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Disclaimer: The usual
feedback welcome! ltcpl@icss.net
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Chris felt an icy rage wash over him, as he listened silently to Mary Travis telling him what had happened.
He waited until she was finished, and asked simply. "Nathan's?"
Mary nodded, and Chris strode angrily out of the saloon.
The four grim faced men waiting below Nathan's clinic, stepped aside
to let their leader pass. The expression on his face, warned them all not
to get in his way.
As Chris made his way inside the clinic, Nathan took one look at his angry face and held up a warning hand. He jerked his head, indicating outside.
"How bad is it?" Chris demanded, once they were on the landing of the clinic's stairs.
"It ain't good. They hurt him Chris. They hurt him real bad. Fact is, he's gonna hurt a lot more 'fore it's over. What he needs most, is peace and quiet and rest. He just ain't up to handlin' none of your moods right now." Nathan told the gunslinger sternly.
Chris started to say something in reply, but Nathan cut him off harshly.
"I mean it Chris. You say one word in there, that ain't fit
for Sunday mornin' meetin', and I'll put you out."
Chris' angry eyes met Nathan's fiercely protective orbs, and any thought he'd given to arguing ended. He nodded meekly, and followed the healer back into the clinic.
The four men waiting at the foot of the stairs, exchanged impressed glances. Very few people stood up to Chris Larabee, and even fewer had cowed the gunslinger so completely.
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Chris was afraid to even begin to think of what he'd find. Even worse, he was afraid of what he'd do about it.
What was he thinking? Leaving just the kid and Nathan alone in town. He should have figured that Nathan could be called away at any time for an emergency, leaving JD all alone.
It just never occurred to him that the Nichols boys would return. He'd figured God would have wiped them all off the face of the earth by now. At least, that's what they deserved…for what they did to the boy…last time.
Last time…
Now…this time…they'd beat him worse…and the poor kid didn't even have anyone to go to for help after the beating…no 'brothers' there to run to…no 'brothers' there to hold his head… no 'brothers' there to finish it for him…no one…
They'd gotten away…clean…
And JD had gotten the 'message' once again…
"So…how bad is it, Nathan?" Chris whispered.
"Well…you know bullets just ain't the way they do it with this boy…so he don't have no gunshot wounds…but that's about the only thing he's missin', Chris. You can see how bad his face is…and they broke his arm…couple of ribs…he's got a couple of loose teeth…but what I'm really worried about is…that gash…over his eye." Nathan studied it again, frowning.
"Why?" Chris panicked.
"I'm not sure, yet…" Nathan stammered. "No need worryin' unduly."
"Like we ain't all worried anyway, Nathan…what the f**k are you talkin' about?" Chris yelled.
"Chris…I warned you…this boy ain't gonna listen to this crap from you.
Get your ass outside…with the rest of 'em…I thought maybe, just maybe,
one of you six would have enough guts to stay in here with him…and not
get thrown out. I'd had hoped it'd be Buck…but it wasn't…he blew
up. You were my last hope, Chris. So just go on…go stand around outside
and
scream with the others. Me…I'm just gonna try and keep this boy
calm…and quiet…and maybe if'n I'm the only one in here…I'll be able to
hear him when he cries…so…go on, Chris."
"Nathan…please…let me stay." Chris begged. "I won't…I'll help you…let me do that for him, Nathan…please. Let me be here for him now…I wasn't…earlier."
Nathan was reluctant to believe that Chris could keep himself in check, but he thought he deserved another chance.
The man in black broke down. "God, Nathan…am I ever gonna learn…ever
gonna learn not to leave people I love behind…alone…defenseless?
I thought I'd learned my lesson with Sarah and Adam…and now…this boy…it's
happened all over again."
Nathan walked over to Chris. "Chris…you can't be everywhere…no one can…you think Buck ain't said the same thing…and Vin…and the others. No one can be everywhere…all the time…Chris…'ceptin' for God. And JD wasn't alone, Chris. God was with him…otherwise…otherwise…he wouldn't be here now."
"So…" Chris said, barely audible. "You were talking about the cut over his eye."
Chris bent over to brush the kid's hair out of his face, careful of all the cuts and bruises, and the gash that so concerned Nathan in particular.
"Yeah…it's real deep, Chris…and it's awful close to his eye…" Nathan was hoping that Chris would pick up on what he was fearing…Nathan really didn't want to utter his thoughts.
"Yeah…and…?" Chris asked.
"I'm afraid…afraid it might affect his vision, Chris." There…he'd said it.
"You mean…you mean he may be blind, Nathan?" Chris breathed.
"Won't know until he wakes up, Chris. Let's just pray I'm worried over nothin'" Nathan said.
"Buck know this?" Chris inquired.
"Why do you think his ass is outside? Not like it wouldn't have been anyway…but Buck just couldn't take that." Nathan said.
"You need to go get some rest, Nathan." Chris observed. " I'll sit with the kid. I'll call 'ya if we need anything."
"No…I'm fine, Chris. As long as I got someone here with me…I'll be fine. It's hard…lookin' at him…and waitin' alone…but I'll be fine." Nathan said as he walked over and took a seat in the chair next to the bed.
Chris didn't want to be that far away, so he opted to sit on the side of the bed. He carried on a quiet soothing conversation with the boy…stroking his hair gently, being so careful of all the wounds.
"Son, if you'd just wake up I could tell 'ya how things went today for the rest of us. I know how you always gotta have a full report when we get back. Sounds like you had more excitement than we did, though." Chris said, his voice breaking.
"If you'd just wake up, kid. I don't wanna tell 'ya till you wake up." Chris continued. "I bet old Buck already told 'ya everything, didn't he? Buck always likes to tell 'ya first…he never lets me do it."
JD began to stir…his eyes trying to open…but the pain was too great.
"Nathan…he's wakin' up." Chris called to the healer.
"JD…JD, son…c'mon…open your eyes for me now, kid." Nathan pleaded.
"Buck??" the small voice cried.
Nathan ran to the door and called down…"Buck…get up here. He's wakin' up!"
"JD…c'mon, kid, open your eyes now." Chris begged.
Buck was in the room in a flash, sliding to the side of the bed on his knees. The others were just seconds behind, all stopping in the doorway.
"Hey, kid. I'm here…look at me, kid." the boy's 'big brother'
said.
"Buck??" JD cried again. "God, Buck…it hurts…"
Buck was breaking down…unable to utter another word.
"We know it hurts, son." Chris took over. "Just open your eyes…look at your friends, son."
The boy tried to open his eyes…struggled to open his eyes…and finally…did…open his eyes.
"Chris? You're…back…"
"Yeah, son…I'm back. Can you see OK, son…? Tell me…JD…what do you see?" Chris pleaded.
"I…I…see…all my…friends…" the boy said. "All my…friends."
THE END
