Hi Everyone! Here's the next (possibly last) chapter of Wild West Show! Thank you all for sticking around! It's been a bit of crazy life here for me, but Danny has been begging me for the last few weeks to finish this. He was starting to really stress out about it. ;)
But I was really at odds about how the ending was going to go and had to call in backup. :) With the amazing help of ImaMePanda, we spent a good couple hours working at it together, tossing ideas around and fighting through story road blocks, and we finally got this chapter ready to go! HUGE, HUGE thanks go out to her, or this would likely have had a much longer wait before it came to be.
**I also know I said there wouldn't be any CP in this, but that changed a bit as we worked out the ending, and there is discussion of, and light CP near the end.**
Jess held back a safety warning, as the boy went down the stairs two at a time and cleared the last three without a backwards glance, reminding himself he'd just told the boy he wasn't a child. Shaking his head as he hit the bottom of the stairs himself, he could see the kid was already halfway to his destination. He jogged to catch up to Danny, who was walking the boardwalk like his feet were on fire. The boy bolted up the jailhouse steps and burst through the door, only to fall backwards into Jess who'd just come up behind him.
"Whoa!" Buck reached to grab hold of Danny's arm, as Jess gently pushed him forward. Righting himself with the offered assistance, Danny moved to look behind Buck, seeking out his friend in the hope he wasn't too late.
Buck removed his hand from Danny's arm, as he gave a nod at Jess. Danny only had eyes for one thing and he stepped closer to Buck, peering into the darker interior of the jailhouse. JD sat on the bench against the wall, head down, shoulders hunched, but he appeared fine otherwise. "Mr. Wilmington, it's all my fault!"
When Mr. Wilmington just looked at Danny, a long moment going by in silence, the boy swallowed hard and took a step back. He'd just smacked into the man he was about to try and appease and that wasn't what he'd planned at all. "What's all your fault, Danny?"
Even though it was a question, Danny could see from the look on the mustached man's face that he already knew.
"I...Mr. Wilmi...JD and me..." Danny paused, his stuttering coming to a halt as he clamped his mouth closed and look over his shoulder at Jess. Jess nodded his head back at Buck and sighing, Danny tried again. "I...it was my, my idea to go..I mean...to lie about," Danny sucked in a breath, shifting where he stood, unable to move even if he wanted, with Jess behind him and Mr. Wilmington in front. Sounding more than a little defeated, Danny managed a sentence without stuttering, though it was quiet enough it was barely heard.
"It was me. I told JD we should lie, so we could go."
Buck studied him another moment and gave a small nod. Danny sighed heavily, about to thank his best friend's guardian for being so understanding, when the next words from the tall man stopped him. "Didn't force JD, did ya, Danny?" Buck rested his hands on his belt buckle and leaned one shoulder against the door frame, waiting for Danny's answer.
Danny shook his head slowly, rubbing a hand along the side of his pants. "N-no sir. B-but he didn't want to...and I-I told him I was." Danny stopped abruptly as he realized his confession was not doing what he had hoped it would. Looking over Buck's shoulder to avoid eye contact, Danny's eyes caught JD hovering between the bench and the front door of the jailhouse and they widened slightly, hoping his friend wouldn't get himself in more trouble while he was trying to get him out.
"JD makes up his own mind. He knew it was wrong and did it anyway." When Buck paused, Danny opened his mouth, ready to argue the point the best he could, but the slight shake of Buck's head had him snapping his mouth shut. "You're a good friend to JD, Danny, but he's responsible for what he does, same as you."
"Yessir," Danny said, dejected, as he looked at his boots, scuffing the toe of one against the rough wooden boards of the porch. It only took a heartbeat for him to look back at Buck, stepping closer as he asked, "Mr. Wilmington...can you...can you not...a-are are you gonna.." Danny stopped, trying to gain control over his wayward tongue. One side of Buck's mouth quirked up a little, and straightening up, he gently tapped Danny's shoulder. "Yessir?" Danny exclaimed, looking up to meet Buck's gaze.
"Spit it out, Danny." Buck ordered in a quiet stern tone. Danny swallowed and tried not to shift on his feet...Mr. Wilmington didn't look angry exactly, but he was serious in a way Danny hadn't seen since the firecrackers and he wished again that they hadn't lied.
"Please don't tan, JD!" It came out of his mouth much too loud and Danny felt himself blush to his ears. Buck blinked in surprise, and then for just a second his lip quirked again. Danny wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, and waited, every second like a whole year as Buck considered him. Mr. Wilmington looked behind Danny after another agonizing moment, and Danny took a quick peek over his shoulder as well, watching a quick silent exchange between Mr. Wilmington and Jess.
"Danny," Danny's head whipped back to look at Buck and he stammered out another,
"Yessir?"
"What exactly would you rather I do?" Buck straightened fully, and adjusted his hat.
"Wha-What? It...It's not, I-I don't…" More than a little baffled, Danny stuttered only a second before stopping and then shrugging his shoulders helplessly.
"Should he have to stay in his room for the next few days? Should I not let him ride Danger for awhile? Have him do lessons every day for hours?" Buck paused, running a hand under his hat and tipping his head to the side. "What do you think about those ideas, JD, hm? I'd suggest you sit your backside back where I told you, Boy."
Danny had begun shaking his head before Buck had gotten to JD not being able to ride Danger, and at Buck's order to his friend he couldn't stop the surprise from running across his face. In the momentary quiet Danny watched JD almost throw himself on the bench, then glanced back at Mr. Wilmington. He was sure JD would hate all those things. Would he hate them more than a tanning though? Shrugging again, he spoke quietly in answer, "I...I don't kn-know...I.." Danny swallowed what felt like a rock in his throat and he took a step back. He felt Jess's hand rest on his shoulder and he relaxed slightly.
"I appreciate you owning up Danny, but the fault ain't all yours to take. This here is between me and JD." Danny blinked rapidly, the statement and the look on Mr. Wilmington's face clear indication of the finality of his attempt to aid JD. Unable to say or do anything else, Danny nodded mutely. Jess tightened his grip on Danny's shoulder and stepped closer to the teen, smiling reassuringly when Danny looked up at him.
"Danny and I got things to take care of too, and we should be heading back to the ranch." Jess spoke to Buck and stuck his hand out, adding, "Thanks, Buck." Nodding, Buck shook Jess's hand, releasing it a moment later. Jess turned Danny around and put an arm around his shoulders.
As they headed back down the porch steps, Buck's voice came from behind them, "Oh and Danny?" Danny looked over his shoulder curiously, and Buck gave a grin, "JD's gonna be just fine."
WWS**WWS
Danny quickly decided he had a great dislike for the Edward's storage shed. He sat on an old wooden trunk, waiting for Jess. When they'd arrived back at the ranch, Jess had sent him out here. He'd told him they could finish their discussion in private; dismissing the bunkhouse, woodshed and both barns because people were generally coming and going from those at all times. Danny looked around the small building again, firmly telling himself he had no intentions -ever- of having any reason to come back in here. He didn't want to be here now, but he wasn't brave enough to take off either. He shook his head, berating himself. Brave enough to lie to his self appointed guardian and go away overnight, but not brave enough to get away from what was possibly an impending tanning. What was wrong with him?
He put his head in his hands and squished his eyes closed against the threatening tears he could feel advancing like tiny army troops. Advance, advance, never retreat! He sucked in a startled breath as the door to the shed opened and he looked up at Jess, nervousness leaking out of him like that cup with the hole in it that Brady, one of the ranch hands, insisted on using. Jess closed the door behind him and gave Danny a half smile as he crossed the small building and sat next to the boy.
The two sat in silence for a few moments, until Danny shifted a tiny bit, leaning his shoulder into Jess's and sighing. "Ah, Danny." Jess said softly, moving his arm around the boy's shoulder and pulling him into a tight half hug. Danny, in an effort to stave off the advancing army of tears, turned his face slightly, almost, but not quite, burying it in Jess's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Jess. Honest." Danny's whispered words tugged at Jess's resolve.
"I know, boy, I know." Jess answered quietly, rubbing the boy's shoulder. Silence reigned again for a few moments, until Jess gently nudged Danny's knee with his own.
"You decided what you're gonna do with me, huh Jess?" the boy asked, without moving his face off the man's shoulder.
"Yeah boy, I have." Jess replied, tone as stern as he could make it. Danny took a deep breath, slowly moving into an upright position, and wiped at the few soldiers who had escaped and were running down his face.
"You're gonna tan me, aren't ya?" With Danny's quiet words, Jess shifted, turning slightly to the side so he could look properly at Danny.
"I am. Danny, I know today was rough. I know I scared you, even though I didn't mean too. And, I know it's hard for you to trust that I won't hurt you. But, I think you and me got some stuff worked out." Danny nodded, his sad green eyes almost more than Jess could handle and he continued, "so, this is what we're going to do, Danny. I think you've punished yourself quite a bit; but I made you a promise, didn't I?" Danny nodded again and Jess went on, "I'm going to be easy on you this time, but it's your final warning. This type of thing happens again..." Jess trailed off pointedly, and Danny began to nod fiercely.
"Never, Jess," the teen quickly assured.
"Should we get this over with, then?" Jess asked, gently chucking Danny under the chin.
"Yessir...I don't know...what do I..." Danny stumbled over the words, nervously rubbing his hands on his knees. Jess placed his hand on the boy's hand and squeezed, then took him gently by the arm and tugged him from the sitting position next to him, to face down over his lap in a quick but gentle move, that still caused Danny to gasp a bit in surprise. Jess carefully shifted Danny just slightly and laid a comforting hand on the boys back, patting gently before speaking softly.
"Ready, Danny?"
Danny thought sitting and waiting for Jess had been awful. But this. He didn't know what to do with himself. The toes of his boots were barely touching the floor on one side and it was about the same with his fingers on the other side. He felt entirely off balance and was beyond grateful when Jess began patting his back, emotions flooding his chest in such a way that the once retreating troops returned, storming the battlefront. He grabbed Jess's leg with one hand to brace himself, as he dashed at his eyes in frustration with the other.
He was all sorts of sideways and he really didn't like it. He heard Jess's voice come softly from above him but it took him a second to decipher the words. Ready? No! He wasn't ready, he wanted to yell, but just couldn't. Guilt battled with his fear, as he thought hard about just how ridiculous it had been to lie and sneak off, instead of just asking for another option...like an adult. "Yessir." He managed to get the word out, then buried his face in the crook of the arm that wasn't holding Jess's leg in a death grip.
Jess heard the boy answer him, and he fought with the urge to gently push the boy off his lap, and call the whole thing off. The last few hours for Danny - and himself - had been really rough. Was this even necessary? The boy was repentant. Wasn't that the point? Another voice came up from deep inside though, telling him that the boy had to know he meant what he said, cuz if there was a next time...Jess swallowed hard. No. There would be no next time, not if he could help it. And not if the boy kept his promise, but Jess had made a promise too.
Taking in a deep breath, he delivered the first swat, and immediately hardened himself against whatever reaction Danny would have. It wasn't overly surprising to hear the boy whimper but it was a surprise to find how heavy his hand felt when he lifted it the second time. Firming his resolve, he brought his hand down again, hearing but purposefully ignoring the sucked in breath Danny gave as it connected. Knowing it wasn't going to get any easier, that he and the boy needed this over with, he gave the boy another handful of swats, barely pausing between them...
Never again, never again. Danny was chanting the words to himself as the first swat landed, and a whimper escaped him, more in surprise than pain. Blinking rapidly and chanting the words even more fiercely in his head, he felt the second swat land and sucked in a breath. A moment later, as he felt other swats follow, the soldiers rushed forward, the floodgates were opened and Danny let loose with sobs from deep down inside, that had absolutely nothing to do with the short tanning he'd just received.
Jess knew there was no way he'd swatted the boy hard enough to warrant the gasping tears that were pouring from the red headed youngster. He figured the boy was unloading every emotion from not only today, but the entire last week. And while he wasn't sure how Danny would handle being comforted, there was no way he was going to leave the boy like this either. He quickly shifted the boy around and pulled him close to his chest, doing his best to comfort this boy who'd burrowed his way into his life.
They stayed that way until Danny started sucking in huge breaths trying to rein in the tears. Jess shifted the boy a bit, to be able to reach up with one hand and push his hair from his eyes. "You doing ok there, Son?" the word slipped off Jess's tongue without prior thought and he cringed, expecting a fierce rebuttal. When none was forthcoming, neither angry retort, or any kind of answer, Jess lowered his voice another notch and tried again, speaking near the boy's ear. "Danny? You ok?" This time he felt the boy nod against his chest and he chuckled softly in relief. "Ok, good, " he whispered, rubbing Danny's shoulder a bit.
"Jess?" Danny's whispered word was almost imperceptible.
"Yessir, Mr. James?" Jess couldn't see the boy's face but he was pretty sure the boy smiled at that.
"I'm really sorry. I'll never do that again. Ever. Honest." Grinning, Jess squeezed the boy in a tight hug.
"I know you won't, Danny."
"Jess?"
"Yeah Danny?" There was a pause, a moment where the air seemed to bristle with anticipation, and then Danny sucked in and let out a huge, shuddering breath before whispering his next words.
"You can call me 'Son'."