Bang
A Big Vally Fic
By: PineappleAngel14
AN: Hey folks! How's it going!? Well, it's your little writing friend, PineappleAngel, back again to bore your lives again with another small whumpy tale of the old west. If you've been following me (in the words of Groucho Marx, "STOP! Or I'll have you arrested!") Just kidding! If you have been following me, you'll probably have figured out, by now, that my ever-changing wave of obsessions has found a happy home base on the great Lee Majors, of course known in this little fandom as Heath Barkley…so on this little island, I am a full blooded, American Heathen! (Heathen as in Heath lover, not something bad…just as I am a "Psycho" one who is obsessed with Psych) Now, I adore whump on all my male leads…and in the Big Valley, that happens to be my fav, Heath…I know this didn't go to well the last time I did it…but let's just take another stab at it…If you didn't like my other story, since Heath did die…Don't worry…SPOILER: He's not going to die! Just get a little whumped! Now, a little whump never hurt anybody, did it…oh wait…yes it did… ;) anyway, this story is the second of my previously spoken of stories based off of a prompt that was read in my Honors English Class…If you have NO IDEA what I'm talking about, go to my profile, find my Six Million Dollar Man story, "Robbery in the Grocery Store" and read my authors notes, (and the story!) Well, now, that's enough talk…this is going to be my first rough attempt at an alternating first person viewpoint story…these can be good, or bad…so let' s just cross our fingers, huh?
HEATH'S POV…..
I smiled as we stepped out into the sunshine, finally, and put on my sandy white cowboy hat. I gently took Audra's arm and we walked a while down the street, while I carried her packages, and she talked. And talked. And talked.
"Oh Heath!? What are you going to wear to the wedding!? I hope you're not planning on anything that'll clash with that turquoise gown I bought, because if you are, I'm sure our credit's good enough to exchange it if we hurry!" Audra stopped and anxiously looked into my eyes with a panic.
I chuckled to myself and put my free hand on her shoulder, and tried to keep a straight face as I talked. "Audra, I'm sure as long as we don't come in, all covered in mud, straight from the fields, then whatever we wear will be fine. I doubt Howard and Samantha will mind too much if we clashed. But if you're THAT concerned, I'll wear my blue suit, that kinda goes with turquoise, now doesn't it?" I reassured her and she continued talking and talking about the upcoming wedding. I tried to concentrate on her words, really I did, but boy howdy I sure inherited me one gossipy talkative sister. I continued to smile and to nod as she went on and on. She talked about the wedding, the clothes, the food, the parties, the cake; just about everything you could imagine someone talking about, she covered it. I was startled from my daydreams by my hat being pulled over my eyes.
"HEATH BARKLEY! You're not paying any attention to me!" Audra huffed.
I was startled. I pulled up my hat, and tossed it in between my hands. "Well…well sure I was, Audra! You were talk'n 'bout the wedding and the party…and 'all…"
"You were not! I wasn't sure, but now I know! Just to be sure, I asked you what we should give Howard and Samantha for a wedding present, and I suggested a box of snakes! And do you know what you said!?" She scolded.
I sheepishly shrugged, half-knowing what was coming.
"You said, 'Yes, that's a lovely idea! They'll love it!' Yes, sure, you were paying attention, all right!" Audra frowned, upset for a minute, but then she continued talking.
I again found myself slipping in and out of hearing what she was saying. Suddenly I heard a sharp, "BANG" of a gunshot pierce the air. I was shocked, as was everyone else on the street. The entire street fell absolutely silent for a few seconds, then pandemonium began. Everyone was screaming, running for cover, running into buildings and barns.
I suddenly realized that it was growing very hard for me to concentrate and that everything was beginning to get REAL fuzzy. Suddenly, I heard Audra screaming. What's wrong, little sis? I wondered. Wait…why was she screaming my name?
Then it hit me.
The pain.
I suddenly felt the deep, sharp pain in my back and side. I looked down, shocked, to see a quickly growing red splotch on my clean blue shirt. Darn…it was new! I slowly reached to touch the spot, but as my fingers connected with the wet redness, the weakness took over. "Audr…" I stammered, but I couldn't even finish the word. My eyes felt heavy and they fell closed. The last thing I knew was hitting the dirt.
AUDRA'S POV….
"HEATH!" I screamed as loudly as I could. I stood in shock as I saw the flicker of the gun, the quick flash of the impact on Heath's body, and the blood stain spreading on his shirt. He acted in shock, glancing at me, confused, as if he didn't know he'd been hit. He followed my terrified gaze to his shirt, then lifted a shaky hand to the spot. But before he could get ahold of himself, he mumbled my name, and fell. It was horrifying to see the packages fall slowly from his arms, and him start to fall forward. He fell quickly, suddenly heavy. And the last thing to leave his grasp before meeting the dirt ground was his hat. It fell, just inches from his fingertips, in the mud.
I still stood in a trance, utterly stopped by the sight. Then, I suddenly realized that Heath needed me. That I had to do something. I dropped all of the bags that I'd been carrying, and kneeled at Heath's side. I gently tried to roll him over, but he was so heavy. It took all of my strength to get him turned over. I got him turned over, but then I had no idea what to do. He looked bad. I could tell right off that he wasn't dead. He kept moaning softly, and his forehead was damp with sweat. Blood still freely poured from the hole. I cried and screamed more, urging anybody to come out from where they were hiding and help. I did not see the gunman anywhere. He had been in the loft of the barn across the street, I'd seen the glint of his rifle, right before the shot.
Then all of the sudden, when I thought all hope was lost. I heard a familiar voice shout in agony and shock behind me.
"HEATH!?"
NICK'S POV….
I was over in saloon, having my typical Saturday afternoon break with a couple of the ranch hands, Pedro, Jack, Tony. We were having a grand time, when we heard a loud shot, like the sound of a rifle. We heard everyone screaming and several citizens ran into the saloon. I tried to ask them who had fired? Why? Was anyone hurt? What happened? But they didn't know. They'd just heard the shot and ran. I nodded at the hands, and we all drew our hand guns, and slowly crept from the saloon.
It was eerie. The street that had been busy and bustling just seconds earlier was completely bare, with only a few people running into nearby buildings, or diving behind barrels or bales of hay, for cover. We stopped suddenly, when I heard the screams.
I knew those screams.
"AUDRA!" I quietly whispered. I wanted to yell. To call out for her. I wanted to shoot whoever was firing. I wanted to protect her from whatever was making her cry and scream. Then, far down the street, we caught a glimpse of her, leaning over the still body of a man. It was hard to see him, all we could really see were his boots, and lower legs, but she was clearly there. I tried to push away the alcohol that I had ingested and think back to this morning. Who was she supposed to be with today? I suddenly realized it.
Charger was standing there, along with Pearl, Audra's new white pony that Heath had given her for her birthday.
Right near my sister stood the two horses, dutifully waiting. But Charger looked odd…if he wasn't a horse, I'd have sworn he looked sad! But then again, Heath always had a special relationship with his horses…
We ran up the street, coming to Audra. I stopped short, almost causing the hands, behind me, to fall. My fears had been true.
"HEATH!?" I gave a pained shout, and dropped to my knees by Heath's side, near Audra. I was relived to see he was still very much alive, but he was bad. I quickly called to the men with me, who were just as shocked as I, to help me pick him up. Luckily, we were just steps away from the doc's office, so we could get him in pretty quick.
I sent Pedro ahead to tell Doc Merrar that we were bringing in Heath. I was just leaning over him, when I heard a loud groanlike shout from across the street. I looked up and saw Benjamin Fullers standing in the entry-way of the barn, holding his rifle limply in his arms. He cursed loudly when he realized that my little brother wasn't dead.
I knew in an instant that he had tried to kill Heath. Several weeks before, Ben's son, Zade, had tried to kill Mother and Jarrod, and Heath had come to their aid, shooting Zade. It was clear right away that it was self defense, and there was nothing that no one could have done to change the outcome, but that didn't make any difference to Ben. In fact, after the trial, when it was officially declared that it was self defense, Ben tried to strangle Heath. Good for Heath that he's got two strong adopted brothers to protect him, including myself of course…well….protect him, except for now…oh Heath! I turned my attention back to Ben.
He swayed, unsteady on his feet, and shakily raised his rifle. "You Barkleys! You should all die! DIE! Why won't you people DIE!? It was YOU who took my Zade from me!" He raised the rifle at an angle where, depending on where he was aiming, he was bound to either hit Heath again, or Audra. I shouted to him, trying to get him to back off, but he wouldn't listen. He cocked the rifle, and took aim. I could see the fear in Heath's conscious eyes as he saw the shaky gun, and worried, I'm sure, not for himself, but for me and Audra.
"Ben! No!" Heath weakly shouted, he threw his body upwards, flinging himself onto a barrel, and quickly drew his smooth-handled revolver. He quickly balanced on the barrel, and tried to aim. It was too late, though, Ben could not be stopped. He started to squeeze his fat finger around the trigger, and 3 shots rang out. All 3 bullets hit flesh, and the recipients fell down, 1 dead, the other helplessly moaning.
"HEATH!?" I yelled to my brother. He had somehow, jumped up more, in the path between Ben's bullet and Audra and taken it for her. I cried, in spite of myself, when he let out another pained grunt, and fell heavily into Audra's shaky arms. I dived to her side and eased my little brother onto the wooden sidewalk. I shook Heath gently in my arms, trying to rouse him from a dark sleep, but the only response was in his head, drooping forward. His body was covered in sweat, and his shirt, blood. I knew from the two bullets taken, on in his head, the other in his heart, that Ben was dead before he hit the ground. I silently wondered if it was my bullet, or Heath's that had actually killed him… Never mind that…
I called quickly to my men, and we quickly hoisted Heath upon our shoulders and half dragged, half carried him into the doc's office. Audra followed slowly, still awestruck. She trudged off quickly. We left only the body of Ben, a pool of Heath's blood, his hat and gun, and the packages that he had been carrying behind.
(starting a bit earlier…) VICTORIA…
I suddenly looked up from the roses I was pruning, knowing that something was wrong. I had a gut instinct for when something bad was happening, most often to one of my children, and it has never failed me yet. Call it mother's intuition; call it whatever you like, but it was there, and kicking hard. I dropped my shears and garden tools, and ran into the house. "SILAS!? Silas?!" I called loudly.
The old man came running from the kitchen. "Yes!? Yes, Missus Barkley!? What's the matter! Are you alright?" Silas did not mask the fear that he acquired from the tone in my voice.
"Silas, go hitch up the buggy…I feel as though something's wrong…perhaps with one of the boys, but I need to see for myself…hurry would you? We're going into town."
"Yes'm. Right away, Missus Barkley! I shore hope that that intuition of yours is wrong for once…no offense.."
I chuckled slightly. "Oh none taken…I hope so too.." But we both knew something was wrong.
A little while later…
We drove the buggy into town and then it was absolutely certain that something was very very wrong. Almost no people were in the streets. There were just a few people beginning to spill out of random saloons, shops, and barns, as if they had been hiding. I glanced around the nearby street and spotted Coco with some other horses, tied up in front of the saloon that Nick favored the most. That seemed right. Then, I saw Charger and the new pony, Pearl, tied up near the shops of the dressmakers and the general stores that Heath and Audra would have been attending. That seemed right. But wait, what was that in the street that Fred and several men were kneeling over, near Charger? "Hyah!" I urged Misty Girl forward. We carried on down the street, until we got near the sight. I tossed the reigns down, ran up to the small crowd, and pushed through.
I gasped at the sight of a body. Thankfully, not one of my sons, but just as bad, Benjamin Fullers. He had been gunning for my boys, especially Heath, and if he was laying here dead in the street, then that must mean that he tried to get a shot in at them.
"Fred! Fred! What happened!?" I latched onto Sheriff Madden's arm, desperately begging him for information.
"Oh! Victoria! I…I don't rightly know, Victoria, I was in my office when it happened, and I didn't get out until it was all over! I've just heard bits and pieces, but I heard that old Ben here tried to take a shot at one of your boys from up there," he pointed at the barn across the street. "I think he hit his first mark, but he didn't kill him, then one of the other boys came up with some men, and drew on Ben. But Ben wouldn't back down. He was going to fire again, some say at the first brother, some say maybe at Audra, she was there…some say he was just shooting wild. Whatever, the important thing was, he shot again, and the bullet was headed at Audra, but the one who was shot first, jumped up and took a second bullet, to save her! When he was up, he and the other one both shot Ben…I'm not certain which one it was that got shot up, Victoria…but it was bad…they left some stuff over there, near the horses, I haven't gotten a good look yet."
I didn't stop to thank him, I just hurried to the mentioned pile. There, in the mud was a sandy white hat, belonging to my adoptive youngest son. Heath. Lying near it was his treasured revolver, now slightly dented from an obviously harsh drop. All of the packages that contained Audra's purchases were scattered around. I knew for certain who it was. Heath had been shot. Heath was bad off…what will have to happen to make that boy stop suffering? It's been only a few years since Heath has come to live with us, and he's already been shot several times, more than the other boys put together, been crushed under a wagon, whipped 3 times, bushwacked, beat up, hung , and just plain hurt. Poor boy…
I ran to the nearby clinic, and burst through the door. Inside, in the waiting area, Audra sat with her head held in her hands. Her dress was spotted with brown dried blood, and her face red and splotchy from crying. Nick was anxiously pacing the small space, occasionally growling and punching his fist into the wall. His clothes were also dotted with splotches of blood, that wasn't his own.
"Nick! Audra!?" I called to them, letting them know that I had entered.
They both quickly were at my sides and we shared a tearful shaky hug. I heard Audra mumbling about "poor Heath". I asked them what had happened and found that Fred had been mostly right.
"Has anyone told Jarrod?" I asked them.
"No…I guess not…I'll run over to his office, and bring him over here. I can't stand still and wait anyway…" Nick pondered the thought, and then swiftly left the clinic.
SILAS….
I was startled when Mrs. Barkley ran out of the buggy, into the crowd, then off down the street. I slowly set down the reigns that I had retrieved and stepped out of the buggy. I walked, carefully, to the crowd, and around toward where Mr. Heath's and Ms. Audra's horses stood. I gasped, taken aback when I saw the red stain on the ground. And the sight that most got me was the well known hat and gun owned by the Barkley who I was the closest to. I timidly knelt and took the white hat and ran my hands over every inch of it, and did the same with the gun. I caressed the treasures sentimentally. Now I knew why Mrs. Barkley had been upset this morning. It was Mr. Heath! I stood slowly, but I started walking, with my head still down, and suddenly bumped into someone else. I glanced up to apologize, but I was startled to hear who was grumbling at me.
"Hey! Watch where you're go-SILAS!?" Nick gently took my arm and helped me up. "What are you doin here!?"
"I came in with Missus Barkley…it's Mister Heath, isn't it? Is he…" I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"He's hurt pretty bad, Silas…Ben Tanners was trying to gun him down from that barn. He got him pretty good in the side, knocked him down all right…but when I came, and Audra was fussing over him, he saw that he hadn't killed him, and he went crazy. I tried to talk him down, but he just stumbled out in street and shot out towards Heath and Audra. Heath had somehow gotten up, propped himself up on a barrel, and not only did he shoot, with me, and hit, Ben. But, Heath jumped up, in front of Audra, and took Ben's other bullet that was head'n for Audra! He was unconscious when we carried him into the Doc's office…Got the one in his side…clean through, I think, lots of blood, and the second one in the opposite shoulder. I don't think that one went through… Doc's work'n on him now… I'm gonna go get Jarrod…d'you want to come with me?" Nick spoke in the kindest tone I'd ever heard him speak in. It was plain to see that Mr. Nick was hurting just as bad, inside, as Heath was hurting, in his body. I shook my head, wordlessly, gesturing to Dr. Merrar's office. He bade me onward, and he scurried off down the street, and I slowly entered the clinic, with Heath's hat and gun still tightly clutched in my shaking hands. The little bell on top of the door jingled when I creaked open the door, and slid inside. I was warmly greeted by Mrs. Barkley, and Ms. Audra. They both were crying, and eagerly hugged me when they saw the tears streaming down my face. Funny. I hadn't even noticed they were there. We all stood there for a moment, quietly sniffling and then, we all sat down in various chairs and benches that sat in the waiting area. I just sat, still tightly grasping the hat in my hands, I glanced at it thoroughly, memorizing every detail, and imagining the last time I had seen Mr. Heath's smiling face in the hat….
JARROD…
I was angrily fumbling over some papers in a difficult case, in my office, when I heard the shot ring out, then 3 more a minute later. I glanced out my window, but from the position of my office, I couldn't tell much of what was going on. Oh well, I thought, it's not altogether unusual to hear a shot or two in Stockton. If there was anything important, or if anyone needed a lawyer, someone would come in and get me.
I turned back to my papers. Several minutes later, a harsh rap came to the door, and then it swung open.
"Come in!" I chuckled, knowing my visitor hadn't waited for the response. I looked up to see my younger brother, Nick standing nervously in the doorway. He was anxiously twisting his dark hat between his fingers and kept clearing his throat. "Ah, Brother Nick, what have I done to deserve the honor of your company in my humble place of work, this afternoon?"
"Jarrod…there's been some trouble…Did you hear those shots, a while ago?"
"What is it Nick!? Mother? Audra? Is everyone alright!?"
"It…it was old Ben Fullers! He tried to gun him down, Jarrod! He shot him in the back! Then, when I got there, he tried to shoot at them again…he jumped in front of her! He took another bullet for her!" I was shocked to see my hard-as-nails tough brother breaking down and leaning against a chair for support. I sprang over to him, and grabbed onto his shoulders, and shook him fiercely.
"WHO? NICK? Who got shot? Who jumped in front of her!? What happened Nick!?"
"Jarrod….it's Heath!" Nick's pitiful reply brought a lump to my throat. "Nick? Heath….is he…is he alright? He's going to be fine, right?"
"He's alive, Jarrod…but awful, awful bad…the first one got him clean into his back and through his side…and the second one..he jumped up in front of Audra! He took another bullet, for her! That one got him bad in the shoulder…It didn't go through, just stuck there, and bled….Aw…he's bad Jarrod…."
"Come on, Nick…let's go…down to the clinic…we'll be needed…."
LATER…. (General 3rd person, omniscient)
When Dr. Merrar stepped from behind the curtain, exhausted, he wasn't expecting the sight that befell his eyes. There, all of the remaining Barkleys, and Silas, were huddled in a circle, either standing or sitting, but all closely together, and they were steadily praying.
Dr. Merrar didn't want to interrupt anything, but he felt that they should know.
"Victoria?" They all looked up, and stood quickly. "I'm sorry to interrupt…but I've finished with Heath…he's alive…that boy sure has some guts and a strong will to live…why any other man would've died instantly, but there he is…unless there are complications or something like that, I think that after about maybe a months-worth of bed rest, Heath should be as good as new!"
The group let out a collective sigh. Everyone asked at once if they could see Heath, and Merrar permitted it. He allowed them to go one by one, waiting for Heath to wake up from surgery. With no questions, Victoria went first.
HEATH….
The first thing I could focus on when I started to gain consciousness was the pain. Oh it was so great! It was really the one thing that made me realized that I was indeed not dead. I accidentally let out a tiny moan, proclaiming my awakening.
"Heath!? Son? It's mother! Come on heath honey, wake up for me? Audra, the boys, and Silas are worried sick…and me too."
I was glad that the first thing I saw when I opened my glassy blue eyes was the face of the woman I loved as my mother, and called mother. I smiled my small half smile and managed an airy, "mother…" To me it felt small, but to her, I later found out, it was beautiful and huge.
Next, Audra was there, clutching onto my hand, and whimpering all kinds of mush. Silly sister… "Boy Howdy, Audra, you do know how to tire a man out, with just listening…" I joked, but she soon stopped, gave my cheek a light kiss, and floated out. Jarrod soon took the seat, looking down, worried at me with his knowing, powerful, blue eyes. He said very little, only enough to say that he loved me, and that he had been scared for me.
Silas was there, then. I was overjoyed to see him, and I smiled and chuckled with him as he told me about picking up my hat and gun, so that they wouldn't get hurt, and no one would steal them. He set the hat on a pole on the headboard on the bed. I thanked him, and he swiftly left. Leaving Nick.
He tried to be all tough and traditionally hard, complaining about how I was going to disturb his "working ranch's" order and schedule. We laughed, and it was then that I understood just how close I had come to losing it all. How close I had been to losing them. I looked on lovingly at my adopted family, brothers, sister, friend, mother, all standing out in the hall, talking with Dr. Merrar. I had been so close…and all on account of a simple little…
Bang.
AN: So…did you like it!? Please Review! Thanks again, y'all! (sorry for proofreading errors…I really am not good at reading for that stuff…) Thanks for reading! Till next time!