The Truth Is Immortal (5/6) - Mag7/Highlander
Title: The Truth Is Immortal (5/6)
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom: Magnificent 7 and Highlander
Beta: Much thanks to ithildyn
Prompt: #32 - Sunset for Crossovers100. My table is here
Rating: PG, Gen
Characters: HL: OFC Charlotte Sparrow (AKA Pearl Black); Mag7: Ezra Standish, Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Nathan Jackson and JD Dunne
Summary: During a gunfight Chris is hurt trying to protect Ezra not realizing that he is Immortal. Ezra is torn between telling the others about his Immortality and leaving town to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
A/N: This is the sequel to Child of My Heart.
A/N: Just a reminder: The Mag7 boys know Ezra's cousin Charlotte by her current alias: Pearl Black
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6
The Truth Is Immortal: Chapter 5
Ezra guided Charlotte toward the church and she did not fight him. They walked in silence up the steps and into the sanctuary.
Charlotte seated herself in the front pew, waiting for Ezra to explain himself. It was the first time she could remember ever trading harsh words with him and it upset her greatly. Coupled with the idea that Ezra would leave on a lie, she found herself at a loss for words.
Ezra paced slowly in front of her. “The situation is untenable,” he began finally.
“How so?” she asked quietly.
“If I leave they will blame you,” he said. He stopped pacing as his eyes met hers. She could see the war going on inside him. “That is unacceptable. I will not allow you to lose favor in their eyes.”
She was touched by his concern. “But you were willing to let them think the worst of you and I find that unacceptable.”
Ezra plopped in a most ungentlemanly fashion onto the pew next to her. “Then we are at an impasse.”
Charlotte rubbed a comforting hand down his arm. “I do not understand why you could not simply have continued on as a lawman as I suggested. There was no need for what happened here this evening.”
He shook his head dejectedly. Charlotte was beginning to understand that there was something else driving Ezra tonight, but for the life of her she could not determine what it was.
“Why is it so important to you to share our secret?” She stopped herself from adding that Ezra had never felt the need to be truthful with anyone but her.
“I can’t explain it,” Ezra said, his voice filled with emotion. “It is just important that I tell them the truth; that is, if I stay.”
She studied him and thought back over everything that had happened today; the conversation in his room, his behavior in the clinic watching them all enjoy the pie, and the camaraderie during dinner with Buck and JD. But mostly she focused on Ezra’s reaction to the concern shown by the men in the livery at the argument between them. The truth hit her like a lightening bolt.
He didn’t think they would ever trust him, and he desperately wanted their good regard. Charlotte knew that Ezra had their trust and didn’t even realize it. Somehow he thought it would never happen, not completely, not without a grand gesture of trust from him. It pained her that he could think so little of his own company. Charlotte knew in that instant that her own fears were not as important as the connection that Ezra was attempting to build with his friends.
“Then we will tell them,” Charlotte said simply.
*********************************************************
Chris was stretched out on the top step of the church. The rest of the guys were reclining on and around the stairs.
“How long we gonna give them?” Buck asked, voicing everyone’s impatience at waiting outside.
Chris looked up at his friend and raised his hand. He’d grown tired of waiting too.
Buck smiled as he helped their leader to his feet. “Go gettem’, Hoss.”
Chris hobbled forward on the crutch Nathan had insisted he use and flung open the church doors with a bang. He hated being injured as it took some of the menace out of his entrance.
Ezra and Charlotte were on their feet in an instant watching as Chris charged toward them as best as he was able given his injury; the other trailing in behind him.
“You okay?“ he asked Ezra, who nodded silently. “Good.” He pushed the gambler aside to face Pearl. “Now you’re going to explain why you told Ezra to lie to us.” He glared at the woman; his anger at this whole situation directed squarely at her.
She did not flinch but stood toe to toe with him. “Mr. Larabee, do not take that tone with me.”
“I’ll take whatever tone I like if it means protecting one of my own even from his own family.”
Chris didn’t care if he upset her; Pearl had left him no choice. From what Buck had relayed of the argument in the livery, it was her fault that Ezra no longer felt welcome. He had to admit that he was relieved for once not to be the source of conflict with the gambler. He aimed to make sure that his team stayed together and being tactful wasn’t a skill he’d ever mastered nor did he care to.
“Chris, stop!” Ezra moved between the two. “My cousin has come to see my point of view.”
Chris took a step back. “She gonna explain everything?”
“I was,” she snapped, as she crossed her arms and continued to stare at the black clad gunslinger. “But after that little display of incivility, I’m not sure you’re worthy.”
“Pearl, we agreed--” Ezra began but stopped as she turned her glare to him.
“He was rude!” she spit out.
Ezra threw his hands up in frustration and stepped away allowing Pearl to return her attention to Chris.
Chris had been stupid and now he’d made her angry. He hadn’t given Ezra enough credit in dealing with his formidable cousin; but then she had a way about her that had caused all of the men to defer to her at one time or another. Even he had backed down on at least one occasion.
But something was off about her tonight. It was then he noticed how her hair cascaded down her back, that her clothes lacked that just pressed looked he’d come to associate with her, and was there a bit of fear in her eyes behind the anger.
“Think you best apologize, stud,” Buck whispered in his ear, “or we won’t get any answers.”
Chris tilted his head toward Buck. Damn but the man was right. He took in a deep breath. “Pearl, I’m--” he paused searching for the right words.
She looked up at him, waiting, a small smile breaking through her attempt at sternness. “Yes, Chris?” She stepped toward him.
“What I mean to say is-- “ he stopped again as he heard the others snickering behind him. He turned his head to glare at them.
“You’re doing great, cowboy,” Vin said with a wave of his hand, indicating Chris should get on with it.
Pearl was smiling at him when he turned back around. “Apology accepted,” she said.
Chris returned her smile, relieved that she had saved him from actually saying the words.
**********************************
Ezra was thankful that the tension between his cousin and his leader had dissipated. The silence stretched as they stood smiling at each other. Ezra was reluctant to intrude on the moment until he was sure that they had truly reconciled.
His attention was drawn toward Buck, as the ladies man elbowed Vin and nodded toward the smiling couple. Ezra swung his gaze back to Chris and Charlotte.
No, no no, he thought. He was not seeing that! This was worse than watching Josiah moon over his mother.
Ezra cleared his throat drawing everyone’s eyes to him. “Cousin, if all is well, I believe you and I have something to share.”
“Of course,” she said. “Josiah, may I borrow your knife?”
“Thought you and Chris made up,” he chuckled.
“Give her the knife, Josiah,” Chris snapped as he settled himself onto the front pew.
The big man walked over and handed her the blade. “Thank you.” Charlotte took the weapon and then rolled up her sleeve.
“What are you doing?” Ezra reached out and grasped the hand holding the knife.
“I thought a demonstration was in order.”
“If anyone is demonstrating anything, I assumed that would be me,” Ezra insisted as he tried to take the knife from her.
“Don’t be silly, Ezra, I’ve done this before.” The two wrestled for control of the weapon momentarily before Charlotte was able to pull her hand away. Suddenly free, she stumbled backwards and into Buck.
Buck caught her and doing what Ezra had been unable, he took the weapon from her hand. “Y’all want to explain what’s going on? ‘Cause all I see is you two arguing over a knife.”
Charlotte glared at him as she held out her hand. Buck ignored her silent demand and gave the knife to Ezra.
“Thank you, Mr. Wilmington,” he said. “First the explanation, then the demonstration.”
“You are not going to do the demonstration,” she insisted reaching once again for the knife.
Ezra was clearly frustrated by her behavior. “Charlotte, be reasonable. I can not allow you to harm yourself. That would be most ungentlemanly of me.”
“Who’s Charlotte?” JD asked.
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom: Magnificent 7 and Highlander
Beta: Much thanks to ithildyn
Prompt: #32 - Sunset for Crossovers100. My table is here
Rating: PG, Gen
Characters: HL: OFC Charlotte Sparrow (AKA Pearl Black); Mag7: Ezra Standish, Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Nathan Jackson and JD Dunne
Summary: During a gunfight Chris is hurt trying to protect Ezra not realizing that he is Immortal. Ezra is torn between telling the others about his Immortality and leaving town to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
A/N: This is the sequel to Child of My Heart.
A/N: Just a reminder: The Mag7 boys know Ezra's cousin Charlotte by her current alias: Pearl Black
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6
The Truth Is Immortal: Chapter 5
Ezra guided Charlotte toward the church and she did not fight him. They walked in silence up the steps and into the sanctuary.
Charlotte seated herself in the front pew, waiting for Ezra to explain himself. It was the first time she could remember ever trading harsh words with him and it upset her greatly. Coupled with the idea that Ezra would leave on a lie, she found herself at a loss for words.
Ezra paced slowly in front of her. “The situation is untenable,” he began finally.
“How so?” she asked quietly.
“If I leave they will blame you,” he said. He stopped pacing as his eyes met hers. She could see the war going on inside him. “That is unacceptable. I will not allow you to lose favor in their eyes.”
She was touched by his concern. “But you were willing to let them think the worst of you and I find that unacceptable.”
Ezra plopped in a most ungentlemanly fashion onto the pew next to her. “Then we are at an impasse.”
Charlotte rubbed a comforting hand down his arm. “I do not understand why you could not simply have continued on as a lawman as I suggested. There was no need for what happened here this evening.”
He shook his head dejectedly. Charlotte was beginning to understand that there was something else driving Ezra tonight, but for the life of her she could not determine what it was.
“Why is it so important to you to share our secret?” She stopped herself from adding that Ezra had never felt the need to be truthful with anyone but her.
“I can’t explain it,” Ezra said, his voice filled with emotion. “It is just important that I tell them the truth; that is, if I stay.”
She studied him and thought back over everything that had happened today; the conversation in his room, his behavior in the clinic watching them all enjoy the pie, and the camaraderie during dinner with Buck and JD. But mostly she focused on Ezra’s reaction to the concern shown by the men in the livery at the argument between them. The truth hit her like a lightening bolt.
He didn’t think they would ever trust him, and he desperately wanted their good regard. Charlotte knew that Ezra had their trust and didn’t even realize it. Somehow he thought it would never happen, not completely, not without a grand gesture of trust from him. It pained her that he could think so little of his own company. Charlotte knew in that instant that her own fears were not as important as the connection that Ezra was attempting to build with his friends.
“Then we will tell them,” Charlotte said simply.
*********************************************************
Chris was stretched out on the top step of the church. The rest of the guys were reclining on and around the stairs.
“How long we gonna give them?” Buck asked, voicing everyone’s impatience at waiting outside.
Chris looked up at his friend and raised his hand. He’d grown tired of waiting too.
Buck smiled as he helped their leader to his feet. “Go gettem’, Hoss.”
Chris hobbled forward on the crutch Nathan had insisted he use and flung open the church doors with a bang. He hated being injured as it took some of the menace out of his entrance.
Ezra and Charlotte were on their feet in an instant watching as Chris charged toward them as best as he was able given his injury; the other trailing in behind him.
“You okay?“ he asked Ezra, who nodded silently. “Good.” He pushed the gambler aside to face Pearl. “Now you’re going to explain why you told Ezra to lie to us.” He glared at the woman; his anger at this whole situation directed squarely at her.
She did not flinch but stood toe to toe with him. “Mr. Larabee, do not take that tone with me.”
“I’ll take whatever tone I like if it means protecting one of my own even from his own family.”
Chris didn’t care if he upset her; Pearl had left him no choice. From what Buck had relayed of the argument in the livery, it was her fault that Ezra no longer felt welcome. He had to admit that he was relieved for once not to be the source of conflict with the gambler. He aimed to make sure that his team stayed together and being tactful wasn’t a skill he’d ever mastered nor did he care to.
“Chris, stop!” Ezra moved between the two. “My cousin has come to see my point of view.”
Chris took a step back. “She gonna explain everything?”
“I was,” she snapped, as she crossed her arms and continued to stare at the black clad gunslinger. “But after that little display of incivility, I’m not sure you’re worthy.”
“Pearl, we agreed--” Ezra began but stopped as she turned her glare to him.
“He was rude!” she spit out.
Ezra threw his hands up in frustration and stepped away allowing Pearl to return her attention to Chris.
Chris had been stupid and now he’d made her angry. He hadn’t given Ezra enough credit in dealing with his formidable cousin; but then she had a way about her that had caused all of the men to defer to her at one time or another. Even he had backed down on at least one occasion.
But something was off about her tonight. It was then he noticed how her hair cascaded down her back, that her clothes lacked that just pressed looked he’d come to associate with her, and was there a bit of fear in her eyes behind the anger.
“Think you best apologize, stud,” Buck whispered in his ear, “or we won’t get any answers.”
Chris tilted his head toward Buck. Damn but the man was right. He took in a deep breath. “Pearl, I’m--” he paused searching for the right words.
She looked up at him, waiting, a small smile breaking through her attempt at sternness. “Yes, Chris?” She stepped toward him.
“What I mean to say is-- “ he stopped again as he heard the others snickering behind him. He turned his head to glare at them.
“You’re doing great, cowboy,” Vin said with a wave of his hand, indicating Chris should get on with it.
Pearl was smiling at him when he turned back around. “Apology accepted,” she said.
Chris returned her smile, relieved that she had saved him from actually saying the words.
**********************************
Ezra was thankful that the tension between his cousin and his leader had dissipated. The silence stretched as they stood smiling at each other. Ezra was reluctant to intrude on the moment until he was sure that they had truly reconciled.
His attention was drawn toward Buck, as the ladies man elbowed Vin and nodded toward the smiling couple. Ezra swung his gaze back to Chris and Charlotte.
No, no no, he thought. He was not seeing that! This was worse than watching Josiah moon over his mother.
Ezra cleared his throat drawing everyone’s eyes to him. “Cousin, if all is well, I believe you and I have something to share.”
“Of course,” she said. “Josiah, may I borrow your knife?”
“Thought you and Chris made up,” he chuckled.
“Give her the knife, Josiah,” Chris snapped as he settled himself onto the front pew.
The big man walked over and handed her the blade. “Thank you.” Charlotte took the weapon and then rolled up her sleeve.
“What are you doing?” Ezra reached out and grasped the hand holding the knife.
“I thought a demonstration was in order.”
“If anyone is demonstrating anything, I assumed that would be me,” Ezra insisted as he tried to take the knife from her.
“Don’t be silly, Ezra, I’ve done this before.” The two wrestled for control of the weapon momentarily before Charlotte was able to pull her hand away. Suddenly free, she stumbled backwards and into Buck.
Buck caught her and doing what Ezra had been unable, he took the weapon from her hand. “Y’all want to explain what’s going on? ‘Cause all I see is you two arguing over a knife.”
Charlotte glared at him as she held out her hand. Buck ignored her silent demand and gave the knife to Ezra.
“Thank you, Mr. Wilmington,” he said. “First the explanation, then the demonstration.”
“You are not going to do the demonstration,” she insisted reaching once again for the knife.
Ezra was clearly frustrated by her behavior. “Charlotte, be reasonable. I can not allow you to harm yourself. That would be most ungentlemanly of me.”
“Who’s Charlotte?” JD asked.