Disclaimer: The Magnificent Seven and characters are the property of MGM Television, The Mirsch Corporation, Trilogy Entertainment Group and CBS. No profit has been made off of this work and I unfortunately don't own them. No copyright infringement is intended.

Clouds or Sun

Chapter 1

Fluffy white clouds chased each other across a sky so blue that it could rival the most brilliant sapphire, the sun just beginning to warm the earth as the tall prairie grass gently swayed with the light spring breeze that had come up over the last few moments. It was the beginning to a perfect day or so Vin Tanner thought as he turned Peso towards Four Corners and home. Home. He shook his head in silent amazement, how could the small town and its inhabitants have grown on him so quickly? He had only intended to stop long enough to earn some money to re-supply and continue his hunt for Eli Joe.

He had grown close to the six peacekeepers he now called friends. He used to enjoy his solitary existence; things were less complicated when you didn't have to worry with friends. Oh, he had acquaintances and a few good friends scattered throughout the Mid-West but he'd never had the boys. It was like having a ready made family; it made it hard to move on. But constantly looking over your shoulder could wear on a body after a while and if you wanted to keep your neck the same length it was something you had to do. Of course his new friends and their additional sets of eyes definitely made the chore a lot easier.

As Vin neared the town limits he met JD on the way out of town to begin his watch. As Vin drew Peso to a halt JD pulled up alongside and greeted him. "Mornin' Vin. All quiet?"

"Yup, nothing much stirring out there, Baker Pass was quiet." Vin replied looking up at the sky and the slight darkening of the clouds north of town. "Best keep a weather eye on the northern sky JD; it looks as if something may be brewing."

Turning in the saddle JD took notice of the building cloud line. "I'll start my patrol over by Nettie's, help her and Casey get everything buttoned up, just in case."

"I'm sure you'll do that." Vin grinned "Try to stay dry, and be careful."

JD blushed to the roots of his hair and urged his horse on. With a squeeze of his knees, Vin set Peso into motion, "Ok boy let's get a move on, the last thing I want to be is wet. I know you don't mind so much but I just don't have a hankering for it today." He laughed and shook his head "And here I thought we were going to have us a beautiful day."

A few minutes later he rode up to the livery and settled Peso for the morning. Reaching up he gave Peso a good scratching between the ears before heading off to the saloon to check in with the guys and scare up some breakfast. As he neared the saloon he noticed that the gentle soothing breeze from earlier had quickly increased and was now kicking up the dust to bite painfully at exposed skin. As he pushed through the doors he could see Buck sidled up to the bar trying to get Inez's attention while she cleaned the mirror behind the bar.

"Senor Wilmington if you don't stop making those faces you're going to crack my mirror and then I will be vexed with you. How many times do I have to tell you, your wily ways will not work on me?" Inez huffed, climbing down from the chair waving her rag at him.

Buck gave her the toothiest grin he possessed and stated, "Darlin' I only have eyes for you and if you would just give me a moment of your time I could show you just how happy I could make you."

"Don't believe him Inez, what he's offering wouldn't buy you a cup of coffee and a decent meal" Vin laughed as he clapped Buck on the shoulder. Buck turned and stared at him with an open mouthed expression before turning back to Inez. "He's delirious, in fact he's completely out of his mind, has no idea what he's talking about". Inez snickered and poured a cup of coffee for Vin which he picked up and took over to the corner table. Buck followed and slumped into the seat across from him.

"When are you gonna learn that she doesn't fancy you?" Vin commented after taking a long sip of the strong brew.

"Never! She'll come around one day, you'll see, I've just got to keep her interested"

"Buck, you know there are plenty of other available women in town. How about Melissa May, she would just love for you to pay court on her." Vin commented wiggling his eyebrows.

"No thank you, I don't wish to be visiting Nathan with a hind end full of buck shot when her father takes offense" Buck groused.

"I don't know it might be an improvement" Vin snickered. Buck just stared at him. "Maybe you should keep to the married ladies, they keep you on your toes trying to stay one step ahead of their husbands and it makes them feel special."

That put a smile on Buck's face and he reached up to smooth his mustache with a devilish twinkle in his eye. "You may just have something there Vin my man. It would be my civic duty to keep the lonely housewives of our fair town happy."

Vin about choked on his coffee with Buck's last statement "B…uck, ugh, dang it! Warn a person would ya…Okay…A piece of friendly advice…I wouldn't be chasing the ladies of OUR town, that's just not healthy. I don't know about you but I don't want some angry husband accidentally shooting me when they were aiming at you instead, no offense."

Buck waved his hand at Vin nonchalantly, "None taken. I was just funnin' ya Vin, what are friends for but to get a laugh out of you once in a while." Buck slowly turned and looked out the front window of the saloon and sighed. "It looks like we may be in for a gully washer with the way those clouds are darkening up, can't say we don't need it though with as dry as it's been, too much dirt flying around, it's been getting into everything. And I mean everything." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bandana, shaking it to free it of dust before wiping his face and neck. He shook his head as the dust settled at his feet. "A nice steady rain is what we need about now."

Inez came over to the table and refilled Vin's coffee and asked "Senor Tanner what can I get you for breakfast, I have made up some fresh baking powder biscuits just this morning that will melt in your mouth or how about some nice spicy tortillas? Either are very good and sure to put some meat on your skinny bones."

Vin looked down at himself and stated "I'm not skinny; I'm lean.., how about biscuits, a steak and maybe some eggs. The tortillas sound wonderful but I'm gonna turn in after I eat and I don't want to be having anything too heavy… I wanna get a goodnight sleep."

"Okay, Senor Tanner, I'll have your breakfast for you in just a little bit" smiled Inez

"A light breakfast? I think I better go ask Mrs. Potter down at the general store if I can borrow a wheelbarrow to cart you out of here." Buck clapped him on the shoulder and stood up "Okay, I'll see you later." After looking around the room Buck walked toward the doorway leading out behind the saloon toward the outhouses "I got to see a man about a horse" he stated to the room in general.

"Thank you for that wonderful bit of news Mr. Wilmington, you don't have to announce your intentions to everyone in the room" Ezra proclaimed as he ambled down the stairway from above, straightening his cuffs and jacket along the way.

Buck waved at Ezra and continued on his way.

"A little early for you ain't it Ez?" Vin asked leaning back in his chair and straightening his legs out in front of him.

"Why Mr. Tanner aren't you chipper this morning. And yes it is early but Mother has informed me in a telegram that she will be arriving today on the afternoon stage. As you can see the weather is cooperating rather nicely, she will be utterly scandalized if she must arrive amid a torrential downpour, mores the pity." He groused as he ambled to the front door to peer out at the gathering clouds and swirling winds. "With any luck she will have changed her mind and will seek out other venues to ply her craft and leave our fair town alone." He looked down to pick at lint or dust that only he could see on his hunter green coat. "I absolutely abhor dust…ugh, it is so hard to keep anything clean."

Vin snorted and looked over at Ezra "Well Ez, I hate to tell you this but if you didn't like a little dust and dirt you should never have settled here."

Ezra held up his hand to forestall any further comment. "I did not SETTLE here, I'm just biding my time until something better comes along, and as of yet nothing has presented itself."

"Ok Ez, you keep telling yourself that, and I'll pretend that I don't know about the generous contribution you made toward the purchase of new books for the school children." Vin stated as he picked up his fork and knife and dug into the meal Inez had just put in front of him.

"That was not me and if you insist on pursuing the matter I'll have to…" Ezra stammered.

"You'll have to what…" came a voice from behind causing him to start a little. Ezra turned and came face to face with the "Man in Black" otherwise known as Chris Larabee. His honey gold blond hair and dark green eyes a stark contrast to his dark attire. He entered the saloon, his spurs ringing out clearly in the sudden silence of the room. Those same hard green eyes bored into Ezra "I thought you had patrol last night but I ran into JD this morning and he informed me that you had switched with Vin, Mind telling me why Vin pulled an extended patrol and you did not go out?" Chris took a step closer to Ezra causing him to take a step back.

Ezra swallowed hard once and looked up into Chris' glowering scowl. "Well…Mr. Larabee… You see last night…"

"I'm listening…" Chris growled. Vin hid his guffaw behind a cough and kept his eyes averted from Chris and Ezra. One pleading look from his compatriot would send him into uncontrollable laughter and then Chris would feel inclined to shoot him, friendship not withstanding.

The gambler pulled his poker face into place and squared his shoulders ready to face Larabee. "Last night I was feeling unwell and Mr. Tanner offered to take my patrol in exchange for one of his patrols in the foreseeable future. And being that I was indisposed I gratefully accepted his offer." Ezra took another step back and moved over toward Vin's table to sit down.

"What was the cause of your illness last night?" Chris asked as he folded his lean frame into the remaining chair.

"His mother" Vin muttered around a mouthful of biscuit. After washing down the rest of the biscuit with his remaining coffee he called to Inez "That was delicious, thanks for breakfast."

"My pleasure Senor Tanner, anytime" she called back from behind the bar where she was organizing the bottles.

Chris quirked one finely arched eyebrow at Vin and then turned on Ezra. "Well why didn't you just say so." Chris leaned forward in his chair to look more closely at Ezra. "Maude is coming here?" Ezra just nodded.

The last time Maude had visited she had been hiding out, though she'd never admit it, from a jilted beau who had had just about turned the town upside down looking for her after he'd realized it had all been a con.

Chris let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and pointed a finger at Ezra "I'll be keeping my eye on her…Anything not on the level and she's on the next stage out of town. I don't need that kind of trouble here. And you better keep your nose clean too. Do you understand me?"

Ezra puffed up and stated "I always keep MY nose clean as you like to refer to it, Mr. Larabee. Any misunderstandings are strictly that, misunderstandings. And I will make sure Mother is on her best behavior"

"Be sure you do." Chris stated as an ominous rumble of thunder rolled in the distance.

Ezra's heart did a little skip "I hope that wasn't a sign" he muttered to himself. Chris and Vin both turned and looked out the window and then back at Ezra. Nothing more was said as the three peacekeepers stood up and walked toward the doorway. Once the three had exited the saloon, Chris stepped off of the walkway to head over to the jail, Vin walked down the boardwalk in the general direction of the boarding house in the hopes of getting a few hours sleep before "All Hell broke loose."

Ezra leaned up against the porch post to wait for the arrival of the stage which he knew would "with the way his luck was going" be early. It was going to be a long day. Correction, a long, wet day, as the first fat rain drops fell to earth and then the heavens opened up.