The ride before the accident may have been long and boring, but it seemed like paradise compared to what they were dealing with now. They were slow getting started, trying to find a rhythm that meant Ezra could stay as still as possible. Eventually, Buck was able to match the gaits of the horses, and they fell into a consistent pace. JD had been right about Chaucer. Buck had never seen the horse – any horse – make such an effort at remaining so tranquil and smooth. Despite being fully aware of the fact it was impossible, he was certain the beast knew exactly how sick Ezra was, and was determined to do his part.

There were periodic outbursts from Ezra, usually when uneven ground resulted in a misstep from the horses. When he called Buck a lop-eared, wall-eyed, loco coyote, JD scrambled in his bag for something to write on, knowing he was going to want to remember some of these comments. After a while the comments stopped, and he became frighteningly quiet most of the time. So much so that Buck made the first stop earlier than planned to make sure he was still with them. They lowered the sling slowly, anxiety increasing as Ezra remained silent.

"Ezra? Ez, you need to wake up. We gotta get some water into you." Buck spoke softly, but anxiously. There was still no response.

"He's breathing. Why won't he wake up?"

"If you were hurting like this JD, you'd stay out of it too."

Buck reached into his saddle bag to retrieve the cactus ointment. "Hate to do this again, but I think it's keeping the swelling down."

"And the burning sensation." Ezra added weakly.

"Good to hear from you. Stupid question, but how are your feeling?"

"This has not been the most enjoyable excursion I have had Mr. Wilmington. Not even close."

JD knelt beside him and opened a canteen. "You need to try to drink a bit Ezra. You know how Nathan is about making sure we don't dry out too much."

"Indeed. Although I dare say he would be less insistent if he were feeling comparable to my current status."

"Maybe, but that don't change the facts. I'm gonna try to lift you up a bit." JD reached an arm under Ezra's shoulders, doing his best to avoid the injured areas. He froze when a small moan escaped. "Sorry Ez, I was trying –"

"No, Mr. Dunne. You were doing an admirable job. I was simply unaware of the discomfort in my other arm."

Buck looked down at him. "Hurting in more places than just the needles?"

"It would seem so. None seem severe, but the aches are not helping."

Buck ran his hands slowly over Ezra's right arm, shoulder and chest. There were grimaces, but no shouts or strong reactions. The same process was repeated on his legs, with matching results.

"Don't think you've busted anything, but I bet there are a mess of bruises under there."

"Black and blue have never been my best colours."

"No, you do seem to favor reds." Buck grinned down at him.

"Better suited to bring out the colour in my eyes, or so I have been told." He gasped sharply when he tried to smile.

"You need to stay still Ezra."

"I am making that effort, but every breath seems to pull at me. I need you to remove these abominations from my face Mr. Wilmington."

Buck shook his head. "No way Ezra. You think they hurt now, I can't tell you what that would feel like."

"Cut them out. Now."

JD looked away, trying not to show the nausea he felt at the mere thought of the action. Buck was no better at hiding his reaction. "Ezra –"

"They don't feel as deeply imbedded as do the other spikes. I believe you can remove them without inflicting further injury."

"No, I can't. Ezra, it just won't work. I can put some more of the lotion on you, but I can't start pulling those out."

"You don't understand. I can't deal with having them there. The rest, I can accept. But these – I can see them. It, it makes them more real than the rest. I can't bring myself to ignore them when I can see them."

Buck couldn't imagine how Ezra could be ignoring any of this. He stood, running a hand over his face and trying to figure a way out of all of this.

JD tried to talk Ezra out of the request. "Even cutting them out – it hurts like the devil. I know, I had a couple in my leg."

"You were injured coming to my assistance? I'm sorry Mr. Dunne, I was unaware –"

"That isn't the point Ezra. Point is, well, point is that it's gonna hurt."

"It does now. Removing them can't be worse."

JD stood and walked over to where Buck now stood. "He might have a point there, and it might help him to know they aren't sticking in his face any longer."

"Don't like it. He could get infections or start bleeding worse."

"Ain't it his call?"

"Not if he's not thinking straight."

They had turned away, trying to keep the conversation private when a sharp gasp brought them running back to Ezra's side.

"Damn Ezra, what do you think your doing?" Buck grabbed to hold him still as Ezra tried to reach up to his face again. He held two of the needles in his hand, and small trails of blood seeped from where they had been pulled. "Stop. You're gonna break them and leave the barbs under the skin. You think this is bad now, trust me, that'll be worse."

"They didn't pull Mr. Wilmington. They came out quite easily."

"Yeah, that's why you let out a yell that would wake the dead."

"I brushed my hand against my neck. That was the moment that elicited such a pitiful and weak reaction."

"Nothing pitiful about it Ezra. Can guess what it felt like."

JD had been examining the needles. "Buck, look at these. There soft. Well, softer. The barbs aren't broken off."

He took them and carefully felt at the tips. "You're right kid. I don't get it, but you're right." He looked back down at Ezra and saw something in those green eyes he'd never seen before. Desperation. Ezra was all but begging him to take away the visible reminder of what he was dealing with. He hated what he was about to say and do.

"OK Ezra, here's the plan. I'm gonna check on these. Any that seem like they can come out easy, I'll take. I'm not gonna cut on you, and I'm not gonna force anything. And the second I think this is too much, I stop."

"No stopping." Ezra amended.

"No, I stop. I won't do that to you."

Ezra clenched his jaw, wanting to say more, but knowing he really had no choice in the matter. He gave a small nod, steeling himself for what was coming, and vowing not to so much as blink during the process.

"JD, you need to hold his head still. I mean perfectly still. He starts thrashing at all, and this'll rip him up – understand?"

Fighting the bile rising in his throat, JD nodded and got into position, hands on either side of Ezra's head. "You sure about this?" He felt the slightest nod and tightened his grip. "OK Buck, we're set."

Buck reached out slowly toward the first spike, then pulled his hand back. He took a deep breath and tried again, determined not let himself shake so much, but not succeeding.

"I have the utmost faith in you Mr. Wilmington."

Ezra looked amazing calm now. The hint of panic and pleading he'd seen before was gone, and Buck was determined to match that strength and resolution. He reached out with a steady hand and gently pinched the first needle. There was a tug as he pulled, but nowhere near the resistance he had expected. He pulled lightly again and was stunned to see it slide free of the skin, a small pinprick of blood appearing in it's place. Ezra hadn't even twitched. He reached for a second, and then a third, all sliding out as smoothly.

The fourth caught and would not yield. Ezra said nothing, but tension lines appeared around his eyes. "Ezra – you OK?"

"Try a different one."

Buck hesitated a moment, then moved on. Four more came out before he again met resistance.

"Don't stop." A fine sheen of perspiration was appearing on Ezra's forehead, and Buck couldn't help but feel there was more pain going on than was being vocalized, but as long as the gambler was able to put up with this, he'd keep trying.

Buck had no clue how much time had passed when he finally stopped. Four needles remained on Ezra's jaw line. They seemed to be embedded deeper than those on the cheek and chin, and he wasn't going to force the removal. As much as he tried not to show any reactions, it was evident Ezra wasn't going to be able to take much more of this, and Buck wasn't about to risk pushing things to far.

"We're done Ezra." He cut him off before he could object. "I'm not arguing with you. You've had enough. Wish I could clean this up better for you, but I don't think I should be trying to wash it out with creek water."

"My saddlebag. There is a flask."

"Why the hell didn't you say so earlier?" JD leapt to his feet and hurried to Chaucer's side, quickly finding the container.

"As was pointed out, Mr. Jackson would not approve. And there would not be sufficient in there to do the task required."

"Flask is full Ez." JD pointed out.

"Yes, but still not enough."

"Hate to waste all this good hooch pouring it over you like this." Buck tried to lighten his own mood, as well as the moment.

"That, sir, is Kentucky sipping whiskey. Not hooch. But you are correct, it is a dreadfully inappropriate use of such ambrosia." He inhaled sharply as a dribble of it was poured over his face. "Good Lord, I did not expect that to be quite so powerful a sensation."

Buck placed a hand carefully on Ezra's chest. "Breath slow Ezra. Try to take it slow and easy." He left the hand there until he could feel the racing heartbeat slow to a more reasonable pace. He was surprised when Ezra right hand came up and lightly gripped his own. "Thank you."

Buck tried to clear away the lump in his throat. "OK, you need to rest now. You need to close your eyes." He reached to replace the cap on the flask.

"Please Mr. Wilmington. I believe you have earned a sip or two from that before you put it away. As has Mr. Dunne."

"You sharing the good stuff with us Ezra? Well this a moment the others are going to be sorry they missed. Chris has always been a bit envious of your private stock."

"Yes, I am aware. The inability to share is a character flaw of mine that I really should work harder at correcting."

Buck mentally kicked himself again. Nothing like picking on a man when he's down. "Don't fret on that Ezra. You're entitled to your own bottled red eye there. We all have our preferences."

"Kentucky Whiskey is not 'red eye' Mr. Wilmington. When we return home, I shall have to make an effort to expand your understanding of fine drink."

"Well that sounds like fun. Can I get in on the lesson?"

"Of course. I live to educate." Ezra was drifting off, exhausted by the past several minutes. When he was asleep again, Buck put the flask bag into the saddlebag.

"Ain't you gonna take a gulp?"

"Don't see as I have the right to."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

It was starting to get dark when they reached another spot for a rest stop. JD brought water over for the horses, not wanting them to have to bow down for it. It had been getting harder on Ezra each time they settled him back into place and they vowed never to inflict that again.

Buck gently lifted the covering off Ezra to reapply the pulp.

"Have we arrived home?"

"Sorry Ezra. Not yet. Getting closer though."

"I am impeding your progress."

"You ain't doing anything. Gotta rest the horses is all."

"I deeply appreciate what you have tried to do, and regret causing you so much extra effort."

"Just stop Ezra. This is what you do for a friend, so stop fussing."

"I keep forgetting to ask if we retained possession of the work horses when I lost control of the wagon."

"Wouldn't say you lost control of anything, but yeah, we still have them."

"At least we can return those to Mrs. Potter. She will be greatly perturbed over the loss of her wagon."

"She'll be more perturbed over what happened to you." JD amended.

"Yes – I do have an outstanding balance with her. Please Mr. Dunne, there is money in a lockbox –"

"She won't care about that Ezra. That's not what I meant."

"Why else would she be concerned?"

JD looked across at Buck with exasperation. "Is he really that dense?"

"On some things."

Ezra let out another soft curse and faded back to oblivion.

"He's got a lockbox?" JD would never have guessed.

"The way he wins the cards I ain't surprise. You just forget you heard him say that JD. Nobody's business but his."

"Guess he's got a lot of things he doesn't tell us about."

"Everybody has secrets JD. Just human nature is all."

"I know. But sometimes I get the feeling he just doesn't really trust us with some things."

"Don't think he's had a lot of experience sharing his life with folks." Buck sighed as he got ready to mount up again. "Can't say as I blame him, when you think about the things I said to him before."

"He knows you didn't mean any harm Buck."

"Doesn't really matter whether I meant harm or not – I caused it."

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

TBC