There is a slight time-line change in regards to Chavez, but that is to work into future stories im planing. Enjoy!
New Years Eve 1877
As the end of the year was drawing to it's end, Englishman John Tunstall stood to the side of the New Years celebration reflecting as he did each year on the success and improvement of boys. He had heard many scoff at the label "his boys" but to John the words: workers, employees and personnel did not hold the true worth of the mix matched bunch that he held so dear. To him the Regulators were more surrogate sons, young men that he had found when each had hit rock bottom, that he had educated and helped to reach their full potential.
One of his newest Regulators was the easiest to spot in the ever dancing crowd. As Billy stepped away from his dance partner to do highly erratic solo jig, John did nothing to suppress the smile that came to his face at the sight, he merely thanked God that he had been able to save the young man from the gallows a few weeks ago.
Looking through the other dancing couples John was happy to see Doc smiling as he and his partner danced, that happiness was short lived as he realized the young woman was none other then the Murphy's China girl, apparently Murphy had been tipped off at who the girl was dancing with as he was already one his way towards the couple, knowing that he would not reach the couple before the other man John stayed where he was, hoping that Doc would find another woman to dance with before the night was out.
After glancing over the rest of the dance space, it was obvious that the majority of his Regulators had yet to find a lady to dance with. Sitting together on the other side of the party area Charlie, Steve and John's newest recruit Jay sat guzzling down drinks as they watched Billy dance with great amusement on their faces. The amusement seem to vanish from their faces after Charlie spoke and seconds later they were all slicking back their hair and walking towards the women they had each had their eyes on.
Dick it seemed had taken up station at one of the rickety tables around the place to play a hand of poker. Though it did not surprise John that it was the table closest to the beverages on offer, it seemed even on an occasion such as this Dick was on the watch for any misbehaver on any Regulators part, such as he had been doing for years for he was not only the eldest Regulator, but he had been the first boy John had taken in when he came to Lincoln.
It seemed the only Regulator that was not actively participating in the celebration in anyway was Chavez. After almost four years of living with John and his boys the Mexican-Indian had become accustom to the constant presence of caucasian people, yet he still became aloft and overly cautious in large crowds. He sat on one of the logs that where laid out to make a perimeter around the party area, expertly twirling one his knives seeming not to notice the small group of young woman looking at him and giggling or the a group of man sending him hate filled glares.
It still vexed John to witness the open contempt that was so often thrown at Chavez, yet he was pleased to see that he had been able to show the Indian to choose his battles, so that he was more easily matched, this had been one of Johns hardest lessons to teach.
Knowing that each boy he brought into his house came with their own problems and inner demons had never stopped John from picking up the lost boys that society had left behind, and he vowed that while ever he kept breathing he would continue on helping his chargers, little did he know how short that vow would be valid.