Part Two

Buck was wandering aimlessly through town for the third time that night. While on watch he mostly took station outside the jail, sitting lazily, guarding non-existent prisoners as the time dragged endlessly on. Every now and again however he would get up and go for a walk. Check out the alleyways and dark corners for trouble.

Anything rather than sitting down and listen to the sounds coming from the saloon.

Sounds of people laughing and talking. Drinking and playing cards. Generally having a good time while he was outside on his own, bored as hell. At least Ezra had been good enough to bring him out a beer. Chris would've frowned over drinking on duty, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. And it was as quiet as a graveyard out here tonight.

Following the somewhat surprising gesture of thoughtfulness however, the gambler had long since returned to the tables and hadn't shown any sign of re-emerging, leaving Buck to wallow in a combination of boredom and loneliness. He was a gregarious person by nature and sitting out here alone, waiting for nothing to happen, just didn't suit him.

Part of his time was filled in by wondering yet again when JD would be back. His ride with the judge should have been completed early this morning, and he knew JD would've simply turned round and come back again as soon as he could. He should have been here by now. He knew the kid was more than capable of taking care of himself, but he couldn't help but worry. Ever since they'd met he'd felt somewhat responsible for the boy, and if anything should ever happen to him he would take the blame too.

Fortunately, just as these depressing thoughts entered his mind, he rounded a corner onto the main street and saw the man in question dismounting just outside the livery. There was a small instant of relief before he rapidly noted that three women accompanied the kid.

He was about to decide that JD had gotten real lucky, when he noticed an man laying over the saddle of one of the horses, either unconscious or dead. Maybe it wasn't luck after all...

Striding over there to meet him, Buck looked over the three women with a trained eye. Two were clearly sisters. Pretty, but the preaching type by the look of it. Mousy and a little weak-willed. Definitely wouldn't last a harsh winter out West. The third woman was older - probably early thirties. It was she who brought an impish gleam to Buck's eye. The lady certainly was a mighty fine sight, especially on this barren night. Long dark hair, deep, dark eyes, and curved in all the right places. There was something about her - an air of spirit, a thoughtful gaze, a passion - which made her stand out from her two companions.

"Good evenin', ladies," he said, tipping his hat as he joined them, "Looks like you were in a bit of bother."

"Buck," JD said, pleased and just a hint relieved, "Good. You can give me a hand."

Intercepting him before he could introduce himself to the lady, making Buck glare in annoyance, JD grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the unconscious man slung over the saddle.

"Stagecoach crashed. Driver got knocked about a bit. Could ya take him upstairs to the clinic for me?"

Buck looked a little annoyed. It wasn't really the job he was looking for. Comforting the damsels in distress was more his style.

"What ya gonna be doin'?" he asked, suspiciously.

JD grinned, preening ever so slightly, "Said I'd find these lovely ladies here some accommodation over at Virginia's."

The two sisters giggled and whispered to one another. Buck rolled his eyes at the rather smug look on JD's face.

"I ain't no doctor, JD," Buck said, shaking his head, wondering if he could change his mind.

"He only needs the splint changing," the third of the three ladies intervened from behind, as she walked over and handed JD the reigns of her horse, "With your friend's help, I could do that quite easily."

'That's more like it', Buck thought, suddenly a little more eager to play nursemaid.

JD watched as the moustached man turned on the charm.

"Well I'd be delighted to help in any way, ma'am," Buck said, with a smile, tipping his hat at her.

Annabelle noticed the unmistakable flirtation in his manner but let it pass without reaction, "That would be wonderful. I'm sure the driver would be most grateful, Mr...?"

"Wilmington. Buck Wilmington at your service, Ms....?" he said, smiling half way between warm and welcoming, and seductive.

"Annabelle Henderson," she returned with a nod.

Buck's gaze flickered downwards momentarily before returning to her face, "Would that be Miss Henderson?"

"Yes, it would."

"Well, then Miss," he said, with a grunt, pulling the man off of the horse and into his grasp, "Why don't we go help this fella here while JD takes your things to a room. He's mighty good like that."

JD rolled his eyes as he went to start collecting the luggage the women had brought with them. The two sisters seemed to have packed as if they were expecting some great disaster to befall their home and didn't want to lose anything. Fortunately for himself and the horses, Annabelle travelled more lightly. When he had commented on the fact, she simply explained that she moved about a lot and hence found it cumbersome to carry too much.

JD sighed as he watched Buck and Annabelle heading up the stairs to the clinic. At the top she held the door open to allow him to carry the man through and they disappeared inside. JD then glanced towards the two women who giggled and talked secretly again as he looked at them. He smiled falsely, the expression immediately fading from his face as he turned back to the small mountain of luggage the horses had somehow managed to discard on the floor as they had stopped. How did he always end up with all the bum jobs?

--

"Ya done?" Buck asked, his voice muffled against the material of the man's stinking coat as he held the guy in position, allowing her to secure the splint in place.

'Why do I always get the bum jobs?' he thought to himself as he tried not to breathe in too deeply for fear of passing out or throwing up from the aroma. Wouldn't do his reputation any good in front of the lady.

"Yes, you can put him down," she said, stepping away.

Buck released the man, trying to be gentle but quick at the same time, wanting to get away from that smell. He brushed his hands against each other as he went to join Annabelle, who was rolling the sleeves of her blouse back into place.

"First rate job you did there, Miss Annabelle," he said with a nod, "Ya ain't some kind of doctor, are ya?"

She smiled slightly and shook her head, "No, not in the slightest. But I do have two accident-prone elder brothers. That splint is the product of years of experience."

Buck chuckled, "Heck, boys'll be boys, won't they?"

"They certainly will," she replied, stifling a yawn.

"Gee" Buck said, shaking his head, "Where are my manners? Ya gotta be tuckered out. Why don't I show ya over ta Virginia's?"

He held out his arm and she took it without hesitation. He was a nice man. Friendly and open. Her woman's intuition told her that he was harbouring hopes of a more intimate relationship which was something that certainly wasn't going to happen. But she enjoyed his company and it couldn't hurt to spend some innocent time with him if she had to stay in this little town for a day or two.

They walked across to the hotel, chatting comfortably about nothing in particular. Annabelle expressed some concern at the stagecoach driver being left alone all night, and Buck promised he'd go back and keep a watch over him. Just outside the hotel, they ran into JD who was looking more than a little jaded after the exertions of hauling all that luggage up two flights of stairs.

"Everythin' all right?" JD asked, quickly, before Buck had a chance to start teasing him, "Driver okay?"

"Should be, thanks to Miss Annabelle," the cowboy said, patting the hand that was still looped through his arm, "This lady's a special one, no doubt about it."

Annabelle smiled a little wryly, removing her arm from his grip, "You're too kind, Mr Wilmington. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me. Nothing sounds more inviting than a cosy feather bed."

"Night, ma'am," JD said, nodding, "Miss Virginia will show you your room."

"And tomorrow maybe ya'll let me show ya the rest o' the town," Buck said with a twinkling grin, "Since we're gonna have the pleasure o' your company for a few days ya might as well get ta know the place. Mebbe a few o' the people."

Annabelle smiled, "Couldn't hurt, could it?"

And with that she disappeared inside.

JD stood, hands on hips, shaking his head in scolding at Buck whose face was plastered with a satisfied grin. The cowboy just shrugged innocently when he caught the look.

"So," Buck said as the pair of them walked across the street towards the jail, "Interesting day you had there. Those two girls seemed pretty enamoured wit' ya. What is ya secret?"

"Don't start, Buck," JD said, shaking his head, "Just don't. I'm too tired."

Buck chuckled, "I'm just sayin' - all that whispering an' gigglin' - that's what girls do. And what wit' ya bein' their hero an' all...."

"Stop it!" JD protested, blushing ever so slightly.

"As long as ya leave Miss Annabelle alone," he said, nodding in approval, "That's one fine woman an' I saw her first."

"Well, actually-", JD began with a small smile.

"Don't start wit' me," Buck interrupted, "I'm older, wiser an' better looking than ya. Ya stick ta the girls and leave the real women ta me."

"Aw, Buck," JD said with a shake of his head, "You don't really think you've got a chance there do you? She's a lady, not some dime store floozy."

"She's got a spark of adventure 'bout her. Looks like she'd be up for a little fun if ya catch my drift," Buck said with a thoughtful nod, "It's 'shame she's married."

JD's eyes widened in a look of surprise, "Married? But she said she was 'Miss' Henderson."

"An'?" Buck said simply, "She were lying. She were wearin' a weddin' band."

JD frowned. Trust Buck to notice that. Not that it often bothered him. By all accounts he'd had to run from plenty of irate husbands in his time.

"Why didn't she tell us?" JD pondered aloud.

"My guess?" Buck said with a shrug, "California widow."

"Huh?" JD asked, confused at the unfamiliar term.

"Separated but ain't divorced," Buck explained, "Ya get a lot of those round here. Husbands left to head out West an' never came back. Too much to distract 'em."

JD didn't like that. Annabelle seemed like a good woman. Smart and interesting. Not to mention pretty.

There were some things in this world he would never understand.

--

Ezra began to stumble as soon as he closed the door to his room and left the world behind him. In public he could be as sober as a judge, but in private he had no need to keep up pretences. He was quite nicely drunk.

Unlike some men, Ezra never over-indulged for pleasure. He only seriously drank when he was feeling a little down. His sharp mind had a horrible tendency to be active when he most wanted it to rest in ignorance and the only solution he had ever found was alcohol. The added bonus was he would be so busy feeling ill and sorry for himself the next day that it wouldn't leave him any time to dwell on the more unsavoury episodes of his past that had turned him to drink in the first place.

He tripped over to the bed, happening to catch a glance of what appeared to be Buck and JD walking across the street below. You could recognise that bowler across the distance of the Grand Canyon itself.

JD - he'd been off on some mission, had he? For the Judge. Something to do with a prisoner. When had he got back? Ezra wondered if this was the first time he had seen the young man since his return, or whether or not he just couldn't remember a previous meeting.

He shook his head, deciding he didn't care. He was back, he was in one piece. Everything else was just useless facts cluttering his already busy mind.

Dropping ungracefully onto the bed, he was careful not rip any buttons as his uncoordinated fingers removed his jacket, waistcoat and shirt.

The task took some effort, but finally he was free to collapse into his bed. Ezra groaned as the world moved nauseatingly. He was going to feel awful in the morning. Why did he insist upon making himself suffer just because of an insignificant date in history?

Well, perhaps his birthday shouldn't be dismissed as insignificant. Just inconsequential. As a small boy his aunts and uncles had tried to get him to celebrate it, but he had never really been interested. Being an idealistic child, he had only wished for his mother to come and collect him again. And, since that had never happened, he had quickly become disillusioned with the whole concept of birthdays. Besides, what was the sense in celebrating getting older? Birthdays were only a stark reminder that one's time on this world was limited. That he would age and die. It was not something he was looking forward too, and so he felt no need to revel in its inevitable approach.

Then, pray tell, if it meant so little, why did the occurrence of his birthday place him in such a state of misery each year? It wasn't as if anyone here even knew about it and he was forced into false jocularity. He could quite easily forget the matter entirely. And yet he always dwelled.

He shook his aching head, the pounding made worse by the confusion of thoughts clambering through it all vying for attention.

Grumbling to himself about the merits of poker over life - poker was far more clear cut - he rolled over and determinedly told himself to sleep.