"LARABEE'S LADY" – CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Title: "Larabee's Lady"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult language and situations

Summary: Mary's best friend causes Chris to re-think his future.

Date Written: September 18, 2010

Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, J.D. Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Casey Wells, Mary Travis, Nettie Wells, Inez, and The Magnificent Seven are the property of TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM and Triology Entertainment. Other characters, i.e., Catherine Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, Eloise Stewart, Miles Kettering, etc. are the sole property of the author. The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

(When Vin reaches Catherine's ranch, he is told that she is out riding. He heads in the direction she took and soon finds her. She is walking through a meadow leading Rebel by the reins. Her head is down and she appears to be deep in thought. Although Vin has approached very quietly, Catherine still hears him and her head snaps up and her hand goes to her gun. Seeing that it's Vin, Catherine relaxes, but he can see that she's been crying."

Catherine: "Vin. Something wrong?"

Vin: (dismounting and walking toward her) "You tell me."

Catherine: "Why would anything be wrong?"

Vin: ""Cause you've been cryin' and you don't cry."

(And with that, Catherine dissolves into tears. Vin has reached her and pulls her into his arms.)

Catherine: "Oh, God, Vin, everything's so mixed up!"

Vin: "What's mixed up?"

Catherine: "Everything! . . Me. . . Chris . . ."

Vin: "He didn't look mixed up when I saw him a little while ago; he looked angry. Did Chris hurt you, Catherine? "cause if he did, I'll . . ."

Catherine: "No!. . . Chris didn't hurt me, Vin, I hurt him!"

(That statement gives Vin pause and he pulls away from Catherine and looks down into her eyes.)

Vin: "Now, how the Hell did you do that?"

Catherine: "I pushed him away . . . After wanting him to look at me for longer that two minutes, it finally happened, and I . . . I pushed him away."

(Catherine is looking at the ground, and misses Vin's grin.)

Vin: "I think Chris did more that look, Catherine,."

(Her head snaps up, a stunned expression on her face.)

Vin: "I saw the two of you on the porch at Chris' cabin this morning."

Catherine: "Mrs. Tyson and Farley."

Vin: "They were worried about you."

Catherine: "How'd you know I was there?"

Vin: "Didn't. I was going to get Chris to help look for you."

Catherine: "Who else knows I was there?"

Vin: "Ezra, Buck, J.D., Josiah, and Nathan."

Catherine: "Wonderful . . . What am I going to do, Vin?"

Vin: "Well, seems to me that, if you think you hurt him, he must've given you a reason to believe you could."

Catherine: "He told me he loves me."

Vin: (smiling softly) "Then, the question you need to ask yourself is do you love Chris? And I think that, since you're standin' out here in the middle of nowhere by yourself cryin', maybe you do."

(Vin watches the play of emotions on Catherine's face as she sorts out the conflict between her heart and her head. He knows the very second realization hits her.)

Catherine: Chris told me he was going to stay away from me because he didn't want to confuse me. . . How do I fix this, Vin?"

Vin: "Chris was going to take some things up to his cabin later. That's where he'll be if you want to talk to him.,"

Catherine: "I want to do more than talk to him, Vin. . . Can you go back to town and delay him? I want to get there before he does."

Vin: "I'll try, but you'd best get a move on,."

Catherine: "I have to go back to the house first, but I should be there in an hour. . . Thank you, Vin" (she kisses his cheek)

Vin: "Anytime, Catherine"

(Catherine mounts her horse and gallops toward her house. The grin on Vin's handsome face fades as he tries to think of ways to sidetrack Chris. . .

Vin gets back to town just as Chris is about to mount his horse. Yelling for Chris to hold up, Vin reins in beside him and dismounts. Chris" expression leaves no doubt that he is hurting.)

Vin: "How long you plannin' on being up at the cabin?"

Chris: "Don't know. You boys can handle things here for a while."

Vin: "Reckon . . . Anything I can do?"

Chris: "'Bout what?"

Vin: "Whatever it is that's eatin' at you."

Chris: "Nope." (he starts to mount but stops and turns to face Vin.)

Chris: "On second thought, there is somethin' you can do . . . Stop stickin' your nose where it's got no business bein', . . . And tell the others to do the same."

Vin: "You got a problem with folks carin' 'bout other folks?"

Chris: "When it means getting' in my business, yeah."

Vin: "You ain't the only one concerned here. Folks care about Catherine, too."

Chris: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Vin: "Just what I said . . . I know you've had your share of grief in your life and then some, but Catherine's been through Hell, too. Guess what I'm tryin' to say is, maybe the two of you could help each other."

Chris: "You done?"

Vin: "Yeah, guess I am."

(Without another word, Chris mounts his horse and leaves town. Vin says a silent prayer that Chris and Catherine can work things out between them . . .

When Chris gets to his cabin, his senses immediately go on alert. Smoke is drifting from the chimney and a strange horse is in the corral. Reasoning that anyone meaning to do them harm wouldn't be so obvious with their presence, he slowly dismounts and approaches the door. One hand on his gun, Chris slowly opens the door and enters the cabin. A warm fire dispels the chill, candles places all around the cabin illuminate it with a soft glow, but the vision that nearly knocks him to his knees is Catherine sensuously reclining in the middle of his bed wearing nothing but a smile and a sheet draped strategically over her body. His mouth suddenly dry, Chris' heart begins to beat faster with anticipation and hope. Slowly, Catherine rises to her knees holding the sheet to her with one hand and holding the other out to Chris in invitation.)

Catherine: "I figured it out. . I love you, Chris. I have since the first moment I looked into your eyes. It just took me a while to understand what I was feeling. I've never been in love before."

Chris: (his voice a near whisper) "How do you know you are now?"

(Catherine hears the thread of fear in his voice and gently takes his hand in hers.)

Catherine: "Because the sun may be in the sky, but it doesn't shine unless you're near me. Because the breeze is cold and harsh when I'm alone, but warm and gentle when I'm with you. Because my blood turns to fire when you touch me. Because I want you more than my next breath."

(In less than a heartbeat, Chris has Catherine in his arms and crushes her against him as he devours her mouth with his. Her hands frantically work at the buttons of his shirt, his belt, gunbelt, and jeans until his clothes and boots are scattered on the floor. He kisses her senseless while his hands roam freely over her eager body. In a matter of minutes, they are both breathless. Rolling her beneath him, Chris grasps her wrists and tears his mouth from hers. It is a few moments before he can speak, and when he does, his voice is hoarse with desire.)

Chris: "Catherine . . You need to understand, be sure about this, about us.

Catherine: "I've never been more certain of anything in my life . . I love you, Chris, and I want to be with you."

Chris: "Always, because you're going to marry me, Catherine."

Catherine: "I am."

Chris: "How soon can your parents be here?"

Catherine: "I'll wire them in the morning. . .Chris, can we not talk about my parents right now?"

(A slow grin spreads across his handsome face at her breathless question.)

Chris: "Yes, Ma'am, we absolutely can."

(Buck, J.D., Ezra, and Nathan are engaged in a game of poker when Vin walks into the Saloon the next morning. As he leans in the door, he realizes they've been discussing Chris.)

J.D.: "How long you think Chris'll be gone?"

Buck: "Hard to say. Wouldn't expect him anytime soon. Somethin's on his mind and he won't be back til he gets it settled."

J.D.: "Hell, Buck, it ain't somthin'. It's Catherine."

Buck: "Yeah, J.D., it is. And it's somethin' Catherine and Chris are goin' to have to work out for themselves."

J.D.: "Sure hope they get it worked out soon. Things have been awful depressin' around here lately."

Ezra: "Indeed, there has been an air of darkness in our little community of late,"

Vin: "It's about to get a lot brighter."

(The others join him at the door in time to see Chris lift Catherine down from her horse and kiss her soundly.)

J.D.: "Looks like they got things worked out."

Buck: "That it does, J.D., that it does,."

(As they step onto the walk, the six meet them from one direction while Mary, who has also witnessed the kiss walks up from the opposite direction. Nettie Wells, Casey, and Mrs. Wilkes approach them from another direction, and Mrs. Wilkes' voice rings out loudly.)

Mrs. Wilkes: "Mr. Larabee! Whatever do you mean kissing Catherine like that?"

Catherine: "It's all right, Mrs. Wilkes."

Mrs. Wilkes: "It most certainly is not! Just what do you think you're doing, young man? Explain yourself at once!"

(Sliding one arm around Catherine's waist and pulling her close, Chris does just that.)

Chris: "Now, Mrs. Wilkes, you can't blame a man for wanting to kiss his future wife, can you?"

(There is a moment of stunned silence as the group absorbs Chris' words. When they all realize what he said, chaos breaks out.)

J.D. "You're getting' married?"

Ezra: "I believe that's what Mr. Larabee just said. May I be the first to offer my most sincere congratulations and best wishes to you both."

Buck: "Bout time you two came to your senses. When's the weddin'?"

Mrs. Wilkes: "The sooner, the better I'd say!"

Mary: "I'm so happy for you both."

(As Mary and Nettie are hugging Chris and Ezra and Buck are patting him on the back, Catherine hugs Vin and kisses his cheek, smiling softly.)

Catherine: "Thank you, Vin. If you hadn't made me realize how I really felt . . "

Vin: "You knew it all along; you just didn't know it. I'm just glad the two of you got things settled."

Catherine: "So am I."

(And, eventually, Catherine and Chris escape all the whoopla and have a private celebration all their own.)

STORY COMPLETE