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 6: An Odd Sort of Family

Vincent Michael Tanner woke up in a unfamiliar bed and in an unfamiliar room. The only two things he recognized was the slightly younger boy still sleeping beside him and the man asleep in the chair beside the bed.

Last night, he had managed to bring the wounded bounty hunter that had been caring for him since his pap was killed. He'd only been with old Indian for a couple of months, but he still felt the man's loss deeply.

Sitting up, he looked first at the man sleeping in the chair. This was Sheriff Larabee, at least he thought that was the name the man had given him. Sheriff Chris Larabee.

The man who had allowed him to cry on his shoulder the night before when he'd acted just like the biggest cry baby in the world.

I wonder why he did that? He asked himself. In his experience, no one did anything without wanting something in return…not even his pap had been that way.

"Mornin'," a voice beside him caused him to jump and he looked to find the boy that had been sleepin' next to him was awake. "I'm JD."

"I'm Vin," Vin whispered back, "Vin Tanner."

JD smiled. "Nice to meet'cha," he said, holding out his hand.

Vin thought it was funny for two boys to shake hands, but obliged the other boy anyway.

"You hungry?" JD asked him, curiously.

His stomach rumbling answered for him. "Guess so," he said.

"Good," JD said, "that means we can get Pa up and get breakfast. C'mon." He got out of the bed.

Vin followed him, but hesitated about waking up the Sheriff. "Are you sure we should?" he asked.

"Course," JD said, "it's either him or Uncle Buck and believe me, and you don't want to wake Uncle Buck up early— especially if he's had 'company'."

Vin had no idea what the other kid was referring to but decided to trust his judgment. He was hungry and he while he knew he could look after himself, he didn't want the Sheriff to be upset if he woke up to find them gone.

"All right," he said, agreeing with the plan.

JD nodded, and then reached to shake Chris awake. "Pa," he called, "Pa, wake up. Vin and I are hungry, Pa!" He shook a little harder.

Finally, the man began to stir. Opening his reddened blue eyes, having spent the good part of the night watching over the two sleeping boys, he glanced at them and grinned. "Well," he said, sleepily, "mornin'."

"Mornin', Pa," JD said, tugging on his arm, "now get up so's we can get some breakfast!"

Chris chuckled. "All right, JD," he told him, "I'm gettin' up, but I think I gotta make a stop at the outhouse before we go anywhere…and you two boys need to get dressed."

Vin blushed, realizing he needed to use the outhouse, too. Should I ask him? He wasn't sure what to do.

Chris glanced at him and smiled. "Good mornin', Vin," he said, realizing he hadn't greeted the long haired boy yet, "how are you feelin' this mornin'?"

"Uh, okay, I guess," Vin said, uncomfortably, "I miss Gran'father, but…" He shrugged, not sure how to express his feelings.

Chris nodded, understanding. "It's all right to miss him," he told him, gently, "it means you cared about that you do."

Vin nodded, the pressure in his bladder intensifying slightly. "Um, Sir," he said, hesitantly.

"What is it, Vin?" Chris asked, gently. "Something wrong?"

"Well, no," Vin answered, "it's just that I've…well…" He blushed again.

Chris grinned. "You need to use the outhouse, too?" he asked, knowingly. He had that same look on his face once or twice in his life time. The boy really needed to GO.

Vin nodded. "Yes, sir," he answered, quietly.

Chris chuckled. "Not a problem, Lil' Pard," he told him. "Lil'Britches, why don't you be gettin' dressed while Vin and I make that trip outside. Okay?"

JD nodded. "Sure thing, Pa," he said. "What are we gonna get for breakfast?"

"We'll talk about it after we get back," he said. "C'mon, Vin." Wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders, he led him downstairs and out the boarding house's back door to the outhouse. He let the boy go first and then went himself after he was done.

"Feeling better?" he asked the kid, as they made their way back up to the room.

Vin blushed. "Yes, Sir," he said, grinning back. "Thank you, Sir."

"No need to thank me, son," Chris told him, "believe me I know, "when you gotta Go you gotta Go."

Vin actually chuckled at this and it made Chris glad to hear the little boy laugh, not to mention smile for the first time.

JD was fully dressed and waiting for them when they got back. Vin changed into the clothes Chris had given him the night before and, after the man had changed his rumpled shirt for a cleaner one, they headed out of the boarding house.

"Are we gonna get breakfast from Miz Inez, Pa?" JD asked, curiously.

"I thought maybe we might go see if Uncle Jo wants some company for breakfast," Chris told him. It would also give the pastor a chance to talk to Vin about "Gran'father's" funeral arrangements.

"Yer gonna love Uncle Jo, Vin," JD said. "He's the pastor, but he ain't one of those grumpy type of pastors, he's real nice. You'll see!"

Chris rolled his eyes. In JD's eyes, a preacher that went around condemning folks and talking about "hell fire and damnation" did so because they were just plain grumpy. Despite the fact that he, Buck, and Josiah all three had tried to dissuade the boy of this notion he still held onto it firmly. Apparently, he had a run in at some time in his past with a "grumpy type of pastor".

Knowing JD's mouth, Chris thought, he probably earned his own private sermon!

They arrived at Josiah's just as the man was stepping out the door. "Mornin', Brother Jo," the sheriff greeted him.

Josiah smiled at him and at the boys. "Well, good morning," he greeted them.

"Mornin', Uncle Jo," JD greeted him. "This here is Vin, you met him last night only he probably don't remember because he was kinda upset and all…"

Chris clamped a hand down over the boy's mouth to keep from saying anything more. He rolled his eyes, which Josiah chuckled at.

Josiah knelt down so that he and Vin were looking each other in the eye. "Good morning," he greeted, holding out his hand. "I'm Josiah, Vin. It's nice to meet you."

Vin hesitantly reached out and shook the pastor's hand. "It's nice to meet you to, Sir," he said.

Josiah nodded, and stood back up. "I was just about to have my breakfast at Inez's," he said. "Would you care to join me?"

"See, Pa," JD spoke up. "I told you we should have just gone on to Miz Inez's."

Chris nodded. "Yes, son," he said, patting the boy on the head, "next time I'll heed you're infinite wisdom when it comes to food."

JD glared up at him. "Are you makin' fun of me, Pa?" he asked, scowling.

Chris smiled down at him. "Would I do that, son?" he asked, smirking.

"Yes," JD replied, huffing. "Ya would."

Chris chuckled. "Why don't you go run and wake up Uncle Buck?" he suggested. "He should have breakfast with us."

JD looked hesitant. "Why me?" he asked. "He's so grumpy in the mornin'."

Chris chuckled. He couldn't disagree with him. Buck was not a morning person. "Because," he told him, "yer the only one he wouldn't get mad at for wakin' him up."

"Oh," JD said, "all right then, but if he tosses me out a window it'll be all yer fault, Pa."

"If he tosses you out a window, son," Chris told him, "I'll be underneath to catch you. I promise. Now, scoot." He turned JD around and sent him off with a playful smack to his rear. He headed for the boarding house.

Josiah chuckled. "That boy certainly can talk, can't he?"

Chris gave him a dirty look. "This is all your fault, you know," he told him.

"Me, Brother Chris?" Josiah asked innocently. "I was simply following the Lord's Will."

Chris snorted. "Remind me to have the Lord repay the kindness sometime," he said, grinning.

Vin couldn't help but grin.

They sure are an odd family, he thought himself, but I like them.

Chris wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "What would you like for breakfast, Vin?" he asked, curiously. "Miz Inez is a pretty good cook, so it's bound to be delicious no matter what it is."

Vin shrugged. "Anything's fine with me, Sir," he told him. "I ain't a picky eater."

Chris grinned back at him. "Neither is JD," he said, "so you two should get along just fine. By the way, Vin, you don't have to keep callin' me "Sir". You can just call me Chris if you want."

Vin nodded. "All right," he said, "thank you, S—uh—Chris."

Chris chuckled. "Yer welcome, Lil'Pard," he said, patting him on the shoulder.

All of a sudden there was an almighty howl from one of the rooms in the boarding house and suddenly JD came running out as if his life depended on it. Buck came running out after him a second later, dripping wet and wearing nothing but his long johns.

"Pa, Pa," JD yelled, running and hiding behind me, "he's tryin' to kill me Pa!"

"I wonder why?" Josiah asked, smirking.

Chris rolled his eyes and turned to greet his very wet deputy. "Somethin' wrong, Buck?" he asked, with a perfectly straight face.

"You know damn well what's wrong," Buck growled at him. "Lil'Britches there dumped cold water on me! Scared poor Matilda half to death!"

Chris bit the inside of is cheek to keep from laughin' and he looked at JD who still hid behind him. "That true, son?" he asked, knowingly.

"He wouldn't get up, Pa," JD told him, "and you said to get him up."

"Oh he did, did he?" Buck asked, glaring at Chris.

"Now, Buck," the sheriff said, holding up his hands. "You wouldn't kill the town's sheriff right here on the street in front of all these witnesses, would you?"

Buck glared. "Maybe not," he said, "but I'd certainly knock him flat on his ass!"

"Brother Buck," Josiah said, as the deputy reared back, "would that be an appropriate example to be setting the lil'ones?"

Buck looked down at JD and Vin. "I don't suppose you two turn around, would ya?" he asked, hopeful.

JD smiled, and Vin even grinned. "Nope," they answered, smirking.

Buck glared at Josiah. "You're an evil man, Pastor," he told him, shaking his head and sighing.

Chris, not overly worried now that his friends temper had cooled, patted him on the arm. "Since you're already awake, Buck," he said, "why don't you go get dressed and join us for breakfast at Inez's."

Buck looked down at himself, realized for the first time he was in his underwear and blushed. "Uh, yeah," he said, "I'll do that." He turned and headed back to the boarding house rather quickly.

Chris, Josiah, and JD all three burst out laughing. Vin grinned.

Yes, definitely an odd sort of family…

TBC…