Eyes of jade fluttered open to the brightening sun, streaming in through an unshuttered window, as well as a friendly face...if the stern, angry, and rather frightening visage of one Christopher Larabee could be considered friendly. Those icy bullets the man called eyes drove into Ezra, in the most penetrating manner he was capable of, and the gambler blinked once more in confusion. What had he done?

Terrific...either we've been saved for a -private- hanging party, or we're in purgatory; this coming from the ominous voice, much chastened under Larabee's scrutiny.

Party?

"I nevah was much of one for parties..." muttered the southern gentleman, in weariness, not realizing he spoke aloud.

Chris's look became concerned. "Nathan! He's awake and he's talkin' funny!" came the exuberant voice of JD, who suddenly popped up on Ezra's other side, beaming face and all. Ezra tried to pull himself into a sitting position, but huge hands grabbed hold of his shoulders immediately, and shoved him back down, pulling the blankets up to his chin!

"No you don't Ez. You just lay still like and let Nathan take a gander at you."

The massive hands belonged to Josiah, of course, but the admonishing voice came from Buck, of all people. Ezra frowned instinctively, as he hated to be treated like a four year old; but as he looked around the room, planning something scathing in response, his eye was caught by the softer gaze of Vin. There was something in those eyes that held his tongue still, something serious. A similar look from JD..then Chris? What was this? He finally identified it as silent pleading, an asking for forgiveness. Before, again, he had a chance to say a word, which was probably their dastardly plan all along, despite their gentle ways and apologetic tones, Nathan stormed in with a tray of food and drink. The healer made him swallow some awful concoction that would make him 'feel better in no time', and then given cool, clean water. Ezra would have downed the entire glass, had Nathan not stayed his hand in the middle, telling him to take it easy. Ezra took a breath and nodded. He'd only been thirsty for...two, three days? He would be fine...he would be. That much, he was sure of. His meal...was...mush.

Oh...goodie...

Shut up! They went to some...effort..here.

"Dare I ask which of you, talented culinary artists, prepared this...congealed gunge?" "It's oatmeal!" proclaimed JD, with indignance.

Ezra struggled to keep a straight face, bit it was no use. A smile, a grin really, split his face and he laughed quietly. "Of course it is." Laughter filled the room in fact, the sounds colored in relief. JD had forgotten his injured dignity, and joined in. It lasted a good, long while, lifting each of their hearts a little...maybe only a minute amount, but it was enough, more than enough. Nathan finally began ushering everyone out, saying that a certain; pain-in-the-ass-cardsharp, needed his rest. This, of course, was after a quick examination of a badly bruised neck, and some of the other marks that had bloomed darkly over his bare torso since he had been asleep. Chris was the last to head for the door, as none of the others were foolhardy enough to usher - that- man, anywhere. He stopped for a moment, half in, half out, glaring at the scarred wood of the doorframe and chipping at the peeling paint with his blunt fingernails. He was going to say something, and Ezra averted his own gaze out the window, and looked over Four Corners. For a long time, there was only silence. Chris wasn't going to be the one to break it, so the gambler gathered his own courage.

"The rifle shot I heard...?"

"Vin..." Chris answered, without hesitation, even a hint of pride in his voice. Ezra had to smile a little, shaking his head and falling quiet again. Of course it had been Mr. Tanner who had shot the rope, in the nick of time. Among whatever horrors the others had wrought on behalf of their fallen friend...because they -were- friends.

"I'm sorry." came Chris, so quickly and so gruffly, that Ezra didn't know if he had heard the man correctly. Ezra almost sighed, but didn't.

There he goes again...taking all the blame onto himself, as if he has to answer for whatever we did, are doing, or are going to do.

Ezra could only nod to himself, in agreement with such an assessment. He didn't know which part of him had seen it proper to be so perceptive this morning. Finally, composed, Ezra beamed tiredly. "Why, Mr. Larabee...did you happen to miss my informative and unfathomable diatribes?" he rasped, his voice affected from the damned rope as well.

Chris snorted in amusement and rolled his eyes heavenward. Whether he was cursing the Lord, or giving thanks, Ezra would never know. However; a small, yet genuine smile touched his normally severe mouth, and those steely eyes seemed to soften, if only a trifle. He looked at Ezra for a split second, with real emotion, though it was masked in the next instant. The swindler didn't miss it, for all that he was pretending not to pay attention.

Of course, you daft donkey...everything's fine between us.

"Yeah, that was it." said Chris. The tall, lean man made a move to head on out, and close the door behind him, but Ezra had something on his mind, something that was nagging at him. "Mr. Larabee..."

The gunslinger turned and shouldered himself back in, leaning against the doorframe. He waited, his look wise, as if he knew exactly what was coming.

"What made you gentlemen change your minds?"

The black-clad man actually laughed outright, shaking his head.

"Hell, Ezra. We've known you a while now, and while there ain't a whole lot we know -about- you..we know one thing for certain. You're the luckiest, or the cheating-est son-of-a-bitch alive, and you don't lose!"

Damn straight!

Ezra merely chuckled and nodded, as Chris took himself out, to allow him to rest. Larabee closed the door, and Ezra settled back once more, to close his eyes, knowing when he awoke, he would be surrounded by the familiar bickering of the six people he cared about, and the town he had come to call home. As he drifted to sleep, every single fiber in his being rang true with a single thought.

Well...at least we all can agree about something...

The End