A Little Help From My Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own The Magnificent Seven, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: AU; Angst

Rating: FRT

A Little Help From My Friends
Chapter 5


"Do you visit Mr. Miller often?" Chris asked as he dished up some reheated stew.

Vin shrugged. "If I have time. Sometimes I come see him every other day and sometimes not for weeks and weeks. When is he gonna be back?" Vin could feel his face turning red. "Sorry. You're nice and all, but I just...well I gots something to tell Mr. Miller."

"I understand Vin, you don't need to apologize." Chris smiled sadly at the young boy, his presence reminding him of his own missing child. "It's going to be awhile. At least another month."

"Oh," Vin mumbled.

Even a blind man could have seen that the boy was disappointed. "Must be awfully important."

"What?"

"Whatever you have to tell him."

Vin shrugged. "Guess it can wait."

"Maybe it doesn't have to. If it's okay with your folks I could take you with me when I go to see him."

Vin looked up at him, his face open with the surprise he felt. "You'd do that for me?"

"Sure would. Be nice to have some company on the ride into town."

"When you going?" Now that the offer had been made, Vin felt his earlier excitement returning.

"I was planning to go tomorrow afternoon." Chris grinned at the loud whoop Vin let go. "That meet with your approval?"

Nodding happily Vin returned the grin. "Yes sir."

"Of course we still have to clear it with your folks."

Vin deflated. If this had happened when Ms. Lucille was still here he knew the answer would have been no. Pa was harder to figure as he hadn't really ever said much about what was allowed, leaving that to his wife. "I'll ask Pa when I get home."

Chris frowned. The way the boy's spirits had flagged he worried that his invitation was going to cause trouble for him. "How about if I come home with you? That way your Pa can meet me and I can let him know that it was my idea for you to come along."

It only took Vin a minute to realize that it was probably a good idea. His father would likely want to meet Chris before he let him go into town with him. “Okay,” he readily agreed to the suggestion.

A little over an hour later the two walked into the barn at the Sanchez farm. “Pa! You in here?” Vin called.

“Over here son,” Josiah replied without looking up from the cabinet door he was sanding. Late summer, with only the need to wait for the harvest and keep up with weeding was always a good time to take care of any small repairs that had been delayed.

Vin led Chris deeper into the barn, back to the small workshop his father had made for himself. Now that he was here, he hesitated to interrupt his father. “Um, Pa?”

“Yes son?” Josiah looked up. Laying aside the door, he rose to his full height. “Hello.”

“Pa, this is Chris Larabee,” Vin said. “Chris this is my Pa.”

“Hello Mr. Sanchez,” Chris greeted, offering his hand.

Shaking the other man's hand, Josiah sized the man up. “Mr. Larabee,” he quietly returned the greeting. The man didn't look like a salesman, leaving only one other choice in Josiah's mind. “I'm sorry you traveled all the way out here for nothing Mr. Larabee, but I'm afraid I can't offer you any work.”

Chris chuckled. “Good thing I'm not looking for work.”

“He's looking after Mr. Miller's mine for him cause Mr. Miller broke his leg,” Vin quickly informed his father.

Josiah looked down at his son. “What were you doing over at Miller's?”

Vin swallowed past the lump in his throat. “He's my friend,” he managed to force out through suddenly too dry lips.

Chris frowned. What had happened to the fierce little boy he'd met only a short time ago? Narrowing his eyes, he watched the boy's father closely as he knelt down in front of the small figure. His hand itched to jerk the man away from the seemingly frightened boy. Yet he hesitated. He had no proof that the man did or would mistreat Vin, nor had he any legal right to interfere in how he disciplined his son. Not that he'd let that stop him if Sanchez made a wrong move.

Josiah watched his son, once again berating himself for his failures. It was painfully obvious that Lucille's treatment of Vin had been more than just harsh. How could he have failed so spectacularly? “I'm not mad son, I just didn't know you knew Mr. Miller.”

Vin looked up, “He's my friend.”

Josiah smiled, “Everybody should have a friend. How long have you been going to visit Mr. Miller?” He'd known Bill Miller for many years. He'd never been a sociable man, but after the loss of his young wife he had become very nearly reclusive.

Vin studied his father carefully. Satisfied that he wasn't angry, he finally replied. “More than a year. I didn't have to hide from him,” he whispered. He frowned at the sad look which passed over his father's face.

Josiah nodded, patting his son on the shoulder. Pushing himself to his feet, he turned to Chris. “I hope Vin hasn't been a bother.”

Chris barely heard the whispered words of his young friend. Filing them away for later, he turned his attention back to the father. “Oh no, no bother. He was awfully disappointed when he found out that Mr. Miller wasn't there,” he admitted. Chris didn't mention the slingshot episode. Vin had only been defending a friend, or so he had thought, no need to bring it up. “That's the reason I'm here.”

“Oh?”

“Yes sir. You see I was telling Vin I'm going into town tomorrow afternoon to see Mr. Miller. I go in every week, give him a progress report ya might say.”

“How is Bill doing?” Josiah interrupted. He'd heard of the man's accident, but with everything that had happened he hadn't had the chance to see him.

“He's doing better. Doc says he'll be able to get his cast off in another couple of weeks and should be able to work his mine again a couple weeks after that.”

Josiah nodded. “Good, Bill never did like sitting around.”

“No sir, reckon no man does. Anyway, I thought I could take Vin with me to see Mr. Miller, if it's alright with you.”

Josiah glanced down to find big blue eyes staring up at him, silently pleading for permission. He nearly laughed at the blatant begging his son was indulging in. “I suppose he can....” He winced as his son let out a loud whoop. “He'll have to get all of his chores done first.”

“I will Pa, I will.”

“You'll have to obey Mr. Larabee. I don't want to hear that you didn't mind him,” Josiah dutifully informed the boy. He wasn't really worried. It wouldn't occur to Vin to disobey an adult.

“You won't Pa. I'll behave, I promise,” Vin solemnly swore.

Josiah smiled down at the boy. “I'm sure you will son. If I give you a nickel, you think you can bring some candy back to share with your brothers?”

Vin grinned. Candy and trip to town! If he didn't know better he would have thought it was his birthday. “Yes sir!”

“I'll pick you up after lunch eagle eye,” Chris said with a wink.

“Why don't you come over about noon and you can have lunch with us,” Josiah suggested.

“I don't want to put you out.”

“You'll be looking after my boy, least I can do is feed you.”

It was said in such a friendly, matter of fact tone that Chris could do nothing other than accept the offer. “See you tomorrow then.”

Bill looked up from the book he was pretending to read as a movement on the street drew his attention. Used to being alone most of the time he had been surprised to find himself looking forward to the weekly visits from Chris. He wondered if he could convince the younger man to remain in his employ on a more permanent basis. The good Lord knew the mine could support two men, as the past few weeks had proven. It'd be nice to have some company again and he was getting older. He nodded, decision made. He'd start talking to Chris about it as soon as he was out of this cast and back at his shack. Maybe it was Vin's spirits, Bill didn't know, but something told him that he needed to convince Chris to stay. He didn't know if he could do it, however, he was sure that he would have better luck if he waited until the two of them would be staying at the mine. The doctor had made it clear that even after the cast was removed he would need help for at least a couple of weeks, giving him time to talk Chris into remaining. A knock on the door jerked him from his thoughts. “Come in.”

“Hello Bill,” Chris greeted the older man. “I hope you don't mind but I brought some company along.”

Bill frowned. “I ain't in no mood for company.”

Chris glanced to the side. “Sorry Vin, guess you'll have to wait in the hall.”

“Vin! Well why didn't you say it was Vin? Get that boy in here,” Bill gruffly ordered. The last time he had seen Vin had been a week before his accident. He'd been worried about the boy, but he couldn't ask after him without causing him more trouble.

Chris stepped aside, letting the young boy enter the room first. He was amazed at the transformation his employer underwent at sight of Vin. His whole face lit up with joy, though there was an underlying sadness in the old eyes as Bill welcomed the boy into the room.

“Hello Shiitsooyee,” Vin respectfully greeted the man who had quickly taken the place of a grandfather in his life.

“Hello child,” Bill said, a small smile on his weather-beaten face. Patting his knee, he silently invited the boy onto his lap.

Vin doubtfully eyed the cast on Bill's leg. “Are you sure it's okay?”

“You planning to sit on my cast?”

“No sir,” Vin quickly assured his older friend.

“Then get on up here, unless maybe you don't want to sit on my lap.” He grinned as the young boy quickly clambered into his lap, though even in his excitement he was careful of the casted leg. “Now then,” Bill began, “have you been well child? Has Ms. Lucille been alright to you?” He was careful to keep his voice low enough that Chris would have trouble hearing what they discussed. Though such precautions were probably unnecessary as the younger man had moved to the other side of the room, reading over the titles of the few books which rested there, purposely giving them their privacy.

“She left a couple of weeks ago,” Vin shamefully informed him. He shouldn't be happy she was gone, not when it hurt his Pa and brothers so much, but he was. How could he not be when his life had improved so much with Ms. Lucille gone? Still, Vin knew it wasn't right to enjoy his improved life when it came at the cost of pain for others. “I was bad and she left,” he hesitantly admitted.

“That what she told you?” The answering nod didn't surprise him. He'd always known that woman had a vindictive streak in her. Bill never would understand how anybody could worship a so-called loving god when people like Lucille were allowed to continue breathing while his sweet Becky had passed much too soon. “It ain't true child. She only told you that so you'd feel badly about her leaving.”

“That's what they said,” Vin admitted.

“Your spirits?” Another nod answered him. “What about your father and brothers, what do they say?”

“Mostly the same. JD was mad at me but now he's not.” Vin laid his head against Bill's shoulder, absently playing with the buttons on the old man's shirt as they sat in a companionable silence. “Are you sure it wasn't my fault?”

Bill hugged him close. He'd never hit a woman before, but if he ever saw Lucille Sanchez again he thought he just might. “I know it wasn't. You're only a child Vin, how could you do anything that would cause an adult to run away? Fact is I'm surprised Lucille stayed on that farm as long as she did. Truth is she was always a self-centered girl and she grew into a selfish woman,” he assured the boy in his arms. “How have things been since she left?” He was almost afraid to ask. Josiah had inherited his father's formidable temper and though he'd never directed it at a woman or child, Bill couldn't help the fear that Lucille's desertion would push him over the edge.

Vin smiled, the joy he'd felt with his father's permission to use his real name returning to him. “Lots better. Pa hired a man, Mr. Standish, to look after us kids and he's teaching us stuff we woulda learned in school. That's not the best part,” he grinned.

“Oh? And what is the best part?”

“Pa told Mr. Standish my real name,” Vin whispered to the man he considered a grandfather. “He says I don't have to pretend I ain't Apache no more.”

Bill breathed a sigh of relief. “That's wonderful Vin, I'm very happy for you.” He had never agreed with the idea that anybody should have to ignore a part of their heritage.

“He's even okay about the spirits, but he did say not to tell everybody about them.”

Bill nodded. He had to agree with Josiah about that. “He's likely right. Some folks wouldn't like it.”

“Folks don't like it when you're different,” Vin solemnly agreed. He glanced over at Chris. “They say he has a big sadness but we can help him.”

“I intend to child, I intend to,” Bill said, shooting his own glance at Chris. If the spirits were telling Vin such things then he knew that his plan to convince the younger man to stay was the correct one.

TBC

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Shiitsooyee= Grandfather I'm not certain of pronunciation but I think the double I would be similar to a short u sound.