I don't own the Magnificent Seven, however Lu and Krys are original
characters created by me.
Thanks to whoever created the 20 questions game. Also thanks to the
writers of the dialogue for the Mag. 7 TV series episode "One Day out West"
I have a piece of dialogue inspired by something in that episode although
words have been changed and characters talking have changed as well.
Thanks to Michelle S (aka Jediya) for beta reading the story parts for me
and also helping me with the guys' speech in places, especially Ezra's.
Part 3: Chris
They decided to play 20 questions, so Krys thought of something for it.
JD starts the questioning going with, "Are you an animal?"
"Yes," answers Krys.
"Are ya small?" asks Vin in his Texan drawl.
"No," answers Krys.
"Are you an Elephant?" guesses JD
"No," says Krys.
"A lady dinosaur?" asks Buck imaginatively.
"No," says Krys, laughing at the guess.
"Can you fly?" asks JD, taking the game very seriously.
"No."
"Swim?" asks Vin.
"Sorta."
"Are you a horse?" asks Buck.
"Yes, now you think of somethin'," answers Krys.
"Ok, done," says Buck, after what seems like a decade of him thinking.
"Are ya an animal?" starts Krys.
"Nope."
"Vegetable?" asks JD.
"Nope."
"Mineral?" asks Vin.
"Nope." Answers Buck.
"You have ta be one of them," advises Krys.
"I dunno what I am," says Buck.
"You ruined the game," says Vin, looking annoyed.
"Well what's a bus?" asks Buck in frustration.
"That's a stupid one, Buck," says JD frowning at Buck.
Lu, who's next to JD, wakes up. "What happened?" she asks.
"Buck decided to be a bus in 20 questions but he didn't know what sorta thing it was," recounts JD.
"He should've chosen something easier," says Lu helpfully.
Chris and Ezra come back with a can of petrol, as the garage wasn't too far away. Chris puts it in the tank, while Ezra goes back to his seat.
"Can we go now?" asks Josiah, waking up from his nap.
"We could if I drive!" says Buck.
Chris gets back on the bus and says sternly, "Buckley, you are NOT drivin' the bus!"
"Why can't I drive it?" whines his oldest friend.
"Because you'll crash it and get it all dented," explains Chris, glaring at the ladies man.
"If ya had some faith in me I wouldn'," answers Buck.
"I've seen yer drivin'," says Vin, "Chris, did ya find out where the hospital is?"
"There's none for a long way. Nathan, can you see what ya can do for Josiah? It might be a while before we can get it seen to at a hospital."
"Sure Chris," answers Nathan who then gets out his first aid kit and starts working on Josiah's leg.
"Where're we gonna go now?" asks Krys.
"It's gettin' pretty late so we're gonna find somewhere to pitch our tents," answers Chris, sounding a bit tired.
"Y'all have tents?" asks Krys.
"Chris is too tight ta pay fer hotel rooms fer us out of Travis's budget," says Buck.
"Have you seen the prices of hotels round here? Anyway it's too late to get to one now. Besides, it'll be great to camp out," explains Chris.
"Sounds dangerous to me, could be wild animals about," says JD, sounding scared.
"Ya mean like that tiger?" asks Krys.
"I ain' scared of no wild animals. They come anywhere near me I'll get out my rifle and shoot them ta kin'dom come," threatens Vin, looking at the undergrowth beside the bus.
"That's uncalled for," says Lu, not wanting Vin to kill anything.
"Ya ain't gonna get fat jus' eatin' vegit'bles," says Vin.
"She's fine jus' how she is," says Buck defensively.
"Thanks, Buckley," replies Lu.
"Did ya jus' call me Buckley?" asks Buck angrily.
"She sure did Buck," says JD.
"Buck won' be best pleased with that!" says Vin, trying to hide a grin.
"Don' call me Buckley, It's Buck!" shouts Buck.
"I'm sorry Buck," apologies Lu timidly.
They arrive at another bit of the jungle but where there are fewer trees.
"This looks good, Vin - you and Buck get out the tents," orders Chris.
"Yes Sir!" says Vin, saluting Chris mockingly.
"Ya do that again and ya'll have to put up all the tents on yer own," growls Chris.
"Sorry."
"Okay, there's enough room in the tents for 1-3 people and there's 4 tents. So.Vin, Buck and Josiah you three go together, Lu and Krys can share, and Nate, JD and Ezra can go together," instructs Chris, careful to separate the trouble-makers.
"You worked that out well didn' ya? You got a tent all by yerself, as usual," answers back Buck.
"That's so I can git some peace and quiet fer a change," snaps back Chris defensively.
"I'm deeply offended by that Chris," says Buck looking almost like he's going to cry.
"Buckley, you can sleep on the bus so you're outta my way."
"Fine by me."
Buck skulks away and gets on the bus, closing the door behind him. The tents are put up, and then Lu, Nathan, Ezra, JD, and Vin go to look for firewood so they can have a campfire.
Krys stays in her tent reading a book, Josiah rests on the ground outside his tent and Chris goes into his tent.
When Chris gets inside he begins to feel lonely. He takes out, from his rucksack, a small bottle of something and drinks it in one. He takes out another bottle and drinks that.
*******
Vin finds a small snake on the ground and picks it up. He calls Lu and she goes over to him. He tells her to close her eyes and open her hands. She does so trustingly. He puts the snake in her hands and she opens them. She screams and throws the snake on the ground. Vin laughs evilly and wanders off.
JD comes over, hearing the screams and asks, "What's wrong?"
"Vin told me to close my eyes and open my hands. Then he put a snake in my hands. I HATE snakes," replies Lu.
JD hugs her comfortingly and Vin quickly gets out his camera. He takes a picture of them.
JD sees the flash and starts chasing Vin to get the picture.
Lu sees a huge snake moving down a tree and screams loudly. Vin comes running towards her, having put the photo away in his pocket.
"What's wrong?" asks the Texan.
Lu points shakily at the snake
Vin picks it up; "Nothin' ta be scared of." He strokes it and Lu runs away.
"Don' go gettin' lost," Shouts Vin after her. "Ow." He drops the snake and looks at his hand.
Nathan runs over and looks at Vin's hand. "That weren't so clever. Could be poisonous," says the medic looking at Vin's hand.
Nathan calls everyone and they all come back. Vin looks unwell, so they help him back to camp. They have plenty of firewood collected by this time.
*******
Meanwhile, Josiah has fallen asleep outside his tent and Chris is staggering drunkenly towards Krys's tent. He lifts the tent flap and goes inside. Krys is still reading her book.
Chris says drunkenly, "Hi, gorgeous." He moves towards her and puckers up, ready to kiss her. Krys screams.
The others arrive back at the camp and Vin rushes inside Krys's tent upon hearing the scream. He is feeling a little weak from the snakebite.
Chris is very close to the girl and about to kiss her!
Vin looks at the scene and shouts, "WHAT THE...?"
Chris answers drunkenly, "I can 'splain."
"GET OUT!" orders Vin angrily.
Chris runs outside scared and rushes back into his tent.
"Are you okay?" asks Vin going over to Krys who looks shocked.
"He was tryin' ta kiss me. Yuck!" replies the girl.
Vin hugs her close to him; "It's ok, he's gone now." Vin agrees to stay with her. He doesn't feel so weak now and figures that the snakebite wasn't deadly afterall.
*******
Outside, the remaining men and Lu are talking when Chris stumbles out of the girls' tent and rushes into his own.
"What was that about?" asks JD, a puzzled expression on his face.
Josiah (who's been awakened by all the noise); "How should I know?"
"Mr Larabee was in the tent with Mr Tannah's new girlfriend. Mr Tannah must have caught them sleeping together," says Ezra, jumping to conclusions.
"They might not have been sleeping together," says JD, who can't believe Chris would betray his best friend like that.
"Trust me, they were," drawls Ezra, starting to put sticks down for the campfire.
JD puts helps Ezra then stops and says, "He came out with his clothes on!"
"He must have been completing his attire when we came back then."
They make their campfire, although they feel unhappy that not everyone's there. Chris and Vin come out of their tents and nearly bump into each other. Vin starts shouting obscenities at Chris. Chris goes back into his tent. Vin goes back in with Krys.
JD rushes to the bus and Buck comes out as if he heard him.
"What's wrong, JD?"
"Chris and Vin have fallen out."
"That's very serious. What about?"
"Chris got drunk and went into Vin's girl's tent and made her scream somehow. Vin heard the scream and caught Chris in there. Now they hate each other," explains JD.
Buck gets off the bus and rushes into Chris' tent.
The blonde is lying down feeling very tired from all the alcohol he's drank. Upon hearing someone enter his tent he shouts at them, "GIT OUT!"
"If you apologise to Vin and his girl, I'm sure y'all can be best friends again," says Buck.
"Don' wanna be best friends with him. Why can't I get a pretty girlfriend? It's always him, who gets a pretty one," says Chris sounding like he's jealous of Vin. Chris starts crying. Buck hands him a hankie and Chris wipes his eyes. Chris: "I'm sho drunk."
"Why did ya drink, pard?" asks Buck, concerned.
"Cos I'm lonely and everyone hates me," says Chris, closing his eyes.
"No-one hates you. They only pretend to."
"Do you like me?" asks Chris, opening his eyes and fixing them on his oldest friend.
"Course I do. You have to apologise to Krys and Vin now."
Chris: "Have ta wait till I'm sober." Chris gets into bed and closes his eyes. Buck gets a sleeping bag and stays in Chris' tent with him.
*******
Morning arrives and Chris wakes up first with a huge hangover. He sees Buck sleeping opposite him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' IN MY TENT?" shouts Chris, not remembering the previous day's drunkenness.
Buck wakes up hearing Chris shouting at him and explains, "I was keepin' ya company."
"WHAT?" Chris puts his hand to his head feeling a lot of pain there
Buck starts to explain, "Ya got drunk and tried to kiss Vin's girl and Vin caught ya and y'all fell out and I came here and...."
Chris holds his hand to his head and says, "Slow down Buck, I can't understand you."
"You've fallen out with Vin cos he caught you with his girl. You got upset while you were drunk, so I figured you needed some company. You thought everyone hated you."
"I don't remember anythin'. GET OUT!" Chris holds his head.
Buck goes outside, and then Vin goes into Chris' tent.
"What did I do?" asks Chris.
"You tried to kiss my girl," answers Vin angrily.
"Was I drunk?" asks Chris.
"Very. If'n ya 'pologise I'll try 'n forgive ya."
"I can't apologise for somethin' I can't remember doin'."
"Try to remember. We ain't friends 'til you 'pologise," says Vin
Chris tries to remember but can't. "I get terrible amnesia when I'm hungover. I'll remember later."
"We ain't friends at the momen' then." Vin storms out.
Buck comes back inside the tent and asks, "What happened?"
"I lost my best friend 'til I remember and apologise."
"I'll be your best friend." Says Buck, who's already Chris's oldest friend.
"I don't want ya to be my bes' friend. I'm happy that you're my oldest friend."
"I can't believe ya can't remember. I think yer pretending ya don' remember"
"GET OUT OF MY TENT BUCKLEY!" yells Chris, then holding his head in pain.
Chris sits down on the floor, still holding his head. Buck goes out and comes back with a bottle of Aspirin and a glass of water.
"Nathan says take a couple of these and ya'll be much better," says Buck putting the items carefully on the ground.
"You tryin' to get back in my good books?" asks Chris.
"Maybe," answers Buck.
"It ain't workin'! Please go away."
Chris lies down on his bed unhappily.
Buck goes outside and Lu comes into the tent. She looks at the blonde, whom she has grown to respect a lot; "Chris, are you okay?"
Chris mumbles (laying on his face).
"I can't hear you," says the girl softly, not wanting to upset him.
Chris turns over; "What do you think?"
Lu goes over to Chris and puts her hands on his shoulders comfortingly. "It isn't your fault. We didn't even ask you to go with us yesterday, which was very mean of us."
Chris: "I noticed that. I woulda said no anyway. I don't have as much fun as you youngsters," says Chris, feeling old.
"Are you still enemies with Vin?" asks Lu.
"Yes. For somethin' I don't remember doing."
"You wouldn't try to kiss Vin's girl if you were sober. Vin will forgive you in time."
"Has Krys said anything 'bout it?" asks Chris.
"I haven't spoke to her all night, I left her alone with Vin," answers Lu.
"I don't want no kanoodling in my camp," says Chris, visualising Vin with a pregnant girlfriend.
"Don't be mean," says Lu.
"I'm not mean. I jus' don' want no babymakin' happenin' here." Says Chris, only wanting what's best for his best friend.
Lu starts laughing, as JD comes into the tent. JD looks at her, amazed that she can laugh when the two men have fallen out; "What's so funny?"
"He don't want no babymakin' happenin' here," says Lu, through her laughs.
JD starts laughing as well. "Babymakin'...hahahaha...who's doin' that?"
"Vin and Krys."
"I jus' saw them wading in the stream and they weren't babymakin'," says JD, managing to stop laughing.
Chris looks relieved; "Thank god!"
"Did ya really try to sleep with Krys?" asks JD.
"No way. I tried to kiss her."
Ezra comes into the tent, from outside where he was listening, "You admit to it then."
Chris looks at him in realisation; "I'm startin' ta remember."
"You bettah apologise to Mr Tannah soon. As he, 'wants ta beat ya senseless at the momen'.his exact words!" says Ezra.
Chris shivers, knowing the extent of damage that Vin can cause to a man.
"You're not scared of Vin are you?" asks JD.
"Course not," lies Chris.
*******
Chris gets up (he's already dressed) and walks towards the stream.
Vin calls to him; "Ya ready to 'pologise Larabee?"
"No I'm not, Tanner."
"Fine!" Vin swims away from Chris
Chris takes off his pants and shirt and jumps into the stream
He wades towards Vin and Krys. Chris decides to apologise, despite his friend calling him by his surname; "I'm sorry Vin."
"I don't accept your apology, go ta hell Larabee!"
"What?"
"I already have a best friend and soul mate. I don' need no doublecrossin' lying..." answers Vin.
Chris goes back to shore heartbroken and meets Ezra and Nate there talking.
JD comes along; "What happened?"
"He don't need me no more. He has Krys now."
Josiah limps along unaware of everything that's happened since Chris got drunk; "When can we leave?"
Chris who wished he had a towel as he's soaking wet, replies, "I don't know. I'm stayin' here."
"Mistah Larabee, that would be an unwise decision!" says Ezra.
"No-one wants me anymore!" says Chris.
Ezra puts his arm around Chris, then rapidly removes it; "Of course we do Mr Larabee. We need you old man. You know that. "
"Who you callin' old?" asks Chris, glaring at Ezra.
"Did I say old? I meant mature! But you know we look up to you and appreciate you so much," says Ezra in an attempt to cheer the blond up.
Chris picks up his clothes and goes back into his tent to dry off.
"I think that snake bite's gotten to Vin's brain!" says Josiah.
"That's impossible!" argues JD.
"This ain't the x-files!" agrees Nathan.
"Maybe SHE wanted this to occur," suggests Ezra.
"I thought she was good now!" says JD sounding confused.
"What you BELIEVE is true and what IS true are entirely different things," says Ezra.
Vin and Krys come along and Buck approaches from his tent and joins them all.
"We've got some great news ta share with y'all!" says Vin loudly.
Krys holds up her finger to reveal she's wearing a ring on her engagement finger. Everyone tries not to look upset or too surprised. "We're engaged, isn't that great?" the girl says with a big smile on her face.
JD smiles back, trying to look happy and says, " Great."
The gang separates and go into their tents leaving Vin and Krys behind.
"They didn't seem very thrilled," says Krys on the brink of crying.
Vin puts his arm around her; "They're just very surprised, it'll take a while to sink in."
Chris comes out of his tent with Buck, who just told him the news. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE UP TO VIN TANNER?" shouts Chris, walking up close to Vin.
"I'm madly in love with Krys and I want to marry her."
"You only just met her. You're goin' crazy!"
Vin and Krys walk away.
"How are we gonna get Vin out of this?" asks Buck.
To be continued.
Part 3: Chris
They decided to play 20 questions, so Krys thought of something for it.
JD starts the questioning going with, "Are you an animal?"
"Yes," answers Krys.
"Are ya small?" asks Vin in his Texan drawl.
"No," answers Krys.
"Are you an Elephant?" guesses JD
"No," says Krys.
"A lady dinosaur?" asks Buck imaginatively.
"No," says Krys, laughing at the guess.
"Can you fly?" asks JD, taking the game very seriously.
"No."
"Swim?" asks Vin.
"Sorta."
"Are you a horse?" asks Buck.
"Yes, now you think of somethin'," answers Krys.
"Ok, done," says Buck, after what seems like a decade of him thinking.
"Are ya an animal?" starts Krys.
"Nope."
"Vegetable?" asks JD.
"Nope."
"Mineral?" asks Vin.
"Nope." Answers Buck.
"You have ta be one of them," advises Krys.
"I dunno what I am," says Buck.
"You ruined the game," says Vin, looking annoyed.
"Well what's a bus?" asks Buck in frustration.
"That's a stupid one, Buck," says JD frowning at Buck.
Lu, who's next to JD, wakes up. "What happened?" she asks.
"Buck decided to be a bus in 20 questions but he didn't know what sorta thing it was," recounts JD.
"He should've chosen something easier," says Lu helpfully.
Chris and Ezra come back with a can of petrol, as the garage wasn't too far away. Chris puts it in the tank, while Ezra goes back to his seat.
"Can we go now?" asks Josiah, waking up from his nap.
"We could if I drive!" says Buck.
Chris gets back on the bus and says sternly, "Buckley, you are NOT drivin' the bus!"
"Why can't I drive it?" whines his oldest friend.
"Because you'll crash it and get it all dented," explains Chris, glaring at the ladies man.
"If ya had some faith in me I wouldn'," answers Buck.
"I've seen yer drivin'," says Vin, "Chris, did ya find out where the hospital is?"
"There's none for a long way. Nathan, can you see what ya can do for Josiah? It might be a while before we can get it seen to at a hospital."
"Sure Chris," answers Nathan who then gets out his first aid kit and starts working on Josiah's leg.
"Where're we gonna go now?" asks Krys.
"It's gettin' pretty late so we're gonna find somewhere to pitch our tents," answers Chris, sounding a bit tired.
"Y'all have tents?" asks Krys.
"Chris is too tight ta pay fer hotel rooms fer us out of Travis's budget," says Buck.
"Have you seen the prices of hotels round here? Anyway it's too late to get to one now. Besides, it'll be great to camp out," explains Chris.
"Sounds dangerous to me, could be wild animals about," says JD, sounding scared.
"Ya mean like that tiger?" asks Krys.
"I ain' scared of no wild animals. They come anywhere near me I'll get out my rifle and shoot them ta kin'dom come," threatens Vin, looking at the undergrowth beside the bus.
"That's uncalled for," says Lu, not wanting Vin to kill anything.
"Ya ain't gonna get fat jus' eatin' vegit'bles," says Vin.
"She's fine jus' how she is," says Buck defensively.
"Thanks, Buckley," replies Lu.
"Did ya jus' call me Buckley?" asks Buck angrily.
"She sure did Buck," says JD.
"Buck won' be best pleased with that!" says Vin, trying to hide a grin.
"Don' call me Buckley, It's Buck!" shouts Buck.
"I'm sorry Buck," apologies Lu timidly.
They arrive at another bit of the jungle but where there are fewer trees.
"This looks good, Vin - you and Buck get out the tents," orders Chris.
"Yes Sir!" says Vin, saluting Chris mockingly.
"Ya do that again and ya'll have to put up all the tents on yer own," growls Chris.
"Sorry."
"Okay, there's enough room in the tents for 1-3 people and there's 4 tents. So.Vin, Buck and Josiah you three go together, Lu and Krys can share, and Nate, JD and Ezra can go together," instructs Chris, careful to separate the trouble-makers.
"You worked that out well didn' ya? You got a tent all by yerself, as usual," answers back Buck.
"That's so I can git some peace and quiet fer a change," snaps back Chris defensively.
"I'm deeply offended by that Chris," says Buck looking almost like he's going to cry.
"Buckley, you can sleep on the bus so you're outta my way."
"Fine by me."
Buck skulks away and gets on the bus, closing the door behind him. The tents are put up, and then Lu, Nathan, Ezra, JD, and Vin go to look for firewood so they can have a campfire.
Krys stays in her tent reading a book, Josiah rests on the ground outside his tent and Chris goes into his tent.
When Chris gets inside he begins to feel lonely. He takes out, from his rucksack, a small bottle of something and drinks it in one. He takes out another bottle and drinks that.
*******
Vin finds a small snake on the ground and picks it up. He calls Lu and she goes over to him. He tells her to close her eyes and open her hands. She does so trustingly. He puts the snake in her hands and she opens them. She screams and throws the snake on the ground. Vin laughs evilly and wanders off.
JD comes over, hearing the screams and asks, "What's wrong?"
"Vin told me to close my eyes and open my hands. Then he put a snake in my hands. I HATE snakes," replies Lu.
JD hugs her comfortingly and Vin quickly gets out his camera. He takes a picture of them.
JD sees the flash and starts chasing Vin to get the picture.
Lu sees a huge snake moving down a tree and screams loudly. Vin comes running towards her, having put the photo away in his pocket.
"What's wrong?" asks the Texan.
Lu points shakily at the snake
Vin picks it up; "Nothin' ta be scared of." He strokes it and Lu runs away.
"Don' go gettin' lost," Shouts Vin after her. "Ow." He drops the snake and looks at his hand.
Nathan runs over and looks at Vin's hand. "That weren't so clever. Could be poisonous," says the medic looking at Vin's hand.
Nathan calls everyone and they all come back. Vin looks unwell, so they help him back to camp. They have plenty of firewood collected by this time.
*******
Meanwhile, Josiah has fallen asleep outside his tent and Chris is staggering drunkenly towards Krys's tent. He lifts the tent flap and goes inside. Krys is still reading her book.
Chris says drunkenly, "Hi, gorgeous." He moves towards her and puckers up, ready to kiss her. Krys screams.
The others arrive back at the camp and Vin rushes inside Krys's tent upon hearing the scream. He is feeling a little weak from the snakebite.
Chris is very close to the girl and about to kiss her!
Vin looks at the scene and shouts, "WHAT THE...?"
Chris answers drunkenly, "I can 'splain."
"GET OUT!" orders Vin angrily.
Chris runs outside scared and rushes back into his tent.
"Are you okay?" asks Vin going over to Krys who looks shocked.
"He was tryin' ta kiss me. Yuck!" replies the girl.
Vin hugs her close to him; "It's ok, he's gone now." Vin agrees to stay with her. He doesn't feel so weak now and figures that the snakebite wasn't deadly afterall.
*******
Outside, the remaining men and Lu are talking when Chris stumbles out of the girls' tent and rushes into his own.
"What was that about?" asks JD, a puzzled expression on his face.
Josiah (who's been awakened by all the noise); "How should I know?"
"Mr Larabee was in the tent with Mr Tannah's new girlfriend. Mr Tannah must have caught them sleeping together," says Ezra, jumping to conclusions.
"They might not have been sleeping together," says JD, who can't believe Chris would betray his best friend like that.
"Trust me, they were," drawls Ezra, starting to put sticks down for the campfire.
JD puts helps Ezra then stops and says, "He came out with his clothes on!"
"He must have been completing his attire when we came back then."
They make their campfire, although they feel unhappy that not everyone's there. Chris and Vin come out of their tents and nearly bump into each other. Vin starts shouting obscenities at Chris. Chris goes back into his tent. Vin goes back in with Krys.
JD rushes to the bus and Buck comes out as if he heard him.
"What's wrong, JD?"
"Chris and Vin have fallen out."
"That's very serious. What about?"
"Chris got drunk and went into Vin's girl's tent and made her scream somehow. Vin heard the scream and caught Chris in there. Now they hate each other," explains JD.
Buck gets off the bus and rushes into Chris' tent.
The blonde is lying down feeling very tired from all the alcohol he's drank. Upon hearing someone enter his tent he shouts at them, "GIT OUT!"
"If you apologise to Vin and his girl, I'm sure y'all can be best friends again," says Buck.
"Don' wanna be best friends with him. Why can't I get a pretty girlfriend? It's always him, who gets a pretty one," says Chris sounding like he's jealous of Vin. Chris starts crying. Buck hands him a hankie and Chris wipes his eyes. Chris: "I'm sho drunk."
"Why did ya drink, pard?" asks Buck, concerned.
"Cos I'm lonely and everyone hates me," says Chris, closing his eyes.
"No-one hates you. They only pretend to."
"Do you like me?" asks Chris, opening his eyes and fixing them on his oldest friend.
"Course I do. You have to apologise to Krys and Vin now."
Chris: "Have ta wait till I'm sober." Chris gets into bed and closes his eyes. Buck gets a sleeping bag and stays in Chris' tent with him.
*******
Morning arrives and Chris wakes up first with a huge hangover. He sees Buck sleeping opposite him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' IN MY TENT?" shouts Chris, not remembering the previous day's drunkenness.
Buck wakes up hearing Chris shouting at him and explains, "I was keepin' ya company."
"WHAT?" Chris puts his hand to his head feeling a lot of pain there
Buck starts to explain, "Ya got drunk and tried to kiss Vin's girl and Vin caught ya and y'all fell out and I came here and...."
Chris holds his hand to his head and says, "Slow down Buck, I can't understand you."
"You've fallen out with Vin cos he caught you with his girl. You got upset while you were drunk, so I figured you needed some company. You thought everyone hated you."
"I don't remember anythin'. GET OUT!" Chris holds his head.
Buck goes outside, and then Vin goes into Chris' tent.
"What did I do?" asks Chris.
"You tried to kiss my girl," answers Vin angrily.
"Was I drunk?" asks Chris.
"Very. If'n ya 'pologise I'll try 'n forgive ya."
"I can't apologise for somethin' I can't remember doin'."
"Try to remember. We ain't friends 'til you 'pologise," says Vin
Chris tries to remember but can't. "I get terrible amnesia when I'm hungover. I'll remember later."
"We ain't friends at the momen' then." Vin storms out.
Buck comes back inside the tent and asks, "What happened?"
"I lost my best friend 'til I remember and apologise."
"I'll be your best friend." Says Buck, who's already Chris's oldest friend.
"I don't want ya to be my bes' friend. I'm happy that you're my oldest friend."
"I can't believe ya can't remember. I think yer pretending ya don' remember"
"GET OUT OF MY TENT BUCKLEY!" yells Chris, then holding his head in pain.
Chris sits down on the floor, still holding his head. Buck goes out and comes back with a bottle of Aspirin and a glass of water.
"Nathan says take a couple of these and ya'll be much better," says Buck putting the items carefully on the ground.
"You tryin' to get back in my good books?" asks Chris.
"Maybe," answers Buck.
"It ain't workin'! Please go away."
Chris lies down on his bed unhappily.
Buck goes outside and Lu comes into the tent. She looks at the blonde, whom she has grown to respect a lot; "Chris, are you okay?"
Chris mumbles (laying on his face).
"I can't hear you," says the girl softly, not wanting to upset him.
Chris turns over; "What do you think?"
Lu goes over to Chris and puts her hands on his shoulders comfortingly. "It isn't your fault. We didn't even ask you to go with us yesterday, which was very mean of us."
Chris: "I noticed that. I woulda said no anyway. I don't have as much fun as you youngsters," says Chris, feeling old.
"Are you still enemies with Vin?" asks Lu.
"Yes. For somethin' I don't remember doing."
"You wouldn't try to kiss Vin's girl if you were sober. Vin will forgive you in time."
"Has Krys said anything 'bout it?" asks Chris.
"I haven't spoke to her all night, I left her alone with Vin," answers Lu.
"I don't want no kanoodling in my camp," says Chris, visualising Vin with a pregnant girlfriend.
"Don't be mean," says Lu.
"I'm not mean. I jus' don' want no babymakin' happenin' here." Says Chris, only wanting what's best for his best friend.
Lu starts laughing, as JD comes into the tent. JD looks at her, amazed that she can laugh when the two men have fallen out; "What's so funny?"
"He don't want no babymakin' happenin' here," says Lu, through her laughs.
JD starts laughing as well. "Babymakin'...hahahaha...who's doin' that?"
"Vin and Krys."
"I jus' saw them wading in the stream and they weren't babymakin'," says JD, managing to stop laughing.
Chris looks relieved; "Thank god!"
"Did ya really try to sleep with Krys?" asks JD.
"No way. I tried to kiss her."
Ezra comes into the tent, from outside where he was listening, "You admit to it then."
Chris looks at him in realisation; "I'm startin' ta remember."
"You bettah apologise to Mr Tannah soon. As he, 'wants ta beat ya senseless at the momen'.his exact words!" says Ezra.
Chris shivers, knowing the extent of damage that Vin can cause to a man.
"You're not scared of Vin are you?" asks JD.
"Course not," lies Chris.
*******
Chris gets up (he's already dressed) and walks towards the stream.
Vin calls to him; "Ya ready to 'pologise Larabee?"
"No I'm not, Tanner."
"Fine!" Vin swims away from Chris
Chris takes off his pants and shirt and jumps into the stream
He wades towards Vin and Krys. Chris decides to apologise, despite his friend calling him by his surname; "I'm sorry Vin."
"I don't accept your apology, go ta hell Larabee!"
"What?"
"I already have a best friend and soul mate. I don' need no doublecrossin' lying..." answers Vin.
Chris goes back to shore heartbroken and meets Ezra and Nate there talking.
JD comes along; "What happened?"
"He don't need me no more. He has Krys now."
Josiah limps along unaware of everything that's happened since Chris got drunk; "When can we leave?"
Chris who wished he had a towel as he's soaking wet, replies, "I don't know. I'm stayin' here."
"Mistah Larabee, that would be an unwise decision!" says Ezra.
"No-one wants me anymore!" says Chris.
Ezra puts his arm around Chris, then rapidly removes it; "Of course we do Mr Larabee. We need you old man. You know that. "
"Who you callin' old?" asks Chris, glaring at Ezra.
"Did I say old? I meant mature! But you know we look up to you and appreciate you so much," says Ezra in an attempt to cheer the blond up.
Chris picks up his clothes and goes back into his tent to dry off.
"I think that snake bite's gotten to Vin's brain!" says Josiah.
"That's impossible!" argues JD.
"This ain't the x-files!" agrees Nathan.
"Maybe SHE wanted this to occur," suggests Ezra.
"I thought she was good now!" says JD sounding confused.
"What you BELIEVE is true and what IS true are entirely different things," says Ezra.
Vin and Krys come along and Buck approaches from his tent and joins them all.
"We've got some great news ta share with y'all!" says Vin loudly.
Krys holds up her finger to reveal she's wearing a ring on her engagement finger. Everyone tries not to look upset or too surprised. "We're engaged, isn't that great?" the girl says with a big smile on her face.
JD smiles back, trying to look happy and says, " Great."
The gang separates and go into their tents leaving Vin and Krys behind.
"They didn't seem very thrilled," says Krys on the brink of crying.
Vin puts his arm around her; "They're just very surprised, it'll take a while to sink in."
Chris comes out of his tent with Buck, who just told him the news. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE UP TO VIN TANNER?" shouts Chris, walking up close to Vin.
"I'm madly in love with Krys and I want to marry her."
"You only just met her. You're goin' crazy!"
Vin and Krys walk away.
"How are we gonna get Vin out of this?" asks Buck.
To be continued.