Outta Town Together by mcat

ONE

The seven men gathered in the jailhouse, having been summoned by their leader earlier that morning. He stood by the door, holding a telegram.

"Sheriff Dane's men are spread thin, chasin' after Ronny Dixon and his boys," Chris began. "He asked us to send a couple of men up to help him out in town for a couple of days, 'til they round up Dixon," he continued.

"I'd love to, Chris ol' buddy," Buck put in. "But I finally got Miss Lila to agree to go on a picnic with me, and-"

"And I've just met up with a few gentlemen that are soon to feel the need to contribute to my bank account," Ezra added.

"Don't worry, boys," Chris responded, holding up his hands. "Me and Vin are going."

Vin's eyes met his, then, silently questioning the blonde's decision. Chris returned the gaze with a subtle nod. If the others saw the two-second long communication, they didn't let on.

"How long you think you'll be gone?" JD asked.

"A week, probably," the gunslinger replied. "In the meantime, hold down the fort," he added, giving Vin another nod before heading out the door.

About an hour later, the two men were on horseback on their way out of town.

"Sure was nice of ya to let me know I was goin'," Vin spoke, breaking the silence, turning to his friend.

"Didn't think you'd say no," Chris replied. "If you've got some other obligations," he trailed.

"Nope, don't got nothin' better to do," the tracker cut in. "Actually kinda nice to get outta town for a bit."

"That's what I figured," the gunslinger said. "Besides, it'll be kinda nice to get outta town together for a bit," he added, looking at his companion, smiling with his eyes.

"I reckon," Vin answered, his mouth upturned. "So what's the deal with Dixon and his boys? I thought Sheriff Dane ran 'em out of Eagle Bend last spring."

"Yeah, well, apparently they're back," Chris replied. "Guess they couldn't find any other town that'll put up with 'em, either. Dane said they tore up the saloon their first night back. Then they started stealing horses and cattle from some of the local ranches."

Vin nodded, recalling the familiar deeds of the men from last spring.

"He gonna do more than just run 'em outta town this time?" he asked.

"Hope so," Chris replied. "I'm getting mighty sick of having to be the law in Eagle Bend every time Dixon comes to town."

"Got that right," the tracker replied.

The two men rode throughout the day, occasionally stopping to rest the horses and themselves. By nightfall they were almost halfway to Eagle Bend and stopped to make camp for the night. Vin chose a secluded area off the main trail. It was close to a small stream and well hidden in a thick of trees. He set a few snares around the outskirts that would enable them to know if someone was approaching. They didn't know how far Dixon or his men had gotten from Eagle Bend. And because they'd dealt with them in the past, Dixon knew Vin and Chris were lawmen and wouldn't act kindly if they met up. The two would still take a turn with a watch, but the snares made it an easier job to do.

Vin was at the stream, squatting next to it, washing his hands, when he heard the footsteps approach. He smiled to himself. Chris tried hard, but he would never be able to sneak up on him. He felt a warm hand touch the back of his pants, beginning to caress his ass. Another hand ran its fingers through the tracker's long hair.

"Like you said," Vin began. "It's nice to be outta town together," he finished, leaning into the caressing hand in his hair.

"I just cannot resist that ass of yours, Vin," the older man whispered, rabbing a cheek and squeezing it. "I want it. And I want it now," he added, tightening his hold, making the tracker groan.

Vin rose and turned to face Chris, meeting the gaze of lust-filled green eyes with his blues.

"Now?" the tracker asked, eyebrows raised teasingly.

"Now," Chris growled, moving in and capturing Vin's mouth with his own as he grabbed the younger man's hips and pulled him close.

They kissed each other with passion, exploring every inch of skin that was uncovered, tasting and licking it as their clothing was slowly and methodically removed. Chris pulled Vin toward the bedrolls, continuing to kiss him as he eased him down onto the blankets. He pushed the tracker gently onto his back and covered his body with his own. Vin moaned in delight when he felt Chris's engorged member rub against his. His hips thrusted up to meet Chris's, his own erection hot with desire.

"Damn, Vin, you get me so hot," Chris whispered hoarsely, twirling his tongue inside his lover's ear.

"Tell me what you want," Vin whispered, reaching down to nip and suck at the skin on Chris's neck, rubbing his hands down the gunslinger's back.

"I want you," he replied. "I need you," he gasped, grinding his groin into Vin's.

Vin moved his hand so that it was between them and took hold of Chris. He began to stroke the length, squeezing it gently and rubbing it against his own, making the man above him groan and thrust into his hand. At the same time, Chris had reached one of his hands around and under Vin's ass. He ran his fingers down into the cleft, finding the tracker's entrance, and began massaging it. Vin wrapped his legs around Chris's waist, raising himself up, giving the gunslinger better access. He gasped as he felt the first fingertip enter him and pushed against it.

"Oh, yeah, Chris," he sighed, then gasped again as he felt another finger

push itself inside. "I'm gonna need a little somethin', though," he whispered, wincing slightly.

Chris understood and removed his fingers slowly. He was about to get up, to get the oil they kept for just such an occasion, when Vin stopped him.

"I got somethin' else in mind," the tracker said.

Before Chris could ask what, Vin's mouth was on him, sucking at the exposed head of his cock, licking the length and covering it with his saliva, making it slick. Chris tried his hardest not to thrust into the tracker's mouth, not wanting to risk coming too soon. But Vin was making it damn near impossible with all the licking and sucking he was doing, all the teasing. Just when he thought he would lose control, Vin stopped. Chris's eyes met those deep blues of Vin's as the tracker slowly laid back down onto the blanket, spreading his legs out for the gunslinger. Chris shook his head in amusement as Vin took one of his own fingers, sucked on it seductively and then rubbed the glistening tip around his opening before trailing it up and around his balls and erection. Chris did the only thing he could. He put the tip of his cock against the tracker's opening and pushed. Both men gasped and moaned at the pleasurable feeling. Urgently needing more, Vin grabbed Chris by the hips and pulled him in deeper.

The tracker cried out as the gunslinger's full length impaled him. He was breathing fast, willing his body to relax and adjust to the invasion. Chris, holding his breath and at the same time his climax, began to lightly kiss the younger man. Gently at first, soothing his lover, then more passionately, exciting him. Finally, Chris pulled out a little and then began the slow rhythmic thrusting he knew Vin needed.

Vin responded by licking the gunslinger's neck, finding the hollow and nipping it. He moved his mouth lower and kissed and sucked at Chris's collarbone. The older man groaned aloud and found himself pushing deeper into his lover's body. He moved one hand between them and began stroking Vin's hardness, willing the tracker to respond.

He was rewarded when Vin practically hissed, "Oh, yeah! Chris!" and wrapped his legs around the gunslinger's waist again.

Chris kept up his assault on the young tracker, pumping with hips and hand, occasionally dipping his head down to capture Vin's mouth with his own. When he felt the fingers pulling his own cheeks apart and begin searching for his entrance, the gunslinger knew he wouldn't last much longer. He picked up the pace and depth of his thrusts, forcing Vin's hips back down to the blanket. He felt the moist heat in his hand at the same time he heard Vin scream his name out into the night.

"Oh, God!" his own strangled cry came out, as his seed burst inside the tracker's fiery depth.

Chris collapsed on top of Vin, spent. He looked down into the glazed blue eyes regarding him and smiled. He was just about to speak when they heard the telltale sound of one of the snares being set off. The two men rose quickly donning their pants and guns. Vin moved first toward the snare, mare's leg drawn. Chris took a slightly different route, heading out to the left of Vin. After what seemed like unending silence without finding anyone, he was ready to call out to the tracker. But Vin beat him to it, calling Chris's name as he walked through the trees toward him.

"Got us some dinner," the tracker said, holding up a rabbit. "Told ya those snares were good for more than just a warnin'," he added with a grin.

Chris just smiled and led the way back to their camp.

"Tell you what," he began. "I'll clean the rabbit, you go clean yourself," he finished, pointing to the tracker's still moist and sticky torso.

"Thought you might like it for dessert," Vin teased, heading down toward the stream.

After the two men ate their suppers, Chris took the first watch. Watching Vin sleep was something he didn't mind at all. Seeing the tracker at peace, able to sleep soundly, his trust in him so complete, was something Chris still wasn't used to. When the seven had first met up, Vin almost always took the night watches. Even when relieved, he didn't really sleep. Sure, he'd lie down on his bedroll and close his eyes, but Chris knew that the ex-bounty hunter was still alert. Still entirely aware of what was happening around him. It wasn't until recently, since the two had become lovers, that Vin had been able to sleep soundly, knowing Chris was there to watch over them both.

A couple of hours later, Chris went to wake up the young tracker. He knelt by his side and bent down to kiss him. Suddenly feeling like Prince Charming in those old fairy tales, he chuckled. Vin opened his eyes.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You don't want to know," Chris replied, giving Vin that kiss. "Your turn for watch," he said.

Before he had a chance to say more, Vin grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him down onto the bedroll, rolling them over so that he was on top.

"You never did get dessert, you know," the younger man teased, lightly placing kisses around Chris's face.

Chris responded by kissing Vin back, licking the tracker's lower lip. He was about to put his tongue into the tracker's luscious mouth when another snare triggered.

"Damn," Vin whispered, quickly getting up and grabbing his gun.

Again Chris and he headed onto different trails heading for the snare.

Vin cried out as he felt the heat sear through his body, all his nerve endings set aflame. Collapsing to the ground, dizzy, gasping for breath, he heard the voice of the man responsible for his condition.

"Had enough?" he asked.

Vin eyed the man carefully and shook his head.

"Uh-uh," he replied. "When it comes to mind bashin', head thrashin', toe tinglin' sex, there ain't no such thing as enough."

Chris laughed out loud and slapped his lover's behind playfully before saying, "You been hangin' around Buck too much."

"Only tellin' the truth," Vin responded, rolling over onto his back and pulling Chris down on top of him.

"So it was that good, huh?" the blond man asked, playfully kissing the tracker's lips.

"Oh, yeah," he sighed, returning the kisses, running his fingers through his lover's hair. "And you know why, doncha?" he asked, suddenly serious, yet smiling.

Chris saw the look of wonderment on Vin's face. As if the answers to all of the questions in his life had just been given to him.

"Tell me," he said.

"'Cause it's more than just sex," he began, tentative, choosing his words carefully. "Ya can get sex from any whore ya want. But it ain't never gonna feel like this. What we got, Chris Shit, I'm gettin' all mushy on ya," he said, turning away.

"Go on, Vin," Chris whispered, gently taking the tracker's chin in his hand and making him look into his eyes.

He knew what Vin was trying to say, but wanted to hear it from the tracker's lips. Needed to.

Vin looked into those green eyes above him, assured himself that the time was right to say, "What we got is love."

The gunslinger agreed with a smile, claiming Vin's mouth with his once again. Vin returned the kisses with a vengeance, sucking on Chris's tongue and lower lip. He raised his hips, grinding them into Chris's. Chris felt the younger man's large erection as it made contact with his own.

"Damn! You haven't had enough, have you?" he remarked, getting hard at the thought of ravaging Vin's body again.

"I can't never get enough of you," the tracker replied.

Chris didn't need much more encouragement and plunged himself into the tracker once again. Behind them, the fire crackled and the second rabbit, buried under the rocks in the fire, would be slow cooked in time for breakfast.

TWO

Morning found Chris getting breakfast ready while Vin began packing up the camp. The gunslinger sat back and recalled the tracker's words, 'What we got is love,' from the night before. He'd agreed with the sentiment, but did he ever say that word? Not since Sarah, and it had been just as hard to admit to the feeling then. But could he say it to a man? Could he say it to Vin?

"What's on your mind, Cowboy?" Vin asked, seeing the man in black deep in thought.

"Just thinking," he replied, looking up. "About what we, no, you, said last night."

Vin took a piece of the rabbit and sat down. He looked at Chris and didn't have to ask about which particular conversation he was thinking.

"I meant what I said, Chris. I do love you," the tracker said, hoping that Chris returned the sentiment.

"I know you do, Vin," Chris replied, meeting his gaze. "And I guess I'm just having a hard time -,"

His words were cut off by the sounds of gunshots. Both men dropped their breakfasts and headed for the horses. Cautiously heading out of their hideaway, they looked around. Vin pointed to the west, seeing a man on horseback leading two other horses and being chased by another man.

"Probably one of Ronny Dixon's boys," Chris remarked, spurring his horse forward.

Vin followed and they tried to catch up to the men and horses. The two men were exchanging fire rapidly, only taking time out to reload. Chris swore as the second man was hit and thrown from his horse. He slowed down to check on the man, saw the gunshot to the head and quickly returned to the chase. Vin was beginning to catch up, he saw, as the outlaw had to slow down before crossing the deep stream ahead. He had just gotten to the other side as Vin entered, raising his rifle. But before Vin could fire, the other man got off his own shot, if badly aimed. The shot was low and hit the tracker's horse. It reared back, screaming in pain, throwing its rider into the cold water below.

Chris was intent on following Dixon's partner, wanting to make the man pay for the murder he'd committed. He thought he saw Vin's horse go down, but the outlaw was shooting at him right now, and he needed to return fire. He sent his horse on a zig zagging pattern, firing continuously at the man. After the fourth shot, the man finally went down. The gunslinger slowed his horse down to a trot, approaching the man cautiously, gun still drawn and aimed at him. It wasn't until Chris confirmed the man's death, that he realized he didn't hear anything. Vin should have been calling to him, making sure he was alright. Or he should have heard Vin's horse come galloping after him, if it was alright, after all. Or a shot, if Vin had to put it down. But he didn't hear anything.

The gunslinger stood up quickly and looked around. Down by the stream, he spotted Vin's horse, still lying in the water. But where was Vin?

"VIN!" Chris shouted, mounting his horse and spurring it towards the stream.

He jumped off the horse and into the water, wading frantically to the fallen horse.

"VIN?!" he called, getting more worried by the second when the tracker failed to respond.

Finally, Chris got around to the other side of the dead animal. Fear completely filled his being now as he saw Vin's body, unmoving, submerged under the water. He cried out the tracker's name again and again as he grabbed him under his arms, pulling him up out of the water. At first, he couldn't get Vin to move. The tracker's foot was snagged on something.

"Come on, Vin," he pleaded, continuing to pull.

After another hard pull, Vin was finally freed, causing Chris to tumble backwards into the water, Vin on his chest. He immediately got onto his feet and dragged the tracker out of the water to the stream's bank. There he laid him down and collapsed to his knees next to him.

"Vin?" he called again, putting his ear to the younger man's chest. "Oh, God, Vin!" he cried, not seeing or hearing any breaths.

The man in black stood up and straddled the lanky tracker's hips. Trying to remember what Nathan had done when Mrs. Potter's youngest fell into the pond last summer, he reached down, grabbed Vin's gun belt and pulled it upwards, bringing the tracker with it, and then let it down.

"Come on, Vin. Don't do this to me," Chris begged, pulling up again. "Breathe Goddammit!" he swore, pulling the tracker's body up again and again. "Breathe!" he commanded again, eyes brimming with tears.

Suddenly, Vin's body lurched and water and vomit began spilling from his mouth. Chris rolled the tracker onto his side as he continued to cough and waited for that first intake of air. After what seemed an eternity for the man in black, Vin's body quieted and began to breathe on its own.

Chris collapsed to the ground, lying on his back, sighing in relief. He reached over and placed a hand on Vin's chest just to reassure him while he got his own breath, and life, he realized, back. After a few minutes, he summoned his strength and got up to kneel next to the tracker.

He called Vin's name several times as he looked at a large bruise forming on his forehead. His breathing sounded a little labored, not that Chris didn't expect that. But feeling how cold Vin's skin was, Chris realized that the first thing he'd have to do was to get the tracker warmed up. He looked around the area they were in. It was wide open. No cover whatsoever in sight. He'd have to take Vin back to the thick of trees they'd spent the night in. He thought about how he was going to get Vin there. While it had only taken them about ten minutes to ride from the camp to here, that was at a full gallop. Walking the horse, with two riders, would take at least three times as long, Chris thought.

Planning his course of action, he went to his horse and grabbed the rolled blankets off the back. After spreading one out next to Vin, he began to strip the wet clothing off the tracker. Chris couldn't help but cringe in sympathy as the injured man began to shiver. Chris worked faster, covering up Vin's body with the blanket as soon as each piece of clothing was removed. After he finished bundling Vin up, Chris then had to decide how to get him onto the horse. Slinging him over across the saddle on his stomach seemed like the easiest thing to do, but Chris hated to think of that. That position was usually reserved for prisoners or dead men. But at this point, there was no choice. So he hefted Vin's limp body over his shoulder and carried him to the horse. Apologizing to his young friend as he did so, Chris lifted him into place across the saddle. After he gathered up the tracker's wet clothing and his saddlebag from the dead horse, Chris mounted, sitting behind the saddle. With one hand he held the horse's reins. With the other, he held the tracker.

THREE

The fire was blazing hot again. Building it was the first thing Chris had done after getting Vin off the horse and onto a bedroll. The younger man was still cold to the touch and that worried Chris almost as much as the still darkening bruise on his forehead. The ride had not been good. Chris thought Vin looked even worse now than he had down at the stream, when he wasn't breathing. Pacing, trying to decide what to do, he checked the snares that were still set around the camp's perimeter. They hadn't had the chance to remove them earlier, as Vin normally would. Just as well, the gunslinger thought, because he decided that they would stay there for the rest of the day, at least. It would take a while to rig up a litter to carry the tracker back to Four Corners. Chris would not put him across the horse's saddle again. His thoughts were interrupted by a low moan.

Rushing to Vin's side, Chris knelt next to him and called to him, waiting anxiously for another response from the tracker.

"Chris?" Vin rasped, eyes fluttering open, unfocused.

"I'm here, Vin," he replied, putting a hand to Vin's cheek, helping him find the green eyes.

"Cold," the tracker whispered.

Chris heard the pain laced through the single word. After removing his own still wet clothing, he stretched out next to Vin and pulled another blanket over the two of them. Wrapping his arm and leg gently over the tracker, Chris pulled him close, willing his body to warm up Vin's.

Chris woke with a start, disoriented. He was still wrapped around the tracker, holding him protectively. He held his hand on Vin's chest, still needing to reassure himself that Vin was still breathing, still alive.

"Vin?" he whispered, hoping the tracker would listen, open his eyes, tell him that he was alright. "Vin, can you hear me?" he asked.

Vin's eyes opened slowly, blinking painfully at the bright sunlight that was peeking through the leaves overhead. The light seared through his eyelids, honing the dull ache that was at the front of his head. He turned his head to the side, away from the light and toward Chris's voice.

"My head hurts. What happened?" he moaned.

"Your horse got hit, took you down with him. You hit your head and--" Chris responded, pausing when he couldn't find the words to continue.

He'd wanted to blurt out the rest. That Vin had been under water. Caught under the horse. Not breathing. Almost dead. That if he'd died, the gunslinger would have died right along side him.

Finally, "And I love you," was what came out.

Vin's response was to begin coughing. He rolled onto his side, clutching his chest as he spit out more water. Chris was there, hand rubbing his back, soothing him, praying for the wracking coughs to stop. Finally, after a few weak ones, the coughing did subside.

"You alright now?" Chris asked.

"Hurts," the tracker gasped, squeezing his eyes shut, rocking back and forth on the bedroll.

"Tell me where," the older man asked.

"My head, my chest, my leg," he responded, moaning out each word.

Chris gently pulled Vin back toward him, so he was lying on his back again. He uncovered the tracker to look for injuries. His chest did not look bruised. He thought it might be sore from all the water and lack of air. Then he looked at his legs. The lower right one was swollen and bruised between the knee and ankle. He placed tentative hands on it and felt the leg, trying to see if it was broken or not. Vin hissed at the touch, drawing it away, only to cry out at the movement. The gunslinger once again swore to himself, soothing Vin with a gentle hand to his belly at the same time. He'd been so intent on getting Vin out of his cold wet clothes and boots that he'd neglected to check for any injuries beyond the bruising on the tracker's forehead. 'Hell, I probably broke it worse yanking off his boots and pants,' he admonished himself. 'Riding that way on the horse didn't help much, either,' he added.

"Chris?" Vin called.

"I'm right here, Vin," he replied, covering up the tracker with the blankets once more.

"You really love me?" the tracker asked.

Chris smiled at the younger man, his ability to think of love, when he's lying hurt and broken in the middle of nowhere. Vin forced his eyes open and looked at the older man, forcing him to look back, demanding an answer as he reached his hand out to touch Chris's chest, over his heart.

"I really do, Vin," he replied, taking the hand and kissing its palm. "Now you get some rest. I'm gonna start building a litter for ya, to get ya back to town."

Vin was asleep before Chris had returned his hand to its place under the blanket.

"I really do," he whispered, laying a gentle kiss to Vin's bruised brow.

Chris had worked as quickly as he could. After finding a small axe in Vin's saddlebag, he was able to find and cut down two long tree branches for the litter. He was just about halfway through trimming the small branches off one when Vin called out to him. He went quickly to the injured man's side.

"I'm here, Vin," he said, cupping the tracker's cheek with his hand, trying to soothe the man, slow down his breathing. Vin opened his eyes at the touch. The pain and fear he saw in them frightened Chris.

"My leg. It's really hurtin' me, now. It's like it's crampin' up on me and I can't do nothin' for it," he got out through gritted teeth before succumbing to a coughing fit for his effort.

Chris uncovered Vin's legs and looked at the injured one. He could see the muscles under the skin, bunching up, Vin's foot and toes curling.

"You're gonna have to set it," Vin gasped, squeezing his eyes shut tight once again.

"Shit," the gunslinger whispered, knowing how much more pain that was going to cause the tracker.

Just touching the limb earlier had made Vin cry out. But he couldn't let Vin endure this pain all the way to Four Corners, either. He knew that setting it would lessen the pain, if only a little.

"Okay, Vin," he soothed. "I'll take care of it."

Chris found some more fallen branches and cut them to size, bringing them next to the fire. He brought Vin's dry clothes back and managed to get the tracker's shirt and coat back on him, but then just stopped and sat back, looking at the injured man. Vin saw that Chris was trying to figure out how to go about setting the broken bones and spoke.

"Get me sittin' up against that tree," he began, gesturing weakly to the tree nearest him. "Tie me to it, around my hips. That'll hold me while you yank on the leg."

"You sure?" Chris asked, not liking the idea of tying Vin to a tree.

"Only way," he replied, crying out as a new wave of muscle cramps assaulted his leg.

The man in black quickly picked up the corners of the bedroll Vin was on and dragged him toward the tree, wincing as he heard the tracker gasp and moan at the movement. He helped Vin to sit up, and let the tracker hold onto him as he gently nudged him back against the tree. He found Vin's pants and laid them across his waist before wrapping a length of rope around him and the tree.

"Tighter," the tracker managed, his head lolling forward to his chest.

Chris obeyed. Then he took off his poncho. He folded it in half so that it was the length of Vin's leg and placed it on the ground, over the smaller pieces of rope he'd cut and next to Vin's leg. He looked up at his lover to make sure they were both ready.

"Do it," Vin ordered, reaching up over his head to grab onto the tree trunk.

Chris grasped Vin's ankle with both hands and began pulling, slowly but firmly, painfully ignoring the blood curdling scream that had escaped the tracker's mouth. He chanced a look at Vin, saw his head tilted back, grinding into the tree trunk, tears running down his cheeks as painful breaths came through gritted teeth. Another cry of pain came out as Chris renewed his efforts, pulling on the broken limb.

Finally, something gave and Vin let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief in the midst of his heavy breathing. Chris maneuvered himself and used his knees as a vice to hold onto the ankle. With his hands he grabbed the poncho and pieces of rope and slid them under the leg. Then he took the branches and positioned them on either side of the leg and began tying the lengths of rope around them, with the poncho between as a cushion. When he was done, he looked up to meet Vin's gaze. The tracker was still leaning back against the tree, his head now tilted wearily to the side.

"Nate couldn't do no better," he whispered, trying to ease the guilt and sorrow he saw in Chris's eyes.

"He would've at least given you something for the pain," Chris replied, placing his hand gently on Vin's cheek, kissing the tracker's lips.

"That's what you're here for, Cowboy," he replied weakly, giving Chris a tired smile before losing consciousness.

FOUR

Two hours later, Chris finally had the litter finished. Except for an occasional bout of coughing, Vin had not stirred during that time and Chris wasn't sure if that was good or not. He needed to hear the tracker's voice, know that he was still alright. But he knew Vin needed rest, too. He looked around the small campsite, making sure he'd gotten all their belongings packed up. Satisfied, he began his last task - getting Vin onto the litter. He walked over to where the tracker lay and began talking to him.

"Vin? It's time to go," he began, touching the injured man's shoulder.

Vin only let out a small murmur as he rolled his head to the side. Chris looked up at the sky, judged that it was mid-afternoon. If they were able to keep a good pace, they'd be in Four Corners by morning. Chris grabbed the corners of the blanket Vin was lying on and pulled it toward the litter. He whispered gently, explaining his actions, hoping that not only Vin, but also the horse the litter was attached to would be soothed and calmed. He made sure the tracker was secured tightly onto the litter, not wanting him to slide off. He kissed Vin's lips and forehead and mounted the horse.

Chris rode for several hours before stopping to rest the horse and check on Vin. Not much had changed since they left the campsite. Vin was alert enough to drink the water offered, ask how much further they had to ride and tell Chris that he loved him. But beyond that, the tracker stayed quiet. Chris knew he was in pain. That he was probably using all his strength to fight it. That he was trying to ease the man in black's own pain, his inability to take away Vin's. That sense of selflessness was one of the reasons the gunslinger had fallen for the tracker in the first place. After a half an hour or so, Chris got ready to continue their journey. He made sure Vin was okay and gave him a kiss, telling him with actions and words that he loved him.

It was nearing midnight when Chris found himself drifting off in the saddle. He shook himself awake and realized that the horse had stopped walking.

"Vin?" he called, dismounting.

When he got to the tracker's side, he was mortified. Vin was shivering uncontrollably, the cool night air blowing above and below the litter.

"Shit!" he swore, putting a hand to Vin's cold cheek.

Looking around he spotted some trees and brought the horse over to them. After dismounting, he grabbed up some dead branches and leaves from the ground and started a fire. Going back to Vin's side, he carefully lifted the tracker from the litter and laid him down on the ground next to the fire. He found the deep blue eyes looking up at him, questioningly.

"Had to stop. Gotta get you warmed up," Chris replied, gently brushing his hand through Vin's hair.

Vin nodded, seeming to understand, and drifted off to sleep. After stoking the fire with a few larger branches, Chris got under the blankets next to Vin and carefully avoiding the splinted leg, cradled him into his arms.

About two hours later Chris heard his name being whispered. He heard the echoes of pain laced into the call and was immediately awake, turning to Vin.

"Hey, Vin," he whispered back. "How ya feeling?"

"I'm hurtin', Cowboy," Vin replied weakly, opening his eyes to look into Chris's greens.

"I know," Chris replied, placing a gentle kiss on the tracker's forehead. "I wish I could make it all better for you," he went on. "Take all the pain away."

He saw how Vin drank in the gentle kiss, closing his eyes, relishing its warmth. He placed another one on the tracker's cheek. And two more on his eyelids. And when Vin opened his eyes again, Chris kissed his lips, gently running his tongue around them, slowly prying them apart. He felt Vin's body relax, his actions distracting the injured man, letting him forget about the pain, if only for a little while. When he felt Vin's tongue respond, twisting to caress his own, he deepened the kiss. It was still gentle, but now it was passion filled, as well, causing the tracker to moan. It was music to the gunslinger's ears.

He moved his hand under the blanket, reaching down to Vin's waist and put it under the tracker's shirt. He began making slow circles, rubbing his palm against the smooth skin, eventually flicking his thumb across a nipple. He felt the rise and fall of Vin's chest as it quickened.

"You alright?" he asked, needing to make sure he wasn't causing Vin more pain.

Vin nodded and rasped, "Feels almost as good as a dose of laudanum."

The man in black smiled and captured Vin's mouth again. Then he moved his hand downward to the tracker's waist again. He fingered Vin's navel. He dipped a finger in and rubbed it in small circles, slowly widening it out so that he was caressing the entire abdomen. Sensing that Vin was still alright with what he was doing, knew what would come next, he moved his hand downward again. He brushed his fingertips lightly down the length of Vin's penis and back up again, stirring an erection to life. Still kissing him, Chris felt and heard the gasp that escaped Vin's lips. He smiled and continued the kiss. He continued the caresses with his hand, too.

Vin couldn't believe how his body was reacting to Chris's touch. Unless he actually thought about it, he couldn't feel the dull throbbing pain in his head or leg. He wanted the gunslinger to keep touching him, keep the pain away. But his breaths were coming faster as Chris got him more excited and it was getting hard to breathe.

"Chris," he gasped, breaking the long kiss. "I'm sorry," he said, swallowing a cough. "But ya gotta stop. I can't take it no more."

"Oh, God, Vin," Chris responded, immediately feeling guilty, worried that he was hurting Vin somehow. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to make you feel better."

"You were, Chris," Vin replied, reaching up with a shaky hand to caress the gunslinger's cheek. "Just gettin' to be too much," he added, still catching his breath.

Chris understood, placed a gentle kiss on Vin's lips, then said, "Maybe we should get back on the trail."

Vin nodded in agreement. Chris covered him up with the blankets again and got him back onto the litter, which was still tied to his horse's saddle. Then he broke up the fire, stamping it out with his boots. Before he mounted up, he made sure Vin was ready and gave him another kiss.

"Chris?" Vin called, causing the man in black to turn back to him.

"Yeah, Vin?" he asked.

"I was wrong," he began, smiling slightly at Chris's confused look. "Felt better than a dose of laudanum."

Chris laughed and shook his head, turning back again to the saddle.

'Wouldn't Nathan love to hear that one?' he joked to himself, nudging the horse forward.

They hadn't ridden very far when Chris saw something moving out in the shadows. He eased the horse and litter closer to the trees, off the trail and slowly reached for his gun.

"Vin, we got company," he said, keeping his voice low.

"Give me my gun," the tracker replied.

Chris was just about to dismount and get them behind some cover when the first shot rang out, hitting the ground under the horse.

"Shit!" he swore, jumping off the horse and rushing back to Vin.

He began shooting toward the ridge where he'd seen the movement and with his other hand, reached under Vin's back, trying to pull the tracker off the litter. But Vin's near dead weight was too much for the gunslinger.

"Shoot!" he ordered, shoving his gun into the tracker's hands.

As Vin began shooting in the direction of the ridge, Chris grabbed him under his armpits and began dragging him toward the trees. As soon as the weight was off the litter, the horse bolted, fearing the bullets hitting the ground around it. They were almost to the trees when Chris cried out, clutching his upper arm, dropping Vin to the ground.

Vin was already in pain, his leg screaming at him as it was dragged across the rocky ground. When Chris dropped him, it increased tenfold. But that didn't stop him from calling out to Chris, finding out if he was alright.

"Chris?" he called, twisting around.

"I'm fine! Keep shooting!" he ordered, grabbing onto Vin's collar with his good hand and resuming their trek to the woods.

Vin fired until the gun was empty. Chris stopped to hand him his other gun, but the weapon only flew from the tracker's hand as a bullet slammed into Vin's forearm.

"Son of a bitch!" he yelled, frustrated and angry, grabbing the wound.

Chris began pulling again and after another minute, the two were behind the trees, gasping for breath, holding their wounds.

"You okay?" the gunslinger asked.

"Was I the one that said it was gonna be kinda nice to get outta town for a bit?" he responded with a weary smile.

"At least we're together," Chris replied, awkwardly reloading his first gun with one hand.

The shooting stopped for awhile, the shooter realizing that he didn't have a good shot at the two men. Chris and Vin were grateful for that. But they didn't know how long it would last. Chris had only seen one man, but more could be out there. The horse was gone. Vin couldn't walk much less run. And he only had one good arm at the moment.

"Odds don't seem too good, Cowboy," Vin spoke, seeing Chris's thoughts in his eyes.

"That they don't, Vin," he replied, wincing as he inched closer to the tracker.

"Think you could get your other gun back?" the tracker asked. "Then I could lay some cover fire for ya while you go after the bad guy," he explained.

"I don't want to leave ya here, Vin," Chris replied.

"Ain't got much of a choice, Chris," Vin responded, his voice tight with pain. "It's either that or we sit here and wait for him to come get us."

Chris couldn't argue with him. They were both wounded now and didn't have the luxury of time to wait this guy out. He'd ripped off his shirtsleeve and wrapped it around his arm to try to stop the bleeding from his gunshot wound. Vin was covering his bullet wound with just his hand. He slowly made his way to Vin's other side, careful not to break cover, and grabbed a long branch. He used the branch to reach out toward the fallen weapon. After two unsuccessful attempts, he finally was able to snag the gun and drag it back to them.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked, handing Vin the gun and some extra bullets.

"Go," was all the tracker said, using his strength to concentrate on his task and chase away the pains.

He had closed his eyes as he did so and was surprised to feel the gunslinger's lips on his own. He opened his eyes and his mouth, letting Chris into both.

"You be careful," Vin said when they finally broke their kiss. "I'm gonna need some more of that later."

"I will," Chris returned before heading towards the edge of the woods.

He nodded to Vin and the tracker began firing at the ridge.

Chris had made it over to where he'd thought the gunshots had come from, but couldn't find the shooter. He was about to head back to the trees when he heard his name called out.

"Larabee!" the familiar voice shouted.

"What do you want, Dixon?" he shouted back, heading toward the sound of his voice.

"Oh, just a little fun," the outlaw replied, mischief in his words.

"Yeah, well, go somewhere else, Ronny," Chris answered, closing in, just realizing how close he was to the trees again.

"But why go anywhere else, when I can have it here?" he laughed as Chris's form came into view.

Chris stopped dead in his tracks at the sight. Ronny Dixon was standing over Vin's prone form, gun pointed at the tracker's head, foot placed on top of Vin's injured leg. Vin was breathing heavily, obviously in agony as Dixon slowly increased the pressure on his broken bone.

"Come on, Dixon," Chris began, not lowering the gun he'd aimed at the man. "This ain't your style," he added, trying to ignore Vin's painful throes and look for an opening in Dixon's defenses.

"Ah, but you never got to know me, Larabee," the man countered, grinding his boot down onto the leg, causing Vin to cry out and make a grab for the gun.

Dixon easily batted away Vin's hand and reached down, grabbing the tracker by his coat. He pulled Vin up to a sitting position and put the gun to his temple, keeping an eye on Chris the entire time.

"Now I saw what you two were doin' back there, Larabee," he said. "Thought maybe I can get in on the action? A threesome maybe?" he laughed. "Or maybe I'll just let you watch," he added, licking Vin's cheek, enjoying the anger he saw in Chris Larabee's eyes.

Chris wanted nothing more than to kill Ronny Dixon right then. The pain and disgust he saw come across Vin's face when Dixon licked him sent daggers through his mind. His hand tightened on the handle of his gun, his finger twitched in front of the trigger. But he wouldn't risk Vin's life.

"Hey, Vin?" he called, getting the tracker's attention. "What time you think it is? One in the morning?" he asked, nodding his head slightly in the moonlight.

"Nah, I'd say it was closer to two," he drawled weakly in response.

"What the hell are you boys talkin' about?" Dixon put in, frustrated.

"Well it sure ain't THREE!" Chris returned.

As Chris said the word three, Vin quickly pulled away from Dixon and Chris fired, hitting Dixon square in the chest. Dixon fell just to Vin's side and Chris rushed to the tracker. After making sure that Dixon was dead, the gunslinger returned his attention to Vin.

"You okay?" he asked, fingertips caressing Vin's cheek.

"Yeah," the tracker whispered, shutting his eyes tight as he rolled to his side, trying to bring his leg up and 'curl' into a ball. "You?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm fine, now," Chris answered, collapsing to the ground behind Vin.

He wrapped his good arm around the tracker's waist and pulled Vin to him tightly.

"Now what?" Vin asked.

"Just a matter of waiting for the others," the gunslinger replied. "I'm sure Sheriff Dane'll send a telegram telling the boys that we never showed up."

Vin nodded and held tight to the arm Chris held him with.

FIVE

Chris was startled awake by the shouts. Someone was calling his name. Vin's too.

"Chris!? Vin!?" Buck called out, searching the area.

The remaining five in Four Corners had gotten word from Eagle Bend that Chris and Vin hadn't shown up yet. They were almost an entire day late. So Buck had gotten the five organized and headed out after their missing partners. And then, about two hours after they'd started looking for the leader and tracker, they'd come across Chris's horse, riderless, with the remains of a litter attached to the saddle. They knew then that at least one had been injured, now, maybe both. So they began searching the trails, hoping to come across some other signs of their missing comrades.

"Buck," Chris called out, surprised at how weak his voice sounded.

But all he heard were the continued shouts from his old friend. He looked down at Vin and tried to shake him awake, but the tracker did not stir. Afraid, Chris put his head to the younger man's chest and let out a sigh of relief as he heard and felt the pulse.

"Buck!" he called out again, this time with some strength to it, painfully pushing himself up with his good arm.

"Chris?" Buck called back, turning his horse to the gunslinger's direction, spurring it forward when he saw the black hat waving at him from the trees.

Buck quickly dismounted, rushing to the sides of his injured friends.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at his old friend while putting a hand to Vin's bruised forehead. "We found your horse with a litter attached to it."

"Dixon," Chris replied wearily. "Ran into one of his boys yesterday. Vin's horse got shot out from under him. He."

Chris had to stop for a minute, not wanting to relive those terrifying minutes when he thought he'd lost Vin. He was going to continue when Buck interrupted, putting a hand to his good shoulder to gently ease the man down to the ground.

"Just rest up, Chris," he said. "I'll fetch Nathan and the other boys," he added, pulling his bedroll and blankets off his horse. "I'll be back in about a half an hour," he assured the gunslinger, covering both men with the additional blankets.

Chris watched Buck ride off and sighed in relief. Help was on the way. He reached his arm over and grabbed Vin's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze before succumbing to the darkness.

Vin moaned, not quite sure if the sound of it was audible or not. He'd heard the voices first, talking about him. Then he felt the tugging on his leg. Then he felt the pain and he knew the shout he let out was heard by more than just him.

"Easy, Vin," Josiah's calm voice soothed, his large hands pressing on the tracker's chest.

Vin wanted to open his eyes then, find out where they were, if Chris was alright. But the pain was just too great and they stayed squeezed shut.

"Chris?" he got out through gritted teeth.

"He's fine, Vin," Nathan assured him, grunting with the effort of setting Vin's leg. "And just a few more minutes, here," he added motioning to Buck to set the splints in place.

"Here, Vin, drink this," Josiah said, pressing the rim of a cup to the tracker's lips. "Just some water with a little bit of laudanum in it," he added when Vin resisted.

The preacher put a gentle hand behind Vin's head, lifting it up to help him drink the fluid, then just as gently, eased the injured man back down to the pillow.

"Where's Chris?" Vin asked, starting to relax, as no one was touching his leg anymore.

"Look to your left, pard'," Buck told him. "He's fine," he said, repeating Nathan's earlier statement.

"Bullet went clean through," Nathan put in. "He's just tired."

Vin saw that Chris was indeed sleeping soundly in the bed across the room. Then he allowed himself to completely relax and let the laudanum do its job.

Chris opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for awhile, trying to figure out where he was. He heard Nathan and Buck talking quietly, heard one of them say the name Dixon and remembered. He sat up quickly, groaning aloud as he grabbed his arm, and swung his feet off the bed onto the floor.

"Whoa there, pard'," Buck halted him, pushing him back onto the bed.

"Get back in bed, Chris," Nathan ordered.

"Vin?" he called, ignoring the mustached man and the healer, still trying to get up.

"Vin's just fine, Chris," Nathan told him. "He's just restin' is all. And that's what you oughta be doin' too," he admonished.

Chris looked over at Vin's sleeping form and then to Buck for confirmation. When he got the nod from the ladies' man, he relaxed back onto the bed.

When Vin woke up again it was dark. He saw the lantern on Nathan's desk, its flame turned down low. Then he felt someone sit down on the bed next to him. He turned his head and felt the hand on his cheek at the same time.

"Hey, Cowboy," he whispered, looking into the tired green eyes above him.

"Hey, yourself," Chris replied, leaning down to gently kiss the tracker's lips. "Nate says we're both gonna be just fine," he said, pausing to catch his breath. "Just gotta rest up some."

"Speakin' of Nate, where is he?" Vin asked. "He don't usually let any of us alone in here," he went on.

"Told him I was hungry. He didn't want to wake anybody up, so he went to get something for me," the gunslinger replied. "We don't have very long," he added.

Vin nodded, understanding. He reached up with his uninjured arm and pulled Chris back down to him, capturing the older man's mouth with his, reveling in its sweetness.

"Didn't think I'd be able to do that to ya again," he said shifting on the bed to get more comfortable.

But the movement only caused him to cry out as sharp pains lanced up his leg.

"Easy, Vin," Chris soothed, wiping a tear away from the tracker's cheek with his thumb and kissing him again. "I didn't think I'd be able to do this to you, either," he continued, moving his hand to Vin's groin. "I thought I'd lost you out there. You fell into the stream. When I got to you, you weren't breathing," he went on, stroking Vin to hardness, easing the tracker's pain, as well as his own as he relived the memory from the streambed. "And when Dixon..."

"I'm still here," Vin said, cutting him off with a slight gasp, one that Chris saw was one of pleasure.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the sound of Nathan and Josiah's voices as they headed up the stairs.

Chris saw the disappointment in Vin's eyes, as well as the return of the pain.

"Don't worry," he began. "Soon as you're all better, we'll get you some more of that mind bashin', head thrashin', toe tinglin' sex," he said with a smile.

"Promise?" Vin asked, watching, as Chris got back into his own bed just as the door to the room opened.

"Promise."

"You know," Chris began, swirling his tongue around Vin's ear. "This broken leg of yours is proving mighty convenient," he continued, then smiled at the dirty look he'd gotten from Vin. "Nobody's gonna question the fact that you're sleeping in my room every night," he explained.

"Just wish there woulda been a better way of managin' that, if ya know what I mean," Vin replied, arching his neck back to let the gunslinger have access to his sensitive spots.

Chris took full advantage and began planting kisses down the exposed neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin, making the tracker groan. Vin reached down and began caressing Chris's chest, lightly pinching each nipple until he made Chris groan as well.

Chris's hands began roaming as well, finding the tracker already hard.

"Excited are we?" the older man asked playfully.

"I guess you could say that," he replied, thrusting into Chris's hand. "Looks like I can say the same for you," he added, looking down at Chris's equally engorged erection.

"So how we gonna do this?" Chris pondered, returning his lips to Vin's, slipping his tongue inside the tracker's mouth. "You ain't as flexible as you usually are," he said, lightly patting Vin's right leg.

He smiled and nodded when Vin whispered a suggestion into his ear. Then he turned himself around and straddled the lanky tracker. Leaning down, he grasped Vin's cock with his hand and held it up. Then he leaned down and licked the tip, tasting the sweet juice seeping out. Just as he opened his mouth to take the thick shaft in, he felt Vin's lips on his own cock. They each let out a groan as they began their simultaneous assaults.

They'd each been licking and sucking and stroking each other, using tongues, lips and hands, when Chris decided to add to the pleasure and reached down under Vin's ass and began to finger the tracker's entrance. He pushed a finger in and almost came as Vin screamed around his cock, began sucking it with a vengeance. He pushed it in further and then added a second finger, all the while continuing to slide his mouth up and down Vin's shaft in rhythm with the motion of his fingers.

Chris didn't mind at all when he felt himself slip out of Vin's mouth. The tracker was breathing heavily, head thrashing back and forth on the mattress, calling out his name.

"Oh, God, Chris!" he shouted out loudly as his climax began.

Before Chris could react, the tracker greedily took his cock back into his mouth and began sucking it with such force and determination, that the gunslinger could barely think. He was aware that Vin was still in the throes of his orgasm and that his own was imminent. No sooner had he realized that and he was hoarsely calling out the tracker's name in return, some of Vin's juices spilling from his mouth as he did.

He collapsed onto the bed, careful to land on Vin's left. The two lay there panting, catching their breaths for several minutes before Vin finally spoke.

"Cowboy?" he called.

"Yeah?" Chris replied, still gasping as he turned himself around to lie next to the tracker.

"This was definitely in the toe tinglin' category, and definitely better than a dose of laudanum," he began.

"I ain't gonna be able to do this every time you need a pain killer, Vin," the gunslinger interrupted, smiling at the young tracker.

"I know that, Chris," Vin responded, rolling his eyes at the older man. "What I wanted to tell ya was that gettin' outta town together wasn't worth findin' it out," he finished, looking over at the gunslinger.

"But we did find out one thing that was worth it," Chris said, putting a hand to Vin's cheek.

"What's that?" he asked.

"That what we got is love," the gunslinger replied, leaning over to kiss the younger man.

THE END