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.
(Warning: Full spanking scene in this chapter. Don't like, don't read.)
Chapter 14: Lil' Bit of Trouble
Adult mannerisms and adult speech aside, Ezra P. Standish had about as much curiosity as any other nine year old boy.
It would be that curiosity that would land him, Vin, and JD into a little bit of trouble…well, it would land them in them in a little trouble of the dangerous kind. It would land him in a lot of trouble, with one Sheriff Chris Larabee.
A week after the "baseball brawl", as Buck had christened it when he and the others had been told about it to the utter embarrassment of the boys at Inez's the following day, Chris discovered that the fence surrounding the ranch had some broken fence posts in two different areas almost directly opposite of each other.
Buck, Josiah, and Nathan had agreed to come help fix them. He and Buck would fix one section while Josiah and Nathan the other.
To keep the three boys out from under foot, and to keep the bickering to a minimum—as they seemed to bicker more now that they got along than they did before—Chris gave them permission to go riding.
"Stay on our land," he instructed all three sternly, "and be back by lunch time."
The three had nodded, and then turned their mounts and headed out.
"Boy, oh boy," JD said ,excitedly, "this is the first time Pa has ever let us go ridin' without him or Uncle Buck!"
"Yeah," Vin said, "guess that means we're men now, 'stead of little kids."
Ezra grinned at that. He suspected that Chris and the others still saw all of them as "little kids" rather than "little men", but he didn't say anything. He had found that in the last week, he had come to enjoy the two other boys' company in a way that had surprised.
True, they still got on his nerves a lot but he enjoyed teaching Vin to read and playing baseball with JD—although now he made sure it was Vin that did the pitching when it was his turn to bat—and reading him one of the adventure stories the sheriff had allowed him to purchase in town one day.
He had never really been allowed to "play" and get dirty with Maude, but here on the ranch they were allowed to get as dirty as they wanted, even their clothes, and no one scolded them for it. True, the moment Chris discovered them he promptly ordered baths for all three, but Ezra didn't gripe and complain like the other two.
He liked taking baths.
He had also found that he was growing quite accustomed to the "rough" clothing he had to wear. He was only allowed to wear his "finery" on Sundays now, when the four—sometimes five, if Buck was in residence—of them rode into town for church.
It was Josiah, naturally, he mentioned to Chris that it would do them some good to interact with the other kids of the town, whom they would be attending school with come the fall.
Ezra didn't think he would be there to see the opening of the school, but at least he could leave Four Corners knowing he had prepared Vin most splendidly to do very well in school. The younger boy was very smart, and learned at an incredibly fast rate. Not as fast as him, of course, but it was still fast.
"Where should be go, Vin?" JD asked his older brother, pulling up on Pony's reins to halt the young horse a moment.
"Hmm," Vin said, doing the same with Lady, "how about we go toward the mine. Ez ain't ever seen that."
"Mine?" Ezra asked, stopping Ace. "What mine?"
"It's really neat, Ez," JD spoke up. "C'mon." He kicked his heels and sent his mount into a gallop, which the young horse simply loved.
Ezra and Vin smiled at each other and quickly followed, allowing their own mounts to have their bit of fun.
It took them about fifteen minutes to reach the spot where the entrance to the mine was.
"See, Ez," Vin said pointing. "Pap said it used to be a gold mine, but no body ever found any so they closed it up."
Ezra stared at the boarded up entrance, his curiosity peaked. "Let's go take a look," he suggested, eagerly.
JD and Vin looked at each other. "We can't," JD told him, sighing. "Pa said we're not ever to go up there or he'll skin us alive!"
"'Sides," Vin said, "it's across the fence, which means it's off ranch lands and Pap said not to go off the ranch, remember?"
Ezra nodded. "All right," he said, "you two stay here then." He dismounted and started in the direction of the mine.
"Ez," Vin said, "Pap meant you, too!"
Ezra waved off his concern, his curiosity too peaked to be ignored. "The Sheriff won't ever know," he said, grinning. "I am only going to be a moment."
JD looked at Vin, worriedly. "We can' let 'im go in there alone," he told his brother, biting his lip.
Vin sighed. "C'mon," he told him, dismounting. The two of them quickly followed the little gambler.
Ezra smiled when they joined him. "Decided to join me?" he asked, smugly.
Vin snorted. "Only to haul yer out of there if there's trouble," he told him. "If Pap finds out, ya won't be smilin' so smugly then."
Ezra just chuckled. "C'mon, Master Tanner," he taunted, "where is your sense of adventure?"
"In my rear," Vin told him, bluntly, "which is what Pap'll strip clean off if he finds out 'bout this."
JD was looking more and more worried. He did not want to go have a 'talk' in the barn. The first time was more than enough for him, thank you very much. However, he continued to follow the two older boys up to the mine.
Ezra again waved off their concerns. "You both worry too much," he told them.
They had finally reached the mine's boarded up entrance. Ezra examined it, rubbing his chin. There had to be a way in? He tried a couple of the boards, and found them to be very secure.
Hmm, this is tricky. Like trying to get a Royal Flush, but I've done that before. I can figure this out as well.
He moved up from one side of the entrance to the other, until at least he found a couple of boards that had come loose. "Aha," he said, smiling. "I think I've found our way in, gentleman. Come help me with these."
Vin and JD looked at each other worriedly, but then their own curiosity took over. They moved to either side of the little gambler, helping to tug the boards even looser.
Suddenly, both boards sprang loose. Ezra was sent rolling head over heels while JD and Vin simply fell back onto their butts. Unfortunately, the jarring of those two boards being freed had caused a chain reaction none of the boys had expected.
There was loud rumbling noise, and then all the boards began to sprang free and fall. The three boys all yelled, but neither JD nor Vin had time to get away before the entire all of boards came crashing down on them.
Dust filled the air for several moments, causing Ezra to have quite the coughing fit. When the dust began to settle, he managed to pick himself up from ground where he'd rolled. He looked up to find the other two and gasped in horror. JD and Vin lay underneath several of the boards. He rushed to them, finding both unconscious.
Tossing the boards off the younger two boys, he saw that JD was bleeding from a deep gash in his forehead and Vin leg was twisted in an odd way. He had a strong feeling that it was broken.
As he stared at them, unsure what he should do for a moment, all he could think about was, What have I done!?
His curiosity could have killed the two younger boys, and that would have devastated Chris.
Get a hold of yourself, he growled at himself, don't just stand here moaning get them to Doctor Jackson!
Quickly wiping away at the tears that had began to sting his eyes, Ezra quickly tore the sleeve off shirt and wrapped it around JD's head tightly. He had seen a doctor do that once when there hadn't been any bandages. It would do until he could get to Nathan.
He wasn't strong enough to pick either of the younger boys up, but he could drag them. He did so with JD, dragging him as gently and as quickly as he could back to the horses.
Thankfully, Pony could tell something was very wrong with his master and promptly knelt so that he could lay him over the saddle without any trouble. He patted the young horse, thanking him. He then raced back up to take care of Vin.
Vin's problem was a bit more tricky. A broken leg was a serious business, and there was no way he could drag the other boy with one—not without slinting the leg first to hold the broken bones into place. Looking around, there were plenty of boards lying about after all, he found two of the smaller broken pieces of wood laid one on each side of the other boy's leg.
The little gambler than tore the other sleeve off his shirt and tied the two boards as tightly to the injured leg as possible. He could only hope it would hold, as he was acting purely on instinct and what little he had seen the few wealthy doctors Maude had been interested in do.
Once the make shift splint was in place, he slowly and carefully dragged Vin down to the horses. Lady, following Pony's example and also sensing something wrong, knelt down as well.
"Good girl," Ezra patted her on the neck. "Very good girl."
Grabbing the reins of both horses, he swung himself into Ace's saddle and turned his mount around. Then kicking his heels, he raced—as best he could without jarring the two injured boys or causing them to slip from there precarious perches—back towards the main part of the ranch.
"Doctor Jackon! Sheriff!" he called out when the four men, who had stopped to get a drink, when they came into sight. "Help!"
The four raced towards him as he pulled up on the reins.
"What happened!?" Chris demanded, as Buck and Josiah moved to get the other two boys down. Nathan was already checking them over.
Ezra couldn't find his voice, and simply shook his head. Chris glared at him, but then looked at him in concern. "Are you hurt, too?" he asked, more gently this time.
Still unable to speak, Ezra simply shook his head.
"Chris," Nathan said, urgently, "we need to get them into the house."
Chris nodded, and the three men raced toward the house. He then turned back to Ezra.
"Go with 'em, son," he told him, quietly. "Get yourself cleaned up. I'll see to the horses."
Ezra, his eyes wide, simply nodded. As he made his way towards the house, he knew his stay in Four Corners had just come to an end.
Chris took Pony, Lady, and Ace into the barn. As he unsaddled and then groomed their sweaty bodies, he couldn't help but be a bit angry.
What the hell happened!? They were only going for a ride, damn it!
Shaking his head in frustration, he finished with the horses and then headed inside to see about his boys.
"How are they?" he asked, coming into his room where they had laid both injured boys.
"Well," Nathan said, "JD's got a nasty cut in his head and Vin's got a busted leg. Both are gonna have plenty of scratches and bruises. It could have been much worse, but thanks to Ezra it wasn't."
"What do you mean?" he asked, his heart rate going back to normal now that he knew his boys would at least be all right.
"Well," Nathan said, "he bandaged JD's head to stop the bleeding and he made a splint for Vin's leg—true, it was a crude one and barely held in place—but without it the bones would have come through the skin and it would be much harder to set."
Chris nodded, understanding. He momentarily wondered where Ezra had learned to do those things, but brushed the thought aside as being unimportant at the moment. Right now they needed to find out how this had happened.
"Have they said what happened?" he asked the black man.
"JD's still out cold," Nathan said, "but Vin's awake. He won't say anything."
"Let me try," Chris said, and moved over to sit beside his 'middle' boy. "Hey there, Lil'Pard, how ya doin'?"
"Leg hurts, Pap," Vin whispered, a couple of tears leaking out of his eyes. "JD all right?"
"I know it hurts, son," Chris said, running his hand through the boy's messy hair, "and JD's gonna be just fine. Vin, how did this happen?"
Vin gulped, uncertainty in his eyes. Should he tell? Ezra would get into lots of trouble, wouldn't he? Pap might even send him away, and he didn't want that.
Chris saw the indecision and said, "Please, son, it'll be all right. Just tell Pap what happened."
"W-Wanted to show Ezra the m-mine," the boy whispered to him. "Didn't think there be no harm in just goin' and lookin'."
Chris nodded. "No, yer right," he agreed, "no harm in lookin'."
"W-We tried to tell 'im, Pap," the boy went on. "Told 'im we weren't supposed to go up there. T-Told me and JD to wait, b-but we couldn't let 'im go up there by 'imself, Pap. He coulda got hurt."
Chris nodded, understanding beginning to dawn on him. "Ezra went up to the mine," he said, "so you and JD went up there with him to keep him from getting hurt. Right?"
Vin nodded. Even though his adopted father didn't look angry, his eyes were as hard as steel at that moment. He nodded.
"Yeah," he said, "only he couldn't get the boards loose. Me and JD had to help 'im, and then all boards fell down!"
"Why wasn't Ezra hurt like you and JD, son?" Chris asked, knowing he needed to get all the facts before deciding what he was going to do.
"W-When the boards came loose," Vin explained, "he got knocked a ways. Me and JD just landed on our rears and that was when…"
"The rest of the boards fell on top of you," Chris finished for him, having a pretty clear picture of what happened now.
Vin nodded. "P-Please, Pap," he pleaded with his adopted father, "don't make Ez go 'way or send 'im to the orphanage. He didn't mean for us to get hurt!"
"Shh, Lil'Pard," Chris soothed, gently, "it's okay. You just rest now and don't worry, Ezra ain't goin' anywhere."
Except maybe out to the barn for a 'talk', he thought as he continued to soothe the boy into sleep. The pain medicine Nathan had given him made him sleepy so that he drifted off shortly after that.
Chris stood up, and looked at the others. "Well, ain't this a pretty kettle of fish," he said, hooking his thumbs in his belt.
"What are you goin' to do?" Buck asked. "'Bout Ezra, I mean."
"Me and him are gonna have little talk," Chris said, a determined look on his face, "and then we're gonna take a little trip out to the barn."
The other three men looked at each other. "Chris," Josiah said, "please, be careful how you handle this. Ezra isn't like JD and Vin, and if what we know of his mother is true he probably has never received a spanking before in his life."
"I know that, Jo," Chris told him, "and I ain't just gonna go draggin' the boy out to the barn to lay into him with my belt. Like I said, we're gonna talk first. When we do go out there, he'll know exactly what's gonna happen and why. Please, stay with the boys." With that, he exited the room and headed for the boys' room.
He found Ezra, wearing one of his fancier shirts and breeches—without the jacket or tie, though—and he was busy putting his "finery" into his carpet bag. Chris heard quite clearly the sniffles and could see the tears glistening in the boys eyes.
So, he's got the same idea as Vin, he thought sadly to himself. He's expectin' to be hauled straight to the orphanage. Poor kid.
"Plainin' on skippin' town?" he asked, leaning against the door way.
The little gambler jumped, and looked toward him guiltily. "N-No, sir," he answered, truthfully. "I was just preparing."
Chris came into the room and sat down on the boys' bed, moving the carpet back out of the way. "Preparin' for what, Ezra?" he asked him, bluntly.
Ezra cast his eyes down at the floor, and muttered something under his breath.
Chris reached out and took him by the shoulders, and then pulled him in-between his legs.
"Preparin' for what, Ezra Phillip?" he asked again, this time more firmly. He lifted the boy's chin so that he was staring at him in the eye.
"To go to the orphanage," Ezra told him, his voice cracking a bit.
"Why would you think yer goin' there?" Chris asked next.
Ezra shrugged, not answering.
"When I ask you a question, Ezra Phillip," the sheriff told him, sternly, "I expect ananswer, young man."
"Because," Ezra told him, "I got JD and Vin hurt."
Chris nodded, proud of the boy for not trying to lie. "Because ya went up to the mine," he said, "and tried to get the boards loose. Right?"
Ezra shouldn't have been surprised that the man knew already, but he was. He just nodded. "Yes, sir," he answered, quietly.
"Did Vin and JD tell ya you weren't supposed to go up there?" he asked him, next.
"Yes, Sir," Ezra answered, "but I was just curious."
Chris nodded. "Still," he said, firmly, "they told ya I had said not to go up there, didn't they? And I seem to remember tellin' all three of you this morning not to go off the ranch."
"Yes, sir," Ezra said, quietly. "I'm sorry."
Chris nodded. "We'll take care of it in a minute, son," he told him, "but there's something you and me gotta get cleared up first."
Ezra's eyes widened. What now?
"I want you to listen and listen to me real good, Ezra Phillip Standish," Chris said, firmly. "I know you've been waitin' on the time when I'm gonna get tired of ya being here and send ya off to the orphanage and I'm here to tell you that ain't gonna happen. Ever. No matter what ya do, Ez, this is your home now and we're yer family."
"But," Ezra started to say, but the man put a hand over his mouth.
"Nope," Chris replied, sternly, "no buts about it, Lil'Bit. This…is…your…home…and…we…are…your…family. Got it?"
Ezra couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He had just been the cause of this man's two beloved sons getting hurt and here he was telling him he wasn't ever going to send him away.
"But JD and Vin won't…" He started to say, but again that hand clamped over his mouth.
"Won't what?" Chris asked him. "Want you here, well I'll have you know that not more than five minutes ago Vin begged me not to send ya away. He and JD both like havin' ya around, Lil'Bit and they like havin' ya for a brother."
"Brother!?" Ezra squeaked out, his eyes widening more.
Chris nodded. "That's right," he told him, "as far as they are concerned you are they're brother, and as far as I'm concerned yer my son just the same as them."
"Y-Your son," Ezra repeated, unable to stop the tears that leaked out of his eyes.
Chris smiled, and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "Yeah," he told him, "my son. I love ya, Ezra, just as much as I love JD and Vin. You three are my boys now, and no one is gonna take ya away from me. Nothin' any of do will ever make me change my mind, so you can just go ahead and get into all the trouble ya want."
Ezra grinned. "I think you may regret that offer," he said, teasingly.
Chris nodded. "I reckon yer right," he said, and then frowned, "but that brings us back to yer little misadventure today."
"Oh," Ezra said, gulping.
"You disobeyed me today, Ezra," the sheriff said, "not once, but twice. Didn't you?"
Ezra nodded. "Yes, sir," he admitted, cringing at the disappointment he heard behind the man's words.
"What has JD and Vin told ya about what I do when you all disobey me?" he asked him, raising an eyebrow.
Ezra gulped. "We go have a talk in the barn," he said, trembling a bit.
Chris tightened his grip on the boy's shoulders to steady him. "And that talk consists of…"
"A spanking," Ezra said, biting his lip.
Chris nodded. "You ever been spanked before, Lil' Bit?" he asked him, gently.
Ezra shook his head. "No, sir," he said, quietly.
"There ain't nothin' to be afraid of," Chris told him. "All I gonna do is turn across my knee and give your rear a few hard whacks with my hand. No switch, no strap, nothin' like that. You'll be a mite sore afterwards, and ya won't be able to sit without a pillow for a little while, but by bedtime you'll be as good as new. Understand?"
Ezra nodded. Feeling oddly comforted, even though he knew he was about to be punished.
Chris stood up. "All right then," he said, "let's go on out to the barn and get this over with."
Ezra followed him, not sure what he should be feeling at the moment. True, he was about to receive the very first spanking of his life so he should fell a bit of trepidation, but oddly he didn't.
What he had done today was wrong, and because he hadn't listened his new brothers could have been hurt or worse…
Brothers, he thought to himself, I have two brothers now!
Glancing at Chris' back, he smiled. I have a father now too!
They entered the barn and Chris sat on a haystack. "C'mere, Ezra," he beckoned, speaking firmly yet gently.
Ezra came to him. Now, he was nervous.
Chris put his hands on his shoulders, feeling the slight trembling in them. "Not only was JD and Vin hurt today, Lil'Bit," he told him, "but you could just as easily have been hurt or worse, too."
Ezra nodded. "Yes, sir," he said. "I know."
Chris nodded. "Remember," he told him, "yer safe with me, Ezra. Always."
Ezra smiled, knowing he could truly believe that now.
Chris gently lowered the boy across his knee, trying to make this experience as frightening as possible. He raised his hand back, and brought it down hard across the upturned bottom.
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Ezra gasped as those first five swats landed in rapid succession. He knew it was going to hurt, but that hurt!
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Those next five left his rear end stinging all over. Of course, the material of his breeches wasn't as thick as his denim britches so they didn't offer very much protection.
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
His bottom was very sore now, it was very warm and tingly, and he felt tears start to slide down his cheeks.
"Five more, Lil'Bit," Chris told him, gently, "and it'll be over."
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Those final swats delivered, he let the boy up off his lap and pulled him to him. He could feel the tension inside the boy as he was trying not to cry.
"Go ahead and let it out, Ezra," he whispered into the boy's ear. "I reckon if there's ever a good reason for a boy to have a good cry its right after a spankin'. Go on, son, let it out."
That seemed to open he floodgates, and the little boy began to not just cry but sob into his shoulder. He held him, rocked him, and whispered comforting words into his ear as he knew he boy was crying for more than just the spanking he'd received. He was crying out all the pent up emotions he'd held inside him for almost all of his young life, for the childhood that almost had been stolen from him by his mother's greed and ambition.
Once he had cried all he could, he pulled back. A bit embarrassed now. "I'm sorry, Sheriff," he said, scrubbing at his face with his hands and sleeves. "I did not mean to get so emotional." He then reached back to rub his sore behind and winced.
Chris laughed, and then he laughed harder. To see such a childish from the boy in front of him made his heart glad and he couldn't help his chuckling.
"That's all right, Ez," he told him, pulling him into a bear hug, "you can go head and get all emotional whenever ya want to now."
Ezra returned the hug, a bit awkwardly. "Thank you, sir," he told him, blushing.
Chris looked at him and smiled. "Ezra," he said, gently, "if you could call me something other than 'Sir, "Sheriff", or "Chris", what would it be?"
Ezra looked at him puzzled. "I do not understand," he told him, still rubbing, "what else would I call you?"
"You know JD calls me "Pa" and Vin calls me "Pap"," Chris told him. "Well, if you could call me something like that, what would it be?"
Ezra thought a moment. "I guess," he said, "I would call you 'Papa'."
Chris smiled. Pa. Pap. Papa.
"All right then, Mr. Standish," he told him, standing up and crossing his arms, "from now on I don't want to hear "Sheriff" or "Chris" and the only time I expect to hear "Sir" is when I'm askin' you a question. From now on, I only want to hear "Papa" come past those lips of yours."
Ezra gulped. "Really?" he asked. "You wouldn't mind?"
Chris chuckled and ruffled his hair. "No, Lil' Bit," he told him, kneeling down, "I wouldn't mind at all. I am your papa now, and nothing is gonna change that. I also want to tell you how extremely proud of you I am."
"You are?" Ezra asked, confused. "For what?"
Chris smiled. "For what you did for your brothers today," he told him. "Nate told me that if you hadn't bandaged JD's head or splinted Vin's leg they could have been hurt worse than they were."
"But it was my fault," Ezra told him, "they were hurt. I had to do something."
"You could have easily just left them there," Chris said, "or blamed what happened on them, but you didn't. You didn't panic, and you did what you needed to do to get them to Nathan. You acted just like a true big brother today, son, and I am very proud of you for it."
"T-Thank you," Ezra said, his face lighting up like a firecracker on the Fourth of July, "Papa."
Chris felt his heart swell hearing that word from the boy for the first time, and knowing he now truly felt that way about him. He pulled him into another big bear hug.
"I love you, son," he whispered, then grinned, "even if ya are a Lil'Bit of trouble!"
Ezra laughed at that. "And right proud of it, too," he replied, cheekily.
Chris grinned and ruffled his hair. "C'mon," he said, placing a hand around the boy's shoulders. "Let's go see how those two hooligans you call brothers are doin'."
Ezra nodded, and together they walked back toward the house.
He didn't think he had ever been so happy…or so sore…in his entire life.
He had brother now. He had a papa now. He had a home now.
That almost made the spanking worth it.
Almost, but not quite.
Ooh! Ouch!
TBC…