For the two days after the team arrived in Four Corners Ezra was never alone. Nathan was with him almost every minute, although some of that was spent sleeping on a floor mat next to the bed while the others took turns keeping an eye on the patient. JD took first watch, refusing to accept that everything was in fact going to be all right. "I'll believe it when I hear if from him." was his response to reassurances. Given that Ezra remained unconscious and feverish, JD failed to have his wish answered. Eventually he was driven out of the room, ordered to get some rest himself. The pattern continued, with everyone stubbornly trying to outwait the slow recovery. Only Vin was missing from the rotation.
After arriving in Four Corners, and fending off concerned townsfolk who all wanted to see for themselves that the team was intact, Vin informed Chris he was leaving town.
"I can't tell you why Chris. It's not my place to say."
"This has to do with what Ezra was mumbling about in the wagon?" Vin nodded. "You do know he was out of his head with fever? What he said might not even be what he was thinking."
"Fever wasn't that bad Chris. And truth is, I know I'm probably wasting my time. But I have to do this. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"You know what you're doing?"
Vin just shrugged. "Maybe – at least I got a couple of ideas on how to start. Do me a favour – don't let him know I'm gone on his account. If this doesn't work out, he doesn't need to know I even tried."
"I'll do that if you promise me when you come back you'll explain all this – even if it doesn't work out."
"If it works, I won't need to explain anything."
Now, on the third day after the shooting, Ezra was awake and, for the most part, aware of what had gone on. He still didn't have the strength to fight off a six-week-old kitten, but the colour was returning to his face, and he could actually move without feeling like a hot poker was in his back. He opened his eyes to look at JD in response to a light tapping on the door.
"Please Mr. Dunne, if that is our esteemed healer with another of his vile potions, shoot me now and spare me the misery."
"They aren't that bad Ezra – and they're getting you better."
"It is too steep a price to pay."
"No. It isn't. It really isn't. Don't say things like that Ezra. This one was too close."
"My apologies. I did not mean to dismiss your concerns so lightly. Ah, Mr. Larabee. You are here to relieve our young sheriff of his monitoring duties?"
"I'm here to visit with a friend, and to give JD a chance to get some lunch. Go on kid, I got this covered."
"I'll be back later Ezra." JD was gone from the room in the blink of an eye.
"That boy has entirely too much energy. I do not believe that even at his age, I was that young."
"I'm guessing you were never that young Ezra, but that's a story for another time. You're looking a lot better."
"It is mostly an illusion in an effort to dissuade Mr. Jackson from requiring me to take more of his 'cures'. I regret to say he is not easily fooled."
"If you stopped wasting energy fighting him, you'd get better a lot faster."
"Yes, but it would damage my reputation."
"Stop thinking about your reputation and start thinking about getting better Ezra. You scared the crap out of us."
"I was none to pleased with the unfolding of events myself." Ezra's tone was light, but his face failed to reflect any humour. It was obvious he didn't yet have the energy to keep his emotions hidden.
"Tell me Mr. Larabee. Some of my memories of the last few days are a trifle muddled. Did I, in some way, offend Mr. Tanner?"
"Vin hasn't been in to see you because he had to go out of town. Something urgent came up, and as soon as he knew you were gonna be OK he hightailed it out."
"I trust he has not put himself in any danger? He should not have gone off alone."
"Oh, but it was fine for you to go into what you had to know was a bad situation on your own? Don't worry about Vin. I can't say for sure myself what he's doing, but he's fine. Got a telegram from him from White Rock just a while ago saying he'd be back late tomorrow if the traveling is good or the next morning at the latest."
"I will accept your assurance on his welfare. And as for my misadventure, I can promise you if I had considered even for an instant that this would be the outcome I would have taken every opportunity to approach the matter differently."
"Only thing that really matters is that it worked out. Wasn't pretty, but it worked out."
Ezra settled back, waiting for the question he was sure would follow. When nothing more was said, he opened his eyes again to make sure he hadn't been left alone. Chris remained where he had been, just smiling. It was actually a little unnerving.
"Let me save you the trouble Ezra. Yes, we all want to know what happened. Want to know why that son of a bitch shot you in the back. But it doesn't take to much figuring to realize whatever happened was real personal. And, we know you don't like to talk about your past – not parts like this. That picture, the shooting. Damn right we're curious. But as long as you aren't in danger – we aren't in danger – then we don't need to know."
"He told you nothing?"
"Didn't live long enough to. And while we are on the subject - that was some mighty fine shooting from a man at death's door."
"I regret to say I cannot remember the incident. I do hope, in time, the memory returns. I believe it is one I shall cherish."
Chris was surprised by the comment. Ezra was far from the blood thirsty type, and tended to prefer to leave vengeance to the rest of the team. He preferred to get even by more profitable means where possible. Of course, being shot in the back might change that perspective in any man.
"We don't want to push you Ezra. Like I said, it's clear this has been hard on you. I got just one concern. Need to know this is over. With that son of a bitch dead, are you done with it, or do we need to on the watch for someone else in this story."
"There is no one else in the story. Not any more." The sadness in Ezra's voice just about broke Chris's heart.
"So we don't have to worry that he had kin that'll come after you. Father, brother – anything like that."
Had he not been certain the action would have torn out the stitches, Ezra would have laughed. Long and hard. Instead he settled for an off-kilter smile. "William's family is of no consequence as far as I can determine. He had only the one brother I am aware of, and I can assure you he will not be causing further problems." Ezra looked at the concern the was evident on the face of the man staring back at him.
"But you are wrong Mr. Larabee. I do owe you an explanation. All of you. I ask only your indulgence in waiting for Mr. Tanner to return. I would prefer to tell the tale only once, and he should not have to hear it second hand."
"Like I said Ezra – it's up to you. You need to get some rest, but I do have one question if you can handle that."
"I shall try."
"I get that you like to go formal with us down at the tables, or in public. Mister so-and-so is all part of the image. But lately, especially when we're on our own, and most especially when you've been hurt, or one of us has, you drop that crap. Now we're all Mister again. Hell, you call the bastard that shot you by his first name, but we're all mister again? What happened?"
"The answer to that is part of the story. I think when you hear it you will understand my reluctance to presume to consider you as friends."
"Doubt there is much you can say that would make that true. You gotta understand we don't care about your past anymore Ezra. We know your present, and hope to hell we know your future. You worked hard to leave that behind and as far as I can see, you've done a hell of a job. When you're feeling better, and when Vin is back, we're gonna have our talk. For now – you rest."
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