Rating: G

Feedback: psygeek@juno.com

Sometimes you just have to wonder what's going on. When New Law gave us the incontinuity of Vin in a different hat and a 'new' Billy...then later Chris was wearing a drab serape that blended in with the rest of his dark clothes, I just wondered what happened. Of course the boring answer is that they had lost the props or something, and that Justin Cooper was no longer available. But, that doesn't address the "reality" of the characters. Oh, and, if Gemini ever reads this *wink* sorry, kid. It ain't that you're not cute, you're just not Billy material!

** ** **

Chris Larabee watched as his best friend, his pard, and his fellow mind-reader, Vin Tanner, came shuffling down the street. Vin looked different somehow, but the gunslinging man in black wasn't quite certain how. As Vin approached, Chris looked at him closely.

/What's up pard? Something's different, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Have you done something different with your hair?/ was what he thought. But what he did was furrow his brow, and all he said was "Vin."

The tracker, looking perplexed, as if Ezra were speaking to him, pulled his hat off and scratched his head. Then he looked at his hat with something akin to disgust. He was pulling at the brim. /I don't know what's goin' on Chris. I woke up this mornin', and things just didn't look th' same. I can't place it neither, but things just don't add up/ as he continued to pull at his hat brim, he said, "Chris."

/It's not your hair, it's your hat!! What on earth happened to your hat Vin? It looks, I don't know, smaller...cleaner...IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!/ "whiskey?"

/My GAWD, you're right Chris! This ain't m' hat!! My hat's got a much bigger brim, and it's had a lot more wear and tear to it! Hell, there ain't even a bullet hole from that loud-mouth James feller! SOMEBODY'S TAKEN M' HAT!!/ "yep."

Turning to retreat into the saloon, Chris' serape slapped against the hunter's arm. Looking down, Vin realized that his hat wasn't the only thing that was changed. /Chris! What happened to your serape? This ain't th' one Josiah gave you as a going away present, even though you didn't go nowhere. This one's dark, there' ain't no red in it nowhere. What's goin' on here?!/ "cards?"

Chris stopped, staring down at the strange article of clothing draped over his black clothing. Vin was right! /You're right, Vin! Someone has replaced the finely worn and brightly colored serape that Josiah so graciously gave me, with this dark, drab piece of cloth! What on earth is going on here?!/ "yep."

Just as he started to enter the dark saloon, he heard a child's voice calling him.

"Chrith! Chrith!" A young boy lisped as he came running down the street toward him. "Chrith, when you gonna take me fishin' again?"

"Billy?" Larabee and Tanner both stared at the boy. They had just seen him the day before, but he certainly had changed. He had grown a good four inches, his hair was darker and curlier, and he was much more precious than he had been.

/What the hell is going on around here? What's happening to our clothes...Mary's son? This is getting crazy! I don't understand what's going on. Do you?/ Puzzled Glare.

/Nope, I don't. Somethin' strange is goin' on, and I'm thinkin' we'd better go ponder it for awhile./ Non-committal shrug.

"Chrith?" The faux Billy was staring up at him with a cherubic grin, and a look of expectation.

"Real soon...uh...Billy? Real soon."

"Okay!" the boy chirped. He turned and skipped away.

The two like-minded, thought-sharing men stared at one another. Then they stared down the street at the boy's retreating back. Then Chris stared at Vin's hat while Vin stared at Chris' serape. Then they stared at one another once again. Then Vin noticed something else.

"Whiskey?"

"Whiskey."

** ** **

They sat in the saloon, downing shots and pondering, for most of the afternoon. Nothing made any more senses when they walked back out onto the boardwalk than when they had entered the saloon.

/Sorry./ "yep."

They walked to the livery Chris swaggering and Vin sauntering. Bringing the horses into the afternoon sun, they vaulted into the saddles and trotted down the street.

From the shadows, two figures emerged, watching the riders disappear into the dust-filled air at the end of town.

"Think they know?"

"That we took their things?"

"Yeah."

"Nope. But they do know that something's different."

"So, what do we do with the evidence?"

"Hide it somewhere. If we hide it in the other's rooms, well, you know they'll suspect them anyway."

"How long do you think it'll take anyone to find it?"

"Shoot, you ever see the condition of Buck's room? We put this stuff in there, could take weeks to find."

"Well, let's get to it then." Josiah tucked the brown-paper covered bundle under his arm and made to cross the street to Virginia's Hotel. Nathan was quick on his heels, looking from one direction to another for signs that any of the other peacekeepers were around.

As they came to the boardwalk on the other side, they were nearly bowled over by a curly-haired urchin that they did not recognize. "Hi Josiah, hi Nathan!" The child greeted as he ran past.

"Billy Travis! You get back here right now, young man. You have chores!" Mary Travis called from the front door of the Clairon. The child hurried to obey.

The two men exchanged looks.

"Was that " Josiah started.

"Billy Travis?" Nathan croaked.

They watched as the child that was supposed to be the son of their friendly town news-hound greeted the blond woman with a hug. The two men looked at one another once again. Then Josiah looked skyward. He was not preparing to call on God...he just wanted to make certain that the sky was still blue...

Cerrado