No Way Out -- Part 2

Vin was awakened by a sudden movement in the bed next to him. The tracker didn't know when he had fallen asleep, but realized it must have been an hour or so due to the shadows now coming in the window of the clinic.

Chris lay panting on the bed. He seemed to be struggling to draw in a breath. Tanner noticed that he was sweating, but when he touched the man's forehead he was cold and looked deathly pale. Larabee was becoming more and more restless, moaning softly with each labored intake of air.

"Chris… Chris?" Vin gently tapped the gunslinger's cheek. "Chris, wake up."

The man in black continued moaning softly.

"Chris, what's wrong pard? Talk to me." But still there was no reply.

Vin remembered the small brown bottle Nathan had given him. He retrieved it from the table next to the bed and, gently sliding his hand under the gunslingers head, attempted to have Chris swallow some of the liquid.

The tracker waited, but Chris did not seem to be settling.

"Chris, it's alright. I'm gonna get Nathan." Vin didn't want to leave his friend, but believed there was no other way. Suddenly coming to a decision, he swiftly crossed the small room to the window. Drawing his hog leg, he fired it out the window.

"NATHAN!!.. NATHAN!!" Vin shouted.

The saloon doors across the street swung open. Nathan, Buck and Josiah hurried out into the early afternoon sun. Ezra and J.D. appeared at the entrance of the church. Ezra had decided to return to church to check on how the young man was doing.

"Vin!! What's the matter?.. Chris! …. Is Chris alright?" Nathan’s tone belied the fear he felt.

"NO! Nathan hurry!"

The three men ran from the saloon, and in a short time were climbing the stairs to the clinic. J.D. went to follow, but a restraining hand on the young man halted his forward motion.

"J.D., why don’t you go over to the sheriffs’ office. I haven’t had a chance to speak to Mr. Wilmington yet. " Standish said reassuringly. "I’ll let you know as soon as I know the situation."

The young sheriff nodded and started toward the jail, pausing to watch the gambler follow behind the other three peacekeepers to the clinic.

# # # #

Bursting through the door, the healer rushed up to his patient.

"Vin, how long’s he been like this?" Nathan asked.

"Don’t know, not long…. I’m not sure." Tanner eyes remained on his friend. "I woke up and he was like this. I….. don’t know"

Josiah moved forward and, gently placing a hand on the tracker’s shoulder attempted to move the man out of the way. "Vin, it’s alright. You need to move out of the way; let brother Nathan work." The tracker hesitated. His eyes remaining on the prone figure of Larabee.

"Come on Vin, we need to let Nathan work." The preacher repeated a little firmer. Tanner allowed the big man to move him away from the bed.

Jackson continued examining Chris. The man in black was growing weaker, soft moans occasionally breaking the silence in the room.

"Well Nate, what’s wrong?" asked Wilmington impatiently.

The healer continued examining his patient, gently probing the area around the bullet wound.

"Nathan, what’s going on?" the big gunman repeated impatiently. "An infection?… What?…Come on, tell us something."

"Shock, he’s going into delayed shock from blood loss." Jackson suddenly announced. "We’ve gotta work fast. Buck, Josiah, we need to turn him so he can breath easier. Vin, I need all the blankets you can find, shut the window and get some heat in here. Ezra I need water and lots of it, and hand me your flask." The urgency in the gentle healer’s voice galvanized the other four into action. The gambler handed his silver flask to Nathan and hurried out of the room. Vin disappeared into the corner of the room gathering what ever he could find in the way of blankets and covers.

"Alright Buck, Josiah, take hold of him here, and here." Nathan’s words were issued with an air of authority. "Now, I’m gonna keep pressure on the wound, don’t want it bleeding again. When I say, gently roll him over. O.K., now…… gently …… gently….. good, good." The gunslingers’ body was that of a rag doll. As he was being turned, his head lolled sideways, his blond locks fell across his face.

Chris was deathly pale and hadn’t made a sound for quite awhile.

"Now Vin, you got those blankets?" questioned the healer. "Right wrap him up, we’ve got to get him warm. Buck grab me some more pillows, put them under his legs and arms."

"Like this Nathan?" asked the gunman as he gently lifted first one and then the other leg of the man in black and placed the pillows there.

"Yep, that’s good. Do his arms the same. We need to make it easier for his heart. Have as much blood as possible around it." The healer said.

"Vin, here." Jackson said, handing a small cup to Tanner. "Need to get as much fluid down him as we can. Little bits at a time is fine. Just get some in him." The healer continued to re-arrange the blankets around the gunslinger until only his head was visible.

Vin climbed onto the bed and gently lifted Chris’ head. Resting it on his lap, he placed one hand on the man in black’s cheek while the other brought the cup to Larabee’s mouth. The tracker began talking soothingly to his friend.

"C’mon cowboy, you gotta swallow this for me. Just a little now……. yeah, that’s good ……. c’mon pard, just a little more." Slowly, very slowly, Chris began to swallow the cool liquid.

"How long??" Wilmington asked looking at Vin and Chris on the bed beside him. "I mean, he’s gonna be alright, isn’t he?"

Josiah and Nathan moved next to Buck.

"To be honest Buck," replied Nathan shaking his head "I just don’t know. The blood loss was more severe than I thought. If only there was a way to put the blood back….." he trailed off.

"You never know brother, the Lord moves in mysterious ways. In the future nothing will be impossible," mused the preacher.

"Aw Hell!" exclaimed Wilmington. "Next thing, you’ll be saying men will go to the moon!"

# # # #

The next couple of hours past very slowly for five of the six men gather in Jackson’s little room, only Chris Larabee was oblivious to what was transpiring. While Josiah, Buck and Ezra found themselves perched in various positions around the room, Nathan hovered close by as Vin patiently continued feeding what little fluids he could into the black clad man. Gently stroking the man’s face and talking quietly to him, he managed to get the injured man to swallow both water and some of Ezra’s whiskey. The gunslingers condition had remained basically the same though. He was still deathly pale, but was breathing easier. Nathan had reassured them all that it was a good sign and that he was ‘hopeful’.

Buck suddenly began pacing.

"How much longer Nate?" he asked, his spurs jangling loudly on the wooden floor.

"Buck, maybe you should go for a walk, calm down a bit. It’s a bit cramped in here" suggested Josiah.

"No, I’m fine," he mumbled as he continued to pace.

"BUCK!!" hissed Vin, looking over his shoulder at the other man "Get the hell out of here, I can’t take your pacing any longer… GET!!"

Wilmington stopped suddenly at the outburst from the normally placid Texan.

"I… uh… I’m … sorry,…I ……uh…. I’m sorry" he said as he lowered his head. "I’ll go …. take a walk outside."

"Buck" Tanner said regaining his composure. "I’m sorry, I’m just.. well, we’re all just a bit on edge."

"I think everybody could do with a break." suggested Josiah. "why don’t you go for a walk Buck. Ezra, you and I can go check out the town, make sure it’s still in one piece. Nathan, Vin, we’ll be back to give you a break in about an hour."

"That sounds fine Josiah. Vin and I will stay here till you get back." Offered Nathan. Vin remained silent. They all knew they would most likely have to knock the man out before he would leave.

Buck, Ezra and Josiah put on their hats and left. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Wilmington announced that he would ‘check out the jail’. Standish and Sanchez continued up the dusty street toward the other end of town. Unfortunately, with all that had transpired during the afternoon, the gambler had forgotten that Dunne was in the sheriff’s office and that was now the destination of one very angry and exhausted Buck Wilmington.

# # # # #

The door swung open to the sheriff’s office. Buck wearily walked over to the desk, pulled out the chair and sat down. He took of his hat and stared at it, running it threw his fingers.

"Buck?!?" the word was no more than a whisper.

"What?" the startled gunman replied. Looking around he found J.D. Dunne.

"KID!!!" he yelled, throwing his hat on the floor. "Get over here!!"

J.D. walked cautiously from the cell where he had been sitting. Without warning Wilmington lunged at the younger man, grabbing a fistful of shirt and pushing him up against the wall.

"Where have you been??? Do you know what you’ve done?? Chris is up there, barely hangin’ onto life you stupid son of a bitch! Do you know what I’m gonna do to you?" roared the big man, his face only inches from the younger man’s.

J.D. raised his head and, looking squarely at Wilmington said, "I deserve everything you’re gonna do, I aint gonna fight you. I deserve it." His eyes never left Buck’s.

Wilmington pulled him forward, then crashed him back against the wall. For a split second Dunne could only see stars bursting in front of him. He took a deep breath, steadied himself again and looked Buck in the eye. "I mean it Buck, I aint gonna put up a fight. I deserve everything you’re gonna do."

Buck back-handed Dunne across the face. "You were all ready to play games out in the street! You were ready to shoot a man for no good reason ‘cept your ‘reputation’. YOU GOT CHRIS SHOT IN THE BACK!!! C’mon boy defend yourself!" the big man roared. "I aint foolin’ ‘round here. You know you got this comin’ "

J.D. drew himself up to his full height, but remained passive, never lowering his gaze from Wilmington’s. He had decided he was going to take it like a man; he would take whatever the others believed he deserved. The only person he was really interested in hearing from at the moment; the only man he wanted forgiveness from, was Chris Larabee.

Dunne closed his eyes and waited for the blow as Wilmington drew back his fist but suddenly stopped mid punch, realizing that J.D. was really not going to do anything; anything at all, except take the punishment that he, Buck Wilmington, intended to inflict on him.

"Damn it kid!" growled Buck as he pushed the young sheriff away from him. As he did, Standish and Sanchez came bursting through the door.

On the way through the town Ezra had suddenly remembered that Dunne was in the sheriffs office. Announcing the fact to Josiah, the two men immediately made their way back there.

"J.D.?" asked the gambler breathlessly. "You alright son??"

Josiah stood in front of the gunman. "Buck, you need to calm down. Come, sit over here with me brother, rest a while." Wilmington was eased in the chair behind the desk. He slumped forward, his head in his hands.

"J.D.?" the gambler asked again.

Dunne looked to where the voice had come from.

"I’m alright Ezra. Really." His voice quivered slightly. "I.. I need to see Chris now."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ezra asked looking from the kid to the gunman.

"Yep, I need to do this…. And I need to do it now!"

"It’s alright Ezra, I’ll stay here with Buck. You two go." urged Josiah. "Go on……. go."

The gambler tipped his hat and ushered Dunne out of the room.

# # # # #

Vin and Nathan had remained with Chris. The gunslinger was peaceful, breathing easier now. His body was warmer to the touch and some of the blankets had been removed, but still he had not regained consciousness. Nathan had settled in a chair at the far side of the room. Vin was sitting on the floor next to the bed, his head rested back against the wall while one hand was placed on Larabee’s arm the other across his own lap.

There was a soft knock on the door. Slowly it was eased opened to reveal J.D. Dunne and Ezra Standish. The two men quietly entered to room.

"Mr. Tanner, Mr. Jackson," nodded the gambler, "Any change?"

"Ezra… no not yet," sighed Jackson.

Vin looked, in turn, at the men who had just entered but said nothing.

"Ah, Mr. Jackson, might I have a word with you?’ The gambler motioned toward the corner of the room. Giving J.D. a reassuring smile, Ezra began talking in a quiet tone to the dark healer.

Dunne hesitantly moved toward the bed. Removing his hat, he looked first at the tracker. It was obvious the man was worn out and extremely worried. Allowing his gaze to drift upwards, he found the pale face of his leader. The gunslinger looked almost peaceful, but at the same time J.D. saw a vulnerability he had never noticed before.

Tanner broke the silence. "Where’ve y been J.D.?"

"I… uh….I was at the church. I didn’t know, didn’t think I should come here for awhile. You know, let things settle a bit."

"Aint no settlin’ J.D." replied Vin. "Not till Chris is up and about."

Dunne could feel the tracker’s blue eyes boring into the back of his head. He didn’t dare turn to face the man, instead intensely watching the black clad man.

"Is he going to be O.K. Vin?"

"Of course!" replied Tanner, a little stronger than he intended. Mellowing slightly he continued. "Of course, he’s just gotta get his strength back. You know Chris, not gonna let a bullet stop him, are you cowboy?" Vin smiled to himself and tightened his hold on the other man’s arm.

Ezra and Nathan returned to the bed.

"Vin, I think you should go with Ezra here and get something to eat." Raising a hand to forestall any protest, Nathan continued, "You really do need to have a break, you aint left here since we brought Chris in. Now, get."

"But Nathan I aint hungry and I don’t want to…."

"Now Mr. Tanner, I do believe you will be of more use to Mr. Larabee when he awakens if you have not half starved yourself on his behalf. You don’t have to be gone long, just accompany me down to the saloon. What say we have Inez put something together for you and we shall return here without any delay. And, I might add you could do with a little freshening up while you’re at it." Standish said as he pulled a face.

"Who’s gonna look out for Chris?"

"I… uh…I’ll stay here… I need to stay here. Please Vin" Dunne voice broke as he spoke the words. Then looking directly at the tracker whispered, "Please Vin."

Tanner hesitated, looking at the three men in turn. Finally coming to a decision, he picked up his hat and headed toward the door. Stopping, he turned and spoke directly to J.D. "Alright, but if he wakes… ..stirs in any way at all….. you come get me, you hear……….. straight away." It was not a question.

Dunne nodded and watched the others leave. Pulling a chair over to the bed, he sat down next to Chris.

# # # # #

It was quite awhile before the young sheriff lifted his gaze from the floor. He had remained in the chair by the bed absently pushing his hat through his fingers, trying to get things clear in his head; things he needed to say to the man lying seriously injured in the bed next to him. But where should he begin?? What should he say?? He wasn’t sure Chris would be able to hear him and he knew he would most probably need to repeat what he was about to say later, but he knew he needed to say the words now.

Moving his chair closer to the bed, J.D. placed his hand tentatively on the chest of the fallen gunslinger allowing himself to feel the reassuring rise and fall of each breath.

"Where do I begin Chris? What do I say to you?" Dunne began.

"You know I never meant for this to happen. I never, never wanted anybody to get hurt…..‘specially you." he paused shaking his head. "You know that Chris. It just happened so fast. I couldn’t stop it… and then you were on the ground with all that blood and I … I …. just didn’t know what to do."

"You know Chris, Buck is really pissed at me. So are the others. I don’t blame them though… I mean I deserve it," he shrugged "But they’re gonna have to wait in line, cause when you wake up I’m gonna make it up to you Chris. I don’t know how… don’t know when….. but I AM going to make it up to you. Please Chris, please wake up. Please yell at me; tell me how stupid I’ve been… anything."

As tears threatened to spill from the young man’s eyes, Dunne took Larabee’s hand in his and, moving his face closer to the injured man’s, whispered gently, "Please wake up Chris."

J.D. felt a gently tightening of the gunslinger’s hand around his. "Chris?" he said. "Chris, can you hear me?" Larabee’s hand tightened a little more. "Hang on Chris, I’ll get Nathan."

The young sheriff gently placed the injured man’s hand across his chest and raced to the window of the clinic.

# # # # # #

As Vin, Ezra and Nathan reached the bottom of the stairs they were halted by the sight of the undertakers wagon slowly passing them. On the back of the wagon were the simple wooden caskets containing the two young men from the mornings shooting.

Ezra and Nathan looked, first at each other and then at the tracker who was staring intently at the sight before him. They could plainly see the Texan was reliving the mornings events. Vin could picture Daniel coming around behind Chris while Henry stood in the middle of the street facing the gunslinger. He remembered vividly watching as Daniel pulled his gun behind Larabee; he remembered calling to Chris, screaming his name; telling him to get down. But it was too late, Chris had pulled his gun and shot Henry, but Daniel had been able to let off one round and that bullet had ploughed into the black clad man. Vin remembered letting out a wild growl as he watched helplessly as Larabee had gone down. Then he saw himself aiming his gun and shooting Daniel, shooting him in the back just as the boy had shot his friend. ‘A boy’ Vin thought, ‘Oh my god, he was just a boy, not much older than J.D.!’

"Vin…. Vin. Can you hear me Vin?" Nathan’s concerned voice finally broke through the haze.

"What? … Nathan?"

"Yeah Vin. You alright?"

"Sure, I’m fine. Never better." Tanner tried to make light of the situation.

"I highly doubt that Mr. Tanner. You seemed to be a million miles away. " said Standish, concern evident in his voice. "I really do think you need to have a drink and then get yourself freshened up. I for one am appalled at the condition you have allowed yourself to degenerate to. "

"Hell Ezra, I said I’m fine. I’ll go change my clothes, then I’m headin’ straight back upstairs."

"Vin, you know we’ll call you if anything happens. Why don’t you…." Jackson trailed off. Once again the tracker’s attention was focused on the procession now nearing the end of the street. Some of the townspeople had gathered on the boardwalk talking quietly and looking from the wagon to the three regulators. He could only imagine what they were thinking; what they were thinking about the seven of them.

"C’mon Vin, let’s go." Nathan said as he placed his hand on the tracker’s shoulder. Receiving no response he forcibly turned Tanner to face him and said again, "C’mon Vin, I said let’s go."

# # # # #

"Nathan!…. Vin!"… come quick!" J.D.’s cry could be heard throughout the town.

Josiah and Buck appeared from the jail where they had remained, talking, slowly sorting through Buck’s anger at his young charge. Nathan and Ezra were looking back up towards the clinic, while Vin had been the first to move. Taking the flight of stairs two at a time he fairly flew to the clinic door and burst inside.

"What J.D.?? What’s wrong?" The tracker demanded as he pushed the younger man aside and knelt down next to the bed.

"Vin, he can hear me. He squeezed my hand. He squeezed my hand Vin." Dunne repeated excitedly.

The Texan looked down at the man in black, "Is that true pard? Can you hear us?" Tanner gently picked up Larabee’s hand and absently wiped away a stray lock of hair from the gunslinger’s forehead. "Come on Chris, show me that you can hear me…. squeeze my hand."

Nathan came rushing into the room followed closely by the rest of the group.

"What’s happening J.D.? Is Chris alright?? He aint started bleeding again has he?" asked the dark healer as he began examining his patient.

"No Nate, nothing like that. He’s waking up… I think. He squeezed my hand." answered J.D.

There was a soft moan from the bed and Vin felt a tightening around his hand. Chris struggled to open his eyes; eyes that suddenly felt heavier than they had ever before. "Viiinnn" the man in black whispered.

"Hey Cowboy, welcome back." Vin could not disguise the happiness in his voice. "You’ve been asleep long enough." There was a collective sigh of relief from the other men in the room.

"So… tired." Responded the blond.

"Geesh stud, you been out to it all day and you’re saying you’re tired?" Wilmington joked. "Damn son, ‘bout time you woke up."

"J.D.? Is… J.D. al..right?"

"I’m here Chris. I’m fine. Really."

"Sorry…. J.D. sorry for….for shootin’ you….. no other… choice…no other…." the injured gunmen trailed off.

"No Chris, I’m the one who’s sorry. I should never have got this whole thing started. I should have been more responsible." Dunne said.

The injured blond tried to raise his head, but found himself without the strength. With a heavy sigh he closed his eyes once more. "It’s… alright …J.D."

"O.K. you lot, out!" order the healer. "I need to check out my patient. You all can wait outside."

"I aint leavin’ Nate." Tanner said with a finality that challenged the other men to disagree with him. "I’m stayin’ right here."

"Why did I know you were gonna say that Vin?" sighed the healer. "Alright you stay, the rest of you, OUT!"

"Aw, but Nathan, c’mon." cried the other men in unison.

With a glare that would have challenged the great Chris Larabee’s, Jackson made it clear to each of the men that there would be no further discussion with the rest of them. Muttering words under their breath, one in particular that sounded suspiciously like a question regarding the healer’s parentage, the other four men left the room with a promise that they would not go further than the balcony until they heard more on the condition of their leader. Shaking his head and smiling, Nathan returned to checking on the health of his patient.

# # # # #

It was quite awhile before the young sheriff lifted his gaze from the floor. He had remained in the chair by the bed absently pushing his hat through his fingers, trying to get things clear in his head; things he needed to say to the man lying seriously injured in the bed next to him. But where should he begin?? What should he say?? He wasn’t sure Chris would be able to hear him and he knew he would most probably need to repeat what he was about to say later, but he knew he needed to say the words now.

Moving his chair closer to the bed, J.D. placed his hand tentatively on the chest of the fallen gunslinger allowing himself to feel the reassuring rise and fall of each breath.

"Where do I begin Chris? What do I say to you?" Dunne began.

"You know I never meant for this to happen. I never, never wanted anybody to get hurt…..‘specially you." he paused shaking his head. "You know that Chris. It just happened so fast. I couldn’t stop it… and then you were on the ground with all that blood and I … I …. just didn’t know what to do."

"You know, Buck is really pissed at me. So are the others. I don’t blame them though… I mean I deserve it," he shrugged "But they’re gonna have to wait in line, cause when you wake up I’m gonna make it up to you Chris. I don’t know how… don’t know when….. but I AM going to make it up to you. Please Chris, please wake up. Please yell at me; tell me how stupid I’ve been… anything."

As tears threatened to spill from the young man’s eyes, Dunne took Larabee’s hand in his own and, moving his face closer to the injured man’s, whispered gently, "Please wake up Chris."

J.D. felt a gentle tightening of the gunslinger’s hand around his. "Chris?" he said. "Chris, can you hear me?" Larabee’s hand tightened a little more. "Hang on… hang on, I’ll get Nathan."

The young sheriff gently placed the injured man’s hand back across the muscular chest and raced to the window of the clinic.

# # # # # #

As Vin, Ezra and Nathan reached the bottom of the stairs they were halted by the sight of the undertaker’s wagon slowly passing them. On the back of the wagon were the simple wooden caskets containing the two young men from the mornings shooting.

Ezra and Nathan looked, first at each other and then at the tracker who was staring intently at the sight before him. They could plainly see the Texan was reliving the morning’s events. Vin could picture Daniel coming around behind Chris while Henry stood in the middle of the street facing the gunslinger. He remembered vividly watching as Daniel pulled his gun behind Larabee; he remembered calling to Chris, screaming his name; telling him to get down. But it was too late, Chris had pulled his gun and shot Henry, but Daniel had been able to let off one round and that bullet had ploughed into the black clad man. Vin remembered letting out a wild growl as he watched helplessly as Larabee had gone down. Then he saw himself aiming his gun and shooting Daniel, shooting him in the back just as the boy had shot his friend. ‘A boy’ Vin thought, ‘Oh my god, he was just a boy, not much older than J.D.!’

"Vin…. Vin. Can you hear me Vin?" Nathan’s concerned voice finally broke through the haze.

"What? … Nathan?"

"Yeah Vin. You alright?"

"Sure, I’m fine. Never better." Tanner tried to make light of the situation.

"I highly doubt that Mr. Tanner. You seemed to be a million miles away. " said Standish, concern evident in his voice. "I really do think you need to have a drink and then get yourself freshened up. I for one am appalled at the condition you have allowed yourself to degenerate to. "

"Hell Ezra, I said I’m fine. I’ll go change my clothes, then I’m headin’ straight back upstairs."

"Vin, you know we’ll call you if anything happens. Why don’t you…." Jackson trailed off. Once again the tracker’s attention was focused on the procession now nearing the end of the street. Some of the townspeople had gathered on the boardwalk talking quietly and looking from the wagon to the three regulators. He could only imagine what they were thinking; what they were thinking about the seven of them.

"C’mon Vin, let’s go." Nathan said as he placed his hand on the tracker’s shoulder. Receiving no response he forcibly turned Tanner to face him and said again, "C’mon Vin, I said let’s go."

# # # # #

"Nathan!…. Vin!"… come quick!" J.D.’s cry could be heard throughout the town.

Josiah and Buck appeared from the jail where they had remained, talking, slowly sorting through Buck’s anger at his young charge. Nathan and Ezra were looking back up towards the clinic, while Vin had been the first to move. Taking the flight of stairs two at a time he fairly flew to the clinic door and burst inside.

"What J.D.?? What’s wrong?" The tracker demanded as he pushed the younger man aside and knelt down next to the bed.

"Vin, he can hear me. He squeezed my hand. He squeezed my hand Vin." Dunne repeated excitedly.

The Texan looked down at the man in black, "Is that true pard? Can you hear us?" Tanner gently picked up Larabee’s hand and absently wiped away a stray lock of hair from the gunslinger’s forehead. "Come on Chris, show me that you can hear me…. squeeze my hand."

Nathan came rushing into the room followed closely by the rest of the group.

"What’s happening J.D.? Is Chris alright?? He aint started bleeding again has he?" asked the dark healer as he began examining his patient.

"No Nate, nothing like that. He’s waking up… I think. He squeezed my hand." answered J.D.

There was a soft moan from the bed and Vin felt a tightening around his hand. Chris struggled to open his eyes; eyes that suddenly felt heavier than they had ever before. "Viiinnn" the man in black whispered.

"Hey Cowboy, welcome back." Vin could not disguise the happiness in his voice. "You’ve been asleep long enough." There was a collective sigh of relief from the other men in the room.

"So… tired." Responded the blond.

"Geesh sleeping beauty, you been out to it all day and you’re saying you’re tired?" Wilmington joked then sobered. "Damn stud, ‘bout time you woke up."

"J.D.?" Larabee managed to say "Is… J.D. al..right?"

"I’m here Chris. I’m fine. Really."

"Sorry…. J.D. sorry for….for shootin’ you….. no other… choice…no other…." the injured gunmen trailed off.

"No Chris, I’m the one who’s sorry. I should never have got this whole thing started. I should have been more responsible." Dunne said.

The injured blond tried to raise his head, but found himself without the strength. With a heavy sigh he closed his eyes once more. "It’s… alright …J.D."

"O.K. you lot, out!" ordered the healer. "I need to check out my patient. You all can wait outside."

"I aint leavin’ Doc." Tanner said with a finality that challenged the other men to disagree with him. "I’m stayin’ right here."

"Why did I know you were gonna say that Vin?" sighed Jackson. "Alright you stay, the rest of you, OUT!"

"Aw, but Nathan, c’mon." cried the other men in unison.

With a glare that would have challenged the great Chris Larabee’s, the former slave made it clear to each of the men that there would be no further discussion with the rest of them. Muttering words under their breath, one in particular that sounded suspiciously like a question regarding the healer’s parentage, the other four men left the room with a promise that they would not go further than the balcony until they heard more on the condition of their leader. Shaking his head and smiling, Nathan returned to checking on the health of his patient.

# # # # #

Josiah, Ezra, Buck and J.D. found themselves together on the landing outside the clinic. The gambler sat down on the bench and pulled out the deck of cards from his jacket and began to shuffle them.

"Anyone for a game?? … Poker?" Ezra said as he continued to re-arrange the deck. "Five card stud?? ….. Black jack, perhaps??"

When he received no reply, the southerner spread the cards on the bench next to him. "No, no, don’t all answer at once….. Well Mr. Standish, solitaire it is."

"What’s taking so long?" asked Wilmington, already becoming agitated.

"Brother, I’m sure Nathan will let us know as soon as he knows himself." Josiah said in a re-assuring voice.

"Buck, I’m know he’s gonna be alright, I just know it." J.D. offered in a hushed tone.

"Aint interested in your opinions kid. You just sit over there and shut up. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to hear you, got it?"

"Now Buck, you can’t stay mad at him forever. He knows what he did was wrong, isn’t that right J.D.?" The preacher said nodding toward Dunne. The young sheriff quickly replied, "I sure do."

"And Mr. Wilmington," Standish interjected "it isn’t as though we all haven’t done something that we wished had never happened, I for one was only thinking the other day about the game of blackjack I played against those trail riders from up Eagle Bend way, where I sat on the King of Spades and the eight of clubs. You know if I could do it all again I would probably try to ….

Josiah coughed purposefully. "Ah yeah Ezra, not quite what I had in mind."

"And then there was that little interlude you had last Wednesday, I believe it was with Miss Daisy? Do you recall Mr. Wilmington what transpired when her fiancé came looking for her and you were, how can I put this delicately…." The Gambler continued, not taking his eyes from his card game on the bench before him.

"EZRA!" cried Sanchez. "Enough!"

"I was only trying to point out the fact that life is not always played out in black and white. There are always those nasty shades of grey that creep up on you when you least expect it and perhaps Mr. Wilmington; Buck, may not be the most suitable person to cast the first stone." Standish paused. Then looking pointedly from one man to the next continued "In fact, I don’t believe any of us are in a position to be dabbling with pieces of rock."

"Mmmmm " Josiah paused and rubbed his hand across his chin. "Not quite the way I would have put it but.." then turning to the gunmen, "I think he has a point Buck."

"Damn peacock!" Wilmington mumbled.

# # # # #

"Hey cowboy, you still with us?" asked Vin as he cradled Larabee against his shoulder.

"Yeah….. still here." Replied Chris quietly, pain clearly evident in his voice.

Nathan had gently lifted the gunslinger, resting him against Tanner so he could check out the bullet wound in the man’s back. Carefully removing the bandages, the healer had cleaned and dressed the wound.

"There, all done." he said finally as he and Vin carefully lowered the wounded man back down to the bed.

"Well Doc?" asked the Texan.

Jackson rubbed a tired hand across his face. "Well… he’s gonna be fine." Then holding up a hand toward his two friends. "IF and I do mean if, he stays in bed and does exactly as I say for at least a week."

"A week!" the two men said together.

"You wanna try for two?"

Tanner and Larabee looked at each other.

"You win Nathan." Chris said tiredly. "I aint gonna… argue with …you."

"I’ll believe that when I see it. Give you a couple of days and you’ll be threatening to shoot us all." The former slave turned away from the bed so that the other two men wouldn’t be able to see the smile on his face. Returning a few minutes later, he handed a small cup of liquid to the tracker.

"See that he drinks this. No arguments!"

"Hell Nathan, he just woke up. You gonna give him something to put him back to sleep!" cried Vin.

"Who’s the doctor ‘round here?" Nathan said indignantly.

"Sorry Nate, I’ll see that he takes it."

"’Sides." The dark man continued, motioning towards the bed. "Who says it’s gonna put him back to sleep."

"I aint asleep…. just resting …. my eyes." Chris interrupted groggily.

"Here pard, you best drink this, you know how the doc gets when you get him all riled up." Tanner smiled as he gently lifted the gunslinger’s head and helped him to drink from the cup.

"That’s better. Now I’ll go tell the others that they’ll soon have that one…" Jackson motioned toward the injured man. "back bossin’ them ‘round before they know it."

Vin paused. "Thanks Nate. … just… thanks."

# # # # #

Two days had passed since the leader of the seven regulators had regained consciousness. Although still weak from the massive blood loss he had sustained, the man in black was steadily growing stronger. For Chris Larabee that meant one thing, to get out of the confines of the little clinic. For Nathan Jackson it meant something totally different. Keeping the injured man in bed was a massive task.

"I told ya Nathan, I can sit up. I’m feelin’ much stronger." Groused Chris.

"And I done told you Chris, you’ll get up out of there over my dead body." Replied the healer yet again.

"Well Nathan, if you’d hand me my gun, I may just be able to oblige you."

Jackson sighed, "Chris a bullet between the eyes sounds mighty invitin’ right now, may even fix the headache you’ve given me. I told y’, y’ aint ready to be up and about. Not for at least another couple of days. You want to open up that wound and start bleeding all over the place again??"

"He givin’ you trouble again Nate?" the deep baritone voice of Josiah rumbled.

"None more than usual. I told you all this was what was gonna happen."

Sanchez entered the room followed closely by the tracker. Both men smiled as they heard the last of the exchange between the other two men.

"Here" Jackson said. "Vin make him take this would you?’

"What is it Nathan?" asked the tracker.

"Somethin’ to make that man rest. If he won’t take it hit him over the head for me." The healer handed the cup to Vin and walked to the door. Looking back at Chris he said. "Drink it, you here." Then he turned to the preacher and continued. "I’m takin’ a break from that one. I’ll be back later, when he’s asleep." With that he walked out of the clinic.

"Now look what y’ gone and done Chris." Complained the Texan. "The least you can do is drink this."

"Whose side you on Tanner?" asked Larabee.

"Look pard," Vin said sobering. "we nearly lost y’ ,now y’ gonna drink this or I’ll have Josiah hold y’ down while I force it down y’ throat."

The gunslinger’s eyes narrowed. "I won’t forget this, pard." The last word was delivered with a decided hiss. Snatching the cup from the tracker he swallowed the contents.

"There y’ go old man." Smiled the tracker, patting Larabee on the shoulder. "That’s a good boy."

"Tanner!" snarled the man in black.

Josiah and Vin chuckled. Slowly Larabee’s eyes began to droop closed. He struggled to stay awake, but he was no match for the healer’s ‘skunk juice.’ "Aint fair…. two… against one….. aint…. fair…." he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Vin carefully tucked the blanket around the now sleeping man, then moved to the window, staring intently down on the main street.

"Something troubling you brother?" Sanchez asked as he moved closer to the Texan.

"It aint fair, is it Josiah?? Two against one." Replied the tracker quietly. "And it aint fair shootin’ somebody in the back."

"You’re not just talking about those boys now are you?"

"What I did Josiah… I aint never shot nobody deliberately in the back before…" the tracker trailed off.

"Vin." Josiah walked to the window and turned the younger man toward him. "Vin, what you did you did to save Chris’ life. You had no way out of it. It was one life or the other. Now I know that the decision you made was the right decision; you know that too."

"Josiah, I just can’t help thinkin’, if I’d just shot him somewhere else; anywhere else…."

"Vin Tanner, you know in your heart and in your head, that you did what you had to do. Those boys left you with no other choice. They came here with one purpose. They knew what they were getting themselves into. If it wasn’t here that they died it would have been the next town, or the town after that. Vin… look at that man in the bed over there. Your friend… your brother. Go on, take a good look." The younger man slowly lifted his gaze to his peacefully sleeping friend. "Chris is alive today because of you. "

Tear filled blue eyes turned back to look into the soulful eyes of the big preacher. Sanchez pulled the younger man to him. "You’re a good man Vin Tanner, don’t you ever doubt that."

# # # # #

It was a beautiful spring morning in Four Corners. The sun slowly made it’s way through the window of the small town’s clinic, finally coming to rest on the sleeping form on the bed. Opening his eyes slowly, Chris yawned as he turned his head toward the light. "Damn." He cursed. "Must be mornin’."

"Yep." Came the youthful reply.

"J.D.?" asked the man in black still not fully awake.

"Yeah Chris, you slept all yesterday."

"What time is it?" Larabee asked impatiently.

"It’s about 10, why?" Dunne asked.

"C’mon J.D., give me a hand gettin’ up."

"Uh uh, Nathan’ll skin me if he catches me helpin’ you."

"Right then, I’ll do it myself." Larabee began to raise himself off the bed. Suddenly the room began to spin and the gunslinger slumped back against the pillows. "Damn." He hissed as he squeezed his eyes closed.

"Chris please." Begged the young sheriff. He quickly took a cup from the table near the door and brought it over to the older man.

"I … aint drinkin’… nuthin…" growled the gunslinger. "No more…. of Nathan’s poison."

"No Chris it’s just water, see." He said as he took a sip from the cup. "Here drink it."

The young sheriff gently lifted the black clad man’s head. Holding out a quivering hand Larabee took the cup and sipped the cool liquid. "Thanks kid." He said handing it back to the younger man. Dunne gently lowered the blond head back onto the pillows.

"Alright J.D., let’s try that again."

"Chris c’mon. Wait til Nathan comes up to check on you."

"J.D. Thought you said you’d make it up to me." Stated Larabee flatly.

"Chris! I didn’t think you could hear me…. I didn’t know. You heard me when I was talking to you?"

"I heard parts of it. J.D. you have nothing to apologize for. You’re young. These things happen when you’re young."

"Yeah, just a kid." Dunne sighed.

"No, I didn’t mean it like that." Chris rubbed a hand across his forehead. "Hell kid, I did the same sort of thing when I was your age; younger than you. J.D. I killed my first man when I was 17. I don’t even remember why. But I remember it took a long time to get past it."

The young sheriff silently raised the cup to the injured gunman and helped him drink from it again.

"You see J.D. I know what it’s like. I know that it’s easy to be taken in by people when you’re young."

"And stupid." Added the younger man.

"No J.D., not stupid. Being young and trusting doesn’t make you stupid."

"But you nearly died because of me."

"No J.D. I nearly died because of those two men who wanted to make a reputation by killing me. They aint the first, and I’m afraid they aint gonna be the last."

"But Chris…" Dunne continued.

"No more kid. Now you gonna help me escape outta here?" Larabee stared long and hard at the young man.

J.D. thought for a long time. "Alright, BUT you have to let me do the work. " The man in black opened his mouth to protest, but was stopped by Dunne’s raised hand. "No! It’s my way or not at all."

"Hell, why does everybody feel they are in charge. Alright, let’s get to it."

Between the two of them, they managed to get the gunslinger into his jeans and shirt. It had been a slow process with the injured man having to take time out to rest. Slowly his body began to adjust to being upright once more. With the help of J.D. the man in black managed to swing his legs over the edge of the bed. Taking deep, slow breaths, Larabee was finally able to stop the room from it’s continual spinning.

"Nearly there Chris. I’ll just get your boots on you and….."

"J.D.!!! CHRIS!!!!.. What the hell you two think you are doing!!" roared Nathan. "Chris Larabee, you get back in that bed right now, you hear!?!?"

"Now Nathan….." began Larabee

"Don’t you ‘Now Nathan’ me. And J.D. I expected more from you. You get that man back in that bed!"

"What’s all the yellin’?" asked Vin. "You can hear you lot all the way down in the street." The tracker had heard the commotion and, along with the rest of the group had entered the room to see what was going on.

"Those two" indicated the dark man. "Chris Larabee you get your sorry ass back in that bed right now. You gonna undo all the work I done on you. "

"But Nathan I’m fine…." The gunslinger tried again.

"Well Mr. Jackson, perhaps Mr. Larabee may be able to venture out to the balcony, under Mr. Tanner and Mr. Wilmington’s watchful eye. Maybe a sojourn in the morning sun may make him more pliable to your thoughts of further rest and recuperation." offered the gambler.

"What do you think brother?" said Sanchez as he clasped Nathan’s shoulder.

"We won’t let him out of our sight." Tanner added and winked cheekily toward Chris.

Larabee’s eyes narrowed. "Trapped" he hissed.

Jackson’s shoulders slumped slightly. "Mmmm… alright. BUT, you aint walkin’ out there. Ezra, Vin can you carry him?"

"Nathan" warned the gunslinger.

"Well Chris it’s either that or stay in here."

"Fine." The man in black said indignantly. "You all just wait till I’m allowed to be on my own. I aint gonna forget this. All of you!"

Buck moved over to J.D. "C’mon kid, I’ll buy you a drink, we got some talkin’ to do."

"Yeah, we do Buck, we sure do."

Josiah leaned against the wall at the back of the clinic. Smiling contently to himself, he finally felt the wounds from both body and soul of their little group were beginning to heal.

The End.