The Truth Is Immortal (4/6) - Mag7/Highlander
Title: The Truth Is Immortal (4/6)
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 4
Vin headed over to the hotel to rouse Mrs. Black. He still believed she was the only one who might find out what was driving Ezra’s sudden need to leave town.
He knocked on the door and waited.
“Who is it?” came the cultured feminine voice.
“Sorry to wake ya, ma’am, but it’s about Ezra,” Vin explained. “He’s tryin’ to leave town and we figured you might know why.”
“I’ll be right out,” Charlotte replied.
Vin heard movement inside the room that indicated she was dressing. Five minutes later the door was flung open. He was taken aback by her appearance. Her clothes were slightly rumpled and her dark hair hung loose to the middle of her back.
At the sight of the surprise in his eyes, she shrugged. “There is no time for the niceties. Now where is my idiot cousin?” she asked as she hurried down the stairs and out into the main street.
Vin followed in her wake. “Nathan and the rest of the boys are corralling him at the livery. I’m gonna let Chris know you’re handling it.”
Nodding, Charlotte stalked toward the end of the street. Her anger was a living thing and it reminded him of Chris’s frustration when Ezra had pushed him to the limit. Vin figured Ezra was in for a world of hurt when she found him.
*********************************************************************
Nathan, Josiah, Buck and JD entered the livery to see Ezra frantically searching the stalls and uncharacteristically cursing Vin’s name.
Buck came up behind the smaller man. “Ezra, Nathan said you were leaving.”
Ezra whirled to look up at the big man. His normally controlled features were twisted with fury. “That had been my intention, but it seems that the disappearance of my saddle has thwarted my plans!” He looked past Buck. “Would any of you happen to know what Mr. Tanner did with my property?”
Buck placed a hand on each of the southerner’s shoulders. “Ezra, no one wants you ta leave, and we ain’t blaming you fer what happened to Chris. Just calm down and think about what yer doing.”
Ezra shrugged off his grip. “It would be safer for everyone if I left.”
“I didn’t mean that stuff about having a death wish. Hell, Ezra, if ya didn’t pull some of yer crazy stunts, JD here would be dead and we all know that.”
“It’s true, Ezra,” JD chimed in. “You saved my life. Don’t think I don’t appreciate that.”
“You don’t understand,” Ezra said, his mounting frustration pushing him to the breaking point.
“Then explain it to us. What’s the big secret?” Buck chuckled. “Because way I see it, you are one lucky son of a bitch and that makes us lucky.”
“I can’t!” Ezra shook his head as he walked past his friends heading for the exit. He stopped as he reached the door and turned to stare at them, the anger clear on his face. “Who thought it was a good idea to wake my cousin?”
Four sets of eyes stared at him, but before any of them could speak, Charlotte burst through the door. Her attention was completely fixed on Ezra who had spun around to face her.
JD leaned over to Buck. “How’d he know she was out there?”
Buck just shrugged.
“Ezra, what were you thinking? Sneaking out in the middle of the night!” She pointed a finger angrily at his chest. “You promised to give me time!”
“I saw no reason to delay the inevitable,” Ezra snapped back.
The four watching exchanged concerned looks. “Never seen them even exchange a harsh word,” Nathan said and the others agreed.
They stood transfixed by the argument in front of them.
“You lied to me!” Charlotte shouted. “How could you do that?”
“You gave me no choice, remember?
“That is not true. I simply asked you to give me more time.”
“The result would be the same. Now if you don’t mind, I need to find Vin and get my property back.” Ezra tried to walk past her.
Charlotte grabbed his arm forcing him to face her. “Ezra, I am not done here; we need to talk.”
He looked over her shoulder at the other men while he spoke to her. “I wanted to tell them the truth. If I can’t do that, then I’m leaving.”
Charlotte followed his gaze to see the others standing in the shadows. The surprise on her face indicated that she had been so intent on her argument with Ezra that she hadn’t registered their presence.
“Ezra wants to tell us the truth, but you won’t let him?” Nathan asked, the confusion clear in his question.
“Not the situation I was expecting,” Buck added.
Charlotte ignored their questions as she whirled back to her cousin. “You used me to get your way?”
Ezra shook his head. “Even I am not a good enough grifter to have anticipated this scenario, but I am not one to let an opportunity pass. I believe, dear cousin, that it is time to show our hand.”
“It’s not that simple,” she hissed through tight lips, her anger still a living thing, “and you know it. I will not be manipulated in this way!”
“Then you should let me go.” Ezra’s frustration with this entire day had returned in full force.
“Why must you be so stubborn?”
“Me!” Ezra felt his control slipping. “I’m not the one who is trying to have it both ways!” He was shouting at her now.
The others watched in shocked disbelief as the cousins had escalated their disagreement. They exchanged worried glances. This was no small family tiff.
“Do something, Buck,” JD said elbowing his friend.
The big man nodded and stepped into the fray.
“What’s going on, Ezra?” Buck asked, gaining not only their attention but two glares that would have made Chris proud. “Is your cousin the reason you’re leaving?”
“Stay out of this, Buck,” Ezra commanded.
“Don’t think I rightly can. This ain’t no small thing between you two.”
Ezra let out a rueful chuckle. “You have no idea.”
“Then tell us, brother,” Josiah said sympathetically as he came to stand beside Buck.
“It’s a private family matter,” Charlotte insisted. “I’m sure you can understand why we can not share the details.”
“If you did then maybe we could help.”
“No, Mr. Sanchez, you can not,” she spit out. “This is not your concern. I think it best that you gentlemen allow us some privacy.”
Buck’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t know what you two are fighting about, but if it’s so bad that Ez here thinks he has to leave town then it is our concern.”
*****************************************
Ezra studied the four men in front of him, recognizing the familiar looks of distrust as they crossed their faces. Though he’d seen looks like that all his life directed at him, it was a shock to see them directed at Charlotte. If he left now, without full disclosure, he knew that they would blame his cousin for his abrupt departure.
He could handle the questioning looks thrown his way, he was used to it, but what he could not bear was Charlotte being subject to them.
Ezra stepped forward and did something he rarely did; he placed a hand on Buck’s shoulder to draw the man’s attention to him. He saw in Buck’s face that the gesture was recognized for the pleading overture he’d intended.
“Please,” he said. “Allow me a chance to speak with my cousin in private. I assure you that this matter can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.”
“You sure, Ezra?” Nathan asked, his apprehension palpable. The healer’s concern still had the power to surprise Ezra.
“Quite sure.”
The four men nodded their acquiescence.
Charlotte had been quiet throughout the exchange. He could tell that some of her anger had dissipated. “Shall we retire to a more secluded locale to continue our discussion?” he asked her.
“Yes, I think that would be best,” she replied.
Ezra tipped his hat toward his friends and gestured for Charlotte to follow him out of the livery.
*************************************
The men watched the livery door swing closed.
“What do you think is going on?” JD asked, unable to bear the silence any longer.
“I have no idea,” Buck admitted.
“Never seen Ezra so upset,” Nathan added. “Pearl neither.”
“Upset?” Buck scoffed. “Hell, we’ve never even seen him angry before.”
“I hate to be the one to point out that we should be prepared for Ezra’s leaving,” Josiah said.
Buck nodded, indicating he’d come to the same conclusion.
“That’s it? We just gonna let him go? We have to do something,” JD insisted.
“JD, she’s family. It ain’t none of our concern if she really wants Ezra gone,” Nathan said. “Wonder what he did?”
“He didn’t do nothing. You saw them at dinner.” JD looked to Buck for confirmation.
“Kid’s right. This argument don’t make no sense. They was fine together.”
“I guess we let them work it out then,” Josiah offered.
“But Ezra might still leave,” JD reminded them.
Buck had agreed to give Ezra a chance to fix it himself, but now he wasn’t sure that was the best thing to do. The idiot had already shown that his favorite solution was to run away from conflict. Buck wasn’t willing to wait until his cousin decided that was the right solution too. “Pearl wanted Ezra to lie to us. Don’t like what that might mean.”
“That was surprising,” Josiah agreed. “The disagreement wasn’t Ezra’s fault, but his cousin’s.”
“So, what do we do?” JD asked.
“We don’t let her drive him out a town,” Nathan said, his anger toward Pearl’s mistreatment of Ezra surprising him.
“I agree.” Buck smiled as he clapped Nathan on the shoulder. “Josiah, you and JD follow them; find out where they’re going. Nathan and I will get the others.”
Josiah chuckled. “You mean to bring the mountain to Mohammed.”
Buck nodded as he dragged Nathan off to the clinic.
“That don’t make no sense, Josiah, there ain’t no mountains ‘round here.”
Josiah shook his head and pushed the youngster out the door.
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 4
Vin headed over to the hotel to rouse Mrs. Black. He still believed she was the only one who might find out what was driving Ezra’s sudden need to leave town.
He knocked on the door and waited.
“Who is it?” came the cultured feminine voice.
“Sorry to wake ya, ma’am, but it’s about Ezra,” Vin explained. “He’s tryin’ to leave town and we figured you might know why.”
“I’ll be right out,” Charlotte replied.
Vin heard movement inside the room that indicated she was dressing. Five minutes later the door was flung open. He was taken aback by her appearance. Her clothes were slightly rumpled and her dark hair hung loose to the middle of her back.
At the sight of the surprise in his eyes, she shrugged. “There is no time for the niceties. Now where is my idiot cousin?” she asked as she hurried down the stairs and out into the main street.
Vin followed in her wake. “Nathan and the rest of the boys are corralling him at the livery. I’m gonna let Chris know you’re handling it.”
Nodding, Charlotte stalked toward the end of the street. Her anger was a living thing and it reminded him of Chris’s frustration when Ezra had pushed him to the limit. Vin figured Ezra was in for a world of hurt when she found him.
*********************************************************************
Nathan, Josiah, Buck and JD entered the livery to see Ezra frantically searching the stalls and uncharacteristically cursing Vin’s name.
Buck came up behind the smaller man. “Ezra, Nathan said you were leaving.”
Ezra whirled to look up at the big man. His normally controlled features were twisted with fury. “That had been my intention, but it seems that the disappearance of my saddle has thwarted my plans!” He looked past Buck. “Would any of you happen to know what Mr. Tanner did with my property?”
Buck placed a hand on each of the southerner’s shoulders. “Ezra, no one wants you ta leave, and we ain’t blaming you fer what happened to Chris. Just calm down and think about what yer doing.”
Ezra shrugged off his grip. “It would be safer for everyone if I left.”
“I didn’t mean that stuff about having a death wish. Hell, Ezra, if ya didn’t pull some of yer crazy stunts, JD here would be dead and we all know that.”
“It’s true, Ezra,” JD chimed in. “You saved my life. Don’t think I don’t appreciate that.”
“You don’t understand,” Ezra said, his mounting frustration pushing him to the breaking point.
“Then explain it to us. What’s the big secret?” Buck chuckled. “Because way I see it, you are one lucky son of a bitch and that makes us lucky.”
“I can’t!” Ezra shook his head as he walked past his friends heading for the exit. He stopped as he reached the door and turned to stare at them, the anger clear on his face. “Who thought it was a good idea to wake my cousin?”
Four sets of eyes stared at him, but before any of them could speak, Charlotte burst through the door. Her attention was completely fixed on Ezra who had spun around to face her.
JD leaned over to Buck. “How’d he know she was out there?”
Buck just shrugged.
“Ezra, what were you thinking? Sneaking out in the middle of the night!” She pointed a finger angrily at his chest. “You promised to give me time!”
“I saw no reason to delay the inevitable,” Ezra snapped back.
The four watching exchanged concerned looks. “Never seen them even exchange a harsh word,” Nathan said and the others agreed.
They stood transfixed by the argument in front of them.
“You lied to me!” Charlotte shouted. “How could you do that?”
“You gave me no choice, remember?
“That is not true. I simply asked you to give me more time.”
“The result would be the same. Now if you don’t mind, I need to find Vin and get my property back.” Ezra tried to walk past her.
Charlotte grabbed his arm forcing him to face her. “Ezra, I am not done here; we need to talk.”
He looked over her shoulder at the other men while he spoke to her. “I wanted to tell them the truth. If I can’t do that, then I’m leaving.”
Charlotte followed his gaze to see the others standing in the shadows. The surprise on her face indicated that she had been so intent on her argument with Ezra that she hadn’t registered their presence.
“Ezra wants to tell us the truth, but you won’t let him?” Nathan asked, the confusion clear in his question.
“Not the situation I was expecting,” Buck added.
Charlotte ignored their questions as she whirled back to her cousin. “You used me to get your way?”
Ezra shook his head. “Even I am not a good enough grifter to have anticipated this scenario, but I am not one to let an opportunity pass. I believe, dear cousin, that it is time to show our hand.”
“It’s not that simple,” she hissed through tight lips, her anger still a living thing, “and you know it. I will not be manipulated in this way!”
“Then you should let me go.” Ezra’s frustration with this entire day had returned in full force.
“Why must you be so stubborn?”
“Me!” Ezra felt his control slipping. “I’m not the one who is trying to have it both ways!” He was shouting at her now.
The others watched in shocked disbelief as the cousins had escalated their disagreement. They exchanged worried glances. This was no small family tiff.
“Do something, Buck,” JD said elbowing his friend.
The big man nodded and stepped into the fray.
“What’s going on, Ezra?” Buck asked, gaining not only their attention but two glares that would have made Chris proud. “Is your cousin the reason you’re leaving?”
“Stay out of this, Buck,” Ezra commanded.
“Don’t think I rightly can. This ain’t no small thing between you two.”
Ezra let out a rueful chuckle. “You have no idea.”
“Then tell us, brother,” Josiah said sympathetically as he came to stand beside Buck.
“It’s a private family matter,” Charlotte insisted. “I’m sure you can understand why we can not share the details.”
“If you did then maybe we could help.”
“No, Mr. Sanchez, you can not,” she spit out. “This is not your concern. I think it best that you gentlemen allow us some privacy.”
Buck’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t know what you two are fighting about, but if it’s so bad that Ez here thinks he has to leave town then it is our concern.”
*****************************************
Ezra studied the four men in front of him, recognizing the familiar looks of distrust as they crossed their faces. Though he’d seen looks like that all his life directed at him, it was a shock to see them directed at Charlotte. If he left now, without full disclosure, he knew that they would blame his cousin for his abrupt departure.
He could handle the questioning looks thrown his way, he was used to it, but what he could not bear was Charlotte being subject to them.
Ezra stepped forward and did something he rarely did; he placed a hand on Buck’s shoulder to draw the man’s attention to him. He saw in Buck’s face that the gesture was recognized for the pleading overture he’d intended.
“Please,” he said. “Allow me a chance to speak with my cousin in private. I assure you that this matter can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.”
“You sure, Ezra?” Nathan asked, his apprehension palpable. The healer’s concern still had the power to surprise Ezra.
“Quite sure.”
The four men nodded their acquiescence.
Charlotte had been quiet throughout the exchange. He could tell that some of her anger had dissipated. “Shall we retire to a more secluded locale to continue our discussion?” he asked her.
“Yes, I think that would be best,” she replied.
Ezra tipped his hat toward his friends and gestured for Charlotte to follow him out of the livery.
*************************************
The men watched the livery door swing closed.
“What do you think is going on?” JD asked, unable to bear the silence any longer.
“I have no idea,” Buck admitted.
“Never seen Ezra so upset,” Nathan added. “Pearl neither.”
“Upset?” Buck scoffed. “Hell, we’ve never even seen him angry before.”
“I hate to be the one to point out that we should be prepared for Ezra’s leaving,” Josiah said.
Buck nodded, indicating he’d come to the same conclusion.
“That’s it? We just gonna let him go? We have to do something,” JD insisted.
“JD, she’s family. It ain’t none of our concern if she really wants Ezra gone,” Nathan said. “Wonder what he did?”
“He didn’t do nothing. You saw them at dinner.” JD looked to Buck for confirmation.
“Kid’s right. This argument don’t make no sense. They was fine together.”
“I guess we let them work it out then,” Josiah offered.
“But Ezra might still leave,” JD reminded them.
Buck had agreed to give Ezra a chance to fix it himself, but now he wasn’t sure that was the best thing to do. The idiot had already shown that his favorite solution was to run away from conflict. Buck wasn’t willing to wait until his cousin decided that was the right solution too. “Pearl wanted Ezra to lie to us. Don’t like what that might mean.”
“That was surprising,” Josiah agreed. “The disagreement wasn’t Ezra’s fault, but his cousin’s.”
“So, what do we do?” JD asked.
“We don’t let her drive him out a town,” Nathan said, his anger toward Pearl’s mistreatment of Ezra surprising him.
“I agree.” Buck smiled as he clapped Nathan on the shoulder. “Josiah, you and JD follow them; find out where they’re going. Nathan and I will get the others.”
Josiah chuckled. “You mean to bring the mountain to Mohammed.”
Buck nodded as he dragged Nathan off to the clinic.
“That don’t make no sense, Josiah, there ain’t no mountains ‘round here.”
Josiah shook his head and pushed the youngster out the door.