"LARABEE'S LADY: FOR BETTER OR WORSE" – CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

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 20, 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.

(Catherine and Chris spend an entire week at their "secret" cabin. A week spent riding over their land, making plans to expand the ranch, skinny dipping in the lake not far from the cabin, going on picnics, and making love. By the tine they return to the ranch, the sparkle has returned to Catherine's eyes and both she and Chris look happier than they've been in a while. After assuring Mrs. Tyson that all is well, the two ride into town. Catherine stops at the newspaper office to see Mary and Chris continues on to the Saloon where he finds the other six.)

Buck: "Well, 'bout time you got back, Stud."

Chris: "Town's still in one piece, I see."

J.D.: "After everything that's happened around here the last couple of months I'd say we're about due for some peace and quiet."

Josiah: "Amen."

Vin: "How's Catherine?"

Chris: "A lot better."

J.D.: "Casey's been worried about her."

Chris: "Tell her to stop worryin', J.D. Catherine's going to be just fine."

(Mary and Billy are both very happy to see Catherine, and Billy sits next to her while she and his mother talk. Mary is a bit apprehensive at first because she doesn't want Catherine to be reminded of her loss, but Catherine is laughing and answering Billy's questions about her horses and Mary soon relaxes. After allowing Billy to spend some time with Catherine, Mary sends him to a friend's house to play.)

Mary: "You look wonderful, Catherine. A week away did you a lot of good."

Catherine: "A week with my husband did me a lot of good. Sometimes I wish we could just move to the cabin and never come back, but, then I realize how selfish that thought is, and besides, I'd miss all my friends."

Mary: "I understand what you mean, though, and the cabin's there when the two of you can get away. . . Are you really okay?"

Catherine: "I wanted that baby so much, Mary, and part of me will always wonder what he or she would have been like. I'm just praying that Chris and I will be able to have children one day."

Mary: "I'm praying for that, too, Catherine."

Catherine: "How are things going with Inez and Ezra?"

Mary: (smiling) "Unless I miss my guess, there's going to be another wedding in Four Corners before long."

(For the next two months, the Seven are only required to deal with minor problems, and everyone and everything is pretty much back to normal. Inez and Ezra's courtship has indeed progressed to the point where he has proposed marriage, and another wedding is being planned. Mrs. Wilkes, once again in her element, has declared that she will provide the flowers for the wedding, including Inez' bouquet from her rose garden. Catherine and Mary, who are going to be Inez' attendants, are busy with Mrs. Wilkes, Nettie and Casey creating a wedding dress for Inez, and the six women are having the time of their lives. A month before the wedding, Chris comes home to find his wife in a somewhat somber mood. Catherine is quiet all through dinner, and Chris is concerned. When they go upstairs, he watches Catherine as she removes her necklace and earrings, hangs up her gown, and sits at her dressing table brushing her honey-blonde hair. There is a somewhat wistful expression on Catherine's face, and it tugs at Chris' heart. Walking up behind her, he takes the brush from her hand and starts brushing her hair for her.)

Chris: "What's wrong?"

Catherine: "What makes you think anything's wrong?"

Chris: "Because I know you, Catherine, inside and out. Something's bothering you."

(Catherine stands up and walks toward the bed slipping her robe off as she goes. Chris lays her brush on the table, and catches her arm before she can slide into the bed. Turning her in his arms, he tilts her face up so he can look into her eyes. The sadness he sees there cuts him to the core.)

Chris: "Please tell me what's wrong. I can't stand seeing you like this."

Catherine: (tears welling in her eyes) "This afternoon, when we were working on Inez' wedding dress, Casey asked Inez if she and Ezra wanted children. A perfectly innocent question. A question that's often asked of brides. . . It nearly tore my heart out, Chris! I thought I had put losing the baby behind me, but I guess I haven't"

Chris: "Give yourself time, Sweetheart. Losing a child isn't something you get over in a few months."

Catherine: "No, it's not, and I'm not the only one who lost a child. I haven't been there for you as much as I should have been."

Chris: "Yes, you have, the important thing is that we have each other and we always will. We'll have children one day, Catherine, we'll tell them about Adam and the baby we lost so they'll understand just how much they were wanted; how much they're loved."