Are We There, Yet?

By SasseyJ

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.


Part Seven

Chapter 31

Vin and Buck had already made it up the stairs and were getting ready to knock on the door of the Terrell suite when the door opened abruptly. Billy had seen them walking up the boardwalk through the rain soaked window.

"Where's Chris?"

"Right here, Billy."

Chris caught the boy as he launched himself at his hero. Their appearance was met with far more warmth from Mary than they had witnessed since Ella Gaines had invaded their lives.

"I sure hope you got plenty of hot food, hot water, an' dry clothes, John. We're all cold to the bone and hungrier than a bear." Leave it to Buck to notice that Chris and Mary were back on track. The prospect of Chris and Mary together was one dream Buck not only could live with, he'd do everything to make it happen. His smiling requests galvanized the people in the room into action. Sheriff Johnson sent his son to order food and hot baths brought to the rooms on this floor that Terrell had already arranged for. Wet coats were hung up to dry and four men were sent off to hot baths and dry clothes with a promise of a feast when they returned. Judge Travis and Sheriff Johnson both raised quizzical looks to Larabee as he set Billy on the floor. Chris was short and sweet.

"Ella and the man with her, Lassiter, went over the edge into the river. We found his body but no traces of Ella's. With the rain and all, Vin says we would have seen the muddy prints if she'd gotten out alive. We found most of her clothing caught on a tree branch buried under the water. We all think she's dead, the river took her."

Mary would have felt safer if Chris had said they had captured her or that they had found her body. Not knowing what had happened to Ella meant she and Billy were still in danger from the mad woman. She was about to ask when she saw the four men all turn around and look at her. What she saw suddenly made her worries disappear. If Ella or one of her hired killers did turn up, any would be assassin would have to go through the seven men to get to her and Billy. And Mary knew that Chris would never allow that to happen. She also knew that none of the others would either. She decided then and there she could run and hide or she could choose to live her life without fear. She chose to live her life as she always had despite the obstacles. Mary Travis looked at the men in front of her and smiled.

"You'd better go have a bath and change clothes. If any of you catch a cold, I'm not staying around long enough to listen to Nathan fuss at any of you."

Ezra obliged her by sneezing twice into his already wet handkerchief. Buck and Chris both sneezed, and then Vin topped it off with a succession of sneezes that had everyone turning and looking at him. He took the judge's handkerchief that Mary had plucked from her father-in-law's pocket and wiped his nose.

"What?" His belligerent expression stopped any polite conversation as Mary and Billy started laughing. Vin threw a disgusted look at all of his friends and stalked from the room. "I ain't drinkin' none of that ditch water Nathan's always trying to pour down ya every time ya sneeze."

The others continued to laugh at him as they followed him to the rooms. Less than half an hour later, a dry Vin was back, dressed in clean, new clothes. John had explained that since he'd left Four Corners with only the clothes on his back, John had taken the opportunity to have some sent to his room upon his return. Vin mumbled a thank you and caught sight of himself in the mirror in a dark navy shirt and new brown pants. He had to admit that they were better made than most of the clothes he usually wore, but they weren't the fancy clothes that John and Ezra habitually wore. They certainly weren't worth the energy to raise a ruckus over, so Vin accepted them in the spirit in which they were given to him. After all, John Terrell was kin now, and kin looked after their own. At least that what Vin had always believed kin did.

He walked over to the table and looked at all the food that had been sent up to the room. He'd never seen this much food since that party the town had thrown when the Terrell's had left Four Corners with a promise to return with the railroad. He didn't need any encouragement to help himself as Mary handed him a plate nearly overflowing with food.

"A snack to get you started." She winked at him and he laughed. Sitting down, he started on the fluffy mashed potatoes sitting right next to the steak smothered in onions and gravy. He didn't notice Judge Crockett sitting down next to him until his friends returned to the room. He paused with a forkful half way to his mouth. The man next to him nodded his head in encouragement and smiled as Vin continued to eat his dinner.

"I take it you know why I'm here, son." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

"Yes sir, I do." Vin left his fork on his plate as he turned to face Crockett. It was best to get this over and done with while most everyone was here. Then, they could tell everyone about his decision. He'd already made up his mind about this pardon stuff. "I didn't kill Kincaid, an' I don't want no pardon sayin' I did but it's all right I did."

Vin might as well have taken his mare's leg and shot Chris right in the chest with it. Judge Crockett raised an eyebrow as everyone in the room started talking at once trying to convince Vin that the pardon was the best they could do for now and still set him free. He had to admire Tanner even more for this. The man was adamant in his innocence, so much so that he would refuse a pardon despite all the time and effort everyone had gone through to get it for him. Crockett knew it was no ruse to win him over. Tanner sat there quietly listening to everyone, but the set look on his face said it all. He'd made up his mind that a pardon just wouldn't do for him because it would label him a murderer forever. The man was just as stubborn as Crockett remembered both of his parents being. He held up a hand for silence. Surprisingly, everyone complied.

Chris stood there glaring at Vin. Ezra was shaking his head despairingly. Buck looked completely disgusted, and John Terrell looked like he wanted to rip Vin's head from his shoulders. Mary Travis had that pinched looked about her face that she'd had the day before her confrontation with Larabee, and Sheriff Johnson looked like he wanted to beat some sense into Tanner. Billy just looked confused.

Tanner was one stubborn man. The judge liked that and looked over at Judge Travis. Travis was standing in the background taking it all in. He had his judge's face on, revealing nothing. His eyes caught Crockett's and they shared a silent communication. Crocket couldn't force Tanner to accept the pardon he was already inclined to give him, so he decided to go through the formalities to erase any doubt in his mind. The hanging judge could be mighty persuasive when he wanted to be, and he knew he and Judge Travis were best able to handle this alone.

"Why don't you men finish eating. Judge Travis and I would like to chat with Mr. Tanner alone." He held his hand up for silence once more. "We just want to talk to him. I give you my word that no one will be arrested tonight."

Vin nodded his acceptance of that and returned to his food. Dinner was subdued and quiet after that, the previous outburst seemed to have robbed everyone of speech. Even Ezra Standish was at a loss for words. He looked over to see Buck still fuming and Chris still shooting his formidable glare at the one man in the room who didn't seem too bothered by the tidbit of information he had just dropped on everyone. It was just like Tanner to do this.

Stubborn and righteous in his innocence, he would feel accepting a pardon for a crime he didn't commit would be against everything his mother had instilled into her son. If only Maude had known Vin when he was younger. Maybe he would be more willing to accept the offered pardon had Maude been around to teach him the importance of staying alive. Ezra just knew that if Josiah were here, maybe Chris and the preacher could talk some sense into the sharpshooter. Somehow, someone would have to get through that stubborn brain and convince Vin that a pardon wasn't an admission of guilt or the negative thing he made it out to be. He could be free like Chris had said to prove his innocence without fear of being shot for the bounty. Looking up he saw Chris exchange the same look with him and then Buck. They all felt the same as Ezra did. They would all have to do something to convince Vin to accept the pardon if Crockett decided to still give it to him after this. Ezra never needed his conning skills more than now. Tanner needed Ezra's unique perspective, Buck's persuasiveness, and Chris's determination. Between the three of them, they would convince Vin to accept the pardon. He saw Mary reach over and grasp Chris by the hand. Buck smiled at Ezra noticing the gesture.

Three of the seven weren't here to help Vin, but they had four people, no five counting John Terrell to help convince Vin that the pardon would be a good thing for him, for everyone. That was it. They needed to convince Vin that the safety of the twins, Jamie, and even Alexandra would be in jeopardy if bounty hunters came looking for him. This was exactly the leverage they needed. If only the others picked up quickly enough, all was not lost.

"I knew a married man once wanted for theft." All eyes turned to Ezra. "It's such a tragedy, I hesitate to repeat the horrid tale at our delicious repast." He looked Chris right in the eye and then quickly looked at the others, all except Vin.

"Why do you hesitate, Ezra?" Bless the woman. Mary Travis was no fool.

"I hesitate, dear lady, because this man's lovely young daughter was accidentally murdered by the bounty hunters who came to incarcerate the man. She was only a few years older than young William."

"Well now, Ezra, some bounty hunters don't care as much for innocents like some we know." Buck gave a pointed look to Vin who was listening to the conversation with apparent interest. Vin knew that Ezra was trying to con him into accepting the pardon, but the mention of innocents, especially young girls, getting killed because they were in the way had captured Vin's attention.

Chris put his fork down that he had been using to toy with his uneaten food. His appetite was actually returning. He thought carefully, looked at John Terrel, and then he spoke.

"It'd be a real shame if one of your girls got hurt because Vin was too stubborn to accept help when it was given." This time Vin actually flinched under the glare Chris shot across the table to him.

John knew when to step in and make certain his deal went his way. "I don't know if I could allow the twins the freedom they cherish to follow their beloved cousin around if I had to worry about their safety or their mother's. I believe I would have to make certain that Vin only saw them in secret locations under heavy guard."

That got a look of real concern from Vin. This man was going to keep him from his family now that they had found each other. For the first time since he had decided to refuse the pardon, Vin began to doubt the wisdom of it. The people at the table visibly relaxed. They had planted the seed of doubt, and from the looks on the faces of the two judges, they would take care to make certain the stubborn tracker rethought his previous decision. All of a sudden, dinner was no longer the somber façade of eating. Everyone, with the exception of a hard thinking sharpshooter, began talking at once. Appetites returned and soon everyone was full. They made their way out of the room leaving a silent Tanner to face the questions of the two judges. For the first time since Vin had made his decision, he was nervous. His friends had just blithely polished off their dinner and left him with a monumental decision to make. That did it. If he got out of this meeting alive, he might ask the judge to pardon him for shooting his friends. This time they deserved it.


Chapter 32

While Vin was sequestered in one of the adjoining rooms with both Judge Crockett and Judge Travis, the others paced back and forth in the main room of the suite. Billy finally gave up and went to sleep with his head in his mother's lap. Chris would sit at turns next to Mary on the sofa, then in the chair that would be vacated by yet another restless friend across from her. Mary was getting dizzy and then was in turn amused as she thought how like expectant fathers they were all acting. Ezra and Buck would nearly run into one another as they paced back and forth until someone told them to sit down. Then, musical chairs would begin. One would sit on the sofa, one in the chair across from her, one in the chair next to the window, and one in the chair by the fireplace. Five minutes would pass and each man would jump up and pace again. Having both paced waiting for their wives to give birth, Chris and John eventually picked up on Mary's amusement. They would try to sit down, but it would never last long.

"They've been in there over an hour now." Buck was getting nervous. "What if that judge don't want to give Vin a pardon?"

John Terrell looked at Buck before he spoke, using very carefully chosen words. "Judge Travis believes that Crockett is being extremely fair. Orrin says that he feels that all the circumstantial evidence is just that, circumstantial. The fact that Eli Joe showed up in Four Corners and tried to kill Vin is another mark in his favor. Eli Joe had no reason to seek Tanner out unless it was to make certain he never proved his innocence."

Chris and Ezra both nodded their agreement that they thought the Texas judge was a fair man, but Buck wasn't one to count his chickens before the rooster came to call. "Yeah, but even if that judge does give Vin a pardon, can Vin just up and refuse it?" There, Buck had finally said what everyone else was worrying over in silence. Could or would Vin refuse a pardon? He'd already decided against it, but they had no way of knowing if their arguments at dinner had had the desired effect on their stubborn friend. They were all ready to launch into another discussion when the door was thrown open.

Alexandra Terrell stood there looking at everyone. She was holding the baby, and the twins and Jamie were trying to get around her skirts and into the room to find their father and Ours.

"Where is HE?" They saw the other three along with Dr. Conners and Henderson lined up behind Alexandra at the door. Spotting Mary, Alexandra handed the baby to her husband, kissed him quickly on the cheek and walked over and engulfed Mary in a hug. "What's all this nonsense I heard about some crazy woman trying to kill you and Vin and the others stopping it? Is HE here still?"

That set the twins off and each one was jumping up and down now asking for who else but Ours.

"Where's Ours?"

"He's really ours. Mommy said so."

"He really is ours, isn't he daddy?"

Melanie Jason stood in the doorway and called the twins to order with a few quiet but effective words.

"You'll scare him off for sure if you keep making all this racket. I understand your Ours doesn't like a lot of noise." The twins lowered their voices immediately as Mrs. Davis appeared to claim the wide-awake baby. "Why don't we all go to our rooms. I bet everyone's hungry and tired." Before the children could protest, Alexandra took over.

"Twins, Jamie, and Billy, why don't you all go with Mrs. Jason? Billy can tell you all about his adventure. I get to speak to Ours first. Understand?" The twins knew when they were beaten, so they reluctantly kissed everyone, taking as long as they could, before being ushered out to another room where they could eat and get ready for bed. Then, Alexandra turned to survey the room.

"I thought that judge was going to talk to Vin in Four Corners." She didn't look too pleased, but neither did John Terrell.

"And I thought you were going to wait until we brought him back?"

"You send me a telegram telling me you have found him and he's gone with the others after this Ella Gaines, and you expect me to sit quietly in Four Corners while you fix everything? I think not. Once I tricked JD into telling me who this woman was, did you possibly think I would sit passively while my friend's life is in danger and my nephew is facing a man who could order him to jail or worse?"

Mary and the six men stood gawking as the couple proceeded to launch into what would have been a full-blown argument when the door was opened by a smiling Judge Travis. Chris heard John Terrell mutter something about getting a room with swing doors as Buck broke off his explanation to the new arrivals to ask the one question that had been the center of attention all night.

"Well, did he get it?"

"Get what?" Alexandra wanted to know if Vin had already talked to the judge. She had wanted to get to him before that point so she could explain. She had forced everyone to come with her in order to prevent Vin from refusing a pardon because he was angry with her. Now she saw that she had once again been too late, and was ready to tear someone's head off in frustration. She turned a predatory eye on her husband. This was all his fault. She didn't know how it was, but given time and patience she was sure she could pin it all on him. Her thoughts were cut short as the one person who had never once been far from her thoughts for seventeen years walked into the room behind Judge Travis chatting amiably with Judge Crockett. He stopped short when he saw her.

"What the hell are you doin' here? What're you doin' traipsin' all over the countryside with children? You brought 'em didn't ya?"

Once again Chris heard John mutter under his breath that was something he'd like to know. Chris smiled at that. So driving people nuts was another family trait shared by nephew and aunt. He caught Mary's eye and winked at her. She knew what he was thinking. They all waited for Alexandra to say or do something, but all of a sudden she was very quiet. Too quiet. John knew that quiet. It was the quiet before the storm. Vin's friends knew the set of that jaw. They'd seen it the few times Vin lost his temper or got stubborn.

"Well, if someone hadn't rushed off like a spoiled child I wouldn't have had to go traipsing all of the countryside." She walked right up to Vin and punctuated her statement with a finger to his chest.

Ezra held up a five-dollar gold piece and pointed to Alexandra. Buck produced one and pointed to Vin. John took Ezra's money and Chris took Buck's. They both shook their heads no as they ushered the others out to follow the twins. The last thing they heard was from Vin.

"An' if you hadn't kept secrets, I wouldn't have rushed off. When were you gonna tell me? Right before they put the noose 'round my neck?"

Alexandra stepped back at that statement and gasped in outrage. How dare he call her to task? "I have looked for you for seventeen years. Do you have any idea how many impostors and disappointments Uncle Neil and I faced looking for you, you ungrateful wretch? You were probably having the time of your life running around free not even worried about anyone looking for you!"

"I waited for you. I waited three years an' no one ever came. How was I supposed to know you wanted me? I waited until I couldn't wait there no more. I could never do anything right for old man Perkins! I had to run or stay there an' die." He paused when he saw the tears in Alexandra's eyes. He had never meant to tell her any of that. He sounded just like a lost little boy, and he had sworn no one would ever hear how lonely he'd been or how abandoned he'd felt.

Big tears spilled one after the other down her cheeks as she raised her hand to cup his cheek. "They told us you were dead. Once Uncle Neil and I found out you were alive, we came after you as fast as we could, but you had run away by then. We looked everywhere, but you had disappeared. No one could find you. Not the Rangers, not the army, no one, but we kept looking. And then one day I saw my sister's face looking at me from the pages of a dime novel. I knew that Vin Tanner was my sister's son, my Vin Tanner."

"If I'd a known you were comin' I'd a stayed in that hell. But no one ever came." He was as close to tears now as he had been the day his ma died.

Alexandra was through talking. She hugged him to her and held on for dear life. He stood there letting her hug him, making no move to return the embrace. Finally, she felt the tension leave his body and he tentatively put his arms around her. Resting his head on her shoulder, Vin had to ask one more time before he could truly believe that they had really wanted him and looked for him.

"You really looked all those years? John says you wouldn't marry him until he promised to help find me." He looked up as he heard a bubbling laugh surface. Alexandra looked at him and smiled. He remembered is mother smiling like that.

"I made him sign a contract." She whispered the next part even though there was no need. "You should have seen the look on his face when I said I would marry him on that condition. I thought he would have a stroke when I told him I wanted him to pay me one thousand dollars every year he couldn't find you. I don't even think he had that much money, but he gave me an IOU that first year. He wouldn't use any of my money or Uncle Neil's. Every dime he made, he made on his own. He finally let Uncle Neil and I invest when he made his first million, but he never once neglected to spend any money on any lead we had on you."

Vin joined her laughter. "You love him an awful lot, don't ya?"

"More than my life because I know that no one is more important to him than me and his children. But most of all because he made me a promise to help me find my sister's son, and he has never broken a promise to me. Now, are you going to tell me you forgive me for that fiasco with Miss Jones?"

"Miss who?" He laughed at the twinkle that appeared in her eye.

Alexandra stood back and looked at him. "Annabelle would have been so proud of you. So would your father."

"Even with a price on my head?"

Alexandra's eyes narrowed and she took stock of the young man in front of her. "If you think I will allow you to tease me like this, I will fetch the twins and let them have you."

"All right, I give. I took the pardon only because of you, the twins, Jamie, an' Annabelle. Can't take the chance one of y'all getting' hurt if some bounty hunter shows up. But I don't like it. I didn't kill that man, an' a pardon makes it sound like I did. I aim to prove my innocence."

"Of course you will, but now you can do it without anyone trying to kill you for money. And we will all help you do it."

Vin sighed. He knew they were right. The pardon would ensure everyone's safety, but it would still take a long time for him to get used to the idea that this woman was his kin and he was a free man. Suddenly, he was very tired. Not tired, exhausted. A yawn surfaced before he could stop it. It was as if carrying the burden of a price on his head had finally caught up to him. The constant watching and running, always keeping one eye open even when he slept or sat with his friends were over. He just wanted to sleep without worrying if he would wake the next day to find his time had finally run out, or watch one of his friends get killed trying to help him. He could live to face his own death, but he didn't think he could handle it if anyone got hurt or worse because of the bounty on his head.

That was why after the judge listened to his side of the story, Vin had accepted the offered pardon. It hadn't taken much persuasion. Vin had realized what Ezra and the others were up to, but he had to admit the truth was that a pardon right now was the only way he could keep his friends and his family safe from getting caught in any crossfire with any bounty hunters. So, despite the fact he felt a pardon was just an admission of guilt with a slap on the wrist for punishment, he had taken it. It was no longer just Vin Tanner he had to think about. He knew that Alexandra wasn't going to let him disappear out of her life again, and that John would never deny his daughters his company. He also knew after the incident in Sorrow Canyon that his friends would do anything in their power to help him, and he didn't want any harm brought to any of them because of him. So, he had swallowed his pride and accepted his pardon. Maybe Alexandra was right. Maybe his ma and pa would be proud of him. At the very least, he knew they would understand.

"This don't mean I'm callin' you and John aunt and uncle."

"I understand."

"And the twins don't get to keep me."

"Done." Alexandra couldn't keep from smiling. Her nephew could barter.

"An' I ain't cuttin' my hair or wearin' any fancy clothes or paradin' around in front of fancy friends of yours."

"I can live with that." Like Alexandra wanted to change him, but he didn't need to know that. "Now, do you promise to let me hug you once in a while if I promise not to do it too often?"

"Yes." Vin sighed the answer.

"And I can be proud of you?"

"OK." This time it was a grudging growl that answered Alexandra.

"And. . . ." she never got the next condition out.

The knocking on the door interrupted them. It was Neil Connors. "May I come in?"

Vin actually grinned at the old man. "Long as you ain't got none of that ditch water Nathan keeps pouring down anyone he finds been caught out in the rain." The three laughed as the older man walked into the room. The others had promised him an hour since neither judge would tell them if Vin had accepted the pardon. They had said that was something Vin should tell them. The fact that Travis had winked at Mary did nothing to make Buck settle down. He wanted to actually hear Vin say he had accepted the pardon. It had become very important to Buck that his friend be free of the constant threat of death. Besides, there was no way Buck was going to explain to the darlin's if anything had happened to Ours.

Chapter 33

Three days later Vin was sitting on a chair by the table outside the hotel. He had his head propped up leaning his chin into the palm of his left hand. He was concentrating on the book in front of him. He was flanked on either side by two golden heads, each holding the blonde headed, blue button eyed rag dolls he had given them upon their return to Four Corners. The sun was shining, and although cold, it was a perfect day. Lisha was standing on a chair and had her right hand wrapped around his wrist leaning her head against him looking down at the book. Lison was sitting on his right knee staring at the book in front of her like it held the secret to life. In a way it did.

"What's that word say?" Lisha pointed a grubby finger at the word under the picture.

"It says, 'pigeon'." Vin looked over at Lisha and grinned. Damn, it was a good thing he had been practicing his reading with Mary and kept at it even while he had been gone. If he didn't keep it up, these two would be telling him what the words were.

"It don't look like no pigeon." Lison was skeptical. " I ain't never seen no pigeon look like that 'fore."

"Little girl? You makin' fun of the way I talk?" Vin didn't keep the stern face long. Two sets of giggles were just too hard to ignore. "Sides, how you know a pigeon from a dove or eagle?"

The unrepentant twin looked at him and grinned. Swinging her arms around his neck she hugged him as tight as she could. "Don't, but you'll tell me."

He was thoroughly amused now. "Now why would I do that?"

"Cause your kin, and you said kin does for kin." Lisha knew the answer and was happy to supply it. Vin had to admit that she and her twin were right.

"That's true, but what if I'm not around?" Life was much easier when he didn't have to worry speaking properly, but he now felt an obligation to set what Ezra called a good example. Actually Chris called it a good example; Ezra had strung a bunch of five-dollar words together that Vin was still looking up the meanings to. Both twins gave him their undivided attention again.

"Are you leaving us?" They nearly gasped in fear and Lisha joined her sister in trying to cut off his breathing by wrapping her arms around his neck from the other side. Calmly disengaging himself from them he settled back in the chair tilting it in order to make room on his lap for both girls.

"No, but there might be a time when the two of you find yourselves far from home. What if you get lost, and we can't find you right away? Who's gonna take care of you?" The twins thought seriously about it for a minute.

"We don't run away or nothin' like that."

"We're good girls."

"I never doubted that." His smile made them settle down and listen. "What if you get lost by accident? Could you find your way home?"

"We'd find a policeman and tell him who our daddy is."

"That'll work in town, but what if you're out here?"

Lisha got real close and whispered to Vin so no one else but Lison could hear. "We don't understand, Ours." Lison shook her head in agreement.

Vin nodded he understood. He pointed to the sun. "You know when the sun comes up what direction it is?" The girls nodded yes. "And you know what direction it sets in and how to find the North Star, right?" Again they nodded their agreement. After all, their cousin had shown them these things on their ride from Brecken. Their cousin. The twins no longer worried about keeping Vin. He had explained that since he was blood kin, he would always be theirs no matter where he was, and now he was teaching them how to take care of themselves even if they were alone. He had quizzed them about direction and what the sun and stars had to do with telling where you were numerous times. Even their other ours had gotten into the fun making sure Jamie and Billy could identify the stars and ascertain, as Ezra called it, directions. "If you remember what direction you're going when you leave home every day, then chances are you can find your way home no matter what."

The twins clapped their hands in delight. They understood exactly what Vin was telling them. Ours was the smartest person next to their daddy they had ever met, besides Mommy. They decided to practice; the book about birds was forgotten.

"If we go to see Our Chris and Daddy in front of the jail, we'll be walking," Lisha paused to look at the sun and her twin, "north?" When Vin grinned at her, both twins giggled.

"And when we come back," it was Lison's turn, "we'll be going south." They earned a kiss before Vin set both of them on the boardwalk.

"What are we waitin' for?" They walked off toward Chris and John and were soon joined by Buck and JD.

"Well if he don't look like a man with purpose, my name ain't Buck."

"Could be worse. Your name could be Mud." JD was proud of his joke, and the twins started laughing as Buck swept both of them off the boardwalk to swing them about.

"They just ate lunch, Bucklin. You want to mess up that new shirt of yours, keep on swingin'." He and JD both laughed as Buck very carefully brought the girls to a stop and uprighted them gingerly. They were still laughing and in no way in danger of losing their lunch, but Ours had made Our Buck's eyes go real wide with concern for a second or two and it was worth it to them.

"Do it again, Our Buck."

"Pulleeeze swing us 'round agin?" Buck took one look at two sets of blue eyes and figured his new shirt could be easily washed. Their laughter was like a magnet as Josiah, Nathan, and Ezra appeared out of thin air to watch the twins squealing as Buck made himself dizzy swinging them around. Chris and John walked up to them also.

"Miss Jones wouldn't like such behavior. It's too much like pouncing." John grinned when his twins stopped laughing to stare at their daddy. He knew that they had gotten Ours and Our Ezra to get rid of Miss Jones. That meant Mommy knew, too. They looked at one another and then back to their daddy. Lisha spotted the grin and started giggling. Lison soon joined in and everyone laughed. However proud he was, John Terrell felt he had to point one thing out.

"I think that the next time one of the people your mother and I have hired to take care of you is doing something you do not think is fair or right," he waited until the twins stopped laughing and started listening, "that you need to come and tell us first. Ours and Our Ezra might not be around to help you scare them off. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"We promise, Daddy."

Vin grinned at John and winked. John knew the twins well enough to spell out exactly what he wanted from them without leaving any loopholes they could wriggle out of.

The stage was approaching, so the group moved back onto the boardwalk. Lisha was watching the proceedings from her perch on Josiah's shoulder, and Lison was on Buck's. Alexandra and Mary were escorting Miss Jones to the stage that would take her back to Brecken, and then a train on to Boston. Alexandra handed Miss Jones an envelope and said something to the woman before she handed her the other one. Miss Jones turned bright red and looked angry as a hornet. They heard that shrill whine as the words registered. The whole town probably heard exactly what she'd said.

"I will not apologize to that, that r uffian!" Alexandra's mouth moved, but she had held her voice down so far. Both Alexandra and Mary looked out of patience and angrier than Miss Jones could ever hope to be.

John looked over at Chris and Vin. His look asked if they were going to go over and help Mary and Alexandra prevent Miss Jones from causing a scene. Chris sighed and glared at Buck before the man could utter the remark that was dangling from the tip of his tongue. Melanie Jason walked up at that moment and took the curious twins to go inside with Jamie and Billy. Chris began to walk toward the stage and stopped when he noticed that neither John nor Vin was going with him. The others had the intelligence to look elsewhere until they had wiped the smiles off their faces. Glaring at both men, Vin was the first to break.

"What? She ain't my wife."

"But she is your aunt, and I believe you are the ruffian about whom Miss Jones is speaking." John wasn't stupid enough to get caught in the middle of a cat fight, not that Alexandra had ever actually come to blows with anyone that he knew of. However, if Miss Jones had insulted Vin, John knew that Alexandra would be more than willing take Miss Jones on and show her the error of her ways. Either way, it was safer where he was. He smiled in triumph when Alexandra looked over and indicated she wanted Vin to join them.

"Aw hell!" Vin pushed Chris ahead of him. "If I'm gonna go down, you're comin' with me." Reluctantly the two men walked toward certain doom.

Alexandra managed to keep a serene expression on her face although the two spots of red on her cheeks indicated she was not pleased at all. Mary's posture indicated that she was holding on to her temper by sheer force of will. Her welcoming smile to the two men was strained, but not because of them. Alexandra cleared her throat and spoke.

"Miss Jones has something she would like to say to you, Vin."

Vin just silently stared at Miss Jones as he leaned against the wooden beam on the boardwalk. He didn't tip his hat to the ladies or in any way give any impression that he was even interested in the crowd that had gathered around the stage as the curious were trying to get close enough to hear. The others moved closer in order to discourage most of the citizens of Four Corners to move safely away. The story that had begun in Mrs. Potter's store had flown around town quicker than lightning, and everyone was interested but not interested enough to defy the seven. Clutching the envelope that contained the money for her severance pay and her trip home, Miss Jones opened her mouth to speak. She desperately needed a letter from Alexandra Terrell stating that Miss Jones was leaving due to differences of opinion in the education of the Terrell twins and nothing more. Her career would be ruined otherwise. So, she swallowed her pride and spoke.

"I apologize if my words in any way caused you any harm or distress."

When Vin didn't accept the apology quickly enough, Alexandra kicked him in the shin.

It straightened him up. He shot a dirty look in Chris's direction when he saw the older man smile. Then he looked back at Miss Jones. "No harm done, ma'am." He started to turn as Alexandra gave Miss Jones the letter she so desperately needed, but the woman just couldn't let herself be beaten by this ruffian.

"No one will ever accept you in polite society." If she wanted to insult Vin, she was using the wrong tactics.

Vin looked from her to his friends and his family. "I don't know about that, ma'am. This society here is downright polite an' they seem to like me fine." His deliberately drawled his words making the woman livid in her anger. John restrained Alexandra as she made a move to retrieve the letter. Vin was doing just fine on his own. "If I were you ma'am, I'd stop spoutin' so much vinegar all the time. Folks get mighty tired of that." She really hated him now, but Vin really didn't care. These were his friends and family she had tried to make as miserable as she was. To hell with her.

"That was just mean! I should have expected that from a man like you!" Miss Jones swept around to get on the coach and away from this godforsaken hellhole. She moved so quickly to avoid another confrontation with Alexandra Terrell that she tripped and almost fell flat on her face. Vin caught her by the arm and helped her into the carriage. She was too embarrassed to look much less say anything to him, but he had had it with this woman.

He whispered to her, "See, I ain't mean. Yer jest stupid." Then stepping quickly back, he closed the stage door and had the audacity to tip his hat to the outraged and speechless woman. "Have a nice trip, ma'am."

Mrs. Potter, who was standing nearby turned to tell her friends how polite Mr. Tanner had been to that woman. No one else but Chris and Buck had been near enough to hear his parting shot. Ezra saw Buck laughing his head off and grabbed the man to force him to tell him what Vin had said that finally rendered Miss Jones speechless. Chris shook his head, but Vin, in his most unflappable mood, ignored Chris and turned to his aunt.

"You'd best be buyin' me the biggest steak Mrs. Bridger has for that."

Deciding she would find out what Vin had said if she fed him well, Alexandra ushered everyone into Mrs. Bridger's dining room. The woman made a peach cobbler that was absolutely divine. She grabbed her nephew's hand and drug him into the chair next to her. Buck took the chair across from him and waited until he had Vin's attention.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"You stayin'?" Vin looked puzzled and looked around at all the expectant faces.

"Why wouldn't I be stayin'?"

Ezra decided to help out. "We thought for certain once you had your pardon that you would no longer feel obligated to settle in these quaint surroundings."

"Where the hell would I be goin'? I still got a job, don't I?" He looked over at John to confirm that he was still one of the men hired to protect Four Corners.

Josiah took a turn this time. "We just thought that maybe you would like to go meet the rest of your family?"

"There's more of 'em?" Vin looked over at Alexandra in panic. The look on his face almost made her laugh, but she controlled herself.

"Well you do have another aunt and uncle and several cousins, but we rarely see them. John and I are a bit too radical for them."

"Oh, they'd love me, then." Vin's disgust that someone wouldn't like John and Alexandra was apparent. "They showin' up any time soon?"

"No, not unless you become worth a lot of money overnight. Money attracts them like bees to honey." John Terrell was quick to let Vin know what to expect from his other relatives.

"At a dollar a day, you won't see them for years, Vin." JD was happy to put Vin at ease.

"Years, what about a whole century?" Nathan wanted in on the fun. Chris just laughed with the others and then he asked Buck's original question.

"I take it that means you're stayin' around for a while?"

"Who else is gonna watch your back, cowboy?"

JD interrupted. "We just thought that since you didn't like towns too much, that once you were free, you'd high tail it out of here."

"That's the thing about freedom, JD. You can be free anywhere. It's just somethin' ya don't realize how precious it is until ya lose it." He looked around and realized for the first time he no longer felt restless. Sure, he preferred the wilderness to towns, but he no longer felt like he was penned up. In fact being comfortable in town with his friends was a feeling he was not only getting used to, but one he was actually beginning to enjoy. There was something to having some place you could call home, and friends who were your family. He nodded to Chris who returned a steady gaze. They had all found something special here in this little town. That something was a friendship and camaraderie that was as rare as rain in the desert, and Vin had no intention of leaving it any time soon. He had already decided that every time he went off on his own, the rest of the boys got into trouble. If there was any trouble around to find them, it would be safer to meet it head on together. The twins walked through the doors just as they all finished lunch.

They walked right up to JD and Buck. "Are you gonna take us ridin' like you promised?" Lisha was ready.

"Can we bring our babies?" Lison held up her rag doll to Buck.

Swooping down, Buck lifted Lison and her rag doll to eye level. "You know Uncle Buck, darlin'. I like havin' lots of purty women ridin' with me."

"Will you let me take my dolly?" Lisha batted her eyelashes at JD. He gave a lopsided grin that assured Lisha he was still hers to mold like clay. Before leaving, they insisted on kissing everyone good bye. They were content to have Ours and Our Ezra carry them to the horses and lift them up to Buck and JD.

"Keep 'em warm and don't stay gone too long."

"I know somethin' about takin' care of children, Vin."

"Wasn't talkin' to you, Buck. Was talking to my twins." He winked at Ezra as Buck and JD sputtered in outrage. As usual the twins were waving goodbye over the two men's shoulders as they rode out of town. "What say you and me go to the saloon? Chris and John'll both be busy talkin' to Mary and Alexandra, and Nathan and Josiah've got Billy and Jamie over at the church hanging decorations."

"What a wonderful idea, Mr. Tanner. I believe the first drink is on me."

"Yeah, well I see someone wavin' at us to join 'em. Let's hightail it 'fore they catch us."

"Was that Alexandra waving at us? I thought it was just a shadow on the curtain. My, my how the sun can play tricks on your eyes."

"It can be treacherous, Ezra. Best to treat it with a good stiff whiskey."

"I agree. Certainly our medical expert Mr. Jackson would concur."

"I reckon." With that they slipped inside the shadowed saloon and found a table in the back. Life could be extremely good sometimes. What more could you ask for than good friends and good whiskey?

FINI



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