Buck and Vin were growing worried. They had went in to check on Chris early that morning to see if he had went back to his room, but his bed was still made. Vin felt that they should check in with Ezra, feeling the need to and they found the southerner's bed was still made as well. Buck went to the livery and found that both Chaucer and Pony were not in their stalls.

"Where could they have gone?" Buck asked, scratching his head.

"I can probably track them. Still early enough that people haven't been traveling in and out so their trail can still be picked up." Vin said.

"Then let's do it." Buck nodded.

The two got their horses saddled quickly and with Vin leading the way, they headed east.

After about ten minutes into the ride, Buck started to think out loud.

"You don't think they went back to the forest do you?"

"Why would they?" Vin asked, not looking up from following the hoof prints.

"I don't know. You said that Chris might be not right in his head. Maybe he feels like he has to go back."

Vin stopped his horse and Buck did the same and waited for his companion to tell him what was going on.

"They're close." Vin said, getting down from his horse.

"Did they start going on foot?" Buck asked.

"Not sure, but I can hear horses nearby.

The two men tied their horses to a tree and followed the noise. They kept their hands on their guns just in case as they approached a burnt out campfire.

Two men were huddled under a blanket, looking rather snug.

Buck relaxed himself and smiled. Vin had a full grin on his face. No matter how many times they stumbled across the two sleeping together, it was always a funny sight to behold. They kept their little secret, not letting the others know about the former gunslinger and gambler's new found closeness.

Chris was the first to stir, and when he saw Ezra he gave him a shove that only had the result of aggravating his shoulder.

"The hell Ezra, I told you last night no!" the blonde growled, but there was no heat in his words.

"Like I said last night, I did not come prepared to be up stargazing. Maybe next time you want to go on an impromptu night out, you'd think to forewarn me." Ezra grumbled as he shuffled into a kneeling position beside the bedroll and yawned.

"I didn't ask you to follow me." Chris huffed. "I don't need someone looking after me like I'm some frail thing. I especially don't need you doing it."

Ezra rose an eyebrow, "Well I'm glad things will be going back to normal then."

He stood up, but stopped in his tracks when he finally noticed that they had an audience. His face turned red and Ezra looked over his shoulder and found that Chris hadn't noticed yet.

"Well I can certainly say that was short." Buck said finally, gaining Chris' attention. "You boys back to Ez irritating Chris and Chris wanting to strangle Ezra?"

Ezra wanted to reach up and touch his neck, but refrained from doing so. He didn't know if Chris remembered but he hoped he hadn't. To think it actually almost did happen where Chris almost choked him to death.

Vin saw that the gambler was looking a bit uncomfortable and decided to change the subject.

"You boys heading back to town yet or going to stay out here a little longer?"

Ezra gave a tired shrug.

Chris stood up after finishing rolling his bedroll. "I'm going to go head out to my cabin. Just want some time alone for a bit."

Vin nodded.

Buck smiled, "Well you know Nathan will probably be by a couple time to make sure that shoulder of yours heals properly."

"Tell him not to worry about it. I'm just going to stay low for a while." Chris said as he finished saddling Pony.

Ezra quickly did the same.

"Do you want us to ride with you over there?" asked Vin even though he knew the answer.

"No I'm good." Chris said, getting on his horse.

The other three watched as the ex-gunslinger rode of in the direction that would lead him around Four Corners as they made their way home.

Buck did most of the talking as they rode back, mostly about the girls he somehow had time to meet with in Blackberry. He then jumped topics and addressed Ezra.

"So I heard from that you believe that Chris and Mary getting together would lead to the end of our little group, Ez."

Ezra stole a glance at Vin, but didn't allow his interest in the topic to show on his face.

"I did calculate that if enough of us had begun to settle down, then the rest of us would probably go off to do their own thing since we are under no contract anymore to stay in Four Corners."

"Yeah I'm surprised you stayed with us. I thought after you had done your time to earn your pardon, you would head out in search of the next big score."

Ezra gave a wistful smile, "Well, I would be lying if I say that this place hasn't somehow become a home to me. First place I ever felt wanted and needed."

Buck leaned over in his saddle and gave a playful push to the gambler, "Well we like having you. Even Chris, though he don't say it. He has his own way of showing his feelings."

"I'm not expecting Mister Larabee to go out of his way to make me feel welcomed in the group more. He was the one who initially invited me after all, and gave me a second chance when I messed up incredibly. For me that's enough."

"Still, the man can ease up on you a bit."

"I kind of like their banters." Vin grinned.

Ezra smiled too, "I must be honest when I say that some of those I instigated on purpose."

"You're like Casey trying to get JD's attention." Buck shook his head with a grin.

Ezra straightened himself in his seat and his face became stoic.

Vin rose an eyebrow at this reaction. Was he offended at Buck's comment? He did basically say that Ezra's poking at Chris to set him off was like Casey trying her hardest to gain JD's attention because she had a crush on him. The tracker wasn't one to judge on that subject, but he never thought of it that way. Hell, JD had a boy crush on Chris when he first met the gunslinger. Vin wouldn't call his closeness to the blonde other than they were similar in mind. Maybe the gambler had some admiration that he just hadn't verbalized in anything besides playful jabs to just talk to the usually silent man.

When they made it back in town, Ezra excused himself to go and collect something he said he had gotten from express shipping.

When he picked it up, he smiled to himself and made his way back to his horse which was tied up outside the shop. He almost ran into Mary because he wasn't paying attention.

"My apologies." he drawled as he tipped his hat.

"No it's fine." she smiled and took noticed of the box wrapped in brown parchment paper tied with cord string in Ezra's hands. "Get something for yourself?"

Ezra schooled his expression into a smile, "Indeed. When you go through almost a week without certain things, you just have to treat yourself to somethings."

It was a lie, but the lady couldn't see that. The thing in the box wasn't even for him.

He got on his horse and rode out of town at a steady pace.

When the cabin was in sight, he took a minute to figure out what he was going to say. He hadn't really thought things out, and now the gambler was doubting whether or not he should've came or not.

Chaucer seemed to have made the decision for him and began walking again, continuing to the cabin and possible water.

Ezra let the horse do what he wanted while he continued to think.

To his surprise, Chris was outside his cabin, sitting in a wooden chair the man himself had made earlier.

He hopped off his saddle and brought his box along with him.

Chris looked up and watched the gambler approach.

"Well you didn't wait long to come messing with me. What is it now?" Chris sighed.

Ezra rolled his shoulders back and frowned, "Well could you start off by shutting up so I can figure out what it is I'm going to say."

Chris frowned, "Funny, never thought you'd ever not have something to say."

Ezra gave up and just tossed the box to the blonde.

"Fine, I just won't say anything. You never like people dragging things out anyway." he huffed.

Chris looked at the box. "What's this?"

"Well, I know how Mrs. Travis and the judge want you to take it easy and rest, pretty sure the rest of the seven would agree. I thought this might get you to do that." Ezra explained.

Chris opened the package and pulled out a pair of silver spurs that shined in the sunlight. The black leather was of fine quality. Chris' frown deepened in confusion, "Spurs are to keep me busy?"

"What, no." Ezra shook his head and then approached. He took the box from Chris' hands and then pulled a piece of paper out and handed it to the blonde.

Chris read it and then read it again. He looked up at Ezra looking more confused.

"Why would you do this?"

Ezra shrugged, "When you met me, I didn't have anything. Oh I had money and I thought the only thing I ever needed was more of it. You taught me that I was wrong, and you gave me something more valuable. Something I didn't even know I was missing. I have a family now. Well I consider you all my family even though most of you don't realize it. Vin knows, but no one else. I really respect you, even if you make me do things I detest like patrols early in the morning. This is the only way I know how to say that I'm grateful to you and—"

Ezra was cut off by the blonde getting up from his seat and pulling Ezra into a hug. The gambler was rigid at first, but then he relaxed into the hug, allowing his arms to come up and wrap around the man.

He could feel tears forming in his eyes and he blinked them away.

This was the first time he had ever received any acknowledgement, any form of affection from anyone.

"Ezra, you annoy the crap out of me sometimes, but don't think for a second that I'd want it any other way. You're a part of our made up family group. Call us all misfits, broken and outlaws, but hell, if we're good enough for you then I'm happy to call you brother." Chris said into Ezra's ear. The hot breath tickled his ear.

Ezra did let the tears fall then and held onto Chris tighter.

After a few more minutes Chris gently let Ezra go.

"Now I guess I should start thinking of names."

Ezra gave a huge grin, his gold tooth showing, "Well you got a couple of days before he arrives."

"I still can't believe you bought a stallion for me." Chris shook his head, but was smiling.

"I heard from Mister Wilmington that you used to own a lot of horses and liked to raise them."

"Well it ain't easy doing it. That's another Job altogether." Chris snorted.

"That doesn't sound like a bad name to me."

"What? Job?"

"Yeah, I like it. Has humor."

"And only you would think to have that in the naming process." Chris shook his head.

"I'd like to think it's a talent of mine." Ezra beamed.

A/N: I'm sorry but I was ready to cry at the end while writing this. Absolutely love these two and having Chris making Ezra feel that he is loved, because the poor man didn't grow up with that. Anyway, this is the end sadly. Thank you all for reading! Love you all!