Otis had been away with Cutter for about a month. She had no idea what they were doing. Didn't want to know what they were doing. She didn't entirely trust Cutter, but she had to trust Otis's judgement, if only to avoid the backlash.

She was expecting them home today. It was the date Otis told her they would be back. She couldn't wait to see him; they hadn't been apart for this long since they had been together. She missed him so much...missed those arms around her and hid body against hers. Missed his presence in the home, his smile at her, the smile that only she could get out of him.

She heard the truck pull in. She planted herself in her seat, knowing that Cutter would only tease Otis if she went running out. Cutter came in, a hat in his hands. Otis's cowboy hat that she despised.

"Ahh...We got a problem."

"What? Where's Otis?"

"R.J. Go out and get your brother out of the truck..."

"Is he okay?"

"Uhh...I'm glad you're here...Uhm...We had a little problem..."

"What. KIND. of problem." She hissed through grit teeth.

"Uh...well...Do you want to know what we were doing, or...?"

"Not really. I just. want to know. What is wrong with him."

"He got shot. He insisted he was fine. Kept going. Uhm...He's got a few other cuts and stuff, but..."

"Where was he shot?!"

"His low back...He can walk and all that..."

"What the FUCK Cutter?! When was this?!"

"Ahhh...when did we leave?"

"CUTTER."

"The first week..."

"YOU LET HIM GO FOR THAT LONG?!"

"He's a stubborn bastard! You know that!"

She rushed out to help R.J. She could see Otis's white hair smashed against the windshield. He was slouched over, face obscured by the white locks. "B...Baby...?"

R.J. opened the door and Otis almost tumbled out. Rufus caught him, sitting him back upright. A balled up towel was in place under Otis's low back, covered in blood. Rufus slipped one hand under Otis's shoulders, and one under his legs. Otis's eyes flew open, stiffening.

"Relax, Otis. It's me. It's R.J."

"Baby..." She stroked his face, squeezing between Rufus's arm and the door. "I'm here. It's okay. You'll be okay."

"Mama...Hey..." He seemed to relax, and R.J. pulled him out of the car. Once they got him inside, R.J. carried him up to their room, and gently lay him down on the bed.

R.J. hurried off to get the supplies she would need. Grampa Hugo burst through the door, medical bag in hand. "You're gonna need help. That mother fucker's a mean bastard when he's not feelin' good." She drew back and looked at him, concerned. "You're not the only one who's a doctor, bitch! I used to practice medicine!"

Otis's breathing was entirely too quick and heavy for her liking. He was going into shock; he was in terrible pain, his wounds were infected and he was bleeding.

"Baby, baby I'm here...Relax. I'm here." She wasn't sure how coherent he was, but any measure of comfort was worth it, to her. She stroked his face, holding back tears.

"I'll take care of him till you get yourself together. I know you're scared." Hugo's expression had softened. He was a hard, brutal, ass of a man, but he had a soft spot for his family members, and anyone who cared as deeply for one of them as she did.

He worked on Otis, slicing his pants up the middle as well as his shirt. Otis squirmed, working on the brink of exhaustion. Otis had a large stab wound on his thigh and upper arm, and a gunshot wound on his back. "Can we give him anything for the pain...?"

"You really think that's a good idea till we get him stable?"

She sighed. "No...It's not...I just..."

"I know. That's why I'm doing the work right now. Hold him down, and hold him down good. He may be in bad shape, but he's a fighter." She braced herself, holding his arms as best she could while Hugo sat on Otis's calves. He began to clean out the wound, dumping alcohol into the gauge. She wasn't prepared for the retaliation as Otis wrenched free of her grip and shoved Hugo off of his legs. "Son of a bitch, hold that fucker!"

"Otis! Otis relax! It's me...and Hugo." She was prepared this time, as Hugo sat on his legs again and began stitching. Otis bucked unsuccessfully, as she held him with as much strength as she could.

Hugo moved on to his arm, doing the same. Otis bucked and carried on, trying to wrench free. "Bastard is gonna wear himself out before we do..."

"Otis...Baby, it's us...it's us." She kissed his head, pulling him close. He groaned.

"Sweetheart, he's not with us right now. Look." Hugo snapped his fingers in front of Otis's face. He didn't react. "He's a thousand miles away right now. He just knows pain and whatever is going on in his head." Hugo sighed. "Flip him over. " She worked with him to flip Otis so that he was lying on his stomach. the wound was oozing green liquid mixed with the crimson of the blood leaking from it. She straddled Otis's shoulders, digging her knees into his sides. Hugo began to dig for the bullet, and Otis roared to life. He tried to throw her off, bucking and kicking at Hugo, who was seated on Otis's legs once more. "I know it hurts you cocksucker! Stay still and it'll go faster!" Otis whimpered beneath her, and her heart broke. He was in so much pain, she knew he had to be. She rubbed his shoulders gently, trying to comfort him. Any small way to let him know she was there, she would try.

"Were his other wounds infected?"

"Ah, his leg was. Arm isn't. Gonna need a heavy antibiotic."

"Yeah...Does his breathing sound rough to you?"

"Uh, yeah...We'll have to see about that once he calms down a little." Hugo stitched the gunshot wound, generously packing the bandage with gauze. "I'm done. He's liable to have one last bought of fight in him. We need to get an I.V. in him, though."

She sighed. Otis hated needles. "I'll do it." She found a vein quickly and plunged the needle in, moving with him as he jerked away.

"He's gonna be okay. He's got you taking care of him now." Hugo smiled slightly.

"Thank you..." She hung fluids and 2 different kinds of antibiotics to drip into his I.V. and sat next to him. "Can you get me some pain meds?" She asked Hugo as she struggled to put an oxygen mask over Otis's mouth. He turned his head, still trying to struggle against her.

"Yeah. Here you go." Once they were hung on his I.V., she sat behind Otis, holding him as he gasped for air. "You're good for him, you know."

"Hm?"

"Be careful with him. He can be a real bitch when he's hurtin'." Hugo left.

She held him close to her, kissing his head and burying her face in his hair. "Don't you give up on me. Come on, baby. You can make it through."

He groaned in response. She hoped the pain medicine would act quickly.