The peaceful trickle of the stream to his right and the song of a bird in a nearby tree brought him back from his mind's lull. It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun shone bright in a clear blue sky, while a light breeze lifted the hair around his face, tickling his nose. This man, who held nature and all its wonder to his heart like a sacred presence, who often sought out his own peace and balance in the solitude of the wilderness, was this time oblivious to it all.

The present calm that now held had only returned after the garish realities of the hell that had transpired mere hours before. Nature had returned to its own everyday existence after man's brutal ways had passed into the dust, the evidence of its existence spilling upon the grass below.

Vin's eyes once again were riveted to the dark red carpet beneath him that had once been a lush green. The beautiful grass that had grown with such abandon beside the water source now lay covered in blood. Nature's beauty drowned out by the evil deeds of men. He'd seen it happen far too many times to count, but this time was different. This time was more painful. The deep ache in his chest and the sickness in his stomach far outweighed any physical wound he had ever suffered. The source of this undeniable pain lay cradled against his chest.

There had been word from some neighboring towns that a gang of five men had been robbing some of the local homesteads. Mostly hitting when the men folk were gone to town or out in the fields. A few women had been brutalized and children terrified, but so far no one had been killed. Just as a precaution the seven peacekeepers had set up extra patrols and were traveling in pairs. Chris and Vin had set out on a morning patrol.

Just as the pair had been riding toward the Roberts homestead the sound of gunfire rang out alerting them to trouble. No words were needed as the pair kneed their mounts into a hard pace forward, slowing down just out of sight to observe the situation. It wasn't a pretty sight. The bodies of the couple lay in the dirt only a few feet from each other. There were no signs that the murderers were still there, but Chris still cursed aloud as Vin broke cover riding straight into the middle of the yard.

He had to know for sure. 'They might still be alive.' He reasoned with himself. Even though his brain was telling him it was crazy, his heart screamed for him to check on the couple. He had only met the Roberts a few times, but they had seemed nice, friendly. A young couple just starting out together. The last time he had seen them, which had been only a couple of days before, Mrs. Roberts had been alone and he'd warned her about the men and to be careful. The young woman had invited Vin in for coffee but he had refused, thanking her kindly for the offer. But, what stuck in his mind was what she had said just before he left. The joy in her voice still rang in his head. "I've just got to tell someone Mr. Tanner. My husband and I are going to have a baby. Isn't that wonderful? I just found out and . . . "

The rest of her excited rambling drifted out of his mind as Vin practically dove from his horse checking Mrs. Roberts first. Her eyes stared up at the sky unseeing and Vin lowered his head as he found no heartbeat. Before he could turn to check on the husband, he heard Chris curse behind him and knew he didn't need to.

Lifting a shaky hand up, he gently closed her eyes for the last time and felt the bile rise in his throat as he thought of the tiny life that had also been lost. He decided not to share that bit of information with Chris. It was unnecessary and could only cause more pain. Closing off his own painful emotions, Vin rose with a renewed determination. Anger was a quick motivator. He would see that the men responsible would pay.

Chris had only met the homesteaders once, but hadn't really spoken to them. Just the sight of them starting their lives together had brought back some painful memories he had rather not revisit and so he had kept his distance, but he'd heard Vin speak of them once and knew they seemed to be nice people.

Riding up into the yard and keeping watch for his own skin's sake as well as Vin's, he got down to check the man. The blood covering the man's head and unseeing eyes told him all he needed to know. He cursed under his breath seeing the rifle that lay just inches away from the body. Mr. Roberts had just been trying to protect his wife and now they both lay dead. Vin's inaction had already spoken volumes about the woman's condition.

Blocking out the memories of his own losses that threatened to surface, Chris stood with his own mind set. The anger and determination he felt were mirrored in the blue eyes that met his. And it was with that grim determination that the two friends rode off after the outlaws who had killed the young homesteaders.

Tracking the trail of two horses that led away from the homestead, the two lawmen began to wonder if these two were even part of the gang they had been warned about. The pair of murderers had ridden off in a hurry, but obviously had little fear of pursuit as the tracks showed that they had slowed considerably. Chris and Vin would be on them within minutes.

It had happened so fast that it had taken a few minutes for Vin to even remember exactly what had taken place. One minute they were riding along after the murderers, the next they were laying in the dusty road. Five men lay dead. After falling back onto the hard road, his mare's leg still clutched in his hands, the tracker had tried to sort out what had happened.

It had been a flash of something in the sunlight and the rise of the hairs on the back of his neck that had Vin diving toward Chris a second before the first gunshot sounded, followed immediately by more. Vin remembered hitting the ground with bone jarring force and the excruciating pain that shot through his lower left leg. Rolling toward the side, he came up on his knees firing. The sound of Chris' gun to his left was reassuring, but he had no time to dwell on anything except getting them both out of this alive.

Taking out the gunman he saw coming down the hill he quickly turned his attention to the two riders swiftly coming up behind them. They were both dead within seconds. With the threat behind them seemingly neutralized, Vin swung back around to see the last man fall beside his already dead partner. Chris had taken care of their front. The tracker froze, listening. His heart pounded in his ears as the dust began to settle. After a couple of minutes with no movement his body gave in without warning and he found himself lying flat on his back.

Chris had sensed the danger at about the same moment as Vin, but was caught off guard by the tan weight that suddenly struck him from the side, propelling him off of his horse and to the hard ground below. The sudden pain that exploded through his skull like a bolt of lightning nearly knocked him out instantly, but sheer stubborn will and a need to survive had him up and firing without conscious thought. He had to protect Vin and himself. Two men were dead by his gun and then an eerie silence had followed. Something nagged at the back of his rapidly fogging brain. Just before the darkness closed in the errant thought came to him. 'Vin!'

Blinking at the harsh light, Vin had tried to gather his wits about him. Realizing he had passed out he sat up with a start. One thought struck him in the heart. "Chris!" The gunfighter's name, though screamed in earnest within the confines of the tracker's brain, came out as a mere croak from his suddenly dry throat. Just the movement of sitting up threatened to send him back into the darkness and he struggled to keep the ground from moving back up at him. He had found the ground too swiftly one too many times today already.

Finally things around him began to stand still and he cautiously moved his head to his right where he had seen a dark mass on the ground. Two things happened at once. Vin felt his heart leap into his throat at the still and bloody form of his best friend, but the movement of his left leg brought on a stomach churning pain that forced him once again to the ground and into the darkness.

Chris awoke with a start and instantly regretted it as a sharp pain lanced through his head. Quickly shutting his eyes to the harsh light of the sun overhead, he tried to remember what had happened. Patrol with Vin. Gunshots. The Roberts dead. Following a trail. 'Shit! Vin?!'

He tried to move slowly, but any movement at all sent his brain into near shut down. After what seemed like an eternity, not even sure if he'd even been conscious the entire time, Chris managed to roll himself over and get to his knees. Everything was blurry, but the fact that it felt like half off his head was caught in a vise would explain that. Not sure if he'd been shot or just hit his head when Vin had knocked him off of his horse, he figured it didn't really matter at the moment. The blood covering the side of his head didn't matter. Nor did the bullet hole he subsequently found in his upper chest. He had only one thought and one objective. Find his best friend, his brother.

"Vin?!" Chris's voice sounded weak and strained to his own ears. Taking a deep breath he slowly looked around, finding a blurry tan shape just a foot to his left. Even without being able to see clearly he knew that form and felt fear grip his heart like a fist. The figure wasn't moving. "Oh God! Vin?!" Putting more effort into his voice to be heard and trying to move toward the still tracker, he tried again. "Come on cowboy, answer me dammit! This is no time to be sleeping on the job." Still no movement, no sound other than his own labored breathing. "Viiiinnnn!" He screamed with all of his strength. And it had been literally all of his strength as his injured body succumbed once again to the darkness.

His name. He heard his name. Like a voice on the wind it beckoned to him with an almost haunting urgency. The world slowly came back into focus, but it took a few more minutes for reality to kick in. Luckily he remembered the earlier lesson of moving too fast. Taking stock of the time, by the sun it had been probably less than a half hour since the shootout, but that could have already been too long. Despite the pain, he moved his left leg from the awkward position it had been in. Vin realized he must have broken the lower part of the leg when he jumped from his horse. Well, he certainly wouldn't be walking away from this one. Once he regained control of his breathing after the movement he slowly sat up, glad to just stay conscious.

Chris was closer to him than he remembered and was now face down only an arm's width from where he was. The gunslinger must have moved himself, but lay still once again. The blood Vin could see covering the gunslinger's head did nothing to alleviate the growing weight in his chest. "Chris?!" Saying his best friend's name aloud brought the memory of what had awakened him this last time. It had been Chris's voice saying his name. With a feeling of dread and urgency Vin drug himself to his best friend's side. 'God, please let him be alive.' He silently prayed.

Placing his hand upon the black clad back, the tracker released his held breath as he felt the heartbeat beneath. The beat was still strong. A bit fast, but strong. 'Thank you God!'

Vin felt a shiver run through his body, but worried little. His only worry was for the man that lay so still before him.

It had taken far too long for Vin to get Chris turned over and access his injuries. Knowing time was of the essence, especially after finding the chest wound that was slowly but surely leaking the life right out of his best friend. Even though he found it strange that his own injured leg seemed less painful, he didn't dwell on the reasons. Finding a stream just off of the road under a patch of trees, Vin drug Chris and himself toward it. Propping himself up with his back against a tree just within reach of the water, he had then pulled Chris's inert form onto his lap.

The horses had been spooked by the gunfire and were likely on their way back to town. Well, he hoped they were. Or what little he could do to patch Chris up would mean nothing. He had no supplies or bandages. What little had been with them was still in the saddlebags on the missing horses. He couldn't walk and Chris was still unconscious. His one glimmer of hope was that he and Chris were already overdue back in town and if the horses made it back the others would be alerted to the trouble. Still, it could be many hours before they were found. He had done what he could and prayed it would be enough.

That had been about three hours or more ago. After using his own shirt to stuff into Chris's chest wound and slow the blood loss, then using part of Chris's shirt as a rag, he had cleaned as much of the blood off of the gunslinger's head as he could. Chris had come to only once, crying out Vin's name. "It's okay, cowboy. I gotcha." Vin tried reassuring him. "You just lie still and relax. The boys'll be here in no time and then we can let Nathan get you all fixed up."

"You okay? Did you get shot?" Vin felt a tug on his heart at the concern he heard in his friend's voice. He sure wasn't used to anyone giving a damn about what happened to him. It was comforting and terrifying all at the same time.

"I'm jist fine. Don't you worry none about me now. Jist rest and don't go movin' around. I worked mighty hard and used my best shirt to keep ya from bleedin' so don't ya go 'n git it started again."

"Chest hurts."

"That's cause it's where you got shot. Ya head ain't lookin' too spiffy right now neither. Bullet musta grazed it, so jist lay still like I said."

Chris wasn't sure what was wrong. He could hear the concern in Vin's voice. Yeah, his chest felt like his horse had sat on it and his head he was certain must have suffered the same fate, but something else was bothering him. Something that clawed at the recesses of his mind. The fact that he couldn't see Vin's face clearly only heightened his growing fears.

"Can't see . . . your face . . . good. Thi . . . Things are . . . blurry." Chris wasn't about to move, but he needed to know something. "You okay?!"

"Done asked me that already. Now jist relax." Vin didn't want to worry Chris. The gunslinger needed all of his energy to fight his own battle, but the tracker had slowly come to realize that something was wrong. Terribly wrong. His left hand was numb from the constant pressure of holding the shirt to Chris's chest wound. His right hand numb from the constant motion of sticking it, along with his bandana, into the stream to wipe down his friend's face and hopefully keep any possible fever at bay. But what had caused him to fear for himself was the fact that he no longer felt any pain in his broken left leg. Even when he had covered Chris with his own hide coat and pulled him onto the leg to better position him, he had felt nothing. When Chris's breathing had become more labored and Vin had pulled the gunslinger off of his legs to sit back against his own chest, he had felt nothing.

Despite the fact that Chris felt Vin was holding out on him, he couldn't maintain his grip on conscious thought. His mind seemed to wander, filling with strange disjointed images of what had happened. A sudden feeling of danger followed by the impact of Vin's body as he drove Chris off of his horse and to the ground. The sudden jerk forward off of the horse. A sudden momentum that threw him more quickly to the hard ground. The images shifted in his mind to thoughts of his wife and son, before drifting into nothing.

Vin had felt Chris go limp again and thought it best. He wasn't up to answering any more questions. Afraid his fear and growing despair might leak out. He and Chris had never needed words to communicate, each having an innate sense of the other that bordered on what Josiah had labeled as a spiritual link. Brothers not of blood, but of spirit and of soul.

Bringing his thoughts back to the present it was now hours later, late afternoon, and his hope was waning. It really was a beautiful afternoon. But one filled with the aftermath of man's ugly deeds. A heartwrenching sob escaped the tracker's lips. "Oh god, please don't let him die."

Vin was not a man given to talking very much. Seemed to him that it was best to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. You learned more that way. But when he did speak it was generally for a good reason. Looking down at the deathly pale face of his best friend, he prayed out loud.

"He's had such a hard life already. But he's a good man. One of the best I've ever had the honor to know. He's my best friend. My brother of the heart. And the closest thing to family I've had in a very long time. Let him live. The others need him so. He's more than a leader, he's the strength and honor that holds us all together. I know I don't deserve to ask such a favor, but I ask for the others more 'n myself."

"For Buck, who's tender heart would be broken to lose his oldest friend again just when they's beginnin' to rebuild that friendship. For Josiah, who in finding a place with us has found a sanctuary and friends to help him through his penance. JD looks up to Chris like a father. He's already lost so much in his young life. Don't take this too. Nathan, well, he'll feel responsible if Chris dies and he can't save him. Then there's Ezra. He ain't figured it out yet, but he's not the self-centered bastard he thinks he is. Chris gave him a second chance to be a better man and Lord he's trying." Vin couldn't help the sad chuckle that escaped him. "Trying our patience sometimes, too. But, he's trying."

The sadness settled in again. "I'd hate to see him lose this chance. Hate to see 'em all lose the chances they were given when the seven of us hooked up. If'n Chris dies, . . ." Vin swiped at his eyes to clear the cloudiness of the unshed tears.

"My life ain't ever been worth a lot to nobody. But, I reckon times have changed a little. I shouldn't a rode off so head strong after those men. Shoulda been paying more attention. Hell. Sorry Lord." Vin cringed a little at his lack of restraint. "It just don't seem fair to punish him for my mistakes. Take me instead. I can tell that somethin's wrong inside. I can't feel my legs no more." Vin bit back on the despair just the thoughts of losing the use of his legs was bringing to him. He had slowly remembered what had happened only a few hours before. "Don't rightly know if I'd want to live this way. Let him live and take me instead."

Tears flowed from the tracker's eyes. Fear for his friend and fear for his own infirmary flowing out of him unbidden. He slumped back against the tree, his head falling down to his chest as his own injuries and exhaustion drew him into unconsciousness.

Just below the limp tracker's own head, green eyes opened to a strange wetness. He hadn't cried since the day he had buried his family. Now he cried for fear of losing a new family that he was just coming to recognize.

Chris had been too weak to speak as Vin's quiet prayer had brought him back. The words tore through his heart more powerfully than any bullet could have. His own weakness at not being able to speak and stop the words that flowed from his best friend's lips gave him a sense of pain that was far greater than anything his physical injuries could inflict. His mind screamed what his body could not voice. 'God no! Vin, don't say that. Please God, don't take him. You're the best man, Vin. I'm just the leader of the group, but your sense of loyalty and friendship is what holds us together. You're my family, Vin. Don't . . .' Chris's own mind froze. "Can't feel my legs no more." If he had not been lying down already Chris was certain those words would have brought him weak kneed to the ground. 'Oh Vin. Nooooo!!!!!'

Even as Vin had finished his prayerful plea, Chris's mind had been stuck repeating the same word like a quiet chant. 'No. No. No.' The tears flowed freely down his face. It was his fault. It was his job to watch Vin's back. He had failed. And, where the thought of his own death may have given him some pause, the thought of Vin's death was more than he could bear at the moment. The quiet hitched breathing of the chest he lay upon was killing him all by itself.

It was just before dusk when the others found them. They had ridden out even before the horses had arrived back in town. Meeting the horses on the road and following their trail back had saved the five worried friends a lot of time. The dead bodies in the roadway had done little to alleviate their growing fears. Dismounting to look around, Buck's cry brought all eyes in the same direction.

"Sweet Lord!" Buck's heart nearly stopped at the sight before him.

"Over here! Ezra yelled, while following the ladies' man to the two prone figures sitting beneath one of the trees.

Buck and Ezra knelt beside their friends, unsure what to do. The grass beneath the two was a sickening shade of red. Vin's left hand lay across Chris's chest in an almost protective way, but the bloody shirt that was still clutched in his hand and pressed against the gunslinger's equally bloody chest told the tale. Buck felt his own breath return when he saw the slight rise in his oldest friend's chest. 'Thank God!' Yet his silent prayer felt incomplete as his eyes turned to Vin. The tracker's head lay upon the top of Chris'. His face lay hidden beneath his long hair and he wasn't moving.

Ezra could feel his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. The fear that had taken up residence in his heart when the pair had not returned from patrol, and had escalated at the sight of the riderless horses, was now growing into full blow panic. This couldn't be happening. Why had he let himself get involved in someone else's problems? It was hard enough to look out for himself, but this taking care of others was far too painful. As the gambler started to reach out to Vin he was quickly pulled out of the way.

"Let me get in there!" Nathan pulled the gambler out of the way and quickly pushed Buck to the side. How in the hell did anyone expect him to do his job if they were all in the way? Knowing his irritation was being fueled by pure fear, the healer tried to swallow his own personal feelings. These men had all come to mean a lot to him. He had heard that other doctors often did not work on their own kin in some of the bigger cities. Now he knew why. It was too distracting and hurt like hell. Even though it wasn't always easy to stay detached and focused when dealing with other's pain, it was downright next to impossible when the life weighing in the balance was your friend, your brother. This time it was two of them and from first glance it didn't look good. Pushing his feelings aside for the moment Nathan got down to business. These two men who had saved his life were now counting on him. In fact, they were all counting on him. Saying a quick silent prayer for strength and guidance the healer went to work.

Josiah uttered his own form of quiet prayer at the sight of the two missing regulators. "Dear Lord, have mercy!" He had joined this group of men seeking his own penance for a past he'd much sooner forget, but couldn't. Lord knows they all had their pasts, except maybe JD. But even that young one had seen his share of pain and regret. And in this wild west was growing up fast. These men, in their own ways, had been the former preacher's salvation. Their friendship and loyalty had been like a balm upon the soul. The thought of losing either of the two men who now lay before him was unthinkable. While Chris as their leader held the group together, Vin as second in command was their voice of reason even when the wily young tracker didn't say a word. To lose either of them would be like losing a vital organ. The damage to what these men had found in Four Corners and within this group would be irreparable. Moving in to assist Nathan in anyway he could, he continued his own silent prayers for the lives and souls of the two men he now considered a part of his family.

JD stood on the outskirts of the group. His mind kept trying to convince him that this wasn't happening. That the two men that he looked up to, tried to pattern his life and values by, were not dead. God, they sure looked dead. Chris was pale as a ghost and covered in blood. He couldn't see Vin too close, but he'd never known the tracker not to react to the slightest sound. Maybe he was just unconscious. Maybe they both were. Even as he tried to put away such horrific thoughts, his mind kept saying. 'They're dead! They're gone! Just like Ma!'

Nathan pulled Vin's coat from the gunslinger's body and handed it back to Ezra, then carefully pulled Vin's hand away from the wound on Chris's chest. It was still bleeding some, but from all the blood that was on the ground beneath the two it had obviously slowed greatly. He had seen Chris breathe and knew he was still alive, but the feel of the heartbeat was a welcome relief. With practiced ease he slipped his hand beneath Chris's head to check Vin. This time his sense of the relief at the feel of the young tracker's rapid heartbeat was heard by all as the healer breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"They's both still alive, but looks like Chris here's lost a lot of blood."

Checking the head wound, it appeared much worse than it was. A graze to the right temple that would likely leave the gunman with an outrageous headache and some blurred vision for a few days, but a few stitches and it should heal alright. It was the chest wound that worried Nathan. Though high enough to have possibly missed his lung, the bullet was still in there and the blood loss alone could prove fatal. The gunslinger's breathing was also ragged which Nathan assumed was why Vin had pulled Chris up into a sitting position.

"Let's get Chris moved off of Vin, but we need to keep him sittin' up. Bullet's still in there and his breathin' is ragged." Nathan moved to help move the gunslinger.

Buck's voice was a soft whisper of its usual self. "Why don't you just pull him over to me and I'll hold him up while you check on Vin." Nathan nodded. It would do until he decided what his exact course of action would be. It was beginning to get dark and they were running out of good options.

Vin's head began to lift and his arm instinctively wrapped back around Chris chest when the others went to move him. Nathan's joy at seeing the tracker finally move was quickly squashed when the young man lifted his head and his hair parted to reveal a frightening pale face. The blue eyes that normally seemed alert to everything held an almost glassy quality. Carefully Nathan laid a hand on Vin's shoulder. They had all learned early never to startle the tracker or risk being injured.

"Vin, it's Nathan. We're here now. Jist gonna move Chris off of ya so's I can take better care of the both of ya." Nathan spoke as if trying to calm a small child.

"Nathan?" Vin's voice sounded strange.

"Yeah, Vin. Buck's here and Josiah and JD and Ezra. Just relax now." Reaching to pull the tracker's arm away from Chris, he was surprised by the lack of resistance.

"Chris is hurt bad Nathan. Ya gotta help him." Vin's eyes hadn't cleared and Nathan figured he wasn't really with them. He'd seen enough of this in the war when men were hurt. They would sometimes start acting funny. Their skin would go all cold and clammy. Sometimes they even died before their wounds could be properly treated. 'Not this time', the healer declared silently. 'Ain't gonna let you go that easy.'

"Vin, now you listen to me. We're gonna help Chris, but we gotta move him off of ya first." Nathan watched Vin's eyes closely, hoping for some sort of recognition. When Vin turned to stare straight at the healer, he got his wish.

"We's trailing two fellas from the Roberts place. They killed 'em both. Got ambushed. Chris's hit in the chest and head. Needs your help." Vin's voice trailed off as his eyes closed.

Buck watched it all with apprehension. "Damn, that's more than he usually says in a whole day." Even after saying it the ladies' man felt foolish. This was no time to be making jokes. He lowered his head, but felt an arm on his shoulder. He looked up into Nathan's dark eyes and saw understanding. The tension of the moment was getting to them all.

Nathan had to keep things moving. "Let's get Chris moved."

Vin was out again, but just as they started to move Chris over to lean against Buck the gunslinger roused.

"Vin?!" Chris's eyes weren't open yet.

"Hey there pardner." Buck forced a weak smile onto his face.

Hearing Buck's voice, Chris opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he could tell there were a lot more people there. He knew who it had to be.

"Gotta help Vin!"

Nathan couldn't help the tiny smile. These two were definitely cut from the same cloth. Both lying injured and both more worried about the other. "Don't you worry none. We's gonna take care of ya both."

"How bad?" Chris voice was weakening already. But he had to know what was going on.

"You've got a bullet still in . . . " Nathan began to explain, but Chris's urgent plea stopped him.

"No! Not me. Vin. How's Vin? He said he . . . He said he couldn't . . . feel his . . . legs." Chris's voice trailed off as he lost consciousness, but his quiet words were heard loud and clear by all.

Buck looked up to find his own sudden fears just as visible on Nathan's face.

Ezra, who had been holding Vin's coat, had started examining it when Chris had asked about Vin. What he found caused his gentlemanly composure to slip. "Shit!"

All eyes turned toward the gambler who held up Vin's hide coat where a small dark stain was visible on the lower back. The stain itself wasn't all that unusual, but when Ezra's finger poked through the hole in the middle of the stain the meaning was clear.

Nathan quickly put his hand around to Vin's back and felt the sticky wetness there. His head fell forward in despair. 'Could this get any worse?' No, he should never, ever think that. Pulling his hand back he spoke. "Bullet wound to the back, probably still in there. Good news is all that blood on the ground ain't Chris'. The bad news is all of the blood on the ground ain't Chris'." Damn, now he was the one making dumb jokes.

Nathan started giving out instructions. He needed the help and the others needed to feel useful. It was time for some hard decisions.

"JD! Ezra! You two get a fire going and set up camp."

Buck interrupted. It wasn't that he didn't trust Nathan's judgment, but he was afraid. "Shouldn't we get 'em both back to town?"

"I'd like nothing better, but the bullets are still in there and it's gettin' dark." Taking a deep breath he continued. "And even though Chris might could wait. Vin can't. I don't want to move him with that bullet still in there. The damage may have already been done, but there's no way of knowing for sure and if it ain't, moving him could kill or paralyze him."

Buck swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. "God, Nathan. That would kill him anyway."

"I can't worry about that now. Right now I just need to get the bullets out of these two and get them fixed up." Nathan's irritation began to show. He couldn't fight death and the rest of the boys, too.

Josiah was quick to try and mediate the situation. "We're all worried about our brothers, so lets just do what we can to help them right now and take on the other battles as they come."

It was definitely not the way Nathan would have preferred to work, but he had learned in the war that you do what you have to do, wherever you have to do it and with whatever tools you have. He had brought plenty of his supplies with him, but had never hoped to use them to this extent. After having Vin carefully moved and examining the wound he was glad to find that the bullet, though lodged in his lower left back, was closer to the surface than he had assumed. Nathan also found the broken leg and decided it would be best to set it first. Josiah and Buck had been on hand to help hold the tracker down just in case, but were even more fearful when they weren't needed. Vin had lost a lot of blood and there was some swelling around the area of the wound. By the light of lanterns and some torches that Ezra had constructed Nathan carefully extracted the bullet. Cleaning out the wound and packing it with carbolic soaked bandages, the healer secured his work and moved on to his next patient.

The bullet in Chris' upper chest was a bit trickier to get to, but as Nathan suspected had not damaged anything vital. With rest, proper nourishment and no infection, the gunslinger might be up in a week or two. It might take a little while longer before he got full mobility back, but Nathan was fairly confident in the recovery.

Vin was another story. The bullet was out and the wound if kept clean and without infection would heal, but there was no way of knowing what type of damage had been done on the inside. Even though the bullet had not hit at the spinal cord it had been close enough. Nathan had seen many a man in the war with similar wounds never walk again. And Chris words still haunted him. What if Vin couldn't feel his legs again? What if he never walked again? For a man who valued his freedom and the wide open spaces as much as the tracker did, Nathan feared Buck's earlier statement was right. It would kill him.

JD retrieved a wagon to transport the two injured men back to town and the next day brought the seven back to Four Corners. But it was with heavy hearts. Both Chris and Vin had developed slight fevers and in their weakened conditions it would become a hard fought battle to keep them both among the living.

They had just gotten the pair of injured regulators settled into Nathan's clinic when Vin's slurred cry startled them all.

"Chris!" Vin's blue eyes were searching around wildly.

Buck was at his side, laying a hand on the tracker's shoulder to reassure him and keep him from moving around too much. "Easy now, Vin. Chris is right there in the bed next to ya. Both of ya are here in Nathan's clinic."

"Shot." Vin had calmed some, but the fear in his eyes was torturing for the rest of the watch.

"I got the bullets out. Got 'em out of both a ya. Just calm down. Both of ya lost a lot of blood and need to rest." Nathan turned to JD. "Get me some of that tea off of the stove." JD was quick to comply, needing something to do and unnerved by the sight of sheer terror in the eyes of someone he had always seen as having more guts than most anyone he had ever met.

Vin looked up at Buck pleadingly. "Chris." Vin was only half with them. The pain and blood loss was taking its toll.

"He's right over here. Just stop your frettin'." Buck stepped aside, motioning for Vin to look behind him.

Vin's eyes caught the blond head in the bed beside him and he visibly relaxed. Ezra started to go outside for fresh water and fresh air. This was all a bit more emotionally taxing than he was comfortable with. The others also started back about their business of getting things taken care of, thinking that Vin was once again unconscious.

Vin had awakened worried for the fate of his best friend. He felt horrible, but couldn't say he was in a lot of pain. He remembered what had happened with a gut clenching clarity and didn't feel any better until he finally saw that Chris lay in the bed beside his. At least Chris was still alive and the tracker knew with certainty that Nathan would do his best to see that his friend stayed that way.

Finally, Vin could relax a little. He could pass on the care of the gunslinger to the others without trepidation. They would look after his best friend. Buck would see to it for sure. But, even as the darkness started to take hold once again, a new fear emerged. Now that his mind was no longer constantly thinking of Chris's welfare, it turned in on itself. Vin was now afraid for himself.

"I cain't feel ma legs." Vin remembered from before, even as he tried to feel them now. He tried to move them. Nothing! "Please God, no!" His new fear was tearing him apart.

The tracker's gut-wrenching cry brought a halt to all activity in the small room, each man's eyes turning to the terrified man in the bed. Nathan rushed to his patient's side. The others gathered around the bed in a protective circle, not sure what else to do.

"Just calm down now." Nathan put a hand on Vin's fevered brow. "Just relax. You've got a fever Vin. Don't want to go pullin' out them stitches either." Keeping his voice calm and soothing, the healer tried to ease Vin's fears. 'One problem at a time.' He kept telling himself. 'Got's ta git the boy better first.'

"Ma legs?" The sheer terror in those blue eyes was like a dagger straight to the heart of every conscious man in that room. Buck was just glad that Chris wasn't awake to hear all of this. If this was tearing at his own soul this much, he didn't want to imagine what it would do to the man who seemed to share a soul with the young tracker.

"Just you hush now, Vin. Too soon to tell anything. You need to rest and get your strength back. Fight this fever ya got." Nathan wasn't sure what else to do. "Give me the tea JD."

JD handed over the tea, ashamed as his hand shook the entire time. Ducking his head he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Josiah staring down at him with kindness in his eyes. "It's all right son. I'm a bit shaky myself right now."

Ezra couldn't watch anymore. "I'll just go and acquire some fresh water for your ministration purposes, Mr. Jackson." Without waiting for a reply, the gambler quickly slipped out of the room.

Nathan continued to try and calm Vin with words. "You've got to calm down. This gettin' upset is not gonna help."

Ezra only made it as far as the landing in front of the door. Gripping the railing like a lifeline, he fought back the rage of emotions that he dare not give in to. He would not let these men reduce him to a sniveling idiot. "Dear Lord, what have I done?" He whispered. An unusual feeling washed over the gambler. One he suddenly recognized as shame. Shame that his concern was for himself when a man he called friend, despite his efforts to keep distance between them, lay gravely injured with the prospect of death or even paralysis. How shallow could he be?

The next cry from inside the clinic came from Vin and it turned his blood cold. Feeling the contents of his stomach begin to rebel, Ezra ran for the stairs and behind the building

The fever and blood loss left Vin with no reasoning power. All he could think was that he couldn't move his legs. He hated being confined, it was no secret to any of them. Hated small places and couldn't stand to be restrained. This was just more than he could handle at the moment and his strangled cry was born of blinding fear, desperation, and instinct all rolled into one.

"Please just let me die!"

Buck's breath caught in his throat. JD crossed himself. Josiah prayed harder. And Nathan felt a tear fall from his eyes. It had taken all of Vin's strength out of him and his struggles ceased.

Nathan quickly checked him. "He's just unconscious. Best thing for him for now." 'And us.' He thought. From the look on the faces around him he wasn't the only one who would be piecing his heart and soul back together that night.

Nathan started back on what had to be done. It was going to be a long few days.

It felt as if he had been swimming in a sea of mud. His eyelids were heavy and the sounds around him were strange and distorted. Chris felt a hand on his forehead. Before he would even attempt to open his eyes he tried to remember what had happened. Slowly his brain began to piece together the last memories he had. Patrol. The Roberts. The Ambush. The pain. And Vin. Opening his eyes the room though a bit blurry was definitely recognizable as Nathan's clinic.

"Hey there buddy! You finally decided to join us again?" Buck's face became a little more discernable, but the voice was unmistakable.

"Bu . . .ck?" Chris's voice was a mere whisper as his dry throat protested use. The ladies' man was quick to help the gunslinger with a drink of water.

"Not too much now." Nathan warned from the other side of the bed, then turned to examine Chris. "How ya feelin'?"

"Been better." Chris was trying to turn his head to see past Nathan to the bed beside his. "But I guess from the looks on you two's faces, I've been worse."

Nathan read the concern on Chris's face as he tried to look around. "Before you go twisting yo neck plum off . . ." Stepping aside a little he finished. "He's right over there."

Chris's relief at seeing his best friend in the bed next to his was short lived as a new wave of concern consumed him. Nathan answered even before the gunslinger could voice the obvious question.

"He's doin' better." Nathan's words were guarded. He didn't want to upset Chris, but he also didn't want to lie to him. "Fever just broke about an hour ago, but he ain't come to just yet. His body's tired."

"What happened?" Sensing that Nathan was being evasive only caused Chris to worry more. A memory popped into his head of a sudden thrust of momentum as Vin and he were falling from the horses. Feeling his stomach tighten as a new suspicion surfaced he turned to his oldest friend for the answers.

"He got shot, didn't he? In the back?!" His words were more statements of fact than questions.

Buck couldn't answer past the lump in his own throat, so he nodded. They had all been worried about their two injured friends. But even now with both of them at least on the road to recovery, Chris's questions and the look of panic in those green eyes that were usually so calm, almost cold, brought back the fact that this living nightmare was yet to find its end.

"Vin?!" Chris's head turned back to look at Vin's still form.

Not being able to see him good while still flat on his back, he made to sit up. Four strong hands held him down. "Whoa there." Buck had little trouble with the gunslinger in his weakened condition.

"Now Chris, you ain't in no shape to be moving around. You'll bust them stitches I worked so hard on." Nathan knew Chris was worried about Vin and knew what Chris wanted to know. "Besides, we don't know for sure about his legs yet. Both of ya's been down with a fever for the last two days."

"Two days?" Chris's voice was weakening, along with the rest of his body. This was the first time he had been fully conscious since Vin and himself had been found. Despite his desire to stay awake and find out more about Vin, the gunslinger couldn't fight his own body's need for rest and within no time was back asleep.

"Nathan?" Buck's blue eyes searched the healer's face for some sort of reassurance.

The dark healer turned away. Going over to his desk, he began to prepare some more bandages. He didn't know what to say. Buck and all of them wanted answers he couldn't give. "They should both live. And that's all's I can tell ya for now." What he couldn't voice was for how long. Both Chris and Vin were strong and had made it through the worst of it. Well, maybe not the worst.

"What ain't you saying?"

Nathan jumped. He had been lost in his own fearful thoughts and hadn't even heard the ladies' man cross the floor. Buck with his voice lowered asked the question Nathan had been dreading. The one thing he had purposefully avoided telling Chris. Sighing, Nathan turned. "Go and see if Mary or someone will watch these two. If I'm gonna do this, it's only gonna be once."

Buck didn't like the tone of Nathan's voice at all. "I'll get JD and we'll meet at the saloon. Ezra'll already be there anyway."

"No, let's meet at the jail. Better to keep others from listening in for now."

"JD's already there."

Nathan nodded. "Just go git Ezra and I'll see to Josiah."

A short time later found five very somber men gathered together. Four were waiting with trepidation whatever news the fifth had for them. Josiah prayed silently. Ezra kept his fingers constantly moving by shuffling his ever-present deck of cards. Buck toyed with his mustache and JD kept his eyes on the floor. Nathan watched them all for a moment before clearing his throat to gain their undivided attention. It was an action he seriously regretted after four pair of eyes turned expectantly in his direction.

"I know ya'll want to know how Chris and Vin are doing. Like I told Buck earlier, they're much better. Both fevers broke and Chris was even talkin' earlier. With a few weeks of rest they should both be . . ." Nathan stopped. No, they might not both be fine. Alive, but Vin may not be 'fine' ever again. "What I mean to say is they're both beginning to heal and should live. Too stubborn to die anyways." His attempt to lighten the heavy pall that hung about the room fell flat. They all knew the real question and were waiting for the answer. There was no going back now, so he dove right in.

"I just don't know about Vin's legs yet. I know that's been weighing heavy on all of ya's minds. I won't really know anything for sure until he wakes up good. Could be another day, a week, or more after that before we know anything for certain." Nathan kept from looking any of them in the eye as he spoke. Josiah noticed. Nathan was carrying a burden that needed to be shared.

"I don't think you brought us all here to tell us what you don't know." Josiah prompted the healer gently.

"No. No, I didn't. When the fever had a hold on the two of 'em, they thrashed about some. Vin never once moved his legs." There, he had said it. It felt strangely good to say it out loud.

Four men sat frozen, their minds mulling over the healer's last few words. Death was something every man feared but lived with, especially in their line of current employment. But the thought of losing the use of one's legs was unfathomable.

Somehow Ezra found his voice first. "Are you saying that Mr. Tanner will no longer be able to use his lower extremities in the fashion they were so intended?" The gambler hoped the shaking he felt within was not detectable in his voice.

"That's not what I'm saying." No, it wasn't what he was saying. It wasn't even what he feared. What he feared was what would happen if that was the case. And Vin's plea that first night in the clinic continued to haunt him. 'Please just let me die!' He had worked too long and hard to keep that mule-headed tracker alive and he wasn't about to give up that easy, or let Vin.

With a grim determination, Nathan said what he wanted, what he needed, to say. "I don't know if Vin has lost the use of his legs for sure. Even if he has, could only be temporary. Lots a swelling around that bullet wound in his back. Seen men that were just fine after a few days. I just don't know for sure. But, that ain't what I'm worried about most. No matter what happens, I just don't want him to give up."

"Hell Nathan, we ain't gonna give up on him." Buck protested.

"I know that Buck. I know you all will do what you can. But you know as well as I do that relying on others for anything just don't come easy to Vin."

"The boy's had too many hard years of having no one but himself to trust. Old habits are hard to break." Josiah reasoned. The preacher felt an overwhelming protectiveness for the young tracker.

JD had been quiet, just watching and listening. Vin had been trying to teach him the value of watching others and the things around him. Vin had been trying to teach the youngest of the seven a lot of things and with a gentle patience that so many others lacked. 'This can't be happening.' The young sheriff was trying to reason with himself. 'Vin's too strong, too independent.' Looking around the room at the dejected faces the others wore, a new feeling spread through him. And he had to speak.

"Don't matter to me if Vin can walk or not. Don't change who he is. And who he is, is my friend." JD's voice held an honest conviction.

"It's just not that easy kid." Buck understood JD's feelings and agreed, but he didn't think the kid was seeing the whole picture.

"But it is, and I'm not a kid. I'm not stupid, Buck. I've seen enough to know what all of you are thinking. That if Vin can't walk he'd rather be dead! He practically said so. Dammit, Nathan ain't even sure yet and you fellas look like it's over. Well, I'm not giving up that easy and I'm not gonna let Vin give up either. He's got friends he can count on and who count on him. It's about time he got used to it." JD's eyes were blazing as he got up and stalked out of the jail. Four men stood stunned.

"Out of the mouth of babes." Josiah said with a grin.

"Guess he told us." Shaking his head in wonder, Buck stood up.

Ezra was reluctant to speak for once, but felt an uncontrollable need. "I, for one, would be remiss if I did not point out that the fortitude of our little band relies on strength in numbers. United we stand, divided we fall, so to speak. I'll admit we are an unorthodox grouping of men, but have proven to be formidable foes in battle. This may be a different type of battle and one I am certainly not comfortable with, but we have vowed to watch each other's backs. That has never been more needed than right now."

"Ezra's right." Nathan had never thought in his wildest dreams to hear those words come out of his mouth. He'd never live it down, but right now it didn't matter. "If Vin is gonna survive this battle it'll be with us beside him. Even if he don't want us there."

"I fear our young friend has been let down so much in his darkened past that he has trouble expecting anything more. He seems to accept it as just the way it is." Josiah's voice rumbled with certainty. "It's time to change his outlook."

"Well, there's no time like the present." Buck started for the door. "The boy may be sleepin', but I think it's time we started plantin' the seeds."

JD had left the jail and headed straight for the clinic. Seeing Mary sitting in the chair between the two beds almost made him turn back around. He had meant what he said to the others, but it didn't mean it didn't scare the hell out of him.

"Evening Mary."

"JD." Standing, the newspaper lady came around toward the door. "They've been quiet."

"I'll take over for you now. Thanks for helping out." JD barely looked at Mary, his eyes still focused on his injured friends.

Mary's instincts told her there was something more going on, but decided not to pry. She'd question Nathan later. JD seemed to need some time alone. "It was my pleasure. Anytime you gentlemen need anything, please just let me know." Swallowing her own unease she left.

JD didn't move for a good few minutes. He wished he could be sure that Chris was asleep, but this was no time to worry about his own insecurities. Grabbing one of the chairs nearby he sat down at Vin's bedside. Swallowing hard, he tried to speak.

"Vin, I know . . ." His dry throat squeaked. Shoot! He sounded like a little kid. Clearing his throat he tried again. "I just want you to know that we're all here for you Vin. God knows you've looked out for all of us enough. You just got to wake up soon. Nathan says you're doing a lot better and that's good, but you've still got a lot of people worried about ya." JD chuckled as he imagined the sheepish look he would have gotten from the sharpshooter if he was awake. "Nettie even says she's gonna tan your hide even more than it already is if you don't hurry up and get better. Says she's getting too old for this nonsense." Pausing, the young sheriff knew he was just stalling.

"You've taught me a lot of things, but Lord knows I've still got a lot to learn. Just don't you go telling Buck I said that. He'd never let it rest. But, if I've learned anything from you, it's loyalty and standing up for what you believe in. I won't let you down Vin. I swear, I'll stand by you no matter what. Just don't you give up either."

Nathan had been sent to get some rest in Vin's room at the boardinghouse while the others took their turns that evening sitting with the two injured men. Each had wanted to show their support for Vin in any way they could. Chris had awakened only briefly and drank some of the willow bark tea and some broth. His deep rhythmic breathing was a good sign that he was in a deep healing sleep.

Buck took the last watch that night and sat between the two beds dozing. The first rays of morning light were coming through the window when a sound awakened him. Not sure what it was, Buck looked first at Vin. The tracker lay in the same position he had all night, which bothered the ladies' man immensely. Even though Vin was known for his quiet and stillness, this was different. Looking over to the other bed, a pair of green eyes met his gaze.

"Whatcha doing up so early pard?" Buck managed a half smile. "It's still early and Lord knows you need your beauty sleep."

"Think I've slept long enough." Even low and forced, Chris' voice held a demanding quality. Buck was glad to see his oldest friend awake, but equally worried, lest the gunslinger have questions he didn't want to answer.

Sure enough, Chris minced no words and went to the heart of his concern. "How's Vin?"

"Just as stubborn as you. Should be waking up anytime now." He hoped. "Nathan said since the fever broke, he has a real good chance." Buck looked away, not able to withstand the green glare that was trying to read through him.

"Just tell me straight." Chris had to know the truth, even if he wasn't sure he could handle it.

Buck turned his misty blue eyes back to his friend. He wouldn't lie to him. If things turned out bad, it was Chris who would be most likely to help Vin through it. "Nathan doesn't know for sure. Says it could take some time before we know anything one way or the other."

"But?!"

"But, so far Vin ain't moved his legs at all. Not even when the fever had both of ya thrashing around." This time Buck walked away, praying Chris wouldn't discern the real reason he was so uncomfortable. Vin's last coherent words still rang in his ears as if he had just heard them.

Chris heard Buck's words and watched his face. This was hard on them all, but there was still something. "What else?"

"Ain't that enough?" Buck's own worry and pain spilled out in the anger in his voice. Immediately regretting the outburst, he turned back to Chris. "Sorry. It's just been a long few days." Wiping his hand down his haggard face he tried to find a way out of the conversation. "You still need to rest. Don't need Nathan coming in here and chewing my butt off cause you got another fever." The ladies' man attempt at a smile was a failure.

"Ain't tired right now and I think you've still got something to tell me." Chris was like a dog with a bone. He really was tired, but he couldn't, and wouldn't, give in to it until he found out what was going on.

Knowing he'd have to tell Chris eventually, Buck dropped back into the chair by the bed, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "After we got you two back Vin woke up for a bit. He was worried about ya. We finally convinced him that you were right here beside him and he finally relaxed. Thought he was asleep." Buck paused, trying to swallow the lump in his throat at the memory. "Then he started hollerin' about not feelin' his legs. God, Chris. I thought JD was gonna pass out, hell, I wanted to pass out." Buck wasn't sure he should say the rest, but if Chris was going to help Vin he needed to know it all.

"The last thing Vin said was for us to just let him die."

Chris felt his heart constrict. How could he have let this happen? He should have been more careful. He should have been watching Vin's back better. He should have never let these men get this close to him. Of course, he hadn't actually let them. It had just happened. One day he was riding along on his own and the next he was riding herd on six of the strangest, orneriest, and most loyal bunch of reprobates he'd ever known. Somehow the seven of them had become almost like an extended family. A big bunch of brothers with differing personalities and certainly different outlooks on the things. But, let anyone threaten just one of them and the other six would instantly be behind that one. They could tease and put each other down, as was the way it was with families, but they'd better not hear anyone else do it or there was likely to be a fight soon to follow.

Remembering Vin's quiet prayerful speech under the tree, Chris turned back to Buck. The strange softness of his voice caught the big man's attention. "He asked God to take him instead of me. Why would he do that? Said I was needed. How could he not know? He's the one that's needed."

Chris wanted to say more, but couldn't seem to talk past a tightening in his throat. He really was tired. Swallowing hard he looked back at Buck, forcing the words. "You've got to promise me something." Grabbing Buck's wrist with a strength born of conviction and desperation, he pleaded. "Promise me that you'll wake me when he comes around. I have to be there for him. Promise me!"

Swallowing hard and staring at Chris's hardened green eyes, Buck promised. "I will. And I'll tell the others in case I'm not here."

"I mean it Buck." The gunslinger's voice held a hard edge of warning. "Wake me!" His grip loosened as Buck nodded.

"I won't let you down, none of us will. If I'm not sure the others will do it, I'll sit right here 'til the youngin' wakes or hell freezes over."

Satisfied with the answer Chris drifted off into a restless sleep.

Chris awakened later that morning, but Vin had yet to stir.

The others came by that evening to check up on them both. The tracker lay the same as he had for the past couple of days, deathly still with no sign of awareness.

The worry was evident on Nathan's face. JD, with his youthful inquisitive nature, always seemed to ask the questions that everyone else feared. "Why hasn't he woke up, Nathan? I mean, his fever broke and he's healing okay, right?"

Nathan couldn't stand to look at the kid's expectant face. Why did everyone always expect him to have all of the answers? He was a just a healer. Not a doctor, and certainly not some damn miracle worker. Trying to keep his own fear and frustration out of his voice he answered, knowing everyone else was waiting just as expectantly as JD. "I don't know. Vin's barely running a fever at all now. The wound is healing, but slow. Should of woke up already. But, I'm not sure. Might have missed somethin'."

Josiah heard the self-recrimination in Nathan's voice. "It's not your fault, brother. You've done everything you could. The rest is up to Vin and God."

"What . . ." JD stuttered. He didn't even want to think what he was thinking. "What if he doesn't want to wake up?" That hit the nail on the head. Each man shifted uncomfortably. Each had been thinking the same thing. Buck saw the pain-stricken look that crossed Chris' face briefly at JD's words. Sometimes the kid just didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

"Come on JD. Let's go get a drink." Buck wanted to get JD out of there before he said something else, but Chris was no fool.

"Let him stay. It's not his fault. It's what we're all thinking." Chris had been propped up in the bed and had spent most of his time watching Vin. Praying for some sign that the young man was still with them. "But, by God, he ain't dead. And I'm not going to let him just up and run out on us."

Nathan, still worried for his conscious patient, went to stand between the two beds. "Ain't good for you to go and get yoself upset now. You may be better, but ya still got a ways ta go."

"Ain't none of us going to let that happen, Chris." Buck wanted his friend to know that he wasn't alone in his fears for Vin. "We talked about it last night and we're all willing to do whatever it takes to help Vin through this."

Chris looked up to see the conviction not only in Buck's eyes, been in all of their eyes as each one nodded his agreement. It was a warming sight. But he still felt a gnawing guilt in his gut. And a fear he couldn't even acknowledge the source of, not yet.

The others stuck around for a while, even playing a couple of hands of cards. Hoping that their voices and the activities might rouse their comatose friend. All they really managed to do was tire out the other injured party who fell asleep even amongst all of the noise. Nathan shooed them all out, but each one took a moment to speak to Vin and touch his leg or arm before departing. The healer marveled at it all. If he'd been a betting man like Ezra, he wouldn't have given this bunch a week of surviving together and now it was over six months later and not only were they still together, they were rallying as one united force to support a man whose future was more than uncertain. No, not just a man. Vin Tanner was family to them all. And family looked out for family.

It was the middle of the night when Chris awoke next. Not sure exactly of the time but knowing it was still dark, he cautiously looked around the room. The light sound of breathing from the desk drew his attention. The lamp burned low from lack of oil and Nathan's hunched form could just be seen in the dimness. His head lay on the book he must have been reading when he fell asleep. Probably another one of the medical journals he poured over tirelessly. Chris wasn't objective to the man trying to improve his skills. With this bunch of men he needed all of the help he could get, but he hated to see Nathan doubt himself. Not even the most schooled doctors with degrees out of the finest schools could know everything. Or cure everyone. Nathan did his best and he did it with what the gunslinger had seen lacking in far too many people. Nathan had compassion and conviction a plenty.

Just like himself, he knew Nathan was shouldering guilt for Vin's condition. Wondering what else he could have done, should have done. Hell, the 'what ifs' could drive them all insane in no time at all. What if he had of sensed the danger sooner, not rode off after the two murderers in anger? What if Vin hadn't jumped to push him out of the way? What if he had told Vin that he was important before all of this happened? They never really talked about their feelings.

Both he and Vin had come to realize that there was a bond between them deeper than even they could put into words. Friends? Yes, but more. Brothers even. But sometimes even that word seemed lacking. When the two of them could almost read each other's minds without saying a word, Buck called it 'spooky'. Josiah called it a 'spiritual connection'. And Ezra, well, he used one of his five dollar words, 'supernatural'. Just the sound of it made Chris think of spooks and spirits.

A ghost of a smile graced his lips as he remembered Vin's retort the first time Ezra had used the word. They had all been sitting around their customary table at the saloon discussing a couple of bank robberies in neighboring towns. Chris and Vin had shared a knowing look and Vin had gotten up to leave.

JD had asked where he was going. Buck, who had seen the exchange between tracker and gunslinger, replied. "Wherever him and Chris just decided on."

"But," JD protested. "I didn't hear anything."

"My young friend, it's that 'supernatural' connection the two gentlemen have." Ezra explained in his laziest drawl.

"Super what?" JD was more confused than ever.

Vin never broke stride as he called over his shoulder. "Ez jist thinks both Larabee and me are a phenomena."

Ezra had nearly choked on his brandy when the tracker had come out with his very own five dollar word. Nathan was slapping the sputtering gambler on the back, while Buck and Josiah just busted out laughing. Vin was always full of surprises.

Glancing over to the bed, he wished to see a pair of blue eyes staring back at him. Once again his wish was denied. Slowly and as silently as he could, the gunslinger swung his legs over the side of the bed. It was a few minutes before his breathing calmed after even this slight exertion. The chair still sat between the two beds and he carefully maneuvered himself into it, biting back a gasp of pain when the stitches in his chest pulled.

Once the white specks behind his eyes abated and the room slowed it's spin, Chris reached out to take Vin's limp hand in his. Surprised by it's warmth he glanced up again to the tracker's eyes, which were still closed. "I know you're still in there Vin. Time to wake up, Cowboy."

Chris felt the familiar fear creep up into his soul. No matter how hard he tried to hide from it, it found him. He'd done a pretty good job of hiding from it for nearly three years. It was the pain that came as part of the package deal when you cared for someone else. Even though it was hard to admit, he cared about Vin Tanner.

The first day they had met with a glance across a dusty street, a natural trust had been felt between them. It was a trust that would for most be built over years of friendship, but for them it was almost instantaneous. Trust and respect had come easily and the friendship itself was like it had always been there. Like a hidden treasure waiting dormant within their souls, to come alive once the two had met face to face. It wasn't something you could explain. It just was.

On that fateful day, in a little dusty backwater town, Chris Larabee had not been looking for a reason to live. He was a survivor even when he wasn't sure he wanted to be. He hadn't even known that he was looking for more than a bed and some whiskey. But he found much more than he bargained for and more than he had ever dared to hope for again. A strange but remarkable family and a greater purpose for his life. Even if it was only short lived, it was something to hold on to and cherish for now. And he wasn't about to let a big part of that die without a fight.

"Vin Tanner, you listen to me you stubborn, selfless, infuriating, pain in the ass. It's about damn time you woke up. There's a lot of people worried and I know that drives you plum loco when others start fussin' over you. So it's time to wake up and start your growling. The sooner you start the sooner we can get it over with."

A snort from the corner of the room let Chris know that Nathan was awake.

Nathan had tried to pretend he was still asleep. He'd been worried about Chris getting up, but figured he needed some time with Vin. He'd expected Chris to talk, but the last tirade had just struck him as too characteristically funny. Looking up over his shoulder he added. "That's it, Chris. Go on and sweet talk the boy into wakin' up."

Chris chuckled himself. A move he instantly regretted as the ache in his chest increased. Luckily, some of the heaviness lifted, if only just a little. His face grew serious again. "How much longer before his body shuts down?"

Nathan stood wearily and came to stand beside Chris. "He's already dehydrated. If I can't get him awake soon . . ." He let it hang. Both knew the implications. The healer saw the tracker's hand still firmly held in the gunslinger's grip and made a decision. "I'm gonna go outside for a while. Stretch ma legs and get a little fresh air. You need anything, just holler. I'll be right outside."

Chris knew Nathan was granting him some time alone with Vin. To say whatever he needed to without an audience. Even as he heard the door shut his mind stalled on what he should say. In the quiet of the darkened room he thought of his best friend. What all they had been through together in just the short time they had known each other. He thought of that quick wit and the lopsided grin. The mischievous glint Vin got in his eyes when his sharp mind was working on something outrageous. Like, putting Ezra in a dress. Sheer devilish genius. He could just see their tracker and sharpshooter working his magic on the trails or the rooftops.

The words then seem to come of their own accord.

"This ain't right pardner. You've still got too much left to do. We've still got too much left to do. When you said we were going to hell anyway, I was sure you meant together. Not nice to leave a man behind, holding the bag, so to speak. How in the hell do you expect me to keep this bunch in line without ya." Chris felt a fire begin to burn within, and with a renewed sense of purpose, he continued.

"I heard you say that I'm the strength of this outfit. The strength that holds us together. Well, I've been thinking on that some. Reckon you're a bit right. Just don't let it go to your head now. If I'm the strength, reckon Buck's the heart cause he's got one as big as Texas and California put together. Josiah must give us our character since he knows all about righteousness even when he's getting 'a little old testament' on us. Nathan, that's hard so I'll just say he's the lungs, since he's constantly trying to practically breath life in to our tired and bleeding bodies. Ezra must be the brain cause he can sure think up some interesting schemes, but if you ever tell him I said that I'll have to shoot ya. JD, well I thought about saying he was the stomach the way that kid can eat, but I think he's our endurance. The kid's young, but he's got guts."

Leaning forward to get closer to Vin's face he spoke with an almost reverent quality.

"That leaves you, my friend. Each of us is an irreplaceable part of the whole. You're a combination of it all. Endurance, brains, life's breath, character, heart, and strength. But more importantly, you're our soul Vin. And a body is nothing without a soul."

"You're important to a lot of people. You're important to me."

Chris sat for a long time, quietly holding his best friend's hand. Wishing he could will his own strength in to the tired body before him. Nathan came back in and bullied him back into bed. His body was tired and he slept like the dead.

The next morning the rays of sunshine streaming through the window did nothing to lighten the gloomy atmosphere of the room. And Buck's boisterous voice as he brought in breakfast only forced Chris to sink lower under the covers. He had checked Vin first thing when he had awakened and there was no change. Nathan took the tray from Buck thanking him, while Buck came over between the beds. He knew from his first foot into the clinic that the news was not good, but he wanted to try and cheer Chris up. He just hated seeing people unhappy and couldn't help himself.

"Mornin' there Chris. You gonna hide under them covers all day? Brought you some breakfast. Sweet honey and biscuits. Whoowee! Makes a man hungry just thinkin' about it." It was a beautiful morning and the dark oppressiveness of the clinic was driving the ladies' man crazy.

Chris was not in the mood. He had hoped to wake up and at least find Vin alert. Time was running out and he knew it.

Buck continued to talk about this and that. His exploits and what was happening around town. Chris just tuned him out as he had done so many times before.

Then he heard it. A strange sound that was barely discernable over Buck's loud rambling. Chris sat up in the bed startling Buck into silence momentarily, but he recovered quickly. "What's wrong, Chris?"

"Shhhh!" Chris glared and saw Nathan turn around raising his own eyebrows in query.

The room fell silent.

He heard it again. Turning to stare at Vin, he saw a twitch of the tracker's cheek. Chris climbed out of the bed and practically pushed Buck out of the way. On unsteady legs he stood watching his injured friend like a hawk ready to swoop down on some unsuspecting prey. Nathan and Buck watched as well, unsure what had prompted the gunslinger's sudden actions.

Then they saw it and heard it, as Vin slowly worked his jaws and a slight sound emerged. The sound, though sort of a cross between a slurp and clicking noise, was barely audible. How Chris had even heard it was beyond them. More than likely he had just sensed it. No one moved, afraid of losing the moment.

Vin moved his hand toward his face as if just waking up after a night's rest. His body moved to roll over and a tiny groan of pain could be heard. It was one of the sweetest sounds Chris had ever heard.

Nathan hurried over to the other side of the tracker's bed. "Vin, you with us?"

"Hey cowboy, it's awful late for you to still be asleep." Chris coaxed, trying not to let the excitement show in his voice.

"Hot damn!"

Buck's very loud yell not only scared the life out of Nathan and Chris, it brought two welcome blues eyes open.

"God Buck. Scare the shit out of a guy why don'tcha." Chris growled. "I think I'm deaf in my right ear." Throwing a quick glare at the ladies' man he looked back toward the bed to find two blue eyes staring at him in confusion.

But Buck would not be contained. He had seen something they hadn't and was too excited to shut up. "But he moved!"

"Yes, Buck, we know. We can see that. His eyes are open too." Nathan looked at Buck like he had lost what little sense he had left.

"No!" He practically shouted, seeing the source of his excitement again. "Look! He moved his leg!"

Both men followed Buck's line of sight and saw it. It was just a slight ruffle of the blanket on top of Vin's legs, but it meant the world to them. Three men came crashing through the door of the clinic, guns drawn and ready for action.

Josiah, Ezra, and JD stopped short at the sight of the others gathered around Vin's bed. Afraid of the meaning and being summoned by the loud yells of the ladies' man, they feared the worst until JD noticed. "Hey, Vin's awake!"

Guns were quickly holstered and soon there were six very excited men all gathered around Vin's bed. Buck was trying to explain what he saw. Nathan was trying to check his now awake patient. And the poor confused man in the bed looked to his best friend with pleading eyes.

Vin had heard voices, well, one really loud voice actually. Somewhere in his mind bits and pieces of other voices and words floated as if from a dream. But this was different. It was loud and it was persistent. He could tell the sun was up from the light he sensed. His mouth felt like he had been chewing on one of his dirty shirts for three days. Working to get some moisture into his dry mouth, everything fell silent. Suddenly he felt like he was being watched. Reaching up to rub his face, he recognized the smells around him. From that and the fact that he felt like horse crap he figured he must be at Nathan's again. His back was bothering him something fierce and he tried to roll onto his side.

Pain!!! 'Oh shit. Bad idea.' The slight moan escaped without permission. He wasn't ready to open his eyes just yet. They'd likely just make him drink that horse piss if'n they knew he was awake.

The loud yell that he instantly knew was Buck nearly made him piss in his pants. It was a good thing he hadn't felt the need to go just yet. His eyes shot open.

Everything that happened after that was a blur. Chris growling, then smiling and staring at him real funny. Then a sound like the floor had fallen in. The next thing he knew he felt like one of them people with the traveling side shows that people paid money just to stare at. Nathan was checking him over and the others were gawking at him and talking about god knows what. His brain hadn't caught up enough to really tell what they were talking about and he was only catching certain words. It was really beginning to make his skin crawl. If he thought he could have gotten up he would have been gone, but he wasn't stupid enough to think that he was lying here in Nathan's clinic for no reason. So, he turned to the one man he knew would understand.

Chris saw Vin's unease. Placing his fingers up to his lips he whistled shrilly. All conversation stopped and heads snapped up immediately to stare at their leader.

"Alright. I know we're all a bit excited right now, but why don't you boys take it outside for a bit while Nathan finishes up and then he'll be out to update you. Then you can come back in one at a time."

Looking at the expression of wariness on Vin's face, the others got the picture. But, each one felt the need to once again speak to Vin before leaving.

"Good to have you back with us, brother."

"Nice to finally see those baby blues of yours, stud."

"I must say that it is undoubtably a fair morning now that you have decided to grace us once again with your ever-vigilant countenance."

"Sure am glad to see you awake Vin."

Four men adjourned to the landing with a new sense of joy.

Chris and Nathan helped Vin to drink some water and tea, before the tracker's body once again began to demand rest. The heavy blue eyes fought for a few minutes, but finally gave in. Chris smiled, knowing this time the sleep was okay. He sat down on his own bed, exhausted. Maybe he would just close his own eyes for a while. It wasn't like that crew out on the landing were going anywhere for a while.

Chris had been freed from the clinic for only three days under the conditions that he get his rest and take it easy. Luckily it had been quiet in town for over a week. Making his way slowly up the clinic stairs, he grinned at the thought of Nathan still trying to convince Vin that he wasn't in any shape to be out just yet. It was hard enough on the outdoorsman to be cooped up inside for over a week now, but with Chris being released it was down right irritating. The argument he had overheard just a couple of days before came to mind.

"Aw hell, Nathan." The tracker reasoned. "You let Chris go back to his room. I just want to sit outside."

"I said no. You ain't got ya strength back good yet." Nathan was not about to give in. "Them legs of yourn are better, but you can't even stand by yoself. Not to mention your left one's still busted up. Just give it a few more days. I'll find you some crutches and . . ."

"I'm goin' plum crazy stuck in here." The tracker's voice had taken on a whiney sound. "Me 'n Chris got shot at the same time and he's already struttin' around town."

"He better not be. I told him to stay in his room and rest. Only come out to take care of business and get something to eat." Nathan's glare, though not like Larabee's, could still make a body think twice.

"Yeah, right." The tracker grumbled under his breath. He knew he couldn't exactly escape on his own. But his weakness was more than just a nuisance; it was frightening. Chris had sensed that Vin was worrying about his ability to look out for himself more than anything.

Returning his mind to the present and the task at hand, Chris knocked lightly on the clinic door, then opened it and strode right in. "Everybody decent?"

"Depends what you consider decent." The tracker grumbled. Chris couldn't help but smile. He'd missed that quick wit and surliness.

"He still ornery as a nest of hornets, Nathan?" Chris teased.

"Worse. I'd shoot him to put him out of my misery, but then I'd just go makin' more work for myself." Nathan shot a disgruntled look at his remaining patient, then turned back to Chris. "How's the chest? Let me take a look." The healer got up, but Chris waved him off.

"It's fine. Really. Sore, but fine." Looking over to catch Nathan's eye he suggested, "Why don't you take a break and let me ride herd on this one for a few hours."

Nathan looked up suspiciously, but saw something in Chris's eyes. An almost pleading look. Knowing Chris would rather cut off his right arm than let any more harm come to Vin, he decided to take him up on the offer.

"Might be nice to get out for a while. Have some lunch at the restaurant. Even got a few other patients I'd like to check on. People who are a bit more grateful."

"Aw Doc. You know I'm grateful. Don't mean to cause you so much trouble. Jist think you've done enough. Time for me to get out of your way." The tone of Vin's voice was a little too sad for the healer.

Nathan sighed. "Vin, you know you ain't in my way and I wouldn't have you here if I didn't want you here. I just want to make sure you get well's all."

Chris inclined his head toward the door and Nathan made his way out. If anyone could talk some sense into the stubborn tracker's head it would be Larabee.

Once Nathan was gone Chris turned to Vin. He had already planned everything out. And from the look on the tracker's dejected face, it couldn't happen soon enough.

"How'd you like to go outside?"

Vin's head popped up and blue eyes regarded the gunslinger suspiciously. Nathan had refused him for the last three days, including this one. "Nathan said I couldn't go outside."

Chris almost laughed at the way Vin was looking at him. Not that he could blame him. But Vin should have known that Chris wouldn't have offered if he wasn't prepared to carry it out. Vin had become increasingly quiet over the last few days. Ever since the gunslinger had left for his own room at the boarding house. He was still sparring with Nathan, but it lacked its usual gusto and the tracker gave up far too easily.

Vin had been able to move his legs since he had awakened, but they were weak and slow to return to full strength. And with the left one broke it wasn't going to be easy for him to get around for a good while yet. It had only been a few days ago, just after Chris' release, that the gunslinger had stopped by to find Vin huddled on the floor breathing hard and totally exhausted. Nathan had slipped out to answer the call of nature, thinking the tracker asleep. Getting out of bed and trying to stand, Vin had ended up in the floor.

Rushing to his side, Chris had been worried when the answers to his questions of concern and 'what exactly Vin thought he was doing out of bed' had not been forthcoming. Finally getting a good look at his friend's face, he realized that anger, fear, and embarrassment were warring within the younger man for control.

Vin's mood had grown increasingly sullen after that. Chris was hoping that a slight change in scenery and a bit of fresh air would help lift his best friend's spirits. He hated seeing him like this and he'd fight hell and Nathan to change it.

"Do you trust me?" It was a simple question, but it held a lot behind it.

Vin swallowed, reading all that was being asked behind those piercing green eyes of his friend and leader. "Yeah, I trust ya."

"If we do this, we do it my way or no way." Chris raised one eyebrow to make it clear there would be no negotiations.

Vin's eyes narrowed again. He really wanted to get out of this room. It was getting hard to breathe within the walls of the clinic. Walls that seemed to grow closer everyday. Yeah, he trusted Chris, he had to. His life depended on it. Right now he felt like a sitting target and that was probably bothering him more than anything. It was bad enough that he had a $500 dollar price tag on his head. Dead or alive. But, in a land where it was survival of the fittest, he certainly wasn't feeling very fit.

Chris could tell what was gnawing at Vin and tried to reassure him. "Don't worry. Nobody else knows about your legs. All they know is that you were shot, broke your leg, and that you're much better." Vin just dropped his head to look at the floor. If he was that transparent, he was definitely in trouble. Of course, this was Chris. "We'll watch your back 'til you get back on your feet. And, even after."

"Shouldn't have to." Vin still didn't look up, but Chris noticed his hands curl into fists. "I hate this." It was just a whisper, but the gunslinger heard it.

"I know. But it's only temporary. Could've been a lot worse. Almost was." Chris' voice deepened with restrained emotion. Vin, surprised by what he had heard, looked up.

"Don't think ya can git rid a me that easy, Larabee. I'm like stink on horse crap. Always there." The brevity of the moment, uncomfortable for both men, was broken by the tracker's wry grin and smart comment.

Chris couldn't help but smile. "Stink's right Vin. You need a bath."

"But I took one . . ." He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Well, I took one before we got shot."

"That was over a week ago, cowboy." Chris chuckled. Leave it to Vin to clear the air and the tension. Time to get back to the point of his visit. "Now, back to my question."

"What's the sti . . ." Chris watched questioningly as Vin worked on something in his mind. The tracker's eyes lit up. "Stipulations. What are the stipulations?"

"Damn, cowboy, I gotta stop lettin' you hang out with Ezra. Bad enough listening to him talk." Shaking his head Chris moved to get Vin's pants and shirt from the chair in the corner. He'd dropped them off earlier just in case they were needed soon.

"Twern't Ezra. Someone a whole lot easier on the eyes and ears." The mischievous smile on Vin's face lit up his eyes. A sight Chris was most certainly glad to see. All of the seven were aware of Mary's tutoring, but had too much respect for the tracker to ever dare mention it. Vin was as smart as they came whether or not he could read and write. The fact that he was working to change that only proved the point.

Chris now stood in front of Vin with his clothes and with some effort they got the younger man dressed. Sitting on the side of the bed, Vin worked to slow his racing heart and labored breathing. He looked down at his feet and back up at the gunslinger, frowning. "Think ya fergot somethin'."

Chris steeled himself for the next part. "You're not walking. You're still breathing hard from just getting dressed."

Vin crossed his arms as a look of anger crossed his face. "Then I ain't goin'!"

Chris knelt down in front of his best friend. "I know you're worried about others seeing you looking weak. But you know you don't have to pretend with me and the boys. We're friends. We look out for each other."

"Don't mean I want the whole town to know." Vin's frown was bordering on a pout now, but Chris would never make light of the tracker's fears. He only had one more thing to say.

"Vin? Do you trust me?"

Vin looked up, truly shocked by the concern and caring he saw staring back at him. Chris was his best friend. Closer than a brother.

"Yeah, I trust ya."

With a slight nod, Chris stood up. "Buck, we're ready."

The door to the clinic opened and the ladies' man strode in. Vin looked past him out the door to see Nathan's rocking chair positioned just outside, but that wasn't what caught his attention. His breath caught in his throat at the sight. Josiah, Ezra, and JD stood with their backs to the chair, shielding it from the prying eyes of the town below. Nodding again, Chris stepped outside to join the human shield standing on the landing.

"Your chariot awaits." Without hesitation or further fanfare, Buck picked Vin up and carried him outside, quickly setting him down in the rocking chair. Then he and the others, minus Chris, left with a small tip of their hats. They would be back when it was time for their injured friend to return inside.

Chris sat down in the chair to Vin's right and leaned back relishing in the warm air, the smell of the outdoors, and the company.

Vin sat quietly for awhile, trying to swallow the big thing that had taken up residence in his throat. He'd never had people willing to do such things for him before. Not since he was a very small child. It was a bit unsettling, but it also gave him a warm feeling that spread all over his body. Finally trusting himself to speak, he said what seemed so inadequate at the moment. "Thanks."

"Anytime cowboy. Anytime." Chris smiled in the knowledge that things would finally be getting back to normal. He was perfectly content to sit there in companionable silence with his best friend. At least until Nathan got back and found out. Hopefully one of the others would intercept the irate healer and explain. If not, he was willing to risk it. Family did for family and that's what they were.

Vin leaned back into the rocker relaxing for the first time in God only knew how long. It was a beautiful day and he was getting better. Slower than he would like, but then again he'd always learned to roll with the punches. Plus, he was no longer fighting alone. As hard to believe as it was he had friends who gave a damn whether he lived or died, who would watch his back when he needed them to and even when he didn't, and who made life all the more worth living. Slipping into a peaceful sleep Vin was secure in the knowledge that he was safe, protected. That knowledge and these friends of his were better than any medicine known to man. It was strength for a weary soul.

The End.