“Do you want some water?” Mary asked Chris. Larabee shook his head, his eyes drawn to the door as he picked up the sound of someone approaching. Chris knew the fall of those boots as well as his own.

Vin stepped into the hospital ward, his head sweeping instantly to his best friend. Tanner started toward the gunfighter, but noticed Buck on all fours beside his bed. Two of the nurses were trying to lift the scoundrel back into the low cot.

Vin jogged forward. “I’ve got him, ladies.” The pair moved back. “What you doing on the floor, Buck?”

“I heard shots. Thought there was trouble.”

Vin lifted Buck to his knees and then, placing his hands under the other man’s arms, eased him to his feet before tipping him back onto the bed. “Trouble’s been dealt with, Bucklin.”

“You aren’t full of holes?” Buck panted as Vin lowered him onto the pillow.

“Nope. Ya okay?”

“Couldn’t stand. Ended up flat on my face.”

“You just rest there, ya here? You want any...”

“Mr. Standish!”

Vin glanced up. Most of the patients were awake, though only the regulators appeared to be trying to get to their feet. “Lay down, all of ya. Everything’s fine.”

“Miners?” Nathan inquired.

“Yeah. They’re gone. All of you go back to sleep. Ya ain’t gonna get better if ya don’t rest.”

“Are you okay, Vin?” J.D. asked. “I heard a shot.”

“I’m fine, Kid.” The men appeared reassured and one by one they collapsed back onto their pillows, exhausted by the effort of sitting up.

“I feel dreadful,” Ezra pointed out to anyone who was listening.

“You and me both, brother.”

Vin headed for Chris‘ cot. Mary moved off to afford the pair some privacy.

The sharpshooter crouched down, his and his best friend’s eyes meeting.

“They gone?” Larabee asked quietly.

“Yeah.”

“You saw him.” It was a statement, not a question. Chris knew Vin had seen the fourth man before he had taken care of him.

“Yeah, I saw him.”

“You heard me?”

“Nahh, but I knew you’d be there.”

Chris closed his eyes and reflected on the past event. He’d heard Vin giving the order to lock the door. He’d opened his eyes to see the nurses gathering at the windows. He’d picked up Vin’s and several unfamiliar voices from the street. That was when he had literally crawled from his bed, pulled himself up using the wall and ordered Mary to pass him his gun and open the door.

Larabee felt Vin’s hand grip his shoulder. The gunfighter opened his eyes. “We cut it a bit fine.”

“Nahh. I had him covered. When I realized you were behind me, I knew you’d take him.” The words were said quietly, but with confident conviction.

“You better go and help the others. I’m fine,” Chris prompted. To his surprise, he had been nervous when he had heard the voices and now he lay praying that no one had noticed. A gunfighter couldn’t afford to show fear. For three years, Chris had felt none - no fear, no other emotion outside of anger and indifference. He had never cared enough about himself or anyone else to be afraid, but now...

“Everyone’s sleepin’. I’ve got a few minutes.”

Chris stared up at the man above him. “There may be more.” More miners and only Vin standing against them.

“Could be.”

“I may not be able to back you up.”

“Chris, you’ve got to let it go. Stop worryin’ about something that may never happen.”

“Never happen. I didn’t think my wife and son would...” Larabee clamped his mouth shut and turned his head away. Vin’s brow furrowed. For the first time he realized Chris was likening him to his lost family. Tanner searched for something to say.

“I’m okay. You go on,” Larabee prompted firmly.

Vin stood, stared down at Chris for several more seconds and then retreated.

“Vin,” Mary called. She held out his plate of beef. “You’ve got to eat. And after that...” Mary paused. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to give him orders. “You were hurt yesterday and you haven’t had a chance to get the rest you were supposed to. Why don’t you go and get a few hours sleep.”

Vin stared at the women with a blank face.

Allison walked up behind him. “She’s right, young man. We’re likely to need you tomorrow. You aren’t going to be any good to us collapsed in a heap.”

“I won’t be.” Vin headed for the door. “I want to go and check that them miners aren’t circling back.”

“At least take your plate with you. You’ve got to eat.”

Vin stopped walking, glanced back at the women and his face softened. “Don’t reckon I’m hungry anymore. Maybe later.” If there was one thing Vin did understand from experience it was once his stomach was full he would relax and then he would want to sleep, and after the recent attack, he couldn’t afford to do that. Adrenaline would keep him going - that and coffee.

“Mr. Tanner!” All heads lifted to the internal landing that lead to the upstairs guestrooms. Vin had carried the stranger up there some hours earlier when the other had begun to hallucinate. There was little sense in upsetting the other patients and so the stranger had been shut in one of the rooms so that his muffled cries and thrashing couldn’t be heard. “He’s out of control. He’s going to hurt himself!”

Vin jogged down between the cots and raced up the stairs.

“It wasn’t me! I didn’t kill him! Don’t shoot me!” the stranger ranted, tossing from side to side, his head bouncing off the wall each time. There was blood on his forehead from the impact of so many blows.

Vin dived forward and yanked the bed from the wall, the stranger throwing himself sideways and onto the ground. “Pull the blankets off the bed,” Tanner ordered as he knelt beside the bleeding man. “Easy, mister. Ain’t no one gonna shoot you.”

Kate yanked the coverings off the bed and began spreading them out on the floor.

“Don’t kill me!” the man whimpered, grabbing onto Vin.

“Relax there. What’s your name? Can you hear me?”

“I didn’t kill him.” The stranger was beyond hearing anything. He was gripped in the claws of his own private hell and nothing and no one was going to be able to rescue him.

“Miss Kate, go down and get some bandages. We’re going to have to clean up his head.”

Kate rose to her feet quickly and rushed off to carry out Vin’s instructions.

The sharpshooter rolled the man onto the blankets, ducking under the stranger’s flailing arms. “Come on, Mister, you’re alright.” Tanner knew the other couldn’t hear him. The outsider continued to whimper and toss. Vin placed his hand on the man’s arm and tried to hold him on the blankets without restricting his movements too much. Trying to restrain him would only hurt him.

Vin dropped his head. This is what he had to look forward to downstairs in a couple of hours.

**********

“So you saw only two of them?” Royal clarified.

“Yes, Sir. The tracker and Larabee.”

“None of the others?”

“No, Sir. Just two women.”

Guy Royal smiled. “That means the others are too sick to get up. Five down, two to go.”

“Sir?”

“We will wait a little longer. Larabee and that damn tracker will succumb soon enough.” Guy Royal glanced at his foreman. “Fire with water.”

**********

It was some time before Vin left the stranger‘s side. It wasn‘t true concern for the man, but rather a desire to protect the ladies from witnessing the sight of another human being stripped not only of his independence but his dignity as well. Reduced to a whimpering mass - no one deserved that. Vin knew the ‘nurses’ would have to face the horror soon enough, but there wasn‘t need yet.

Finally the stranger settled and Vin left the saloon and headed toward the church for a view of the surrounding area. Tanner’s mind was filled with a multitude of thoughts and emotions all vying for attention. The sharpshooter had seen a lot of horror in his short life but somehow he knew nothing would come close to the scene that would take place in the saloon in a couple of hours.

Tanner’s thoughts turned to Larabee. Chris was going to go through hell and there was nothing Vin could do to protect his friend. He did have an idea, but he wasn’t sure it would work.

Vin turned into the alley, his feet taking him to where he needed to go without conscious thought. Larabee’s reaction earlier continued to weigh on Vin’s mind. Perhaps... There was a flash of steel! The blade slashed across the sharpshooter’s back. Quick reflexes saved his life. Vin spun sideways as arms reached for him. Tanner swung low, his fist connecting with the flabby stomach of one of his four attackers. The shattering impact jarred the deadly knife loose. As Vin tried to regain his balance, two man grabbed him from behind as a fourth stepped up in front of him.

“We’re back!” the miner leered. “Surprised to see us, Sunshine?“

Using the men securing him as leverage, Vin lifted his legs and slammed them into the miner’s chest. As he did so, the butt of a rifle crashed down against the side of the regulator’s head. Dazed, the sharpshooter felt his legs sag.

“You bastard! Now you’re gonna pay. We were going to let you live. Hold him still.“

Vin regained full consciousness as the thug’s fist smashed into his stomach. Tanner quickly assessed the odds. There were four of them, they were all armed... and he felt drained.

“After we finish with you, we’ll go get your friend!”

Chris! Fuelled with rage, Vin drew on a pocket of strength he didn’t know he had. He jerked one arm, freeing it. The man in front of him lunged forward. Tanner withdrew his knife and plunged into the thug’s chest. Spinning free of his other attacker’s grasp, Vin yanked his mare’s leg from it’s holster.

“Reach or I’ll gun you bastards down right where you stand!”

Startled, two of the miners discarded their weapons. The third drew and Vin fired.

“Pick them up! NOW!” Tanner shouted. He wasn’t sure how long the adrenaline would sustain him and he needed to get these men locked away before it ran out. Large black blotches appeared in front of his eyes as unconsciousness threatened to consume him. “NOW!”

The uninjured pair lingered unsure of what to do. It was obvious their leader was dead and their other companion, who could now boast having been shot by both Vin and Chris in the same day, was whimpering on the ground.

“Pick them both up.”

“But he’s dead.”

“You’ll be joining him if you don’t hurry up!” Tanner’s voice was so lethal that the miners started falling all over themselves to carry out his instructions.

Under the eagle eye of the injured regulator, the miners made their way to the jail. Vin ushered them inside and slammed the cell door, turning the key. The relief he felt was tremendous. Stumbling backwards, he reached for the desk to steady himself. There was blood trickling into his eyes from the head wound. He could feel dampness between his shoulder blades. His entire world was spinning causing nausea to rise up from his stomach.

“VIN! You’re hurt!” Mary cried as she, Allison and Jane rushed into the sheriff’s office.

“Just a scratch,” Tanner whispered grimacing.

“Sit down,” Allison ordered, rushing around him and drawing the chair closer.

Vin pushed himself away from the desk, swayed a little and then appeared to balance himself. “If I sit, I won’t get back up, Ma’am. Best we head back to the saloon.”

“Here, lean on me, then,” Mary offered, stepping up to him and reaching for his arm.

Tanner shook his head and instantly regretted the movement. “There could be others watching. Can’t let ‘em see I’m hurt. You go on back, I’ll be there in a minute. I just want to have a talk with these fellas.”

Reluctantly, the three ladies obeyed. Through the window Vin watched them go, his rifle raised as his eyes scanned the street for signs of danger. Once the group was safely back in the saloon, Vin untied his bandana and mopped the blood off his face.

“I’m guessin’ you fellas want to answer my questions.”

“Sure, Mister. We weren’t going to kill you. We was just playing with you, weren‘t we boys?”

Vin smirked. “You’d like me to believe that. How many of you are there?“

“Just the four of us... well, there were nine, but the others stopped off a couple of towns back.“

“They could still be coming?“

“Don’t think so. They’ll be drunk by now.“

Vin decided to try something different. “Who sent you?”

“Huh?”

“We were just riding by and saw the sign. We figured there had to be a lot of scared people in town to put up a sign like that.”

Vin considered the man’s answer.

“You gonna leave us in here with him? He’s dead.”

“For now he stays so I know where you all are.”

“What about me?” the injured miner whimpered, trying to stem the blood flow from his arm.

“Sit there and bleed.” Vin turned, paused in the doorway to collect his strength and then headed straight down the side of the street toward the saloon. He had never realized how far it was. For some reason, the saloon didn’t seem to be getting closer. Vin’s vision was becoming hazy and he knew he was starting to weave.

After what seemed an eternity, he reached the stairs, climbed them with effort and entered the saloon. Instantly he was flocked by the five concerned women who had been willing him to make it to the hospital before collapsing. Their voices rose in a gaggle as each offered advice and tried to drag him toward the box that had been cleared for him to sit on.

“Vin?” Chris called, trying to force himself up onto his elbows. Unfortunately he was too weak and found himself crashing back down onto his pillow.

“I’m fine, Larabee. Just got scratched,” Vin called in a controlled voice. His world was rotating but he knew he had to keep everything together or there would be panic. The safety of Four Corners was his responsibility and the last thing he needed was people becoming hysterical.

“Get some bandages,” Mary ordered, taking Vin’s arm and pulling him toward the box. “Sit down, Vin and let me take a look.”

“One of them fellas is shot. He needs help,” the tracker stated softly, reaching up for the first time to feel the size of the lump on the side of his head.

“Who cares about him?!” Allision roared. “I’ve got some water... ARR!” The draper froze as her eyes caught sight of Vin’s back. “He’s been stabbed!”

“What?!”

“Oh, my God!”

“Vin?!“ Chris called again.

“Ain’t been stabbed, Larabee. It’s just a scratch, but my damn coat’s all cut up. Now the thing will leak when it rains.”

“Vin we need to take your coat off,” Mary stated. She was forcing herself to remain calm. She could see that the head wound, while having bled quite profusely, wasn’t serious, though she could tell Vin was on the point of collapse. The newspaperwoman forced her concern aside as she moved around to see how deep the knife wound was.

“Should I wake, Mr. Jackson?” Jane asked.

“No, let him rest. I’m okay. It’s just a scratch. I can tell it ain’t deep.”

“Mary?” Chris growled. He wasn’t sure he believed Vin and despite rolling onto his side, he couldn’t see the tracker through the circle of women crowded around him.

“I’m fine Larabee,“ Vin repeated as he struggled to keep his voice level.

“Mary?“ Chris detected the strain.

Vin shot Mary a pleading look. “He can’t help. Ain’t no sense worryin’ him or anyone else,” Tanner whispered.

“Looks like they’re both surface wounds,” Mary called to the Seven’s leader.

“Surface wounds?!” Allision exclaimed. “He’s ble...”

Mary reached for the other woman’s arm to silence her. “We can’t afford to panic everyone. They need to believe Mr. Tanner is okay.”

Vin nodded his gratitude to Mary and grunted as the two of the ladies helped him out of his coat. “It ain’t bad?”

“No, you were right. It’s just a surface wound. But you’ve got a decent lump on your head.”

“Now I got a matching set,” Vin chuckled, reaching up to finger the one he had received the day before. The movement caused him to over-balance and five sets of hands grabbed him.

“I don’t know what you find amusing about all of this,” Allision whispered. “You‘re hurt a lot worse than you‘re letting on. They could have killed you!”

“Reckon they were tryin’ to. Don’t worry. They’re locked up.”

Mary began to bathe Vin’s head, Tanner’s face screwing up with displeasure. “Damn that stings.”

The women around him grinned, allowing some of the tension to ease out of them. “Men can be such babies,” Kate giggled.

Vin shot her a playful glare.

“Vin?”

“What do you want, Chris? I’m a bit busy. First time I’ve ever had the full attention of five ladies at once. Shut up and go to sleep.”

A disgusted snort echoed out of Larabee. Vin winked at Mary. “He’ll sleep now.”

There was a thud from the opposite end of the room.

“Mr. Jackson?” Jenny cried. By the time Vin turned, Nathan Jackson was struggling to sit up on the ground beside his bed.

Tanner rose to his feet, pushed Mary back and shouldered his way through the circle of women to reach his friend. “Now what in blazes do you think you’re doin’?”

“You’re hurt,” Nathan insisted weakly. “Let me have a look at you.”

“You want me to join you down on the floor so you can examine me?”

Nathan thought about the statement and then grinned. “Help me up.”

Vin leaned forward, but his whole world began to whirl. Concerned hands steadied him.

“We’ll help him up,” Allision insisted. She and Kate pulled Nathan up and sat him on the edge of his cot while Mary and Jenny maintained their grip of Vin.

“Let me have a look at your back, Vin. I want to see if you need any stitches,” Nathan urged blinking. He was losing the battle to stay awake.

Tanner shook his head. “You’re a good man, Nathan, but...”

“Let him look at you!” Josiah boomed, his strength sapped instantly by the effort of calling out.

“What’s wrong with Vin?” J.D. asked faintly.

“He was attacked,” Ezra stated, the gambler trying to roll over so he could see what was going on. Despite his best efforts, he couldn‘t do so and resigned himself to laying on his back and trying to pick up as much information as he could just by listening to the conversation.

“Attacked?!” Buck exclaimed. “Who attacked him? You okay, Vin?”

“I’M FINE! Hell!” Tanner struggled free of Mary’s and Jenny’s grasp. “Nathan, lay back. You’re swaying all over the place. Mary and the other ladies are lookin’ after me just fine. My back don’t need no stitches and my head is just fine. All of ya, relax and go back to sleep.”

“You sound awful grumpy for being fine,” Buck chuckled as he slipped off to sleep exhausted.

“Don’t start, Bucklin!”

Moments later, everyone had settled and Vin’s wounds had been cleaned and bandaged.

“How’s your head?” Mary whispered, handing Vin a mug of coffee.

“Pounding, but I’m okay, Ma’am.” Vin forced a smile and accepted the mug. “None of you have got any sleep yet. I’ve asked a couple of times. I ain‘t askin‘ this time. All five of you go upstairs and get a few hours sleep. I’ll keep an eye on things here.”

“Vin...” Mary could see that the sharpshooter’s pupils were badly dilated. It was clear he had a concussion. He’d also lost some blood.

“No arguments, Ma’am.”

The newspaperwoman knew better than to dispute Vin’s order. “Come on, girls. We could all use some rest.” None of the women appeared particularly happy about leaving Vin alone, but they complied with his wishes.

Vin watched them disappear and allowed his eyes to close. He drew in a long deep breath. His head felt like it was splitting in half. How the hell was he going to get through the next two days?

Abruptly, someone placed their hand on his shoulder. Vin opened his eyes and found himself staring up at a swaying Chris Larabee. How the hell the gunfighter had got himself up, let alone across the room, Vin didn’t know, but if Larabee had been blessed with anything, it was grim determination and no doubt it was that that had got him to this point.

Tanner rose to his feet and looped Larabee’s arm over his shoulder. “What the hell are you doin’ out of bed?”

“You’re hurt.”

“Yeah, and now I’ve got to try and cross the room to put you back to bed.”

“You ungrateful bastard. I looked up and you looked like you were about to fall off that box.” Chris’ strength left him abruptly. Vin gripped the larger man tighter as Chris collapsed against him. With a grunt the sharpshooter forced himself to remain upright while maintaining a failsafe grip on his best friend. As the pair started to make their way back to Chris’ cot, both began to chuckle.

“You reckon we’ll make it?”

“I sure as hell hope so.”

When they arrived, Vin eased Chris down and then tried to right himself. He stumbled backwards, Larabee grabbing a handful of his shirt and steadying him.

“Now we got us a problem, Cowboy. I don’t think I’m going to make it back to my box.”

“Pull up some floorboards,” Chris suggested. Vin turned his back to the wall and slid down it, his face showing discomfort as he did so.

“Well, this is another fine mess we’ve got ourselves into,” Tanner muttered, his eyes closing.

Larabee reached for his friend’s shoulder. Vin sighed, a groan of pain-laced exhaustion echoing out of him.

“How bad are you hurt? The truth.”

Tanner glanced sideways at his best friend. “Ain’t bad. Just need to rest a bit. Head’s spinnin’, but then, it’s been doin’ that since I got a real close look at the underside of the stagecoach.”

“Get some sleep. I’ll keep an eye on things here,” Chris whispered.

Vin stared into Larabee’s concerned green eyes. Finally the younger man nodded. He needed to rest, even if it was just for a few minutes. Vin allowed his eyes to close and within seconds he was out cold.

Chris swallowed. He felt so weak, but he could see Vin was injured and needed rest. Somehow Chris had to give his best friend the time he needed to regain his strength.

With determination, Larabee pulled himself up so that he was sitting, his back resting against the wall. It was essential that he could see the street through the window. The gunfighter reached for his revolver, but the weapon was so heavy in his hand that it dropped into his lap.

Exhausted, Chris glanced down at Vin. “We’re in deep, deep shit, Cowboy. Deep shit.”

**********

Twenty short minutes later, Vin stirred. He shifted his head and groaned loudly.

Larabee reached for his friend’s shoulder. “You okay?”

Tanner forced his eyes open. Slowly he oriented himself. Turning to Chris he swallowed. “And here I was thinkin’ it was all just a nightmare.”

The two looked at each other and then both smiled stupidly.

“You know, Larabee, before I met you, all I had was a simple $500 bounty on my head.”

“That all?”

Vin lifted himself off the wall and began to rub his eyes.

“Why don’t you try and get some more sleep?”

Tanner patted Larabee’s arm and pulled himself to his feet. “I’m okay, Cowboy. You better get some rest. You’re gonna need your strength.” Chris was looking grey, his eyelids hanging low over his tried eyes. Sitting up had all but zapped the paltry strength the illness hadn’t robbed him of. “Lay back, Cowboy. I’m back in the saddle.” Vin took his best friend’s revolver and placed it on the floor before slipping his hand under Larabee’s arm and helping him to slide back down into the bed. “I won’t be long.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have to go and get that body out of the jail and I reckon I should take the prisoners something to eat.”

“Leave them. You’ve got no one to cover you.”

“Don’t start addin’ to my list of problems, Larabee.”

“Problems?”

“I’ve got me five females who keep fussin’, a jail full of people, a saloon overflowing with sick people and a couple of stand-in nurses that keep flashing me gushy looks!”

Chris burst out laughing. “You do have yourself a problem.”

Vin shot his friend a dirty look. “It ain’t funny.“

“It is from where I’m standing.“

“Laying.“

“Huh?“

“From where you’re layin’.“

The banter relaxed both men. They were drawing strength from each other and both knew it.

“Be careful.“

“Yep. If you hear gunshots, come a crawlin’!” Tanner winked at the gunfighter and left the room.

“Stubborn bastard.”

“I heard that!” Vin shouted back.

Chris closed his eyes and despite feeling weaker than he could remember and despite his very real concerns for Vin’s safety, he had to smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this relaxed and animated... yes he could. It was Adam’s birthday only a few days before... Chris forced his eyes open hoping the memory would fade. He didn’t want to go there. There was nothing but pain and guilt in that corner of his mind.

**********

Mary moved out onto the porch. She had slept for almost five hours, which surprised her. Most of the others were still sleeping. The young woman glanced skyward and spotted the town’s lone guardian perched on top of the church, his rifle clearly displayed for all to see.

Vin dipped his hat politely and then returned his attention to the area around the town.

“Mary?”

Travis hurried inside. “Are you alright, Mr. Larabee?”

“Yeah. What time is it?”

“About three in the afternoon.”

“Where is he?”

“Sitting up on top of the church.” Chris swallowed and blinked several times. “Would you like something to drink?” Mary asked.

“Thanks.”

Mary collected a mug of water and assisted Chris to sip it.

“Everyone’s still quiet?” Larabee asked as he lay back.

“Uh huh. Some are developing a fever again.”

“It comes before the hallucinations,” Chris muttered. “It’s the fever that causes them.”

Mary nodded. “Allision, Kate and Jane are still sleeping. Jenny’s tending to the stranger. He’s been hallucinating for almost fifteen hours.”

“Has Vin eaten anything?”

Mary shook her head, her beautiful face reflecting her concern. “I keep trying to get him to eat but...”

“But he’s too stubborn to listen.”

Mary smiled. “Something like that.” A thought settled in her mind. “He might if you said something to him.”

Chris’ brow furrowed. He appeared puzzled.

“Well, I know how close you two are,” Mary explained, seeing his confusion. “I just thought that coming from you, he may listen.”

“Why would he listen to me?” Chris muttered. Buck had said almost the same thing the day before when Vin had ridden out.

Mary shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. He seems to... I mean... you’re his best friend.”

Chris drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. My best friend? No, that’s Buck... or is it? Larabee had never consciously considered the matter. Buck was Buck and his best friend, and Vin was...

“Are you alright?” Mary asked.

Chris nodded. As he lay, the muddle in his mind started to sort itself out. Earlier he hadn’t been able to look at things subjectively because he was drowning in emotion. For the first time in two days, he found he was able to step back and look at what had been happening. His disorientation and confusion had been a result of the resurfacing of feelings - deep feelings that had left him reeling. Feelings. Chris hadn’t ‘felt’ anything for so long. That was why the memories of his family had returned. He was associating what he was experiencing now with the same closeness, the same joy, the same worry, and the same fear and responsibility as he had then... then when he had a family. Then when he had allowed himself to care and be close to others. So what did it all mean?

Go to part 7 of 10

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