It was a beautiful late summer afternoon as four men road towards the town they called home after a five-day trip to deliver a group of prisoners to Fort Laramie. The first two men who rode in front were as different as night and day. A handsome tall blonde gunslinger dressed head to toe in black, was arguing with the brightly dressed auburn hair gambler. Two pairs of green eyes flashed and sparkled as they continued the argument that had been going for the last five days. Both voices floated back to the two men following behind who weren't really paying attention, seeming more interested in each other than what their friends were discussing so heatedly.
These two men were cut of a similar cloth. Both wore heavy labor pants and cotton shirts that were clean but worn. They talked quietly with soft laughter breaking from them as they joked together. To the causal eye they look like good friends until you looked into the brown and blue eyes to see the love and desire lurking there.
Josiah wanted to reach out to touch the mahogany skin of his lover's cheek. To snake his hand behind Nathan's neck and steal a sweet kiss, but he knew that they had to be careful. Even though their friends knew about them and had accepted their relationship, they knew the people of the town would not. They would probably run Josiah out of town, but they would take out their hate and fear on Nathan because a black man dared to touch a white man. Dared to draw the white man's eyes. That was something Josiah would never allow to happen, he would die before allowing anyone to hurt his lover.
Nathan looked at his lover of a week and saw the hunger and desire. Felt the caress of Josiah's blue eyes down his face and settle on his lips. How he wanted to give into his lover's desire but knew it wasn't safe. So with his eyes he promised that tonight he would make it up to him and watched as those beloved eyes darkened with desire.
Feeling shy he turned away to watch the other two men, their argument filtering back towards them, and an idea bloomed in his mind. At first he thought it was his imagination, but the more he watched the other two men the more it made sense.
Josiah watched as Nathan looked away, blushing at what he must have seen in his eyes. Then his lover's face changed to shock, then to speculation as he continued to watch their two friends. Curious, Josiah turned to watch the arguing pair, but could not see anything to capture his lover's attention. "What is it Nathan? What's wrong?"
Brown sparkling eyes turned to his with an impish grin curving upwards. "Just think that there is more to Ezra and Chris's arguments than even they are aware of. Look at them. Don't listen to the words, watch how their bodies react to one another."
Josiah turned to do as his lover asked and watched their friends. At first he didn't see anything unusual but as he continue to watch he saw how close the two men rode, how they never looked away from each other, and how every once in a while one would lean in towards the other. The air around them seemed to sizzle with suppressed passion.
Turning back to his partner Josiah saw the raised eyebrow and knew what his dark skinned lover was thinking. "We will need help to pull it off?"
"I think we can count on JD, Buck and Vin."
"It has to be done on the sly. They would be too suspicious otherwise."
"Hmmmm … your right." Nathan's eyes started to twinkle as he continued, "Well with JD, Buck and Vin on our side, I bet we can come up with an idea."
The grin on Josiah's face was the only answer Nathan got.
+ + + + + + +
Buck ducked out of sight behind the sheriff's office before the gambler could see him, which signaled his co-conspirator that the first part of their plan was about to begin. Both men peeked into the room to watch as the Southerner sat down with his back towards them. They had set the scene by having the window open to allow Ezra to overhear their conversation.
"Nate, I think we should tell Ezra."
The gambler sat up in his chair when he heard Buck's voice coming through the window. Hearing his name the Southerner leaned back and started to shuffle his cards, waiting to hear the rest of the conversation.
"Buck! Are you insane!"
"Come on Nate the man has -"
"How could you do that to your best friend? Standish would only torture Chris if he knew he was in love him."
The two men heard a loud thump followed by soft swearing in a southern voice and simply grinned at each other. They had hooked the fish now they had to land him.
"Maybe … maybe your right."
The gambler peeked out of the window to watch his two friends walking away while he came to the realization that the man he respected and trusted most felt more for him than he had ever dreamed possible.
"Can it be … Can Chris love me?" He started to pace back and forth in the jail as he replayed the conversation in his mind, looking for some angle that the two men were working but he couldn't see one. Ezra looked at the facts that he had available to him. First Buck was Chris's oldest friend and should know if and who that best friend is in love with. The next fact was that Nathan discouraged Buck in telling him about Chris's love.
Was it possible?
Was Chris Larabee in love with him?
Ezra's mind turned back in time to review all their conversations looking to see if it was possible. Some of them were quiet while others were loud but always passionate and full of fire. The same fire that burned behind those moss green eyes that stared into his as they argued almost in each other's arms.
Could that be why Chris spent most of his free time in the saloon?
Could it be that he was there to watch him?
Yes it's possible. More than possible that … that Chris loved him!
Ezra was not unfamiliar with relations with both men and women, but they were very few and far between, he not daring to give his heart fully for fear of betrayal. If this was possible then maybe … just maybe it was possible to reach out and grab this wonderful treasure that was revealed to him and take a chance. A chance for him to be love and for him to love with all his heart.
+ + + + + + +
"Vin are you sure he's in there?"
"I'm sure JD. Are you ready Josiah?"
"Yes, brother Vin."
Chris was brushing down Cloud when he heard the voices of his fellow peacekeepers but didn't really pay attention till he heard Vin saying, "… don't tell Chris, Josiah!"
Why was Vin upset?
And what didn't he want Josiah to tell him?
Moving closer to the side of the stable he could look between the slants and watch his friends as they stood close together. Vin and JD each had one of Josiah's arms as they struggled to keep the Preacher from leaving.
What was going on?
The Preacher was trying to get the two younger men to let him go but they hung on as if their lives depended on it. "JD. Vin. Let me go!"
Chris could see Vin's wide blue eyes looking up at Josiah as he pleaded, "Josiah I didn't tell you so you could blab it to Chris. Think of Ezra!"
Josiah stopped struggling with the two young men who let him go. JD reached down to pick up his bowler before knocking it against his leg to get the dust out of it. The young man then told the Preacher, "Yeah, think of what Chris would do if he found out that Ezra was in love with him."
Chris watch as the older man slump against the stable wall with a large sigh as he ran one hand through his gray curls. "Sorry brothers, I just through if Chris knew that Ezra was in love with him it would make our friends happy."
It was at this time that Cloud made his owner aware of his displeasure in stopping half way through his grooming by shoving Larabee against the wall with a loud thump. The three men heard the quiet threat of the Gunslinger in shooting the blasted beast.
Larabee push Cloud away trying to hear more of the conversation. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that something like that would happen. He knew that at one time Mary looked at him as a potential husband, but he wasn't that interested though he enjoy his relationship with both mother and son. Now to find out that one of his men was in love with him, and not just any one but Ezra. The charming Southerner that tried to make everyone believe that he was a selfish bastard but had a good heart and soul. He was also the most mule headed, foolish, brave, loyal and fragile man that he ever met. Yes fragile, for once he let you into his heart you had the ability to destroy him, as they had found out the hard way after the assassin's bullet almost robbed them of him. Now he, Chris Larabee, held this man's love for he believed what he overheard from listening in on his friends. It did make sense in a weird sort of way for Sarah and he had started the same way. Arguing every minute together, as he and Ezra did, but once Sarah and he had admitted their feelings to each other they had a love that couldn't be destroy even in death.
Should he do anything about it?
With Sarah and Adam he had though he had enough love to last him a lifetime ... and now at this unexpected opportunity a hunger arose in him to find out if it was possible to find another great love. Now he had to decide if he wanted that love to be with another man. He had little experience with men but in those cases he got up the next morning and left without a thought about repeating it with those men. He might end up hurting Ezra more if he later decided that he couldn't go through with it.
No it was better if he just ignored what he heard. Maybe leave for a couple of weeks to put some distance between the Gambler and himself.
Or -
He could end up kicking himself in the ass for passing up a chance to find love again.
Maybe -
Maybe if they start slow get to know each other in this new way. Maybe … just maybe it might work. Allow themselves to get to know each like courting couples do and -
And if it doesn't work at lease they tried, but if it did. It could mean finding someone to fill his empty and battered heart and soul with love and peace. Someone who he could grow old with, to sit and watch the sunsets with, and to fill his empty arms with warmth, laughter and life.
+ + + + + + +
As the weeks went by the five co-conspirators watched as Chris and Ezra started to court one another. It was not anything obvious, it was sweet and gentle as both men started to do things for one another. Like Ezra joining Chris on his rounds or bringing him his dinner and joining the other man while he ate. Then there was Chris waiting up to help Ezra groom Chaucer after his ride or even going with the Southerner on his circuit. Then there were the times they simply disappeared for hours during the day to either Chris shack or some secret location that the rest of the seven weren't invited to.
Everything was going wonderfully but that wasn't to last.
The day started off very simply showing the promise of being a perfect summer day with no warning of the terrible pain that was about to strike two of their group.
+ + + + + + +
Nathan looked out his window to see that it was late in the afternoon and wondered where the time went. Well he knew that brewing the various herbs and medicine took time, but it just didn't seem to be that long. As he straightened up, his back told him it had been that long as he arched and twisted his torso to work out the kinks. Nathan made his way to the washstand to cleanse the last lotion from his hands so that he could meet the others for supper. He would meet with Josiah later when he came back from visiting the Comanche reservation where he was meeting with the elders of the tribe.
Opening the door to step out onto his balcony he took a deep breath enjoying the peace and quiet at this time of evening before spotting Rain riding in with another man from the Seminole village. Puzzled, he made his way down the stairs to greet his two visitors and as they drew closer he recognized the man that was riding with Rain.
Daniel Jackson was a young man who came west about a year ago looking for a new start away from the terrible memories he had of the south and to find the brother he hadn't seen since he was sold to another plantation. When the two brothers met each other after years apart they picked up where they left off. As if the years vanished between the last time they saw each other to them meeting. The two siblings were only about sixteen months apart and because of that they were raised together making them far closer than their other brothers and sister. Daniel decided to farmstead near the Seminole village where he and Rain met and fell in love with each other.
The last time Nathan and Rain met was about nine months ago while he helped Rosa Firepower with the delivery of her first child. All they talked about at the time was how wonderful Daniel was and how perfect he was for her. Nathan knew that he didn't have to give his approval but he was happy for them both. He had told her and Daniel of his love for the Preacher even though at the time he though it would never come true.
He stood watching as his brother and his wife rode up with faces alight with joy. Picking up on their excitement he met them and helped lift Rain off her horse to the ground as Daniel slid off the other horse to land beside him. Rain threw her arms around him and held him tight, he could feel the excitement bursting from her. So he gently pushed her away to look at her glowing face.
"Daniel? Rain? What is it?"
The young couple looked at each other and then Daniel told him, "Nathan we wanted you to be the first to know … you’re going to be an uncle!"
Nathan looked between the happy couple and he couldn't contain his joy and first hugged Rain and then his brother. Saying over and over, "I'm going to be an uncle I'm going to be an uncle."
He escorted his brother and Rain up the stairs to the clinic and his home.
+ + + + + + +
As Ezra was in the process of undressing there was a knock on his door. Excitement raced through him thinking that maybe … just maybe Chris had decided to take the next step in their relationship. He patted his hair down and unbuttoned his shirt to look both tempting and yet demure. Taking a deep breath he opened the door to see Nathan standing here with his bedroll. The Gambler looked up and down the hall hoping to see the black clad Gunslinger somewhere in the shadows, but only the Healer stood there with a shy look on his face.
"Ezra … I was wondering if I could stay here with you tonight. My brother and his wife … ummm … are using my place … and … and I want to give them some privacy."
The Southerner was stunned at the news and moved back to allow the other man to enter. "Your brother? I didn't know that you had a brother!"
Embarrassed Nathan couldn't look at Ezra as he told him. "Well Daniel has some problems with white folks. He's trying to work through them and didn't think he would be able to be civil with my friends. He … he didn't want me to tell any of you all about him and … it really wasn't up to me. But he … he wants to meet all of you tomorrow." Then with a large grin he grabbed the Gambler and swung him around as he told Ezra, "Ezra, I'm going to be an uncle."
The southern was dazed at the news but could only hugged his friend and told him, "Oh! Nathan this is wonderful news my friend! Congratulations!"
The Healer stopped and again looked kind of pleadingly at the Gambler. "Ummmm … Ezra can I stay here tonight?"
Trying to look stern Ezra told his friend. "All right, but if you snore I'm kicking you out."
Grinning Nathan told the Gambler, "Thanks Ezra!"
+ + + + + + +
At the same time Nathan was asking Ezra if he could stay the night on the floor of his room, Josiah was just getting back from the reservation, while Buck was coming in from his patrol. As they were walking together from the stable each man had the same though of their nice soft beds. Both men were tired, but as they passed Nathan's clinic they noticed that there was a light on in his rooms. It wasn't that sight that froze them, but that of a woman in her nightgown standing at the open the window. They watched in disbelief as a dark man came up behind the woman and wrapped his arms around her. The dark head bent to nuzzle at the long neck of the woman as he started to pull her responsive body back into the room before the light went out.
Josiah and Buck recognized the man and woman for they were none other than Rain and Nathan. With a snarl Josiah started towards the clinic to catch his lover in the act of betrayal but was prevented by Buck who slammed him back against the side of building holding the Preacher in place with a forearm against his throat.
The scoundrel's voice was strained as he held the other man. "Josiah! Don't! No good will come of you barging in there."
Growling Josiah told his friend, "You’re wrong Buck! It would make me feel much better to rip out that cheating bastard’s heart!"
Trying to be the reasonable one, Buck appealed to the Preacher's common sense. "And let everyone know in town know about your relationship? That you and he are bumping boots?"
Josiah snarled, "I DON'T CARE!" In his voice was the sound of heartbreak, betrayal, and anger at his lover that by all appearances had tore out his heart and ground into the dust.
Buck slammed the Preacher back against the building again, allowing deep blue eyes to look into gray blue ones filled with pain and murderous rage. The scoundrel told Josiah "I won't allow you to do anything that could expose your and Nathan's relationship for it would put Chris and Ezra in danger. Think of them." As the lethal anger dimmed and reason returned Buck continued, "Look Josiah, you have two choices. The first to forgive him and take him back …" the look in the Preacher's eyes told the other man that this wouldn't be the option "or break it off with him."
+ + + + + + +
The next morning JD, Vin, Chris, and Nathan were sitting quietly talking, laughing and eating breakfast as usual when Buck and Josiah came in. Upon seeing Nathan's happy face the Preacher snarled and stalked his way to his betrayer. Startled Nathan looked up into Josiah's angry face. Having no idea why his lover was angry he was unprepared when Josiah let loose with a roundhouse swing that knock the Healer and his chair over. Chris and Vin both grabbed the Preacher before the other man could do more damage, while JD helped Nathan up from the floor and applied a bandana to the Healer’s split lip.
The struggling Preacher growled, "You bastard!", while he struggled under the combined weight of the tracker and Gunslinger. "Let me go!"
"Calm down Preacher!" Growled Chris and he pushed the struggling, angry man back from his intended victim.
The tracker followed as he grunted, "Josiah! Stop it!"
Buck stood by not knowing what to do but figuring that the Healer brought it on himself by betraying his lover. If Nathan wanted a normal life or something different he should have broken it off long, before betraying the other man. Before his lover saw that betrayal with his own to eyes.
JD couldn't believe that no only was his friend not helping Chris and Vin, but he stood there looking disgusted at Nathan who was in shock at the sudden attack. JD put himself between Josiah and the Healer to comfort the shaking man, while trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
After a few minutes of struggle and swearing the Preacher settled down where upon Larabee turned the Preacher around and pushed him out the door towards the sheriff's office. There at least they had some privacy to figure out what had set the Preacher off.
The commotion had awoken Ezra who hurriedly dressed and made his way down to see the other six men leave the stunned and quiet patrons of the saloon. Not knowing what happened he rushed after the men puzzled at the seething anger in Josiah's face and the utter hopelessness and pain in Nathan’s.
The Gambler noticed his lover's temper was on the rise as he kept turning the Preacher away from Nate. Once they were at the jail he pushed Josiah through the door following right behind as his shout of "Shut UP!" was heard by at least half the town. Taking a quick look trying to see how much of that scene was witness by the town only to find Mrs. Potter look on in concern as well as three strangers who watched with fascination the odd show put on by the lawmen. Something about the three men caught Ezra’s attention, but he shoved it to the back of his mind more worried about his friends and lover at the moment than three unknowns.
Quietly he opened the door and slid in going towards Nathan and JD as he watched the other four men. It didn't take very much to figure out that Buck was with Josiah while Vin and Chris were opposing them. The anger in the small room was heavy and the majority of it was directed at Nathan who sat looking at the man who had attacked him.
Larabee figuring that that he wasn't going to get anything out of the Preacher, turned to his old friend. Getting in Buck's personal space he demanded, "WHAT the hell is wrong with you two?"
With a sneer Buck nodded towards the Healer. "Why don't you ask Jackson what he was doing last night?"
Not satisfied with the answer, Chris slammed the scoundrel back into the wall and snarled, "I want answers from you!"
Unnoticed by everyone Nathan and Ezra exchanged a startled look, both thinking that Josiah must have seen Nathan going into Ezra's room and come to the wrong conclusion. Ezra took a step towards them as Buck started to speak.
"We saw Nathan and Rain last night."
"So? They're friends."
Buck pushed pass Larabee and made his way over to the Healer. "They were standing there in their night clothes. He kissed her and then they went to bed." The scoundrel turned from Nathan to face the rest of the men in the room. "That's what happened." He then turned back to the shaking man placing his hands on the desk he leaned forward. "Why Nathan? Why did you do it?" Buck stood before continuing, "If you wanted a normal life you should have told him it was over, but you had to rub it in his face."
The room was silent at what Buck had revealed. Nathan found his voice and looked at the others in the room. "It wasn't me!" He stepped around the desk and took two steps towards Josiah to plead with his lover. "Josiah. It wasn't me! I would never do that to you."
Josiah just laughed, but it was harsh and disbelieving. "Don't come anywhere near me you bastard. We're through!" The Preacher turned his back on his ex-lover. "I can't stand the sight of you anymore. I hate the very sight of you!"
The other six men watched as the Healer reached out to the Preacher. The pain in those brown eyes helped Ezra to find his tongue. "Josiah … he wasn't there. He was -"
Then from outside they heard gunfire and screams. Quickly all was forgotten as they surged out of the jail with Josiah, Buck and Chris going out the front while the others went out the back and Vin scrambled to find higher ground.
Standish ran down the ally to look around the corner. Taking quick aim he fired at the bank robbers as they made their way down the center of the street. He heard the guns of the others as they leap into the fight and made a mad dash across the street while they kept the robbers occupied. At this angle he had a clear shot at one of the robbers and took careful aim to bring the felon down. He saw Nathan take a step out and throw one of his knives only to watch as a bullet threw the Healer back against the wall.
+ + + + + + +
Screaming Nathan's name Ezra made a mad dash to his friend's side to drag him to safety. Only then did he check to see if Nate was alive and what kind of shape he was in. Ignoring the gun battle he ripped open the Healer's shirt to see that the bullet had punched its way through the wounded man's shoulder and out the back. Signing in relief that his friend would live he started to pack the wound with his handkerchief. The shock of the wound and hitting his head on side of the building had knocked Nathan out.
What happen next Ezra couldn't really explain but when he saw the hate on Josiah's face as he looked down at the wounded Healer he reacted badly. "He's dead! Are you happy now? You broke his heart and he couldn't live with out you." Snarling the Gambler rose from the ground to attack the large man. "It wasn't Nathan you saw because he was sleeping on my floor letting his brother and his wife enjoy some time together." The shock on the Preacher's face made Ezra let him go to turn to Chris. "Please make him and Buck leave."
Looking into his lover's eyes he saw the truth shining there and Chris turned to the two men that his love wanted gone. Snarling in both men's shocked and sorrowful faces he told them, "Get the hell out of town. I don't want to see either of you for a week. Now get!"
Josiah reached out as if to touch the man he had wronged, "But …". But Buck had seen the look in his friend's eyes and grabbed the Preacher, pulling him away from the cluster of men. Quickly he lead Josiah away and ran right into Rain and a man whose resemblance to Nathan was startling. Breathless Rain asked, "We heard gunfire? Is everyone all right?"
Josiah could only stare at the man whose resembled his dead lover and ignored everything else that was happening. He didn't hear Buck tell the two young people about Nathan or them rushing away for he was replaying everything in his mind again and again. He saw everything again with this new perspective and finally realized what he had done. How pale Nathan looked as Buck accused him. How those beloved brown eyes filled with pain as he told him that they were through. How he ripped out Nathan's heart and tore it to pieces. Tore it so that Nathan didn't care anymore. That … that he might have deliberately stepped out so he would be killed.
Buck caught the sagging man and helped him to the church, his heart breaking for his friend as he too realized what they had done to an innocent man.
+ + + + + + +
Once Buck and Josiah were gone Ezra hurried back to the wounded man. "Chris, Vin. We need to get Nathan back to the clinic or he will bleed to death."
"What?"
"Damn Ezra!"
Quick the other men helped the Gambler pick up the Healer's limp body before running into Rain and … a man who could be Nathan's double except he was a good 20 pounds heaver and about 2 inches taller. The man quickly replaced JD and with the extra help they made for the clinic. As Rain set up the instruments, Vin helped Daniel to remove the Healer's ruined shirt so that the wound could be quickly sewn closed and bandaged.
Chris grabbed Ezra’s arm and pulled the smaller man into the shadows. "Why did you tell us Nate was dead?"
Emerald green eyes looked up into moss green and simply told him, "I don't know … I believe that I lost my temper. I couldn’t stand the look of hate in Josiah's eyes. Especially when I knew Nate didn't do anything wrong." Panic then filled the Gambler as he clutched Chris close to him. "You know nothing happened. He slept on the floor, I promise you."
Wrapping his arms around the Southerner, Chris pulled him close to gently kiss his forehead then to tuck the auburn head against his shoulder. "I know love. I believe you."
+ + + + + + +
Nathan started to run a slight fever that had everyone taking shifts to keep an eye on him, talking to him, and bathing him while the fevered man kept pleading with Josiah to forgive him. Daniel couldn't understand why Nathan kept asking for forgiveness and demanded to know what was going on.
When they finally told him what had happened, instead of being shocked they found themselves hard at work to prevent Daniel from hunting down Josiah. Once they settled the other man down, they found out that Daniel had always known that his brother preferred men to women and helped him hide that fact from their owners.
When Ezra heard, his quiet "Oh Gawd!" had the other's looking at him questioningly only to see that the blood had drained out of his face.
Chris squatted down beside his lover and reached out to hold his hand, while brushing the other man's hair back from his face. "Ezra? What is it?"
Daniel sighed as he told them. "If Master Jackson had found out that Nathan preferred men he would have had him fixed and then trained as a fancy."
JD was confused as well as the other men and simply asked. "A fancy? Fixed?"
It was Ezra who provided the answer. "It's a male slave that was castrated while still a child but having them retaining their male genitals. They were then trained to act like women in every way possible."
The other three men squirmed upon hearing about this ugly practice that went on in the south before the war.
+ + + + + + +
During the two days that the four remaining peacekeepers, Rain, and Daniel spent looking after the wounded man they got to know Nathan's brother. The peacekeepers found Daniel to be a quiet and serious young man with a soft deep voice and a great love for both his wife and brother, while Daniel found four white men who truly counted Nathan a friend and comrade.
Once Daniel's anger cooled and after talking to his brother he agreed to help the peacekeepers get Nathan and Josiah back together. Once they found out that Nathan was going to be all right JD and Vin had ridden out after the two men tracking them to the old mission where they first met Josiah.
Josiah was not taking the death of his beloved Healer very well and was slaving away at the walls. Buck told them that the Preacher had hardly slept or ate the whole time they were there. Punishing himself for what had happened to Nathan and for letting his jealousy push him to do things that he now regretted and would give his soul to take back.
They decided a few more days of suffering wouldn't do the Preacher any harm and told them to be at Chris's place Friday afternoon.
+ + + + + + +
Six men and one woman waited on Chris's porch watching the two sorrowful men make their way towards them. Shocked glances were exchanged as they all got their first look at the Preacher. He looked like an old man of 70 as he rode with shoulders and head bent, all the life and joy seemed to have been sucked out of him. Buck looked a little better but he wasn't the same man he had been a week ago, no laughing sparkle danced in his blue eyes.
Each of the friends held themselves back from going to the two defeated men, but they knew that things would change shortly. So they rested there and watched as both riders dismounted and made their way to the porch and six men.
Chris stepped forward. "Boys."
Josiah just looked up at his leader to weighted down with sorrow to answer leaving that to his companion. "Chris."
"We decided to give you two a second chance because you honestly believed what you saw, but instead of asking Nathan what happen you just accused him. You allowed your jealousy and rage to mask common sense. That can't happen again for it might get one of us killed." The two men stood there listening and waiting for Chris to continue. "Daniel sent for Nathan's twin brother who was living in Dallas to come up and take over Nathan's practice. I want you, Josiah, to look after him and make sure that his every want is taken care of. I want you to protect him as you would Nathan."
The Preacher nodded silently, accepting his punishment, for that is what it was. To spend all his time with a man who would look like Nathan would be torture. Vin reached back to open the door, allowing Nathan to come out of the shack. Fearful of how Josiah would react but seeing the man he loved in such pain, he cried out Josiah's name and rushed to the man that held his heart.
Hearing his name called by the voice that he feared he would never hear again had the Preacher looking up to see Nathan coming towards him. Never had anything look so good as to see that beloved face alive. Josiah rushed to meet the man that had haunted his dreams and thoughts for the pass seven days and swept him up in his arms to hold him tight. He gave a prayer of thanks as he held the cherished form close, as he breathed in the herbal scent of his lover. Tears fell from both lovers' eyes as gentle kisses and loving words were exchanged between the two men.
Buck walked over to Chris who gave him a hug. Parting, the scoundrel told his friend, "I'm sorry Chris. I didn't mean for this to happen. I promise this will never happen again."
Smiling, Chris turned Buck towards the shack, leaving the two reunited lovers with some privacy. "I know Buck, maybe … maybe you can learn from this. I would hate to have to bury you because you didn't stay away from a married woman."
Buck turned serious eyes to his friend and told him, "I promise you Chris. No more married women for me." He then looked back over his shoulder at the two men in the yard. "I've learned my lesson. Believe me!"
Daniel stood and watched his brother and his lover, waiting until the two men started towards the shack. Stepping forward he told his brother, "Nathan, I would like a couple of words with the Preacher here." Seeing fear in his younger brother's eyes he continued, "Don't worry little brother. I just want to talk to him for a minute."
Nathan nodded before reaching up to cup the unshaven cheek of his Preacher and gently kissing him. "I love you."
"I love you," was whispered in answer as the two men watched the Healer go into the shack where they heard the other men welcoming him.
Daniel was the first to move and he stepped into Josiah's space looking eye to eye with the man who had hurt his brother, with the knowledge that if he hurt this man like he wanted to, he might lose his brother and he wouldn't risk that. So instead he faced Josiah and told him, "I should kill you for what you did to my brother, but because Nathan loves you I will give you this one chance." Before he moved back. "But I make this promise to you and all that’s holy. If you hurt Nathan in any way I will kill you. Do we understand each other.”
Solemnly Josiah told Daniel, "If I do I want you to keep that promise, but I promise you that I will never … never do anything like this again. He's my life and if I have to share him I will, but I need him like the very air I breathe. If I could marry him I would."
The two men came to a silent agreement before moving in to join the celebration that was going on in the shack behind them.
+ + + + + + +
As the afternoon wore on Rain and Daniel left early to make their way home before dusk set. The seven men spent the day talking and reaffirming their friendships. It also came to light, by the slip of Nathan's tongue, how they tricked both the Gambler and Gunslinger into admitting their feelings for each other.
Stunned the two looked at each other then Chris simply pulled the smaller Southerner down onto his lap to nuzzle the other man's neck before facing their friends. "Thank you for giving me this truly wonderful gift." Then he kissed Ezra with gentle passion, which promised far more.
As dusk started to set, five men started back to Four Corners leaving Ezra and Chris behind. Chris settled down leaning against one of the porch posts holding his hand up to the gambler who took it and allowed himself to be seated between the blonde's long legs. The gunslinger snuggled the smaller man against his chest as they watched the sunset as it turned the sky first red, then purple and finally black.
Kissing the pale neck before him Chris urged the Southerner up before climbing to his feet and leading Ezra by the hand into the shack. Leaving his soon to be lover at the door Chris moved around to light the lamps so that they provided a soft glow before turning back to the man who stood just inside his home.
The bad element, the fearsome gunslinger felt little butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he looked at the man he was about to make love to. A man who's skin glowed softly in the lamp light while his emerald eyes glittered and drew him forward to capture those pouting pink lips in a crushing kiss. Chris molded the smaller, pliable body against his taller frame for a moment before sweeping the gambler up into his arms and moving to the bed.
Gently he lowered the younger man onto the mattress before pulling back to look at hooded green eyes, flushed skin, and swollen pouting lips. With a wildly beating heart Chris started to unwrap his beautiful gift of love, gently placing soft kisses and caresses on the golden skin as it was slowly revealed to his worshiping eyes. Once Ezra was as naked as the day he was born, Chris started a slow striptease never breaking the gaze he had with green eyes filled with love and desire for him.
Both men were as nervous as bridegrooms on their wedding night as they moved into each other's arms, but once there their anxiety disappeared and only the love they felt for each other remained.
As cries of passion and words of love were exchanged only the diamond studded velvet sky and the luscious full moon bore silent witness to the slow, gentle loving the two men shared far from civilization.
The End
