Title: Time is Eternal
By: Maggie
Disclaimer: Not mine, wishful thinking, but hey!!
Rating: PG13
Authors Note: This story was an auction fic for a very understanding friend, Leslie. I want to thank her for her patience and hope this is anything like what she wanted. I also want to thank Penny, Jennie, Marla, and the rest of the Rowdy Bunch for the beta and support. The last half of this story was betaed strictly by myself, so I take full responsibility for all mistakes myself. Enjoy!!

*********

The distant thunder caused JD Dunne to jump slightly as he walked toward the Four Corners Jail. He had been up since dawn that morning or rather dusk, if the black horizon was any indication. He sighed heavily as he glanced once more at the sky. This was suppose to be a special day, one he had planned on for days now. The day he would get the birthday present for the man he considered a brother, Buck Wilmington.

JD stepped through the jailhouse door finally and shut it softly behind him. He knew he should be excited but something was nagging at the back of his mind. A dooms day preminition, Josiah Sanchez, would say. Dunne slid into the office chair and glanced once more out the windows. He guessed with the weather forecast and the feeling of dread he had, something was definitely going to go wrong with his plans.

The sudden knock on the door caused the town's sheriff to jump once more. He shook his head and snorted at his anxiety. "Next thing I know, I'll be seeing crows." The young man got up and approached the door with apprehension. No one ever had good news when they knocked on the jailhouse door.

As the door opened fully, the grim face of the telegraph operator, Mr. Greely, made all JD's predictions hit home.

"Mornin' Mr. Greely." Dunne tipped his hat and stepped back to let the elder man inside.

"Mornin' Sheriff." The operator cleared his throat suddenly and then handed a piece of parchment to the boy.

JD took it reluctantly and began to scan the contents. His heart began a descent to his knees when his eyes fell on the words, 'stagecoach robbed'. "Damn," Dunne swore softly under his breath.

"I'm sorry, son. I know you been waiting a long time for that package...." The operator stopped when he caught the sad look of the younger man.

"Thanks, Mr. Greely." JD once more made his way back to the desk. 'Dooms Day indeed,' he thought as he sank back into the chair. He didn't even notice the older man's departure or the arrival of another of the seven.

"You alright, JD?" Vin Tanner leaned against the windowsill, watching the sheriff.

Dunne jumped for the third time that day and began to swear with words his mother would definitely not approve.

This peaked the tracker's warning bells. The kid hardly, if ever, used such language. Vin moved forward and sat down on the edge of the desk. "Anything wrong, JD?" Tanner leaned in so he was eye to eye with Dunne.

JD finally raised his head and looked at his friend. "Yeah, everything. My plan, not only to give Buck the best birthday ever, but to give him the best birthday present, is shot all to hell by some damn, lowlife bandits who can't work to make their money like the rest of us." The venom in the youth's voice caused Tanner to look at the man closer. Something else was bothering the boy.

"That all?" Vin raised back to a sitting position and waited patiently.

Dunne sighed heavily, "no." JD stood and started pacing the jail, avoiding all contact with the sharpshooter's gaze. "I guess I've just been feeling a little out of sorts lately. Like I don't belong." The sheriff stopped near the far side window, keeping his back to Tanner.

"Any special reason you got this feeling?" Vin kept his voice low, treating JD as he would a spooked horse.

"Not really. You guys have been treating me great, and Buck's still treating me like a kid." JD stopped to let a small smile crease his features before he continued. "I guess I'm just worried that I couldn't handle myself without you boys for backup." There, he'd said it, the one thing that had been nagging at him for days. He wasn't surprised that it had been Vin he'd told, but he was surprised with the tracker's response.

"Maybe you can't." Tanner stood slowly and then turned to face the shocked sheriff.

"Huh?"

Vin paused, letting himself come to a stop about a foot from Dunne. "What would you do if we weren't around, JD? Would you hightail it out of town at the first sign of trouble, or would you remember what we've taught you?"

JD let the sharpshooter's words invade his mind and slowly began to understand what his friend was telling him. "I'd pee in my pants and then do what's right." He smiled as he realized he had sounded just like Buck.

"Most definitely, JD." Vin slapped the boy on the shoulder and then turned to leave, but before he opened the door, he turned back to his friend. "Oh, and one more thing. Those bandits can only take what you let them, kid." Tanner nodded once and then left as silently as he had came.

Dunne stared at the closed door for a few minutes and then the rumble of thunder woke him from his thoughts. "Your absolutely right, Vin." JD grabbed the discarded telegraph and headed in search of the seven's leader.

****************

"You sure you want to do this, JD?" Chris Larabee stared at the man standing in front of him, not sure as to what he was hearing.

"Look Chris, I don't aim to hunt these boys down thinking I can get Buck's birthday present back. I just want to ride over to Eagle Bend and see, if by some miracle, my package was saved." Dunne glanced from the black dressed man sitting on the boardwalk to the growing darkness above him.

Larabee sighed, knowing how important this was to the youth. "Alright, but if the weather gets too bad, I want you to stay put."

JD nodded once and then took off like the devil was after him.

"Where is our illustrious sheriff off too this spectacular morning?" Ezra Standish pulled at the cufflinks on his silk shirt as he came to a stop beside Chris.

"On a wild goose chase." The leader didn't elaborate any further, so the gambler shrugged and reentered the saloon behind him, as Larabee watched the boy and horse disappear into the gloomy distance.

***************

JD had meant to head straight for Eagle Bend, but he thought a quick look around the area where the coach had been hit was a good idea. The telegraph had said about 2 miles from town near the Dry Rot creek area. Dunne slowed his mount as he arrived at the spot.

He could still make out the kicked up grass and dirt made by the horses, along with footprints he assumed where the robbers. He eased his mare to a stop and then slid to the ground, careful not to disturb anything.

Vin had been trying to teach him bits and pieces about tracking and so far he had been a great student, but the excess of chaos at his feet told him he'd never figure out which way they had went. 'Great, you wasted a good hour Dunne.' JD shook his head in self- disgust and was about to mount up when an object, hanging from a bush at the edge of the ravine near the creekbed, caught his attention.

The sheriff ground tied his horse and then went for a closer inspection. As he got within reaching distance, he felt his heart skip. It was a package, a small package about 4 inches wide and 4 inches long. 'Could it be?' Dunne was afraid to hope, but the evidence was staring at him.

He was now standing above the parcel, breathing heavily, scared of moving and breaking the miracle he knew was occurring. After what seemed an eternity, he reached down and with shaky hands, picked up the package. The name scribed on top almost sent the youth into heart failure, 'Mr. JD Dunne, Four Corners Sheriff.'

The boy whooped with glee and was turning to head back to his mount, when a rumble made him stop. The thunder had settled off into the mountains during JD's ride to the robbery spot, so he knew it wasn't that kind of rumble. As the noise begin to rise in pitch, his horse raised her head and whinnied.

Before the sheriff had time to react to anything, he felt a burning sensation make a path into the upper left quadrant of his chest and then explode out the back. A scream was ripped from the boy's throat as the pain registered loud and clear. JD tried to grab for one of his six shooters, but another piercing agony ran into his left leg just above the knee, causing him to drop to the ground with another cry.

JD felt the parcel slipping from his grasp and tried desperately to focus his energy on holding it, but the pain was becoming unbearable. As the ringing in his ears lowered, he sensed the blackness of unconsciousness lurking in the background, and fought it. He had to keep the package safe, no matter what. So, with the little strength he had left, he tossed it away from the ravine and toward some more bushes he spotted further away from the side. He sighed, as he saw the package drop safely into the bosom of the green limbs.

He raised his now empty hand up to the bleeding wound and grimaced when it made contact. He started to lower his hand to examine his leg, when he felt a shadow fall over him. The sheriff lifted his eyes slowly, taking in the low slung rig and the bearded face above him.

"Well, well, well, looks like we found us a vulture, boys. He thought he would come out here and collect on what we might've left behind." The bandit rammed his booted foot into Dunne's side, causing him to yelp with pain. "You don't steal from a Cutshaw son, never." The man leaned down, grabbing the youth by the hair and pulled him onto his knees.

It was all JD could do to keep from passing out as weight was placed on his injured leg. "You think your good enough to steal from us?" Cutshaw shook JD roughly, bringing another yelp from the boy.

Dunne swallowed hard, as Vin's words from earlier crashed into his brain, 'what would you do if we weren't there, JD?.' "I'm not here to steal from you," he paused, willing the pain to ease for just a moment. "I'm here to place you under arrest. I'm the sheriff of Four Corners."

Cutshaw raised an eyebrow at what he was sure a delirious young man and began to laugh. "Sheriff, huh? Did you hear that boys, he's a sheriff." The bandit let go of JD's hair and he fell back to the ground, with his chest and head hanging over the ravine.

As Dunne focused once more, he realized what the earlier rumble had been, the creekbed was no longer dry. A swirling flood of water flowed inches below his head and he could feel the spray from the liquid hit his face.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you, seeing as how you came all this way to get us, but we ain't going back to jail." Cutshaw drew his sidearm and raised it, but another voice stopped him.

"Hey, Jack, why don't we just toss him in." A shorter version of Jack stepped forward and pointed to the running water. "By the time they find the body, we'll be long gone."

Cutshaw smiled at his younger brother, as he reholstered his weapon. "Good idea Clem." Jack bent down and looked at JD. "Ain't that a right fine idea, sheriff?"

Dunne swallowed the bile that had begun to swell in his throat and then gave the man above him his best Larabee glare. "Go to hell."

"You first." Cutshaw laughed and then grabbed Dunne by the pantleg heaving the young man over the side. The yell of despair and pain from JD was drowned out when the water overtook his face.

The three bandits watched the sheriff bob up and down, as he rushed along with the muddy waters, until Dunne's head no longer appeared.

"Happy trails, lawman."

*****************

"Looks like the storm passed us by." Vin stretched his lean frame, then got up from his chair. "Think I'll ride out and check the lay of the land."

"Hold up." Tanner stopped his walk toward the batwing doors and turned to look at Larabee.

"Something wrong?"

Chris stood and made his way over to stand by Vin. "Maybe."

The tracker read more in that simple word then most did when reading a 200 page book. "Worried about JD?"

Larabee let a smile threaten his lips, as he saw the twinkle in the sharpshooter's eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you been eyeing that watch of yours for the past two hours and taking plenty of walks down to the livery." Tanner couldn't help but tease the older man about his worry, even though, truth be known, he had caught himself at the stables twice in the last hour.

Before either man could respond, a bellow reverberated through the town. The two men chanced a quick glance at one another and then ran out to find the source.

They were greeted at the entrance of the livery by a sight of dread. JD's mare was standing outside the doors with its right hoof raised, covered in mud, and riderless. What was even more unnerving was the look adorning Buck's face. A feature void of all emotion, except blatant fury burning in his eyes.

"Where the hell is JD?" Wilmington's voice was louder then usual, making the question carry throughout the town.

"He headed for Eagle Bend this morning." Chris stepped forward to face his oldest friend.

"Then what is his horse doing here?" Buck turned his anger to the leader.

"He probably ran across someone in trouble and forgot to tie off his horse." Nathan stood to the left of Wilmington and was racking his brain to come up with some kind of plausible explanation.

"The kid can forget his head, Nate, but you know damn well he wouldn't left this horse free." Buck turned to head into the stable, when Tanner's soft voice stopped him.

"What the hell would he be doing over near Dry Rot?" Vin hadn't meant for the question to be voiced out loud but the questioning glares around him told him it had slipped out.

"What are you talking about, Vin?" Josiah had arrived with Ezra a few moments behind Larabee and Tanner.

"The mud on the hooves." The tracker knelt down and pointed to the red clay. "There's only one place around here that you can find mud like that and it's over at Dry Rot. But it's been empty for a while now." Vin suddenly glanced up from the horse and looked toward the mountain range. "Unless...." He let his words die as he stood up and mentally began to map out the run off into Dry Rot. "Damn."

He turned and headed into the stable with five confused men behind him. "What the devil is going on, Vin?" Buck didn't stop to question the motives that had them saddling their mounts, but he was curious as to what had the sharpshooter spooked.

"Where did JD say the coach was hit?" Tanner threw a glance to Chris and immediately saw the recognition dawn.

"Damn, 2 miles out of Eagle Bend near Dry Rot." Larabee quickened his movements, as his concern grew.

"You don't think our youngest member would be foolhardy enough to go investigating that area alone, do you?" Ezra chanced a look over top of his mount and the incredulous glares thrown back to him gave him his answer. "Ah, yes, I forgot who I was referring to...." He finished saddling his horse in time to catch the backsides of his compatriots mounts fly by him. "On wings of Pegasus." The southern quoted at the site to befall him and then quickly spurred his horse to catch up.

***************

He hurt, which meant he wasn't dead or if he was, he was in hell. Which he doubted, since he hadn't been with the others long enough to warrant such accomodations, or so he thought. JD was rambling and he knew it, but it did take away from the agony for a moment. 'Okay, Dunne, where the hell are you?'

The sheriff tried to raise his head, but if felt like a dead weight was sitting on his shoulders. "Damn," the hoarse croak was barely above a whisper, but sealed the knowledge that he wasn't dead, yet. He tried to raise an arm and that only caused a spasm to rack his upper body, ending with a heaving cough.

After a few minutes of spitting up red water, the youth tried once more to assess his situation. He began replaying the past events leading up to this moment and suddenly wished he hadn't. The face of Jack Cutshaw and his brother loomed in front of him, causing him to cringe.

"Take it easy, JD. They're not here and your not dead. That means there is still hope." The muttered mantra gave Dunne the added strength he needed to attempt to rise again. This time he managed to raise his head enough to look around and was amazed at what he saw.

He was lying on his back in what looked to be a cow pasture. Several heads of cattle were grazing around him and there was no sign of water. 'Where was the water?' JD swiveled his head slowly and noticed a red liquid pouring over top of his boots. 'How....' The boy's strength waned and his head fell back to the earth beneath him. The shock and cold were beginning to take their toll, as JD felt his eyes shutting. "NO!" He jerked his head up.

"Can't fall back to sleep." Dunne swallowed the bile attempting to crawl up his chest. "Gotta get out of this mess." He once again gave his surroundings a look and found he had missed something on first inspection. A billow of smoke in the distance. Which could mean only one thing, a house.

JD struggled to get to his knees, but his wounds gave him a quick reminder of his distress. This time he couldn't hold the vomit back and was lucky enough to roll onto his good side before losing his breakfast. After what seemed forever, the wretching ceased and his breathing became normal. "Okay, this isn't going to be easy." He reached up and examined the shoulder wound carefully and found the bleeding had stopped. 'Good,' the youth thought happily. He then let his hand move down to his leg and also sighed in relief when he didn't find a bullet hole, just a jagged graze above his kneecap. Whoever had shot him, did it at an angle.

'Okay, so it's not as bad as it seems.' Dunne took a couple of deep breaths and didn't allow himself to exhale until he was in a sitting position. The world began to swim around him, but refusing to give up, he slammed his eyes shut and continued his upward movement. 'Your not going to make it.' The little voice was screaming in JD's ears, but he ignored it and was satisfied when he felt himself on his feet, unsteady, but standing.

"All right. Now, to get from here to there." JD reopened his eyes and felt his triumph disappear. The smoke had appeared closer from the ground, but at this altitude, it looked to be as far away as Four Corners. "Great." Dunne wanted nothing more than to slide to the ground and give in to the darkness, but a nagging feeling had his feet moving before he could make a conscious decision.

He passed a couple of cows, not noticing anything else around him, until he hit something solid. The abrupt stop had him weaving but somehow he managed to keep himself upright. He then realized he had been walking the last few minutes with his eyes shut, so he slowly began to open them. He expected to see a cow maybe, or even a tree, but the grizzled face of an old man was a complete surprise.

JD tried to move backwards, afraid the elder man was a part of the gang that had tried to kill him, but his injured leg chose that moment to give out on him. He felt his left side tilting and knew there was no way he would be able to catch himself. As he waited for the pain of the impact to hit, he started reciting a letter he would have liked to have sent the guys before he died. He wanted to tell them how much they had meant to him and how he would miss them terribly. Dunne's thoughts stopped suddenly, as he lifted one eyelid and saw the ground looming about four feet from his head.

"Why haven't I hit yet?" JD wondered aloud and a voice from somewhere above answered him.

"I've got ya, son. You just rest and let ole' Luke look after ya." The raspy speech sounded anything but comforting, but the gentle arms that carried the boy, sent a message of protection. "You close them eyes and think good thoughts."

Dunne figured he would do that. Maybe that letter wouldn't be necessary, just yet.

**************

Dry Rot creek hadn't seen so much commotion in all the time it had been there. The six horses and men milling about the lip of it didn't seem to take much interest in the scenery however, their eyes, especially the blue ones of the tracker, was combing the ground around them as if it contained the answers to a lifetime of questions.

"Well?" Buck had been pacing nervously behind Vin for the past five minutes. He knew his agitation wasn't helping the sharpshooter any, but it was either this or he would go crazy.

Tanner raised from his crouch and turned to his friends behind him. "He came over here near the ravine for something, that's when the tracks get too heavy to read." Vin paused, not sure if he should continue.

Larabee caught the hesitation and knew there was something else. "What?"

The tracker turned his gaze to his best friend then back to Wilmington. "I found a patch of blood near the edge. Looks like he might have been hit twice." Tanner waited for an explosion from the gunslinger, but was completely surprised when Buck just turned and walked back to his gray. The sharpshooter looked back to Chris and noticed he too was shocked at the lack of response.

"Can you tell how much blood, Vin?" Nathan stepped forward, wanting to gather as much info about the wounds as possible.

Tanner pointed to the spot containing the blotches and began telling his analyse to the healer. "There is quite a bit at the lip of the drop off, suggesting he was hanging over the side and from what I can gather, possibly hit in the upper part of his chest or shoulder. There's a small patch further down here," he slid his finger about three feet below the edge. "Looks like he might have been creased in the leg."

Jackson took in all the information and stood slowly. "So, did they take him?"

Tanner had told them when they had arrived he'd found four sets of footprints, one belonging to JD and the other three to the robbers.

"No." The quiet but confident answer had the other men, including Buck, surrounding the tracker.

"What do ya mean, no! Then where the hell is he?" Wilmington started to advance on the sharpshooter, but a solid hand from Sanchez had him stepping back instead.

"Easy, brother. Let Vin tell it." Josiah patted the man's chest softly and then turned back to Tanner.

"From what I can tell," Vin paused to swallow. "He was thrown over the side."

The sudden gasps were followed by a huge rush toward the ravine. The five men searched below them frantically but Ezra soon realized Vin wasn't helping them look. Standish turned back and saw the stiffened back, plus the tight jaw. "We will not find him over the side, will we Mr. Tanner?" Something about the tracker's stance had the gambler dreading the answer.

The others also turned at the sound of Ezra's voice. They each waited for the sharpshooter to answer. "No."

Buck was about to lose what little patience he had left, when Vin started talking again. "From the looks of the creekbed, a flood came through here and I'm guessing it was at the same time as JD's attack." Tanner looked directly at Wilmington. "He was thrown into the rushing water." The words hurt to say, but the utter shock from Buck had the tracker regretting the day he ever learned to read sign.

Chris had also been watching Buck and suddenly felt guilty for letting the youth leave that morning. "We start searching. We're bound to find something." Larabee walked up to Wilmington and laid his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Even if it takes all night."

Buck glanced at his oldest friend and saw the same sadness he knew was echoing in his own eyes. "Thanks." Chris nodded and the six men headed toward their horses. Before they mounted, however, Josiah stopped near a bush next to his mount. He thought he saw something laying near the base of it. He bent down and sure enough, a small, brown package covered in dirt was tucked inside one of the limbs. Sanchez didn't take time to inspect it, when he noticed the others had already mounted and were waiting on him.

"We'll split up. Vin, Ezra, and I will take the far side, while Buck, you, Josiah and Nathan take this side. We'll search all the way to the lip of the river the creek runs into." Larabee didn't wait for the others to agree, as he wheeled his horse in behind Vin's and they headed over the moist creekbed to the other side.

***********

JD knew he should wake up, but for the life of him didn't know why. He swallowed hard, hoping to get rid of the dryness in his throat. Once that was accomplished, he figured his next task would be to open his eyes. Slowly, the lids began to lift until slits of light were penatrating his sight. He gasped at the brightness and felt a hand land on his shoulder.

"Easy there, son."

"Buck?" Dunne quickly jerked his eyes all the way open but felt the disappointment when he saw the old man from earlier.

"Sorry, no. It's Luke." The cattleman reached over and laid a cloth on the boy's brow, then placed a cup to JD's lips. "Here, drink this. It's my special cure for all that ails ya." The man smiled and winked.

JD stared at the cup for a second, wondering what was in it, but his thirst overrid his curiousity. His first sip was okay, until it hit his stomach. "Oh God." The infernal concoction had the youth's belly turning inside and out. "That's awful." JD reached up and pushed the cup away from his mouth.

"Now, son. This may be awful, but it'll have them hurts cured a'for you know it." Luke once again winked and put the cup back to Dunne's lips.

JD wanted to refuse again, but he had to admit that once the stuff settled, he was feeling some better. "Must be some of Nathan's horse water." The sheriff muttered, as he finished drinking the whole cup.

"Well, if it is, then that Nathan fella must be a smart man." Luke placed the empty glass on the table by the bedside and reached over to check JD's shoulder wound. "Looks like your one lucky man. That bullet went straight through with no real damage. I put some stitches in that leg of yours and you should stay off it until it heals, ya hear?"

JD was only half listening, as his situation became abundantly clear once more. "What day is it mister?" Dunne looked toward the window and saw the sun rising over the mountains.

"It's the first of the month, son." Luke noticed the sheer panic cross the youth's face a second before the boy lurched from the bed and onto his feet.

JD's world began spinning again, but for a different reason. The first. It was Buck's birthday and the gunslinger was probably going out of his mind with worry. Dunne started to take a step forward, but his adrenaline was wearing off and he started teetering badly.

"Whoa there." Luke reached out and steadied the youth, before pushing him down onto the mattress. "You ain't in any shape for making sudden movements." The man waited until he saw the boy take a long breath before he continued. "Now, you want to tell me what that was all about." Luke sat down in the chair in front of Dunne.

JD ran a shaky hand through his hair and raised his head to meet the man's eyes. "Today's my best friend's birthday and he's probably worried sick about me. Nobody knows where I'm at." Dunne swore under his breath, once again berating himself for being so foolish yesterday. "I should have known better."

Luke watched the play of emotions on the boy's face and immediately felt sorry for him. "I'm sure they're out hunting for ya right now, son."

It was at that moment Dunne realized he hadn't even introduced himself. "Sorry, mister, my name's JD Dunne." JD held out a semi-steady hand and was grateful when the elder gent shook it. "And I know they're out looking, but I'm not so sure they'll find anything." The sheriff searched his new friend's face, hoping he'd tell him he was worried about that for nothing.

"You might be right about that, son." Luke hated the defeated look that came across the boy's face. "I'm sorry, but now that I think about it, that rush of water dumped you into my pasture a good 50 yards from the creekbed. Unless they accidentally stumbled on it, they would never know where you came out at."

JD nodded, knowing that even Vin wouldn't be able to find where he had landed. He started to rise again, but Luke held him still. "I'm sorry, Luke was it?" At the elder's nod, JD continued. "I've got to get back to Four Corners. They may think I'm dead." Dunne pushed Luke's hands away and this time made it to his feet without any trouble.

"I know what your thinking, JD, but you almost did die and if you try and head back to Four Corners, you may meet your maker yet." Luke knew he was talking to a tree, when the youth waved his hand and began to put his pants on. "Well, at least let me help you." The cattleman reached out and steadied the sheriff as he pulled his britches up.

Dunne was breathing hard from the exertion and pull against his injuries, but the pain was bearable. He patted Luke's shoulder in thanks. "I'm gonna need to borrow a horse, please." JD pulled a shirt on that Luke had handed him, not even caring it was two sizes too big.

Luke nodded. "I figured as much. I'll go saddle up Henry. He ain't as young as some of them I'm sure your use to, but he's faithful and he'll make sure you get there." After he made sure JD wasn't going to fall flat on his face, Luke left the room and headed toward the barn.

Dunne sat back on the bed, hoping to gather more strength, knowing it would take all he had to make it back to town. He rubbed he aching leg as he thought about the torture he knew Buck was putting himself through. "Please God, let me get home." JD didn't want to think about the agony he knew Wilmington was going through, or think about the guilt Larabee would be feeling. "Just let me get home." He finished his small prayer and headed out in Luke's wake.

**********

The two weary groups were blessed or cursed, they weren't sure which, with the light from the full moon guiding them along their search. They had almost reached the river with no luck. They had each fallen into silence halfway through the ride, especially Wilmington.

He couldn't curb his thoughts from the impending agony he knew awaited them at the river. He had held out hope for the first couple of hours, but now, all he had left was the hope of finding something to say goodbye too. 'Damnit, JD, how in the hell did I let you get this close.' The gunslinger let his eyes slide shut trying to keep the tears he felt from falling.

"You doing alright, brother?" Josiah had noticed the sulleness of Wilmington and knew he needed to say or do something.

Buck swallowed back the lump in his throat and threw the ex-preacher a small glance. "Yeah. I'm hanging in there."

"Sometimes it's easier to expect the worse, that way it won't be so unexpected." Sanchez looked at the man riding beside him, noting the silent drops rolling down the side of his face.

"Well," Buck paused, slowly gathering his thoughts. "I've always tried to expect the best preacher. I've always wanted to believe that something good would come out of something bad, but at times like these, all I want is to run as far and as hard as I can to avoid the pain." Wilmington once again let his eyes slide shut and spurred his horse in front and away from Sanchez. The last thing he wanted now was conversation. He needed to deal with this alone before he could face any of the others.

"How's he holding up, Josiah?" Nathan dropped back to ride beside the older man, when he noticed Buck take point.

"I'm afraid not good, Nate. This may be all brother Buck can take." The big man saw that Jackson understood exactly what he had meant.

"You think Chris will be able to hang on to him the way he did Chris?" Nathan glanced across the creek at the black clad man riding just behind Tanner.

"I don't know, but if he can't, maybe we can." Josiah reached into his pocket to grab a piece of jerky he knew he had stashed in there earlier, but was surprised when his hand brushed a solid object. "What...." Sanchez pulled the parcel from his pocket and stared at it.

"What's that, Josiah?" Jackson leaned over to try and see what the other man held.

"I'm not sure. I found it lying near the bushes at Dry Rot." Josiah wrapped his reins around the saddle horn and brushed the dirt from the package. He could make out some writing, but the clouds had chosen that moment to block the moon. He waited a few more minutes and luckily, his patience was rewarded. The light came back, brighter, if possible. Sanchez brought the parcel up close and began reading. "Mr. J...." He suddenly stopped, not only reading, but his horse.

"What's wrong?" Nathan stopped also, when he noticed the slight palor to the older man's face.

"A miracle or a mockery, brother. Which, I don't know yet." Josiah handed the other man the package and waited.

"Damn." The soft curse was followed by a heavy sigh. "You gonna give it to him." Jackson handed the parcel back and then glanced at Buck.

"Not my decision. I'll let Chris decide that." He put the package back into his pocket and retook the reins. As he started to say something more, they heard the slight yelp of Wilmington and then the sudden trot of the horses from across the creek. They both looked up and noticed they had reached the intersection between the creek and river.

Wilmington had pulled his mount to halt at the water's edge and was now standing in front of the horse, staring into the rippling water. He heard the splashes as the others crossed over to meet them, but ignored them as his eyes swept the liquid for any sign of JD.

"Anything?" Vin had dismounted and was now standing next to the gunslinger. The silence told him more then a yes or no ever could have.

He looked up and down the water, praying that he would be able to see something. He was the damned sharpshooter of the bunch anyway. As he felt frustration building, he suddenly stopped his sweeping gaze and stared at a tree limb jutting out from the water about 10 yards in front of them. He squinted, hoping to bring the object in better focus and then wished he hadn't.

He inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes.

"Vin?" Buck had heard the tracker's change of breath and turned to see him with eyes shut and jaws clenched. He knew then his nightmare was a reality. "What is it, pard?" He placed a hand on the younger man, causing the blue eyes to meet his.

Tanner didn't answer, he just raised a hand and pointed toward the limb. At first, Buck had no idea what he was looking at, but within seconds the object in question became visible. It was JD's bowler hat.

Wilmington dropped his hand from the sharpshooter's shoulder and began walking toward the hat. He could feel the water seeping into his boots, then his pants, and then his shirt. But he didn't care. He had to get it, it may be the only thing he has left of the kid. Buck paused as his fingers brushed the cloth of the head garment. What if he pulled it up and it revealed JD's face underneath?

He started to draw his hand back, when another appeared from behind him. "Let me, Buck." Chris had followed his friend from the water's edge and somehow guessed the thoughts running through his mind. He pushed Wilmington's hand down and stepped in front of the gunslinger, blocking any view the other might have.

Buck closed his eyes and waited. He thought he was going to explode when three wonderful words entered his ears. "He's not here." The gunslinger opened his eyes and met the green gaze of Larabee. "He's not here, Buck. It's only his hat." The leader held the bowler out toward Buck, waiting for him to take it.

As if in slow motion, Buck grabbed the hated hat and scrunched it in his fist. "Then where is he, Chris? We've searched the whole fucking creek run off. He has to be somewhere."

Larabee didn't know what to say. Actually, he did, but it wasn't something he wanted to say. "Buck, it's after midnight. The river's high...." Buck's out stretched hand stopped him.

"I know. Just don't say it, alright. Not yet." The gunslinger turned and waded out of the water, ignoring the looks of sympathy and loss on his friends' faces. He came to a stop beside his horse and just stared at the black hat still clutched in his hand. 'I'm sorry, kid.' He shut his eyes once more, and let his head come to rest on his saddle.

Chris had followed the other man out of the river and was now watching the slow death of his friend. He wanted to tell every one of them to start wading in and out from here until the ocean, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. The kid wouldn't be found, even if they stayed there for the next year. He was gone. "Saddle up, we're heading home."

He saw Buck flinch at the command, but knew there was nothing more they could do out here, not now. The next step was in Four Corners. The time for mourning.

*************

The six men arrived inside the town limits just before dawn. The way they were riding, the townsfolk already about, knew something terrible had happened. The took their horses into the livery and made sure Yosemite didn't need any help bedding them down before they began making their way toward the saloon. The one place they all called haven in the hour of a storm.

As four of the peacekeepers entered, Josiah stopped himself and their leader. "I've got something here I think you'll want." Sanchez said no more as he pulled the package from his pocket and gave it to Larabee. He never looked up to gage the man's reaction as he too stepped through the batwing doors.

Chris stared at the parcel feeling the extreme weight settle on his shoulders. He knew how much this present meant to the kid and knew how much it would mean to Buck, well would have. Now, he wasn't so sure, but he knew he needed to finish what Dunne had started. He walked into the room and found Wilmington had separated himself from the others by taking a table at the back of the tavern.

Larabee nodded to the others and deliberately made his way over to the isolated gunslinger. "Buck." He didn't wait for an invitation, instead he sat down and grabbed the still unopened bottle of whisky, quickly uncorking it and taking a drink.

"I want to be alone, Chris." The solemn man never raised his gaze from the hat lying in front of him on the table.

"I know, but I've got something you need first." Larabee slid the package across the table and it came to stop next to the hat. Buck glanced at it but then went back to his vigil over the bowler. "Open it, Buck. This is what the kid wanted you to have on your birthday. If I didn't give it to you, then...." Chris couldn't finish his sentence, so he took another long swig of the whisky and then went to join the others.

Wilmington didn't want to know what was in the parcel. He didn't care. It was too small to be what he really wanted for his birthday, JD. He shut his eyes quickly, staving off the onslaught of tears threatening. 'Stop it, Buck. The kid wouldn't want you acting like some baby.' He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and reached for the package. He let his fingers caress the lettering on the outside before he slowly peeled the paper open. At first he couldn't figure out what it could be, but as he began to open the box that was revealed after the paper, his heart constricted and he felt his breath stop.

He knew what he was going to find and didn't know if he could handle it. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he finished lifting the lid to the box and this time didn't stop the tears from flowing. Inside was the most beautiful piece of jewelry he'd even seen in his life. It was a silver pocket watch with a rearing horse engraved on the front. He carefully lifted it out of the box and just held it in his hand, letting his thumb rub the horse.

'How did the kid know I wanted one of these?' Buck thought suddenly, but then remembered the talk they'd had a few months ago, where Wilmington had revealed to the kid that his pa had one of these and he wished he could have one to leave to his son or daughter someday, if he ever had one that is. "Ah, JD." The gunslinger reached up and rubbed his eyes, as he felt them begin to burn.

As soon as he felt he had his emotions under control once more, he began to open the watch and look on the inside. The clock wasn't set yet, but what caught the man's attention was the inscription staring back at him. He felt his breath catch and knew he had lost the battle as he felt the tears plummet from his eyes.

"Dear God, kid...." Buck laid the watch on the table and covered his face with his hands. He wanted to scream, he wanted to punch something, but what he wanted most was to hug his friend and repeat the words he had just read. But his wants would have to wait, as gunfire erupted in the air and five of the six peacekeepers ran from the saloon, guns drawn.

*************

JD could see the outskirts of Four Corners as he topped the hill and had never felt such relief as he did then. He was almost home. "Come on Henry, we're almost there." He spurred the old Clydesdale forward and started to let his body relax for the first time since he had awoken that morning.

He had just reached the town limits, when the gunfire made it to his ears. He instinctively grabbed for his pistols and was amazed when he felt them at his sides. He only had vague memories of the past 24 hours and was thankful Luke had put the gunbelt and firearms on him before he'd left.

Dunne took the horse toward the livery, trying to get his vision to cooperate enough so he could find out where the fight was going on. He saw Josiah flash from behind the general store and across to the front of the saloon beside the water trough. He could see him bent over something, but the kid's still foggy brain couldn't register anything else. He closed his eyes as he dismounted, hoping it would keep the spinning away, but as he reopened them, it didn't work.

He counted to ten and thankfully this eased his dizziness enough to allow him to continue his investigation of what was happening. He stepped onto the boardwalk outside the Clarion, using the wall as support as he made his way to the bank, which he had finally figured out is where the action was taking place.

He didn't realize he had stopped yet again, until he felt the window shatter at this right, causing him to immediately duck, which in turn had him sprawling on the sidewalk. He stared at the overhang above him, willing his aching body to ease off a bit. He was about to attempt to rise again when he heard a voice. No, not just a voice, Buck.

JD swiveled his head toward the sound and almost yelled at what he saw. Wilmington was standing outside the saloon, shooting at anything that moved, but what had Dunne worried, was the gunslinger was no where near cover. JD drug himself into a sitting position and then pulled himself onto his feet, never letting his eyes waver from his best friend.

He couldn't make out what Buck was yelling, but he was gesturing toward the water trough he had seen Sanchez at earlier. JD stepped off the boardwalk, slowly making his body move toward Wilmington. He knew no one had noticed him and hoped he could keep it that way, seeing as how he didn't think he could do more then squeak at them right now.

He was almost there. Just a few more steps and he would make it to where the steps would be leading him to Buck. He was so intent on those last few steps he was oblivious to the danger his best friend was in. Buck had moved off the porch and was standing with his back to the wayward youth and to an unknown bandit bearing down on him. Dunne was about to reach for the post and pull himself up, when he heard the sound of hoofbeats coming up behind him. He glanced to where he'd last seen Buck and was shocked when he couldn't find him.

The post was forgotten as Dunne searched frantically for his friend. His eyes finally fell onto Wilmington's back at the same time his mind registered the impending danger. He turned quickly, his injuries forgotten, and saw a bandit galloping toward Buck, wielding what looked to be a piece of wood. JD tried to yell to the gunslinger, but his voice refused to work.

So, with what little strength the kid had left, he launched himself at his friend's back, feeling the impact with the older man as he also felt the wood connect with his skull. His last thoughts before sinking into the blackness was he had made it home.

*************

Buck felt the weight hit him from behind and thought he was being run over by a horse, but the shape of the object was more human, especially when he landed and the body fell on top of him. Wilmington watched the horse race by and then the outlaw topple from a gunshot wound to the head.

The gunslinger went to push the body from him but his eyes glanced down at the same time and all thoughts or actions ceased. "JD!" Buck grabbed the younger man, jerking him into his arms and cradling him to his chest. "Oh God, JD!" He began rocking the boy back and forth as his hand wiped the hair from the youth's forehead. He immediately saw the blood on his chest and his instincts took over from there.

"NATHAN!!" The sheriff didn't even flinch at the bellow, and this worried Buck more than anything. "You hang on there, kid. You hear me. Buck's gotcha and your gonna be fine." Wilmington didn't know if the chatter was more for him or JD, but he didn't care, the youth was here and he'd be damned if he let him go again. "NATHAN!!" The second yell was cut short as the healer slid down beside him.

"I'm here Buck." Jackson reached over and checked the boy's neck for a pulse and let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding when he felt the slow thump under his fingers. "He's alive." Nathan grinned at the other man, and started yelling for Josiah.

"JOSIAH, I need some help over here." Jackson tried to take the boy from Wilmington's grasp, but Buck refused to let go.

"You just tell me where you want him, Nate, I'll do the rest." The determination in the gunslinger's voice had the healer convinced.

"All right. We need to get him up to the clinic so I can see exactly what's wrong, okay?" Nate waited for the acknowledgement and then began to help Buck pick up the kid and walk toward the clinic.

************

Chris paced nervously outside the clinic door. It had been almost an hour since they'd taken JD inside to check him out. "What the hell is taking so long?" Larabee roughly scrubbed a hand through his hair and then threw his hat at the bench beside the door.

"Easy, cowboy. You know Nate will be out here to tell us something as soon as he can." Vin straightened from his slouch against the wall, adjusting the sling encompassing his right arm.

Chris glanced at the pale features of the tracker and then berated himself for not seeing it sooner. "You should be in bed." He walked toward the sharpshooter, but was stopped when Vin's hand came up.

"I'm fine. It's nothing Nate can't fix when he's got a minute. Right now, I'm not leaving." Tanner dared the older man to say anything more. When he saw the leader back down, he relaxed. He started to say something to try and ease Chris' worry, when the door opened and ragged-looking Nathan emerged.

"How is our young sheriff, Mr. Jackson?" Ezra was standing to Vin's right with Josiah beside him and Chris in front of the tracker.

"I don't know." Jackson saw the confused faces, but didn't know what else to say. "His shoulder is healing fine, as is the leg, but the head wound he suffered...." The healer paused, shaking his head at the irony. The kid had managed to get himself back to town, but only to end up endangering his life more. "I don't know if he'll ever wake up."

"Holy Mary Mother and Joseph." Sanchez bowed his head and finished his prayer, while Standish walked to the banister and stared down at the town below him, not really knowing what to feel.

"How's Buck?" Vin searched Jackson's face and didn't like what he saw.

"I don't know if he'll recover either." Nate looked directly at the sharpshooter, not wanting to see the green gaze of their leader. "I'd best look at that arm, Vin, there's not much I can do for JD right now."

Tanner nodded and started to follow the healer down the stairs, but stopped in front of Chris. "You all right?"

Larabee blinked and then locked gazes with his best friend. "Yeah." Chris patted the younger man's arm and told him without words he would survive.

"Tell Bucklin I'll be by later." The tracker turned and left, as did the others, leaving Larabee to stand vigil outside the clinic alone.

************

Wilmington pushed the black locks from JD's face, willing the eyes to open once more. "Come on kid, I know your not a quitter, so just open them eyes and prove Buck right." He patted the youth's cheek when his plea wasn't answered. "You know, I got your present and it's real nice, JD. It's the best thing I've ever gotten. I haven't showed the other boys yet, but I figured they know more about it then I do anyway. Your not much on keeping secrets."

Buck stopped suddenly as he felt the lump forming in his throat again. "I ain't never let many people get to close in my life, kid. I mean I've had plenty of friends, but not many I'd call family. Chris, I guess, would be the first. I still ain't figured out how I let that ornery son of a bitch in yet either. Anyway, the other boys, they've wiggled in too. But you..." The gunslinger had to pause once more. "But you, I made the mistake of letting you take a big chunk of my heart, JD. I'd always dreamed of having a little brother, so I could teach him things. Like how to court a lady, how to drink, how to ride, hell how to shoot straight while holding your pants up."

Wilmington chuckled as he let his hand come to rest on Dunne's chest. "I guess what I'm trying to say, kid, is what you wrote in that watch is exactly how I feel too." Buck reached in his pocket and withdrew the watch and popped it open. He studied the inscription once more and then felt the need to say it aloud. "In your words, JD, time is eternal...." Buck couldn't continue. He couldn't push the words past his throat. He started to raise his hand from Dunne's chest to wipe his eyes, but a sudden weight and then fingers entangling with his stopped him.

He looked down and saw JD's hand entwined with his. "Kid?" Wilmington was afraid to say more, afraid to break the spell.

Dunne cleared his throat and then finished his best friend's speech. "Time is eternal, between brothers." He opened his eyes and felt sheer joy as they locked with Buck's. "You'll never get rid of me."

Buck couldn't contain the whoop of glee, which caused Dunne to flinch. "Damnit kid, don't you ever do that to me again." Wilmington returned the grip on his hand with a squeeze of reassurance. "And I'm sure eternity will be long enough."

**************

The End.
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