Nick waited at the 3:30pm train to pull into the station. When the train pulled to a stop and passengers started to exit he watched for Audra to emerge. When his blonde sister spotted him she raced over to him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Oh Nick! I missed you and everyone so much." Audra squealed with delight.

Nick loaded her luggage into the wagon. Then he helped her into the wagon, climbed in beside her and they headed for the ranch.

"I feel like I have been away forever. You just have to tell me everything that has happened since I was gone." Audra said

"Well Jarrod had to go to San Francisco two days ago or he would have pick you up instead of me. I finally broke that stallion that was giving me trouble. Had to fix a whole section of fence line because the cattle ran through it. Mother has been going to the orphanage in your place like you asked. Oh yeah! Heath got married." Nick said

"Heath got married to who? I go away for three weeks and my brother gets married. Why didn't he wait until I was home? I would have like to see my first brother married." Audra pouted.

"Well don't feel bad I went to town for dinner with an army buddy and missed it." Nick stated.

"What do you mean. Did he run off and elope with her?" Audra asked

"No it took place at the ranch. Mother, Jarrod, the Morris and the sheriff were in attendance." Nick answered.

"The Morris where there. Does that mean he marry Jenny? Why was the sheriff there?" Audra ask totally confused.

Nick explained the whole situation to Audra. As she listen to what the Morris did to her blond brother she was angry. She was horrified when he told her of what Jenny almost did. She was sad to learn that Jenny lost the child. When Nick told her that Jarrod had arranged for the marriage to be annul and Heath refused to sign the papers she did not understand.

"If he could get out of this marriage why didn't he?" She asked.

"It's his choice and I suggest you don't question him about it. Just accept Jenny as his wife." Nick told his blond sister.

"So I have a sister-in-law. It will be nice having another woman around the house." Audra said trying to sound convincing.

When they arrived at the ranch Nick helped Audra out of the wagon, unloaded her luggage, carried the luggage into the house and up to her room. Then he drove the wagon to the barn to unhitch the horses. Heath, who was in the barn oiling the saddles, helped Nick care for the horses. Then they both went to the house.

When Audra entered the house Victoria threw her arms around her blonde daughter and welcomed her home.

"Nick told me everything about Heath and Jenny. How is Heath? Where are they? Audra asked.

"Heath is in the barn. He insists that he get back to doing ranch work. He is doing just fine. Jenny is helping Silas prepare supper. She likes to cook." Victoria answered her daughter's questions.

Just then Jenny entered the room. "Hi, Audra welcome home. I baked you a special cake for your return."

"Thank you Jenny. That was thoughtful. I hear congratulations are in order. Welcome to the family. I am glad I finally have a sister-in-law. It will be nice having another girl around to talk to. Having only brothers can be difficult. Oh! I guess you would know about that." Audra rambled on a little uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"Yeah! I know what brothers are like. With six of them it's hard not to know. If you will excuse me I have to go finish decorating the cake." Jenny said. She wanted to get out of this awkward situation.

After dinner was over they all sat around the parlor as they talked. Audra shared things that happened while she was in Boston. She gave each of them the presents that she brought back for them. She felt bad that she did not have anything to give Jenny, but how was she suppose to know that Heath would get married while she was away. She felt herself get angry as she thought of how Heath got married. Again she wondered why he did not end it when he had the chance, but she would heed Nick warning and never ask him. She would accept Jenny as her sister-in-law.

Finally the evening came to an end and everyone said good night.

"Good Night Audra. I am glad you are back home." Heath said as he gently kissed her on the check. Then he turned and did the same to Victoria. Then he walked over to Jenny.

"Good night My lady." Heath said to Jenny as he took Jenny's hand in his and gently kissed the back of it.

"Good night my lord." Jenny replied as she smiled slightly. Then Heath turned, walked upstairs to his room as Jenny went upstairs to her room.

Audra watched the exchange between her blond brother and Jenny in disbelief. It was like they were playing some kind of game. "What was that all about?"

"What are you talking about, Audra?" Nick asked

"That stuff about my lady and my lord." Audra said

"Don't ask us. That is just the way Heath addresses her. She seems to like it." Nick answered

"Of course she likes it. She always like being called my lady when we were kids and pretended we where princesses, but why is Heath calling her that. Am I the only one that sees a problem here? Its like they are trying to live in a fantasy. He is treating her like she is his sister not his wife. They are married, but they don't share the same room." Audra stated her frustration.

"Audra, its Heath and Jenny's business. We just have to accept it." Victoria told her daughter. "For some reason Heath feels responsible for Jenny and has decided to remain in this marriage. He feels a need to protect her. We need to support him in his decision. Now if you will excuse me I am going to bed. I suggest you do the same."

Three days after Audra arrived home she suggested that Jenny accompany her to the orphanage for the afternoon. Since she did not need to take any supplies, she suggested that they ride their horses instead of taking the buggy. Victoria was pleased when Jenny agreed to go with Audra. She felt that the red headed girl needed to get out of the house. A nice ride and helping others would do the girl the world of good.

It was just before the evening meal when a very angry Audra burst in the house. "Where is she?"

"Audra what is wrong?" Victoria asked

"Jenny where is she? When I was busy with the children she took off. She could have waited for me." Audra was furious.

"Jenny isn't here." Victoria said getting concerned.

"She is not here? I thought for sure that she would be here. I didn't even try to find her." Audra gasped suddenly starting to worry. What if Jenny tried to hurt herself again?

"Don't worry I will find her. I have a pretty good idea where she is." Heath said as he started for the door.

Heath saddled his horse and rode to the North pasture. As he approached the clump of trees he saw the horse tied to a tree. He tied Charger by the other horse and walked to the little creek. He found her sitting on the ground with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them.

"It still hurts doesn't it." Heath said as he walked over, and knelt down beside her.

"I miss him so much." She cried

"I know. It is always hard when we lose someone we love." Heath said as he put his arms around her.

"When Mark told me he was going to fight against the railroad I was so afraid that I just wanted to hold him and never let him go. That was when the baby was." Jenny started to explain.

"You don't have to tell me this." Heath said interrupting her.

"I want you to know that it only." She tried again to explain.

"Jenny I will not judge you. If I did I would have judge my mother. I can't and I won't do that." Heath said interrupting her again as he made her look at him. "You don't have to try to explain anything to me. What happened, happened just leave it at that."

"I wish I didn't lose the baby." Jenny cried as she collapsed into his arms and wept. He held her until she finally stopped crying.

"We better get back to the ranch. You have mother and Audra worried about you." Heath said as he helped her to her feet.

"I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I just wanted to spend some time here alone." Jenny explained.

"I know. You can come here whenever you want, but next time tell someone where you are going. You don't have to hide grief. Mother and Audra want to help you. Please let them." Heath told her as they walked to their horses. Heath held her horse while she mounted and then they headed back to the ranch.

Two days latter when Jenny went back to the little creek she found nailed to the tree where Mark and she had carved their initials a hand made cross which read. "In loving memory of Mark Harrison and his unborn child"

When she returned to the ranch that day she threw her arms around Heath and thanked him.

After talking with Heath in the woods Jenny did begin to share her pain and grief with Audra and Victoria. Over the last month Audra and her became very close friends. When they where younger the two girls had been playmates, but not real friends. When the blonde girl had outgrown the games they use to play, she barely tolerated Jenny. But now the two girls were inseparable and both enjoyed having a sister.

Jenny's friendship with Heath also grew. He was always so kind and gentle with her. She knew she could trust him. She found herself missing him when he was not around. Now that his ribs were healed he threw himself back into the ranch work. Most mornings when she got up he would already be gone for the day. She loved it when he came home and greeted her with my lady. She also enjoyed the time she spent playing cards with him and Audra at night. Some nights Audra and her watched while the three brothers played pool. She always bet with Audra that Heath would win.

Over the last month Jenny had been helping Audra out at the orphanage. She found working with the children helped her deal with the guilt she felt about causing her child's death. She remembered Mark telling her that he grew up in an orphanage. He had told her how no one really cared about him. He had hated the place so bad that he had ran away when he was twelve, so when she spent time with the children at the orphanage she tried to make sure each one felt special.

Ann Morris had come to visit Jenny a couple of times, but Jenny had not seen her brothers or father since she moved to the ranch. She knew that they were not really welcome here, because of what they did to Heath. Jenny was glad because she hated her father for what he had said to her and she never wanted to see him again. Her mother always begged her to come home to visit her father and brothers, but Jenny refused. Whenever Ann tried to talk to her about her father Jenny would change the subject. She would talk about Heath, Nick, Jarrod, Audra, Victoria, or the kids at the orphanage. Then the other day Audra and her where in town. Her father was there too. He tried to talk to her, but she ignored him and walked away. She would never forgive him for the way he treated her.

Jenny had been living with the Barkleys for almost two months and today she was turning sixteen. Her new family planned to surprise her with a small party. Audra had let it slip. It would just be her and the Barkleys, but it was still a party. She promised the blonde girl that she would act surprised.

Nick and Heath had been working all morning trying to round up the strays in the North pasture. They had just stopped for lunch when a couple of riders approached them. When Heath saw whom it was every muscle in his body tensed and his hand went instinctively to his gun.

"Take it easy son I just want to talk to you." Mr. Morris said as he dismounted and approached the blond man.

Nick stepped protectively in front of Heath. "He has nothing to say to you now get off our land."

"Its okay Nick." Heath said as he placed a hand on his older brother's shoulder. Then he tuned to Mr. Morris. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Look I know I haven't been fair to you since you rode into Stockton. I admit that me and my boys where quite mean to you, but don't use my daughter as a means of revenge." Mr. Morris said.

"Sir, I am not using your daughter. What are you talking about?" Heath asked confused by the older man's accusation.

"It's been almost two months and she hasn't even come home to visit us. I saw her in town the other day with Audra and she wouldn't even talk to me. Don't turn her against her family. Don't keep her from seeing us. We have a right to be a part of her life." Jenny's father pleaded.

"I don't dictate to Jenny who she sees or doesn't see. If she wants to see you she can." Heath said.

"You have poisoned her mind against me. That is why she refuses to see me." Mr. Morris screamed.

"No, you did that when you threatened to throw her out of your home pregnant and penniless to fend for herself if she did not marry me." Heath spat as he glared at the older man.

"I love my daughter. I would never have done that. I just didn't want her to have a child without being married. You know how cruel people can be. I just wanted to protect her from that." Mr. Morris cried.

He confessed to Heath how he knew that Mark was the father and how that night he was afraid that Jenny would tell everyone the truth. That he had said what he did to Jenny to scare her into silence, because he did not want her to live a life being treated like dirt by other people. The only way he could protect her from that was get her a father for the baby, even if he wasn't the real father.

"I am sorry for what I have done, but do I have to pay for it by losing my daughter. I love her and I want to be part of her life. When you two have children I want to be part of theirs." Mr. Morris pleaded for this blond man to understand.

"We are planning a small birthday party for Jenny tonight. It is just going to be the family. If you like you, your wife and sons can come." Heath said.

As Nick listened to Mr. Morris his blood boiled. He wanted to teach this man a lesson he would never forget, but this was Heath's business not his. He was shocked when Heath invited the older man and his family to the ranch.

Victoria had asked Audra to keep Jenny busy so she and Silas could prepare for the surprise party that night. She went up to Audra's room to take them their lunch. The two girls were working together on something for the children at the orphanage. As she entered the room she saw the two girls laughing and talking together as they worked.

Victoria was pleased to see Jenny's face so full of joy. When the red head had first came to the ranch she had been so depressed, but now except for a few times you would never know that the girl had lost someone she loved. She was also pleased to see Jenny's fiery spirit start to resurface. She knew that Audra's friendship and the work at the orphanage had helped Jenny a lot. But Heath was the main reason for the young red headed girl's recovery.

Over the last month Victoria watched as a close friendship grew between Jenny and Heath, but friends where all they were. Heath treated Jenny the same way he treated Audra. Although Jenny and Heath were married they still did not share a room.

Victoria left the tray of food for the girls and went back to the kitchen to prepare for the party.

Jenny sat with the rest of the family in the parlor waiting for Silas to announce that dinner was ready. She was having a hard time trying to hide her excitement for the party, she knew they where going to spring on her. Audra elbowed her once in the ribs as a warning not to let on she knew. She wished they would hurry up so she could pretend to be surprised. Then she could enjoy the party.

There was a knock on the door. When Nick answered it, Mr. Morris and his wife entered the house. Although Heath had invited all the Morris to the party Ann had convinced her husband and sons that it would be better if only the two of them attended.

Jenny looked up as Nick led her parents into the Parlor. She looked straight at her father. "What are you doing here. This is Barkley land and you are not welcome here."

"I invited them, Jenny." Heath said. Then he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Morris. "Please come in"

Jenny stood in shock disbelief. Why would Heath invite her father here? "I thought you ordered him and my brothers off this ranch and warned them never to set foot on it again."

"I was wrong. They are your family and this is your birthday. I thought you would like them here." Heath calmly told her. He could see the anger burn in her deep green eyes.

"You thought wrong. I never want to see my father again." She yelled.

"Jenny I am sorry for what I said and done. I was only trying to protect you. Jenny I love you." Mr. Morris pleaded as he approached his daughter.

"I hate you and will never forgive you. To me you are dead." Jenny screamed as she tried to race from the room, but Heath stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

"What your father did was wrong, but he did it because he loves you and wanted to protect you." Heath said

"Because he loves me and wanted to protect me he called a lying tramp." She cried as she tried to go around

"People would have called you a lot worse." Heath told her

"You bastard!" Jenny screamed as she hauled back and slapped him hard across the face. She was furious. How dare he take her father side? How dare he say what he just said to her?

Heath reached up touched his face where she had just slapped him as he glared at her. "You are right Jenny I am a bastard and no one will ever let me forget it. I grew up hearing my mother called whore, slut, tramp, bitch and any other low down degrading name they could hurl at her. I watched as people treated her like the dirt that they scrapped off the bottom of their feet, because she had a child without being married. I grew up being called a bastard, devil seed, worthless and told that I would rot in hell because I was born without a father. That is what your father wanted to protect you and your child from when he forced you to marry me."

As Jenny stood listening to her blond husband she saw the pain and anger in his eyes that she had caused. She remembered how kind he had been the first time they met. How he always listened to her and never judged her. This man had been nothing but good to her and she had hurt him. "Heath I am sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I know you said it in anger just like you father said what he said to you in anger. Jenny all my life I wanted to know who my father was. I wanted to tell him how much I hated him for hurting my mother and me. But more than that I wanted him to beg for my forgiveness and tell me how much he loved me and wanted me. Just like your father just did. Talk to him and give him a chance. Let him explain. Then judge worthy or unworthy of your forgiveness." Heath said as he turned and walked out of the house.

As Jenny stood watching Heath leave the house her father warily approached her. "Jenny please forgive me. I am so sorry for what I said. Please let me talk to you."

Jenny agreed to talk to him.

Audra feeling that her friend really did not want to talk with her parents alone stayed with Jenny, while Victoria, Nick, and Jarrod all went to find Heath to make sure he was okay. They found him in the barn. He had just backed a black mare out of her stall and tied her to the tether ring.

"Heath, are you okay?" Nick asked as he and the others entered the barn.

"Yeah." Heath answered as he picked up a currycomb and started brushing the mare. "How is Jenny? I should not have been so harsh with her."

"Harsh! If she talked to me that way I would have put her over my knee and." Nick spat

"Nicolas!" Victoria interrupted her middle son. "Jenny is fine. I think she needed to hear what you told her. She has agreed to talk to her father."

"That is good." Heath said as he continued to groom the mare.

"Heath, if your father was still alive he would have been sorry for the pain he caused you and your mother. He would have been sorry that you had to pay for his sin. He would have begged for your forgiveness. He would have told you that he loved you and wanted you." Victoria tried to assure her husband's son.

"Maybe he would have, but I will never know for sure." Heath said as he turned to face his family. "Finding out that he did not know about my existence helped ease my anger, but there is still a part of me that wonders how he would have reacted when he did find out."

"He would have been sorry he didn't know and he would have accepted you just like we did." Nick said as he walked over and placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"I would like to believe that, but there is a part of me that fears that he would have denied it and sent me packing or that he would have tried to pay me off to protect all of you from being hurt. I also can't stop wondering why he never considered the possibility that I existed. Strawberry isn't that far away. Why didn't he come back to check to make sure?"

"Heath I know you have a lot of questions that don't have answers. Only your father knew for sure why he didn't return to Strawberry and only your mother knew why she waited until her deathbed to tell you who your father was. But I can tell you that your father loved all his children. He would have loved you." Victoria answered.

"How can you be so sure?" Heath asked.

"Because I know the man I loved and married. He wasn't a perfect man and he made mistakes. But he never was afraid to do the right thing. Loving and accepting you would have been the only thing he would have done." Victoria answered.

"I would like to believe that." Heath said

"Then believe it, because it is the truth." Victoria told him.

Heath didn't reply he just turned back to the mare and started brushing her.

"Heath, if father was a live when you came here. After he begged you for your forgiveness and told you he loved you. Would you have judged him worthy or unworthy of your forgiveness?" Jarrod asked as he walked over to stand by Heath.

"I would have forgave him." Heath replied as he continued to brush the mare.

"Then forgive him now." Jarrod said as he grabbed Heath's shoulder and made him turn around to face his family. "It is time you let go of the anger. You are a loved and accepted member of this family just like father would have wanted."

"I wish I could have gotten to know him." Heath said as he looked down at his feet.

"Heath, I wish that your father could have gotten to know you too. I know he would have been so proud to call you son. Just like I am." Victoria said as she walked over, grabbed his chin and made him look at her. "After all Mr. Morris did to you, you still helped him tonight with Jenny."

"He is her father and I felt he deserve the right to tell her his side, but it is up to her whether or not she forgives him." Heath explained why he helped Jenny's father. "If she decides she don't ever want to see him again she won't have to.

"You could have ended this marriage to Jenny, but instead you chose to remain married to her. Why?" Jarrod asked. He didn't understand Heath's decided to remain in this marriage or why his brother felt responsible for the girl. The night Heath refused to sign the annulment papers he had given a brief explanation, but Jarrod believed that his brother hadn't been totally honest with them. The lawyer in him wanted to get to the truth. Since Heath seemed open to talking about things tonight, Jarrod hoped he would talk about this.

"It was the only thing I could do." Heath replied.

"It was not the only thing you could do." Jarrod snapped

"If you will excuse me, I have a birthday party to attend." Heath replied as he turned to untie the mare.

Like any other time they tried to approach the subject of his marriage to Jenny Heath changed the subject. He knew they did not understand why he felt responsible for Jenny or his need to protect her and he did not know how explain it.

"Not this time Heath. I think we deserve a straight answer." Jarrod demanded.

"I told you when I refused to sign the annulment papers. Jenny is my wife. I could not and will not run away from my responsibility to her." Heath replied.

"The child she carried was not yours and they forced you to agree to marry her. You had no legal obligation to her. Why would you feel responsible for her? Is it because she reminded you of your mother and in some twisted way you are trying to make up for what our father did? Are you still paying for our father's sin." Jarrod asked.

"She's my wife Jarrod, not my mother. My mother is dead, this has nothing to do with my her." Heath snapped as he tried to push pasted Jarrod leading the little black mare, but Jarrod grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"I think it has everything to do with your mother and the way you grew up." Jarrod said.

Heath didn't responded he just glared at Jarrod for a few seconds then he pulled out of his older brother's grasp. He walked out of the barn leading the black mare. Nick followed Heath, but Jarrod and Victoria remained in the barn

"I have had hostile witness that are easier to talk to than him." Jarrod said as he watched Heath exit the barn

"He is not witness and he is not on trial. He is your brother." Victoria told her eldest son.

"I know he's my brother and I failed him. If only I did something that night they forced him into this marriage. If only he would have trusted me." Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, you can't blame yourself for this situation. You arranged a way out for him, but he refused to take it. For whatever reason he made a decision to remain married to Jenny almost two month ago. Whether we agree or disagree with that decision we must accept it." Victoria said

"I know it's just I am worried about him." Jarrod told her.

We are all worried about him, but he has made it clear that it's his business not ours. We can only offer him our support." Victoria replied. "We better go back to the house."

They both exited the barn.

Heath led the little black mare up to the house and tied her to the hitching post. Nick walked up beside him.

"Think she will like the mare?" Nick asked as he placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. He was furious at Jarrod for treating Heath like he was on trial. Nick did not understand why his younger brother chose to remain in this marriage, but he had accepted it. Why couldn't Jarrod?

"Yeah! I think she will." Heath said as a half smile crossed his face as he gave the mare a finally pat, turned and went to the house.

Jenny sat between her parents on the sofa. She had listen carefully to her father as he explained why he did what he did. She decided to forgive him, but she was still hurt by what he did. She wasn't sure if she could ever trust him again. She promised that she would go visit them and her brothers, but she was glad she did not have to live with them. When Heath entered the house followed by Nick, Jenny jumped up and ran over to him.

"Heath, I am sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to hurt you. You are my best friend; I couldn't stand it if you hated me. Jenny apologized as her green eyes pleaded for forgiveness. When he had left the house she believed he was angry and hurt by what she said. She wanted him to know how much she regretted saying it.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, my lady." Heath said letting her know that it was forgiven and forgotten. "Come with me. Nick and I have a present for you."

Heath took Jenny's hand and led her outside. As they exited the house Jarrod and Victoria were just coming up the steps of the mansion.

When Jenny saw the black mare tethered there she squealed with joy. "She so beautiful. Is she really mine?"

"You bet she is. Nick and I caught her with a bunch of wild horses. We thought she would make the perfect birthday present for you. She is just halter broke, so you won't be able to ride her until I am finished breaking her." Heath told her.

Jenny thanked both Heath and Nick for the horse by kissing them each on the cheek. Then she walked down the steps to meet her new horse. She insisted that she be allowed to return the horse to the barn. Heath still didn't trust the horse, so he accompanied her to the barn. When they returned to the house the family and the Morris went to the dinning room for dinner. For dessert they all had a piece of Jenny's birthday cake.

After dinner they all went into the parlor where everyone except Heath and Nick gave Jenny the presents they got her. At the end of the evening Jenny escorted her parents to the door.

Over the next two months Jenny did go home to visit her parents. Her mother had even suggested that she should invite Heath to accompany her one time for supper, but Jenny told her that he was too busy. She knew if she asked him he would agree to the invite out politeness, but would not feel comfortable with the situation, so she didn't ask. She cared too much for him to put through that.

Jenny dressed in her riding clothes and exited her bedroom. She planned on riding out to the little creek in the north pasture. Then she would continue on to visit with her family. She loved riding Misty, the horse Heath and Nick gave her for her birthday. The black mare was so gentle, just like the man who broke her.

Jenny had just reached the top of the stairs, when she saw her blond husband enter the house with a ranch hand. She saw him give the riffle to the hand as his brothers asked him to meet the guest they were entertaining. Like a flash of lightning his expression changed from joy to a murderous rage. She watched in horror as he attacked the guest. She watched as Jarrod and Nick pulled Heath off the guest and demanded to know what had gotten into him.

"That's Matt Bentell." Heath Screamed.

Jenny had never seen Heath so enraged. Even the night that her brothers had beat him up and forced him to marry her he did not show this much hatred. She believed that he wanted to kill this man and that if his brothers had not stopped him he would have. She watched as he once again tried to lunge at the man he called Matt Bentell, but his brothers prevented him and dragged him into the study. Mrs. Barkley followed her sons into the study.

Jenny stood frozen on the stairs staring at the closed door of the study. Finally the door opened and Heath exited the study. When he raced out of the house she followed him. He ran to his horse that was tied to the hitching post just outside the barn. Jenny tried to catch up to him, but he was too fast. He untied Charger, mounted him, roughly pulled the horse's head around, and smacked the horse hard with the reins. Charger leaped forward and raced through the gates. Jenny had never seen him treat Charger or any other horse this way.

Jenny ran into the barn, quickly bridled Misty and mounted. She didn't saddle the horse she didn't have time. She rode through the barn door and kicked Misty into a gallop as she rode through the big white gate and headed in the direction Heath had rode.

Finally she found Charger standing with his head down, sides heaving and covered in sweat. She dismounted Misty and walked over to the big bay. Charger was favoring his front right leg. She felt it and was relieve to find that it wasn't serious.

She looked around for Heath, but could not see him. She called out his name, but received no answer. She tied both horses to a tree and set out on foot to find him. She finally found him a few feet away sitting on a boulder. He looked so lost.

"Heath!" She said as she approached him, but he didn't acknowledge her. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he recoiled as if she burnt him. When he looked at her she could see all the pain, rage, confusion, and terror burning in his eyes.

"Go back the ranch Jenny." He ordered through gritted teeth.

"I am not going anywhere." Jenny said.

"Leave me alone." He screamed

"You didn't leave me alone when I needed help and I won't leave you now. I want to help." Jenny calmly replied.

"You can't. Now go back to the ranch." He demanded.

"Who is that man and what did he do to you to make you hate him so much?" Jenny asked

"You would never understand." He seethed. He wanted her to go away.

"Try me."

"How can you understand? How can anyone who hasn't lived it understand what it is like to be so afraid that you would die and pray that you would."

"Because I know what it's like to want to die. You helped me through that let me help you through this. Please talk to me." Jenny pleaded.

Jenny sat beside him and listened as Heath told her the horrors of a place called Carterson and the sadistic man who ran it. He told of maggoty food and fifthly water. Of being worked in the hot sun with little water or food. Of being beaten and whipped. Of being treated like he was less than an animal. Of how Matt Bentell took pleasure in trying to break the spirits of his prisoners.

He told her how some men just gave up. How they would get this cold empty look in their eyes and he knew that they had lost hope. Some of these men would just stop eating and drinking as a slow form of suicide. Others would wait until a guard was looking and then they would climb the fence, so that they would be shot. He told her how he had tried to stop a friend of his from doing this and failed. He told her how all those cold empty eyes still haunted him to this day.

He told her how the prisoner's planned an escape. That Bentell knew about it, but instead of stopping it he had allowed the prisoners to try while he waited for them to come out of the tunnel and shot them. The only prisoners that survived that night were the ones who were still in the tunnel. Those who survived were brutally beaten and whipped. Then they were left hanging in the hot sun until they wished they had been among those who were shot.

He told her how sometimes he still awoke in a cold sweat, believing that he was still in that place and fearing the guards would come for him. How the screams of the men who died in that place still haunted his dreams.

"I swore I would kill him if I ever got the chance." Heath screamed.

Jenny grabbed his chin and made him look at her. "If you kill him you become like him and he has won. I can't believe that you would have fought so hard to survive that place to let him destroy you now."

She put her arms around his quaking shoulders and held him while he fought to regain control of his emotions. Jenny held him and wept as she thought of a fourteen year old boy caught in the horrors of a man's war. A boy forced to become man way too soon. She remembered him telling her that he knew what it was like to be alone and hurting with no one to turn to. Her heart broke with the knowledge of how alone and hurt he had been.

Jenny thought of the men that he described who had lost hope and chose death over fighting for life. She remembered what that felt like, but in her darkest hour Heath was there and he save her. He had helped her find the strength to fight back and the courage to live. Her heart cried for the men in Carterson, who were unable to find that strength and courage.

Jenny wondered how Heath could have survived the horrors that he had described to her. She hated the man who did this to him. She did not know for how long she sat there with her arms around his shoulders, but finally he pulled away from her and stood up.

"We should get back to the ranch." He stated

They walked back to the horses. When Heath saw Charger favoring his leg he was angry with himself. He bent down and checked the leg. Once he assured himself that it wasn't that serious he helped Jenny on Misty then climb up behind her. They rode double back to the ranch while leading Charger.

When they arrived at the ranch they tended to the horses. Heath rubbed some ligament on Chargers leg. With a couple days rest the horse would be fine. After the horses where taken care of they went to the house.

"Heath, your brothers and I would like a word with you. Please come to the study." Victoria said as soon as they walked through the door.

Jenny watched as her blond husband followed Victoria into the study. When the door closed Jenny walked over and listened. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but she was worried about Heath. She was shocked when she heard his family inform him that they expected him to accompany Matt Bentell to the logging camp as a bodyguard.

"The Hell I will." She heard Heath yell as he tried to protest, but they still insisted he go.

Jenny listened as Victoria told Heath that she had hated the man that killed her husband, but finally realized that she had to let go of that hate before in consumed her. That Heath had to do the same thing by going with Matt Bentell. Then Mrs. Barkley told Heath to show her some of Tom Barkley's guts.

"Fine, I'll go." She heard Heath snap. Then the door opened and he stormed out of the room.

Heath!" Jenny grabbed his arm as he past her. He didn't even look at her he just pulled away and headed for the stairs that led to his bedroom.

She turned and walked into the study. She was furious. "How can you do this to him? How can you force him to go with that man?"

"Jenny, it is wrong to eavesdrop. This does not concern you." Jarrod rebuked her.

"Doesn't concern me. He is my husband and I won't let you do this to him." She screamed. For the first time since Heath and she were married she referred to him as her husband.

"Jenny it is for his own good he goes. He must let go of this hatred before it consumes him." Victoria tried to reason with the furious girl.

"With all due respect Mrs. Barkley, no one ever forced you to risk your life to protect the man who killed your husband. No one made you sit down and eat with him. If I am not mistaken the man who murdered Mr. Barkley was shot and killed. You got your justice. When does Heath get his?" Jenny screamed.

"Jenny you will not talk to her like that. Mr. Bentell was brought up on charges for his crimes and acquitted. He was only doing his job as a commander of prison camp during a horrible war that tore this country apart. He should not have to pay the rest of his life for that." Jarrod told his brother's young wife.

"Why not? Heath is." Jenny yelled.

"That is why we want him to go and protect Matt Bentell, so he finally face this and deal with it." Victoria tried again to convince the red head that this was good idea.

"He needs his family to help him deal with this, not the man who almost destroyed him." Jenny screamed. "How can you force him to go with the man that did the horrible things Heath told me he did?"

Nick had been listening to the exchange between Jarrod, Victoria and Jenny. He could see that what they were purposing outraged the girl. When Heath had told them that the man they had hired was Matt Bentell he wanted to fire the man on the spot, but Jarrod convinced him not to. Jarrod believed that the only way Heath could come to terms with his hatred was to spend time with Bentell. Nick did not like the idea much, but since his mother and Jarrod were convinced that it would help Heath, he reluctantly agreed to go along with it. When Heath had wildly refused Nick felt like he was betraying his younger brother, but he said nothing as he watched as his mother and Jarrod persuaded his blond brother to go.

"What exactly did Heath tell you?" Nick asked. Somehow he got the feeling that Heath had shared more with Jenny than he had told them about Carterson.

They listened as Jenny told them every horrible detail that Heath had revealed to her.

Most of what Jenny told them they knew. Heath had told them about the maggoty food, filthy water and beatings. He had even told them of the prisoner's attempt to escape and how Bentell shot them as they exited the tunnel.

Jarrod had even seen the scars that covered his younger brother's back the night he had helped the doctor bind Heath's broken rib. He had wanted to ask his blond brother that night about them, but Heath had been too upset about being forced into a marriage, so Jarrod said nothing about the scars. The next day Heath had told them that the reason he had chosen to marry Jenny instead of going to jail was because he lived through Carterson and wasn't willing to go to prison again. The Lawyer realized that the scars Heath bore on his back were received at Carterson. That night Jarrod had wanted to ask Heath more questions about the place, but got the feeling his younger brother didn't want to talk about it. He had hoped that given time that his younger brother would discuss the place with his family, but that was the last time Heath mentioned Carterson until Matt Bentell showed up today.

This afternoon after he and Nick pulled Heath off Matt Bentell; Jarrod saw the uncontrollable rage that burned in his brother's eyes. He feared that if his younger brother didn't deal with his rage that it would destroy him. Jarrod believed that if his blond brother were forced to get to know Matt Bentell as a man not a prison camp commander, Heath would finally be able to let go of the hate.

Jarrod honestly believed that Matt Bentell was a man that had a job to do during the war and did what he had to do not what he wanted. After all, the south was losing they didn't have much food or medicine they could not be expected to give what little they had to the prisoners while their troops starved. If prisoners stepped out of line a Commander would have to order them punished. If they tried to escape a Commander would have no choice but to stop them. He believed that Bentell should not have to pay the rest of his life for that.

Jenny told Heath's family that on the night of the escape attempt, the prisoners that were still in the tunnel were brutally beaten then tied to whipping posts and whipped. She told them that they were left there for hours. Then Matt Bentell came out of his office, walked amongst the prisoners and ordered them to beg for mercy. Those who begged were cut down, but those who refused were left tied to the posts. Heath had refused and had spat in the Commanders face. Bentell personally whipped the boy twenty more times and then left him tied to the post to die. Heath would have died there, but the prison camp was liberated that day. The blond boy had past out tied to the whipping post. He awoke in an army hospital.

As Jarrod listened to Heath's sixteen-year-old wife, a girl too young to know about the horrors of war, tell of the sadistic way Bentell took pleasure in making his prisoners suffer, he realized that his brother had only been fourteen when he lived it. He also realized what he was asking of his younger brother was wrong.

"I am going to throw that son-of-a-bitch off this ranch." Nick screamed as he jumped to his feet and headed for the door.

Jarrod grabbed his younger brother's arm and stopped him. "Wait Nick. I think it is more important right now to talk to Heath."

"Oh no, Jarrod. There is no way in hell I am letting you make my brother go with that sadistic monster. That man almost killed him." Nick yelled as he tried to push past Jarrod.

"Nicolas! Jarrod is right. It is late and the Bentells have already turned in for the night. For Mrs. Bentells sake we can wait until the morning to tell Mr. Bentell that his employment with us is terminated and kick him off this ranch. It is more important that we talk to Heath now." Victoria told her middle son.

"Fine, I'll go." Heath snap as he turned, bolted for the door and stormed out of the room. He heard Jenny call his name. He her hand grab his arm, but he couldn't look at her as he pulled free of her grip and continued to his room.

Heath entered his room, walked over to the nightstand and turned up the lamp. He picked up the picture of his family and stared at it. How could they make him do this? How could they force him to go with this man? In a rage he threw the picture against the wall. He thought about packing his stuff and leaving. But no matter what they were doing him they were his family, he loved him and he couldn't leave. He also could not turn his back on his responsibility to Jenny, so he would do what they asked of him.

After Heath packed his gear for the next morning he removed his gun belt and hung it on the bedpost. Then he removed his boots and lay down on the bed. He did not bother blowing out the night lamp. He just lay on top of the covers fully dressed staring at the ceiling while he fought to get control of his emotions. Then he heard a knock on his door.

"Heath, we need to talk." Jarrod said as he knocked on his young brother's bedroom door. When he received no answer he opened the door and entered the room.

Heath ignored his brother's knock and plea to talk to him. Then Jarrod opened the door and entered the room followed by Nick, Victoria and Jenny. Heath did not say anything he just turned over to his side to face the opposite wall.

"Heath, sweetheart your brothers and I need to talk to you." Victoria said as she walked over, sat on the edge of his bed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Heath shrugged off her hand as he sat up. He refused to look at them. "We already talked. Actually you ordered and I obeyed. I have already agreed to go to the lumber camp with Bentell, now please leave my room so I can get some sleep." Heath demanded.

"We were wrong to ask you to do that." Jarrod said.

At that Heath stood and turned to face his family. "Why Jarrod? Less than hour ago you insisted that I go. You told me I needed to go, so I could deal with my anger before it consumed me. Why all of sudden have you change your mind."

"Jenny convinced us it was wrong of us to ask this of you. She told us what you told her." Jarrod explained

"She had no right." He screamed as he turned and walked over to stare out the bedroom window. "She should not have told you."

"You are right Heath. She should not have told us, you should have. Why didn't you trust us with this." Victoria asked.

"Why should what she told you make a difference? Why wasn't it enough that I told you who he was and that I was his prisoner? Why wasn't it enough that I told you he starved and beat us? Why wasn't it enough that I told you he waited for the prisoners to exit the tunnel so he could shoot them? Why did you have to hear all the horrifying details of my shame before you believed I had a right to hate him?" Heath asked as he continued to stare out he window.

"Heath! You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. Matt Bentell should be ashamed for what he did to you." Victoria told her young blond son as she tried to place a hand on his quaking shoulders, but he pulled away.

"We are sorry that we did not listen to you. I hope you can forgive us for what we almost made you do. Tomorrow morning we are telling Mr. Bentell that we are terminating his employment. You will never have to see him again." Jarrod said as he and the rest of the family turned to leave the room.

They were almost to the door when Heath turned to face them. "Let me fire him."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Jarrod asked. He had actually wanted to talk to Heath before firing Bentell, because he wanted to give his blond brother the opportunity to do it.

"Yes." Heath said as he walked over and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Very well, Heath." Jarrod said.

Jenny had stood at the doorway of Heath's bedroom while his family talked to him. She had heard him say she had no right to tell them what she did. She was afraid that he was angry with her. She waited until Nick, Victoria and Jarrod left the room. Then she approached Heath and sat down beside him on the edge of the bed.

"Please don't be mad at me for telling them. It was the only way they would listen. I didn't want them to make you go with that man." She pleaded with him to forgive her for breaking his trust in her. Heath turned to her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear as he held on to her tight.

Heath kissed her gently on the cheek. Then his mouth found hers. He kissed her hard and long as pushed her down on the bed. She felt his weight on top of her and felt his hands caressing her body. Then all of a sudden he pulled away.

"Oh God! Jenny I am sorry. I should have done that. You should not be in here. Go back to your room now." He ordered as he jumped to his feet and walked to the window. He refused to look at her as she got up and left the room.

The night Jenny's brother's and father ordered him to marry Jenny he had fought them, but in the end agreed to marry her. He had decide that night that he would raise the child she carried as his own, but then Jenny tried to kill herself and the child was lost. Jarrod had arranged to have the marriage annulled, but Heath had refused to sign the papers. He realized that if he did Jenny's father and brothers would not allow him to see her. He knew he was the only one she trusted at the time and the only one who could help her. He would rather live with her as a wife than a ghost that haunted his dreams. He had too many of them all ready, so he remained married to her.

Over the months they were married he had fallen in love with her, but she was love with a dead man who she was still grieving for. He wanted to be near her to hold her in his arms as a husband holds a wife, but he vowed to wait until she came to him. Tonight in a moment of weakness he had almost given in to his need to be with her. She was being a friend to him and he almost forced himself on her. Oh God! He thought what have I done.

When she was forced to marry Heath, Jenny had been grieving for another man. Over the months they were married Heath had been so kind and gentle toward her. She could not help but fall in love with him, but he never treated her like a wife, until tonight. When Heath had started to kiss her Jenny had been surprised, but she responded to him because she loved him and wanted him. Then he pushed her away and ordered her out of his room.

Jenny raced out of Heath's room and ran down the hall to her own. She threw herself on the bed and cried. Her heart was broken. He didn't love her. He didn't want her. To him she would always be the girl he was forced to marry.

She wished that Audra were here. She really wanted to talk to her friend, but the blonde girl had gone to visit her brother Eugene. Jenny cried herself to sleep.

The next morning Nick knocked on Heath's bedroom door. "Heath are you awake."

When his blond brother answered Nick entered the room. He could tell that his younger brother had not slept well. "Are you sure you want to do this. You could just stay in your room while we fire Bentell. You would never have to see him"

"I need to do this Nick." Heath replied. "Just don't leave my side."

"You got it. Let's go. He is waiting downstairs for you." Nick informed his brother. The two brothers exited Heath's room and headed downstairs.

"Okay Jarrod where is that brother of yours. We should have left for the lumber camp by now." Bentell demanded losing his patience with the young blond Barkley who was late. When he saw Heath he snapped. "There you are. We don't have all day to lay around in bed you know. Now lets get moving."

"I am not your prisoner anymore Bentell. You can't order me around. In fact you are an employee of my family. No, let me correct that you were an employee of my family. We had a family meeting last night and it was decided we don't want to employ a man like you. Now get the hell off this ranch." Heath ordered as he glared at the older man.

"What lies did you tell them to change their mind, boy." Bentell yelled at his ex-prisoner.

"I told them the truth." Heath calmly replied as he continued to glare at the older man. Finally Bentell looked away.

"Fine, we will leave." Bentell snapped.

As soon as Bentell and his wife exited the house, Heath began to shake. He walked over to the nearest chair, collapsed into it and buried his face in his hands. Nick and Jarrod both stood beside him with their hands on his shoulder as he fought to regain control of his emotions.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked as he rubbed his brother's shoulder.

"I will be." He answered.

When Heath finally felt in control again they all went into the dinning room for breakfast. They had just finished eating when there was a knock on the door. They exited the dinning room to go see who was at the door. When Silas answered the door Steve and Kevin Morris entered.

"What did you do to our sister?" Steve demanded of the blond Barkley. "She showed up at our place early this morning crying. She refuses to tell us anything, but has asked us to come get her things."

Heath did not answer he just turned and walked over to the fireplace. He was ashamed of his weakness. Last night he had pushed Jenny when she wasn't ready and now she left him. He believed he had ruined any chance of her ever loving him. He was going to talk to her today and ask her to forgive him, but now it was too late.

"I asked you a question. What did you do to our sister?" Steve demanded again.

"Tell her am sorry." Heath replied.

"What did you do?" Kevin asked.

"Leave him alone." Nick warned as he stepped between Heath and the Morris brothers. Heath had been though enough he did not need to be hounded by these two. "You said you came for her things, so get them. Then leave.

Victoria led them Steve and Kevin to Jenny's room to gather their sister's belongings. She wondered what could have happened last night, which caused Jenny to leave. Last night the girl had proven how much she cared for her blond husband by standing up against his family and making them change their minds. She had even referred to Heath as her husband. What could have Heath done that was so bad that Jenny felt she had to leave.

Mac Jones had entered the Barkley house with Heath that afternoon and witnessed the enraged bond cowboy tried to kill a man. He had heard the blond Barkley tell his family that the man was Matt Bentell. Mac didn't have to be a detective to figure out that Heath had been a prisoner of that hellhole called Carterson.

The next morning Mac awoke with the worst hangover he ever had. Last night he and five other Barkley ranch hands went into town to have some fun at the Saloon. They had got into a game of cards with a couple of other men. Mac was more than willing to share with anyone who would listen that he met the notorious Commander of Carterson prison. He told them that Heath Barkley had been a prisoner of that place and how the blond man tried to kill Bentell.

What Mac did not know was that one of the men he was talking to happen to be a reporter, who loved to get any good story on the Barkley's. The reporter kept buying the Barkley ranch hand drinks as he tried to get as much information out of the man. When the ranch hand had provided him with all he knew the reporter left the bar. He had to find some way to get a picture of the ex-commander. He thought about going and camping out at the Barkleys, but knew if he was caught on the Barkley ranch that he would definitely get beaten for his trouble. He decided it was worth the risk. He hid in a brush just outside the big iron gates and waited. The next morning as Bentell and his wife drove through the gates the reporter snapped the picture. Then he quickly left the ranch before anyone saw him.

While Victoria took Steve and Kevin to Jenny's room to gather their sister's belongings, Jarrod suggested that Heath accompany him and Nick into the study so they could talk. Once they were in the privacy of the study Jarrod turned to his younger brother.

"Heath, what happened last night? Why did Jenny leave?" Jarrod gently asked his blond brother.

Heath did not answer he just walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. He down the drink in one gulp and poured himself another. He felt guilty and ashamed of what he almost did last night.

"Does Jenny's leaving have anything to do with you being mad at her for telling us what you told her about Carterson?" Jarrod asked. He was afraid that in the state of mind Heath was in last night that his younger brother might have said some very cruel things to the girl.

"No." Heath replied.

"Then why would she leave?" Jarrod asked again. When Heath refused to answer this time Jarrod walked over and placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "If you don't want talk about it you don't have to. It just I think it would help if you did."

"She left because I." Heath started but could not continue.

"What did you do Heath? You didn't hit her did you?" Jarrod asked concerned by the look of guilt and embarrassment on his brother's face. Under normal circumstances Jarrod would never even consider the possibility that his blond brother would hit a woman, but last night Heath had gone through an emotional ringer. He wasn’t really himself.

"God no! I would never hit a woman. She left because I kissed her." Heath snapped.

"She left because you kissed her?" Nick asked

"I mean I really kissed her. Actually I almost. I just about." Heath stammered as he tried to tell them, but he just could say it. He turned and walked over to look out the window.

"You almost slept with your wife. Is that what you are trying to tell us?" Nick asked.

Heath did not reply he just continued to stare out the window. Jarrod and Nick exchanged worried looks. Jarrod knew that someday this marriage to Jenny was going to blow up in Heath's face and the blond man would get hurt.

"So she told you she wanted you to stop. Did you ask her to leave the ranch or was that her idea?" Jarrod asked.

"She didn't ask me to stop. I stopped myself last night. I told her to leave my room, but I didn't ask her to leave the ranch." Heath told them.

"Let me get straight Jenny did not resist you or ask you to stop, but you did and then you threw her out of your room. I know you grew up with out a father to tell you about the birds and the bees, but I would have thought by now you would have figured out what to do with a woman, especially one that is your wife." Nick said. He did not understand why Heath was acting like he committed a crime after all he was married to the girl.

"My marriage to Jenny isn't that simple and you know it. She is still grieving for the man she really loves.

She may not have resisted last night, but her leaving this morning proves she doesn't want me. Last night I scared her. She left because she is afraid it will happen again." Heath honestly believed there was no way Jenny could love him.

"You love her don't you?" Jarrod asked as he walked over and placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulders. Heath did not answer he just nodded his head.

"Heath, you should talk to her. Tell her how you feel. Maybe you are misinterpreting her actions" Jarrod tried to reason with his hurting brother. The way Jenny had fought to protect Heath last night, Jarrod was having a hard time believing that the girl had no feelings for his blond brother. She had even called Heath her husband.

"I can't." Heath yelled as he bolted for the door and left the study. Just as Heath exited Victoria came into the room.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Victoria asked. She was concerned for her blond son. She was hoping that he talked to his brothers.

"Yes, he told us and something tells me it is one big misunderstanding." Jarrod said.

"What happened?" Victoria asked.

"I don't think it is something Heath would like you to know about. He had a hard enough time telling us." Nick stated.

"Why? What did he do?" Victoria was afraid that her blond son had hurt Jenny.

Victoria insisted that her two older sons tell her what Heath had told them. Jarrod knew that she would not let it go until she got a straight answer, so he told her.

"Maybe I should go talk to Jenny." Victoria said after Jarrod explained the situation to her.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, mother. Heath is the one who has to talk to her all we can do is try to convince him that he should do so." Jarrod said.

Isaac Morris was surprised to find his daughter sitting on the porch swing crying. The girl refused to tell them what was wrong but asked for someone to go get her things and take Misty back to the Barkley stables. Isaac sent Kevin and Steve to the Barkleys to do as their sister requested, while he and his wife tried in vain to find out why their daughter was leaving her husband. The girl refused to talk.

When Kevin and Steve returned from the Barkleys, Jenny asked them if they had seen Heath and if he was okay. They told their sister that the blond Barkley looked like hell and had asked them to tell her that he was sorry. Again Mr. Morris and his wife tried to get the girl to tell them what her husband had done to make her leave him, but Jenny still refused to talk.

When Mr. Morris first met the blond Barkley he hated the man, but then he had good reason. He believed that the new Barkley was taking advantage of his daughter. When he found out his daughter was pregnant he had forced her to marry the blond man even though he was not the father of the child. Over the months that Jenny and Heath were married Isaac began to respect and like his son-in-law. When Jenny came home to visit all she could talk about was her husband and the Barkleys. She honestly seemed happy being Mrs. Barkley. He wondered what could have changed that.

The next morning Mr. Morris and James drove into town to pick up some supplies off the train. While James finished loading the wagon Isaac went to the general store to get the few things his wife had asked for. There were a couple of customers in the store already talking to the store clerk. As soon as he entered the store they stopped talking.

"Have you seen today's paper yet, Mr. Morris?" Asked the store clerk. When Isaac shook his head the clerk handed him a paper as he said. "It seems that son-in-law of yours made the front page."

Mr. Morris took the paper and read the headline.

Ex-Commander of Carterson prison, Matt Bentell fleas for his life after ex-prisoner, Heath Barkley tries to kill him. Under this heading there was a picture of Mr. Bentell and his wife as they drove through the gates of the Barkley ranch.

Mr. Morris paid the store clerk for the paper and left the store. He did not even bother to get the things that his wife needed. He now believed he knew the reason his daughter left her husband. He had to talk to her. He went back to the train station where James had just finished loading the wagon. He handed the paper to his oldest son as they headed out of town. James read the paper and felt sick.

When Mr. Morris arrived home he walked into the house and found his daughter helping her mother make lunch.

"Jenny, sweetheart we need to talk." He said as he handed her the paper.

Ann watched as Jenny took the paper, read it and began to cry. She walked over, took the paper from her daughter and read it. "Oh God!" she said as she took her little girl in her arms and held her.

"Jenny, I know it is disconcerting to find out that the man you are married to was in prison, but Carterson was a prisoner of war camp. Heath did not commit any crime to end up there and it is understandable that he would hate the Commander of that place enough to try to kill him." Mr. Morris explained. He believed that Jenny's sudden decision to leave her husband was because she believed he was criminal.

"I know what Carterson was and know what it did to him. I did not leave him because he was prisoner. I left because I can't make him love me. To him I will always be the girl you forced him to marry." She screamed at her father as she leaped to her feet, raced out of the room and up the stairs to her room.

Ann and Isaac followed their daughter to her room. While Ann entered the room to talk to her daughter Isaac stood at the door and listened. At first Jenny refused to talk, but finally Ann convinced the girl that she should.

Jenny told her mother how she and Heath did not share a room. She told her mother everything that happened at the Barkley ranch after Heath revealed who Matt Bentell was. Then she told her mother about what had happened in his room when she was alone with him.

"He doesn't love me or want me. At least not as a wife." She cried as her mother held her.

"Sweetheart, by what you told me it sounds like he was in emotional turmoil. Maybe he pulled away because he was afraid he would hurt you. You should talk to him. Tell him how you feel." Ann tried to tell her daughter.

"No, I can't." Jenny cried.

"Do you love him?" Ann asked

"Yes." Jenny replied

"Then talk to him. Tell him how you feel." Ann tried again to convince her daughter to talk to her husband.

"No! I can't. Just leave me alone." Jenny screamed as she pulled out of Ann's embrace.

As Ann left Jenny's room she saw her husband standing by the door. "You heard everything?"

"Yes." He replied as they both walked down the hallway. "I should make her go back to him."

"You will do no such thing. You have forced her and Heath enough in this marriage. If they are to get back together they have to find their own way." Ann rebuked her husband as she grabbed his arm to make him stop and look at her.

"I suppose you are right." Isaac meekly replied.

"Do you realize how young Heath had to be when he was in that place? He couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. My God! He was just a child." Ann stated changing the subject. Since she had read the paper and listened to Jenny tell what had happened at the Barkley ranch she had been doing the math in her head. She knew that Heath was about twenty-four and the war ended about ten years ago. It troubled her to think of a boy that young fighting in a war. Worse than that living in a place called Carterson.

"Yeah, I been thinking about that too. What I don't get is how the Barkleys thought it would be a good idea to send that boy with that man to the logging camp." Isaac said shaking his head in disbelief.

"I don't know. I just glad in the end they didn't make him go." Ann expressed her relief. Then she changed the subject again. "By the way did you get that stuff I asked you to pick up in town?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot." Isaac answered. "I have to go back into town later today. I'll pick it up then.

They continued talking as they walked back downstairs. Ann went back to the kitchen to finish making lunch. Isaac went to help James finish unloading the wagon.

Heath and Nick had just come into the house from working all day on the ranch. They were tired, dusty and hungry.

"Heath, we need to talk." Jarrod said as soon as his two younger brothers entered the house. He had been waiting for them to get home.

"Can it wait until I get cleaned up." Heath asked. He figured that Jarrod was going to try to talk him into going to talk to Jenny like Nick had been doing all day. He wished they would just let it be.

"I am afraid not." Jarrod said as he handed the newspaper to his blond brother, who took it and read it.

"Oh God! Everyone in the valley knows I was in that place." Heath said as he began to shake.

"Heath, you have nothing to be ashamed of." Jarrod said as he placed a hand on his younger brother's quaking shoulder.

"It is not something I am proud of. I didn't even want you to know. Now everyone knows." Heath spat as he shrugged off Jarrod's hand and walked over to stand by the fireplace. He refused to look at his brothers. He just stared at the flames dancing in the hearth. For years he had kept the horrors of that place buried deep inside him. He had trusted no one with this secret, now even strangers knew. Jarrod told him he had nothing to be ashamed of, but that is how he felt every time he thought of that place which striped him of all human dignity. In that place he had become an animal and he fought like one to survive.

Jarrod and Nick both wanted to take away their younger brother's pain and make him understand there was nothing to be ashamed of, but they did not know what to say or do to help. They just stood by Heath's side giving him silent support.

"We also have another problem. That is how did this story get to the press and how did they get a picture?" Jarrod asked. When Heath had finally composed himself.

"It had to be Mac Jones. He was in the house when Heath attacked Bentell." Nick said

"That is what I figure. The reporter probably just hid and waited until the Bentells left. Now the question is do we fire Mac." Jarrod said

"No. Just give him a good chewing out and warn him that if he ever does something like this again he is fired. Carterson has ruin enough lives already." Heath replied as he turned and walked up the stairs to his room.

Two days latter Jarrod was in his office when he received the news that Matt Bentell was shot and killed in a little town over a hundred miles away. At least with it happening so far away from Stockton there was no way Heath could be accused of the murder.

Jarrod left for home as soon as he heard. He wasn't sure how his younger brother would react to the news, so he wanted to tell Heath about it before the blond heard it from someone else.

Jarrod found Heath in the barn with Nick stacking hay. When Jarrod told Heath of Bentell's death the blond man didn't say anything or respond in any way. He just went back to work stacking he hay as if nothing happened.

It had been almost two weeks since Jenny had moved off the Barkley ranch and Heath still refused to go talk to the girl. Nick was getting sick of watching his blond brother mop about like a puppy dog that lost his best friend. They had been riding the North pasture looking for strays and Heath's mood did not make good company.

"Will you just go talk to her." Nick yelled at his blond brother in frustration.

"There is nothing talk about. It's over. She doesn't want anything to do with me. So will just let it be." Heath snapped. There had been a couple of times he almost went to see her, but he had talked himself out of it.

"She is your wife. You should talk to her." Nick tried again.

"I am going to ask Jarrod to end the marriage. She has made clear she wants out." Heath informed his older brother. When Jenny had Misty, the horse he broke and gave her, sent back to the ranch in Heath's mind it confirmed that Jenny did not want anything to do with him.

"Before you do that I really think you should talk to her. Tell her how you feel. Then if she wants out end it. Nick pushed.

"I told you to drop it." Heath screamed as he turned Charger in the opposite direction that they were travelling. "I'll go look for strays that way."

He kicked Charger into a full gallop. He wanted to get as far away from Nick as possible. He was furious at his older brother. For the past two weeks all Nick did was hound him about going to talk to Jenny. Why couldn't he just mind his own business? Without realizing it he had headed Charger in the direction of the Morris' ranch. Another thing he did not realize was he was being followed.

Heath pulled Charger to a walk and started to search for stray cows. Maybe Nick was right he should go talk to Jenny and tell her that he planned to end the marriage. After all she should hear it from him. He turned Charger and rode to the gate that separated Barkley land from the Morris'. He opened the gate, rode through it then closed it behind him. He started to head toward the Morris' ranch house, but then changed his mind. As he turned Charger back toward the Barkley ranch, he heard a gun ring out as pain exploded in his right side and he fell hard to ground. He tried to get up, but the movement sent pain shooting through his body. As he lay on his right side, he saw a shadow fall over him. He looked up to see Mrs. Bentell standing over him holding a gun.

"You killed my husband." She hissed

"I was no were near where you husband was killed." Heath gasped in pain as he defended himself.

"Maybe you didn't pull the trigger, but you let everyone know who he was. He didn't have a chance." She screamed. "My husband should have executed you and all the prisoners the day you tried to escape, but instead he showed you mercy. "

"I did not beg for his mercy and won't beg for yours. Just get it over with." Heath said through gritted teeth as he tried to control the pain and fear he felt.

Heath knew she planned on executing him and there was nothing he could do about it. He was lying on his gun and he couldn't move. As she raised the gun to aim it at him he closed his eyes and turned his face to the ground. Then he heard the gunfire.

Isaac Morris and his wife had been trying for almost two weeks to convince their stubborn daughter that she should talk to her husband, but she refused. They had hoped that maybe Heath would finally come and talk to the girl, but he never did. His wife had said that the two had to find their own way back together, but it looked like that was not going to happen. This saddened Isaac, because he knew that his daughter really loved the young Barkley. It broke his heart to see her so miserable.

Isaac, Steve and James were out riding the part of their land that boarded the Barkley ranch looking for a couple of horses that escaped when they heard a gunshot. They went to investigate. What they saw turned their hearts cold. Lying helplessly on the ground was Heath with a woman standing over him holding a gun. As they raced toward the terrifying scene, Mr. Morris and his sons each drew their guns and took aim. As the woman raised her gun and aimed it at the injured man, all three Morris men pulled their trigger and Mrs. Bentell fell.

Mr. Morris leaped from his horse and raced to the injured Barkley's side. The blond man was lying clutching his side. Isaac tried to roll Heath to his back, so he could get a look at the wound, but Heath resisted. "It's okay, Heath. You are safe. Let me take a look at your side"

Finally Heath relaxed and allowed Mr. Morris to roll him on to his back. Isaac took one look at the wound and knew it was bad. "Steve go get the backboard. James, go get the doctor and the sheriff. Have them met us at our place. It's closer and the less we move him the better."

After he finished giving orders to his sons he turned his attention back to the injured man. He could see the fear in the blue eyes. "It's okay, son. You will be okay."

"Tell Jenny I love her and that I am sorry I hurt her." Heath pleaded. He knew his wound was bad and he could feel his strenght draining from him. He couldn't die with out letting Jenny know he loved her.

"No, son that is something you will have to tell her. When you are better. You hear me? You fight boy or I will let her think you died hating her." Isaac yelled at the blond man in his arms. He ripped a sleeve off his shirt and pressed it against the injured mans wound.

"Oh God! It hurts." Heath gasped as a wave of pain racked his body.

"I know it does son. I am sorry, but I have to stop the bleeding." Isaac apologized for hurting him.

Just then Nick rode up. He dismounted and was at his blond brother's side in a flash. "My God, Heath what happened.

"Carterson wins after all, Nick." Heath gasped in pain.

"Don't you talk like that, Heath. You are not going to die." Nick rebuked his injured brother.

"Please, tell Jenny I love her." Heath begged his brother.

"Oh no you don't. I won't let anyone tell her that but you." Mr. Morris yelled at the man in his arms. "Don't you give up. I won't let my daughter lose another man she loves."

Mr. Morris felt Heath go limp in his arms. He felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one. "He just passed out." He informed the dark haired Barkley who sighed with relief.

"We got to get him home and get the doctor." Nick said.

"I've sent Steve for the buckboard and James for the doctor. I told James to have the doctor met us at our place, since it closer." Isaac informed him. While they waited for Steve to arrive Mr. Morris filled Nick in on what had happened.

Finally Steve arrived with the buckboard. He also had brought along Josh to help load the injured man into the wagon. Once they had Heath loaded Nick asked Josh to take Heath's horse and ride to the Barkley ranch to inform Victoria and Jarrod of what had happened. Then they headed to the Morris' house. When they arrived at the ranch house, they carefully carried the blond man into the house.

"Heath!" Jenny screamed when she saw the unconscious body of her husband being carried in by her father, brother and Nick. She tried to go to him, but her mother stopped her.

"Let them get him to a room Jenny and settled. You will do him more good by helping me get ready for the doctor. We need to boil some water to sterilized things." Ann started giving her daughter a bunch of stuff to do. Most of which had nothing to do with helping the injured man, but she wanted to keep her daughter busy.

Jenny watched as the doctor entered the house and went to the room where her blond husband was. She was terrified that Heath would die like Mark did.

"He is going to be okay isn't he Papa." She asked her father when he came downstairs. Jenny hadn't called him Papa since she turned ten.

"I don't know, honey." He replied. How he wanted to tell her it was all going to be all right, but he did not know that and he wouldn't lie to her.

Jenny started to head to the stairs that led to the room where her injured husband lay fighting for his life, but her father stopped her.

"I got go to him. Let me go, he needs me." She screamed. Why wouldn't they let her go to him?

"Jenny, he needs the doctor. The doctor asked as all to wait down here. You would only get in the way." Morris said.

"He can't die Papa. He can't die. I couldn't bare to lose him too." She cried

"That boy's a fighter. He has to be to have survive a place like Carterson." Isaac told his daughter with more confidence than he felt. Then he picked up his little girl in his arms and carried her over to the rocker. He sat down. He held her as he rocked her back and forth. How he wanted to take this pain away from her.

Just then Josh returned with Victoria and Jarrod. They asked how Heath was doing, but no one could tell them. They all waited for the doctor to come and tell them.

When the doctor arrived he had asked everyone, but Nick to wait downstairs. He examined his patient. Heath had lost a lot of blood, so the doctor had to risk a blood transfusion. Then he set to work on removing the bullet. When he finally removed the bullet he bandage the wound. When he was finished he asked Nick to come with him downstairs, so he could tell everyone together.

"How is he?" Jarrod asked as the doctor walked into the living room where they all waited.

"I won’t lie to you. It's not good. He lost a lot of blood and the bullet passed very close to the appendix. Luckily the appendix didn't burst, but unfortunately I had to remove the it along with the bullet. He is very weak." The doctor informed them.

"Will he be alright?" Victoria asked.

"I've done all I can the rest is up to him. Right now it could go either way. I wish I had better news, but I am sorry. I suggest you all pray." The doctor told them. "Unless I am needed elsewhere I will stay here."

Jenny broke from her father's arms and raced to the room with her husband. She walked over to him cupped his face in her hands and yelled. "You owe it to me to fight to live. You hear me fight to live. Like you told me to."

Then she lay down beside him and she refused to leave his side. She fell asleep curled up beside him.

Latter that night Victoria entered the room and placed a blanket over her young daughter-in-law. She gently stroked the girl's cheek. Then she walked over and placed blanket on Nick who had fallen asleep in a chair in the corner of the room. He too refused to leave his brother's side.

As Victoria stood staring at her blond son's pale face she thought of the first day Heath arrived at the ranch. Of how hard he had fought to be accepted, especially by Nick. In the few short months Heath had been living at the ranch he had become a very important and loved member of her family. If he died there would be hole that could never be filled again.

Victoria thought of Heath's young wife. She could see how deeply her daughter-in-law loved him. The girl had lost one man she loved and it almost destroyed her could she survive the same tragedy again.

"Dear God! Please don't take him away from us. We all love and need him, especially Jenny. After all Jenny and Heath have been through they deserved to happy. You gave him the strength he needed to fight and survive Carterson. Please give him the strength he needs to fight and survive this. Amen." Victoria prayed.

"Amen." Jarrod said as he entered the room to check on his injured brother and heard his mother's pray. He had been helping the Morris tell the sheriff what had happened. .

"Any change?" Jarrod asked.

"No. Do you think we should wire Audra and Eugene and have them come home?" Victoria asked. Audra had gone to visit her brother Eugene and a friend of hers. The blonde girl was not expected home for at least another week. Eugene was busy with his studies at University and would not be coming home until Christmas, which was almost two months away.

"We probably should let them know. If he di." Jarrod started to say but the word caught in his throat. Then he continued. "Anyway they would want to know. I will wire them first thing in the morning."

"Did everything go alright with the Sheriff?" Victoria asked.

"Yes. It was clear that Mr. Morris, James and Steve had no choice, but to shoot her. If they hadn't Heath would be dead now." Jarrod stated as he stood watching his brother fight for his life. "God! I wish I never hired that man. Then none of this would have happened."

"Jarrod, this isn't your fault. You didn't know the man you hired was Matt Bentell." Victoria said as she put her arms around her oldest son's shoulders. "Blaming yourself isn't going to help Heath. I think both of us should try to get some sleep."

They each went to the guestrooms that Ann had prepared for them.

The next morning Nick awoke with a stiff neck from sleeping in the chair all night. He looked over at the still form of his blond brother lying in the bed with Jenny curled up beside him. He remembered with shame the first few weeks after Heath's arrival at the ranch. How cruel he had been to this brother then. He didn't want to accept the fact that his father was imperfect, so he refused to accept Heath. But no matter how hard Nick tried to hate this quiet man, he couldn't. Over the month's since the blond man's arrival Nick grew to love and respect this brother. Now he could not imagine his life without Heath at his side, running the ranch.

Nick's thoughts where interrupted when the doctor entered the room followed by Jarrod. The doctor walked over to the bed of injured Barkley.

"Jenny, I need to examine Heath." The doctor said as he gently shook the girl to wake her up. He did not really like the idea of her lying next to the injured man, but when he had tried to remove her last night she had refused and the family insisted he leave her alone.

Jenny s got up, but never let go of Heath's hand while the doctor examined him and redressed the wound. As soon as the doctor was finished examining her husband, she curled up beside him once again. Then she started to softly talk to the unconscious man.

"How is he?" Jarrod asked as soon as the doctor was finished his examination.

"I am afraid there is no change. But at least he isn't any worse. I have to go out to the Stevens place this morning to check on another patient. If there is any change at all have someone come and get me immediately." The doctor informed the two brothers. Then he left.

Nick got up from where he sat, walked over to the bed, took Heath's hand in his as he bent down and whispered in his injured brother's ear. "Don't you go giving up, boy. You fight. I have to go check on the ranch, but I will be back."

Then Nick and Jarrod left Heath's room and went downstairs where they found their mother with Ann in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone. They informed Victoria of what the doctor just told them.

After they finished their breakfast Jarrod left for town and Nick went to check on the running of the ranch.

b

Jarrod rode into Stockton. He had hoped by morning there would have been a change in his brother's condition, but Heath still showed no sign of improvement. At least his brother was still clinging to life.

Jarrod rode up to the telegraph office, dismounted and entered the building. He carefully worded the message he was sending to Eugene. Then he handed it to the telegraph clerk, who took it, read it and then sent it.

"I am sorry about your brother, Jarrod. My wife and I will pray for him and your family." The telegraph clerk said as Jarrod turned to leave.

"Thanks." Jarrod mumbled then left the telegraph office. He had just exited the office when the Sheriff approached him.

"Hi Jarrod, How is Heath doing?" The sheriff asked. Jarrod didn't say anything, but the pain etched on the young lawyer's face told the sheriff that Heath had not improved. "Come on I'll buy you a coffee. You look like you need someone to talk to."

The two men walked over to the Cattlemen's Hotel and picked a private table in the corner of the restaurant. The Sheriff ordered two cups of coffee from the waitress as soon as they sat down. After the waitress brought them their coffee he turned to his friend. "It's bad isn't it."

"He has not regained consciousness and he is so pale. I am afraid we are going to lose him." Jarrod choked.

"He is a strong young man and a fighter. Don't worry he will pull through." The Sheriff tried to comfort him.

"Yeah! He is a fighter. He has had to fight all his life. He had to fight against those who judged him unworthy because of how he was born. He had to fight to help his mother raise him. He had to fight to survive Carterson. He even had to fight to be accepted by us. Now is he laying in bed fighting for his life because of me." Jarrod snapped. He still felt guilty that he had brought Matt Bentell into their lives.

"Now hold Jarrod. I don't see how you can blame yourself for any of this." The sheriff said

"If it wasn't for me hiring Matt Bentell and inviting him into our house none of this would have happened. Heath would be safe." Jarrod stated.

"Jarrod, how were you suppose to know that the man you hired was Bentell? He told you he was someone else." He sheriff tried to convince the guilt-ridden Barkley that he done nothing wrong.

"Maybe so, but when Heath told us who he was I should have fired him on the spot. I should have made him leave immediately. Then the press wouldn't have had time to get a picture and Bentell would still be alive. Then his wife wouldn't have tried to kill my brother out revenge. Instead I almost forced Heath to go with that man up to the lumber camp to protect him. To protect a man that tortured him and left him to die. If it hadn't been for Jenny I would have sent my brother with that man, because I believe that Bentell should not have pay for the rest of his life for what happened during the war. I was more concerned about Mr. Bentell's rights than my own brother feelings. Heath tried to tell us, but I wouldn’t listen." Jarrod unloaded his guilt to his friend.

"Jarrod, there is no way you can know for sure that things would have worked out differently if you fired Bentell the minute you knew who he was. Someone may have still recognized him and killed him. Mrs. Bentell may still have blamed Heath and came back to kill him. Blaming yourself isn't going change anything. Now all you can do is be strong for your family and help them through this." The Sheriff said.

"You are probably right. Thanks for listening. I really needed to talk to someone about this." Jarrod said as he took a sip of his coffee. The two friends talked while they finished their coffee then Jarrod excused himself and went to his office.

Eugene Barkley closed his books and picked them up as he headed for the door. He had promised that he would meet his sister, Audra for lunch at the campus cafeetria. His sister had come to town to visit a friend of hers. He was enjoying being able to spend time with her and catch up with everything that was happening back home at the ranch. He had just exited the classroom when a man approached him.

"You Eugene Barkley." The man asked

"Yes." Eugene answered.

"There is a telegram for you." The man said as he handed the telegram to Eugene, who took it and gave the man a tip. Then he read the telegram.

"Bad news?" Ross, a classmate of Eugene asked when he saw the pain on his friend's face.

"My brother was shot. They don't know if he will pull through." Eugene said. "If you excuse me I have to go get my sister. We have a train to catch."

Eugene shoved the telegram in his pocket as he raced down the hall to the cafeteria where Audra was waiting for him. He knew that if the family felt it necessary to send a telegram that it had to be serious. He entered the cafeteria and found Audra talking to a group of young college men.

"If you will excuse us gentlemen my sister and I have something important to discuss." Eugene said as he grabbed Audra by the arm and pulled her from the room.

"Eugene that was rude." Audra pouted. She had been enjoying all the attention. "What about lunch?"

"There isn't time for lunch. We have to catch the next train back to Stockton." Eugene told her as they continued walk down the hall.

"Why? What happened?" Audra asked suddenly concerned.

"I'll tell you once we are on the train. It leaves at 1:00 so there isn't anytime to explain now." Eugene stated as they exited the school. He prayed they would make the train on time. If they missed it they would have to wait until tomorrow.

Eugene found a cab and ordered the driver to the train station. Once in the cab Audra asked again. "Eugene, you are scaring me. What happened? Why do we have to go home?"

"I received a telegram. Heath has been shot." Eugene informed her.

"He isn't dead is he?" She asked as terror filled her heart.

"No, but it's serious and he might not make it." Eugene informed her.

Just then the cab pulled up at the train station. Eugene helped his emotionally distraught sister out of the cab. Then he went and purchased their tickets. Then they boarded the train. Once they where seated he put his arms around his little sister and held her as she cried herself to sleep.

Between working at the hospital in Sacramento during the summer months and going to University Eugene had not been home much since Heath arrived at the ranch a little over six months ago. He had been home the day the blond drifter rode in claiming to be his father's bastard son, but left a week latter for Sacramento. Eugene had returned home a month latter when the town of Stockton decided to honor his father by erecting a statue of him in the center of town. That time Eugene only had a few days to try to get to know his quiet new brother before he had to return to his summer job in Sacramento.

As he watched the land race by he thought of his injured brother fighting for his life. Eugene realized that he did not even know this brother and now he feared he would never have the chance to.

Heath fought against the storm that raged around him. He was afraid, alone and the pain was unbearable. He had to find shelter so he ran until he fell exhausted unable to fight.

"Heath, Sweetheart." A gently voice called as the storm retreated and his pain vanished. He slowly got to his feet and looked around. He found himself in a clearing of a forest with his mother and Aunt Rachael standing beside him.

"Mamma! Aunt Rachael!" Heath shouted in joy and threw his arms around each woman. "Boy howdy, It's been a long time. I missed you both so much."

Heath, Leah and Rachael stood in the clearing embracing one another until Heath pulled away. "You are both dead. How can you be here? Does this mean that I am dead?"

"No, sweetheart you are not dead. But you do have a choice to make." His mother told him. "You must chose which path you will take."

Leah pointed to a path. "This path will take you back to your family, but it is a long journey and it won't be easy. It is journey you will have to travel alone." Leah pointed to the other path. "This one is the one that will led you to the Father. On this path your Aunt and I will accompany you."

Heath walked toward the first path. He saw the raging storm and felt the unbearable pain return. He retreated back into the clearing. He wanted to go back to his family, but he was tired of fighting. He needed to rest.

Heath turned back to his mother and Aunt Rachael who stood on the second path. As Heath took a step toward the second path a brilliant light appeared. He could feel peace and love radiating from the light welcoming him. Down this path he would find the rest he needed and he would be free of pain. He could be with his mother and Aunt Rachael again. He took another step toward the light as he reached out to take the hands of his mother and Aunt Rachael.

"You owe it to me fight to live. You hear me fight to live. Like you told me to." He heard Jenny's terror filled voice scream at him. Jenny had wanted to choose death over life once, but he convinced her that that even though death seemed easier than life she should fight to live. How could he now take the easy way out?

"I am sorry I can't go with you." Heath told his mother and Aunt Rachael as he dropped his hands to his side and backed away from them. "Jenny needs me. My family needs me. I must fight to live."

Leah smiled at her son. "That is the choice I prayed you would make. Once you start down that path remember to trust only your heart."

The light and the two women vanished. Heath found himself in the middle of the raging storm once again and the unbearable pain was back. He was cold, tried and afraid, but this time he wasn't alone. He could not see her, but he could feel Jenny's presence reaching out to him to guide him home. The wind was strong and he had to fight hard against it just to keep from losing ground.

That night Jenny awoke unable to sleep because she was extremely hot. She threw back her blanket and sat up to discover that the room was cold. She turned and felt the forehead of the blond man lying beside her. She felt the heat radiating from him.

"Nick!" She screamed at her brother-in-law who once again fell asleep in the chair in the corner of the room.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked as he awoke with a start and was at Heath's bedside in seconds

"He's burning up." Jenny alarmed voice informed him.

Just then the doctor entered the room followed closely by Jarrod and Victoria who had all been awaken by Jenny's frantic scream. The doctor walked over to his patient and examined him.

"I was afraid of this." The doctor said. "We have to bring down this fever and now."

They began bathing the injured man with cold water to bring down the fever that racked his body. That night the fever raised dangerously high, but finally they managed to bring it down.

For the next three days Jenny remained at her husband side talking to him as she sponged him down to kept the fever under control. She refused to stop even when her mother and the doctor begged her go and get some rest. . She couldn't, she wouldn't leave Heath's side.

When Audra returned home with Eugene, she offered to tend to Heath while Jenny got some rest, but Jenny refused.

Heath fought hard against the storm. He was so tired and the pain was increasing, but he continued to struggle to gain ground.

"Heath!" His Aunt Rachael's voice beacon. He turned to find her standing beside him.

"Aunt Rachael, I am so tired. I don't know if I can go on." Heath yelled to be heard above the raging storm.

"You don't have to. All you have do is stop fighting and come with me." Rachael said.

Heath wanted to rest, to stop fighting, and to be free of this pain. He was about to walk toward his Aunt when he heard his brother's voice whisper to him to not give up and to fight.

"No, I must go this way." He said as he headed in the direction of Jenny's presence and Nick's voice.

As he continued to battle against the storm a lightning bolt struck a tree and set it on fire. Soon flames blocked his path. He retreated away from the flames.

"Heath, you can't go that way. The flames will burn you. Follow me and I will led you home." His aunt tried again to get him to follow her.

Heath looked at his Aunt and back at the flames. He could feel Jenny's presence just beyond the flames and he had to reach her. He began walking threw the fire. He was so hot and the pain in his side was unbearable, but he continued on. Just when he believed he could stand it no more he was free of the burning forest. He found himself in hot-aired desert. He collapsed to his knees on the desert floor. He didn't know if he had the strength to continue.

"Heath, sweetheart. It's time you give up. You are tired and weak, please just come with me." He heard his mother's gentle voice. Heath looked up to see his mother standing beside his Aunt Rachael.

"I must continue." Heath said as he got to his feet and started to walk.

"No, you must stop fighting and come with me." His mother 's ordered confused him. His mother had told him that she had prayed he would chose this path, so why was she now trying to get him to give up and stop fighting. Then he remembered her telling him to only trust his heart and his heart told him to continue fighting for life.

"I can't go with you. I must fight to live." Heath told her.

"Heath! You must come with me now. You are my son and you will obey me." Leah screamed.

Slowly Heath turned to face her as the realization hit him. "You are not my mother. My mother would never order me to stop fighting." As he spoke the words Leah changed into Matt Bentell and his Aunt changed into Mrs. Bentell.

"You have passed all your test but one, boy." Bentell said as the desert vanished.

Heath found himself once again in Carterson. Heath looked around at the horrors of the prison camp. His heart started to race as the guards started walking toward him. He had to get out of here. He couldn’t let them catch him. He started to retreat back toward the direction he had come, but then he felt Jenny and his family. He heard their voices just beyond the gates of his private hell. He realized that the only way to reach them was to face his fears of this prison and walk through those gates.

"As you see, Boy. You can't escape this place. You may as well give up, because it will always win. Even you said if finally won." Bentell laughed

Heath turned to face Bentell. "I was wrong this place is my past. It can only win if I let it and I won't let it. You and this place are not real and can't hurt me anymore." With a renewed strength he turned, walked through the prison, past all the guards to the gates and to his freedom.

Heath awoke to find himself in a strange room surround by his family. "Where I am I? He gasped in pain as he frantically tried to sit up. He feared that this too was some kind of illusion.

"It's okay, Heath you are safe. You are at the Morris place. We brought you here after you were shot." Nick said as he gently pushed his brother back against the bed.

Heath lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes as the images of what had happened flashed through his mind. He remembered the shearing pain in his side just before he fell from Chargers back. He saw the insanity in Mrs. Bentells face as she lifted the gun to end his life, but luckily Mr. Morris, Steve and James stopped her. He remembered the fear he had that he was going to die without ever letting Jenny know he loved her. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at his pretty little red headed wife sitting beside him on the edge of the bed.

"Jenny I love you and I am sorr." Heath started to apologize for hurting her, but she silenced him with a kiss.

"I love you too, Heath." Jenny said as she pulled away.

Everyone in the room cheered and clap with delight that these to stubborn people finally declared their love for one another, which caused Heath to turn a bright red.

"Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Heath asked doing his best to ignore the rest of his family in the room.

"We are already married, don't you remember." Jenny asked concerned at his lapse in memory.

"I mean will you remarry me? When we look back on our wedding day. I want to remember you walking down the aisle to me. I want to remember saying I do and meaning with my whole heart. The way it should have been. Not forced on us by your father and brothers." Heath explained.

"Of course I will remarry you." Jenny answered.

"I can help you plan the wedding." Audra squealed in delight.

"Audra, I think that all this wedding planning can wait until Jenny gets some sleep." The doctor said as he entered the room. He had just arrived back from delivering a baby and over heard Heath ask Jenny to remarry him. He gave them their little moment, but now he wanted to get the girl to finally get some rest before she collapse. He also wanted to examine Heath.

The doctor ordered everyone out of the room, so he could examine Heath. When he finished his examination he re-bandaged the wound. Then he gave the young man something to kill the pain and help him sleep.

The people of Stockton were surprised when they received invitations to attend the marriage of Heath Barkley and Jenny Morris, because they all knew that the couple was already married.

When the people of Stockton had first heard that Heath and Jenny had gotten married they believed it was a rushed marriage because the girl was pregnant. The gossips, which always loved a good scandal especially when it involved the Barkleys, watched the girl closely for the signs that she was with child. They were expecting to be invited to a baby shower by now not a wedding for the happy couple.

The Barkleys and Morris just told everyone that they had felt cheated out of a wedding when Heath and Jenny eloped, so Heath decided to have a proper wedding for the family sake.

Two days after Christmas Heath and Jenny were remarried. Audra was Jenny's bridesmaid and Nick was Heath's best man. Jenny wore a beautiful white dress and the prettiest smile as she walked down the aisle to her awaiting husband. Neither hesitated a second when the minister asked them if they took one another as man and wife.

After the wedding reception Heath and Jenny left for the hotel in town. That night for the first time since they were married Heath took Jenny as his wife.

A year latter a very nervous Heath waited downstairs with his brother's as he waited impatiently for his child to be born.

"I should be with her." Heath said as he tried to head to the stairs that led to his and Jenny's room.

"Mother, Dr. Meyer and Mrs. Morris would just kick you out and you know it. She will be fine." Nick said as he grabbed Heath's arm to stop him from going upstairs.

Jarrod walked over and handed Heath a drink. "Here maybe this will calm you down. How about a game of pool to take your mind off things?"

Heath took the offered drink and agreed to play pool with his brothers. Heath had a hard time concentration on the game. He kept thinking of Jenny in pain upstairs. He wanted to go to her, but they would not allow him to. Nick of course was taking full advantage of his brother's distraction to win back some of the money he had lost to his blond brother.

Just as Heath was about to make his next shot he heard a baby cry, which caused his arm to jerk and he ripped the pool table felt with his cue stick.

Jarrod looked at the rip in the table. "I guess it's not a good idea to have a expecting father play pool.

Heath dropped the stick on the table and raced for the stairs. He had just reached the top of the stairs when Victoria exited his and Jenny's room.

"You have a daughter, Heath." Victoria informed him. "Jenny is waiting for you."

He entered the room and walked over to the edge of the bed. He looked down at his tired but very happy red headed wife, who cradled their daughter beside her.

"I love you Heath." Jenny said as she looked up and smiled at him. "Come met you daughter."

Heath gently took the little child in his arms. "She is so beautiful. Just like her Mamma. I love you so much Jenny." He said as he bent over and kissed Jenny on the lips. "What shall we name her?"

"I always liked the name Tara." Jenny said

"Welcome to our family, Tara Barkley." Heath said as he held his little girl in his arms.