Hey guys! It's finished:) That's the nice thing about something with a clear, open and shut plot, even I can finish it.
Shout out to the reviewers, you guys rock! Heilwig2002, ElanorGrace, Annie Jones, Kathy(thank you for pointing out I'd forgotten to put what AU it was in!), Graymouse42, and guest.
And an especial thank you to MamaBear2Two for your encouragement and suggestions and general awesomeness :)
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Ezra walked up the stairs towards his room in a bit of a daze, Buck's words of warning swimming around in his cranium. Did Lei Pan really think...? Surely not, they were much too young, Lei Pan younger than him...though, he knew his mother and father had not been much older then either of them when they'd married, and the young couple that had moved into the Emers abandoned homestead were both twenty and had been married for over a year.
They were expecting their first child soon, Nathan worrying that, as Julie Pilson was a slight, delicate, young thing, it would be hard on her. That was what came after marriage, offspring, helpless infants who required both homes and parents to raise them. Ezra found himself shuddering at the idea-he'd lost the saloon almost the moment it had come into his possession, no matter the circumstances, and he certainly couldn't support a family on a dollar a day! They'd starve-no wonder his Mother had never seemed to stop 'working' until she had a new stepfather or at least his fortune secured. He didn't even have a child and the idea was terrifying.
Mr. Sanchez said he was still a child, and while Ezra certainly didn't agree, the thought of marriage made him feel very, very young.
Ezra wasn't entirely sure his older brother was remotely correct, but if he was Ezra simply couldn't go. He didn't want to risk offending her either, let alone hurting her feelings. The idea of his words making Lei Pan cry...Ezra swallowed as he opened his door and stepped through, he simply would have to have an especial delicacy when choosing his words, hurting her was not an option.
Nor, he realized, as a rush of horror washed over him as he shut the door behind him and moved to his small writing desk, was humiliating himself if Mr. Wilmington were incorrect and marriage was the last thing on Lei Pan's mind an acceptable outcome either.
Somehow, he had to compose a missive that covered every possibility, preferably without ever mentioning matrimony or anything related to it, and hopefully without imparting any sorrow on his beloved. Sinking down into his seat, Ezra took a deep breath and then pulled a piece of stationary and his inkwell towards himself. This was going to be a lengthy procedure.
My darling Lei Pan,
I hope my letter reaches your shining visage with no delay...
*.*.*.*.*
Nathan sighed in relief as he made it into the saloon without being waylaid by Mrs. Davis or her daughter, Josiah a step behind him. The daughter was almost worse than Mrs. Davis, buying into every word her mother said and being as scared as anybody would be over their momma. Peering around the crowded, smokey room, Nathan saw Buck at their usual table, waving him and Josiah over and looking pleased enough with himself that Nathan felt a surge of apprehension. A Buck that was that happy, without a woman in his lap, could mean all sorts of things, most of them not good. As he made his way through the crowd, the usual townsfolk and passer throughs added to by it being payday for the Larson's ranch, the passel of cowhands sprawled around, crowding up the room so that it seemed almost like you were going to step on one any minute, Nathan looked around automatically for the rest of the seven. JD was at the bar, probably trying to get a concha off Inez even though it wasn't a baking day, but Buck and him were it. As they got close, Buck straightened in his seat, and raised his drink like he was making a toast. "Well, Preacher, I think I managed to solve a problem I'm not even sure you knew you had." Pulling out and plopping his tired body into a seat one down from Buck, Nathan sensed rather than saw wariness descend over Josiah as he settled slowly into the seat next to him.
"That so? How do you know I needed it solved if I didn't even know about it?" Buck waved a hand through the air, dismissing misgivings Josiah hadn't even voiced yet. Before he could speak up again Nathan popped in, shaking his head.
"Heck Buck, I'm not even the one you're talking too and I'm worrying on what you're talking about."
The lothario rolled his eyes, and gave Nathan a look that told him that wasn't a surprise, "You're always worryin' about something, you'd think none of the rest of us had any sense the way you carry on. Regular worry-wart, Nate, and no doubt about it."
"If you had half the sense you think you have I wouldn't have too." Both of them were grinning, only half serious in their chiding, but wanting to get a bit of his own back for that worry-wart remark, Nathan raised an eyebrow, asking, "By the way, how's that pitchfork scratch you got when Mark Wiley found you in the barn with his sister? Ain't been back to the clinic since I dressed it."
Not near as flustered as Nathan had hoped he'd be-he should have known better, though he saw the way Buck's eyes darted to Josiah for just a second-Buck shrugged, "It's healin' up just fine, Doc, if it weren't I woulda told ya-I ain't Vin."
"Still, I wanna see it tonight, just to make sure." Nathan said it firmly, wanting to make it clear that this part he wasn't joking about.
"Should be careful, Nathan, sayin' you want to see another man's rear end, folks might think you're funny." Buck grinned as Nathan scowled at him, the man finally letting out a belly laugh and adding, "Heck, alright, alright, I'll let ya make sure my ass-cheek ain't gonna fall off."
"Good. Don't think they make saddles for folks missing one."
"Wiley went after you with a pitchfork?" Josiah, accepting the beer mugs he must have signaled for at some point from the saloon girl who carried the tray over-Miss Laurie, Nathan thought, though she was new enough in town he wasn't sure-was mostly amused, but there was a wrinkle of worry on his forehead as he slid one of them over to a grateful and thirsty Nathan.
"Aw, it ain't nothin', 'Siah, Wiley ain't nothin' to be scared of. Just a little scratch on the side of my ass, anyway, hardly even bled." Buck swallowed the last of his beer as Nathan harrumphed into his own. Hardly bled his ass, and calling it a groove would be a lot more honest than a scratch. "Man just doesn't want to accept that Nancy didn't have to be misled into my arms, she came willingly and left happily. Mighty happily."
"Well, you might want to think before making her 'mighty happy' again any time soon-man might have a shotgun handy instead of a pitchfork next time." Josiah raised an eyebrow as he said it, but Buck just laughed.
"I'll make sure we ain't in the barn come chore time, how about that?"
"Better than nothing," was Josiah's wry response. "Now, are you going to tell me just what problem of mine you solved Brother Buck, or leave me wondering?" Nathan caught the undertone of 'and worrying', but if Buck did he let it slide off him like water off a duck's back, just nodding and still looking mighty pleased with himself.
"I'm gettin' to it, I'm gettin' to it-was the doc here that distracted me." Pleased with having his audience on tenterhooks-the man was as bad as Ezra at showing off, maybe worse-it took Buck another minute to actually start, shifting in his chair in a way that made Nathan think he needed that wound seen to whether he liked it or not and taking another gulp of his beer, longer than the last.
"Brother Buck, patience might be a virtue, but it's not my strong one."
That got Buck talking, leaning forward conspiratorially, "Well, Ezra was a might upset earlier, and came askin' for some advice. Guess you said no to him going to see that Lei Pan girl?" Josiah's brow furrowed as he listened, Nathan watching him out of one eye while wondering just what Ezra had wanted Buck's advice for, letting Lei Pan down gently or sneaking off to San Franciso? Not that he really thought Buck would help with the second one, but he wouldn't be at all surprised if Ezra had asked. And Lord only knew what he *had* told Ezra, or just how their brother would twist his advice to suit him.
"I did, and while I'm sorry he's upset, I won't be changing my mind." Josiah said it firmly, voice a little wary again and Nathan figured he was wondering the same thing he was, whether Buck had solved the problem or made it worse.
"Well, he ain't gonna be askin' you again, in fact I'd say visitin' that little lady is going to be about the last thing he wants to do for a few years yet."
"What'd you do?" Nathan didn't plan to say it, at least not so accusatorially, but even when Buck gave him a miffed look he didn't back down, "Lei Pan's a sweet girl, and Ezra really likes her, ya shouldn't do anything to mess with that."
Buck's miffed look turned into a soft, though slightly exasperated one, a face that was directed at JD more than anyone else, and Nathan felt a bit sheepish, realizing that he should've known better. Buck was the last person to try and discourage young love, you only had to look at the way he grinned whenever JD was with Casey, practically throwing them together. "I didn't do nothing like that, just reminded him that when a girl invites you home to meet her family it might mean she's thinking about wedding bells. 'Bout scared the pants off him."
Nathan's mouth dropped open, not sure whether to laugh or not, as Josiah's surprised, "You did what?" boomed over the table. Then, to Nathan's surprise, the man snorted, drew in another breath, chuckled, and then finally started laughing, hard. Buck was grinning like anything again and Nathan shook his head at both of them, even as a smile played around his own lips. Wiping tears from his eyes and shaking his head, Josiah said slowly, between chuckles, "Have to admit that way of convincing him hadn't occurred to me. Does seem like it would be mighty effective."
"Josiah, you were all set to go marry that Emma woman when you weren't much older than Ezra-it's great if it worked, but he could be halfway to Frisco right now, planning to get a ring along the way." Nathan could see it, and he could also see his fancy dressed little brother being chased out of Chinatown right quick, if Lei Pan's parents weren't as welcoming as Ezra seemed to think. Maybe with something a little more dangerous than a pitchfork.
"Considering Chaucer was still in his stall when we got in, I'm not going to worry about that just yet-still," he said turning to Buck, "if we have to chase after him, I'm bringing you along for the ride."
"I'd come along just for the showdown when you caught up to him if he did, but I'm tellin' you, you don't have to worry none about that. I got him thinkin' that at the very least that kinda visit means she's wantin' to settle things down in stone, and might just want to tie the knot then and there. And, you know Ezra-boy's mighty gone on her, but he's wantin' to make his fortune, started talkin' about how he'd need to get the saloon back before anythin' like that happened, and I reminded him that a lady ain't gonna want to live in a room above the saloon more than likely, not when she's a wife." Buck was clearly well satisfied with the advice he'd given, nodding at Josiah at the end of his speech, as if to say 'you're welcome' and while Nathan wasn't sure he was convinced himself, Josiah nodded back.
"Thank you, that does take some of the load providence has piled on lately off. And thank you for being a good brother to him."
Buck looked a little flustered at that-Nathan had noticed that as much as the man liked to brag, sincere praise often seemed to throw him a bit-but nodded, "It's what I'm here for, right?" He shifted over, playfully swiping at Nathan's head, "Lookin' after these youngins." Nathan slid easily out of his range, and took a drink off his beer with a roll of his eyes. Sometimes, it was real easy to forget that Buck was the older one. Before he could respond JD bustled up to their table, talking a mile a minute the second he was close enough to be heard.
"Hey, guess what! Inez has this new drink called sarsaparilla that she got off that peddler that came through a couple days ago, only a little bit of it, and she let me have some! It's really good, tastes kind of like caramel and vanilla." He almost jumped into the seat inbetween Buck and Nathan, shaking it so that Buck automatically reached out a hand to steady his chair as the three of them exchanged glances, a silent declaration made. JD wasn't to hear a word of this, or it would be back to Ezra before supper time.
"Yeah?" Buck said, reaching over for the mug that JD held in front of him, "If it's so good why don't you pass some of it on over this way?"
"Nah, Buck, Inez gave it to me!" The two tussled over the drink, JD yelping indignantly as some of it splashed over the rim, "Hey, stop it!"
"Alright, alright, but you're being mighty mean comin' over and braggin' about how good it is and not sharin'." Buck sighed over dramatically as he let his hands drop, "and you know how much I love caramel..." The mournful face Buck put on didn't move JD in the slightest, the boy snorting as he shook his head.
"If you want some so bad go ask Inez. If you're lucky she might give you a sip." Buck tried to keep the mournful face on, but Nathan could see the corners of his lips trying to pull themselves up, and a second later he was knocking JD's hat to the floor, far enough away the boy had to scramble out of his chair to grab it.
"Buck! Can't you find nothing else to do but mess with my hat?" Buck, meanwhile, had grabbed the drink JD had forgotten all about with the injury to his hat and was taking a slow sip off of it, JD's annoyed screech as he turned around, hat in tow, and saw what their brother had been up too, loud as anything. "Hey, that ain't fair!"
"This is pretty good stuff," Buck grinned at JD over the glass as he slid back into his seat, making a grab for the mug that Buck easily dodged, "can see why you didn't want to share...ain't sure I want to give it back." Another game of keep away started, roles reversed, Nathan sliding his chair away from the roughhousing, pretty sure the drink was going to be splashing onto somebody any minute, and having no plans for it to be him. JD finally managed to get the drink away, only losing about a quarter of what was left in the glass to do it, and must have decided it was too precious to risk wasting anymore since he tipped the mug up and finished the rest in a few short swallows.
"Hah, all gone." JD looked triumphantly at Buck who just grinned at him.
"All I wanted was a taste, and I got it, plenty satisfied and thank you kindly." JD clearly wasn't quite sure how to take this, his victory not as sweet without Buck complaining. Nathan caught Josiah's eye and grinned. Sometimes, Buck didn't seem much older than JD.
*.*.*.*.*
Lei Pan nodded to the postmaster after he gave her the small stack of mail, one letter that her father had been expecting and one, she saw to her delight, from her Ezra. As she stepped out of the small post office and onto the street, Lei Pan slipped through the crowd of mostly men walking up and down the crowded sidewalk, glad she didn't have far to go until she was back to her family's shop. When she was nearly there, almost to the door, Lei Pan slid into the alley that sat between her parent's shop and the laundry next door. Her parents knew she wrote to Ezra, but they had no idea how often, or the true nature of it, as she knew it would alarm them. The only one who knew was her sister, and she would never tell. Carefully breaking the seal, Lei Pan moved over to a row of crates that the Huang family had left in the alley for when the laundry grew too hot and sank down, knowing she wouldn't be missed for awhile. A smile played about her lips as she slowly read his letter, fingers tracing the words as she deciphered the English. Oh, how she missed her beautiful red-coated man, his flowing script reminding her somehow of his perfectly coiffed hair.
Slowly, a confused frown took the place of the smile on her face, Lei Pan rereading several sentences to make sure she had understood them right. Ezra seemed to be apologizing for not being able to travel to see her, but as much as she would be delighted by a visit, no invitation had been made. Her family would think it improper, even if there hadn't been too much work to do, and no where to put a visitor. Thinking, Lei Pan quickly realized where the confusion may have come from, a blush setting over her features...she had told him, or tried too, in her still far from perfect English, that the city was crowded with visitors this time of year, the already crowded streets spilling over with people, even here...and that she wouldn't mind it so if one of the visitors was her Ezra. She had not meant for him to take it as a summons!
It was certainly a lovely idea to entertain, Ezra sweeping in the door of the shop and whisking her away for a day or two...
Allowing her thoughts to drift into daydream for a moment, Lei Pan sighed, and then shook her head to clear it. She only had another minute or two before her mother would be calling for her, and still had part of the letter to read. Lei Pan read each word slowly, savoring them, her heart swelling as she read between the lines of his regretful apology.
Ezra spoke of the future-their future-, of wanting to appear nothing less than a perfect match when he met her parents. Their future. She'd hoped that was what he wanted, that she was correct in his intent, but this was the first time either of them had talked of such things.
At seventeen, she was in no hurry to do as many of her cousins back home had done at her age, marry quickly and move to her in-laws home, and Mama and Baba seemed happy to keep her close, worried after what her uncle had done when they'd trusted her to him. But someday...she could feel the smile growing on her face, blushing for a different reason now.
"Lei Pan!" Hearing her mother calling her, Lei Pan jumped to her feet, the crate shifting back far more noisily than she liked, quickly tucking the letter into the inside of her waistband as she hurried towards the street and the waiting work.