Part One.

It was early spring in Four Corners. Small tufts of fresh, bright grass were beginning to creep through the dull winter blades, scatterings of small flowers accompanying the new growth, and decorating the surrounding lands in blues and yellows.

Ezra loved the spring air. There was something light and clean about it, cooling and refreshing, like a splash of cold water first thing in the morning. He stood, thumbs looped through his gun belt, hat pulled down low, one leg crossed in front of the other, his weight against a post supporting the awning over the boardwalk.

The sun was playing across the dusty street. The crisp, pale light of late afternoon, casting long distorted shadows across the ground.

"Afternoon Miss. Evens,"

Ezra looked up at the sound of Josiah's cheery voice, and he cast down the street, his eyes falling on the tall, square form of the preacher, who was tapping the brim of his hat in the direction of an elderly woman, her wild white hair in disarray, her face a picture of cynicism and suspicion. She snorted,

"Josiah," came her short, gruff reply.

She turned back to her horse, that was standing patiently tethered to a bar outside the hotel, and began to tug at a bundle attached to the back of the saddle, muttering as she did so.

Josiah took a step towards her,

"Want a hand there?"

The woman turned to look at him sharply.

"No." she snapped, before turning ever so slightly to add grudgingly, "Thank you."

Ezra smiled as the preacher held up his hands in defeat and headed instead towards the saloon, throwing the gambler a nod as he went. Ezra returned the greeting, biting back a laugh as he did so.

Josiah Sanchez, he thought with a roll of his eyes, always trying to extend the proverbial olive branch. Annie Evans however, was not a willing recipient of Josiah's cheeriness, or in fact, as far as he knew, anyone's attempts at civility. She'd arrived in town about four months earlier, taking to a small, ramshackle cabin in the middle of the wilderness. She only made the trip into town every two weeks, to stock up on supplies, and as far as he could see, insult all those who she came into contact with.

As she pulled her pack from her horse with a grunt and turned for a side street, lugging the assorted bundle with her, Ezra stood up, pushing back his hat. It was high time he did something rather than stand around watching the world go by. He hopped nimbly off the boardwalk, and headed for the stables, knowing that he'd promised his own faithful steed a long brush and grooming session, after the many miles the horse had endured for the sake of his master the weeks previous.

Ezra tapped at the brim of his hat as he went, acknowledging those he passed on the way, people strolling along casually, enjoying the warm freshness of the breeze.

It was as he passed by close to where Annie Evans had disappeared that he heard a strange sound. Like a squeal of fright. He paused instantly, his head turning to take in the apparently deserted alley. He waited for a couple of seconds, listening closely, only to be greeted with silence.

He threw a shrug and went to carry on, when a voice echoed up,

"Hey! Get off that!"

It was Annie all right. Her venomous voice tinged with fear.

Ezra wasted no time, drawing his gun, and advancing steadily down the small deserted back street, eyes flicking cautiously from side to side. He didn't see anything however until he rounded the back of the hotel, strewn with empty crates, barrels, and torn, useless sacking. Standing in the middle of it all, was Annie Evens, clutching wildly to her bundle of rags, which were in the process of being torn from her grip by a burly man, wearing an expression of pure rage.

Standing beside the first man, was another man, thinner, but just as fierce looking, holding a gun that he was holding loosely pointed at Annie.

"Grab it already!" He hissed at the bigger man, who turned back to him angrily,

"I'm trying!" he turned back to Annie, "Let go you old witch!" he screamed at her. The second man took a firmer grip of the gun, and waved it about in her face.

"Let go or I swear to God I'll shoot you dead lady!"

Ezra stepped out calmly into the melee, gun pointed expertly at the thinner of the two assailants.

"Now, now, gentlemen," Ezra began smoothly, watching as all eyes turned to him, and the scene before him froze in time, "Is that any way to address your elders?"

The second man went to move his gun, but Ezra was quicker, burying a bullet in the wood inches from the thin man's head, and watching with satisfaction as the man swallowed nervously.

"Drop it," Ezra commanded, his voice no longer so jovial. He turned to the man holding half of Annie's bundle, "And you."

Both complied, although as Annie grabbed back her bundle, the corner flapped down, and two shiny apples dropped out. At once she stooped to grab them, and Ezra watched as the two assailants, hands reluctantly in the air, swapped looks.

"Apples?" whined the larger man, "All that for a bunch of stinkin' apples?"

Annie stood up defensively, stepping towards the man aggressively.

"I sell 'em you idiot! I was looking for a crate to put 'em in before you two started attackin' me!"

"Ezra?" Buck and Vin were advancing down the alley, guns drawn, looking at him quizzically, Ezra threw them a smile,

"Ah gentlemen, just in time."

Vin looked over at him,

"We heard gunfire."

Ezra nodded,

"These two were in the process of robbing Miss. Evans of her home grown produce. If you'd be so kind as to escort them to the jail."

"With pleasure," Buck shot the two men a withering smirk, and Vin turned to the gambler,

"You alright?"

Ezra smiled again, touched by the concern and trying to brush away any hints of surprise he felt,

"Right as reign Mr. Tanner."

Annie hung back as Vin and Buck dragged the two men away, watching cautiously, her eyes falling on the gambler as her two attackers were lead out of view.

Ezra turned, tucking away his gun as he extended a cheery smile and tapped the brim of his hat. He realised there was little point in waiting for any form of appreciation from the old woman, and his thoughts drifted back to his original duty of grooming his horse.

"Good day madam."

Annie stood blinking at him, and as he turned to leave, she felt a sense of panic and confusion overwhelm her.

"Wait!"

Ezra turned on hearing her panic, his face laced with a soft frown,

"Is there something else?"

She blinked at him, and he watched in amazement as she gazed down at the ground in apparent embarrassment.

"You…you saved my life Mr. Standish."

Ezra smiled warmly,

"Oh, I doubt it. Those men weren't the killing kind Miss. Evans, in fact I'm rather amazed they can even remember to draw breath every once in a while."

The joke slid past Annie, and she looked up instead, her eyes connecting with Ezra's in a passionate intensity.

"No Mr. Standish. A debt is a debt."

As Ezra blinked at her in confusion, her face grew cold once again, and she dipped her head and scurried back past him up the alley. Leaving Ezra very surprised and a little confused.

She owed him a debt? He raised his brows as he considered the thought. Just how was she going to pay it back?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sooooo, new story then! I know I said it might be a while, but hey, still a week and a half before I go to uni, and this idea popped into my head and wouldn't go away.

I felt it was time for some Ezra angst, I've already done Ezra hurt, and Ezra humour, so I thought poor old Ezra's emotions should be the next thing facing a full-frontal assault. It's only going to be another short story…I'm estimating about seven chapters, but basically, Ezra is going to explore the way he sees his mother (sort of) and the things she should have imparted to him over the years. Anyway, I'll stop yabbering now and simply say REVIEW!