Epilogue

Full of Surprises

As expected, when the seven returned to the Barrens two days after the army reinforcements had arrived to take charge of the prisoners captured during the attempted massacre at the railway camp, the mining facility that had been the centre of Julius’ power during this entire affair, was abandoned. This came as little surprise to everyone concerned especially Chris, who knew that Julius was too much of a coward to remain and face the music, just like he had been careful to stay out of the fighting and let his men shed all the blood for his victories.

The facility was like a ghost town when they arrived, with everything of value removed until only the buildings remained, waiting to be swept into the dust by the harsh winds that travelled the terrain, dissolving into time like everything else that was forgotten. It was a far cry from the place that Ezra had described when he and Mary had returned only a few days ago. A thorough search was made nonetheless although no one expected to find anything, least of all Julius. Wherever he was, Chris was certain the man was planning ugly vengeance against those who had conspired to destroy his dream of godhood before it even had a chance to emerge.

Chris and Vin had ridden to Purgatorio the night before and discovered that things in the town had returned to normal with the Citadel members who had taken up residence there having quit the place soon after the attack had failed. No doubt, they had departed on Julius’ orders and would emerge soon enough if what Vin told Chris was true when the sniper force had chased away the handful of men that had been left after their barrage of gunfire. Chris expected that it was not the last time they would be hearing about the dreaded organisation and now they had specific reason to fear because they were enemies not only to Julius but to the Citadel as well.

Ezra had related to them how Julius had approached him in the aftermath of the battle and delivered the warning as well as the minor injury to the gambler’s neck under the man’s blade. There was something in Ezra’s narration that seemed out of place like his behaviour had been since the return from the mining facility the night he had rescued Mary. Chris sensed there was something he was not telling them. While his trust in Ezra was without question, it worried Chris to see the gambler so unsettled and he clearly was after the encounter with Julius.

Although Chris wanted to question Ezra further on this, he did not because he had the faint suspicion that Ezra would tell him to mind his own business. After years of friendship, Chris had come to recognise that there were two sides to the gambler. One persona was the money loving, professional gambler who would sell his mother (although with Maude it was understandable) for a quick buck. The other side to Ezra which was not so verbose or cynical, was deeply private and possessing of more feeling for the people in his life than he would like to admit. If Ezra wanted to remain silent, Chris respected him enough to allow him that. For saving Mary’s life, Chris had no trouble making that small allowance.

The damage to the railway site though considerable, was nothing that would not be repaired in a few days, McPhee had stated and alleged that the construction work on the tracks would begin in less than a week. In the meantime, the women and children were returned to the camp once things had settled enough for it to be allowed. The army also took charge of retrieving the bodies of the soldiers that had been poisoned in order to return them to their families. The general had spent an entire afternoon penning a letter to Colonel Markham’s family whom he knew personally after working with the man for so long.

Although his father bore the death of his trusted adjutant stoically, Chris could tell that the general was saddened by the death of his old friend whom by all accounts had been at his side for the last ten years. Chris supposed that he would be hit just as hard if he were to lose any of the men riding at his side and remembered a terrible instance not too long ago when they had all believed Vin had died. Until he was restored to them, Chris had been unable to imagine life without the tracker riding shot gun no matter how much trouble they were in. He hoped that allowing the general to be apart of his life and that of his family was in some small way, able to compensate for that loss.

For Chris himself, even though Julius had escaped, he felt strangely at peace with the way things had transpired, even reaching resolution. Of course, if the man who had taught him to despise anyone who put a bullet in another’s back, ever strayed back into his sights again, Chris would see to it that Julius regretted the encounter but for himself, Chris was in no hurry to seek him out. Also, after twenty one years of soul searching and deep seeded guilt over his actions following his expulsion from the Academy, Chris was finally able to let go of that particular burden. His father did not judge his actions and was willing to forgive him. With a soul that had reason to bear much already, Chris was pleased that he was able to let go of one of his demons.

He would never shake them all away but at least he was making a start.

**********

"What a mess." Buck looked at the ruins of the shack now that the crisis was over and they had finally time to pay some attention to the damage done to the shack during the attack by the Citadel when they had attempted to recover the nitro.

"No kidding." Vin agreed, unhappy to see the first real home of his own in such a state of destruction. Even though he had not called the shack home for little than a few months, it did pained him to see Chris’ gift to him like this. Nothing much remained of the building except a pile of ashes and burned wood after the shack had collapsed upon itself when the fire had eaten away the support beams.

"Well think of it this way," Nathan said looking over the wreckage with as much distaste, recalling how terrible it had been when they had first sighted the destruction, when they were unaware whether or not Vin, Josiah, JD and Alex had made it out of there alive. "Now you got the chance to rebuild the way you like."

"And big enough for two." Alex pointed out trying to make her fiancee feel better because she could see in his eyes the sadness of losing the shack. Considering she shared so many nights here with him, herself, Alex felt rather emotional about it. Although her arm was still in a sling, the lady was much improved in health when she sidled up next to Vin and slid her uninjured arm under his heavy coat and pulled herself closer to him by hooking her arm around his waist.

"Yeah," Vin smiled at that, liking the idea that soon, he would be able to share every night with her and also the mornings that came after. As it was, the hours he had spent with Alex out here was as close to heaven as he could possibly imagine. Draping his arm across her shoulder, he savoured her warmth next to him and added. "Ain’t gonna be nothing fancy though. I ain’t that great at house building."

"You’ll manage," Josiah quipped, the big man was feasting on some sandwiches that Mary had laid out on a picnic blanket. He took a swallow and then added. "With a little help from us of course."

"Sure," Buck nodded in agreement as he joined his wife since the idea of building would have to wait until they got back into town for materials. Besides, they needed to sit down and take stock of how Vin would want the place rebuilt. As Alex had just mentioned, the shack would no longer be for one. "Why not? Everything about this place seems to become a group effort sooner than later."

"I think its admirable." Mary remarked. The editor of the Clarion News was stretched out on a blanket, occasionally glancing up from her books as she lazed in the afternoon son, in order to see what her friends were getting up to and participating in their conversation.

The seven were out here today in order to assess the damage incurred to the Lucky 7 ranch during their firefight with the Citadel as well as checking on the horses. As it was a beautiful day outside, the women had opted for picnic outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and catch up with each other after the trials of the past few days while their men took stock of what needed doing around the ranch in the wake of the destruction.

As Mary surveyed the scene before her, she smiled seeing Inez next to her bouncing Elena Rose in her lap. The little baby was giggling quite happily as her mother played with her and garnered a smile of pleasure from anyone who happened to glance at her cherubic face. Julia was basking in the sunshine from under Ezra’s hat, while the gambler lay next to his lady, playing a game of solitaire where Julia would prod at him now and then at where a card should go. Vin, Nathan and Alex were still looking over the damage to the shack. As Mary looked at the doctor, her journalistic sense told her that even now Alex as envisioning what the new structure was going to be, particularly after a few feminine additions to the overall design that Vin and Nathan were discussing.

"Well the horses are okay." JD Dunne announced, as he and Casey Wells joined them. The youth had volunteered to check the horses and furnished them with feed. Although he would be had pressed to admit it, JD loved helping out at the ranch especially when he was allowed to tend to the horses. As a boy in the city, the horses he tended to at the rich school where his mother worked were the closest things he could imagine to being in the west. It was an affection that still continued now, even though he had his own and did actually in the west. "I got them watered and fed."

"You mean I did." Casey reminded with a hint of teasing in his voice. "You’re not suppose to be doing hard work, remember?"

"I remember Casey," JD retorted, wishing his girl was no so difficult some time. "I could have done it myself, you didn’t have to help me."

"I’m glad she did," Nathan glanced at the young sheriff long enough to say firmly. "At least one of you have got sense."

"See." Casey smirked at him in triumph and JD shrugged his shoulders, deciding he was never going to win this argument and conceded defeat by spotting food and heading towards it.

"Thanks to both of you anyway," Vin replied after all that as he continued to shift through the ashes and rubble of the shack with his boot, trying to see if anything could be salvaged within the ashes.

"So you will be staying out here Alex, after the wedding?" Julia Pemberton inquired. The fiery headed Emporium owner appeared like something out of a portrait as her yellow dress bloomed around her and really did look as if she ought to be captured on canvas with the sunlight bouncing off her creamy skin.

"Yes," Alex nodded pulling away from the tracker so she could join the others and leaving Vin and Nathan to their ruminations about the new shack. "I’ll still have the clinic in town but its not too far to travel back and forth from here. Besides, it might even be peaceful not having people knock on my door for minor injuries that can wait until morning."

"That means they’ll come after me." Nathan remarked with a slight frown as he turned away from Vin long enough to point out.

"Hey," the doctor grinned mischievously. "I didn’t say it was a perfect plan." She winked at the healer with mischief and created chuckles all around when he pretended to throw his hat at her.

"So," Inez asked with more than just passing curiosity. "When are you two getting married?"

"Come on honey," Buck automatically jumped in, perfectly aware of where she was going with this. "You got enough do as it is without getting it in your head to plan a wedding too." It was true. With the baby and Inez returning on a limited basis to the saloon to do the cooking, her time was becoming increasingly finite and Buck did not want her to over do things.

"Buck," Inez gave him a look of playful confidence, taking no offence at his caution because she knew that he was only think of her. "You have no idea how versatile I can be." Her eyes twinkled with suggestion as Buck’s grin grew wider.

"Darling," he offered her a grin just as full of salacious intent before tweaking the nose of his little daughter who chortled in delight, "I know just how talented you can be." Both husband and wife laughed, enjoying what appeared to be a very private joke.

"And with that," Ezra spoke up over the sound of their voices. "I think we can safely move along to another subject. In fact, any subject." The gambler swept his gaze at the faces around him for someone to move away from the embarrassing topic of Buck Wilmington’s love life. Its not like they not been regaled by the tales of his exploits endlessly during his bachelor years without having to endure the same ordeal during his adventures in matrimonial bliss as well.

"Like a wedding." Josiah suggested devilishly and garnered a dark look from Vin for bringing back the conversation to that volatile subject once more. He had hoped they would more onto something else because Inez was getting that voracious look in her eyes and Vin was certain the Mexican was picturing him in a suit even as they spoke.

Alex who noticed Vin starting to squirm with the possibility of a large wedding, shook her head in exasperation and decided she was going to put a stop to this right now. "Contrary to popular belief and those of you who have been offering my dear fiancee’ so much good advice that he’s itching to take off for the hills, I do not want a big wedding." She stated firmly for the benefit of those around her, giving Vin a look of impatience at being so thick headed about not listening to her no matter how many times she had stressed the point.

"So you say." Ezra teased.

Alex turned to Julia and said sweetly. "Now Miss Pemberton, didn’t you say that you wanted a big wedding with all the trimmings when you and Ezra finally took the plunge? You know the kind with a dozen bridesmaids and a party that would last a week? I mean you have been together just as long as Vin and I have been so how is you two are discussing wedding plans?" She asked smugly, hoping Julia caught on.

Miss Pemberton who rarely let anything slip by her, took the opportunity to indulge in some harmless fun at Ezra’s expense and nodded in excitement. "Absolutely!" She declared with a just enough enthusiasm in her voice to give Ezra concern. "In my family, we had enormous weddings. Why everyone in town turned up and then some. It was truly magical. I hope some day my wedding is that romantic, whenever that is going to be....." She let out a longing sight in a performance that was to rival Maude Standish at her very best and left Ezra’s mouth hanging open. The rest of his friends were laughing in amusement at the sheer panic on his face that his love might be considering seriously the possibility of a wedding.

"And I could plan it!" Inez added, enjoying seeing Ezra perspiring profusely.

"You’re obsessed!" Mary exclaimed and prodded Inez in exasperation while she laughed, joining in the fun they were all enjoying as Ezra began to appear very nervous.

"Now Julia," Ezra started to speak after he regained enough equilibrium to do so. "We talked about this remember? You didn’t want to get married just yet."

"Boy," Nathan chuckled. "I ain’t seen you this nervous since you lost your shirt at the tables." The healer enjoyed it when Ezra was taken into account for his actions or lack of them. However, he had to admit being inordinately grateful that Rain was not present during this conversation. Talk about opening a can of worms!

However, Ezra was not about to cry defeat at least without taking someone else with him. "It seems to me Mrs Wilmington, you ought to plan an affair for yourself." His eyes narrowed with a wicked smirk as he looked at Buck. "After all, you do deserve so much better than the nuptial ceremony you received when you formalise your attachment to Mr Wilmington."

"Shut up Ezra," Buck tried to growl quietly but was unfortunately heard by Inez, who was immediately outraged by his attempt to silence Ezra on the subject.

"What do you mean shut up Ezra?" Inez glared at him. "I always wanted a nice wedding and instead I got an I do in between labour pains."

"Not to mention a tracker for your bridesmaid." Ezra added just to add fuel to the fire. "Although," he looked at Vin with teasing smile, proving to everyone to never assume he was done for the count. "He did look might fetching with all that hair."

"Hey!" Vin retorted incensed. "The only reason you weren’t the bridesmaid was because we didn’t have no dress for you to put on."

"A dress?" Julia said blankly, searching everyone’s face for an explanation. "What’s this about a dress?"

"Oh no....." Ezra stared at his friends and issued a warning in his voice to them that they had better not even thinking about telling the woman he loved about that story. It was embarrassing enough as it was, without having to relive it through the narration of others. He did not care how funny a tale it was.

"Come on Ezra," Josiah was grinning, seeing the warning and ignoring it completely "Sing something for us."

"Something soft and pretty." Nathan added, delighting as Ezra went red and started to fume as Julia became more insistent on knowing what this was about.

"Come on Ezra," Casey joined in. "What about this dress?"

"I didn’t even know you could sing." Julia chimed in; sensing something very funny at the storm of Ezra’s embarrassed expression.

"I think it was Red River Valley wasn’t it?" JD asked, no one in particular and even though the answer was not important but the crimson colour filtering into Ezra’s face was.

The group started arguing amongst themselves, with Inez demanding to know why Buck had a problem with them having a wedding. Ezra was just about to choke the life out of the next person who attempted to relate the tale of why he had been forced to wear a dress at Wickestown. Alex was trying desperately to convince Vin that she really did want a small ceremony for their wedding, while the others simply enjoyed the chaos. In the midst of all this, Mary took up Elena Rose from her arguing parents, who hardly noticed in their ‘discussion’ and looked at the child with a warm smile.

"Come on," she said cradling the baby in her arms as she rose to her feet. "Let’s go find Chris."

**********

Mary did not have far to walk before she found Chris, his father and Billy sitting at the edge of the nearby creek where they often came to fish whenever time permitted. Leaving the bickering of the so called adults behind, the editor of the Clarion News and her best friend’s daughter took the familiar trail through the woods until she heard the bubbling sounds of water rushing by at a lethargic pace. Chris was lazing back on the grass, his fishing rod firmly planted into the grass while the general, who was not in uniform, was showing Billy how to tie a fly.

"Hey ma!" Billy waved happily as he saw his mother approaching and his announcement of her arrival made the two Larabee men look over their shoulder at her approach.

"Hello," Mary smiled as she joined Chris on the grass beside him. "I thought I’d come and see what my boys are up to."

"Not much," Chris remarked as Mary leaned over and kissed him before she nestled comfortably beside him on the ground, sitting cross-legged as Elena Rose stared fascinated by the swaying of her gold hair. The child soon had her tiny fist around a lock and was making a tentative attempt to see if it tasted as good as it looked.

"I thought I’d take Elena Rose away from the others. It was getting pretty ugly over there." She said with a smile.

"Trouble?" Chris asked instinctively.

"Wedding talk." Mary replied shortly and needed to make no further explanation.

"Vin making for Mexico yet?" The gunslinger asked as he tickled Elena rose under her chin and saw a toothless smile beaming back at him.

"Almost there." Mary giggled, remembering the expression on Vin’s face when she had departed.

"Boy’s going to get himself an ulcer before he even gets to a preacher." Larabee pointed out with the barest hint of a smile.

Unfortunately, Mary could not disagree with that assessment. "Alex is trying to calm him down but you know Vin."

"He’s a good kid." The general added once he had given Billy the proper instruction and aided his new grandson to cast his line into the water. "A little quiet but nevertheless a good kid."

Chris knew his father well enough to know that was the general’s way of approving of his companions and also revealing a deeper liking for Vin as more than just one of the men Chris rode with. Like Chris himself, Marcus Larabee was seeing the same things he saw in Vin Tanner the first time they had met. Although he did not voice it, Chris suspected that the general thought of Vin as the son he had lost and Chris as the son he had been returned. There was no other way to be more specific than that, it was just a feeling and it pleased Chris to know that since he and Vin were already like brothers.

"It’ a shame you can’t stay longer," Mary sighed, enjoying having a full house these past few days. In the aftermath of their engagement with the Citadel and Hannibal Julius, the general had been enjoying the Larabee household’s hospitality. It felt as if their family was growing in leaps and bounds and Mary liked it.

"I have to get back to Washington." Larabee answered honestly. "In light of what has happened here, I need to re-evaluate our existing strategy in cornering the Citadel. It’s obvious now that they’re more than just another militant group but becoming a terrorist organisation. What happened here could be just the start of a fully fledged campaign of terror."

"How awful." Mary shuddered, remembering the insanity she had seen in Julius eyes and knew that having such a man in charge of so many and not be above violence had to be someone’s nightmare come true. It was certainly hers.

"I don’t doubt it," Chris said not really concerned for the moment. No doubt, Julius would come back this way but the next time Chris would be ready for him and the self styled demi-god would not escape so easily. "We’ll keep an eye out for him here."

"Do that," Larabee warned with just enough tension in his voice to mean it. "He’s got a personal stake when it comes to you."

"So do I." Chris answered, with menace surfacing in his voice to confirm that Julius would be the one at a disadvantage if the man came after the Larabee family again.

"Well I hope you will come back for the christening." Mary smiled, moving off the topic to something a little closer to home.

"Couldn’t keep me away." Larabee replied, casting his daughter in law a look of warmth. "Good thing about being a general at my age, is I get more time to attend to personal matters."

"Don’t be a stranger," Chris admitted finally. "You got family here who would be happy to have you come back any time."

Father and son exchanged a look of silent contemplation for a few seconds and though they had been separated by twenty one years of misconception and pride, it was good to know that things between them were at last resolved. Perhaps it would never truly be easy to hurdle the loss of those years and Chris suspected that there was much work needed before their relationship could return to what it was but then anything was possible.

If Chris Larabee had learned one thing in the last three years, life was full of surprises and this one was one he could did not at all mind.

THE END

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