Disclaimer: Again I do not own the main characters just the twisted plot and storyline. And as usual I don't own Artie but hey every girl has her dreams!

Author's Note: CAP and Dotty the ending is for you guys! Thanks for all your help! (I can't believe the ending to this one lol)

THE NIGHT OF CHRISTMAS PAST

He strolled down the street looking in each shop's window. Finally he shook his head and gave up for that day. What do you get for a friend who has almost nothing and wants even less? Oh well, at least I still have a little time to come up with something, he thought as he wandered down the street toward the saloon where he was supposed to meet his partner.

He entered the saloon and plunked down in a chair next to his partner and grabbed the beer his friend had waiting. He took a long drink before setting the mug back down on the table and just stared at his partner.

"Something wrong, Jim?" Artemus asked his partner.

"No, Artie, nothing's wrong," his partner stated flatly.

"Judging by the size of the hole you're staring into me I'd say you're holding out on me. Whatever it is maybe I can help," he said concern for his partner showing.

"It's nothing, Artie. Just trying to come up with an idea for a Christmas present for someone."

"Oh I see. I'm having the same trouble. Some people are just impossible to shop for," Artie avoided his partner's pointed glare.

"Boy do I hear that!" He received a glare from his partner.

They drank their beer in silence each deep in thought. They failed to notice the young man who entered the saloon, took a seat nearby and began to study them. Artemus rose and got them refills on their beers and finally noticed the young man watching them and him in particular or so it seemed to Artemus. He said nothing as he sat back down and handed Jim his beer.

"I think I'm going to go back to the train, Jim. Why don't you stay here for a bit?" Artemus finally broke the silence.

"What's up, Artie? You have that look in your eye."

"See that young man over there? He's been watching us for a while now while he's been sitting over there nursing that beer and I'd like to find out why. He seems to have taken an interest in me in particular," Artie said as he sipped his beer.

"Hmm…maybe I should leave…wait for him outside…" Jim offered.

"No, you stay here. If it's me he's after he'll leave when I do. Give me ten minutes if I'm not back then come out," Artie replied as he finished his beer and stood up.

"Sorry, Jim," he said louder than was necessary, "I'm beat so I think I'll meet you back at the train. If you want to drink some more you're on your own, pal," Artie said as he took his leave.

The stranger watched the scene unfold and finished his beer quickly. He rose and followed Artemus just as he predicted. It took all of Jim's restraint not to follow. He glanced at the clock in the corner and sipped his beer.

Artemus walked slowly down the street, stopping to look in store windows, acting like he was checking out the items on display but in reality he was checking the reflection in the glass, looking for his tail. Ah, there he is, Artemus said to himself. Now it's time too draw the fly into my trap. Artemus quickened his pace and his shadow followed. Artemus ducked into an alleyway and waited patiently. Soon, his shadow moved past him and Artemus made his move. He reached out and grabbed the man and hauled him into the alley and shoved him up against the wall.

"You've been following me, friend…and I want to know why," Artemus growled as he applied pressure with his forearm to the man's throat.

"Last I heard it's a free country…a man can go where he pleases," the man spat.

"Not when it infringes on my right to be alone," Artemus pushed harder.

"You don't know me do you?" The man glared.

"Why should I know you?" Artemus asked.

"It figures…you kill my pa and you don't even bother to remember."

"I killed your pa?" Artemus asked as he froze and eased his grip on the young man's throat.

The young man stared at Artemus, his eyes glazed over. He took on a far away look. Then he shoved Artemus back against the wall. The man pounded on Artemus' chest like a jackhammer while tears flowed like water in a babbling brook down his face.

"My pa trusted you and you let him down. He believed you when you told him you would get him out of that damned war alive!" The man slammed Artemus against the wall hitting him again and again in his ribs.

Artemus couldn't believe what he was hearing and did little to defend himself as the man showered him with blow after blow, Artemus let him work out his anger rather than try to fight this obviously distraught man. Finally Artemus pushed him away.

"Look, son, I don't know what you're talking about. Why don't we go back to the saloon and talk about this," Artemus tried to negotiate with him.

"NO! I have nothing more to say to you except you had better watch your back. That friend of yours won't be around to protect you forever. And the second you're totally alone I'll be there. In the mean time try to think about my father and what you did to him," the man threw Artemus to the ground and kicked him, several times in succession.

"And I'm NOT your son!" Another kick, this time Artemus felt something give a little.

"And just to get you started…my father's name was Tucker…John Tucker," the man kicked him again and knocked him over before leaving the alley.

"John Tucker…"Artemus repeated as he got up and dusted himself off. He held his side as he walked out of the alley and back to the saloon.

"Artie?" Jim asked when he saw him reenter the saloon. He went over to him.

"I'm fine, Jim. My shadow just felt the need to remind me of what he thinks is a past transgression," Artie gingerly rubbed his side.

"Let's get you to a doctor, pal," Jim rose and tried to pull him toward the door.

"No, I said I'm fine. Jim, what do you remember about a man by the name of John Tucker?" Jim did a double take.

"Why would you ask about him?" Jim's surprise evident.

"He was the young man's father and according to him I killed the man," the look on his friend's face spoke volumes.

"What? I remember reading about that man. You didn't kill anyone you tried to help and from what I heard you helped a lot of people you were just one man and you couldn't save everyone."

"Why don't I remember that name? Jim, I have tried to remember but I keep drawing a blank. I think I remember hearing the name but I can't put a face to it."

"It's no wonder, pal. It was during the war. You were pretty out of it by the time a real doctor got there. You had tried to help Tucker during the battle at Shiloh but the camp was dirty…you weren't a field medic…you didn't know what you were doing…just that you had been ordered to help and you helped."

"You were pretty sick yourself at the time and you were in the hospital for a few months after that. The doctor said you probably wouldn't remember much if anything about that time and I was glad you never did get those memories back. The war was pretty hard on everyone."

"So he could be right then…I might have been responsible for killing his pa," Artie moaned.

"No, pal, you did everything you could it just wasn't meant to be."

"Wasn't meant to be? How can I face this kid and tell him I don't even remember his pa let alone whether or not I even tried to save him."

"You don't have to, Artie. I'll talk to him…"

"No, Jim, if I did this I need to face the music. I have some thinking to do so I'll head back to the train and see you later," Artie replied as he pushed away his untouched beer.

"Let me go back with you…" Jim started only to be cut off.

"No, I have some heavy duty thinking to do and I'd rather be alone if you don't mind," Artie rose and left the saloon looking very much like a man on his way to the gallows.

Jim stared after his partner a frown on his face. Right before Christmas is most definitely NOT the time to have old war issues plaguing anyone let alone a man like Artemus Gordon who usually tended to wear his heart on his sleeve. Jim finished his beer and followed his friend home, determined to keep an eye on him whether he wanted him to or not.

Artemus sat in his saddle wracking his brain trying to remember John Tucker but nothing would come to his mind. He thought long and hard about the battle at Shiloh and all he could recall was that he had been serving there with then General Grant and had been ordered to help with the sick and wounded until doctors could arrive.

He remembered an officer that had been giving him an increasingly difficult time, an aide of General Grant's if he remembered correctly. He even vaguely remembered being told months later that he had carried out his orders while suffering from a case of typhoid fever. That might account for the memory loss, but if I killed a man you'd think I'd remember something like that. Artemus hung his head and dismounted his horse and pulled him into his stall.

He fed and curried his horse not really paying much attention to what he was doing. Then he went to the parlor car and sat at the desk, thinking. He pulled the telegraph key out and sent a few wires to various government agencies and some friends in the Secret Service. He replaced the telegraph key then just sat at the desk.