A/N: Part of my Hands of Fate Series. Magnificent Seven belongs to someone else. No profit was made from this story, etc. This story will contain abuse of a teenager. Remember this is fiction folks. If you don't like by all means do not read. I am not forcing anybody to do so. Not beta'd - all mistakes are my own. This is a WIP.

CHAPTER 1

The hours of the night slowly crept by. As much as he didn't want to believe it his body confirmed it did indeed happen. His eyes blurred yet again and he hastily wiped them away with the back of his sleeve. The remaining question burned a hole within his soul. Why? As far as he could tell there was no reason. He had done no wrong. Why were the fates against him? Things were on the up and up. He leaned heavily against his mount. His mind thoroughly exhausted by the previous events and every movement made his body excruciatingly painful.

Saddling his horse became an arduous chore. Even though he had been beaten before this time was different. This time it was heartbreaking. Someone he loved and someone he thought had loved him shattered his heart and soul. As much as it pained him to leave he wouldn't stay where he was no longer wanted. So lost in his thoughts he failed to hear someone enter the stable until the soft drawl penetrated his miserable state.

"What are you doing out here?" From the stiffening of his spine the tracker picked up on the intensity of the situation. "Does Chris know where yer at?" Vin sensed trouble even before the other answered his question

Working up the courage that failed several hours earlier he responded. "Go away." He then prayed Vin would leave him alone.

Not quite liking the response he received Vin moved closer and stopped when the other's mount danced slightly away. "Jesse." He made sure his tone was firm.

Jesse chose to ignore Vin's presence as he tried to soothe his high strung mount. With his dander up Vin reached out and grabbed Jesse's arm. "Hey, I'm talking to you." He immediately regretted his action especially after the kid elicited a cry of pain. What the hell? He watched in disbelief as the kid shrank away back into the shadows of the stable.

It broke Vin's heart when next he heard, "Stay away from me." The kid's voice held an undeniable quantity of fear; something Vin hadn't heard in such a long time.

Not sure what could have spooked the kid into running he took cautious steps approaching Jesse like he would an injured animal. He stopped whenever he heard movement from Jesse's general direction. "Jess, talk to me."

"What difference will it make?" The defeat was audible. This was worse than he originally thought.

After much silence, Vin continued his forward progression until he came upon Jesse's hiding place. He found Jesse sitting against the furthest stall his knees drawn up to his chest arms encircle around his legs and more than likely his forehead rested upon his knees. It was truly a pitiful sight. Squatting down next to him, Vin tried again. "The difference is I want to help."

The response he got was unexpected. "He broke his promise."

"Who broke his promise?" Vin softly asked as he tentatively placed a hand upon Jesse's shoulders. Jesse's reaction stunned him when the kid yelped in pain scooting away from his touch.

Jesse cringed in fear. "Don't touch me." It was a plea and a warning.

"Whoa Jesse, easy kid, I ain't here to hurt you. I'm just…Wait…Did someone hurt you?" Vin's voice wavered between shock and anger. His patience wearing thin when silence again met his question. He had been about to ask again when another voice interrupted the silence.

"Mr. Tanner, to whom are you speaking to?"

Relief flooded through him as Ezra approached. "Hold it right there Ezra."

The gambler immediately stopped heeding the tracker's request. "Is there a problem?"

"I reckon you could say that."

Ezra sensed trouble as he peered into the darkness and made out another shape not too far from the tracker's presence. "You are not alone."

"Good guess. I need a favor."

"This wouldn't involve money would it now?"

"No Ezra. I need you to go and get Nathan."

"Are you going to give me the slightest clue as to this problem?" Ezra asked.

Vin's exasperation came through as he replied, "Ezra just do it!" He instantly regretted his tone when a small whimper met his ears. In a much softer tone he said, "Just do it Ezra. Get Nathan and no one else."

This time Ezra didn't question his friend. He quickly tied his horse and left to get the healer. It didn't escape his hearing when Jesse's resolve finally broke. His sobs touched both men in ways they never expected.

Vin cautiously approached the kid again. All the while he softly whispered, "I'm here for you Jesse." When at last he was by the kid's side he said, "Nathan will be here soon."

The kid again murmured something that sounded like, "He promised…God, he promised he wouldn't…"

When Jesse raised his tear stained face Vin had trouble keeping his composure. What he saw even in the dim lighting shocked him. The kid's face was a discoloration of many bruises and cuts. It took all of Vin's willpower to keep it together for the sake of Jesse's tenuous state.

Jesse then unexpectedly pleaded with Vin, "Tell me what I did…I promise not to do it again…"

The man and the kid both heard a quick intake of breath disturbing the otherwise quiet stable. "Tell me he didn't." Both Ezra and Nathan had heard Jesse's plea.

"Ezra maybe…" Nathan began.

"He did." Vin finally said looking back toward the very frightened boy sitting upon the ground.

"Damn." The usually composed Nathan swore out loud.

The pounding in his head wouldn't subside nor would the dryness in his mouth. He really must have tied one on last night. Hell, how did he end up here anyway? His eyes slowly took in the view. The pounding in his head intensified when he next heard a booming voice above him.

"Well at least this time the hitching posts are intact!" Buck exclaimed. "Where did you get to after that last round of drinks?"

Concern flooded his features. "I don't know. I can't remember anything." Chris slowly sat up. His surroundings swam before his eyes as he clutched his protesting stomach.

"Chris."

He moaned loudly. "I'll be fine, give me a moment." He couldn't decide which was more painful his head or his stomach. Both were at odds this morning. Yet a troubling thought brought to mind another concern. "Where's Jesse?"

"Not sure. You both stayed in town last night; might be in bed."

Holding his head Chris agreed, "That's a possibility." Something however continued to nag at him, yet he couldn't explain it. "Buck, would you mind looking in on him?"

"Okay, but I know how cantankerous he can be in the morning. If he bites my head off I'll steer him in your direction."

"Fair enough." He'd feel better as soon as he knew his son's whereabouts. "Thanks Buck."

With a parting reply Buck said, ""Not a problem. I'll even rustle up a little help to look after your sorry ass."

Buck bumped into Josiah after he found no one at the boarding house. "Josiah!"

"You're in a hurry something the matter."

"Have you seen Jesse?"

"Not since yesterday. Has he gone missing again?"

"Seems so. Are you busy?"

"It would seem I am now."

"Get on over to the jail. Chris is out of sorts. Seems he has no recollection as to what he did last night."

"I sure know how that feels. I'll go talk to him."

"Any idea where J.D. is?"

"I think he's over at the hotel – showing off for Casey."

"Thanks. I'll see you in a bit."

Not long after Buck left, Chris leaned forward covering his face with his hands. What the hell was going on? Why couldn't he remember anything from the previous night? He could remember everything up to the time he left; after that – nothing. Although that didn't explain why his gut churned whenever he thought of his son. Something didn't feel right. It was then that he noticed something unusual on his hands.

Josiah had just entered the sheriff's office. "Chris, Buck said you needed some help this fine morning."

Blood. Was it his or someone else's? At that moment his memory brought forth cries of pain. "Pa! Please! I'm sorry!" Chris blinked twice. No…please tell me it's not his. He began to tremble. Josiah must have sensed his distress for it didn't take long for his friend to cross the room.

"Chris…"

Stunned he thought, oh lord what did I do? "Josiah…" He held up his hands to show Josiah what he saw. The older man touched Chris' hands and examined them.

"It doesn't necessarily mean what you think." Josiah calmly said trying to placate his friend's concern.

"Doesn't it?" Chris replied loudly. He pulled his hands away to clutch his head again. The voice in his head wouldn't stop. "Pa! Tell me what I did! Please Pa!"

Still clutching his head he shouted, "Make it stop!" He couldn't hide the anguish he felt. "Josiah, tell me I didn't hurt him. I could never forgive myself if I did."

"Chris, Buck will be back soon. I'm sure he'll put your fears at ease." Josiah prayed that would be the case. The more he watched Chris though he wondered if the demons plaguing Chris were real. If they were God help them all.

J.D. ran into Buck. "Any luck?"

"No and that's got me worried." Buck confided in J.D. "I checked the stable. His horse was still there…"

"That's good. Isn't it?" J.D. studied his mentor.

"The dang horse was saddled."

J.D.'s eyes went wide. "Now we could be jumping to conclusions. Maybe he came in late and didn't finish the task."

"You and I both know how that boy is when it comes to his horse."

"Yeah, I know." J.D. then thought of something else. "Where are Vin, Ezra, and Nathan?"

"Damned if I know. Let's go find them."