Author's note: Thanks to Luna Dey who beta'd for me, and to my friends and fellow list members who allow me to try out my fics on them.
Disclaimer: The Magnificent Seven and all related characters, concepts, etc. are the property of CBS, MGM, and Trilogy and other Powers That Be. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profits are being made.
Buck whistled as he walked down the boardwalk. It was obvious that a storm was brewing, but it didn't seem to bother him tonight. He stopped at the saloon to make sure the last of the customers had gone home for the night, and he nodded to the bartender as he closed up for the night.All of a sudden, the air got still and the clouds seem to be drawn to the town. The ladies' man straightened from where he was leaning against the rail. All the hair on his neck stood up, and he got an eerie feeling. He looked around the quiet little town and watched as his fellow peacekeepers stepped out from their various hiding places. His eyes locked with Chris', and he gave a shrug in response to his unvoiced question, before turning his eyes back to the rapidly darkening clouds.
Just then, all the street fires went out, along with every light in town. Without giving a second thought to not being able to see more then a few feet ahead of him, the ladies' man stepped into the street. With his gun drawn, he made his way toward the center of town. At the moment that he came face to face with Larabee a sudden gust of wind whirled around them.
Both men holstered their guns and grabbed hold of their hats as the wind seen to get stronger. They could barely hear their friends calling to them as the wind suddenly grew louder and stronger. Then it just stopped.
The two men looked around, and noticed they were standing in middle of what looked like a large yard. They looked at each other in confusion, and then turned to see if they could tell where they were.
"Bucklin Wilmington Larabee get over here right now," a female voice called out, as a small boy with dark hair ran past them.
"Coming mama," he called out, as he ran over to the young woman that sat holding a bundle of blankets. "What mama? I didn't do it, I promise," the small boy called out.
The young woman looked up from the bundle she was holding. "I know, Baby. I want you to meet your new brother." She nodded to the man that stood next to her. "Darlin' please help him onto my lap."
The young blonde haired man nodded as he picked up the small boy and gently sat him on his wife's lap. "You really should be resting, Sarah."
The young dark haired woman smiled up at the blonde. "I know, dear. I will, but I want the boys to meet." She turned to the boy in her lap. "Bucky, this is Christopher. Can you tell me where we got his name and yours?"
The small boy nodded and climbed from his mother's lap. "Uh huh." He took her hand and pulled toward the house.
The young brunette smiled as she stood and let her son lead the way.
The two men followed the young family, wondering why they were there. When they entered the house they could see that the family that lived here was happy. They could hear the family in the other room, and they followed the voices toward the room.
The two men watched the family gather around some pictures that were on the wall. The little boy pointed to a picture of two men wearing guns and hats. "There mama. I'm named after your great-great-grandpa." He pointed to the image of the man with dark hair. "And Chris is named for daddy's great-great-grandpa." He pointed to the blonde in the picture.
Sarah smiled as she knelt next to the boy. "That's right, and your grandpa named me after his father's oldest friend's late wife, in honor of her memory. And, your daddy his named after your great-great-grandpa too. They were very important men. Do you know why?"
Little Buck nodded. "Uh huh." He ran over to a picture that sat on the piano and picked it up. "They helped protect the Wild West from bad men. "He brought the picture back over to her. "I can name them. Daddy's been helping me." He pointed each man out. "Great-great-grandpa Buck, great-great-grandpa Chris. Great Uncle Vin; he lived with Indians for a while. That's great uncle Ezra; he played cards and won money. That one's great Uncle JD; he was the policeman of their town then. That's great uncle Josiah; he was a preacher, and that's great uncle Nathan. He was like a doctor." The boy looked up at his mother. "I wish I knew them."
Sarah smiled as she looked down at the picture in her young son's hand. "Well, you do in a way. All your cousins and uncles and aunts are all related to these men. Our families have been friends since these men worked to protect our town back then. Guess you could say we're all still as much of a family today as they were then."
A noise from the living room got everyone's attention.
"I'll greet everyone. You okay dear?" the blonde asked, concerned about his wife.
The young woman stood and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Just remembering stories my grandfather told me about these men while I was growing up is all. I'll be out with the baby in a minute. Take Bucky to greet everyone." She gave him a smile.
The young man nodded. "Alright" He scooped up the small boy and set the picture aside then headed from the room.
Chris stood in shock. That smile, he knew it from somewhere. "Buck, that's Sarah's smile, but how can that be?" He turned to his oldest friend.
The ladies' man shrugged. "Wish I knew, pard. The young man looks just like you." He looked at the pictures on the wall, then abruptly turned to the blonde. "Did Sarah's Bible survive the fire?"
Chris thought a minute. "Yeah it did. If they're who they are saying, her bible should be here." He started to look around, and spotted the bible on a shelf. "Buck over here." He reached for it and gently picked it up. As he looked over the torn and burned cover, the memories came flooding back. He remembered writing Adam's name in the book when he was born and then later recording his and Sarah's deaths in it. The blonde looked up at the now quiet ladies' man. "But, how can they have it. I keep it locked away?"
Buck shrugged. "I don't know, pard. None of this is making sense. He took the Bible carefully from his friend's hands and set it on the piano, then he took a deep breath and opened it to where they had recorded the deaths of Sarah and Adam Larabee. What he saw was enough to make him dizzy. "Uh… Chris, look at this." He looked up to his friend.
Chris walked over and looked over his friend's shoulder. There in black and white were all their names. He reached out and gently traced Sarah's name and pulled himself back to the job at hand. He read on. "Wait! It says here that I married Nora." He looked up at his friend and could see Buck was just as confused. He turned back to reading. "Says here you married that lady bounty hunter."
Buck couldn't help but smile a little. "Kate." He read on. "Ezra married Terry Gear. Nathan married Rain; we knew that would happen." He smiled as he continued reading. "Vin married Inez; whoa not who I thought she'd go for. Look at this, Chris. Josiah married Mary, and JD finally figures it out and marries Casey."
The two men looked at each other then turned back to the Bible. "Says here all our families stayed close and even inter-married. Here they are," he said, indicating the family they were visiting. "Sarah Madeline Wilmington married Christopher Adam William Larabee, on…" He stopped and looked up. "Pard, they were married on your and Sarah's anniversary."
Chris frowned as he took the bible and looked it over. "But..." He couldn't seem to find the words. He saw the smile cross his friend's face.
"Pard, you moved on and found love again. Just look at the list of children you and Nora had, and this one…" He stood and pointed to the name Adam Jonathan Larabee, obviously named in memory of Chris' first son, "got married and named his only son after you"
Chris smiled as he thought about it. "Well, you didn't get off easy," he said and pointed out the list a names by Buck's name. "Looks like your youngest son married and named his daughter after my Sarah."
Both men jumped when the wind suddenly returned and whirled around them, causing them to drop the Bible. The next thing they knew there were back in the middle of the street staring at each other in confession, while the others gathered around them. They were all trying to figure out what had happened.
The two dazed men shrugged. "Not sure we can explain it guys. Not sure we believe it." Buck said, as he started across the street, still trying to figure out what he had just seen and heard.
The others watched in confession as their friends retreated to the boarding house.
"Brothers, they will tell us when they're ready. I suggest we all get some rest," Josiah said, as he continued to watch his friends.
The five friends parted and all headed to their beds, unsure of the events that had taken place earlier that night.
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