Heath's natural instinct is to flee. As he feels his body being propelled backward and slammed down onto the ground, he knows his only chance of survival is to not let the demanding darkness take him. They want him dead, and while for himself he thinks that might be for the best, his Aunt Rachel and Hannah depend on him. So for them, he embraces the unrelenting will he was born with and decides to live.
Slowly turning onto his left side, he glances down and watches as the blood-soaked stain on his lower right side is quickly growing. He knows he needs to stop the bleeding but that will have to wait until he manages to get himself to safety. So for now, he takes his right-hand and clamps it down over his wound applying a small amount of pressure that sends a crushing wave of pain through him. The darkness tips around the corners of his eyes taunting him. He forces himself to stay focused so that he can get away, get to Gal, she will help him.
Closing his eyes to ward off the lull of nothingness, he tries to calm his breathing and begin the slow arduous process of moving. With his left arm extended his fingers dig into the ground trying to find the slightest hold to help pull him toward his goal. Bending his left leg, he presses the side of his boot into the earth in an attempt to push himself forward. All of his efforts are met with fierce resistance as he fights against his leaden body.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO, NICK!" Gene yells as he throws the supplies on the ground and runs over to Heath.
"WELL, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE HE WAS POINTING A GUN AT YOU!" Nick defends himself.
"HE WAS POINTING IT AT A SNAKE, NICK. HE JUST SAVED MY LIFE!" Gene kneels down beside Heath.
Nick staggers as the weight of Gene's words sends a crippling wave of uncertainty over him. No, he saw the gun, the boy was going to hurt Gene! He had been sure of it, hadn't he? He runs around to where Gene had been standing and there, clear as day, is a rattler with its head blown off. Turning back, he falls down to his knees beside Heath forcing himself to bear witness to his own injudicious hostility. The boy is struggling to breathe and the crimson stain is spreading. Heath's eyes shift to the brothers and they both watch in horror at his futile attempts to get away from them.
"Just stay still Heath," Gene soothes as he unties the bandana around his neck, "I've got to get some pressure on that wound so we can stop the bleeding." He gently rolls Heath onto his back and then tries to remove Heath's hand to give himself access to the injured side.
"Please, I'll leave," Heath begs, the fear screaming out in his expressive eyes, his voice barely a whisper, "just let me go, I'll leave."
Utter anguish washes over them as they hear Heath's quiet plea for mercy. The look in his eyes leaves no room for confusion, Heath believes they want him dead.
"Heath, I...I'm...I thought...I didn't know there was a snake," Nick fumbles around in thoughts and words. Why can't he just say he's sorry? Did he mean to shoot him? He stares down, his eyes vacant, at the boy whose eyelids are getting heavy and whose breaths are now coming in small shallow gasps. Did he mean to kill his own brother?
"NICK!" Gene yells, trying to break through Nick's sudden trance, "I need you, Heath needs you!" Getting no response from Nick, Gene quickly looks over to where the men are all standing.
By now all work has ceased as the hands are all staring over to where Heath lays on the ground. Idle chatter can be heard throughout the crowd of men. They all know how Nick feels about the boy. Everyone in Stockton, and probably the neighboring towns, has heard Nick yelling about the imposter. Still, no one thought Nick Barkley would go as far as trying to kill him.
"Red, you still keep the medical supplies in your saddlebags?" Gene's commanding tone brings everyone to attention. Red gives Gene a quick nod and immediately goes to get them. "Billy, I need you to ride to town and get Doc Merar. Have him meet us back at the ranch."
Billy hesitates as he looks from Gene to Nick and then down to Heath. He personally has nothing against Heath. In fact, they all know Heath is a hard worker, but he doesn't dare go against Nick.
"You got a problem, Billy?"
"No sir, it's just, well...ah...Nick's the boss and...ah...I" he stammers.
"WHAT? YOU'RE FIRED!" Gene screams his frustration boiling over as he looks down at his blood covered hands. Heath's breathing is becoming more labored by the minute, "MY BROTHER NEEDS A DOCTOR!"
This adamant admission from Gene that indeed Heath is his brother sends shock waves through the surrounding hands. No one from the family, except for Audra on occasion, referred to Heath as a Barkley. In fact, aside from the announcement after the shooting at Semple's farm, that Heath is Tom Barkley's bastard, no one ever spoke of it in front of the men again.
The desperation in Gene's voice, screaming for this brother, manages to accomplish what seemed impossible and pulls at the hearts of Nick's men. These men who are so loyal to Nick, that they willingly turned a blind eye to Heath's agony and watched over the last month or so as the boy was repeatedly beaten down, are caught unawares by the evident fear they see in Gene. As they stand here staring down at the still figure surrounded by a confused Nick and frantic Gene, they realize that by doing so they had given up a piece of their own dignity.
"I'll go, Gene. I'm sorry. I'll ride fast." Billy apologizes. Taking one more look at the dazed Nick, he runs towards the horses to leave.
Gene glances up at Nick who is just kneeling beside him staring down at the deathly pale Heath. He knows his brother. This loud, demanding, loyal brother would never shoot a man in cold blood. Sure, Nick has a tendency to lash out without thinking, but with words or fists, not bullets. He can only imagine that Nick must have truly thought Heath meant to hurt him. If there was one thing that can be said about Nick Barkley it is that he will defend his family without hesitation.
"Nick?" Gene tries again to break through Nick's oblivion. "Nick. He'll be okay. We'll get him back to the house and Doc will patch him up."
Nick's eyes shift from Heath to Gene and then back to Heath who is looking paler and paler. His eyes are barely open and Nick can see a line of tension in his jaw as he fights to control the waves of pain assaulting his body. Nick can hear Gene talking to him, trying to reassure him that Heath will be fine, but how can this ever be fine? His misplaced anger had tapped into his impulsive nature and now this boy, this innocent boy who just saved his little brother's life, is paying the price.
Coming back to himself, Nick grabs Heath's bloody right hand which now lies limply at his side. Giving the hand a firm squeeze, Nick leans down and whispers in Heath's ear, "Heath, I'm sorry. Now you just hang on and we will get you back to the ranch so Doc can take care of you."
Heath stirs at the sound of Nick's voice. A quiet moan escapes his lips belittling his agony. His head slowly rolls towards Nick. "I'll go...please...gotta take care ...them…," Heath mumbles weakly, a single tear escapes his eye, "can't...can't let down...please"
"Who?" Nick asks without thinking.
"Family." Heath closes his eyes, unable to hold them open any longer. "Sorry… came… promised."
"Just rest," Nick sighs, "Gene and I will get you back to the ranch." He gently releases Heath's hand back down to the ground. "What family?" he wonders. Did Heath have other relatives? What did he mean he had to take care of them?
The return of Red with his saddlebags urges the men to action. Red quickly removes the bandages from his bags as Nick gently untucks Heath's shirt mindful not to disturb the pressure Gene has on the still bleeding wound. Easing Heath toward Gene, Nick checks to see if there is an exit wound in his back. The quick shake of his head confirms their fears that the bullet is still inside meaning that they don't have much time before it will need to be removed. Taking the extra bandages, Nick hands them to Gene to replace his blood-soaked bandana. Gene uses the new bandages to plug the entrance hole the bullet made and then takes the remaining bandages and securely wraps them around the slim waist.
With Heath properly bandaged Nick stands up and heads over to the wagon and begins removing the tools and supplies stored within. His arms seem to move in an automatic motion as his guilt feeds on his momentum and becomes more and more unbearable. He curses himself and his actions. He curses Heath's promise. He curses his father. Yes, he curses his father for failing them all.
Jim and Luke, a couple of older hands who have been with the Barkley's for years, step up to help Nick clear out the wagon and get it ready to transport Heath. Nick nods his head in appreciation to the faithful hands as he adds his canteen, a few extra bandages, and a few blankets to the back.
"Red, you're in charge while Eugene and I get Heath to the doctor. Jim, if you could ride with us and then bring the wagon back."
"Sure, boss." Jim nods and climbs up to the driver's seat and takes hold of the reins.
"Luke, I need you make sure Gal gets back and settled."
"You got it, boss, I'll make sure she is taken care of."
Nick walks back over and looks on as Gene runs his fingers through Heath's hair and tells him to hang on, that they would have him home soon. The word home echoes through Nick's mind as he thinks about what that word means to Heath. What kind of home had the ranch really been for Heath? A home where no one talks to him. Where his brother, yes his brother, sends him off with men who beat the tar out of him.
Nick fights to calm his rising remorse and goes about checking to make sure the bandages around Heath's waist will hold through the journey back to the house. He notices only a small amount of blood seeping through and hopes that means that the bleeding is finally slowing. The boy definitely doesn't need to lose anymore. He also notices the beads of sweat on Heath's forehead and the clenched jaw. Reaching out, he places his hand against Heath's cheek, trying to get the boy to look at him but gets no response. It's clear that they need to get Heath to a doctor now.
"Climb up in the wagon and I will place him in there beside you. That way he can lean up against you. It should help to pad the bumpy ride," Nick tells Gene as he reaches down and gently lifts Heath into his arms. The too light form barely puts any strain on Nick as he carefully walks over to the wagon.
Gene quickly climbs into the wagon and positions himself against the side ready for Nick. Heath lets out an involuntary groan as Nick carefully places him beside Gene and then leans his upper body against Gene's chest.
"Alright, Little brother, don't you forget, me and you got some jacks to play. And remember big brother gets to win." Gene tells Heath as he takes his left arm and reaches it around Heath's chest to hold him steady. "For a while anyways."
Even through Heath's muddled mind and his guarded heart, the words 'Little Brother', send a surge of anticipation through him at the prospect of brotherhood.
Climbing up beside Jim in the driver's seat, Nick takes one more look back and sends a prayer to the heavens that they arrive in time.