Guardian Angels by Tonny

1. ALL HALLOWS EVE

"All Hallows Eve tonight," Josiah said softly, looking outside.

"I beg your pardon?" Ezra looked up from the cards he was holding. "Josiah, we know, it is Halloween and the children of this community had a wonderful time with all the stories you told them, but I for one would prefer some more adult entertainment right now, like playing cards? A game that requires a certain... involvement of the players to make it the pastime it was meant to be? So I would take it very kindly if you finally decided whether you fold or not."

"No, no, not Halloween, All Hallows Eve is the proper name," Josiah told Ezra, looking solemnly at him. "The time of the year when the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead crumble and almost disappear, to allow the ones who have died this year passage to the Netherworlds."

"Really? Like old Thompson?" Buck asked, frowning slightly while he was studying his cards. "And those two stupid jackasses we hung after they'd killed the Millers and kept partying on their homestead as if they owned the place? You saying they'll be roaming the streets tonight?"

Ezra heaved a deep sigh. "Please, Mister Wilmington. Looking at your cards for hours won't change them. You should be able to decide whether you fold or not?"

"Yep. They and all the other souls will be searching for an entrance to the Beyond. It is a dangerous night tonight, when the souls of the dead roam our world freely. Not only the newly deceased, but also those who will try and use the weakened boundary to come back in our world, for whatever reason."

"Aw J'siah, you don't really mean that, do you?" JD looked at the ex priest with round eyes.

"Some of the dead feel they have unfinished business here, son. Or they want to live again and try to steal a man's body."

"Or try and play a decent game of cards, uninterrupted by foolish talks," Standish muttered. "Gentlemen, please! Will you all decide what you will do before this Hallows Eve of souls is at an end and while some of my vast patience is hopefully still left intact?"

"The Indians know the boundaries between the living and the dead ain't always up to par,"
Vin put in his two cents. "Don't know if it's necessarily only this evenin' though."

"All nonsense if you ask me," Jackson stated. "Hey Ez'! I wanna change a card!"

"Please Nathan! We have passed that part of the game centuries ago!"

"Oh. Anyway, I don't think there's such a thing as the souls of the dead roaming the world. When you're dead, you're dead."

Josiah flashed his friend a huge grin. "Do you never wonder where your soul, your spirit, will depart to after your body has ceased to function, Nathan? I would think that as a healer you would wonder about this?"

"I ain't wonderin' nothing. When I cross that boundary, that's when I'll know where my soul's goin'. Whether to heaven or hell or somethin' else entirely, ain't nothin' we can do to change it."

"Aw Nate! Don't you believe you will go to heaven or hell?"

"Ain't important what I believe, JD. It's gonna happen like it's gonna happen."

"So eh... you don't think the dead will be roaming the streets outside?"

Buck laughed and gave JD a big thump on his back. "You've listened to Josiah's ghost stories too much this evening, kid! I swear, you were listening with more attention than the real kids in the audience! Now don't tell me you believe 'm!"

"Buck!" JD yelled with indignation, almost losing the grip on his cards.

"Oh joy!" Ezra sighed sarcastically, eyeing the kid's precarious grip on his tools of trade. "Wouldn't it be fun if those cards started roaming about?"

"I don't know Buck, I've seen things while I was livin' with them Indians...," Vin said softly, looking outside and shivering.

"I have seen very strange things in my time as well," Josiah nodded somberly. "And one thing I did learn, do not trifle with All Hallows Eve! It is dangerous out there tonight son and I for one tend to stay indoors."

"And maybe conclude this game I thought we had going?" Ezra asked.

"Really, Josiah? So you think the dead will be out there tonight?"

"... but of course I might be mistaken."

"All I can say is, people have known this night has been the night of the dead for hundreds, thousands of years, JD. For me that tends to mean there is truth in it."

"Maybe it is a mere figment of my imagination that we are all holding some cards in our hands?"

"Don't scare the boy with that nonsense, Josiah!"

"Oh hell, Buck, I ain't a boy!"

"Yes, that must be it. Just a foolish notion of mine. Of course these cards mean nothing at all."

"Amongst the Kiowa there was this woman who could talk with the dead. So they gotta be somewhere JD."

"She could? Oh, that's..., that's..... She really could?"

"Don't listen to him, kid! All nonsense."

"GENTLEMEN!"

Silence reined and five pairs of eyes looked with some surprise at the gambler. Ezra looked back in exasperation.

"Please gentlemen, could we continue this game sometime in the very near future? I would be beholden to you all."

"Why Ez, of course!" Buck boomed, throwing down his cards in disgust. "Me, I fold. I wish you'd quit giving me those lousy hands, it just ain't fair!"

"Are you suggesting that I cheat, Mister Wilmington? I never cheat! Moreover, I can assure you cheating would be completely unnecessary with a player of your caliber."

"Did he just insult me, or give me a compliment?"

"Knowing Ez, he prob'ly insulted ya, Buck. I fold too, these cards are a goddamn disgrace!" Vin threw his hand down with just as much disgust as Buck had done.

"Me, I raise," Nathan stated, grabbing some coins.

"I'm following you, brother. JD? Hey, JD?"

The young Bostonian tore his eyes from the window and the darkness he could see outside and blushed slightly. "Sorry guys. I... I'll fold. Hey, anyone any idea where Chris is?"

2. BRIDGET'S GROVE

Chris Larabee, the man in black, horseman, feared gunslinger with a reputation that had stretched even into the East and one of the seven peace keepers that held Four Corners safe and made outlaws quiver in their boots, was laying flat on his back in the mud, swearing fluently and passionately. The word 'horse' figured rather prominently in between the blistering oaths. Again he tried to stand on his twisted ankle, only to fall back down groaning.

God, don't let it be broken, just sprained. Please, just sprained!

Another piercing whistle came from his lips, followed by a "Dammit Pony! Get your ass back here!" No black horse came trotting out of the darkness of night surrounding the gunslinger.

"Oh hell!"

Why in heaven's name had he decided to take this patrol and why had he decided he could take it alone, since nothing would probably happen on a festive night like Halloween?

And why, oh why had Pony done what he did?

His horse wasn't skittish, it had never been skittish. Its steadfastness and trust in its rider had saved Chris more than once. But the moment Chris had decided to take a shortcut right through Bridget's Grove, the horse had been more nervous than Milagro, JD's animal. When they had been halfway into the copse they'd come upon a dark hollow right alongside the path. Chris had paid it no mind, but as soon as they came abreast with it, Pony had gone wild.

Chris still wasn't sure how he had ended up on the ground, with Pony running away as if he had been possessed. He hadn't fallen from a horse since he'd been a kid, no matter how much it bucked and he had been stunned for a moment. Truth be told, he still was.

Gingerly the blond put a hand to his chest, prodding carefully. Yes, he hurt as much as that time when he'd busted his ribs. However had that happened? He had landed on his ass after all, damn that ornery stupid horse of his!

He didn't want to think about the fact that when Pony went wild it had seemed as if something hard and heavy had hit him in the chest, pounding him off his horse. It simply wasn't possible, nothing had been there.

Carefully Chris tried once more to gain his feet, this time avoiding at all costs putting weight on his ankle. Holding onto one of the stunted trees growing right beside the dark hollow, which seemed to have spooked Pony so much, he tried to make it hold his weight.

He wasn't going to stay in this cold and damp grove, that was for sure!

Pain flashed through his leg and left a fiery trail right into his brain. Shit, this was worse than the hangover he'd had last Sunday! The one that had had Mary Travis all riled up and Buck grinning at him with a far too smug expression.

Right, not important, he had to find some way to get out of here. See if he could reach the nearest homestead, the one the Sutters owned. He got tired just thinking about their row of kids, but it would be better than spending the night here. Definitely!

After a few steps, Chris knew he wouldn't get far this way and he started to look around for a sturdy branch to lean on.

Ah, there, just at the edge of the dark hollow. Damn, but that hollow was truly sinister in the dead of night. He couldn't remember it ever having looked this sinister.

Pony had never liked passing through here. If he was truthful, he had to admit he didn't like the grove much either and at first had wanted to take the round about route they usually followed while on patrol. But then a little voice inside had started nagging about the peace and quiet everywhere and about the warm saloon where his friends were having a lazy evening and he'd changed his mind.

He shouldn't have, he thought, looking at the small, stunted trees around him and shivering slightly. This place was downright spooky, especially in the cold, grey light of the moon. Although, he wouldn't have minded a little bit more of that grey light right now, to tell the truth.

Larabee, stop thinking like that! You've listened to too many of Josiah's tales this evening!

That had been fun though, Josiah could sure tell a story. Originally Chris hadn't wanted to be a part of it. He'd planned on hanging out in the saloon with a bottle of whiskey for company, so he could keep his mind off the last Halloween with his family. Little Billy Travis had decided differently and had dragged him along, wanting to sit with Chris during the stories. Afterwards the kid had kept a tight hold on his hand all during the town Halloween meal of pumpkin soup and fresh bread they were having in the grain exchange.

The questions of that boy! He'd wanted to know how it was possible for people to turn into wolves and where the extra parts went, because wolfs were so much smaller. Or if there really were such things as blood sucking bats. And had Chris ever, ever seen a ghost, like Josiah had?

With Mary Travis close by to keep a stern eye on things, he'd had to refrain from making some stories up himself and he'd stuck to the dreary truth of it all. He hadn't wanted the boy to get scared, but even without really scaring a kid you could keep some of the stories alive, hell, that was part of the fun!

Yes, he'd actually had fun with it all. That more than anything was what had driven him to take the late evening patrol instead of Buck and Nathan. Waving them away, he had left on his own, needing some solitude after having been with so many people.

Needing some time with his own family, with Sarah and Adam and all the memories he had of them.

Yeah, well, look where that had gotten him! Limping like an idiot with a branch for support! It was a damn big branch and truth to tell, he was happy for that. He'd felt as if someone had been watching him when he was hopping around and he had tried not to turn his back on that black space between the trees.

There might have been a reason it had spooked Pony so bad. There was no way of telling if that dark place was empty, or if maybe there was something in it, some animal or other.

Not wanting to brood anymore, this grove was brooding enough on its own without him adding to it, Chris started to limp away from the center of the grove and that sinister black space. To his immense relief some of the pain in his ankle had ebbed away and he could even tolerate some weight on it now.

Yep, sprained, no more. But it was still slow going.

To top it all off, it had just gotten even colder! The temperature had dropped without warning and suddenly he found himself shivering. He wasn't particularly happy to see tendrils of mist slowly rising from between the trees. Last thing he needed while trying to find his way to the Sutters, was a thick mist on top of the darkness to try and make him lose his way.

He wished Vin was here.

Yeah, when had wishing ever brought him anything? He was better off trying to walk as fast as he could. Maybe Pony would be waiting on the other side of the grove. Chris managed to pick up some speed when suddenly he heard it, coming from behind him.

Screaming. The all out screaming of someone in terror.

Chris Larabee, fearless gunslinger, the black element, shivered and hurriedly turned around to try and see what was there in the mist. Shifting the branch to his left, he held his right hand ready above his Colt. Whoever was screaming was running right at him, over the path through the grove. It sounded like a girl, a girl in terror. It was. Suddenly she burst from out of the darkness and growing mist, almost constantly peering behind her, screaming non stop. The next moment she collided with Chris, who couldn't hop out of the way fast enough with his hurting ankle. Both fell down in a heap of arms, legs and irritating strands of very long hair, the girl still shrieking.

She sure had a penetrating voice, Chris thought annoyed. And sharp hip bones. Damn, this night got better and better.

"Miss, are you alright?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She didn't answer, only shrieked again, while she pointed a trembling finger towards the swirling mist. Chris frowned, looking at it. Why would she be screaming about the mist? And then someone else came running out of it.

Chris immediately understood why the shrieks of the girl went an octave or two higher and a lot louder. What came out of the mist was a bear of a man with a frightening grin on his face. He was brandishing an enormous axe, an axe that was dripping blood. Upon seeing the two of them the man stopped and stared. His eyes seemed almost to glow in anticipation.

"Another one," he whispered with a frightening glee in his voice. "I will have a new soul tonight!" Brandishing his axe he attacked.

Chris shoved the girl, who didn't seem capable of anything but that awful screaming, away from him and hastily sat up. The man was fast though, a lot faster than he'd expected. There absolutely was no time to stand up first, so he pulled his gun while still sitting and simply shot the son of a bitch.

You can wave an axe around as convincingly as you liked, that sort of thing just didn't impress a good old fashioned gun or the bullet that comes flying out of it. Not by a long shot!

Well, normally, that is.

Wouldn't you know that this had to be the one time where, however impossible, the bullet appeared to lose the argument because the bastard sure kept running on as if nothing had hit him at all. He couldn't have missed, he never missed! Anxiously Chris shot again, seeing the bullet clearly entering the chest of the big guy waving his axe at him, right where the heart is.

The guy still didn't topple over. In fact, the bullet didn't even slow him down.

The girl didn't stop screaming. God, he wished she'd stop that awful penetrating noise!

Desperately Chris shot all his bullets into the oncoming fury, not even making the giant falter. Then the axe was coming down on him – fast like lightning.

3. THE REAPER OF SOULS

Disgusted Ezra threw down his cards.

"Gentlemen, I have the distinct feeling you all lack the concentration necessary for a satisfying game of poker," he stated. "I for one find the manner in which you all are conducting yourselves during this game extremely distasteful."

"What? Ezra, are you mad? Why? We were only talking!" JD looked genuinely puzzled at the gambler. The cards in his hands sagged and everyone could see what he was holding.

It made Ezra sigh, and he had lost count of how many sighs that made during this evening alone.

"JD, it is customary for a player to keep the other players unaware of the cards he is holding."

"I know that Ez! I just thought we'd quit the game! You don't seem to be playing anymore!"

Another sigh, but Ezra knew he couldn't deny the point the kid had made. He had been the one to throw in the towel.

"I've had enough too," Vin said softly, throwing his cards on those of the gambler. He looked outside again, at the darkness and he seemed to shiver.

"Something amiss, brother?" Josiah asked.

"No, no, guess not. Jist a bit antsy."

Nathan and Buck threw their cards down as well. Frowning Ezra started scooping them up, while Buck signaled Inez for more beer.

"Could do with a bite ta eat," Vin said hopefully when she came over with six mugs, three in each hand, her hip deftly bumping a few slow costumers out of the way. One earned himself a swift and painful kick against his leg when he tried to grab her.

"Oh yes!" JD seconded Vin's remark, eyes opening wide in anticipation.

"Why boys, didn't you have a Halloween meal over in the grain exchange?" There was mischief dancing in the warm brown eyes of the feisty Mexican woman. "I would think you don't need my nachos anymore!"

"Aw Inez, that was no proper food," Vin exclaimed. "I mean, it was nice 'n all, but it was only soup! Wasn't hardly fillin'." JD nodded vigorously, while the other four stared at them.

"Oh hell, they do have a point," Josiah finally gave in. "I have to admit I could do with a bite myself. Anyone else? My treat." That made even Ezra agree to some late night snacking and soon contentment reigned.

"Sure wish you'd tell another story, J'siah," JD sighed, finally feeling full enough. He surreptitiously opened the top button of his pants and leaned back. "You had some great stories! Do you know any more?"

Josiah smiled a chilling smile. "Oh yes JD, I know plenty more! As a matter of fact, I know one that has happened right here, close to Four Corners."

"Really? A real Four Corners ghost story? Wow, that's neat! Why didn't you tell that one to the kids?"

"Come on JD, I don't want the kids to be scared about the place where they live! Not that it actually happened in Four Corners, mind you, it took place in what these days is known as Bridget's Grove."

Buck shivered. "That dank place? Oh yeah, I can just see the ghosts hovering there."

"Dismal place," Ezra agreed.

"It wasn't always. Once it was a very nice grove, with lovely trees and in between the trees you could find the prettiest flowers in the spring and summer, while during the fall, like now, the leaves changed in every hue of yellow, gold, orange and bright red. It was one of the loveliest places around here."

"Sure ain't now," Vin stated. "Not a place I'd ever think to camp."

"Why's it called Bridget's Grove, Josiah? Was it after a girl?"

"Yes, JD. After a beautiful girl. Her long hair had the color of spun gold and she had a body... a body.... I think she was even more beautiful than Mrs. Travis. Or Maude...."

Coughs and snickers followed that statement, furtive glances darting to Ezra. Ezra decided that ignoring it all would be the best strategy with this savage bunch. Why ever he had decided to throw in his lot with the likes of them was beyond him at moments like this.

"So is that why they named the grove after her, Josiah? Because she was so pretty?"

"No, no, JD. It was because she died in that grove. She was murdered there in a most horrifying manner."

"Really?"

"Really. She was killed and chopped to pieces by the Reaper of Souls. Are you all sure you want to hear this story?"

"Oh yeah, this ought a be good," Nathan laughed. The others made affirmative noises as well and soon the whole saloon fell silent, listening to Josiah's tale.

"It happened almost twenty years ago, when there was no real town here, only the first ranchers out in the far fields and the shacks of the first settlers who just started to make a life in this place. The land seemed beautiful and peaceful to these people and they liked this place, despite the heat of the summers and the fierce storms that can rage over these lands. One of the most favorite places for everyone, but especially for the younger people, was a small but lovely grove, with the most stunning trees and a clear brook running through it. The group of settlers enjoyed making a home for themselves here, until the day an old Indian rode into their settlement. He told them he had seen the young ones were running around by themselves and warned the people for their safety.

"Do not let them roam free," he told them. "There is a killer out there."

When the settlers wanted to know who or what this killer was, the old Indian told them it was the 'Reaper of Souls'. The settlers huffed at that and refused to believe him. A week later they found the body of a boy that had gone missing. He was dead, chopped to pieces. Another week later they found the bodies of two young sisters, hacked to pieces as well and everyone became afraid. It seemed this killer only targeted the youngsters, so they were no longer allowed to roam around at will, they now had to stay in the settlement or could only leave when accompanied by enough adults. The killer still managed to murder another boy, while he and his father were asleep in their camp after a hunting and fishing trip. When the father woke up the next day, his son was lying dead beside him and he himself was covered in the blood that had splattered around when the boy had been hacked to pieces."

"Geez, J'siah, that's gross!" JD exclaimed.

"That's how it happened though," an old geezer called out from the back of the saloon.

"Keep yer traps shut," someone else yelled. "Come on Josiah, tell us the rest!"

Josiah smiled and cleared his throat. "Mighty thirsty business this talking," he mused. "I'm afraid my throat is parched." His remark made some mugs of beer appear before him miraculously fast. After a long swig from one of them, Josiah sighed and nodded he was ready to proceed.

Everyone settled back in his chair.

"Now, Bridget wasn't too happy with the fact that she wasn't allowed to go wandering about on her own anymore. I'm afraid her beauty had made people spoil her and she wasn't very good company to live with. She was a real pain in the ass about the fact she wasn't allowed to go where she pleased anymore and made that very much known. You see, she was in love and she and her beau had been meeting each other in secret. Being used to getting what she wanted, Bridget decided she wasn't going to settle for the restrictions she now found herself in and managed to arrange a meeting with her lover. She slipped out of her parents' shack, there weren't many real houses around just then, and she made her way towards the beautiful grove. Suddenly she heard a noise behind her. Turning around she saw the most frightening vision. A bear of a man was stalking her, in his hands an axe, colored brown by all the blood that had dried on it. With a shriek she started to run, calling out for her boyfriend. She heard the heavy steps follow her and getting closer and closer. With her last strength and shrieking at the top of her lungs for her lover, she ran into the grove. Only, there was no one there. Her lover had chickened out and wasn't there to save her. By the time she entered the grove, the man was close and almost had her."

Josiah emptied another mug of beer and looked at his audience. No one said a word, no one believed the story ended there. Smiling, he resumed talking.

"In the mean time her parents had discovered that their eldest daughter had gone missing and her father had immediately started a search party. The boy admitted that she had wanted to meet him in the grove and a group of men thundered away. They heard her shriek and saw her run into the grove, followed by a huge man wielding an axe. Desperately they let their horses run even faster and thundered into the grove. Alas, they were too late for poor Bridget. When they surrounded the murderer, he had just caved her head in with his axe and she was lying lifeless on the ground."

"Oh no," JD breathed.

"I'm afraid yes, son. But at least they had the killer. Soon every man was firing on him, but hear this. It took all of their bullets, and I mean all, all the bullets of the guns and rifles of twelve men, to kill the enormous man. It terrified them and some of them later said that the eyes of the fiend had been glowing a sinister red. They made sure he was dead and then they decided to bury Bridget right there, in that grove, under the most beautiful tree of all. They also buried the murderer in the grove, his axe with him. Both graves weren't marked."

"Aw, Josiah," JD finally said when Josiah stayed silent. "That ain't a ghost story, that's a normal murder story! A bit gross, but nothing strange about it!"

"Aaah, that is where you are wrong, JD. Because would you consider Bridget's Grove a beautiful place?"

JD shook his head. "Ugly as sin," Buck agreed.

"It turned this ugly overnight," Josiah told them. "In the evening the men had buried the wayward daughter in the most beautiful place around and the next morning the grove had become the twisted and scary place it is today. But what was worse, the killing didn't stop. Whenever someone young, young and foolish because soon everyone was warned, decided to go through the grove alone, he or she never came out again. The grieving families would find the body in the middle of the grove, all hacked to pieces."

"Aw, that's nonsense," JD scoffed.

"Oh no it ain't!" someone yelled from the vicinity of the bar. "The priest told it 'xactly as it is! That brute ain't dead. He couldn't die 'cause he weren't 'xactly alive, so he went on with the killin'."

"No, no, he was killed alright," someone else shouted. "But that was only his body. He's an evil spirit now, caging the souls of the poor kids he killed so they can't go to the afterlife!"

"Yeah, old Misty's seen them!" Talk erupted between the patrons in the saloon about who was killed when by the terrible killer of Bridget's Grove.

"And don't forget the spirit of poor Bridget herself! Wandering through the grove, always running from the murderer and his axe, hoping that her lover will be there to save her."

The six listened amused, but soon more and more people started hollering for another story. Josiah grinned, held up one of his empty beer mugs and waited until enough new ones were put on the table in front of him to quench even the worst of thirsts.

"Talking about this reaper of souls I have found myself thinking about another reaper of souls... and heads," he started. "The headless horseman. Surely some of you have heard of him. He roams the streets on his enormous horse, hacking off his victims' heads with his sword and taking their head with him, thus binding the soul of the one he killed to him. Alright, here is the story of the headless horseman and how he would suddenly gallop into a town...."

At that moment the sound of a wild galloping horse could be heard thundering through Main Street. Someone inside the saloon shrieked.

"OH HELL!" Vin, who had been staring outside most of the time, yelled. He was gone from the saloon in a flash and suddenly the remaining five peace keepers understood how worried Vin had been for a while now. If Vin was so worked up, there was only one person that could be involved and that was....

"CHRIS!" Vin hollered, slamming open the batwing doors. "IT'S CHRIS' HORSE!"

Without Chris himself, they all heard as plainly as if he had said it aloud.

With a string of curses the other five peace keepers ran out of the door as well.

4. MEETING WITH THE DEVIL

Shit, shit, shit!! Yep, this night kept getting better and better! Disgusted Chris looked at the slash in the left sleeve of his duster. He loved that duster and now see what had happened to it! An enormous rip, and bloodstains too. Cursing fluently to cover the pain he felt, he got his arm out of his duster and pulled away the equally ripped shirt sleeve.

Damn, but he'd been lucky! That could've been a lot nastier. The 'sorry, you'll never be able to use that arm again' kind of nasty. Muttering about no good traitorous horses that ran off with canteens full of water and saddle bags full of bandages when you needed them the most, he twisted his arm to try and get a good look. Bleeding a lot right now, but that wasn't necessarily bad, because it cleaned the wound. Just as well, considering the state the axe had been in. The thing hadn't been too clean with all the blood on it and he didn't think all those other stains had been rust either.

Maybe he shouldn't think about that axe, it made him a bit nauseas.

Right, first things first and that was stop the bleeding. He looked at the girl who was anxiously hovering nearby on her haunches. "You sure you're alright?" he asked for what felt like the tenth time. She didn't look like she was wounded, but she acted mighty peculiar.

"You saved me!" she breathed out, also for about the tenth time. After a curt nod that yes, she was alright, it was about all he had managed to coax out of her.

Warily he looked around. The trouble was that they might not be safe yet, because the guy had disappeared. Six bullets straight through the bastard's heart and then he'd pummeled the idiot down again and again, having no compunction whatsoever to use the big and strong branch he'd found in this horrible copse. After all, the maniac had wanted to do the same to him and the girl, only with the axe.

Those results would have been a lot messier than what he'd done to the guy with his branch, his fists and his feet. Not that what he'd done to the guy wasn't messy, because it was. He had thought he'd killed him more than once, but it wasn't until he'd been able to knock the axe out of the killer's hand that the man had toppled over for what seemed the final time.

Somberly Chris looked at the blood still visible where the bastard had ended up. Dead, Chris had thought. He'd even checked for a pulse and definitely hadn't felt one. Yep, it was unbelievable that the would-be murderer had managed to get away. A moment of looking to the side, to see how the girl was doing and poof, he'd disappeared.

The axe too, unfortunately.

Chris looked at the girl again and decided he would probably be better off trying to tie his bandana over the still bleeding wound himself. He was just struggling awkwardly to tie of the makeshift bandage with one hand and his teeth, when the girl suddenly materialized beside him.

"I... I'll do it," she said hesitantly, taking over. Soon she had the bandana in place, neatly knotted off.

"Thanks," Chris mumbled, striving to ignore the fact that her fingers had been so cold it had almost hurt having her touch him. Shock, probably, he reasoned. He'd heard you could get mighty cold from a shock. He should have more patience with her, really he should. It was just that for some reason she made him nervous. The way she looked at him didn't help either. She looked at him as if he was some... some.... Aw hell! He couldn't put his finger on it. Only that it somehow conveyed more adoration even than JD pestered him with from time to time.

After having checked his gun and reloaded it, he grabbed the branch that had saved his life. "Could you... help me up?" he asked her through gritted teeth, hating the fact that he had no choice but to ask. Of all the humiliating.... It was just that the brute had gotten some real good kicks through himself as well and he really hurt.

"OH YES!" she breathed, grabbing him by his good arm and practically lifting him up in one smooth pull.

WHOA! Even Josiah would have had more trouble with getting him up! Deciding not to think about it, Chris gingerly tried his ankle. Nope, still painful. Tucking the branch back under his shoulder he started to limp towards the exit of the grove again. The girl followed close by. The girl... maybe he should ask her name, he mused. Only, he didn't particularly want to know her name, he wanted to get out of here.

What was that? Screaming?

God, tell me it ain't screaming!

The girl beside him screamed as well when she heard it and hastily stepped behind him. Chris braced himself for whomever or whatever would come out of the churning mist this time, putting most of his weight on his good left foot. He freed his gun again from his duster, only now he held the branch ready as well.

This time it was a boy, a young boy of about fourteen, fifteen years. He ran straight at Chris, but at least he didn't throw himself on top of him. Staring blankly up at the gunslinger he gasped "H... help! He's gonna... kill me!"

And yes, right on cue, there he was again, the bastard with the axe. Still bleeding and battered from their previous fight. He stopped when he saw them, Chris this time standing with two kids behind him.

"You wanna try again?" the gunslinger asked softly.

His answer came when the man rushed him. Chris planted his feet, ignoring the stabbing in his ankle and the pain in his ribs and left arm and held his branch ready. This time he went immediately for the axe, wanting to have that murder weapon away from the maniac first thing. So he ducked underneath the swinging blade and instead of hitting the man full in the belly, he pivoted, cursing when he felt his ankle almost give and brought the branch up in a savage swing, aimed at the killer's hands. The impact was brutal, jarring through his arms and Chris thought for a moment that he heard the sound of breaking bones coming from the murderer's wrists. The axe fell down out of the suddenly lifeless hands and again the man toppled over. Ignoring his revulsion, Chris kicked the axe out of the way. Then he bent down to try and feel a pulse for the second time that night.

Nothing.

Gingerly he felt again, but yes, really nothing. And damn if the guy wasn't as cold as a day old corpse.

With a groan Chris righted himself, frowning while he looked at the man. It didn't make sense, any of it. Then his eyes fell on the axe.

The axe... there was something about that axe. It was a beautiful piece of equipment, its metal shining through the bloodstains even in the faint light of the moon that managed to filter into the grove. It looked razor sharp. For some reason the thing made him very uneasy though and instead of picking it up like he had planned, he stepped away from it.

"Why don't you take it?" a deep and soothing voice suddenly asked. "Take it and chop that murderer's head off?"

Chris pivoted, branch at the ready since he seemed to have more success with it in this strange, god forsaken place than with his gun. Biting off a curse when he felt his ankle protest again, he searched for this new player. The two kids were already back to hiding behind him.

Where a moment before no one had been visible, he now saw a handsome man with jet black hair to his shoulders and dark eyes, leaning casually against a tree. He was dressed like Ezra, in a fancy jacket and expensive looking clothes. The only difference was that this man wore only black. A stark black, unrelieved by any other color, not even grey.

The man was watching him with an intense look that sent shivers down Chris' spine. The look was almost... hungry. As if Chris was a tasty morsel he couldn't wait to bite into. He made Chris feel more uneasy than even the axe did, or the strange brute wielding it.

Well, the best defense was still attacking straight on, in Chris' book. "Who are you?" he asked menacingly, narrowing his eyes and taking on a fighter's stance.

The man shook his head and tsk-, tsked when he heard Chris' angry question. "Come on Chris, don't tell me you don't know me anymore. That really hurts my feelings. After all our meetings...."

"Oh, I'm sure we never met, I would've remembered something like you."

"Temper, temper! Does your temper still get you in so much trouble? Why, I remember you and Ella when you were young and still together and how that temper brought you very close to murdering some men, didn't it?"

In a flash Chris' gun was out, pointing unerringly at the stranger. He suddenly felt cold all over.

"Who are you?" he hissed.

"But no, you had to keep all those fights fair after all. Never went too far, despite her goading. And then you up and left her! I thought I had you with her, but you left! You just rode off!" The man's dark eyes flashed with anger.

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"At least Ella came through for me. What's more, she almost managed to deliver you back to me as well, by murdering your family. Yes, she really is something else!" The man shook his head in admiration.

Chris fired, having the bullet whisk right beside the stranger's ear. The man didn't even flinch, but for a second it seemed as if his eyes glowed red.

"And then, when I was sure I had you, I lost you again! You kept being this righteous prick, even though the loss of your family devastated you. I would never have thought you would manage to come out of that one and here you are... a man of the law!" He said the last words in clear disgust, almost sneering them.

The gun Chris kept on him didn't waver, not even for a second. Chris' eyes followed his every move.

"I decided to bide my time again, I was pretty sure I'd get you in the long run, but then you had to go and say it, didn't you, to Billy. What were the exact words again? Oh yes, 'I've met the devil, more than once. And he ain't beat me yet.' That's what you said to the boy. Now, I couldn't let that go, could I? So I sent John Blackfox your way with his tale of who had killed your family to finally make you lose it, make you lose your temper enough to do something irreversible, something that would mark you as the bad element forever. It would have worked too, if those damn friends of yours hadn't showed up and kept you in line! But tonight, tonight it's All Hallows Eve. Tonight I'll finally get your soul."

"You're mad," Chris hissed. He didn't understand how this stranger could know so much about him and he sure didn't understand how he could know what he had said to Billy that one night, when he had been protecting the boy and it had only been the two of them. He wasn't going to fall for it though.

"Mad? Oh no, I'm not mad at all. I'm the devil, Chris Larabee, and I'm here to claim you. After this night you'll finally be mine. You won't be able to leave this grove or escape my henchman." The raven-haired man made a deprecating gesture towards the corpse still lying on the ground. "Incidentally, he's called the Reaper of Souls and tonight he's going to reap yours. There is only so much battering a body can take, so I have every confidence he'll kill you in the end. Then your soul will be locked in here forever with all the other souls he's harvested over the decades. Part of my army forever."

Chris couldn't help himself. He grinned menacingly at the stranger, that cocky smile he knew infuriated the hell out of people. "He ain't beat me yet," he stated confidently. After all, he'd beaten the axe guy into a pulp twice, hadn't he?

This time there was no mistaking the red glow coming from the dark eyes. Chris suppressed a shudder, he wasn't going to give the irritating guy the satisfaction. Not even if it was the devil himself.

The man stepped forward menacingly, reaching out an arm that suddenly seemed too large, with a hand that resembled more a claw than anything else, a very sharp claw. In a reflex Chris shot. Again he managed to get his bullet right through the heart of his attacker and wouldn't you know it, again there was no effect whatsoever. Chris was getting really disgusted with the way his bullets just didn't seem to have any impact this night. Nevertheless he tried again, this time with a shot through the head of the man.

The skin of the stranger's head immediately closed around the wound and made it disappear as if it had never been there. "Enough!" the now sinister apparition hissed. "Enough is enough. I'm going to take you now!"

"Fuck," Chris whispered, abandoning his gun once more for his branch, although he had the feeling the wood would have about the same effect on this... this thing as his bullets. He wasn't going down without a fight though.

The apparition smiled, a smile more menacing than Chris could ever hope to cultivate and two big claws reached for his throat....

Then something white flashed between him and the darkness and a sweet voice said, "I don't think so!"

This time it was Chris who screamed.

5. THE LITTLE BOY

"Ezra, you finally ready?"

"Yes, ah am Mister Tanner. Please cease your hollering, it isn't me who is the latest. That would be our healer, Mister Jackson."

"Nathan? What the hell's he doin'? I'm ridin' out now!"

"Hold yer horses, Vin. I've been getting supplies. You know as well as I do I'll probably be needin' them. I always need them when one of yer horses runs into town without its rider on its back. So keep yer temper where it belongs, don't throw it at me."

"Sorry Nate, but can we please GO? Aw hell, I should've left immediately."

"No you shouldn't Vin. Not on All Hallows Eve," Josiah stated morosely. "Chris was out there alone. I'm not going to see someone else caught in the horrors of this night."

"Aw J'siah, stop it! He prob'ly jist fell off...."

"Chris never falls off a horse, Nate," Buck grated. "Dammit, this is taking way too long!"

He whirled his horse and went after Vin, who had given up on them and had galloped off. The young tracker was cursing loudly about the bad light and the impossibilities of tracking in the dark.

"Buck?" JD had come abreast with him, looking up at his big friend with earnest eyes.

"Yeah, JD?"

"Have you... have you seen Pony? I've never seen a horse so scared and Pony ain't scared easily. He's one of the most levelheaded horses I know. But now he was rolling with his eyes and there was foam at his mouth and he was trembling...."

"Yeah, well, there's plenty out there to scare a horse, JD. 'Specially at night."

They reached Vin, who had stopped his horse and was staring into the night.

"Something wrong, Vin?"

"How we ever gonna know where he's at, Buck? All we know is Pony came from this side of town. So all that out there," he made a wide sweep with his arm, "is where he could've come from!"

"We know he was on patrol," JD said.

Both men looked at him.

"WHAT? He was, wasn't he? On patrol?"

Buck and Vin looked back to town and the other three peace keepers catching up with them, then at the darkened landscape around them.

"Night patrol. Not long prob'ly."

"Nope, would've gone round in a circle like we always do."

"So? We ride the patrol route we usually take?"

"Seems our best shot."

"What are you talking about, friends? Care to enlighten the rest of us?" Josiah asked pointedly of Buck and Vin.

"Just that he was out on patrol, Josiah," Buck said.

"So we figured ridin' the normal patrol route might give us the best chance of spottin' him."

"In that case we would be better off splitting up," Ezra stated. "Three of us can follow the patrol route to the left, the other three to the right and we can meet at the other side of town, each having covered half of the route. Hopefully long before that meeting one of our groups will have found our missing leader."

"That ain't a bad idea," Nathan nodded.

"Adam?" Buck suddenly called out. Five pairs of eyes looked at the ladies man imploringly.

"Buck?" JD asked worried. "What did you just say? Buck? What's wrong?" The ladies' man was staring into the distance and seemed to be shaking.

"There, do you see him?" The rogue pointed with a trembling hand to something on the road. The others looked to where he was pointing.

"I don't see nothin'," Nathan said, perplexed. "Buck? What is it?"

"I have to admit that to all of my senses the road seems utterly abandoned, Mister Wilmington."

"Nah, I don't see anything either, Buck," JD said softly, while Josiah just shook his head.

"A boy!" Vin breathed. "A small boy, what's he doin' here?" He immediately nudged his horse forward. "Some of us better get him home," he called to the others, "while the rest of us go and find Chris! Shit, he's running away! Hey boy, stop, I ain't gonna hurt ya! Damn! Alright, who goes after 'm?"

"I am," Buck called back grimly. "Right now! That's Adam!"

"Adam? You mean Chris' Adam? Buck, that ain't funny!"

"Look Vin, he stopped. Damn it, that's Adam, I know that boy like... like.... God, I could never mistake another boy for him, not even in the dark!"

"Will you two cut it out? What boy, what are ya talkin' about?" Nathan called out irritated from behind them.

"Yeah, what's going on?" JD wanted to know as well. Soon the six peace keepers were together again.

"Don't you guys see him? Adam? Over there?" Buck pointed again at something on the road. "Vin sees him!"

"No brother, we don't. Will you please tell us what it is you see?"

Vin rode forward slowly now, his eyes on the small boy with dark hair and huge eyes. "Please wait, I ain't gonna hurt ya!" he called out. Without result, because as soon as he came closer, the boy started moving once more. He stopped and the boy stopped, looking back at them, waiting.

"He eh... he moves as soon as Vin goes to 'm, but now he's waiting again, like...like...."

"Like he wants us to follow him," Josiah said softly, nodding.

"Yeah, well, maybe. He's hopping from one foot to the other, like he's real impatient now. Josiah, what should we do? I mean, we gotta find Chris, but Adam...."

"We are going to follow Adam," Josiah stated.

"You believe me? Eh, us?" Buck asked, looking at Vin who was staring hard at the little boy.

"Please Josiah, do not tell me you are going to feed the fantasies of our two colleagues by humoring them in this! There is nothing there! We should be focusing on finding Chris!"

"That's what I'm focusing on, son. This is All Hallows Eve, the night the dead can roam the earth." He didn't see Ezra mimicking 'All Hallows Eve' behind him in disgust and continued, "I think Adam has come forward from the Netherworld to help us find his father. To help us save him from whatever has befallen him. Now, Buck, Vin, since the rest of us can't see him, we will need you two to lead the way. Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's find Chris!"

While Ezra and Nathan rolled their eyes, Buck and Vin locked theirs, then nodded. Together they rode up to the boy, who smiled a huge smile, waved at Buck and then turned around to trot away.

"Damn," Buck hissed, wiping a sleeve over his eyes.

"Buck? You alright?" Vin asked anxiously.

"Yeah, yeah I am. It's just... seeing Adam again, it hurts you know. It just hurts. He's... he's exactly as the last time I saw him.... Don't matter, let's hurry."

The two peace keepers increased their pace, only to find they couldn't catch up with the little boy. Adam didn't seem to jog any faster, but the distance between them and the boy stayed the same. Soon they were galloping, ignoring the curses from behind them.

It didn't sit well with the two men that a ghost had come to take them to Chris. It made them fear something really ominous had happened to their friend.

6. A GATHERING OF GHOSTS

"Chris? Chris, are you alright?"

"S... Sarah?" Chris didn't want to open his eyes; he didn't want to hear that voice. It hurt too much. He huddled in on himself even more, legs drawn up and arms clasped tightly around his head.

He almost wished that that devil thing was back, it was much less painful to deal with. Seeing Sarah again, hearing her voice, had brought his loss back to him full strength. It was cruel, crueler than anything else that bastard could have come up with. Only, the guy had screamed in anger when Sarah had come between them, so he didn't think Sarah had been part of the man's plan.

"Chris, please!"

How could he resist the pleading in that voice he loved so much? He couldn't, not when she had been alive and not now. Reluctantly he opened his eyes. There she was, kneeling in front of him, with her beautiful face frowned in worry. Yes it was her, oh it was definitely her....

"Sarah," he whispered.

A smile bloomed on her face. God, he loved her smile. He reached out one hand tentatively to touch her cheek.

He couldn't, he couldn't touch her. It was as if he couldn't reach her.

"Sarah, please!"

"I'm sorry Chris. We can see each other this night and even talk, but... but I'm afraid you can't touch me. You see, I'm not really here. I'm dead, remember?"

"NO! You're here now!"

"I'm still dead, my love. I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry for that. Me and Adam, we both are. It is so hard to see you grieve, Chris, so very hard."

"See me... see me grieve?"

"You don't think we had really left you Chris? We haven't, we're always there for you, always! Trust me on this."

"Yeah? Well, it's not the same as seeing you and holding you!"

"I know," she whispered. "Oh, how I know!"

"Why... why are you here now? You protected me, didn't you? You protected me against... whatever that was."

"Yes, I guess I did. He was out of line there. He could put the Reaper of Souls on you, but he had no right to try and snatch you up himself. Your soul still isn't his, so he couldn't come and take it. It's why I was given permission to intervene."

"Oh. Well." Chris didn't really get what she was talking about. He did know the guy with the axe, this reaper person, was gone again. And so was the axe. Slowly he clambered back on his feet, searching for his branch. He had the bad feeling he was going to need that branch a lot more this night. Looking around he saw the girl and the boy standing a little off to one side. "You alright?" he asked them gruffly.

The boy nodded, the girl crossed her arms before her chest and glared. "Who's she?" she asked icily. "Why is she here? She's not supposed to be here!"

Chris could only stare at her. Now what was wrong with the girl? She really was strange. Sarah's pealing laugh made him instantly feel better. He turned around and looked at her, at the curves beneath her dress, at the long auburn curls.... Wait, auburn? How the hell could he see colors when it was this dark?

He could though, he saw Sarah just as well as during a bright sunny day. There seemed to be a light glowing around her, a light from inside herself. He'd always known she was carrying a light inside.

"I'm his wife," Sarah told the girl amused.

"His wife?" the girl shrieked. "NO! No, he can't be married! He's my savior, mine!"

"Oh, shut the hell up!" Chris barked at her, his annoyance getting the better of him. He looked at her angrily, only to feel his mouth drop open. The girl had shut up after his shout and was looking at him with huge, hurt eyes. And if that wasn't enough, she seemed to swirl slightly, as if she was made of a thick mist.

So was the boy.

"Oh no," he groaned, shaking his head to see if it would change what was happening right before his very eyes. It didn't. "Damn, what's wrong with them?"

"Don't you know, dear? Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"Figured out what?"

An enormous shriek cut any answer she wanted to give instantly short. Resigned Chris took up a fighting position again, this time before his wife, branch ready.

"Remember how he fell down instantly when you got the axe away from him," Sarah whispered behind him. The girl and the boy suddenly were behind him as well. How that had happened Chris didn't know, because he hadn't seen them move, but he couldn't think about it just then. This time a young man in his early twenties ran out of the mist, his eyes wide open in terror.

"Please, help me!" he choked out.

"Just go stand with the others," Chris told him with a sigh. He was beginning to get the feeling this was going to be a long, long night. "They're dead, aren't they?" he asked his wife, in the mean time keeping his eyes on the mist, where soon this Reaper of Souls would appear. "Just how many are there of them?"

"Fourteen."

"FOURTEEN? Shit!"

At that moment the man with the axe burst out of the mist and Chris needed all of his attention to fight him.

Soon it was clear the Reaper wasn't going to give up his axe that easily anymore. He held his weapon in both hands, holding the handle in a death grip. Chris battered at those hands time and again, but the brute didn't let go. Chris dived and ducked, until his ankle gave and he fell down hard. The axe followed him immediately and he could barely roll out of the way in time. Before he could stand, he saw the axe descend on him again. Vaguely he heard Sarah scream and it gave him the extra strength he needed to get out of the way once more. Not entirely though, as a searing pain in his side told him. Ignoring it he managed to get back on his feet. Behind him he heard the girl shriek, Sarah call out in warning and the Reaper's feet running towards him. Looking over his shoulder, he pushed his branch back savagely, right into the belly of the monster. The man made a strange sound, a surprised look on his face. His axe wobbled in his hands and quickly Chris turned and slammed his branch upwards.

The axe flew out of the big hands and instantly the monster toppled over.

Chris was starting to really love that branch.

He hobbled over towards the shining blade and looked at it. It might be the sensible thing to do, pick it up, but again something inside him warned him not to. Then he sensed Sarah's presence behind him and for a moment it felt as if she was all around him.

"You are right Chris, you could pick it up and keep it away from him, but then you would be doomed. You would become him. You see, the power of damnation is in that axe and it would instantly grip your soul."

Chris hastily stepped back, away from the vile thing. He turned to his wife. "You stopped that strange guy, monster, whatever it was," he said softly, "but not this one. Why not?"

"That strange guy was the devil himself, Chris and he had no right to be here. I was infused with power to keep him away from you. That was all I was permitted to do, Chris. I can't fight the Reaper of Souls, this is his domain and you entered it. All you can do is hold out against him every time he appears."

The devil? THE devil? Was Sarah telling him that this man who knew so much about him was really... Satan himself? Oh God, he couldn't think about that, it was too much.

So he laughed ruefully, deciding to keep his mind on the here and now and shoved aside his duster to look at his bleeding side. "If only I could shoot that monster," he hissed, while carefully trying to pull his shirt out of the wound. With a grimace he looked at the deep gash and the blood pouring out. Then he let his branch fall and tore a strip from his shirt. Folding the piece of cloth into a pad, he pressed it into the wound.

God, that hurt!

The girl ambled up and hesitantly looked at him, clearly wanting to help. He looked back and finally nodded. "You hold it right here," he told her. "Press hard!" With a smile she hurriedly did as he asked. Chris couldn't stop a moan when he felt those ice cold hands against his warm flesh, but he managed to ignore it long enough to tear another strip from his shirt. Deftly he tied it around himself, bandaging the wound with the pad still on it.

The girl awkwardly stepped away a few paces, staring at him. "Thanks," he said softly and instantly a smile bloomed on her face. She nodded eagerly and almost danced back to the boy and the young man.

"I think she likes you," Sarah whispered. "A lot!"

Oh, great, just what he needed, a ghost in love with him. Why couldn't anything ever be simple!

Like it had been when Sarah and Adam had still been alive.

No, he wasn't going to think about that, he couldn't use the pain of remembering right now.

"If she's dead too, how come I can feel her?" he asked Sarah, who stood close by looking at him with worry in her beautiful eyes.

"The victims of the Reaper of Souls are still bound to this earth," she told him softly, looking at the three bedraggled youths. "They never made it to the beyond. They are bound to the Reaper, who won't let them go but keeps them here, forever hunting them and killing them over and over again."

"That's... horrible."

"Yes, it is. It is a small hell all in its own. It is what will happen to your soul if he manages to kill you, Chris. You would forever haunt this grove with them, relive your death again and again."

"GREAT! Just great! And how often do I have to defeat him before he finally stops trying to add me to his collection? Up to now he's been attacking me every time he was chasing one of those poor souls. You said there were fourteen, so that's eleven left!"

"Chris...."

"That's...a lot, Sarah."

"Yes, I know, but Chris...."

"Don't worry, I won't give up. Luckily my ankle is just sprained, it's getting better already. But this...." He stared at his side. Then he picked up his branch again, resigned to a long, long night.

"To bad you can't make him leave as well, like you did that black guy, that...." He couldn't say it. He still couldn't get his mind around who that had been, it seemed too much attention from the higher powers for one lonely, lousy gunslinger. He looked at the three young people standing close by instead, staring at him with unreadable eyes. "Eleven more?" he asked softly. "Eleven more that creep's got imprisoned here? Sarah, isn't there some way to get them all free?"

"Oh Chris," she whispered, her eyes and voice full of the love that had been there for him always. "And you wonder why the higher powers fight over you? You really would like to try and save them, wouldn't you?"

"Aw, come on Sarah. Don't.... Everyone would.... Hey, don't tell me you can read my mind now?" He was suddenly very embarrassed.

"No, not really, my love. This thought wasn't hard to get though. And no, not everyone would think about these lost souls at all, most would just think about running." She looked down at his throbbing ankle. "Although I see that black bastard has taken care of the running part, that... that misbegotten, rotten, no good, devious...."

He grinned. It felt so good to be with her again, with this feisty lady who wasn't scared of anything. "You gonna swear now? Don't think that's allowed for an angel."

"Angel? Chris, I'm not...."

"Yes, you are," he said with force, all his love in that statement.

"Oh Chris, now you make me blush! Have you ever heard of an angel that blushes? I'm just..., I'm just dead, Chris, a... a ghost I guess. Now, stop this nonsense and focus. You have to get out of the grove! The Reaper can't follow you out, he can't leave this place. Maybe the souls you have freed can leave with you."

"Leave the grove? And that's it? Well, hell, why didn't you say so immediately?"

Her hands settled in fists on her hips and her eyes flashed. "I was trying to, but someone thought it necessary to keep interrupting me!" she told him indignantly.

Chris had to close his eyes for a moment when he saw her do this. It was one of the things he remembered so well about her, her feisty nature and how she would stand there exactly like she was now, when they had an argument. Sometimes he would just start one to see the fire ignite in her. Oh God, he loved her so, so very much. When he opened his eyes again the flash of anger in her was gone, and the worry for him was back. He couldn't help it, despite what she had told him he walked to her and tried to take her in his arms.

He couldn't do it, he couldn't grab her. She didn't exactly disappear, but it was as if she couldn't be in the same place as he was, as if they couldn't share the same space anymore.

"Shit," he mumbled, trying to keep himself composed. This time he was glad when he heard the next victim scream. He grabbed his branch and limped to the place where he or she would come hurrying out of the mist. He was almost hurled over by a sturdy boy on fast pumping legs and only a fast jump to the side could save him. It played hell on his ankle and he bit his lip to keep from letting out a yell. When the axe wielder came out of the grove right after the kid, he wasn't waiting placidly, but with all the pent up frustration inside him he immediately rushed the monster, wielding his branch and letting out a blood curdling scream.

The Reaper's eyes widened in surprise and then Chris had already knocked the axe out of his hands. This time the murderer kept standing for a moment, his mouth forming a large 'O'. When he toppled over, Chris couldn't restrain himself and gave him a solid kick.

Stupid, stupid! His ankle was not happy with this action at all. He breathed in and out heavily, leaning on the branch and trying not to pass out. While he stood there hunched over, the axe at his feet, he suddenly got an idea. Grabbing his branch with both hands he used it to push the axe in front of him, further and further away from the huge corpse.

"Jesus, was this guy only targeting kids?" he asked Sarah, looking his charges up and down, the fourth being a kid as well of about sixteen.

"I'm not a kid!" the young man who had been the third victim coming out of the mist immediately yelled out indignantly. It reminded Chris of JD and that made him instantly feel better for some reason.

"Oh yes, you are," he told the young man with an evil grin. "Now, KIDS, let's move. We're gonna see if we can get you all out of this grove."

"What are you doing with the axe, Chris?" Sarah asked curiously.

"I'm gonna try and take it with me without touching it. See?" He pushed it forward with his branch again. "The maniac don't seem to be anything without it."

"I hope it can be done," she said dubiously. "It's worth a try though, I'll give you that."

"I'd give anything to kiss you again," he whispered softly.

"Aw, Chris...."

"Gross!" the girl huffed. With her nose in the air she swept past him, walking towards the edge of the grove. Grinning and nudging each other the three boys followed.

"Great," Chris murmured. "Just what I need. Dead kids with an attitude." He looked down to push the axe along, only to discover the thing was gone. Again.

Shit! Giggling kids and that maniac on the loose once more! "Hey, you didn't answer my question lady, about their age."

"I know." She sighed with regret. "I'm afraid they indeed are all young people, Chris. Young people with the flaws and the arrogance of youth. On the crossroad to either grow up into a decent human being or... or turn bad. Those souls are his prey, the ones that aren't good or bad yet." She looked at him. "Like you, Chris. You have all this good in you, but also a deep rage which can make you turn completely the other way, Satan's way. You haven't yet, so he can't claim you like he wanted to and that is what made him think about the Reaper. He got you here by nudging your thoughts, made you think about needing a short cut. Maybe even made you feel a need to be alone and outside of town. Although heaven knows those are feelings you have often enough all by yourself."

Chris swallowed and nodded. She knew then, knew about the darkness that had settled in him once more after her death. He didn't like her knowing about it, but hell, when had he ever been able to keep something from this lady? Deciding not to go into this particular subject with her, he limped on, behind the four disappearing kids.

Ghosts, he better remember they were ghosts, they were dead.

Sarah's soft, sparkling laugh made him look at her. There was no condemnation in her eyes, only love and a sardonic kind of laughter. "Satan may have his hopes up," she said fondly. "But he's just a fool. I know better. There's no way you would succumb to his lure."

He swallowed, remembering all the things he had done in his life, lots of things he wasn't proud of, especially not after her and Adam's deaths. "Sarah," he started, softly.

She only shook her head and firmly stated. "Don't be daft, Chris Larabee. I know you, I have seen you. No way can he get you!"

A desperate scream made him turn around in resignation.

"Do you think rushing him will help again?" she asked, concerned.

He grinned and brandished his weapon. "Let's find out, shall we?"

7. THE INVISIBLE BARRIER

It was too dark to keep up a gallop, so, much to everyone's frustration, the six peace keepers soon were forced back to a trot. Adam stayed in front of them at the same distance, sometimes looking back, but mostly just hurrying along.

"I don't like it," Nathan complained. "What if this is just some wild goose chase? We don't see a boy, so who's to say what Vin and Buck are runnin' after? What if it's some kind of trap to lure us away from Chris?"

"Have a little faith, brother Nathan. With a little faith you can move mountains."

"This is weird, this is real weird," JD said for maybe the thousandths of times. "Hey? Isn't this the road to Bridget's Grove?" he added, looking around him in the silvery light of the moon with some uncertainty.

"Oh Lord, it is," Josiah breathed. "Dear, dear Lord. This does go to the haunted grove. I don't like this, I don't like this at all!" Hastily he spurred on his horse to catch up with Vin and Buck.

"Vin! Buck! Listen up!"

"What?" Buck yelled, not slowing down his horse. Neither did Vin. Both were determined to go as fast as they could.

"Don't you see where we're going? Where this road leads to?"

"Sure we do," Vin stated. "Bridget's Grove." Then he blanched and this time he did hold back his horse. "Oh hell, the Reaper of Souls. Is that what yer thinkin', J'siah?"

"NO!" Buck said harshly. "He's not! That's just a tale! Damn, there is the grove right now and it's looking real peaceful, so stop trying to frighten us with nursery tales, Josiah!"

"Buck, you are following an invisible dead boy," Josiah mildly pointed out.

"Damn you, priest," Buck started to yell angrily, when all hell broke lose. Suddenly, from out of no where, lightning struck in the middle of the six riders. And then the earth moved.

"Get back, get back," Josiah shouted. "Get back now!" He was trying to wrestle his horse around. Nathan and Ezra were already backing up and JD was fighting to turn his horse as well. Only Buck and Vin didn't comply. Buck was fighting to keep his big grey under control, while Vin let out one long "NOOOO!" and then spurred his black gelding onwards.

"CHRIS!" he screamed, kicking Peso into a full breakneck gallop towards the grove in the distance.

That's when the others saw a frightening sight.

"VIN!" five voices shouted when the earth opened up right before the tracker. Vin seemed oblivious to anything, his eyes on the grove. With a yell Buck spurred his grey after the young tracker and soon Josiah was following.

"VIN, LOOK OUT!" Buck yelled, "STOP! YOU GOTTA STOP!"

If Vin had seen the danger, it didn't slow him down. If anything he spurred his horse on to an even greater speed and suddenly Peso flew.

He flew right over the bottomless chasm.

The other five peace keepers held their breath, some cursing, others praying. All they could do was stare... and then Peso had cleared the gaping black maw in the earth, landing surefooted on the other side. The feisty and stubborn gelding gave an ear shattering challenge to whatever powers were trying to thwart his owner and galloped wildly on, barely managing to avoid another lightning bolt.

Then, with an angry cry, Buck and his grey horse were flying over the chasm as well. It was clear from the start that the big grey had no trouble making that jump, but when he landed he almost stumbled and fell. They all heard Buck's curses. Luckily the horse managed to stay upright and immediately Buck went after Peso and Vin in a breakneck pace.

Josiah had managed to turn his horse on time and now he was riding along the chasm to where it stopped and he could manage to work himself around it. After that he raced for the grove as well.

"Damn!" JD called out. He was all ready to jump the chasm, when suddenly the lightning stopped and the earth settled itself back to what it was.

"For the love of... no one will ever believe this," Ezra whispered, looking at the abyss. It was closing itself up as if it had never been there.

"I see it and I ain't believin' it" Nathan confirmed. "Come on, let's go!"

The last two of the peacekeepers hastily followed JD and their other comrades, Nathan making the sign of the cross.

That was when the bats attacked. They came from nowhere and everywhere, swarming around the six and their horses, their small talons extended to rake through flesh, their sharp little teeth ready to bite. Cursing the men tried to fight them off. Nathan and Vin soon were slashing at them with their knives, while the others were waving their hands around their heads, desperately trying to keep them away.

The horses had had enough. They tried to simply turn around and run, but faced with the determination of their owners to go the other way, they succumbed to the trick of their not so well mannered wild family members and bucked. Soon most of the six peace keepers were on the ground, cursing a blue streak and still fighting off the bats. Only Vin was still sitting on Peso, since Peso had decided not to buck, but to go for the bats themselves with all his teeth bared.

Both managed to keep proceeding towards the grove, Vin slashing with his knife at every bat stupid enough to come too close, while Peso bit at them left and right. Then, suddenly, they were finally there, right at the edge of the grove and just as suddenly the bats disappeared.

Vin felt a surge of triumph. He was there and what was more, he was convinced Chris was there as well, right in that dreary grove. Hastily he rode the last few yards, only to be stopped by a heart rendering sight. Adam was right at the edge of the grove, his small fists seemingly striking at the empty air in front of him. The little boy was crying and screaming.

"Mommy! Daddy! Let me in, let me in! Mommy, Daddyyyyyyy!"

The tracker hurried over towards him and slid out of the saddle fast. No matter how desperate he was to get to Chris and see how he was doing, he couldn't leave Chris' son standing there in such obvious distress.

"Hey," he whispered, kneeling down beside the boy. "Hey little soldier. If Chris is in here, we'll git 'm out, don't you worry 'bout a thing. It's alright, I promise." He tried to grab the boy's fists that kept pounding in the air, only to discover he couldn't do it. He couldn't touch the boy no matter how hard he tried.

It was spookier than the lightning and the bats had been.

Finally, when it was clear he really couldn't touch the boy, he extended his hand towards the grove and said softly, "Come on in, we'll find 'm together, how does that sound?"

Two green eyes looked at him with distrust. "Name's Vin Tanner," Tanner told him gravely. "Friend of yer father's. Come on, let's go to him."

Tears formed in the huge, dark eyes. "Can't," Adam whispered.

"Hey, 'course we can. Come on, we'll jist walk in." Slowly Vin rose to his feet and looking back at the little boy with a smile, he stepped forward.

He didn't get far.

When the other five peace keepers finally reached him and the boy, they were sure the bats had driven Vin crazy. He was pacing up and down, up and down, blood pouring from a cut in his forehead. A string of very colorful curses could be heard from under the brown hair and the blood. From time to time he kicked at the air, only to hop back in apparent pain.

Only Buck saw the little boy pounding his fists in the air and crying out for his mommy and daddy. It tore at his heart and hastily he ran towards him.

Nathan also picked up the pace of his running, only his goal was Tanner. "VIN! Whadda ya do now? Let me see that!" he hollered, stopping the tracker from another kick in the air.

"Nothing Nate, I didn't do nothing, just bumped 'm head on some kinda invisible wall over there."

"An invisible wall?" Buck huffed. "Ain't gonna let anyone or anything interfere with my getting to Chris." With those words he confidently marched forward into the grove. Only to find himself on the ground, with a lump already forming on his head.

"Damn," he hissed. "There really IS an invisible wall or something. God, my head...."

"Yeah," Vin hissed. "And I can guarantee that Chris is inside."

Buck jumped up and approached the invisible wall more carefully now. Soon he was hitting on it with the same vigor as Adam was.

"GOD DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" he suddenly yelled, kicking as well. "LET HIM OUT! LET HIM OUT NOW OR YOU LET ME IN!"

Everyone quit doing what they were doing, except for Nathan who was winding a strip of his shirt around Vin's forehead.

"WHAT?" Buck yelled at them, shaking his hands and blowing at them to stop the pain of his pounding. "What you all staring at? Don't tell me you don't believe Chris is in there."

"The trouble is I do believe it," Josiah said solemnly. "And the phenomenon we encountered on our way to this place, coupled with this invisible barrier make me think dark forces are at work here, very mighty dark forces. I wouldn't be so ready to curse, brother Buck."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"I mean it looks like we can use all the divine powers there are and making them angry by cursing them doesn't seem like a good idea at the time."

"Oh fuck!" Buck exclaimed, throwing up his hands in the air. "Now I gotta start praying my way into that grove? I don't know what's going on here, Josiah, but...."

A snuffling noise made him look down. Adam was gazing up at him with tears in his eyes. The immense pain of losing the boy, his mother and also in a way his best friend in one night flared up and hastily the big hearted ladies man moved a sleeve over his eyes for the second time that night.

"Yeah, Adam?" he whispered.

"Pl... please Uncle Buck, I wanna go to my mommy and daddy."

"I... I know, munchkin, but I don't know how. I just don't know how, I can't get through." Hastily he sat down and tried to gather the boy in his arms.

"Damn, Adam, I can't even hold you!"

"'s Okay, Uncle Buck. Mommy says one day you can again. One day we'll all be together like we used to, you, daddy, mommy 'n me. If'n you don't curse so much anymore, she says. She's always prayin' for you to m... mend your ways? Uncle Buck, can we go to them now? I don't wanna wait any longer."

"We'll find a way, Adam, we'll find a way," Buck swore, once more trying to gather the boy in his arms. It was so frustrating to see him and not being able to touch him.

Vin knelt down beside them, looking intently at the boy. "We will, Adam," he gave the boy his own pledge. "We will get through."

"Ah gather you two are talking to this invisible boy none of us has the pleasure to see?" Ezra asked, trying in vain to slap some of the dirt from his beautiful jacket. "Josiah, if Adam is one of the dead roaming this god forsaken night, why is it that only Buck and Vin can see him? Why not all of us?"

"I was wondering that myself," Josiah mused. "I could have understood it if it was only Buck. He and the boy have a tie after all. But Adam has never seen Vin or Vin Adam, so that to me is the big mystery."

"What... what are they talking 'bout?" Adam asked Buck and Vin with quivering lips, moving a bit closer to his uncle.

"They're wonderin' why they can't see ya," Vin answered. "Jist me 'n Buck. They understand you showin' yerself to Buck, you know him, but why can I see ya too, Adam?"

"They can't see me? NEAT!" The boy stared at the other four peace keepers and then suddenly stuck his tongue out at them.

"Eh... Adam, that wasn't very nice, was it," Buck told the boy, unable to contain a big grin. Oh, he had missed this! "Just answer Vin, alright."

"Right," the boy said, grinning back without repentance. It was clear he knew his uncle too well to take the reprimand serious. "'Course you c'n see me, Uncle Buck, you're fam'ly." He looked solemnly at Vin. "And he is too, I guess. He belongs with daddy now." There was a sniffle after that statement and the little boy hastily turned away.

Vin looked at Buck uncomfortably, while Buck was biting his lip, staring at the shaking little shoulders. "Hey cowboy," he said softly, "You do know your daddy still remembers you, don't you? Ain't a day he don't think 'bout you and yer Mama."

"I'd never take yer place with yer daddy, ever," Vin said solemnly. "I think Chris would hit me real good if I tried, 'cause no one can."

"So... so he'll come back to mommy and me one day 'stead of stayin' with you?"

"Y... yeah." Vin had to swallow saying that.

"Even better," Buck told the worried little boy. "How 'bout Vin 'll come and stay with us too, later? And JD? That's that young fella over there, can he come too? I kinda like him."

The boys eyes widened and a smile played on his lips. "You mean, you would all come to be with mommy and me? All of you? I think that's neat. I think you are all big fun! Mommy, she's got some things to say about you all now and then, but I think you are all great!" Raising his hand and making it into a gun, one finger pointing forward, he enthusiastically shouted "BAM BAM BAMBAMBAM! BAM BAM, DIE YOU DEVIL, YOU AIN'T GONNA HAVE MY DADDY! BAM BAM BAMBAM!"

"Eh... do you see what I see?" JD asked, in a hushed voice.

"Oh my God!" Ezra called out.

Josiah and Nathan just stared.

After an awkward silence, Josiah cleared his throat and asked the puzzled Buck and Vin, "That's Adam, I presume?"

"You can see him now?" Buck raised an eyebrow at the four men, who were nodding in various degrees of enthusiasm. "Hey, Adam, I'm afraid no sticking out tongues anymore, they can see you now!"

"Oh bummer!" the little boy said, his face crestfallen. Then he brightened up once more. "Guess that means you're right, Uncle Buck. That means they're all family now, doesn't it? And we'll all be together one day, I mean really together. That's great!"

"But first we're gonna get yer daddy out of trouble," Vin stated. "Alright, all of you, we're gonna circle this blasted grove and find a way in!"

Five heads nodded in determination. "Let's do it!"

At that moment a part of the invisible barrier in front of them started to shimmer and glow.

8. THE ROAD ON THE OTHER SIDE

"How many... does that make?" Chris asked, holding his uninjured arm tight around his ribs. He was breathing hard and was bleeding out of various wounds now.

"Eight. Chris, you can't fight him anymore! He's getting through to you every time now!" Sarah's specter was hovering over him and the fear was clear in her eyes. "Just get out of here please, out of the grove!"

"They're just kids, Sarah," he whispered, looking at the group of hunched over souls standing not far from him. "I wanna get them out of here."

"You can't fight him again! And if you lose, he's got all of them back in his power as well!"

"Oh, shit! Let's at least get them out, then I could... could come back in I guess."

"Y... yes, you could."

He grinned at his wife. "Don't think I didn't hear the 'but I won't let you', lady!"

"I love you Chris, I want us to be back together one day."

"We will. He ain't gonna win." Straightening himself up, Chris started limping forward once more, leaning very heavily on his branch by now. Hastily the group of eight kids, six boys and two girls, followed him.

"Are you going to get us out?" the youngest of them, the small boy of about fourteen asked hesitantly. "Really?"

"Yeah."

The answering smile that suddenly transformed the worried, pinched face of the boy and the hope in the other seven pairs of eyes made him vow that yes, he would!

"We're almost there," Sarah told them. "Look, you can see the edge of the grove, the place where you can see more light, that's the edge. You remember that."

"Yeah!" The kids started running, screaming in delight this time, instead of fear. At the edge of the grove they suddenly stopped.

"I still can't get out," the second girl he'd saved said fearfully. She looked at Chris. "You said we might... we might... get out, but I still can't!"

"Chris can, you'll have to follow Chris. Come on, just follow him," Sarah smiled. They all waited full of anticipation, while Chris, a bit self-consciously, limped forward. He passed the little group and was prepared to leave the grove, when he ran smack into something hard.

"FUCK! Now what!" Gingerly he touched his nose. Then he pushed one hand forward, frowning. There was nothing there, so what had hit him? Taking a tentative limp forward, his hand came into contact with something smooth and hard.

He didn't see it, but he definitely felt it.

"Chris?" Sarah asked. "What is it? Why did you stop?"

"There's something here, Sarah. I don't see anything, but it's there. Feels like a wall or something." Keeping his hand on it, he started to walk sideways, trying to feel where this invisible wall would end.

"I don't believe it!" Sarah exclaimed. "Why, that lying, cheating, double crossing son of a bitch! If ever I see him again I'll do more then slap him in the face!"

"Slap him? You've slapped the devil in the face?"

"He can be very rude, why?" his wife asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you snickering? Chris Larabee! Are you?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare! You might eh... slap me."

"Chris, sarcasm doesn't become you! You've been spending too much time in the company of that gambler!"

"Ezra? You know about him?"

"I told you Chris, I'm always with you, always. Me and Adam both, we are always there to try and look out for you."

Chris hastily looked away and went back to exploring the barrier he was feeling.

"We are, Chris."

"It... it just ain't the same, Sarah, it ain't. I can't talk to you, hold you or Adam, t... tickle my boy...."

A scream stopped him. "Number nine," he sighed. "Guess I better get back to work." Keeping the branch in front of him, he situated himself with his back against the barrier, glad for the support. This time two frightened youngsters, a boy and a girl, came running out of the mist, holding hands and of course screaming like banshees. When they saw the little group standing huddled to the side of the road, they stopped uncertainly, looking from one person to the other.

"Oh, just come over here!" the girl Chris had rescued first and who somehow had become the unofficial leader of the group of ghosts snapped. "Don't stand there like some dolts! Or do you like being brained with that axe!"

The two swallowed and looked at Chris, who was standing alert and ready. He smiled at them. "Better stand aside, kids," he said softly. "I've got a bastard to punch and then we're gonna work on getting you all out of here."

Heavy footsteps stopped any argument the two could have thought up. Hastily they jumped away when the Reaper came running out of the mist. This time the man didn't stop, he just charged head on. Maybe he did it because he was afraid they were all leaving his grove, but whatever the reason was, it wasn't a smart move. He ran at Chris like a bull and all Chris had to do was jump aside. The Reaper plowed right into the wall and this time Chris didn't even have to smash the axe out of his hands, it flew away all by itself when the big man encountered a solid resistance he hadn't expected.

For the first time in the long night the Reaper cried out. Then he was on the floor, lifeless again until whatever fueled him would make him disappear and start it all anew.

"That went well," Chris mumbled, picking himself up. "Should be that easy every time!" He looked around for Sarah and saw her standing at the barrier, biting her lower lip. Trying not to wince with every step he limped over to her. "Figured it out already?" he asked softly.

"Yes Chris and I don't like it. I can open it and keep it open for a brief period, but that's all. It is after all made by the devil and he is much more powerful than me. All I have been given is the power to keep him from getting you and with that I can make a hole in this long enough for you to get through."

"Me and those kid souls, right?"

"N... no. I can never hold it open long enough!"

"But you'll try, won't you?"

"You know I will! Chris? What are you thinking here?"

"I'm thinking you should open it and we'll get as many out as we can."

"Chris... you go first, alright?"

He looked at her adamantly. Then he waved the kids over. "Guys, oh stop glaring, girls too, Sarah is going to open this wall. As soon as she gets it opened get through, don't stop, just get through as fast as you can! Alright? Now, be ready to move."

Ten anxious faces looked at him. "Out?" the new girl asked hesitantly. "Really out? You mean we can go home?"

What could you say to that? Luckily Sarah took over. "Yes dear," she said softly, smiling. "You can go home, to your true home. Alright Chris, I will open this up, but you had better be ready to follow me as well."

He grinned at her. "Hey, I ain't keen on staying here at all! Just go for it, Lady."

She gave him a hard look and then she sighed, shook her head and placed herself before the barrier. Carefully she put her hands on it and started to whisper softly. Chris tried to understand what she was saying. Listening hard, he suddenly realized she was praying. It made him feel humble, especially when a soft glowing light began to spread from her hands into the barrier, making it visible all of a sudden. Within that glow an opening started to appear, a gap that grew more and more. Finally it was big enough to let an adult step through it. Sarah stepped into it and spread her arms to keep it open.

"Go!" Chris barked to the shivering kids. "Go now!"

There was a moment of hesitation and then the fourteen year old boy suddenly jumped to the opening. "I can't!" he whaled. "I can't get through!"

"Sarah!" Chris called out. "Sarah, help him!"

"Chris, no, what about you?"

Chris didn't answer, he pushed the other kids to the gap as well and gave Sarah no choice but to step through, grabbing their outstretched arms and helping the kids to the other side. When the last one, the young man, stepped up a wail could be heard. Another lost soul came running out of the mist and Chris didn't think about it, he ran to the young kid, the youngest so far, grabbed him up and pushed him through the opening as well. Something seemed to ignite and with a cry he felt himself being hurled backwards. The last thing he saw was what looked like his friends on the other side of the opening.

His friends, what were they doing out there?

The last thing he heard was Sarah crying out his name and then he knew only darkness.

9. THE GATE

The six peace keepers looked in awe at the glowing light in front of them. Suddenly an opening seemed to appear in the middle of that soft glow. Through that opening they thought they saw movement and then a woman stepped through, a beautiful woman with auburn curls that flamed in the light shining out of her.

"MOMMY!" Adam yelled, jumping towards her.

"Sarah...," Buck whispered.

The woman smiled at her son and the tall man behind him before she turned back to the gap, holding out her hands. Something reached for her through the opening and the movements on the other side of it became frantic. Startled the peace keepers jumped away as one after another white apparitions came flying out of the gap. As soon as they were on the other side they floated around uncertainly.

"Oh my Gawd," Ezra whispered. "Tell me that I am not seeing this! Are those... ghosts? The true white floating ghosts out of many a tale? No, I refuse to believe this!"

"I ain't seein' this neither," Nathan stated stubbornly.

"AWESOME," JD breathed. "Oh, this is so great! Wait 'til I tell Casey!"

Josiah shook his head at the young man's enthusiasm. "You might want to think that over, JD. You have a good chance she won't believe a word you say."

"Oh, damn, I guess you're right. But you can all tell her you saw it too!"

"Eh... she might think we are just in league with you, JD. That we are all trying to make a fool of her. No, I think it is best if we never, ever mention this to anyone, ever."

"Aw, come on Ezra, you can't mean that! Look at them! This is... it's... well, it's the most awesome thing I've ever seen! Hey, what's Vin doing? And Buck? BUCK!"

JD's scream came right after a loud explosion seemed to reverberate through the earth itself. The blast made them all topple over and when they picked themselves up again it was to find the wall firmly back in place. Buck, who with Vin had been the closest to it, was laying bleeding and unconscious on the ground, the beautiful woman leaning over him. The men ran towards their friend, shouting anxiously. Hastily the beautiful woman stood up and backed away. The group of ghosts immediately hovered around her, looking in trepidation at the men.

"Where's... where's our savior?" one of them asked with a trembling voice. The voice had a strange, eerie quality to it.

"He... he didn't make it through," the woman said softly, sadly. "He is still on the other side."

"NOOOO," the ghost wailed and the peace keepers shuddered.

"A real wailing ghost," JD whispered in awe where he was kneeling beside Buck, holding tight onto one hand of his big friend.

"Will someone make JD shut up!" Ezra hissed angrily. "My nerves are shattered enough as it is, thank you very much!"

JD paid him no mind. "I think it's a girl ghost," he stated, staring at the group intently. "Yes, a girl with very long hair. Most are boys though. Hey, I think they're all kids!"

"Does he have to keep on talking?" Ezra asked, throwing his hands up in disgust. "And if this is Sarah Larabee, then where is Chris? Why did he not come out of that... that hole in nothing? What's more, where is Mister Tanner?"

"Damn, yer right Ez, Vin's gone!" Nathan said, looking up from a still unconscious Buck. "That ain't good, that ain't good at all! He was even closer to that opening than Buck!"

"You think that hole blew up?" JD asked. "Nathan, how is he? He's... he's gonna be alright, isn't he?"

"I think so, JD. Bumps 'n bruises and a serious wound on his arm, but his breathing 's strong. So don't you worry none, he'll be okay."

"Good," JD sighed in relief, then his eyes focused back on the fascinating ghosts. "You think they know what happened to Chris and Vin? And where's little Adam? Did he get invisible again? Josiah, what do you think. You're a bit the... eh... the expert, ain't you?"

Josiah didn't pay any attention to JD. He was staring at the woman with the cluster of ghosts around her. "Sarah Larabee, I presume?" he asked her when she finally looked up from staring at the grove. "I gather you are responsible for opening that gate."

The eyes turning to him were full of tears. "I am, but it did no good. He didn't... he didn't come through. He wanted these lost souls to come out first, so they could finally be set free, but now he's trapped in there again, without me."

"Are you saying Chris is still in that grove?"

"Yes," she whispered softly, "he is. He shouldn't be, but he is. Satan never did play fair." She turned back to the grove, one hand outstretched to feel for the once again invisible barrier.

"I'm not going to give up though," she said, very determined. "I'm going to get him out of there!" She placed both hands against the barrier and softly started to speak.

"What... what's she doing J'siah?" JD asked, mesmerized.

"Please Mister Sanchez, whatever it is, I am very certain I do not want to know about it! Just pretend JD never said anything!"

"I think she...."

"NO, please do not answer that!"

"... she is praying."

"Praying?" JD asked, stunned. "Why would she pray?"

"Praying? I can live with that. Yes, I can definitely live with someone praying on this god forsaken night."

"Praying," Josiah affirmed. "What else can one do at a night like this, a night full of hell and doom?"

"D... doom? What doom?" a very groggy voice asked.

"BUCK!"

"Oh hell, JD, not so l... loud! P... please!"

"Look who's back in the land of the livin'!" Nathan grinned.

Things immediately looked brighter.

10. THE TWO BROTHERS

Chris groaned. He really was getting tired of being battered down into the ground, it was happening way too often this night. It sure wasn't fair bullets didn't work. Not fair at all.

Carefully he opened his eyes and he was immediately immensely glad for the cool darkness under the stunted trees of Bridget's Grove. His head was hurting enough as it was after that blast.

Whatever had happened? The blast, something heavy crashing into him, and then he hit his head when he went down....

What had it been that had knocked him down even more than that strange blast had done? And why did he have this heavy feeling on his chest? He was pinned down under something. Something heavy, something... soft?

With a groan he tried to free himself, only to be rewarded by a groan back.

"SHIT!"

"Mmmmm?"

Oh God, that was a person laying right on top of him. Surreptitiously he placed a hand on the body. A warm body. Not the ice cold of the ghosts and the Reaper, but warm... real. This was someone real!

"HEY!" he yelled, grabbing a part of the body and shaking it. "Hey, wake up! Wake up and get off!"

"AAH! Don't... don't yell, 'm head ain't up to it!"

That drawl... that definite Texan drawl... "Vin?" he asked incredulously. "Vin, pard? What are you doing here?"

"Lookin' fer you, of course. Of all the dumb questions...." The voice trailed off again and Chris hastily shook the Texan some more.

"Vin, no, wake up! I need you to get off me, Vin. Can't... can't do it myself."

"No? Jist have ta shove me. I'll fall anywhere ya want, don't care, just lemme sleep...."

"I can't Vin, I... I ain't exactly up to par here."

That got Vin's attention and with a groan he raised his head. "So what's wrong? Oh shit, yer bleedin'! Knew I should've dragged Nate along, but he was to far from the hole!"

"The hole? Oh, the opening in that invisible wall, the one Sarah made? Did she get through?"

"Don't know, was too busy fighting my way through those ghosts to get to this side. Damn, but they were cold...," Vin mumbled, voice trailing away.

"Vin, get OFF! NOW, before he gets back!"

"Who?" But the alarm in Chris' voice roused him sufficiently to make him roll away. The movement woke him up further, enough to remember they were in trouble, nope, Chris was in trouble. Oh hell, what else was new?

"So wadda ya do this time Lar'bee? With them ghosts and all? Who you piss off now?"

"The devil, it seems," Chris groaned, working himself up until he was sitting. Gingerly he touched a lump at the back of his head. "Damn, but did you have to fall right on top of me?"

"Yer welcome fer risking m' hide comin'here, Lar'bee. Damn, but sometimes I wonder if yer worth all the trouble you cause. The devil, huh? The devil hisself?" Vin worked himself up as well and looked at his friend. Then he heaved a deep sigh. "Why ain't I surprised? You don't look too good, Cowboy."

"Don't feel too good either. Think you can help me to my feet?"

"Why ya wanna get on yer feet for? Seems to me someone losing that much blood oughta lay down and let his friend look after his wounds. I better start rippin' m' shirt, ain't nothing left of yours to use."

"Can't, he'll be back soon."

"So? Whoever he is he can wait 'til we're done."

"Wish we could, Vin. But he's got that big axe and he ain't using it for chopping wood."

"Oh. Wouldn't be the Reaper of Souls J'siah 's been tellin' us about? Someone who's been killin' people in this grove fer years now, even though he's dead?"

"Josiah knew about him?"

"Yep. Spun us a right nice Halloween tale 'bout him."

"Damn! Nobody tells me anything! Uh oh... you hear that?"

"Shit! Someone's in danger. Sure knows how to scream though."

"They all do. Help me up, now!"

Reacting to the anxiety in the blond's voice Vin grabbed Chris' hand and helped him up carefully. As soon as he was standing, Chris limped up to the path and once more placed his back against the invisible barrier, branch up and ready. It was again a boy who came running out of the mist. When he saw the two men, he looked at them apprehensively.

"Think you scare him, pard," Vin grinned. "Hell, you'd scare me too if'n I didn't know ya better. What with all the blood and yer clothes in tatters to make them bandages."

Chris didn't answer, he looked steadily at the boy. "You better get out of the way," he said softly. "Let me fight him. That's what he wants anyway."

"You... you ain't gonna hit me?"

"I'm only gonna hit him, alright?"

The boy nodded, still unsure of what to do. That changed the moment heavy footsteps came thundering out of the mist. Immediately the boy decided that whatever was in front of him, it couldn't be as bad as what was behind him and he hurried over to the two men.

"Jesus," Vin breathed when he saw the big, muscled man, oozing blood everywhere and with his skull caved half in. The brute still walked towards them menacingly, wielding a huge, blood dripping axe. "That him?"

Chris didn't answer. He was hurting so much he thought he might collapse. The only thing keeping him up and ready to do battle again was sheer stubbornness. That, and his immense wish to piss the devil off. That guy had really irritated him.

Vin in the mean time was staring at the Reaper in fascination. The horrifying menace was huge, really huge. Not to mention ugly as sin. Then the ugly mugger charged and he charged right at Chris.

"MY SOULS!" he was screaming. "YOU STOLE MY SOULS! NOW I'LL HAVE YOURS AND I'LL TORMENT IT FOREVER AND EVER!"

Yep, Chris sure knew how to pick 'm, Vin thought in frustration. Hastily he pulled his mare's leg and shot the idiot, already thinking about the scathing things he was going to say to his friend about fighting an idiot like this with only a branch against an axe, instead of just shooting the mother fucker. He didn't care if the guy was armed or not. Hell, he WAS armed with that axe!

The guy ran on as if nothing had happened. Shit, of all the times to miss! He couldn't have missed! It just wasn't possible! Cursing he pulled up his weapon again and sighted along the barrel, this time making sure the bullet would find it's target.

It did.

The bastard kept running as if nothing existed but Chris. The axe was raised and then arched down towards Chris. Vin saw Chris duck, a grimace of pain on his face and swipe at the hands holding the axe with his branch.

Stupid move, the guy had his belly wide open, why hadn't Chris hit him there? Then Vin was on top of them, plowing his fist into the bastards head with all his might. With a huff of surprise the giant toppled over. Immediately Chris was there, kicking the axe away. He was panting heavily and even worse, he was dripping blood from numerous places.

"Aw Chris! Ya need ta sit down, fast! HEY!" Only a swift grab kept Chris from tumbling over right then and there. Carefully Vin led him away from the body and helped his friend sit down beneath a tree. "Hate ta break it to ya, Cowboy, but ya been healthier. I better check if the bastard's really down."

"He's dead Vin, nothing much you can do with him."

"He is? Still, I better make sure."

"Vin, he's been dead for decades."

Vin sighed and shook his head. "More ghosts, jist what I need. In that case I'd better tie 'm up, see what a corpse can do with a length of rope around him."

"Just... just never touch the axe. Thing is dangerous, evil...."

A chuckle stopped Chris. Turning around Vin saw a man with hair as black as the night and eyes like dark bottomless pits looking at him. The stranger was entirely dressed in black, in clothing that somehow, despite the lack of color, reminded Vin of Ezra. The man instantly bugged the hell out of him.

"I see you have found yourself another champion, Mister Larabee? Only this time it's a mortal champion without divine powers. Hardly a worthy opponent for me."

"Who's he?" Vin asked, dumbfounded by the strangeness of this guy.

"Claims he's the devil." Chris was struggling to stand and Vin hastily helped him up. He understood his friend's need to face this new threat upright instead of sprawled on the ground.

"Really? Don't look like much. And why's he dressed all in black? Wouldn't red suit him better? You know, the guy of fire and all...."

Suddenly Vin was flying through the air, slamming into the invisible wall, smoke coming from his buckskin jacket.

"VIN!" Chris cried out, limping to the still and crumpled form. "Vin, say something!"

With a groan Vin sat up, rubbing his head with one hand, while holding his ribs with the other. He glared at the apparition.

"Still want to discuss my attire, Mister Tanner? Or can I get down to business with Mister Larabee, without you interfering anymore?"

Vin grinned at the apparition, the grin never reaching his bright blue eyes. Those stayed focused and cold, very cold.

"Yeah, I got more to say 'bout yer attire. Whadda ya think Chris, he tryin' to make a statement by dressing in your color?"

"Vin...."

"Stupid move," the tracker said, maliciously looking the black haired man up and down. Then he turned towards Chris and told him, "You see, YOU make that stupid color look GOOD! He, he just looks like some corpse in it." He grinned coldly at the man confronting them.

The man in black growled, low and menacingly. His hand went up again, but this time Chris hastily stepped between that hand and its goal. The hand lowered and a cold smile tucked at the stranger's lips.

"Just say your piece," Chris said in his soft, lethal voice.

"I've already said it. Your soul is mine, Larabee and I will take it now, thank you."

"You can't, Sarah told me you don't have that power over me."

"True, true, that's why I sent the Reaper after you. He would've prepared your soul for me though and I would have enjoyed seeing your misery. Very much!" The last two words were hissed vehemently.

Chris looked aside to where the body of the Reaper had been laying. It didn't surprise him that it was gone once more. A gasp of surprise beside him told him Vin had seen it too. "So you're sending your reaper again."

"No, I've decided I'd rather torment your soul myself."

"Yeah? Too bad you can't take it!"

"You are right, I can't. That's why you are going to give it to me."

Chris started to laugh, but that laugh was cut short when he saw what the stranger pulled out of the dark shadow behind him.

"DADDY! HELP!"

"Adam," he breathed. Immediately he launched himself at the apparition. "LET HIM GO! LET HIM GO NOW!" Vin managed to get himself back on his feet and was right at his friend's heels. The yellow bastard simply vanished where he had been standing and now his laughter was sounding at the left of them. Turning, they saw he still had Adam. The little boy was squirming in his grip.

"How about it, Chris? You give me your soul, or do I take this little brat instead?"

"Adam... how?"

"Aw hell, he must've dived right through the opening Sarah made as well," Vin lamented. "Damn, why didn't I see that? I would've stopped him."

"Through the opening? Vin, what was Adam doing here at the grove, even if it was on the outside?"

"Me and the others, we met 'm on the road, he led us right to ya. Only we couldn't get past that invisible barrier."

"So," the Devil said nastily, shaking Adam now. "It wasn't just your mom who was interfering with my business, you were too." His eyes were glowing red now, the anger unmistakable.

"Don't you touch him," Chris threatened, taking a step closer. "You can't have him and you know it! He's not yours, he's already in heaven, with his mother!"

"Ah, but this is All Hallows Eve and this one left the Heavens, which means now I can get to him, as you see." He shook the boy again.

"NO, please!" Chris all but begged.

"So? What will it be? You or him?"

"Me dammit, me of course! Let him get back to his mother!"

"OH NO!" Vin shouted, getting himself between Chris and the dark man in front of them. "Ya can't have Chris, I won't let ya!"

"Well, well, Mister Tanner. Are you offering your own soul in his place?"

"No, he's not!" Chris retorted.

"If I have to, I am Chris! That little boy is waitin' fer you to come live with them again one day and I ain't gonna have him disappointed. Ya know ya can't be with them if that egomaniac's got ya!"

"I'm still not letting you take my place!"

"Ain't fer you to decide, I guess. It's fer him."

"Yes, and I have to say, I like that offer. A lot." A slow smile was visible on the white face. "You see, way I figure it, if I take him you'll be so lost in grief again, knowing it's because of you, you'll follow him right into hell, won't you? And that way I will have you both. I have to say I like it, I like it a lot."

"You won't, will ya Chris?" Tanner hissed over his shoulder, alarmed now.

"I'm not leaving you on your own in his hands," Chris bit back.

"So I can jist as well take back my offer! Damn it, Chris, ya ain't gonna do no such thing!"

"Try me!"

"Why you.... And you think I wouldn't do the 'xact same thing if he managed ta git your soul? I'd be divin' right after it into hell and you know it!"

"You better not, or I'll shoot you where you stand!"

"Eh... gentlemen, GENTLEMEN! I'm still here, remember? HEY!"

A flash of lighting abruptly struck between the two friends, making them jump back from each other with a startled yelp.

"NOW do I have your attention? OUCH!"

A little fury was kicking and screaming at his side. "You tried to hurt my daddy, you tried to hurt him! Keep away from him, he's gonna live with us one day, not with you! And Vin too, Vin's gonna live with us too, with us and daddy! Let me go!"

Then the devil let out a shriek and suddenly the little boy was free, running up to his father and throwing himself in his arms. Chris went down, holding on tight, whispering his son's name over and over.

"He bit me!" the Devil screamed, waving around one hand.

"That's peanuts compared to what I'm going to do with you," an angry female voice could be heard from behind them. An apparition all in light strode forward firmly and slapped the black clad stranger right in the face. "How DARE you use my son? How dare you use him to get his father? Of all the low, vile things...."

"Well, eh, he IS the devil, madam. Isn't he?" a voice sounding suspiciously like Josiah asked from where she had come. Chris and Vin turned and there were all their friends. A very serious and solemn looking Josiah, a green and slightly sick looking Ezra, a dumbfounded Nathan, a staggering Buck with a big strip of cloth wound around one arm, mumbling "Yeah, that's Sarah, you tell him girl" and a very excited JD.

"Did you see that? Did you see that? She suddenly got very angry and very white and then she melted that wall away like... poof!"

Holding Adam tight to himself, not wanting to let go, Chris smiled at his friends. It was good to see them, very, very good. It was even better to see them together with his family. Picking Adam up in his arms he turned to where his wife was still scolding the devil.

"I told you, you shouldn't play dirty on this! He didn't like it one bit when you interfered again, so He gave me some extra possibilities to deal with you. Some very interesting ones, I might add!" She started to glow even more, white fire flashing from her eyes.

"Damn Him!" the stranger shouted angrily at her. "Larabee's mine! He knows Larabee should be mine!"

"I don't think so!" She raised her arms.

The Devil shot one last, murderous look at Chris, hissed "I'll get you someday, Larabee!" and disappeared.

"That's what you get for trying to cheat!" Sarah yelled after his vanishing form. Muttering she lowered her arms and seemed to shake out all the blindingly white light until she was like she had been before, a beautiful woman with an inner light shining softly through. Happily she turned towards her husband and son.

"He's gone, Chris, he won't bother you again tonight. It's only about an hour until sunrise, so he won't have enough time to come up with another plan!"

"You sure you ain't no angel?" he asked, feasting his eyes on her and his arms on the feeling of his son in them. "Definitely looked like one to me."

"That? Oh, that was only temporarily, given to me for the sole purpose of stopping Satan, who was way out of line here. He doesn't like it when Satan tries to mess with free will or with his personal warriors. That's what you all are, you know, His personal warriors. You guys do know that, don't you?"

"Ma'am, please, let's stay real," Nathan asked pleadingly, holding up his hands as if he was trying to fend something off. In a way he probably was. Sarah's smile only grew wider.

"Why, Nathan, you do know seven is the holy number, don't you?"

"I'm going to be sick," Ezra stated, wiping one hand over his brow. "And to think that this evening started out so pleasantly, with a nice game of cards and some nice midnight snacks. Some stupid stories as well," he added, glaring at the ex priest as if everything was his fault.

Sarah had already forgotten them and was hurrying over to her husband and son. "Thank you," she breathed to Vin and then she was with the two men she had loved more than anything else in life.

"I can hold him," Chris whispered. "God, I wanna hold you too, Sarah. Hold you just one more time."

"I think we're granted that somehow, Chris." Hesitantly she moved her hand and touched his cheek. On both their faces a radiant smile lighted up when she made contact and then Chris was holding his wife as well as his son, the three locked in a fierce embrace. Their lips found each other in a passionate kiss that somehow seemed to include the little boy between them as well. The love radiating from the three made the other peace keepers look away. Buck was weeping openly and even Ezra seemed to have tears in his eyes.

A piercing scream ended the peaceful scene. "Shit," Chris mumbled, looking up but still holding onto his family. "Three more to go."

"Three what, Chris?" JD asked.

"Three more souls, JD. That bastard has got three more souls captured in this grove."

"Who? The devil? I thought Sarah just send the devil packing?" Buck asked, confused.

"Nah, the other fella, with the axe," Vin told them. "That Reaper guy you were tellin' us about, Josiah."

"He's for real?" Nathan exclaimed.

"Yep. Chris has been fighting him all night, haven't ya, Cowboy?"

A young woman of about twenty years ran out of the grove, shrieking at the top of her lungs and looking behind her in fear. Chris closed his eyes for a second. "I sure wish they didn't all have such penetrating voices," he sighed.

"Why not? They're ghosts, ain't they? Ain't ghosts supposed to scream and wail, J'siah? Moan too, I haven't heard them moan yet."

"Shut up, JD!"

"But... but, hey! This one don't look like a ghost, like the other ones did. This one looks like a real girl. You think she's a real girl?"

"Nope, she's a ghost, trust me," Chris told him. With a sigh he moved as if to put Adam down and leave Sarah's arms, ready to fight again. Immediately Vin was beside him, taking up the branch that was laying at Chris' feet.

"Oh no ya don't. You enjoy yer family while ya can, we'll take care of this baby. Alright y'all, it's a bummer, but ya can't jist shoot him. Only thing that helps is knocking the bastard down and then knock the axe out of his hands, ain't that right, Chris?"

"Just knocking the axe out of his hands is enough, Vin."

Vin grinned. "Yeah, but that ain't half as much fun, Cowboy. Gotta get some revenge fer what he put ya through and those poor kids as well."

"Vin...," Sarah said sternly. "I don't think you are giving a good example here for Adam."

"Aw Sarah, a little fun...."

"NO BUCK! Don't you start as well! I know you. And stay out of it, you're hurt!"

"Well now, I don't think...."

"Just come here, you big oaf," she smiled and tried to take him in her arms as well. "I missed you too Buck, thanks for being there for Chris, even if he was a pain in the ass."

"Sarah!" Chris pleaded.

"Still is," Buck smiled. His eyes were a little wild, but there was happiness in them for seeing his friend with his family once again.

"Sorry we can't touch you Buck," Sarah said softly, when she couldn't get him in the tight circle. "I guess we were only granted reprieve for Chris."

"That's alright Sarah. Seeing you and Adam again is a blessing in itself. You two are still the best people I've ever known."

"Don't make me blush, Buck Wilmington!"

"Me? I wouldn't dream of it, Sarah Larabee. Now, you go and enjoy the moments you three have together, while I give those fools over there some pointers." Hastily turning away to give the little family the privacy they so deserved after all these years he went to where the others were standing over a huge corpse.

"Don't worry, Buck! We already got him! Wham, whack and as soon as we knocked his axe out of his hands he just fell down, dead! Look at that axe!"

"JD, keep your hands off it! It is clear to see that the power of evil resides in that axe. Touching it would taint you, young man, don't even think about it."

"Taint me, J'siah? How? With... with evil?"

"Chris didn't want me touchin' that thing either. He didn't have ta tell me though, it feels like pure evil."

"Well then, since it seems we are quite ready here, how about we try and get home? This night has been eventful enough for my taste. Not to mention my tender nerves."

"Sorry Ez, two more ta go, don't we, Chris?"

"Mmmmm?"

They all grinned at each other. Then Sarah called back. "Yes, two more, stop disturbing us!"

"What a woman," Josiah sighed. They looked on happily until the two forms in Chris' arms shimmered and disappeared, leaving the gunslinger once more alone and bereft.

"NOOO!" he screamed, falling to his knees, trying to grasp for the vanishing figures. "NO, PLEASE!"

Then he toppled over, unconscious.

11. ALL SOUL'S DAY

"Chris? Chris, are ya with us again?"

With a groan Chris opened his eyes. God, he felt like he had the hangover from hell. Looking around with bleary eyes, he saw Nathan and Vin hovering over him. "Ungh?" he managed to croak.

"Here, Chris. You drink this. Easy now, easy." The secure hands of Nathan held his head up with practiced ease and helped him drink cool water from a cup. It felt good, very good in his parched and hurting throat.

"M... more," he whispered when the cup was taken away.

"Sorry, later on. I know ya need it, but I don't wanna have you get sick, so we go slow, alright?"

"Al... alright." He looked around him in confusion. "Clinic? How... what?"

Vin and Nathan looked at each other, worry evident in their faces. Then their eyes settled back on him. "Chris, what's the last thing you remember?"

He frowned. What WAS the last thing he remembered? Fighting, fighting again and again, an axe, Sarah, Adam.... He gasped and tried to get up. Deft hands immediately stopped him. "Sarah," he moaned. "Adam! They... they went away again! Oh God, they're gone again! THEY'RE GONE AGAIN!"

Suddenly they were all there, all his friends. Buck and Vin were holding him down, talking to him, trying to get him to calm down. Nathan and Josiah were hovering right behind them and Ezra and JD looked on apprehensively.

"Chris, please, don't do this to yourself, please," Buck pleaded, tears in his eyes. "I know, I know it's hard they're gone again, but at least you got them back for just a little while. At least you got to h... hold them one more time!"

"Chris, Chris, they ain't gone, not really! Ya gotta know that pard. Ya gotta sense that now!"

He didn't want to listen to them, didn't want to hear their efforts to make him feel better. He could never, ever feel better, only devastated. But he couldn't ignore the pleading in his friends' eyes, couldn't ignore their worry. So he settled down, the ache of his loss burning in his chest, as always.

This time it was Vin who held him up and fed him some water. He drank, but he felt too listless to really enjoy it at the moment. His friends were all around him, smiling at him, glad he seemed calmer.

"What... what happened after... they left?"

"You were eh... passed out I'm afraid, Chris, but I can assure you, we did free those last souls as well. With all of us it was easy enough to have the axe knocked out of this Reaper person's hands. The last time he gave a very satisfying wail of despair, didn't he, gentlemen?"

"He sure did, Ezra," Josiah boomed happily.

"Ya should've seen what happened next, Chris! There was this enormous light shining down from heaven and all those poor ghosts went into the light and were just whisked away! Poof, gone!"

"You sure are starting to like that stupid word, poof, kid," Buck told him reproachfully.

"Geez, Buck! That's how it was! Poof, gone! Well, not after they first seemed to mill around you. And that one girl ghost, she seemed not to wanna leave y' at all, she kept trying to touch you. Nathan got real angry 'bout that, said she was feeling way too cold and that weren't good for you."

"That's right Stud, she sure seemed besotted with you," Buck grinned a bit maliciously. He wasn't going to let his friend live that one down any day soon, that was for sure. "Josiah had to talk quite earnestly with her before she finally followed the others."

"Then Vin had to get a wagon and some horses from the Sutters, 'cause Peso was the only horse left and you know how that horse is with others."

"Nathan didn't like it, on account that Vin was hurt as well. But we did get the means to transport you back to our municipality and give you, Vin and Buck the care you needed."

"Yes, you... you were hurt too. How... how bad?"

"I'll live," Buck said ruefully. "Some headaches and I got a broken arm. No more patrols for a while, I'm afraid."

"Yeah, like you care!" JD snorted.

"V... Vin?"

"Hey, I'm alright. Weren't hurt bad at all."

"Yeah, sure," Nathan snorted. "You got a real bad concussion, pal. In case you forgot, you passed out on our way back to Four Corners! And I don't know what ya did with them ribs, but they sure as hell are cracked. And that burn on yer chest ain't nothing either. I still don't understand how ya got those wounds."

"Told ya, I jist fell...."

Nathan snorted.

"That's w... what you get from arguing with the... the devil," Chris whispered, locking eyes with his friend.

"Like you weren't arguin' with 'm," Vin shot back.

"Chris, Chris, you know what Josiah did once we brought you all back? He got himself a lot of men and he took them to the grove to dig up the Reaper's grave! I went with them as well. It was as if Josiah knew exactly where to go. It was in some dark hollow right in the middle of the grove, beside the path going through it. He made them dig in there and sure there it was, a real ugly carcass, with all the bones... Ehw, it was gross! Even the axe was there! He had them make a big fire and had them burn it all. A real hot fire, hot enough to even melt the axe blade. Then he had us shovel dirt over it and he blessed that earth and threw holy water on it. You think that'll help? Make the grove safe?"

Chris shrugged. Now that he knew Vin and Buck would be alright, he didn't care about anything else. He only wanted to be left alone.

"Chris?" Vin asked softly.

"Need to... to be alone for awhile, Vin. Please," he asked them all.

"But Chris...."

"No, Nathan," Josiah said softly. "You took good care of him and he has drunk some water. You can give him a moment to himself so he can try and make his peace. Come, I'll get you some dinner. You need your strength back after taking care of all these fools."

"Chris, are ya sure?"

"Yes Nathan, I... I just need some time alone."

Buck placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly. "Say hello from me too, pard," he whispered. Then he herded everyone out of the room, leaving only Vin.

"Chris...."

"Vin, please...."

"Alright. I'll be jist outside if'n ya need anything. All ya gotta do is holler."

"T... thanks."

"Anytime."

Finally they were all gone and he was alone, blessedly alone.

He let go of his feelings then, let the tears fall and the anguish wash over him. To have seen them, have held them, have had them with him again for that brief night, only to see them disappear, leave him once more, it hurt too much. He knew he should be grateful for those blessed extra moments, but still it hurt so very much.

A light flickered at his bedside. Hastily he wiped his tears away to look at the two shimmering forms inside it.

"You came back," he whispered. "Sarah, Adam, don't go away again."

"We won't, Chris. We're always with you, don't you understand that? And one day we will be really together again, like we were last night. I just know we will."

"You're here now," he whispered.

"This is All Soul's Day, Chris and the boundary between the living and the dead isn't completely set yet. We shouldn't... we shouldn't have come, but you were so sad. I had hoped that seeing each other once more, that being able to tell you we're always there for you would... would help you, not make your grief worse."

The little form beside her let go of his mother's hand and suddenly Adam was there, right in front of him, trying to touch him. "Please Daddy, don't cry! Love ya!"

"Love you too, angel. Love you both so much."

The little boy smiled, a radiant smile. "Mommy and me, we'll protect you. And then you can get all the bad guys and when you come to truly live with us, Uncle Buck and Uncle Vin and all the others can come too. It will be great!"

"Yeah, Cowboy, it will," he smiled at his son. Then he looked enquiringly at his wife.

She laughed, that soft, musical laugh he loved so much. "One of the great things about last night was getting to meet your friends, really getting to meet them, my love. It was a privilege, especially meeting Vin. I'm so very grateful you found him, Chris. You treasure that friendship and all the others, you hear? And don't forget, we are with you as well, always."

The two shimmered and were gone, just when the door into the clinic banged open and Vin reappeared, a bit flushed.

"Chris, I... I'm sorry and I'll leave right away after I said my piece, but I jist had ta tell ya somethin' first. I understand it must hurt having seen yer family again and then having them leave, but me, I'm real glad I got ta see them two. They are real special people and I feel privileged I got to meet them, damn privileged. Hope ya don't mind, pard, jist wanted ya to know."

"That's funny, Sarah was just telling me the same about you. That she felt privileged to have met you in reality."

Vin suddenly blushed. "She... she did? Aw, come on, yer pulling 'm leg here. OH! They were here? I... I didn't chase 'm off, did I? Damn, I'm sorry...."

"No, no, they had to go anyway."

Vin couldn't stay away from the sad man, his best friend, so he closed the door behind him and came back into the clinic, making his way slowly towards the bed. Immediately Chris felt bad. "Damn, Vin, you need to lay down! And I chased you all out! I'm sorry...."

"Oh, will ya cut that out? I ain't laying down 'cause some ribs hurt. But Chris, does that mean ya can see 'm from now on?"

"N... no." Chris looked away for a moment, swallowing. "Only today, because it's All Soul's Day, she said. They...."

"Chris, they're always with ya, ya know that, don't ya? I heard her say so herself, back in the grove, 'fore they disappeared."

"I know, that's what she said now too. Adam... Adam said the same, he said they would protect me so I could get the bad guys." It made Chris grin despite the still lingering sadness.

"I don't care what's official or not, Chris. To me those two are angels, got no other word for it. Protectin' ya, huh?Good, you need a lot of looking after! Hey, ya know what that makes them, don't ya?"

"What?"

"Yer guardian angels, that's what," Vin smiled, settling back in the chair beside his best friend. "I thought everyone only had one guardian angel, but you... you got two of 'm. Which is just as well with all them friends you manage to make," he grinned.

"Fuck you too, Tanner!"

After some time in comfortable silence, Vin asked softly, "Better?"

"Yeah, I guess. Still hurts, but... but is was a gift to have them back for just a moment. And you know Vin? I'm glad you got to see them. You and the others."

"Yeah, me too, pard. Seems like we're all family now."

"Yes...." Chris tried to keep his eyes open, but he couldn't. Slowly he drifted off to a deep sleep, the comfortable presence of his friend making him feel safe enough. His friend and two presences that were only felt, not seen.

"You sleep now, I got yer back," Vin whispered. "And I ain't the only one."

A few miles away at a small grove made up of stunted and twisted trees, a fresh mound of earth seemed to stir. A long, sturdy branch laying close by immediately started to glow with a soft, golden light. The light hit the mound and the moving stopped. The light slowly faded away, but not before it had spread over the whole mound, emphasizing the blood that seemed to leak out of the soil.

THE END