It happened fast. It never ceased to amaze JD just how fast a
quiet, peaceful morning could be shattered in no more than a blink of
an eye.
The young regulator had been wandering toward the saloon, looking
forward to a good breakfast when sudden gunshots split the air,
disturbing the peace of the morning.
Later it was revealed that a group of outlaws, ignoring the rumors
of seven peacekeepers in Four Corners, had attempted to rob the bank,
only to be caught by Nathan and Josiah, starting the gunfight.
Drawing his gun, JD dashed into the saloon for cover, finding it
empty save for Chris Larabee, who was moving quickly for a vantage
point, gun drawn as well.
"Do you see them?" the dark gunslinger asked.
JD shook his head. "Not yet - no wait! There they are!"
The fight came swiftly, eight men on horseback, attempting to outrun
the bullets chasing after them. Both Chris and JD fired, taking two
men out and sending the others scrambling from their horses for cover
as the rest of the lawmen caught up, taking various positions and
shooting.
JD's heart pounded in excitement as he exchanged fire with the
outlaws. He and the other men had been together in Four Corners nearly
a month now and already had been in several gunfights, all ending
victorious with very minor scratches and injuries among the seven men.
The biggest thrill of this particular gunfight was that he was
alongside Chris, getting a chance to prove that he wasn't some
greenhorn kid who couldn't pull his own weight. He was out from the
hawk eyes of Buck, holding his own.
Spying Ezra, something that wasn't hard to do what with the
gambler's clothes, JD's eyes widened when he spotted one of the outlaws
behind him, drawing an easy bead on the southerner's back.
Shit! JD thought and fired quickly and accurately, taking out
the man about to take out Ezra. He was vaguely aware of glass breaking
as he watched the man go down. Ezra started, glancing back and then
quickly seeking out his savior. Meeting JD's gaze, a slight smile
crossed Ezra's lips and he tipped his hat in thanks before turning back
to the fight.
JD licked his lips and fired a few more shots, taking down another
outlaw. At the same time he was wondering how many were left, it
occurred to him that he hadn't heard Chris' gun in quite a few minutes.
He turned to see if the gunslinger was reloading or changing positions
and froze.
There was Chris, laying face down, a pool of blood rapidly gathering
below him.
Oh God, Oh God! JD thought as he rushed to his friend's side
and gently turned him over, checking to see if the older man was alive
before he checked the injury. Upon finding Chris was still breathing
. . . barely . . . JD turned his attention to the wound and immediately
went pale. The bullet had gone in through the chest and blood was
rapidly pouring out.
Ohgodohgodohgodohgod, JD thought as he frantically tried to
slow the bleeding, watching Chris for signs of coming around or . . .
no, he wouldn't think that. Chris would live. He would.
Silence penetrated his tormented thoughts, and he realized that the
gunfight had stopped. Nathan. He had to get Nathan.
"Nathan!" he screamed, standing and running outside. "Nathan!
Nathan!" he screamed frantically, then turned and ran back inside,
dropping back at Chris' side and continuing trying to keep the blood in
Chris' body.
He wasn't aware in the least of the horrifying site he made when
first Nathan and then the rest burst into the Saloon. He didn't
realize he was covered in Chris' blood or that he was as white a sheet
from fear.
Nathan was spurred into action after only a couple of seconds,
moving to Chris' other side and barking out orders, which snapped the
others into motion as well. Ezra, having heard the terrified scream
for Nathan, had run to the healer's clinic to get his medical bag and
now he burst through the doors, rushing up to Nathan.
"Here, Nathan," he said, handing the bag over to a slightly
surprised Nathan. Ezra then turned his attention to Chris and then to
JD, taking in the boy's state with a practiced eye.
Uh oh, he thought, looking quickly at Buck who had also
noticed the state of his young friend.
The ladies man gently took JD by the arm and pulled him to his feet.
"Come on, son," he murmured, "Let's get you cleaned up and let Nathan
work."
JD pulled his arm away and shook his head, watching as Vin and
Josiah moved into positions to assist Nathan, who didn't want to move
Chris until the bullet had been removed. "No," he said, his voice
sounding dazed, "I want to stay."
Buck was about to protest but JD cut him off, a slight challenge to
his voice as he repeated, "I want to stay."
Buck and Ezra glanced at each other, but let the Kid have his way
for the time being.
It was a tense, fear filled hour later when Nathan finally dislodged
the bullet from Chris' chest. Chris had made it through, which
surprised Nathan though he didn't say it. He had Buck and Josiah move
him very carefully to the clinic, Vin, Ezra and JD following.
JD stared blankly down at Chris once he had been settled in the bed,
clean of blood though to JD's eyes, he was still covered in it. To
JD's eyes, his friend and hero was still losing his life force. Dying
. . .
Nathan, having done all he could, looked up and eyed JD critically.
"JD, why don't you go get cleaned up now?"
When JD didn't make any sort of response, Nathan moved over to him
and put a hand on his shoulder, ignoring all the blood. "JD."
"Huh?" JD blinked and looked up at Nathan. "What?"
"Why don't you go with Buck and cleaned up?" Nathan repeated gently.
JD glanced down at his clothes and then looked at his hands. The
blood covering them seemed to hypnotize him again and the men all
exchanged concerned looks.
"Come on son," Buck murmured, gently guiding the now unresisting JD
out.
"Shock," Nathan murmured. "Gonna have to watch him."
"I'll talk to him once he's cleaned up," Josiah replied. He gazed
at Chris for a moment, then turned and left the room.
Ezra tipped his hat and with a murmured, "Gentlemen," he, too,
quietly left.
Vin and Nathan were silent for a long time. Vin watched Chris while
Nathan quietly saw to things around his room. Finally, Vin asked
quietly, "What are his chances, Nate?"
Nathan sighed. "Honestly, not great. While the bullet missed all
the vital stuff, it did manage to do a lot of damage. Basically, it's
between him and God now."
Vin nodded and turned his gaze back to Chris. He had expected as
much. Goddamn outlaws. Why the hell couldn't they have robbed some
other town? Things were just starting to get interesting in this
friendship and now it might be over. Goddamn it.
+ + + + + +
Buck and Josiah sat in the Church, watching JD. Despite having been
cleaned up, the only change was that there was no longer any blood on
him. Josiah had the sneaking suspicion that JD didn't see that,
however. Nope. From the way the Kid kept looking vacantly at his
hands, it was pretty clear he still saw the blood. Chris' blood.
If you're trying to make some kind of point, Josiah thought,
then you're driving it home in a real hard way.
He looked over at Buck and said softly, "Why don't you go to the
restaurant and get something to eat? I'm going to try and talk to JD."
Buck hesitated, then nodded and silently took his leave.
Josiah gazed at JD for a few moments more then got up, filled a cup
of water from his jug and moved over to his young friend.
"Here, JD, drink this," he murmured after gaining the young man's
attention.
Only after staring at it a moment and figuring out what it was did
JD drink the liquid.
"I think we should talk, son," Josiah said.
"'Bout what?" JD asked, the first words he had spoken in some time.
"'Bout what happened," Josiah replied, willing to play along for the
moment.
JD didn't reply, and Josiah could actually see the boy closing in on
himself.
"Don't go wherever you're trying to go, JD," he said, putting a hand
on JD's shoulder. "It won't help. You need to face this. I know it's
a shock seeing a friend seriously hurt. It always will be. But you
have to face it."
The ex-preacher fell silent and watched JD closely. He watched JD's
hands clench and unclench and saw him start to shake.
"So much blood," JD finally whispered, his tone breaking Josiah's
heart.
JD's raised his gaze to meet the older man's. "So much blood,
Josiah. I - I couldn't stop it. It was - was all over me and - and I
couldn't - couldn't . . ."
Josiah reached out and pulled JD into his arms as he began to sob
quietly. "I know, son," he murmured, "I know. It's hard I know, but
you need to have faith. Chris is a survivor. He'll get through this
and so will you."
"Is . . . God trying to . . . to tell me something . . . Josiah?"
"God is always trying to tell us things," Josiah replied. "It's up
to you to figure out what He's saying."
Silence descended, and it was only when JD's breathing grew slow and
steady that Josiah figured out he had fallen asleep. Moving carefully,
he gathered JD up and took him into the bedroom off to the side. Once
the big man had his friend settled in, he gazed down at the sleeping
form, gently brushing some hair away.
"Sleep well my brother," he whispered. "You've made it past the
shock. Tomorrow, you'll deal with the next stages. And we'll all be
there to help you."
He turned and left the little room, closing the door gently behind
him.
The End
