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Episode Summary: In a flashback sequence, John Cannon and brother Buck retrace their lives of years ago when lawman John captures Buck, who is wanted for bank robbery and murder. Written by Walter Black -- from HC homepage www.thehighchaparral.com
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Mano tiptoed down the dark hallway like a naughty little boy. He snickered quietly. He’d always been naughty but he was no longer a little boy. As Papa reminded him, he had no shame. //Like father, like son.//
He stopped outside Victoria and John’s bedroom. He had to press his ear to the door but he could hear them, John’s grunts and Victoria’s rapid Spanish. He covered his mouth. //You really are terrible. If they catch you, you’re a dead man.// He arched his eyebrows. //And it would be much deserved.//
He shrugged and continued on his way. He slipped into Buck’s room. He stopped short at the sight of Buck standing at the window, staring out at the darkness and turning John’s old badge over in his hands.
Mano closed the door. “I think one day soon you and I are going to be uncles again,” he announced brightly.
Buck didn’t turn from the view. “You shouldn’t be listenin’ at doors,” he answered absently. “I wouldn’t lift a finger to help if they caught ya.”
Mano grinned unrepentantly. “Just for a moment. Call it indulging in morbid curiosity.”
“You know what they say about curiosity,” Buck rumbled.
“Ah, but this cat has nine lives.” Mano joined Buck at the window and studied the pensive look on Buck’s face. “Besides, wouldn’t it be fun to have little ones running around, Uncle Buck?”
Buck gave a small smile but didn’t meet Mano’s eyes. “Yeah. I missed a lot of Blue growin’ up cause of the war. Me and John.” He closed his fist over the badge. “We wouldn’t miss anything this time.”
Mano closed his hand over Buck’s. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.
Buck sighed. “Just thinkin’.”
Mano patted Buck’s shoulder with his free hand. “Don’t strain yourself.”
Finally, Buck looked at Mano, the pensive look still on his face. “Do you think John lied to protect me all those years ago? Parsons was out cold. Did he really tell John that I had nothing to do with that robbery before he died?”
“I’ve never met a more honest man than John.”
“I know that.” Buck swallowed. “I’m not callin’ my own brother a liar. It was just convenient, that’s all.”
Mano smiled. “Look at it this way. If John did stretch the truth, he did it because--”
Buck rolled his eyes. “’Cause I’m his younger brother that can’t stay out of trouble.”
Mano held Buck’s gaze. He opened Buck’s palm and stroked the badge. “Because he believed you. You have his trust. Haven’t you realized that yet?”
A small smile slipped through as Buck shook his head. “The way we’ve gone at it sometimes over the years, I can forget. Ma said that we were like wild cats.”
“Blue said something to me once that might explain it.”
“What’s that?”
Mano cupped the side of Buck’s face. “That there’s so much feeling between the two of you and that neither of you can stand to show it.”
Buck tried to jerk his head away. “Aw,” he grunted at a loss for words.
Mano grabbed Buck to keep him still and kissed him. His tongue surged past Buck’s lips to sweep through his mouth. When he finally pulled away, he was satisfied with the dazed look on Buck’s face. “Now, can we stop this brooding?”
Buck swallowed and it took him a moment to find his voice. “Do you…uh…have something else in mind?”
Mano licked his lips. “Oh, yes, much more.”