29. Blakes Spring

Arriving at the Blake's Spring Ritz's Hotel where reservations had been made for them by the UN Court. The Travis County Lawmen were infuriated to discover Vin had been assigned to a kennel. After some not-so-subtle threats and a monologue by Ezra in the potential lawsuit and bad press from kenneling a citizen the gathering crowd made the hotel manager reconsider and allow Vin to share Chris' room.

Once they deposited their belongings in the rooms, the men headed out. They decided to eat at nearby saloon that Tanner indicated was safe.

Vin slid soundlessly into a chair in the corner from where he could watch Chris' back and still be in the shadows. It wasn't long before the stir caused by his arrival settled and the patrons forgot his presence.

Buck disappeared on the arm of a barmaid as expected. Ezra seemed to be settled in for the night at a poker table. JW and Isaiah had decided to site see and Nathan had left to visit with the local healer.

"Like ta git a bath 'fore we ride tha train. Iffen yah don' mind," Vin muttered.

"Sounds good. Riding that stage was dusty." Chris finished his drink and rose.

There was barely a break in the conversations as the two men silently left the saloon.

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Finding the bathhouse, they walked in. The bath attendant simply shrugged and took Chris' money when he asked for two baths.

"Number ten. Last stall on the right. Don't go disturbing folks with your doings and clean up after your games," The attendant huffed in disgust, ignoring Vin completely.

"Wonder what that was about?" Chris grunted as they made their way down the hall.

"Figures yah's intendin' ta use me," Vin answered softly.

Chris stood stock still his mouth open in shock. "Shit! Vin are you OK?" Chris quickly suppressed his temper in concern for how this was effecting Tanner.

"No," Vin admitted faintly. He was paler than normal and the trapped look was back in his eyes.

"Do you want to leave?" Chris asked calmly.

"Want mah bath." Vin started walking.

Reaching number ten, Vin started filling the two tubs after making certain they were clean first. He stripped down folding his clothes as he shed them.

"Neat as a pin," Chris teased kindly.

"Yah want fer me ta scrub yer back?" Vin asked hoarsely.

"Vin Tanner, this is not before. So get your skinny butt in that tub before you freeze," Chris chided.

Vin flushed faintly and turned to the tub closest to the door.

"I'se sorry, Chris, I know better than tha'," Vin apologized.

"Yeah. You know better but sometimes old memories will sneak up on you," Chris soothed.

Chris began to ramble on about the day in a soft voice. Watching as Vin's head began to nod. Wouldn't Buck laugh, me jabbering on like JW? Vin's napping a lot. I guess he hasn't been sleeping too good ever since we got the order to appear.

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"Cowboy, wake up," Chris stood at the foot of the tub.

"What?" Vin sat up in the cooling water.

"Time to go to bed," Chris urged Vin to his feet.

"I fell asleep?" Vin muttered drowsily.

"You sure did." Chris smiled.

Without lingering the two men dressed and made their way back to the hotel. Vin unrolled his bedroll and crawled in. Chris shook his head and laughed as the tracker dropped off to sleep as easily as a child. He trusts me. Damn, isn't that something. Everything that's happened to him. The shit I dumped on him and he still trusts me. Chris reached down and tucked Vin's arm under the blanket and tucked it in around his shoulders...that's better. Now you won't wake up cold.

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It was in the predawn when Vin woke. Getting ready for the day he packed away his bedroll and saddlebags. He repacked all Chris' gear except for what he'd need this morning. Finally he settled in by the east facing window to watch the birth of a new day. Opening the window Tanner sniffed deeply. The heavenly aroma of warm cinnamon rolls filled the air. Leaning out he tried to locate just where the odor was coming from.

"Good Morning, son," Sheriff Bearhunter called from the boardwalk. Vin nodded politely at the greeting. "Come on out and we'll go get some of those rolls," Amos called up. Vin shook his head. "Leave Larabee a note and come on," Poppa Bear coaxed.

Vin hesitated a long moment then nodded. Closing the window he turned back into the room and sought paper and pencil. Carefully he scribed his note and propped it up on Chris' fresh clothing where it would easily be seen before rushing out to join Poppa Bear. He grumbled as he turned around and went back for the hound cloak then sped off for breakfast.

"You'll be glad to see the last of that stupidity," Bearhunter grunted as Vin pulled the hood up.

Vin turned startled eyes towards the big man.

"Son, my daddy was Cheyenne. I know the difference between a guardian and one of those damn hounds," Amos said peacefully.

Vin seemed off balance as he followed the Sheriff. They passed a long line of folks holding coffee cups and napkins. Cheerful greetings and friendly insults were exchanged by Amos and many of the crowd as they went. Circling down the alley Bearhunter opened a door.

"Momma, I've brought you another chick to feed," he called.

A huge woman easily as big as Isaiah glided over. Bright blue eyes danced in a rosy cheeked face surrounded by wild black curls. "Well, Sugar, what brings you here this fine morning?" she asked the shy tracker.

"Woke ta tha smell a heaven, ma'am. Led me ta here," Vin answered faintly.

"All the way over to the hotel?" Alisa shook her head. "Amos, introduce this young man," she ordered.

"Momma, this is Vin Tanner. He's one of 'em that brought us little Jason," the sheriff spoke.

"Well let's find you a place to sit," Alisa headed into a room filled with a crowd sitting at tightly packed tables. Noting Vin's flinch as they started in she headed for a protected nook and ran off a regular to seat them.

"Now, Ms. Alisa I wasn't finished," the man protested laughingly.

"Yes, you are," Alisa playfully scowled. "Emmy, see that Mr. Sanders gets a couple of rolls to take with him," she called.

"Thank you, Ms. Alisa," the man grinned as he went after his little gift.

"Weren't right," Vin said faintly.

"Sugar, Joe Sanders leaves here every morning at five forty-five," Momma Bear laughed.

"Now, Amos, take off that hat," Momma Bear scowled.

"Yes, ma'am," Amos sheepishly pulled his hat off.

"Married thirty-one years and he still can't remember to take off his hat at my table," Alisa huffed with a smile and ruffled Amos' graying hair.

Two cups seemed to just appear on the now washed table top. Amos and a clearly off balanced Vin Tanner sat down.

"You're not going to feed that damn critter in here," a man at the next table protested loudly bringing a strained silence to the cheerful crowd. Vin seemed to draw in on himself trying to disappear from view.

"I fed you ,didn't I?" The giantess turned with a glare.

"I'm no stinkin' hound," he snapped.

"Out! Don't come back," Alisa said in a flat, no-nonsense tone.

"You'll lose customers," the man stiffened.

"Good. I don't want bigots hanging around here anyway," she growled.

"Emmy, write Mr. Barnes, name on the wall," Alisa called into the shocked silence.

"Now hold on, Ms. Alisa," the rapidly deflating windbag coaxed

"You don't get any more rolls until I paint," Alisa passed sentence on the malefactor.

"I'll paint for you," Barnes quickly offered.

"No! I'm not putting folks out just for the seven people on my wall," Momma Bear growled. "Now, git."

"The nerve of that man, trying to tell me who to feed in my own place," she muttered threateningly as she watched Hagen Barnes slink from the restaurant. "Anybody else want to tell me who I can and cannot feed?" she demanded angrily.

"No ma'am," a chorus of voices filled the room.

"Good, now eat," Alisa smiled warmly.

"Now, sugar, how do you want your coffee?" Alisa turned back to the shaken Tanner. "Soft, medium, dark, or spoonstander?" she asked with a smile.

"I'll leave, didn't mean ta cause yah no trouble," Vin almost whispered.

"Vin Tanner, I only feed the people I want to. It'll do Hagen Barnes good to miss my cinnamon rolls for a while. He's a bully if you don't stand up to him," she laughed. "Now, how do you want your coffee?"

"Real strong and sweet, Ms. Alisa," Vin answered after a brief moment.

"Like my Amos," Alisa teased her now blushing husband.

"You're trouble woman," Bearhunter grunted.

"I know, but you love me anyway," she laughed.

"Sure do, woman. I surely do," Amos ran his fingers down her arm.

Soon Vin sat watching the sea of humanity sipping the coffee. While listening to Amos' kind recital of the some of the other diners' antics, who laughed along with the stories and told stories of their own.

The tiny Emmy appeared with a heavily laden tray. "Nuts, raisins, both, or neither?" she asked with a friendly smile.

"Nuts please," Vin requested.

"Good morning, Chick," Amos greeted the young woman.

"Good morning , Poppa. Is this a new brother you've brought me?" she smiled warmly.

"Nope, this one is just borrowed. He's been claimed already," Bearhunter chuckled.

Two napkins with a pair of huge cinnamon rolls each soon graced the table. Then Emmy made a round of the room until the tray was emptied.

"Oh," Vin moaned in delight taking his first bite.

Amos looked over startled for a moment then shook his head with a smile. Carefully he lowered the tracker's arm setting the roll back on his plate.

"Amos, what's wrong with the Chick?" Alisa rushed over.

"He zoned, Momma, give him a minute before you start clucking," Amos calmed.

"Vin, time to come back, son," Amos gently shook the frozen man's shoulder.

Vin suddenly blinked, "Where's mah roll?" he growled.

"Right on your plate, son. You seem to have zoned on taste," Amos chuckled in relief.

"It's sa good," Vin complimented Alisa.

A large yet feminine hand brushed back the hood exposing the startled Tanner. "No wonder they hide your face," Alisa smiled. "I've never seen eyes that shade of blue. All the women would be jealous of those long lashes," she teased gently until Vin blushed.

Vin kept a careful eye on Alisa as he savored his rolls. He watched as she made her way around the room comforting, teasing and chiding the eaters as needed. Alisa reappeared next to the table as the two men finished their rolls.

"Ma'am could I have some more of these rolls fer mah friends?" Vin asked hesitantly.

"Hum . . . and how do I know that you don't want them all for yourself?" she asked teasingly.

"Sheriff'll tell yah 'bout Chris and tha others," Vin spoke up quickly.

"My Amos would lie if you were to give him a cut," Alisa tapped her foot.

"Kin they come by and git some then?" Vin chewed his bottom lip nervously.

"Stand up," Alisa ordered.

Standing, the bewildered Tanner was lifted off his feet by the big woman.

"Put me down!" Vin protested in shock.

"Just as I thought. Skinnier than a winter rabbit," Alisa said as she sat him back on his feet. "You stop here before you catch the train. I'm not about to let you eat that train slop. I'll have a basket ready," she ordered.

"Ma'am, yah don't have to do that," Vin said weakly.

"Sugar, you'll starve for sure," the motherly woman snorted. Pulling out a napkin she wiped Tanner's hands and face distractedly. Finding a stubborn spot she licked her thumb and scrubbed his cheek before wiping it with the napkin again.

"Emmy, you fix up a dozen plus rolls for this chick to take with him," Alisa ordered.

"Thank yah, ma'am," the bemused Tanner said.

"Is he good to you, child?" Alisa asked worriedly.

"Chris is real good ta me," Vin's eyes brightened and a true smile lifted the corners of his mouth lightly.

"That's as it should be. Now here's your rolls. You take these and scoot before they get cold," Alisa ordered.

Vin brushed his cloak back to get at a pants pocket for money. Revealing the mare's leg on his belt as he did so.

"I'm not taking your money, Chick," Alisa warned with a faint growl.

Vin continued to pull out some change. "Ms. Emmy's earned her a tip," he reminded quietly.

"That's fine but you don't be insulting me by trying to pay for those rolls. Remember next time I expect you to bring your own napkin and cup," Momma Bear hugged the slender Tanner before bustling off.

"I hope tha judge'll let yah have Jason. He'd be a mighty lucky little fella," Vin said wistfully before slipping out of the restaurant with Amos.

Vin rubbed his spit-washed cheek distractedly as they walked back to the hotel.

"You come back anytime son," Bearhunter ordered. "You have trouble, you send us the word. Momma's claimed you now."

"She done put her mark on me?" Vin stopped in shock touching his cheek.

She doesn't go spit shining just anybody," Amos grinned unrepentantly.

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Chris was pacing in the lobby when Vin walked in with his package. His hood was down revealing his relaxed face.

"You should have woke me, Cowboy. This isn't Four Corners," Chris growled worriedly.

"I left yah a note. I'se wit' tha sheriff," Vin ducked his head, but held his ground this time.

Dammit, when am I ever going to learn? "Vin, I wasn't fussing because you went. I'd like to have gotten some of those rolls myself is all," Chris sighed.

"I won' do it again 'fore I talk wit' yah," Vin promised. "Guess yah don' want any a' these?" Vin held up his fragrant package hopefully.

"Hell, Tanner, somebody could have robbed you," Chris licked his lips in anticipation and reached out.

Vin's eyes twinkled and he took off for the stairs at a run with Chris charging after him.

"Is he really a hound?" one of the hotel guests asked, smiling at the surprising game of keep away between the mischievous youngster and the laughing man in black.

"Well, I thought he was," the puzzled desk clerk replied.

"He's got a name and he talks," another guest frowned.

"Do hounds talk?" the first man asked.

"He seems like a nice boy," a grandmotherly patron smiled impishly when the quasi-hound's voice carried down the stairs.

"Chris, don' tickle, it ain' fair!" Tanner wailed, helpless giggles carried from above bringing smiles to everyone's faces.

"Help! JW! Chris is gonna eat'cher cinnamon rolls," Vin bleated.

A thunderous pounding on a door carried to the lobby. "Standish, if you don't give those rolls back I'm going to shoot you!" Chris roared.

"Mr. Larabee, I'm not occupying that room," Ezra's drowsy voice carried to the listeners.

"Then who is? Oh HELL! Isaiah, we're suppose to share," Chris pounded on the door.

"Standish, pick the da- . . . lock," Buck ordered as he came up the steps in a hurry. He was just returning from his night out.

Soon six of the men from Four Corners stood outside the door of Isaiah's room plotting retribution.

"Isaiah, iffen yah don' share I'se tellin'. Ms. Alisa'll write yer name on tha wall and yah won' get no more till she paints." Vin warned.

"I apologize, gentlemen. The devil made me do it," Isaiah now stood in the open door looking sheepish.

"How many rolls were there?" JW asked still dressed in his sleep shirt.

"They was fourteen," Vin answered.

"They're all here," Nathan took custody of the rolls and counted them.

Peace once more settled on the hotel as the seven men all entered Isaiah's room closing the door behind them.

The now replete men sat around the dismembered package. There were no identifiable morsel of what the package had once contained now remaining. Every crumb and speck of icing had been cleaned up.

Ms. Alisa said she'd make us a hamper. Don' want us eatin' the slop served on tha local train," Vin said as he licked the last of the goo off his fingers.

"The woman's an angel," Isaiah sighed leaning back and rubbing his content stomach. Sadly he studied the empty wrapping paper. "Like a plague of locusts. Nothing of sustenance left behind them," Isaiah scowled at his greedy companions.

"I'm going courting. I could marry a woman that can cook like this," Buck enthused.

"I'm quite certain the lady in question is already some fortunate and well-armed gentleman's spouse," Ezra retorted.

"Do you think I could get adopted?" JW asked with a grin.

"Sheriff Bearhunter seems might fond a' his wife. Buck, I figure she's big 'nough ta turn Isaiah over her knee iffen she had a mind to. Reckin JW and me won' have no problem gettin' 'dopted though," Vin smirked.