The Magnificent Seven

About Twenty Years Before the Gathering of The Seven

A young Chris is preparing to go into the Union Army. His little sister is sitting on a bale of hay in the barn, watching him. She is ten years old, and her big brother is more than a brother. He is a surrogate father. She adores him. "Chris, if you're not here who's going to take care of me and Momma? What if he comes back?" Chris stopped saddling his horse when she stated the last question, and walked over to the bail of hay she was sitting on and kneeled in front of it. He cupped her hands. "He is never coming back here, and he's never gone hurt Mom or you again." She wanted to believe her brother, but the first time she had laid eyes on her father six months ago. He had beaten their mother badly, Chris had been away. He had been at a rail chopping contest. He had come back, and found their mother beaten severely, and had wanted to go hunt his father, but it was Jeannie who stopped him when she had told him where their father was. He had gone to the saloon and ordered his father out of Indiana. He had also told him that if he ever came near Jeannie or Susan Larrabee again. "What if he finds out, you're not here." He smiled and said he would never come back. "Don't worry Aunt Judy is here to help you and Mom." She starts to cry. "She doesn't like me. She wants me to wear dresses." He starts to laugh until he notices the look on her face. "I'll talk to her, and tell her to let you wear what you want, but you have to wear one to church, and school." She nods and hugs him. "I love you Chris." He tells her he loves her to, and that he has to finish saddling his horse, and tells her to go tell Mom he's leaving in five minutes. She runs up to the house, and about three seconds later he hears his aunt yelling for to come back. He goes to the house, and his mother is yelling at Judy. "Where's Jeannie?" His mother tells him what happened. He looks at his aunt. "I'm coming back and my sister best be here when I get back understand?" Susan asks him to go get Jeannie, he's probably the only one that can find her. He does find her at the pond. She is sitting there skipping rocks. "You want to talk about it?" She looks at him and shakes her head no. "I guess you don't want to go to that school huh? Well. Your Momma and I both told her you weren't going?" She looks at her brother. "I could take care of everything, by myself we don't need her." He shakes his head no, and explains. "So let's go home. I have to go so your going to be a good girl, and help Mom and Aunt Judy." She nods and he picks her up, and carries her back to the house. Their mother sees them. "Chris she's getting too big for that." He sets her down. He hugs his mother, and says that he will write. He looks at his sister. "Remember no tears. I love you." She nodded and watched till her brother rode off. She was sure of one thing Chris had never lied to her, and if he said he would be back he would be.

Four Years later

The war was over, and Jeannie still dressed like she always had. She was watching for her brother. Susan told her that she wouldn't make him get there any faster by watching for him. She apologizes to their new neighbor. "She thinks her brother is perfect." Jeannie all of a sudden gasps. "He's back, and he's got somebody with him." She runs out on the porch, and Chris gets off his horse, and she jumps from the porch to him hugging him. Then Susan limps out. He hugs his mother. She introduces him to their new neighbor Sarah. He introduces them to Buck. All of sudden Jeannie notices Buck. When she does for the first time, she wishes she was dressed like a girl. Susan is the first to speak. "Jeannie why don't you go catch a chicken, and I will cook it for dinner." Buck says if somebody shows him the chicken coop he'll do it. He's sure that Chris' family wants to visit with him. Jeannie says that she will. Chris has noticed the look on her face when and when they head to the barn. "What's wrong with Jeannie since when is she willing to let a guy do something she can do?" Susan laughs. "Your sister is finally glad she's a girl. She thinks Mr. Willimington is handsome." Chris laughs and can't believe it. "She's just a little girl. She's only twelve." His mother tells him that she is fourteen, and to visit with Sarah. Meanwhile, at the chicken coop. Buck tells her thank-you, and he can handle it if she wants to go visit with Chris. She tells him okay and is backing toward the house, and manages to fall in the horse trough. He asks her if she's okay, and she says fine, and manages to make it back to the house.

When she gets there, Chris is shocked to see she's soaked. "What happened?" She looks at him and says nothing and goes in. He doesn't know why but he suddenly finds himself asking Sarah's advice. "Do you think I should talk to her about this?" Sarah tells him no, and that it will work its self out, besides sometimes a girl needs a mother and not an overprotective brother. "Are you always so protective of your sister?" He nods yeah. "I made her a promise a long time ago never to let her get hurt, and I would always protect her. It's worked so far." Meanwhile, in the house. "Momma where's the dress Aunt Judy mailed me?" Her mother looks at her and says that it is in the box in her room. Since when you do voluntary put on a dress?" Jeannie shrugs and says she just thought she would. Her mother nods and when Jeannie goes into her room. She states out loud. "I do hope that Mr. Willimington intends to stay for a while." Buck brings in the chicken, and asks if he can do anything to help. She tells him no and thanks him.

In her room Jeannie talks herself out of the dress but changes into some dry clothes, and then into the dress. She then goes in the kitchen and offers to help. Her mother looks at her. "Mr. Willimington, I think Jeannie and I can handle this. Why don't you go out and relax with Chris? I am sure that you had a long ride." He says he might go get cleaned up. He walks out. Her mother laughs. "You know I may just have to keep Mr. Willimington around your actually offering to help cook, and wearing dresses. Honey he is older than you are and he's a grown man." Jeannie nods. "You are growing up, but you're not there yet. Just remember that you have a long time to do that." Sometime later Sarah and Chris married. Their mother passed away, and Jeannie moved to Eagle Bend with them. She eventually took her test to be a teacher. "Sarah what do you think Chris is going to say about me leaving?" Sarah looked at her son who was playing in the front yard. "Chris or Buck?" Jeannie looks at her. "I do love him. I always have from the first minute I saw him, but he never notices me. To him I am still Fourteen years old. I can't move forward if I see him all the time." Sarah understands. "I think your brother will be okay, with you moving off." They finish getting dinner when Buck and Chris ride up. They are all sitting around when Sarah nudges Jeannie. "They sent me the results of the teaching exam." He looks at her. "I scored higher than anybody else. I was also offered a job in Yuma." He looks at her. "Yuma? You can't go to Yuma you are sixteen years old." She looks at him. "I am 18 and why can't I go?" He tries the standard big brother reasoning. "You're too young. You don't know anybody. Who would take care of you?" She looks at her brother and can't believe he said that. "You didn't ask that did you. I can take care of myself." Which leads to there arguing, he finally grounds her. "Chris, I am taking that job." He realizes he's wrong. "I know your going to so when do you leave." She tells him and he looks at her. "They really need a teacher now." He nods and tells Buck their trip to Gaston if on hold. Sarah then informs her husband that she can take care of their place while he's gone. He finally agrees to go. The next day Sarah and Chris are in the store. "So you excited about your trip?" She nods. "You don't look to happy about it." She tells him nerves, and then Adam asks him to take for a ride. He does. She watches him and Adam. Chris and Sarah come out of the store. Jeannie is lost in thought. Sarah says she wants to talk to her alone. "Did you tell him?" She shakes her head no. "He could and I think he does." Jeannie looks at her sister-in-law. "I think it's some kind of guy code. You know the one unforgivable sin is falling in love with the sister of your best friend." Sarah smiles. Chris comes over. "Hey Kiddo do you have some time for your big brother." She nods and he tells her they need to take a walk. "You really love Buck don't you." She nods. "Yeah and after four years I have accepted the fact he doesn't love me." Chris tells her things won't get better just because she runs away from the problem. She nods. "I just can't stay either waiting and hoping." Chris looks at his little sister. "Have you talked to Buck?" She shakes her head no. "He acts like I am still the same kid he met four years ago. I think I am doing the right thing." He nods and holds open his arms. She goes into them. Adam and Buck are riding. "Uncle Buck, why is Aunt Jeannie looking so sad if this is supposed to be a great adventure." Buck tells him that sometimes it is hard to say to good bye to the people you love. Nobody knows it but Buck is in love with Jeannie to, but he was letting her go. Buck loved her, but he didn't think he should love her. He had nothing to offer her, but one day he would and that would be the day that he asked her to marry him not before. Nobody knew that next two days held the worst hell anybody had ever seen. Eventually Jeannie left she and Buck never even said good-byes. They just kinda nodded at each other. When he and Sarah said good-bye, she told him to talk to Buck, and see how he felt. They were riding quietly along to Gaston. "So about my sister what do you think?" Buck made a lame joke. "Seriously, I have a feeling you haven't spent so much time at my house because you're crazy about me and Sarah." Buck admitted he had feelings for her, but he wouldn't even admit them till he had more to offer her. Chris looked at him. "She loves you, and you love her. Yet you two are waiting on the other person. Well at least she is. You didn't even think she might stay and take over the teaching job here." Buck nodded and said he wanted to be able to offer her something before he tried. Chris pointed out he did have something to offer himself. Buck said he wanted to give her something tangible. The horse ranch was the answer to that, but when they got back their dreams, and Chris' life had gone up in flames. Sarah and Adam were dead. Chris of course wired Jeannie about their deaths but ordered her stay in Yuma. He eventually went to see her but he wasn't the same big brother she knew and loved. He told her he wouldn't be visiting. She tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen. He felt he would be doing her a favor by not visiting. He felt her life would be endanger, if he did. She tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't hear it. He said he'd write and walked out. Buck was there when it happened. "Buck. He's not Chris." Buck says it will take time. They talked but again both people kept their feelings hid from the other. Occasionally Buck dropped into Yuma, and they talked about trivial things. He wondered if Chris was right that their being law men are what destroyed his family, and if it was he would gladly not admit his love for Jeannie to keep her safe.

12 years later

"Mr. Larrabee, we have hired a teacher she arrives tomorrow from Yuma." Chris was shocked, and definitely not amused. When he saw Buck, he nearly lost it. "Did you know she was planning this?" Buck looked at him. Chris realizes that Buck doesn't know. "Jeannie is coming to town." Buck is shocked. Mary asks if there is a problem. He says no and that he is going to the saloon. Mary looks at Buck. He just walks off.

Meanwhile, on the stage Jeannie is thinking about her move to Four Corners, and looks at the little girl that is a little over a year old traveling with her. The woman smiles at her. "Your child is lovely, is your husband meeting you in Four Corners?" Jeannie smiles. "She's not my child. Her parents were the best friends I had in Yuma they died, and asked me to take care of her." The woman smiles and asks where she's going. "We're going to Four Corners. I am going to be the new teacher." They talk and the woman says she's going back East.

When she steps off the stage, she realizes Chris and Buck don't know about Alicia. She goes to see Mrs. Travis, and explains and asks about where her brother might be. Mary tells her the saloon, and Jeannie asks if she can leave Alicia with her while she goes and talks to her brother. Mary says yes of course. She first goes into the hotel and changes clothes and walks into the saloon. Buck nudges Chris. Chris looks at his sister. "Why are you here?" She looks at him. "Because I still love you." He tells her to go back to Yuma. "I'm not going Chris. I want to know how long you intend to pretend you don't have a sister." He looks at her. "You could get hurt because of me." She looks at Chris. "You don't know that, and I might not." Buck starts to slide down the bar. "You hold it to. I have something to say to you. It has been brought to my attention that a man doesn't work so hard at ignoring someone if he doesn't care. So I want to know why you have been ignoring me." Chris says "She doesn't understand. She needs to go back to Yuma." She looks at her brother. "Chris I am not ten years old anymore, and you can't protect me all the time. I want to be here for you. Like I should have been, 12 years ago don't you understand that. I love you, and I love you Buck. The only way I leave Four Corners is for the both of you to say you hate me, and you never want to see me again." Neither one of them can say that. Buck heart is beating for her like it did when she was eighteen, and left Eagle Bend. Chris looks at Buck. They both realize she has changed. "I need to talk to you both." They walk out onto the street. "Do you remember the Collins? That family I stayed with in Yuma." They nod. "All of them except the baby died last month. I happened to have the baby with me. They ate some bad sheep meat and got really sick. So they asked me to take care of the baby." They look at her. "She's really great. Y'all want to meet her." So the three of them walk over to Mary Travis' newspaper. She tells Mary thanks and she picks Alicia up. Chris and Buck hearts are completely captured by the girl. Mary Travis, asks if she needs any help settling in. Jeannie says no and thanks her. She asks though where she could get something to eat. Buck says they go to the saloon. He takes the baby. "We need to get to know each other." She nods the three of them go to the hotel. The other five are watching and wondering. "You don't suppose that is Buck's daughter, do you?" J.D. asked wondering if Buck had abounded a woman and a child. The rest of them look at him. They don't believe Buck would abandon his own child.

In the saloon the baby is fussy, and won't eat. "She hasn't wanted anything at all to eat with this cold." Chris suggests she talk to Nathan. "He's the closest thing we have to a doctor." She nods. Buck manages to get the baby to eat who then proceeds to throw up all over him. "I better take her upstairs." Chris says he'll go get Nathan. Buck says that he's going to go get cleaned up. He leaves and so does Chris. "Well sweet girl I think you made quiet an impression on your Uncle Chris, and the man with any luck that is going to be your Daddy." She gets her in bed. Chris brings in Nathan. Nathan looks at the baby. "I think it is just a cold I am not for sure. I'm not a real doctor. I was just a stretcher bearer in the war." He says that he'll do what he can to help her. She thanks him. He leaves and once in the hall he leans against the wall. An wishes that he had real medical training. At times like this he could sense something was seriously wrong, but didn't know what to do. Buck came back and asked Nathan about the baby. Nathan says he thinks it's just a cold. She should get better.

He goes in and she is asleep. Chris looks at Jeannie, and realizes she didn't get any thing really to eat when Alicia got sick. "Why don't you go get something to eat? I will watch her." She looks at him. "You sure? What if she gets sick again?" He looks at her. "I took care of you so go. Buck why don't you go with her."

In the hotel they are sitting and talking. "I love you Jeannie Larrabee." She looks at him. She has waited for sixteen years to hear him say that. "You love me?" He nods and they talk about the future, the past, and the present. "Marry me." He didn't ask he sort of made a proclamation. She started to smile. "Are you serious?" He nods. She yells yes. She also kisses him, not in the way you would except for the 1800s but she was the instigator. He looks at her. "Do you have any idea how long I have waited for you to say those two things? Of course I will marry you." They laugh and talk some more. She finally realizes there is the issue of Alicia. "Buck you realize when you marry me that you get an instant child. Alicia is legally my child and my responsibility." He nods and tells her. "I know that and I fell in love with her the minute I saw her, besides as her Daddy I can tell her to avoid guys that are like me, and drive them away." She starts to laugh. "I think we have a problem them, because I am going to be telling her if she finds a man that is half as handsome or nice as her Daddy not to let him go." They are laughing. The others make their way over. He introduces them to Jeannie as his future wife. He asks Josiah if he can marry them as soon as possible. Josiah says yes. "Wait we have to tell Chris." They look at her. "He's my brother, and Alicia. I want to tell him alone first." She goes upstairs. Chris notices a smile on her face. "I guess Buck finally told you how he felt." She nods and tells him they are getting married. He says he's happy for her. Alicia calls for her Momma. "Hi sweetheart. You are getting a new Daddy." Alicia repeats the word. She laughs and says why don't we go see him. Chris says he's going to go talk to Buck. She tells him they will be down in a few minutes, and that she has to get Alicia dressed.

In the hotel Buck is being congratulated by the others. Chris tells him congratulations, and that he understands if Buck wants to give up his job. Buck says that he hasn't though about that. Jeannie walks in. "I want to talk about it with Jeannie first before I make a decision." Jeannie says there is no decision to make as far as she is concerned. That she thinks he should keep doing what he has been with Chris and the rest. Buck looks at her and smiles. He says they need to talk about a wedding date. He takes the baby and hands her to Ezra. "Watch my new daughter for a few moments. An don't teach her any of your habits." They go outside. "Let's get married now." She looks at him. "You certainly aren't wasting time." He looks at her. "I think we have wasted enough time Darlin." She nods and they go in and say the wedding is this afternoon.

At the church she is getting ready and Mary Travis comes in. "Mrs. Travis, would you stand up with me. I know we just met, but I saw the way that my brother looks at you. There is something there that I haven't seen in twelve years." She nods and says that perhaps Jeannie should start calling her Mary if she is going to stand up for her. Buck and Jeannie get married. Mary offers them her old homestead. "It's in perfect order." They smile and accept, and work out a payment plan.

That night they are getting settled in. They go into their room. They are about to celebrate their marriage when Alicia starts crying. She goes to settle her down. She comes back and she and Buck pick up where they left off about to celebrate. Alicia starts crying again. Buck says "I think my new daughter and I need to talk." He goes in and picks up the baby. "Hi sweet girl. You scared? There's nothing to be scared of Momma and I right next door. Daddy and Momma are close. You don't have to worry. So why don't you settle down and go back to sleep." He lays her down. She starts crying. "You want to go into our room don't you." She nods. "All right this once and if your Momma is mad it was your idea. Don't worry Daddy will take the blame." He carries her in. "Buck. She has to learn to sleep in her room." He tells her knows that but they worked out a deal. "Alicia gets to stay in here till she falls asleep then she is going to sleep in her bed the rest of the night." Jeannie laughs. "What do you find so funny?" She looks at him and manages to stop laughing. "It's not all your fault. Some of it belongs to me. She has been sleeping with me. I guess we don't really have any choice. After tonight she goes to bed in her bed." Only it doesn't quite work the way they expect. All three of them end up falling asleep. The next morning when Buck wakes up. Alicia is sitting between them playing with Bucks hair. He wakes up she kisses him and says Dada. "Don't Dada me little girl you ended up sleeping in here." She just kisses him. "Well that was not the deal we made. Well let's fix your Momma breakfast. Tonight you are sleeping in your bed and not with me and your Momma." He starts cooking and lets her play. There is a knock on the door. He looks at his new daughter who is happily playing on the floor. "I guess I should get that huh? I thought so to." He opens the door and it's Chris and Mary Travis. "Look it's your Uncle Chris and Mrs. Travis." They come in. "So what brings you out here this fine day?" They tell him that they are there for Alicia. He looks at them. "Didn't Jeannie tell you she's spending the day in town?" He looks at them. "You're taking Alicia for the day." Jeannie walks in. "You were serious Chris. Thank you." They gather Alicia's things together. "Honey she's only going for the day not the week." Mary and she laugh. "I will see you later tonight. I love you." Buck tells her the same thing. They leave and Buck and Jeannie celebrate their marriage. Hours later as their laying in bed, she suddenly realizes last night was the first night Buck had spent with his new daughter. "Buck, are you sorry?" He looks at her. "What are you talking about I love you? I have loved you for the last twelve years." She continues. "I mean Alicia and you haven't been around that many babies before have you? An she . . . " He looks her in the eyes. "She is my daughter and you're my wife, and don't be stupid. We'll work it out. It's just going to be different. Most couples have their honeymoon and then a couple years later have a baby. We have a baby, and have a honeymoon to."

In town Alicia is charming everyone, Chris is able to remain at an emotional distance. The baby falls and all of a sudden a bruise starts forming. He remembers Adam taking many falls when he was learning to walk, but he never bruised. Nathan has noticed to and immediately goes to the telegraph office. Chris wonders but is immediate attention is returned to Alicia, who has run over and picked some of Mrs. Cotton's prize winning flowers and brought them to him. "Sweetheart Mrs. Cotton, is not going to like you doing this." He is then reminded of Adam who used to bring Sarah flowers. Mary Travis walks out. She is touched by the scene of Chris and his new niece. She is demanding a story. Nathan stays at the telegraph office awaiting an answer. When he gets it, he frowns. He is definitely not happening about this, but knows he has to tell Jeannie and Buck.

He goes over and tells Chris they need to go talk to Jeannie and Buck. Chris looks at him and asks why? Nathan just tells him to trust him. They need to do it. Chris sensing that this could be upsetting asks Mary to keep Alicia. She of course agrees without hesitation.

At the house Jeannie and Buck have been celebrating their marriage in every room that is possible. She and Buck have just finished their bath and are getting dressed. "What do you think about us having dinner at the hotel tonight?" She looks at him "Buck that is so expensive to do every night." He reminds her that is their honeymoon and asks if her cooking has improved. When she says no, it hasn't. "I then hereby declare as it is my right as your husband that I will provide you with restaurant meals every night of our lives together." She laughs and says she promises to learn to cook. They start kissing and there is a knock on the door. Buck. Yells go away. We're on our honeymoon. Chris yells back he and Nathan need to talk to him.

In the living room as their sitting down Jeannie asks where Alicia is. Chris tells her that's what they came to talk to them about. Nathan explains that when he was a slave his former master's little girl used to bruise really easily. Jeannie wonders what has that to do with Alicia, but doesn't say anything. Buck is getting scared. Jeannie jumps to her feet and offers them coffee. She figures if she doesn't sit still and keeps busy they can't tell her, and if they can't tell her it's not true. Chris tells her she has to hear this. Nathan then delivers the news. "I wired a doctor in Denver. I told him that Alicia hasn't recovered from her cold, and she bruises easily. He wired back the answer. He said he's seen a few cases. It's some sort of disease. They don't know anything about it. An the children die." Jeannie looks at him. "Alicia is a year old. She is not going to die. My daughter is not going to die. Buck. Our little girl isn't going to die. She can't die. I promised her other parents to take care of her. I have and she can't die." He takes her in his arms. Chris says he'll go get Alicia. His sister looks at him. "My daughter is going to recover." Chris nods and is praying so. Buck is torn up to. She's been his daughter for less than twenty-four hours but he loves her to. They leave, and Jeannie turns on Buck. "You believe them don't you? Don't you?" He tells her that Nathan is a good man. "He's not a real doctor. He was a stretcher bearer in the war." Buck tells her Nathan wouldn't tell them this if he wasn't sure, and he's done more doctoring than a lot of trained doctors. " She nods and they hold onto each other. Their world is being ripped apart, and they don't know the seriousness of it. Yet but friendships are going to be put to the test, and the whole community will be effected.

Chris brings Alicia home. Buck tells him that Jeannie wants to go Denver. He tells him that the Dr. is coming here. Nathan asked him to. "He did?" Chris tells her Nathan is praying that he's wrong. She nods and looks at her daughter. "You hungry." She shakes her head no. "Okay well Daddy and I are so you can play in the living room. When's the doctor coming?" Chris says he will be on the first stage day after tomorrow, and wants to see Alicia as soon as he gets there." She nods and invites him to supper. He says no but he'll see them the day after next. He leaves. She notices her husband is wearing an apron. "I do love to see a man cook." He laughs and says that he might teach her to cook.

The day the doctor arrives they are both nervous. The last two nights they have let Alicia sleep with them. They are getting ready to go. "Buck what if Nathan was right?" He says he doesn't know. Alicia starts yelling Dada. He goes into her room and she's stuck on the window sill. "Sweet girl how did you manage that?" He gets her down. "Well you can't be too sick the way you played last night, and now. Maybe your Momma is right. She always used to be." He carries her into the living room. "You ready?" She shakes her head no, and says that they should go.

When they arrive in town. The doctor is waiting in the lobby. "When Mr. Jackson wired me, I did some inquiring. Mr. Jackson is an excellent Doctor. I would like to examine your daughter." Jeannie nods and they go to his room. The doctor says that only one parent has to be in the room. Buck says he wants to be there. The doctor examines the child, and she is energetic today. He notices the bruises. He looks at Jeannie. "She gets bruises so easy when she falls." The Dr. says that he believes she has Leukemia. Jeannie looks at him. "She's got plenty of energy today. She is fine today." He asks what about yesterday. She tells him that she was a little lethargic but she'd an exciting couple of days before. Buck asks the question that Jeannie doesn't want him to. "Will she die?" The doctor answers him as kindly as possible. "Yes no children has ever survived it. Maybe one day we can help them, but right now that is not possible." Buck and she nod. "You know it is possible that I am wrong, and I hope I am." Jeannie nods and Buck says thank-you and they leave.

They go straight back to the farm. Jeannie carries Alicia in saying she's going to put her down for a nap. Buck says he'll take care of the horses. She goes in and puts Alicia to bed and tells her that she is to stay there. Buck comes in. She is trying to make coffee. Alicia starts calling "Dada . . . Dada." Buck tells her that Alicia isn't tired. "She needs to rest." Buck tries to tell her. She argues with him. He told her was going to go get her. "Buck she needs to rest." He tells her that he is not going to make her run to town. He goes into the baby's room. "Hey sweet girl. You want me to tell you a story?" He tells her story of the Princess and the magic frog. She falls asleep. Buck watches his daughter sleep. He goes into the kitchen. "I'm scared Buck. The people in Yuma when her parents got sick and died thought it was Alicia's fault." He looks at her. "They thought she was cursed. Her grandparents died the night she was born. Then her older brother was killed in a riding accident when she eight months old, and after she had been with me a month my house burned. They told us to leave Puma." He looks at her. "They threatened you?" She shakes her head no. "They knew my last name was Larrabee, so they never made any direct threats." He tells her not to worry. He drinks his coffee. "Why would they think that?" She tells him about the traveling preacher, who was trying to sell the people on this little idea of what God wants, and demons who drive children to kill.

Meanwhile, in town Chris is talking to the doctor. "Your niece may not have Leukemia." Chris nods. "I really hope I am wrong. I have told Mr. Jackson what I recommend, and he knows that if can be of any help that he can wire. Tell your sister and her husband I am sorry." He shakes the doctor's hand. The doctor has one piece of advice left for them. "I would also recommend you keep this quiet. A lot of people get scared. They think it's contagious. There have been people burned out of their homes over this disease." Chris can't believe it. "It's not contagious is it." The Doctor tells him no, just people can be very ignorant at times." He leaves and Chris notices people going into the telegraph office. "You think that could happen here." Chris looks at Nathan and tells him he's not taking any chances.

Over the next few days things are quiet in town. The same thing can't be said at the Willimington place. Buck and Jeannie aren't fighting yet there is tension building. Jeannie insists on babying Alicia, and Buck wants to do normal things with her. Every time that Buck turns around Alicia is being put down for a nap no matter what happens. He came in one day and she was feeding her baby food. "What are you doing?" She looks at him. "I'm feeding her. Table food is too rich, and then she is going to take a nap." Buck finally has enough. He tells her he's going to town, and he's taking Alicia with him. "She's to weak for that." He just grabs the baby and leaves. "Damn it Buck I am trying to keep her alive." He tells her he's coming back. He wants Alicia to be out of here. They have a lot to talk about.

He gets to town and Chris is shocked to see him with Alicia on the horse. "Where's Jeannie?" Buck tells him at home, and asks Chris to watch Alicia. "What's going on?" He tells him that he and Jeannie are fixing to have their first fight, and he doesn't want his daughter there for it. He turns around and heads back. Chris notices the town people looking and staring. "Why don't we go see Mrs. Travis?" Alicia is happy to be in town. The other five come over and make a huge fuss over her.

When Buck gets to the house, he finds Jeannie looking out the window. "I'm trying to save her life. Riding to town takes energy." He tells her for the horse not Alicia she's not running beside the horse. "You don't get it." He tells her to explain it. "I don't want her to die." He looks at his wife and wonders if he knows her. "Do you think I do?" She shakes her head no. "Buck maybe if I keep her quiet enough, and she rests we can have her with us for a long time." He shakes his head. "Darlin, I don't want our memories to be of here sad. I want her laughing. I want us to have memories of her laughing, and her to take memories of us laughing and smiling." Jeannie looks at him. "Buck she's a baby." He nods. "She's our baby, and we can't do this to her. We have to help her." Jeannie nods. "I'm scared Buck." They hold onto each other and cry.

In town a man comes up to Chris and asks about Alicia. He then makes a mistake. "We know about that girl, and how people have a way of dying wherever she is. Chris looks at the man, and says nothing better happen to his sister or her daughter. The man walk off Ezra comes over to him, and asks if there is anything he can do. Chris says yeah he can leave him alone. He asks Mary to watch Alicia and gets on his horse, and turns around. "Stay with them." He realizes he needs to be alone and think.

At Buck and Jeannie's place they try to talk. Yet they can't agree about the best way to handle this. Buck says he thinks they should let her be a normal little girl. "It could kill her. I want her to be around for years to come." He loses his temper. "So do I. That's not going to happen so we have to decide the best way to help her, and help ourselves deal with that." Jeannie glares at Buck. "I can't put on a smiling face." He says doesn't want to but he's not going to make whatever time they have left with Alicia miserable. Jeannie tells him he doesn't understand.

In town the people are talking the guy in the telegraph office gets an interesting response from his telegram. He is informed of everything that happened in Yuma once the baby was born and the baby was only � white. Just then a traveling preacher rode into town. This preacher was going to stir things up a great deal.

At their place Buck and Jeannie are still fighting. "What aren't you telling me?" She looks at him and wants to tell him, but is scared to, she also knows her marriage won't survive this if she doesn't. "Mrs. Collins wasn't white. She was a Mexican." He looks at her. "So what who cares?" She explains that in Yuma it was a big deal. There was a preacher a traveling one who made a big deal of it. That is one of the reasons my house burned." He looks at her. "You said they never made any direct threats." She tells him that Alicia and she weren't there, and that the sheriff said it was an accident. She turns and sees Chris standing in the door. "Chris, it probably was an accident." He tells her he doesn't think so, and that he's going to Yuma. He walks out the door. She looks at Buck and tells him to stop him. "I can't and I don't want to. You better understand this if it wasn't an accident the same thing could happen here, and the only reason I am not going is because I am not leaving you and our daughter alone." She nods.

Chris rides back to town and hears the man preaching about racial purification, and demons. The people are responding. Chris looks at Josiah. "The devil comes in many shapes and forms." Chris nods and says he won't be going to Yuma after all. He sends Vin and Ezra out to their place. They go, and Josiah looks at Chris who goes to the Clarion and asks Mary if she knows anything about the traveling preacher. She says that she will find it. He also wants everything she has on Yuma and the sheriff. The traveling preacher comes in. "Excuse me. I am looking for the publisher of this fine piece of journalistic work. I would like to place an ad for my revival." Chris looks at him. "We don't want your kind here." The preacher reminds him of the first amendment his right to free speech, and religion. Mary turns him down.

At the ranch Buck is fixing the barn, and Vin is helping him. J.D. and Josiah ride in. Jeannie knows there is a reason they are all there. "What's happened is it Alicia." They tell her she's fine. She is with Chris and Mary. She then asks what the problem is. They tell her Chris just wanted them to come out here. Buck says he's going to town. Josiah looks at him. "Something is going on and it concerns my wife and my baby, and I want to know what it is." They nod and he saddles up and rides off.

In town Mary is asking Chris what he plans to do. He tells her to protect his sister and niece, and keep Buck from getting himself killed. "Considering she's my wife I think I should know." They notice a crowd gathering and the man is preaching about demons and how they have gathered in the body of a child. Chris tells Mary to go in her house, and keep her shotgun handy. He and Buck go into the crowd. "This child's mother was a Mexican, and this child killed her grandparents, parents and older brother." Buck realizes he's talking about Alicia. Nathan says he's going to Mrs. Travis house. Chris looks at Buck. "Jeannie know you are here?" He shakes his head no. "I didn't want to worry her." Chris says they may have to worry her. The preacher notices Chris and Buck. "Those two gentlemen are protecting the child." They turn and see Chris and Buck. The towns' people separate. They are not sure what to do. They are scared of the disease and the demons but they are also scared of Buck and Chris. Buck is the first to speak. "Anything happens to my wife or baby, and you will answer to me. You better pray for mercy from God because I am not going to show you any." Chris doesn't say anything. The preacher looks at him. "You are proud of having a � breed demon child, as your own." Buck attacks' him. The towns' people look at Chris. He is not saying anything. "Anything happens to Jeannie or Alicia and you will answer to me." They walk back to the saloon. "You got any plans?" They both look at each other. "To keep them safe." They decide to go to the ranch and Alicia should go with them.

At the ranch Jeannie is cooking a chicken. "I hope you like fried chicken." Buck walks in and she knows instinctively something is wrong. She notices Alicia. "Hi sweetheart, did you have a nice ride with your Daddy and Uncle Chris." Buck notices she's cooking. "You are cooking fortunately for everybody it is the one thing she cooks well." She laughs and takes her daughter. "What's wrong?" He tells her nothing. "Yeah right don't tell me. So what do you think is wrong sweet girl." Her daughter just says ride. Buck tells her maybe later. That night their eating and nobody is saying much. Jeannie finally demands an answer. "What is going on, and why aren't the other six of you in town?" Buck just says later. She looks at him and realizes he's not going to discuss it in front of Alicia. All of sudden they look up, and there are crosses burning all around the house. They get them out. Jeannie is scared and angry. "What is going on?' Nathan tells her the Klan is here. "The Klan why?" Nathan tells her what has been happening in the South. She looks at him. "They aren't going to do this. They are not going to terrorize us." Buck and Chris and the rest get the fires out. Buck is absolutely livid. He's ready to go to town, and hunt down that preacher. Jeannie is scared of losing her husband. Alicia runs up to Buck. He picks her up and hugs her tight. She kisses him. He looks at his daughter and his wife. "No one does this to my family." He walks out. She looks at Chris and says stop him. Chris says that he is going with him. "Chris I don't want to lose my husband and brother in the same night." He tells her she's not. He also tells the other guys to take them to Mary's. She decides not to fight them then, but she's not going to lose her husband and brother in the same night. They drop them off at Mary's. He tells them not to let anybody in the house, but them. They nod and the guys leave. Jeannie asks Mary where she can put Alicia down to bed. Mary tells her Billy's room.

In Billy's room Jeannie has Alicia ready for bed when she changes into pants and a gun belt. "I'm going to go help Daddy and Uncle Chris. Momma needs you to be really good for Mrs. Travis okay. Stay up here in this room." She kisses her daughter and says that she loves her very much. "I will see you later." She goes down into the living room. Mary is shocked. "What are you going to do?" Jeannie looks at her. "My house was attacked, and I am going to fight beside my husband." She looks out the window and notices Nathan and Ezra. "I will go out the back then. Don't tell them please." She does manage to sneak out and gets to the tent. Things are going bad and she does well in the fight. "What are you doing here?" She looks at her husband. "I have this policy of not tolerating acts of violence against my family. I will not sit at home like some dutiful little wife. I am going to fight beside you." The people manage to escape. They come out. Chris is less than amused. "What the hell are you doing?" She looks at him. "Fighting with my husband and my brother for my child and my home." He loses his temper and yells at her. "I'm not twelve any more Chris, and I am not going to sit and wait for somebody else to do my fighting for me." They go back to the house. Buck tells them he needs to speak to his wife alone. They go upstairs. "What in the hell are you doing? You could have been killed. What about if you had been. Then what happens to Alicia." She looks at him. "What about if you are." He looks at her. "I'm trying to protect our family." She nods and he looks at her and waits for her to speak. "That is what I am trying to do. They are attacking our family the key word in that sentence is our family." Buck starts to speak and she cuts him off. "That is right our family. Mine and yours, so you tell me what she should do. You make the decisions. You make all the decisions. From now on you decide everything." He tries to explain his feelings, and he starts to make head away. "I just can't lose you." She nods. "Promise me that you won't ever do this again." She looks at her husband. "I can't promise you that, but I won't go looking for a fight." He realizes he's going to have to live with that and accepts it.

The next morning they are discussing it. She looks at them. "I have an idea." They look at her.

"Send someone in." They look at her. "Well Nathan can't do it, and Ezra wasn't there last night." Ezra immediately tries to squelches that idea. "Why may I inquire would you send me into that den of vipers." She smiles. "They know that Buck is my husband, and that Chris is my brother. They aren't going to welcome Nathan on any terms. Josiah they know, as well as J.D. and Vin. You on the other hand are a confidence man and have a Southern accent." Buck smiles he realizes what she is thinking. Ezra smiles. "You want me to convince those ignorant crackers that I have turned on all of you." She nods. "Unless you don't think, you could do it. Of course you realize that it is dangerous." He says he's in. They make their plans.

Only one thing they don't know. Chris and Jeannie's father has been plotting for this for a long time. He blames Chris for every bad thing that has happened to him. He warns that the seven will try to infiltrate, and if anyone does they are to be killed. He doesn't care how they do it he just wants it done. He intends to maintain racial purity in this country.

At the saloon Buck and Ezra get into a fight, and it's ugly. The people watch, and it does get ugly. The preacher starts clapping when they finish. "Lovely show gentlemen, but strictly an amateur hour. Mr. Willimington you have 24 hours to get your wife and child, out of this town. The same goes for the rest of you that call him your friend. Mr. Standish, you come anywhere near my organization and I will have you shot on sight. You are a traitor to the South." Jeannie comes up. "Head my warning."

She asks where Nathan is. "Nathan Alicia is really ill." They all go to Mary's. She is nursing the girl. Buck kneels by his daughter's bed. "Hey sweet girl, you don't feel good. Don't worry Nathan is going to take good care of you." Jeannie looks at Nathan. "I don't understand I fed her some bread, and she got sick. It's like bread makes her sick instantly." He looks at them. "She gets like this when you feed her bread." Jeannie nods. "Does bread acervate the illness?" He shrugs and says he'll wire the doctor. Chris says he'll go with him. They leave, and Alicia demands a story. Buck says sure. They go downstairs. They wait for Chris and Nathan to come back. After a couple of hours they don't and Jeannie starts to worry about it. Buck says he'll go look for him. There is a knock on the door and when they open it Nathan is lying there nearly beaten to death. Buck and the others help get him upstairs. They say their going after Chris. They tell Mary and Jeannie not to let anybody in, and if somebody other than them tries to come in shoot to kill.

At the tent they are beating the hells out of Chris, of course being the cowards they are he's tied so that he can't fight back. The others sneak around and get in position. They eventually get everybody and get Chris freed. Meanwhile, someone has escaped and he goes and sets Mary's house on fire. They get downstairs with Nathan and Alicia, and can't get out. Mary remembers the cellar. They go down. Buck and Chris and the others get there, and they get the fire out. They get the fire out. An Buck is calling for them and their yelling for them. Nobody can hear anybody. Eventually they look in the cellar. When their out Chris is relieved and Buck grabs his wife and child. "I thought I had lost you." They are holding each other, and Chris realizes Mary's in his arms. "Is it over Buck?" He shakes his head no. "We didn't get them all." Nathan says they never will. Jeannie screams when she sees someone. Buck pushes her away while pulling his gun. The others have theirs out. The man walks closer. Chris recognizes him so does Jeannie she pulls her daughter closer. "You two cost me my wife." Chris reminds him of why he lost his wife. "So now you are going to die." They remind him there are seven men with guns, and only one of him. "Yeah you might kill me or I might kill one of you. Did your mother ever tell you why I did what I did?" Jeannie speaks. "Because you're a bully or a jerk. No she never sad anything about you." He tells Jeannie to shut up. "Your mother had a grandmother who 1/4 Indian she wasn't pure, and she never told me till after we were married." Chris looks at him and the guy points his gun at Jeannie. Buck and Chris both shoot and hit him dead center. "He hated her because of that." Mary looks at her house. "Oh Mary your house." She tells them she was planning on remodeling anyway. Nathan speaks and suggests somebody go wire the doctor he never got a chance to.

The doctor comes back. "Well from what you tell me I think I can make a better diagnosis. Your daughter is very light skinned, and she appears to be allergic to yeast. So when you bake don't use yeast." Jeannie is shocked. "You mean that she doesn't have that other." The Doctor tells her probably not. Buck thanks him. He says he's going back to Denver, and next time they can come there to see him. He leaves and they look at their daughter who says "Dada ride." He tells her that they have something to celebrate first. They go downstairs and tell everybody. Which immediate causes a celebration. A woman approaches Jamie, and congratulates her. Jamie says thanks. The town also apologizes. Buck then take's Alicia and says they're going home. They want some family time.

Jamie and Buck arrive at the house, an notice that she is asleep. Buck takes her in, and puts her in her bed. They go into their room. "She's going to be okay." Buck nods and aks about her. "Me? What could be wrong? I am married to the man that I love. My daughter is going to live. My brother is finally beginning to heal from what happened to twelve years ago. I am doing fine." He looks at her. "Your father tried to kill you, me, our daughter, Chris and our friends. So how are you really doing?" She shrugs and starts to cry. "He really hated us. How did can he hate us or her?" Buck says that he doesn't know. "I'll never forget the first time I saw him. Chris had gone somewhere for a log splitting contest. He beat her so badly. Chris wanted to kill him then. The minute he got back he wanted to do that. Well Mom convinced him not to, and he settled for running him out of Indiana. Buck I hate him. I'm not even sorry he's dead." They hold onto each other for a while and eventually Buck asks about having another baby. "Now?" He says yeah he wants lots of children. "When you say lots how many is that?" He looks at her and smiles. "Well we've already got one, so I say 11 more should do." She looks at him. "You want twelve children." He nods. "That number better be negotiable." They start to kiss and Alicia starts crying. "How does she do that? You know at this rate she could be an only child." Alicia starts yelling ride and for her Daddy. "I think you and your daughter should have a talk." He nods. He goes into the baby's room. "Hey sweet girl. What is wrong?" He picks her up. "I love you but sometimes Momma and I need time together. You could get a baby brother out of it." Alicia looks at him. "Me baby." He laughs. "Yes you're the baby, but what about another one." She says no. "Well you might get one anyway. You are going to settle down and go back to sleep." She looks at him with the saddest eyes she can muster. "You are not going to sleep with us tonight. The answer is no." She hugs him. "No your not going in there." She then kisses him. "Just till you fall asleep and this is not going to become a habit do you understand." He walks into their room. Jeannie starts laughing. He looks at her. "Buck Willimington, the notorious ladies man. The man that fathers across the Southwest have spent years counseling their daughters on avoiding. Is now one of the captivated. A baby has you wrapped around her little finger, and you can't say the word no." He looks at his daughter who just says Daddy. "She said Daddy not Dada. Did you hear that? She is only going to fall asleep with us, and then back to her room." She laughs "I have heard that somewhere before now where was that? Come on Alicia back to your bed. Your Daddy is going to have to learn to say no." She puts her to bed, and comes back in. "You are not going to spoil her rotten." He just smiles. "Maybe if she is rotten enough, no man will steal her away." She looks at him. "An maybe I will run away." He laughs and says that he'll come after her. She smiles and says that she is counting on that.

The End

This is the end of our little tale. Buck and Jeannie had three more children, those were sons. They grew old together and celebrated their grandchildren. Even though Buck loved his sons. None of them captured his heart the way Alicia did. He spoiled her rotten, and Jeannie installed a sense of right and wrong. Well Buck did to and the few times he had to spank his children it broke his heart. Eventually the children grew up, and married. Buck had the toughest time with Alicia marrying. He couldn't stand the thought of giving his daughter away. He was so proud of all his children, and the day that Alicia had her first daughter. He was again captivated. Today the descendants of Buck and Jeannie Willimington are Lawyers, Judges, Doctors, and Police Officers. They all know the story of Buck and Jeannie, and are very proud to be the descendants of Buck and Jeannie Willimington.