Come For You

Disclaimer: If you recognize it then I don't own it.

A/N: For Whumptober 2022 #21 Famous last words- you're safe now

"Let's ride boys," Chris ordered. The seven riders took off kicking up a cloud of dust as they pursued the men that had dared break the law in their town. The peacekeepers of Four Corners had been off taking care of a land war over a watering hole between a couple of the bigger ranchers when a couple of outlaws had robbed the town bank.

The buckskin-clad figure leading the riders dismounted and held the black horse by the reins. He studied the ground than the land in the distance, pondering the best course of action to catch up to their quarry.

"Where are we going?" J.D. asked, trying to read the outlaws' trail alongside the experienced tracker.

"Not sure, it don't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"They are riding east not south."

"So?"

"Most outlaws go to Mexico, this lot is heading towards Texas. Something ain't right."

"How can I possibly be expected to tolerate these conditions," Ezra brushed the dust off of his coat and wiped at the sweat beading on his face with his once spotless handkerchief.

"I thought money was something you'd do anything for," Nathan grumbled no happier riding hard in the heat after bank robbers.

"I find it unwise to utilize the services of frontier banking establishments."

"Of course you do."

"Hey, he ain't wrong," Buck tried to keep the two from killing each other. They had enough troubles, they didn't need to be fighting among themselves.

"You fellas stay here, I'm gonna ride ahead a mite," Vin drawled softly. The seven horses were kicking up to much dust on the parched earth. The outlaws must have spotted them for their tracks had started to veer off randomly and were growing fainter. Maybe that was why they were ridding east to throw them off their trail. Something about this bunch bothered him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He needed to get closer to them, maybe use his spyglass to see if he could identify any of them. Anything to explain their strange behavior. One rider could get closer than seven. He wanted to get close enough, without spooking them, to determine their route of escape, before he brought the other in. Something was worrying him and he didn't want to put his friends at risk until he knew what that was.

"What's your plan?" Chris caught his arm, stopping him from mounting.

Vin smirked, "I don't have one."

"Great, that's just great," Chris growled, glaring down at the smaller man. Vin just gave a lopsided smile in return, "You trying to get yourself killed?"

"Well, Cowboy, you'd be five hundred dollars richer if I did."

"I have no reservations about kicking your scrawny ass."

Vin patted the black-clad arm, "I just need to get a feel of their trail. Something is off about them."

Their eyes studied one another for a long moment before Chris relented and nodded. He released Vin's arm, "Watch your back." Vin's bad feeling was contagious, like a bad itch neither could scratch.

"Always do," Vin reeled around and kicked his horse into a canter.

The six men waited in what little shade they could find in the hot sun. Vin should have been back long before then. All of them were growing worried at his prolonged absence but Chris' worry was quickly turning into anger. It boiled and simmered the longer Vin was gone. The others had long since stopped talking to him after he snapped harshly at J.D. Buck was the only brave enough to stick semi-close to his agitated pacing form. He was a dark thundercloud under the scorching sun. Something in his gut told him Vin was in trouble. The feeling had been growing and slowly eating him up inside. He had wanted to wait for Vin to get back from his reconnaissance, he trusted the other man's judgment to keep the group safe. A terrible thought occurred to him. Would Vin do what was best for himself as well? What if he didn't want to endanger his friends with the unknown? He swore to himself. Without a word to the others he abruptly mounted his horse and spurred it towards the path, Vin had taken.

The remaining five men, stood a moment unsure of what to do. If they followed behind their leader they could very well give away their position to their enemies. The bond between their leader and tracker was uncanny. Did the two of them know something the other did not? One rider could go where many couldn't. That was what Vin had thought too and he was missing. They mounted up and slowly rode, to kick up the least amount of dust, down the trail of the other two.

They had been riding in tense silence for some time when Chris came riding back to them at a breakneck speed. He didn't so much dismount as fall to the ground in a boneless heap. Buck ran to his side shocked to see a gushing gunshot wound in his middle. His face was scrunched in pain but his eyes were clear and determined when he looked up at his long-time friend. A weak hand gripped tightly onto Buck's arm, the mere small act seemed to use up the last of his strength. Chris tried to sit up but was easily held down by his friend's hand. He gasped out, "It was a trap. They took him. They were after the bounty."

"Vin?" Buck questioned. He already knew that the only way Chris wouldn't ride after the younger man was if he couldn't. The others had arrived, grouping around their injured leader waiting for orders. Nathan quickly assessed the damage with a troubled look. It looked like Chris wasn't in any shape to give them. The man that usually stepped up in the gunslinger's place was the one in trouble. Buck swallowed hard as he met the concerned eyes of his fellow peacekeepers.

"Nate get him back to your clinic. See about patching him up. Josiah, help him. The rest of you mount up. We have a tracker to find." Buck stood tall, gone was the easy-going lady's man. Ezra and J.D. mounted without another word.

Chris fought off the hands assisting him. He was weak from blood loss but determined to get back on his horse and ride out with the others. He needed to save Vin. He had ridden close to the outlaw camp when he had spotted Peso among their herd. They had been anticipating the peacekeepers and had fired on his position. He had been forced back by the heavy barrage of bullets and his bleeding wound. There was no possible way he could save Vin alone, he needed backup. With a heavy and reluctant heart, he had ridden back the way he had come.

"Chris, stop it! You're gonna make things worse," The healer reprimanded, trying to keep the pressure on the wound.

Buck knelt down to his friend, "Chris, you can't come. You'd just slow us down."

"I promised him he wouldn't hang."

"He won't," Buck vowed, as Chris' lost the battle and passed out "We're gonna get him back."

Chris opened his eyes in the clinic to find a figure laying in the cot next to him.

"You're safe now, Cowboy," He whispered hoarsely to the sleeping longhaired tracker.

"Knew ya'll'd come for me," Vin whispered back. They were seven strong, come hell or high water. They refused to leave any of their own behind. The Magnificent Seven took care of their own and shot any poor bastard full of holes that tried to change that.