So this is the point in the story that starts to follow the series. I've taken scenes from the show and recreated it with Madie involved. It will be interesting to see how she effects the rest of the Magnificent Seven. And don't worry, there will be plenty of romance for the rest of the group members. Please keep reviewing folks, it's what keeps me writing!

Chapter 4: One Day Out West

Once again sitting on a bench outside the general store, she noticed quite a number of the buildings being boarded up. Madie filed the information away in her brain to ask Ezra about it later and continued to people watch, oblivious to the argument that was being conducted just behind her in Mr. Potter's General Store.

* * *

"You know Mr. Potter, as far as I'm concerned, my uncle's being more than fair with you." A lean man with unclean features spoke to the owner of the store. He walked around the place as if he owned it, with a calm demeanor hiding his true form.

"Customers are leaving. This whole town's gonna disappear. It's just a matter of time. If I was you, I'd sell now. Because every day that you wait…" the man picked up a bowl off of the counter. "Your store is just gonna be worth…" the man dropped the bowl onto the floor, the dish shattering into pieces. "…less and less."

Mr. Potter, thought of himself as a man with high moral character, he would not let this man see his fear or let himself be bullied by a hooligan.

He picked up a broom, intending to clean up the mess, but also as a weapon to defend himself if need be. "Get out," Mr. Potter stated firmly. "Tell Mr. James this store is not for sale."

The man clearly not liking the response he had just received from Mr. Potter, proceeded to knock over other fragile items in the store.

Becoming aware of the situation behind her, Madie hesitantly started to get up. A man, whom she had just noticed now, placed a hand on his gun when he saw her move towards the store. Eyes wide she promptly sat back down, she glanced around to see if anyone besides her had heard the rucus that was going on. Luckily, an older gentleman who had just stepped off of the carriage heard the sounds coming from the general store.

"I must reduce my offer now," the man of the store shook his head sadly at Mr. Potter. "Some of your fixtures are busted." He looked around the store and shot a disgusted look towards Mr. Potter, but at the last minute he smirked, confidently assuming that Mr. Potter would eventually sell his property.

Mr. Potter was not so confident, in fact he was angry at the man who thought he could bully everyone out of their livelihoods. If no one else thought to stand up against this man, then it would have to be himself. "You can tell him what he can do with his money." He picked up a frame that the man had trashed and threw it at the departing figure.

Madie looked over and saw the grizzled figure pause before going for his gun. Before Madie could utter a word, the man shot Mr. Potter twice. She looked to the older gentleman who had recently arrived, he was holding a shot gun in his hand and walking towards the murder scene in which the killer was stupidly hanging around. Madie feared that he would notice her if she attempted to move so she decided to stay where she was, choosing to watch the events play out.

The murderer reentered the building, with his two cohorts standing outside, and Madie jumped when she heard another shot come from inside. Madie looked to see Mrs. Travis run out of her newspaper shop and the man with the shotgun was standing in front of the general store, blocking their exit.

Onlookers started to accumulate around the store. Viciously, the man waved his gun at the people standing before him. "What are you staring at. Go on, get out of here." The man who had been watching Madie carefully, waved his gun for her to leave as well. She was about to rise from her chair until she saw Ezra and the rest of the men who belonged to the group, The Magnificent Seven, ride in.

Scared of what would occur next, the townspeople ran towards their own houses and shops, eager to get away from the oncoming fight. Mrs. Travis though strode towards the older gentleman with fear in her eyes. 'Who was this man who defied the outlaws?'

"Drop your gun belt." The older gentleman softly said in command to the outlaw group. His shotgun pointed almost carelessly at the group of three.

"You don't know who I am do you?" The leader of the group asked cockily.

"No, and I don't care."

"Well, you're making a big mistake pointing that thing at me."

"Sawed off coach gun, double odd buck, should cut all three of you in half," the older gentleman replied nonchalantly.

"That stuff in there was self-defense. Wasn't it boys?" The two men nodded their heads in blind agreement. Madie started to say something in response, but by that time Ezra and his friends had reached the scene and Ezra noticed that Madie was too close for comfort. He shook his head to keep quiet and he placed a hand up for her to stay where she was.

"He's unarmed. You shot him twice." No inflection tinged the older man's voice. It seemed as if he had been doing this for years. "That's murder in my book." Perhaps he was a sheriff in another town.

Mrs. Travis reached the man and ran up to him. "Oren," she uttered, plainly wishing for him to be safe."

"Get out of here Mary." He waved a hand for her to leave, not wanting her to be in the situation.

"Please be careful," she shot a look towards the outlaws and she saw Madie sitting next to them. Her eyes grew wide and she slowly backed out. Shooting Chris Larabee a plea for help.

"I admire your courage, old man." The outlaw smiled, confident that the situation was still in his control. "But there's three of us and one of you." The man laughed as he pointed out the odds.

"Hardly sounds fair," Vin commented, taking a deep drink from his canteen.

"Nope," Nathan agreed as he tied up his horse.

The smile started to melt away from the young outlaws face when he saw more and more people that were not on his side. A ruggedly handsome man walked in front of him with a dark mustache and a cocky grin. "Well, Howdy," Buck tipped his hat towards the object of everyone's interest. He walked straight up to them, crowding them as one who wants to showcase their dominance. Buck strode to where Madie sat and gently took her by the arm. "Walk to Ezra," he whispered. No one bothered to stop her as she walked quickly to where Ezra stood.

Ezra grabbed her wrist as soon as he was close enough and dragged her next to him. "Woman you will be the death of me." He caressed her face with trembling fingers and hugged her close. "Now just stay behind me and don't say a word. If things go bad, I want you to run, you understand me darling?" Madie nodded, simply happy to be next to Ezra once again.

Everyone seemed to be flanking the outlaw group. Buck had taken up the spot Madie had previously vacated, Vin and Nathan were watching the three men rather closely, waiting for any signs that they might pull their guns.

Chris walked behind Mary, placing a reassuring hand on her back as he passed her. An imposing figure, Chris exuded leadership and charm, he was no one to mess with, and even though the outlaw group was unaware of his reputation, it was instantly made aware that he was a man to respect.

"You stay out of this, cowboy. This ain't your fight." The murderer sized up Chris, knowing that he was not a man he wanted to fight.

"Did he just call me a cowboy, J.D.?" A small smile played upon his face.

"I think he did Mr. Larabee." J.D. nodded his acquiescence.

"At least once," Ezra smiled as he brushed off the dust of his fine red coat.

"He hates that," unbeknownst to all, Josiah had maneuvered his way towards the outlaw group, crowding one of the men that flanked their leader.

Chris slowly walked towards the man who had unintentionally insulted him. Stopping just inches away from him he asked again. "Did you just call me a cowboy?"

Fear started to sink into the psyche of the killer. "No, I was just saying that it ain't your fight." Trying to placate the man seemed to be the only way for the outlaw to get out of the situation.

"Not yet," Chris smiled with a hint for the outlaw that he desperately wanted to make it his fight.

The older gentleman, Oren, walked up to stand next to Chris, shut gun stilled aimed at the group. "Drop the gun belt."

"Who the hell are you?" Still not eager to give up the fight yet, the man asked a question in order to delay the obvious.

"New circuit judge, Oren Travis."

"Travis," Madie uttered. "I wonder if he's related to Mrs. Travis." Ezra glanced back with a finger to his mouth. Madie promptly became quiet, momentarily forgetting her promise to not speak.

"You're under arrest young man." Looking around and seeing nowhere else he could turn, he slowly unhooked his gun belt and dropped it at the feet of Chris and Oren Travis.

Once everything had settled down, and the man had been taken into custody. Mr. Potter's body was removed from the shop. Mrs. Potter and her son trailed the body, as the men of the town took it to be buried.

Madie desperately wanted to comfort the newly widowed Mrs. Potter but Ezra had kept a tight hold on her hand, not quite content at letting her out of his sight just yet.

"I'm Judge Travis." Madie looked towards the jail, where the judge had stepped out and was speaking to the street. "I've come nearly 300 miles to bring some justice to this territory. Now, we're gonna have a trial here. We're gonna need 12 residents for a jury. Any volunteers? You?" Judge Travis pointed out a man who he knew to be at the scene of the crime, but the man lowered his head and promptly walked away.

There was silence on the street and no man was eager to admit that he was there, because all were afraid of the outlaw's family. They knew that if they spoke ill of him, the family would ride in and kill whoever spoke.

Madie who saw the whole thing raised here hand. "I will testify. I'll be on the jury."

The judge laughed, "a woman? It's a nice idea, but we need men. Are you saying that only a woman is man enough to testify?"

Madie was outraged at how calmly she was passed by. She was about to say something more when Ezra yanked on her hand to be quiet. "This is not the time or the place." Fuming, Madie remained silent, knowing that Ezra felt the same way as the judge did made Madie feel like a second class citizen, which was precisely how women were viewed in the Old West.

"Isn't there one man here who wants to see justice done?"

The judge pointed to a man in the crowd. "I'd like…I'd like to help, sir, but I got a farm to work. Crops…crops to get in."

"All right, the hell with it." Tired of the feeble excuses he was receiving from the townspeople. "I'll conduct a bench trial myself."

* * *

"I'm sorry I opened my mouth. My Momma always said that I forgot to act like a woman should and to remember my place…"

"Madeline, I am not angry with you." Ezra sighed, taking off his hat and slapping it against his thigh. Dust came off the hat like waves in an ocean, he so detested getting his clothes dirty. "I was just worried. I do not want you involved in these matters. Now why don't you go along and see Mrs. Travis."

"But Ezra I don't…" Madie tried to say that she was bored doing nothing. She wanted to get some kind of job.

"Not now Madeline. I just came back from a hard job. I'm going to get something to drink and for God's sake woman, stay out of trouble." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and went into the tavern, leaving Madie to stay forlornly into the building, before making her way to the Gazette.