Note: In 'The Reformation of Harry Briscoe', Kid Curry says that his grandparents came from Londonderry, and Heyes says that his were from England. It always bothered me a little, since they were supposed to be cousins and would therefore share a set of grandparents. Anyway, it got me thinking about how both of those things could be true, and I came up with this story.

It's a childhood fic and you may want to consider it an AU.

This story will be broken into two parts. The first part is pretty mild and has a nice, happy ending. The second part will have darker themes. Since it's something I always like to know before reading, I should mention that if you finish it to the second part, it doesn't have a happy ending (obviously!).

Virtual bouquets and heartfelt thanks to Penski for her wonderful patience and hard work trying to correct my many mistakes, and for her many helpful suggestions!

Chapter 1 - Jed

"Come on, please let me play!" Six-year-old Jedediah Curry looked longingly at his two older brothers, desperate to be included in their games.

Twelve-year-old Joseph pushed him aside as they pocketed their catapults and headed out to the woods. "You're too little to come play with us, you're just a kid. Go home, kid."

Jed hated being called that. His brothers knew it and tried to use it at every opportunity.

"Yeah, he's right, kid," added Adam, whose thirteen years made his the final opinion on every matter. "We're gonna try and catch a rabbit for dinner, and we don't want to be lookin' after you while we're doin' it. You'll just be in the way, kid."

They ran away and Jed watched them forlornly.

He saw his ten-year-old sister crossing the yard and ran up to her. "Hey, Leah, want to play?"

He had no real hope of it. Leah was constantly telling him that she was too old to play foolish games with a child like him anymore.

"No, silly! I'm going to Charlotte's house."

"Can I walk with you?"

"No. You'll slow me down. Go find the boys and play with them."

Jed kicked a stone and put his hands in his pockets. "They went huntin'. Said I'd be in the way."

"Well, you're not going to spoil my day with Charlotte either. Go away, Jed."

Hands in his pockets, he scuffed his boots in the dirt of the yard as he walked back to the house. He heard voices in the kitchen, where his Aunt Elizabeth was still visiting with his mother.

"...So, we've decided. We're going to get a boy from the orphan train. We're going to head down there tomorrow."

He paused outside, wondering if he should go in. They were obviously talking about something private, he could tell from their lowered voices.

He heard his mother's voice, with the faintest hint of an Irish brogue. Although she'd never actually lived in Ireland, she'd picked up traces of the accent from her parents.

"You're alright with that?"

"It's been ten years. You have three wonderful boys and two beautiful girls, and what do we have? Nothing, not even a hint of it! No, it's time we accepted things the way they are. We want a family and this seems like the only way to get one."

"Are you wanting to get a baby?"

Elizabeth shook her head emphatically. "Heavens, no! We're already a little too old to be dealing with babies. We thought an older boy could help around the farm."

Jed moved forward to hear more and stepped on a creaky floorboard.

"Come on in, Jed," said his mother.

He shuffled in, looking guilty. "How d'ya know it was me?"

"'Cause Adam and Joe are out hunting, Leah left for Charlotte's house, and the baby can't walk yet!" At this last, she grinned and ruffled his blond curls.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. You'll know soon enough anyway."

He climbed onto a chair beside his aunt. He wanted to ask more questions, but he always found Aunt Elizabeth rather intimidating.

His mother guessed he wanted to know more. "What d'you want to ask your auntie?"

She smiled to herself at the look on Elizabeth's face. Even with an older child, motherhood would be a shock to her. She was always very uncomfortable around younger children, especially Jed with his antics and his childish chatter, and she hated people using childish terms like 'auntie'.

"Could they get a boy my age? Then we could play together!"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Sorry, Jedediah. We're hoping to get an older boy. But you already have plenty of children to play with, all these brothers and sisters!"

"Adam and Joe always say I'm too little. And I can't play with Leah, she's a girl." He didn't add that Leah also thought he was too much of a baby.

"Oh, of course you can." Elizabeth quickly ended the conversation.

Not having been around children much herself - she was an only child and had been privately educated by a governess - she found it hard to talk to them. She'd had some qualms about whether she could be a good mother, but reasoned them away. She was sure that everything would be different when she was raising her own child.

Also, she didn't much care for Jed. True, he had those beautiful blond curls and blue eyes that all the Curry children seemed to have been blessed with; but the angelic appearance was ruined by the fact that the child seemed to be constantly dirty. She was extremely fond of her husband's sister - Maggie was her closest friend - but she couldn't understand why Maggie didn't try harder to keep the boy clean.

Maggie told her that it was hard enough to keep him clean and tidy for a few hours on Sunday morning when he had to go to church. She wasn't about to put herself through all of that when she didn't have to; he was a little boy, and little boys got dirty. Elizabeth didn't believe that for a moment; she knew that she would raise her child very differently.

Maggie guessed some of Elizabeth's thoughts and smiled to herself. Elizabeth would learn soon enough.

Maggie gave her son a sympathetic hug. "Don't you mind the others, Jed. You'll be older soon enough." She grinned. "Besides, it seems to me that you don't need anyone to help you get into trouble!"