A/N: Sorry this took so long, the boys and I had a difference on where the story should go. They wanted to just go after Maude, I figured we should hold off some, let some of the town's folk get their shot first. Let me know what you think.

Appearances Darlin', are Everything

Part V

"Ez open this door or I will!" The sight that greeted the other lawmen when they reached the gambler's room would have been comical if they had not just witnessed the display in the saloon. Vin stood at the door; hand on the door knob turning the locked item with enough force to eventually break it, while trying to keep his body away from the evidence that Ezra did not like to be woken up early and yes, he slept with a gun. "Ezra please, I promised ya I would help, I can't do that iffen ya don't tell me what's wrong. Ez, don't make me break my promise. Don't go making me a lair, open the door, please?"

The Texan released the door handle, stepping back to join the others in the hallway, hoping that his words got through to his friend. Slowly after what seemed like a lifetime the gathered men heard the lock pop open, followed by the creaking of wood as the door was opened far to slowly for it's liking. When the crack in the door was just large enough a head topped with wavy auburn hair appeared. The head turned slowly, scanning the immediate area for something, the tracker instantly knew what that something was . . . or who it was.

"She ain't here Ezra, Josiah took her to the hotel." Vin spoke slowly, sensing the same need to run in his friend that he had on the trail. "So are ya gonna let us in or do you want to talk in the hallway?" The question was asked at a slow pace, as if Vin was unsure of Ezra's ability to comprehend what was being said. Yes, he was worried about his friend and at this point refused to do anything to make the situation worst.

"Not here?"

"No, Ez she ain't here. Ya gonna open the door?" Vin had not been surprised by the shocked gasps he heard from the men behind him, remembering how he reacted to Ezra's appearance on the trail it made sense they would react that way to the sight the gambler provided now. "Come on Ez, let me and the boys in. I swear Maude ain't no where near by."

"No w-where? Josiah truly got mother to leave?" The simplicity of the words used and the pain that was visible in those green eyes made the other four peacekeepers stop all thoughts but one. How do we get our Ezra back? Some the fear they felt for their friend must have shown on their faces because before their eyes they watched as those green orbs began to take on the shutter look that was almost constantly visible in them when the conman was in public. Vin saw this too, something told him not to let it happen, that they needed to get Ezra to open up.

"Come on Ez, let us in. People may start to talk. Wouldn't want that now would ya?" Vin step forward with the question, using the distraction it caused to get the gambler's door open. Once inside only one question was on the Texan's mind, and Vin was pretty sure the men behind him had the same one on theirs. "Where were ya headed Ezra? Gonna be gone long?"

The card sharp's room was a mess; the closet looked like it had been ram sacked, and most of his possessions were strung across the bed along with a carpet bag and Ezra's saddle bags. It was obvious that the run to the room was not made so that the gambler could change clothes but so that he could pack. From the looks of things he was packing for a long trip. Wonder if he's planning on coming back? Was he at least gonna say god bye?

"Yes, well . . . y-you see I realized it had been quite sometime since I cleaned out my quarters. One should keep up on such tasks as to not amass more possessions then one is able to transport in an efficient manner. That is a rule for one in my line of business, a rule I seemed to have forgotten." The card sharp had moved back to the bed and was in the process of folding his vests, sorting through them only packing the best ones. As the others watched their friend sort through his things the men came to realize this was a harder task then Ezra was making it appear. They watched as his eyes strayed back to a discarded item or his hand lingered on a shirt a little longer than perhaps it should. When he finally came to his jackets they could see just how hard this was for the man, the rouge was shaking as he picked up the red jacket they had come to know as a part of him. It was what he had been wearing he day they all meet; the jacket he had on when he had been shot by Stutz protecting Mary; the red jacket was what had made it possible for Li Pong to find him after he and Nathan had freed her from her uncle at the train camp. The fact that this piece of clothing had so many memories attached to it was probable the reason why Ezra took longer to sort it. However when Vin saw the pain in Ezra's eyes as he looked over the item and added it to the pile of ruined clothes that were to be left behind the tracker knew he had to put a stop to this. Vin realized that the gambler did not need this right now.

"Ezra?" Vin could tell that his friend was moving on instinct again, not truly aware of what was going on around him. Well, ain't this gonna be fun. "Ezra, ya done cleaning the room, cause the boys and I think we need to talk."

The gambler seemed to be in a different room then the other five peacekeepers has he continued shifting through his clothes, but as the peacekeepers watched they noticed every few pieces of clothing would bring him back to the red jacket. After picking it up for the fifth time, it was yanked from his hands by Chris who at the same time stepped into the gambler's personal space thus forcing Ezra to back into his bed.

"Sit Down Ezra!" The order was growled out through clenched teeth, and came with a stare that left no room for argument. "Did you hear what Vin said? We came up here to talk to you, not watch you sort your damn closet! I swear Ezra you are the most annoying, hard headed, irritating-!"

"I'm s-sorry. I d-did not mean t-to make you s-so mad Chris . . . I . . . I just . . ."

The dark clad gunslinger was frozen by the broken sob that came from his southern friend; the pain in those eyes went straight to his heart. This was a side of Ezra that Chris had never seen before; he looked so young, so vulnerable. With a look at the other faces in the room it was clear to see that only Vin seemed to be still moving, the other three were just as shocked as he was. Chris was shaken, not sure how to handle an emotionally distraught card sharp or even sure he should try since the eruption of fear had steamed from his actions. Chris backed away from the bed, suddenly afraid his presence would make the situation worst.

Sensing Chris' sudden uncertainty on how to handle the sobbing rough Buck took pity on his oldest friend and stepped forward to help Vin with the young man he had come to think of as a bother. It only took a little persuading from the ladies man and Vin to get Ezra to release the clothes he had grabbed in response to Chris' outburst and shift over so the two of them could sit down flanking him on the bed. Though it was not visible to the others in the room Buck could feel the tremors that were coursing through the smaller man's frame.

"Ezra, I thought we made a deal, ya were gonna come back and we'd all face your mother together." Vin waited for some response from the gambler, when he received a head nod he continued. "Now how are we suppose to do that when ya won't tell us what's wrong? If ya want to get out of town while Maude's here than tell us and we'll figure something out. One of us can go with ya, or we can at least plan where you can go."

"Hell hoss, you don't have to go through this alone. You've got six brothers here to back you up." Buck saw the shocked look flash through those emerald green eyes and suddenly wished he knew the bastard who had hurt this young man so much, that way the town lothario could return the favor. Why is it so hard for you to trust us Ez? Why can't you believe you're worth having friends who'll help you, who will back you up? "Here's what we're gonna do . . . you don't want to talk right now, that's fine with Ol' Buck, but you have to promise to talk to us . . . hell, just one or all six I don't rightly care, just as long as you do it real soon. Do we have a deal?" As Wilmington held his hand out to the gambler he saw the glare Larabee shot his way, but Buck knew when he had watched Vin approach Ezra like the Texan would a wounded animal this was the only way to keep the gambler here in town where they could watch his back, he was to scared right now to be pushed.

The room grew thick with tension as the five men waited to see how the card sharp reacted. Green eyes stared at the extended hand, and then slowly rose to look into soft blue. "We can wait till I'm ready? N-no rushing . . . or . . . o-or pressure to answer sooner?"

"When you're ready Ez."

"All right then, I guess Mr. Wilmington . . . Buck, we have an agreement." As the two shook hands, the gambler's stomach came to a decision of its own, and was going to be heard.

"Ah hell Ezra, I promised to buy ya dinner with that drink of yours." As the words came out the men in the room could not help themselves when smiles spread across their faces as they remembered just where those drinks ended up. "Why don't ya change into some dry clothes and then we all can go grab something to eat? What do you boys say to that plan?" The look Vin sent to the others almost looked like he was pleading for them to agree with his plan, as if it was the only way they would get Ezra to do the same.

"That sounds real good Vin, figure I'll go track down Josiah. We'll see you boys at dinner." With that said, and a smile sent in Ezra's direction the town's healer made to leave the room in search of the group's missing member. A slight whimper from the southern had Nathan stopping at the door and looking back towards Ezra with a knowing smile on his face. "Don't you worry none Ezra, I'll make sure Maude don't know about dinner. See you boys downstairs in a few."

With that he was out the door, quickly followed by Chris and JD, the later being forcefully dragged behind the group's leader. "Come on kid, let's go get our table back from which ever cowhand was dumb enough to take it. We'll see you boys down stairs."

As the door closed behind the odd pair Buck couldn't help but smile. "I should probably go save him."

"Which him are you referring to Mr. Wilmington, our fearless leader or the team's youthful member? I can see either one of the gentlemen in question needing assistance soon if they are left alone in each other's company for to long a period of time." Ezra was feeling much calmer now, and planned to let these men know that, and know that it was with their help he was back in this state. "If you gentlemen will just let me grab a new jacket, we can depart to save our friends together."

Vin had gotten up as Chris and JD had left, when he heard what the conman had last said he reacted quickly. Grabbing a jacket off of the bed from behind the gambler he handed it to Ezra with a smile. "Here ya go Ez, you should definitely go with this jacket."

"Well, if you insist Mr. Tanner, I will wear this old thing." Taking the light brown sued jacket from the tracker's reach Ezra got ready to head back down with his friends. As the three men descended the stairs the gambler could only think of two sure things at that moment. One, he was glade that he had finally found a place he could call home with the six men he now called family. Two, it was odd with this jacket on he actually looked like he belonged with the gunmen sitting in the saloon. To think I was going to leave this one behind has well.

"Oh Buck, can you finally finish that story you were telling earlier?" yelled JD has he saw the three men heading down the stairs.

"Of course kid, I wouldn't want you boys to suffer for long not knowing how I saved the town and our Ezra here?"

"Oh lord, maybe I should have stayed up stairs." The gambler mumbled with a faint smile has he slipped into his set, ready to enjoy the company of his friends . . . no his family.

A/N: I'm so glade Buck was there to help Ezra, Chris tries but really do you always have to yell? Let me know what you think?