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Bones left the Sheriff and went back up to see Pavel, who had been watching their exchange all the while. Bones held his hand on the butt of his gun, just in case Sheriff Pike decided to rebel a little and end his life early. He had kept his hand on his gun ever since that damned conversation began.

"Let's go kid." Bones urged Pavel. Pavel understood and quickly kept walking, passing the Bank without even a second glance. Bones was thankful that they were ignored while passing by his crime scene.

"Vat vas that all about?" Pavel asked as he tried to keep up with Bones' fast pace. Bones just stared straight ahead, trying not to let his anger get to him.

"You're father believes that you shouldn't be trained." Bones mumbled under his breath. Some father he was. A kid needs to learn how to watch himself and make sure they don't die. Living out in a small town could kill even the strongest of men.

"Yees. He says that often. He says I should steey indoors and work on my penmansheep." Pavel sighed and hung his shoulders, then looked up at Bones. "Do you theenk I should steey indoors?"

"Kid, no. Every man needs to learn how to live outside of their quarters. How to hunt when needed. How to live off the land. How to brawl…and how to drink." Bones passed the look back at Pavel. "If we've got the time…son of a bitch, I'll teach you how to write."

"Dreenk? Like at ze bar?" Pavel looked up at Bones, confused. Those were the only words that had caught Pavel's attention. "But I eem not of ze age."

"I started learning how to drink when I was only thirteen. You're Russian, you should have a good set of guts for drinking." Bones assured the worried boy.

"I…I guess. If zat will help me…" Pavel shrugged. The two fell silent for a moment as they kept walking.

Out of his peripheral vision, Bones saw Jim Kirk ride up to a house, dismounting his horse, staring at Bones. The two of them exchanged looks and then went on their way. Jim Kirk felt something was awry when he saw Leonard McCoy arrive at the Bank with Sheriff Pike's son, then get in a dispute with the Sheriff himself. Bones, on the other hand, sense that Jim Kirk was a nosy little bastard with a keen sense of being too damn happy all the time.

"Ah! Here ve are! Just a leetle farther. Do you see those bales?" Pavel interrupted Bones' thinking and pointed out towards an open field, with cylinder hay bales scattered amongst the opening. Bones looked back, seeing the back outline of the small town.

"Damn…you sure have got a small town…No one's heard of you? Oh and yes, I see the bales." Bones nodded, walking towards the closest one near them. They shouldn't wander too far away from the town. He didn't want to raise any suspicions.

"Not meeny people have heard of us. But we are well known enough zat eef anyzing would happen to us, ve would be saved." Pavel had once heard the ensured safety of his town, and trusted that the outsiders would help. That comment worried Bones. How soon would the other towns ride in? How quickly could he get away?

"Well damn…that's good." Bones uttered, actually disgusted by the fact. "Okay. Stop here." Bones shook his head of the bad ideas and scenarios that ran through his mind. Bones would try and focus on the training.

He stopped them at the close range of a hay bale. "This is what I'm going to have you do…first." Bones struggled to get his Revolver out of the holster, using both his hands to pull the gun out. "Here." Bones grabbed Pavel's hand, feeling the contrast of their skin slid against each other briefly. Bones' grip became sterner as he opened the palm of Pavel's hand, flattening it out. Then he placed the gun on top.

Pavel shivered as Leonard placed the gun into his hands. The feeling of Leonard's callused hands made him grin ever so slightly. Yes, he was a strange boy, but it didn't bother him. But he was truly confused though. Why would this man, an obvious expert on the study of guns, hand him, someone who had never even handled a weapon, a gun?

"Vat do you vant me to do with zis?" Pavel turned the gun over delicately in his hand.

"I want to see what you can do with a gun." Bones shifted and crossed his arm, eyeing Pavel and the gun. "Come on, show me." He urged.

"But I do not know vat to do!" Pavel exclaimed.

Bones rolled his eyes. "Do whatever feels right!" He yelled right back. When Bones raised his voice towards Pavel, Pavel panicked and grabbed the gun, tangling his fingers in the loop at the bottom, squeezing with one finger.

There was a loud bang and dust flew up. Bones felt something hit his toe with the pain of a thousand branding sticks.

"God fucking dammit! Pavel!" Bones cursed out loud, holding is toes, jumping all around squeezing his eyes shut. In horror, Pavel dropped the gun and rushed to Bones' side, putting his arm around Bones' shoulder.

"I eem sorry! You yelled at me and I…I panicked…" Pavel apologized. Bones groaned and leaned against the hay bale, silently cursing. "I eem sorry!" Pavel cried again. Bones slid down and sat on the ground, taking deep breaths in and out, trying to rid himself of the pain of being shot in the toe.

"Pavel, shut up. I'm fine." Bones sucked in a deep breath and was able to find the strength to stand back up, but he could not find that strength. Sliding back down, he leaned against the bale, moaning, "I think you only clipped an edge." Bones hissed through his teeth. He didn't want Pavel to feel bad. "Hand me the gun."

Pavel rushed back over, picking up the loud weapon, and handed it to Bones. Bones held it, forcing the chamber open, checking that everything was still in tact. Eleven bullets.

"You know, Pavel, we only have eleven bullets before I run out. So god help me, I am going to teach you how to use a gun today." Bones struggled back up, aided by Pavel, who gripped his arm, pulling him up. Bones didn't really bother with it, he let Pavel help if it made him feel better. Once he was up, he steadied himself and held the gun.

"Ve do have a bullet shop…" Pavel informed Bones. Bones laughed ridiculously.

"Well I'm using eleven and I am swearing to teach you today, with those elven, even if it kills me." Bones swore. Pavel looked, worried that Leonard might go crazy with that idea. "Okay…take the gun." He stuck the gun out to Pavel, who this time, warily took it.

"Vat now?" Pavel asked, holding the gun loosely.

"First of all…don't hold it like it's a goddamn slimy worm. Grasp it strongly. Have control." Bones ordered, balling his injured had up in a fist. Pavel nodded and wrapped his limber fingers around the bottom tightly. Bones sighed and took a step towards Pavel.

"Now….use your right hand. Place it on the side of the gun, finger above the trigger." Bones pointed to the side of the gun, trying to aim Pavel's hands without actually touching them. Pavel looked at the point where Bones was trying to guide him to. When he held the gun with his right hand, his left hand pushed the end of the weapon out of his hand and Pavel began to fumble with it. When Bones saw that his precious baby was falling to the ground, he leaped forward, despite the injured toe. He hurried, using one hand and grasped the side of the gun, clasping his hand around Pavel's fingers. Then he reached in front of the young boy, grabbing the other side, securing it in an awkward position. He had managed to catch the gun.

"Dammit Pavel, you can't just do that! Gimme that." Bones yanked the gun from Pavel, standing aside him. "This is how you really hold a gun." He steadied himself and gripped the weapon securely. "You put your other hand you're not using, on the bottom, and just grasp the front of the handle." Bones showed Pavel, stepping back a few so he could see. "Then…you keep your right arm straight, and the left angled. So when you shoot, it doesn't jolt and mess up your shot."

"Zat makes sense."

"Yes, it does. Now, take the gun." Bones relaxed and handed Pavel the gun. Pavel, now knowing what to do and wanting to make Leonard proud, took the gun and held it stiffly in his hand, trying to replicate what Bone had done before.

Bones watched as Pavel struggled with his arms, shifting them up and down, angling them left and right, up…all over. He couldn't help but sigh and feel sorry for the kid.

"No…almost, but no. God…ugh, just—" Bones stepped to the side of Pavel, grabbing his left arm, angling it ever so slightly. Then he gently fixed Pavel's right arm, straightening it up. The contact between the two both released something into the air. It was something that both of them felt was there. And they both chose to ignore it, which seemed like the right thing to do in Bones' mind. Pavel just tried to focus on the gun and not the fact that Leonard's rough, callused skin felt wonderful against his raw, pale, Russian skin. The touch was foreign and that's what made Pavel so mystified by it. Rough against smooth…Tough against kind. Bones on the other hand, didn't know what was happening to his body as he gently fixed Pavel's stance. He was sure he felt the Tingles…but there was something else in the pit of his heart, like a heavy weight that felt somewhat like fluttering.

"Th—there you go kid. Now, aim at the bale." Bones moved Pavel towards the hay bale, centering him. Touching Pavel…just moving his shoulders…it made Bones shudder. It gave him a chill even though it was at least a hundred degrees. What did it mean?

"Do I shoot? Vat do I do?" Pavel asked, looking up at Bones with an expression of wonder.

"Yeah. Shoot." Bones told him, taking a few steps back. He didn't want to get shot in the foot again.

Pavel looked back at Bones and then at his target. He took in a deep, shaky breath, and held the gun tightly. When he pulled the trigger, his arms were disrupted from their original form and the kickback knocked the gun out of his hand, hitting himself in the face with the butt of it. Bones ran towards Pavel, picking up his precious gun before checking up on Pavel.

"Hey kid—" Bones started, but stopped when he saw the look on Pavel's face. His forehead had a slight cut, which began to bleed and drip down his face slowly. His eyes began to gleam and shimmer, growing red. "Damn. Are you okay?" Bones straightened up from the ground, stepping in front of Pavel, inspecting the wound. Pavel nodded, letting a couple tears run down his face. Bones looked Pavel in the eye and spoke to him.

"Listen, to be tough, you have to learn not to cry. Even if you are hit in the face and start bleeding. Don't cry." Bones gently patted Pavel's shoulder. Pavel nodded and sniffed, wiping his nose and forehead.

"Okeey. I can do zis." He whispered to himself. Bones handed Pavel the gun and stepped back once again. Pavel got into the readied stance and held the gun, pointing at the target once again.

Bones watched from afar, watching every action and reaction of the kid. How he reacted when Bones touched him, what he did when confronted with certain situations such as this one. How durable would he be out in the real world. Because for all Bones knew was that Enterprise was just a sugar coated town, coddling children, making them believe that everything was okay. The parents would either convince the children to stay in the town, or send them out, promising ultimate ridicule.

Pavel stood, thinking about what would happen if he actually made this shot. Would Bones be proud? It wasn't like Pavel was looking for acceptation from this new stranger like he would a father. His father, no matter how careless or uncaring he seemed, was proud of him. He just had a certain feeling towards this Leonard McCoy. It was in no way paternal though.

So Pavel took a deep breath, wiping tears from his face with his shoulder, looking back at the hay bale and then at the gun. He prepared himself mentally for the recoil this time, squeezing the trigger.

Gun powder flew back in Pavel's face, making his cough and choke a bit. His eyes watered, but he looked towards the bale, dropping the gun and running towards it. Bones reached a hand out, mouth open to express his annoyance with Pavel for repeatedly dropping his precious weapon over and over again, but Pavel didn't see. He was already at the bale, inspecting it for a bullet hole. Bones sighed and walked over to the gun, picking it up, wiping it on his shirt, sticking it in his holster.

"How'd you do kid?" Bones asked, striding towards Pavel. Pavel turned to look at Bones with confusion written all over his face.

"I…I do not see ze hole? Did I shoot it?" Pavel asked, standing up to meet Bones at over half his height. Pavel looked crushed and upset, but not crying. Which was a good start. Bones stepped past Pavel, crouching down to inspect the object. The first place he looked was the center. The chances of Pavel getting a hit like that were slim to nothing, but he looked anyways. There was no hole in the middle, so Bones followed the trail of strung barley in circles, trying to find a small, round hole in the mess. As he slowly reached the top, Bones saw disrupted hay that was sticking inwards, outwards and all around.

"I think I found it." Bones whispered. Pavel crouched down next to Bones, near his face, making Bones slightly uncomfortable. "Right here." Bones pointed to a small hole, still smoking and stuck his finger in it, wiggling it around to make the opening wider and so see if the bullet had gone through all the way. AS he wriggled his fingers, he felt hot metal touch his skin. Quickly yanking out his hand, he cursed under his breath and looked at Pavel.

"Well kid, it's still in there. I'll tell you that." Bones told Pavel.

"Yo-moyo!" Pavel exclaimed, jumping up and shaking his fist. Bones looked at the kid like he was some sort of oddity.

"What'd you say?" Bones asked. Pavel looked down, smiling. Bones had never seen a smile so bright and happy before. What…was the kid that excited about actually hitting something.

"Yo-moyo. It means hot damn een English." Pavel informed Bones. Bone nodded and raised both eyebrows, suggesting that he should have already known that.

"Oh. Well good job kid." Bones congratulated Pavel, sticking his finger back in the hold, digging out the now cooled off bullet. "Here. A token." Bones tossed the small bullet to Pavel, who expertly caught it in his one hand. "Nice catch." Bones commented, giving a small smile to him. Pavel smiled back, playing with the bullet in his hands.

"Can we do zat again?" He asked timidly. Bones stood up and looked at Pavel. He sighed and pulled his gun back out of the holster.

"Sure kid. We can do it again." He walked over and handed the gun to Pavel, not wanting to risk throwing it and not having him catch it. "Try aiming this time." Bones added.

"Okay." Pavel nodded and took the gun, resuming the stance, pointing the weapon. Bones took a hesitant step forward, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched Pavel's arms come out of stance.

"Hold on, hold on." He grumbled, stepping behind Pavel, fixing his arms. When Bones did that, Pavel jumped ever so slightly, before relaxing again. The feeling of arms being wrapped around him were beautiful. There was a certain warmth to Leonard's touch. Not like the burning heat that he lived in from day to day, but a warmth…like in the winter, when Pavel would sit in front of the fire, warming up…then, he would fall asleep. He felt…no matter how odd it may have sounded in his head…he felt like a puzzle piece. Lost and no where to fit into, but when hanging around with Leonard, he felt full. Happy…fulfilled. It was possible to say that Pavel's little crush on Bones was growing even bigger than Pavel had imagined…at all.

"Alvight. I seenk I got it." Pavel nodded, keeping his arms in the same stiff position.

"Okay kid, shoot." Bones instructed. Pavel leaned forward, closing one eye to see his target better. Once he found the place he wanted to hit, he controlled his erratic breathing, sucking in a deep breath and then blew out, pulling the trigger simultaneously.

Bones found himself rooting for Pavel to get the hit. And when he heard the gun go off, Bones crossed his fingers behind his back, watching the smoke from the gun settle. And like clockwork, Pavel would drop the gun, go to the hay bale and inspect it for holes. Bones would retrieve the fallen gun and follow Pavel to the bale and do a thorough inspection himself.

"Deed I get eet?" Pavel asked. This time, Bones searched around the edges of the hay bale, searching for a steaming hole. There was nothing. Not even a scratch. No disgruntled hay…nothing. It was quite odd actually.

"Uh…I don't think you got it." Bones stood up and scratched his chin, looking harder at the bale. Pavel's face sunk.

"Vat? I deedn't get eet? Aw moyo." Pavel cursed quietly in Russian. "How eem I supposed to protect meself why I can't even shoot a gun?" He asked outloud. Bones pitied the kid. The more he looked around this town, the more danger he saw lurking around the corners. Hell, even his father was a danger hazard.

"We've got eight bullets left. And I am going to teach you, no matter how hard." Bones promised, handing the gun back to Pavel. "Go back to where you were." He ordered. Pavel listened and trotted back a few feet, awaiting Bones' next command. Bones started breathing in and out rhythmically, trying to get into the correct mindset of training the kid. He sauntered over to Pavel, traveling around him in a circle. "Assume the stance." Bones said. Pavel straight up and held the gun, leaning forward. Bones came around to get a better view and inspect how Pavel stood. The arms were correct, the angle at which he was leaning was right, even though Bones had never taught him that.

"Shoot?" Pavel asked.

Bones shook his head. "No. Not yet. I want you to know what it feels like to make a real shot. Hold on." He took a step backwards, lining himself up right behind Pavel. He crouched down and closed one eye to get a rough sense of what Pavel was seeing. Griping internally, Bones leaned forward and encased the somewhat fragile, small figure of Pavel, resting his arms on top of Pavel's, holding the kid's fingers against the gun. Pavel seemed to tense up as soon as Bones made contact with him. His thoughts went haywire. His brain completely malfunctioned and it felt like Pavel's lips were sewed shut, unable to say anything.

"I'm doing this so you know what it feels like to shoot, aim and actually make the target." Bones explained. Pavel nodded, still unable to talk.

Bones closed one eye and inspected where he was trying to aim Pavel's hands. As he circled in on the middle, Bones prepared himself for the recoil and Pavel's reaction.

"Okay, try not to hit me in the nose when the gun goes off. I pride myself in my face." Bones tried to joke. He wasn't sure if it was effective or not. Pavel forced himself to speak so he would not seem dull and rude.

"I veel try not to, Leonard." He responded.

"Okay. Now it's all up to you kid. Just squeeze the trigger whenever you're ready." Bones informed Pavel.

"I eem going to shoot it now." Pavel told Bones, squeezing the trigger, feeling Bones' muscles work against his own body and the recoil. Everything worked in a sort of awkward, perfect harmony. The gun shot, the bullet came out and now all they had to do was check and see if the target had been made.

Bones quickly came off of Pavel, gripping his gun though, making sure that Pavel didn't drop it for what seemed like the fifth time in a row. Pavel, excited, moved out of Bones' way, looking up at him, shading his eyes to stare up at Leonard's tall figure. Bones just stared back, confused at what the kid was doing.

"What are you waiting for? Go see if you got it." Bones pushed Pavel gently towards the hay bale.

"I vant you to come. You helped me." Pavel smiled and could feel a small blush rising in his cheeks. Bones rolled his eyes and started to walk to the hay bale. Pavel excitedly ran after him, able to match his pace as they walked together to the bale.

When reaching it, the two of them found out that the bullet had in fact, made the target, hitting it square in the middle. Pavel looked closer at it, his eyes widening in surprise.

"I deed it! I did eet!" Pavel exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement. Bones stepped away from the hole and crossed his arms, watching Pavel's expression, smiling.

"Yes you did." He chuckle lightly. Pavel stopped celebrating and looked at Bones.

"Ah, Meester McCoy, sir…I heeve a suggestion of what we could do next." Pavel told Bones. Bones looked at Chekov, confused.

"What? You don't want to shoot anymore?"

"No. Not now. I've finally got the target…" Pavel informed Bones. Bones sighed and looked at the kid.

"Fine. What do you want to do?" He asked.

"I vant to learn how to drink."