Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, wish I did.
Follows Into Town.
Thanks to Lynda and Mady for their invaluable medical information.
"Nathan!"Nathan Jackson quickly tightened his grip on the bottle of laudanum he'd almost dropped. Setting the bottle on the shelf where it belonged, he turned to face the door just as it burst open.
"Nathan. It's JD. He's been shot. Chris and Ezra are bringing him up," Vin gasped out.
Nathan blinked at the news. He hadn't heard any gunfire. How had JD...he pushed the thought away and started gathering what he'd need. The dark healer looked over at Vin who was fidgeting anxiously, before turning to gaze at his ample supply of bandages.
"Vin, could you run over to Mrs. Potter's store and get some more bandages for me?" The tracker flashed him a grateful look before hurrying out of the room.
Nathan stood at the top of the stairs and watched as Chris and Ezra carried JD up.
"Mr. Larabee would you please be more careful," Ezra snapped in response to JD's moan of pain as they carried him into the room.
Chris' face stiffened but he didn't respond. He could feel the worry and anxiety coming off the gambler in waves.
"Set him on the bed. Gently now." Nathan's soothing voice directed the two other men as they laid their youngest on the bed and stepped back to let the healer do his work.
Nathan untied the makeshift bandage from around JD's chest, relieved to find it was a red jacket and not blood-soaked as he had originally thought. Red jacket...Ezra's. He was unable to stop the quick glance at the gambler. There was something odd about Ezra's appearance, but couldn't place his finger on it. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to JD -- he'd have to think about it later.
"What happened?" Chris' voice rang out through the room and Ezra jumped. He'd been so engrossed in watching Nathan's examination of JD that he'd failed to notice Chris watching him.
Before he could respond, the door opened and Vin came in, his arms loaded with bandages. Not looking up from what he was doing, Nathan said, "Thanks Vin. Now, all of you...outside."
Ezra opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again with an audible snap at the glare the blonde gunslinger gave him and followed the two other men out of the room. The three stood outside Nathan's room looking at each other. Ezra dropped his eyes, avoiding Larabee's gaze and started at his blood-stained hands. JD's blood. He started rubbing his thumb against his palm trying to remove the blood.
"Don't make me ask again."
Ezra jerked his head up to look at Larabee in confusion before he remembered what Chris had asked.
"We ran across Mr. Norton's missing cattle," he said distantly.
Chris and Vin looked at each other briefly before Vin asked hesitantly, "Ezra...how did you know that Mr. Norton's cattle was missing?"
"I didn't...J...Mr. Dunne overheard Mr. Norton ordering some of his men back to the ranch to search for the missing bovines." Ezra absently straightened his cuff, frowning at the blood, before continuing.
"As I was saying, we stumbled across the camp where the missing cattle were corralled, entered the seemingly deserted encampment, did a brief reconnaissance and were preparing to leave when a boy, who I would surmise had been left on guard, came from behind the cattle and shot Mr. Dunne."
Ezra looked between Chris and Vin before sitting down on the bench. He leaned his head against the rail and closed his eyes, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. The gambler could still feel JD's tremors and the labored breathing was echoing in his ears, drowning out everything else. His eyes opened and he sat up with a start, feeling the bench give slightly as another person sat down. Ezra's hand was halfway to his gun before he heard a slow drawl.
"Easy there pard." Looking askance at the young tracker, Ezra blinked before settling back down to close his eyes again. He was so very tired.
Chris leaned up against a post and stared at Nathan's door. He hated waiting. Why had JD been on patrol with Ezra and why was Ezra so shaken up? Turning to stare at the gambler, he studied his appearance, looking for some clue as to what had really happened on that patrol. No jacket, blood-stained vest, cuffs and hands. Hair disheveled and most telling, the gambler appeared to be completely unconcerned with any of these things. Larabee's eyes narrowed. He hated mysteries. With a short puff of air, he turned his head back to stare at the door. What was taking Nathan so long?
A short while later the door opened and Nathan stepped out, wiping his hands. The three men waiting jumped up and approached him trying to determine if the news was good or bad. The healer looked at Chris, and took a deep breath. "I don't know how it happened. I've only seen this once before during the war. The bullet didn't penetrate right away. Instead it cut a path..." Nathan moved one of his hands indicating the path the bullet took. "across his chest before finally lodging in his side.."
Ezra felt his knees start to buckle. Locking them in place he asked as calmly as he could, "He's..." Ezra swallowed and tried again. "He's going to recover?"
Nathan turned his head to look at the gambler, somewhat surprised to find him still there. "He's lost a lot of blood, and he's got some broken ribs, but if the wound doesn't get infected he should be all right."
Struggling for control of his emotions, Ezra looked toward the door, breaking away from Nathan's gaze. "May I see him alone for a moment?" he asked quietly.
Nathan nodded his assent slowly before adding, "Just don't wake him, he needs his rest."
"Understood. Thank you, Mr. Jackson."
Chris, who had been watching Ezra thoughtfully during this whole exchange, said, "Vin, I want you, Buck and Josiah to go out to that campsite and see what you can find out. Ezra, do you remember where it was?"
Anxious to see JD, Ezra answered, "A grove of trees southwest of town about an hours ride." Slipping inside the room, Ezra quickly shut the door behind him.
Vin cast a brief worried look at the door before taking off to round up Buck and Josiah.
+ + + + + + +
Ezra stood just inside the room, staring at the pale figure in the bed. He walked quietly over to the chair and sat down, never taking his eyes off of JD. With a shuddering sigh, he reached out with one hand and gently placed it where he could feel JD's heart beating through the bandage. It was a good, solid beat, the chest rising and falling gently with each breath JD took. Ezra felt the knot in the pit of his stomach ease. Maybe, everything would be all right.
Feeling the sting of tears, Ezra pinched the bridge of his nose tightly. His eyes flew open when he felt a hand cover his own and he looked over to see weary hazel eyes studying him.
"Ez?"
"Shh...it's all right. Everything's going to be fine." Ezra wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure, JD or himself.
"Are you all right?" JD asked in a raspy voice.
"Me? I'm fine. Would you like a sip of water?" Without waiting for an answer, Ezra rose and busied himself with pouring JD a glass of water from the pitcher on the table. He could feel JD's eyes on his back, waiting for an answer. The gambler closed his eyes momentarily before turning to bring the glass over. He lifted JD's shoulders slightly and let him drink slowly. He set the glass on the floor and leaned forward to readjust the covers before resting his hand on JD's chest. He said in a soft tone, "Back at the camp...there was a moment when I thought I'd lost you."
"Ez." JD tried instinctively to reassure Ezra.
"Please, let me finish. You weren't breathing and I...I panicked because I couldn't..." Ezra swallowed hard and started again, "...I can't imagine living my life without you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come back to me." Ezra dipped his head to stare at his hand, still resting on JD's chest, unable to meet JD's eyes.
"Ezra. Look at me." JD reached over to gently lift Ezra's face until their eyes met. "I'm not going anywhere."
Green eyes blinked and Ezra shook his head saying, "You don't know that. There are no guarantees."
"No. There aren't. But Ezra, I love you and I believe everything else is worth it if I can have you." JD slipped his hand around to the back of Ezra's neck and pulled him down for a tender kiss.
Ezra allowed himself to linger for a long moment before he pulled back. Taking one of JD's hands in his, he attempted to restore his equilibrium.
"This is not how I imagined our evening tonight."
The young easterner's eyes sparkled with devilment, chuckling softly he teased, "Really? You hadn't planned on getting me into bed?"
From where he and Chris stood talking, Nathan could hear laughter penetrated with the occassional "ow." He went to the door, muttering about a certain southern gambler's inability to follow simple instructions. Nathan threw open the door to find two startled sets of eyes staring at him.
"Nathan! Chris!" JD exclaimed, wincing slightly as his ribs pulled. He cast a sideways glance at Ezra, blushing slightly before looking back at Chris.
"Ezra. I thought I told you not to wake him." Nathan stood towering over the seated southerner.
"He didn't wake me up. So leave him alone, Nathan." JD leapt to Ezra's defense, scowling at the healer.
Nathan blinked at the rebuke in JD's eyes and backed off reflexively from the gambler while Ezra looked between Nathan and JD in surprise.
Chris stood just inside the door and watched the scene play out, his eyes hooded, hiding his thoughts. He saw JD's expression soften as he turned his attention to Ezra and the spellbound way the gambler was gazing back at the younger man. Chris' eyes narrowed even more. Vin was right. Something was going on with those two. He was sure of it now. But what? He'd have to watch them closely for the next few days until he figured it out.
Nathan cleared his throat to break the silence that had fallen across the room. JD slowly brought his attention away from Ezra to look at Nathan and then Chris, struggling to stay awake. After a series of yawns, his eyes drifted shut and he fell asleep.
Ezra, unsettled at the speed of JD's loss of consciousness turned his head to look at Nathan.
Nathan, seeing the concern in Ezra's eyes, reassured, "He'll be all right. I gave him something to help him sleep when I set his ribs and it just took effect is all."
Ezra turned back to face JD, holding his hand tightly until he could get his emotions back under control. Nathan studied the gambler for a few moments, noting for the first time the drawn features and tension that radiated out from his body. He looked back at Chris to see if he had noticed as well and received a small nod in response. "Ezra, you look like you could use some rest."
"I'm not tired." Ezra didn't even turn as he sat watching JD breathe.
Nathan sighed and tried a different tack. "I really think you should at least get washed up and have some dinner."
"I assure you, Mr. Jackson, I am fine." Ezra reached up and brushed back JD's hair, the back of his fingers resting lightly on his forehead as if checking for signs of fever.
"Ezra." Larabee's voice demanded attention. Ezra reluctantly looked over at the blond gunslinger. "Do what Nathan says." When it looked like he was going to get an argument from the other man he added. "I mean it Ezra, go."
Ezra, seeing the steely determination in Chris' eyes, bowed to the inevitable. "Very well, Mr. Larabee, since you insist." He stood and looked down at the sleeping man, before brushing past Chris on his way out the door.
fin
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continues in The Saloon