MovingOn
Chapter One
Author's Notes: As far as I know, Ridgecliff is just a town that I made up. Any similarities to the town, past or present, is purely unintentional and coincidental. Thanks go to Angela for her help and ideas. Thanks goes to Sivan for her help with one of the plot lines that starts in chapter fourteen. I know that, in reality, it would take a lot longer to get from New Orleans, LA to New Mexico... but I had to keep the story moving along.
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Ezra was sitting at his usual table in the saloon, practicing his card shuffling. It was too early in the day for any good competition. But, he hoped later that night he would be able to play a good game of poker with some worthy opponents. Hearing footsteps close to him, he cast a quick glance to his right. Nathan was coming close towards him and Ezra noted that he didn't look happy. When Nathan stopped at his table, Ezra didn't even look up as he asked, "Yes, Mister Jackson?" "I want you to give Mister Woolery his money back," Nathan said through gritted teeth. Ezra raised an eyebrow as he raised his head to look at Nathan. "Why would I do that?" Before Nathan could answer, the other five peacekeepers walked over to them. "What's going on?" demanded Chris, noticing the tension between Nathan and Ezra. "Nothing. Nothing at all, Mister Larabee," replied Ezra. Chris just turned his head and looked at Nathan, waiting to see what he would say "This," Nathan began as he pointed his finger at Ezra, "no-good gambler won't give Mister Woolery his money back." "Good God, I can't even come in for lunch without findin' out that you cheated a man out of his money!" Chris grumbled to Ezra. Ezra's face remained emotionless but, inside, he couldn't believe that Chris had just jumped to conclusions. Again. Of course, he knew that he had no reason to be surprised. Out of the seven peacekeepers, he was the one that everyone always assumed the worst about. And, he was tired of it. Damn tired. Ezra gracefully stood up, aware that the eyes of the saloon's other occupants were on him and the other six peacekeepers. "I did not cheat Mister Woolery out of any money. And, I resent the accusation that I did," Ezra calmly stated. "I don't give a damn about what you resent, just give Mister Woolery his money back, Ezra!" "No." "Why, you no-good... Mister Woolery was just in my office having his head looked at. He had a nasty gash on it. He told me that he couldn't afford to pay me right now because you took all of his money last night in a poker game!" "Ezra never takes all of anyone's money. He doesn't need to cheat, Nathan. He's a great player!" J.D. exclaimed. "Let's just stay out of this, Kid," Buck said. Looking at Ezra, Josiah said, "Son, why don't you just give--" Ezra cut Josiah off, "No! I refuse to give back money that I won fair and square. And, for the last time, I'm not your damn son!" That caught the other six peacekeepers off guard. Ezra would always call Josiah on his 'parental delusions', but never with this much ferocity. "Ezra, Mister Woolery is a hard-working farmer. He can't afford to lose his money, so give it back," Nathan gritted out. Vin could see that Ezra was close to losing his temper, and decided to try and intervene. "Nathan, Chris, let's just--" Before Vin could finish what he was saying, Nathan broke in, "Look, you Southern bastard--" That was as far as Nathan got before Ezra's right fist connected with Nathan's mouth. Everyone in the saloon, including Ezra's colleagues, stood in shock. Nobody knew quite what to do. Ezra had never hit one of the other peacekeepers before. Without saying anything, Ezra turned and stormed up the stairs to his room that was above the saloon. J.D. started after him but Chris grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Let the bastard go, J.D." IN EZRA'S ROOM After passing through the doorway, Ezra refused to slam it. He sat down on his feather bed. Shaking his head, he just stared in disbelief at the hand that had hit Nathan. Maude had always taught him not to show emotion. Emotion was just something that people could hold over you. His mother always taught him that appearances were everything. And, he had just hit Nathan in front of everyone in the saloon. 'This will be all over town by tonight,' Ezra thought to himself. As Nathan's words entered his mind, he jumped up. Angrily pacing, any thoughts of appearances flew out the window. "The hypocritical bastard deserved it," he angrily mumbled to himself. And the others... The others hadn't even defended him. Well, none of them besides J.D. But Buck had told him to not interfere. Sitting back down on the bed, his green eyes darkened with anger, he made a decision. It was time. Time to leave Four Corners. Time to leave the place that he thought had become his home. 'Ah well, Ezra Standish is nothing if not adaptable,' he thought to himself with anger and sadness. Return to Moving On
Ezra was sitting at his usual table in the saloon, practicing his card shuffling. It was too early in the day for any good competition. But, he hoped later that night he would be able to play a good game of poker with some worthy opponents.
Hearing footsteps close to him, he cast a quick glance to his right. Nathan was coming close towards him and Ezra noted that he didn't look happy. When Nathan stopped at his table, Ezra didn't even look up as he asked, "Yes, Mister Jackson?"
"I want you to give Mister Woolery his money back," Nathan said through gritted teeth.
Ezra raised an eyebrow as he raised his head to look at Nathan. "Why would I do that?"
Before Nathan could answer, the other five peacekeepers walked over to them. "What's going on?" demanded Chris, noticing the tension between Nathan and Ezra.
"Nothing. Nothing at all, Mister Larabee," replied Ezra.
Chris just turned his head and looked at Nathan, waiting to see what he would say
"This," Nathan began as he pointed his finger at Ezra, "no-good gambler won't give Mister Woolery his money back."
"Good God, I can't even come in for lunch without findin' out that you cheated a man out of his money!" Chris grumbled to Ezra.
Ezra's face remained emotionless but, inside, he couldn't believe that Chris had just jumped to conclusions. Again. Of course, he knew that he had no reason to be surprised. Out of the seven peacekeepers, he was the one that everyone always assumed the worst about. And, he was tired of it. Damn tired.
Ezra gracefully stood up, aware that the eyes of the saloon's other occupants were on him and the other six peacekeepers. "I did not cheat Mister Woolery out of any money. And, I resent the accusation that I did," Ezra calmly stated.
"I don't give a damn about what you resent, just give Mister Woolery his money back, Ezra!"
"No."
"Why, you no-good... Mister Woolery was just in my office having his head looked at. He had a nasty gash on it. He told me that he couldn't afford to pay me right now because you took all of his money last night in a poker game!"
"Ezra never takes all of anyone's money. He doesn't need to cheat, Nathan. He's a great player!" J.D. exclaimed.
"Let's just stay out of this, Kid," Buck said.
Looking at Ezra, Josiah said, "Son, why don't you just give--"
Ezra cut Josiah off, "No! I refuse to give back money that I won fair and square. And, for the last time, I'm not your damn son!"
That caught the other six peacekeepers off guard. Ezra would always call Josiah on his 'parental delusions', but never with this much ferocity.
"Ezra, Mister Woolery is a hard-working farmer. He can't afford to lose his money, so give it back," Nathan gritted out.
Vin could see that Ezra was close to losing his temper, and decided to try and intervene. "Nathan, Chris, let's just--"
Before Vin could finish what he was saying, Nathan broke in, "Look, you Southern bastard--"
That was as far as Nathan got before Ezra's right fist connected with Nathan's mouth. Everyone in the saloon, including Ezra's colleagues, stood in shock. Nobody knew quite what to do. Ezra had never hit one of the other peacekeepers before.
Without saying anything, Ezra turned and stormed up the stairs to his room that was above the saloon. J.D. started after him but Chris grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Let the bastard go, J.D."
IN EZRA'S ROOM
After passing through the doorway, Ezra refused to slam it. He sat down on his feather bed. Shaking his head, he just stared in disbelief at the hand that had hit Nathan. Maude had always taught him not to show emotion. Emotion was just something that people could hold over you. His mother always taught him that appearances were everything. And, he had just hit Nathan in front of everyone in the saloon. 'This will be all over town by tonight,' Ezra thought to himself.
As Nathan's words entered his mind, he jumped up. Angrily pacing, any thoughts of appearances flew out the window. "The hypocritical bastard deserved it," he angrily mumbled to himself. And the others... The others hadn't even defended him. Well, none of them besides J.D. But Buck had told him to not interfere.
Sitting back down on the bed, his green eyes darkened with anger, he made a decision. It was time. Time to leave Four Corners. Time to leave the place that he thought had become his home. 'Ah well, Ezra Standish is nothing if not adaptable,' he thought to himself with anger and sadness.
Return to Moving On