A/N this is not exactly a Heath coming to the Barkley family story It is more of how the family not being as united along with Heath has and will lead to darker moments for them all. But right now I'm trying to get set up for the heart of the story .

Chapter One

months earlier...

Jarrod Barkley clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth in a sing song pattern. He hadn't even realized he was doing the gesture or making the annoying sound until his younger brother grunted.

"Something bothering you, brother of mine?" Jarrod looked up from the papers sprawled out over his oak desk.

"That pesky noise for one!" Nick, becoming impatient, bellowed. Then he softened his voice only an octave or two. "That and the fact we lost a mighty big profit on that cattle drive I was so eager to take on."

"Well, now, brother Nick. That wasn't your fault that you got shot and General Wallent took over half the men with him to Mexico promising greener pastures." Jarrod arched his eyebrows. "It was too big a job for Eugene."

"I know that, Pappy." Nick began to pace. "General Wallent did too. That's why he took me out first. Eugene is still feeling a might guilty about it. Didn't think our men would desert us so easily if I wasn't in charge. I should've let the boy head back to Berkley instead of making him go on the drive."

"Hindsight is most seeing. But nothing can be changed back by just looking towards the past. If the past teaches us anything, it teaches to try to fix the future." Jarrod fiddled with the papers again allowing his own hindsight to sneak up on him.

"You're talking about that no good drifter." Nick rammed his fist into the palm of his hand.

"Our brother." Jarrod corrected Nick, who glared his way quickly.

"Yeah. Well, he didn't stay around long enough to prove it. How were we supposed to know?" Nick countered angrily.

"Heath told us." Audra stated arrogantly as she walked into the room. "If I recall correctly."

"That's enough from you, little girl." Nick warned with a pointing finger.

"Don't point at your sister, Nick." Stating as she walked into the room, Victoria sat down on the settee. She fumbled with her dress before staring up at her oldest child. "Jarrod, I guess the report confirmed his words."

"Yes, lovely lady." Jarrod sighed letting out much needed frustration. "Heath Thomson is Tom Barkley's son according to the Pinkerton agency. How did you know? Did you know about the affair?"

"No. Not at all. Your father never even hinted as such. We had problems early on in marriage. Nothing of great consequence. When he came back from Strawberry, Tom continued to be as he was only more attentive to you children and me. I thought it was because he realized how close to death he had came from the beating and robbery that had happened in Strawberry. Never did I think it was because of guilt of an affair." Victoria fussed with a thread on her dress as she let her words sink into her children's thoughts.

"Then how did you know, Mother?" Audra asked as she settled on the settee with her mother.

"He looks more like Tom than any of his sons. Not the Tom Barkley any of you recall but the man who I married. Tom grew a beard before any of you were born. He had received a scar breaking a stubborn horse. I hated that scar because it reminded me of how dangerous ranching could be. So Tom grew a beard to hide it. His blonde hair had already faded to a brown color by then too." Victoria smiled fondly at the memory. "Heath had your farther's mark strong on him. As soon as I saw him at the Swenson's, I knew his claim to be true. Facing him at the house later confirmed my worst fear."

"We don't owe him legally." Jarrod stood up to pour himself a drink. He offered the others in the room a drink as well. Each taking their preferred beverage.

"Does that matter, Jarrod? It is our duty to him." Victoria sipped on her sherry. "What did the report say more than that?"

"I'd rather not share that. It is a tough read." Jarrod sipped his own drink as he closed his eyes. "Put it this way, he deserves more than we can offer."

"Well, I'd rather the man come tell us himself. Did it say where he is now and what he's doing?" Nick bellowed in his normal boisterous voice.

"Yes." Jarrod rubbed his temples before addressing his family. "Heath Thomson doesn't stay put in one place too long. Therefore, we can't exactly track him down to ask him to give us a chance as a family. He's…." Jarrod bit his lip trying to think how to put it to the family without the ladies going into shocked surprise.

"Spit it out!" Nick caused the ladies to jump slightly.

"He's a gunfighter. Heath Thomson is a hired gun now." Jarrod saw tears brim Audra's eyes and a look of disdain pass over Nick's face.

"Why would the fool boy do such a thing? That's no Barkley. He may have our blood but he's no brother of mine." Nick continued his pacing.

"He lost his mother right before he came here. He lost a chance at the family of his father. Perhaps, losing everything in the matter of a few short months ,a man can give up hope." Victoria said as she watched the liquid in her glass as if it would spill without provocation.

Nick fidgeted slightly before saying he had an early morning. Therefore, he headed up to his room. He remembered Eugene's constant chattering on the way home from Semple's the day of the gunfight with the railroad. His little brother had started making a hero out of the blonde interloper. No not interloper but brother.

"He saved me, Nick. I swear he did." Eugene nervously chattered on. "Saved you and Jarrod too."

"You don't know that, Gene. Quit talking nonsense." Nick scowled at his younger brother. "You're nervous from your first gunfight."

"Yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying. I froze when I saw Jarrod's arm take a hit. Next thing I know I wasn't returning gunfire, Then like that, I watched as a man took aim at me but the man went down before he pulled the trigger. Then I saw a man had a bead on you and I was trying to get my rifle aimed to only see the man fall back off his horse due to a bullet. The man that shot at Jarrod was gone before he took aim too. That's why the hit was off and didn't kill him. It was Heath's rifle fire taking him down. He wasn't only quick but he was deadly, Nick. I swear to it." Eugene prattled on.

Nick glanced over his younger brother to see Jarrod nodding in confirmation of the tale Eugene was declaring.

It made perfect sense how the boy could be gunfighter given his talent. Too bad that wasn't something a Barkley would do. "A Barkley wouldn't do that."

"How would you know what a man, Barkley or not, would do if he had to struggle to survive?" Jarrod stood in the doorway of his brother's room. His voice causing Nick to turn to look at his brother. "A man used to going to bed hungry and beat down by the world. A boy, who was given a rifle in the war, to kill men in the name of patriotism. How would you know, Nick, what a Barkley would do that wasn't raised in the luxury we've been blessed with?"

"I guess I need to read that file, Pappy."