I do not own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkley Characters. The idea for this came, 'The Court Martial. What if General Alderson hadn't been a spy. What if they had 38 men for the reasons stated, and the incident happened because of the reasons Nick stated during 'the trial'. What if the men hadn't been federal agents but men really out for revenge. Okay, so that's more than one 'what if'. ..wellll

Okay, I did NOT start this story thinking this would happen only, the Cartwrights and Sheriff Coffee will be in a few of the later chapters! They, of course, are not my creation either! Wish they were!

For The Sake of His comrades

Chapter One

Opening Scene

Jarrod, Heath and Nick stood in shock. The men had said they were going to hang the general, but it had all seemed so unreal, like a bad dream. A part of them said someone, somehow, would stop them; even if Heath's attempt had failed. Now, no one could save the general.

"Your turn!" Macklin barked as he waved his gun at Nick. Nick looked into the pain filled eyes of his brothers. "Set this straight," Nick said before heading for the horse that stood underneath the second noose the strangers had set up.

Once he was on the horse, Tanner started to put the rope around Nick's neck only to have a bullet rip the rope in two. Macklin had to grab the horse to keep it from running, while everyone else put their hearts back into place.

Their eyes turned to a masked rider who had appeared not ten feet away. "What!" Tanner started to aim his pistol at the rider only to find another bullet in his chest. He dropped to the ground dead.

The rider motioned for everyone to move back. Once they were where the rider demanded, the voice was gruff and disguised. They could tell that by the odd sound with which the rider spoke, "What is going on here?"

Macklin hurried to explain pointing to Nick, "Lt. Barkley," he pointed to Nick "and that piece of trash, among others," he pointed to the dead general, "attacked an innocent village during the Civil War," he went on to give an account of all that had happened since their arrive, "...so, we're hanging him too." he finished feeling more justified than ever.

The rider stiffened a bit, and looked at Nick, "You are, or were, Lt. Nicholas Barkley? These men are your brothers? Where's the rest of your family?"

Nick nodded, and answered with steel in his eyes, "Yes, I am, and yes, they are." He then told the stranger of his mother and sister being held captive in the attic.

The rider moved quickly and, before anyone knew it, had the reins to Nick's horse, "He's coming with me." Macklin started to protest only to be silenced by a bullet near his feet; the man jumped backwards. "Now go get your friends, let the women go and get out of here! Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Macklin didn't like it, but he didn't argue. It took only seconds for him, and his men to disappear into the house. Moments later the men were riding off, and Victoria and Audra were rushing to get to Nick, Heath and Jarrod. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the group.

The rider looked at the Barkleys, "If I hear any of you make a move as we leave, Lt. Barkley here is a dead man." They watched helplessly as the rider then led Nick away, with Nick's hands still secured behind him

Scene One

Fred sat behind his desk taking down the names and descriptions Jarrod and Heath were giving him. "I'll be honest with you," Fred looked up at the two Barkley men, "These names have already come across my desk. It seems like they're southern vigilantes, and are wanted by the law. You didn't get the rider's name?"

"No," Jarrod straightened up and shook his head, "They didn't seem to know him." It had been all Heath and he could do not to grab their horses and go after their brother, only thing that had stopped them was they knew the rider was serious. He would have shot Nick without a second thought.

"And you have no idea which way the rider took Nick?" Fred rubbed his chin. That wasn't going to make his job any easier, for that fact, it wasn't going to help anyone find the missing rancher.

"It was too dark," Heath answered, frustration in his voice, "they headed south, but who knows if they continued that way or not. We have men searching the ranch from one end to the other, just in case."

"I'll get some men together and start looking," the lawman stood up, "let's hope something, or someone gives us a break." Neither Jarrod nor Heath said a word as they headed out the door. What else could they say to the man? They'd told him all they knew.

Once outside Heath took a deep breath; his nerves hadn't been this close to the edge for many months, "Where do you think he took him?" he looked at Jarrod, he too looked tired and frustrated.

"I have no idea," Jarrod answered slowly, "but at least he wasn't hanged." 'At least not yet' came into his mind, but he did not voice that fear. In fact, he pushed it aside himself as he mounted his horse. The last thing he, or anyone needed, was to go around fearing the worst. They needed to keep focused, and pray like mad they would find Nick before anything drastic did happen to him.

'Hold on, Nick', Heath thought as he mounted Charger, 'We'll find you, somehow, you'll be okay'. He had to be, Heath couldn't stomach the idea of life on the ranch without his brother.

SCENE TWO

"You did what?" Nick, who found himself on the ground with his legs chained to a wagon wheel, his hands still secured behind him, heard a woman yelling, but he couldn't see anyone. The yelling was coming from behind some trees.

"That man is Lt. Nicholas Barkley! He served under General Alderson! Macklin and the others hung the general, they would have hung Barkley only I got to them just in time! I may not agree with killing anyone, but I sure the Sam Hill agree justice has to be served! They owe us! Look at you! Eight years you've been a widow, and lived with those scars on your face! All because of those men!"

"What happened back then doesn't make what Macklin, and those men, did tonight right, nor what you're doing right! Good grief it was wartime! War is hell..." Nick heard the sound of someone being slapped. It infuriated him as he realized the man who brought him here must have hit the woman he'd been talking to. She'd only spoken the truth!

He watched as a woman came out from among the trees. She looked to be no more than five feet, her pitch black hair was clean and done up in a bun which set on the back of her head. The left side of her face was filled with scars. His heart went out to her, what she must live with. Soon she'd filled a bowl full of soup and was kneeling by him.

"I may not be able to get you out of this situation right now," she spoke politely as she began feeding him, "but I can treat you the best I can." If it weren't for the fact that she knew her brother in laws were minutes away from coming back into camp, she'd have freed Mr. Barkley in spite of her father in law.

"You know, you're all on our ranch," Nick looked at her once he'd finished eating, "They'll find you, my brothers and the ones helping them look. There will only be more trouble. Do you really want that?"

She went to answer only to have her father in law appear and bark, "Won't matter none, we're leaving as soon as my sons get back."

Nick looked at the gentleman, "Don't suppose you want to explain why my name meant something to you? And, don't tell me it didn't; after all, you made a point of having me clarify it for you!" Nick didn't care if he was barking a bit or not.

For a moment the man did not speak, when he did it was through clenched teeth, "My son spoke your name just before he died," he paused again then continued not trying to hide his anger, and his frustration, "he was begging me to get justice on some of the soldiers, and for mercy to be shown to others. I just don't know which one was which when it comes to you! He died before he could finish talkin'!" the man stormed off to wait for his sons.