Disclaimer: All the usual applies. I do not claim any rights or privileges to the series The Magnificent Seven, or any of the characters created for the series. All rights belong to Watson, Mirisch, Densham, MGM, Trilogy, CBS, TNN and now the Hallmark Channel. I make no profit from this or any other work of amateur fiction. Sadie Wills is my creation, if you like her, I'm flattered, but please don't borrow her. She and a certain tracker have plans... The Watkins' are my creation... and I should be slapped.

Warnings: Cursing, bloodshed, angst.

Characters: Vin, Chris, JD, Buck... well, Nathan's there... hm... Josiah and Ezra, just not all that much.

Universe: OW

H/C: Vin gets the owwie... the others provide the comfort.

Notes: Written to celebrate the February birthdays of members of the Black and Buckskin list group. Many thanks to the beautiful Ninheve, for making sure the sentences really ended and the boys are in character. You're the best, girl!!

The sharpshooter wasn't alone in the buggy, either. Sadie Wills sat beside him, one delicate hand on Tanner's arm. The young woman, who had taken over as seamstress when her cousin was murdered by Cyrus Poplar, was fairly beaming as she rode beside the peacekeeper. She was dressed in a delicate blue print dress with a bonnet to match, coppery colored curls peeking from around the edges and cascading down her back.

Vin looked over at his friend, blue eyes sparkling as he nodded toward the man in black. Clucking to the horse, he sent them on their way, the red and white checkered tablecloth covering their picnic basket fluttering in the late summer breeze.

Larabee couldn't help but smile. He had watched the shy courtship that had been taking place over the previous weeks between the two young people. Vin Tanner might be able to face down a crowd of angry townspeople, or watch their backs in any gunfight without batting an eye. He could even converse with most women he came in contact with But, let him come face to face with a pretty young woman he was taken with, and he all but fell apart.

Tanner had sought advice not only from him, but Josiah, Nathan and Ezra as well. He had even gone to the extreme of asking Buck Wilmington for advice on how to court a lady. Larabee was worried that his friend would be talking to JD Dunne if he didn't get his nerve up soon. He had been happy to see the sharpshooter approaching the dress shop the day before, dusted off and hat in hand. A few minutes later, his friend had emerged, sporting the broadest smile Chris had ever seen. Chuckling at the memory, Larabee settled back against the upright he'd been leaning against and took up his whittling once more.

Vin Tanner was secretly amazed at how easy he found it to make small talk with the young lady beside him. She laughed at the jokes he told, even he ones he'd gotten from JD. She asked him questions about his life, and didn't look down her nose at him when he told her about it. She even listened intently when he managed to stutter through the poem he'd strung together for her when he finally got the courage to speak it. When he finished, she cried real tears and went on about how beautiful it was and how honored she was to be the subject of the piece. He'd felt like the whole world had been laid at his feet when she'd smiled up at him, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek as she thanked him for his gift.

They arrived at the pond where he and the others came to fish from time to time, and he reined in the horse. Setting the brake on the buggy, he leapt from the seat and hurried around to help Sadie down as well. He grabbed up the basket and the blanket he'd brought along with one hand and offered the other to his companion. They made their way to the biggest shade tree along the bank, and he shook out the blanket. Leaving her to put out the food they'd brought with them, Vin went to take care of the horse.

By the time he returned, she'd spread the tablecloth and laid out the food. They had all the makings of a breakfast picnic: boiled eggs, biscuits, stewed apples, and a jug of sweet tea. She looked up, giggling softly as his stomach growled just looking at the food. He wasn't about to tell her that he had been so nervous that he hadn't been able to eat a bite of dinner last night. Blushing, he said only, "looks real good, Miss Sadie."

"Well, go wash up and we'll see if it tastes as good as it looks," she replied, a soft Irish lilt in her words.

Going to the water's edge, Tanner pushed back his sleeves and did his best to tame some of the trail dust he'd picked up on the trip. Deciding he'd done the best he could, he returned to where Sadie waited. She already had a plate piled high, and handed it to him as soon as he settled cross-legged on the ground across from her. He nodded and thanked her, waiting for her to fill her own plate before starting to eat. Watching as she took only small portions, Vin fought not to say anything. What she took would barely keep a bird flying, let alone keep a full grown woman healthy.

Not that he had any problems with the way she looked. Her eating habits seemed to suit her just fine.

Finishing with breakfast, they cleaned up, Vin burying the scrapes so their day wasn't interrupted by uninvited guests of the four-legged variety. Then he offered his arm to her once more, and they took a stroll along the grassy bank. Keeping himself between Sadie and the water, Vin's attention strayed from time to time as the water rippled where fish broke the surface.

"Too bad you didn't bring a fishing pole," the young woman said, breaking into his thoughts. "Looks like the fish are biting pretty well."

Shrugging, Tanner said, "didn't reckon on fishin' t'day."

"I love to fish, it's such a peaceful pastime."

He looked down at her, with a slight frown. "You like t' fish?"

Smiling up at him, she replied, "why, don't I look like I could manage it?"

Blushing once more, he said, "ain't that, miss, s' jist... well... ah, hell, I don't know."

She giggled, squeezing his arm and leaning her head against his bicep. "I'm sorry, Vin, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I - "

"Well, ain't that sweet."

Vin moved like lightening, putting himself between Miss Wills and the strangers who slipped from the nearby trees. Cursing himself for letting his guard down, he growled, "who th' hell 'r you?"

The bigger of the two men tipped a battered hat, his smile belying the fact that he had a shotgun aimed at the Texan. "M' names Perly Watkins. This here's m' cousin, Sonny. We been lookin' fer y' fer a spell... Vin Tanner."

"Bounty hunters," Vin rasped under his breath. He pulled Sadie behind him, and felt her grip the back of his coat. "Y'all 'r makin' a mistake, fellas. M' friends ain't gonna take kindly to y' tryin' t' take me t' Texas."

"Ain't no tryin' to it, Tanner. Me 'n Sonny's gonna take y' in... collect that five hun'erd dollars. Now, loosen that gunbelt a yers 'n let 'er drop t' the ground." When Vin hesitated, he let loose a blast that kicked dirt up inches from the tracker's foot. He grinned coldly as the man complied with his orders.

"Now, shed th' rest a yer weapons. And don't try 'n act like y' don't know what I'm talkin' about. I study a man 'fore I set t' take 'm in. I know y' carry more 'n that sawed off."

His eyes shooting blue fire and his mind racing as he searched for a way out, Vin slowly retrieved the rest of his weapons, dropping them to the ground. When he finished, he raised his hands away from his body. It took everything he had to keep from jumping Sonny as the man stepped forward to gather up his weapons. Only one thing kept him from doing anything rash. He couldn't risk leaving Sadie alone with these two.

"All right. Shuck yer hat an' coat."

Vin considered arguing, but slowly stripped the jacket off and followed it with his slouch hat. Under the armed man's direction, he dropped both to the grass.

"Now, darlin', you stand away from 'm," Watkins instructed.

"Y' ain't gonna hurt her," Tanner growled low.

Taken aback, Perly said, "mister, I ain't never hurt a lady, an' I don't aim t' start now. She won't be hurt 's long 's you don't do nothin' foolish. Now, Miss, you git on over there."

"Vin?"

Looking down into the woman's pale green eyes, the sharpshooter said softly, "it'll be all right. Go on 'n do 's he says."

Sadie stumbled away a few steps, her hands clasped tight against her lips as if she were praying. Tears flowed freely as she watched the two strangers move forward toward Vin. They bound his hands tightly behind him, then slipped a rope around his chest, tying it tight enough to elicit a grunt from the lean man. The other end of the rope was tied to one of the horses.

"Now, Miss, this is the plan. You stay right where y' are whilst me 'n Sonny ride off with yer beau. I'm real sorry t' bust up yer nice day 'n all." Perly Watkins tipped his hat to the young woman as he turned his horse. He and his cousin rode away, pulling Vin behind them.

"Vin..." Sadie whispered, watching the handsome young man jogging along to keep up with the horses. Too shocked to act, she simply stood there and watched until the trio disappeared over the horizon. Only then did she gather her wits about her.

Hurrying to the horse Vin had picketed earlier, she managed to pull herself up onto it's back. Gathering up the long reins, she dug her heels into the broad sides, clinging to the animal's mane for dear life as they galloped away from the pond. She had to get help. She had to find the other peacekeepers. They had to save Vin.

JD Dunne looked up from where he was sweeping the boardwalk in front of the jail, the sound of a horse galloping into town drawing his attention. His hand went to his Colt before he even looked up, then it dropped, along with his jaw, as he watched Sadie Wills tearing into town bareback, blue skirts flying behind her as she bent low over the horse's neck.

Bounding off the boardwalk he ran into the street, barely managing to avoid a collision with the lathered animal. He jerked on the harness, turning the animal's head even as it carried him several feet down the road. As he pulled the animal to a halt, he reached up to take hold of the young woman. "Miss Wills, what happened? Where's Vin?"

Sadie tried to straighten up, only to collapse toward the young sheriff. She felt him grab her, easing her to the ground. Leaning heavily against his shoulder, she stumbled beside him as Dunne helped her to a nearby chair. She collapsed onto the seat, still gripping the man's arm. "JD... help, please. You ne... need to get the o-others. Vin... Vin needs... help."

Kneeling in front of her, the town's youngest peacekeeper asked, "what happened? Where is Vin? Miss Wills... Sadie... I need you to tell me where he is. What happened?"

Suddenly a glass of water appeared in front of the trembling young woman. JD looked up to see Mary Travis staring down at her, face filled with concern. Nodding his thanks, Dunne took the glass and helped the seamstress slowly drink. When it seemed she'd had enough, he took the glass away, handing it back to the widow Travis. "Now, can you tell me what happened?"

Pressing a hand to her lips, Sadie fought back tears as she struggled to relate what happened. "Two men... they... they took him. Took Vin. They... they said they were going to... to take him... to Texas. They... th-they took his weapons... tied him up... rode away. They... they made him... made him run behind. Please JD, you have to get the others... save him!"

Sitting back on his heels, JD raked a hand through his dark hair. He felt Mary's hand on his shoulder and looked up first into her face, and then Sadie's. With a sigh he answered the questions he saw in both. "They're not here."

"But... I saw... this morning... Mr. Larabee," Miss Wills stammered.

Nodding as he deciphered the fractured speech, Dunne said, "about twenty minutes after you and Vin rode out, Jesse Carver rode in. Four or five cowboys rode onto his property, threatening to kill him and his family if they didn't leave the territory by tomorrow. Chris and the others rode out to straighten things out. I'm... I'm the only one in town."

"No!" Sadie cried out, her hands going to her face as she sobbed openly.

Dunne's head dropped, feeling her rejection stab him in the heart. She wouldn't have been upset at all had it been Chris or one of the others. But, since it was just 'the Kid', she feared the worst. Again he felt the newspaper woman's hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he found something he hadn't expected to see. A look of trust.

"It'll be all right, JD," Mary Travis said encouragingly.

Nodding, the young man tried to clear his head to think. At the sound of heavy footsteps coming up the boardwalk, he looked to see the town's livery man approaching. The man was heading for the wheezing, trembling animal still standing in the street. "Yosemite!"

Turning, the big man said, "what happened to Vin, JD?"

"There's been trouble. I need to ride out. Can you do me a favor? Chris and the others are out at the Carver place. Could you ride out and tell them that Vin's been taken by two men? Let them know he was out at the fishing pond, and they headed..." he turned to Sadie.

"West... S-south... Southwest," the redhead stuttered.

"They're headed Southwest. Tell Chris I'm riding ahead to see what I can find out."

Nodding, the older man said, "I'll git 'm."

The young sheriff turned back to the seamstress to find a pair of tear-filled green eyes looking at him with gratitude. Managing a smile, he patted the young woman's hand. "Now, Miss Wills, I'm gonna leave you here with Mrs. Travis. She'll take good care of you."

"Thank you JD," Sadie said softly.

As he stood, Mary gripped his shoulder, looking into his young face. "JD, do you think this is wise? Perhaps you should wait - "

Shaking his head, Dunne said, "no ma'am, there's no time. I've got to go. Vin can't wait."

Seeing the resolve in the dark hazel eyes, the blonde nodded. Giving him a quick hug, she said, "be careful, and be safe, JD."

With a quick smile, the young man stepped past her and went into the jail to gather up what he would need. Reappearing a few minutes later, he found the two women gone. Carrying heavy saddlebags and a shotgun, as well as his Colts strapped to his hip, the sheriff of Four Corners strode purposefully down the dusty street.

He reached the livery to find the stable boy saddling Milagro. The big blacksmith was just climbing into the saddle of his own horse. With a tip of his hat, Yosemite aimed his horse out the wide doors. As soon as he was in the street, he kicked the animal to a gallop, his apron flapping against his beefy thighs.

As soon as Milagro was ready, JD leapt into the saddle and rode out of town at a dead run. He barely registered the townsfolk scattering as he barreled down the road, his horse kicking up plumes of dust. He had only one thing on his mind... saving Vin Tanner's life.

Vin cursed under his breath as sweat trailed down his face, causing his long hair to be plastered against his forehead and hanging into his eyes. It ran down his neck and trailed along his chest and back, soaking into the heavier material of his waistband. It pooled in the hollow of the small of his back, slowly rolling down the crack of his ass. It drenched him, causing the layers of clothing to stick to him with increasing annoyance. He knew now why they had made him shuck his hat and coat. The sun beat down on him with unrelenting ferocity, sapping his strength as it drew every bit of fluid from him.

It was easier to handle a half-dead prisoner than one full of life, and the bounty hunters evidently wanted to make things as easy as possible. Growling as Sonny yanked at his tether again, Tanner fought to keep his feet under him. He was footsore and exhausted, wanting nothing more than to lie down and die. He was too cussed stubborn for that, though. The tracker vowed to keep walking as long as it took, and then some. He was hard-headed enough that he figured he'd be walking a day or two after he stopped breathing.

The men moved slowly through the heat of the day, not wanting to wear the horses out. They showed no such concern for the man walking behind them. From time to time Sonny would tug at the rope tied off on his saddle, rewarded by a grunt or harsh curse as he caught the weary man unawares. Then Perly would slide a glare his way and he'd stop for a while, until he became bored again.

Just before noon they pulled up at a small stand of trees. As Vin stumbled toward the shade, Perly raised a gun in his direction.

"You stay right there where y' are."

Tanner stared hard at the man, not believing that he was going to be made to stay in the sun while even the animals enjoyed the cooler air beneath the trees. Then he realized that he shouldn't be surprised at all. Huffing a tired sigh, he dropped wearily to his knees onto the carpet of warm grass. He simply slumped there, head down in an effort to at least shade his face from the relentless sun.

Perly and Sonny stretched out beneath the trees, each man drinking deeply from their canteens. Then Perly went to his horse, splashed some water in his hat and let the animal drink. Staring hard at the other man he waited until Sonny followed suit, seeing to his own mount. Neither man gave a second thought to the bound man forced to wait in the blazing summer sun.

JD rode hard until he got to the pond, then stopped and dropped to the ground. Carefully he searched the area near where he found the abandoned buggy, moving along the bank as he deciphered where Vin and Sadie had gone walking. Coming on the spot where the bounty hunters got the drop on his friend, he found Vin's coat and hat. Searching the pockets, he found two of the man's most prized possessions; his harmonica and his spyglass. Tucking the instrument back inside the coat, he put the 'glass in his own pocket. It would come in handy when he caught up with the men and Vin. He wouldn't risk Tanner's life by riding too close, until he had a good idea of what was going on.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Dunne looked for signs of two horses and one person on foot. Vin. When he found what he was looking for, he rode slowly from the pond, keeping the trail in sight. He wanted nothing more than to ride off hell bent for leather, but knew all that would do would be to get Vin killed, and probably himself to boot. So, he reined in his impatience just as he reined in his horse.

He kept the trail in view, using the skills Vin had taught him over the past few months. He also watched for signs that Tanner's captors were waiting for someone to come after the man. He knew he wouldn't be much of a challenge against the two men Sadie had told him about, but he was damned if that would keep him from trying. He couldn't just let Vin be taken away to hang.

Even if it meant dying himself.

Chris Larabee looked up at the sound of a rider coming toward them at a gallop. He frowned as he recognized the big livery man. Stepping away from where he and the others had been talking to the Carver family, he met Yosemite at the edge of the yard. Something had to be wrong.

"What happened?" He asked without preamble.

"Vin's in trouble." The big man quickly filled the blond in on what he knew of the situation.

"Shit." He knew immediately what had happened. Bounty hunters. Then he remembered the pretty young redhead his friend had squired out of town. "Ms. Wills?"

"Shook up, but okay."

"Where's JD?" A sudden chill crept down his spine as Larabee realized that it should have been the young sheriff coming to tell him about Vin. "Yosemite?"

The big man shook his head, not quite meeting the steely-eyed glare. "Took off t' see if he could cut their trail."

"Damn it!" He should have known, the Kid was long on courage but short on brains. "How many men were there?"

"Ms. Wills said there's only two. What can I do t' help, Chris?"

Larabee pushed his hat off his head to hang by its latigo, running a hand through his short cropped hair. "Can you keep an eye on the town? Reckon we'll be dividing up, half of us here and half going after Vin... and JD."

Nodding, the big man tipped his hat, turned his horse, and headed back toward town. Chris turned to meet the curious and concerned gazes of the other five peacekeepers. Striding back to meet them, he said, "bounty hunters took Vin, JD's gone after them. Buck, Nathan, come with me. We'll stop by town for supplies then head out, start at the pond. Ezra, Josiah you handle this."

"We'll see to it," Josiah said with a nod. "You bring the lost sheep home."

Buck was already on his horse, cursing the impulsive young Easterner he had taken under his wing. Chris and Nathan mounted their own horses, hurrying to catch up. As they did, Chris called out to the bigger man.

"Buck! You get that temper under control, now. We ride after those men all piss and vinegar, someone's gonna get hurt."

"Someone's gonna get hurt any way y' look at it," Wilmington growled. "I'm gonna kick that boy's ass from here t' Missouri an' back again. You know damn good 'n well - "

Raising a hand in retreat, the blond said, "save it. When we get Vin free and find JD you can stomp him. I'll hold him down, in fact. But for now, we've got to concentrate on taking care of those bounty hunters. So rein it in."

Buck shot blue daggers at the other man, then took a deep breath and nodded. The other two men watched as he visibly forced himself to squelch that infamous Wilmington temper. There were times when it came in handy, but this wasn't one of them.

Chris watched the big man force the anger out of his face and ease the tense stance of his body, giving him a quick, compassionate smile. He knew what the Kid meant to him, and what it was costing him to quiet the storm of feelings.

They rode quickly back to town, splitting up long enough to gather supplies and retrieve fresh horses. Then, less than an hour later, they rode out once more, bent on finding their friends and bringing them home.

They had rested for about an hour according to the sun. Then Sonny took a lot of pleasure in yanking on the rope to pull him to his feet. He stifled a curse and managed to hide just how much the burning sun was wearing him down. Struggling to his feet, he shot a glare at the two men, straightened his back and squared his shoulders. He might go down, but he wasn't going to give them any pleasure in watching him die.

He felt the burn and sting as sweat dripped with growing insistence across the torn flesh that the rope had rubbed raw. He pushed himself, trying to keep up with the two horsemen, to keep the rope from digging into him. As hard as he tried, it did no good and he cursed as he felt the warm ooze of blood mingle with the pouring sweat.

The tracker fought to ignore the pain and thirst, to ignore the burning sun that leeched his strength from him. He forced his mind to focus elsewhere. He tried to craft another poem for Sadie, so he could recite it to her when next he saw the pretty young woman. When his mind refused to string the words together, he simply thought about her. The softness of her skin as he took hold of her hand. How light shined in her soft green eyes when she looked up at him. How she smiled when he talked to her. He thought about how she cried when he recited his poem for her. At first he had been scared that she was crying for a different reason, that he had embarrassed or insulted her.

But she had liked it. She'd been proud that he'd written it for her. She liked it.

She liked him.

Taking a deep breath, ignoring how the air seemed to burn his throat and how the rope dug into his chest, he breathed deep and stood straighter. He was damned if he'd turn up his toes now. Not now. Not when there was someone waiting for him.

Was she safe? He was grateful that, at least, the men had left her alone. They might not give a damn as to what they put him through, but he could handle what came. If they had done any harm to Sadie, he'd probably be laying stretched out over the rump of one of the horses, dead. Because no matter what they did to him, he wouldn't have stood by and let them hurt her. He couldn't. But she was safe. He figured that she had probably managed to get back to town by now. That meant that Chris and the boys were hot on his trail. That meant he'd be rescued directly.

Maybe Sadie would come to visit him while he healed. That thought brought a smile to dry, cracked lips. He wouldn't mind having her dote on him a bit while he got over his ordeal. What man wouldn't accept the attentions of a pretty young lady when he was hurting? Maybe he'd even suffer a relapse...

Vin chuckled aloud, bringing looks from both men in front of him. He was starting to think like Bucklin. Thinking with what was below his belt, wasn't that what Chris had said to the big man a time or two? But hell, who wouldn't when there was a woman as pleasing to the eye as Sadie Wills to think about?

Chris, Buck and Nathan reached the fishing pond shortly after noon. They found the signs of both Vin and JD, as well as the two men who had captured the bounty hunter. They were just mounting to ride after their friends when they heard the sound of a horse approaching, running hard. They saw one of the ranchers from a small spread on the other side of Four Corners racing toward them.

"Nathan!" Daniel Tate called as he approached. "Nathan!"

The healer knew immediately what was going on. "Is it time?"

Nodding, the out of breath man said, "she started havin' pains last night, but she's havin' trouble. Nathan, I'm scared it's gonna happen again."

Jackson nodded. Martha Tate had lost two babies during childbirth, nearly dying herself each time. When she had realized she was in a family way again, she had come to Nathan. He had assured her that he would be there for her when her time came, and would do everything in his power to make certain this child lived.

But now? Why did it have to be now? He looked helplessly at the other two men. "Chris, Buck, I've got... I promised... "

Nodding Larabee said, "go. Leave us the supplies. Buck and I will take care of this. You've got a promise to keep."

Relief vied with guilt and concern on the dark, handsome face. Quickly he took his saddlebags from behind his saddle and handed them over to the blond. With a final look at his friends, he said, "bring 'm home."

Larabee and Wilmington watched for a minute as Jackson rode off with the expectant father before resuming their journey.

They moved through the day, the sun seeming to mock him by refusing to set when he thought it was surely time... hell, past time... for it to crawl off behind the mountains. Instead it stubbornly stayed in the sky. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was walking in his own blood, his boots having long ago rubbed and then burst blisters all along his feet. He knew that they were raw, but the pain was swallowed up by the overall pain that coursed through his body. The sun had baked him dry, the ropes around his chest and wrists and dug into his flesh. His back, never strong to begin with, throbbed incessantly, mirrored by the drumbeat behind his eyes.

His vision had dimmed, the result of long hours in the sun without any relief. The world became light and dark, shape and shadow, but little else. He was a stubborn man, but began to wonder - when he could gather his thoughts - if it wouldn't be better to just curl up and die. But the stubbornness kept him moving, one stumbling step at a time.

Then, it happened. His legs gave out. Unable to stop his fall, his arms behind his back, Vin fell hard. He felt something pop, and realized he'd dislocated his shoulder. His captors didn't even slow or turn around. Unable to regain his feet, Vin could only grit his teeth as he was dragged slowly behind the horses.

Finally, several minutes later, Sonny did turn his attention to the man behind him. With a frustrated sigh, he turned to Perly. "I'm draggin' his sorry ass. Son of a bitch's pullin' on th' saddle."

Nodding, Perly looked up at the sky. "It'll be dark soon, anyway. Reckon we can call it a day. Let's ride over t' them trees and make camp."

He felt the direction change, and knew they had turned slightly. He struggled against the pull of the rope, fighting to regain his feet, even though he knew he couldn't. Several more minutes passed, even though to the pain-wracked man it seemed like hours, before the movement stopped. It took Vin some time to realize that he was no longer moving. He lay, face down, for several minutes longer. He tried to gather up the strength to move, but could do nothing more than to roll to his back. He took several deep breaths, no longer even noticing how it pressed the rope into his chest.

If the boys were going to save his sorry hide, now would be a good time.

JD lay flat on the hilltop, sighting through the spyglass. He had been following the men from a distance for an hour or so. He had watched through the metal device to keep track of his quarry. He had seen Vin fall, only to be dragged behind the horses, and had barely been able to restrain himself from tearing across the plain to help his friend.

Damn it, he wished Buck or Chris were here. They would know how to go after Vin now, without risking the man's death. But there was only him, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out what to do. All he could do was follow behind, waiting for divine inspiration to give him a sign as to what to do. So far, nothing had come.

So, here he was, lying atop the hill, watching things unfold below him.

They had stopped, the two bounty hunters in the shade of a small stand of trees. Vin lay where he had fallen, face down beneath the setting but still fierce sun. As JD watched, the prone figure moved. Slowly Tanner rolled onto his back, his face turned to the sun now. Dunne cursed. At least the other way, Vin's face was protected from the heat.

Forcibly dragging his attention from the injured man, the sheriff played the spyglass around the area. He settled on the trees where the two men sat, studying them. He cursed as he realized he had talked to one of them just two days earlier. The man had pretended to be a cowboy looking for a job, and had struck up a conversation with him. He had considered riding in toward them, pretending to be just someone passing by. But, even if they didn't shoot him to keep him from seeing what they were doing to Vin, it would never work now. The man would recognize him and probably shoot them both.

There had to be a way.

"Think JD!" He hissed through clenched jaws.

Studying the terrain, he slowly traced a path that might allow him to get within a few yards of the sharpshooter. It was round about and he would have to go slow if he was to manage it, but it might work. He would need to wait until nightfall, however.

If only the sun would set.

He watched his friend, his heart aching more with each passing moment, frustration mounting with each passing second. He went over his plan over and over, honing it, memorizing it, changing it. It had to work. Unless Chris and the others came over the horizon before nightfall, it was the only thing he could do.

The only way Vin would survive.

Sonny Watkins looked out from beneath the tree he was leaning against, watching the prone form stretched out in the sun. Turning to his kin, he said, "y' know, he ain't likely t' last another day in this heat."

Perly lay stretched out beneath one of the trees, his hat pulled over his eyes. Without moving he said, "reckon so."

"Well, I ain't gonna ride double with no corpse."

"You'll do what'cha need t' do, just like me."

"Then you ride with it."

"We'll take turns."

"Told y', I ain't ridin' with no corpse."

"We're bound t' pass a farm 'r somethin'. We'll git us another horse t' tote 'm on."

"Well, I ain't payin' fer a horse. Y' should a took th' one he's usin' back there."

"I ain't leavin' no lady on foot. We'll git another horse. Meantime quit yer complainin'. He ain't even dead yet."

"Yeah, but he ain't gonna last another day."

Perly sighed, pulled his hat further down, and tried hard to ignore the ranting man. Ezekiel Watkins, better known as Sonny, had been a thorn in his side since they were kids. They had been out hunting for dinner one day, and he had accidentally shot his cousin in the head. Sonny had almost died, was unconscious for more than a week, and had never been right since. The family had blamed Perly for it all, even though he was only eight and Sonny was twelve, and it had been an accident. From that day on it had been looked on as his responsibility to look after the man. And he resented every minute of it.

"Why don' cha rustle us up come dinner," Perly instructed a few minutes later, when the other man had quieted down.

"Why don't you? It ain't my turn t' cook. I cooked lunch. I had t' tote that feller all day, too. Why don't you do somethin'?"

"All y' did was make sure the rope didn't come loose off yer saddlehorn. And all we had fer lunch was day ol' biscuits 'n jerky. Now shut up an' go fix dinner."

Sonny threw a look at the other man and considered arguing, but knew wouldn't do any good. Perly would win. He always did. Grumbling under his breath, he went off in search of game for dinner.

Perly looked from beneath the brim of his hat, saw that his cousin was gone, and pushed the hat back. Raising up on his elbows, he looked out into the late evening sun, studying their bounty. He never thought of them in any other way, just bounties. Otherwise they became men, and it made the work harder.

Tanner had moved to his back, which wasn't the best position given the clear sky above them. His face would be burnt to a crisp this way. Not that he cared about his bounty's comfort, he didn't. He just wanted to make sure the sheriff down in Tascosa was able to identify him when they got down there.

He hated to admit it, but Sonny was right. Tanner wouldn't make it through another day without at least a little water. Not that he cared, the poster was dead or alive. But, like Sonny, he wasn't interested in sharing his horse with a dead body. A body that wasn't likely to smell real good by the time they got to where they were going. While he wanted to keep him quiet, Perly decided that it would be in their best interest to keep Tanner alive.

Pushing himself to his feet, he strode over to the end of the rope. Nudging the prone body with the toe of his boot, he received no response. Reaching down, he grabbed up the rope, and pulled the unconscious man toward the shade. Accomplishing that, he left him laying there, a boneless heap at the edge of the stand of trees. They only had what water was left in their canteens, but he decided he'd allow the man a drink before they set off in the morning. Just enough to keep him alive, but not enough to give him the strength to be a problem to them.

The sun finally set, after seeming to hover on the horizon for hours. JD heaved a sigh of relief, happy that he could finally set his plan into motion. He had moved as close as he dared while there was still daylight, and had waited in the brush for night to come.

He had left his horse hidden in the hills, and carried only a canteen with him. He fought the urge to draw his Colts, but left them holstered. The countryside was deep in shadows, and he was fairly certain he could get in, rescue Vin, and get back out again. His plan had nearly been destroyed when he watched one of the men drag Vin toward the trees, but he was just dropped at the edge of the glade and left. He supposed whoever the bastards were, they weren't ready to let Tanner die just yet.

As stealthily as possible, the young man moved from hiding place to hiding place, having picked out each one while he waited. Scrub brush led to a scattering of boulders led to a shallow ravine led to a stand of trees. The trees led to more brush led to the final stretch of land that lay open between the brush and the stand of trees where Vin lay.

He reached that last landmark with grim satisfaction. It was a good ten yards before he reached his friend. It was full night now, only the faint light of the early stars and the flicker of the campfire just beyond where he knew Vin was. The darkness was a blessing, in that he would be able to move across the open range without the bounty hunters seeing him. At the same time, he could barely see his hand in front of his face, and was going by feel and grime determination alone.

He slipped off his boots, figuring he could move quieter without them. Taking a deep breath, he moved away from his final hiding place. Every sense went on alert for any hint of danger. It seemed to take a lifetime to get across those last feet, and JD was convinced he'd aged to match. Then he was there. Vin lay right in front of him.

Kneeling carefully, Dunne placed his hand on the other man's chest, searching for confirmation that Tanner was, indeed, still alive. The faint rise and fall as he breathed and the rapid flutter of his heartbeat gave the young man the information he needed. Leaning forward, he whispered into the other man's ear.

"Vin? Vin, can you hear me? It's JD. Vin?"

Tanner moaned softly, his head moving toward the sound in his ear. Without opening his eyes, he murmured, "JD?"

Pressing his fingers against the swollen lips, he slipped an arm beneath the sharpshooter's shoulders and carefully lifted him to rest against his shoulder. Uncapping his canteen, he touched it against his friend's lips. As Vin's foggy mind deciphered what it was, he opened his mouth and allowed the water to dribble down his aching throat.

Letting the abused man drink slowly, he pulled the container away after a few swallows. At the exasperated sound Tanner breathed, he leaned forward and whispered, "there's plenty more, but we need to go. Can you walk if I help you?"

Slowly the shaggy head nodded. JD retrieved his pocketknife, wishing he had something heavier. Still, he managed to cut through the rope, pulling it from the lean chest. He couldn't help but wince as, time and again, he had to tug it loose. He quickly realized that it was being held to the other man by dried blood. Finally dropping the hemp to the ground, he rose to his feet, slipping his arms beneath Vin's shoulders. Carefully he pulled Tanner up, feeling the man jerk and tremble slightly as he did.

Helping Vin to stand, he awkwardly slipped his arm around the narrow waist. Tanner's arms were still tied behind his back, but he could cut that rope loose later. Right now the most important thing was to get away. When they were away from the bounty hunters' camp, there would be time to free him then.

They moved back the way JD had come, Vin moving through the shadows without a sound, despite the fact that he could barely keep his feet beneath him. Dunne kept his arm around his friend, supporting him as best he could. He felt the tremors that coursed through the thin frame, felt the injured man's struggle to keep from falling when his knees buckled. When that happened, the smaller man would stand fast, holding onto the struggling man until he seemed steady once more.

They made the first landmark, and the young sheriff eased his companion to the ground. Uncapping his canteen, he allowed Tanner another drink, the man leaning heavily against him. Vin started to slump toward the ground, but JD held him up.

"Hang on. Let me cut the ropes on your wrists." With Tanner supported against his shoulder, he went to work, soon freeing the man's bleeding wrists.

Vin moaned softly and drew one arm before him, fingers flexing as he tried to restore circulation. He started to move the other as well, but a sharp burst of pain reminded him of the earlier fall. Hissing a breath, he let the injured arm hang as it was.

"Vin?"

"Popped 't... outta socket," he muttered.

"I can pop it back in, I've seen Nathan do it a couple of times."

Shaking his head, the tracker said, "leave 't fer now. Let's git outta here."

Nodding hesitantly, Dunne pulled his boots on and helped the other man once more to his feet. Vin slipped his good arm over the smaller man's shoulders, and the Easterner once more wrapped his around the trim waist. Slowly they made their way away from the bounty hunters.

The moon rose when they were nearly half way back to where JD had left Milagro, but the faded sliver of light did little to alleviate the blackness. He had led the two of them astray a couple of times, having to study the dark landscape carefully before they continued.

Finally he heard a faint wicker, and moved toward the sound. He all but ran into the patient horse, reaching out to touch the sleek, silky coat of the chestnut. Giving the animal a pat, he helped Vin into the saddle. Making certain the man could hold on with one hand, he led the horse back along the trail. He had gotten Vin away from his captors, but they weren't free yet.

Chris leaned back against a tree trunk, watching his oldest friend. Buck hadn't set still for more than a minute since they'd made camp. Neither of them had wanted to stop for the night, but the moonless sky had hidden the trail from them, leaving them uncertain of where the other two peacekeepers were. They had made a quick camp, with only a small fire that was hidden from view by the surrounding trees and brush.

He had cooked some beans, but neither of them had much of an appetite. Half-heartedly shoving several mouthfuls of beans into his mouth, using a cold biscuit rather than a spoon, Buck jumped up, beginning to pace around the edge of the camp.

"Damn it Chris! We can't just sit here on our asses while Vin's out there in trouble, and for all we know, JD is too! We need to go!"

"Go where, Buck? We can't see the trail... hell, it's hard to see past the end of your nose out here tonight. We don't have a choice, but neither do they. They're holed up somewhere just like we are."

"Yeah? Well, that don't mean they ain't doin' God knows what to that scrawny-assed Texan."

"Do you think I haven't thought about that?"

Despite the fact that his voice was soft, it became clear to the bigger man that his old friend was worried. Hell, he was doing the Chris Larabee version of pacing, sitting perfectly still and staring into the darkness. Wilmington realized that the blond was just as worried as he was. Their friends were out there somewhere, probably in trouble, and they couldn't do a damn thing until the sun came up. Heaving a deep sigh, he dropped to the ground, sitting cross-legged near the other man. Picking up a mug, he poured some coffee, and tried to relax.

For several moments, neither man spoke. Finally, the mustached man broke the silence. "They'll be all right."

Smiling at his friend's change of mind, Larabee said, "reckon."

"It ain't like Tanner ain't faced hard situations before."

"You're right."

"And for all we know, the Kid's lost and half way back to town by now."

"Probably."

"If not, he's not fool enough to try and rescue Vin alone."

"Maybe."

Buck stopped, frowning at the gunman. "So you're sayin' you think he would do something stupid like that?"

"Didn't say that."

"Y' know, he's come a long way since he hooked up with us. He ain't that wet behind the ears city kid no more."

"Nope."

"But you don't think he's capable of taking care of himself out here on his own."

The corner of Larabee's mouth quirked up in a smirk. "Who are you arguing with, me or you?"

Wilmington's mouth opened, closed, then opened again. With an embarrassed grin, he said, "damned if I know. Hell, Chris, I just can't help it. The boy brings out somethin' in me..."

"Uncle Buck."

"What?"

"Uncle Buck. The same man who used to fuss over Adam worse than his mama did. Face it, pa, you're hearts as big as your mouth. Reckon you'll always find someone or other to take care of. Adam... JD... me..." Larabee drifted off. He leaned forward, pulled a piece of wood from the edge of the fire, and used it to light a cheroot.

The bigger man simply stared at his friend, then slowly began to smile. "Yeah, well, reckon some of us was just put on this earth to take care a them that can't do 't themselves."

Larabee chuckled. "Reckon so."

Silence filled the next several moments, this time broken by Chris. "You know, we couldn't have asked for a better guardian for Adam than you. Sarah and I knew that from the day he was born."

Choking back the pain that threatened to overwhelm him, the bigger man said in a soft voice, "sure wasn't a good guardian when it really counted."

With a sigh, Larabee said, "you know as well as I do that it wasn't your fault. If you'd known you'd have been pulling me out of that damned cantina in a heartbeat."

"Yeah. Instead, I was the one coaxin' you to stay back there. I wanted just one more drink. Just one more whore. Just one more night."

"Despite what you seem to think, pard, you never have been in charge of my life. The fact of the matter is... I wanted to stay." The widow's voice cracked with emotion. "Hank was right. I was the hell-raiser he always said I was. I wasn't good enough for Sarah, and I sure as hell proved it that night."

"That's bull and you know it. There wasn't... isn't... a better husband and father on the face of this earth, stud. Sarah knew it, Adam knew it... and I know it. You're the only one that doesn't see it."

Drawing a deep, if trembling, breath the gunman said, "I can't, Buck."

Once more silence blanketed the little clearing where they had camped, ending that conversation. Knowing that he'd lost the chance to help his friend find peace once again, Wilmington changed the subject. "So, what's the plan? How do we get Vin away from those bastards?"

Drawing on his cheroot and watching the end glow bright red, Chris studied the question. Finally he shook his head, "I don't have a clue. We've got to go in careful, otherwise we risk him getting killed. I hope Sadie was right, that there are only two of them. That could give us our break... God knows we've faced a lot stiffer odds."

"Ain't that the truth."

"The only thing we can do is find JD, catch up to those sons of bitches, and see what things look like then. If there are only two men, we might be able to surprise them without gunplay. That would be our best bet...

"Right now, the hardest part is waiting."

Nathan Jackson looked up when he heard the bedroom door open. He watched as Dan Tate walked slowly into the room, his eyes fixed on the big bed where his wife and infant son lay. Jackson finished drying his hands, his eyes going to the bed as well. He had been in this room since late afternoon the day before, and the first rays of the sun were just beginning to frame the shaded window beside the bed.

Martha Tate looked pale and fragile, but the lines of pain had finally left her face. She had been in the depths of a difficult labor by the time he and Dan had ridden in, crying out each time a contraction hit. The baby was turned wrong, just as the others had been, and he had struggled through the night to help her bring the child into the world.

The commotion was over now, the room quiet. He had gotten both her and the baby cleaned up and put fresh linen on the bed. Now she lay, her dark hair spilling out across the pillow, with the tiny baby in her arms.

Nathan moved quietly to Tate's side, guiding him to a chair with a strong hand on the man's arm. Dan barely seemed to notice, his focus completely on his family. He dropped to the chair, and one hand reached out to touch his wife's. Running his thumb along the back of her porcelain-like hand, he whispered, "thank you, Nathan."

"Ain't... ain't no need... I didn't... I... I'm sorry, Daniel."

The seated man looked up at the dark healer, tears streaming down his face. "You did all you could. We both knew the risks... but... she wanted ch-children so bad."

As the grieving man broke off, his words drown out by a pain-filled sob, the former slave dropped his head and looked away. Then his tear- washed eyes gazed at the woman and child lying on the bed. Martha Tate had breathed her last in a panting, weeping groan just as her son was delivered by the healer's strong hands. The newborn baby had struggled, gasping a few weak breaths, and then had gone as still as his mother.

"Reckon she's happy now," Dan said softly. "She's with all three of our babies now... finally takin' care of... of our family."

"Yes, sir, I... I reckon," Nathan managed to get the words past the lump in his throat. Squeezing the man's shoulder, he said, "I'll take 'm into town, to the undertaker's if you'd like."

Shaking his head, Tate replied, "no. Our other two babies... our girls, she called 'm... are buried right here on our land. I'll... I'll see to it her and our son join 'm. I do thank you."

Jackson thought he'd lose his mind if the man thanked him one more time. How could Dan thank him, when his wife and son lay dead before them? He deserved no thanks. But all he could manage to say was, "I'll have 'm bring out the coffin, then, and help you with the burial."

Shaking his head, the other man said, "you've got another job to do, Nathan. I heard about what was going on... heard Vin was in trouble. You... you need to get on the trail, in case... in case he needs you. I'll take care of things here."

Pain still etched deep on his handsome face, Jackson nodded and walked from the room, shoulders stooped. As he made his way outside, he heard a single, gut-wrenching sob coming from the bedroom. The sound pierced his heart and the tears burst from his eyes to cascade down his face.

The sun was just edging over the horizon as JD led the tired horse across an open stretch of land. He was grateful for the fact that he could at least see where he was leading them now, but worried at the fact that it would be much easier for the bounty hunters to find them. A soft moan drew his attention upward to where his injured friend sat hunched over in the saddle.

"JD... I need t' stop," Tanner admitted, his words accompanied by a strangled groan.

"All right, hang on Vin, there are some trees just over there." He pointed, but the tracker didn't look. Instead he simply sank lower in the saddle, nodding once to say he had heard. Frowning, JD tugged at the reins, leading Milagro to the small stand of trees he had only noticed as the sky began to lighten.

Reaching the trees a short time later, he guided the horse into the center of the grove, ground reining the exhausted creature before turning to his friend. "Come on, let's get you down."

Tanner barely responded, allowing himself to be guided from the horse's broad back. A hissed breath of pain was his only response as his abused feet touched the ground. Then his knees buckled and left him leaning heavily on the young sheriff.

"Take it easy. Come on, let's get you over here so you can rest."

"'Kay," Tanner muttered. He shuffled beside Dunne, his injured arm sending pain shooting through his upper body with each step. He knew he needed to get it put back in place, before he did more damage to it. He told JD as much once he was settled on the ground.

The young sheriff paled slightly, his earlier words coming back to haunt him. While he had seen Nathan maneuver a dislocated limb back into place, he had never done it himself. What would happen if he only caused more injury? Then he looked down at the sharpshooter, and knew he had to do something. Tanner's face, scorched red by the long hours of sun, was lined with pain and coated with a thin sheen of perspiration.

"Yeah... okay. I -"

"Kid, if y' don't wanna do 't, reckon I c'n wait." He stifled a groan as he tried to find a more comfortable position. He really didn't have much hope of finding one, though. Between the throbbing of his shoulder, the pounding of his head, the burning of the raw places on his chest and back, and the general pain that spread across his body from being dragged, there wasn't enough of him pain-free to get comfortable on.

"No, I'll do it, Vin. I just... I just don't want to hurt you."

"Hell, don't reckon y' c'n make me hurt more 'n I already do."

With a deep sigh, the dark haired young man grabbed the dislocated limb and pulled sharply as he had seen Jackson do. Somewhat shocked to feel a distinct pop, he said, "I hope not."

Tanner was too shocked to cry out, a startled grunt his only response to the other man's ministrations. He slumped back against the tree, only vaguely aware of Dunne slowly maneuvering his arm until it lay against his stomach.

JD sat back on his heels, watching his friend. This was the first really good look he had had of the man since rescuing him. What he saw both shocked and sickened him. Vin looked as if he had been abused for days rather than hours. His face and neck were red, blisters appearing where the skin had been burned the worst. His lips were cracked and bloody and his eyes were swollen almost closed. His shirt was ripped and filthy from his being dragged, blood dried in a rough line just below his shoulders where the rope had cut into his flesh.

Shaking his head, Dunne said, "Vin?"

"Yeah?"

"You look like hell."

With a tired laugh, the sharpshooter said, "reckon I do, Kid. Reckon I do."

They had gotten back on the trail as soon as there was light enough to see by. The two old friends rode as fast as they could while keeping track of the path the others had made before them. Three sets of hoof prints and one of boots.

It was the set of boot tracks that made them angrier by the mile.

"I can't believe how long they made him walk," Buck said quietly. "Don't look like they stopped but once. That boy's had t' be walkin' in blood by the time they got this far."

"I know," Larabee's voice was deathly quiet.

It was a quiet that Wilmington recognized only too well. It usually meant that someone was going to get shot, if not killed outright. And he was only too glad that he was on the blond's side. He also knew that the gunman wasn't in the mood for talk, so he kept any further comments to himself and kept his focus on the trail ahead.

The sun had bloomed fully atop the hilltops of the Eastern horizon before the Watkins cousins awoke. Perly was the first to discover their bounty had escaped during the night. He cursed as he held the cut rope in his hands, then dropped it to go storming back beneath the trees. There he cursed again, kicking Sonny as he did. The other man came up off his bedroll with a howl, coming after his cousin before he was even fully awake.

The two men began fighting, fists flailing, feet lashing out as they battered one another. Finally Perly pinned his cousin on his back, sitting on his chest as he delivered a sharp right onto the man's chin.

"He's gone!"

"What?" Sonny gasped the word through a split lip and a bloody nose.

"The sumbitch is gone. Either he had a knife hid, or one a them bastards he rides with snuck in an' cut 'm lose. Don't matter none, cos he's gone!"

"But... where'd 'e go?"

Looking down at his cousin with an expression of disbelief, Perly Watkins said in as even a tone as he could manage, "how th' hell 'm I s'posed t' know? He's gone. Lit out. Now, git th' cotton outta yer head, git yer horse, 'n let's go."

"But... yer sittin' on me," Sonny complained.

With an exasperated growl, the beleaguered bounty hunter shifted off his cousin's chest, and said, "git... up."

Scrambling to his feet, the simple man hurried to comply with his domineering cousin's orders. Within minutes, the two men set out. Perly managed to find signs of two men on foot, and knew then that someone had helped Tanner escape.

"Knew we should a kept watch last night. Should 'a known one a them damn do-gooders 'd come fer 'm. Now we gotta chase 'im down, prob'ly shoot 't out with whoever come fer 'm and start all over again gittin' 'm t' Texas."

"Well if'n there's only one of 'm come fer 'im we ain't gonna have no problem gittin' Tanner back," Sonny said. It seemed very simple to him.

Perly Watkins looked at his cousin and simply shook his head. "C'mon... let's go."

"Vin?"

"Hm?"

JD looked at his injured friend sympathetically. Tanner had only seemed to be truly at rest less than half an hour ago. He wanted to spare the man any more pain, but knew they needed to go. The bounty hunters were sure to find their trail, and would be on them before long. When they saw for certain that it was only him standing between them and Vin, they might laugh themselves to death, but that was the only way he'd get the better of them.

"Kid.. y' jist wake me fer th' hell of 't, 'r what?" The sharpshooter's voice was soft and tired, but it brought JD back to matters at hand.

"No. I'm sorry Vin, but we really need to go. Those fella's will be on us pretty quick otherwise."

With a sigh, the older man said, "yeah, I know. Gimme a hand."

JD took the hand Tanner held out, slipped his arm around his shoulders, and helped him to his feet. Vin cursed under his breath at the pain that shot upward through his torn and bloodied feet, and downward from his injured shoulder. It took everything the pain-wracked man could do not to simply lay back down. He wouldn't, though. He couldn't.

With slow, awkward steps, Tanner hobbled along side the smaller man, allowing himself to be led toward the waiting horse. He barely managed to climb into the saddle with JD's help, groaning as he slumped on the horse's back. He let his feet dangle so there was less pressure on them, although he knew this wouldn't be much better for them. Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he nodded to his friend, managing to rasp, "let's go."

Nodding in return, JD led the rested horse forward, heading back toward town and, hopefully, help.

The day promised more heat and bright sunlight. He couldn't help but wish it would cloud up. The Kid had brought him his hat and coat, which would help, but he knew he would be hurting before the sun rose much farther. He could already feel the heat, as if it were focusing itself on his face and neck, even beneath the wide brim of his slouch hat. Add to that the pain from his other injuries, and Tanner wanted nothing more than to scream at the top of his lungs. He didn't, though. He simply gritted his teeth, took as deep a breath a he was able, and held on tight.

The thing that worried him the most was the fact that he still could barely see. The long hours in the sun had caused his eyelids to swell almost shut, just as he knew the rest of his face was swollen. Those long hours without any type of shade or cover had caused his vision to blur, the world that he did see through mere slits dim and fuzzy.

He wasn't about to mention it to Dunne, though. There wasn't anything the Kid could do for him, for one. He knew that, with rest, they'd be all right... at least he hoped they would. The only thing they could do was bandage them, and right now that wasn't an option. Even if all he saw was shape and shadow, it was something. With those bounty hunters on their trail, JD would need someone watching his back... and he was all there was right now.

They traveled for the first two or three hours of the morning, the sheriff wanting to put as much space between him and their pursuers as possible. He tried to watch in all directions, intent on keeping his injured friend safe. At the same time he watched for any sign that Chris and the others were heading their way. It seemed to him they should have met them by now.

"Kid... hold up," Tanner said softly.

Halting the little chestnut immediately, Dunne slipped a Colt from the holster as he turned to look up at the other man. "What is it?"

Shaking his head, the sharpshooter said, "thought I heard... damn it! Horses comin', JD. We need t' find somewhere t' hole up. Git on up here, so we c'n move faster."

Dunne looked around quickly, trying hard to find some sign of pursuit. Seeing none, he moved to swing up onto the back of his horse. Vin had moved back, making it clear that he was to ride in front. Quickly pulling himself up into the saddle, JD took the reins and kicked the horse to a run.

They rode as hard out as they could with both men in the saddle. JD headed them for a scattering of rocks from some long ago landslide, at the foot of the nearby hills.

They were half way there when the first bullet whipped by them. The younger man leaned forward, urging the tiring horse to move just a little faster. "Hang on, Vin!"

Tanner was trying. He had his good arm wrapped around Dunne's chest, doing his best to keep himself on the horse's back. He listened as more bullets whistled past.

Only a third of the way to go. JD could feel the horse struggling beneath him, all ready tired from the morning's walk in the heat. He coaxed it to move a little faster.

Vin felt a sharp pain, and fire spread from his side. He knew he'd been hit, but couldn't afford the breath to cry out. Instead, he tucked his injured arm close to his side and held onto the other man a little tighter.

Reaching the jumble of rocks, Dunne wheeled the horse around behind the largest, hoping it would be enough to hide them from the bounty hunters. He tapped at Vin's hand. "Come on, let's get you down."

Tanner tried to move, only to have the pain increase ten fold. His grip on the smaller man loosened and he slowly slipped from the saddle. Dropping to the ground, he crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap. All ready unconscious, he didn't hear the young sheriff's cry.

"Vin!"