THE LEADER
Chris Larabee watched as Buck Wilmington tried to drown his anger in a bottle of whiskey and the lovely arms of Rachel Hicks, his current favorite among the saloon girls since the sudden departure of Melanie Hills. Buck had been his friend for many years, and Chris had never seen him looking as wretched as he had lately. No one knew what was really going on between Buck, Sam, and JD, and everyone who had seen the faces of the once tight trio was far too afraid to ask. Chris had a feeling everything was going to boil soon.
THE TRACKER
"Think maybe we should tell Buck to slow down?" Vin Tanner asked, seeing the large quantities of alcohol Buck was gorging himself on. Seeing Chris shaking his head in response, Vin felt nearly helpless. He hated that feeling, especially when it involved his friends. Something was going to have to give soon, so everything could return to normal. Or at least try to return to normal, Vin wasn't enough of a fool to assume that it would all be like before. There was definately something in the air. He downed his own whiskey and tried not to think about it.
THE PREACHER
Josiah Sanchez lit a candle in the darkened church and stared into the flame. What to pray for first? Peace for his friends minds? Forgiveness for their hearts? He brought his thoughts deep inside and tried to think of what he wanted. A reason to believe that praying would help. A day when there would be no danger for any of the people he loved. He sat in the front pew and folded his hands together, noticing they looked older. Josiah was getting older, he knew that. But there was still time to do good before his time was up.
THE LADIES MAN
Buck stared at the beautiful face of Rachel Hicks, trying to lose himself in her luscious red lips. More than anything, he wanted to be able to get lost with a woman again. It wasn't happening at that moment, so he'd added some drinking into the equation, thinking that when he lost his head, he'd lose his worries and get lost in her. Then he got to thinking, if she had been Melanie Hills would it have been easier? Melanie, down the street in the hotel, ignoring him. Buck took another drink, and thought of ways to kill Ezra.
THE HEALER
Nathan Jackson figured things were as bad as they could get when JD had decided to stay at the village rather than return to Four Corners. From the faces of his friends when he walked in, things had gotten worse and it wasn't over yet. Vin pushed out a chair for Nathan and slid the whiskey bottle over toward him. "That bad?" Nathan asked, looking around. Vin nodded. "You're gonna need it." Just then, rain started to fall outside. Loud thunder rumbled and lightning flashed the town with brightness for a moment. "A Thunderstorm? Now thats gotta be a damn sign."
THE GAMBLER
The rumble of thunder startled some of the guests at the Standish hotel, but as the perfect host he was, Ezra Standish signaled to Edmund Reys to play something from his grand piano. The gentle southerner was in the middle of charming an older woman from Boston when he looked up and saw Samantha Crawford standing in the doorway to the hotel, watching the rain. What kind of man would let a woman like her go so easily? Quickly, he brushed the thought away and brought his concentration back to his guest. He knew they were best friends, no more.
THE SPIRIT
Sam watched from the doorway as the rain muddied the streets. She looked down and saw the saloon was lively as always. The hotel was flourishing too, business was good in Four Corners. The sweet melody from the piano floated her back to the Valentines day dance over a year ago, and how happy she'd been. Recently, her main goal had been to leave those old feelings behind and move on. And although she was trying, there was a deep sadness in her every waking moment. She was alone in a place surrounded by people who all knew her name.
THE VISIONARY
"Momma!" Billy's cry sent Mary flying upstairs to his room, where she found the little boy sitting up in his bed crying. The thunder and lightning had scared him awake. Taking the child in her arms, Mary soothed him until his sobs became the contented safe sleep of a child in his mothers eyes. With Billy asleep in her arms, Mary finally admitted to herself that nights like this scared her too. These were the times she missed her late husband the most. A different man's smile appeared in her mind. It was his arms she imagined holding her now.
THE FANFIC WRITER
The Writer sat at her keyboard, content to give these surely tired characters a break. She looked over at her suitcases, packed and ready to leave for 3 weeks in Mexico. These fictional friends of hers would be alright while she was gone. Despite the hard feelings, everything was peaceful and all was right in what for tonight was the muddy little town of Four Corners. As many things as these characters had to figure out, the writer knew she had to figure them out first. And she planned to do that in Veracruz with a Pina Colada in hand.