Chapter 91
“Chris, can you hear me?” Orrin Travis asked as he watched the younger man tossing on the bed.
“I’ll kill you, Wilcox. I’ll kill you for what you’ve done,” Larabee’s weak cries tore at the older man’s heart.
“Chris, come on, Son, it’s just a dream. Open your eyes.”
“You bastard! You killed him!”
“Mr. Larabee, you need to wake up,” the nurse tried, worried that his thrashing would open the wounds and start his leg bleeding again.
Orrin Travis turned to the door and sighed deeply. The man Chris needed to see was being pushed into the room. Although pale, Vin’s face was also filled with relief
as his eyes drank in the familiar form on the bed.
“Get me over there, Nathan,” Tanner ordered and felt the bed being pushed into the room and up to the writhing form on the bed. As soon as the beds were side by
side Vin moved closer to his friend.
“Vin! Wilcox you...”
“Hey, Cowboy, you having a problem there?” Tanner reached across the railing and touched his friend’s shoulder.
“Oh, Jesus, you killed him,” Larabee’s voice was edged with pain and despair as he struggled with the death of his friend. Tremors wracked his body as terrified
eyes opened wide and a cry of pain issued from his throat. His hands lashed out at anything close to him and a feral rage contorted his face.
“Vin, we have to move you back,” Jackson snapped as he watched the nurse trying to control the flailing hands.
“No! Dammit, Nathan. He’s stuck in a fuckin’ nightmare. He ain’t gonna hurt me. Are ya Cowboy?”
A voice penetrated the vivid world he was trapped in. The voice of reason, the voice of calm, the voice of Vin Tanner.
“That’s it, Chris, just open those Larabee eyes and give us that glare,” Tanner drawled as he reached for the hand of his friend.
“V...Vin?”
“Yeah, Pard, it’s me. You need to stop doin’ this before you hurt yourself even more.”
Larabee swallowed as he stared at the man in the next bed. “Thought you were dead, Vin,” The single green eye filled with unshed moisture as the blond realized his
friend was indeed alive. “Oh, Jesus, I thought you were dead. I thought that Bastard took you away from us.”
“I p...promised you I’d be here to watch your back, Pard...”
“And you never go back on a p...promise.”
“It’s over, Chris.”
“Is it, Vin? Are they all dead?”
“Nathan?” Tanner turned to the medic, unsure if Wilcox was dead or not, his tired mind unsure whether or not he’d asked and received an answer to that question.
“Sharpe died instantly. Wilcox was revived...”
“Son of a Bitch!” Tanner hissed, seeing the familiar panic on Larabee’s face.
“Wait, Vin, Chris, both of you be calm. I said he was revived but they lost him again. He’s dead.”
“Dead?” Larabee whispered, his shoulders slumping as a surge of relief washed over him.
“Dead?” Tanner repeated and the two men closed their eyes, picturing the man who’d caused them both so much pain. A soft moan brought Tanner back to reality
and he looked to the pale blond. “It’s alright, Cowboy, he can’t hurt either of us anymore.”
“Amen to that,” Jackson said from beside him. “What’s ironic is that he died saving your life, Chris. Oh he didn’t do it on purpose but he cushioned your fall. You
would’ve been a lot worse off if you hadn’t landed on top of him. At least now you can both heal and not have to worry about those bastards. Bet you can’t wait to
get out of here.”
“Hear that, Cowboy, what do ya say? Want to get out of this place and back home?”
“I’ve never wanted anything so bad, Vin,” Larabee said, yawning widely.
“Me either. Think maybe we could convince them to let us go with time served.”
“If they do you can wheel me out of here right now,” the blond smiled as his eyes began to grow heavy.
“That’s not gonna happen,” the nurse laughed. “Mr. Larabee, you need to go to sleep. Mr. Tanner, it looks like the orderlies are ready to take you to your new
room.”
“You gonna be alright, Chris?” Tanner asked.
“Am now. You?”
“Think so. I’ll be up to see you later today,” the younger man told him.
“Oh I don’t think so, Vin. I think maybe you got another day or two before you’re up and around,” Jackson informed him.
“Go, Vin, least you’ll have a little freedom,” Larabee muttered wistfully.
“Chris, they’re putting Vin in a semi private room and as soon as Dr. Silverman gives the ok you’ll be joining him.”
“Hmm.”
“I think he’s asleep. Thank you for calming him down, Mr. Tanner,” the nurse nodded as the second bed was wheeled from the room.
“Nathan, is he going to be alright?” Tanner asked as the medic walked beside his bed.
“I think so, Vin. It’s gonna take a long time but I think maybe you’ll both start healing now.”
“I think that’s something we all need to do,” the sharpshooter closed his eyes and thought about old friends and broken promises.
“Hey, Stud, you gonna sleep the day away?”
“B...Buck?” Larabee coughed and soon felt a straw in front of his mouth. He drank gratefully until the nurse took it away.
“Yeah, Pard, it’s me. How’re you feeling?”
“Honestly?”
“That’d be nice for a change.”
“Lousy.”
“Figured as much. Heard you were having a rough time of it today. Why don’t you let them give you a little extra to make it easier?”
“I’m tired of all the drugs, Buck. Tired of feeling out of control. I wish they’d take this damn Morphine pump off and let me choose when I want to take something.”
“They probably will when they take you down to your new room, Chris.”
“How’s Vin doing?” he asked as the nurse checked the wound on his leg.
“He’s about the same as you. Wanting out of here and giving the nurses and doctors a hard time.”
“Oh, hell, Buck, I’m just tired of being in here. I feel like I’ve been in here forever,” he groaned as the nurse redressed his wound.
“Mr. Larabee, I know this hurts but it has to be done,” the nurse said sympathetically. “You’ve been in a lot of pain since you woke up and I really think you should
consider letting me give you a little extra.”
“Listen to her, Chris, she makes sense.”
“Yeah, Buck, she does but...”
“But you hate admitting that you’re hurting.”
The green eye misted as the blond looked at his oldest friend, a man he turned to whenever things got really bad. The only man who understood his friendship with
Vin Tanner. The only man who knew his deepest secrets and fears. They’d shared a lot of years and still turned to each other when times got really bad. “You read
me too easily, Pard.”
“Does that mean you’re going to let her give you something?”
“I guess so, Buck, I’m tired of all this.”
“It won’t be for much longer, Chris,” Wilmington assured him. “You and Vin’ll be home before you know it.”
“Not soon enough for me,” Larabee groaned.
“Mr. Larabee, did you want me to give you another shot?”
He moved on the bed and knew there was little choice if he planned on getting through the day. “Yeah, anything to make this stop,” he gasped. He closed his eyes,
not wanting his friend to see just how much he was hurting. His stomach churned as he relived what he thought was Vin Tanner’s last few minutes of life.
‘I wish I could make it all go away, Pard,’ the ladies man thought as he watched his friend finally succumb to sleep.
Chapter 92
“Mr. Tanner, can I come in?”
Tanner rubbed sleep drenched eyes and pressed the button on his bed to raise his head. “Sure, Ez, come on in. How’s the head?” he asked, having found out from
Nathan what Sharpe had done to Standish.
“Intolerable at times but not too bad at the moment.”
“Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tanner, how are you feeling?”
“Depends on what you’re asking about.”
“Everything.”
“Well aside from all the blood tests and the damned IV I’d say I’m doing fine.”
“Your back?”
“Hurts, mostly when I try to move. My shoulder’s still a little sore but it’s not too bad,” Tanner told him, then noticed something in the other man’s eyes. “That’s not
really why you’re here is it, Ez?”
The gambler stared at the younger man, knowing he was reading right through the poker face he tried so hard to show. “I keep thinking about Sharpe and what he
did to Mr... What he did to Chris. Jesus, Vin, I let that bastard get him. What kind of friend am I?”
“It wasn’t your fault. I’ve come to realize the fault doesn’t sit with either of us it sits with, Wilcox, Whelan, and Sharpe.”
“I keep saying the same thing but I can’t help feeling like I let all of you down.”
“You did nothing wrong, Ez. Sharpe knew his way around and he knew how to get what he wanted. If you hadn’t told the officer outside Chris’s door to go that
nurse would be dead now. You did the only thing you could. You saved her life and that’s something to be thankful for.”
“But I almost cost Chris his life and you yours.”
“No, you didn’t. Sharpe caught us when we were most vulnerable but the bastard messed with the wrong guys.”
“I know you’re right, Vin, I just have to keep reminding myself of that.”
“Have you been up to see Chris?”
“Not yet but I will do so in a few minutes. I...I just wasn’t sure if I c...could face him after everything that happened.”
“You’ve done nothing to be ashamed of, Ezra. Go see Chris, he’ll tell you the same thing. We’re proud to have you as a friend.”
“Thanks, Vin, I needed to hear that,” Standish said as he left the sharpshooter alone.
‘Dammit, Gary, how many lives did your hatred touch? How many people have to pay the price for something that was beyond our control?’ he thought as
silent tears flowed down his cheeks.
Standish could tell Chris Larabee was sleeping as he slowly walked into the room. Wilmington looked at the newcomer and nodded as he stood up. He could see the
white bandage on the pale forehead and knew the man was carrying a load of guilt. Something they all needed to deal with. “Hey, Ez, good to see you up and
about.”
“Thanks, Mr. Wilmington. How is Mr. Larabee feeling.”
“I’m fine, Ez,” Larabee said as he stared up at the newcomer. The only man who hadn’t been in to see him since the night Sharpe had victimized them all. “Heard you
got hurt the other night.”
“I assure you, Mr. Larabee, it’s nothing to be concerned about.”
“I’ll leave you two alone for awhile. Kinda getting hungry anyway,” Wilmington could tell the two men needed to talk. “I’ll be back in a little while, Stud.”
“Thanks, Buck,” Larabee smiled weakly as the newcomer sat in the chair beside the bed. He slowly raised the head of the bed so he could look at the gambler.
“Ezra, you should know I’m always concerned about my friends.”
Standish was taken aback by Larabee’s open admission of friendship and he returned the weak smile. “Some friend.”
The two words came out filled with self loathing and Larabee picked up on it immediately. “It wasn’t your fault, Ez.”
“I was responsible for watching you! Don’t you understand, Chris? I’m responsible for what that bastard did to you and Vin! I didn’t do my job and you were both
nearly killed!”
“Ezra,” Larabee waited for the green eyes to look at him. “Do you really think I blame you for what happened the other night?”
“You should.”
“No, Ezra, I shouldn’t. This all came about because Wilcox blamed Vin for breaking a promise. Vin never broke it, he was hurt and unconscious but Gary Wilcox
didn’t see it that way. He let the anger and rage get to him. He let it tear him apart inside. Let himself believe that his torment was caused by Vin. He let it simmer
inside of him, burning the soul out of him. Turning him into a man bent on vengeance. He took every bad thing that happened to him and laid the blame at Vin
Tanner’s feet.”
“But...”
“But nothing, Ez, put the blame where it belongs and that’s just not with any of us. You were a victim in this same as JD and Vin and me. I know all about guilt, Ezra,
believe me you’re looking at the man who invented the word. I feel sorry for Wilcox because he didn’t have the guts to face what happened to him. No, wait, that’s
wrong. I feel sorry for him because he didn’t let himself see beyond his thirst for vengeance. Didn’t let himself see what a true friend he had in Vin. I’m not getting my
point across with this. I can’t seem to think straight right now. What I’m trying to say, Ez, is that you have nothing to feel guilty about and neither do any of the rest of
us. I’m damned proud to call each of you friend and I promise to do anything in my power to keep it that way.”
“Thanks, Chris.”
“For what?”
“For being Chris Larabee. For always knowing what needs to be said and saying it. I know in my heart it wasn’t my fault but hearing it from you and Vin makes it a
little easier to believe.”
“We’re family, Ez, and family looks after each other. How’s Vin doing?” Larabee asked as he yawned loudly. “Damn, can’t seem to stop doing that. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize, Mr. Larabee,” Standish said, distancing himself once more. “You have the right after everything you’ve been through. As for Mr. Tanner he is
resting in his room. I’m sure he’ll feel much better once you join him there.”
“Me too,” Larabee said as he let his eyes slide shut.