By Any Other Name

by Lissa Grinstead

Buck's sister comes to town.

By Any Other Name

by: Lissa Grinstead

J.D. Dunne was lounging on the chair in front of the sheriff's office, admiring the sunset and appreciating the quiet. Heck, Buck hadn't even lectured him all day. 'Course, Buck had just got back to town a few hours ago. But still. The breeze was coming in. All in all, it had been a really good day. He hoped that nothing would come along to spoil it.

He noticed a small dust rising in the east, heading towards the town. Just one person. But he watched the rider carefully. Although he didn't know it, he was watching a paradox ride into town.

J.D. could see, even from a distance that the rider was female, even though she dressed more like Vin than anyone else he'd ever met. Underneath her hat, he could see a wild mane of red hair fighting with the band that kept it tied back. And even in that getup, she was the most feminine-looking creature he'd ever seen.

She rode in to the town and stopped right in front of him. He rose slowly, trying his best to appear calm, even though he wasn't. He was never really calm around a pretty face.

"Evening, ma'am. The name's J.D. J.D. Dunne. Can I help you?"

She looked at him cautiously, but confidently, which was a strange sensation. Then she hopped down off her horse and approached him.

"You the law?" she asked him, almost as a challenge.

"Part of it. Who're you?"

"Edwena. Most folks call me Ed." J.D. blinked. She was very brusque and didn't even give a last name. "I'm a bounty hunter. And I got word that someone I was trackin' was in this area. I don't need any help bringing him in, but I thought you might need to be aware that he is here."

J.D. nodded his head. "Do you have a picture of the guy?"

"Yeah. Just a moment." She walked over to her horse. "One other thing," she started.

J.D. looked at her, encouraging her to continue.

"This is Four Corners, ain't it?" She asked as she was rifling through her saddlebag.

"Yes, ma'am. That it is." J.D. responded.

"You know where I might find Buck Wilmington?" She asked calmly, as if it meant nothing to her.

J.D.'s expression dropped. "Saloon." Why was it they always wanted Buck, or Vin?

"Thanks." She said simply, as she pulled a folded piece of paper out of the bag. She walked up to J.D. and handed him the paper. "I'll be at the saloon."

Before he could respond, or even look at the paper, she was walking off toward the saloon. J.D. wasn't quite sure what to make of her. He had never met anyone quite like her, 'cept maybe Buck. He stared after her for a bit, and watched her walk in the saloon.

Only then did he remember the piece of paper in his hand. And when he opened it to look at it, the blood drained out of his face.

Ed walked confidently into the saloon and headed straight to the bar, causing all of the other patrons to stop what they were doing. Buck Wilmington stared at her hard, because he was sure he knew her. The getup didn't look quite right, but he knew her.

"Wena?" He called out gleefully, and rushed over to where she stood. "Wena, it has been too long." Buck enfolded her in a bear hug, picking her up off the ground and spinning her in circles.

Ezra watched with interest as Buck went over to the woman. Obviously, he had forgotten about the card game they were engaged in.

When Buck finally put her down, she gazed at him cautiously. "Wena's dead. I go by Ed now."

He didn't even hear what she said, he was so happy to see her. "Come on, let's get you out of here. This is no place for a lady." He took her arm and tried to steer her toward the door. His face was beaming.

"Buck, you know I ain't no lady."

He turned to face her. "Now Wena . . ."

"I told you, I go by Ed now." She put in quickly.

"All right," he paused, "Ed. A saloon is no place for a woman like you." Then he started to realize what she had first said to him. Wena's dead. I go by Ed now.

"Just what do you know about me, Buck? I ain't seen you for eight years, and now here you're presuming to tell me what kind of a woman I am."

Buck's eyes took on a hurt look. He was so thrilled to see her that it hadn't even crossed his mind that she wouldn't be thrilled to see him.

"Okay, Ed." The name felt somehow wrong for her. "What kind of a woman are you?" He asked. And it wasn't condescending.

"The kind that has had to work very hard to survive, alone. And I am very tired of being treated like I am fragile."

The tone in her voice made him really look at her. She had changed a lot since he had last seen her. Not just in age; her eyes spoke volumes. She had been through hell. No, she wasn't fragile; she was brittle.

And she looked to him like she was about to break.

Vin walked across the street, heading toward the saloon. J.D. noticed him first and ran to intercept him.

"Vin, you can't go in there right now," he said immediately.

Vin looked at J.D. with his cool eyes and raised his eyebrows. "You wanna tell me why?"

For an answer, J.D. handed him the paper Ed had given him. "There's a bounty hunter in the saloon."

Vin looked over at J.D. "Thanks, J.D."

But J.D. had not stopped Vin far enough a way, and Buck came out of the saloon, a protesting Ed in tow. But when she saw Vin, she stopped struggling with Buck and charged forward. At some point, she'd drawn her gun.

"Tanner!" She called out. "I'm takin you in."

Vin narrowed his eyes. "J.D., this the bounty hunter you were talking about?" he said under his breath, just to be certain. The woman certainly looked like a bounty hunter.

"Yeah."

Buck stepped between Ed and Vin. "Wena, I don't know what you think you are doing, but I am sure he isn't the person you are lookin for."

Ezra had heard the Ed call Tanner and stepped outside the saloon. Sensing trouble, he went to find Chris.

"Step aside Buck."

"I know you ain't gonna shoot me." He said.

"Mr. Dunne, would you kindly show him that piece of paper I gave you?" she indicated Buck.

J.D. took the paper from Vin and handed it to Buck, who was completely astounded.

"Wena . . ." he started.

"I told you to call me Ed." She snapped.

"Ed, I know there's been some sort of mistake. He's innocent." He wasn't surprised about Vin; he was surprised that this girl before him was a bounty hunter.

"I'll let a judge decide that."

"Why are you doin' this, Ed?" Buck asked.

"A girl has to make a livin' somehow."

Buck looked in amazement at the woman before him. She was nothing like the open and warm girl he'd known. And he wanted to know what happened.

"Ed, look, Vin ain't goin' anywhere right now. J.D. will take care of him" He looked over to Vin and J.D, silently asking them to go along with this.

"That's right." J.D. said. Ed looked at him disbelievingly. Vin only raised an eyebrow.

"So, why don't you and I go catch up. And let J.D. watch Vin for a while."

She was considering his request when Chris Larabee, wearing all black, and looking angry as a hornet after his nest has been struck, stormed toward them. Ezra Standish was practically running to keep up with him.

She took one look at Larabee, and started shaking. Her whole body went into a scream that only ceased when she started to fall. Buck caught her before she hit the ground. Her gun dropped to the ground unnoticed.

"Interesting effect you have on the gentler sex, Mr. Larabee." Ezra said.

Buck was kneeling on the ground, brushing her hair out of her face and softly calling her name.

Chris narrowed his eyes and asked Vin, "Why was she pointing a gun at you?" He indicated the girl with his head.

"Bounty hunter." Vin said.

"Well, best make yourself scarce before she wakes up." Vin nodded, and headed toward the stable. "J.D., you go with him."

Buck picked Ed up and headed toward his room. He was holding her protectively, daring any of the others to do anything about the bounty hunter that had just ruined their peace. Ezra followed him. He wasn't about to leave Buck unchaperoned with a helpless female, regardless of her rather dubious past with him.

"So, Buck, are you going to tell me about your rather charming companion, or shall I guess."

"Ezra, leave me alone." He growled.

"I don't believe that would be wise."

Buck looked at him, rage warring with concern on his face. "Ezra, this is my sister. And I don't know what happened to the sunny little Wena I knew eight years ago, but I am going to find out."

Chris came up. "Buck, what's going on?"

Buck's face transformed at Chris's voice. "I want to know what you did to my sister." There was an edge to his voice that Chris had never heard before.

"I never saw her before."

Buck glared at him.

"Really." Chris insisted.

"Then why'd she react that way to you?"

"Don't know." Chris shrugged. "Why don't you ask her?" Although he wasn't letting on, he was upset by the reaction she had had to him, especially after hearing about her a long time ago, back when he and Buck still talked about their families. This wasn't the Wena he was hoping to one day meet.

"You keep away from her, do you hear me." Buck started towards him. But Ezra put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Buck, why don't I assist you in getting your sister settled. Chris can ask Nathan to come take a look at her."

Grateful for an exit, and surprised that it came from Ezra, Chris said, "Good idea." And walked off.

When Ed opened her eyes, there were three men standing around her. Buck, she recognized. He didn't look good. Another she thought she recognized, he had been with . . . with Hank.

She tried to sit up quickly, only to have the third man place a restraining hand across her.

"Whoa, there. You aren't going anywhere just yet." He said calmly.

Ed tried to break free. "I have to get out of here. NOW." She struggled against him, panicking.

Buck rushed over and held on to her. "Why don't you tell me what you're runnin' from, okay, Wen- Ed?"

"He found me. And I am not going back."

"Who found you?"

She still struggled. "Hank. I'll kill him before I go back. I swear I will. Let me go!" But Buck held on.

Nathan tapped Ezra on the shoulder and indicated they should leave. He agreed, it was getting a little too tense in there, and Buck wouldn't hurt his sister. Course, she might hurt him, he thought absently.

"Why don't you tell me about Hank?" Buck asked. He figured this might be the key to her personality change, why she was now called Ed.

She had been a young girl of 15 when her mother died. Buck, her older brother by a good bit, had been often around before that, but not always. He had his own life, but she loved it when he came to visit. But he came there for her shortly after the funeral. He hadn't been able to get there in time for that.

He had been really upset by it.

She had begged him to take her with him, but he felt that a life on the road was no place for a young girl. She would be better off, he said, staying with someone here, so she could finish her education and make something of herself. He always thought she had the gumption to go do that and had encouraged her at it.

Course, that didn't mean he didn't want his little sister to be defenseless, so he taught her how to use a gun and ride. And he taught her well.

One of Ma's friends had offered to let her stay with her. Nancy was a good woman. And Buck had always respected her. So had Wena. So when Buck asked her to stay with Nancy, she readily did.

It was about a year later that Hank rode into town, looking like a gentleman. He had courted Nancy, and seemed wonderful. Wena had noticed that Nancy loved him, so she encouraged her to accept his offer of marriage; afterall, not many men would want to marry a former working girl. Hank seemed different.

After the wedding, he packed them all up and headed west to a small town just starting to grow. Then his true colors began to show. He forbade her to contact Buck and let him know where she'd gone. First came the beatings. Then he insisted Nancy start "working" again. And he forced her to as well. She hated him; she hated who she became. And no one would help her because no one knew who she was, or wasn't.

Hank killed Nancy one afternoon, and Wena had had to watch it. It was slow and brutal, and it turned her dead inside. She tried to report him to the sheriff, but was told, "He can do what he wants, she is his wife." And that was when Wena died.

Shortly after that, she ran. She had no money. But she did run across a bit of luck. She found a "Wanted" poster and found the man on it--already dead. So she took him in and collected her reward. Most of the money she put in a bank, the rest she used to equip herself.

Buck listened to this story in silent rage, blaming himself for not taking her with him. Sure, he had gone looking for her when her letters stopped coming and when his were returned unopened. But no one had known where she went, and he figured she didn't want any contact with him, or she would have told him. He never thought she might need help.

"Don't you see, Buck? That's why you have to let me go. Hank's here. He found me." She pleaded with him.

"That wasn't Hank, and if it was, he would be dead right now. I would kill him myself." Buck stated harshly, realizing that Chris looked like Hank, or enough like him to scare Ed out of her wits. "No one is going to hurt my sister like that again. You hear me? No one." And the way he looked at her made her shudder. "You get some rest. I'll be back." He told her. Then he gave her a quick hug, stood up and left the room.

Nathan went downstairs, but Ezra lingered in the hall. He had recognized that fear on Ed's face almost as soon as he had seen it. He had seen it before, on the face of one of his favorite cousins. He knew he would never understand Ed's side, how she felt. Or rather, he could understand the reasons for it and that she would be upset and hurting, but the pain that she felt he could not imaging. On the other hand, he knew what Buck was about to go through. He'd been there before. He'd lived this particular nightmare.

When he shut the door, he let anguish show on his face for an instant, not realizing that Ezra was still standing there, looking at him with extreme concern.

"I do not know what your sister revealed to you, Buck," he said simply. "But I take it it was not good news. Anything I can help with?"

"I failed my sister. Can you help me live with that?" he asked, the words barely able to come up. He didn't really expect an answer. And Ezra didn't really have one for him.

Ezra had never seen Buck this shook up before, and was quite unsure how to handle it. But he was determined to handle it. "Would you care to join me for a drink, Buck?" He sure looked like he could use it.

Nathan was outside watching sky when Ezra and Buck came out. "She gonna be okay, Buck?" he asked. Then he saw the expression on Buck's face, and changed his question, "You gonna be okay, Buck?"

"I've gotta find Chris," he said.

"Last I saw him, he was headin' for the saloon," Nathan offered.

"That is quite fortuitous, Mr. Jackson, as Mr. Wilmington and I were on our way over there." Ezra had decided that Buck needed watching. Buck was probably too worried about his sister to notice anything else. Besides, although he would never admit it to them, he felt very protective of the six other men; they were almost his family.

"I suggest that someone spend some time with that rather troubled young lady upstairs. Perhaps Josiah or yourself, Nathan. I think she needs someone to talk to, someone who will not react to what she says personally." Ezra said quietly to Nathan.

Nathan nodded his head and went upstairs. "You might be right."

Chris sat alone at a table in the saloon. No one was daring to come close. He had a dark look in his eyes, and when he got that look, it was just best to stay out of his way.

He had been deeply hurt by Wena's reaction to him. From all the stories Buck used to tell him about his little sister, he had almost come to think of her as family himself. He remembered Buck had been upset a few years back about losing contact with her. But Buck had accepted that she had wanted to move on to a different life, and had not pursued her. But he had still been hurt.

He was about halfway through a bottle when Buck and Ezra came in. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn Ezra was trying to protect Buck, from what though, he didn't know.

They headed over to where he was sitting. Buck pulled up a chair and sat down, hard.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. Wasn't your fault," Buck muttered. But his usually jovial spirit was completely missing. He was looking downward at the floor.

"It was understandable, Buck. How is she?"

Buck didn't look up. "I don't know. She isn't my Wena anymore. I understand why. Hell, I'm surprised she is still alive."

"What happened?" he asked, then immediately regretted it. If Buck was this shook, he certainly wouldn't want to talk about it at all, much less in a crowded saloon.

"She mistook you for someone else, Chris. Someone I am going to kill."

Ezra looked sharply to Buck, and then looked to Chris.

"Might I inquire if this walking corpse has a name?" Ezra asked obliquely.

Buck looked at him. "Hank. And he looks like Chris."

Chris raised his eyebrows at that. At least he was beginning to understand why Wena had screamed when she saw him.

"A question, Buck, while you are out killing this malefactor, who will be watching your sister?" Ezra was looking at Buck from under the brim of his hat. He was interested in something.

"You will. And nothin' better happen to her while I'm gone. I am making you responsible for her."

"When are you planning on departing? And are you going to tell Ed where you are going?"

"Her name is Wena, Ezra."

Ezra didn't comment. He just stared at Buck.

"All right, if you must know. I can't face her. I failed her." Buck admitted irately.

"Buck. As I said, I don't know what she said to you, but you will admit I am a fair hand at reading people. So I have an idea. If you do not go face her, you will fail her more. She will think that you do not want to see her." Ezra knew this from painful experience. He had done the very thing Buck was about to do, but no one had stopped him. "And she will think it has something to do with what she told you.

"You asked me if I could help you live with failing her, Buck? I can't. But I know you don't want to fail her again. Go speak to her. I think she needs you to be here." This was how he was making it up to his cousin. The only way he could, for he had failed her. Course, Ezra didn't say that.

Chris spoke up, "He's right Buck. It's more important to be with your family. She is here. And she needs you. Even if she doesn't realize it. More important—You need her."

Buck looked at them silently for a second. Hurt, anger, fear were warring on his face. "What do I tell her?"

"You might try listening." Chris offered.

Buck nodded his head and stood up. He left the saloon. Ezra raised a glass that had been sitting on the table, saluted the air, and then drank. Chris looked at Ezra, wondering where he got all this newfound responsibility and helpfulness. Ezra, however, was as unreadable as usual.

Nathan looked up as Buck came back in the room. He had a tray of food with him. Ed was talking to him, and quieted down when he looked up. Buck noticed that she stopped speaking and a hurt expression crossed his face. He wanted to be the one his sister went to.

"Night, Ed." Nathan said. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Ed smiled and nodded her head.

"Thought you might be hungry," Buck said. "Mind if we talk while you eat?"

Ed shrugged, as if she didn't care. But she didn't touch the food.

"Ed, you are my sister, and no matter what else happens, you know I love you, right?" Buck said quickly. Ed didn't do anything. She just looked at him. "Why didn't you look me up sooner?"

There was a long, painful silence as Ed tried to gather her thoughts to answer his question. "The truth, Buck? I didn't know how you would take this. I thought you would hate me; you always wanted so much for me. And I can't deliver that anymore. I don't have the courage to try. I wanted you to think of me as 'Wena' because as long as you did, a part of me was still innocent and pure, a part of my dreams was still alive and possible. If you didn't know. . . , I didn't have to accept it." she stopped. "Now I do."

Buck moved the tray out of the way and held her for a while she cried. "I could never hate you."

After a while, he brushed the tears from her eyes, "Wena, I'm glad you came. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. But, I gotta ask this. If you didn't want me to know, why did you come to see me?"

"I wasn't going to tell you. And I guess that made me angry, because I didn't like having to keep a secret from you. I never had before. But I needed to see you . . to know you were still, oh, I don't know, . . . 'Buck'."

"You weren't going to tell me? And you thought you'd waltz in here and leave again without any kind of explanation for your eight-year absence? Didn't you think I might have been concerned and worried about you? Wena, you disappeared. I couldn't find you, and I tried.

"I want to kill that bastard who stole my sister from me. I want to kill him for hurting you so badly that you didn't want to tell me, for making you believe I could ever hate you. For making you hate yourself so much that you changed your name.

"Wena, for that is who you will always be to me, I could never hate you. Never."

**********

About three miles east of Four Corners was a nice patch of trees. Vin and J.D. had made camp there, where there was cover from the elements, and where they weren't exposed to many passers-by.

Vin sat beside the campfire, playing his harmonica. He was actually happy to be out of town, with nature. He wasn't thrilled by the circumstances, but he loved being out here.

J.D., on the other hand, was fidgeting. He was more of a city boy than he wanted to admit. He didn't like camping; he liked lots of company. And while Vin was company, he wasn't very talkative.

"Vin, what are you gonna do about that bounty hunter?"

Vin didn't turn to J.D., he just looked over at him sideways. "What do you expect me to do?"

"I don't know. But I don't see how sitting out here is gonna help."

"Sittin' out here will give her time to think I skipped town, and maybe leave on her own, or give Buck time to change her mind. He seems to know her."

"Buck seems to know every beautiful woman," J.D. muttered under his breath.

Vin smiled.

"I still think we oughta be doin' somethin'," J.D. said impatiently.

Vin thought for a moment. "Ya know what, J.D.? I think you're right." J.D. gaped at Vin. No one ever seemed to think he was right. "I think we should head back into town and try to get this situation taken care of. In the morning."

"Fair enough. Do you know 'Oh Suzanna', Vin?" Vin just gave him a withering look. Like he would play that song; J.D. would probably sing along, and Vin had heard him sing one time, which was more than enough.

**********

In Four Corners, the streets were quiet. The only person really watching out for the town was Josiah. Nathan was busy with Buck and Ed. Ezra was on a "mother hen" kick, hovering over Buck trying to protect him from everything else, because he couldn't protect Buck from Ed's past. Not that Josiah could fathom why Ezra was being so protective. Vin and J.D. were out of town. And Chris was at the saloon. Sure, they were available if anything happened, but they weren't watching out for it.

So Josiah watched the place carefully. He didn't feel comfortable dealing with Ed, at least not unless she approached him. And he didn't know how to talk to Buck. More precisely, he didn't know how to make Buck listen. He didn't think Buck was ready to listen.

But the streets were quiet. No one came charging through town. And only one stranger arrived, a quiet man who appeared quite respectable. The man had stopped in the middle of the street and picked something up, but other than that, had done nothing unusual.

**********

It had been a long night, Ezra thought. He had eventually left and went back to his room, once he determined that Buck wasn't going to tear off into the night to defend his sister's virtue. But he got up a couple hours after the sun did, actually quite early for him, and went over to where Buck was keeping Ed.

She was looking better, not quite as defiant as she had the night before. And not quite as haunted. Buck must be a good listener, he thought to himself, as he went downstairs.

The sight that greeted him would stand in his memory forever. Chris stood by the saloon talking to Mary. A man that looked so much like Chris that Ezra had to take a double look was walking toward the livery. He knew who that man was. But it wasn't his place to challenge him. And the man had done nothing illegal here to make anyone suspicious. But Ezra was suspicious. Josiah was passing by at that time.

"Mr. Sanchez," Ezra drawled, "would you be so kind as to keep your eye on that gentleman heading toward the livery?"

"Any particular reason?"

"Yes, but I am not the one to speak of it." Ezra turned and went back into the boarding house. He arrived at Buck's door and rapped it firmly.

Buck opened the door. Ed was sitting on a chair in the room. She was smiling about something. "What?" he asked.

"I just saw a gentleman that I thought you might be interested in," Ezra said very softly, not wanting Ed to hear him.

Buck looked at him questioningly. Ezra looked over at Ed and then back to Buck. "I am certain that you would like to speak with him."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Buck whispered.

Ezra nodded his head very slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Ed, I'll be right back."

Ed listened to this exchange with curiousity. From the look on the other man's face, she could tell it was something important, especially when he glanced her way. And Buck's reaction had been too quick. Yes, something was definitely up.

She was feeling better and really hated to be cooped up in a room. She wasn't sick. So she put on her gear. But she couldn't find her gun. She knew she had it last night. Buck must have put it somewhere, she thought as she headed out the door.

She went outside, but before she got four steps away from the boarding house, a hand grabbed her by the mouth and an arm wrapped around her, blocking her arms.

"Scream, girl, and I will break your traitorous little neck," a voice hissed in her ear.

Ed closed her eyes, praying that someone would see her and help her. But no one came. Hank, she knew it was Hank, began backing up toward the alley. Once there, he knocked her on the head. Although she didn't lose consciousness, she could not fight him; she was too busy trying to see straight and not fall down. He half dragged her behind the building, heading toward the livery.

All the while, he was cussing her out for leaving him. And all Ed could think was, Where was Buck? I thought he wouldn't let anyone hurt me.

Ezra took Buck to Josiah. Josiah was standing close to the livery.

"He went in there about ten minutes ago. I ain't seen him come out," Josiah stated.

"Thank you, Mr. Sanchez. You've been most helpful," Ezra commented.

"You gonna tell me what all this is about?" Josiah asked.

Buck glared at him. "I ain't got time right now." And he started to head towards the livery, when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head toward it, he saw Chris. No, it wasn't Chris. Therefore, it must be Hank. And Wena. His Wena. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Ezra was following close behind and caught up quickly. "What is it?" he asked.

Buck pointed to where Hank had just walked. "He's got Wena."

Ezra looked appalled and shocked. "Wait here. I'll get the others. You are going to need assistance with this."

"Ezra, perhaps you didn't hear me. He has my sister."

"I know, Buck. But if you go charging in there right now, the only thing you will accomplish is getting her hurt. He has leverage, especially against you. What we need, is a balance to that leverage."

Buck still stared at him, wanting to charge off. "Buck, you need help with this. I am going to get it. Follow them if they go anywhere, but don't approach them, Okay?"

"All right. Hurry up."

'I would agree; speed is of the essence." Ezra took off toward Josiah and asked him to fetch Nathan. Then he headed to the saloon. If Chris wasn't there, he would be at the newspaper office, but Ezra was betting on the saloon.

**********

Vin and J.D. came riding in at a leisurely pace. But Vin noticed something a little odd. He could see Buck standing rather, well, angrily in front of the livery. He seemed to be guarding it. And from this angle, Vin could also see why he was guarding it. The young woman was behind the building with a man that looked remarkably like Chris from this distance. But Vin doubted Chris had ever held a woman in the manner this one held the bounty hunter.

Vin pulled up the reins on his mount, and Sire stopped. J.D. looked over to him.

"Why we stoppin'?" he asked curiously.

"We need a plan. See that right there?" Vin pointed to the couple behind the livery. With Vin pointing to them, J.D. couldn't help but see them, but he would have overlooked them otherwise.

"Looks like we missed somethin'." J.D. commented.

Vin just raised an eyebrow and inclined his head. "He isn't lookin' this way. P'raps I can get around there behind him. I'm gonna need a distraction so he doesn't hear me comin'. You up for it?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Ride in there like you are drunk, shootin' your gun off at the sky." Vin smiled. J.D. would never ordinarily do that sort of thing, but he would probably have a lot of fun with this.

J.D. grinned at him. "Fine, but when Buck starts in on me, I expect you to take responsibility for it. Deal?"

Vin just grinned at him. J.D. took off, as noisily as possible.

J.D. shot into town, weaving his horse and firing his gun. He shouted out a name over and over again, like a chant, but it sounded like a wail. He got in front of Buck and then dismounted by "falling" off his horse. Buck grabbed him by the neck and glared him down.

J.D. flinched. This wasn't so much fun anymore.

"What the hell were you thinkin, boy?" he started. And then he noticed that J.D. wasn't even remotely drunk. "You better have a damn good reason for gettin in my way of defendin my sister."

J.D. mouthed, "Sister?"

But Buck wasn't paying any attention to him. He was trying to watch for Hank.

Vin rode a little closer and tied Sire off at a hitching post. Then he snuck around back behind the livery. The man was distracted by J.D.'s little show, but he was more concerned that the man he was watching not come any closer. So naturally, he didn't look behind him.

Vin put the nose of his gun on the man's neck and cocked the gun. "I suggest you let her go," he said conversationally.

The man looked at him and said, "I suggest you put that away, or I'm gonna shoot her."

"You shoot her; I shoot you. It's as simple as that."

But the man didn't really believe Vin. So he started to cock his gun, but before he could get it ready, Vin fired. The man fell down face forward on top of the woman.

At the sound of the shot, Buck screamed, "NO!" And, pushing J.D. harshly out of his way, he ran to the back of the livery, ready to kill the man back there.

When he saw Vin with his sister, it didn't automatically register what had happened. Wena had blood all over her and she wasn't moving.

Buck ran over and knelt down next to her, grasping her close to him. "Wena, I am so sorry."

"She's gonna be fine, Buck. She just has a knock on the head." Vin said.

Buck looked at him, unashamed for the moment that there were tears in his eyes. "You. . you fired the gun?"

"Had to. Didn't like how he was holdin' her."

Ezra came up, obviously worried. "I am sorry, Buck. This was my fault. I shouldn't have taken you away from her, and I shouldn't have held you back. I failed again."

Again, Buck looked over to him. Vin was a little confused too.

Ed opened her eyes and saw Buck and Vin. She looked at Vin closely. "I don't understand, Tanner. You saved me. Why?"

"Seemed the right thing to do at the time." Vin grinned.

"Well, I appreciate it."

"So do I," Buck put in.

"She's okay," Ezra stated, clearly shocked. Buck began to suspect that his following him around and overprotectiveness were motivated by something else. Course, knowing Ezra, he wouldn't ever find out what.

"There it is." Ed said unexpectedly.

Buck, Vin, and Ezra looked at her in confusion. She reached down and picked up the gun that Hank had been holding her with. "I couldn't find this this morning."

Buck stood up and helped Ed up. She was still a little unsteady on her feet, and she nearly fell over when he let her go. "I guess we better have Nathan take a look at you." He swooped her up.

"Really, Buck, I can walk." But it was only a half-hearted protest, she felt a little dizzy even now.

"Not quick enough," he said.

Nathan was by Chris when Buck found them. Chris started to step away, because he knew how his presence made Buck's sister feel. But she surprised him.

"Buck, what is his name?" she asked.

"That's Chris Larabee."

"Would you introduce me to him? I am afraid I was a bit rude last night."

"Sure, but how." Ed knew what Buck was asking.

"You're not gonna drop that are you?" Buck shook his head. "Okay. Introduce me as your sister. . . Wena."

Buck smiled. "My sunny little Wena."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say 'sunny,'" she said.

"You're always going to be that to me."

Wena rolled her eyes. "It's nice to know you haven't changed much, Buck."