The Magnificent Seven:The Next Generation

WARNING: This Story contains an alternative Universe theme. This is a thought that was planted in my head by the ladysmiths. So before the thought drove me insane, here is the result. It hasn’t been properly beta’d yet so bear with it if you can. That said, welcome to my new universe. I hope you like the kids, there will be a few more stories to come and if anyone wants to play in the sandpit, go for it.

Beau Dunne stepped out of the jailhouse his hands resting lightly on his matched navy colts. He glanced up and down the street watching the people that he was sworn to protect. The town he surveyed was a lot different from the one his father and uncles had tamed. He knew that the longevity of this town was thanks in no small way to the seven men who had in one capacity or another protected Four Corners for almost 30 years. Now it was his turn.

Well technically not completely his job, his best friend and business partner was also sworn to protect this town. He had been due back from a patrol a little more than an hour ago, and Beau was starting to worry. Flicking his too long ebony hair out of his face he smiled as he watched Chance ride towards him. Chance really didn’t belong in Four Corners. He had inherited his father’s sense of style and love of fashion, but in 23 years he had shown no desire to leave the town he had grown up in.

Beau’s journey was halted as an ink-covered hellion crossed the street like a whirlwind and threw her into his arms.

“Morgana” he exclaimed as he threw his arms around the tiny woman whom he hoped would become his sister in law

“Beau” she hugged him tightly “Mary let me go early so I can pack”

“Pray tell” a smooth voice spoke from beside them “Just where would you be going?”

“Chance!” she squealed extracting herself from Beau’s loose embrace she threw herself at the man still seated on his horses back.

Luckily he was ready for her and swung her lithely onto the horse in front of him. Folding her tightly in his arms he waited for her to speak

“Mary’s sending me to Denver to cover a story for the paper” she nodded proudly “She says I’m ready”

“What if I don’t think you are?” Chance spoke softly, but with a definite edge in his voice

“Until you actually ask me Chance Standish” she spoke angrily sliding out of his embrace and landing lithely on her feet at his horses side “You don’t have any say in what I do” she fisted her hands and placed them angrily on her hips “Or where the hell I go” she stamped her foot in anger and turned on her tail stalking away from the two men.

“Wanna switch sisters?” Chance looked at his best friends smiling face

“Nope” Beau answered quickly “I can get myself in enough trouble thanks all the same”

“Coward” Chance smiled dismounting and looping his beloved horses reins around the hitching pole

“You bet” Beau replied with a grin “What took you so long?” his grin faded as his thoughts turned to business

“I ran into Don and Diego” Chance shrugged “Rode with them as far as Chris and Vin’s ranch”

“Everything okay?” Beau frowned

“Why shouldn’t it be” Chance laughed, “We’ve got the entire country convinced we’re the toughest Sheriff’s in the west”

“Adam and Solitaire are up to something” Beau shrugged “I really hate it when the two of them put their heads together” His younger brother and Chance’s sister had formed an alliance of sorts and spent their days and it seemed their lives trying to vex their families and anyone who came in contact with them.

“We can talk about it over Supper” Chance shrugged as the two of them watched the Stage rattle into town far faster than was safe

“How many years have our fathers been telling them to slow down?” Beau pushed his hat back on his head

“You going to carry on family tradition or shall I” Chance grinned

“I think I need a little more excitement today” Beau had already started the walk across the street Chance walked up onto the boardwalk and sat on the top step watching his best friend chew out the stage driver who looked suitably chagrined for his actions. Until Beau turned his back and the stage careened out of town again, causing Beau to throw his arms up in exasperation.

“At least when we told them off they slowed down until they were out of town” Buck called from the steps of the boarding house he now owned

“Ah yes” Ezra added as he stepped out of the boarding house his six-year old daughter Charity’s hand wrapped in his “But at least our offspring don’t back their arguments up with the business end of a gun”

“I don’t know Dad” Chance smiled as he walked up to join them “You haven’t seen Morgana when she’s all riled up”

“And unless the two of you want to find yourselves on the end of my shotgun it would be best if you haven’t either” Buck glared at the two young men in front of him. He paused briefly to point a finger in Beau’s direction as he began to chuckle at the innocent expression on Chance’s face “That goes for you and Melissa too” which immediately stilled his laughter and started Chance’s.

“So you boys gonna go and invite the Mayor to supper?” Buck smiled at them, his good-natured threat all but forgotten

“Hell Buck” Beau spoke “You know Dad wouldn’t miss an opportunity to spend time with you”

“Don’t tell him that son,” Ezra laughed as he scooped his youngest daughter into his arms and began to walk away “You’ll never get his head back through the door” he finished and agilely dodged the towel that Buck threw after him.

~~~~~~~

Buck sat at the head of one of the tables in the dining room of his boarding house watching his family. Well technically his friends and family but in his mind they had been a family since that fateful day almost 30 years ago when they signed one as the unofficial law in this town. He looked at his friends, sure they were a little older, some a little heavier, their hair a little thinner but they were all still the same men they were when they had first taken up residence.

What had started out as seven individuals was now a huge extended family, his gaze softened as his eyes met his daughters. A matched pair of beautiful young women, the image of their mother, their hair just a little darker and their eyes the same deep blue of their father. He had never married Millie; she had refused to tie him down that way even when he had asked her practically every day during the later stages of her pregnancy. Then it had been too late, she had left him with two tiny baby daughters and a family that he had never expected.

He couldn’t hope for better men for his girls. Chance Standish, the unofficial leader of their offspring was probably the only man in town that could even pretend to tame his headstrong daughter. He had known for years that Chance and Morgana would eventually see what he had seen since they were youngsters. They were perfectly matched. Watching the eldest Standish, he couldn’t help but see the seamless blending of both his mother and father, he had Ezra’s hair but the coal black of Li Pong, his skin was slightly olive toned, his expressive deep green eyes slightly up tilted. His muscular body was clothed in a Wyatt Earp style suit that was perfectly cut to accentuate his lean muscular form.

Her baby sister was another matter completely, Melissa, or Millie as she had always been known, was the epitome of a young lady. Always perfectly and demure, she had travelled to St Louis to be trained as a nurse and had returned to a position as nurse in the towns clinic. That wasn’t his problem, Beau had always been drawn to Millie, like a moth to a flame, and while Buck could see the love in both their eyes he couldn’t help but remember every time Beau and Millie spent time together that he himself had taught young Beau everything he knew about women. And that was far too much for his daughter to cope with.

Ezra watched as Buck’s eyes misted over watching his daughters and their beau’s. His own mind had almost forgotten his loneliness of that time so long ago. A time when he felt like an interloper in their little family. Those times had long since passed. All thanks to the return of the woman that sat at his side. Unable to find her family, she had returned to the only person she had instinctively trusted. Soon after her return they had been married, and that was when his life had truly begun. They had been blessed with three children. Three beautiful children who had known the love that both he and Li Pong had never known as children.

He reached forward with one hand and gently covered his tiny wife’s hand as it laid on the table between them, his other arm happily cradling Charity as she lay dozing in her doting fathers arms. He cast his eyes over his children, lingering briefly at Solitaire. It seemed that their middle child was destined to make their lives difficult. A small smile twisted his lips as he remembered the night of her birth twenty years previously as clearly as if it were yesterday. He had thought he was going to lose the other half of his soul that night. Li Pong endured 20 hours of labour, it was the longest they had been separated since their marriage. Ezra was no fool, he had seen the look on Nathan’s face, he knew that he was going to lose his wife and his child. He had leaned against the wall outside her bedroom door, listening to Li Pong’s cries of pain, and did the only thing that would soothe his soul. He played solitaire. Anyone else might have found it strange but no one batted an eyelid when he named their daughter Solitaire. It had appeared that they were to be blessed with no more children, both Chance and Solitaire in their teens when Li Pong had announced another pregnancy. He smiled as he traced his tiny daughters face with one finger, remembering the way he had wrapped her mother in cotton wool the whole pregnancy. It didn’t matter anyway; Charity was born easily after a blessedly short labour.

Ezra turned his gaze over the other members of their original family. His knowing gaze searching out Diego, the young man from Purgatorio. How long before they put all the pieces together he wondered, they all knew that he was the son of Maria, a woman who long ago had been a prostitute in the desperado’s town. A woman that Chris Larabee had almost claimed for his own. The same woman who apparently quietly bore his son. He let his eyes drift to the older man, he was sure Chris had no idea that the young man was indeed his own son. Looking at the young man hard enough anyone who knew Chris would see the Larabee attitude in Diego’s face, his hair may be dark an his eyes almost black but inside he was all Larabee. It was a probably a good thing Ezra smiled, Chris wouldn’t be happy to know that his son had grown into an accomplished gambler and conman.

Josiah looked across the table at the man who had since the moment they had met been like a son to him. For the last twenty years, despite the fact that he had frequently tried to make an honest woman of Ezra’s mother, she still resisted his frequent proposals. Her visits had become more frequent and when she did stay in town they lived as man and wife, happily raising Josiah’s son as their own. So not only was he Ezra’s father in all the ways that really mattered he was also for all intents and purposes raising Ezra’s brother. Levi was a young child who had been left on the steps of the church. Unable to find a home for him Josiah had happily taken him into his home and his heart. That had been 15 years ago, they guessed he was now about 19 years old and still angry at the world around him. He wore his guns slung low and his attitude like a dark cloak around him, but he guarded the people he called family fiercely and with the conviction of a she wolf protecting her pups.

His musings were interrupted as his eyes met those of his oldest friend. Very little about the dark healer had changed since the early days of their friendship. His waist had thickened, his step had slowed and his hair was silver grey, but he was still the same compassionate caring man he had been in his youth. He and Rain had been the first of the seven to marry. Though almost all of the others had beaten them to the punch when it came to producing heirs. Their children were people that both Rain and Nathan could be proud of. Nathaniel had spent his formative schooling years in a Canadian school training to be a doctor, returning home at the humble age of 20, his certification in hand, a qualified doctor. His older sister Onawa, had returned to her mothers tribe and was training as a medicine woman, although she did spend as much time as she could with her parents and the now young adults she had grown up with. Josiah watched as both of Nathan’s children sat beside their parents obviously deep in discussion and oblivious to the conversations around them.

A boisterous outburst of laughter drew Josiah’s attention from his friend’s family. Turning to see the source of the hilarity he wasn’t surprised to see it centred around the youngest member of the original seven’s family. With five children, and the refreshingly naive souls of JD and Casey, laughter was never far from the surface in their home. Noone seemed to know what had caused the outburst of fun, but whatever it was had three of JD’s five children caught well within its grasp. The always-sombre second born son Adam was trying to valiantly restrain himself but the face so like his fathers struggled to hold back the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. The two girls Brenna and Annette had relinquished all hold on genteel behaviour and were boisterously guffawing along with all the others at the table. It appeared that the cause of the laughter was sixteen-year-old Johnny who wore the embarrassed flush that he had inherited from his father. All five of the Dunne children had inherited their father’s shiny ebony hair, and the small stature of both parents. However, what they lacked in height they made up for in compassion, trust and the depths of their commitment to their friends and companions. Some would call it blind faith in fellow man, but the men of the original seven knew what it was. It was their inheritance from their father, a faith in fellow man that refused to be tarnished by the evil that he witnessed.

Josiah turned his attention to the final member of his original four corners family. Vin Tanner sat to his ranching partner’s left. Of all of the originals, he was the one that had barely changed, his hair a little more sun bleached his skin a little more leathery, but his eyes still crystal clear and watching everything that transpired around him. Inez sat beside him, his common law wife, she still worked in the saloon that Ezra had bought back from his mother, returning to work there after their son Donato was old enough to help his father and Uncle Chris on their ranch.

Ezra, watched the interactions of his extended family happily, cradling his youngest child close to his chest as she slept happily, secure in her fathers warm loving embrace. His other hand held that of his beautiful wife, resting on his thigh. He hated to be the one to draw an end to the evening, but he knew it was time to take his precious child home to her own bed. Lifting Li’s hand to his lips he kissed her knuckles softly before he rose and regretfully made his apologies.

“I am afraid my friends” he spoke softly “I need to take my little angel here home to bed” he cast his eyes across the tables to his adult children “I expect to see you two home at a reasonable hour” he spoke to them with a good natured smile

“Evenin Ezra, Li” Vin spoke softly starting the torrent of farewell wishes and embraces before the elder Standish’s left. Their departure signalling the end of the weekly family dinner get together.

~~~~~~~

Hours later, two sweaty bodies lay entwined in a comfortable feather bed. Her ebony hair fanned out across her lover’s chest as she traced his firm muscular chest with her fingertips. She knew that to the outside world what they had just done and had been sharing for some time was intrinsically wrong, but she could no more deny her lover than she could stop breathing.

“What’s going on in the beautiful head of yours?” Adam asked softly

“We’re doing the wrong thing Adam” Sol lifted her head to look into his face

“What’s wrong about it?” He asked

“We’re going to hurt our families” she replied quietly

“How?” Adam murmured, lowering his voice “They promised us noone will be hurt, all they are going to do is steal Chris and Vin’s horses”

“It’s not right” she shook her head “We shouldn’t be doing this”

“What’s not right is the way they all treat us” he spoke with more than a little anger as he pulled out from beneath her sliding off the bed to lift his pants from the floor and step into them

“I’m sorry” Solitaire spoke slipping out from under the sheet to press herself against her lover’s back

“You’re right” she nodded pressing her lips on his shoulder blade

“I need to go fore your da catches us” he turned and kissed her deeply “Don’t worry so much Sol” he paused “It’ll all be over tomorrow”

“I know” Solitaire spoke calmly pulling the sheet around her body as she watched Adam slip out of her window. She stood behind the curtain watching her friend and lover as he climbed down the drainpipe that ran down the outside wall between her window and her parents’ window. Neither Adam nor solitaire noticed Ezra standing at his own window watching Adam shimmying down the pipe, his face filled with his dismay at his daughters actions but now content to return to his bed, knowing that his children were all safely ensconced in their home.

~~~~~~~

Beau and Chance crossed the main street of Four Corners together shortly after sunrise the next morning, more than a little surprised to see Chris and Vin pacing on the boardwalk in front of the jailhouse. Chance and Beau looked at each other concerned, both of them knew that something was very wrong to have both of their uncles pacing outside their office door.

“Chris, Vin” Chance nodded at his uncles “What’s wrong?”

“Horse thieves” Chris almost spat angry that they were no longer as readily able to light out after the people who had stolen their horses

“How many did you lose?” Beau turned his attention to Vin, whom they both know to be equally as furious as Chris, just not showing the outward signs

“35” he spoke softly “Including two of our stud stallions and our prize mare”

“Damn” Beau’s reaction was instantaneous and heartfelt

“We’ll get a posse together and get out to the ranch” Chance spoke firmly “We’ll find them” he nodded

“Don and Diego are already tracking them” Vin nodded in acknowledgement.

Chance extended a hand to Chris, who accepted the hand of friendship with a grim smile “We’ll find them Chris” he spoke before he stepped off the porch intent on gathering the posse he knew they would be needing

~~~~~~~

His first stop was at the boarding house where he knew he would find at least one of his prospective posse members. Stepping into the dining room, he smiled as he found Nathaniel and Onawa sharing breakfast before Onawa returned to the tribe that had adopted here.

“Neil” he spoke as he doffed his hat at Onawa and sat in the spare chair at the table

“What can I do for you?” Neil smiled at his old friend

“We need to get a posse together” Chance got directly to the point “Vin and Chris lost most of their herd to rustlers last night”

“I haven’t been out tracking since before I went away to school” he supplied

“I know” Chance nodded “But I’m kind of relying on your medical skills” he paused “Just in case we need them”

“When are we leaving?” Neil asked as his sister sighed and shook her head

“As soon as we can get everyone together” Chance smiled and stood once again tipping his hat at Onawa as he made to leave.

He had barely made it out of the dining room before Morgana hit him soundly in the chest

“I don’t suppose you were going to ask me to go along were you” She fisted her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently as she awaited his reply

“A posse is no place for a woman Morg” he spoke calmly

“What sort of an excuse is that” she began to raise her voice in temper “I can shoot straighter, draw faster and ride better than any of you and you damn well know it”

“Morg they’re going to be shooting at us” he spoke softly “I don’t want to see you hurt”

“Either you let me go with you” she fumed at him “Or I will go to Denver for Mary” she smiled sweetly “You know Denver, so far away, so much more trouble I can get myself into” she smiled “So far away from you and any assistance you could give me”

“She’s got a point Chance” Buck spoke from where he stood in the kitchen doorway watching the argument with interest

“Are you on her side?” Chance asked astounded

“No I don’t want her in danger any more than you do” he shrugged “But I trust you to keep her safe”

Chance almost puffed up with pride at Buck’s words and realised that it would be in his best interests to relent

“You do as I say” he pointed his finger at her “When I say and how I say or you come straight home”

“I won’t breathe without your permission” she leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before she ran up the stairs

“We both know that’s a lie don’t we” he threw after her “Meet me at the livery in twenty minutes Morg” he added before he shook Bucks hand tightly, an unspoken promise to protect his daughter in that embrace before he turned and went to round up the rest of the posse.

~~~~~~~

When Don and Diego rode into town 20 minutes later, they found Chance, Beau, Nathaniel, Morgana and Levi all mounted and ready to leave town intent on finding what rightfully belonged to their families. All seven of the original seven stood on the steps in front of the jailhouse, all ready to offer their ‘expert’ advice to the new generation of law keepers.

“You know” JD spoke, his voice still full of the cocky enthusiasm he had held when he first took on the role of sheriff in this town “I’m not quite past catching horse rustlers yet” he paused “Maybe I should go with you”

“What so Casey can kick that butt of yours from here to Christmas” Buck laughed first at his own words then at JD’s indignant expression

“Give me a break Dad” Beaus spoke calmly; as if this was an argument he fought on a daily basis

“Chance and I are the law here now” he stated gently “We can handle it”

“I am sure your expertise will be sadly missed Uncle John” Chance spoke quickly “But I’m sure we’ll muddle along” he paused “We need to learn by our own mistakes”

“If you make a mistake out there it could get you killed” Ezra spoke wisely

“We’ll be careful dad” Chance spoke as he nodded to the others, kicking his horse into action the seven of them were lost in their own cloud of dust as the older men stood on the boardwalk and watched.

“They don’t happen to remind you of anyone else do they” Ezra spoke his face aglow with pride and fear for his son.

“God help them” Buck spoke equally in awe of their children

“I just hope they don’t make the same fool mistakes we did” Nathan spoke as he watched their dust cloud diminish in size until they were out of sight

~~~~~~~

As confrontations went, this was almost a no show. Don and Diego had found the blind canyon where the horses were being hidden earlier and upon their return they found them being guarded by two less than alert guards. It was almost too easy. Without firing a shot both of the misguided men were taken into custody. The six sons congratulating themselves as they checked the livestock and secured the prisoners to their horses.

Morgana stood off to one side, her brow furrowed in concentration, not sure what was puzzling her. Her deep blue eyes scanned the rocky outcroppings and ridges, trying to understand why the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. Time and again her father had told her to follow her instincts. He had taught her all he could, and she had absorbed his lessons like a sponge. She knew without a doubt that something was not right here. It was then that she saw it. A flash of light. A telltale sign that showed her the location of a hidden enemy. Glancing quickly around she realised that whoever it was had a clear line of sight to her cousins. Stepping away from the gentle laughter of the men, her keen hearing picked out the sound of a cocking gun, almost as clearly as if the gun was in her hand.

She heard the first shot and watched the plume of dust kick up on the rock face mere feet from beside the man who would become her brother in law. The men turned guns drawn as she moved instinctively. She ran as fast as she could hitting Beau squarely in the chest, pushing him out of the way and preserving his life as surely as she knew he was going to die if she didn’t get him out of the way. A flare of pain bit deep into her arm as she heard first one then another five shots almost in unison ring out. Her own gasp at connecting with the rocky ground swallowed by two further shots.

As the dust cleared, Don and Diego had already set off after their sniper. The two prisoners lay slumped over their horses’ necks, their eyes sightless and staring at the ground, bullet wounds centred in their foreheads.

“Dammit Morg” Beau spoke as he picked himself up and dusted his jacket sleeves “What the hell we you doing?” he turned to face her his breath catching in his throat as he saw the bright red stain spreading on her shoulder

“Saving your sorry neck” she cussed at him as he dropped to his knees and pressed his bandanna against the wound in her shoulder ignoring her quickly indrawn hiss of pain.

“Neil” Beau yelled loudly “Morg is hit” within seconds Chance and Neil were both kneeling at Morgana’s side.

“What the hell were you thinking of?” Chance admonished her as Neil quickly checked the wound

“Gee” she began sarcastically “I have no idea” She cussed tightly as Neil’s probing fingers sent a lance of pain down her arm “Maybe saving your best friends life”

“You didn’t happen to remember that you might get hurt doing it” he growled at her

“Lay off” Morgana warned him “I knew the risks” she spoke her eyes flashing fire “I thought they were worth it”

“She’ll live” Neil spoke “Bullet went right through” he explained “I need to get her back to town so I can patch her up” he spoke to Chance

“She can ride back with me” Chance nodded

Morgana struggled to her feet from between both men and swayed slightly with the pain it caused

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here” she spoke her eyes tearing with the pain She grabbed the pommel of her saddle with her good hand and swung up into the saddle. Her horse, the son of her fathers trusted gray, stood patiently waiting for her command, as she sat in the saddle spots appearing in front of her eyes at the exertion. “When you lot clean up this mess I’ll meet you back in town” she grabbed the reins in her good hand and spun her horse around to face them all “I’m one of you and I don’t need a keeper or any one to hold my hand” she spoke as her tears began “I thought I just proved that”. She turned her horse and galloped off towards town.

~~~~~~~

It was a sombre group that arrived back in town; both Beau and Chance met their father’s on the steps of Neil’s surgery. Ezra only had to look at his son’s face to see the worry etched into his features. No greetings were needed; as he slipped off his horses back he spoke only one word.

“Morgana?” his voice was hoarse with misuse

“She’s fine” Ezra spoke patiently “Nathan worked his magic on her, she’s resting comfortably” he added

“Did you catch the shooter?” JD asked looking to his own son for confirmation that he had returned unscathed

“Don and Diego lost him” Beau spoke calmly, his face pale, none of them had expected what had transpired

“Whoever he is,” Chance stated, “He’s good and he didn’t want to leave any witnesses” Neil slipped past them and into the surgery to check on his friend Levi casually gathered the reins of all the horses and led them away towards the stable. Don and Diego had remained in the canyon with the horses protecting their father’s interests and hoping for a shot at the men that had wounded their friend. Both Beau and Chance entered the surgery intent on checking on the young woman that meant so much to each of them. Ezra and JD stood outside, despite the seriousness of the events that had transpired that day, both men wore relieved grins.

“Think we should have warned them that Buck is waiting for them?” JD asked calmly

“I think they are both big enough to look after themselves don’t you?” Ezra replied

“Maybe” JD smiled “But I still wouldn’t like to be in their shoes”

“My Friend” Ezra paused “Once upon a time we were” he smiled fondly remembering the inauspicious beginning of their own alliance, an alliance he could see being renewed in their next generations.

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