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azombiewritesTitle: Friendship
Tenth story in 'The Continuing Ezra Standish Saga'
Rating: PG
Warnings: Bad writing ahead!
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The seven hired gunmen are returning to Four Corners when they meet up with a group of men who are transporting a prisoner. A man who was once a friend of Ezra Standish.
Main Characters: Ezra, and the rest of the seven, and some OC's
Disclaimers: The guys are owned by CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp.
Beta: Not betaed – written in the early days when I didn’t know what the words grammar and edit meant. *is ashamed but no longer care*
Notes: Tenth story in the ‘Continuing Ezra Standish Saga’.
Spoilers: None.
Total Word Count: 20,141
Part Three
***
Chris watched as Jason put Ezra down on the bed, he then began to untie his hands. Nathan had waited outside for Buck to come back. That was when they heard the gunshots. Jason thought that while Chris was distracted he could make his escape but Chris had not even flinched at the sound. He just continued to stand still watching him. Nathan then came into the room and went straight to Ezra. Jason stood back waiting for his opportunity, it was going to be difficult with this man watching him so closely.
Nathan gave Ezra a quick check over first, he was very pale and the only wound that he could see was the one on the side of his head. He then used his hands to quickly check the rest of his body, he found no injuries to his legs or arms but when he pressed against his ribs, Ezra moaned and moved away from him. Nathan waited for him to settle and then pressed slightly harder and as Ezra struggled to get away from the pain, he felt the three cracked ribs on his left side. He left them for the moment and took a closer look at the head wound, it had stopped bleeding but there was a slight infection. He then felt his forehead and found that he also had a fever. Nathan turned to Chris. "He has a head wound which is slightly infected, three cracked ribs and a fever."
"Tell me what happened?" Chris did not look at Nathan as he told him what was wrong with Ezra he instead stared at Jason as he still did not trust him. There was no real reason for the Marshall to lie to them but there was good enough reason for this one to lie.
Jason looked at Ezra and showed concern. "The Marshall told you that I killed someone?" It was a question that he aimed at Chris although he had he had not taken his eyes off Ezra.
"Yes." Chris wasn't going to say anymore.
"Told you that it was a young man. Only sixteen he was. I saw him in the bank, he was with his father. I wasn't one of the robbers but I saw who they were. Saw them murder the boy. I have no idea why the Marshall wants to kill me. When you found us yesterday they were about hang me. I would be dead now if you hadn't come along."
"What about the men that you met on the way here?" Chris was watching him very carefully for any sign that he was lying.
"Don't even know them. We came across them on the way here. Seems that they knew who Ezra was though. There was not much that he could do against five of them. They beat him up and then brought us here. Tied us both up, I managed to get myself untied and tried to get him out of here, that's when I ran into you outside." He had become a good liar over the years and had a pretty good poker face, it wasn't as good as Ezra's but it was enough to get him through a con and he hoped that it was enough to get him through this.
"Why didn't Ezra ask us to help you?" Chris was still not convinced.
Jason remembered what Ezra had said about this man only coming to look for him because he would want to kill him so he took a chance and hoped that what he said was enough to convince them. "He said that you wouldn't trust him." he saw the change of expression come over Chris's face and knew that he had hit the right spot. He took this moment to move toward the bed. "Is Ezra going to be alright?" he asked Nathan.
"Whoever it was that hit him used a lot of force, I'll have to wait until he wakes up to be sure." Jason did not like the way that Nathan looked at him. He had only two choices left and that was to either get away from them or make sure that Ezra did not wake up. He looked up as the rest of Ezra's friends came into the room.
"How's Ezra?" Buck asked before anyone could say anything else.
"I'm not sure yet Buck. Could you sit with him for a minute I want to have a word with Chris." He didn't give him a chance to protest. Nathan went over to Chris and made sure that Jason wasn't within hearing distance.
"What's wrong Nathan? Is Ezra . . . "
"No Ezra should be alright, he'll have a concussion but apart from that he'll be fine." Nathan told him. "It's what Jason said about those five men beating him up." Nathan looked behind him and saw that Jason was watching him so he put his own look of concern on his face hoping that he would think that he was talking to Chris about Ezra's condition. "His head wound is older than the injury to his ribs. Whoever cracked his ribs only did it recently as his side is only starting to bruise. If it happened at the same time then the bruise would already be bad."
"You saying that he's lying?"
"Could be."
Chris frowned and turned to Jason. "Reid said that there were witnesses to the murder, why would they lie."
'Shit.' thought Jason. "They were paid to lie."
"I don't believe you." Chris said. "I think that you’re guilty of the crime that you have been accused of and I think that it was you who beat Ezra up.
"Believe what you want but Ezra will tell you the same thing about those five guys when he wakes up." He thought that he had convinced them but the black man must have noticed something was wrong, he looked back down at Ezra and saw that his shirt was open allowing him to see the small bruise that was beginning to form on his side where he had repeatedly kicked him. The bruise wasn't old enough. He made a mistake that could cost him dearly.
"We'll just sit here then and wait till he does." Chris went to the only chair in the room and sat down.
"What about the Marshall?" asked Vin.
"You go and deal with him Vin." Chris did not look away from Jason.
Vin left the room and JD went with him in case he needed help. Buck and Josiah stayed close to Ezra while Nathan finished bandaging Ezra's head wound. He then asked Josiah to help him bandage his ribs. Ezra responded to the pain that it caused him but he did not wake up. It was a while before he did that. Jason had begun to sweat while the man watching him stayed calm. He watched as Nathan placed a damp cloth on Ezra's forehead and he saw the knifes that were strapped to his back under his jacket. He smiled to himself as he just decided on how he could get out of here.
Vin and JD came back to let them know that the Marshall was willing to wait downstairs, they had also taken care of the two men that were left alive but they couldn't get any answers out of them. They then left again to wait with the Marshall because the room was too crowded with all of them in there. Chris was watching Jason, he could see that the man was sweating and this convinced him that the man had been lying, it was only a matter of waiting for Ezra to wake up to confirm it.
Jason was sweating, he couldn't help it. If anything gave him away in a con, it was his sweating. He hated situations like this. He couldn't control them. But he had to stay as calm as he could so they would not think that he was going to try anything when Ezra woke up. He kept looking back at Chris but the man would not take his eyes off him. He was still watching him when they heard Ezra groan. Nathan went to his side. Chris stood up but kept his eyes on Jason.
"Ezra, its Nathan."
It took Ezra a few moments to answer him as he was trying to remember where he was and what happened.
"Nathan?"
"Yeah, Ezra we need to ask you something." Nathan looked up at Jason. "We need to know who did this to you. Can you tell us?"
Ezra opened his eyes, the light was not so bad this time as it had gotten darker in the room, and it had begun to get dark outside. "We?"
"Ezra, you know who did this to you don't you?" Nathan was beginning to worry that Ezra did not remember.
"Who's in here with us." Ezra looked around but his vision hadn't focused as yet.
"Ezra can you see me?" Now he was really worried.
"Yes of course I can, my vision just won't focus that's all." Nathan relaxed.
"Chris, Buck and Josiah are here. Also Jason. Now are you going to tell me who did this to you."
"Jason did it." Ezra mumbled.
Jason reacted faster than they expected him to, he only had to look at Ezra's face to know that he was going to tell them what happened and before he even finished saying his name he leant over and with his left hand he grabbed the back of Ezra's jacket and with his right he pulled one of the knifes from the sheath on Nathan's back. He pulled Ezra toward him at the same time. Chris could see what was happening and had his gun out before Jason had even removed the knife but he couldn't shoot while he was leaning over Ezra. He wouldn't take the chance that the bullet would go straight through and hit Ezra. But Jason soon gave him his chance as when he pulled Ezra from the bed he allowed Chris access to his right side. Chris fired his gun and both Jason and Ezra fell to the floor.
The bullet hit Jason in his right shoulder but he did not drop the knife and when Ezra fell unconscious on top of him, he tried to put the knife against his throat but Chris fired again before he could and the bullet entered his forehead. The knife dropped harmlessly to the floor. Nathan quickly rushed to the other side of the bed. He could see that there was nothing that he could do for Jason so he helped Ezra. He rolled him off the dead man to find that he had lost consciousness again.
"Can someone help me get Ezra back on the bed?" he asked the people in the room.
Buck and Josiah came to help him and together they carefully lifted Ezra up and place him back on the bed. The door to the room flew open as the Marshall rushed in followed by Vin and JD. "What happened?" asked Vin.
"Jason tried to get away, he threatened Ezra and I had no choice but to shoot him." explained Chris as he watched Nathan take care of Ezra. "It was him that beat Ezra."
"Jones!" yelled the Marshall. He turned around to see his deputy come into the room. He then turned back to Chris.
"This man is under arrest for helping Wentworth escape. My deputy here will guard him until he is ready to be taken back to Mount Hallow."
"You can't do that. Ezra thought that he was innocent." Buck stood in front of the Marshall.
"I'm sorry but he helped him escape. It will be up to the Judge to decide what happens to him."
Chris moved closer to Reid. "I just told you that he threatened Ezra's life. What more do you need to know. Ezra may have helped him at first but then he must have become a hostage."
"That's exactly my point. He helped him at first. And he still has to answer for this." He pointed to his own-bandaged head.
"Can one of us stay with him as well." asked Josiah as none of them was going to leave Ezra alone with the deputy.
Reid looked at Chris and then at Josiah. "Yeah sure. Listen I don't know your friend here or why he did it but I am a Marshall and I have to enforce the law."
"Yeah. You’re just doing your job right." Buck did not hide the sarcasm in his voice.
"I'm sorry." he turned and motioned to two of his deputies to remove Jason's body. Jones went and sat in the chair that was now vacant.
"Nathan, Buck you stay with Ezra and we'll come back later to see how he's doing."
Buck nodded his head as he watched everyone else leave the room. Nathan had finished checking Ezra again and after finding no new injuries, he stepped back and waited for him to wake up again.
***
"What are we going to do Chris? We can't let him arrest Ezra." JD asked him after they had left the room. He waited as the Marshall walked down the stairs.
"There is not a lot we can do JD. Like he said, it's the law. Hopefully Judge Travis will go easy on him." Chris told him.
"But we can't just leave it at that." JD was getting angry. It seemed as though Chris did not want to help Ezra.
"Chris is right JD." Josiah turned to him. "If we try and stop the Marshall he will only arrest us and then what can we do?"
"It's not right." JD walked down the stairs after the Marshall. Chris looked at the door behind him and followed JD and the others.
***
Ezra tried to hide in the darkness again but as always, the dreams soon started. But this time it was different. This time it was Jason who was standing in front of him. He had his gun pointed at him just as the others had done. "You should choose better friends Ezra." he fired his gun and the bullet entered Ezra's body as it always did and then Jason walked away laughing as Ezra died.
Ezra jerked awake and swallowed the fear. "Damn." he muttered. He wiped his hand across his forehead but cried out in pain as his hand brushed against the wound on the side of head. He felt someone take his hand and put it down against his side.
"Take it easy Ezra." Buck said to him.
Ezra recognised the voice and allowed himself to relax and was soon asleep again. The dreams continued and the soothing voice was always there to help him calm down. He finally woke and opened his eyes to look at the person who had been there for him.
"Buck, do you not have anything better to do than to sit with me all the time? Isn't there some woman that you could be chasing or something?"
"Feeling better then are you Ezra?" Buck had been worried as Nathan said that Ezra had a fever. And he had been dreaming again and the dreams were still bad.
Ezra looked around the room and saw Nathan and one of the deputies sitting in a chair. Jones had not moved for the last four hours. He didn't say anything about Ezra's dreams. "What happened to Jason?"
"Chris had to shoot him. Jason didn't give him a choice, he was going to kill you." Buck watched him carefully.
"Yes I must choose better friends." Ezra said remembering what Jason had told him in one of his dreams.
"What's that supposed to mean Ezra?" Nathan had come over when he realised that he had woken.
Ezra looked at him. "It means exactly what it says Mr Jackson."
***
They had only spent one night in Purgatory as Ezra had told Nathan that he was fine to travel and if they did not allow him to, he would leave on his own accord, which the Marshall had protested against. So Nathan had no choice but to agree. The Marshall had wanted to put handcuffs on Ezra but Chris was able to convince him not to. And in the morning, they rode out not knowing what Ezra's future would be.
Buck had been watching Ezra carefully as he was worried about him as all he seemed to do was watch the lifeless body of his friend that the Marshall had slung over one of the horses. The only time he spoke was to answer questions and if those questions were in regards to his health he would deliver the answer harshly. It did not matter who asked the question. They had to stop for one night on the way back and during that night, Ezra had dreamed. There seemed to be nothing they could do to help him. There was nothing that they could say to him that would take the dreams away, not that he wanted to listen to anything they had to say to him.
When they rode into Mount Hallow Jones and one of the other deputies took Jason's body to the undertaker's and Marshall Reid took Ezra to the jailhouse. Protests were made but he did not listen to them. When he had locked Ezra in one of the cells, he left to look for Judge Travis to inform him of what had happened. Buck stayed with Ezra while the others took care of the horses.
"Everything is going to be fine Ezra, the Judge will let you go." Buck was pacing back and forth. "He won't send you to jail, your one of us, he won't break up the group."
"Maybe I don't want to be part of the group anymore Buck." Ezra kept his gaze to the ground as he knew what the expression on his face would be.
Buck stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean Ezra?"
"Chris is right, I always have myself interests come first and one day they are going to get someone killed. So it is best that I leave."
"No way Ezra. I won't let you leave. You told us what happened. Jason told you that he was innocent. You believed him, you didn't know how much he had changed." He looked at his friend, his heart breaking because there was absolutely nothing that he could do for him. "It's not your fault Ezra!" Buck had raised his voice.
"I don't think that I have a choice anymore." Ezra's voice was full of emotion. He did not want to leave but as he said to Buck, he would one day cause one of the seven to die. He had found a home in Four Corners, something that he had wanted all his life but had never been able to find. He wanted friends but he knew that out of the six that Buck was the only one that he could call a real friend. He got on fine with JD but they would never be close. He knew that the other four never really liked him or would ever call him a friend but they gave him companionship. Something that he also craved for. He would never admit these things to anyone, he even had a hard time admitting it to himself.
"We'll see about that!" Buck was angry now and he left Ezra to go and talk to Chris and the Judge. He wasn't going to let Ezra go. He had become a friend and he was wrong about getting one of them killed. It was something that Chris had told him in the heat of the moment. He hoped that was the case. But he was going to do everything that he could to keep him as part of the seven.
Buck walked out the jailhouse and straight into Chris. "Don't you even think about going in there right now." Buck growled at him.
"What did I do?" Chris was confused.
"You have done enough already and you know what I am talking about. I want you to come with me because we are going to talk to the Judge." Buck grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from the door. Normally Chris would have put an argument, which would have become physical but he was curious as to what Buck was talking about so he went with him.
They found the judge in the saloon talking to Marshall Reid. Buck walked straight up to him. "Judge Travis I need to talk to you about Ezra."
"Marshall Reid here has been telling me all about Mr Standish." The Judge waved the Marshall away from the table.
"Now why don't you tell me his side of the story."
They spoke for nearly an hour and Buck could see the changes of expressions that came over both the Judge and Chris's faces. The Judge had no idea what had been happening to Ezra and Chris was surprised and ashamed that what he had said about Ezra getting one of them killed had stuck in his mind. From Buck had been saying every negative thing that he had said to him stayed in his mind.
"And you say that he is still having these dreams?" The Judge asked Buck.
"Yes he is. He is just so full of anger and it is because of us. Jason told him he was innocent and Ezra believed him.
He would have waited and asked us to help him but with the way we have been treating him lately," he looked at Chris, "he didn't think that we would trust him so he did it on his own."
The Judge looked down and thought for a moment. "He did attack the Marshall."
"Ezra didn't know the situation, none of us did and the Marshall was beating his prisoner. What would you have done?"
"I will think on it tonight. Bring Mr Standish here at nine in the morning." He got up to leave.
"Thanks Judge." Buck shook his hand.
"You have not got anything to thank me for yet Mr Wilmington. Now I suggest that you go and talk to your friend and tell him to be in a co-operative mood tomorrow, it might help him." he tipped his hat and then left the saloon. He was going to have a long day tomorrow from what Buck had just told him.
Buck went back to the jailhouse with Chris following behind him. Ezra was sitting on the bunk with his head in his hands. Chris used the keys to unlock the cell and Buck went and sat next to him. "You okay Ezra?"
"I'm fine. I was asleep." Buck and Chris didn't need to be told anything more.
"We have just been talking to the Judge." Buck told him.
"About me I assume." Ezra did not look up as he didn't want them to see the tears of frustration that had fallen from his eyes. The dreams would not go away and he didn't know how to make them go.
"The Judge wants to talk to you tomorrow and he wants you to be co-operative with him." Chris said this as he hoped that it would cause Ezra to look up at him but his head stayed in his hands.
"And what does he mean by that?"
"He wants you to talk Ezra and I mean talk about everything. Your anger, your dreams, everything." Buck watched as Ezra pulled the bandage from his head and place it against his eyes. He looked up at Chris who just shrugged back at him. "Ezra are you sure that your okay?"
"And what if I don't want to talk?" Buck noticed how he did not answer his first question.
"Then you will probably go to jail."
"You better pack a bag for me then." Ezra murmured.
Buck stood up. "Ezra I am getting pretty sick of this self-pity that you are laying on us!" he didn't know what to say to him so he decided to try being angry knowing that it usually didn't work either. The last time he tried it Ezra hit him.
"Then perhaps you should leave Mr Wilmington." Ezra knew that Buck had only said it out of concern, that he was worried about him. But he couldn't let old habits die. He couldn't let him get any closer or it would be even harder for him to leave.
"Fine, I'll leave this cell but I am staying out here. All night if I have to." Buck walked out of the cell and went and sat behind the desk. Chris stayed where he was.
"Do you have anything that you want to add Mr Larabee?"
"Not yet Ezra. I'll wait till tomorrow, that way you will have more than one person ganging up on you." Chris turned and left not waiting for Ezra's retort but he did not give one.
Ezra woke Buck twice during the night with his screams and Buck could do nothing but watch as Ezra rolled back onto his side with his arms wrapped around himself trying to stop his body from shaking. He knew that Ezra dreamt of being left alone and dying alone but he did not know what it was that scared him so much in his dreams. He hoped that the Judge was going to be able to get him to talk about it. When the morning came, Ezra was still asleep and Buck had to wake him up. He didn't want to do it as he had slept peacefully for a few hours and he also knew that to wake him up at this time of day would only put him in a bad mood and that was not going to help when he went to see the Judge.
"Ezra you have to wake up now." he shook his shoulder gently. "You have to go and see the judge in an hour." It took a few minutes to get a response from him as he had been sleeping deeply.
"Buck go away and let me sleep." Ezra growled at him.
Anger is just what Buck did not want to hear from him. "I'm sorry Ezra but you have to get up." He had left his hand on his shoulder and Ezra shoved it off. "JD will be coming shortly with some breakfast for you."
Ezra rolled over onto his back and opened his eyes. "I'm not hungry."
"You can at least try to eat something Ezra, you wouldn't eat last night. Come to think of it you haven't eaten much at all in the last few days."
Buck stepped back as Ezra sat up. "Buck I don't want to eat anything."
"And why not." they both looked up as Chris walked in.
Ezra stood up and stretched his back. "Is there any chance that I could clean myself up before I face the judge?"
"Sure. You’re not going to try and escape are you?" Buck smiled trying to ease Ezra's mood but it didn't work.
"I'll come with you." Chris allowed Ezra to walk in front of him but was slow to follow. "How was he last night?" he asked Buck.
"He woke up twice with his nightmares and then I had to wake him up this morning. He is not in a good mood so be careful with him Chris."
Chris stayed out of Ezra's way so he would not think that he was guarding him. Once Ezra had shaved and made himself presentable, he headed over to the saloon where he was told the Judge would be waiting for him. Chris walked by his side. He was worried about how this was going to go. With Ezra in a bad mood, it was going to be more difficult to get him talk. They walked into the saloon to find the other five hired gunmen waiting for them. Ezra did not look at them as he walked towards the table that the Judge was sitting at. Chris and Buck stood to the side of the table.
"Sit down Mr Standish." he waited for Ezra to sit in the chair facing him. He took notice of his pale complexion and the darkness under his eyes. "Would you like to tell me what happened with Mr Wentworth?"
"There is nothing to tell as I am sure that my associates have already told you everything." Ezra had made sure that his poker face was on before he came to the table and hoped that he was going to be able to keep it on.
"Your right, he doesn't talk." this comment was aimed at Buck but he kept his eyes on Ezra. "I want you to tell me what happened."
"Jason told me he was innocent and I believed him." Ezra kept his voice calm.
"So you helped him escape?" The Judge already knew the answers to the questions that he was going to ask but he needed to get Ezra to talk.
"Yes." was all Ezra said.
"Why didn't you ask the others for help." he saw Ezra's poker face falter for a moment but then it was back. "And I want you to tell me the truth."
"Am I under oath?" Buck rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long day.
The Judge smiled. "I can put you under oath and make this an official trial if that is what you want Mr Standish."
Ezra did not take his eyes away from the Judge's. "They don't trust me."
"Is this true Mr Larabee?" Ezra's poker face dropped. He did not expect that.
"No it is not." He saw Ezra look at him so Chris looked back. "I may tell you things that may make you think that we don't trust you Ezra but we do. I have said things when I was angry and I am sorry for that and before you ask no one told me to say that." Buck gave him a confused look. "I'll explain that later."
Ezra looked away from him and back at the Judge. He had his poker face back on.
"Did you hear that Mr Standish. Your friends do trust you." Ezra laughed. "And what is so funny?"
"Your use of the word friends, they don't even like me." Ezra kept laughing. The Judge looked over at Chris.
"That's not true Ezra and you know it." JD had come closer.
Ezra looked over his shoulder towards JD's voice. "Why don't you ask them Mr Dunne as I'm sure they would agree with me." No one knew what to say and the silence hung in the air. "I think that proves my point." he turned back to the Judge. "Now can we get on with the reason why I am here."
"Not yet Ezra." Josiah came and stood next to Ezra. "You have to admit it Ezra that you don't allow people to like you.
You go out of your way to stop us from getting close to you. And I believe you know that you are wrong and that is why you try so hard at keeping us away." he knelt down so he could look at Ezra. "We know it's not your fault, it's something that your mother taught you to do so it would be easier for you to leave places and people behind. But you have found something in Four Corners and you are doing your best to destroy it. You have to accept it Ezra and allow us to be your friends."
Ezra would not look at him as he knew that what he was saying was true but he was also thinking of something else and instead of keeping quiet, he thought that he would finally say something. Josiah stood up and stepped back from him so the Judge could continue. Buck patted Josiah on the back, he didn't think that any of them could have put it better. The Judge looked at Ezra again and he could see the emotion flicker through his eyes. He knew that a poker face could hide a lot but sometimes it was difficult to hide it from your eyes.
"Is that why you didn't show any concern for me when you received the telegram to say that I had been shot when you went to Eagle Bend, when you didn't come looking for me after the explosions because I would not allow you to become my friends. Are you saying that it was my fault?" They could all hear the sarcasm in his voice.
The Judge knew about this as Buck had told him yesterday but he did not know why it happened so he waited with Ezra for them to give him an answer. But they stayed silent. He looked at them but they were all looking at the floor.
"Gentlemen I think that Mr Standish is waiting for an answer."
"There is nothing any of us can say to make what we did any different Ezra. They were stupid mistakes and we will never forgive ourselves for what we put you through." Josiah had come forward again and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Please take your hand off me Mr Sanchez." Ezra was beginning to become angrier. This wasn't any sort of trial they were just using the situation to try to make him talk. "Judge Travis we either get on with this or I will go back to my jail cell."
"You will not be going anywhere Mr Standish until I say we are finished here. Is that understood?" Ezra did not answer him though. "Now tell me why you attacked the Marshall."
"He was being too rough with Jason."
"So you attacked him and gave him a concussion?" he was watching Ezra closely and could see that he was getting angry.
"Why do you keep asking me these questions if you already know what happened?" Ezra asked him.
"I told you I want you to tell me what happened now answer my question please."
"Yes I hit him."
"How long had it been since you saw your friend?"
"Five years."
"And what sort of friend was he?" The Judge looked up at him.
Ezra looked down at his hands. He was beginning to find it hard to control his poker face. "If you mean was he a murderer then, no he wasn't. He was a good friend. He was one of the few that I had."
"So you had good reason to believe him when he told you that he was innocent?" he was beginning to lead Ezra in a certain direction and he hoped that he would continue to talk as he had been.
"Yes I did."
"Mr Jackson told me you hit the Marshall quite hard. You must have been pretty angry." the others tensed up as they had an idea where the Judge was heading the conversation. Ezra looked back up at him.
"Yes I was but what has that got to do with it?"
"I understand that you have been very angry lately." that was not a question but the Judge still waited for a response but he did not get one. "Would you like to tell me why you have been so angry."
"No I wouldn't." the anger was now beginning to show in Ezra's voice.
"Your angry now aren't you?" he was keeping his own voice void of emotions.
"Why are you doing this. It has nothing to do with why I am supposed to be here?"
"I told you it will help me know why you helped your friend escape." The judge did not look away from him. "Tell me why you were and are angry?"
Ezra looked away and down at the floor. "I am not answering any more of your questions."
"You're not one of those types of people who get angry when they don't get a lot of sleep are you?" Ezra lifted his head quickly and looked around at Buck.
"What did you tell him?" he growled at him.
"I am the one asking the questions Mr Standish so would you please answer mine." he waited for a few moments but Ezra did not answer him. "Are you not getting any sleep is that it?"
"I just don't sleep very well that's all." Ezra muttered.
"Is the reason you don't sleep well have to do with the nightmares that you are having?"
"What do my dreams have to do with any of this?" everyone in the room could hear the anger in Ezra's voice. Chris moved closer to his chair.
"I have told you numerous times why I am asking these type of questions."
"I don't see how they have anything to do with why I helped Jason escape." the tension was beginning to build in the saloon and everyone held their breaths.
"They may have a lot to do with it. Now Ezra please tell me about your dreams."
Ezra knew what he was doing as soon as he used his first name. "No!" he got up to leave but felt someone's hands on his shoulders and they forced him back down into the chair. He let a small cry of pain escape his lips as the chairs arm hit his injured ribs. He grabbed his side and bent over at the pain he was feeling.
"Sorry Ezra." Chris said behind him as the concern showed on his face.
"You okay Ezra?" asked Nathan as he came up to him.
"Get away from me!" he spat at him.
"Gentlemen I think that we should give Mr Standish a few moments."
"I don't need a few moments." Ezra growled at him as he straightened himself up. He winced at the pain.
"Fine, we shall continue then. I believe that you were about to tell me about your dreams."
"And I believe that I wasn't." Ezra smiled at him but the Judge could see no humour in it but he could see the challenge that Ezra was making. He knew that if he continued to push him he would crack under the pressure and he would either do something that would require physical force to stop him or he would talk to him. He decided to push him and hope for the latter.
The Judge sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "We can sit here all day Ezra and I am sure that your friends are not going to let you go anywhere. They have tried to get you to talk about it but you won't so now I am going to try." he smiled back at him also showing no humor in his smile.
"What sort of jail term would I get for hitting a Judge?"
The Judge's smile did not falter. "I have had worse threats than that Mr Standish."
"Ezra would you stop being so stubborn and just tell the man!" Buck was practically yelling at him. He didn't think that it was going to be this hard for the Judge to get him to talk.
"Mr Larabee why don't you tell him. You once told me you knew what my dreams were about."
"He wants you to tell him Ezra." Chris answered him.
"But I don't want to." Ezra held his side and the Judge could see that he was still in pain.
"Why don't you start Chris and maybe Ezra can finish it."
"When he was recovering from the injury in his side he had a lot of nightmares and he spoke in his dreams and from what we could tell he dreamt of being left alone, that we were not looking for him but we must have found him because he continued to ask someone not to leave him that he didn't want to die alone." Chris watched Ezra's face as he told the Judge what his dreams were about. He could see the grimace on his face but he did not know if it was from the memory of what happened or the pain that he was still feeling from when he pushed him back into the chair.
"Is what he said true Ezra?"
"I'm sure you already knew what they thought my dreams were about." he could no longer hide his emotions under his poker face. The pain of the memory showed in his eyes.
"What do you mean when you say what they thought they were about?" he knew from that statement that there was more to Ezra's nightmares than what Chris had just told him.
"They thought wrong." Ezra looked up at him. "That was not all I dreamt about, do dream about." he looked over his shoulder at the others but he did not look at their faces. "They told you that they forgot about me?" he saw the Judge nod out of the corner of his eye as he wouldn't look at him. "Nathan said that I was delirious, that I started to think that they wanted to kill me." he waited a moment before he went on. "That's what I dream about."
"You dream about them wanting to kill you?" asked the Judge. He looked over at Chris and Buck and they like the others had a look of confusion on their faces. This was new to them.
"No I dream about them killing me."
"You dream that they kill you?" he saw Ezra nod as he did not say anything. "Tell me about it, tell me what happens." the Judge used a soothing voice. He could tell that Ezra was no longer angry but he had dealt with people whose anger quickly turned to depression, some of them would build a wall around them. He knew that it was harder to get them to talk and Ezra would be one of them. He waited a few more moments and was beginning to think that he was not going to talk.
Ezra put his hand to his side and pointed to the branch as though it was still there but he was in his dream again. "I was lying against the tree with a branch protruding from my side. I was going to pull myself off it but I thought that it would be best to wait for Nathan. I waited for ten minutes but nobody came." he looked to his left and everyone followed his gaze but all they saw was the saloon window. Ezra was looking at the trees hoping to see someone coming for him. "I started to think that they were hurt or dead. Then there they all were standing in front of me, pointing their fingers at me and laughing. They would just walk away at first and leave me there to die but it changed. They then pulled their guns and shot at me, they didn't hit me at first. The bullets would miss and then they would walk away laughing again." he looked down at his hands. "Then the bullets hit me and while they walked away I died. They shot me and then left me to die. And now it's Jason that's in my dreams. They won't go away and I don't know how to make them go."
"Damn Ezra, why didn't you tell us?" Buck moved up to his friend and knelt down beside him.
"And what could you have done Buck?"
"Probably nothing but it might have helped you if you talked to us or just talked to me about them. You can't hold things like that in Ezra."
"This won't be a quick fix for you Ezra but talking about it will help. The dreams may take a while to leave you but they will stop." the Judge said to him.
"But I have been having them for weeks now." Buck stood up and put his hand on Ezra's shoulder as Josiah had done but he did not ask him to move it.
"And it may take weeks for them to stop. The first step is to talk about these things and you haven't been. That's why your friends asked me to do it. So we decided that it would either be a jail term or you talking about it. And after what we have just been through a jail term would probably have been easier." Buck looked at him with a shocked expression. "I was kidding Buck. You told me it would be hard to get him to talk but you didn't say that it would be this hard."
"My mother taught me well." sighed Ezra. He didn't feel any better for talking about it though. "So what now?"
"There you go again Mr Standish asking questions when I should be asking them." he looked at Ezra seriously. "Now what is this I hear about you wanting to leave the group?"
"You just don't stop do you?" they didn't know if this question was aimed at the Judge or Buck for telling him. "What was it you said Chris. I have my own self-interests at heart and they will one day get one of you killed. I leaving so that doesn't happen."
Chris came forward then ignoring the looks, that everyone was giving him. "I was angry when I said that Ezra. Yes, you do tend to think of money first if there is any to be made but you would also risk your life to save one of us. You would never put our lives in danger." he took a breath as he did not think that he would ever say it. "I don't want you leaving the group Ezra, none of us do. We’re a team and we work well together." he looked at the Judge and then back at Ezra. "Would you at least wait until you’re feeling better and these dreams are gone before you make a decision."
"And if you do decide to leave then your punishment would be a jail term Mr Standish." Ezra looked up at him. "You stay then you don't go to jail, you leave and you do go to jail. It's up to you, want do you want to do?"
"I don't seem to have a choice." Ezra scowled at him. "Now is there anything else you want to make me talk about as I am suddenly feeling the need for a drink." Buck slapped Ezra on the back and went and got a bottle and some glasses. Vin and JD helped him hand them out. Ezra stayed at the table as he was now too tired to get up. The Judge watched him for a moment and then went to talk to Buck.
"After he has a drink I suggest you take him to the hotel as he looks like he could do with some rest."
"I'll do that Judge and thanks for everything."
"It's not over for him yet Mr Wilmington he still has a long way to go." Buck nodded and watched the Judge leave the saloon.
Ezra did not protest when Buck told him that he should go and rest but he did not sleep, he lay awake for the rest of the day thinking about what the Judge had said to him. About what Chris and Josiah had said. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to stay but the Judge had not given him a choice. Later that evening he finally fell asleep and in the early hours in the morning, he woke with the scream escaping from his mouth.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
Master Fan Fiction List
Tenth story in 'The Continuing Ezra Standish Saga'
Rating: PG
Warnings: Bad writing ahead!
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The seven hired gunmen are returning to Four Corners when they meet up with a group of men who are transporting a prisoner. A man who was once a friend of Ezra Standish.
Main Characters: Ezra, and the rest of the seven, and some OC's
Disclaimers: The guys are owned by CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp.
Beta: Not betaed – written in the early days when I didn’t know what the words grammar and edit meant. *is ashamed but no longer care*
Notes: Tenth story in the ‘Continuing Ezra Standish Saga’.
Spoilers: None.
Total Word Count: 20,141
Part Three
***
Chris watched as Jason put Ezra down on the bed, he then began to untie his hands. Nathan had waited outside for Buck to come back. That was when they heard the gunshots. Jason thought that while Chris was distracted he could make his escape but Chris had not even flinched at the sound. He just continued to stand still watching him. Nathan then came into the room and went straight to Ezra. Jason stood back waiting for his opportunity, it was going to be difficult with this man watching him so closely.
Nathan gave Ezra a quick check over first, he was very pale and the only wound that he could see was the one on the side of his head. He then used his hands to quickly check the rest of his body, he found no injuries to his legs or arms but when he pressed against his ribs, Ezra moaned and moved away from him. Nathan waited for him to settle and then pressed slightly harder and as Ezra struggled to get away from the pain, he felt the three cracked ribs on his left side. He left them for the moment and took a closer look at the head wound, it had stopped bleeding but there was a slight infection. He then felt his forehead and found that he also had a fever. Nathan turned to Chris. "He has a head wound which is slightly infected, three cracked ribs and a fever."
"Tell me what happened?" Chris did not look at Nathan as he told him what was wrong with Ezra he instead stared at Jason as he still did not trust him. There was no real reason for the Marshall to lie to them but there was good enough reason for this one to lie.
Jason looked at Ezra and showed concern. "The Marshall told you that I killed someone?" It was a question that he aimed at Chris although he had he had not taken his eyes off Ezra.
"Yes." Chris wasn't going to say anymore.
"Told you that it was a young man. Only sixteen he was. I saw him in the bank, he was with his father. I wasn't one of the robbers but I saw who they were. Saw them murder the boy. I have no idea why the Marshall wants to kill me. When you found us yesterday they were about hang me. I would be dead now if you hadn't come along."
"What about the men that you met on the way here?" Chris was watching him very carefully for any sign that he was lying.
"Don't even know them. We came across them on the way here. Seems that they knew who Ezra was though. There was not much that he could do against five of them. They beat him up and then brought us here. Tied us both up, I managed to get myself untied and tried to get him out of here, that's when I ran into you outside." He had become a good liar over the years and had a pretty good poker face, it wasn't as good as Ezra's but it was enough to get him through a con and he hoped that it was enough to get him through this.
"Why didn't Ezra ask us to help you?" Chris was still not convinced.
Jason remembered what Ezra had said about this man only coming to look for him because he would want to kill him so he took a chance and hoped that what he said was enough to convince them. "He said that you wouldn't trust him." he saw the change of expression come over Chris's face and knew that he had hit the right spot. He took this moment to move toward the bed. "Is Ezra going to be alright?" he asked Nathan.
"Whoever it was that hit him used a lot of force, I'll have to wait until he wakes up to be sure." Jason did not like the way that Nathan looked at him. He had only two choices left and that was to either get away from them or make sure that Ezra did not wake up. He looked up as the rest of Ezra's friends came into the room.
"How's Ezra?" Buck asked before anyone could say anything else.
"I'm not sure yet Buck. Could you sit with him for a minute I want to have a word with Chris." He didn't give him a chance to protest. Nathan went over to Chris and made sure that Jason wasn't within hearing distance.
"What's wrong Nathan? Is Ezra . . . "
"No Ezra should be alright, he'll have a concussion but apart from that he'll be fine." Nathan told him. "It's what Jason said about those five men beating him up." Nathan looked behind him and saw that Jason was watching him so he put his own look of concern on his face hoping that he would think that he was talking to Chris about Ezra's condition. "His head wound is older than the injury to his ribs. Whoever cracked his ribs only did it recently as his side is only starting to bruise. If it happened at the same time then the bruise would already be bad."
"You saying that he's lying?"
"Could be."
Chris frowned and turned to Jason. "Reid said that there were witnesses to the murder, why would they lie."
'Shit.' thought Jason. "They were paid to lie."
"I don't believe you." Chris said. "I think that you’re guilty of the crime that you have been accused of and I think that it was you who beat Ezra up.
"Believe what you want but Ezra will tell you the same thing about those five guys when he wakes up." He thought that he had convinced them but the black man must have noticed something was wrong, he looked back down at Ezra and saw that his shirt was open allowing him to see the small bruise that was beginning to form on his side where he had repeatedly kicked him. The bruise wasn't old enough. He made a mistake that could cost him dearly.
"We'll just sit here then and wait till he does." Chris went to the only chair in the room and sat down.
"What about the Marshall?" asked Vin.
"You go and deal with him Vin." Chris did not look away from Jason.
Vin left the room and JD went with him in case he needed help. Buck and Josiah stayed close to Ezra while Nathan finished bandaging Ezra's head wound. He then asked Josiah to help him bandage his ribs. Ezra responded to the pain that it caused him but he did not wake up. It was a while before he did that. Jason had begun to sweat while the man watching him stayed calm. He watched as Nathan placed a damp cloth on Ezra's forehead and he saw the knifes that were strapped to his back under his jacket. He smiled to himself as he just decided on how he could get out of here.
Vin and JD came back to let them know that the Marshall was willing to wait downstairs, they had also taken care of the two men that were left alive but they couldn't get any answers out of them. They then left again to wait with the Marshall because the room was too crowded with all of them in there. Chris was watching Jason, he could see that the man was sweating and this convinced him that the man had been lying, it was only a matter of waiting for Ezra to wake up to confirm it.
Jason was sweating, he couldn't help it. If anything gave him away in a con, it was his sweating. He hated situations like this. He couldn't control them. But he had to stay as calm as he could so they would not think that he was going to try anything when Ezra woke up. He kept looking back at Chris but the man would not take his eyes off him. He was still watching him when they heard Ezra groan. Nathan went to his side. Chris stood up but kept his eyes on Jason.
"Ezra, its Nathan."
It took Ezra a few moments to answer him as he was trying to remember where he was and what happened.
"Nathan?"
"Yeah, Ezra we need to ask you something." Nathan looked up at Jason. "We need to know who did this to you. Can you tell us?"
Ezra opened his eyes, the light was not so bad this time as it had gotten darker in the room, and it had begun to get dark outside. "We?"
"Ezra, you know who did this to you don't you?" Nathan was beginning to worry that Ezra did not remember.
"Who's in here with us." Ezra looked around but his vision hadn't focused as yet.
"Ezra can you see me?" Now he was really worried.
"Yes of course I can, my vision just won't focus that's all." Nathan relaxed.
"Chris, Buck and Josiah are here. Also Jason. Now are you going to tell me who did this to you."
"Jason did it." Ezra mumbled.
Jason reacted faster than they expected him to, he only had to look at Ezra's face to know that he was going to tell them what happened and before he even finished saying his name he leant over and with his left hand he grabbed the back of Ezra's jacket and with his right he pulled one of the knifes from the sheath on Nathan's back. He pulled Ezra toward him at the same time. Chris could see what was happening and had his gun out before Jason had even removed the knife but he couldn't shoot while he was leaning over Ezra. He wouldn't take the chance that the bullet would go straight through and hit Ezra. But Jason soon gave him his chance as when he pulled Ezra from the bed he allowed Chris access to his right side. Chris fired his gun and both Jason and Ezra fell to the floor.
The bullet hit Jason in his right shoulder but he did not drop the knife and when Ezra fell unconscious on top of him, he tried to put the knife against his throat but Chris fired again before he could and the bullet entered his forehead. The knife dropped harmlessly to the floor. Nathan quickly rushed to the other side of the bed. He could see that there was nothing that he could do for Jason so he helped Ezra. He rolled him off the dead man to find that he had lost consciousness again.
"Can someone help me get Ezra back on the bed?" he asked the people in the room.
Buck and Josiah came to help him and together they carefully lifted Ezra up and place him back on the bed. The door to the room flew open as the Marshall rushed in followed by Vin and JD. "What happened?" asked Vin.
"Jason tried to get away, he threatened Ezra and I had no choice but to shoot him." explained Chris as he watched Nathan take care of Ezra. "It was him that beat Ezra."
"Jones!" yelled the Marshall. He turned around to see his deputy come into the room. He then turned back to Chris.
"This man is under arrest for helping Wentworth escape. My deputy here will guard him until he is ready to be taken back to Mount Hallow."
"You can't do that. Ezra thought that he was innocent." Buck stood in front of the Marshall.
"I'm sorry but he helped him escape. It will be up to the Judge to decide what happens to him."
Chris moved closer to Reid. "I just told you that he threatened Ezra's life. What more do you need to know. Ezra may have helped him at first but then he must have become a hostage."
"That's exactly my point. He helped him at first. And he still has to answer for this." He pointed to his own-bandaged head.
"Can one of us stay with him as well." asked Josiah as none of them was going to leave Ezra alone with the deputy.
Reid looked at Chris and then at Josiah. "Yeah sure. Listen I don't know your friend here or why he did it but I am a Marshall and I have to enforce the law."
"Yeah. You’re just doing your job right." Buck did not hide the sarcasm in his voice.
"I'm sorry." he turned and motioned to two of his deputies to remove Jason's body. Jones went and sat in the chair that was now vacant.
"Nathan, Buck you stay with Ezra and we'll come back later to see how he's doing."
Buck nodded his head as he watched everyone else leave the room. Nathan had finished checking Ezra again and after finding no new injuries, he stepped back and waited for him to wake up again.
***
"What are we going to do Chris? We can't let him arrest Ezra." JD asked him after they had left the room. He waited as the Marshall walked down the stairs.
"There is not a lot we can do JD. Like he said, it's the law. Hopefully Judge Travis will go easy on him." Chris told him.
"But we can't just leave it at that." JD was getting angry. It seemed as though Chris did not want to help Ezra.
"Chris is right JD." Josiah turned to him. "If we try and stop the Marshall he will only arrest us and then what can we do?"
"It's not right." JD walked down the stairs after the Marshall. Chris looked at the door behind him and followed JD and the others.
***
Ezra tried to hide in the darkness again but as always, the dreams soon started. But this time it was different. This time it was Jason who was standing in front of him. He had his gun pointed at him just as the others had done. "You should choose better friends Ezra." he fired his gun and the bullet entered Ezra's body as it always did and then Jason walked away laughing as Ezra died.
Ezra jerked awake and swallowed the fear. "Damn." he muttered. He wiped his hand across his forehead but cried out in pain as his hand brushed against the wound on the side of head. He felt someone take his hand and put it down against his side.
"Take it easy Ezra." Buck said to him.
Ezra recognised the voice and allowed himself to relax and was soon asleep again. The dreams continued and the soothing voice was always there to help him calm down. He finally woke and opened his eyes to look at the person who had been there for him.
"Buck, do you not have anything better to do than to sit with me all the time? Isn't there some woman that you could be chasing or something?"
"Feeling better then are you Ezra?" Buck had been worried as Nathan said that Ezra had a fever. And he had been dreaming again and the dreams were still bad.
Ezra looked around the room and saw Nathan and one of the deputies sitting in a chair. Jones had not moved for the last four hours. He didn't say anything about Ezra's dreams. "What happened to Jason?"
"Chris had to shoot him. Jason didn't give him a choice, he was going to kill you." Buck watched him carefully.
"Yes I must choose better friends." Ezra said remembering what Jason had told him in one of his dreams.
"What's that supposed to mean Ezra?" Nathan had come over when he realised that he had woken.
Ezra looked at him. "It means exactly what it says Mr Jackson."
***
They had only spent one night in Purgatory as Ezra had told Nathan that he was fine to travel and if they did not allow him to, he would leave on his own accord, which the Marshall had protested against. So Nathan had no choice but to agree. The Marshall had wanted to put handcuffs on Ezra but Chris was able to convince him not to. And in the morning, they rode out not knowing what Ezra's future would be.
Buck had been watching Ezra carefully as he was worried about him as all he seemed to do was watch the lifeless body of his friend that the Marshall had slung over one of the horses. The only time he spoke was to answer questions and if those questions were in regards to his health he would deliver the answer harshly. It did not matter who asked the question. They had to stop for one night on the way back and during that night, Ezra had dreamed. There seemed to be nothing they could do to help him. There was nothing that they could say to him that would take the dreams away, not that he wanted to listen to anything they had to say to him.
When they rode into Mount Hallow Jones and one of the other deputies took Jason's body to the undertaker's and Marshall Reid took Ezra to the jailhouse. Protests were made but he did not listen to them. When he had locked Ezra in one of the cells, he left to look for Judge Travis to inform him of what had happened. Buck stayed with Ezra while the others took care of the horses.
"Everything is going to be fine Ezra, the Judge will let you go." Buck was pacing back and forth. "He won't send you to jail, your one of us, he won't break up the group."
"Maybe I don't want to be part of the group anymore Buck." Ezra kept his gaze to the ground as he knew what the expression on his face would be.
Buck stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean Ezra?"
"Chris is right, I always have myself interests come first and one day they are going to get someone killed. So it is best that I leave."
"No way Ezra. I won't let you leave. You told us what happened. Jason told you that he was innocent. You believed him, you didn't know how much he had changed." He looked at his friend, his heart breaking because there was absolutely nothing that he could do for him. "It's not your fault Ezra!" Buck had raised his voice.
"I don't think that I have a choice anymore." Ezra's voice was full of emotion. He did not want to leave but as he said to Buck, he would one day cause one of the seven to die. He had found a home in Four Corners, something that he had wanted all his life but had never been able to find. He wanted friends but he knew that out of the six that Buck was the only one that he could call a real friend. He got on fine with JD but they would never be close. He knew that the other four never really liked him or would ever call him a friend but they gave him companionship. Something that he also craved for. He would never admit these things to anyone, he even had a hard time admitting it to himself.
"We'll see about that!" Buck was angry now and he left Ezra to go and talk to Chris and the Judge. He wasn't going to let Ezra go. He had become a friend and he was wrong about getting one of them killed. It was something that Chris had told him in the heat of the moment. He hoped that was the case. But he was going to do everything that he could to keep him as part of the seven.
Buck walked out the jailhouse and straight into Chris. "Don't you even think about going in there right now." Buck growled at him.
"What did I do?" Chris was confused.
"You have done enough already and you know what I am talking about. I want you to come with me because we are going to talk to the Judge." Buck grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from the door. Normally Chris would have put an argument, which would have become physical but he was curious as to what Buck was talking about so he went with him.
They found the judge in the saloon talking to Marshall Reid. Buck walked straight up to him. "Judge Travis I need to talk to you about Ezra."
"Marshall Reid here has been telling me all about Mr Standish." The Judge waved the Marshall away from the table.
"Now why don't you tell me his side of the story."
They spoke for nearly an hour and Buck could see the changes of expressions that came over both the Judge and Chris's faces. The Judge had no idea what had been happening to Ezra and Chris was surprised and ashamed that what he had said about Ezra getting one of them killed had stuck in his mind. From Buck had been saying every negative thing that he had said to him stayed in his mind.
"And you say that he is still having these dreams?" The Judge asked Buck.
"Yes he is. He is just so full of anger and it is because of us. Jason told him he was innocent and Ezra believed him.
He would have waited and asked us to help him but with the way we have been treating him lately," he looked at Chris, "he didn't think that we would trust him so he did it on his own."
The Judge looked down and thought for a moment. "He did attack the Marshall."
"Ezra didn't know the situation, none of us did and the Marshall was beating his prisoner. What would you have done?"
"I will think on it tonight. Bring Mr Standish here at nine in the morning." He got up to leave.
"Thanks Judge." Buck shook his hand.
"You have not got anything to thank me for yet Mr Wilmington. Now I suggest that you go and talk to your friend and tell him to be in a co-operative mood tomorrow, it might help him." he tipped his hat and then left the saloon. He was going to have a long day tomorrow from what Buck had just told him.
Buck went back to the jailhouse with Chris following behind him. Ezra was sitting on the bunk with his head in his hands. Chris used the keys to unlock the cell and Buck went and sat next to him. "You okay Ezra?"
"I'm fine. I was asleep." Buck and Chris didn't need to be told anything more.
"We have just been talking to the Judge." Buck told him.
"About me I assume." Ezra did not look up as he didn't want them to see the tears of frustration that had fallen from his eyes. The dreams would not go away and he didn't know how to make them go.
"The Judge wants to talk to you tomorrow and he wants you to be co-operative with him." Chris said this as he hoped that it would cause Ezra to look up at him but his head stayed in his hands.
"And what does he mean by that?"
"He wants you to talk Ezra and I mean talk about everything. Your anger, your dreams, everything." Buck watched as Ezra pulled the bandage from his head and place it against his eyes. He looked up at Chris who just shrugged back at him. "Ezra are you sure that your okay?"
"And what if I don't want to talk?" Buck noticed how he did not answer his first question.
"Then you will probably go to jail."
"You better pack a bag for me then." Ezra murmured.
Buck stood up. "Ezra I am getting pretty sick of this self-pity that you are laying on us!" he didn't know what to say to him so he decided to try being angry knowing that it usually didn't work either. The last time he tried it Ezra hit him.
"Then perhaps you should leave Mr Wilmington." Ezra knew that Buck had only said it out of concern, that he was worried about him. But he couldn't let old habits die. He couldn't let him get any closer or it would be even harder for him to leave.
"Fine, I'll leave this cell but I am staying out here. All night if I have to." Buck walked out of the cell and went and sat behind the desk. Chris stayed where he was.
"Do you have anything that you want to add Mr Larabee?"
"Not yet Ezra. I'll wait till tomorrow, that way you will have more than one person ganging up on you." Chris turned and left not waiting for Ezra's retort but he did not give one.
Ezra woke Buck twice during the night with his screams and Buck could do nothing but watch as Ezra rolled back onto his side with his arms wrapped around himself trying to stop his body from shaking. He knew that Ezra dreamt of being left alone and dying alone but he did not know what it was that scared him so much in his dreams. He hoped that the Judge was going to be able to get him to talk about it. When the morning came, Ezra was still asleep and Buck had to wake him up. He didn't want to do it as he had slept peacefully for a few hours and he also knew that to wake him up at this time of day would only put him in a bad mood and that was not going to help when he went to see the Judge.
"Ezra you have to wake up now." he shook his shoulder gently. "You have to go and see the judge in an hour." It took a few minutes to get a response from him as he had been sleeping deeply.
"Buck go away and let me sleep." Ezra growled at him.
Anger is just what Buck did not want to hear from him. "I'm sorry Ezra but you have to get up." He had left his hand on his shoulder and Ezra shoved it off. "JD will be coming shortly with some breakfast for you."
Ezra rolled over onto his back and opened his eyes. "I'm not hungry."
"You can at least try to eat something Ezra, you wouldn't eat last night. Come to think of it you haven't eaten much at all in the last few days."
Buck stepped back as Ezra sat up. "Buck I don't want to eat anything."
"And why not." they both looked up as Chris walked in.
Ezra stood up and stretched his back. "Is there any chance that I could clean myself up before I face the judge?"
"Sure. You’re not going to try and escape are you?" Buck smiled trying to ease Ezra's mood but it didn't work.
"I'll come with you." Chris allowed Ezra to walk in front of him but was slow to follow. "How was he last night?" he asked Buck.
"He woke up twice with his nightmares and then I had to wake him up this morning. He is not in a good mood so be careful with him Chris."
Chris stayed out of Ezra's way so he would not think that he was guarding him. Once Ezra had shaved and made himself presentable, he headed over to the saloon where he was told the Judge would be waiting for him. Chris walked by his side. He was worried about how this was going to go. With Ezra in a bad mood, it was going to be more difficult to get him talk. They walked into the saloon to find the other five hired gunmen waiting for them. Ezra did not look at them as he walked towards the table that the Judge was sitting at. Chris and Buck stood to the side of the table.
"Sit down Mr Standish." he waited for Ezra to sit in the chair facing him. He took notice of his pale complexion and the darkness under his eyes. "Would you like to tell me what happened with Mr Wentworth?"
"There is nothing to tell as I am sure that my associates have already told you everything." Ezra had made sure that his poker face was on before he came to the table and hoped that he was going to be able to keep it on.
"Your right, he doesn't talk." this comment was aimed at Buck but he kept his eyes on Ezra. "I want you to tell me what happened."
"Jason told me he was innocent and I believed him." Ezra kept his voice calm.
"So you helped him escape?" The Judge already knew the answers to the questions that he was going to ask but he needed to get Ezra to talk.
"Yes." was all Ezra said.
"Why didn't you ask the others for help." he saw Ezra's poker face falter for a moment but then it was back. "And I want you to tell me the truth."
"Am I under oath?" Buck rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long day.
The Judge smiled. "I can put you under oath and make this an official trial if that is what you want Mr Standish."
Ezra did not take his eyes away from the Judge's. "They don't trust me."
"Is this true Mr Larabee?" Ezra's poker face dropped. He did not expect that.
"No it is not." He saw Ezra look at him so Chris looked back. "I may tell you things that may make you think that we don't trust you Ezra but we do. I have said things when I was angry and I am sorry for that and before you ask no one told me to say that." Buck gave him a confused look. "I'll explain that later."
Ezra looked away from him and back at the Judge. He had his poker face back on.
"Did you hear that Mr Standish. Your friends do trust you." Ezra laughed. "And what is so funny?"
"Your use of the word friends, they don't even like me." Ezra kept laughing. The Judge looked over at Chris.
"That's not true Ezra and you know it." JD had come closer.
Ezra looked over his shoulder towards JD's voice. "Why don't you ask them Mr Dunne as I'm sure they would agree with me." No one knew what to say and the silence hung in the air. "I think that proves my point." he turned back to the Judge. "Now can we get on with the reason why I am here."
"Not yet Ezra." Josiah came and stood next to Ezra. "You have to admit it Ezra that you don't allow people to like you.
You go out of your way to stop us from getting close to you. And I believe you know that you are wrong and that is why you try so hard at keeping us away." he knelt down so he could look at Ezra. "We know it's not your fault, it's something that your mother taught you to do so it would be easier for you to leave places and people behind. But you have found something in Four Corners and you are doing your best to destroy it. You have to accept it Ezra and allow us to be your friends."
Ezra would not look at him as he knew that what he was saying was true but he was also thinking of something else and instead of keeping quiet, he thought that he would finally say something. Josiah stood up and stepped back from him so the Judge could continue. Buck patted Josiah on the back, he didn't think that any of them could have put it better. The Judge looked at Ezra again and he could see the emotion flicker through his eyes. He knew that a poker face could hide a lot but sometimes it was difficult to hide it from your eyes.
"Is that why you didn't show any concern for me when you received the telegram to say that I had been shot when you went to Eagle Bend, when you didn't come looking for me after the explosions because I would not allow you to become my friends. Are you saying that it was my fault?" They could all hear the sarcasm in his voice.
The Judge knew about this as Buck had told him yesterday but he did not know why it happened so he waited with Ezra for them to give him an answer. But they stayed silent. He looked at them but they were all looking at the floor.
"Gentlemen I think that Mr Standish is waiting for an answer."
"There is nothing any of us can say to make what we did any different Ezra. They were stupid mistakes and we will never forgive ourselves for what we put you through." Josiah had come forward again and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Please take your hand off me Mr Sanchez." Ezra was beginning to become angrier. This wasn't any sort of trial they were just using the situation to try to make him talk. "Judge Travis we either get on with this or I will go back to my jail cell."
"You will not be going anywhere Mr Standish until I say we are finished here. Is that understood?" Ezra did not answer him though. "Now tell me why you attacked the Marshall."
"He was being too rough with Jason."
"So you attacked him and gave him a concussion?" he was watching Ezra closely and could see that he was getting angry.
"Why do you keep asking me these questions if you already know what happened?" Ezra asked him.
"I told you I want you to tell me what happened now answer my question please."
"Yes I hit him."
"How long had it been since you saw your friend?"
"Five years."
"And what sort of friend was he?" The Judge looked up at him.
Ezra looked down at his hands. He was beginning to find it hard to control his poker face. "If you mean was he a murderer then, no he wasn't. He was a good friend. He was one of the few that I had."
"So you had good reason to believe him when he told you that he was innocent?" he was beginning to lead Ezra in a certain direction and he hoped that he would continue to talk as he had been.
"Yes I did."
"Mr Jackson told me you hit the Marshall quite hard. You must have been pretty angry." the others tensed up as they had an idea where the Judge was heading the conversation. Ezra looked back up at him.
"Yes I was but what has that got to do with it?"
"I understand that you have been very angry lately." that was not a question but the Judge still waited for a response but he did not get one. "Would you like to tell me why you have been so angry."
"No I wouldn't." the anger was now beginning to show in Ezra's voice.
"Your angry now aren't you?" he was keeping his own voice void of emotions.
"Why are you doing this. It has nothing to do with why I am supposed to be here?"
"I told you it will help me know why you helped your friend escape." The judge did not look away from him. "Tell me why you were and are angry?"
Ezra looked away and down at the floor. "I am not answering any more of your questions."
"You're not one of those types of people who get angry when they don't get a lot of sleep are you?" Ezra lifted his head quickly and looked around at Buck.
"What did you tell him?" he growled at him.
"I am the one asking the questions Mr Standish so would you please answer mine." he waited for a few moments but Ezra did not answer him. "Are you not getting any sleep is that it?"
"I just don't sleep very well that's all." Ezra muttered.
"Is the reason you don't sleep well have to do with the nightmares that you are having?"
"What do my dreams have to do with any of this?" everyone in the room could hear the anger in Ezra's voice. Chris moved closer to his chair.
"I have told you numerous times why I am asking these type of questions."
"I don't see how they have anything to do with why I helped Jason escape." the tension was beginning to build in the saloon and everyone held their breaths.
"They may have a lot to do with it. Now Ezra please tell me about your dreams."
Ezra knew what he was doing as soon as he used his first name. "No!" he got up to leave but felt someone's hands on his shoulders and they forced him back down into the chair. He let a small cry of pain escape his lips as the chairs arm hit his injured ribs. He grabbed his side and bent over at the pain he was feeling.
"Sorry Ezra." Chris said behind him as the concern showed on his face.
"You okay Ezra?" asked Nathan as he came up to him.
"Get away from me!" he spat at him.
"Gentlemen I think that we should give Mr Standish a few moments."
"I don't need a few moments." Ezra growled at him as he straightened himself up. He winced at the pain.
"Fine, we shall continue then. I believe that you were about to tell me about your dreams."
"And I believe that I wasn't." Ezra smiled at him but the Judge could see no humour in it but he could see the challenge that Ezra was making. He knew that if he continued to push him he would crack under the pressure and he would either do something that would require physical force to stop him or he would talk to him. He decided to push him and hope for the latter.
The Judge sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "We can sit here all day Ezra and I am sure that your friends are not going to let you go anywhere. They have tried to get you to talk about it but you won't so now I am going to try." he smiled back at him also showing no humor in his smile.
"What sort of jail term would I get for hitting a Judge?"
The Judge's smile did not falter. "I have had worse threats than that Mr Standish."
"Ezra would you stop being so stubborn and just tell the man!" Buck was practically yelling at him. He didn't think that it was going to be this hard for the Judge to get him to talk.
"Mr Larabee why don't you tell him. You once told me you knew what my dreams were about."
"He wants you to tell him Ezra." Chris answered him.
"But I don't want to." Ezra held his side and the Judge could see that he was still in pain.
"Why don't you start Chris and maybe Ezra can finish it."
"When he was recovering from the injury in his side he had a lot of nightmares and he spoke in his dreams and from what we could tell he dreamt of being left alone, that we were not looking for him but we must have found him because he continued to ask someone not to leave him that he didn't want to die alone." Chris watched Ezra's face as he told the Judge what his dreams were about. He could see the grimace on his face but he did not know if it was from the memory of what happened or the pain that he was still feeling from when he pushed him back into the chair.
"Is what he said true Ezra?"
"I'm sure you already knew what they thought my dreams were about." he could no longer hide his emotions under his poker face. The pain of the memory showed in his eyes.
"What do you mean when you say what they thought they were about?" he knew from that statement that there was more to Ezra's nightmares than what Chris had just told him.
"They thought wrong." Ezra looked up at him. "That was not all I dreamt about, do dream about." he looked over his shoulder at the others but he did not look at their faces. "They told you that they forgot about me?" he saw the Judge nod out of the corner of his eye as he wouldn't look at him. "Nathan said that I was delirious, that I started to think that they wanted to kill me." he waited a moment before he went on. "That's what I dream about."
"You dream about them wanting to kill you?" asked the Judge. He looked over at Chris and Buck and they like the others had a look of confusion on their faces. This was new to them.
"No I dream about them killing me."
"You dream that they kill you?" he saw Ezra nod as he did not say anything. "Tell me about it, tell me what happens." the Judge used a soothing voice. He could tell that Ezra was no longer angry but he had dealt with people whose anger quickly turned to depression, some of them would build a wall around them. He knew that it was harder to get them to talk and Ezra would be one of them. He waited a few more moments and was beginning to think that he was not going to talk.
Ezra put his hand to his side and pointed to the branch as though it was still there but he was in his dream again. "I was lying against the tree with a branch protruding from my side. I was going to pull myself off it but I thought that it would be best to wait for Nathan. I waited for ten minutes but nobody came." he looked to his left and everyone followed his gaze but all they saw was the saloon window. Ezra was looking at the trees hoping to see someone coming for him. "I started to think that they were hurt or dead. Then there they all were standing in front of me, pointing their fingers at me and laughing. They would just walk away at first and leave me there to die but it changed. They then pulled their guns and shot at me, they didn't hit me at first. The bullets would miss and then they would walk away laughing again." he looked down at his hands. "Then the bullets hit me and while they walked away I died. They shot me and then left me to die. And now it's Jason that's in my dreams. They won't go away and I don't know how to make them go."
"Damn Ezra, why didn't you tell us?" Buck moved up to his friend and knelt down beside him.
"And what could you have done Buck?"
"Probably nothing but it might have helped you if you talked to us or just talked to me about them. You can't hold things like that in Ezra."
"This won't be a quick fix for you Ezra but talking about it will help. The dreams may take a while to leave you but they will stop." the Judge said to him.
"But I have been having them for weeks now." Buck stood up and put his hand on Ezra's shoulder as Josiah had done but he did not ask him to move it.
"And it may take weeks for them to stop. The first step is to talk about these things and you haven't been. That's why your friends asked me to do it. So we decided that it would either be a jail term or you talking about it. And after what we have just been through a jail term would probably have been easier." Buck looked at him with a shocked expression. "I was kidding Buck. You told me it would be hard to get him to talk but you didn't say that it would be this hard."
"My mother taught me well." sighed Ezra. He didn't feel any better for talking about it though. "So what now?"
"There you go again Mr Standish asking questions when I should be asking them." he looked at Ezra seriously. "Now what is this I hear about you wanting to leave the group?"
"You just don't stop do you?" they didn't know if this question was aimed at the Judge or Buck for telling him. "What was it you said Chris. I have my own self-interests at heart and they will one day get one of you killed. I leaving so that doesn't happen."
Chris came forward then ignoring the looks, that everyone was giving him. "I was angry when I said that Ezra. Yes, you do tend to think of money first if there is any to be made but you would also risk your life to save one of us. You would never put our lives in danger." he took a breath as he did not think that he would ever say it. "I don't want you leaving the group Ezra, none of us do. We’re a team and we work well together." he looked at the Judge and then back at Ezra. "Would you at least wait until you’re feeling better and these dreams are gone before you make a decision."
"And if you do decide to leave then your punishment would be a jail term Mr Standish." Ezra looked up at him. "You stay then you don't go to jail, you leave and you do go to jail. It's up to you, want do you want to do?"
"I don't seem to have a choice." Ezra scowled at him. "Now is there anything else you want to make me talk about as I am suddenly feeling the need for a drink." Buck slapped Ezra on the back and went and got a bottle and some glasses. Vin and JD helped him hand them out. Ezra stayed at the table as he was now too tired to get up. The Judge watched him for a moment and then went to talk to Buck.
"After he has a drink I suggest you take him to the hotel as he looks like he could do with some rest."
"I'll do that Judge and thanks for everything."
"It's not over for him yet Mr Wilmington he still has a long way to go." Buck nodded and watched the Judge leave the saloon.
Ezra did not protest when Buck told him that he should go and rest but he did not sleep, he lay awake for the rest of the day thinking about what the Judge had said to him. About what Chris and Josiah had said. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to stay but the Judge had not given him a choice. Later that evening he finally fell asleep and in the early hours in the morning, he woke with the scream escaping from his mouth.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
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