"LARABEE'S LADY: FOR BETTER OR WORSE" – CHAPTER TEN

Title: "Larabee's Lady: For Better or Worse"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult language and situations

Summary: Part III of "Larabee's Lady" focuses on Catherine and Chris settling into married life and a new romance developing between Mary and Vin. Oh, and hopefully, a surprise or two!

Date Written: October 9, 2010

Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, J.D. Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Casey Wells, Mary Travis, Nettie Wells, Inez, Ella Gaines, Jack Averell, and The Magnificent Seven are the property of TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM and Triology Entertainment. Other characters, i.e., Catherine Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, Eloise Stewart, Henrietta Wilkes, Miles Kettering, etc. are the sole property of the author. The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

Buck: "Hope that's the last we see of that man, but I got a real bad feeling."

Nathan: "That makes two of us, Buck. That man's up to no good."

Ezra: "Indeed. Although Mr. Larabee and Mr. Tanner are quite intimidating, I don't believe we've seen the last of Mr. Kettering."

J.D.: "He'd be a fool to cross Chris and Vin, and the rest of us, too."

Chris: "What makes you think he's not?"

J.D.: "You really think he's gonna' come back here and make trouble?"

Chris: "Yep. That's why we all need to keep a close eye on things for the few days. Especially with Mary and Vin getting' married."

Vin: "That man tries to ruin Mary's wedding and I'll kill him."

Buck: "That's NOT going to happen. 'Sides, ain't it your weddin', too?"

Vin: "We can get married in a cow pasture as far as I'm concerned, as long as we get married."

(Catherine and Mary have come up behind the group as Vin's been talking, and Mary responds to his comment.)

Mary: "I'll marry you anywhere you want me to, Vin. Church or cow pasture makes no difference to me."

(Vin stands and takes Mary's hand as Chris slips an arm around Catherine's waist.)

Vin: "I want you to have the kind of weddin' you want, Mary. And I promise you that no one's gonna' take that away from you."

(As Mary, Vin and the others discuss the plans the ladies made earlier, Catherine takes Chris' hand and pulls him inside the Sheriff's Office, quietly shutting the door once they're inside.)

Catherine: "We have to tell Vin and Mary how to find Catherine's Cove."

Chris: (looking at his wife like she has two heads) "We have to do what?"

Catherine: "Tell Vin and Mary how to find the cabin, Chris."

Chris: "And just why in Hell would we want to do that? That cabin is supposed to be our special place to be alone, Catherine. We agreed that we wouldn't tell anyone where it was, remember?"

(Catherine slides her arms around her husband's neck, presses her feminine curves against his hard, muscled body, and looks up at him with a persuasive smile on her face. Unable to stop himself, Chris' arms go around Catherine's waist even as he tells himself she is not going to convince him to give up the location of their cabin.)

Catherine: "We have to, Chris."

Chris: "Why?"

Catherine: "So they can have a honeymoon."

(As Catherine's words sink in, understanding dawns on Chris and he realizes that this is one argument he doesn't want to win. Love for the caring, compassionate woman who is his wife swells Chris' heart to near bursting, and he places a gentle kiss on her forehead.)

Chris: "All right, Sweetheart, we'll tell them."

Catherine: "Thank you."