Burning Posters

Summary: About a year after joining Katie, Chip, and the others, Larimer Finch starts to wonder about the reason why there is always a poster missing.

AN: Technically, it's not a crossover, but Vin Tanner from the Magnificent Seven is talked about. I can't really explain it, but…

I'm not sure if this would have anything to do with my other story What I've Always Wanted, but let's just say that if anything does sneak in, this story would probably be a prequel if not a standalone. But rest assured, there is an M7/ Peacemakers crossover on the horizon.

AN 2: I'm not sure if this sounds familiar or not, but I swear I'd read something like this before in the Peacemakers fandom. I just can't remember the story for the life of me. If this sounds familiar to anyone, please let me know. I can't claim the plot as original if someone has already done it. I just don't know who…

Disclaimer: Mag 7 and Peacemakers are not my property. If they were, they would have had a crossover episode and would probably still be running on TV.

Larimer Finch prided himself on being observant. So, of course, he would notice that the newest batch of Wanted Posters being delivered to the Marshal's office was short a poster.

It had all started when Katie and Chip were sorting posters when he walked in one afternoon.

"Good day, everyone," he nodded, sliding his findings on Marshal Stone's desk. "And how is the sorting this fine day?"

Katie snorted. "It's going, alright. Three of these guys are dead; four of them already caught and hung; two of them drowned during the spring and we are just now hearing about them; the newest batch is missing the same blasted poster; and all these people look alike!"

"Hold on," Finch walked over to them. "What do you mean 'the same blasted poster' is missing?"

Chip nodded. "The regular batch is thirteen, right? Well, since near four and a half years ago, there's a batch that comes every other time and it's always missing a poster. We can never figure it out."

"I guess it'll always be a mystery," Katie lamented, before grinning at Finch. "Well, now that you're in on this, maybe it won't be a mystery for long."

Four months later, Finch stared at a new batch in dismay as Katie shook her head. "I don't understand it. It was all here yesterday! How could someone just waltz into the Marshal's office, rifle through his desk, then take a poster out of the pile?"

Chip shook his head. "It was locked up, too. I have the only copy of the key."

Suddenly, Finch picked his head up to stare at him. "And who gave you that key?"

Sometime later, the Pinkerton agent dismounted his horse and walked up the trail to the top of a hill overlooking a small clearing almost twenty miles from town. "Good day, Marshal."

Coming to a stop a few feet from the lawman, Finch studied Jared Stone as he sat in front of a fire that would not have been out of place in almost a month's time as the weather turned. However, it was still fairly warm and even the small trip up the path made Finch feel uncomfortable.

Stone carried a sheaf of twelve papers as he sat in front of the small fire. Without being told, Finch went to sit next to him and they stayed that way for a few minutes.

Taking note of the questioning glances constantly thrown his way, Stone smiled before separating one of his sheets of paper and handing it over.

'I was right,' Finch read the wanted poster in his hand. "Vin Tanner is wanted for Murder in Tascosca, Texas." He turned to frown at him. "Marshal, you are a man of the law. Why are you taking posters for a wanted man and -"

"He didn't do it, Finch," Stone interrupted. "Tanner doesn't kill a man for no good reason."

"You've met this Tanner, I take it," Finch looked from him back to the poster in his hand.

"In the war. We may have been on opposite sides, but that didn't stop him from saving my neck a few times off the battlefield."

Letting the younger man stew over that, Stone crumpled up one of the posters and tossed it into the fire. "He's a good man, Finch. I know he didn't do it. Or if he did, there was a good reason for it. He's not a killer unless he has to be."

"And when was your last meeting?" Finch frowned slightly, trying to put things together as he studied the young man in the poster.

"Few months after the war," he smiled slightly. "We ended up in the same town. This time, it was him being pulled out of trouble. We shared a drink, caught up with each other… You know, there were a few times that we stared each other in the eye on the field. Reb was a hell of a shot, but it seems that every time we caught sight of each other, when he fired, he always missed me."

Studying his best friend, Finch smiled at the fond memories. 'He probably saw the same things I've been seeing in this man.'

"Oh, I saw him after that. Once or twice, we even said hello. Lost track of him a few months before I got here. Few months later, those posters started showing up. I'm just glad I got a hold of the stack first."

'Stone may be a lawman,' Finch reflected, 'but his judge of character is certainly not something to ignore…' Mulling it over in his mind, he bit his lip. "Will there be any way to help Mr. Tanner? Hypothetically, I imagine."

Stone turned to study him. "You're a lawman, too, Finch. Shouldn't you… I don't know… yell at me or something for… not doing my job?"

"Whatever do you mean?" he huffed, straightening. "You are doing your job, Marshal. By getting rid of posters that are utterly useless. I am glad that you have taken it upon yourself to organize the posters from the truly valuable ones."

Surprised at the complete turnaround, he could only stare as Finch crumpled the poster he was still holding and grabbed the pile he held. One by one, Finch balled the posters and tossed them into the fire.

"Besides," Finch said lightly, eyes still watching the fire as Stone still watched him. "It isn't as if you know where he even is, correct? I mean, surely a lawman such as yourself would pass that information along to the proper authorities, yes?"

Starting to smile, he clapped the younger man on the back. "As a matter of fact, no. I don't know where he is. If he's even still alive, for that matter…"

"Well, then, my dear friend," he said, sobering at the sad look on the older man's face. "It would appear that you have no job where that young man is concerned. As far as I am concerned, however, should you ever chance upon any information on your old friend, I sincerely hope to be notified. Clear? Simply for the purpose of comparing notes, of course."

"Of course."

They watched as the sun slowly sunk toward the horizon.

"Do you ever think you and he will cross paths again?"

Stone sighed deeply. "I really don't know. Someday, maybe. Assuming no-one gets the drop on him before."

"You really don't know where he is?" Finch stood and looked down at him. "Truly?"

"On the one hand, I hope to never know." So Stone couldn't divulge information. He really didn't want to see the kid hang. "On the other…"

"I'm sure he would like to know that someone out here knows that he is innocent," Finch reached down a hand and patted him on the shoulder. "Both of us."

Glancing at him, Stone shook his head. "You honestly expect me to believe that you would really trust an apparent killer on my say so?"

"Was there any doubt?"

As Finch made his way back to his horse, Stone smiled after him before returning his gaze to the horizon. 'Where ever you are, Vin Tanner, I hope you know that not everyone believes you to be a killer.'

Bringing the Texan's image to mind, he sighed. 'I wonder if we'll ever meet again. Cause, let me tell you. You were right. I did find a good bunch to call friends. And I did find a best friend. Maybe I'll introduce you to him. Just as you will yours.'

As Stone left the clearing, on his way back, he smiled. Looking up at the sky, he said, "I hope we meet again. You never did let me finish that beer you still owe me.