Magnificent Seven

"Lil' Ones"

Summary: In this Old West Alternate Universe: JD Dunne is seven, Vin Tanner is eight, and Ezra Standish is nine. All three wind up in Four Corners and all three end up in the care of Chris Larabee, who is the town's sheriff. Buck Wilmington is his deputy, Josiah Sanchez is the town's preacher, and Nathan Jackson is the town's doctor.

Author's Note: I have recently found the M7 "little" universe and absolutely loved it, for the most part. I especially loved the "little" Ezra stories. I must admit I have not actually seen the show, but seeing as how this is an AU story that wouldn't (or shouldn't, anyway) matter. I know enough about the characters to make it work–I hope… This will be a sort of blending of the "Little Britches" universe and the "Little Ezra" universe—with my own twist, of course ;) If you like "kid fics" I'd suggest reading these. They are great.

Warning: Spanking of minors. (Naturally, since this is the Old West.)

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Lil' Britches

Okay, so heading out in the middle of the night wasn't such a good idea. Even though the full moon shown high over head to light his way, JD was tired, hungry, and just a bit scared.

He'd been walking for hours, and hadn't seen any sign of any "Injuns" yet.

They gotta be here somewhere, he thought wearily to himself, they just gotta!

He felt a few tears well up in his eyes, but he wasn't about to break down like a baby and bawl his eyes out. He was a big boy now, his mama had said so and he wasn't about to make a liar outta her with her up in Heaven with the Good Lord; that just wasn't right.

So, he scrubbed at his tired eyes with his dirty fists. If there was one thing he hadn't counted on as he made his way out of town earlier, it was all the rocks. Despite the good lighting, he had tripped over more rocks and landed in the dirt more times than he thought ever possible. It didn't help that his tiredness only added to this clumsiness.

Gotta keep movin', he told himself, gotta find the Injuns. I just gotta!

Unfortunately, or rather possibly fortunately, he was so tired and so busy keeping an eye on making his right foot step in front of his left foot that he didn't hear the horses approach, so that when a rather large hand grabbed a hold of him and hauled him off his feet it scared him plum out of what few wits he had left.

"Got'cha," a deep, male, voice said, sounding amused. "Hey, Chris, I found Lil' Britches!"

JD didn't hear that last, however, he was too busy trying to fight his way out of whomever this man was hold. He heard more than a few stories about bandits and robbers in the West and while he knew he didn't have anything worth stealing, he'd also heard the whispers of "slave traders". He certainly didn't want to end up as someone's "pet boy".

"Whoa there, Lil'Britches," the deep voice of the man who had a hold of him said, "take it easy. I ain't gonna hurt'cha!"

Not believing him, JD continued to struggle and squirm. I ain't gonna go down without a fight, he thought kicking out with his feet. When his foot actually connected with man's gut, they were both surprised.

Dropped to the ground, momentarily stunned, it took the boy a moment to get back to his feet. He was about to make a run for it, when another male voice growled out, "John Daniel Dunne! Don't you take one more step."

Eyes wide, JD spun around to find himself facing a tall imposing figure with his arms crossed over his chest. "H-How do ya know my name!?" he squeaked out, gulping.

The imposing figure bent down, kneeling so that he was at his level. Even by the dim light of the moon, JD could see his deep blue eyes—which currently were hard as steel—and they were gazing right into his own brown ones.

"I'm Chris Larabee," the man told him, speaking firmly, "the Sheriff of Four Corners and the man you just kicked for no good reason is my deputy, Buck Wilmington."

JD's eyes widened even more. "The Sheriff!' he squeaked out. "I-I didn't steal nothin'! I swear!"

Chris resisted the urge to roll his eyes, although he did hear Buck chuckle from where he still sat on his horse. "Course you didn't," he told the boy, "that ain't why were out here. We were lookin' for you."

"For me?" JD asked. "Why? I ain't no outlaw!"

That's a matter of opinion, Chris thought wryly. "No, ya ain't," he agreed out loud, "but yer are a kid and kids don't need to be wanderin' round out here—especially at night—all by their lonesome. We're gonna take ya back into town."

JD's fear quickly turned into indignantly. "No," he exclaimed, firmly. "I ain't goin' back! I'm goin' to the Injuns!"

Chris raised an eye at the boy. Kid's got spirit, I'll give him that, but that mouth is gonna get him into a heap of trouble!

"The Injuns around these parts, Lil' Britches," Buck told the kid, smiling, "are sooner to scalp ya than look at ya. Believe me, yer a lot safer with me and Chris than them."

JD jaw set firmly and he glared at the sheriff who was still kneeling down. "I ain't goin' back," he said. "I ain't got no reason to."

Chris had had enough. "Oh yes you are," he growled, lifting the boy into his arms, "and yer goin' back right now."

This was the second time, he'd been picked up without his permission and JD didn't appreciate it one little bit. Just as had with Buck, he began to struggle and squirm. "Let me go," he growled at the sheriff, "let me go!"

Chris grunted when the kid managed to get a pretty good blow to his stomach, earning a chuckle from his partner. Glaring at Buck, he sat the kid down and turned him around. He then delivered a sharp smack to his behind.

JD wasn't expecting a smack, not from a sheriff anyway, and was stunned into stillness as he was turned back around to face the man.

"Now then," Chris told him, sternly, "you can either be still and get up on the horse, or I can turn you across my knee for a spankin' and you'll still be getting' on the horse—only you'll have a sore rear to ride back into town on. One way or the other, lil' britches, you are going back. So, what's it going to be?" He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the boy.

JD reached back to rub the sting out of the one swat he'd received. He had to admit the man had a hard hand and he didn't want any more where that one came from, but he also didn't want to go back into town, either.

"No body wants me," he said, quietly. "I don't want t go back."

Chris sighed. So, that was it. Mary had mentioned she was afraid that the kid had overheard her and Josiah talking about not finding him a home, yet, and it seemed she was right. The kid had run because he was afraid he would be put back on the orphan train.

He knelt down again, this time placing a gentler hand on the boy's shoulders. "JD," he said, speaking softly, "I know it ain't easy for ya, with losin' yer ma and havin' to come out here, but I promise Josiah and Miz Mary will do everything they can to find you a good home."

Tear welled up in his eyes again, and like before he scrubbed them away. "They said they couldn't find no body," he told the man, "and the Pastor has someone in mind that didn't sound real nice. Injuns have horses, they'd let me have one. Wouldn't they?"

Chris smiled. "Do you like horses?" he asked the kid.

JD nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, seriously, "I like them a lot."

"So do I," he told him, standing back up. He picked up the boy again, and this time the lad didn't fight him.

Thank goodness, he thought as he lifted the boy and put him in front of his saddle and then climbed up, too. Apparently all the fight had left him as the weariness of his little body had finally caught up with him.

"If you could have yer own horse, JD?" he asked the boy, trying to keep him preoccupied so that they could get him back into town.

"I like all kinds," the boy told him, as they began to make their way back toward Four Corners, "but I'd really like a black one with a white star and white socks."

Chris smiled. He actually had a colt that matched that description back at his ranch.

Buck rode closer. "The kid's plum tuckered out, Chris," he whispered, nodding at the boy's dropping dark head.

Chris nodded. "I know," he whispered back, "which is why I'm gonna take him to the ranch for the rest of tonight."

"You are?" Buck asked, a bit surprised.

Chris nodded. "Yep," he said, seriously. "It's closer than town and right now this kid needs a hot bath, a warm meal, and good bed to sleep in. You go ahead and ride in to let the others know we found him and where he's at. Send Nathan and Josiah out first thing in the morning. Okay?"

Buck nodded, smiling. "You got it, Pard," he said, "but are you sure? I mean, I could take him to the ranch…"

Chris snorted. "Yeah right, Buck," he said. "He'd have you wrapped around his little finger so fast you'd let him do whatever he wanted to do."

Buck huffed. "That ain't true," he said, although he did find the lil' one adorable.

"Uh huh," Chris said, looking disbelieving. "I'll be fine with him for one night, Buck. Besides, of the two of us, I've actually been a father to a small boy. I know what to do."

Buck nodded, knowing he couldn't ague with that. "All right," he said, agreeing with the plan. "I'll send Josiah and Nate out first thing in the mornin'."

Chris nodded. "Good," he said, and then turned his horse in the direction of his ranch to gallop off.

Buck chuckled. "Good luck, Pard," he spoke to his friend's retreating back. "With Lil' Britches, I think yer gonna need it."

Still laughing, he turned kicked his heels and sent his horse heading for town. Something told him, Josiah and Mary were gonna be mighty glad of this turn of events.

If truth be told, so was he. He had a feeling that little boy was going to be the best thing for his best friend.

I wonder if the little feller has a good hat? Ole Uncle Buck might just have to buy him one.

TBC…