M7 FIC: These Five Words- 4/?
Title: These Five Words
Author: Jourdana Standish
Pairing: Ezra/Inez, mentions of others but they are the focus. I do come up with the different pairings that are not always others' cups of tea, but I like 'em. :-D
Synopsis: What happens when one woman's world is shattered? What will one man do to make it right for her again?
Author's Notes: It's been at least 5 years since I wrote a Mag 7 fanfic, maybe longer. This came to me listening to a Bon Jovi song. I'm finally getting a stride with this one, but it will be slow to post parts as I find time to write on it and the other Ezra/Inez I have started working on. Feedback is appreciated.
Chapter Notes: This was a hard chapter to write, but things unravel some in this chapter and they won't ever be the same.
~~
Life seemed to be going back to normal. Even Buck had backed off of Inez, particularly when she would quickly move to Ezra's side whenever she felt overwhelmed. The gambler would immediately put his arm around her in reassurance. Buck still felt as if there was more going on with Inez, but he knew about Ezra's feelings for the woman and therefore wouldn't push. If they were together now, she would tell Ezra if something was troubling her. It was obvious to everyone that the relationship between the two had changed over the last couple months, especially when it was noticed that they would stay in either her room or his at night. There had been some whispers from the older women in town, but Mary had hushed them instantly, glaring at them. Ezra had been grateful for her intervention and knew that Inez had grown closer to the woman since her ordeal.
The one thing that had changed was Vin and Ezra installing a door that would be shut at night on the saloon and locked. During business hours, it swung in such a way that allowed patrons to still use the batwing doors as normal, but when the saloon closed, Inez was able to shut the door and lock it. Only Vin and Mary understood the amount of gratitutde Inez was felling as she hugged Ezra tightly, giving herself a moment to compose herself with her face buried against his chest. Ezra never questioned it and simply wrapped his arms around her, his fingers slightly sliding into her hair to cup the back of her head till she was ready to step away.
Vin had noted how tired Inez looked of late and grew concerned. His mind kept flitting back to the discussion he and Mary had about Inez's concerns that she would end up with child. He'd seen a few Indian women during his time with the Kiowa to notice signs of pregnancy. It worried him how Inez would react since she was showing those signs now.
"Never figured you were one for this, Ezra," Chris said lightly as he helped put some glasses away. Ezra had convinced Inez to go to bed early and he would close up the saloon. After much ribbing from the other men, he smiled sweetly and said they would assist too. That had been an hour ago.
"She's exhausting herself and she need not do that," Ezra explained. "And if you would recall, Mr. Larabee, I was at one time this fine establishment's owner and I did my fair share of cleaning during that brief venture."
"Yeah, I remember," Chris said, chuckling a bit. He, himself, was looking forward to finishing up so he could spend the rest of the evening with Kate.
"It actually feels--," Ezra started before an ear piercing scream reverbrated through the saloon. Ezra dropped the glass in hand and yanked himself over the top of the bar, his feet already running as he hit the ground. Vin was hot on his heels, as were the other men, as they all took the steps two at a time.
The scream was coming from Inez's bedroom and the door was shoved open by Ezra before he was racing over to her bed where she lay, thrashing, her body arching and fighting as she continued to scream. The words that came out chilled the blood of all the men, except Vin, Ezra and Chris.
"No!" Inez screamed. "Don't touch me! Let me go! Please!" Ezra tried to grab her flailing arms, his heart pounding over the terror he heard in her voice.
"Inez!" Ezra said. He tried to catch her wrists, but she was flailing too much.
"No! Don't!" she cried in her sleep, fighting against Ezra's hold. In her dreams, she only saw the men who raped her repeatedly. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, leaving trails down her cheeks before disappearing into her dark hair.
Ezra looked over to Vin. "Get Mary." Not having to be told twice, Vin was hurrying out of the room and over to the newspaper office to get the blonde woman.
"Inez!" Ezra said sharply, finally getting a hold of her arms. She didn't wake, but something in his tone broke through the nightmare and she slumped to the bed, her breathing harsh from the fight. He stroked her hair back as she settled again, her face still showing the signs of her struggle and the pain it caused.
"Gentlemen, outside," Ezra said, not looking at them.
"Now look here--," Buck started.
"Out," Ezra commanded. "Now."
"Buck, let's go," Chris said, pushing at his oldest friend's chest.
"I ain't--," Buck started again, but Chris shoved him into the hall. Josiah narrowed his eyes a bit as he watched Ezra and Inez together, as if trying to make a determination as to what was going on. His gaze shifted to Nathan Jackson and he caught the other man's arm, shaking his head, when he tried to go towards Inez. JD Dunne was too lost for words to fully undersand what he was seeing, but he could tell both Nathan and Buck were ready to blow. After glancing at Josiah, he made his way out of the room, Josiah dragging Nathan after him.
"That son of a bitch hurt her!" Buck snarled at Chris as he tried to advance up the stairs again once the black-clad gunslinger had managed to get him back down to the main floor of the saloon.
Vin's eyes narrowed as he and Mary came into the saloon in time to hear Buck's words. He knew a fight was coming once Ezra came down, but it had to keep. Chris noted their entrance and nodded to the stairs.
"They're up there, Mary," he said. Mary simply nodded and lifted the hem of her skirts to race up the wooden planks to the top floor. No one spoke till Mary disappeared into Inez's room.
Buck whirled on Chris, glaring at the other man. "You ain't just gonna let him stay up there with those two women alone, are you?"
"Buck," Chris started.
"Are you implyin' somethin', Buckley?" Vin said, his voice hard.
"Sure as hell am!" Buck said, advancing on the tracker. "For someone that claims to be courtin' feelin's for Mary, you'd leave her up there alone with someone that'd hurt a woman like that!"
"Take it back," Ezra said from behind him.
Buck slowly turned, having not heard the gambler come down. He narrowed his eyes at him. "Like hell I will," he growled. "What kind of man do you think you are?!" Before Ezra could blink, Buck had pulled his fist back and shoved it into Ezra's jaw, sending the smaller man stumbling backwards.
"That's enough!" Chris snapped, grabbing Buck's arms.
"How'd you do it, huh, Ezra?" Buck demanded. "All them fancy sweet talkin' words and when she realized she didn't really want ya, ya forced her?"
"Ezra, no!" Vin said, grabbing the man as he launched at Buck.
"Let him go!" Buck said. "Pansy ass gambler ain't a real man if he's got to force his advances on a woman."
"Oh that's far more your style then mine, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra snarled. "I know when to take no for an answer."
"Then you want to explain why Inez is screaming like that?" Nathan demanded, his own tone accusatory and nasty. "We all know she's been stayin' in your room at night or you in hers. She lip off too many times and you had to put her in her place?"
"Leave him alone!" Inez's voice came from the upper floor. The seven men lifted their heads to see the Mexican woman wearing nothing but her nightshift and Mary's shawl around her shoulders.
"Inez," Mary said softly, putting her hands on the other woman's upper arms, but she shrugged her off. She couldn't believe her ears when she heard the things the men were saying to Ezra. Or rather what Buck and Nathan were saying.
"Stay out of this, Inez," Buck said. "Man ain't worthy enough to have a woman like you and he knows it. Had to do what he did to keep you, no need for you to be goin' defendin' him."
"Buck, shut your mouth," Chris snapped at the man.
Buck looked over sharply at his friend. "You can't actually be defendin' him too?"
"Brother Buck, I suggest you listen to Chris," Josiah said, his tone calm but there was enough of an edge to show he meant the words.
"Here I thought you were actually a good man," Nathan said to Ezra, not to be deterred. "Turns out you are just as bad as I thought. If it aint' gamblin' and cheatin' people out of their hard earned money or usin' them for your own means, you go about hurtin' innocent women too?"
"Don't listen to them, pard," Vin said, keeping a firm hold on Ezra as he struggled.
Nathan blinked when he felt the sudden sting of a slap across his face. None of the men had fully noticed that Inez had moved from the upper landing to the main floor before her hand was connecting sharply with Nathan's face.
"How dare you," she said harshly, staring at the black man. "How dare you treat him that way!"
"Miss Inez..." Nathan started.
"Shut up, just shut up!" Inez said, growing hysterical. "All you ever do is belittle him and call him a bigot, but you are no better! You treat him far more horribly then he has ever treated you! The very things you accuse him of being and accuse him of doing are exactly what you do and are when it comes to him."
Ezra broke free of Vin's hold and hurried over to Inez, putting one hand at the small of her back, reaching for one of her hands with the other. "Inez..."
"He's twice the man you'll ever be!" Inez snapped to Nathan. "I wouldn't be alive if it were not for him!"
"He DID this to you!" Buck snapped from where he stood.
Inez whirled to face him, despite Ezra's hold on her. "No he didn't!" she snapped back at him. She started to tremble, her bravado leaving her. "No he didn't..."
"Inez..." Ezra drew her close, his motions a far cry from the man fighting against Vin to attack Buck as he pulled her into his arms and cradled her close. He turned cold green eyes to Nathan then Buck.
"Brother Ezra, I think it best if whatever's been hidden come out in the open now," Josiah said, his voice a soft command. "Because there is a definitive line drawn in the sand and sides have been taken. I'm guessing the good Lord knows the truth but man has never been a good judge of situations and we need more information."
"The fact of the matter is, Mr. Sanchez, is that none of you, particularly Mr. Wilmington and Mr. Jackson, deserve to know the full story. You've already made yourselves judge and jury without the entire facts and it's clear you do not trust me at all," Ezra said. "Despite that I have never given any of you gentlemen reason to think I'd ever harm a woman in that manner."
"Not all of us think as Buck and Nathan do," Chris said. "It's obvious Vin doesn't."
"That's 'cause I already know the truth," Vin said, his tone harsh and dark as he regarded Buck and Nathan. "I had my doubts too on a gut reaction that I'd have had with any one of you. And it's a feelin' I regret even now because I should've known better than to think Ezra was capable of that."
"I saw her thrashin' up there, Vin!" Buck said. "Heard her screamin'!"
"And I saw her after what happened!" Vin snapped.
"Gentlemen, I do believe this is something best discussed without fear of someone simply walking in," Ezra said, his tone a dry warning.
"JD, lock the saloon up," Chris said. "Then we'll talk." He looked to the youngest of the group, who looked torn. "JD."
"Right," JD finally said, moving over to the door. He closed it and locked it firmly in place before turning back to the group.
"Inez, sit," Ezra said. He didn't care that Nathan and Buck were growing more and more agitated as he essentially ignored them, fussing over Inez. He finally got her into a seat, but she tugged him down into one beside her. He was the only one who she felt completely safe with and she wasn't moving from his side. Mary shook her head at Vin when he offered her a chair, instead she stood behind Inez as support. Vin leaned against the post beside Mary and behind Ezra.
Josiah had been right when he said that lines had been drawn. Buck and Nathan had taken seats, but side by side opposite Vin, Mary, Inez and Ezra. Chris and Josiah stood off to either side as if straddling that line till they heard the story. JD remained where he was by the door, uncertain of what to do or think.
"Start talkin," Buck sneered at Ezra. Before he could speak, Inez shot some very colorful and creative Spanish curse words at the man for his tone.
"I'll start," Mary said. "About two months ago, Vin and I were in the front office of my paper. I heard Ezra calling my name from my back rooms, which I thought was odd. Till I walked in. He had Inez in his arms, she was covered in bruises, her clothing torn and was seriously hurt. It was obvious she had been raped repeatedly. I was able to get out of her that there was more than one man involved."
"And you didn't bring her to me?" Nathan demanded of Ezra, his tone angrier. "I know you got prejudices against black folk, but you could have cost her--."
"Shut up, Nathan," Vin snapped, his voice harsh at the same time that Inez spoke, her voice a simple whisper.
"I told him not to."
Nathan didn't hear the words, but he knew she spoke. Josiah frowned a bit. "Inez?" Josiah asked.
"I told Ezra not to take me to Senor Jackson," she said. "That was his first instinct, but I said no. That's why he took me to Senora Travis. To Mary." Nathan frowned, hurt actually going through him. He was so caught up in his anger at Ezra that he automatically made the assumption that she was now being prejudiced towards him because of Ezra.
"Inez dealt with the attack on her own for that first week," Ezra said, his tone cold. "She finally opened up to me about it. Three men raped her over and over. They left her for dead."
"Where were the rest of us?" Chris asked.
"Sleeping most likely," Ezra said. "Except for me. I was on patrol. I found Inez upon my return."
"I thought it was the men who raped me," Inez whispered. "Till I heard his voice. I never felt such relief."
"Do you remember who did this to you?" Josiah asked.
Inez shook her head, laying her head on Ezra's shoulder. "And every time I try to remember, the nightmares come," she said quietly, pain in her voice. "Ezra can usually soothe the nightmares before they get bad but he wasn't there..."
"I am sorry, my dear," Ezra said, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be here from now on." She nodded against his shoulder, turning her face against him.
"Is..." JD started. "Is that why you and Vin put the door on the saloon?"
"Yes, Mr. Dunne," Ezra said. "I did it for her peace of mind." He felt Inez tensing against him and he got to his feet, pulling her up. "If you... gentlemen will excuse us, Inez needs her rest."
Buck and Nathan rose. "Ezra..." Buck started.
"No," Ezra said, shaking his head. "I don't want to hear it, Mr. Wilmington. You and Mr. Jackson both accused me of one of the most heinous acts a man could ever inflict upon a woman and you believed I could actually do it. That is something I can not forgive. I do not think I can work with such men that could so easily think the worst of me."
"Ezra, don't," Chris said. The gambler looked at the man. "Concentrate on Inez, this'll be something we can discuss later."
"Very well, Mr. Larabee," Ezra said. "Very well." He turned Inez towards the stiars. Mary and the men watched him lead the woman up to his room and escort her inside. The strains of the evening had created a crack in their small family and Chris was not certain how they were going to be able to fix this.
Author: Jourdana Standish
Pairing: Ezra/Inez, mentions of others but they are the focus. I do come up with the different pairings that are not always others' cups of tea, but I like 'em. :-D
Synopsis: What happens when one woman's world is shattered? What will one man do to make it right for her again?
Author's Notes: It's been at least 5 years since I wrote a Mag 7 fanfic, maybe longer. This came to me listening to a Bon Jovi song. I'm finally getting a stride with this one, but it will be slow to post parts as I find time to write on it and the other Ezra/Inez I have started working on. Feedback is appreciated.
Chapter Notes: This was a hard chapter to write, but things unravel some in this chapter and they won't ever be the same.
~~
Life seemed to be going back to normal. Even Buck had backed off of Inez, particularly when she would quickly move to Ezra's side whenever she felt overwhelmed. The gambler would immediately put his arm around her in reassurance. Buck still felt as if there was more going on with Inez, but he knew about Ezra's feelings for the woman and therefore wouldn't push. If they were together now, she would tell Ezra if something was troubling her. It was obvious to everyone that the relationship between the two had changed over the last couple months, especially when it was noticed that they would stay in either her room or his at night. There had been some whispers from the older women in town, but Mary had hushed them instantly, glaring at them. Ezra had been grateful for her intervention and knew that Inez had grown closer to the woman since her ordeal.
The one thing that had changed was Vin and Ezra installing a door that would be shut at night on the saloon and locked. During business hours, it swung in such a way that allowed patrons to still use the batwing doors as normal, but when the saloon closed, Inez was able to shut the door and lock it. Only Vin and Mary understood the amount of gratitutde Inez was felling as she hugged Ezra tightly, giving herself a moment to compose herself with her face buried against his chest. Ezra never questioned it and simply wrapped his arms around her, his fingers slightly sliding into her hair to cup the back of her head till she was ready to step away.
Vin had noted how tired Inez looked of late and grew concerned. His mind kept flitting back to the discussion he and Mary had about Inez's concerns that she would end up with child. He'd seen a few Indian women during his time with the Kiowa to notice signs of pregnancy. It worried him how Inez would react since she was showing those signs now.
"Never figured you were one for this, Ezra," Chris said lightly as he helped put some glasses away. Ezra had convinced Inez to go to bed early and he would close up the saloon. After much ribbing from the other men, he smiled sweetly and said they would assist too. That had been an hour ago.
"She's exhausting herself and she need not do that," Ezra explained. "And if you would recall, Mr. Larabee, I was at one time this fine establishment's owner and I did my fair share of cleaning during that brief venture."
"Yeah, I remember," Chris said, chuckling a bit. He, himself, was looking forward to finishing up so he could spend the rest of the evening with Kate.
"It actually feels--," Ezra started before an ear piercing scream reverbrated through the saloon. Ezra dropped the glass in hand and yanked himself over the top of the bar, his feet already running as he hit the ground. Vin was hot on his heels, as were the other men, as they all took the steps two at a time.
The scream was coming from Inez's bedroom and the door was shoved open by Ezra before he was racing over to her bed where she lay, thrashing, her body arching and fighting as she continued to scream. The words that came out chilled the blood of all the men, except Vin, Ezra and Chris.
"No!" Inez screamed. "Don't touch me! Let me go! Please!" Ezra tried to grab her flailing arms, his heart pounding over the terror he heard in her voice.
"Inez!" Ezra said. He tried to catch her wrists, but she was flailing too much.
"No! Don't!" she cried in her sleep, fighting against Ezra's hold. In her dreams, she only saw the men who raped her repeatedly. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, leaving trails down her cheeks before disappearing into her dark hair.
Ezra looked over to Vin. "Get Mary." Not having to be told twice, Vin was hurrying out of the room and over to the newspaper office to get the blonde woman.
"Inez!" Ezra said sharply, finally getting a hold of her arms. She didn't wake, but something in his tone broke through the nightmare and she slumped to the bed, her breathing harsh from the fight. He stroked her hair back as she settled again, her face still showing the signs of her struggle and the pain it caused.
"Gentlemen, outside," Ezra said, not looking at them.
"Now look here--," Buck started.
"Out," Ezra commanded. "Now."
"Buck, let's go," Chris said, pushing at his oldest friend's chest.
"I ain't--," Buck started again, but Chris shoved him into the hall. Josiah narrowed his eyes a bit as he watched Ezra and Inez together, as if trying to make a determination as to what was going on. His gaze shifted to Nathan Jackson and he caught the other man's arm, shaking his head, when he tried to go towards Inez. JD Dunne was too lost for words to fully undersand what he was seeing, but he could tell both Nathan and Buck were ready to blow. After glancing at Josiah, he made his way out of the room, Josiah dragging Nathan after him.
"That son of a bitch hurt her!" Buck snarled at Chris as he tried to advance up the stairs again once the black-clad gunslinger had managed to get him back down to the main floor of the saloon.
Vin's eyes narrowed as he and Mary came into the saloon in time to hear Buck's words. He knew a fight was coming once Ezra came down, but it had to keep. Chris noted their entrance and nodded to the stairs.
"They're up there, Mary," he said. Mary simply nodded and lifted the hem of her skirts to race up the wooden planks to the top floor. No one spoke till Mary disappeared into Inez's room.
Buck whirled on Chris, glaring at the other man. "You ain't just gonna let him stay up there with those two women alone, are you?"
"Buck," Chris started.
"Are you implyin' somethin', Buckley?" Vin said, his voice hard.
"Sure as hell am!" Buck said, advancing on the tracker. "For someone that claims to be courtin' feelin's for Mary, you'd leave her up there alone with someone that'd hurt a woman like that!"
"Take it back," Ezra said from behind him.
Buck slowly turned, having not heard the gambler come down. He narrowed his eyes at him. "Like hell I will," he growled. "What kind of man do you think you are?!" Before Ezra could blink, Buck had pulled his fist back and shoved it into Ezra's jaw, sending the smaller man stumbling backwards.
"That's enough!" Chris snapped, grabbing Buck's arms.
"How'd you do it, huh, Ezra?" Buck demanded. "All them fancy sweet talkin' words and when she realized she didn't really want ya, ya forced her?"
"Ezra, no!" Vin said, grabbing the man as he launched at Buck.
"Let him go!" Buck said. "Pansy ass gambler ain't a real man if he's got to force his advances on a woman."
"Oh that's far more your style then mine, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra snarled. "I know when to take no for an answer."
"Then you want to explain why Inez is screaming like that?" Nathan demanded, his own tone accusatory and nasty. "We all know she's been stayin' in your room at night or you in hers. She lip off too many times and you had to put her in her place?"
"Leave him alone!" Inez's voice came from the upper floor. The seven men lifted their heads to see the Mexican woman wearing nothing but her nightshift and Mary's shawl around her shoulders.
"Inez," Mary said softly, putting her hands on the other woman's upper arms, but she shrugged her off. She couldn't believe her ears when she heard the things the men were saying to Ezra. Or rather what Buck and Nathan were saying.
"Stay out of this, Inez," Buck said. "Man ain't worthy enough to have a woman like you and he knows it. Had to do what he did to keep you, no need for you to be goin' defendin' him."
"Buck, shut your mouth," Chris snapped at the man.
Buck looked over sharply at his friend. "You can't actually be defendin' him too?"
"Brother Buck, I suggest you listen to Chris," Josiah said, his tone calm but there was enough of an edge to show he meant the words.
"Here I thought you were actually a good man," Nathan said to Ezra, not to be deterred. "Turns out you are just as bad as I thought. If it aint' gamblin' and cheatin' people out of their hard earned money or usin' them for your own means, you go about hurtin' innocent women too?"
"Don't listen to them, pard," Vin said, keeping a firm hold on Ezra as he struggled.
Nathan blinked when he felt the sudden sting of a slap across his face. None of the men had fully noticed that Inez had moved from the upper landing to the main floor before her hand was connecting sharply with Nathan's face.
"How dare you," she said harshly, staring at the black man. "How dare you treat him that way!"
"Miss Inez..." Nathan started.
"Shut up, just shut up!" Inez said, growing hysterical. "All you ever do is belittle him and call him a bigot, but you are no better! You treat him far more horribly then he has ever treated you! The very things you accuse him of being and accuse him of doing are exactly what you do and are when it comes to him."
Ezra broke free of Vin's hold and hurried over to Inez, putting one hand at the small of her back, reaching for one of her hands with the other. "Inez..."
"He's twice the man you'll ever be!" Inez snapped to Nathan. "I wouldn't be alive if it were not for him!"
"He DID this to you!" Buck snapped from where he stood.
Inez whirled to face him, despite Ezra's hold on her. "No he didn't!" she snapped back at him. She started to tremble, her bravado leaving her. "No he didn't..."
"Inez..." Ezra drew her close, his motions a far cry from the man fighting against Vin to attack Buck as he pulled her into his arms and cradled her close. He turned cold green eyes to Nathan then Buck.
"Brother Ezra, I think it best if whatever's been hidden come out in the open now," Josiah said, his voice a soft command. "Because there is a definitive line drawn in the sand and sides have been taken. I'm guessing the good Lord knows the truth but man has never been a good judge of situations and we need more information."
"The fact of the matter is, Mr. Sanchez, is that none of you, particularly Mr. Wilmington and Mr. Jackson, deserve to know the full story. You've already made yourselves judge and jury without the entire facts and it's clear you do not trust me at all," Ezra said. "Despite that I have never given any of you gentlemen reason to think I'd ever harm a woman in that manner."
"Not all of us think as Buck and Nathan do," Chris said. "It's obvious Vin doesn't."
"That's 'cause I already know the truth," Vin said, his tone harsh and dark as he regarded Buck and Nathan. "I had my doubts too on a gut reaction that I'd have had with any one of you. And it's a feelin' I regret even now because I should've known better than to think Ezra was capable of that."
"I saw her thrashin' up there, Vin!" Buck said. "Heard her screamin'!"
"And I saw her after what happened!" Vin snapped.
"Gentlemen, I do believe this is something best discussed without fear of someone simply walking in," Ezra said, his tone a dry warning.
"JD, lock the saloon up," Chris said. "Then we'll talk." He looked to the youngest of the group, who looked torn. "JD."
"Right," JD finally said, moving over to the door. He closed it and locked it firmly in place before turning back to the group.
"Inez, sit," Ezra said. He didn't care that Nathan and Buck were growing more and more agitated as he essentially ignored them, fussing over Inez. He finally got her into a seat, but she tugged him down into one beside her. He was the only one who she felt completely safe with and she wasn't moving from his side. Mary shook her head at Vin when he offered her a chair, instead she stood behind Inez as support. Vin leaned against the post beside Mary and behind Ezra.
Josiah had been right when he said that lines had been drawn. Buck and Nathan had taken seats, but side by side opposite Vin, Mary, Inez and Ezra. Chris and Josiah stood off to either side as if straddling that line till they heard the story. JD remained where he was by the door, uncertain of what to do or think.
"Start talkin," Buck sneered at Ezra. Before he could speak, Inez shot some very colorful and creative Spanish curse words at the man for his tone.
"I'll start," Mary said. "About two months ago, Vin and I were in the front office of my paper. I heard Ezra calling my name from my back rooms, which I thought was odd. Till I walked in. He had Inez in his arms, she was covered in bruises, her clothing torn and was seriously hurt. It was obvious she had been raped repeatedly. I was able to get out of her that there was more than one man involved."
"And you didn't bring her to me?" Nathan demanded of Ezra, his tone angrier. "I know you got prejudices against black folk, but you could have cost her--."
"Shut up, Nathan," Vin snapped, his voice harsh at the same time that Inez spoke, her voice a simple whisper.
"I told him not to."
Nathan didn't hear the words, but he knew she spoke. Josiah frowned a bit. "Inez?" Josiah asked.
"I told Ezra not to take me to Senor Jackson," she said. "That was his first instinct, but I said no. That's why he took me to Senora Travis. To Mary." Nathan frowned, hurt actually going through him. He was so caught up in his anger at Ezra that he automatically made the assumption that she was now being prejudiced towards him because of Ezra.
"Inez dealt with the attack on her own for that first week," Ezra said, his tone cold. "She finally opened up to me about it. Three men raped her over and over. They left her for dead."
"Where were the rest of us?" Chris asked.
"Sleeping most likely," Ezra said. "Except for me. I was on patrol. I found Inez upon my return."
"I thought it was the men who raped me," Inez whispered. "Till I heard his voice. I never felt such relief."
"Do you remember who did this to you?" Josiah asked.
Inez shook her head, laying her head on Ezra's shoulder. "And every time I try to remember, the nightmares come," she said quietly, pain in her voice. "Ezra can usually soothe the nightmares before they get bad but he wasn't there..."
"I am sorry, my dear," Ezra said, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be here from now on." She nodded against his shoulder, turning her face against him.
"Is..." JD started. "Is that why you and Vin put the door on the saloon?"
"Yes, Mr. Dunne," Ezra said. "I did it for her peace of mind." He felt Inez tensing against him and he got to his feet, pulling her up. "If you... gentlemen will excuse us, Inez needs her rest."
Buck and Nathan rose. "Ezra..." Buck started.
"No," Ezra said, shaking his head. "I don't want to hear it, Mr. Wilmington. You and Mr. Jackson both accused me of one of the most heinous acts a man could ever inflict upon a woman and you believed I could actually do it. That is something I can not forgive. I do not think I can work with such men that could so easily think the worst of me."
"Ezra, don't," Chris said. The gambler looked at the man. "Concentrate on Inez, this'll be something we can discuss later."
"Very well, Mr. Larabee," Ezra said. "Very well." He turned Inez towards the stiars. Mary and the men watched him lead the woman up to his room and escort her inside. The strains of the evening had created a crack in their small family and Chris was not certain how they were going to be able to fix this.