The sound of people running up and down the stairs was heard, words mumbled in silent voices and Vin keeping everything in order. Chris knew that his friend will take care of everything so that he doesn't have to have another look on a monster who destroyed his life the moment she planned to set a fire on his homestead and kill his wife and son in the most horrible way.
Their faces started to fade away few weeks ago, and Chris couldn't hear Sarah's voice anymore…nor could he hear Adam's innocent laughter. They were becoming ghosts in his memory and he looked for comfort or solution in the whiskey bottle. But, being completely drunk didn't help one bit. In such state, he couldn't even remember what he did that morning. He was slowly fading into desperation, and anger consumed him. He was angry at himself for not remembering their faces and voices anymore.
Than one day Buck came to him with a strange look on his face. Chris was perplexed to hear from his oldest friend that Mary Travis gave him a gift for him. He unwrapped the paper slowly, wondering what could she possibly give to him…and why?
There they were…their faces. Sarah and Adam gazed at him right from the photo in a frame.
He remembered how furious was he. Not at Mary, but himself. He couldn't stand to look down at faces of his beloved wife and son on a photo with him. He thought he didn't deserve to share even a photo with them because they were dead and he was still breathing.
The anger consumed him, the pain was unbearable. He broke the photo frame, rode off, got drunk, broke things around his place and fell into darkness once again…
…And not thinking for one second what this actually meant.
Now, he knew.
He could see their faces again. He could remember Adam shrieking with laughter when Buck put him on a horse for the first time and when the Earth move under horse's back. He could still hear Sarah trying to be mad at him and Buck for making jokes over dinner. He could feel the happiness at remembering those moments…That photo brought everything back. Not just pain and despair…It also brought back happy memories. Memories of times when he had a family. Through the darkness of his pain, a track of light came in. A track of golden light…just like…
His fingers slowly moved through golden locks of Mary's hair as her sobbing increased. He knew she was horrified with what just happened…with what she had just done. Justice was served, Ella was dead. She paid for what she did. If Mary didn't pull the trigger, Chris would. Or Vin. But, it was Mary. And even though people of Four Corners knew her as brave-hearted woman, Chris knew how fragile could she be.
"I killed her", he heard her mumble through bitter tears "I killed another human being", her voice broke in a sob "Oh, my God…"
"Sssshhhhh", Chris' voice was a whisper, gentle as a breeze "You did the right thing."
Was it the sound of his voice or the words he spoke, Mary didn't know, but it had a healing effect on her heart. Suddenly she became aware of the position she was in; Chris' arms held her in embrace and her face was snuggled into his bare chest. A lump created in her throat and blood ran full force in her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, I…", she tried to regain her composure by pulling herself away from him. She was lost for words, first time in her life. She couldn't look up at him, too scared of what will she see in those green eyes of his.
Her eyes looked down and saw him slowly approaching her, closing the distance of two steps between them. Mary swallowed hard. She got over the edge with giving him that photo, it only hurt him more…
"Mary", his voice was silent and hoarse "Mary, look at me", as she stayed still, his index-finger gently lifted up her chin. His eyes met her crystal blue eyes and Chris felt a feeling of warmth running through his body from the shine of those two diamonds. His calloused fingers slowly wiped the tears from the soft skin of her cheeks. Subconsciously, she leaned into his palm, treasuring his gentle touch. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, sending electricity through her body. She gazed at his green eyes, getting lost in them.
"I'm sorry, Chris", she whispered "I'm so sorry for hurting you. I should have never give you that photo. I just pushed you further into that darkness…", her voice broke in tears.
Those words pierced right through Chris' heart. Once again, he cursed himself for just taking off the way he did once Buck gave him a small package from Mary.
His heart ached for her. He couldn't stand to watch her cry because of him. Not Mary.
"Mary", he called her again, cupping her face in both of his hands "I was a bloody idiot for taking off like that and I am so sorry. I am so sorry for hurting you that way. I was mad at myself. Not just because I wasn't there to save my family…but, because I started to forget their faces. I couldn't hear their voices anymore. Couldn't remember how they look like. You brought them back to me.", one of his hands slowly went down her neck and onto her upper arm, while the other one got lost in her hair. "You know some of the pain I went through. Now I see it. And I apologize for being so rough when you told me those words in the store."
Through her tears, Mary couldn't suppress a happy smile. She finally reached to him. He let out a small breath of relief when he saw her lovely lips curl up in a smile he loved so much. "You didn't push me into darkness. You pulled me out of it. I tried to escape from it, tried to deny it, but I couldn't. I can't do it anymore."
Her eyes widened in a surprise. What was he saying?
There was no pulling back now and Chris knew it.
"Mary", he started, gathering all his courage for the words he was about to tell now. Taking in a deep breath, he continued to talk, his eyes never leaving her eyes "Last three years I lived just for the day when I will bring a killer of my family to a justice. I thought I didn't deserve to make another single breath because my family was robbed of chance to live…"
"It wasn't your fault, Chris", Mary hated to interrupt him, but she couldn't allow that he keeps on blaming himself. "I know how do you feel. I blamed myself for so long because I wasn't there to help Steven. To save him. I blamed myself for each tear Billy shed during that horrible year. But, you saved my baby. Those men tried to kill him too, but you saved him. And you brought my baby back to me. Without you, Billy would never recover…", she sobbed "…and neither would I, Chris", she shook her head "Don't do this to yourself, Chris. Don't kill your heart. I am certain that Sarah and Adam wouldn't want that."
"You nearly got yourself killed", he whispered, leaning his forehead on her forehead. Mary swallowed her sobs, blinking tears from her eyelashes.
"But I didn't. We finally brought her to justice", Mary could feel Chris' breath on her lips; he was so close to her. Her whole body shivered with love.
We finally brought her to justice.
WE.
The light of Marys' love shone through the closed doors of Chris' heart. Sending away all the pain and all the bitterness from his soul. Completely breaking in through all the walls.
"Mary, there will always be someone after me", he whispered in last attempt of escape.
"That makes two of us. Or did you forget that I run very serious newspaper, Mr. Larabee?", she smiled, her lips inch away from his lips, her breathing fastening up. He answered with a smile back "So, I guess we have to take extra care of each other, Miss Travis?"
"Promise?", she silently breathed out, staring right into his beautiful eyes that were clouded with passion and love for her.
"You bet", he whispered before his lips finally touched her soft lips in a loving kiss.