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azombiewritesTitle: Payback
Fourth story in 'The Continuing Ezra Standish Saga'
Rating: PG
Warnings: Bad writing ahead!
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Summary: Ezra is still recovering when Maude arrives in Four Corners and as she struggles to find out what happened to her son a group of men also arrive in town looking for a high stakes game of poker with Ezra Standish but they loose heavily and they want pay back.
Main Characters: Ezra, the rest of the seven, Maude Standish
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*
Notes: Fourth story in the ‘Continuing Ezra Standish Saga’.
Spoilers: None.
Word Count: 20,471
Part Four
Only Nathan and Chris were with Ezra now, they had decided that rather than all of them crowd the room two of them would stay with Ezra at a time while the others continued with protecting the town and get the rest that they needed. Nathan had insisted that Chris be the first one to get some rest but he refused. They had also talked Maude into leaving, she was too distraught to stay for a long period and they didn’t want to listen to her blaming them for what happened. They knew it was wrong for them to do that but they also knew that it was wrong for her to blame them. Josiah had told her that what happened was due to a game of poker but she still blamed them as if they had shot him. She said that it was because he was in this town, if he had been somewhere else it would not have happened. They didn't want to argue with her so they made up some reason for her to leave. They would allow her to come back of course but if she started another argument then they would do the same.
Nathan got up, checked Ezra’s wounds for any sign of infection, and found none, he also felt his forehead under the bandage for a fever, he was slightly warm but no real fever had started yet. He had managed to clean the remaining blood out of his hair and off the rest of his face. He was still worried though as Ezra had still shown no sign of life since they found him. His breathing was still laboured and his pulse weak. Nathan sat back down and continued to wait.
"Is he going to be okay Nathan?" Chris couldn’t take his eyes off Ezra's still form, he looked to pale and he didn't move, if it wasn't for the slight movement of his chest rising with each laboured breath that he took Chris would have thought that he was looking at a corpse.
"I really don't know, Chris," muttered Nathan.
Two hours later Buck and Vin arrived to take their turn watching Ezra. "Is there anything that we should watch for?" asked Vin looking at Ezra. He hadn't changed at all since he last saw him.
"Keep checking him for a fever and his wounds for an infection. I don't think that an infection will set in now but he could still get a serious fever from the head wound." Both Nathan and Chris left to go down to the saloon and sit with the others.
When they got there, they saw that no one had gone and gotten the two remaining men that had shot Ezra. He was correct when he thought that none of them would want to leave Ezra in case something happened, they wanted to be there wether it was good or bad. Chris noticed Maude sitting at a nearby table on her own. He saw so much of Ezra there in his mother's face and her body language but he knew that they were different, that Ezra was not like his mother, he may have been when they first met but Ezra had changed. He was a good man with a kind heart but he didn't let everyone see that as his mother had taught him that appearances were the most important thing so he kept up his appearance of a gambler, a cheat and a liar. His friends knew differently, they had accepted him for what he pretended to be and what he was.
JD and Josiah then relieved Buck and Vin and took over watching Ezra.
"Is there any change?" asked Josiah. Neither of them answered him. He looked down at Ezra's pale face, his lips slightly parted as he breathed in each laboured breath. He did though have a slight reddish glow to his cheeks. He moved over and checked him for a fever but found that he was only slightly warm which may have been due to the blankets that Nathan had put him for the shock that he said he would be suffering from with the amount of blood that he had lost.
Nathan followed them in not long after. He wanted to change Ezra's bandages. He removed them still finding no sign of infection; he knew that there would not be any now because if they were going to become infected they would have by now. He informed JD and Josiah of this. He did notice though that he was slightly warmer than when he last checked him for a fever.
"He feels a bit warmer than last time so keep checking him." He saw Josiah and JD nod in answer while they continued to look at Ezra. They were worried about him like everyone else was.
JD and Josiah had been sitting in silence, they didn’t want to speak their fears so instead they concentrated on Ezra, Josiah got up to check him for any sign of a fever and felt that Ezra had become even warmer to the touch, his skin also felt clammy.
"JD, go and get Nathan."
He didn't have to ask why. He knew that he would be in the saloon with the others. "Nathan, Josiah wants you to come up; I think Ezra's got a fever." Nathan jumped up from his chair and rushed up to his room followed by everyone else including Maude who had seen him leave in a hurry after JD came in.
He entered his room to find Josiah wiping down Ezra's face with a damp cloth being careful of the bandage that was wrapped around his forehead. "He's got a fever, Nathan."
Nathan moved over towards the bed watching Ezra, he didn't see any sign of movement and knew that the fever would be due to the head injury. He felt his forehead, Josiah was correct he had begun to develop a fever and it was going to get a lot worse. For the second time in as many months, Nathan began to worry about what the fever was going to do to Ezra in terms of brain damage.
Maude sat in one of the chairs in a corner of the room; she was not going to let them take her away from her son this time. She could feel all sorts of feelings going through her mind. She had never seen her son in this kind of condition before. Maude had never thought of losing her son, had never considered it and now here she was watching him, thinking that he was going to die and it was only a matter of time until he did.
She wiped another tear that was forming in her eye. She didn't want the others to see how upset she was.
Nathan spent a lot of hours with Ezra trying to keep his fever down, it had become bad but because of the coma that he was in he didn’t thrash about or become delirious, he just lay there not moving, not making a sound, the sweat making his hair cling to his bandage. He wanted to give him some fluids with herbs but knew that the condition he was in would not allow it, he would only choke. He had taken the chance after they had found him with Jean and Buck but he was unconscious and they had to risk it then because of the poison.
The others had continued to take turns sitting with Ezra doing what they could for him, which was not much. They did this for another four days. Each had become exhausted, they hadn’t slept well or eaten much at all either. They had gotten some other men from town to go and get the other two gamblers, as they knew that if they did that they might not come back alive. Maude had continued to come and go, she didn’t talk to the others, as she knew that they would not allow her to stay with her son if she did. She still blamed them though for what happened and if her son survived then she would do everything in her power to get him to leave Four Corners.
After five days Ezra's fever finally broke but Nathan knew that he was still not out of danger, he still had to wake up. Nathan and Buck were sitting with Ezra, Buck had fallen asleep in the chair and Nathan was trying hard to keep his own eyes open. The lack of sleep that they had was beginning to catch up to them.
"Mr. Jackson," Ezra whispered. Ezra had woken not knowing where he was. The last thing he remembered was seeing the four men that he had played poker with riding towards him with their guns drawn, he had fallen from his horse for some reason and then everything went black. The next thing he remembered was the extreme amount of pain coming from his head. He didn’t move for fear that his head would fall off his shoulders. He waited for a moment before speaking. He knew that there would be someone in the room with him.
Nathan's head jerked up. "Ezra?" he got up and moved to the bed thinking that Ezra was awake but his eyes were still closed. He must have been dreaming.
"Can I have some water please?" He whispered again. His throat was dry and sore.
Nathan saw Ezra's lips move as he spoke and knew that it was not a dream, he smiled. "Sure Ezra," he went to get the water and kicked Buck on the way pass.
Buck nearly fell from his chair. "Nathan what did you do that for?"
"Mr. Wilmington, please don’t yell." Ezra was tiring and he fell back into darkness before Nathan could give him some water.
Buck ran into the saloon and headed straight to the others with a smile on his face. "He's awake. Well he was awake he's out again now but he did wake up." They all started to rise but Buck hadn't finished.
"Nathan said that there’s no use going up there. That we should just continue on like we are." They didn't listen though, as they continued to rise and went out the saloon door with a protesting Buck following them.
"I said that there was no need to come up." Nathan said as they all made their way into the room. To them Ezra still looked the same.
"We just wanted to check that was all," said Chris. Some of the worry had left his face.
"He was only awake for a couple of minutes; it might be hours before he wakes up again. Each time he does wake, it’ll be for a longer period and the time that he’s unconscious will continue to be less. So there’s no need for all of you to be here." He started to head them towards the door.
"We would rather stay, Nathan." Chris went to the corner of the room and stayed there, the others found their own areas to wait in, they intended to stay there, and there was nothing that Nathan could say to make them leave.
It was another six hours before Ezra woke again. They all heard him moan from where they were standing. Nathan moved towards the bed with a cup of water that he had also placed some herbs in to try to help Ezra get through the pain that he knew the head injury was causing.
"Ezra, do you think you could drink something?"
Ezra opened his eyes but closed them again as the light sent a shot of pain through his skull, he grimaced but that only caused him more pain. The others watched as he opened his eyes and they all relaxed finally seeing some sign of life coming from their friend.
"Ezra, I want you to try for me okay."
When Ezra didn’t say anything, he took it as a yes. He sat on the bed next to him and saw him wince at the pain the movement of the bed caused him. He placed the cup against Ezra's lips and was grateful when he swallowed a small amount. He then took a second drink but he stopped there as he fell into unconsciousness again. Nathan got up and moved towards the others.
"That's how it’s going to be for the next few days so there’s no use staying here like this, we'll just take turns again sitting with him. Now has anyone told Maude or Mary that he has woken up?” Josiah quickly left the room. He was so anxious to see Ezra wake up that he didn’t think of either of them.
When Ezra woke again Chris, Vin and Maude were sitting with him. They moved to his bedside when they heard his voice, he had asked for Nathan. Vin left to find Nathan knowing that Ezra probably won't be awake when they got back.
"Mr. Larabee, could please give me a moment with my son?" Smiled Maude hoping that he would leave them.
"No." he knew what she wanted to do and this was not the time for it. She wanted to lay blame on them, probably Ezra too, but he was not going to let her do that.
"Mr. Larabee, I insist." She had raised her voice slightly trying to be firm knowing that she was not going to get anywhere with this man.
"Mother, please I don’t need this at the moment." Ezra groaned from the bed.
"Ezra, I only wanted to. . ."
"Mother, don't." Ezra started to cough and cried out at the pain as it caused him to pass out again.
Maude quickly moved to his side and took his hand.
"Maude, I think you should leave," stated Chris
"I’ll not leave my son."
"Yes you will and when you are ready to sit with him quietly and not judge him or us for what happened then you can come back."
"I’ll not be treated like a child."
"I'm sorry Maude, but he needs rest and you will not give him that while you are here. Now if you don't leave then I’ll have to carry you out." He stepped towards her.
She was confident that he would do it so she left ready to mouth a protest on the way out but the expression on his face stopped her. Chris then went and sat next to Ezra waiting for Nathan and Vin to return.
Nathan made sure that he stayed with Ezra so the next time he woke up he would be here if he still wanted him. When he had returned with Vin, earlier Ezra had passed out again so he was not able to help him. He wasn't going to let that happen again.
Ezra had begun to cough again. "Ezra you want some more water?" asked Nathan.
"Yes."
Nathan worried about the fact that Ezra was not using large words or long sentences like he usually did. He hoped that this didn’t mean anything serious. He helped Ezra drink some water with the herbs in it.
"Nathan, why does my head hurt so much?"
"You've been shot Ezra; the bullet grazed your skull. You have been unconscious for seven days now."
"Shot, I don't remember, I thought it was that poison. I didn't drink that powder like you asked."
"That's okay Ezra, don't worry about it. I think that is the last of your worries at the moment." Nathan held up his hand. "Ezra can you open your eyes and tell me how many fingers I’m holding up."
Ezra opened his eyes and moaned at the pain. "I can't count that many." He closed his eyes again. "Nathan could you do me a favour please?"
"Anything, Ezra." He leaned forward as Ezra was whispering. He was falling asleep again.
"Please don't let my mother back in here."
"Are you sure about that, Ezra?"
"Yes," he muttered.
Nathan patted his shoulder. "If that's what you want Ezra." He sat there with him for a while longer hearing the rattle in his chest as he breathed. This caused him to start worrying all over again.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Josiah entered the room quietly so as not to disturb Ezra. "How's he doing?" he asked Nathan.
"Ezra's not breathing well, Josiah; he might have some fluid in his lungs." Nathan hadn’t moved from Ezra's side since he had first heard the rattle in his chest. It hadn’t gotten worse but he wasn't leaving until his chest cleared. He continued giving Ezra a drink each time he woke up and he had also added something to it hoping that it would help clear his lungs.
"Is that serious?" Josiah sat down on the bed careful not to make too much movement.
"It could be Josiah, it could be." Nathan hung his head.
"Nathan, why don't you go and get some rest, I'll sit with Ezra for a while."
"No I'm staying until I know he's out of danger."
"Nathan, you will not be any help to him if you get sick."
"Gentlemen, would you please stop arguing." Ezra had woken to the sound of their voices. He coughed, feeling the pain that it caused.
"Ezra, are you still feeling a pain in your chest and back when you breath?" Nathan had moved forward so that he could hear Ezra answer.
"It's not as bad now, thank you," he coughed again.
"That's good but I’m sure that there’s still some fluid in your lungs so you are going to keep drinking this stuff." He produced a cup from the floor beside him. Ezra didn't argue with him and drank the entire cup this time. Nathan smiled grateful that he was not being his usual stubborn self. "Mary made some broth for you. Do you think that you could eat some of that as well?" He saw Ezra grimace at the thought.
"The mere thought of food makes me feel ill."
"I may have to force you to eat something Ezra, you have not had anything in eight days, and you need it to help you get better." Ezra looked at him. "I won't force you now but I want you to try some tonight, even if it’s only a spoonful." He saw him nod slightly thinking that the pain must be easing as he was now moving his head more.
"Ezra," Josiah spoke for the first time to Ezra since he had first woken up. "Nathan says that you don't want your mother in here. Is that true?"
Ezra turned his gaze towards Josiah. "Yes it is, Mr. Sanchez, and if you bring up the subject again I’ll ask the same of you."
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Later that evening Nathan waited for Ezra to wake up so he could get him to eat something but it didn't happen as he slept through until the morning. Nathan had fallen asleep himself and woke up to the sound of someone entering the room. He looked up to see Maude and Josiah standing in the doorway, Maude had a pleading look in her eyes.
"I know he does not want me here but I need to see how he’s doing." She stepped closer waiting for Nathan to say no.
Nathan gave Josiah a look. Maude sat down on the bed and wiped her son's hair off his forehead, she place her other hand on his chest so she could feel his heartbeat. "Is he going to be alright Nathan?"
"He does seem to be better but I’ll know more in a couple of days, I just need to get him to start eating something."
They all heard Ezra take in a quick gasp of air and he jerked awake at the feel of someone touching his head. He opened his eyes to see his mother staring down at him. He turned and saw Nathan and Josiah at the end of the bed. He spoke to Josiah. "You brought her here didn't you?" He was getting angry. "I told you I didn't want to see her."
"Ezra, take it easy." Nathan wanted to get him calm as quick as possible.
Maude got up from the bed and moved back to Josiah's side. She couldn’t understand what she that would cause him to act this way towards her.
"Nathan, would you please get her out of here." Ezra grimaced as the pain in his head begun to get worse, he put his hand to his forehead. "Nathan."
Maude couldn’t take anymore; she turned on her heel and left the room. Josiah waited though thinking that maybe he would be able to talk to Ezra about his mother. Nathan watched as Ezra's face began to relax as the pain subsided.
"You okay now, Ezra?" he saw him nod again.
"Please don't let her in here. All she’s going to do is blame me for what happened and I don't want to hear it at the moment."
Nathan looked at Josiah again. "She needs to see how you are Ezra." Josiah said gently.
"And Nathan, please make sure that Mr. Sanchez does not return either."
"Only if you will eat something for me." Nathan smiled at him knowing that Ezra would not like being blackmailed. Ezra could only nod again.
"Josiah, could you send someone up with some fresh soup or broth please, and also make sure that you honour this agreement that Ezra and I have made."
"I see that your stubbornness is returning Ezra." Josiah couldn’t help but smile, this meant that he was getting better. He left to find someone to bring some food for both Ezra and Nathan.
Ezra managed to eat a small amount of broth before bringing it back up again. He hated being like this, hated relying on other people. He had always been able to take care of himself but since being in Four Corners he has come to rely on other people but then sometimes they didn’t give him a choice.
"That's okay Ezra, we'll try again later. Your stomach has to get used to food again." Nathan couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ezra; he knew that he would not like this. Having people take care of him, was something that he was still not used to even with all that happened to him in the last few months?
Chris and Buck came in a short time later insisting that Nathan go and get some rest. Nathan refused so they compromised; he was asleep within minutes on the smaller bunk that he often used when someone else was in his bed. Both Chris and Buck sat and waited while both Ezra and Nathan slept.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
It was another two days before Ezra was finally able to hold down some of the broth that Mary had made. He had also begun to breathe easier the rattle from his chest completely gone. He still had a constant headache though and Nathan had started giving him some of the powder for the poison that he thought was still in Ezra's system. A few days after that Nathan began to add solids to the broth. It had now been two weeks since they found Ezra, he was getting stronger, and his headaches were easing. He had still not allowed his mother to visit him although he had agreed to Josiah visiting him, as everyone else seemed to be. He was not happy about them being with him all the time, it was becoming the same old story, and they weren't going to leave him alone for a minute. He knew that as soon as he had enough strength he would be leaving.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Two more weeks passed and Nathan had finally allowed Ezra to get out of bed, his legs were weak at first but as the days passed, he became stronger. He had made a decision earlier and now it was time to carry it out. There were times that they now left him alone and it was during one of these occasions that he left Nathan's room and went to his own. He didn’t make it though without being seen. Maude had seen him go down the side alley towards the back of the saloon wearing clothes that looked like something only Nathan would wear. She couldn’t understand why they would allow him to leave and make his own way back to his room in clothes that didn’t belong to him. Then she realised that they probably didn’t know that he had left. It did give her an opportunity to talk to her son without them interfering. She made her own way to Ezra's room with all the intentions of making him leave town with her.
She entered his room without knocking to find him dressing into his own cloths. She hadn’t really seen him much in the last four weeks and she was shocked at the amount of weight that he had lost while recovering from the wounds that had been inflicted upon him.
"Ezra," she didn’t wait for an answer. "I want to speak to you and I’ll not leave until I do."
Ezra turned to his mother, she saw that he was still pale but apart from the loss of weight, he was beginning to look more like his normal self apart from the small scar that showed on his hairline. "And what is it that you want to talk about mother." When Ezra finished dressing, he took a bag out from under his bed and began to pack it with the little possessions that he had.
"I was hoping to convince you to leave this godforsaken town, look what it’s doing to you." She frowned. She could see that he was packing, the frown turned to smile. It looked like that she didn’t need to convince him. "But I see that you already intend to."
"Yes, mother, I am but I’m not going with you." He picked up his coat and hat then left his room for the last time.
Maude rushed after him. "Ezra, you can't go off on your own, you can't be well enough yet." Maude was stunned, she knew her son was stubborn but didn’t realise how bad he could be. She wanted him to leave but only if he left with her. He was not in the sort of condition where he could look after himself.
"I’m perfectly fine, mother." Which he knew he nearly was, the headache had just about gone and there was no dizziness, it was only a matter of putting some weight back on and getting back to his full strength.
His mind was not fine. He needed some space, some time on his own away from everyone so he could think. They would not allow him to do that here, they wouldn't leave him alone and he was tired of it. He knew that it was the concern of friends but as far as he was concerned, it was too much too soon.
Ezra didn’t use the back door this time, he walked through the saloon where the other six hired gunmen were sitting and laughing, happy now that they knew Ezra was fine. They looked up when they heard Ezra's voice wondering what he was doing in here when he should have been in Nathan's room.
Nathan got up and went towards him; he grabbed him by the arm. "Ezra, what are you doing? I didn't give you permission to leave my room." Ezra kept walking though so Nathan stepped in front of him.
"I don’t need your permission, Mr. Jackson."
He went to push past Nathan but felt another hand on his arm. "What's the bag for, Ezra?"
"I’m leaving." He looked into Chris's eyes knowing what he was going to say to that remark.
"Are you running out on us?" Chris didn't know if this was true but he said it hoping that it would make Ezra explain what it was that he was doing.
"Think what you like." He pushed his way out the door and headed towards the livery.
"Is this your idea?" He turned towards Maude.
"No. He has no intention of coming with me."
"He's going off on his own?" Nathan left the saloon to go after Ezra. He was not well enough to take care of himself; he had to try to convince him to stay. The others were not far behind him.
Ezra didn’t make it as far as the corner before they caught up with him. "Ezra, you are not going anywhere in the condition that you are in. Why don't you come back and sit down and well talk about it." Nathan knew that if he let Ezra go that he would not look after himself.
"At the moment, Mr. Jackson, the only way you can get me to stay is to tie me down to a bed and I’m sure that you would not do that," growled Ezra. They really knew how to make him angry; they didn’t seem to think that he could take care of himself. He had taken care of himself his entire life and yet they thought he couldn’t do it now.
"At least tell us why your leaving, Ezra," said Chris. "You owe us that much."
Ezra stopped and turned to face him. "Mr. Larabee, there have been occasions where you have left for periods of time. Did we demand an explanation from you? No we didn't. We knew that it was something that you needed to do. This is something that I need to do and you won't stop me." He moved off to the stable again with them still following him.
They watched as Ezra saddled his horse and then led him out of the stable. "There's nothing that we can say Ezra that would change your mind?" asked Josiah. "If it's Maude then we could do something about her."
"There’s nothing you can say, Mr. Sanchez, and no it’s not my mother. If anything, it’s you, all of you."
Before they could say, anything in protest Ezra mounted his horse and rode out of town. "What did he mean by that?" asked a stunned JD.
"We've finally pushed him to far, he's not use to what he has in this town, JD, and it’s pushed him away. I think he wants some time to himself. I just hope that he’ll be back."
They turned and made their way back to the saloon not knowing if Ezra would return. Five of them blamed themselves for him for leaving and Chris was thinking along different lines. He was angry that Ezra had just left like that and that anger against him was going to build. He had run out on them again but for his own selfish reasons this time.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Master Fan Fiction List
Fourth story in 'The Continuing Ezra Standish Saga'
Rating: PG
Warnings: Bad writing ahead!
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Summary: Ezra is still recovering when Maude arrives in Four Corners and as she struggles to find out what happened to her son a group of men also arrive in town looking for a high stakes game of poker with Ezra Standish but they loose heavily and they want pay back.
Main Characters: Ezra, the rest of the seven, Maude Standish
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*
Notes: Fourth story in the ‘Continuing Ezra Standish Saga’.
Spoilers: None.
Word Count: 20,471
Part Four
Only Nathan and Chris were with Ezra now, they had decided that rather than all of them crowd the room two of them would stay with Ezra at a time while the others continued with protecting the town and get the rest that they needed. Nathan had insisted that Chris be the first one to get some rest but he refused. They had also talked Maude into leaving, she was too distraught to stay for a long period and they didn’t want to listen to her blaming them for what happened. They knew it was wrong for them to do that but they also knew that it was wrong for her to blame them. Josiah had told her that what happened was due to a game of poker but she still blamed them as if they had shot him. She said that it was because he was in this town, if he had been somewhere else it would not have happened. They didn't want to argue with her so they made up some reason for her to leave. They would allow her to come back of course but if she started another argument then they would do the same.
Nathan got up, checked Ezra’s wounds for any sign of infection, and found none, he also felt his forehead under the bandage for a fever, he was slightly warm but no real fever had started yet. He had managed to clean the remaining blood out of his hair and off the rest of his face. He was still worried though as Ezra had still shown no sign of life since they found him. His breathing was still laboured and his pulse weak. Nathan sat back down and continued to wait.
"Is he going to be okay Nathan?" Chris couldn’t take his eyes off Ezra's still form, he looked to pale and he didn't move, if it wasn't for the slight movement of his chest rising with each laboured breath that he took Chris would have thought that he was looking at a corpse.
"I really don't know, Chris," muttered Nathan.
Two hours later Buck and Vin arrived to take their turn watching Ezra. "Is there anything that we should watch for?" asked Vin looking at Ezra. He hadn't changed at all since he last saw him.
"Keep checking him for a fever and his wounds for an infection. I don't think that an infection will set in now but he could still get a serious fever from the head wound." Both Nathan and Chris left to go down to the saloon and sit with the others.
When they got there, they saw that no one had gone and gotten the two remaining men that had shot Ezra. He was correct when he thought that none of them would want to leave Ezra in case something happened, they wanted to be there wether it was good or bad. Chris noticed Maude sitting at a nearby table on her own. He saw so much of Ezra there in his mother's face and her body language but he knew that they were different, that Ezra was not like his mother, he may have been when they first met but Ezra had changed. He was a good man with a kind heart but he didn't let everyone see that as his mother had taught him that appearances were the most important thing so he kept up his appearance of a gambler, a cheat and a liar. His friends knew differently, they had accepted him for what he pretended to be and what he was.
JD and Josiah then relieved Buck and Vin and took over watching Ezra.
"Is there any change?" asked Josiah. Neither of them answered him. He looked down at Ezra's pale face, his lips slightly parted as he breathed in each laboured breath. He did though have a slight reddish glow to his cheeks. He moved over and checked him for a fever but found that he was only slightly warm which may have been due to the blankets that Nathan had put him for the shock that he said he would be suffering from with the amount of blood that he had lost.
Nathan followed them in not long after. He wanted to change Ezra's bandages. He removed them still finding no sign of infection; he knew that there would not be any now because if they were going to become infected they would have by now. He informed JD and Josiah of this. He did notice though that he was slightly warmer than when he last checked him for a fever.
"He feels a bit warmer than last time so keep checking him." He saw Josiah and JD nod in answer while they continued to look at Ezra. They were worried about him like everyone else was.
JD and Josiah had been sitting in silence, they didn’t want to speak their fears so instead they concentrated on Ezra, Josiah got up to check him for any sign of a fever and felt that Ezra had become even warmer to the touch, his skin also felt clammy.
"JD, go and get Nathan."
He didn't have to ask why. He knew that he would be in the saloon with the others. "Nathan, Josiah wants you to come up; I think Ezra's got a fever." Nathan jumped up from his chair and rushed up to his room followed by everyone else including Maude who had seen him leave in a hurry after JD came in.
He entered his room to find Josiah wiping down Ezra's face with a damp cloth being careful of the bandage that was wrapped around his forehead. "He's got a fever, Nathan."
Nathan moved over towards the bed watching Ezra, he didn't see any sign of movement and knew that the fever would be due to the head injury. He felt his forehead, Josiah was correct he had begun to develop a fever and it was going to get a lot worse. For the second time in as many months, Nathan began to worry about what the fever was going to do to Ezra in terms of brain damage.
Maude sat in one of the chairs in a corner of the room; she was not going to let them take her away from her son this time. She could feel all sorts of feelings going through her mind. She had never seen her son in this kind of condition before. Maude had never thought of losing her son, had never considered it and now here she was watching him, thinking that he was going to die and it was only a matter of time until he did.
She wiped another tear that was forming in her eye. She didn't want the others to see how upset she was.
Nathan spent a lot of hours with Ezra trying to keep his fever down, it had become bad but because of the coma that he was in he didn’t thrash about or become delirious, he just lay there not moving, not making a sound, the sweat making his hair cling to his bandage. He wanted to give him some fluids with herbs but knew that the condition he was in would not allow it, he would only choke. He had taken the chance after they had found him with Jean and Buck but he was unconscious and they had to risk it then because of the poison.
The others had continued to take turns sitting with Ezra doing what they could for him, which was not much. They did this for another four days. Each had become exhausted, they hadn’t slept well or eaten much at all either. They had gotten some other men from town to go and get the other two gamblers, as they knew that if they did that they might not come back alive. Maude had continued to come and go, she didn’t talk to the others, as she knew that they would not allow her to stay with her son if she did. She still blamed them though for what happened and if her son survived then she would do everything in her power to get him to leave Four Corners.
After five days Ezra's fever finally broke but Nathan knew that he was still not out of danger, he still had to wake up. Nathan and Buck were sitting with Ezra, Buck had fallen asleep in the chair and Nathan was trying hard to keep his own eyes open. The lack of sleep that they had was beginning to catch up to them.
"Mr. Jackson," Ezra whispered. Ezra had woken not knowing where he was. The last thing he remembered was seeing the four men that he had played poker with riding towards him with their guns drawn, he had fallen from his horse for some reason and then everything went black. The next thing he remembered was the extreme amount of pain coming from his head. He didn’t move for fear that his head would fall off his shoulders. He waited for a moment before speaking. He knew that there would be someone in the room with him.
Nathan's head jerked up. "Ezra?" he got up and moved to the bed thinking that Ezra was awake but his eyes were still closed. He must have been dreaming.
"Can I have some water please?" He whispered again. His throat was dry and sore.
Nathan saw Ezra's lips move as he spoke and knew that it was not a dream, he smiled. "Sure Ezra," he went to get the water and kicked Buck on the way pass.
Buck nearly fell from his chair. "Nathan what did you do that for?"
"Mr. Wilmington, please don’t yell." Ezra was tiring and he fell back into darkness before Nathan could give him some water.
Buck ran into the saloon and headed straight to the others with a smile on his face. "He's awake. Well he was awake he's out again now but he did wake up." They all started to rise but Buck hadn't finished.
"Nathan said that there’s no use going up there. That we should just continue on like we are." They didn't listen though, as they continued to rise and went out the saloon door with a protesting Buck following them.
"I said that there was no need to come up." Nathan said as they all made their way into the room. To them Ezra still looked the same.
"We just wanted to check that was all," said Chris. Some of the worry had left his face.
"He was only awake for a couple of minutes; it might be hours before he wakes up again. Each time he does wake, it’ll be for a longer period and the time that he’s unconscious will continue to be less. So there’s no need for all of you to be here." He started to head them towards the door.
"We would rather stay, Nathan." Chris went to the corner of the room and stayed there, the others found their own areas to wait in, they intended to stay there, and there was nothing that Nathan could say to make them leave.
It was another six hours before Ezra woke again. They all heard him moan from where they were standing. Nathan moved towards the bed with a cup of water that he had also placed some herbs in to try to help Ezra get through the pain that he knew the head injury was causing.
"Ezra, do you think you could drink something?"
Ezra opened his eyes but closed them again as the light sent a shot of pain through his skull, he grimaced but that only caused him more pain. The others watched as he opened his eyes and they all relaxed finally seeing some sign of life coming from their friend.
"Ezra, I want you to try for me okay."
When Ezra didn’t say anything, he took it as a yes. He sat on the bed next to him and saw him wince at the pain the movement of the bed caused him. He placed the cup against Ezra's lips and was grateful when he swallowed a small amount. He then took a second drink but he stopped there as he fell into unconsciousness again. Nathan got up and moved towards the others.
"That's how it’s going to be for the next few days so there’s no use staying here like this, we'll just take turns again sitting with him. Now has anyone told Maude or Mary that he has woken up?” Josiah quickly left the room. He was so anxious to see Ezra wake up that he didn’t think of either of them.
When Ezra woke again Chris, Vin and Maude were sitting with him. They moved to his bedside when they heard his voice, he had asked for Nathan. Vin left to find Nathan knowing that Ezra probably won't be awake when they got back.
"Mr. Larabee, could please give me a moment with my son?" Smiled Maude hoping that he would leave them.
"No." he knew what she wanted to do and this was not the time for it. She wanted to lay blame on them, probably Ezra too, but he was not going to let her do that.
"Mr. Larabee, I insist." She had raised her voice slightly trying to be firm knowing that she was not going to get anywhere with this man.
"Mother, please I don’t need this at the moment." Ezra groaned from the bed.
"Ezra, I only wanted to. . ."
"Mother, don't." Ezra started to cough and cried out at the pain as it caused him to pass out again.
Maude quickly moved to his side and took his hand.
"Maude, I think you should leave," stated Chris
"I’ll not leave my son."
"Yes you will and when you are ready to sit with him quietly and not judge him or us for what happened then you can come back."
"I’ll not be treated like a child."
"I'm sorry Maude, but he needs rest and you will not give him that while you are here. Now if you don't leave then I’ll have to carry you out." He stepped towards her.
She was confident that he would do it so she left ready to mouth a protest on the way out but the expression on his face stopped her. Chris then went and sat next to Ezra waiting for Nathan and Vin to return.
Nathan made sure that he stayed with Ezra so the next time he woke up he would be here if he still wanted him. When he had returned with Vin, earlier Ezra had passed out again so he was not able to help him. He wasn't going to let that happen again.
Ezra had begun to cough again. "Ezra you want some more water?" asked Nathan.
"Yes."
Nathan worried about the fact that Ezra was not using large words or long sentences like he usually did. He hoped that this didn’t mean anything serious. He helped Ezra drink some water with the herbs in it.
"Nathan, why does my head hurt so much?"
"You've been shot Ezra; the bullet grazed your skull. You have been unconscious for seven days now."
"Shot, I don't remember, I thought it was that poison. I didn't drink that powder like you asked."
"That's okay Ezra, don't worry about it. I think that is the last of your worries at the moment." Nathan held up his hand. "Ezra can you open your eyes and tell me how many fingers I’m holding up."
Ezra opened his eyes and moaned at the pain. "I can't count that many." He closed his eyes again. "Nathan could you do me a favour please?"
"Anything, Ezra." He leaned forward as Ezra was whispering. He was falling asleep again.
"Please don't let my mother back in here."
"Are you sure about that, Ezra?"
"Yes," he muttered.
Nathan patted his shoulder. "If that's what you want Ezra." He sat there with him for a while longer hearing the rattle in his chest as he breathed. This caused him to start worrying all over again.
Josiah entered the room quietly so as not to disturb Ezra. "How's he doing?" he asked Nathan.
"Ezra's not breathing well, Josiah; he might have some fluid in his lungs." Nathan hadn’t moved from Ezra's side since he had first heard the rattle in his chest. It hadn’t gotten worse but he wasn't leaving until his chest cleared. He continued giving Ezra a drink each time he woke up and he had also added something to it hoping that it would help clear his lungs.
"Is that serious?" Josiah sat down on the bed careful not to make too much movement.
"It could be Josiah, it could be." Nathan hung his head.
"Nathan, why don't you go and get some rest, I'll sit with Ezra for a while."
"No I'm staying until I know he's out of danger."
"Nathan, you will not be any help to him if you get sick."
"Gentlemen, would you please stop arguing." Ezra had woken to the sound of their voices. He coughed, feeling the pain that it caused.
"Ezra, are you still feeling a pain in your chest and back when you breath?" Nathan had moved forward so that he could hear Ezra answer.
"It's not as bad now, thank you," he coughed again.
"That's good but I’m sure that there’s still some fluid in your lungs so you are going to keep drinking this stuff." He produced a cup from the floor beside him. Ezra didn't argue with him and drank the entire cup this time. Nathan smiled grateful that he was not being his usual stubborn self. "Mary made some broth for you. Do you think that you could eat some of that as well?" He saw Ezra grimace at the thought.
"The mere thought of food makes me feel ill."
"I may have to force you to eat something Ezra, you have not had anything in eight days, and you need it to help you get better." Ezra looked at him. "I won't force you now but I want you to try some tonight, even if it’s only a spoonful." He saw him nod slightly thinking that the pain must be easing as he was now moving his head more.
"Ezra," Josiah spoke for the first time to Ezra since he had first woken up. "Nathan says that you don't want your mother in here. Is that true?"
Ezra turned his gaze towards Josiah. "Yes it is, Mr. Sanchez, and if you bring up the subject again I’ll ask the same of you."
Later that evening Nathan waited for Ezra to wake up so he could get him to eat something but it didn't happen as he slept through until the morning. Nathan had fallen asleep himself and woke up to the sound of someone entering the room. He looked up to see Maude and Josiah standing in the doorway, Maude had a pleading look in her eyes.
"I know he does not want me here but I need to see how he’s doing." She stepped closer waiting for Nathan to say no.
Nathan gave Josiah a look. Maude sat down on the bed and wiped her son's hair off his forehead, she place her other hand on his chest so she could feel his heartbeat. "Is he going to be alright Nathan?"
"He does seem to be better but I’ll know more in a couple of days, I just need to get him to start eating something."
They all heard Ezra take in a quick gasp of air and he jerked awake at the feel of someone touching his head. He opened his eyes to see his mother staring down at him. He turned and saw Nathan and Josiah at the end of the bed. He spoke to Josiah. "You brought her here didn't you?" He was getting angry. "I told you I didn't want to see her."
"Ezra, take it easy." Nathan wanted to get him calm as quick as possible.
Maude got up from the bed and moved back to Josiah's side. She couldn’t understand what she that would cause him to act this way towards her.
"Nathan, would you please get her out of here." Ezra grimaced as the pain in his head begun to get worse, he put his hand to his forehead. "Nathan."
Maude couldn’t take anymore; she turned on her heel and left the room. Josiah waited though thinking that maybe he would be able to talk to Ezra about his mother. Nathan watched as Ezra's face began to relax as the pain subsided.
"You okay now, Ezra?" he saw him nod again.
"Please don't let her in here. All she’s going to do is blame me for what happened and I don't want to hear it at the moment."
Nathan looked at Josiah again. "She needs to see how you are Ezra." Josiah said gently.
"And Nathan, please make sure that Mr. Sanchez does not return either."
"Only if you will eat something for me." Nathan smiled at him knowing that Ezra would not like being blackmailed. Ezra could only nod again.
"Josiah, could you send someone up with some fresh soup or broth please, and also make sure that you honour this agreement that Ezra and I have made."
"I see that your stubbornness is returning Ezra." Josiah couldn’t help but smile, this meant that he was getting better. He left to find someone to bring some food for both Ezra and Nathan.
Ezra managed to eat a small amount of broth before bringing it back up again. He hated being like this, hated relying on other people. He had always been able to take care of himself but since being in Four Corners he has come to rely on other people but then sometimes they didn’t give him a choice.
"That's okay Ezra, we'll try again later. Your stomach has to get used to food again." Nathan couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ezra; he knew that he would not like this. Having people take care of him, was something that he was still not used to even with all that happened to him in the last few months?
Chris and Buck came in a short time later insisting that Nathan go and get some rest. Nathan refused so they compromised; he was asleep within minutes on the smaller bunk that he often used when someone else was in his bed. Both Chris and Buck sat and waited while both Ezra and Nathan slept.
It was another two days before Ezra was finally able to hold down some of the broth that Mary had made. He had also begun to breathe easier the rattle from his chest completely gone. He still had a constant headache though and Nathan had started giving him some of the powder for the poison that he thought was still in Ezra's system. A few days after that Nathan began to add solids to the broth. It had now been two weeks since they found Ezra, he was getting stronger, and his headaches were easing. He had still not allowed his mother to visit him although he had agreed to Josiah visiting him, as everyone else seemed to be. He was not happy about them being with him all the time, it was becoming the same old story, and they weren't going to leave him alone for a minute. He knew that as soon as he had enough strength he would be leaving.
Two more weeks passed and Nathan had finally allowed Ezra to get out of bed, his legs were weak at first but as the days passed, he became stronger. He had made a decision earlier and now it was time to carry it out. There were times that they now left him alone and it was during one of these occasions that he left Nathan's room and went to his own. He didn’t make it though without being seen. Maude had seen him go down the side alley towards the back of the saloon wearing clothes that looked like something only Nathan would wear. She couldn’t understand why they would allow him to leave and make his own way back to his room in clothes that didn’t belong to him. Then she realised that they probably didn’t know that he had left. It did give her an opportunity to talk to her son without them interfering. She made her own way to Ezra's room with all the intentions of making him leave town with her.
She entered his room without knocking to find him dressing into his own cloths. She hadn’t really seen him much in the last four weeks and she was shocked at the amount of weight that he had lost while recovering from the wounds that had been inflicted upon him.
"Ezra," she didn’t wait for an answer. "I want to speak to you and I’ll not leave until I do."
Ezra turned to his mother, she saw that he was still pale but apart from the loss of weight, he was beginning to look more like his normal self apart from the small scar that showed on his hairline. "And what is it that you want to talk about mother." When Ezra finished dressing, he took a bag out from under his bed and began to pack it with the little possessions that he had.
"I was hoping to convince you to leave this godforsaken town, look what it’s doing to you." She frowned. She could see that he was packing, the frown turned to smile. It looked like that she didn’t need to convince him. "But I see that you already intend to."
"Yes, mother, I am but I’m not going with you." He picked up his coat and hat then left his room for the last time.
Maude rushed after him. "Ezra, you can't go off on your own, you can't be well enough yet." Maude was stunned, she knew her son was stubborn but didn’t realise how bad he could be. She wanted him to leave but only if he left with her. He was not in the sort of condition where he could look after himself.
"I’m perfectly fine, mother." Which he knew he nearly was, the headache had just about gone and there was no dizziness, it was only a matter of putting some weight back on and getting back to his full strength.
His mind was not fine. He needed some space, some time on his own away from everyone so he could think. They would not allow him to do that here, they wouldn't leave him alone and he was tired of it. He knew that it was the concern of friends but as far as he was concerned, it was too much too soon.
Ezra didn’t use the back door this time, he walked through the saloon where the other six hired gunmen were sitting and laughing, happy now that they knew Ezra was fine. They looked up when they heard Ezra's voice wondering what he was doing in here when he should have been in Nathan's room.
Nathan got up and went towards him; he grabbed him by the arm. "Ezra, what are you doing? I didn't give you permission to leave my room." Ezra kept walking though so Nathan stepped in front of him.
"I don’t need your permission, Mr. Jackson."
He went to push past Nathan but felt another hand on his arm. "What's the bag for, Ezra?"
"I’m leaving." He looked into Chris's eyes knowing what he was going to say to that remark.
"Are you running out on us?" Chris didn't know if this was true but he said it hoping that it would make Ezra explain what it was that he was doing.
"Think what you like." He pushed his way out the door and headed towards the livery.
"Is this your idea?" He turned towards Maude.
"No. He has no intention of coming with me."
"He's going off on his own?" Nathan left the saloon to go after Ezra. He was not well enough to take care of himself; he had to try to convince him to stay. The others were not far behind him.
Ezra didn’t make it as far as the corner before they caught up with him. "Ezra, you are not going anywhere in the condition that you are in. Why don't you come back and sit down and well talk about it." Nathan knew that if he let Ezra go that he would not look after himself.
"At the moment, Mr. Jackson, the only way you can get me to stay is to tie me down to a bed and I’m sure that you would not do that," growled Ezra. They really knew how to make him angry; they didn’t seem to think that he could take care of himself. He had taken care of himself his entire life and yet they thought he couldn’t do it now.
"At least tell us why your leaving, Ezra," said Chris. "You owe us that much."
Ezra stopped and turned to face him. "Mr. Larabee, there have been occasions where you have left for periods of time. Did we demand an explanation from you? No we didn't. We knew that it was something that you needed to do. This is something that I need to do and you won't stop me." He moved off to the stable again with them still following him.
They watched as Ezra saddled his horse and then led him out of the stable. "There's nothing that we can say Ezra that would change your mind?" asked Josiah. "If it's Maude then we could do something about her."
"There’s nothing you can say, Mr. Sanchez, and no it’s not my mother. If anything, it’s you, all of you."
Before they could say, anything in protest Ezra mounted his horse and rode out of town. "What did he mean by that?" asked a stunned JD.
"We've finally pushed him to far, he's not use to what he has in this town, JD, and it’s pushed him away. I think he wants some time to himself. I just hope that he’ll be back."
They turned and made their way back to the saloon not knowing if Ezra would return. Five of them blamed themselves for him for leaving and Chris was thinking along different lines. He was angry that Ezra had just left like that and that anger against him was going to build. He had run out on them again but for his own selfish reasons this time.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
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