DISCLAIMER: THE BIG VALLEY and the original BARKLEY characters are NOT mine. This is written for writing practice only.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I will freely admit that while I am enjoying the episodes of The Big Valley (the ones offered on You Tube, I did not grow up watching the show thus-I have only recently started to 'get to know the characters' (main reason I yanked one story I had posted awhile back.) I hope I have done a better job on this one.
After watching 'The Man From Nowhere' I found myself wondering what might have happened had the Matthews left before Nick and Heath showed up etc. That is where this story comes from. Like I said, I hope I have done a better job on this than on the one I took down. Also I realize the majority of people reading any story under The Big Valley already have these facts only, for the few who don't...there is another episode 'Time After Midnight' in which a character by the name of Cunningham is the 'bad guy' along with his tag alongs...Mason and Corewell. Cunningham dies and the other two leave. So, when those names are mentioned...they are NOT my creations either. Also, I don't know which episode came out first only...for the sake of the story the events in Time After Midnight have been placed first.
Long Road Home
Chapter Two
SCENE THREE
The storm had finally blown over; Nick and Heath headed for the barn. They both had the hours during the storm trying to deal with the blow Fred had given them. Jarrod was finally home but didn't know it? He had married the Matthews woman, fathered a child by her and was now a widower with a stepson to boot? "Think seeing us will jar his memory?" Heath looked at Nick his mixed up feelings showing in his eyes.
"I can't answer that," Nick kept his eyes straight ahead with no emotion showing on his face, "I guess we'll know in a moment though."
Angelina was in the corner of the barn with blanket covering the baby as she nursed him; Danny curled up in an empty stall sleeping and Dakota sat on a bail of hay when the door opened. Dakota quickly got to his feet and Angelina turned her face to the wall-just in case the blanket fell; which had happened before.
Once inside Nick and Heath looked at the man calling himself Dakota. It sure looked like Jarrod; the feeling that hung in the air was definitely an uneasy one as Nick cleared his throat, "I'm Nick Barkley, this here is my brother, Heath."
When the man began speaking any idea that Fred had been mistaken evaporated; after all, some people could have a look alike but that voice-it was their missing brother, "Name's Dakota, Dakota Matthews." Dakota wasn't blind. He wondered why the men looked so uncomfortable; were they trying to find a polite way to ask him to hurry up and get off their land or what?
Heath got a hold of himself and spoke up, "Fred; that is, our sheriff, told us you are looking for work."
"Are you hiring?" Dakota couldn't understand why, if they were, they were acting like they were; after all-it wasn't that hard to hire-or not hire-a body.
"I am," Nick put his hands on his sides, "the work ain't easy but if you want it you can have it and," he looked over towards Angelina, "This barn is no place for an infant. Mother and Audra have fixed up some rooms for you."
Live in the main house? Dakota was shocked. Since when did an employer have their employee move in the same house as them? Okay, he'd lived in the Matthews house but they were poor ranchers with a small place. The Barkleys; on the other hand, weren't exactly hurting for material wealth-at least that's what he'd figured when he'd stuck his head out the barn door after the wind stopped howling and seen the huge house before his eyes, "Audra?" He looked at them with a confused look in his eyes.
"Our sister." Heath answered; his voice barely audible. He had hoped when Jarrod saw them he would show sign of recognition but he hadn't and he didn't recognize his own sister's name.
"Well?" Nick didn't mean it but the question came out rough and his voice held some annoyance in it; instantly he wished he could start over.
Looking at his sons Dakota knew what his answer had to be; they had to be provided for, "Tell me what you want done and I'll do it."
Heath smiled slightly and nodded towards the house, "Let's get that baby inside the house and then you and Nick can discuss the job." Neither Dakota, Danny or Angelina argued; soon they stood at the bottom of the stairs as Victoria walked down the steps.
Dakota's eyes fixed on the woman coming towards them. There was something familiar about her-about the men too- but what? He tried and tried to come up with an answer only to find his head hurting immensely. "Hey, are you all right?" Heath put his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"My head; it just started hurting. Guess I've been up too long or something." Dakota rubbed his forehead.
"You haven't slept?" Victoria was shocked; after all he'd been in the barn for a good six hours.
"I couldn't seem to go to sleep-too wound up I suppose." The fact everything-and everyone- he had seen since coming onto the ranch seemed to hold an air of familiarity troubled him. Did he actually know this place or was he just, once again, wanting to recognize anything.
"Silas," Victoria looked at the butler as he walked into the room, "Will you please help Mr. Matthews and his family to their room."
"Sure thing, Mrs. Barkley," Silas too had to bite his tongue; if he had his way he would have just flat out told Jarrod who he was but he knew better, "I be more than happy to."
SCENE FOUR
Danny plunged the pitchfork into the hay while Dakota groomed the horses; he had been more than grateful when the Barkleys had offered Danny a part-time job too. Their rooms they'd been given were quite nice and comfortable; he was grateful for that-at least now he would not have to worry about young Thomas being out in the cold and catching the death of him. He had already buried his wife; he did not wish to find himself burying his son also.
As he worked his thoughts turned to each member of the family he now worked for. Nick; he had to smile. In the short week Dakota had worked for the family it had become clear the man was not one to be taken lightly and that temper of his! Oh boy! If a body made him mad they'd best hurry up and apologize or run for the hills!
Heath; that man also brought a chuckle from Dakota. He was definitely the quieter of the two Barkley men but he knew how to stand his ground and, while it may take more to get him to explode when he did you'd best be running hard. He was sure the two of those men together had put many a body to doing exactly that...running.
Audra; now there was one beautiful young girl-and, from what he'd seen just that morning-she too had a bit of a temper, then again, he glanced out the door, that young ranch hand of theirs had deserved every bit of what the woman had handed him...or should he say brought down upon him. That whip of hers was probably more lethal than any gun at times.
When he started to think on Mrs. Barkley he had to stop and grin; she may be small but there was an air about her that spoke louder than any thing he'd ever heard. He did not care to make her mad; he was sure he would rather fight Nick or Heath than to cross that woman.
"Dakota," Danny started talking as he worked, "May I ask you somethin'?"
Now why on earth would the lad think he had to ask him permission to do such a thing? "You know you can. What is it?"
"Are we still goin' to go to Arizona?" Danny had heard his stepfather talking to a gentleman in the last town theyd been in. He'd heard the man mention a job and Arizona.
"Not if this works out," Dakota looked around the barn once more, "you need to finish school and if we keep moving around your brother will lose his nursemaid." Angelina had made it quite clear she was tired of moving and if he insisted on doing it again he'd best start looking for someone else to take care of his son.
Danny's face lit up, "Good!"
Dakota looked at him in surprise, "I thought you said you liked moving around."
"A part of me does but have you seen that den of the Barkleys? It has rows and rows of books! When I am not workin' Mrs. Barkely lets me go in and read any of them."
Dakota was surprised. Since when did his stepson enjoy books? Guess he'd better not argue though-at least the boy had something to do when he wasn't working!
"Don't suppose you want to try your hand at roundin' up some cattle?" Nick asked as he walked in the door. He did his best to hide the uneasiness he still felt. His brother should be behind his desk in the den not out here working in the blasted barn! In the past week Nick had almost broken his promise to his mother-the one she'd demanded the whole family make after the doctor had insisted they not push him to remember. It could very well be dangerous for his mental health. After all; he'd pointed out, they did not understand exactly what pressure like that would do to the human brain.
"I have done it before," Dakota stood the pitchfork up against the wall, "I can do it again."
"Could I help?" Danny stopped working and looked at the men.
Nick couldn't help but smile at the eagerness on the young boy's face, "Maybe next time, we will be leaving in half an hour and ya still have a good hour's work around here." Nick turned and walked back out.