The Adventure – Chapter 10

A/N –Please see warnings in Chapter 1.

After they finished doctoring the Bible, the boys turned in for the night, not knowing that Buck and Chris were checking into the hotel. Buck approached the desk clerk, "Evening."

The desk clerk nodded, "One room or two?"

Buck looked at Chris, "I'm assuming the boys already got themselves a room, so I'm guessing we only need the one. When we catch up to them, JD'll be in my room and Vin can be in your room."

The clerk looked up at Buck, "Did you say JD?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"He's the boy that asked me where he could get ice cream."

Buck chuckled, "Sounds like my boy, JD. He checked in the hotel?"

The clerk hemmed and hawed, "Well, we don't divulge who are guests are."

Buck grabbed the man by the shirt, "Mister, that boy is my son and he left home without a word, he's got himself in a world of trouble and I aim to find him. I know he's here in town, I saw his horse at the livery stable. He's only 17, he ain't even old enough to get a room."

The clerk gulped, "He had an older boy with him."

Chris nudged Buck, "Buck, let the man go."

Buck looked at Chris a bit bewildered and then released the clerk.

The clerk looked at Chris. "Thank you. The other boy?"

"My little brother," said Chris gruffly.

"Look Mister, unless you want me going room to room to find my boy, you'll just tell me what room he's in." Buck growled.

The clerk sighed, "Well I suppose since you are his father and he is underage, it would be ok. They're in room 238."

"Thanks." Buck said gratefully.

Chris grabbed their room key, Room 324. He looked at the clerk. "Orphan train come in?"

The clerk bobbed his head up and down, "Yes sir, this afternoon."

Chris nodded and looked at Buck, "It's late. Let's just bunk in and deal with the boys in the morning."

Buck shook his head, "I want to check on them, make sure they're all right."

Chris sighed as they headed up the stairs.

The clerk watched the tall cowboy and the one all in black head up the stairs. He sort of felt sorry for the boys. He wouldn't want to be them when the older ones got hold of them. The clerk shook his head, the young and the foolish, he thought to himself.

Buck and Chris trudged up the stairs. Buck was just about to knock on the boy's door, when he heard, "Go onto bed JD."

"But Vin, do you really think this will work?"

"Yep, 'sides its all we got, so it has to work. If it don't work, we'll just take her and light out."

"OK, if you say so," JD said worriedly.

"It'll be fine JD. Go onto bed, now."

"'kay, night Vin."

"Night little brother."

Buck backed away from the door. The boys seemed to be ok. They seemed to have some kind of plan. They must have found JD's sister. He didn't want to barge in on the boys. He was curious to see if the plan, whatever it was, was going to work. He had a plan of his own. He looked at Chris. "They seem to be fine," he whispered.

Chris nodded tiredly as he pointed to the ceiling, signaling they should go on to their own room. Buck nodded and followed Chris to their room. Without so much as a word, the two got ready for bed and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

The next morning, Vin woke early. He watched his little brother sleep, the sleep of the innocent. He hoped his plan would work. If it didn't work, he would have to think of a way to get Sophia off the train. He let JD sleep in. He figured it was better than having to deal with a wound up JD before they could even try and convince Mr. Simpson that he was Sophia's older brother. He went to the restaurant downstairs to get some coffee.

As Vin was returning to his room from downstairs, Chris and Buck were getting up and getting dressed for the day. Just as Vin got to his room, Chris and Buck were headed to the restaurant to get coffee. They just missed each other.

Vin returned to the room and got JD up. "Come on JD, time to get up," Vin said pushing on JD.

JD mumbled something unintelligible and put the covers over his head.

Vin chuckled. "Come on JD, I brung ya breakfast. I got eggs, ham, and orange juice for ya."

The mention of food got JD moving. He opened his eyes. "Eggs and ham?"

"Yep and juice." Vin smiled at him.

JD got out of bed and sat on the side of the bed in his long johns taking the plate from Vin. "Coffee?" asked JD.

"I ain't dealing with you on coffee this morning. I brung ya juice."

JD scowled. "I ain't a little kid, I can drink coffee."

Vin laughed, "Yeah, you can, but then you'll be bouncing all over the place and we need to be acting serious and all to convince that man I'm yall's older brother. Sometimes when you've had coffee, ya can't control yourself."

"I can so," JD defended himself.

Vin rolled his eyes. "Ok, sure, but I brung ya juice, ya want it or not."

"Yeah, I want it," JD said petulantly.

"Well drink it and let's get going."

JD downed the juice and then stood up. "Ok, let's go."

Vin starting snickering. "Ya going in your long johns?"

JD looked down embarrassed. "Uh no," he said grabbing his pants.

Vin was still laughing when they left the room and headed toward the orphan train.

As the boys headed out of the hotel, Chris and Buck were finishing up their own breakfast and coffee. Buck stretched. "We better go find the boys before they head out. I don't know what kind of plan they were talking about, but I don't want them to try and take JD's sister and get in any kind of trouble."

"You got a plan?" asked Chris.

"Course I do," promised Buck.

Chris grimaced. You never know what kind of plan Buck had. "You gonna tell me?"

Sure Buck said amiably, "I'm gonna tell those people that I'm her and JD's Pa."

Chris looked at him skeptically, "What about when they ask where you were when she and JD entered the orphanage?"

"I'm just gonna tell him that I never married JD's ma and I didn't find out about their ma dying until JD found me." Buck said smugly.

"What about when they ask, why are you just coming now?" asked Chris.

"Hmm, don't got that one worked out yet," said Buck. He sure hadn't thought of that one.

Chris looked at him thoughtfully, "Well you better come up with a reason."

Buck just sat there, "Not sure, can you think of something?"

"You could always say that since you only make $30 a month as a lawman, you didn't have enough money to get to St. Louis," suggested Chris.

Buck nodded, that was as good a reason as any. "We better go get the boys. "

Chris nodded as they headed for the stairs. They got to the boy's room and knocked on the door. There was no response.

"Damn, we missed them," said Chris.

"We better get moving before they get themselves in trouble," Buck said as he headed down the stairs.

Buck and Chris headed over to the orphan train. When they got there, they saw Vin talking to an older man and was showing the man a book. Wait! Was that a Bible he was holding? What in the world was he holding a Bible for? JD was nervously jumping around holding a little girl's hand. She had that same dark hair as JD, but they couldn't see her face. As they approached Vin, JD, and the little girl, they could hear the conversation.

"Ya see here Mister. This is our Ma's Bible. See how she wrote down when each one of us was born. See I'm JD and Sophia's older brother, well half-brother. We've got the same Ma, but not the same Pa."

Mr. Simpson looked at Vin skeptically. He didn't want to give the child to Vin. That couple was going to pay good money for her. Anyone who adopted a child on the train "reimbursed" Mr. Simpson for the cost of the travel. "I already have a family for her. Having a mother and father would be much better than living with just her brothers. I'm afraid that I just can't do it. It wouldn't be best for her," Mr. Simpson said smugly.

"Better than her real family? You son of a ….." JD started to say.

Buck stepped up behind JD and put his hand on JD's shoulder, "Don't you finish that sentence, boy."

JD gulped. He knew that voice. The voice of one very pissed off guardian. "B….," JD started to say as he turned around to face Buck.

Chris stepped in quickly, "Your Pa's been frantic with worry since you lit out JD."

Vin and Sophia just stood with mouths open watching the exchange.

"Pa?" asked JD.

"Yep, been trailing you all the way here. You got a lot of explaining to do, son." Buck said harshly.

"Uh….." JD didn't know what to say.

Buck turned to Mr. Simpson. "You may not give her to her brother, but you should be giving her to her Pa."

Mr. Simpson looked at Buck with disdain. "How do I know this child is yours?"

Finally, JD was able to find his voice, "Cuz Ma wrote his name down in the Bible next to mine and Sophia's name."

Buck looked surprised for a brief moment, but quickly schooled his face to be impassive. Fortunately for Buck, JD had mentioned Sophia's name. So now he knew his "daughter's" name.

"Is that so?," Mr. Simpson asked. "You seemed surprised by that, sir."

Buck ran his hand through his hair, "Well me and their Ma was never married, so I wouldn't know if she did or not. I know she didn't give them my last name, cuz their last name is Dunne and mine is Wilmington."

The mention of his last name had Mr. Simpson surprised. Wilmington was the name next to the children's name as the father. He knew he would have to give the child to Buck. No judge would let a child be adopted by strangers if one of the parents were still alive. "Very well, you may take her. However, you must pay her travel fee."

"Fine, how much is that?" asked Buck.

"Fifty dollars," replied Mr. Simpson.

JD breathed a sigh of relief, he had borrowed $50 from Ezra. He still had the $50 because he had been using his money up to this point. "Pa?" he ventured.

Buck looked at him. JD wasn't exactly sure how mad Buck was right at that moment. "I've got $50."

Buck's eyebrows went up, "Where'd you get that kind of money, son? You didn't steal it, did ya? If ya stole it, I'm gonna tan ya six ways to Sunday."

JD gulped, he hadn't wanted to hear that phrase ever again in his life. "No sir, I borrowed it from Ezra. Honest, Pa!" JD said quickly.

Chris had to turn around and smirk. They sure sounded like a father and son. Vin was still staring wide eyed at the exchange. Chris grabbed him by the arm and pulled his a little closer. "You are in a world of trouble, boy," Chris whispered.

Vin just nodded.

"Give it here," Buck demanded.

JD quickly dug the money out of his pocket and handed it to Buck. Buck turned around and handed it to Mr. Simpson, "We done here?" asked Buck.

Mr. Simpson just nodded as he folded up the money and stuck it in his pocket.

Buck turned to "his children". "Come on John Daniel, Sophia, time to go home." Buck said as he stuck his hand out to Sophia and grabbed the back of JD's neck. Sophia was in awe. She wasn't sure if Buck was really her father or not. She guessed it really didn't matter as long as she got to be with JD. She wondered if Vin was really her brother. This was all very confusing. But it was a good kind of confusing.

As the group starting walking back to the hotel, Sophia tugged on Buck's hand. He looked down at her, "What is it darlin'?"

"Are you really my father?" she whispered.

Buck laughed, "Not 'xactly, we'll explain it when we get to the hotel."

"OK."

When they arrived at the hotel, Buck took JD and Sophia to JD's room. Chris turned toward Vin, "Go get your stuff, you're bunking in with me."

Vin hurried to do as he was told. It wasn't like he was a little kid and had to obey Chris. But, he knew Chris was furious with him, he didn't want to make an impending punishment any worse. Chris treated him like a younger brother. Vin didn't expect that Chris was going to tan him, he was a bit old for that. But then again, you never know. Chris looked to be pretty mad.

Chris and Vin got to the room and Chris motioned Vin in. Vin didn't really want to go by Chris, that would put him in swatting range. Chris had only swatted him twice, but Vin figured he was more mad now than he was the other two times. "Move little brother," ordered Chris.

Vin jumped at the order and quickly moved pass Chris, when he felt a stinging swat to his backside. Vin started to protest that he was too old. Chris glared at him, "If you open your mouth and tell me you're told old to get swatted, I'll tan you instead. I know you say you're 25, but I don't believe that for a second. If I had to say, I'd say you're closer to Ezra's age. But you and I are going to discuss that later."

Vin quickly shut his mouth. Chris pointed to the bed. "Sit!" he commanded.

Vin sat. "Want to tell me what the hell you were thinking?" demanded Chris.

Vin sighed. Vin wasn't much of a talker, he knew Chris was waiting and his patience was probably zero on a scale of one to ten. "JD, needed me." Vin mumbled.

"You lied to me," Chris said angrily.

"Sorry about that," Vin said sincerely. "But I did go to the Indian Camp, I just didn't say how long I'd be there."

Chris looked at him in disbelief. "You told me you'd be gone for a week."

"Nu-uh, said I didn't know how long." Vin protested.

Chris looked at him frustrated, "Look Vin, I know that you're not a child, but sometimes you act like one and don't think. Even adults need help sometimes, especially young adults who don't have as much experience as they pretend to have. Why didn't you come to me or Buck or even Josiah?"

"I promised JD," Vin said trying to defend himself.

Chris shook his head, "Not a good enough reason."

Vin sat on the bed looking down at his hands. Even though he thought he was way beyond the age of getting in trouble, the guilt was killing him, he hated to worry Chris. Chris had enough to deal with being the leader of the seven and feeling like he was responsible for all of them. He knew he worried Chris and lied to him about where he was going to be. He knew that Chris just wanted to keep him safe. He knew that Chris thought of him as the little brother that he never had. Vin sighed, "I'm sorry Chris. It won't happen again. I'll take whatever you feel like I got comin'."

Chris' face softened. He realized that Vin knew how he felt about him. Chris pulled Vin off the bed and gave him a squeeze. Vin was shocked because Chris was not a hugger and was not demonstrative, ever. Chris stepped back and grabbed the back of Vin's neck. "You scared me."

Vin looked into Chris' eyes, "I really am sorry. I just felt like JD needed my help."

Chris nodded. "You're on desk duty for the next month."

Vin knew that was coming. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"Whose idea was that Bible anyway?" asked Chris.

"Mine," Vin smiled.

"You're pretty damn smart, boy," said Chris proudly.

Vin's cheeks colored slightly at the compliment.

"Tell me about how you figured that out."

As Vin started to tell his story, Buck was having his own discussion with JD and Sophia.

Buck, JD and Sophia got to JD's room with Buck leading the way. JD looked at Buck curiously, "How'd ya know what room we were in?"

"Don't you never mind, give me the key." Buck demanded holding his hand out for the key.

JD wasn't sure why he couldn't just open the door himself, but handed Buck the key. Buck stepped in front of JD and opened the door. He motioned Sophia into the room. As JD started to walk by Buck into the room, he felt a mighty wallop to his backside. JD jumped and squealed. He looked at Buck as Buck leaned down and whispered, "Don't think I forgot what I promised ya, the next time you lit out without telling me."

JD gulped.

Sophia heard the squeal and turned around to JD, "What's wrong JD?"

"Um, I tripped and Buck grabbed me a little hard."

"Oh, you ok?" she asked concerned.

"Yeah," JD mumbled.

Buck looked at JD, he had that serious look on his face. The one he hardly ever had on his face except when JD was in trouble. "Start explaining, son."

JD launched into a very long wordy explanation. His explanations could only be rivaled by Ezra's wordiness. "So, you see Sophia, Buck really ain't our Pa. He's my guardian."

Sophia was completely confused. She only understood about half of what JD was saying. "What's a guardian?"

"A guardian is someone who takes care of you until you're old enough to take care of yourself." Buck offered.

Sophia thought about it a minute, "What about me?" she whispered.

Buck reached for Sophia and put her in his lap. "How would you like ole Buck to be your guardian?" Sophia didn't know what to say. She looked at JD, as if asking him for the answer. JD nodded his head and smiled. She turned around to look at Buck in the eye, "I would like that," she said shyly.

Buck gave her a hug and put her down. "OK then, let's get ready to go home!"

Sophia grabbed JD's hand, "home" she thought, that sure sounds nice.

Author's note: This isn't the end. There will be a follow up story, or maybe two.