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.

(There's mention of spanking in this chapter, but no actual spanking scene.)

Chapter 5: The Bounty Hunter's Boy

"And then," JD said, excitedly, "Uncle Buck took my pole, but the fish was too big and he fell in!"

Chris chuckled, sitting behind his desk at the jailhouse, as he listened to his adopted son's tail of how Buck had ended up in the pond while taking the seven year old fishing. Buck was currently in his room at the boarding house across the street changing out of his wet clothes.

"Sounds to me Uncle Buck finally met his match," he told JD, "huh, son?"

"Yeah," the boy agreed, "he sure did, Pa!"

Pa.

Chris had never thought one little word like that could make his heart feel so full of love, but it did. It had been a month now since he'd agreed to take JD, and it had been a wonderful month all told.

Sure, there had been times when the boy was irritable or he was, and more than a couple of times when he'd lost his temper with the lad, but he'd always apologized afterwards and all was forgiven, but for the most part it had been a good month.

It was only last week that JD had started referring to him as "Pa".

Oddly enough, it coincided with the first time he'd had to spank the boy.

After explaining to the seven year old that he was going to stay with him, he'd gone over the rules the kid would have to follow and what breaking those rules would mean.

"Now listen sharp, Lil'Britches," he had told him, sternly, "there are three things that will get you a trip over my knee for sure and certain. That's lyin' to me, disrespectin' a grown-up, or doin' somethin' you've been told not to do. Understand?"

JD had nodded his head solemnly at the time, and promised he'd remember. Chris had expected the kid to make mistakes, and he did, but usually it was little things and all he ever had to do was scold or give him an extra chore to do. This time had been different.

Buck had gone on a trip east a couple weeks back and brought back with him a prize winning stallion, figuring he'd be perfect for breeding with a few of their mares. The animal may have been born in a stall, but it was crystal clear he had a wild spirit. He was feisty, and could be down right mean at times.

Because of this, JD had been told in no uncertain terms—by both Chris and Buck—to stay away from the animal until they got him broken in.

The boy had promised, but being as horse-crazed as he was he just couldn't resist trying to make friends with the stallion the way he had all the other horses on the ranch. Chris had thought his heart had stopped when he stepped out of the house and saw JD in the pen with the tethered stallion.

No sooner had he got within touching distance, but the mean spirited beast had reared up intending to hit the lad with his hooves. Luckily, and thankfully, the boy had been close enough that the rearing action had knocked him far enough out of range of those sharp hooves.

He had just picked himself off the ground when Chris' hand snagged the back of his collar and hauled him over the fence. "John Daniel Dunne," he'd snarled at the kid, "what the hell did you think you were doing?"

JD hadn't been able to come up with any excuse. "I just wanted to pet him," he said, tears stinging his eyes. "He seems so lonely cooped up in that dang pen!"

"He's in that pen for a reason, John Daniel," Chris exclaimed, angrily, "as you've just seen. What did both Uncle Buck and I tell you?"

JD knew he was in real trouble this time. It was the second time Chris had used his full name. "Not to get near him," he said, not meeting the man's eyes.

Chris had reached under his chin and lifted it. "So," he said, "you deliberately disobeyed us, didn't you?"

JD gulped. "Yes, Sir," he said, knowing now just how much trouble he was in.

"What did I say I'd do if you ever did that, John Daniel?" Chris asked, sternly.

Three times was the nail on the coffin, at least to JD it was. "S-Spank me," he said, quietly.

"That's right," Chris said. "C'mon, let's go to the barn." Hating himself for what he knew he was going to have to do, he had turned and headed for the barn.

JD had followed in his wake, every step making him feel more and more like a condemned man on his way to the gallows.

Once in the barn, Chris sat down on a hay stack and pulled JD close. "I didn't make those rules just to be mean, JD," he told him. "They're there to keep you safe. You could have been seriously hurt just now, or worse…" A sob struck his chest at that thought, but he quickly suppressed it.

He then turned the boy over his knee and gave him a hard, thorough spanking that left the boy sobbing and pleading he'd be good from now on once it was over.

"I-I'm sorry, Pa," the little boy had sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm sorry."

Chris had stiffened at the word at first, but had returned his adopted son's embrace whole-heartedly.

"Is that all right?" JD had asked once he crying had stopped.

"Is what all right, son?" Chris had asked, puzzled.

"If I call you 'Pa'?" the boy asked, his eyes wide. "I know yer not really, but…"

Chris clamped a hand over the boy's mouth, who could be quite the chatter-box when he got on a tangent. "It's more than all right, son," he said, "I'd be right proud for you to call me that."

The boy had smiled, and so had he. However, that hadn't stopped him from sending the lad to bed early that night or giving him two extra chores to do the next morning for scaring ten years of life out of him.

"Pa?" JD's voice brought him back to the present. "You okay?"

Chris smiled, seeing Buck coming. "There's Uncle Buck," he said, standing up. "What do you say we go see Miz Inez and you can tell her all about the fish getting' the better of him?"

"Yeah," JD exclaimed, liking that idea. "Let's go." He grabbed his adopted father's hand and headed out.

"What's up?" Buck asked them, meeting them as they headed out.

"We're gonna see Miz Inez," JD told his surrogate uncle excitedly. "I'm gonna get to tell her all about our fishin' today, Uncle Buck."

Buck scowled at Chris, who just smirked. "I'm gonna get'cha for this one, Pard," he threatened, good naturally. "Just you wait."

"Sure, Buck," he said, patting him on the back. "Whatever you say."

Chuckling, the three of them started for Miz Inez's saloon when a shout for help rang out.

"Help! Help!" a frightened voice exclaimed. "Gran'father needs help!"

They turned to find a wagon speeding down the town's street towards them. A young boy dressed in deer skin was driving it. He looked to be about eight years old, and he was covered in blood. He pulled the wagon to a stop right in front of them.

"Whoa there, son," Chris exclaimed, "what's the matter?"

The boy pointed to the back of the wagon. "Gran'father's been shot," he exclaimed. "Please, you've gotta help him!"

Chris and Buck looked in the wagon. It was the Indian bounty hunter that had helped them out on a few cases before. "JD," he said, turning to his adopted son, "go get Uncle Nate!"

JD, hearing the urgency in his adopted father's voice nodded and ran to get the good doctor.

"What happened?" Chris asked the boy, who had yet to release the reigns he was gripping so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"We were tracking a wanted man," he said, his young voice devoid of anything resembling emotion, "but he ambushed us. Gran'father was shot, and I didn't know what to do. H-He told me to get him here. He said that there was only one doc he'd trust to patch him up and he was here in Four Corners."

"Where'd you get the wagon?" Buck asked, curiously.

The boy's eyes went to their badges and gulped. "I stole it," he said, quietly. "I-I know it's wrong, but…"

"But you didn't have any choice," Chris told him. "Don't worry, Lil'Pad, we understand. How about you come down from there." He reached over and pried the lad's fingers loose from the reins.

"Pa," JD exclaimed, coming back with Nathan, "I got Uncle Nate!"

The good Dr. Jackson took one look at the situation and said, "Buck, hurry, help me get him to the clinic."

Buck looked at Chris. "Go on," he said, "I'll stay with the boys."

His deputy nodded and helped Nathan get the wounded bounty hunter to his clinic. "JD," Chris said, not wanting to scare the boy anymore than he already had been, "why don't you go see what Uncle Jo's up to. Maybe ask him to come by, if he ain't busy."

JD nodded, knowing this was a serious situation and it was probably best he do as he was told. "Sure thing, Pa," he said, and scampered off.

Once he was gone, Chris looked at the boy still sitting in the wagon. "How about you come down from there," he suggested, reaching out to lift the kid out of the wagon seat and place him on the ground.

The boy looked in the direction they had taken the Indian. "Will he be all right?" he asked, quietly.

Chris grimaced. "I don't rightly know, son," he told him, patting him on the shoulder. "Why don't we see about getting you cleaned up while we're waitin', all right?"

The boy nodded. "Okay," he said, quietly. He allowed himself to be led to the boarding house where he was given a basin of clean water and a chance to wash some of the blood off him. Chris gave him a change of clothes, some that had been given to JD by Mary but were just a little too big for the seven year old. They were just right for this boy.

"What's your name?" he asked the boy, once he'd changed.

"Vin," the boy said, "Vin Tanner."

"Vin short for something?" Chris asked, curious.

Despite his worry, the boy still wrinkled his nose in distain. "Vincent," he said, sighing.

Chris chuckled. He don't like his full name any more than JD does.

"Got a middle name?" he asked, next. In truth, he was just trying to keep the boy from shutting down or going into shock. It had been known to happen when someone witnessed a traumatic event.

"Michael," Vin said, again wrinkling his nose. "Vincent Michael Tanner. Gran'father's been looking out for me since my folks died."

Chris nodded. "How old are you?" he asked, still trying to keep the boy talking.

"Eight," Vin told him. "Had my birthday couple of months ago. Gran'father said he was going to buy me a gun when he got the chance."

Chris raised an eyebrow at that. Boy's too young for a gun, he thought to himself but didn't say so out loud. The kid was already upset enough.

"I've got a boy about your age," he told him. "His name's JD—well, John Daniel, actually—Dunne, and he don't like his name anymore than you do."

The boy nodded. "Can we go check on Gran'father now?" the boy asked.

Chris nodded. "Of course, son," he told him, "but can I ask you one more question. Is he your grandfather?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope," Vin told him, "it's just what he told me to call him. He found me after bandits killed my pap. Mam died of fever couple years back, and pap decided to head further West."

Chris nodded. Another orphan, he thought as they made their way to the clinic. Buck was just coming out as they reached the door.

"Well?" Chris asked his best friend, although he could tell the news wasn't good.

Buck looked down at the little boy, and gulped. "I'm sorry, Lil' Pard," he said, "but he didn't make it."

Vin eyes widened, and then he crumpled to the ground, sobbing.

Reacting on instinct, Chris dropped to his knees and scooped up the grief-stricken child. Pulling him tightly to his chest, he let him sob while he rocked him back and forth.

"It seems," Josiah, who had just come up with JD, "I have arrived too late."

He pulled JD closer to him, hugging the little boy close.

Chris silently thanked the pastor for giving his son comfort while he saw to the needs of the little boy in his arms. Finally, at last, little Vin had cried himself out and even fallen asleep on his shoulder. To his surprise, as he stood up he saw that JD had done the same.

"C'mon, Buck," he told his deputy, "let's put these two to bed."

Heading to his room in the boarding house, Buck lay JD on one side while lay young Vin down on the other.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Buck asked him, pulling the covers around JD.

Chris just shook his head. "We'll figure something out," he told him, pulling the covers up around Vin.

He reached down and moved a stray lock of hair from the boy's forehead. The lad looked like he was in need of a good haircut.

"Well, Vin Tanner," he whispered to the slumbering child, "welcome to Four Corners."

TBC…