Title: Extraordinary
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Author: Apache Firecat
Characters: Inez, Mary(/Stephen)
Rating: PG-13/T for mentions of "noncon"
Summary: Four Corners is full of extraordinary men.
Word Count: 1,608
Written For: Fan FlashWorks 432: Open
Warnings: N/A
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.








There had been a time in her life when she had thought she would never be able to settle down again. Honestly, during that time, she had come to fear that her every next breath might well be her last. But then she had found her way to this wonderful town she now had the pleasure to call her home. Her business was prospering, and even her life away from the saloon, if it could be called that as she still lived upstairs, was beginning to blossom.

She had friends now, almost a family. It was nothing unusual for any barkeep to have regular customers, but she had customers who genuinely cared for her as she had come to do for them. It had been here that her life had changed forever, here that she had actually gotten her life back because of one brave man's determination. No, Inez thought, allowing herself to pause in washing down her counters to survey the kind, familiar faces in the room, it had been because of seven men, but one man in particular. Bucklin could have never made it so far if not for his friends, who had also become her friends -- and not simply because of Nathan's and Ezra's teachings, although they had certainly tried during the short time they'd been given to prepare.

She had hated herself when Buck had been stabbed, had hated herself for bringing her troubles into this town and to these men, but everything that had happened afterward had been so... well, magnificos that she was, in an odd way, thankful that Don Paulo had followed her here. If he had not attacked her here, if he had not made any intentions so well and openly known, Four Corners would have likely only become another speck in her history, and he still would have found her, raped her, killed her later on. Instead, she had been blessed with not just being given her life back, but an altogether new and far better life than the one she had had before.

She knew every face in her little saloon, and in this town. She knew each person individually by name. She had even come to be able to recognize, without glancing up at all, whoever crossed through her saloon doors. Bucklin never entered any establishment without making an espectáculo. JD might be his best friend, but he was so different from Buck. His more refined, Eastern upbringing could be told in his quiet steps. Josiah was the exact opposite; no matter how hard he tried, the big Preacher man's bootsteps were always loud and heavy. Nathan had the hushed steps of a former slave, not unlike his Indian wife. Senor Standish was always graceful, no matter how tired, unless intoxicated. Senor Tanner was both graceful, although in a different way, and as quiet as Nathan or Rain; he was not unlike a deer, Inez decided, her eyes glistening merrily. Chris had heavy steps, slightly subtler than Josiah's although she knew he could be quieter when he desired, but he was always accompanied by intermingling, strong aromas of tobacco, alcohol, and leather. The mixed scent had come to be soothing to Inez

Then there was the ladyfolk. Gloria Potter snuck in sometimes, always keeping to the shadows, while Casey still tended to stumbling in pushing open the big, swinging doors. Inez knew her clumsiness was much more to her shyness than to any lack of strength. Maude Standish, Ezra's mother, of course, always entered with as much bravado and espectáculo as Bucklin, and always with a gaggle of admirers. Mary Travis -- Mary Travis, Inez realized, tilting her head slightly to the side as a shadow fell between her and the golden, afternoon sunlight streaming through the open doors, was entering now.

She did not try to hide her presence, and Inez, having glanced at the calendar earlier that morning, knew exactly why the widow was slipping into the saloon. She was not out to right a wrong this time for the wrong that weighed heavily upon her soul today was no longer one that could be corrected. Inez knew something of the burden the other woman carried, having lost a good many of her family in her village before, but she could only guess at the pain that had to come from losing one's husband, one's better half as it were. Senorita Travis and her husband had been trying to make this town a better place, from all local records. They had been raising Billy and building their home together, and both had believed very strongly in always doing the right thing.

Then the cattle rustlers had come, ending Senor Travis' life and forever changing his wife's and son's. And eventually, forever changing this whole town, Inez knew, for Senor Chris had divulged to her Mary's act of heroism that had spurred him to action that fateful day when the heroic men of the Seven men had first started to come together. He had been intent on minding his own business, but when he had watched a heroic woman step up to a gang she could not truly have hoped to stop, when he had witnessed one woman being willing to act to save an innocent life when no one else would dare to lift a finger to help the doctor, he had been moved to put his own past and feelings behind him, at least long enough to help.

Vin's story carried pretty much the same recollection. He had been debating whether to help or not, to become involved and risk his neck or not when he had witnessed the kind and courageous woman dressed in black raise her late husband's shotgun to stop men who were intent to kill out of sheer, blind prejudice and stupidity. Now that brave woman was stepping again into Inez's saloon, clearly needing help though she spoke not a word. Inez watched her as she sat alone, at the same table she always sought this day of the year.

She slapped her rag over her lithe shoulder and quickly, quietly poured the drinks she knew Senorita Travis would want. As she did so, she turned her questing gaze to the red-jacketed man in the corner. Ezra was already watching her, and his eyes quickly, solemnly met hers across the dusty room. They exchanged nods. JD was the first to step away from the gambling table, but Inez knew Ezra would follow. He was even now beginning to fold his cards. She dropped her rag over the keg and poured a third drink.

Balancing the three drinks with expert ease, Inez approached Senorita Travis' table. She set one drink before Mary, and the second across from her. Mary looked up at her, her wide, blue eyes swimming with unspilled emotion. "I didn't order anything," she blurted out in a low, uncertain voice.

Inez smiled patiently and reassuringly at her. "You did not have to," she explained. "You come here every year on this day." She paused, her dark fingers curling around the third glass. "Senor Travis must have been some man."

Instantly, Mary's eyes shone. The poor woman always looked like she was not far from tears, but Inez understood why. "He was," she agreed breathily.

"I would love to know more about him," Inez ventured. "May I sit?" she asked. "Would you like to share some stories of your husband, Senorita Travis? I would like to hear them." She carefully tried to pour every inch of earnest and warm kinship she felt for this woman into her smile, remembering when she had come to pray with her in the church on that day that had changed her own life.

Mary hesitated before admitting, with a smile of her own, "I would like that very much." She lifted her glass, in a silent toast to both welcome Inez and acknowledge the friendship she was beginning with this other rare female in the town. She took a swig of her drink, then paused and looked around them. "But do you have the time?" she asked earnestly.

"I do," Inez said. She could already see JD filling orders at the counter. They had all taken turns teaching the young man various skills. He was as helpful as he had become endowed with knowledge. Inez knew he would take everything they taught him wherever he ended up journeying in life, and she knew all his skills, from being Sheriff to truly learning how to ride and shoot to tending bar as she and Senor Standish had taught him to the hunting and tracking skills he had learned from Senor Vin -- They would all serve him well, wherever his life ended up taking him.

Inez knew too well, from her own experiences, that one could never really know what even just the very next day held. She knew, in a way, that was a main reason why they had all endeavored to teach JD as much as they could. The lad would be fine, wherever he went.

"He has become quite the young man," Mary remarked, taking another sip of her drink.

Inez smiled again, her eyes lowering slightly this time. "So has your Billy."

"He still has much to learn."

"And he will."

"He's such a bright, brave boy. Not unlike his mother and, I dare to venture," Inez said, using a term she had picked up from Ezra, "his father?"

"Yes." Mary smiled warmly, the smile for once making her eyes truly shine. "Stephen was an extraordinary man!"

"Tell me about him, por favor?" Inez asked softly, and she did.



The End