A/N I must apologize. I had planned on writing out a much longer scene for tonight, but a future scene kept intruding on my thoughts. I finally had to give in a write most of it out for fear of losing it. Once I had finished that I was able to come back and write tonight's bit. Unfortunately, by that time I was very tired again. Once again, I apologize, but on the bright side I actually have tomorrow off of work. 

HBHBHBHB

Joe moved even slower out of the bathroom than he had heading towards it. But he was determined to do it on his own. He paused at the kitchen counter. His ankle hurt and his head was throbbing, but he knew walking and stretching his ankle would be for the best. He would just have to take it slow for his head. Besides, he was really thirsty.

Slowly, Joe headed into the kitchen and got himself a glass and filled it with water. He was in the middle of a large gulp when he heard the door open. He set down the glass as he swallowed. "Hey, Frank. What did dad have to say?" He turned around to a man that defiantly was not Frank.

The man paused in closing the door, looking at Joe. "Ah, your brother said he would be right in, he was going to grab some fire wood. There's a bit of a nasty snowstorm coming in. Should be here in 'bout an hour." The man took off his hat; in a few strides he was near enough Joe to stick out his hand. "I'm Ranger Anderson."

Joe recovered from his surprise and shook the rangers hand. "I'm Joe."

"Your brother mentioned something about you taking a bit of a nasty fall earlier today?"

Joe hesitated. "Ah, yeah. It's really no big deal. Hit my head on a rock, kinda scratched it up some."

"Well, lets give it a cursory look. Just to check it out and make sure everything's okay."

Joe openly stared at the man for a few moments before nodding his head and sitting down on a chair at the table. Joe was silent as the ranger carefully removed the bandages from his head. There was loud thud from just outside the door, followed by a cry from Frank. Joe turned in his seat to go investigate what happened when he heard Frank yelling through the door. "I'm alright!"

Moments later the front door opened to revel Frank carrying an armload of wood. Raising his head a little Joe could see a few logs had fallen from Frank's grasp. And judging from Frank's limp they must have fallen on his foot.

"You okay?" Joe asked.

Frank dumped the logs near the fireplace and headed back out to retrieve the rest. "Ya, I'm fine. But your klutziness is catching." Joe snorted in response and turned back around so the ranger could get a better look at his head.

Joe felt a shiver go up his spine. Something was up but he wasn't sure what it was. There was something just off about this man. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but Joe's instincts had never led him wrong. Well, maybe a few times. Or was that just his impetuousness? Whatever it was, Joe was sure that something wasn't right and he was going to pay attention to figure it out. Joe had learned one thing as he got older. People always gave away clues to what they were truly about. You just had to learn to read them. Joe had made it a point in recent years to learn to read people, to listen to his instincts, yet keep his 'rush to action' under control.

Joe hissed in pain as the ranger probed in a tender spot on his head. Joe caught the mumbled apology as the man continued to work. It was then that Joe realized he had gotten lost into his own thoughts and was missing the conversation between Frank and this apparent Todd Anderson. As Joe focused more on the conversation between twitches of pain, he realized that they we talking about a Hunters Retreat that was going on in the area. They were, apparently, the ones causing all the noise. According to Ranger Todd, their whole set up was pretty sweet. They had a gun show going on and then a whole area of training exercises. There were timed courses as well as mazes. It was a year round retreat, but once a year they have a big rally that lasted about a month.

"Well, I would say that I agree with your assessment, Frank. The bleeding has stopped and aside from a bald spot, it should heal fine."

"What?! A bald spot!" Joe's hands immediately reached for the back of his head, only to be swatted away by his brother.

"Let the man finish his work. Your vanity will just have to get over a tiny bald spot," Frank chided his brother.

Todd quickly redressed the head wound and then moved to stand in front of Joe. He looked down at Joe's foot propped up on another chair under the table. "Should we look at that, too?"

Joe pulled his foot away. "Naw, it's okay. It's just a sprain and I know how to deal with those."

Frank laughed heartily. "Yeah, he really does. My brother the Jock. Was there any sport you didn't play in school?"

Joe rolled his eyes as he got up to limp towards the couch once more. He sat so he could both be near the fireplace and watch Ranger Todd. Joe settled back and watched intently as the ranger and Frank conversed. He knew he was being uncharacteristically quiet, but he was tired and hurting, and he didn't think that he could handle both watching the ranger and putting on a fake smile for a fake conversation.

He listened as they started talking once again about the gun show thing.

"So, do you and your brother hunt?" Todd asked, as he looked around the place.

"No, Joe and I aren't really into guns." Joe kept quiet. Sure, they had both been taught how to handle a gun. For those 'just in case' emergencies. Joe knew that Frank had an aversion to guns, but Joe had been going to the shooting range since he went to college.

"So, what brings you boys out here anyway?" The Ranger asked, as he was wondering around and looking at things on the walls.

Joe finally chose to answer. "Well, my roommate's family owns the place. They offered it to us when they decided to go on a cruise instead." Joe wasn't sure if he really saw a pause in the man's footsteps and the almost gleam in his eyes when he looked over at Joe.

"Well, that was very nice of them."

"Yeah, it was." Joe looked over at Frank, making eye contact. He really hoped that Frank got the message that he was ready for the man to leave. Now.

Frank did get the message and said, "Thank you so much for coming out and checking this, Ranger. I think I'm going to get Joe some food and send him to bed."

"Anytime, boys. And just call me Todd." He put on his hat and headed towards the door. "Have a great week. I'll see ya around."

As soon as he was gone Frank turned to Joe. "What's up with you tonight? You are being uncharacteristically quiet."

Joe shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Guess my head hurts more than I want to let on. And I'm tired."

"Bull! What's up? Something is going on in your head."

Joe wasn't ready to tell Frank that he was getting weird vibes from a man they just barely met. "Nothing." At Frank's disbelieving look he continued. "Really. I'm just tired and I thought this vacation was about us spending time together. I guess I'm a little bummed out because I got hurt and that puts a damper on things." Before Frank could comment, he added. "What happened to getting a fire going?"