Heath still hadn't arrived by the next morning and breakfast was a quiet, subdued affair. Jarrod excused himself to go to town and finish a few last things at work so he wouldn't have to go in to the office again before Christmas. Emma offered to help Audra finish up the last of the Christmas stockings for the children at the orphanage and Victoria dragged Gene along to fetch anything they needed from the cellar as she and Silas finalized the menu for Christmas dinner. Nick spent some time going over the roster for the holidays so there would be enough hands to keep the place running and give everyone who wanted it some time off. He was just heading back to the house when he heard the rapid sound of hoofbeats approaching. Nick looked over to see Jarrod pull a sweating Jingo to a sharp stop.

"Where's the fire, Jarrod?" he asked as Jarrod led his horse to the trough for a drink.

"No fire, Nick," Jarrod told him grimly, "but I just heard there was a bad storm in the pass from Indian Springs."

A shiver went up Nick's spine. Neither man had to mention the brother who was a day overdue.

"I'll take Jingo for you and get some horses saddled while you some gear together," Nick said as he grabbed the sorrel's reins.

Jarrod nodded. "I'll tell Gene to get ready and grab the bedrolls and supplies." He put a hand on Nick's shoulder. "The snow might've just delayed him."

"Yeah."

Jarrod gave the shoulder a squeeze before heading into the house. He quickly informed his mother and Silas of the situation and they readied some food while the brothers changed into some warmer clothes. Soon they were ready and with a kiss for their mother and sister, a word of reassurance to their guest and a promise to be careful, the Barkleys headed out in search of their missing brother.

.

.

"And just whose idea was it to go up to the logging camp right before Christmas?" Jarrod held his breath as the small flame blossomed and he let out a sigh of relief when the kindling started to catch. He rubbed his upper arms briskly to try and warm them before carefully placing a few more small pieces of wood on the now crackling blaze. He was thankful the storm had abated, but even in the shelter of the trees where they'd made camp, the wind and last few flakes of snow were still cold.

"Come on, Jarrod," Gene said cheekily as he put the pot beside the fire for the snow inside to melt, "where's your sense of adventure?"

"At the ranch," Jarrod stated succinctly as he tended the fire, "likely wearing my slippers and drinking a hot cider."

"Heath decided to go all on his own." Nick came over from where he had been settling the horses. "He wanted to make sure all the men and their families had everything they needed to celebrate the holiday."

Gene chuckled. "I'm not sure if I can picture our brother as one of Santa's elves."

"You would if you'd been there to see him help collect presents for the orphanage," Jarrod informed him. "I swear, that boy's a bigger kid than you are, Nick."

Nick snorted as he pulled packages out of his saddlebags. "Well, this food Silas packed is present enough for me right now," he declared and passed the sandwiches around. Both his brothers heard as he muttered under his breath, "But that silly grin of Heath's wouldn't hurt."

"We'll find him, Nick," Jarrod said with a confidence he was trying to feel himself. "Heath's probably still snug up at the lumber camp and Emma's husband too."

"I hope we can get there and back before Christmas," Gene said as he added a handful of coffee grounds to the melted snow. "I don't want to miss Silas' Christmas pudding."

The light-hearted banter was just a cover for the worry they all felt for their overdue brother as the three of them stayed close to the fire and ate their meal. No one voiced everyone's worst fear that they wouldn't get to enjoy another Christmas with their brother Heath.

.

.

"Snow's stopped," Ted announced as he came in from seeing to the horses, "and it seems like it's warming up."

Heath looked out the entrance to their shelter and saw a few stars twinkling in the clearing sky. Just what they needed, he thought, the snow to start melting and turn the trails into a morass of slush and mud. He'd almost rather travel through snow with hard-packed ground. "Guess we'll see what the morning brings," was all he said. "Make our plans then."

"Reckon that's all we can do."

Heath reached over and pulled their snared rabbit off the fire. "Dinner should be about ready." Using his knife, he hacked off a hindquarter and passed the skewer over to Ted.

"Good thing for me I was travelling with someone who knows how to live off the land," Ted observed as he took a bite. "Never knew how to set a snare until you showed me."

Heath grinned as he tore into his own piece. "Good to be with someone who appreciates that. Cooked my brother some of the finest bullfrog stew not long after I came to Stockton. You'd think I was trying to poison him or something."

Ted raised an eyebrow, but only said, "Well, I'm mighty thankful to be going to sleep tonight with a full belly." Then he thought for a moment. "When you came to Stockton? Hasn't your family lived there for a long time?"

"Yep." Heath didn't see any reason not to tell his story. It wasn't like it was a secret, after all. "Grew up not knowing who my father was. When I found out, it took me a few months but I rode up to that fine house in Stockton full of fire and vinegar, ready to fight for what was mine." He thought back to the fight with Nick, his confrontation with his brothers in the library, and then finding out that his father's family wasn't just a bunch of rich snobs, that they were willing to lay down their lives for what they believed in as well. "We've butted heads more than once, but I'm one lucky man that the Barkleys accepted me and couldn't be prouder that they're my family."

Ted nodded thoughtfully. "Reckon I'm mighty lucky too. Never thought a woman as fine as Emma would go for someone like me." At Heath's quizzical look, he elaborated. "I wasn't the most respectable sort before I met her. Drinking, gambling, fighting. My pa decided he didn't want to be saddled with a wife and three kids so he up and left when I was about five. Reckoned if my pa didn't want me, why should I bother. Then I saw Emma and knew if I was going to deserve her, I'd have to change." He grinned at Heath. "You should've seen the look on my ma's face when they met. I think she thought Emma was just a product of a drunk's imagination. Haven't touched a drop since I married that woman."

A worried look came over his face. "Not meeting her like I promised, I sure hope she doesn't think I've abandoned her. I'd never do to her like my pa did."

Heath reached out and clapped his companion on the shoulder. "Reckon if I can tell how much you love her, she knows it too. Be the best present ever when she sees you're okay." Heath knew the smiles and love from his family when he got home would be present enough for him.

.

.

Victoria heard the hissing noise outside the window and stopped on her way down the stairs. Parting the curtains, she could see the heavy rain had turned to sleet and a chill went through her. She had assured Emma before their guest retired for the night that her boys were strong and stubborn and wouldn't give up until they returned home with Emma's husband. Unfortunately, that strength and stubbornness was part of what worried her. Her sons didn't know the meaning of the phrase 'give up' and were perfectly capable of disregarding their own safety for that of another. She sent out a thought of love and a prayer that they were all dry and warm somewhere, or at least as much as they could be on such a cold and miserable night.

Making her slow way down the stairs, she found Audra sitting in her eldest brother's favourite chair and staring into the fire just like Jarrod did when there was something on his mind. My little girl is growing up, she thought wistfully and walked to the table that held the crystal decanters.

"A sherry, Audra?" Victoria smiled at the faint look of surprise on her daughter's face. "Your brothers hold late night discussions over whiskey, why shouldn't we over a glass of sherry?"

Audra smiled. "Thank you, Mother, I believe I will."

Victoria poured two small glasses and handed one to her daughter before sitting across from her. She took a sip and waited for Audra to say what was on her mind.

"I was remembering Heath telling me how he always did his best to make it home to spend Christmas with his mama," Audra said, still staring into the fire. "It was last year, when Jarrod and Gene almost didn't make it from San Francisco because of the earthquake." She turned towards her mother. "I was sitting here, sad, missing my brothers and feeling sorry for myself. Heath was trying to cheer me up and he told me about one year when he was almost snowed in crossing the Sierras and didn't make it to Strawberry until after midnight Christmas Eve." Audra smiled. "Apparently, he climbed on the roof and yelled 'Ho, ho, ho' to see if he could get everyone to believe he was St. Nicholas."

Victoria laughed along with her daughter at the vision of Heath pretending to be St. Nick.

Audra's expression sobered. "I'm glad he came into our lives," she said softly. "I know Father hurt you, but I can't be sad about having Heath for my brother."

Victoria covered Audra's hand with her own. "I count my children as the greatest blessings in my life, and that includes Heath. I believe everything has a purpose and I think the joy Heath brought to his mother and has brought to us overwhelms any hurt."

Audra stared back into the flames. "I hope they're all okay," she whispered.

"I do too, Audra." Victoria squeezed her daughter's hand. "I do too."