Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: G
Summary: Josiah comes to Nathan after the fight.
Warnings: Slash, Los Magnificos Vampiros AU
Word Count: 801
Timeline: Takes place in modern day, following "Despite All Odds", "Brother's Keeper", "Snarl Fest", "Josiah's Howls", and "Happiness of the Heart"
Date Written: 19 August, 2010
Disclaimer: Vin Tanner, JD Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez, Chris Larabee, and The Magnificent Seven are & TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM, and Trilogy Entertainment, not the author; are used without permission; and may not be used without permission. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Tears fell from the men's eyes as they embraced in the darkness of the yard. Nathan had been shocked when Josiah had crept into the yard and even more shocked when he had reverted to his human form and stood, naked and not speaking, before him. Slowly, so as to not scare him, he had put his book down and came forward. Now, for the first time in years, he had his arms wrapped around the single person he had always loved more than anything else.
His tears soaked his love's muscular shoulder, and Josiah whimpered softly as he lifted Nathan's chin and gazed into his dark, soulful eyes. Nathan shivered as Josiah licked his tears away, but then panic touched both their eyes as they heard a car pull up in front of the house. "Go . . . " Nathan whispered, his voice quivering as much as he was shaking inside. "Go fast. They won't understand."
Josiah whimpered again, but he nodded. There was so much he wanted to say, but there was no time. Nathan caressed his face. "I'll find you," he swore softly, "and we'll run away together."
Josiah cocked his head slightly. Doors slammed. "I promise," Nathan vowed. "Now go!"
Josiah turned and ran. Nathan swiftly returned to his reading and flicked a page when his five so-called brothers charged into the yard. Together they whirled to face him. Chris was, as always, in the lead, and his fangs hissed as he declared, "I smell wolf."
Nathan calmly kept his gaze focused on his book. "Then go take a bath," he countered. "You know their scents sometimes linger long after the battles."
"It's fresh," Chris growled.
"Maybe it is," Nathan admitted, finally daring to raise his gaze to him. He closed his book, and the sound seemed to echo in the yard. He stood to meet him. "What if it is? What if he was here? He just saved my life, Chris, saved us all! You gonna repay that by killing him?"
Chris hesitated.
"Nate's got a point, pard," Vin whispered softly.
Chris glowered at Vin, and then JD and Buck who both nodded silently, before refocusing his angrily fuming gaze on Nathan. "Not this time," he said, "but he better not come back. I'll do whatever I have to to protect this family."
"You can't protect what's already dying," Nathan snarled, finally losing his already-strained patience, "and we're dying because of you!"
"DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" Chris roared, but Nathan kept storming straight into the house.
"He's right, stud," Buck drawled. "Josiah proved himself the other night. He's still one of us, and you're the only one standing in the way o' us all being happy and together now."
Chris' fiercely glowing eyes nearly shot out of his pale face. He snarled, but before he could speak, JD spoke up quietly, his voice shaking slightly, "I . . . I always thought Nathan was right."
Vin quietly stood between Chris and Buck and JD. "Go 'head in, boys." As they walked away, he gazed into Chris' eyes. "I love ya, Chris; ya know that. We've been together for over a century now, an' my heart aches to see ya this way. But I'm also hurtin' for Nate an' Josiah. They deserve a chance to be happy, an' Josiah saved us th' other night. I hate to say it, Chris, but we both know they're right. Yer've got a choice to make, pard. I jest hope ya make th' right one."
With that, Vin, too, walked away, leaving Chris feeling more alone in the world than he'd felt for well over a hundred years. He hadn't been this alone since he'd lost Sarah and Adam, and now for the second time in his long life, he was facing the loss of his family. He roared his anguish to the star-filled heavens before sitting down heavily where Nathan had sat and dropping his head into his hands.
He only wanted to protect his family, but they were determined to endanger themselves! He'd either have to let them do so or lose them completely, but how was he supposed to turn his back to them welcoming a Werewolf into their home and family? Yes, Josiah had saved them that one night, but the beast that lurked within their friend was pure evil.
One night, no matter how hard Josiah fought against him, he was going to break free again, and when that night came, if his family was anywhere close, they could well become his monster's primary targets. But yet Josiah was still tied to that monster. To kill one, he would have to kill both, and that was something that Chris simply wasn't ready to do. Chris silently cried over the loss of their friend and the impending doom shadowing his beloved family.
The End