't do much good when you were soaked to the bone, but Vin had been wet and cold before and lived through it. He had to get home. Something at the back of his mind told him he was needed. It was a feeling of unease that got stronger the closer he got to Four Corners. He just had to get over this barren spot and up into the hills. He was half a day from Chris's shack, and if he was lucky, the gunslinger would be there. Then Vin could get warm and dry without having to face Nettie or Nathan. Chris was too good a friend to tell the healer if Vin had been in less than great shape when he returned as long as the sharp shooter was walking upright under his own steam. Vin sneezed again as he urged his horse in the direction of Chris's shack. The gunslinger had better be there.
It was a very wet man and beast who trudged to the front of Chris Larabee's place. The rain had stopped, but the sun had stayed hidden in the overcast sky until early evening turned it darker. The wind had died down leaving a damp, penetrating cold that did nothing to warm Vin Tanner. Vin spotted Buck's gray in the corral with Chris's black. The door flung open and Vin heard Buck's voice.
"Well would you look at what the wind blew in? Seems to me he looks a might familiar. You recognize this sorry excuse for a man?" Buck grinned at the man on the horse. Chris appeared at his shoulder and grinned in genuine pleasure at Vin.
"Well, Buck, he looks bit like I fella I knew once. Name of Tanner. What was his first name? Been a while."
"Ben, naw, it was Len."
"Really? I thought it sounded more like Vin."
"Yeah, Chris, Vin, Vin Tanner. That you, boy?"
Vin's retort was cut off by a fit of sneezing that made both of his friends jump into action. Buck took his horse's reins, and Chris literally pulled the wet tracker off the horse and into the cabin. Without saying a word he pushed Vin close to the fire. He reached over and tossed a couple of blankets to Vin.
"Take off those clothes and wrap up in those blankets."
Vin nodded and was already pulling his jacket off. The suspenders got pulled down, and he worked the buttons free until he was ready to pull the shirt off. The wet fabric clung to him, and he felt someone help by pulling his shirt by the back collar. The wet cloth relinquished its hold and freed Vin. He pulled the long underwear he was wearing from his torso and then wrapped one of the blankets around his shoulders and dropped into the chair by the fire.
"You got any dry clothes? I got some extra pants and shirts here."
"Got some in my saddle bags."
Chris poured a steaming cup of coffee and topped it off with a generous dose of whiskey while Vin pulled his sodden boots and socks off. He handed it to Vin and smiled. "Takes the chill off."
Vin felt the hot liquid burn down his throat and into his stomach. The heat felt good on his hands and in his body. He inhaled the steam from the liquid with his cold nostrils. It didn't last as Buck came back in carrying Vin's saddle bags. The gust of cold air the door caused made him shiver and sneeze one more time. He got a sharp look from Chris, but that one look spoke volumes.
Buck walked over to the bed and dumped the contents of one of the bags onto the bed. He found some clean long johns, a clean shirt, a pair of pants, and a thick pair of socks that weren't ready to walk by themselves, yet.
"You gonna sit there in them wet pants an' catch your death, or you gonna change into these dry clothes?"
Vin's reply made Buck throw his head back and laugh. "Damn, I'm glad you're back, Vin. I actually missed your sorry ass."
"Missed y'all." It was said softly, but Chris and Buck heard the whispered reply. It was probably the only time anyone would hear Vin admit to missing anything. Vin finished off the cup of whiskey laced coffee and walked over the bed to change his clothes. "That stew smells good. You musta cooked it, Chris. Buck's don't smell half that good."
"That's cause Buck usually burns his."
Vin laughed as his two friends busied themselves doing other things while they gave Vin the privacy to shuck his wet clothes and change into the dry ones. He still felt chilled all the way to his bones, but the warm clothes and hot coffee had gone a long way to begin the warming process. He walked over to the fire and sat back down. He threw the blankets back around his shoulders. Buck handed him a bowl of stew. Vin nodded his thanks. Buck sat down with his food on the floor near the fire across from Vin and left the chair next to him for Chris.
"You get everything taken care of?" Chris asked before he took a bite of stew. The question was casual enough, but Chris wasn't sure if Vin had told any of the others where he was going. It wasn't his place to tell Vin's business, and Buck hadn't volunteered if Vin had confided in him or not.
"Yeah, said he was just waitin' on me 'fore he died."
"Sorry for that, but I'm glad you're back in one piece. I heard it's been real bad up there with lots of fightin' and killin'. You have any trouble?" Vin watched Chris raise an eyebrow at Buck's question.
Sometimes Buck surprised the hell out of Chris. This was the same man who had blabbered to Mary Travis all about Chris's private life, but Buck hadn't said a word about Vin's trek into Comanche territory. Not even to Chris. Buck winked at Vin acknowledging Chris's surprise. "Tellin' Mary Travis why you were such a son of a bitch is one thing. Sayin' somethin' 'bout where Vin was goin' woulda got him killed."
"Shut up, Buck." Chris was laughing as he acknowledged that Buck indeed was a true friend. The laughter made Vin feel warmer than anything. He was home. He hadn't realized how much he had missed all of them. He had missed that vein throbbing in the middle of Chris's forehead, and the way Buck could make that vein throb with just a comment. He'd miss trading insults with Ezra and listening to JD's never-ending questions. He'd missed the quiet steadiness of Josiah and the equally quiet compassion of Nathan. Hell, he'd missed everyone. He was looking forward to seeing the others. He'd even let Nathan tell him what a fool he was to ride in the rain. He ate the last of the stew and let Buck fill the bowl up again.
"I heard there was some trouble. Any of it here?"
"Nothing we couldn't handle. Had some cowboys decide the town would be better off with no newspaper, but we convinced them that we liked the place like it was." Vin raised his eyebrow in question. Before Chris could continue, Buck had to get in on the fun.
"You shoulda seen it, Vin. These fellas didn't like what Mary printed about what they'd done in the last town they were in, and they came to make her shut up. Mary was so mad that she was spittin' fire. Chris here finally picked her up and pushed her into the building. Then he told those boys to get."
"And?"
"One of the boys recognized Chris. Those boys turned tail and left town with their tails between their legs. Mary came out as they left and wanted to know why Chris hadn't shot any of them. Lord, Vin, I didn't know who was madder, Chris or Mary." Vin looked like he wanted to laugh, but he caught the Larabee glare daring him to. His lips turned up at the corners slightly, so he took a bite of stew. It was hard to burst out laughing and get yourself shot by an irate friend when your mouth was full.
"I wasn't mad, Buck."
"Aw no you weren't mad. That wasn't fire I saw comin' out of your ears. You know how he gets, Vin. He glared at Mary and told her to go back inside and print up some more trouble."
Vin looked at Chris and grinned. Then he started laughing with Buck. 'Damn it was good to be home.' Chris saw the look and knew what Vin was thinking. He allowed a smile to form and then joined in on the laughter. Then he got a purely evil look on his face. Vin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"You got back just in time, Vin."
"Why?" was the wary response. They were enjoying this too much.
"The twins are comin' to visit."
Vin gulped and looked over to see Buck's look of sympathy.
"Yeah, Ours. Your twin terrors are comin' for ya."
"Aw, hell. It ain't funny."
Chris and Buck both started to laugh at him. Vin tossed his empty bowl at Buck and pulled the blankets around his shoulders. He crossed over to Chris's bed and fell face first on it.
"Too late an' too tired to start for town tonight. Y'all wake me when it's morning."
"Chris, I think he's got your bed and your blankets." Where you plannin' on sleepin'?"
"In front of the fire. I guess that means you get the floor by the door. Sure hope that animal magnetism of yours is enough to keep you warm."
A pillow hit Buck on the head. Chris grabbed it before Buck could.
"Hey, he gave me that pilla. Give it back."
Chris snorted and stuffed the pillow under his arm. Buck disappeared and came back with his saddle and blanket. He tossed them on the floor by the door. He heard snoring coming from the bed and looked over at Chris.
"He look okay to you?"
Chris looked at the body sleeping on the bed and back at Buck. "Looks tired, but okay. Old man was like a pa to him. Hard to lose someone like that."
"Yeah, good thing he's got us, ain't it?"
Chris looked over at Buck and replied, "Go to sleep, Buck, 'fore you wake him up with your jawin'."
There was a slight noise from Buck's direction letting Chris know that he wasn't fooling anyone. It was good to have Vin back home.
The three men left at dawn and arrived in town just as its citizens were greeting a new day. Josiah and Nathan were sitting in front of the jail, but stood when they saw who was riding between Chris and Buck. Nathan slapped Josiah on the back as they stepped towards the edge of the boardwalk. Their attention was diverted from their returning brother as JD bounced towards them from the boarding house. In his wake walked the impeccably dressed Ezra Standish who was holding a handkerchief over a yawning countenance.
"Mr. Dunne, I fail to understand your need to rouse me from my repose at this ungodly hour."
"C'mon Ez, it's near eight. Time to get up and get some breakfast. Vin might come home today." JD turned back to grin at Ezra, and his smile literally lit up his face. Ezra turned in his direction and saw the reason for JD's apparent delight. The gambler's face broke out into a smile as well. They joined Nathan and Josiah as the three men rode right up to the rail and dismounted.
"Mr. Dunne, you were mentioning the arrival of our missing compatriot?" He saluted Vin with a two-fingered tap to the forward brim of his hat and a gold-toothed smile. His friend returned it with pleasure.
"Huh?" JD's response was greeted by laughter from Vin. He actually grabbed the kid by wrapping his arm across JD's shoulders. It was as close to a hug as Vin was likely to come.
"He's saying be careful what ya wish for, ain't ya, Ezra?" Nathan patted Vin on the back and joined in on the laughter when Josiah pulled Vin away from JD long enough to envelop the tracker in a Sanchez bear hug. Chris and Buck grinned as they saw Vin actually return the big man's hug. Vin had just a hint of red in his cheeks. He wasn't used to this much attention, but he was happy to be home. He hid his embarrassment by addressing all four men at once.
"Missed me, huh?"
"You were gone?" Nathan's innocent sounding query caused the laughter to start again. The seven were complete again, and it looked to be a beautiful November day.
"Yeah, came back cause I got tired of cookin' for myself."
"Having tasted what you deem a culinary delight, Mr. Tanner, I feel your pain. May I perhaps interest you in a breakfast at Mrs. Bridger's. Mr. Dunne, I am sure, will be eager to treat us."
"I think I might just like that, Ezra. Y'all comin'?"
"Don't mind if I do." Chris led the way with Vin, Ezra, and Josiah following right behind him. Nathan waited for Buck and JD to walk with him. JD was talking a blue streak to Buck.
"Hey, why do I got to buy everyone's breakfast?"
"Well that's right nice of you to offer to buy us all breakfast, JD. I accept." Buck pushed the kid ahead of him towards the dining room.
"I didn't invite no one no where, Buck. Ezra said I was gonna treat him and Vin." It dawned on JD that Nathan was laughing at him, and then it dawned on him why. He looked over at Nathan and winked. "But I guess I could be talked into feeding the rest of ya. Maybe I can use some of the Dunne charm on Mrs. Bridger. Works like a charm to get me a free breakfast every morning."
"We get all our meals from Mrs. Bridger free. It's the board half of room and. . . , JD." Buck was in too good a mood not to tease the kid.
"That's a fact, Buck. C'mon 'fore Vin gets all the best biscuits." Nathan and Buck hurried to keep up with the kid.
They walked in to see a red faced Vin Tanner being fussed over by Mrs. Bridger herself.
"You sit down right here young man. Lord, you look skinnier if that's possible. Go on, now. Sit." Vin did as he was told figuring that the sooner he did what Mrs. Bridger told him to the sooner the woman would disappear back into her kitchen. He glared at his audience daring them to say a word. Mrs. Bridger was too busy beaming to notice. "Glory, honey, bring some of those fresh, hot biscuits Mr. Tanner likes so much. And don't forget those peach preserves."
Glory shot a shy grin in Vin's direction and with a soft, "Yes ma'am," disappeared into the kitchen. She was back with a plate of hot biscuits, butter, and a crock of peach preserves before Mrs. Bridger had finished pouring everyone a cup of coffee.
"Mr. Dunne needs a glass of milk, Glory." Glory had already gotten a glass and was pouring the milk into it. She placed it in front of JD as Mrs. Bridger patted Vin on the back after he bit into a fluffy steaming biscuit dripping with preserves. The other six could have gotten into a brawl, and Mrs. Bridger would have ignored them. She had a young man here who needed fattening up, and her maternal instincts were in full force.
"I haven't seen you in a coon's age, Mr. Tanner. Why, these boys have been walkin' around lookin' meaner than a cat tied in a sack. You take care of all that business the judge sent you out on?"
Vin turned a purely evil look upon his friends. They had missed him. Not one to gloat, Vin merely turned the full force of his smile on Mrs. Bridger. He'd gloat later when they brought up the twins' impending visit. 'They had missed him as much as he had them! Damn, it was good to be home!'
"Yes ma'am, I took care of everythin'. I sure missed your biscuits, though, an' your peach preserves."
Mrs. Bridger's face lit up from the compliment and the smile. If only she were twenty years younger. "Well I think this calls for a celebration. How would steak and eggs sound for breakfast?"
"Sounds real good, Mrs. Bridger. Thank you."
"And you gentlemen, you want your regular eggs and bacon?" Vin nearly spit his mouthful of biscuit and preserves all over Chris as he tried to stifle the laugh that had bubbled up into his throat. He ducked his head and stared at the tablecloth until he had control of himself. Mrs. Bridger bustled off singing to herself as she went to cook the steak for Vin. Even Buck and Ezra were sitting there speechless.
"She never gives anyone steak for breakfast! That's always extra, ain't it Ezra?"
"Indeed it is, Mr. Dunne. It appears our friend has developed his own brand of animal magnetism."
"Yeah, works real good on old women and baby girls." Buck had recovered his speech as quickly as had Ezra.
"Now, Bucklin, be nice. I heard y'all were plumb miserable while I was gone."
Chris and Josiah had had enough. They started laughing, and the others joined in. They wrestled the peach preserves from Vin and made him share as they plowed through the biscuits waiting on the rest of their breakfast. The seven were together again and nothing else mattered at the moment.
"Plan on stayin' for a while, pard?"
"Yeah, Buck, I ain't goin' nowheres anytime soon. I got company comin'. John say why they were on their way here?" Vin looked at Chris for an answer. If anyone knew why John Terrell was bringing his family to Four Corners before the railroad actually made its tracks here, it would be Chris.
"He just sent a telegram sayin' he was comin', and that the twins wanted to know if Ours was gonna be here."
"He didn't put that in a telegram, did he?" Vin was looking for a hole to crawl in. While he didn't mind being called Ours by the twins, he didn't want anyone else to. Chris read the look on Vin's face.
"Buck up, pard. I'm sure Ezra'll be willin' to draw high card to keep ya, again, won't ya Ez?"
Buck snorted at Chris's choice of words, and Ezra answered. "Most assuredly, Mr. Larabee. I will do my utmost to convince those adorable young ladies that our illustrious Mr. Tanner belongs here with us."
Vin's answer was a huge sneeze. Nathan rocked forward on his chair and reached a hand over to feel Vin's forehead. Vin leaned away, but the chair held him prisoner. He sighed while Nathan checked him for fever.
"I'm all right. Just caught a bit of a chill. It was rainin' yesterday, ya know."
Nathan gave him a look that spoke volumes. "Ya ain't got no fever. Ya achey or anything? Nose stopped up?"
"No, I'm fine. Really."
"All right, but I want you to drink some willow bark tea anyways. Ya get wet yesterday?"
"Yes, but I'm fine. I don't want no ditch water." He looked around at the faces set in stone around him. Then, he sighed. "All right, I'll drink that stuff, but I ain't drinkin' it until after my breakfast."
"Fair enough."
Vin caught Buck looking at him. The mustache rose in a grin as the scoundrel mouthed, 'I told you so.' Vin tossed a biscuit at him. He was saved from retaliation by the appearance of Glory and Mrs. Bridger carrying heaping plates of eggs and steaks fried and smothered in onions and gravy. The addition of steak to their morning meal made all the men sit up at attention. It wasn't often Mrs. Bridger went to this much trouble unless she really liked her regulars, and she really liked all of the seven. The morning was spent catching up and enjoying each others company. It was good they were together again.
"Are we there, yet?"
"When will we get there?"
"Soon, Alicia." Alexandra retied the bow that was slipping over Alicia's left eye.
"Will Ours be there?"
"An' all of Our others?"
"I'm certain that if Vin Tanner is there, then so are the other six. Lison, don't get that dress dirty." What on earth had the twins been into this time? Alison looked like someone had sprinkled dried leaves on her hair. Where had they found dead leaves on a train? Alexandra decided she really didn't want to know.
"Jamie, ya think Billy will see how big we are?" Jamie Terrell turned his eyes upon his aunt, no his mother. He grinned as she tried to keep the bow intact while she brushed the leaves on the floor of the moving train. Then he rolled his eyes at the next comment.
"What if Ours doesn't remember us?"
"Ooooo, Mommy, what if Ours doesn't know us?"
"We're Daddy's big girls now. Are we too big for Ours?'
Alexandra tried not to laugh at her twin daughters. They were one month shy of their sixth birthday, and yet they managed to run her household like it was their own. Of course it was. The twins had a way of charming all the staff. Alexandra wasn't surprised. They had taken all of thirty seconds to wrap the seven men who kept the peace in Four Corners around their grubby little fingers. She looked up to see Henderson.
Since the last trip when the twins had nearly been kidnapped, Henderson had refused to let them out of his sight. He'd been a footman at her parents' estate when she was a little girl, and now he was the butler in her household, had been since she had married John Terrell. Henderson always took care of his ladies as he called them, and he was going to make certain no one had any opportunity to try and take his ladies again. He also wanted to meet this young man that Mrs. Terrell and old Dr. Connors decided was his dear Miss Annabelle's son. Not that anyone had told him anything about it, but the Terrells only hired staff they knew and trusted. Neither Henderson nor any of the others would ever betray them, so he had heard more than one conversation in which the young man's name had been mentioned.
Miss Annabelle had been the middle of the Connors sisters. Her older sister had married the man Annabelle had been designated for, the one who had taken over the family's bank after the death of Mr. Connors. Mrs. Terrell was the youngest, and she could have been Miss Annabelle's twin had there not been ten years between them. Wild and beautiful, Miss Annabelle had met and fallen in love with a Texas Ranger. Even though she was engaged to Mr. Sour Puss, Miss Annabelle had run off with the handsome young Texan. Her jilted fiancé had married her older sister Amanda, and lovely Miss Annabelle had died along with her five-year-old son soon after the death of her husband. Or so everyone had thought. They hadn't received the letter from the dying woman until three years after her death. For unknown and even miraculous reasons no one had ever been able to discover, the letter had arrived almost three years to the day of her death.
When the family had discovered that her son, now eight, had not died from the putrid fever that had killed her, the two sisters and their uncle began an immediate search for the young boy. Mrs. Amanda's husband had not approved of his pregnant wife leaving him and their two daughters to go and look for the son of the woman who had jilted him, so it had been up to eighteen year old Alexandra and her uncle to search for the boy. They had arrived at the orphanage only to find out that the little boy had run away. Sister Maria, who had been at the orphanage before the new administrator had arrived, had told them of the mischievous little boy with blue eyes that lit up every time he smiled. Apparently the new man didn't have the understanding of the little boy that the sisters had, and so he had run away where the man's overpowering disgust of children could no longer tell him daily he was going to hell. Their search had turned up nothing but questions. No one had found a body, and no little boy had turned up unclaimed anywhere. If the child had found a home in Texas, whoever had him didn't know the Connors were looking for him, or they loved the boy too much to give him up. Henderson had always hoped for Miss Annabelle's sake it was the later. If her son was anything like the free spirit his mother had been someone would surely have taken to him.
Henderson had been suspicious when he had heard that Alexandra Terrell and Dr. Connors were convinced a young man whose face they had seen in the drawings of a dime novel was Miss Annabelle's long lost son. He was certain that John Terrell would expose the man as a fraud, just like he had the other false ones. However, upon their arrival in San Francisco, the twins had talked of only seven men, one of whom was the man in question. It was Ours this and Ours that. Henderson would have been jealous if he hadn't heard all the young man had done to keep not only his ladies safe, but young Master Jamie as well. The selfless way the young man had nearly died taking a bullet meant for a very pregnant Alexandra had convinced Henderson that if nothing else this man was someone with whom he could trust the lives of 'his' family. If he truly was Miss Annabelle's son, then Henderson would welcome him to the family, but he was still reserving judgment on that.
"Hendursson, you think Ours will remember us?"
"I think, Miss Alicia, that your Ours will most definitely remember you." Before the other could ask, he answered Lison, too. "And who couldn't help but remember Miss Alison?" Satisfied, the twins settled down on the divan to listen to the book their mother had pulled from the bag. It was their favorite book, a dime novel that wove a tale about their favorite heroes.
They were one day from Brecken, and the seven were going to meet them and escort them to Four Corners. Even Jamie was excited, but not as excited as Alexandra Terrell. She was on her way to tell a certain young man that he was not only her nephew, but a free man if everything fell into place like her husband planned. Alexandra wasn't a gambling woman; however, if she was going to gamble, she'd gamble on her husband any day. That didn't mean she couldn't stack the deck in her favor. She'd learned that from Mr. Standish.
Vin Tanner was going to be free even if she had to call in every favor she and her family had ever done for anyone. She already had the First Lady convinced that any young man who would endanger his life to protect the lives of children he didn't even know, well how could he possibly be a murderer? If all else failed, her friend would bring pressure to bear for a presidential pardon. Alexandra looked down at her sleeping daughters. They were going to be thrilled to know that Ours was their cousin, but she wasn't so sure how Vin Tanner was going to take the news that he had a family who still wanted him just as he had found his own in Four Corners. She heard the door open, and John walked in.
"You're worrying again." She frowned at him. "Everything will work out. I'm sure that after the initial shock has worn off, he will be thrilled to know he has a family."
"I hope so because he's not getting away from me this time. We've searched for him for seventeen years. Uncle isn't getting any younger, and he's got to know that we wanted him. He has to know that he had a family who wanted him all those years. He has too, John. If nothing else, he has to know that we loved him even when we didn't know who or where he was."
"He knows how you welcomed Jamie to our family. He'll know you would have done the same for him. It will all work out, except we may have to pry the twins loose from him when it's time to leave again."
Alexandra burst into laughter and put her hand over her mouth so as not to wake the twins or Jamie. John always knew just what to say to make her see the absurdity life could serve you. She really did love him way too much. He leaned over and kissed her.
"Nanny says that Annabelle wants her mother. I told her to give me five minutes before she brought her in. She informed me it didn't take five minutes to kiss you. Why is it our help is so cheeky?"
"Or wrong. It can take longer than that if you do it right." She saw the flaming look of passion her husband scorched her with as she turned to face the opening door. Her face didn't betray the satisfaction at her ability to do that to him.
The door opened as the nanny brought the baby to her mother. Alexandra held out her arms for her infant daughter. The brown haired, blue-eyed baby looked exactly her mother. She smiled at the baby, the smile traveling all the way to her eyes, and the baby giggled. Both smiles reminded John Terrell of another smile he had last seen in Four Corners. That no one had seen the resemblance he chalked up to the strain and worry everyone had been under with the kidnapping and the near death experience of one of their friends. John thought it was a good thing Alexandra had decided to tell Vin Tanner all she knew, else the others would stumble onto it. They needed to tell him first, then his friends. That would be best.
The seven left the following day for the same town south of Brecken where they had escorted the Terrells to the last time. The railroad had made tremendous strides, but it had yet to link to Four Corners. Vin rode ahead with Chris, while the others followed behind, two by two until the rear was drawn up with JD driving the coach that would carry baggage and people to Four Corners. Buck and Ezra rode on either side of the coach yelling words of encouragement and insults at JD's driving skills. Nathan and Josiah would break into laughter every once in a while when JD stopped ignoring the gambler and the ladies' man long enough to hurl a well-placed insult at them. Even Vin and Chris enjoyed the way JD was holding his own. He was turning into quite a young man, having learned the most he could from the best. It was like Josiah pointed out one night; JD was smart enough to pick up on the good habits the men had and not their bad ones.
Two saddled horses were tied to the back of the stage next to JD's. The others had thought that Alexandra and her husband might prefer the outdoor air to a stuffy carriage. They already knew the twins would ride with Vin and Ezra and Jamie with Chris. It was the way of the world when it came to the twins. They fully expected the others to place Vin and Ezra in their custody, so why fight them? They were after all, twin forces of nature.
Besides, what trouble could two men get into if they had the twins scrutinizing everything they said and did? At least that was the sentiment voiced aloud by Chris Larabee and the remainder of the seven. Vin and Ezra were highly insulted. They hadn't played with dynamite since that mishap with that hill of rocks; at least they hadn't that Chris knew anything about.
They could hear the train whistle over the noise of the booming town that the railroad's presence had ignited until it was almost as big as Brecken.
"Think this is what'll happen to Four Corners when the train comes?" Vin looked over the crowded town. He kept tight control on the reins of his horse as it shied away from the man sent sprawling on the road in front of him through the batwing doors of the local saloon. Two men came flying after him as a huge man appeared in the doorway brandishing a shotgun.
"Now git, an' don't come back!" He spit tobacco juice on the boardwalk as he watched the six men on horseback and the coach trailing behind. He grinned in anticipation of new money, but frowned when the seven road past without backwards glance.
"Not if we're there to stop it." Chris finally had a chance to answer Vin. "Don't look like this town has much of a lawman. Now Brecken's sheriff's done a good job keeping that town from goin' wild, an' he does it with ten deputies. I figure the seven of us can handle Four Corners."
"Sounds like yer makin' some plans to settle for a spell." Vin looked out from under his hat brim at Chris to see his reaction.
"Got nuthin' else better to do. What about you?"
"Got to see what I can do about Tascosa, but I don't want to leave with that Ella woman loose. No tellin' what she'll try next."
"She'd best stay clear if she wants to live. Been wantin' to talk to you 'bout that."
"Ain't nuthin' to say, Chris. Sometimes a woman comes along an' jest messes with yer brain so much it don't think straight no more." Vin wasn't referring to just Ella alone. Chris knew Vin was thinking of his ill-fated affair with Charlotte Richmond. Neither man had listened to their friends' warnings about the havoc their affairs would wreak upon their friends and their lives.
"Guess it's a good thing we had friends to watch our backs until our brains started workin' again." Chris looked over into amused blue eyes. Any hint of regret or condemnation was absent. Chris only saw support and friendship in Tanner's eyes. They nodded to one another, all things settled between them.
If only Mary Travis could be that easily reached, but Chris knew he was going to have to do some major groveling to get back in the widow's good graces. She had cut him a lot of slack in the time they'd known one another, but her coolness of late had only served to show Chris what a fool he had been over Ella. It was just so easy to go back to Ella because he'd never really loved her. He was afraid something would take Mary from him like someone had taken Sarah and Adam from him. So, to avoid reliving any of that pain and guilt, he'd been ready to take the easy way out and go back to Ella. She was good for a laugh, could match a man drink for drink, and she was wild in bed. The fact that she had money and a ranch was only icing on the cake. Chris thought he could live like that, but then Vin had told him all about how Ella had planned the whole scheme to get him there.
Chris shook his head at his own foolishness. He'd nearly lost everything over that bitch. He'd told his best friend to mind his own business, just like Vin had told him to mind his over Charlotte. Hell, at least Vin had seen through Charlotte enough to know that she just wanted her husband's attention again, but Ella, Ella had killed Sarah and Adam. Chris had known she was crazy, but he'd never thought she was capable of killing an innocent woman and child because she wanted him. Hell, he wasn't worth the ground Sarah had walked on, and Ella had ordered Sarah's death just because Ella was deluded enough to believe Chris actually loved her.
"We'll get her, Chris." The voice was a low growl, but Chris knew it meant Vin Tanner had made a vow to make Ella pay for the murders of Chris's wife and child. "We won't ever let her hurt anyone else again."
Chris nodded. Then seeing two blonde heads hanging out of the train window he started to laugh. He hadn't realized how much he actually liked the twins and the way they manipulated every adult within a fifty-mile radius until he saw their grinning faces from the train window. Vin followed his gaze and started that slow grin that traveled from his mouth to his eyes. It never ceased to amaze Chris how two little girls could wrap seven men around their grubby fingers, especially Vin Tanner and Ezra Standish.
A horse pulled alongside the two men.
"Mr. Tanner, we can still make our escape. We just wave and smile and keep riding."
Vin looked over at Ezra and waggled his eyebrows causing the con man to laugh. "C'mon, Ezra. They'd probably convince some strangers that we belonged to them an' they'd have us stopped 'fore we got out of the territory."
Ezra sighed. "I was afraid that would be the case, Vin. Shall we present a united front?" He put out his hand. Vin returned it by grasping Ezra's arm at the elbow like he normally did with Chris.
"We're in this together, pard."
Chris started laughing at the two men. Buck rode up and wanted to know why. Chris obliged him in a voice that reached the others. "Vin and Ezra are scared of the twins."
"Well hell, Chris, what else is new?" The others started laughing as JD stood up on top of the coach seat and waved to the twins. They didn't even know he had maneuvered around them to bring the coach alongside the train. The two heads disappeared back into the train as Josiah had the last word.
"Courage, brothers. You survived these wild ones the last time through the grace of God and your friends. He does answer the prayers of sinners as well as saints. Would you like to have a moment of silence before they descend upon us?"
His words droned like a sermon. Ezra and Vin both said something to him that was drowned out by the sound of the train whistle signaling the train would depart within the hour. No matter, Josiah had seen the look of unholy glee that crossed the faces of Chris, Buck, Nathan, and JD. His work here was done.
Ezra looked at Vin and got an imperceptible nod from the tracker. Josiah had just made himself the next victim of the twins if Vin Tanner and Ezra Standish had their collective way. It was a shame, but they had to keep their friends in line. It was a tough job, but with the expert help of two pint sized mischief-makers, Vin and Ezra could get the job done. Then there were their friends who were enjoying their predicament. That meant that they needed to be dealt with also. They could do this, a piece of cake for two similar minded men bent on their own mischief. Ah yes, the twins' visit would certainly make things livelier.
Continued in Part Two
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