**********

Buck, Nathan, Ezra, Josiah and J.D. heard the explosion. They were too late! It had happened! Chris and Vin...! The men spurred their tiring mounts on. They had to get home! They had to... but if Vin and Chris had been in the clinic were they too late?!

Rupert Browner was a dead man!!

**********

At the sound of the explosion, Mary turned. "Nooooooo!"

A flash flew past her. She watched him scale the stairs. Flames leapt, reaching out for him. Without a pause, Chris crashed straight through the wall of flame!

"Noooooooo!"

**********

"VIN!" The room was filled with thick choking smoke. "Vin?!" No reply. Chris stumbled forward. He tripped over something on the ground and ended up on his knees. "Vin?!" Nothing but the roaring of the flames answered his desperate cries. The explosion had come from under the floorboards, but the wooden clinic was now well alight.

Chris did not notice the excruciating heat. He was barely aware of the gagging smoke.

Larabee reached for what he had tripped over. It was hard. A chair - not his friend.

"Vin?!" Nothing!

Chris had to get to the bed. He clambered to his feet. His lungs were just starting to ache. His eyes were watering profusely. Larabee floundered forward, his legs striking the bed. Thank, God! He reached down grasping desperately for his friend, but Chris couldn’t find Vin. The bed was empty. "VIN?!"

A gasp from his left. In amongst the thundering and roaring of the fire, Chris heard his name choked out.

"Chris?"

"Vin?!"

"Wall. Your left," came the wheezed reply.

Chris made his way around the bed, straining his weeping eyes to see through the impenetrable smoke. He moved left as instructed. Chris found the wall and began patting his way toward the sound of his friend. He could hear coughing. Gasps. His knees struck something soft.

"Vin?!" Chris reached down. He’d found him. Vin was on his knees. Somehow he’d got out of the bed and had been making his way to the door. Chris located Vin’s arm and roughly dragged his injured friend to his feet. An involuntary scream echoed out of the tracker. Chris felt it to his own core, but he had to get Vin out of here or they would both loose their lives.

"I’ve got you." Larabee threaded Vin’s arm across his shoulders and then, following the wall, he dragged his half-conscious burden toward the door. Vin was coughing, each breath accompanied by a gasp of pain. The tracker collapsed against Larabee. Chris strengthened his hold on the limp bundle hanging in his right arm. Vin’s body was raked with convulsions as his lungs desperately tried to rid themselves of the intrusive smoke. He was gasping for oxygen!

Chris powered toward where he estimated the door was. He had to get Vin out into the fresh air. The wall of flame rose up in front of him. They had no choice but to go straight through it.

Below, the rest of the town had snapped into action. Buckets were collected and water directed on the source of the flames that was coming from the livery below the clinic. The horses that were in the stable were lead to safety.

Mary couldn’t take her eyes from the clinic. There was smoke and flames billowing from the windows and door. "Chris and Vin are inside!" she screamed. Others paused to stare at her. There was no way... Movement up there masked by the smoke. A figure appeared. Chris Larabee was making his way along the landing... and wasn’t alone. He had Vin!

Chris stopped as he reached the stairs and swung Vin up onto his shoulder. Others rushed to meet him half way up the steps, but Larabee had no intention of giving up the precious bundle he was hauling.

He carried Vin to the safety of the porch outside Potter’s store. Carefully, he lowered his friend to the ground. Chris was now coughing uncontrollably! Vin was absolutely silent.

"Vin!" Larabee gasped, crouching beside his brother... for Vin Tanner was much more than his best friend. The scruffy, stubborn tracker had surpassed that title long ago. He had crossed the line that separated friends from kin. Vin was Larabee’s family.

Mary rushed to the gunfighter’s side. She bent over the injured tracker. She could see no sign of life. None. The distraught woman glanced at the Seven’s leader. Chris was staring at his friend with strangely calm eyes. "Vin?" he panted. Without warning, Vin Tanner’s chest rose and then his body was raked with coughing. Chris collapsed back against the wall and desperately sort oxygen himself. They had made it. They were both alive.

Mary began shouting orders. She needed water and blankets. Others hurried to carry out her instructions. Chris could feel his breathing coming under control, but Vin was still fighting to drag air into his lungs. Larabee moved across and eased Vin up into a sitting position to assist his breathing. Chris held his friend knowing full well that every heave was agony for the quietly spoken young man.

"Easy, Cowboy. Easy."

Vin leaned against Chris and finally, after what seemed an eternity, his coughing abated. "Chris?"

"Yeah, I’m fine." Vin’s eyes opened. Everything was hurting. God, he was hurting so bad! Chris drew his friend in closer as others wrapped blankets around them. "Hang on, Vin. I’ve got you." Tanner closed his eyes. He had no need to be concerned. Chris was there. "I’ve got you, Cowboy."

"Chris, look!" Mary shouted. Larabee followed the woman’s pointing finger. There, standing off to the side and watching everything unfold, was Rupert Browner. Chris’ body stiffened. BROWNER! He started to rise. Vin moaned. Chris had a choice. Apprehend Browner and throttle the shit out of him, or hold Vin. Browner or Vin. There was no choice to make.

"Easy, Cowboy. Just relax." Mary stared down at Chris confused. Wasn’t he going to go and ‘get’ Browner! Browner who was now pulling himself onto a horse and getting away!

The thundering of hoofs. Five men clamored into town, their faces reflecting the helpless horror they felt. They were too late. The clinic was a billowing mass of flames and black smoke.

"Nathan!" Chris shouted.

The five peace keeper spun around. "CHRIS!" they thundered as one and started to race toward him. Vin was there too! They were both safe! Somehow, someway they had got out.

Chris pointed. "Get him!" The men turned. They spotted Browner galloping out of town. Half a second later, all of them, except Nathan, had remounted and were pursing the man who had attempted to murder their companions.

Nathan knelt down beside Chris. He didn’t try to remove Vin from Larabee’s arms. That would have been foolish... for more than one reason. "Vin? Can you hear me, Vin?"

"That broth tasted like shit, Nathan and I fell asleep before I got my pie." The voice was weak but the smart-ass sentiment was very, very welcome.

"How bad are you hurting, Vin?"

"Ain’t got no right to complain." Nathan glanced at Chris who was shaking his head.

"We aren’t gonna start that again are we?"

"I’m alive. Chris’ alive and all that laudanum has been blown to hell. Reckon I could have whiskey to celebrate?"

"Depends how much pain you’re in," Chris stated.

"I’m hurtin’ real bad. At least two glasses worth of pain, I reckon. Maybe even three." Chris shut his eyes and allowed the relief he felt to chorus through him. Vin was going to be all right. Thank God he had been there. Thank God he had been able to get Vin out of there. Thank, God!

"Alright, we need to get both of them into bed," Nathan ordered. Chris was almost as pale as Vin. "Chris?"

Larabee opened his eyes. "I’m okay, Nathan."

"Good. I need you to head to the bathhouse and get cleaned up. Get that smoke and soot off you." Larabee couldn’t go on his own and the boys were gone. Nathan searched for someone who could assist the Seven’s leader. "I’m going to need someone to help him."

"Mrs. Tavis could go with him," Vin suggested softly. "Reckon Chris would enjoy that." He could feel himself sinking down into the painless world of unconsciousness. He was talking for Larabee’s sake. He knew how worried his friend was.

"That’s enough out of you," Larabee growled.

"Reckon I might get some rest, Cowboy."

Chris felt Vin’s body go completely limp in his arms. "NATHAN?!"

"Relax, Chris. He’s just blacked out. The pain was too much for him. Now would be a good time to shift him."

"Bring him to Billy’s room," Mary offered.

"Thanks, Ma’am."

"Let me take him, Brother." Nathan was startled. Josiah had appeared out of nowhere. The preacher crouched down and eased his arms around Vin. He waited. Slowly, Chris released his friend. "I’ve got him, Chris." Larabee watched as Josiah rose to his feet. "You lead the way, Mrs. Travis." Mary did so, Nathan following behind and calling out instructions to someone standing over Chris.

Ezra nodded and then hooked his hands under his leader’s arms and helped him to his feet.

"Browner?" Larabee demanded.

"Mr. Dunne and Mr. Wilmington have taken him to the jail."

"Good," Larabee growled, attempting to step around the gambler.

Ezra placed a restraining hand on his soot-covered friend. "You look frightful. I believe Mr. Jackson has suggested a bath and then rest."

"Get out of my way, Ezra."

"Do you have the strength to make me?" A challenge?

"Do I have to make you?"

Ezra sighed. "No, my friend." With that, he stepped aside and watched as Chris made his way to the jail.

"He’ll kill him," Gloria Potter whispered.

Ezra glanced at the woman and then followed his friend to assist in any way he could.

**********

"Keys!" Chris growled, as he strode into the office. His face was blackened from the fire he had survived but it paled in comparison to the hell in Larabee’s soul.

J.D. picked the keys off the desk and handed them to his leader. He knew better than to argue with Chris.

Larabee marched toward the cell. Buck stepped in front of him. "He ain’t worth it, Chris."

"Get out of my way."

"Kill him and it’s murder."

"Get out of my way!"

"Chris..."

"Allow Mr. Larabee to pass. Mr. Browner deserves to die!" Ezra proclaimed, entering the office. "I want to watch as our leader pounds that insignificant piece of manure to a pulp."

J.D. couldn’t believe his ears. Buck said nothing, he knew what Ezra was up to and it damn well could work. It could be their only chance to save Chris from himself. Reluctantly, the scoundrel stepped aside.

Chris shoved the key in the lock and snapped the door open. Browner cowered in the back of the cell.

"I am sure that the satisfaction of snapping Browner’s neck will outweigh any consequences Chris must face as a result of his actions," Ezra continued. J.D. flicked his eyes to the con man. He had just realized what Ezra was trying to do.

"You can’t touch me. You’re a law man!" Browner howled. Chris Larabee glared at the piece of shit that had almost stolen his life... not his physical life. Yes, Browner had almost taken that, but that was not what had enraged Larabee. Rupert Browner had almost robbed the gunfighter of his family and there was no way in the world that Chris was going to allow anyone to do that to him again.

"Surely hanging for murder is a small price to pay for the revenge Mr. Larabee deserves."

Without warning, Chris lunged at Browner, grabbing the pathetic man by the front of his shirt. He was going to tear this animal apart with his bear hands.

"I am sure Mr. Tanner will fully understand that Chris chose to throw his life away for Browner." Chris pulled Browner’s face close to his, but went no further. The gunfighter’s entire body was trembling as he did battle with himself. He wanted to kill Browner but...

"Although, I must admit, I don’t wish to be the one to tell Vin, Chris is to hang." Anger, the need for revenge and his responsibility to his friends jockeyed for supremacy.

"But then I suppose nothing and no one is more important to Chris than his need to enact revenge." Ezra’s words hit the mark. All of them had, but the last sentence brought everything into perspective. Buck, Ezra and J.D. waited. Larabee was glaring at Browner and trembling with rage, but not moving.

"Chris," his oldest friend prompted.

"He isn’t worth it, my friend," Ezra added. Larabee’s face contorted and then he shoved Browner away and turned for the door.

From behind him, Browner allowed a long sigh of relief to echo out of him. "Thank you, Mr. Standish, I..." In a split second movement, Chris turned and smashed his fist into the pompous bastard’s face. Browner slammed against the wall and sank to the ground.

"Get that piece of filth out of town before I change my mind!" Every word was laced with raw emotion and a warning that could not be ignored.

**********

"Easy. Easy," Buck urged, as he and J.D. lowered Vin into a seat on the porch of Potter’s store. Nathan carefully wrapped a blanket around him.

"Aww, hell, will you boys leave me be." It had been over a week since Chris had dragged Vin from the flames. The tracker was healing well. He was still stiff and sore and movement presented a problem, but he was doing better than Nathan could have hoped. Today was his first time out of bed and Vin damn well intended enjoying it despite his over protective friends.

"You okay?"

"Stop fussin’. I’m fine. Now, go on and leave me be." The three men smiled and headed back to their building... or re-building. The town had rallied together and were re-building Four Corners, but they weren’t alone. The Chinese rail workers had heard what had happened and had turned out by the dozen to assist. Four Corners had never seen so many people!

Vin glanced from the saloon that was already half built, to the telegraph office that was all but finished to the livery and clinic.

"Pretty incredible, isn’t it, Brother," Josiah commented, approaching Vin.

"Yep." Vin scanned the street. "Chris back yet?"

"No." Larabee had headed out of town before dawn. "I think he was bound for his old farm." Vin nodded. He knew that was where his friend was going. He had wanted to go with him, but it would be at least another fortnight before the tracker would be able to climb into a saddle.

**********

When Chris returned to town just before evening fell, he spotted Vin on the porch and made his way over.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay. You?" Vin searched his friend’s eyes. Larabee seemed at peace. He had gone out to his farm to reconcile some of the demons that had been plaguing him. After what had happened in Four Corners, he knew for certain that if he had been there the night that Sarah and Adam had died, he would have rushed into the flames to save his wife and child. It had been that, more than the fact that he hadn’t been there, that had been tormenting him for so long.

"I’m fine." Chris glanced at his best friend’s concerned face. It was still purple, but the bruising was beginning to fade.

Larabee placed his hand on Vin’s shoulder and then glanced around the town. "Won’t be long before everything will be back to normal."

Vin was aware of the sign of affection, something that either man showed overtly, but this morning had been an emotional time for Larabee. Vin had wanted to go with him... just to be there, but that simply hadn’t been possible and so his friend had gone alone. The hand on his shoulder was Chris’ way of saying that he appreciated Vin’s concern.

They sat in silence watching as the workers continued to toil despite the fading light. Four Corners was being rebuilt in front of their eyes. Within a week, any sign of Browner would be gone, but what the man had done had marked their lives indelibly. Neither Vin nor Chris would ever forget what had happened... what Chris and the other boys had done. Nathan, J.D., Josiah, Ezra and Buck had raced into the burning saloon and Chris into the burning clinic to save Vin’s life. While his own actions almost surprised the gunfighter, Vin had never doubted that Chris would do so. As Vin had dragged himself out of the bed and had waded through the smoke that day, he had known that Chris would come.

"Browner’s gonna hang. We got word this mornin’," Vin informed his friend in a deadpan voice.

Larabee nodded. He had wanted to kill the bastard. He would have killed him too, if it hadn’t been for Ezra - for Ezra pointing out that Chris Larabee now had a reason for living, now had people who depended on him - people whom he needed.

Vin glanced at Chris. "Reckon he should hang after burnin’ up my bit of pie."

Larabee smiled at Vin and then allowed his eyes to flick from J.D. to Ezra to Nathan, to Josiah to Buck and then back to Vin. The Lake of Lost Souls would never claim him now because Chris Larabee truly did have, ‘something to live for’.