No Mountain That High

A/N I forgot to mention that there would a couple of spots where the story Man of Justice would be referred to in this story. It's going to take me time to get this story reloaded. Like it says in the summary, it's ony because of additional chapters (two to be exact) that I took it off and am reloading it.

Chapter Three

Nick could hear the voices talking to him, though he only vaguely recognized them, but he couldn't get himself to open his eyes or to respond. What was wrong with him? What had happened? As he asked the question he could see himself standing by the corral fence and then climbing up on the stallion's back. It all came rushing back to him. Only problem was, the scene kept replaying itself around in his mind and soon it was as if really there.

"Hold it Nick!" Heath yelled as he flew from his chair and up on Nick, whose upper body was starting to thrash around, and held him down. The doctor had warned them to make sure Nick did not do such things…thrash or move around…as that would only injure his back more. "Ya think you can thrash any harder?" Heath asked no one particular as his brother was struggling to get Heath off him. Of course, with his eyes shut and not really with it, Nick had no idea it was his blond haired brother that was making it impossible for him to move. As far as Nick was concerned, he was simply trying to keep from hitting into the fence again.

"Is he okay?" Jarrod hurried into the room; he'd heard Heath yell as he had started down the hallway after having left the study, climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway as he took a break from the few legal papers he had had no choice but to look at. He didn't like what he saw when he entered his brother's room.

"He is for now." Heath let go of a now still Nick and sat back down into his chair, the one he, Jarrod and the rest of the family were taking turns using. "It's been four days." Heath sighed as he looked from Nick to one still very guilt ridden brother. "I wish he'd wake up." The moment he spoke the words, Heath wished he could take them back. A pained looked had crept into Jarrod's eyes once more.

"I'm awake now," Nick heard himself say the words as the scene in the corral disappeared, but his eyes and mouth remained closed.

"He has to." Jarrod leaned over the dark haired rancher and rested his hand against the man's forehead; he removed his hand a few minutes later.

"At least what little fever he had yesterday is gone." The sign of a fever starting had scared everyone, but it had left as quickly as it had come. The fact that when Audra had gotten the man to swallow some broth each day was encouraging too, even if the doctor had said it was only a reflex action. At least it was giving their injured brother some nourishment.

"You shouldn't still be blaming yourself, Jarrod." Heath said as Jarrod pulled a chair over and sat down next to Nick; his face showing how little sleep he'd really had since the accident. "We'll get him back yet; you just wait and see."

Jarrod looked at Nick and laid his hand over one of the rancher's. He didn't answer for a moment and then he answered slowly, "My head tells me that it could very well have happened the next day, but my heart keeps saying if he'd had a full night sleep he would have had the strength to hold on." He gave Nick's hand a squeeze, "Mother tries to remind me that Nick made the choice to get up there; my heart says I never should have opened the gate for him to do so."

"Stop it Jarrod!" Nick could hear himself bellowing even if his brothers couldn't. "Mother's right! I knew how tired I was! I should have told you to keep your money for another day!" Nick tried to open his eyes, but again failed. It frustrated him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

The hands on the clocked slowly ticked away, each of the Barkleys taking turns sitting with Nick…even Eugene who had insisted on coming home when he learned what had happened…though it was mostly Jarrod and Heath that sat with him. All of them talked to him or read to him; well, mostly it was his mother, sister or Jarrod that read to him. Heath and Eugene preferred to spend the time reminiscing. Only during the doctor visits did they stop.

00000

"How's he doing, doctor?" Jarrod walked into the room just as Dr. Merar finished examining Nick; Heath was standing by the foot of the bed. "How long before we can sit him up?" For whatever reason he had, Jarrod felt strongly the sooner Nick was propped up on the pillows the sooner he'd be back with them. However, before Dr. Merar could answer him his brother proved him wrong, Nick's eyes opened. Pure joy ran through Jarrod and the doctor's veins. However, the joy was to be short lived.

"Nick!" Jarrod leaned over his brother. "It's about time you woke up. How are you feeling?" He figured it was a stupid question; still, it was a question he needed to hear an answer to. He got one, but not the one he wanted.

How was feeling? Nick turned the question as he blinked his eyes a few times over. "L…ik…e a wh..ol..e he…rd of co…ws ha…ve r…un o…ve…r m…e." Nick struggled to speak; why was it so hard to speak? Their brother's labored speech might have been concerning to Jarrod, Heath and the doctor but the dark haired rancher's next words chilled them to the bone. "W…h..y i..s i..t s..o da…rk in he…re. I c…a…n ha…rd…ly ma…ke y..ou ou…t. My b…a..ck…it h..ur..ts l..ik..e h..e…ll. Wh…at d..id y…ou p…ut o…n the bl…an..ket? It…s h…ea…vy. I c..an ha…rd..ly mo…ve m..y l..e…gs." By the time he'd finished speaking, his voice was low and he'd stopped trying to move. Both Jarrod and Heath looked at the doctor in alarm. The curtains were wide open and it was noon!

"You fractured some vertebrae in your back when that horse threw you, Nick." Dr. Merar began examing Nick's eyes. "It's good that it is hurting you and," he smiled and added, as he'd seen the tiniest of movement underneath the very light covers, "It's good that you can move your legs even a little bit. It means your spinal cord was not severed in the accident and that, given time, you stand a high chance of walking again."

"What about his eyes?" Jarrod and Heath both asked the question simultaneously, before Nick could struggle to get it out. The question immediately told Nick it was day time and that he should be able to see them clearly.

Dr. Merar could only shrug his shoulders. "You're all lucky his eyesight and speech were the only thing affected when it comes to the head injury. Many have suffered far worse. Continue talking, Nick, no matter how hard it is. Time might very well bring it back. As far as the eyesight?" Again he answered; the frustration he felt could be heard in his voice. "It may or may not come back. Time will tell on that too."

"H..o..w l..on..g wi…ll I b…e I…n b….ed? H…ow l…on…g be…fo…re I c...an g…et b…ac...k to w...or…k?" Nick struggled again to speak, but he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep before anyone could answer him.

Jarrod knew what the doctor had told the family, but it was as if, since Nick had asked, the answer might change. It didn't make much sense, but it's the way he was still thinking. "Doc?" Jarrod looked from Nick to the doctor.

"I can't change the time he has to be on his back, Jarrod. He'll be in bed for at least six weeks. I'm sorry. I'll be back tomorrow. Be grateful he woke up. It's a good sign." Dr. Merar did his best to give them a small smile and went to find Victoria.