Ezra sat in the chair beside the bed where Chris Larabee was tossing in the throes of a fever-induced nightmare. Rose Cross continued to try and bring down the fever, but as quickly as the cloth was placed on his forehead it seemed to dry out.

 

“No…no…Ella, …damn you!”

 

“Who is Ella?” Rose asked as she tried to calm the injured man.

 

“She is a despicable woman with a heart of ice. She is responsible for the death of his wife and son.”

 

“My God, that’s awful. How long ago?”

 

“I believe it will soon be five years and he has never forgotten.”

 

“Is she in prison?”

 

“One can only hope, but alas I fear she is out there just waiting for the right time to attack this man’s soul once more.”

 

“You seem to care a lot about him.”

 

“He is a good man and a strong judge of character,” Standish explained.

 

“Yours?”

 

“Yes, and many others. Chris saw something in me I didn’t even know existed and for that I owe him more than just thank you.”

 

“It seems to me you’ve done a lot for him,” Rose countered.

 

“Nothing any of the others wouldn’t have done.”

 

“How many are in this group of peacekeepers,” the woman asked as she placed another cloth on Larabee’s forehead.

 

“Counting Chris and myself there are seven.”

 

“Seven…seven peacekeepers…Four Corners? Wait a minute, are you the group they are calling The Magnificent Seven?”

 

“That moniker has been attached to us,” Standish said, pride evident in his voice.

 

“I read about you in a dime store novel my husband bought. He’s always had a love of reading and has an autographed copy of Jock Steele’s story.”

 

“Jock Steel had a tendency to embellish the facts, Mrs. Cross.”

 

“That’s something most writers need to succeed.” She stood up and hurried to the window. “I believe Dr. O’Neil has arrived. Stay with your friend and I’ll bring her up.”

 

Ezra nodded and took the woman’s place and began bathing the sweat soaked face once more. “Well, Chris, the doctor is here and hopefully she…she’ll be able to get the bullet out and you’ll be as good as new in no time.”

 

“Ez…”

 

“I thought you were sleeping.”

 

“N…not really, … mostly dreaming…fire…so hot.”

 

“Yes, well, that’s not from any fire, My Friend. You have a mean fever right now, but the doctor is here now and will help you.”

 

“O…okay…w…where are w…we?”

 

“I’m not exactly sure, but it seems we rode west and away from the mountains.”

 

“What about the m…men c…chasing us?’

 

“I don’t know. They haven’t showed up.”

 

“B…better w…warn  t…these people.”

 

“I will…”

 

“Excuse me, but would you kindly move out of the way so I can examine my patient,” a distinctly female voice sounded from just inside the doorway and Ezra turned around not at all surprised to see a pretty woman enter the room with Rose Cross.

 

“Certainly, Mrs.…”

 

“Jennifer O’Neil. Dr. Jennifer O’Neil,” the woman said and quickly took the chair beside Larabee’s bed.

 

“Y…you’re a…”

 

“Doctor, yes that’s right Mr….”

 

“L…Larabee. Chris,” the blond rasped through his dry throat.

 

“Yes, well, Chris, I do hope you are not prejudiced against female physicians because it looks like you need help immediately.”

 

“N…no…not prejudiced,” Larabee countered and stared into the woman’s soft brown eyes.

 

“Good, now Rose tells me you have a bullet in your back. Can you move your legs?”

 

“T…think so,” the blond said as he shifted on the bed and moaned softly.

 

“I bet. Okay, here’s what I need to do. Rose, you and this gentleman bring me some more water and linens. I need my instruments put in hot water before I can do anything about his back.”

 

“Come on, Mr. Standish,” the Cross woman ordered and drew the man away from the bed.

 

“Now, Chris, your friend is gone and it’s just me and you. How’s the pain right now?”

 

“I…it’s o…”

 

“Not acceptable. I want the truth,” O’Neil ordered and watched Larabee’s face contort in pain.

 

“H…hurts…b…bad,” the blond answered honestly.

 

“That’s what I thought. I’m going to check you over rather thoroughly and I don’t want you too uncomfortable so I am going to give you a shot of morphine. Have you had morphine before?”

 

“O…once or t…twice,” Chris answered.

 

“Were you addicted?”

 

“No…don’t think s…so.”

 

“Very good,” O’Neil said as she opened her bag and pulled out a vial and syringe.

 

Chris watched her as she drew the liquid into the syringe. When she was done she wrapped a piece of material around his arm just above the elbow. Several times she patted his arm and then lifted the needle and put the tip against his skin.

 

“This may hurt a little,” the physician said as she expertly inserted the needle and slowly injected the medication. When she finished she withdrew the needle and placed it on the table. “Now that should help ease the pain some, but I’m afraid that’s about all I can give you until I finish my examination.”

 

“T…thanks, Doc…h…helping a…already,” the blond answered.

 

“Good, I guess we’ll start with your arm,” she said and slowly prodded the limb. She found the break and looked at him sympathetically. “I’m going to need to set this and immobilize it.”

 

“O…okay,” Larabee mumbled as the morphine began to affect his voice. His eyelids were growing heavy and he fought to keep them open.

 

“The morphine is going to make you sleepy, Chris, so just relax and give into it,” O’Neil ordered.

 

“Hmm,” the gunman mumbled. He heard several voices talking at once and forced his eyes open once more in time to see Ezra and Rose Cross return. His mouth was dry and he was grateful for the medication when the physician set his arm. He gasped for air and struggled with his dwindling senses as nauseous bile rose in his throat once more. The doctor’s quick hands saved them from having to clean the bed as she placed a basin underneath his mouth.

 

“It’s done, Chris, your arm is set,” O’Neil explained.

 

“T…thanks…”

 

“You’re welcome,” she said as she quickly bound his arm to his chest. “All right, Mr. Standish, do you mind if we use first names since I’m going to be using you a lot over the next few hours.”

 

“That would be acceptable, Dr. O’Neil.”

 

“Good, now what I want is to get him over on his stomach. I need to get a look at the wound.”

 

“Certainly, Doctor,” Standish said and moved to the opposite side of the bed.

 

“Chris, we’re going to turn you onto your stomach,” the physician explained as she watched the eyes move behind closed lids.

 

“O…okay.” Chris braced himself for the move, but cried out as they shifted him carefully and soon had him on his stomach. He felt tears in his eyes, but refused to let them fall as the woman’s hands eased the bandaging from the wound. Her touch was gentle, but skilled as she prodded the area around the bullet wound.

 

Ezra winced sympathetically as he looked at the ravaged skin around the puckered bullet hole in his friend’s back. He knew the wound was infected and would need to be purged of the putrid fluid inside.

 

“Rose, are my instruments ready?”

 

“Yes, Jenny, what would you like me to do?”

 

“Well, first we need to make sure Chris can’t move.”

 

“He’s nearly unconscious now, Doctor,” Standish explained as Larabee’s breathing seemed a little less harsh.

 

“That may very well be, but I assure you when I start digging in there for the bullet he won’t lie still for it. I need his arms and legs restrained. Rose, do you have anything we can use?”

 

“Certainly, Jenny, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

 

“Chris, can you hear me?”

 

“Hmm,” Larabee murmured.

 

“I don’t want to frighten you, but we’re going to have to tie you down until I get the bullet out. There’s no way you’ll be able to lay still while I do this. Understand?”

 

“Y…yeah, I t…think so. Damn t…tired, Doc.”

 

“I know you are and as soon as we finish this I’m going to let you sleep while I check your other wounds. Okay?”

 

“O…okay,” the blond agreed and soon felt his arms and legs being lifted. He knew what they were doing and still he wanted to fight, but there was just no strength left for him to call on.

 

“Just breathe slowly, Chris,” the physician advised as she gently touched the trembling man’s shoulder as Rose Cross returned.

 

“O…okay…damn…s…sorry.”

 

“No need to apologize, I’ve heard a lot worse than that. Rose, you and Ezra tie his feet to the end of the bed!” She knew this was going to make her patient even more uncomfortable, but again it was necessary to ensure he remained still. By the time they had the man secured she could tell he was drifting towards sleep once more.

 

“Jenny, is there anything else I can get you?”

 

“No, I think we’re ready to begin. Ezra, I want you on that side of the bed. If Chris wakes up I want you to talk to him.”

 

“Yes, Dr. O’Neil,” Standish answered and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

 

O’Neil gently pried the bandaging away from the injury revealing the raw wound produced by the bullet. No matter how often she removed a bullet from a man’s body it sickened her to see the damage it caused.

 

“Jenny, I have fresh water here,” Rose said.

 

“Thanks, Rose, would you pour some carbolic in it for me?” She watched as her friend did as she told her and reached for a cloth to clean the area. Even in his semi-conscious state her patient flinched away from the burning caused by the cloth against his skin. She heard Standish talking to the injured man, but didn’t really know what he was saying as she reached for the scalpel. She nodded to the man across the bed before placing a hand on Larabee’s lower back and placing the sharp instrument against his wound.

 

Chris languished in a soft place as the morphine eased the pain and set him adrift from the world around him. He heard Standish’s voice as if from a distance and smiled at the thought of the talkative man’s use of five-dollar words. His eyes were closed and he felt someone touch his back just before a white-hot shard of pain erupted in his lower back. He cried out and gritted his teeth as his hand clenched tightly to the sheet underneath him. He had no idea who or what was digging into his back and all he wanted was to escape the twisting spike in his back.

 

“Godddddd!” he groaned as the instrument continued burrowing under his skin.

 

“Easy, Chris,” Standish said and reached for the blond’s trembling hand. He felt Larabee clamp onto his fingers and knew from the powerful grip just how much pain his friend was in.

 

“Almost there!” O’Neil ground out as she pushed the instrument deeper into the wound.  “Got it! Damn, hold on, Chris!”

 

“S…stop…” Larabee hissed as the torture continued and he wished, not for the first time, for the blessed relief of unconsciousness. He cried out as he felt the physician continue her assault on his back and again tried to move away, but to no avail.

 

“Got it!” O’Neil said as the smashed piece of metal was removed from the wound. She quickly grabbed for a cloth and began cleaning the red-rimmed lesion. “Ezra, keep pressure on this!”

 

“Yes, Doctor,” Standish said, as sweat covered his forehead. He held the cloth to the wound as his eyes met those of the injured man. “It’s out, Chris, you can rest now.”

 

“O…okay,” the blond said and tried to regain control of his breathing. Each intake of breath sent jagged shards through his chest and he wished they would turn him so he could breathe without so much pain.

 

“Doctor, he seems to be having trouble breathing!” the gambler explained as the woman readied to stitch the cleaned wound closed.

 

“Chris, just a few minutes more and we’ll make you more comfortable. I just need to make sure this has stopped bleeding and won’t open up on you! Understand?”

 

“Y…yeah…h…hard t…to breathe.”

 

“I know, just a few minutes more.”

 

“O…okay,” the blond said as he felt the material removed from his back once more. He clamped onto Ezra’s hand as he struggled against the swift current of agony raging through his back. “God!”

 

“Hurry, Dr. O’Neil, he can’t take much more!” Standish explained as he watched Larabee closely. The blond’s face was covered in tiny beads of sweat, his hair soaked and stuck to his forehead, his eyes and mouth tightly clenched against the pain she was causing. He knew the woman was doing everything she could to ensure Larabee’s survival, but right now all he could see was the agony written across the handsome features.

 

“Not much longer, Chris,” O’Neil soothed, as she continued to close the wound. She knew Standish was afraid for his friend, but she had to finish this now, or chance a major infection on top of everything else.

 

Chris remained as still as he could until at last he heard the woman say she was finished. His breathing continued to be a problem as they removed the restraints and eased him onto his left side. Several pillows were placed in front of him so his body would remain in the position O’Neil wanted him in. Once the movement stopped and the doctor offered him some water he felt the morphine kick in once more and he gave in to the respite offered by unconsciousness.

 

“T…thanks,” he mumbled just before blacking out.

 

O’Neil breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the injured man. She knew this was only the beginning and that her patient was looking at a long recuperation period. There was still the possibility of damage to his spine and she would have to watch him closely for other complications as well.

 

“Doctor, he is going to be all right now isn’t he?”

 

“Ezra, I’m not the type to hold back a punch and I won’t do that now. He’s going to have to fight hard to get past all of this. The broken ribs are already affecting his breathing and that can complicate things, bring on pneumonia and that would be extremely dangerous in Chris’ condition. We’re going to need to keep on top of everything in order to keep him alive.”

 

“I’ll do whatever I need to,” Standish assured him.

 

“Good, because right now he needs you to get some rest! He’s probably going to sleep for some time now and will need you more when he’s awake. Rose, do you have a room where he can get some sleep?”

 

“Of course. Follow me, Mr. Standish.”

 

“I…”

 

“You’ll go with her!” the physician ordered and watched as the man reluctantly stood up. She could see he really didn’t want to go, but right now she didn’t need two patients. “I’ll come get you if he asks for you.”

 

“Thank you,” Standish said and turned to leave.

 

O’Neil pulled the blanket over her patient and sat back rubbing her eyes. She’d treated many people, men, women, and children since coming to the town of Swift Creek, but none had been so badly injured as this man. She reached down and gently touched his forehead and wondered at the innocent look that came with deep sleep. She knew by the scars she’d seen on his body that this man had lived a hard life. She reached for the cloth and painstakingly washed the perspiration from the man’s face and neck. She knew the fever was only the beginning of the problems facing her patient and silently vowed to do everything in her power to help him heal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose Cross heard the sound of horses and hurried to the front door. She opened it and smiled as she hurried into the yard to meet her husband.

 

“Are you all right?”

 

“I’m fine, Billy. Thanks for bringing him home, Dave!”

 

“You’re welcome, Ma’am. Billy, let me know if you need me!”

 

“I will.” Billy assured him before turning to his wife. “Honey, Dave told me two men rode in.”

 

“Yes, they rode in and one of them was hurt…bad. I sent for Jenny and she’s up there with him now. Someone shot him…”

 

“Rose, you shouldn’t have taken such a chance.”

 

“You know I couldn’t turn them away, Billy.” She smiled as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

 

“Yeah, my beautiful Irish Rose, you couldn’t turn away a rabid wolf if you thought you could help it. How is your patient doing?”

 

“He’s in bad shape,” Rose explained as they walked arm in arm towards the house. “Ryan and Chet came back around supper time.”

 

“Did they find Andy?” He asked as they stopped in the doorway.

 

“No, and he hadn’t been to the bank.”

 

“Damn it! What have I got to do to get that boy in hand?”

 

“You’ve got to stop thinking of him as a boy, Billy. He’s a man and he makes his own choices, good or bad.”

 

“Yeah, I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I’ve decided to tell him to go find his own place. I can’t keep going like this and expect to keep the ranch.”

 

“I know how hard this is for you, Billy, but maybe it’s just what Andy needs to wise up and make a man of himself.” She held him close and smiled as she caught the rough scent that spoke of the trail and hard work. Her husband worked hard to keep the ranch running and she knew how disappointed he was in his brother’s actions. They entered the house and headed towards the kitchen, but Billy pulled her to a stop.

 

“Is Dr. O’Neil still here?”

 

“Yes, she’s with Chris Larabee…”

 

“Larabee?”

 

“Yes, he’s a peacekeeper from Four Corners. Do you know him?”

 

“I know he’s got a reputation as a fast gun, but I also heard him and his bunch are doing good things for that town. I know they had a run in with Guy Royal and Stuart James and came out on top. Anyone who does that is okay by me.”

 

“I’m glad…come on and I’ll get your supper.”

 

“Not yet. I want to see our guests first,” Billy explained as they headed for the stairs. They walked side by side and entered the room in time to see the physician placing her stethoscope against the injured man’s chest. Neither spoke until the doctor removed the item and smiled at them.

 

“How is he doing, Jenny?” Rose asked.

 

“Right now I’d have to say he’s doing a little better than I expected at this point, although he is beginning to get a fever.”

 

“From the bullet wound?” Billy asked.

 

“I’d say it’s a combination of everything and we’re going to have a lot of work to keep it from going too high. Rose is there any coffee?”

 

“Certainly, Jenny, I’ll be right back.”

 

“How bad off is he?” Cross asked.

 

“His right arm is broken along with several ribs, not to mention the bullet wound to the back. He’s got several deep lacerations that I’ve taken care of and is probably suffering from the effects of a concussion.”

 

“Can he be moved?”

 

“No…not right now. Any movement could lead to him being paralyzed or worse it would probably kill him. You weren’t really planning on having us move him were you?”

 

“No, you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt him,” Billy assured her. “Are you gonna be able to stay until he’s better?”

 

“It depends on whether someone else needs me. Right now he’s the only patient who needs constant care and I told Emmett where he could find me.” 

 

“If you need anything just let me know,” Cross told her

 

“I will, Billy, and I’m sorry about your brother.”

 

“Me too. Think maybe I’ll go see what Rose has cooking. If you need me to, I can sit with Larabee while you get some rest.”

 

“Thank you, I just might take you up on that.” Jennifer O’Neil watched as the man left the room. Billy Cross was a good man and she knew how much he was putting into the ranch. She turned back to her patient as she thought about her feelings for the man and how she would never act on them. She knew she’d lost Billy Cross once he met Rose and at first she resented the beautiful Irish woman who’d taken something from her, but they’d become friends since that first meeting. She begrudged her nothing, in fact she was doing everything she could to help them start a family. Returning her attention to the blond she began washing him once more and realized how easily she could fall for someone like him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jacob moved on the cold ground and cried out as he tried to sit up. Pain slammed into his chest and he looked down, but could see nothing in the darkness. His hand slowly came up to touch the darkening stain that spread over his shirt and jacket and he closed his eyes as his stomach churned and the world around him spun in ever increasing circles. He knew he’d been shot and he knew it was Andrew Cross who shot him, but at first he could not remember why. He turned his head to the right and opened his eyes. There was no doubt that Hank was dead evidenced by the hole between his eyes and the sightless orbs that stared at him.

 

“B…bastard!” he cursed and tried once more to sit up. He struggled for several long moments before darkness won out once more and he surrendered to the painless world of unconsciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andy rode steadily towards the ranch he called home, but was in no hurry to get there. He needed to come up with a plan before he confronted Billy, but he wasn’t sure his brother would believe him. He knew if the older man didn’t believe him he would have to kill both him and Rose and anyone else who got in his way. Standish and Larabee were probably already there and had told their story. He would have to make sure his story was more believable. The more he thought about it, the more his plan gained momentum. All he had to do was make sure Billy had reason to believe him, and there was one thing that he could do to make sure his brother felt some sympathy towards him.

 

Andy quickly dismounted and tied his horse to a small tree branch. He lifted his gun from his holster and walked a short distance away from the animal. Taking a deep breath he cocked the pistol and placed it against his left side. All he wanted to do was make a wound that looked believable, but wasn’t serious and he closed his eyes as he eased back on the trigger. The sound of the shot echoed around him and he flew backwards with the force of the blow.

 

“Sonofabitch!” he cried and remained still as pain washed over him. He remained where he was for several long moments as he pressed against the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. Finally able to lift his head he looked down at his hands, shocked and afraid by the amount of blood he saw there.

 

“Fuck’n’ stupid!” Andy cursed his luck as he realized he’d been mistaken in his ability to keep the wound shallow. The bullet had gone through, but it was deeper than he thought and he cried out as he struggled to his feet. Swaying dizzily, Andy staggered to his horse and tried to mount him, but the smell of blood made the animal skittish and it moved away from the injured man.

 

“Stupid fuck’n’ animal…put a b…bullet in ya if ya don’t stay still!” He grabbed for the reins once more, but his vision blurred and he missed as he sank to his knees. The fall jarred his side and he knew he was losing consciousness as he fought back from the darkening abyss.

 

“Gotta fuck’n’ get home…kill t…that bastard!” Again he reached for the reins, but his hand found empty air and he slumped the rest of the way to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra woke to the sun shining in his eyes and he turned away from the blinding light. He shifted on the bed and licked at dry lips before his eyes snapped open and he sat up on the edge of the mattress. Memories came crashing down on him as he looked around the room and reached for his clothing. He pulled on his pants, shirt and boots and hurried out of the room. He knew which room housed his friend and he headed directly towards it as voices from below reached his ears. Ezra ignored them and hurried into the room where he found the physician talking in soothing tones to her patient.

 

“How is he?” Standish asked as the woman turned towards him.

 

“He’s running a very high fever right now and I’m trying to get him to focus on me. Talk to him, Ezra or I’m going to have to resort to restraints once more.”

 

“You can’t tie him down!”

 

“I won’t have a choice if he doesn’t lie still. I can’t chance him opening that wound or driving a rib into his lung. Talk to him, make him hear you!”

 

Ezra nodded and took the chair O’Neil vacated. Larabee’s eyes were open, but unfocused and a soft mewling sound escaped his throat. “Chris, it’s me…Ezra. I need you to listen to me. You’re okay. Dr. O’Neil is taking care of you and she doesn’t want to have to tie you down. Come on, Chris, look at me!”

 

“E…Ezra…y…you o…okay?” Larabee’s weak voice was music to the conman’s ears. The green eyes were fever bright and remained unfocused, testament to how badly the gunman felt. He clenched his hands in the pillow someone had placed in front of him and tried to control his breathing as Standish stared at him.

 

“I’m perfectly fine, Chris. It’s you we’re worried about. How do you feel?”

 

“P…probably as bad a…as I l…look. N…need to g…get up!”

 

“Why?”

 

“B…back hurts…n…no…burns. B…back burns.”

 

“That’s normal, Chris. It’s actually a good sign,” O’Neil told him.

 

“N…not t…to me!” Larabee groaned and tried to get comfortable

 

“Can’t you give him something?” Standish asked worriedly as Larabee’s eyes clenched tightly.

 

“Chris, I’m going to give you a shot of morphine, but first I need you to do something for me,” O’Neil said and replaced the conman on the chair once more.

 

“W…what?”

 

“I need you to move your legs for me. Can you do that?”

 

“T…try…”

 

“That’s all I ask. Try your right one first.”

 

“O…okay,” the blond mumbled and concentrated on moving his leg. Sweat beaded on his brow as he put what little energy he had into accomplishing a feat he’d been doing all his life. Finally, as if something had suddenly kicked in his leg moved slightly and he lay gasping for breath.

 

“Well done, Chris, now what about the other one?” O’Neil asked and watched for several agonizing seconds as nothing happened.

 

“D…damn…can’t…”

 

“Try a little harder!” the physician ordered and was rewarded when Larabee’s leg moved slightly. “Very good.”

 

“H…how come…takes s…so long?”

 

“Well, Chris, it probably has to do with my taking a bullet out of your back yesterday. Right now there’s a lot of swelling and it’s affecting your spine, but I don’t think there’ll be any long-term effects as long as you do as you’re told. Now, I’m going to give you a shot of morphine, but first I want you to drink a little water, tea, and broth for me. Okay?”

 

“O…okay…tired.”

 

“I know you are. Ezra, would you ask Rose to send up a tray for Chris?”

 

“Certainly,” Standish said and hurried from the room.

 

“Doc?”

 

“Yes, Chris.”

 

“W…will I be able to w…walk a…again?”

 

“Oh, I think so, but again it depends on you doing everything I say even if you don’t feel like it!”

 

“Sound l…like Nathan.”

 

“Is he a friend?”

 

“More t…than a f…friend. M…might not h…have p…papers, but n…never m...met a finer doctor!”

 

“Does he live in Four Corners?” O’Neil asked as she readied a dose of the narcotic.

 

“Y…yeah…t…takes c…care of u…us!”

 

“From the looks of the scars you certainly need someone to take care of you. I saw several gunshot wounds and maybe a knife or two as well!”

 

“C…comes with the t…territory,” Larabee explained as Standish returned with Rose Cross.

 

“Thank you, Rose.”

 

“You’re welcome, Jenny. As soon as you’re done breakfast is ready.”

 

“Thank you,” the physician said and began feeding Larabee the liquids. By the time she finished she could tell he was in need of the morphine and she quickly readied a spot on his left arm.

 

Chris winced as the sharp tip entered his arm and the medication was injected into his vein. It wasn’t long before the agony that had raced through his mind and body faded and he surrendered to the sleep brought on by the drug.

 

“Jenny, you and Mr. Standish can go eat. I’ll sit with Mr. Larabee until you get back. Billy is in the kitchen waiting for both of you!”

 

“Rose, I don’t know how you do it,” O’Neil said, smiling at the other woman as she gestured for Standish to leave the room with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andrew Cross opened his eyes to the bright sunshine coming through the trees and stabbing at his eyes. He couldn’t remember why he hurt so much or why he was lying on the ground with his blood seeping from his body. Wincing, he tried to sit up, but was brought up short by the twisting knifelike pain in his left side. Andy waited for his breathing to even out and once more set his mind on the goal he’d set for himself. He had no idea how long he lay there, but he was finally able to sit up and take stock of his own situation.

 

He looked towards his right as the sound of his horse munching grass met his ears and he knew he had to get into the saddle before he died of the self inflicted wound. Cursing his luck, Andy fought to get on his feet and breathed through clenched teeth as he finally made it. The landscape took on a decidedly skewed appearance and he staggered towards his horse, only to have the skittish animal shy away from the scent of blood.

 

Andy reached for the reins with his right hand and tugged the horse towards him. “Stupid fuck’n critter. Put a bullet in that little brain if’n ya don’t stay put. Gotta get home ‘fore I bleed out!”

 

Reaching the animal, Andy released his hold on his injured side and grabbed hold of the saddle horn. Grunting in pain he lifted his foot and placed it in the stirrup and made it into the saddle where he clung precariously to the reins in an effort to stay in the saddle. Turning the animal towards the ranch he desperately held onto the saddle.

 

“Damn fine job…ain’t no way Billy’ll believe I did this ta myself,” he whispered as the horse made the first step towards home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jacob knew what he had to do and if it was the last thing he ever did he would see Andy Cross hang for murder. He’d managed to get the wound to stop bleeding, but the pain continued to keep him from climbing to his feet. He’d crawled several hundred yards before spiraling blackness threatened to send him back into the hellish nightmares he’d been having. There was little doubt that he was going to die, but he would not let that happen until he exacted his revenge on his one time friend. Without realizing he’d managed the task, he soon found himself standing against a tall evergreen. Sucking in air he kept the blackness at bay and forced one foot in front of the other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra looked over at the sleeping gunman and watched as the blond slowly opened his eyes. He smiled as Larabee focused on him in spite of the raging fever.

 

“Ez…”

 

“Right here,” Standish told him. “Can I interest you in some water?”

 

“Y…yeah, t…thirsty,” Larabee mumbled painfully and was grateful when a glass of cool liquid was placed before his mouth. He drank slowly, relishing the moisture as it trailed down the back of his throat. He nodded as the glass was taken away and closed his eyes as his stomach churned.

 

“Easy, Chris,” Standish said as Larabee’s face twisted with the onset of pain. He looked around to see if the doctor was there, but found he was alone with his injured friend.

 

“N…need to get u…up.”

 

“No, Chris, not right now,” the gambler ordered as he pressed the gunman back to the bed.

 

“B…back h…hurts…”

 

“Understandable, considering you recently underwent surgery to extract a foreign body from your back,” Standish blustered.

 

“Feels l…like still i…in there.”

 

“I can assure you it’s not. Dr. O’Neil was successful in her endeavor…”

 

“Ez, head’s k…killing me a…already, don’t n…need to i…interpret those f…five d…dollar words,” Larabee tried, wincing as he tried to lever himself up once more.

 

“Chris, if you insist on moving I demand that you wait until I get Dr. O’Neil.”

 

“O…okay,” Larabee winced, feeling helpless at not being able to watch out for himself, yet knowing he could not do this on his own.

 

“I shall return post haste!”

 

Chris let his eyes close as the conman left the room. He felt vulnerable and needed to change his position in order to keep his back to the wall and his eyes on the door and window. He trusted Ezra to watch his back, but there was only so much trust a man could give another. His life was his own, and there were times when he couldn’t allow others to be hurt because of his reputation. Sweat glistened on his forehead as he tried to shift onto his back and was brought up short by a stern voice from the doorway.

 

“You trying to undo everything the rest of us managed to repair, Chris?” O’Neil asked angrily as she walked into the room.

 

“C…can’t stay l…like this D…Doc. T…too dangerous.”

 

“Ezra told me you want to be on your back, but I can assure you it will be hell for you.”

 

“May…be, but at l…least I can s…see w…who’s c…coming.”

 

“I understand. Your reputation as a fast draw would certainly mean trouble if anyone found out you’ve been hurt.”

 

“C…can’t let a…anyone be h…hurt because of m…me.”

 

“What about yourself? You’re already hurt and moving around will only make things worse,” O’Neil said as she sat on the chair. She heard footsteps behind her and knew Standish and the Cross’ had joined her.

 

“Need t…to b…be able t…to see w…who’s there,” Larabee stammered.

 

“In our business it’s wise to see your enemies before they see you,” Standish explained.

 

“You’re determined to do this?” the physician asked.

 

“N…no choice,” Larabee answered and locked eyes with the woman caring for him.

 

“Well, this is against my better judgment, but I’m thinking if I try to stop you it’ll be worse than fighting with a wounded rattlesnake.”

 

“That is an apt description,” Standish said with a grin.

 

“All right, but if we’re going to do this I might as well take a look at your back and make sure there’s nothing going on there,” O’Neil warned and pulled the blanket down to the lean hips. She felt him tense beneath her hands and knew it was because she was a woman and she smiled inwardly that he was showing a bit of shyness around her.

 

Chris tried to remain still as her hand touched his bare back. He groaned as she eased the bandaging from the wound and cried out as one part seemed to have adhered to his skin because of the dried blood.

 

“Almost there, Chris,” O’Neil assured him as she used water from the basin to ease the material away from the wound. “Rose, could you bring me the new bandages.”

 

“Already have them,” the Cross woman explained as she placed them beside the basin and watched as the physician carefully cleaned the dried blood from the wound.

 

“Thank you. Ezra would you help me?”

 

“What do you want me to do?” Standish asked.

 

“I need you to help lift him forward so I can wrap the new bandages around him. Billy, would you help him?”

 

“Sure, Jenny,” the ranch owner said and stood next to the doctor. “How do we do this?”

 

“First, we need to get him turned onto his back,” O’Neil explained. “You and Ezra will have to do it for him because I don’t want him putting any pressure on his back and ribs. Chris, I want you to remain still while they move you. Okay?”

 

“T…try,” the blond whispered and tensed as the two men tried to turn him. He grit his teeth and fought back the mounting nausea caused by the excruciating pain traveling along his nerves. He swallowed several times, clenching his hands into fists as he struggled to control his reactions. Chris had no idea how long it took, but he soon felt the doctor touching his back once more.

 

“Okay, you two need to hold him still until I get the bandages back in place! Rose, get over there with Ezra and help me with this!” Ignoring the weak cries of pain from the injured man the group continued to work to make him comfortable. Between the two women they quickly encircled Larabee’s abdomen with the bandages and made sure the other lacerations were cleaned. Finally done, Jenny reached for the extra pillows and placed them behind the trembling man before motioning for the two men to lower Larabee back to the bed. She watched his face closely and knew the move had been a bad one and if she had her time back she would have stuck to her guns. Reaching for her bag she found the vial of morphine and the needle.

 

Chris opened his eyes and tried hard to breathe past the pain and shivering that controlled his body. He saw the familiar objects in the woman’s hands and knew it would give him a respite from the agony spreading through his lower back. He watched as she reached for his left hand and soon felt the tip of the needle enter his arm. He knew from experience that it would soon put him under and he licked at dry lips before speaking.

 

“Thanks…Doc.”

 

“You’re welcome, Chris, now I want you to try and rest.”

 

“W…water?”

 

“Of course,” Jenny smiled as she reached for the glass and helped him drink. She saw the true extent of the pain in his eyes and knew the move had taken more out of him than even she could see. He didn’t drink very much, but at this point she was glad he was taking anything in as the fever sapped the moisture from his body. She smiled as she removed the glass and Larabee breathed a sigh of relief. “Better?”

 

“Yeah…thanks,” Larabee said as he looked into the gambler’s eyes. He saw the concern there and tried to smile, but it came out as a tight grimace.

 

“Chris, the morphine is going to make you sleepy so don’t fight it.”

 

“O…okay,” the blond agreed and smiled weakly before surrendering to his body’s need for rest.

 

“Thank you, Doctor,” Standish said of the care the woman was giving his friend.

 

“There is no need for thanks,” O’Neil assured him before turning to Billy Cross. “Billy, I need some supplies from Swift Creek. Do you think you could send one of the hands to pick them up?”

 

“I’ll send Chet. Will Emmett give him the things you need?”

 

“Certainly, just let me jot down what I need.”

 

“Do you think Chet would send a telegram for me?” Standish asked.

 

“Can’t see why not. Just write out what you want to send and I’ll have him send it for you,” Billy assured him.

 

“Thank you. We’re indebted to all of you for helping us,” Standish told them and followed the Cross’ out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andrew Cross opened his eyes and blinked away the sweat running into them. The sun was on its final leg of its daily journey and the heat of the day was staggering as he struggled to stay in the saddle. Several times he’d nearly fallen but had managed to stay where he was in spite of the uneven terrain. He knew they were nearing the ranch and made sure he kept the animal moving along, but would sometimes drift off and wake up to find the horse grazing on the grass. The house loomed ahead and he winced as he heard someone shout his name. The pain in his side was beginning to overwhelm him, but he knew he had to finish this final leg of the journey.

 

“Gotta make i…it…” was his final thought as he fell from the saddle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carl Lewis looked up as he heard the sound of a horse in the distance. He studied the horizon, squinting against the bright sunshine until he spotted a horse and rider nearing the fence. He studied them for several minutes until he recognized the man listing to the right.

 

“Andy!” Lewis called as the rider tumbled to the ground. “Billy, you’d best get out here!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

What now?” Billy thought, turning away from his wife and walking out through the kitchen door. He spotted Carl Lewis jump the fence and knew something was up.

 

“What is it, Billy?” Rose asked.

 

“Not sure, but I think I’d better find out,” Cross said and hurried after the ranch hand.

 

Rose frowned as she stepped out onto the porch and placed a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun. It didn’t take her long to spot a rider less horse and Carl Lewis racing towards it, her husband not far behind.

 

“Is something wrong, Rose?” Jennifer O’Neil asked as she entered the kitchen.

 

“I have no idea. Billy’s gone to find out.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Billy spotted Carl kneel down beside the horse and he frowned as the other man waved him on. He finally reached the man and recognized the body lying on the ground. Several things ran through his mind at once as he looked at the blood stained shirt. Guilt gnawed at his gut as he thought of the decision he’d made to tell his brother to leave.

 

“What the hell happened, Andy?” the older brother asked worriedly as he knelt beside the injured man. The eyes opened and finally focused on his, even as a bloodied hand came up to touch his own.

 

“Shot m…me…stole m…money, B…Billy…s…so sorry. T…tried t…ta s…stop…m…my f…fault…”

 

“Easy, Andy,” Lewis said as he lifted the edge of the ruined shirt.

 

“N…no…gotta tell ya. R…robbed, Billy, h…he r…robbed me ‘fore I…I g…got ta t…town! T…that’s w…why d…didn’t g…get h…home. D…didn’t…” He grabbed his brother’s arm leaving a trail of bloody finger prints as his eyes grew wide. “Didn’t m…make t…the b…bank…”

 

“I know, Andy, just take it easy. Jenny’s at the house and she’ll have you good as new in no time. Then you can tell us about the man who robbed you,” Billy explained, fighting against his own anger.

 

“Doc’s h…here? W…why? Rose h…hurt?”

 

“No, Rose is fine, Andy. Don’t worry about anything, but getting you back to the house. Carl, can you hand him up to me?”

 

“Sure Billy,” the ranch hand said and waited for his boss to mount up. It took a lot to get the semi-conscious man on his feet and lead him to the horse, but they finally had Andrew Cross seated in front of his brother.

 

“We’ll see you back at the house, Carl!”

 

Lewis nodded and frowned as he turned away from the two men. Something about Billy’s story didn’t set right and he looked back over the trail the horse had made through the long grass. If Andrew Cross had been robbed on the way into town like he said then why was he riding from north of the ranch. Swift Creek was decidedly south of here and there would be no way Andy should be coming back this way.

 

‘Guess the horse could have got lost,’ he thought, but didn’t really believe that was the case as he strode back towards the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose and Jenny hurried out to meet the horse as it entered the yard. Both had recognized the two riders and O’Neil knew Andrew Cross must’ve been injured in some way.

 

“What happened?” Rose asked as her brother signaled for Frank to come help them.

 

“He’s been shot! Be careful of his left side!” Billy warned and lowered his brother to the waiting hand. He quickly dismounted and reached fro his brother’s left hand. Andy hung between them as they carried him towards the house.

 

“S…sorry, Billy…m…y fault,” Andy continued to mumble as they carried him inside and up to his room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra continued to use the cool cloth to try and ease the heat raging through the gunslinger, but turned towards the door as a commotion sounded. He placed the cloth across Larabee’s forehead and hurried to the door. He caught a glimpse of Rose Cross entering the room at the end of the hall just as the physician hurried into the room and grabbed her bag.

 

“Ezra, keep him cool,” O’Neil ordered.

 

“I sense there is someone else in need of your expertise?”

 

“Yes, Billy’s brother was shot…”

 

“I do hope it is nothing serious,” Standish said and watched the woman hurry from the room. He moved back to the bed and heard the raspy whisper, but didn’t quite catch what was said. He took the cloth and wet it once more as sea green eyes fought to open and a moan escaped through fever baked lips.

 

“E…Ezra…what’s h…happened?”

 

“It appears that you were not the only man to suffer a mishap with a gun,” Standish said as he soaked the cloth once more.

 

“What are you t…talking about?”

 

“Our host’s brother was shot and Dr. O’Neil has just gone to tend his injuries,” the gambler explained.

 

“Damn…how b…bad?” Larabee gritted his teeth as he tried to get comfortable.

 

“I have no idea…where do you think you’re going?”

 

“We need to f…find o…out how h…he got shot!” Larabee winced and found himself easily held down by the conman.

 

“Do you trust me, Chris?”

 

“H…haven’t l…let me d…down,” the blond ground out.

 

“Not since that day in the Seminole village anyway,” Standish whispered, berating himself for having given into greed even if it was only for a short time.

 

“T…that’s in the p…past,” the injured man assured him and hoped the gambler believed him.

 

“Very well, then trust me to watch your back while you are unable to do so,” Standish said and watched the fever bright eyes close. He didn’t think the blond was sleeping yet he understood the gesture to mean that whether he wanted to or not, Chris Larabee was putting his faith in the gambler. Ezra prayed he would not fail his friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Billy helped remove the shirt from his brother’s body and winced in sympathy as he caught sight of the ragged hole in the man’s left side. He’d seen many bullet wounds and knew this one could cause serious problems if not taken care of.

 

“I need clean water and bandages.”

 

“I’ve got them, Jenny,” Rose said as she placed them on the bedside table. ‘What do you want me to do?”

 

“I need to get him cleaned up and see if it went through! Billy turn him on his right side for a me!” Jenny ordered and waited for the man to do as she told him. “Looks like it went right through. Hold him there until I clean it up a bit.”

 

“S…stop…it hurts!” Andrew Cross whimpered and tried to move away from the woman’s ministrations. “B…Billy make her s…stop!”

 

“Easy, Andy, just be still for a few minutes and Jenny’ll have you all fixed up,” the older brother warned.

 

“Hold him still!” O’Neil ordered as the younger Cross continued to fight her.  “Frank, get in here and help him!”

 

“Sure, Doc,” the ranch hand said and grabbed Billy’s legs.

 

Jenny and Rose worked together to clean and stitch the wound and finally placed a thick pad of material against the hole and held it in place until the two men settled him back on the bed. The injured man had lost consciousness and for that she was grateful. Jenny finished cleaning the entrance wound and shook her head as she bandaged the area.

 

“Jenny, will he be okay?” Billy asked worriedly.

 

“If we keep it clean and make sure he gets plenty of rest he should be fine,” O’Neil said washing her hands in the clean basin of water. She reached for a towel and watched as Billy pulled the blanket up over his brother and flicked at the younger man’s unruly hair.

 

“Thanks, Jenny,” Billy said as his wife came to sit on the edge of the bed.

 

“You’re welcome. I’m going to check my other patient. If he needs anything just come get me,” the physician said as she motioned for Frank to follow her out.

 

“Billy, this isn’t your fault,” Rose said as she reached for her husband.

 

“Isn’t it? I sent him into town with that deposit and when he didn’t come back I thought the worst! I was damned sure he’d gone and lost the money in a poker game or taken off with it!” Cross spat in self-disgust as he stood and walked towards the window. He frowned as he spotted Carl Lewis take a horse and ride out.

 

“Billy, you heard what Jenny said…Andy’s going to be all right.”

 

“I know, but I’ve been thinking the worst and he’s been out there with a bullet hole in him. I should’ve went looking for him as soon as I got home and he wasn’t here!”

 

“We’ve been through this, Billy. Andy’s taken off before and he comes back when he’s out of money or he thinks someone’s wronged him. Lord knows I don’t wish him any harm, but he brings most of this on himself. I’m not saying he deserved to get shot, Billy, but we both know his reputation and those men he likes to be with. None of them have a real job and most are just looking to make a fast buck!”

 

“I know, Rose, but that isn’t the case this time. I gave him a job to do and when it didn’t get done I blamed Andy without giving him a chance to explain!”

 

“I didn’t give him a chance either, Billy, but he’s here now and when he wakes up we’ll get the whole story and maybe Emmett will be able to find out who did this to him.”

 

“Whomever did this will pay,” Billy warned as he turned back to his wife.

 

“The law will take care of it, Billy.”

 

“Pa always said we Cross’ take care of our own.”

 

“Not if it means you’re going against the law, Billy! I love you too much to see you in jail for killing a man over money!”

 

“It’s not just money, Rose. Andy could’ve died out there and we would’ve always thought he was bad!”

 

“Billy…”

 

“No, Rose, look I want to sit with him for a while. Would you mind making some coffee…maybe something to eat?”

 

“Of course, Billy,” she said and drew him into a deep kiss. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too,” he assured her before sitting in the chair beside his brother’s bed.