Late the next day both Vin and JD were sitting outside on the balcony of Nathan's clinic. They weren't yet allowed to even think about going downstairs where they could wander off. Buck and Chris were relaxing with them while Josiah stayed next to Ezra, letting Nathan get a short sleep. The gambler developed a fever in the early evening, and while he managed to fight it off over the next several hours, it made for a restless night for both healer and patient. Josiah had pulled up a chair beside the bed right after breakfast and hadn't moved since. He was the reason the others sat outside now, fearing their conversation would keep Ezra from getting the rest he so badly needed.
Once they were comfortably set up, and when Buck finally finished fussing with JD's blanket, Chris updated on them on some good news. "First thing to let you know, you'll be getting Milagro and Peso back."
"You're kidding?" "How?" The two men spoke at the same time.
"Rancher near Dawson found them in his field and turned them over to the Sheriff. Got in touch with us because of the stuff in the saddlebags, so arrangements were made. Question is – how did you manage to lose them?"
"We were dry-gulched." Vin explained.
"Yeah, taking a break on the ride and four, maybe five guys attacked."
"It was six JD. We took a couple down, but the others got away. It all spooked the horses. That's how Ezra got hurt; when he tried to grab the reins, but they pulled free. Must have wrecked the collarbone then too. I didn't see him fall – did you?" JD shook his head.
"That's when JD got hit? What happened to you?" Chris prodded for more of the story.
"That was just stupidity." Vin growled.
"It was an accident Vin. Plain and simple."
"Fell on the rocks because I wasn't paying enough attention. Ezra wouldn't have had to take all that on himself if I hadn't been so stupid."
Buck shook his head. "Anybody can fall Vin. Sounds like JD's right. It was an accident."
"That doesn't help Ezra."
"Neither does beating yourself up."
"So," Chris decided they needed to move on. "You two rode while he walked. Surprised he put Chaucer through all that."
"For a while he didn't. One of us rode until we found a good spot to rest, then he'd ride back to get the other one."
"Walked back." JD corrected.
"What? He told me he was riding."
"Walked the whole way each time. Wanted to give Chaucer a break."
"Son of a bitch. The idiot. I'm gonna kill him."
"While that seems like a perfectly reasonable response." Chris tried to calm Vin down. "You can't be mad at him when all he was trying to do was get you two home."
"Hell I can't."
"He did what he had to do Vin." Buck added. "Nothing was going to change that."
"He damn near killed himself!"
"Would you have done anything different?" Chris asked.
Vin hesitated. "No, probably not."
"Okay then. Don't expect less of him. That's not fair."
Vin took a deep breath to calm down. Shouting was not helping his headache. "I just wish I could helped more is all."
"We get it Vin. He will too." The sharpshooter didn't look totally convinced.
"Nathan give you any idea on how long he's gonna be out of it?"
"Hard to say JD. He was totally exhausted, dry as dust, and then there is all the aches and hurts. Fighting off the fever didn't help matters."
"But he is gonna be okay?" JD asked tentatively.
Buck smiled to reassure him. "He should be just fine, it just took a lot out of him. He needs some time."
"That applies the two of you as well. You should both be back inside resting."
"Too nice out here Chris." JD argued. "Besides, fresh air is supposed to be good for you."
"Yeah but if Nathan catches you –"
"He'll be mad as hell." A voice came up from the street. Nathan glared at Chris. "I expected this from Vin and JD and Buck. But you're supposed to be the responsible one."
"What can I say? They looked desperate. Besides, it was Josiah's idea." He forced himself not to smile when he passed the blame, knowing Nathan wouldn't take his anger out on the big man.
"Inside. Now." By the time Nathan got upstairs both of his patients were reluctantly settling back into bed.
"How does he seem Josiah? Nathan asked quietly as he pulled another chair over to sit next to Ezra.
"Cooled off, and he's been quiet. Hasn't moved much, but it doesn't look like he's in a lot of pain."
"It has decreased to be at a tolerable level."
"Hey Ezra. Welcome back."
"Thank you, Mr. Dunne. It is a great relief to hear you in such good voice. Might I dare to hope that Mr. Tanner is equally recovered."
"Sure am Ez. Thanks to you."
"You give me far too much credit."
Vin sighed. "You kept us alive Ezra."
"Nonsense. You were more than capable of carrying for yourselves had it been required."
JD couldn't let that go unchallenged. "So then, why didn't you let us?"
"Because it was not required. You were injured and would heal more effectively with care."
"You were hurt too." JD argued.
"Not seriously."
"Beg to differ there Ezra." Nathan admonished. "You came damn close to killing yourself. Dehydrated, exhausted, busted up and bleeding."
"Bleeding?" Ezra looked surprised. "I was not injured."
"Your feet are kind of messed up. Got some lotion on them now, so likely you don't feel much, but you messed them up pretty bad." He blanched as he looked down at his feet. "They'll heal Ezra. You won't be walking much for a couple of weeks, but you'll recover." He flopped his head back on the pillow, sighing with relief and exhaustion. Even that simple move had aggravated his shoulder, a fact neither man next to him failed to notice. Josiah laid a hand gently on his arm, signalling him to lie still.
"Broke your collarbone, Son. You're gone be laid up in here for a while."
"I suppose it would be a futile effort and waste of my energy to propose being relocated to the comfort of my own room for the duration?"
Buck grinned. "Pay up JD – told you it would be less than 10 minutes till he asked."
"Don't have my money here Buck," JD glared at the man, "and it ain't fair taking advantage of a sick man, making me bet when I was clearly not thinking right."
Chris ignored the by-play between the duo and focused on Ezra. "You did a hell of a job out there." Chris smiled at him. "You really did."
"Nothing beyond what anyone else would have done in the same position. It was hardly a stellar success."
"Just how do you figure that?" Buck asked, a bit angry that the man refused to accept the praise.
"I was unable to secure or recover their horses. Additionally, I could not provide the food they required. In short, this fell far short of qualifying as an ideal rescue."
"First, and most important, you got them back alive. All three of you came back alive. That's how you measure a rescue." Chris tried to him straight.
"And Peso and Milagro have been found and will be here in a day or two more, so don't worry about that." JD added.
"As for the food, you can't find what isn't there. You kept us going Ezra. That's all that matters."
"I could have done better."
"Don't rightly see how." Josiah answered.
"Ezra, stop. You did a hell of a good job and we're all grateful for what you done. Can't you just accept that?"
Ezra opened his eyes and looked around at the six men who were watching him before answering Chris. "I suppose I shall have to, as I don't imagine you will leave me much choice in the matter." He relaxed and settled back, smiling slightly at the image of the six men nodding in unison.
"Mr. Larabee, did I understand you correctly? You had to cut the boots to remove them from my feet?"
Chris had been expecting this. He knew how Ezra felt about the way he dressed. He hated to think how much those boots had cost. "We were as careful as we could be Ezra. Cut them up the seam and I took them over for Callahan to look at. I figure the way that man stitches up saddles, he'd be able to fix those boots for you. He did say he could sew them back together, but when he tried to clean them – well, they were a real mess."
"So, they are unsalvageable?"
"Yeah Ezra I'm sorry. I just don't see that you'll ever be able to wear them again."
"Oh, thank the blessed saints! I believe the next time I shop for footwear, I shall put a little bit more emphasis on comfort, and a little less on fashion."
Vin grinned. That sounds like a good idea Ezra."
Buck smiled broadly. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure we could find you some real good walking boots before your next trip."
He felt himself fortunate that Ezra did not have the strength to get out of bed. But the glare he got assured him that Ezra would not forget the comment and would find suitable retribution.
M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7
The End