Becoming Family

by Stan Lee *

Alternate Universe: Family Matters

PART 1

Chris stretched tentatively and groaned as all the cold, cramped muscles in his body screamed in protest. He was getting too damned old for this, he mused, pulling on his boots and glancing around at the other men, still wrapped in their bedrolls and snoring softly around the smoldering fire. Or maybe he'd just gotten used to the comforts of home and hearth. He hobbled out of camp to take care of business, then returned to rekindle the fire and start a pot of coffee. He had to have something to offer the men in return for dragging them awake at this ungodly hour of the morning.

Buck was the first to stir, sniffing the air, then cracking open an eye and rolling onto his side. Chris poured the strong, black coffee into a battered tin cup, added a measure of whiskey, then squatted beside his friend. "Mornin'."

"Is it morning?" Buck grunted, taking the cup and tipping the contents down his throat in one long swallow, then wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Is for us," Chris shrugged.

Buck gestured toward the other men. "Better make sure there's plenty in the pot before you try rousing that crowd."

Chris glanced around and nodded. The men were exhausted. They had spent three long, hot days eating Jed Tanner's dust, riding him down to the very edge of their jurisdiction, losing him briefly, only to pick up his trail again some ten miles back. The men were irritable, fed up with hard tack and warmed over beans, longing for a tub full of hot, soapy water and a clean, soft bed. But Tanner was so close they could practically smell him and Chris was pushing hard to catch up.

Buck stretched and groaned just as loudly as Chris had. "I'm getting too damned old for this," he grumbled, and Chris smiled to hear the echo of his own thought. He left Buck to struggle up by himself and went to fill three more cups, kicking at each of the bundled figures in turn and depositing a steaming mug into outstretched hands while ignoring their muttered protests.

Less than twenty minutes later they were all up, their horses saddled and their makeshift camp struck. A chorus of subdued grunts and groans saw them all mounted, and they turned their horses northward and pressed on.

Jed Tanner had been way out of his usual territory when he'd tried to hit the bank at Four Corners three days previously. His reputation had preceded him and none of the lawmen were surprised when the tall Texan deserted his inexperienced gang, three kids not even out of their teens and green as grass, abandoning them to their fates when the robbery started to go wrong. In his haste to flee he had shot and killed one of the bank tellers' wives, who had blundered unawares into the middle of the attempted robbery. Chris stayed in town long enough to see the sole surviving gang member locked up and to clear the street of the bodies of the other two, then he rounded up Buck and the other three lawmen and set off doggedly to bring Tanner to justice.

As the sun began to break the horizon, they picked their way carefully over rocky high ground until they came to a dirt trail, then they dismounted and walked in single file down an increasingly overgrown track towards a thin plume of smoke. After they had briefly lost him a short way back, Tanner had obviously considered himself safe and had made little effort to cover his tracks these last several miles. Following his trail now was so easy he might as well have drawn them a map.

When they could go no further with all the mounts, they tethered their horses to a stand of creosote bush, unholstered their weapons and fanned out according to Chris' whispered instructions. They reached a small clearing and found a tumbledown shack, with a saddled horse tied to a post outside, as though the owner expected to be lighting out of there at any moment.

Chris made his way quietly across the clearing, glancing from right to left to locate his men as they surrounded the ramshackle building. They were only steps away from the door when Chris froze and cocked his head to one side. He heard the faint squeak of rusting metal, then he saw the round handle of the door turn slightly. Shouting a warning, he aimed his gun and as soon as the door swung open he fired off three rounds at the man who stepped over the threshold, pistol in hand.

Tanner didn't stand a chance as Chris' bullets slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards with barely a whimper. Chris kept his gun at the ready and approached carefully, aware of Buck at his right hand and Josiah a step behind. They reached the shack, the door swinging off its hinges, and he stepped over Tanner's body, bending to check for a non-existent pulse. He was just straightening again when a blur of movement caught his eye and he whirled around, his gun primed.

In the space of a heartbeat he registered a multitude of fleeting impressions: a gun pointing directly at his chest, the cold, furious eyes of his would-be killer, Buck shouting his name. He had hardly processed any of it before another voice split the air and a small body hurled itself at the assassin knocking him off his feet, then Buck was by his side, jerking his arm up and the bullet that should have dispatched his wild-eyed killer exploded harmlessly into the roof, blowing a huge hole in the rotting planks and raining splinters of wood down on all of their heads.

Chris turned furious eyes on Buck and saw that his partner was staring into the darkened corner of the shack. He followed the line of vision and saw two small, filthy boys lying in a tangled heap. One of them still cradled a gun against his chest, and Chris stepped forward swiftly to disarm him, even as the child scrambled into a sitting position and pulled the smaller boy into his arms.

"Do what you want to me, mister," the older boy snarled, "but if you hurt JD I'll kill you."

Chris exchanged a startled look with Buck and his friend stepped closer and looked down at the kids. "We're not going to hurt you," he assured, dropping down onto his haunches. "We're lawmen. From Four Corners, a few days south of here." Their eyes watched him intently and they both shrank back when he reached out a hand so he pulled away and regarded them wordlessly for a moment, taking in their small dirt-streaked faces, the sour smell of their thin, unwashed bodies, and their eyes, frightened and on the verge of panic.

"Hey, JD isn't it?" Buck asked quietly. The younger boy nodded his head and the older tightened his grip. "Listen, JD. You hungry?" A look of intense craving flared in the child's eyes and he whimpered piteously.

"I have some food in my saddle bags if you're interested," Buck offered.

The child turned to whisper into his friend's ear, and cowered when the boy shook his head vigorously. "He ain't going nowhere with you," the older boy spat and the younger began to cry, great fat tears rolling down his cheeks, tracking a path through his dirt-encrusted face.

"Then why don't you both come with me?" Buck suggested quietly. "You can't stay here."

The older boy looked over Buck's shoulder and swallowed hard, his bright eyes brimming with tears that he brushed away impatiently. Flies were already buzzing around the corpse and the tiny room was ripe with the iron tang of blood and the overwhelming smell of body waste.

Buck gestured to Chris and he went to the door and called Josiah and Nathan. They stopped in the doorway, looking over inquisitively at the two boys cringing in the corner of the room, then helped Chris to drag Jed Tanner's body out of the house, leaving a slimy trail of blood in their wake. The small boy cried all the harder while the older gathered him in and crooned softly into his ear. "Please, JD. Don't cry."

Buck watched silently as the older boy struggled with a decision. He eventually looked up at Buck with huge blue eyes and murmured, "You really have something for him to eat?"

Buck nodded and rose, reaching out his hand again and this time both children climbed shakily to their feet, JD clutching tightly to the older boy. They refused to hold Buck's hand, but they followed him out of the shack, gingerly skirting the blood on the floor, and they both sighed in relief when they got out into the fresh air.

Ezra was waiting outside with a bag containing the last of the hard tack and he held it out to the children. The elder looked at him for a long moment, then he snatched at the bag and pulled JD down onto the ground with him and the two boys fell on the food, cramming it into their mouths as though they hadn't eaten in days, both sets of eyes darting anxiously every time any of the men moved too close.

Buck hovered as near as he could while the others set about a clean up, Chris searching the tiny shack for anything that might identify the boys, while Josiah and Nathan dug a grave behind the building, out of range of the boys' watchful eyes.

When the children had pushed the last of the food into their mouths Buck dropped to his knees again and addressed the older of them. "What's your name, son?"

The boy shot him a malevolent look. "I'm not your son you goddamned murdering bastard."

Buck winced and tried the younger child. "Was that your daddy, JD?"

The younger boy shook his head. "Vin's pa," he whispered.

"You got kin in these parts?" Buck pressed and JD mumbled, "No."

"Where's your pa? Your mama?" Buck asked and JD looked around as if in panic and bit his lip when Vin rounded on him and hissed, "Shut up. Don't tell him nothin'."

"Vin Tanner," Buck said, looking up as the rest of the men approached. "Boys, this is Vin Tanner and JD…" he trailed off, waiting to see if either of the boys would fill in the blank, but JD looked too terrified to speak again, and Vin's mouth was clamped firmly shut.

"Vin and JD," Buck said, giving up for the moment. He introduced all the men, but was pretty sure the children didn't take any of it in. When he spoke Chris' name though, Vin raised cold blue eyes and looked directly into the man's face. "You killed my pa," he said, voice trembling with fury. "You're gonna pay for that, mister."

* * * * *

They allowed the boys to stand vigil over Jed Tanner's grave, waiting with their hats in their hands as the two small figures stood silently beside the raised mound of earth that contained the remains of Vin's father. Neither boy shed further tears, although JD reached out to slip his small hand into Vin's and hold tightly.

When the boys had finished, the lawmen huddled together for a hurried conference.

"We'll have to find out who they are, where their kinfolk live," Chris said.

"Our best bet is the nearest town," Josiah suggested. "Somebody has to know something about the family." They glanced over at the children, looking small and forlorn, and so very alone.

"You have anything in the house you want to take with you?" Buck asked. They both shook their heads. Buck frowned. "Nothing to remind you of your family, none of your toys or books?"

"Don't have anything, mister," JD said and Chris, who had searched the shack, caught Buck's eye over the top of the kid's head and confirmed what JD had said with a puzzled shrug.

They walked out of the clearing, mounting the boys on Jed Tanner's horse, JD clinging to Vin's waist as though his life depended on it, and climbed back into their saddles, turning gratefully toward home.

Buck let his mind drift, lulled by the slow easy pace they had set so that Vin could keep up with them, and the hot sun now high in the sky beating down on their heads. This wasn't the outcome they had expected. He didn't know what would become of the boys once they reached town, although he supposed they would have to set about tracking down Vin's mother and JD's parents, or any relatives who could claim the kids and start them in a new life.

Chris pulled his mount alongside. "When we reach town we'll need to get those boys fed and cleaned up," he said.

"Sounds good," Buck agreed, glancing over at the two boys. For a brief second he registered that something was not quite right, that the boys were suspiciously wide-eyed and stiff with tension, then he saw Vin kick hard at his horse's flanks and pull the reins sharply to the right, peeling away from the group of men and making a mad dash across the open plain.

"Ahh shit," he muttered, kicking at his own horse and turning to follow the boys. He gave chase, wondering fleetingly where Vin had learned his riding ability. The boy was handling the horse with immense skill, determined to evade capture, and it was only when JD screamed his name and shifted in the saddle that Vin faltered and slowed his pace. Buck rode them down in time to see Vin reach back to re-settle the younger boy, who was slipping from his place. He thundered down on them before Vin could kick his mount back into action, and he made a grab for the reins, yanking them out of Vin's hands.

The boy cursed a blue streak, startling Buck with his ferocity, and he reached out and slapped at Vin's thigh with the leather rein, hoping to calm him down some.

"That's enough, Vin," he said sharply and the boy fell silent, although he glared at Buck with such hatred in his eyes that Buck felt a shiver run through him. "Off the horse," he ordered and both boys slid to the ground. Vin shoved JD behind his back.

"It was my idea. Don't punish JD," he pleaded, his face flushing.

"Whoa, little man," Buck said. "Nobody's getting punished." Vin let out an audible sigh of relief and JD peeked his head around when Chris trotted up.

"What was that all about?" Chris growled, and JD shrank back and hid behind Vin again. The older boy stiffened and raised defiant eyes. "You're a murdering sonofabitch and we ain't riding out with you," he spat.

Chris sucked in a sharp breath and let it out slowly. "We're taking you into town with us," he said quietly but firmly. "And you will do exactly what you are told until we get there."

"You can't make us," Vin yelled, recoiling when Chris leapt off his horse and landed on the ground in front of him.

"Watch me, boy," Chris growled, easily moving Vin aside, and grabbing for JD to swing the scrawny boy up onto his saddle.

Vin surged forward but Chris snatched at his arm and held him fast. "Get up there behind Buck," he ordered, and when Vin struggled against his grip he warned, "I'll tie you up if I have to," and something in his tone reached the boy and he calmed. Buck kicked out of his stirrup to give Vin a foothold, and Chris boosted the boy up onto the horse.

Chris swung himself back up onto his own mount and arranged JD's stiff body in front of him, then, leading Tanner's horse behind him, he turned back toward the others and trotted off.

"Hold on, Vin," Buck said, and he felt the small body resist and pull back, but once the horse jolted forward Vin had little option but to thread his fingers through Buck's belt and cling tightly.

They made it to the next town with no further outbursts, and several times Buck heard Chris asking JD questions, although it didn't look as though he was getting much in the way of an answer. The two boys kept their eyes on each other, Vin craning his neck if Chris got too far ahead of them. When they finally stopped, late in the afternoon, JD was slumped back against Chris' chest, fast asleep, and even Vin had relaxed enough to lean a little more closely against Buck's back and nod off from time to time.

Buck dismounted and Vin jumped down beside him and hurried to where Chris had halted, reaching up to shake JD awake and help him off the horse. Chris stretched the kinks out of his muscles and climbed down.

"Ez, you find us a place to eat and somewhere to sleep tonight. Josiah, Nathan, supplies for the next couple days. Me and Buck will hunt up the bathhouse and get these young 'uns cleaned up."

He handed the reins of his horse to Josiah with a nod of thanks and turned toward Vin, who was holding JD firmly by the hand. "How old are you, kid?" Chris asked. Vin looked taken aback by the question. "Ten, eleven?" Chris hazarded and Vin drew himself up and snarled indignantly.

"I'm nearly 13."

Chris hid a grin. "And I know JD just turned 9," he said, and JD's eyes darted nervously to Vin's face, obviously worried that the older boy would be angry at him for talking to Chris. Vin frowned down at him but he didn't say anything.

Chris took Buck aside. "I'm gonna find the general store, rustle up some clean clothes for them. That leaves the bathhouse for you."

Buck looked dubious. "Doesn't look like it's a place they have much familiarity with," he muttered. "Could be a handful."

"I reckon you're up to the challenge," Chris grinned. He turned back to the children. "Go along with Buck now," he ordered. "And when you're clean we'll find you some hot food." JD took a step forward, but Vin held his hand tightly and pulled him back, his blue eyes rebelling at the order.

Chris had no intention of allowing this to deteriorate into a fight between him and the child. He grabbed hold of Vin's chin and lifted his resisting head, forcing the boy to look into his eyes. "If you keep defying me I'll separate you two," he said harshly, and Vin flinched despite himself. His lips set in a thin, hard line but he nodded his understanding.

"Good boy," Chris sighed. "Now, go on along and get cleaned up."

Buck looked up and down the street until he located the wooden sign for the bathhouse and barbershop. The two boys allowed themselves to be guided, dragging their heels more in fatigue than reluctance, and they stood quietly while Buck paid ten cents for a tub for them.

Buck accompanied them into the steamy back room, where an old timer was topping up the scummy bath from a previous customer with boiling water from a huge kettle. Buck shook his head, but he was in no mood to argue for a cleaner tub. Ten cents didn't buy much these days but at least there was a halfway clean towel and a huge bar of carbolic soap beside the tub.

"Come on boys, strip down," Buck said. For a moment it looked as if they would both refuse, but then Vin made some small sign to JD and both boys began to tug at their filthy clothing. Buck knelt beside JD and helped him with his buttons, and he blanched when he tugged off the child's shirt. The boy's back was welted with marks from a whip, and he was bruised up and down his side. Buck tugged down the child's pants, nauseated to find the whip marks continue over his ass and down the backs of his legs.

"What happened to you, kid?" he asked gently.

JD looked around, momentarily confused as though he didn't know what it was that needed explaining. "Your back?" Buck prompted, and JD's face cleared.

"Vin's pa," he said, as if that explained everything. JD glanced over at the older boy, who had disappeared inside his shirt while trying to pull it off over his head. "Vin got it worse," the child whispered, and Buck felt his gut roil in disgust.

He picked JD up and lowered him feet first into the warm water, and the kid squealed in delight as he sank down into the tub, the water almost covering his chest. Buck stepped over to Vin and helped him tug the stubborn shirt off. Vin emerged, frowning up at him and backing away from his touch.

"Turn around for me, son," Buck instructed softly.

Vin flinched back in dismay. "I didn't mean to be bad," he whispered in panic and Buck felt his heart break at the sheer terror in the young boy's eyes.

"I'm not gonna hit you, Vin," he hurried to assure. "Just want to check on your injuries."

Vin's brow furrowed into a deeper frown. "I ain't hurt," he said, genuinely bewildered.

"I need to see your back," Buck explained, and saw understanding sweep across the boy's face. He turned slowly and Buck bit down on his lip when he saw the state the child was in. Marks from a whip criss-crossed his pale, thin shoulders and traveled down his back to disappear inside the waistband of his pants. The same bruising that had marked JD's flesh was more pronounced on Vin's body. Buck reached gently to turn the boy around to face him.

"Your pa?" he asked and Vin shrugged as though it was obvious or unimportant.

"Into the tub, Vin," Buck said and the older boy finished undressing and stepped in, sitting down slowly, the water sloshing around in the bath as he sank down into it. He relaxed for a moment, closing his eyes in the warmth and sighing deeply and the lines of anger and sorrow that had been etched on his young face since they'd come across him this morning all smoothed out. He didn't allow himself much comfort, though. He sat up and made a grab for the bar of soap.

"C'mere, JD," he said, and helped maneuver the boy around in the tub so that the younger boy's back was facing him. Then he began to gently scoop water into the kid's filthy hair and he scrubbed the bar of soap into the dark mass of it, scolding the boy when he tried to squirm away and working diligently until every inch of the kid was clean.

Buck was amazed at what he saw emerging. Both boys were striking in their own way, their faces shining now and flushed with warmth. JD's hair washed out jet black and shining, and Vin's came out a light brown color, hanging down his back, the bangs constantly swinging down to cover his eyes. They both looked like they'd missed too many meals, their ribs clearly visible through their pallid skin, but they were otherwise strong and seemingly healthy. When they were clean, Vin relaxed again, allowing JD to splash happily in the water. He even smiled at one point, and his whole face softened into a gentle sweetness.

Buck looked up when the door to the bathhouse opened and Chris walked in, two brown paper parcels under his arms. He quirked an eyebrow at the transformation, and exchanged a surprised look with Buck.

"They wash up nice, don't they?" Buck smiled.

"It's damn near miraculous," Chris muttered.

Buck gestured for Chris to follow him and he stepped away from the tub and bent to whisper into Chris' ear. "Tanner beat on them both pretty badly. Looks like it goes way back."

Chris glanced at JD, whose back he could see, and his lips thinned in anger. "You think Nathan should take a look?" he asked quietly.

Buck shook his head. "Nah. They're both jittery enough right now. Let's get them fed and settled down for the night. Okay, JD," Buck said, undoing the strings on one of the parcels. "Let's see what we have here." JD stepped out of the tub and dried himself quickly, and Vin took the opportunity to lie against the back of the high-sided tub and slide down into the water until the soapsuds almost reached his mouth.

Buck pulled out long johns and a pair of pants for JD and helped the kid dress himself, then he tugged a shirt over the boy's head and made him sit on a wooden chair to put on socks and a new pair of boots. When he was done JD stood up and looked down at himself. "See me, Vin," he said, holding out his arms and turning around for inspection.

Vin nodded approval and JD beamed proudly. Vin reached for the towel, covering himself demurely while he dried off and JD helped Buck open the second package and pulled out a pair of long johns to hand to the older boy. Vin wriggled into them before dropping the towel and reaching for the rest of the clothes.

Chris caught a glimpse of the boy's back and sucked in a breath, but he didn't want to draw attention to the damage so he just handed clothes to Vin and waited while the boy got dressed. He reached out to ruffle a hand through JD's clean, damp hair. "There's a nice hot stew waiting for you over at the boarding house. "

The boy's eyes grew round with anticipation, but he looked over at Vin before making a move. Vin nodded and JD slipped a hand in his and the two boys followed Chris out of the bathhouse and across the street.

* * * * *

The boarding house was small and dark and none too clean, but Ezra had organized a long table for them and the smell of food made both boys' stomachs rumble loudly.

The lawmen looked on in bemused astonishment when food was delivered to the table and the children attacked it like starved wild animals who expected it to disappear at any moment.

"Obviously your mother failed to teach you any table manners," Ezra sniffed in disgust.

Vin's head reared and he sent an icy look across the table, recognizing disapproval.

"We don't have a mother," JD said, through a mouthful of food. "Vin had one once. She was a no account, dirty injun squaw."

"JD!" Josiah barked, and the child dropped his spoon in fright and looked around the table fearfully. He reached out to cling tightly to Vin's arm. "Did I say it wrong, Vin?" he asked, voice trembling.

Vin frowned at the open-mouthed men. "No. She was a goddamned filthy whore and she got what she deserved," he said, obviously repeating something he'd heard many times before.

The men exchanged appalled looks. "Who told you that, son?" Josiah said, when he'd finally found his voice.

"My pa," Vin said, confirming what all the men had guessed.

"And what did she deserve?" Josiah prompted gently.

Vin stiffened, but his face remained impassive when he said, "My pa shot her. Just like a sick dog."

"They put her in a hole," JD piped up. "Vin told me."

"Dear Lord," Ezra murmured, exchanging glances with the stunned men.

"What about you, son?" Josiah asked JD. "Where's your mama?"

JD frowned for a moment then shrugged. "Don't think I ever had one," he declared.

"Do you know where your pa is then?"

JD's head reared and he shot a look of blind panic at Vin, who reached out and draped a protective arm around the younger boy's trembling shoulders. "I don't want to answer any more questions," JD wailed, once more on the verge of tears.

"Let him alone," Vin snarled, sending a black look around the table.

"Easy," Buck soothed. "We just want to help."

"We don't want any of your damned help," Vin snapped, tears welling dangerously in his eyes now. "We was fine 'til you came along."

"I think we need to get these boys into bed," Josiah hurried out before things deteriorated any further, and the boys were so wrung out that they didn't argue, only stood up and followed Buck upstairs to one of the three rooms Ezra had rented for the group.

Buck helped the kids strip down to their long johns, then he waited while they climbed into one of the beds. They looked exhausted; their pale, haggard faces peeking out over the top of the rough blanket, JD snuggled up close to Vin, his small hands gripping the older boy tightly.

"I'm gonna go back downstairs for an hour," Buck said quietly when both boys seemed settled. "I'll lock the door…"

"No!" JD screamed, sitting up suddenly, the tears that had been close to the surface all day spilling over again, his face almost white with fear. "Don't lock us in, don't, don't," he wailed, so pitifully that Buck felt his heart clench again. Vin was silent, but the fear in his eyes was just as strong, and he gripped the edge of the bed so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"I won't be gone long," Buck tried, but JD cried harder, his tiny frame shaking in fright.

"My pa used to lock us up," Vin whispered, and because it was the first information he had actually volunteered about their lives, Buck decided that it was important enough to heed. He sat on the empty bed and pulled off his boots and socks, then stripped down to his underclothes.

"Okay boys," he said, sliding underneath the blanket. "Why don't we all catch a little sleep? Gonna be a long day tomorrow."

JD watched him intently before slowly lying back down and it was several long minutes until the child closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Buck clasped his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, wishing heartily that Jed Tanner was still alive so that he could shoot the bastard all over again. The man had obviously been a tyrant and had terrorized the poor kids making them both skittish as colts, scared of their own damned shadows.

"Dunne."

Buck heard the quiet voice and raised his head to see that Vin was still awake and looking over at him.

"JD's name," Vin offered quietly. "John Daniel Dunne."

"He your kin? A cousin, maybe?" Buck asked, but he could immediately tell that he'd pushed too hard because Vin's mouth closed again and he turned his back, JD shuffling up against him, seeking comfort even in sleep.

Buck sighed. At this rate it would be years before they figured out who these kids were. Still, right now it was a whole lot better than nothing. He closed his eyes, just to rest them a little before Chris came upstairs…

* * * * *

Chris sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down at Buck, dozing on his back, his mouth slightly open. Stealing a quick look at the other bed to make sure the children were asleep, he leaned down and placed a quick kiss on his partner's cheek, and Buck's eyes snapped open as he started awake.

"Tired?" Chris grinned.

Buck scrubbed a hand through his dark hair. "The kids had trouble settling down," he replied sheepishly. "You find anything out?"

Chris shook his head, stripping down and nudging Buck over against the wall so that he could slip into the bed beside him. "Nobody knows a thing," he said quietly. "Folks said Tanner's been squatting at that old place for about a year. He used to come into town once in a while, but nobody ever saw the kids."

"Vin told me JD's name. John Daniel Dunne," Buck said. "But he clammed up tighter than a duck's ass after that, wouldn't tell me another damned thing."

Chris wriggled around, trying to find the most comfortable place in the lumpy bed and he sighed deeply, finally settling on his side, his ass tucked snugly against Buck's groin. "We're gonna have to take 'em both back to Four Corners with us," he said quietly. "Start up a search for their kin."

Buck slid an arm around his waist, and rocked his hips gently, nudging Chris' ass with his solid shaft. Chris reached back to slip his hand into Buck's worn drawers and give the cock a hard squeeze, smiling at his friend's muffled groan.

"Gonna have to save that, pard," Chris whispered regretfully, keeping his eyes fixed on the sleeping children.

"I've been saving it for days now," Buck grumbled into his ear. "It's starting to wilt with neglect."

Chris snorted as the heavy length twitched against his callused palm. "Doesn't feel so wilted to me, stud. Go on. Turn around and get some sleep. Long road ahead of us."

Buck planted a sloppy kiss on the back of his neck and Chris heard the bed creak as Buck turned his back, grumbling quietly about how he'd never be able to get to sleep with a fire raging in his groin and a few moments later Chris chuckled quietly when he heard his partner's soft snores. He turned onto his other side and eased closer to his friend's big, warm body, rubbing his own erection against the muscles of Buck's wool-clad ass and moaning silently. He rested his hand on the gentle curve of Buck's hip and buried his face against the dark hair at the nape of the man's neck, breathing in deeply of the familiar and much-loved scent of his skin. The last thought he had before he drifted to sleep was that he couldn't wait to get back home to their own bed.

* * * * *

Both boys seemed brighter and more alert next morning after a good night's sleep. At breakfast Buck noticed how keenly Vin watched them as they ate, and how he tried to copy what they did and guide JD to do the same.

When they came to saddle up, Buck boosted JD onto Tanner's horse and signaled that Vin should mount the same animal. The boy was obviously pleased, until Buck reached over and picked up the reins, wrapping them around the horn of his own saddle. Vin huffed out a quiet curse and scowled at him.

"Trust has to be earned, Vin," he said.

Their progress was slow, the two young boys balancing on their saddle as the horse picked its way over the stony ground. About an hour into the ride Nathan drew his mount alongside the children and Buck looked back when he heard his friend's worried voice say, "You okay, son?"

JD flinched and turned his face away to bury it against Vin's shirt. Nathan caught Buck's eye and motioned with his head, then he dropped back while Buck edged his mount beside Vin's.

"What's the matter?" he asked, noting how both boys squirmed in the saddle and how tears trembled against the younger boys' dark lashes.

"Nothing," Vin said quickly, looking at him furtively. "We're all right."

Buck dragged at his reins and stopped both horses. "What's wrong, Vin?" he asked, allowing a little impatience to color his tone. He noticed how JD clung harder to Vin.

"I'm not being bad," the child whimpered.

Buck quirked a questioning eyebrow at the older boy. "He's sore," Vin said, the words dragged out reluctantly. "But he's not whining," he hurried out.

Buck dismounted and reached up to help JD off the horse. The child's legs buckled underneath him and he made a grab for Vin's leg while Buck moved swiftly to stop him from hitting the ground. A thin line of dried blood matted the child's shirt and he trembled violently under Buck's probing hand.

"Dammit, Vin, he's hurting," Buck snapped, irritated at himself as much as at the young boy. He should have figured out that the constant rubbing of the saddle was aggravating the whipping Tanner had so recently given the child. "You should have told us."

Vin's eyes widened at the reproach but he said nothing.

"He's not allowed to say," JD wailed. "If I'm a damned sniveling brat Vin's papa whips him again. I'm not whining, mister, don't hit Vin," he pleaded.

Buck knelt beside the trembling boy and pulled him close, exchanging a grim look with Chris. "It's okay, JD. We're gonna have a rest now. Come lie down for a minute." He led the boy to a shaded spot underneath a tall cottonwood and cursed himself quietly when he saw Vin dismount, stiff and awkward, a grimace shadowing his face. The kid was in as much pain as JD; he'd obviously just had more practice at hiding it.

Almost as soon as JD lay down he fell fast asleep, mumbling every now and then and tossing fretfully. Buck sat beside him and stroked a soothing hand through the child's dark hair and soon he sighed and drifted deeper into sleep. Vin knelt on the ground, watching Buck's every move closely, stiffening when Buck reached out to JD, but relaxing back when he saw the intent wasn't hostile.

"Who is he to you," Buck asked, "that you take such good care of him?"

"He's my friend," Vin said simply.

"How long were you alone back there?" Buck asked, wondering if the boy would be more inclined to offer information today. Vin looked at him warily, probably weighing up how much he would reveal if he answered the question. Finally he shrugged and said, "Couple of days."

"Your daddy gave you both a pretty good whipping," Buck said quietly. "What did you do to earn it?"

Vin shrugged and lowered himself carefully to the ground beside JD, resting his head on crossed arms. "He didn't never need much of a reason," he said and that was all the information he would part with on the subject.

* * * * * They made camp long before nightfall, Chris nodding tersely when Buck suggested that the kids couldn't be pushed much further. Vin was silent and uncommunicative, barely touching the food they prepared, his eyes firmly fixed on Chris' face, practically burning a hole with his fierce stare. It made Chris uncomfortable and he returned the gaze until the child dropped his eyes.

Vin pulled JD close to him and Chris noticed how the older boy leaned to whisper for a long time into JD's ear. JD shrank back and shook his head furiously, but Vin pulled him up sharply and continued his fierce whispering until the child finally nodded once then lay down, his stiff body eventually relaxing into sleep. Vin's eyes continued to burn across the camp and Chris turned in early himself, partly to avoid the hatred he saw in them, directed for the most part at him.

He dozed fitfully, jolting awake every hour or so, dimly aware how each time he opened his eyes the camp had grown quieter as one by one the others slid into their bedrolls and turned in. He wasn't sure what woke him the fourth or fifth time that night, perhaps a vague awareness of noise filtering through his sleep, but his eyes shot open just in time to see Vin up on his feet, clutching JD by the hand and pulling the younger boy towards the hobbled horses. He rolled onto his side and shouted Vin's name, and the next thing he knew the boy had launched himself across the camp and landed on top of him with a thud and it was only because the clouds parted and moonlight flooded the camp that Chris was able to see the glint of the knife that Vin was sweeping through the air towards him.

He cursed loudly and feinted to the right and the knife sliced through his palm as he held up his hand to fend off the attack. And then Buck was running towards him and he delivered a powerful backhander that sent Vin sprawling into the dirt. The boy landed on his back and screamed out a curse and Chris struggled up onto his knees, his hand dripping blood, and reached out to grip the boy's shirt and drag him close.

"You damn near killed me," he raged.

"You murdered my pa, you bastard," Vin screamed. Chris flung the boy back down and he flinched as he struck the ground and Chris heard a sob from somewhere behind him and suddenly JD was on his knees on the ground, shielding Vin's prone body, sobbing, "Don't hurt him, don't hurt him," over and again so piteously that Chris felt like the worst kind of bastard, even though he was the one bleeding like a stuck pig.

By now all the men were awake and crowded around them, looking bleary-eyed and confused until Nathan saw the blood on Chris' hand and hurried off to root through his saddle bags and return to kneel beside him. Ezra mumbled something about coffee and set about stoking the fire back to life, and Buck joined Josiah to stand over the two children, hands on hips.

"What am I gonna do with you?" Buck asked, dropping to his knees. Vin scrambled to sit up, and JD ended up kneeling behind him, both arms clinging fiercely around Vin's neck, his eyes darting from Josiah to Buck as though trying to decide where the greatest threat lay. Vin glared at him silently, the defiance in his eyes muted by trepidation.

"Where did you get the knife, boy?" Buck asked.

"Took it from the boarding house," Vin said sullenly.

"So, you're a thief as well as a would-be killer," Buck said sternly, shaking his head. "JD, did you know Vin was gonna do this?" he asked, and even in the moonlight it was clear to see how Vin's face paled.

"Don't blame him," Vin said, all bravado fled. "It was my idea."

"But JD knew about it," Buck persisted.

"No, he didn't," Vin shouted, panic clear in his expression. "I only told him we was running off. I didn't tell him about the knife."

"That true, JD?" Buck pressed.

JD was trembling so hard Buck could hear his teeth chatter. "If I say I knew will you promise not to beat Vin?" he asked, voice wavering.

"No, JD," Vin yelled, pulling the startled boy around and shaking him. "Tell them the truth, dammit. He didn't know, he didn't," he shouted desperately.

"Okay, son," Buck said. "I'm gonna believe you this time. But Vin, next time anything bad happens I'm gonna suppose that JD is in on it. You know what that means, don't you?"

Vin nodded, looking totally miserable. "That you'll punish him even if it's my fault," he whispered.

"So just you make sure nothing bad happens," Buck said firmly. "For tonight I'm gonna separate you two." JD whimpered and clung closer to Vin, and the older boy wrapped his arms around his friend. "You brought this on yourself, Vin," Buck said. "Come on over here son." He held out a hand to JD but the boy buried his face against Vin's shirt.

"Vin," Buck said sharply, and the boy jumped and hurriedly whispered into JD's ear. The young child listened intently, then he slowly untangled himself from his friend's arms and stood up, dragging himself reluctantly to where Buck knelt. Buck reached up and wiped at the tears that were rolling down the boy's cheeks. "Hush, now," he said kindly. "Go on with Josiah. He'll get you settled back down for the night."

"Come on then, JD," Josiah said, holding out his hand. JD looked up at the tall man towering above him and his tears fell faster. "I'm scairt," he whispered. "Can I stay with you, Buck?"

Buck smiled. "Tell you what, kid," he said. "You go lie on my bedroll and I'll be along in a few minutes. Okay?" The child nodded solemnly and with a last lingering look in Vin's direction he walked across the camp to the other side of the fire and crawled into Buck's bedding. Buck turned back to Vin.

"So, what am I gonna do with you?" he repeated. Vin shrugged and bit down on his lip, unable to meet Buck's eye.

"I ought to put you over my knee," Chris said, walking up and frowning down at the boy.

"Do it then," Vin challenged, defiance flaring again. "It'll hurt you more'n it will me."

"The child does have a point," Ezra said, coming up beside them and handing Chris and Buck a cup of hot coffee. Chris looked down at his bandaged hand, then back at Vin who was scowling at him fiercely. "I'll save it for now," Chris said. "But when this is healed, I owe you a licking. Now, bed, before I change my mind and get Buck here to take his belt to you."

Vin climbed slowly to his feet, watching them all warily. He trudged over to his bedroll and was about to climb in when Chris said, "Not so fast, little boy. Drag it on over here where I can keep my eye on you." Vin frowned and Chris heard a quiet curse, but he did as he was told, pulling the bedroll over to where Chris was camped and dropping it to the ground. Chris dragged it closer still and waited until Vin had shuffled in.

"Do you think I should tie our young desperado's hands?" Ezra teased and the boy turned huge fearful eyes on him. Chris could see that Ezra's jest was lost on Vin and that he was scared almost stiff at the suggestion. Obviously yet another way Tanner had terrorized these children.

"Will you give me your word that you won't try anything like that again?" he asked, and Vin nodded his head frantically. "Okay, close your eyes and go to sleep then."

Vin closed his eyes and he kept them squeezed tightly shut. Ezra shook his head and wished the men goodnight before tossing the dregs of his coffee into the fire, making it hiss and flare, then climbing into his own bedroll.

Buck stroked a finger gently across the back of Chris' bandaged hand. "You gonna live, pard?" he asked quietly, and behind the light words Chris read his partner's worry. He smiled tiredly.

"Reckon I'll make it this time," he said.

"Have yourself a good night then," Buck said, his eyes speaking the words he couldn't voice.

Chris slid into his own bedding and lay on his back looking up at the stars. He listened as the men settled in for the night, smiling when he heard Buck tell JD that he wriggled more than a worm on a hook and suggesting that he choose one spot to lie in. Eventually all the sighs and coughs receded, replaced by gentle snoring as they all drifted off. Although Chris was exhausted, he couldn't sleep. His hand throbbed like hell and he couldn't get the picture of Vin's angry face out of his head. The boy hated him so much he'd been ready to gut him with a kitchen knife. He flexed his fingers and winced at the pain, glad at least that it wasn't his shooting hand that was damaged. The wound was shallow, but the knife had sliced right across his palm and it hurt like a sonofabitch.

Chris cocked his head when he heard a noise, faint at first, but as he listened it grew louder. The boy was crying. "You okay, Vin?" he asked to the shadowed bundle lying beside him, wondering fleetingly if maybe that wasn't the dumbest thing he'd said tonight. The boy had buried his father yesterday, had seen him gunned down in front of his eyes, had been picked up and taken off by the five strangers who had killed his kin, and was now separated from the only friend he seemed to have in the whole world. It was a pretty safe bet that the kid wasn't 'okay'.

Vin sniffed loudly and rolled onto his back. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes and mumbled, "I'm fine."

"You cold?" Chris asked, wanting to give the boy a chance to save face.

"Some," Vin conceded.

"You want maybe to move a little closer to the others?" Chris offered. "Warmer that way."

Vin's face brightened. "Can we?" he asked, sounding so painfully young and afraid.

Chris sat up and scrambled out of his bedding. "Come on," he said. He led the way to where Buck lay, and he smiled to see how his partner had encompassed JD in a bear hug, holding him close against his chest, the small boy all but lost in his arms.

"Throw down here, Vin," Chris instructed quietly, and the boy dragged his bed roll right up against Buck's and squirmed into it. Chris pulled his bedding to the other side, so that the two children were sandwiched between him and Buck. He heard Vin sigh, and when he looked over again, the boy was holding one of JD's hands loosely in his own.

"G'night, son," Chris whispered, but Vin was already fast asleep.

* * * * * The third day dragged on endlessly, the boys becoming progressively more tired and irritable, their hurts constantly aggravated by the long ride. Tempers frayed on all sides and when Chris called a halt so that they could rest, the inevitable explosion occurred.

Buck swung tiredly off his mount and made sure that JD had a shady place to sit and a full canteen of water before glancing around to locate Vin. The boy was still sitting astride his mount, stiff and unmoving. "Get down off the horse, Vin," he instructed, but the boy just shook his head mutely.

"I ain't asking you I'm telling you," Buck snapped irritably. He was fed up with the monotonous pace through sweltering heat, with sucking dust that choked his every breath, with buzzing flies and swarming gnats and on top of that this kid was working his last nerve. It seemed he couldn't do a damned thing without having to be told a hundred times, and Buck was getting mighty sick of it.

Vin threw him a black look but he swung his leg over the saddle and slid down, staggering as he hit the ground. Buck reached out instinctively to steady the boy, but Vin flinched at his touch and pulled away snarling, "Get your goddamned hands off me, mister."

Buck stepped back, his irritation surging. "Go and sit down outta the sun," he said, but again the boy balked at the order. "Vin, I'm warning you, boy," Buck said. "Do as you are damned well told."

He saw what he took to be Vin's usual thin-lipped rebellion flare across the boy's face and his frustration boiled over. Grabbing hold of the child's arm in a bruising grip he half dragged him to the tree JD was sitting under and pushed him down hard onto the ground. Vin flinched violently when his backside hit the dirt and his eyes went round with shock, a pained whimper escaping his tightly clenched lips and JD scrambled over to him and shot Buck an accusing look.

"He's hurtin'," JD scowled and Buck felt his foul mood ratchet up another notch.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he growled, knowing how unreasonable it was to blame the child and furious with himself for once again failing to read the signs that the boys were in pain.

"Cause it's none of your goddamned business," Vin spat at him.

Nathan approached them with some supplies in his hand. "Here, Vin, let me take a look at you," he offered, but Vin pushed his outstretched hand away.

"I ain't gonna let that nigger touch me," the boy yelled, red-faced with fury and as Nathan shrank back, snatching his hand away, Buck's temper finally snapped. He dropped to his knee and flipped Vin onto his stomach, delivering three hard smacks to the boy's backside, registering too late the thin lines of blood that soaked through the child's shirt.

Vin cried out, covering his head with his hands in a protective gesture, then lying rigidly still, his body shaking violently; JD's hand flew to his mouth, his eyes huge with fear; Nathan pulled Buck away, as though afraid that he might hit Vin again, although in truth the man was appalled at what he'd done. In seconds the others had gathered and Josiah fell to his knees beside Vin while Ezra put his arms around JD and pulled him clear, and Chris dropped a hand to Buck's shoulder to steady him.

"Okay Vin, it's okay, son," Josiah soothed. He kept up the litany until Vin's body relaxed slightly and he uncovered his head. "Can you get up?" Josiah asked, and Vin nodded and shuffled around until he was kneeling, his face averted from both Buck and Nathan. "Let's get this shirt off you," Josiah said. Vin tugged at it, moaning when the material that was stuck to his back pulled painfully.

Buck cursed quietly and stood up, turning his back on the blood and bruising and the awful resignation on the child's face. He felt an arm slide across his shoulder and glanced sideways as Chris gently guided him away. They walked in silence together until Buck suddenly stopped and turned to face his partner. "I'm as bad as that bastard Jed Tanner. Beating on the boy when he's already so hurt…"

"It was a couple of swats, and he deserved 'em," Chris said firmly.

"He doesn't know any better, Chris," Buck said.

"Well he's gonna have to learn right quick," Chris replied resolutely. "They both are. Otherwise they've got a damned hard road ahead of them."

Buck watched from a distance as Josiah cleaned Vin up and when the boy was pulling his shirt back on he walked over and knelt at his side, careful to maintain a slight distance.

Vin kept his head lowered, but his eyes darted to Buck's face. "Vin, that word you used to Nathan, it ain't right, son," Buck said quietly. "You hear that from your pa?" Vin maintained his silence, but JD shuffled closer, helping Vin to struggle into his shirt, then turning towards Buck.

"That's what Vin's pa called…" he glanced over at Nathan and lowered his voice, "…men like him. Brown men," he whispered.

Buck looked back at Vin. "Did you know it was a bad word?"

Vin flushed and bit at his lip. "I know'd," he admitted softly.

"So you understand why I walloped you?" Buck asked.

Vin finally looked up at him. "My pa never hit me when I said it," he said sullenly.

Buck shook his head. "Well, Vin, you need to know that if I hear that word again you'll get a proper whipping. That goes for you too JD. Do you both understand that?"

JD nodded gravely. "Vin?" he pressed, determined to get an acknowledgement from the boy.

"Yes," Vin dragged up.

"You can do better 'n that, boy," Buck said sternly.

Vin frowned darkly but he swallowed hard and amended, "Yes sir," and JD echoed his words quietly, turning serious eyes on Buck.

"Good boy," Buck said. "And Vin," he waited until the boy looked at him. "I'm sorry I lost my temper, son." The boys looked at each other, bewildered expressions on their faces and Buck realized how hard it was going to be for these children who had no idea what was acceptable, what was expected of them, how they were supposed to behave. He hoped fervently that whatever relatives they found to take the boys in would understand how they'd been raised and wouldn't treat them too harshly for their wild, unruly ways.

"Come on. Let's go rustle up something to eat," Buck said brightly.

JD climbed slowly to his feet but Vin remained seated.

"Vin?" Buck said, wondering if the boy was already slipping back to stubborn refusal. Vin looked up in astonishment.

"You're gonna let me eat too?" he asked, eyes widening in surprise. "Even though I was bad?"

Buck pulled in a sharp breath wishing he could wrap his arms around this wounded child but knowing that Vin wouldn't permit it. "You're hungry ain't ya?" he said instead. Vin nodded. "So what are we waiting for?"

They found the fixings for a simple meal and when they had dished up the food Vin took one of the tin plates over to where Nathan was sitting, holding it out tentatively. Nathan smiled kindly at him and took the plate, recognizing a peace offering, and although Vin didn't say the words, everybody knew he'd made an apology.

* * * * *

The small, exhausted party finally straggled into Four Corners late in the afternoon of the fourth day and all of them breathed a sigh of relief. Chris led the way to the boarding house where they'd decided to stay and rest for a few days while they tried to trace the children's families. The boys were quiet and subdued, and Chris noticed how they both stuck pretty close to Buck, JD clinging to his hand, and Vin shadowing him so closely he was almost treading on Buck's heels.

"We're gonna put up here for a while," Chris explained, "until we figure out what to do next. Okay?"

"Yes sir," Vin mumbled and Chris smiled at Buck over the top of the child's head. His partner had already started to mend the boys' manners and since yesterday's outburst they had addressed all the lawmen with conscious courtesy. They were about to step onto the porch to enter the house when a small group of grim-faced men approached. Chris recognized them as some of the Stevens' clan, the family of the woman Jed Tanner had killed, and he signaled Buck, who dropped back slightly with both kids tucked close against him.

"Larabee," one of the men nodded to him. Clem Stevens, the dead woman's brother.

"Clem," Chris returned.

"Tell me you tracked that sonofabitch, Tanner," Clem said, spitting on the ground. "Tell me you sent the bastard to hell where he belongs."

Chris was about to reassure Stevens that Tanner had met with justice when he heard a curse behind him and the next thing he knew Vin had hurled himself at Clem and was pounding at the man's chest screaming, "Don't you talk about my pa like that."

Before Chris could move, Clem raised his hand and backhanded Vin viciously across the face, sending the boy sprawling in the dirt. Buck leapt forward and dropped to the kid's side and Chris stepped in front of Clem, his eyes blazing. "That's the last time you'll touch that boy, Stevens," he said coldly.

"Then you'd better keep him out of my way," Stevens growled. "Did you string up his daddy like that murdering, thieving son of a bitch deserved?"

Vin struggled to stand but Buck caught hold of his wrists and held on to him tightly.

"Jed Tanner is dead," Chris said and the men nodded in appreciation.

"Maybe you should have sent his whelp to join him," Clem said cruelly.

"Go to hell you bastard," Vin spat, trying to tug his hands out of Buck's firm grip.

"Vin, button it," Chris barked, and the boy threw him a furious look although thankfully he closed his mouth with a snap. "Clem, you've made your point. Move on," Chris ordered. Clem wavered for a moment, but then he turned and walked away, the group of men following behind.

When they were safely out of range Chris turned a grim look on the young boy, as Buck hauled him to his feet. "Vin Tanner, get yourself over here," he ordered. Vin dragged himself reluctantly to where Chris stood. "You'd better learn to curb that tongue of yours, boy," Chris said harshly. "You're gonna have to toe the line while you're here."

Vin's head reared, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I can't wait to get out of this goddamned place," he snarled. "You're nothing but a bunch of murdering bastards and I hate you. I hate all of you and I wish you were dead."

PART 2

Three Months Later

"I am going to give that boy such a thrashing when he gets home," Chris growled, closing the door with a loud bang and walking back to the table to resume his seat. He glanced at JD, the young boy sitting tensely, eyes wide and fearful, his spoon suspended in mid-air halfway to his mouth.

"Eat your supper, JD," he said sternly and the boy shoved the contents of the spoon into his mouth and began to chew.

"You won't really hit him will you, Chris?" JD asked anxiously, blushing and ducking his head when Chris frowned at him mightily.

"JD, don't talk and eat at the same time, son," Buck reprimanded mildly.

"Sorry," JD mumbled, his mouth full.

"Vin knows good and well what time we eat supper in this house," Chris said grimly. "And he knows to come straight home when he's finished at Josiah's."

JD swallowed and looked up from under lowered lashes. "But he's only a little bit late, Chris. And you already gave him a whipping yesterday," he said, coming to the older boy's defense as always.

"A lot of good that did," Chris muttered. He cocked his head when he heard the sound of hooves outside and drummed his fingers impatiently on the tabletop waiting for the older boy to enter.

"I reckon Vin's gonna catch it now," Buck said, winking at JD who swiveled round, glancing nervously towards the door when it opened and Vin stepped across the threshold.

"You're late," Chris fumed.

Vin shrugged. "So?"

"So, I've a good mind to send you straight to bed without any supper," Chris said.

"Fine," Vin retorted, starting towards the bedroom door.

"Vin," Buck barked, sternly enough to stop the boy in his tracks. "Go wash up then come sit down and eat," he instructed.

Vin glared between his two guardians and muttered, "Make up your damned minds."

Buck frowned. "Watch your mouth, boy," he warned.

Vin walked to the washtub to rinse his hands, then sat at his place, absently tousling JD's hair as he passed.

"Where were you?" Chris demanded.

"At Josiah's doing my lessons," Vin replied.

"After that," Chris pressed, "You're almost an hour late."

Vin shrugged again. "Just around," he said nonchalantly, and Chris felt the muscles in his jaw twitch as he tried to hold on to his temper. Vin reached for his fork and Chris grabbed at his wrist and pulled his hand up sharply.

"Why are your knuckles skinned, boy?" he frowned darkly. "Have you been fighting again?"

Vin snatched his hand back and his lips compressed into a thin line and Chris knew he'd get little else out of the boy tonight. Still, he wasn't about to let the defiant child off the hook.

"Damn it, Vin. How many times have I told you that when you finish at Josiah's you're to come straight home?" he admonished.

Vin leapt to his feet, his fork clattering to the table, and Chris saw JD flinch at the sudden movement.

"This ain't my goddamned home," Vin yelled, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

JD sat absolutely still for a moment, then he too bolted for the door, ignoring Buck who yelled out his name.

"Damn that boy," Chris raged, slamming his own fork down so hard it made the dishes rattle. Buck reached out and laid a steadying hand on Chris' arm. "I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do with that kid," Chris seethed. "He keeps pushing and pushing 'till I want to strangle him with my bare hands."

"Easy," Buck soothed, patting him like he would a spooked horse.

Chris shook him off angrily. "Why the hell can't he behave himself for just one day?" he raged.

"Come on, Chris," Buck said reasonably. "This is hard as hell on them kids. They're doing the best they can. It's only been a couple of months…"

"Three," Chris said, sourly, but he could feel his anger begin to drain away in the face of Buck's equanimity.

"Three then," Buck said, smiling at him, easily reading the change in his mood as only Buck could. "That isn't a whole lot of time to adapt to such a big change."

"JD doesn't seem to be having any problem with it," Chris groused. "He's hardly given us a lick of trouble this whole time."

"It's different for JD," Buck soothed. "He didn't spend his whole life living with Jed Tanner, didn't have as much time to pick up those bad habits." Buck glanced at him thoughtfully. "Besides, Vin's still in mourning for his pa…"

"Murdering, thieving, sadistic bastard that he was," Chris cut in.

"Even so, he was still the boy's father," Buck pointed out.

Chris shook his head, letting the gentle admonishment settle in. "Okay. So maybe I'm pushing too hard," he grudgingly conceded, trusting Buck's instincts more than his own skewed perception right now. "You reckon I should go talk to him?"

"Nah, leave it. He'll come round. He always does. You gonna belt him again?"

"He damn well deserves it," Chris griped.

"That he does," Buck agreed genially. Chris glanced at the knowing smirk on his partner's face and smiled in spite of himself. "Guess all I'm doing is wearing out a perfectly good belt on that kid's backside," he grumbled. "Okay, I'll give him one last chance to redeem himself. But if he gives me any more lip tonight I won't be held accountable."

Buck just chuckled, then bent to place a warm, salty kiss on Chris' lips. "Big, bad Larabee," he teased and Chris smiled and returned the kiss.

* * * * *

Vin slammed out of the house, cursing Chris Larabee's name under his breath. There was no doubt about it, these past months had been among the most demanding and difficult of his life. First his father's death and being dragged away from the only life he had ever known. Then the profound shock of being turned over to his father's killers to be raised. Having to re-learn everything because he and JD had absolutely no idea how to behave in this town alongside these people; the constant correction of their manners and conduct, all the rules they were expected to follow, harsh months of disapproval and censure.

He pulled in a deep breath and listened to the quiet footfalls following him across the grass. He knew it was JD behind him. Chris or Buck would just have snapped out his name, and he'd probably have stopped dead at the sound of either voice and then stood there while they lectured him endlessly on his bad behavior. JD just stalked him silently, waiting until he halted by the stream before sidling up beside him.

He glanced over at the dark haired boy and gentled his voice as best he could. "Hey kid, you should go back in there and finish your supper. You don't want to make Chris and Buck mad, do ya?"

JD shook his head but he didn't budge. Vin bent down to pick up a handful of stones and began to toss them into the stream, and soon JD was doing the same, half his attention on the rocks as they disappeared into the rushing water, the other half focused firmly on Vin.

Vin smiled to see how JD was trying so hard to copy his every move. Despite the problems he had with this situation, the one thing that gladdened Vin's heart was the way it was turning out for JD. Chris and Buck had never treated the boy harshly in the three months they had lived at the ranch. Sure the kid had gotten himself a licking or two, but only when he'd really earned it, and they'd never beaten him so badly that they'd drawn blood or left him bruised and battered the way Vin's father had.

Vin winced as those painful memories surfaced. He'd always hated that he hadn't been able to protect JD from his pa and during that awful year they'd all lived together, before Chris and Buck had come, he'd often wondered if he hadn't been wrong to take JD along when he and his father had fled since all he'd done was drag the boy into a life of endless cruelty at the hands of Jed Tanner.

"You ever think about your daddy, JD?" he asked. They'd rarely ever mentioned John Daniel senior since he'd died. Vin's pa couldn't hear the name spoken without throwing a fit that ended with both him and JD cowering under the man's belt, and those times when Jed had ridden out and left them alone for days on end, JD was mostly too terrified for Vin to think about bringing the subject up.

"Some," JD admitted, keeping his face averted.

"You miss him?" Vin asked.

JD shrugged. "He wasn't always…nice to me," JD said haltingly and Vin remembered the many times he'd seen the child with a black eye or a bruise darkening his cheek. Their shared torment was one of the things that had drawn them so closely together. "I reckon he didn't care so much for me," JD continued softly. "But I don't think he hated me like your daddy did."

Vin wished he could deny that but he couldn't. Life with his pa had been a hard scrabble filled with brutality and dread. And his father had been especially cruel to JD, had whipped the boldness and spark out of him and only Chris and Buck's limitless patience and unfailing kindness had been able to rekindle those things.

"You like living here, JD, with Buck and Chris?" he asked and JD's head nodded up and down vigorously.

"I love it," he said fervently. "There's always so much to eat and the house is warm and smells good, and Chris and Buck have given us so many things…" he trailed off suddenly, his eyes filling with tears. "You don't want us to leave here, do you?" he asked fearfully.

Vin reached out and hugged the boy close, feeling a warm rush of affection for the child. He thought about how different their lives were here compared to what they had been. Alongside the constant supervision and instruction, Chris and Buck offered a security he and JD had never known before, providing all those things JD loved and so much more. They had taught him and JD to fish and hunt, they had given them things they'd never had before, games and books and a horse of their own. Above all they treated him and JD with patience and care, tolerance and fairness, and although their guardians were strict, neither he nor JD feared Chris and Buck the way they had both feared Jed Tanner.

He tipped JD's head up and looked into the troubled dark eyes. "Try not to worry," he said. JD nodded, and his absolute trust and faith sobered Vin completely. The kid was happy here and he deserved to have some peace and stability in his life. Chris and Buck seemed willing to give him that, seemed to genuinely love having him here. Vin felt he owed it to the boy to provide a better life, a real home, a family. He pulled in a deep breath, making a decision. He was going to mend his ways, he was going to try really hard to behave, at least until JD's place here was assured. After that… well, after that he'd have to see. He gave the boy a final hug.

"I'd better get on back and take my punishment," he said. He slipped an arm around the younger boy's shoulders and began to lead him back towards the house.

"You reckon Chris will give you another whipping?" JD asked fearfully.

Vin shuddered and sighed deeply. "I reckon I done enough to deserve it." He pushed the door open and stepped inside, gently guiding JD to sit back at the table. Chris and Buck were still seated, both pairs of eyes watching him gravely.

"I got into a fight with Clem Steven's eldest," he confessed. "He called me names and I lost my temper." He looked directly at Chris. "You want I should wait for you at the woodshed?"

Chris quirked an eyebrow at him. "I want you should sit back down and finish your supper before it gets stone cold," he said mildly. "Then I want you to do your chores."

Vin waited for the rest of it, but his guardian said nothing further.

"Don't just stand there catching flies, son," Buck said. "Sit. Eat."

Vin closed his mouth, amazed that they were going to let him off this easy. "I'll expect you to be on time for supper tomorrow," Chris said sternly.

"Yes sir," Vin mumbled, sitting down in a daze and picking up his fork.

"And I want you to promise that you won't get into any more fights with the Stevens family," Chris continued.

Vin paused, wondering how to answer Chris that wouldn't get him into any more trouble and that wouldn't be a lie. "I'll try really, really hard, sir," he finally offered.

Buck grinned over at Chris. "Guess that's the most we can hope for," he said, and to Vin's absolute amazement Chris agreed.

* * * * * "Relax, Chris. This ain't a Kentucky thoroughbred race. I want to enjoy this, I don't want it to be a dash to the damned finish line."

"Relax! I've lost all notion of how to relax," Chris grumbled.

"Let me remind you then, darlin'," Buck whispered, sober and intent and Chris felt a pulse of energy thrum through his body.

It was damned strange, the house so quiet, time to spend, just him and Buck. They had finally managed to slip away from town, the other lawmen covering for them and offering whatever excuses were required, there were no pressing chores that had to be attended to, and both boys were in school. It was the first time in over two weeks that they'd had the place to themselves and Chris was finding it hard to believe that he and Buck were actually going to make love, slowly, taking their sweet time, instead of the tense, mad rush to climax in the rare minutes they managed to steal, or their frantic, near-silent late night couplings.

Buck's tongue was in his mouth now, licking gently and he felt himself relax against the big body as Buck gathered him in. "That's it," Buck murmured. "Nice and easy."

"You call this easy?" Chris groused. "Getting the kids into school, hoping Vin doesn't get himself booted out for misbehavior--"

Buck chuckled, busy nuzzling his face against Chris' neck. "He's only been there four weeks."

"And he ain't gonna last four more. You know it and I know it…" he choked on a breath when Buck's hand cupped his buttock, squeezing gently.

"Some things are easier than others," Buck said, smiling into his eyes. "Like lovin' you, now that's a trial, some days."

Chris laughed in spite of himself and reached for Buck's kerchief, untying it and dropping it to the chair beside their bed. "I know what you mean," he said, and between soft kisses of stubbled jaw added, "Some days, I can barely tolerate you."

"Yeah, I c'n tell." Buck's breath was already coming faster, his body so quick to rise to the occasion, and the hand on Chris' butt was joined by another, tugging him in close.

Clothes came off slowly and easily, as they stroked and kissed bared skin, and not long after Chris found himself on the bed, atop the covers, atop Buck, staring down at him and reveling in the way their combined heat made a slick film of sweat between their bare bellies. "What do you want?" he whispered.

"What do I always want?"

Chris grinned. "Depends on your mood," which was true, but Chris stretched to the tiny stand beside the bed and rummaged in its one drawer, pulling out the tin of grease and holding it up for Buck's inspection. "Want to be in you," he breathed, meaning it, needing it, desperate for his lover's submission--if you could call it that. Sometimes riding Buck was like riding a bronco, and you never knew who was in control, you just held on tight and enjoyed the thrill of the ride.

"Then have me," Buck whispered back, so tenderly that Chris knew today would be different, gentle and profound and precious. The boys had certainly given them that, made this so much more important and rare than before. And while Chris often wanted to fault them for the havoc they'd made of his and Buck's life, he couldn't; they were good boys in a hard situation, and they needed so much to heal the hurts of that bastard father of Vin's.

Chris greased himself and pushed Buck's legs apart, keeping his eyes locked with that deep blue stare, saying silently what his words sometimes couldn't capture. Then he pushed in, gentle at first, forcing his cock past the snug resistance, gasping in a harsh breath at Buck's wince, the wince that was always there before those eyes glazed over with pleasure. He slid home in a single sweet glide and held himself there, fighting for control, groaning when Buck squeezed his muscles rhythmically and the tight channel gripped his dick.

Buck's eyes danced with laughter and he reached up to cup Chris' face between warm, callused palms. "You gonna make me do all the work?" he teased, and Chris pulled back and thrust in hard once, making Buck's back arch.

"Thought you wanted it slow, stud," he whispered, and proceeded to rock gently into Buck's body, until his partner was writhing and moaning out loud. Buck had always been so vocal in their lovemaking and he'd sorely missed that complete abandon. He pumped his hips again and again, dragging up the sounds that had been buried these past months, the sounds he'd had to smother with a hand clamped across Buck's mouth when the kids were asleep in the tiny room next door. Buck didn't disappoint, he shouted out his completion long and loud, and Chris tumbled headlong into orgasm, driving his cock deep into Buck's ass.

They lay together panting for breath until Chris pulled out gently and collapsed onto the bed, and Buck tugged him close and tucked him up into his arms. "We can't fall asleep," he mumbled, and seconds later he was snoring softly.

Chris grinned to himself and settled closer to his partner. He could afford to let Buck snooze for a half hour or so before they needed to make a move, and it was a real treat to take this time for themselves. They'd had to make a hell of a lot of accommodations to the children's presence in the house. He remembered with a small smile the arrangements they had made before the boys moved in with them. They had kept Vin and JD holed up at the boarding house for several days while they knocked together an extra bed to put into the spare bedroom, the room that they pretended was Buck's. And for appearance's sake they had dragged an extra pallet into the bigger bedroom and dumped it on the floor, although Buck still shared the big feather bed with him every night. They'd had to pull it away from the wall, though, never realizing before how much it thumped and rattled when they were going at it.

Buck rolled over, mumbling something incoherent and it was only then that Chris realized that he too must have dozed a little. He disentangled himself from his lover's arms and crawled out of bed, wandering out of the bedroom to the washtub, relishing the freedom of his nakedness. He scrubbed himself all over with a rag, shivering at the coldness of the water, then took a clean, wet cloth back into the bedroom, shaking Buck awake and handing it to him while he pulled his clothes back on.

"Come back to bed for a few minutes, pard," Buck cajoled, reaching out.

Chris dodged the outstretched hand and continued to dress. "No chance, boy. We have things to do before the kids get home."

Buck swiped the cloth over himself, but his hooded eyes were fixed on Chris. He prowled to the foot of the bed when Chris sat down to pull on his boots and he wrapped both arms around his lover's body, leaning in to whisper into Chris' ear.

"Next time I get to do you." His warm breath tickled Chris' earlobe. "Gonna take you standing up. Gonna bend you over with your elbows on the bed, ass high in the air. You're gonna spread wide for me and I'm gonna slide into you 'till you feel me way up in your gut. Gonna ride you so hard, darlin', 'till your knees are trembling, 'till I hear those little panting noises you make for me."

Chris groaned and shot to his feet. "Jesus Christ, Buck," he said, reaching down a hand to unbutton again. "Turn around," he ordered, ignoring the smirk of triumph that crossed his lover's face. Buck swung around and dropped his feet to the floor, bent over the bed, his ass once again offered. Chris knew he would still be slick and loose, so he did nothing more than push his pants down as far as his knees, then thrust into that warm, pliant body again. This time it was over in moments, Buck taking care of himself, his hand jacking his own cock to the pace Chris set. They finished together, loud just because they could be, and Chris had to draw on all his resolve to pull his pants back into place and not give in to the urge to tumble them both back into the soft sheets and drift off, locked in each other's arms.

Buck rolled onto his back, a satisfied look finally in place and Chris shook his head. "You're no better'n a tomcat, Wilmington," he grinned.

"Ain't you the lucky one, then?" Buck shot back, stretching lazily. Chris grabbed the wet washcloth and threw it squarely onto Buck's chest. "You smell like a whorehouse."

Buck just laughed and began to clean himself up. Chris left the bedroom and was about to start on supper when he heard the sound of hooves trotting towards the house. Buck emerged from the bedroom and they exchanged a quizzical glance before crossing the room to throw open the door, Chris looking over Buck's shoulder to see Vin riding towards the house, with Josiah and Ezra several paces ahead of him.

"Well, pard," Buck said regretfully. "Looks like we've come to the end of the easy."

* * * * *

"Okay, Vin, it's over. Come on up to the house when you're ready."

Chris walked out of the woodshed and Vin slowly straightened, groaning out loud as he eased his pants over his sore ass and pulled his shirt over his hot, striped back. No doubt about it, he thought ruefully, Chris was damned good at wielding a belt. Still, at least his guardian hadn't used a switch on him this time, and as far as Vin was concerned the whipping was a small price to pay for escaping that goddamned schoolhouse.

He made some final adjustments to his clothing, pulled in a deep, steadying breath, and walked carefully back towards the house. Ezra and Josiah were sitting on the porch with Chris and Buck but he ignored them for the moment to stand at the foot of the steps in front of his two guardians and finish out the ritual of punishment. "I'm sorry I got into so much trouble today…" he began.

"You ready to tell us what the fight was about?" Buck interrupted.

Vin winced slightly, wondering how far they would pursue this. He didn't want the strap again, but he wasn't prepared to tell them that he'd been fighting with the Stevens clan. Not when they had expressly forbidden it.

"It was just kid's stuff," he tried, but he could tell that Buck didn't believe him. Still, neither of his guardians pushed it any further.

"So, that's the end of your schooldays," Ezra said dryly. "Not your finest hour, I think." Vin glanced over at Ezra and caught the slight twinkle in the man's eye and the quirk of his mouth. Time to move to the next apology. "And I'm sorry I got kicked out of school…" he began again, and again he was interrupted.

"I don't believe that's true, Vin Tanner," Chris said sternly, and he was right. Vin wasn't sorry at all, in fact, he was damned glad. He'd hated the place from the minute they'd dragged him there four weeks ago, and every single day he'd spent there since. He'd been ridiculed and picked on and made to feel like a fool. Even the smallest child knew more than he did and it had been an endless round of humiliations, punctuated only by continuous trouble from the Stevens clan who regularly ganged up against him, hours spent standing in the corner because he couldn't keep up with the lessons, and an almost daily whipping from Miss McCall, the teacher he'd come to despise. Sometimes his hands were so sore from the cane she'd brought down across the palms of his hands, biting into tender flesh in great red slices, that he'd scarcely been able to grip the reins of his horse on the way back home. And at least once a week she complained about him to Chris and Buck and he'd gotten another whipping at home.

But all that was over now. He'd gotten into another fight with Stevens and Miss McCall had shrieked that it was the last straw. She'd sent for Josiah, told him to advise Vin's guardians that he was no longer welcome at the schoolhouse, and kicked him out for good. And Chris was right. Vin wasn't sorry, not one little bit.

"I just hope you figure on settling down to your lessons with Josiah," Buck said sternly. "I'm warning you if you give him any trouble you'll get whatever punishment he decides on, then when you come home you'll get it again from me."

"I'll be good," Vin promised quickly, and he meant it. Josiah had already been helping him with his lessons, spending an hour at the end of each day trying to teach him what he hadn't been able to understand in school, and he'd learned more under the man's patient, kindly instruction than he'd ever learned from Miss McCall. He knew Buck's threat was real, but Josiah had never had cause to punish him, at least not on account of his school work, and he was sure he could stay out of trouble under Josiah's care.

"Get on in the house and change and then start your chores," Chris ordered. "After supper you're going straight to bed and for the next couple of days you're not gonna set foot off this ranch, ya hear?"

"Yes sir," Vin said, surprised that the punishment wasn't harsher. He'd expected a whole lot worse. But maybe Chris and Buck were glad not to have to deal anymore with his endless truancy and the constant complaints about his attitude and behavior.

He started up the steps and paused for a moment beside Josiah. "Thank you for offering to teach me, Josiah," he said, genuinely grateful. He suspected that without Josiah agreeing to take on his schooling full time that Chris and Buck would have forced him return to the school house. He owed the man a lot and he intended to pay him back with hard work and unquestioning obedience.

"You and I will do just fine, son," Josiah said.

As Vin passed Buck, his guardian said, "So, what did Stevens call you this time?" Vin glanced at him, not really surprised that Buck had guessed the reason for the fight. It was getting to be a pretty old story.

"A dirty half-breed, a savage, a whore's son, a filthy injun bastard. Like that," Vin said softly.

"Hope you popped him a good one, then, son," Buck said.

"That's nice, Buck," Chris admonished, but he didn't sound too angry.

Vin grinned at his guardian. "Don't think he'll be calling me a red nigger anytime soon." He started back into the house but stopped when he heard Chris' voice.

"Vin."

He turned, wondering if he'd been celebrating Chris' leniency too soon. "Josiah tells us you're a good hard worker, that you always mind what he tells you and that you're learning quick," Chris said. "We're both proud of you, son. You're doing a real good job."

Vin felt his face burn and he stammered out his thanks before rushing into the cool house. Nobody had ever told him they were proud of him. His pa had told him he was worthless, stupid, no smarter than a dog, as ignorant as the savages his whore mother sprang from. And he'd had no reason to believe anything different. He couldn't read or write, didn't know his letters or his numbers, had never set foot in a school. Even little JD, more than three years his junior, knew so much more than he did. But Chris and Buck believed in him, the other lawmen too. And that was about the sweetest feeling in the whole world.

* * * * *

It was really quite amazing, Ezra mused, the difference four short months could make. He stretched lazily, enjoying the late afternoon sun on his face and took a sip from his glass of lemonade. Nathan, Josiah and Buck were working up an appetite playing a rough game with the boys that somehow involved a hoop, a ball, a stick and an awful lot of laughter. The rules seemed a little hazy and mercurial, but they were all having a great deal of fun.

Chris was standing on the porch beside him watching the game and he laughed when Buck, who'd been tackled to his knees by Vin, suddenly reversed their positions to pin the breathless boy to the ground. JD came to Vin's rescue, jumping on Buck's back and knocking him sideways, and the three of them rolled around in the tall grass struggling for advantage amidst shrieks of laughter.

The boys eventually clambered to their feet, faces flushed, white teeth flashing as they both grinned broadly. Such a difference, Ezra thought, from the pale, skinny little wraiths they'd picked up in that filthy hovel, scared of their own shadows, cringing at every stray noise or raised voice, afraid to speak above a whisper expect to spit and curse when they felt threatened. They seemed so settled now, so much more at ease and sure of themselves. Ezra knew both boys could still be sullen and withdrawn, they still flinched unconsciously at sudden movements, conditioned by years of abuse to dodge unexpected violence, and they were often tongue-tied and painfully inhibited, especially around strangers. But right now they glowed with good health and a quiet happiness that positively transformed them.

The game came to a sudden end and JD came bounding across the grass and hopped up onto the porch, a great whirlwind of noise and motion. "Chris, Chris, we won," he yelled and Chris smiled and hugged the boy briefly.

"Good for you, son," he said.

Vin ambled back more sedately and sat down on the top step. "Good game?' Chris asked.

Vin turned his head slightly and grinned. "Yes, sir. We whipped them good."

"Only because you cheated," Buck teased, walking up the steps past him.

"Did not and you know it," Vin laughed. "You're just a sore loser, Buck."

Buck snorted and ruffled a hand through Vin's long hair and the boy allowed him to do so, even though he tensed slightly at the touch. Buck lowered himself slowly into a chair. "Why don't you fetch me a glass of that lemonade Ezra is guzzling," he said.

Vin rose obediently. "Ezra, you want a refill?" he asked.

"Thank you, I will," Ezra said, handing his glass to the boy and smiling up at him.

"Vin, help JD to get a drink will you?" Chris said. "I think the jug's too heavy for him."

"Yes sir," Vin said. "Can I bring anything for you?"

"I'm fine right now, son. Thanks."

Ezra watched as Vin disappeared into the house. "You've done the most remarkable job with those two young men," he said.

Chris glanced over at him and smiled. "It's Buck," he said. "He's almost as big a kid as they are."

"Amen to that," Buck agreed, chuckling. But Ezra knew that the transformation in the boys had as much to do with Chris' steadfast guidance and patient instruction as with Buck's enthusiasm and unfailing encouragement. It hadn't been easy for either of them to get to this stage, but the change they had made in the boys' lives was close to a miracle.

Vin walked out of the house with two glasses of lemonade and gave one each to Buck and Ezra before sitting again on the top step of the porch.

"So, how does it feel to be 13?" Ezra asked.

Vin smiled up at him. "Feels good," he said. "Reckon I'm mostly growed up now."

Chris snorted. "Reckon you've a ways to go yet," he said. "But I guess you're old enough to learn how to shoot."

Vin frowned up at him. "You've already taught me," he said.

"You've learned how to handle the Henry, you need to learn how to use a pistol."

Vin's face brightened. "You gonna teach me how to use your Colt?" he asked, excited.

"No," Chris replied. "I'm gonna teach you how to use your Colt."

Buck, who had disappeared off the porch, stepped out of the house with a holstered gun in his hand, which he handed to the open-mouthed boy.

"I… I don't understand," Vin said.

"It's your birthday, boy," Buck said. "This is your gift from me and Chris."

Vin looked up at them with wide-eyed wonder. "But you've already given me so many things," he stammered. "You gave me new clothes and a book and a fishing pole…"

"Reckon you could use this too," Buck said. "It's just for here at the ranch, mind. You're not of an age to carry a sidearm."

Vin hefted the gun in his hand, testing its weight, spinning the barrel, clicking at the trigger.

"Chris here is gonna teach you how to use it responsibly," Buck continued, and suddenly Vin tensed, looking absolutely stricken, then he placed the gun gently on the porch step, stood up and said stiffly, "Ain't right I accept this from you," and leaving the men to exchange confused looks, he jumped off the porch steps and walked away from the house.

"Vin," JD whispered, starting to follow the older boy, but Buck reached out and held the boy back.

"Leave him be, son," he said gently. "He needs to think a few things through for himself."

An hour later, everybody except Vin was seated at the long table that groaned under the spread of food. They started the meal, but it was a silent, sad affair with Vin's empty chair casting a pall over the group. Buck had to cajole JD into eating a few mouthfuls, which was difficult to do with Chris sitting at the head of the table, an empty plate in front of him. Finally the man gave up all pretense and stood up, excusing himself before walking out of the front door and into the night.

Ezra looked around the table at the sad faces and regretted that the day might end like this, as sorrowful now as it had been joyful earlier. He fervently hoped that Chris and Vin could work something out and find the resolution they both desperately seemed to need.

* * * * *

Vin walked in circles for an hour and finally found himself back at the barn, his favorite place on the ranch. They all loved it here, him and JD running down whenever they got the chance, Buck and Chris often disappearing down here when they wanted some peace and quiet together.

Thinking of Chris made his stomach churn all over again.

It had been such a wondrous day, like no other birthday he'd ever had. He'd been overwhelmed by the many gifts he'd received from Chris and Buck and then the other lawmen had arrived with even more things, and none of them had forgotten JD so that the younger boy was given almost as much as he was. They'd both been wide-eyed and practically speechless, stammering out their thanks over and again when they finally found their voices. They'd spent the whole day riding and playing and sharing the many treats the men had brought and for the first time in four months he'd been happy; happier than he ever remembered being in his whole 13 years.

And then Chris and Buck had given him the gun, and as he cradled it in the palm of his hand he'd had a sudden image of his father's body flying back and crashing to the ground, blood pumping from his chest, his cold dead eyes rolling up in his head, three bullets from Chris' Colt embedded in his body.

Vin had never had any illusions about his father. After all, the man had killed his beloved mother in front of him, then forced him to help dig a hole to throw her body in; for years he'd treated Vin with unrelenting harshness and he'd been so cruel to JD, as far as Vin could tell, simply because the boy bore such a close resemblance to his father and was a constant reminder of that man.

Vin still cringed when he recalled Buck and Chris sitting him down and quietly explaining why they had shot Jed Tanner. At first he had refused to believe them, had called them all those names his pa had used so freely, the language for which he and JD had been continually and severely reprimanded in those first long and painful weeks. But in the end he'd listened to his own heart and admitted that what they'd said was true. The wanted posters at the jailhouse helped convince him, together with the disgust and hatred with which some of the townsfolk treated him. He'd quickly learned how his father had wronged this town, how he had murdered one of the Stevens family, and hard experience had taught him that many in that clan held him accountable for his father's sins.

Vin sighed deeply. His pa had been a murderer and a thief, he'd been a bully and a tyrant but he'd still been Vin's father, the only blood kin he'd had in the world. Chris and Buck had rescued him and JD from hell, and he felt an overwhelming gratitude for that but it had been at the cost of his father's life, and that was something he couldn't forget. Something he didn't think it was right to forgive.

"Vin?"

He jumped at the voice, the person he least wanted to confront right now. But he turned slowly to face Chris.

"You need to eat something, boy," Chris said softly. "Come on back up to the house."

He shook his head. "I'm not so hungry."

Chris stepped closer and Vin ducked his head to avoid the man's perceptive gaze. A silence fell between them, and Vin could feel Chris' eyes on him and it was all he could do not to turn and run.

"Vin, you know Judge Travis said that if we found any of your kin you could go live with them if you wanted?" Chris asked.

"Yes sir, I remember," Vin mumbled.

"Well, son, maybe you'd like it if we started another search…"

"No!" Vin blurted, his head jerking up. He flushed and amended himself quickly. "No, sir. I don't want that." God, that was the last thing he wanted, to be sent away from JD, from this ranch he loved, from the people who were becoming so important in his life and for whom he felt such a growing attachment.

A sudden thought flashed across his mind and he felt his stomach clench in fear. Chris and Buck had taken him into their home when there had been no obligation to do so, they had treated him and JD kindly and generously and all he had ever offered in return was disobedience and disrespect. "Unless…" he started, and had to swallow hard before he could continue, "Unless you think it's time I was moving on, now that I'm 13 an' all."

"No, Vin," Chris said sharply, and Vin winced at the harshness of his tone. "Absolutely not," Chris said, his voice gentler. "Buck and I want you here. As far as we're concerned this is your home. For as long as you want."

Vin felt a moment of profound relief, tangled up with guilt and sorrow and so many other things he couldn't scarcely tell one from the other. Chris was speaking again and Vin scrambled to catch up.

"The pistol is yours to keep, Vin," Chris was saying. "But maybe it's better if Buck teaches you the use of it…"

"No," Vin blurted again, and once again he flushed and stammered out an amendment. "I want you should teach me, Chris," he said, aware that it was the first time he'd called his guardian by name instead of the careful formality with which he had always addressed the man. "Buck says you're the better shot," he added quickly.

After a long, thoughtful pause Chris nodded. "We'll start tomorrow then," he said quietly. "Reckon you could eat a little now, son?"

Vin nodded and the two of them started towards the house.

"Did Buck really tell you I was the better shot?" Chris asked.

"Yep," Vin replied, glancing at his guardian's pleased expression. "And he said that shooting is the only thing you do better than him," he added slyly.

Chris snorted. "That man is so full of…" he stopped suddenly.

"Horse shit?" Vin supplied, an innocent expression plastered on his face.

Chris let out a burst of laugh, then he frowned and shook his head. "Vin Tanner, you know better than to use that language," he chided.

"Yes sir," Vin agreed.

"Which is not to say you're wrong," Chris added, grinning broadly.

* * * * *

One minute Vin was walking along the boardwalk arguing with Chris over when he'd be old enough to carry his pistol, and the next Buck and Josiah were shouting at them from across the street and gesturing towards the bank with their drawn weapons. Chris shoved Vin onto the ground behind the water trough and growled, "Stay down, boy," then he disappeared, guns drawn, running towards the bank. Vin obeyed his guardian, hunkering down and staying there through all the noise and confusion, the gunshots, the screaming and the feet thundering past his hiding place.

It was quiet when Vin poked his head up and looked carefully up and down the dusty, deserted street. He knew better than to move, knew that Chris would have his hide if he broke cover before getting the all clear from one of his guardians, so he stayed where he was, his legs cramping uncomfortably underneath him. He was glad when he saw Buck walking towards him, reloading his gun. He looked relaxed enough and Vin guessed that the danger was over and that Chris had sent Buck to fetch him.

But just as Buck started to cross the street Vin heard a noise he knew too well, the ominous click of a round chambering a gun. He glanced sideways, catching the glint of sun on metal and saw a dark figure detach itself from the shadows and take aim at Buck. Vin heard Chris' warning ringing clearly in his head, "Stay down, boy." He also heard the hammer cock on the outlaw's gun. Later he couldn't say exactly what made him move; it was almost as though instinct had taken over, but next thing he knew he was leaping to his feet and yelling, "Hey mister!" The man jerked around and his gun swung wildly and for a split second Vin looked down the barrel before a bullet whizzed harmlessly past his ear, its buzz like the hum of a giant insect.

And then all hell broke loose.

Another shot rang out and the outlaw fell backwards; a heavy body crashed into Vin from behind and he landed with a thud on the planks of the boardwalk, the air rushing out of his lungs and his face scraping painfully across the wood, tearing the skin off his cheek. He heard his name screamed by two different voices and the sound of feet pounding along the boardwalk. Then the body covering him rolled off and he saw that it was Josiah, though he didn't know where the man had come from. Ezra had suddenly appeared, standing over the body of the outlaw, which lay in a growing pool of blood, and Buck was running towards him as he struggled to sit up, his guardian's face contorted with shock and fear.

Buck slid to his knees on the boardwalk and though his mouth moved Vin couldn't make out the garbled words, his right ear momentarily deafened by the gunshot. Buck's hands worked quickly and thoroughly to check his body for wounds and when he was sure Vin hadn't been injured beyond the scraped face, he pulled the startled boy into a fierce hug and clung tightly for what felt like forever. Over Buck's shoulder Vin saw Chris' black-clad figure come to a halt and he looked up, cringing at the cold fury he saw there.

Buck pulled back and held him at arm's length and this time Vin heard him distinctly when he roared, "What in God's name were you thinking, boy?"

Vin shook him off and climbed shakily to his feet, keeping a wary distance between himself and Chris, noting the man's fist clenched at his side.

"What did I tell you?" Chris demanded, his voice shaking despite the icy tone. "Didn't I order you to stay down?"

"He could have killed you," Buck shouted, not allowing Vin to answer. Not that he would have anyway. He knew nothing he could say at this point would save him from what was coming. Buck grabbed at his arm and shook him hard, his anger making him almost incoherent. But Vin understood his next sentence well enough. "I'm going to give you such a goddamned hiding. When I've finished with you you'll never disobey an order again."

Vin cringed. He'd been on the receiving end of Buck's belt plenty over the past months and the man knew how to use it to good effect. He looked down at the floor, biting his lip to stop himself from betraying his dread. His face hurt like hell, his side was bruised from where he'd banged it on the boardwalk half crushed under Josiah's weight, and his hands were raw and bloodied from being tackled to the ground.

And things were about to get a whole lot worse.

* * * * * Ezra turned the key until he heard a satisfying snick, then gave the cell door a testing rattle just to be sure it was safely locked. Not that the outlaw in the cell was in much shape to try an escape. When his cohorts had been gunned down inside the bank, he'd tried to make a run for it, but he hadn't gotten more than ten steps out of the building before Nathan winged him. Unfortunately for him, he'd fallen under the feet of his spooked horse and been fairly well trampled before they could drag him to safety. He'd whimpered like a child when Nathan treated his injuries, and he was now curled up in the narrow bunk of the cell, dosed up with laudanum, a thin blanket wrapped tightly around him.

Ezra had just returned the keys to the desk drawer when the door to the jailhouse burst open and Buck walked in, a reluctant Vin trailing behind him.

"What did Chris tell you out there?" Buck growled, rounding on the kid as soon as Vin stepped over the threshold.

"To stay down," Vin admitted, hanging his head.

"To stay down," Buck echoed. "And does that mean that you should be tackling armed outlaws? Does it?" he shouted.

Vin flinched visibly and Ezra felt his heart go out to the poor child. Facing Buck Wilmington in full angry flight was nobody's idea of a picnic.

"No sir," Vin conceded.

"You disobeyed him, plain and simple…"

"It wasn't plain and simple, Buck," Vin protested, making Ezra wince. The kid had spirit, that was certain, but Ezra could have told him that arguing with Buck right now was most definitely not the way to play this hand.

"He gave you an order, you disobeyed. That's about as plain and simple as it gets," Buck roared.

Ezra breathed a small sigh of relief when Vin dropped his challenging gaze, giving up the losing battle.

"Ezra," Buck barked, and he jumped, annoyed at himself for being caught off guard. "Ezra, you mind? Vin and I have a little business to take care of."

As he spoke he reached down and unbuckled his belt, sliding it from its loops and Ezra saw the color drain from Vin's face, even as he straightened his shoulders and held his head high. Ezra nodded curtly and walked past the child, trying to catch his eye and offer a little moral support, but Vin's eyes were firmly fixed on the leather belt in Buck's hand. He hurried past, hearing Buck's voice, calm and almost reasonable now. "Okay Vin, you know the drill."

The last thing Ezra saw as he closed the jailhouse door behind him was Vin pulling his undershirt over his head to reveal his pale-skinned back, and Buck doubling his belt in his hand, his expression grimly resolute.

* * * * *

Chris kept himself under control until all the orders had been given: Josiah and Nathan dispatched to deal with the corpses, Ezra sent to ensure that the only surviving bandit was placed under lock and key, and Buck given the terse instruction, "Deal with him," an accusing finger pointed at Vin. Then he turned on his heel and walked as steadily as he could towards the livery. He had no business there, but he couldn't face any of his men right now.

And he especially couldn't face the boy.

Once inside he pulled in a deep breath, soothed as always by the smell of horse and hay, by the softly nickering animals moving restlessly in the stalls. He stopped briefly to pat Buck's big gray, then moved to his own mount, burying his face in the horse's strongly muscled shoulder and allowing the tremors that he'd kept at bay to ripple through his tightly clenched body.

Goddamn that kid.

Once again Vin had blatantly disregarded an order, only this time he'd put himself in danger, hell, he'd put himself in the direct line of a loaded gun for God's sake. Well he was surely regretting that right about now, Chris thought grimly, because Buck had been as furious as Chris had ever seen him and he would ensure that Vin paid a heavy price for his disobedience.

Thinking of Buck made him shudder more violently and he had to cling onto the horse with both hands to steady himself. Buck had been in the line of fire too. The gun that had shot a bullet barely missing Vin's head had been trained on Buck first. Chris replayed the events and his gut clenched at the memories: him and Buck taking out two of the robbers inside the bank, cleanly and efficiently, the one that escaped them being picked off by Nathan outside, no one realizing that a fourth man had slipped away, merging with the shadows – waiting.

Chris had stepped out of the bank into the bright sunlight, glancing down the deserted street to see Buck walking towards Vin to release him from his hiding place. Buck was absently reloading his pistol, and the nervous bandit must have seen his chance at escape closing down in front of him and had slid out of the darkness, his gun aimed squarely at Buck's unsuspecting heart. Chris had realized that he was too far away to help his partner and had experienced a moment of dizzying terror, certain that Buck was about to die. And then the kid had stood up and forced a change in what had looked like an inevitable outcome.

Chris shuddered again. If Vin hadn't shown himself when he did, if he hadn't drawn the fire to himself… God, Chris had come so close to losing Buck. His stubborn, defiant, willful charge had disobeyed him. Again. But in doing so he had saved Buck's life.

Chris closed his eyes and groaned out loud. Because in the split second he'd seen the outlaw's gun wavering between Buck and Vin, he'd sent up a silent prayer that Buck wouldn't be the one who got hurt. The thought had come and gone in a heartbeat, but it sickened him deep down to his soul. The kid was supposed to be under his protection, and instead he'd prayed for Buck's safety.

He didn't know how he'd ever be able to look Vin in the eye again, knowing how deeply he had betrayed the boy. He didn't know how he'd ever be able to look at himself in the mirror again, knowing that he'd been capable of making a choice between the child and the man.

Goddamn that kid.

* * * * *

Ezra pulled the jailhouse door shut and started across the street to Nettie Well's boarding house, the cleaner, more comfortable, and infinitely preferable of the two rooming establishments in Four Corners. Inside the door were a number of chairs and a table covered with a snow-white cloth. He walked into the small kitchen at the back of the house and poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot on the stove that was always filled, the coffee always hot and strong, then he claimed the most comfortable chair and sat to wait for his companions, letting his mind drift.

When they had brought the reluctant children back to Four Corners with them, they had expected a quick resolution, believing they would soon find some member of either boy's family to take them in. But weeks had turned to months with no trace whatever of anybody remotely related to the children.

Buck had adamantly refused to send Vin and JD to the mission in San Luis, even when it became clear that locating the children's relatives was not going to be an easy task. He'd been scarred by such a place himself when, within hours of his mother's death, the bitch who'd run the whorehouse she had worked had unceremoniously dumped him on a church doorstep, washing her hands of the 13 year old boy. The pastor had sent him to an orphanage miles away and he'd lasted less than three months in that barbarous place before running away.

Chris had been understandably reluctant to take the boys into their home, and Ezra couldn't say he blamed the man. He and Buck already lived such a precarious existence, hiding their relationship from everybody but the other lawmen. Ezra had known about them long before they had taken him into their confidence. He'd spent a great deal of time before the war in the brothels of New Orleans, where graceful mulatto boys with flawless, coffee-colored skin and huge brown eyes earned significant fees for their owners from the many men who had a taste for that kind of thing and he'd had no trouble reading the subtle signs that unwittingly betrayed Chris and Buck. But this wasn't New Orleans and what was between his two friends could get them tarred and feathered and run out of town. Or worse. It was no surprise that Chris was anxious about having the two young boys living at the ranch with him and Buck, their watchful eyes alert to every move and nuance.

Ezra was pulled from his reverie when the door swung open and Josiah and Nathan walked in, having supervised the removal of three bodies from inside the bank. Two bandits and one teller, all equally dead.

Josiah walked directly to the kitchen while Nathan sat down heavily on one of the armchairs and closed his eyes with a tired sigh. "Where's Vin?" Josiah called, emerging with two steaming cups and handing one to Nathan.

Ezra quirked an eyebrow. "With Buck in the jailhouse. I imagine by now he's face down over the desk wishing he'd done as he'd been told."

For a second the coffee cup wavered in Josiah's hand, then he shook his head and took a sip.

"That boy probably saved Buck's life out there," Ezra said tightly. "And now he's being punished for it."

"Nope," Josiah said calmly. "He's being punished for disobeying Chris."

Ezra dismissed that comment with a snort of disgust. The three men sat in silence, all eyes darting to the door when it opened again and Buck and Vin walked in, Vin's usually graceful gait stiff and awkward, his face grimacing slightly with every step.

Buck waved off a cup of coffee. "I'm going to the telegraph office to wire the judge," he said. "You," he pointed at Vin, who had avoided the chairs in favor of leaning up against the high desk at which Nettie checked in her guests. "You wait for Chris. I'm sure he'll have a few choice words to say to you when he gets here."

Vin nodded wordlessly, looking totally miserable. Ezra felt a rush of sympathy but he left the young man alone, sure that Vin wouldn't appreciate any fuss right now. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd made the trip to the jailhouse. The boy did have a quite astonishing knack for getting into trouble and each of the lawmen had escorted him there at one time or another to remind him of the rules or bring him back into line when he strayed. But it seemed insane that today, instead of rewarding the boy for his courage, Chris and Buck seemed determined to find fault with what he'd done.

Ezra turned his attention back to his coffee and sipped at the cooling liquid until the door opened once more and a black thundercloud in the shape of Chris Larabee blew into the boarding house. Out of the corner of his eye Ezra saw Vin stiffen, and Chris glanced over and beckoned the boy to him. Vin stepped forward, and Ezra could almost feel the effort it took for him to hide the pain he was in. Vin stood in front of his guardian, his eyes lowered, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He looked every inch the condemned man and Ezra didn't fancy the kid's chances of getting out of this without one of Chris' blistering tongue-lashings.

"What did I tell you out there?" Chris asked, the steel in his voice making Ezra shiver.

"To stay down," Vin replied, quietly.

"And did you?" Chris demanded.

Vin raised his head, his pale face framed by his shoulder-length brown hair. "No sir," he replied simply, offering no excuse, no argument, no defense of any kind.

"Then you know what comes next," Chris said grimly. "Get yourself over to the jailhouse."

Vin blanched, his face almost white. "But Buck already punished me…" he started.

"And now I'm going to," Chris snapped, his temper slipping the tight reins of control and flaring brightly. "He had a gun, Vin. If it wasn't for Ezra you'd be lying out there dead…"

"And if it wasn't for the boy Buck would be dead," Ezra interrupted.

Chris flinched and turned furious eyes on Ezra, taking a menacing step forward. "Stay the hell out of it, Standish," he growled. "This is none of your damned business."

"He saved Buck's life you ingrate," Ezra spat. "Everybody in this room knows that."

A silence fell on the group as the two men hung together, bristling at each other like dogs.

"Chris…" Vin whispered fearfully, his wide blue eyes filled with trepidation and darting nervously between Ezra and his guardian.

Chris pulled in a deep breath and took a step backwards, then turned towards the anxious boy. "The jailhouse Vin," he insisted. "Or so help me I'll turn you over a table right here."

Vin recoiled, looking for all the world like the forlorn little boy they had stumbled across several months ago. Ezra cursed himself for making things worse, knowing that if anybody would have to pay the price for infuriating Chris it would be the kid. He threw a look around the room, but realized that neither Josiah nor Nathan intended to step in. And Buck, the only person Chris would likely listen to right now, was nowhere in sight. He saw Vin swallow hard, then he watched helplessly as the boy started for the door. Chris paused, sending a malevolent look Ezra's way, then he spun on his heel and marched out of the boarding house.

"This is obscene," Ezra seethed. "Chris is far too harsh with that boy."

"That isn't for you to judge," Josiah said sternly. "The child put himself in danger…"

"To save Buck," Ezra interrupted.

"That just makes it worse," Josiah said quietly. Ezra considered the implications of that odd statement for several long minutes until Buck walked over the threshold and glanced around the room.

"Where in tarnation is that boy now?" he muttered.

"He's at the jailhouse with Chris," Ezra said sourly. "It seems one thrashing wasn't enough to pay for his transgression."

Buck frowned but he didn't say anything, just walked to the open door and stepped onto the porch, shading his eyes while he looked down the street towards the jailhouse. Moments later he relaxed his stance and walked back in followed by Chris, still grim-faced, and Vin, suspiciously red-eyed and wiping at his nose with the sleeve of his shirt.

Vin avoided eye contact with everybody, and skirted around Buck's outstretched hand to shuffle over to the window and gaze out, his back to the room, occasionally transferring his weight from one foot to the other. Chris pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Ezra, deliberately staring at him as though challenging him to make comment. Ezra felt fury boil up in him, but his passive poker face stayed firmly in place and his tongue remained still and silent behind clenched teeth.

"Four dead," Chris reported, ignoring the tension in the room. "Three of the outlaws, one bank teller. Two wounded, a teller and the bandit locked in the cells. Buck, you wired the judge?"

Buck nodded, his eyes drifting to Vin's lonely figure by the window. It was obvious from the way the kid continually shifted and tensed that he was hurting, and little wonder. He had disciplined the boy thoroughly and mercilessly, and then Chris had added more. He'd been a little shocked to learn that Chris was punishing Vin again. Everybody knew how strictly he supervised the two young boys in his charge, but he was also scrupulously fair and had never been unduly harsh with either of them, at least as far as Buck was concerned. Chris had likely been pushed over the edge out of sheer frustration and blinding fear, and Buck knew all too well how that felt.

The sight of a gun trained on the kid had made him shake with a fury and a terror he'd only ever felt once before; when another child dear to his heart had been in mortal danger. When the first shot rang out he thought he'd crumple where he stood and it was only the adrenaline rush that had carried him forward. He saw it all happen so clearly after that. Josiah hurling himself across the street to bring the boy crashing to the ground, the outlaw cocking his gun a second time, Ezra materializing out of God knows where to fire off a shot and fell the bandit, and himself, running uselessly towards the fallen boy, praying that he was all right.

He had been swamped with an intense mixture of emotions: sheer panic replaced by the most profound relief, then a terrible anger at the kid for placing himself in danger like that. And driving all of that, a deep sense of disgust at himself. He'd misjudged the situation, thought that everything was under control and had let his guard down like a greenhorn. And Vin had almost paid the price for his lapse.

The boy looked so alone now, standing apart from them as though he felt he had no right to be there, no right to seek comfort, if not from Chris, at least from one of the other members of his family. Buck drained his coffee cup and rose, walking to the window to stand beside the boy he cared for so deeply. He reached a gentle hand to touch Vin's bruised and torn cheek.

"We should get Nate to take a look at that," he said softly.

"It's okay," Vin murmured, shrugging away from his touch.

"How are you feeling?"

Vin glanced over at him as though surprised by the question and Buck realized with a start that it was probably the first time anybody had bothered to ask the boy about the ordeal.

"I'm fine."

Buck snorted, "Even your backside?" he asked.

Vin shrugged and looked down at the floor. Buck waited for him to continue, knowing he was worrying over something because he bit at his lip nervously, a sure sign. Eventually Vin raised anxious eyes. "Will he really take the horse whip to me when we get home?"

Buck winced. Lord but Chris must have been furious to make that threat. But it was an empty threat, Buck knew it even if the kid didn't.

"You scared him, pard," Buck said. "You scared both of us. That outlaw had a gun, you could have been shot, for God's sake, killed…"

"I'm sorry, Buck," Vin said, dragging a hand through his hair, and Buck realized that he'd been winding up all over again and scaring the boy half to death. He smiled apologetically and patted Vin's arm.

"Don't worry, kid. I'll talk to Chris. Even he'll agree that getting thrashed twice for the same offense is punishment enough."

Vin breathed a small sigh of relief. "Thanks, Buck," he whispered.

Buck fished out his pocket watch and checked the time. "Listen, kid. Take a walk over to the schoolhouse and pick up JD, will you? I don't want him dragging his heels today."

Vin glanced nervously to where Chris was sitting. "He told me not to move without his permission."

"Chris," Buck called. "I've asked Vin to walk over and pick up JD."

Chris looked up. "Okay. Bring him straight back here. I don't want him anywhere near the bank. Understand?"

"Yes sir," Vin said.

"Good boy. Go on then, scoot."

Vin started towards the door then turned back to Buck and gave the startled man a wordless hug. Buck watched him leave, wincing at the poor kid's obvious discomfort. He shook his head, amazed. All the torment, the trauma the ugliness of his life had done nothing to spoil the boy's basic goodness. Maybe it was true that he found more trouble than most, and he certainly had some deeply rooted problems, but that didn't change the fact that Vin Tanner was about as sweet-natured a kid as Buck had ever known.

PART 3

Vin flew out of the boarding house, glad to get out from under Chris' stern, inflexible eye. He hurried along the boardwalk, trying not to look too closely at the blood that soaked the spot where the bandit had died, deciding that he should walk on the opposite side of the street on the way back when JD was with him.

He limped along slowly, his back becoming more inflamed with every step as his undershirt rubbed against his raw skin so that by the time he found JD standing on the steps outside the schoolhouse, he was sore and irritable and in an uncharacteristically surly mood.

JD took one look at his battered face and his mouth dropped open. "Boy, Vin, what happened to you? You get into a fight again? Chris and Buck are gonna be really mad with you this time. Who was it, did you hit him back, did you…"

"Jesus Christ, JD," Vin exploded, shoving at the smaller boy. "Can't you shut your goddamned mouth for one goddamned minute?"

JD closed his mouth with an audible snap, wide-eyed at Vin's uncommon display of temper, and Vin felt immediately sorry for his outburst. The kid was only nine years old, it was natural that he'd be curious.

JD frowned. "That's just plain mean, Vin Tanner," he pouted. "And if Chris hears you cussing like that you'll get the strap."

Vin grabbed hold of JD's hand and pulled him to get him moving. "I already did," he muttered. "Twice."

JD stopped, dragging Vin to a standstill. "Really? Twice in one day?"

"Twice since lunch time," Vin said ruefully. "Once from Buck and once from Chris."

JD winced and his face softened. "Aww, I'm sorry, Vin. No wonder you're in such a bad mood. What did you do? Was it a fight?"

Vin shook his head. "It's a long story, kid. Let's keep moving, okay?" They picked up the pace, JD practically running to keep up with him.

After a moment of blissful silence JD glanced sideways at him. "It must have been something really bad if you got two whippings," he speculated.

Vin smiled, in spite of himself. "Well, Chris and Buck sure seemed to think so," he said.

JD slipped a hand in Vin's and squeezed tight. "Does it hurt much?" he asked, sympathy clear in his voice.

Vin squeezed back. "Yeah, JD," he admitted with a sigh. "It hurts something fierce."

They made it back to Nettie's in good time. JD wanted to detour past the bank because the kids at school had already heard about the robbery and were daring each other to take a look, but Vin explained that Chris had ordered them to stay away.

"I'll get into more trouble if we go, JD," he said.

JD nodded solemnly. "That's okay, Vin. We can go another day when Chris ain't so mad at you."

Vin wasn't sure that day would ever come, but he kept that thought to himself. JD already worried too much about Vin's sometimes difficult relationship with Chris and Buck and he didn't want the kid burdened more than was necessary.

When they arrived at the boarding house Buck opened his arms and swept JD into a hug. "What did you learn at school today?" he asked.

JD frowned. "I didn't learn nothin'."

Ezra snorted. "So it would appear," he said dryly.

Buck brushed JD's black hair off his face. "Go see Miz Nettie in back. She has some milk and cookies for you. Then we're gonna ride for home." JD smiled and squirmed out of Buck's arms and ran towards the kitchen. "Walk," he called, and the boy immediately slowed his pace.

Vin groaned silently. His backside was just about killing him, and thirty minutes bouncing on a hard saddle would finish him off for sure. Buck caught his eye and grinned. "Chris is on duty tonight, kid. We thought it would be best if you stayed here and slept at the boarding house. You two can catch us up in the morning. How does that sound?"

Vin shrugged, not really sure how he felt. Chris and Buck kept a rented room at the boarding house and every few nights one or other of them stayed in town after late patrol rather than risk riding out to the ranch in the dead of night. Over the past months he and JD had occasionally slept in the small room upstairs. Vin didn't mind it once in a while and tonight it was a lot more appealing than skinning his sore backside against a rock hard saddle. He glanced warily at Chris, who still looked plenty angry. On the other hand, spending time alone with his guardian when Chris was this vexed with him wasn't the most enticing prospect.

Buck grinned at him, reading his reticence. "Consider it part of your punishment."

Vin fetched up a deep sigh. Might as well use the time to try to make his peace with Chris and get back in the man's good graces. The startling thing about both his guardians was their willingness to pardon even his worst infractions and although Chris was mad as hell at him, if he behaved really well, if he managed to keep out of trouble for the whole of the rest of the day, Chris would doubtless forgive him, as Buck already had.

He smiled slyly at Buck. "I'll stay here with Chris," he said. "That leaves you and JD. And JD's non-stop mouth. Reckon we're both being punished."

* * * * *

JD said his noisy goodbyes to the other lawmen, and a more polite farewell to Nettie then tugged at Vin's hand to pull him out of the house, followed more sedately by Chris and Buck. They crossed the street to the livery and Vin helped JD saddle up his mount before hugging the younger boy and boosting him onto his horse.

"Behave yourself tonight," Vin warned. "You do everything Buck tells you, and no back talk, ya hear?"

"Yes, Vin," JD mumbled, his voice trembling. They didn't spend much time apart and it was hard on both of them when they did. "And you mustn't make Chris mad again," the boy whispered.

"Deal," Vin smiled. "I'll be home early tomorrow, okay?"

"Don't forget you said you'd take me fishing," JD said.

Vin shook his head ruefully. "I'm in big trouble here, kid. I don't think Chris and Buck will let me," he said.

"But you promised," JD wailed, tears welling up that Vin didn't think had much to do with the fishing trip.

"Dammit, JD, that ain't fair," Vin hissed. "You know they never let me do anything for fun when I'm being punished."

"You're always being punished," JD whispered furiously, the tears spilling over. Vin pulled in a deep breath. He didn't want to send the younger boy off tonight in his present mood, not when he wouldn't be there to come between the kid and their guardian if JD's temper boiled over. Buck was more easy-going than Chris, but he didn't tolerate much in the way of insolence or disrespect and JD had a real mouth on him when he was in a bad mood. Vin sighed heavily. He hated to do it, but he wasn't above manipulating the kid's anxieties when he needed to.

"Please, JD," he cajoled. "Chris won't like it if I make you cry."

It was all he needed to say, JD's experience filled in the rest. He paled, and glancing furtively to where their guardians stood, he scrubbed at his eyes with his shirt sleeve. "Okay, Vin. We can go fishing when you're not in trouble with 'em anymore."

"That'll be in about a hundred years," Vin said, grinning up at the younger boy. JD smiled weakly, then suddenly scrabbled in his vest pocket and extracted a squashed cookie, holding it out proudly.

"Here. I saved this for you," he whispered.

Vin reached up and JD deposited the crumbling mess into his palm. "Thanks, kid," he said, touched as he often was by the boy's sweet thoughtfulness. He broke the cookie in half and pressed a piece back into his friend's hand. "We can share it," he said, and was rewarded with a bright smile.

Buck walked his mount over. "Ready, JD?" he asked, looking curiously at the kid's watery eyes, then back to Vin. JD nodded wordlessly. "Thought maybe after supper you and me could dip into that candy jar Chris keeps hidden away from us."

JD brightened. "Really?" he asked.

"Sure, kid," Buck smiled.

"That sounds good, JD," Vin said, glad to see the boy was cheering up. "I'll see you in the morning." JD nodded and kicked his horse into a walk, stopping beside Chris to say goodnight.

Buck reached down and cupped a hand underneath Vin's chin, tipping his head up. "Stay out of trouble, boy," he admonished.

"I'll be an angel," Vin replied.

Buck snorted, shaking a handful of Vin's hair. "You'd better be. I hear different from Chris and you and I will be having words."

Vin just rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry about JD," Buck continued softly. "Me and him will do just fine."

Vin didn't try to hide his relief. "Thanks, Buck. And don't worry about Chris either. I'll look out for him."

Buck grinned and cuffed him lightly on the side of the head. "Brat."

* * * * *

Chris watched until the two riders cleared the outskirts of town then started to canter across the open plain towards the ranch. He wished like hell that he was going with them to a pleasant evening in front of the fire, JD crowded up against him on the big armchair solemnly following along as Chris explained the stories depicted in the dime novels the boy loved so much, Buck sitting at the table with Vin, helping the boy with the reading exercises Josiah set him, the promise of passion in every smiling glance Buck threw his way.

In the livery, saddling Buck's gray, he'd admitted the gut-wrenching thoughts that had flashed through his mind earlier in the day.

"What kind of daddy am I," he'd hissed harshly, "that I'd rather see Vin hurt than you?"

"The kind of daddy who's new to it again, Chris," Buck said gently. "The kind of daddy who doesn't want to lose anyone close to him again." Then Buck grinned. "The kind of daddy who knows the sun's only shining when I'm smiling at you."

Chris hissed out a low breath. "You're full of yourself, you know that?" he groused, irritated.

"Rather be full of you," Buck said playfully, and Chris felt his body respond in spite of the situation, and sighed.

"Gonna have to wait a while for that," he said ruefully.

"Maybe we let them play with Josiah and Nate, and we go upstairs right now," Buck whispered, but Chris shook his head.

"Too obvious, in town. You know that."

"Yeah," Buck replied, sobering. "Yeah."

Chris sighed and shook himself and when Buck and JD were no more than a speck on the horizon, he turned to Vin, who was standing beside him, hands shoved deeply into his pockets, and from the wistful look on his face, Chris could tell he was wishing he was headed for home too.

"Come on, son. Let's get over to the jailhouse. I need to write up today for Judge Travis."

Vin frowned and bit at his lip. "Can't I wait with Ez and the others?"

Chris quirked an eyebrow. "I want you where I can keep an eye on you."

"But Chris…"

"Save it Vin," Chris said sternly. "Don't you think you're in enough trouble here without the back talk?"

Vin squirmed and glanced away.

"It won't take but thirty minutes," Chris said, his tone softening. "Then we'll have a nice quiet supper at Nettie's."

"Yes sir," Vin mumbled.

They crossed the street towards the jailhouse and Chris didn't fail to notice how Vin limped along slowly beside him, hissing out an occasional pained breath. He felt a deep regret knowing how badly the child was hurting. He should never have taken a belt to the boy again, not after Buck had already disciplined him. He'd lost control of himself, it was as simple as that. When he'd walked into the boarding house and glimpsed Vin's battered face, all of his own shortcomings and deficiencies and the pain of his betrayal were reflected back at him and he'd been unable to face what that made him. Ezra's sharp-tongued rebuke had only made it worse, so he'd lashed out, hiding his weakness behind bluster about the boy's disobedience, using his belt to exorcise his frustration and guilt.

They reached the jail and Chris sat at the desk and pulled a clean sheet of paper towards him, while Vin settled himself cautiously onto the rickety wooden chair propped up against the wall and glanced curiously into the cell at the prisoner.

The outlaw turned his head listlessly, eyes deadened with pain and drugs. "That your boy?" he rasped.

Chris didn't bother to respond.

"Hey kid. I saw the beating he gave you earlier. Your old man's a real mean sonofabitch."

"Yeah. He was," Vin said and Chris looked up sharply, not sure whether Vin was talking about him or Jed Tanner, and not able to tell from the slight smile on the boy's face what he'd meant.

"Are you still hurting?" Vin asked. "I could fetch Mr. Jackson if you need him."

The outlaw raised his head high enough to spit on the floor. "That nigger ain't touching me again."

Chris saw Vin recoil and knew that the outlaw had hit a raw nerve, a memory Vin was still deeply ashamed of. "Harper, button your lip," he growled. "Nathan's the only reason you've still got the use of your hand."

"He's the one shot me in the first place," the outlaw grumbled. "Wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here."

"I dunno, mister." Vin said slowly, eyes alight with mischief. "Maybe if you hadn't been robbing our bank you wouldn't be here."

Chris laughed out loud and the outlaw spat again. "You got a smart mouth on you, boy," he snarled. "I reckon you deserved those beatings."

"Yessir, I reckon I did," Vin agreed mildly. "Every bit as much as you deserve to be in this cell." Chris chuckled at the look of disgust that crossed the outlaw's face as he rolled onto his side and turned his back to Vin.

He returned to writing down his recollection of events, still smiling, and worked quickly until he came to the final incident. "I'm writing up what you did out there," he said, raising his head to look into Vin's eyes.

"Aww Chris, do you have to?" the kid pleaded. "Judge Travis will preach a sermon for days on how reckless I was…"

"Which you deserve," Chris cut in.

"Which I deserve," Vin echoed while throwing him a beseeching look.

Chris considered for a moment. "I tell you what. I won't write it up," he agreed and Vin's face brightened. "But you're gonna tell Travis about it yourself," Chris continued, amused at the look of abject horror that crossed the boy's face. "Every detail, mind. Including how close the bullet came to your head."

Vin groaned and hung his head in his hands.

"Come on son, it won't be that bad," Chris teased. "If you're real lucky and he's in a good mood, maybe you'll only get the short lecture - an hour, two at the most."

"Aww hell. Just shoot me now," Vin moaned, then his head shot up and he winced at the black look Chris threw him for his poor choice of words.

* * * * *

Vin sat down gingerly, flinching when his sore backside hit the wooden chair. He shuffled around for a moment, but soon gave up. There was no way he was going to find a comfortable position with his ass as sore as it was. Besides, Chris kept growling at him to settle down and stop his squirming. He'd just managed to find the least painful spot when Nettie bustled up to the table. He rose quickly, as Buck had taught him to do whenever a lady approached.

"Are your hands clean, young man?" she demanded.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, holding them out for her inspection. He'd never admit it to anybody but Nettie scared him a little, even though she was always kind to him and JD. She turned his hands over and nodded.

"Very good. Now, sit. I've got a fine stew to start with, then a nice warm cherry pie. Your favorite."

Vin lowered himself carefully back onto the chair, glancing at Chris as he sat. There was no way his guardian was going to allow him to have a treat, not after what had happened today. Sure enough Chris said, "No pie tonight, Nettie. He's being punished."

Nettie put her hands on her hips and frowned down at him. "Oh, Vin. Not again?"

"Yes, ma'am, sorry," he mumbled, hanging his head, hating the disappointment he heard in her voice.

"I don't know how you do it, young man. I'm sure I don't. Well, you'd better eat up all of your stew, otherwise you'll answer to me."

Vin kept his head down all through supper, listening to the adults talking while he ate in silence. He missed JD's happy chatter and the more relaxed atmosphere of meals at home. Here he had to be constantly mindful of his manners and work hard to remember all the rules Buck had taught him about how to behave in public. Chris had already frowned at him until he swept his hat off his head and hung it on the back of his chair and he was nervous in case he did something else that was stupid or wrong.

He heard a soft chuckle from across the table. "Guess you're really enjoying that, son," Josiah smiled, and he realized that he'd been scraping the plate with his spoon. He flushed and put the spoon down carefully.

"Do you want any more?" Chris asked.

"No sir," he replied, then added, "Thank you."

Chris nodded his approval and he blushed furiously when Ezra said, "We'll make a gentleman out of you yet, Mr. Tanner."

Nettie brought the coffee pot to the table and poured cups for the adults. Each of them turned down the pie she offered, Nathan reaching out to tousle his hair as he said no, and Vin was sure they'd refused because he wasn't allowed to have any.

Eventually Ezra wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood up. "If you'll excuse me. I believe there's a card game waiting for me over at the saloon. Good night."

Chris pushed his coffee cup away. "Vin, you go on up to bed now."

Vin glanced out of the window in dismay. It was still light outside and he'd hoped to get out after supper and stretch his legs after being cooped up at Chris' side for most of the day. Still, arguing with his guardian was definitely not an option right now. He was about to acquiesce when Josiah spoke up.

"Why don't you come over and spend a little time with me while Chris is riding his circuit?" he suggested. Vin looked over at Chris, hoping he'd give his permission. He loved spending time with Josiah at the peaceful church.

"Okay. No more than an hour, though," Chris said. "I want you in bed in good time. We're making an early start tomorrow."

"I'll make sure he's back in time," Josiah smiled.

Chris rose and reached out to tip Vin's face towards him with a finger under his chin. "You mind what Josiah and Nathan tell you, ya hear me?"

Vin stiffened at the touch and did his damnedest not to flinch away. "Yes, sir," he murmured, looking into cool hazel eyes and trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. He really didn't think he needed a reminder about how to behave whenever he spent time with the other lawmen. He'd been sternly instructed that they had the same rights over him as Chris and Buck, and that had been frequently and painfully demonstrated in the past. He and JD pretty much thought of Josiah, Nathan and Ezra as extra guardians, just as willing as Chris and Buck to provide correction and guidance.

"I think Nate and I will stay for another cup of coffee," Josiah said, and Vin caught the eyebrow he raised in question and the slight answering nod Chris tossed back at him. Vin was surprised when Chris reached to stroke a hand through his hair and say softly, "Night, son. Sleep well."

He turned and watched Chris walk out of the boarding house, wondering if he would ever understand the man, and when he turned back Nettie was refilling Josiah's coffee cup and a plate of cherry pie had appeared at his place. He looked up and Josiah winked at him.

Much as he wanted the pie, which smelled delicious and was his absolute favorite, Vin knew that Chris wouldn't be happy with him if he accepted it. He glanced up. "Thank you, Josiah. But Chris said I wasn't allowed…"

"Chris knows," Nathan interjected.

Vin looked dubious. "Really?" he asked. Chris rarely changed his mind once it was made up and he certainly wasn't in the habit of reducing a punishment once he'd handed it down.

"It's fine, Vin," Josiah assured.

"Eat up, young man" Nettie said firmly. "Good food does not go to waste in this house."

Well, Vin thought, picking up his spoon and digging happily into the steaming pie, Chris had ordered him to mind what Josiah and Nate told him, and Buck always said he should never argue with a lady.

* * * * *

"Josiah, do you think I'm old enough to carry a gun?"

"No!" Josiah and Nathan chorused in unison.

Vin looked from one to the other as he walked between them on their way to the church.

"But I'm 13 now."

Josiah shook his head. "You have no control over your temper, you don't have the first notion when to curb your tongue and you don't have the sense to walk away from a hopeless situation. No, you are most definitely not mature enough to carry a gun."

"You wear a sidearm and folks are likely to mistake you for a gunslinger," Nathan added.

Vin sighed. "Yeah. That's pretty much what Chris and Buck said."

"You'd do well to listen to them more often," Nathan chastised.

"I listen to them all the time," Vin protested.

Nathan snorted in disbelief. "That why they both blistered your backside today?"

"I said I listen, didn't say I always do what they tell me," he grinned.

"And that's why you won't be sitting right for the next week," Nathan laughed.

They walked on in silence, stepping off the boardwalk past the saloon and crossing the dusty square towards the old stone church.

"So how am I gonna learn to control my temper and keep my mouth shut?" Vin asked. "They didn't teach me any of that stuff at the stupid schoolhouse."

"Ha! How would you know what they taught, boy?" Nathan teased. "As I recall you spent all the time standing in a corner with your face to the wall 'cause you got into so many fights."

"Not all the time, Nate," Vin said with a long suffering sigh.

"True. Some of the time you were bent over your teacher's desk, and some of it you were banished from the schoolhouse altogether. You remember how Buck and Chris reacted those days?"

Vin winced at the memory. "I just wasn't cut out for school. Anyway, you and Josiah taught me more than that place ever did."

They reached the church, tall and imposing in the diminishing light, but didn't go in, preferring to sit outside and enjoy the warm evening air. Vin lowered himself carefully and perched on the edge of one of the steps. Nathan fished in his pocket and pulled out a knife and a lump of wood and began to whittle away at it.

Josiah claimed the old wooden chair on the porch, tipped it back to balance on its two back legs and sighing in contentment. He couldn't remember when he'd been so settled before, and he knew it had something to do with the two new souls in his life. It was a beautiful night, his friends were all safe for another day, and he didn't have to ride for his pay tonight. He offered up a brief prayer to whatever God might be looking down right now and closed his eyes.

He listened to Vin talking quietly to Nathan, the boy's affection for the man plain to hear. So different to those first weeks when Jed Tanner's poisonous opinions kept bubbling to the surface every time Vin and Nathan met. Right from the beginning Josiah had realized that the hateful words spewing from Vin's mouth didn't come from his heart but were only the parroting of his father's evil vitriol. Luckily Nathan sensed it too and he had insisted that Chris and Buck stop punishing the boy every time he misspoke.

Vin was too intelligent to accept his father's prejudice in the face of his own experience, and he was too innately kindhearted to continue in his cruelty to a man he quickly recognized as being very much like himself: an outsider, somebody who was hated for reasons beyond his control, simply because of the circumstances of his birth. Vin's attitude changed quickly and wholeheartedly and he and Nathan had formed a deep friendship based on acceptance and respect.

The boy was slowly forging bonds with each of them. He seemed to care deeply for Buck, borne out today by his willingness to come to the man's aid; with Ezra he shared a quiet, intense relationship that ran deep in both of them, and Josiah already thought of both boys as part of his family.

He opened his eyes when he heard Nathan snort, "Don't let Chris hear you say that, boy, or you'll be getting another taste of his belt."

Josiah sighed. Vin's relationship with Chris was the most problematic, his anger at the man who had pumped three rounds into his father's chest, warring with a grudging respect and a reluctant admiration he seemed determined to fight. Sometimes there appeared to be a chasm of misunderstanding and pain between those two and yet they were alike in so many ways; watchful, taciturn, stubborn, both possessing a sly sense of humor that surfaced at the most inopportune moments. They could have been father and son, and Josiah had a moment of keen clarity when he realized that maybe that was part of the reason things were so hard for them both. Chris, the father Jed Tanner could never have been; Vin the son Adam Larabee might have become.

"Self control," Josiah said.

"Huh?" Vin looked up at him in confusion.

"That's what Chris and Buck are trying to teach you," Josiah said, picking up their earlier conversation. "How to keep a check on your temper, when to keep your own counsel, how to make the wisest decisions."

Vin looked skeptical. "I thought they were just teaching me to do what I'm told."

"That's a lesson lost on you," Nathan muttered.

Vin ignored the jibe. "But they only tell you to do what's for the best," Josiah explained patiently. "The things that help you learn how to control yourself. The things that keep you safe."

Nathan prodded him with the toe of his boot. "I don't know what you were thinking today, boy. Standing up in front of an armed man like that…"

"Not you too, Nate," Vin groaned. "Chris and Buck already helped me figure out how stupid that was."

"So why did you do it?" Josiah asked softly.

"Beats the goddamned hell out of me," Vin muttered and yelped loudly when Josiah reached out and slapped him smartly on the back of the head.

"So why did you do it?" Josiah repeated.

Vin rubbed at his head and looked away from the man's penetrating gaze. That was a question he'd been asking himself ever since it happened.

"Buck was in trouble," he mumbled. It wasn't an answer, he knew that. But he wasn't sure he wanted to examine his actions too closely. When had the man who he'd once sworn would forever be an enemy become somebody he was willing to risk his life for?

"Chris can do without me," he muttered absently. "Not so sure he could live without Buck."

He missed the startled looks Nathan and Josiah exchanged over his head.

* * * * * Chris yawned and climbed the stairs tiredly, trying not to make too much noise. It was past midnight and all he wanted was a few hours of sleep, then an early start back to the ranch. He wasn't fond of the nights he or Buck had to sleep at the boarding house. It was a necessity, he understood that, but he didn't particularly like it.

He fished in his pocket for the key to the second floor room, but found that the door was already unlocked. Vin was going to be hearing about that in the morning, he thought, shaking his head in exasperation. The boy had been told a dozen times to lock the door when he was alone in the room but he continued to resist. Chris knew it was because he and JD had often been locked up as a punishment when they lived with Vin's father and both boys were terrified of confinement, even though Vin was better at hiding his fear than JD. Still, the boy was old enough to know that he and Buck were only interested in his safety and they looked to him to persuade JD that things that had happened in their past were not likely to be repeated here.

They looked to Vin for a lot, he conceded, sitting on the edge of the bed and glancing over at the young boy lying crowded up against the wall, especially where JD was concerned. Too much, maybe. But oftentimes it was only through Vin that they could make JD see reason. He certainly seemed to be better at looking out for JD than he was at taking care of himself.

The boy was lying on his stomach now, his back exposed, the blankets shrugged off as though he couldn't bear the touch of the scratchy, rough material against his raw skin. Chris felt his remorse deepen, seeing the belt marks so stark against Vin's pale flesh.

Vin stirred and his eyes opened, blinking in the moonlight that poured through the window. He raised his head and mumbled, "Chris?"

"Go back to sleep," Chris whispered, and Vin lay his head back down although his eyes remained open, watching silently as Chris pulled off his boots and socks, then folded his pants and shirt before placing them on the wooden chair beside the bed. He swung his legs up and lay on his back but despite his fatigue he couldn't sleep. He kept replaying the image of Buck and Vin standing in that quiet dusty street in front of the outlaw's gun and his overwrought mind flooded with the possible outcomes; first Buck pitching forward and landing in a cloud of dust, then Vin, crumpling where he stood, blood pumping from a gaping hole, his blue eyes cold and dead. Chris shuddered and he felt the bed move as Vin raised himself up on his elbows with a grunt of pain.

Chris turned his head, seeking out the boy's bright eyes. "Vin, you know I only told you to stay down for your own protection," he said.

"Yes, sir. I know," Vin replied.

"Do you know why I thrashed you?" Chris asked.

"Because I disobeyed you," the boy replied promptly.

Chris sat up, resting his head against the headboard of the bed and rubbing at his tired eyes. "Because in disobeying me you put yourself in danger," he corrected.

Vin lay back down, his head resting on folded arms. There was silence for a moment and Chris wondered if the boy had fallen back to sleep. But then a whispered admission chilled him to the bone. "I didn't want Buck to die. You didn't either." And Vin turned his head away.

Chris' breath caught in his throat as the boy's words sunk in. Vin knew. Knew that in those brief seconds when the outlaw's gun swung wildly from Buck to Vin, that Chris had made a silent choice between them.

He reached out a hand and placed it carefully on the back of Vin's head, mindful of how much the boy disliked being touched, and only the slightest tightening of Vin's muscles betrayed that he was still awake and listening.

"Me and Buck, we care about you and JD very much," he said quietly. "We couldn't stand it if anything happened to either of you."

Vin refused to acknowledge him or respond, only relaxing again when Chris withdrew his hand with a heavy sigh. He wondered why he was still being such a damned coward, dragging Buck's name into it as if he couldn't admit how much he cared for the boys without hiding behind his partner.

Both boys seemed to instinctively trust Buck and they had accepted him almost immediately, letting down their carefully constructed guard and blossoming under his care and patience. But though Chris knew that JD was slowly warming to him, extending trust and even a tentative love, he knew equally that Vin was still closed off to him, wary and distrustful; sometimes he thought the boy still hated him.

He sighed and shuffled down into the bed, but sleep still eluded him. So he listened to Vin's breath, shallow and regular, knowing the boy was awake too, feeling the pain and suspicion that divided them, regretting deeply the damage done by that fleeting moment of treachery.

* * * * *

Chris woke next morning with the sun shining full on his face and he rolled onto his side with a grunt before opening his eyes to the day. The bed beside him was empty and it was a little disconcerting that a 13 year old had managed to climb over him, dress and leave the room all without him realizing it. It didn't speak well of his supposedly well-honed skills as a gunfighter and lawman.

Chris stretched and climbed out of bed, dressing quickly then splashing his face with water from the ewer on the night table. Nettie greeted him in the small dining room with a cup of strong coffee.

"Vin's been awake since sun-up," she said, and Chris couldn't help feeling like a small child being scolded for laziness. "He offered to chop some wood for me, he's out back right now. He's growing into a fine young man," she said.

Chris nodded, taking a long pull from his coffee cup. "But he isn't there yet, Nettie. He can ride a horse and rope a steer and shoot a gun better than any 10 men you'd care to measure him against. But he's still a child. He forgets that sometimes."

"He's trying so hard to follow the example you and Buck set," she said. "You know what it was like for him, living with that awful man. It isn't always easy for him to tell what's right and what's wrong."

"What's right is for him to do what Buck and I tell him," Chris said adamantly.

Nettie shook her head. "He's at an age where he needs to work some things out for himself, Chris. Don't tell me you can't remember when you wanted to spread your wings, get out from under your father's thumb a little?"

Chris shrugged. "I remember well enough. And I remember my father's belt was more often across my backside than holding his pants up. Vin is headstrong and stubborn. He needs a firm hand."

"Headstrong and stubborn, two things you understand very well," Nettie said tartly, and Chris inclined his head, conceding the point. "He's a good boy, Chris," Nettie continued, her tone softening. "A boy to be proud of."

"And I want him to live long enough to be a good man," Chris replied firmly. "I guess you think I'm too hard on him, but that's the only way I know to bring him up right."

The conversation ground to a halt when Josiah walked in, nodding a greeting to Chris before taking his place at the table.

"Morning, Nettie, Chris. Vin not up yet?"

"He's out back helping Nettie."

Josiah nodded. "Vin's a good boy," he said, and Chris rolled his eyes at Nettie's triumphant smile.

Nathan walked in, yawning loudly, as Nettie hurried off to start breakfast. Nathan pulled out a chair and lowered himself into it, gulping greedily at the cup of coffee Nettie had left for him. He quirked an eyebrow towards Vin's empty seat. "The kid okay?"

"He's chopping wood, he's fine," Chris said, irritation flaring. This was beginning to look like a conspiracy.

"He's a good boy," Nathan said, absently, glancing up into Chris' face.

"So I hear," Chris said, dryly.

Vin walked in through the kitchen, face flushed with exertion, hair dripping wet from the bucket of water he'd emptied over his head to cool off, unaware that he was once again the topic of conversation between the adults. He threw himself into his chair then winced and muttered "shit," when his sore backside made contact with the wood. He looked up quickly into Chris' frowning face and said, "Oh hell…" clearly reading Chris' displeasure, then he stopped, sucking in a sharp breath as Chris' face darkened ominously.

Nathan chuckled. "I think you'd better quit while you're ahead, son," he advised. "Miz Nettie hears that language in her house and she'll take a switch to you."

"And if I hear any more of it I'll do the same," Chris said sternly.

Vin dropped his eyes to his hands folded on his lap and murmured, "Sorry."

Chris tapped a finger sharply on the table. "This might be a good time to discuss your refusal to lock the door last night, even though you've been told a dozen times," he said.

Vin raised his head and grimaced at the determined look on his guardian's face. He'd been hoping to avoid this particular argument again. Part of him understood that Chris was just worried about his safety knowing that there were some in town who'd taken against him just because his last name was Tanner, and both his guardians had warned him that any strangers passing through Four Corners would most likely end up staying at the boarding house and that not all of them were to be trusted. But understanding all that didn't make it easier for Vin to chase away his deep-seated fear of being confined. "I hate being locked in," he said, his voice hard-edged with tension. "I can't do it."

"Can't or won't?" Chris challenged, and Vin shot him a black look. Chris knew damned well how difficult it was for him to be locked up, but he just kept on pushing and pushing.

"You have a key," Josiah pointed out reasonably. "You can always get out."

"It's still being locked up," Vin argued, irritated at the way they always ganged up on him. "I hate it and I don't know why you make such a big deal about it."

"I know it's hard for you but it's for your own protection," Chris said firmly

"But…"

"That's enough, Vin," Chris said, more sternly this time. "I'm done talking about it and it won't happen again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly," Vin snapped. "I have to do what you tell me, even when it's damned stupid." He saw Chris stiffen and waited for the inevitable explosion but instead Nathan reached out and put a heavy hand on his arm.

"Change your tone, Vin," he warned quietly. "Or you and I are going to leave this table and take the discussion elsewhere."

Vin understood the threat and subsided with a frustrated glare, reminded that although Nathan was a good friend, he was still an adult, still more likely to take Chris' side than his. Sometimes he hated this life so damned much. Everybody telling him what to do, never a moment's peace from their nagging and their bullying. He'd have been better off if they'd left him and JD to fend for themselves, better still if the whole lot of them hadn't gunned his father down in cold blood as though he was a worthless dog.

His appetite had fled, but he continued chewing, knowing he'd call down more trouble if he refused to eat. Jesus, he wasn't even allowed to decide if he was hungry or not. He finished as much as he could and when there was a lull in the conversation he asked, "May I please be excused from the table," just like Buck had taught him.

Chris glanced over at his plate and frowned, and Vin prayed that he wouldn't make him sit there and finish the rest, but his guardian just nodded. "Take your plate into the kitchen and wait for me outside. I'll be out in ten minutes."

Vin rose and gathered up his plate and fork, depositing them in the kitchen, deeply grateful that Nettie didn't see how much food he'd left. She would have lectured him endlessly about waste, and he wasn't sure he would be able to stand there and listen to her, not without his temper getting the better of him and that would have led to another dressing down from Chris. Or worse.

He made his escape, sucking in the clean, morning air. He knew better than to stray too far from the porch in front of the boarding house, especially when he caught sight of Clem Stevens across the street.

He jumped a little when he heard a familiar voice behind him, "What have we here? A fugitive?" and he turned to see Ezra sitting on one of the rockers on the porch, blowing a thin plume of smoke into the air from a lighted cheroot. He liked Ezra, he really did, but right now Vin was heartily sick of all the adults in his life. It felt as if he couldn't even draw a breath without one of them hovering close by.

He glared at his friend and snapped, "None of your damned business," knowing that his disrespect would have earned a cuff from any of the others. But Ezra just shrugged and drawled, "Got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Vin?"

Vin turned away, feeling unaccountably bad. Ezra had covered for him several times in the past when he'd done things he knew Chris and Buck would definitely disapprove of. And the man had never once raised a hand to him, not even when he deserved it. Ezra was a friend, one of the few he had right now, and he didn't deserve to be treated so bad. Vin felt his bad mood evaporate and was about to apologize when he saw that Clem Stevens had crossed the street and now stood on the street in front of the boarding house. Vin barely registered what the man was doing before a volley of tobacco-laced spittle sailed through the air and landed with a splat on his booted foot.

"Devil's spawn," Stevens hissed.

Before Vin had the chance to react, he felt a hand at his belt and he was jerked backwards, almost off his feet, and Chris was suddenly standing between him and Stevens.

"Back away, Clem," Chris warned, his soft voice never rising, but deadly for all that. "This boy is under my protection."

"We don't want that viper in our town," Clem spat, and Vin shuddered at the venom in the man's voice and the fury in his eyes. He backed up unconsciously and felt the strong, solid presence of Josiah and Nathan behind him, and Josiah's heavy hand came up to rest on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that although Ezra hadn't moved, he had tensed, his hand resting on his gun holster.

"This child has done nothing to hurt you and yours," Chris said coldly.

"His god-forsaken father murdered my sister."

Chris took a step forward. "Jed Tanner is gone. I'm his family now," he said emphatically, and Vin felt a warmth wash through him, chasing away the chill of Stevens' hatred.

Stevens looked up, cold calculation in his eyes. "You and Wilmington had no right to bring that trash into this town," he said, his voice calmer now, though somehow more menacing. "You two had better look to yourselves if you plan on keeping him around."

Stevens stalked off and Vin let out a pent up breath and felt Josiah's hand give him a reassuring squeeze. Chris turned and stepped in close. "You all right?"

Vin nodded, trying to find his voice. "I shouldn't be here," he finally managed. "They all hate me."

"It's just talk," Chris said firmly. "We won't let anything happen to you."

Vin didn't argue, didn't tell his guardian that things had already happened. That the cuts and bruises he'd come home with during the past months had been dealt by members of the irate family his father's gun had bereaved, that JD put up with more derision and taunts than any nine year old deserved because of his association with Jed Tanner, that Vin had been continually intimidated with threats of retribution against anybody who protected him. "You should send me away," he said, his voice surprisingly resolute. "I'll only bring trouble on you all."

Chris waved him off. "We're your family," he said, in the tone that usually meant there was no room for argument. "And trouble goes both ways." Chris actually smiled, and Vin shook his head helplessly.

He was aware of an exchange of looks over the top of his head and then Nathan said, "Reckon I'll take a ride out to the ranch with you."

"I think I might join you," Josiah said casually. "I hear JD has planned a fishing trip."

"And I feel like a little exercise," Ezra said softly. "I think this town can get along without us for one day."

Vin glanced from one man to another, torn between profound gratitude for their support, and fear for what he might bring down on them. He read the same thing in each of their faces: determination, resolve, conviction, and in Chris' something extra, fierce protectiveness and what for a startling moment looked like deep caring, maybe even the love he was sure he'd seen in Buck's eyes before. Without thinking he stepped forward and wound his arms briefly around his guardian, taking comfort from the man's solid strength. And when he would have pulled back, Chris' arms came up around his shoulders and held him close. "We're your family," Chris repeated, and for the first time in his life, Vin felt the joy of that notion.

PART 4

Chris tipped his face towards the sun, keeping his eyes closed and enjoying the late afternoon warmth and the unaccustomed laziness he rarely indulged in. He was aware of Ezra lying on the scratchy blanket beside him snoring softly, his hat over his face to prevent the burn of the sun, and of Nathan sitting a little way off, under the shade of a willow tree, chuckling quietly over one of JD's dime novels. In the distance he heard the babble of JD's voice and the soft rumble of Josiah's replies and he opened his eyes and shuffled up onto his elbows to look out across the stream where they were standing knee deep, Josiah teaching JD how to cast.

The boy was doing a creditable job with his fishing pole, although his constant chatter would drive away any fish within miles. Chris shaded his eyes and looked further downstream to where Vin and Buck stood, thigh deep, silently casting side by side. He had told Buck about the ugly confrontation in town and they had decided to postpone discussion about what they should do until they had all unwound with a few hours of peace and quiet at the stream, but Chris noticed how Buck stuck close to Vin, talking to him softly, an arm protectively around his shoulder, keeping him close and safe.

A flurry of movement caught his eye and Josiah and JD waded out of the stream and made their way over to the blankets where JD plunked himself down, accidentally jostling Ezra awake.

"You did good out there, son," Chris said and JD turned a shy smile on him that caught at his heart. It was obvious that the kids had never heard anything amounting to praise before, more used to being cursed and humiliated. They were not like other kids, Chris thought; they were wildly grateful for the simplest things, they were both sensitive to hurt in others, they could be painfully reserved, even timid or obstinately brash and fearless. They were fiercely independent while needing the most careful handling.

Buck was crazy about them both, and the other lawmen had opened their hearts to the children and accepted them without reservation. And despite the conflict, the disruption to his life, the many accommodations he had to make, Chris didn't want to think of a life without them. They were a second chance for him, one he'd never have thought possible nor one he'd have chosen for himself, but fate had decreed otherwise and the boys were now a part of the family he had created with Buck.

JD waved and Chris turned his head to see Vin and Buck heading out of the stream. He stood and nudged Ezra with his boot, and the man grumbled quietly as he rolled off the blanket and picked it up off the ground and they all began to make their way up to the house, JD running ahead to talk excitedly to Nathan, Buck and Vin bringing up the rear slowly.

An hour later they were seated at the long wooden table, food spread out down the length of it.

"JD, did you wash up before you sat down?" Chris asked,

"Yes sir." JD lifted his hands to show both back and front.

"Good boy," Chris smiled.

They bowed their heads while Josiah offered brief thanks, something he and Buck didn't always remember when Josiah wasn't there to remind them, then there were a few minutes of silence as plates full of corn and potatoes and trout were passed up and down the table.

When they had filled their plates Chris said, "Vin, you're gonna have to stay closer to us when you're in town. No more wandering off by yourself for a while." Vin frowned but for once he didn't argue.

JD stopped eating and he looked over at Vin questioningly. "Did them Stevens hurt you again, Vin?" he asked. "That what happened to your face?"

Vin scowled down at him and whispered, "Hush."

"What do you mean, JD?" Buck asked, and the young boy looked anxiously up at Vin and clamped his lips together tightly.

"He didn't mean anything," Vin hurried out, his arm moving instinctively to rest on the back of the younger boy's chair, a protective gesture the other men had seen dozens of times before.

Chris recognized the signs that the boys were shutting them out, uniting to hide something they didn't want known. "Have you been troubled by Clem Stevens before?" he asked.

"Nothing I can't handle," Vin said, his mouth set in a hard line of resistance to the questions.

"You don't have to handle anything, Vin," Josiah said. "That's what you have a family for."

Vin just ducked his head, but JD chewed thoughtfully on a mouth full of food then swallowed and said, "But we're not really your family, 'siah."

"Why do you say that, son?" Josiah asked. "Tell me, do you think of Vin here as your family?"

"Uh huh," JD said, nodding his head gravely.

"But he's not blood kin to you, is he?" Josiah said and waited while the boy shook his head, obviously thinking he'd made a point.

"But that's different. Vin says we won't never be Chris and Buck's family 'cause they don't trust us."

"JD," Vin snapped and the boy cringed and subsided.

Chris exchanged a look with Buck. "Why don't you think we trust you, Vin?" he asked.

Vin bit his lip and looked down.

"Chris asked you a question, young man," Buck said, when the silence stretched out long and loud. But Vin just shook his head and Chris knew he'd dug his heels in and would refuse to answer, no matter how much they cajoled or threatened him. But over the past months he'd learned a little something about how the boys worked together and he knew how to break the deadlock.

"Vin, if you continue in this disrespect you're gonna be spending time by yourself until you prove you're fit for company."

Vin's head reared and he unconsciously reached for JD. Chris knew that as intensely as he hated the confinement, Vin would fret just as much over being separated from JD. It was a method that had worked before to bring both boys into line.

JD slid his hand up Vin's arm and gripped it tightly, until Vin turned his head and nodded slightly at the boy.

JD pulled in a deep breath. "We won't ever be your family because you don't trust us with the secret," he explained.

The men looked at each other, frowning. "What secret?" Buck asked.

Vin looked up. "That you and Chris fuck each other," he said.

"Vin!" Chris barked, and Josiah dropped his fork with a loud clatter. Nathan stared in open-mouthed shock and Ezra whispered, "Lord Almighty," while JD scuttled closer to Vin, clinging around his neck and whimpering at the sudden chill in the room.

"But you made me tell you," Vin protested anxiously, eyes round with apprehension.

"It's okay son," Buck soothed, although he looked as stunned as the rest of the men. "It's just that word…"

"…isn't used in polite society," Vin filled in, having heard the phrase dozens of times since he'd come to live at the ranch. "I'm sorry. It's the only word I know."

Chris swallowed hard, fighting to regain control. "Sit back down, JD," he said. "Finish your supper."

JD glanced around warily but he resumed his place although he did little more than push his food around his plate after that. An awkward silence reigned for a few moments.

"Why do you think we do that, Vin?" Chris asked gently and the boy raised eyes that were filled with confusion. He hesitated for a moment, looking around the table at the men who regarded him with intense curiosity.

"You sleep in the same bed," he mumbled, face suffused with color.

"That isn't uncommon, son," Nathan chimed in. "Doesn't mean anything."

JD stole a glance at Buck. "You sleep…cuddled," he offered tentatively.

"We had to come in one night when JD had a bellyache. We saw you," Vin explained.

Chris threw a puzzled look at Buck. He remembered JD getting sick, but the boys had woken them with a shout from their own room. Vin obviously read his confusion.

"We went back to our room so you wouldn't know we'd seen," he admitted.

"And we've seen you kiss," JD said shyly, and Chris stopped himself from groaning out loud. He'd thought he and Buck had been so damned careful when the boys were around, but sometimes they crept about the house as quiet as mice, a legacy from their days living with Tanner, when they'd been afraid to show themselves in case they drew his anger.

Chris frowned and he saw Vin wince. "We didn't mean to see you, Chris," he said, tightening his grip on JD's shoulder.

"It's not your fault, boys," Chris said. There was no point trying to cover this up with a lie of denial. The boys knew. "Why don't you clean off the table and finish out your evening chores?" he said and both boys rose quickly, as though glad of the excuse to escape the loaded atmosphere.

The worked quietly and diligently to clear dishes into the washtub and scrub them clean and Chris was reminded all over again of how different the boys were to other children, how hard-working, settling down to any task he or Buck gave them, and Chris knew it was because they'd had to do so much to shift for themselves in the past.

He caught Buck's eye and jerked his head towards the door and the two of them joined Josiah and Ezra on the porch while Nathan stayed inside to help the boys.

"What the hell are we gonna do about this mess?" Buck asked, dragging a hand through his thick black hair.

Josiah shrugged. "Vin is old enough to understand the dangers, but I don't know if we can trust JD to keep quiet."

"He's a very smart young man," Ezra defended. "If we explained it to him…"

"It isn't fair to ask the boy to keep secrets," Chris chimed in. "It's too much to expect of him."

Ezra shook his head vehemently. "You are underestimating that child, Chris," he said firmly. "You should talk to the boys, try to make them understand."

"I don't want to scare them," Buck said.

"Just talk to them," Ezra insisted. "No harm in that."

Chris exchanged a look with Buck, easily reading how painful this was for his partner. He was obviously already weighing the jeopardy they could be in against protecting the children from harm, and he knew Buck would put the boys' security ahead of anything else. It was no less than he expected of the man, part of the reason he loved Buck so deeply. But it scared him, the choice he knew Buck would make, at least for the time it took to raise these boys properly. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the man's cheek and despite the peril they might be in, it was good to return to the open affection they'd been able to display, at least here on the ranch, before the boys had come to live with them.

"I don't want to lose them, Chris," Buck murmured.

"Me neither," Chris said fervently. "But I don't want them hurt because of us, and I don't want to force them to live a lie for us."

Buck looked stricken for a moment, then he pulled in a deep breath. "We might have to make it so it isn't a lie," he suggested tentatively, his eyes searching Chris' face and Chris thought he could feel his whole world shudder around him.

"Let's not go down that road until we have to," he managed to say, surprised that he could even give voice to the thought. "Let's go talk to them first, before we make any kind of decision."

The men returned to the house to find that Nathan had made a pot of coffee, which they poured gratefully, each of them lacing the dark, rich brew with a shot of whiskey to steady nerves and reach for courage.

Chris noted that the boys were looking tense and wary and that JD was clinging to Vin's shirt, almost hiding behind the older boy.

"Why don't you sit down at the table," Chris said kindly. "We need to have a talk."

JD looked up at Vin, who gave a nod, and the two sat side-by-side, expectantly looking to each of the men in turn, before returning their troubled eyes back to Chris.

Chris cleared his throat. "Boys, we have a situation here," he began, then frowned as JD's great eyes filled with tears. "It's okay, son," he tried to comfort. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"We won't tell the secret," Vin said resolutely. "You can trust us. Both of us," he said, distinctly, his eyes drifting to JD, his arm coming up again to cradle the boy's shoulders and pull him close.

"Of course we trust you, Vin," Buck assured. "It's just it ain't always easy to keep a secret."

"We can keep this one," Vin said, adding softly, "We kept it this long, didn't we? And we've known for months."

Buck nodded. "You've both done a real good job, boys. We're proud of you. But you wouldn't be able to let any part of this secret get out. Not to anybody. Not ever."

"We know," JD said. "Otherwise they'd come for you." Chris felt Buck flinch beside him and resisted the urge to mirror Vin's actions with JD and put a protective arm around him.

"What do you mean by that JD?" Buck asked softly, but before JD could answer Vin cut him off.

"Can we be excused from the table?" he demanded.

Chris frowned, taken aback. "This is important, Vin," he chided.

Vin waved him off impatiently. "I need to talk to JD in private. Five minutes. Please, Chris?"

Chris looked around the table at the confused men, then shrugged. "Okay boys. Take five minutes."

Vin slipped a hand into JD's and tugged the boy after him as he stepped across the threshold onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind him. None of the men spoke, they just listened to the muffled murmur of the children's voices, sipping at their coffee in the charged silence, avoiding each other's eyes. After several minutes the door re-opened and the boys resumed their seats. Vin pulled in a deep breath.

"We reckon being family means we have to trust each other both ways," he started quietly.

Buck nodded gravely. "Sounds about right, son," he agreed.

Vin hesitated for a long moment, until JD shook his arms and whispered, "Tell them, Vin."

Vin hissed out a pent-up breath. "JD's daddy and mine," he said slowly, "they were like Buck and Chris…" he trailed off as the men gasped or tried to otherwise contain their astonishment.

"Vin," Chris said, struggling to find the words. "You're saying your pa and JD's… that they… they were…" Goddamn it, he couldn't think of a way to say this that the boys would understand.

"They fucked each other, Chris," Vin supplied and although Chris was stunned into open-mouthed shock he was sure he detected a hint of mirth sparkling in Vin's eyes. "Sorry. Don't know the polite words," Vin said, sounding wholly unrepentant.

The profound silence in the room dragged on as each of the men tried to process what they had heard. Josiah was the first to recover.

"What happened to your pa, JD?"

The boy's lip trembled and he leaned closer to Vin, obviously seeking comfort.

"Go on," Vin encouraged in a low whisper. "You can tell them."

"They strung him up," JD mumbled, his eyes lowered.

"Sweet Jesus," Ezra said. Buck rose quickly, startling Chris a little, and he strode around the table to scoop JD up into his arms and re-settle the boy on his lap. "Who did that to him?" he asked softly, hugging the child close.

"The people in the town," JD whispered, so low that the men had to lean in to hear him. "They found out what him and Vin's daddy did. They came one night with torches and they dragged him outta the house…" he stopped, a sob escaping and Buck squeezed more tightly. JD buried his head against Buck's shoulder and Chris saw his partner shake his head and knew Buck didn't want the boy questioned any further.

"What happened to him, Vin?" Chris asked, although Vin looked almost as shaken as JD.

"They hung him from a tree," Vin murmured. "JD was hid so they didn't see him. While they was doing that to his pa he cut out across the fields and ran all the way to my house…"

"In the dark," JD mumbled, the words almost disappearing against Buck's shirt.

"We didn't wait to even pack a bag," Vin continued. "We just saddled our horses, grabbed what we could carry, and lit on out of there."

"Vin's pa didn't want to take me," JD said, sitting up now and scrubbing a hand across his damp eyes. "But Vin argued with him. His daddy whipped him across the face, but he put me on his horse anyway."

"We rode for days without hardly stopping. Then my pa found the cabin and we hid out there until you came." He stopped dead, his eyes darting between Chris and Buck, unwilling to elaborate because it meant talking about Jed Tanner's death, something he rarely did these days.

"And you kept that secret all this time?" Nathan marveled.

Vin glanced away. "We know it isn't something can be talked about," he said. "Knew it 'bout our pa's, know it 'bout Chris and Buck."

"We don't want you to get strung up too," JD said, eyes once again filling with tears. "We'd never tell nobody. Never ever," he said forcefully.

A new quiet settled in on the room until Buck said, "You boys think you want to still live here with us, even though you'd have to keep another secret?"

"Yes, Buck," JD said fervently. "We want to stay here with you, don't we Vin?"

Vin bit at his lip and glanced down and Chris' heart clenched painfully. "Vin?" he prompted.

The boy raised his head and Chris read the deep turmoil in his dark eyes. "I don't want to leave JD," he finally said.

Buck reached out and settled an arm across the boy's shoulders and for once Vin didn't try to shake him off. "We want you both to stay more than anything in the world," he said, speaking for all of them. "We want to make a family together."

"A family," JD echoed, eyes shining.

Vin looked at Chris and his face betrayed such a mix of emotions: hope and fear, yearning and trepidation, and a naked longing that was almost painful to look at.

"Is that something you might want, Vin?" Chris asked.

Vin closed his eyes for a moment. "Had a family," he whispered, so low Chris could scarcely hear him. "Got taken away from me."

Chris felt a cold stab deep in his gut. "I know how that feels, Vin," he said, just as quietly, the old grief still so fresh, so raw, still reflected back at him in Buck's painfully forthright gaze. He cleared his suddenly dry throat. "We can make a new family, all of us, together. A strong family," Chris promised.

The boy turned his face away, glancing over at JD, who was watching him with huge, anxious eyes.

"Please, Vin," JD whispered. "Can we stay?"

Vin shook his head, but it wasn't a rejection. "We can try," he murmured and all the betrayals, the deceit, the helplessness that had been his lot up until now washed across his young face.

"We'll make it work, " Chris said firmly, determined to wipe all of those things away and show these children the wonder of friendship and love, the true joy of becoming family.

Epilogue

Chris and Buck walked into the barn but the laugh they had been sharing quickly died on Chris' lips.

"Where's Vin?" he asked JD. "I sent him out to help you."

The young boy raised anxious eyes and brushed his dark hair back off his face. "He was here, Chris," he said. "He mucked out like you told him."

Chris looked around, frowning darkly. "Well he did a damned poor job of it," he said grimly, turning around and stalking out of the barn with Buck following closely. They found Vin beside the corral, leaning his chin on folded arms, watching as Buck's gray idly cropped at the tall, sweet grass.

"Vin," Chris barked, and the boy jumped and straightened up, looking warily between him and Buck. "Didn't I tell you to help JD in the barn?" he snapped.

"I did what you told me…" Vin protested.

"No," Chris cut in. "You spent a couple of minutes moving the mess around and then you left JD to finish up. What's gotten into you these past days?"

"Nothin'," Vin said, sullenly, jamming his hands into his pockets and dropping his head to avoid Chris' eyes.

Buck stepped up, shaking his head. "Boy, you've been sloppy with all your chores, you haven't finished a single thing you've been set, you've been defiant and full of sass. You've had some kind of burr under your blanket for days now and we're getting mighty sick of it."

Vin's head reared and his eyes flashed rebelliously. "Maybe I'm sick of you too," he yelled. "Maybe I'm sick of you bossin' me around all the damned time and making me work like I'm your goddamned slave and nothing I ever do is good enough for you…"

Chris reached out and grabbed for Vin's arm. "You watch that mouth of yours, boy," he said.

"Or what?" Vin yelled, indignant and enraged.

Chris dropped the boy's arm and reached down to his belt. "I'll show you what," he said furiously.

"Chris!" Buck's voice, sharp and intent, reached through the red haze and he sucked in a tight breath. Not more than an hour ago he and Buck had reminisced about how hard their own teen years had been, how much trouble they had found for themselves, and how difficult this time was for these kids, so unused to structure and direction in their lives. He dropped his hands slowly, but continued to frown at the scowling boy.

"You're gonna get yourself back into that barn and take over from JD," he said sternly. "And when you're done you come find us because we'll have a whole list of other chores you're gonna do. And Vin," he added, voice harsh with irritation, "if you don't mend your ways you are gonna be feeling my belt across your ass before this day is through. You understand me?"

Vin's lips thinned in consternation.

"Do you understand me?" Chris said, slowly enunciating each word.

"Yes," Vin hissed.

"Try that again, boy," Buck ordered sternly.

"Yes sir," Vin dragged up and marched past Chris towards the barn.

"What the hell has gotten into that boy?" Chris said, exasperated. "He's been misbehaving for days."

Buck shrugged, sliding an arm across Chris' stiff shoulders and leading him back to the house. "Just being a kid, I reckon," he soothed. "Come and sit for a minute, relax."

"Relax!" Chris huffed. "I've lost all notion how to relax…" he trailed off, remembering the last occasion he'd had to use those exact words and he glanced over at Buck, the leer on his partner's face alerting him to the fact that Buck remembered too. "Don't tell me," he grinned. "You'd like to remind me?"

"That I would, pard," Buck laughed.

"Maybe later when the kids are in bed," Chris smiled, then frowned again at the thought of their eldest. "If I'm not worn out leathering Vin that is," he groused.

"You're not gonna hit him are you, Chris?" a small voice said, and Chris jumped. He hadn't heard JD approach, the kid could move so silently, and he did a quick mental check to see if the boy might have heard anything he shouldn't.

"Vin's been behavin' badly, JD," Buck said quietly. "He's headed for a licking if he doesn't mend his manners."

"But he don't mean to be bad," JD said, eyes round and apprehensive. "This time always makes him sad."

Chris exchanged a puzzled look with Buck. "Why, son?" Buck asked.

JD shrugged. "On account of his mamma being kilt an' all," the boy offered. "'Cause Vin couldn't do nothin' to stop his daddy from shooting her even though he loved her."

Chris sat down heavily on the top step and he watched as the color drained from Buck's face. "This about the time it happened, JD?" Buck asked, his voice sounding brittle.

"Uh huh," JD nodded. "He always gets sad when the days start to get colder. But he'll be better soon. Please don't hit him, Chris."

Chris waved vaguely at the small boy, unable to find any words yet. Luckily Buck still had his wits about him and he hugged the boy briefly. "Hey, how 'bout you go inside and wash up and then we'll make a start on supper. And afterwards we'll see if Chris will let us have some candy."

"Really?" JD said, eyeing Chris doubtfully.

"Sure," Buck said. "We'll ask him pretty please."

JD nodded gravely. "You ask him," he whispered. "He always does what you want."

Buck barked out a startled laugh and hugged the boy again and JD walked past Chris and into the house.

"Why didn't he tell us?" Chris asked. The boy had behaved so well recently that Chris had been lulled into a false sense of satisfaction. He cursed himself now for being such a fool, for thinking that this would be easy. "Why didn't he say something?"

Buck knelt in front of him and reached for his hand and Chris felt for a minute like one of the kids, about to be consoled and comforted. "He's spent years having to hide his feelings, scared his daddy would hurt him if he showed what he really felt. The boy doesn't know yet that he can trust us. It's gonna take a hell of a lot of time, Chris, to repair that kind of damage."

Chris shrugged his shoulders, feeling helpless. "You reckon we should tell him we know?"

Buck shook his head. "Nah. Not sure he'd know how to react. We've gotta just give him space. And a lot of love, Chris, so he'll know he can tell us next time."

Chris heaved up a sigh and nodded, wondering how Buck had gotten so smart where the kids were concerned. He looked up when he heard the barn door open and Buck stood up and leaned against the steps, watching as Vin dragged himself reluctantly to stand in front of them.

"I've done it proper this time," Vin said, and something in his tone made Chris realize that the boy had been doing some hard thinking and that he had more he wanted to say, so he held his peace and waited.

Vin squirmed and glanced up, then dropped his eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry I've behaved bad," he said, the words torn from deep inside. "I'll do whatever chores you want me to."

Chris wanted nothing more than to leap off the steps and gather the boy close, to hold tight and let him know that he'd never ever be terrorized and brutalized again, but he knew it would just panic the child. Instead he cleared his throat. "You've had a couple of bad days, son," he said gently. "But I reckon we all have those. We're willing to forget about 'em and move on."

Vin raised startled eyes to him. "Really?" he asked, echoing JD's earlier incredulity.

"Sure, son," Buck said. "Even 'ole Buck has the occasional off day. We're all entitled to a couple a year."

"I… I didn't mean those things I said," Vin stammered, blushing furiously.

"We know, Vin," Chris assured. "Let's just put this behind us. Now," he said, rising and turning to walk into the house, "come in and help me get some food on the table, okay?"

"Okay," Vin said, sounding a little stunned. "Chris," he blurted, and Chris turned back. "Thanks," Vin mumbled, color still high in his cheeks. "Thanks for… for everything."

Later Chris listened to the boys' quiet voices as they sat on the top step of the porch, heads bent close together, pouring over a dog-eared dime novel. Buck shifted slightly beside him, an arm coming up and over his shoulders and Chris tensed momentarily, still not used to the idea that the boys so easily accepted the affection they witnessed between him and Buck. He pulled in a deep breath and forced himself to relax, and Buck tugged him closer, tight against his side. In the end he was glad of the additional warmth of Buck's body as the sun slid behind the horizon and a slight chill set in.

"Boys, bed time," Buck called over.

"Aww, do we have to? It's still early," JD whined.

"JD Dunne," Buck said, a warning clear in his tone. "You're not arguing with me, are you boy?"

"No sir," JD said quickly. "Just suggestin' it ain't bedtime yet."

"Well I'm suggestin' it is," Buck said firmly. "And I'm also suggestin' that if you don't move right now you'll be going over my knee."

JD stood up quickly and Vin followed. Buck held out his hand as the boys passed him. "Hand it over, JD," he said, and the boy reluctantly gave up his book. "Go on you two, scoot. We'll be along directly to say goodnight."

The boys disappeared and Chris stretched lazily and lifted his mouth, planting a kiss on Buck's lips. "What say you and I have ourselves an early night?" he said.

"You don't need to ask me twice, darlin'," Buck grinned.

"You think you'll be able to keep the noise down?" Chris smirked.

Buck leaned in close so that his mouth was up against Chris' ear, his mustache tickling the lobe. "Reckon so," he whispered. "Specially with my mouth full of your dick."

Chris groaned out loud, feeling an immediate fire in his groin. "Jesus, Buck," he muttered.

Buck just smiled at him. "Let's go say g'night to the kids." They rose and stood together for a long moment, exchanging gentle kisses and holding each other tightly until Buck pulled back and looked Chris in the eye. "We're gonna do what's right by those boys," he said, solemn and quiet.

Chris looked into that assured deep blue stare and felt a renewed sense of confidence and hope. "And you're so sure we know what the right thing is?" he asked, needing the reassurance.

Buck smiled. "I'm sure we'll mess it up as much as we get it right," he chuckled. "But in the end there's only one way forward. We love them and we love each other. The rest will work itself out," and tugging gently, he pulled Chris across the threshold and they walked hand in hand towards the boys' room.

The End