“Damn, the kid’s heavy,” grunted AJ as he maneuvered up the porch steps, glancing back to see where he was going. He studiously ignored the body of Les that was sprawled a few feet away.
Howie rolled his eyes, shifting his hold under Nick’s arms, “Oh, shut up. You got the lighter end.”
“Maybe,” argued AJ, approaching the front door. He nodded thanks to Frederick as the old man opened it for him. “But I gotta walk backwards.”
“You don’t ‘gotta’ anything, AJ,” spat Howie, being careful of the doorway as they worked their way through. “I said I’d walk backwards, but you said you’d do it. No problem. Then the whole dang walk to the house I’ve had to listen to yer complainin’!”
“Well,” huffed AJ, “I got a bad back.”
“Since when?” Howie asked, looking around the room for a place to set Nick down.
“Since we started luggin’ Nick’s butt all over the damn countryside!” exclaimed AJ. He stared across at the healer, “Where’re we puttin’ him? My arms are killin’ me here.”
Frederick couldn’t help but smile at the banter, glancing at Aaron and Angel as they smiled slightly. It was obvious the two men were trying to make light of a situation that had them greatly worried, and that situation was young Nick’s health.
“There is a bedroom down the hall there,” he spoke, pointing the direction.
AJ cleared his throat, “I… don’t think that’s a good spot. Anythin’ else?”
Frederick frowned, noticing how the twins suddenly moved closer to him. “Uh… up the stairs there are several bedrooms.”
AJ sighed, “Great. Stairs. Oh, well. Let’s go, Howie.”
Howie gaped at the tracker, “What? You were complainin’ about carrying Nick all over the place and now you are willin’ to climb a flight of stairs when there’s a bedroom just down the hall? What’s wrong with the bedroom?”
AJ looked uncomfortable, glancing at the twins now clinging to Frederick’s legs, “Nick’s, um… father is in there, along with that last outlaw we tied up.”
“Huh?” blurted Howie.
AJ realized Howie, nor Kevin now that he thought of it, knew the identity of the contractor that had put the hit out on Nick. Aaron and Angel had collectively told him after identifying the man as their father.
“Nick’s father is the one that put the contract out on him. His name was Arlen Morgan and I shot him in that room where he was holdin’ Aaron and Angel hostage.” AJ bluntly told his friend, frowning.
First shock, then understanding filled Howie’s eyes. He gazed sadly down at Nick's flushed face, wincing at the frown of pain present even in unconsciousness. The blond haired head rested heavily against Howie's chest, slick with sweat and dampening his shirt where it pressed against him.
Howie let out a heavy sigh, “Up the stairs we go then.”
“Hey, Brian. Are you okay?”
Brian sighed, looking to the gunslinger walking beside him, “I’m fine.”
Kevin looked doubtful, “Ya look like crap.”
Brian frowned at that, slightly insulted. Although, he had to admit that he did feel rather unwell at the moment, and had the temperature dropped? He shivered. Brian raised a hand to cinch his coat tighter about his frame, wincing slightly as it pulled at his shoulder. His whole arm felt stiff and… odd. Shaking his head, he forced it aside. All he wanted to do right now was get back to the house so that he could check on his new friend.
“I’m fine,” Brian repeated, sparing the gunslinger a glance before returning his gaze forward. His pace quickened when the house appeared in his sight. They could travel faster now that they were out of the dense trees and Brian began to break into a run.
The reins in Brian’s hand suddenly went taunt, causing the gambler to stumble to a stop. He glared at the large white horse. It was the ninth time the equine had pulled up on him, nostrils flaring. The fact was, the two horses Kevin lead had also been acting agitated the entire trek.
Kevin stopped beside the gambler, his expression confused as he studied the animals, “Somethin’ is spookin’ them. Any ideas what?”
“No, and right now I don’t care. Howie needs his bag to help Nick,” spoke Brian, giving Ghost’s reins a firm tug as he resumed his quick jog out of the trees. Kevin spared Blaze and Mayhem one last glance before quickly following the gambler.
“Okay,” grunted Howie, settling Nick’s upper torso on the mattress. He pressed a hand to Nick’s forehead, still worried at the heat he felt. He spared a quick glance at the others in the room before returning his attention to Nick, “I need someone to boil water and I need lots of clean strips of cloth.”
Frederick nodded, then looked down at the twins as he laid his hands on their shoulders, “Children, why don’t you assist me in acquiring those items for Mr. Dorough.”
The twins looked unsure, not wanting to leave their brother, but they understood the unspoken request. Frederick didn’t want them to be around as Nick was tended to by Howie. The trio left the room in silence.
AJ bounced slightly on his feet, agitated. He frowned for a moment, then grasped the lapels of his long coat and shrugged it off his shoulders. He hung the coat over the bedpost before him, then stepped back to wait. Soon he was bouncing on his feet again. AJ suddenly noticed he was also wringing his hands together, so he stuffed them into his pants pockets. He watched Howie as he unbuttoned Nick’s shirt and pulled the garment open, freeing the festering wound to the dry air. AJ winced at the sight of it and caught his lip between his teeth in sympathy. He really needed something to do.
Howie looked across at his friend and smiled slightly at the man’s agitation. He shook his head slightly.
“AJ.”
AJ jumped and his eyes shot up from their study of Nick to Howie’s patient face, “Yeah?”
Howie nodded to Nick’s feet, “Pull his boots off, then come here and help me sit Nick up so I can get this vest and shirt off him.”
AJ quickly complied, removing Nick’s boots and setting them on the floor beside him. He walked up on the opposite side of the bed from Howie and gently grasped Nick’s shoulders, lifting the unconscious youth forward. He slipped one arm under Nick’s shirt and around his back to better support his hold as Howie pulled the shirt and vest from Nick’s frame. When Howie was done, AJ started to settle Nick back down, but Howie stopped him.
“Keep him up. I wanna check the exit wound.”
Nodding, AJ continued to hold Nick up. He couldn’t believe how hot the drifter felt, “How’s it look?”
Howie sighed, “A few stitches have been torn loose, but the wound is mostly together. It’s still healing pretty well. It’s in a much better state than the entry wound and it looks as though the infection is so far localized at his front. It’s in its early stages so keeping it under control will be much easier than I thought.” Howie straightened, “You can set him down now, AJ.”
Slowly, AJ eased Nick back down to the bed. He pulled his arm from beneath him and then laid his hand on Nick’s forehead for a moment before moving it to comb back the sweat soaked hair. Nick looked so pale against he white pillow, save for the rosy flush that colored his cheeks.
The tracker’s voice was soft when he spoke, “He feels awful hot, Howie.”
Howie looked up from his examination of the wound, his features confident as he locked eyes with his friend, “I’ll fix him.”
Nodding, AJ returned his gaze to Nick. He continued to smooth Nick’s hair back as the youth moaned slightly.
Brian’s brisk jog had quickly turned into a run as he neared the house, forcing the horse he toted to go from a trot to a canter. Kevin changed his pace in a similar fashion to keep up with the gambler. Brian stumbled to a stop at the porch, quickly wrapping Ghost’s reins around the railing. He turned to Kevin as his cousin stopped beside him and tied the two horses he lead to the railing. Before Kevin could even turn around to Howie’s horse, Mayhem, Brian was there and had snatched the medical bag.
“Brian!” Kevin called uselessly as Brian was already bounding up the porch steps and through the front door. Frowning, Kevin quickly followed.
Brian burst into the front room and quickly looked around, trying to find his friends.
“Mr. Littrell?” called a voice.
Brian looked up and saw Frederick halfway up the stairs with a steaming pot in his shaking hands and cloth strips folded over one arm. The old man stared down at Brian with a surprised look.
“Where’s Nick?” panted the gambler, oddly blunt and to the point.
“He’s in an upstairs bedroom. Misters Dorough and McLean are with him.”
Before Frederick could even finish that sentence, Brian was quickly up the stairs and past the old man. Frederick stared up at the gamblers back as he disappeared up the stairs. So lost in thought of what he just saw, Frederick was surprised at the deep voice that suddenly spoke so close to him.
“He’s awful worried about Nick,” explained Kevin, the gunslinger reaching out and taking the steaming pot and cloth from the butler. He started up the stairs after his cousin, “You just go look after those little ones, we’ll take care of Nick.”
Frederick glanced down the stairs and saw two young faces peeking worriedly around the banister. Face softening, Frederick smiled at his young charges, but then the smile quickly fled his face as he spun around to call after the dark gunslinger.
“He doesn’t look well.” Kevin paused on the stairs, his back still turned. Frederick quickly continued, “Your friend, the gambler, he looks pale. I think he's sick.”
Kevin’s head bowed a little, his reply soft and angry, “I know.”
Frederick frowned as the gunslinger continued up the steps and disappeared from view.
Both Howie and AJ jumped when Brian burst into the room. AJ even grabbed for his gun which wasn’t there. He scowled at the puffing gambler, “Damn it, Brian! Ya can’t just come charging in out of nowhere on me. One of these days I’ll end up shootin’ ya!”
Brian ignored him, heading straight for the bed and his friend. He didn’t take his eyes from Nick as he thrust the bag into Howie’s hands. He laid a trembling hand on Nick’s shoulder, speaking in a hurried voice, “Is he all right? I got here as fast as I could, Howie. I got your bag. Am I too late? Is he gonna be all right?”
The last question had Brian’s bright blue eyes staring into Howie’s shocked face. For a moment, Howie couldn’t speak. He didn’t know what shocked him more, Brian’s suddenly simple dialog or the extent of worry the young man felt for his new friend.
Howie stumbled a bit before finding his voice, “He’s gonna be right fine, Brian. He’s got a bit of an infection and a fever, but I’m sure he’ll get through it fine.”
Brian looked back down at Nick’s flushed face, still worried, “You’re sure?”
AJ stepped up to the gambler, “He’ll be fine, cowboy. Trust Howie on this one. He’ll be all better and back to drivin’ you crazy in no time.”
AJ finished his words with a gentle squeeze to Brian’s shoulder. He was stunned when the gambler gasped and crumbled down to his knees, leaning against Nick’s bed and grasping his arm. Brian’s face lost what color that was left in it at the sudden pain.
“Christ!” AJ gasped, hitting his knees beside his panting friend. “Your shoulder. God, I forgot Brian. I’m sorry.”
“Damn it, Brian!” Yelled a dark, angry voice.
The three looked to the doorway at a furious Kevin, who was staring coldly down at Brian. The gunslinger set the pot and cloth on the small table by the door and then stalked toward his cousin.
“I knew you were hidin' something,” he ground out, shoving AJ out of the way as he reached for Brian.
Through watery eyes pinched from the pain, Brian watched Kevin come toward him and couldn’t help shrinking back. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip to keep from crying out as Kevin roughly pulled his jacket off. Brian felt the heavy material slip from his arms and back as the world seemed to spin around him, but was caught off guard at the silence that came after.
“God-damn it, Brian,” Kevin toned softly after the pause, his green eyes shocked as he took in the sight.
“Jesus, Bri’,” breathed AJ, shaking his head.
Brian furrowed his brow and forced his eyes open, looking first at the downcast face of his cousin and the coat he held in his hands as he stood over him. He then looked down at his arm and slowly blinked in a lethargic shock. His entire arm was red with blood, the white material forever stained. Some was rusty and stiff, dry. More of it was pliable and wet, fresh.
“I…” panted Brian, finding it hard to speak as the room spun faster and seemed to dim. “I didn’t… Kev?”
“Brian!” Kevin cried out, dropping to his knees and catching the gambler as his eyes closed and he slumped toward the floor. He looked down at Brian’s unconscious face, his green eyes filled with fear and tinged with tears. He looked up, “Howie?”
A scowl on his face, but worry in his eyes nonetheless, Howie shook his head. “You all are jus’ bound and determined to give me trouble, aren’t ya?”
AJ sat on the couch, his chin resting on his hands as his dark eyes followed the man before him. Back and forth, back and forth with the heel toe footstep echoing on the hard wood floor. He shook his head and leaned back against the couch.
''Kevin, pacin’ around wearing a path inta the floor ain’t goin’ta make time pass any faster, or make what happened not happen.”
Kevin stopped, spared AJ an intense glare and then resumed his pacing.
AJ threw his hands up in frustration, looking at the ceiling with a mutter, “Like talkin’ to a damn wall.”
They were down on the first floor because Howie had literally thrown them out of the room. After AJ and Kevin had drug a bed from an adjacent room into Nick’s room, they had quickly gotten Brian situated on it, but then they had pretty much been in Howie’s way as he worked on cleaning his patients' wounds. While he was trying to do that he was also answering their worried questions over and over. It finally got to the point where Howie shoved them out of the room and slammed the door.
Kevin would have shot the door off of its hinges if AJ hadn't stopped him, snatching the gunslinger's weapon from his hand. The bounty hunter had earned a right hook to the face for the act, but Kevin stopped his attempts to get back into Brian and Nick's room.
AJ lifted a hand to his face, gingerly rubbing his bruised jaw. He opened his mouth and worked his jaw from side to side, reasuring himself that it was indeed not broken. It still hurt like hell, though. He winced, then scowled as the footsteps continued to echo in the room. He'd had enough.
“God-damn it, Kevin!" shouted AJ, jumping to his feet and stepping into Kevin's path. He shoved a finger into Kevin's chest, "Knock it off and sit yer ass down! Yer drivin' me crazy."
For a moment, time seemed to stop as the two men glared at each other. Kevin’s hand twitched at his holster. AJ sensed the movement, but didn’t waver his gaze. He wasn’t going to let Kevin push him around.
Kevin’s eyes narrowed, his face darkening. He felt all of the emotions swirling around inside him converge, anger suddenly becoming dominant.
“Get out of my way, McLean,” he ground out in a low voice.
“No,” AJ returned in an equally low voice.
Kevin’s eyes sparked in rage and he raised a hand to shove the man in front of him out of the way, but froze at the sound that came from behind him.
“Eh-hem,” Frederick cleared his throat nervously, swallowing thickly as the to men shifted their glares to him. He gestured to the tray in his hands, “Hungry?”
Kevin looked down at the tray and then back up at the old man that smiled nervously. He gave his head a single shake.
“No.”
With that, Kevin shoved AJ roughly out of his way and strode out of the room and onto the porch, the door slamming shut behind him.
AJ fought to keep his feet after the violent shove, his dark eyes glaring after the gunslinger. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. He didn’t need this shit. AJ looked at where Frederick still stood awkwardly holding the tray.
“I’ll take care of it,” AJ spoke, walking toward the butler and taking the tray.
“Thank you,” replied Frederick, still nervous. “He is quite an angry man, isn’t he?”
“Yeah,” guffawed AJ, his smile dark. “Quite.”
Frederick watched the tracker with a confused expression as he disappeared out the front door.
Kevin didn’t move from his spot at the railing as AJ stepped onto the porch, tray in hand. Kevin could smell the food and scowled. No one listened to him in this little group they had formed.
“I said I wasn’t hungry,” growled Kevin, his back to AJ. “And I thought my exit was enough to say that I want to be alone.”
“Yeah, well,” shrugged AJ slightly, “You haven’t eaten for over a day, so tough. You need this. And yer not gonna get rid of me so easily.”
Kevin didn’t reply, just crossed his arms over his chest.
AJ frowned, looking down at the tray he held and the cups of soup on it. Dang, if it didn’t smell good. There was another odor, though, that was stomach turning and just lingering in the air. AJ spared a glance to the dead outlaw on the far edge of the porch, buried beneath wood and debris from his fall from the second story window.
He grimaced, stepping up beside Kevin, “Ya know, we ought to do something about the bodies. They’re stinkin’ up the place.”
Kevin spared him a glance, “Later.”
AJ gave a single nod, then grabbed one of the steaming cups and held it before the gunslinger, “Take it or when I let go of it, it’s fallin’ to the porch and turnin’ into somethin’ else we gotta clean up.”
Giving AJ a glare, Kevin took the cup; secretly relishing the warmth it lent his hands. He raised it to his lips and sipped, the warm soup hitting his empty stomach. He didn’t realize he was starving until that moment.
“Told ya,” smirked AJ, watching as Kevin quickly made the cup of soup disappear. He downed his own cup nearly as fast.
Kevin sighed, then set the empty cup back onto the tray AJ still held. His voice was reluctant and soft when he spoke.
“Thanks.”
“No problem,” AJ replied, setting the tray on the railing before them. “Now, mind tellin’ me what crawled up yer butt and died?”
Kevin was silent for a moment, then he spun away from AJ and walked to the far end of the porch.
“I just can’t do this,” came Kevin’s voice, surprising AJ at the emotion he heard in it.
“Do what?” asked AJ, confused.
Kevin turned to face AJ, throwing his arms out, “This! Everything! …I can’t go through it again.”
“Damn it,” cursed AJ, crossing his arms and leaning back against the railing. “Talk straight, Kevin. Yer not makin’ any sense.”
Kevin ripped his hat off and raked a hand through his hair, “I’m talkin’ about Brian, about Nick. Damn it. I told Brian I’d try, but I don’t… I just can’t do it again.”
“I’m gonna need more to go on ‘sides that, cowboy,” AJ toned softly.
Kevin’s hand clenched around the brim of his dark hat and his black hair fell in his eyes as he shook his head, “AJ, it’s just that… There’s a reason why I’ve rode alone for so long.”
“And that reason is?” prodded AJ.
Kevin’s shoulders slumped slightly and his hat fell from his hand to the porch floor. He stepped to the railing and placed his hands on its splintered surface, leaning heavily on its support. His head hung low as he answered the tracker.
“I can’t lose anyone else. I won’t be able to handle it, not again. It almost killed me the first time,” Kevin raised his head and stared at AJ, who’s eyes widened at the tears he could see in the green gaze. “Just look at what it turned me into, AJ. I’m a cold-blooded killer with no reason to live. I should have died that day. It would have saved a lot of folks if I had.”
AJ didn’t know what to say, “Kevin-“
“So I just can’t go through it again, AJ. It’ll either kill me or turn me into something even worse than what I already am.”
Kevin let his head hang low again, gripping the railing tighter as he felt his hands tremble. He was falling apart and he hated it.
AJ stared at the gunslinger, shocked at the man’s words and utterly stunned at the confession. He knew that he was the only person that Kevin had ever told this to, and he felt the weight that it carried fall heavily onto his shoulders.
“Kevin, I-“
“No,” Kevin interrupted, shoving away from the railing. He bent down and grabbed his hat, roughly putting it back on and approaching the tracker. He stared down at the younger man. Gone were the tears and pain, wiped away leaving only an angry resignation.
“When this is over, I’m gone,” toned Kevin, holding AJ’s gaze. “Alone.”
AJ blinked, shaking his head, “Kevin, you can’t just-“
AJ suddenly broke off, cocking his head to the side. Kevin narrowed his eyes.
“What?”
“Shh…” shushed AJ, lifting a hand. They were silent for a few seconds before AJ met the gunslinger's gaze.
“Riders coming.”
