Note: I'm mixing in characters from BV but not in order they appeared in series.

Chapter Ten

Past…..

The dusty trail was something Heath could do without. He didn't even know why he kept tabs on the Barkley ranch as he was doing. He had kept the first half of the money Victoria Barkley paid him to protect Nick. However, he still hadn't gone to pick up the other half of his pay. Heath had to admit that it didn't feel right taking money to protect his own brother. Even if that brother had denied his claim of being Tom Barkley's son.

Heath enjoyed the small arguments that he and Nick had been going at back and forth since regal lady had hired him. The strange tit for tat between them was a way of getting to know the loudmouth more. Heath could imagine, if given different circumstances, Nick and he would be best of brothers and closest of friends. That wasn't to be though.

Heath had heard throughout Stockton of fancy talker getting married. He wondered if he ever met the wife of Jarrod Barkley what he would deem the nickname for his new family member. He supposed she would have to be something special to have captured the lawyer's heart. He'd have to think on that name a while.

As far as the family member who Heath was spending some time getting to know, that would be Audra. Heath couldn't refuse her invitations to picnic lunches and riding across the Barkley ranch. Of course, he tried to make excuses that he was only trying to keep Nick safe as his part of the bargain. However, Heath knew he enjoyed spending time with the angelic treasure that was Audra Barkley. Right when Heath thought his heart was as cold and black as death itself, Audra seemed to melt the ice he had built around it. He treasured her more than she would ever know and more than he would ever let on.

Heath cursed his bad luck when he saw one of the ranch hands counting cattle. Audra had informed him in town yesterday that Nick and Eugene were going on a cattle drive near San Francisco. They would be taking most of the hands with them. Beth and Jarrod had went to San Francisco so Jarrod could do business in his office there. The ranch was being watched by a few hands. The bad luck wasn't the ranch hand but the rawhiders getting ready to take aim at the unaware ranchhand.

Before the scraggly looking man fired the shot, Heath had his two guns pulled and took down the rawhider. He heard the other man yell "Pinto!". Then the man idiotically tried to shoot Heath. Heath took the other man out before his rifle was raised even a few inches. Stupid does as stupid sees it seems when the third rawhider drew on Heath too. Heath cursed out loud when he felt his stitches rip on his side when he shot the third person.

Heath rode up to the startled ranchhand. The man, who was probably the age of Nick, seemed shocked and shaking.

"Thank you, Mr. Thomson, for saving my life." The ranchhand swallowed. He had heard of the gunman around town. The ranchhand had returned after a few of his friends were killed in Mexico while with General Wallent. Nick was kind enough to give the man a second chance after he begged for forgiveness. "My name is Barrett. I sure do appreciate it."

"Can you get some hands to bury these bodies?" Heath knew he wasn't able to. He could already feel the seepage from his side. "I'm going to check if there are any more of these rawhiders around."

Barrett agreed to get some help to bury the men as Heath rode off. Barrett was more than happy to do as the gunman said. After all, he saved his life.

Heath tracked the direction the three rawhiders came from. He spotted an old man, an old woman, and a young female. Heath noticed that they were all in need of a bath. He also noticed the girl was beyond beautiful despite her dirty appearance.

"Good evenin'." Heath dismounted. "Are ya missin' any body?"

"Why do you ask?" The girl said with a thick country accent. "Because we are missing three fellas. They were with Daddy Cade."

Heath swallowed hating the fact he had to tell this girl that he had killed her father. "The one called Pinto took aim at a Barkley ranch hand. I had to shoot him." Heath took off his hat and wiped his brow. "The other two pulled on me too. I'm sorry but I make a livin' with my gun. It was might ignorant of them to do."

The girl backed up against a tree and slid down it. She stared down at her hands when her bottom hit the ground. The other two began packing up their things as if them that three of their friends or family were now dead.

Heath walked over to the girl, who had her knees encircled by her arms. "Are you okay, Miss? I'm sorry for what I had to do. If your daddy hadn't pulled his gun on me…."

The girl looked up at Heath. Her large blue eyes shined with moisture. "My name is Allie Kay. He weren't my daddy. He and his wife found me when I was young. My family was attacked by Indians. They was all killed but me. No matter. It was his wife that treated me like family and took care of me. She died near about three months ago. I don't cry for those three. They had it comin' for a long time." She glanced over at the older couple readying to leave. "I can't go with them. As bad as it sounds, I'm not cryin' for those three that you killed. I just don't know where to go now."

Heath felt himself getting slightly dizzy due to the wound on his side. He sat down beside the girl. "My name is Heath. Allie Kay, I'm sure the owners of this ranch can find a place for you."

Allie glanced towards Heath. She noticed his side bleeding. "I can fix that up for ya. I'm a healer."

Heath grinned lopsidedly. "That would be a might nice gesture from you."

As Allie mixed some herbs to put on Heath's wound, the older couple threw what little Allie Kay had on the ground before leaving her to fend for herself. Allie boiled some horsehair to sew up the stitches that busted loose on Heath. She then put some of her herb mixture on the wound. She tore some dingy looking cloth to wrap Heath's wound with.

"Thanks, Allie Kay. I owe you one." Heath started to stand up but was stopped by Allie tugging on his arm.

"Can't I just go with you, Mr. Heath? I won't be no trouble. I can patch you up when you need patching. I don't want no rich folk looking down their noses at me. Don't tell me they won't because I've been looked down on by folks all my life." Allie fiddled with her fingers nervously. "You can keep me long enough to help me know how to act with folks. Please, Mr. Heath."

"I'm Heath. No Mister. Allie, I am a gunfighter. I don't know what I'd do with a female taggin' along." Heath tried to explain. He felt guilt override his logic when he saw her lip quivering. He knew what it was like to be looked down on. He figured he could help her somehow to gain more confidence. Maybe he would buy her a bath at the hotel with the money he had won gambling. "Alright but just until I find you a place to fit in. I don't guess hangin' around with a gunfighter can be much worse than living with a murderous pack of rawhiders."

Allie threw herself on top of Heath. Her arms encircled his neck. "Oh thank you, Mr. Heath. I mean Heath."

Heath felt his heartbeat pick up. He swallowed feeling a sudden nervousness in his stomach. He had never experienced a nervous stomach around a female before. He had plenty of females bodies pressed up against his. Females a lot cleaner and with a lot less clothing. He decided it was just where he had lost some blood making him queasy. That's all that made sense to him.

Heath disentangled Allie's arms from around his neck. "You're gonna bust open the stitches you just mended." He teased before adding. "How about we get back to the hotel and let you get a bath and some rest?"

"I can hit the crick." Allie said then her eyes went round in awe. "You mean you're gonna let me sleep in a bed! A real bed and not out on the ground?"

"Sure." Heath rubbed his neck. "We'll have to share a room but we can claim your my sister or something so your reputation won't ruin. There are two beds in my room."

"Heath, I ain't worried about that. I've been traveling all my life with these folks. I wasn't related or married to any of them. Do we have to lie to other folks about us? Can't we just not say nothin' and let them think what they want? I'm tired of the lyin'. Daddy Cade lied about a lot of things." Allie pleaded.

"Sure, Allie." Heath helped her up.. "Come on. Let's get to town. You don't need to hit the creek. I can afford you a good warm bath. I'm going to get one myself. Then we can go out to dinner."

He mounted his horse Charger then pulled Allie up behind him. When her arms encircled his waist, Heath felt that funny feeling again. He was sure he must have lost more blood than he realized when his wound opened up.