"LARABEE'S LADY" – CHAPTER TWENTY
Title: "Larabee's Lady"
Author: Michelle Heath
Rating: MA for adult language and situations
Summary: Mary's best friend causes Chris to re-think his future.
Date Written: September 18, 2010
Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, J.D. Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Casey Wells, Mary Travis, Nettie Wells, Inez, and The Magnificent Seven are the property of TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM and Triology Entertainment. Other characters, i.e., Catherine Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, Eloise Stewart, Miles Kettering, etc. are the sole property of the author. The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
(Catherine's breath is coming in short gasps as she meets Chris' every stroke, both of them striving the reach the sweet oblivion they know is waiting for them. Her nails scrape down his back as his teeth nip her neck, and just as she shatters, so does he.)
Chris: "I love you, Catherine!"
Catherine: "Wh . . What?"
Chris: "I said, . . I . .love you."
(Their breathing returns to a more normal rate and Catherine's eyes fill with tears.)
Catherine: "Don't."
Chris: "Don't tell you that I love you?"
Catherine: "Too much has happened too quickly . . . I can't . . . (she begins to cry)
Chris: "God, Catherine, please don't cry. . . I'm not asking you to . . . I just thought . . . Damn!"
(Realizing she has upset him, Catherine gently brushes the hair from his eyes.)
Catherine: "I care for you, Chris. I have for a long tine."
Chris: (somewhat bitterly) "But you don't love me."
Catherine: "Yes! No! . . I'm so mixed up right now I don't know what I'm feeling.. . Up until a few months ago, I'd have given anything to hear those words from you. . . Then Poague . . . ."
Chris: "A while back you said you weren't going to let what happened ruin the rest of your life. So don't."
Catherine: "Help me, Chris, help me understand what it is I'm feeling."
Chris: "I can't make you love me, Catherine. Either you do or you don't."
Catherine: "Bu do I feel the way I do because I was attacked or because I've wanted this since I met you?"
(Realizing her confusion and knowing she must figure this out for herself, Chris kisses her softly and pushes himself off the bed. Catherine immediately experiences a sharp sense of loss, but doesn't know what to do about it.)
Chris: "I think you need some time to think, and I don't think it's a good idea for us to be together while you do."
Catherine: (suddenly frightened) "Why?"
Chris: "Because, now that we've made love, it's gonna be hard as Hell for me to keep my hands off of you, and I don't want to confuse you any more than you already are."
(By now, he has put on his pants and gathered his shirt and boots from the floor. Wordlessly, he goes out onto the porch and softly closes the door behind himself. . . .
Mary and Mrs. Wilkes are waiting outside the Clarion offices when the others ride back into town. Vin and Ezra rein in to speak with them.)
Mary: "Did you find Catherine? Is she all right?"
Vin: "Catherine's fine. She went out to check her property yesterday and got caught in the storm."
Mrs. Wilkes: "Thank God. That child's been through too much lately."
Vin: "She's fine now, Mrs. Wilkes."
(As the two young men ride off, Henrietta Wilkes looks at Mary.)
Mrs. Wilkes: "There's more to this than meets the eye, Mary."
Mary: "I think you're right."
(As Catherine and Chris reach the point where they'll part company, she to her ranch and he to town, Chris leans over in the saddle and kisses her softly and fleetingly,.)
Chris: "When you've figured things out, you know where to fine me."
(And he rides away nearly breaking her heart . . .
When Chris reaches town, he heads straight to the Saloon and starts drinking. Sitting around a card table, Vin, Ezra, and Buck exchange questioning glances. Having known Chris longer than anyone, Buck gets up and leans on the bar next to Chris.)
]
Buck: "You all right?"
Chris: "Fine."
Buck: "Things okay at the cabin?"
Chris: "There a point to this?"
Buck: "J.D. said you went up to the cabin a few days ago, and, what with the storm and all, just thought I'd make sure everything was okay"
Chris: "Well, then, you'll be glad to know there's no damage to the cabin."
(He finishes off his whiskey and walks out the door without another word.)
Ezra: "There may not be any damage to Chris' cabin, but there's definitely been some damage to him . . . And probably to Catherine, as well.,"
Vin: "Think I'll ride out to Catherine's.