He was five years old the first time his uncle tried to kill him. Fortunately, with time, most of the memory has faded into distant images too abstract to decipher clearly. The one image that remains burned forever in the creases of his mind is the crazed righteousness of the eyes that gleamed with such delight as his life slowly began to fade away. It is those eyes that appeared with each subsequent attempt on Heath's life and those eyes that haunt him to this day. He knows, if they are free, it is only a matter of time before they come after him.

The feel of the cold damp cloth being gently pressed against his face and neck does little to calm the rapid beating of his heart as flashes from his past torment his thinking. From the beatings at the hand of his uncle when he was unlucky enough to be caught, to the traps they would purposely set out in his path, his aunt and uncle have never faltered in their hatred for him or in their belief that he somehow is the cause of all their misfortunes. He barely survived his last encounter with them and even though that was so many years ago the mere thought of them being able to reach him grips him with a paralyzing fear. So he remains motionless, laying on the bed with his eyes closed, knowing that the moment he looks back up at Jim, Jim's words will become a truth he cannot escape from.

"JUST WHO ARE THE SIMMONS?" Nick patience is running thin. He had seen the terrified look in the boy's eyes and whether or not he wants to admit it, it tugged at his protective nature.

Victoria looks back at Nick who until this moment has been standing quietly behind her. She can see he is bothered by the reaction Heath had to the news of these people's release and knows his loud response is so typical of the family protector. She looks back at Jim, who is sitting across from her, gently encouraging Heath to open his eyes and completely ignoring her loud son.

"My brother does come on a tad strong but Nick is asking an important question and one I think we all have a right to know. I assume you feel this will affect us all." Jarrod steps up and walks over to stand by Nick as a show of support for his younger brother. He did not miss Heath's reaction to the news and is already trying to think of ways he may need to protect his family. A family which he happily realizes does include Heath.

Jim pauses from his ministrations and bows his head with a loud sigh. Knowledge can be a powerful tool but it is also a heavy burden to bear. He knew the news about the Simmons would be hard for Heath to hear and he did debate whether or not to hold off on telling him after Fred let him know how Heath was injured, but he also knows his other news cannot wait any longer. Heath has a right to know all that has happened in the last couple of weeks.

"There's more isn't there?" Victoria senses an internal war raging in the man across from her. She watches as his hand balls into a fist and as he dejectedly slumps his shoulders.

"Yeah." Jim turns to look at Victoria. "There's more and I'd give anything not to tell him." His voice falters, an unnerving prospect to all in the room coming from such a rugged man.

"Alpha?" The voice from the bed barely above a whisper draws their attention back to Heath. Heath's eyes are still closed but the shift in his breathing lets them know he is fully awake again.

"Hey, Heath, you gonna open them eyes, son?" Jim encourages. He takes the cloth and again presses it to the sides of Heath's neck. "Alpha's fine, Heath. As soon as I got the wire from Frank, I sent one to Dave and the Sheriff in Modesto. They will be keeping an eye on Alpha."

The family exchange glances wondering who these people are that Jim is talking to Heath about but they watch as he nods in recognition of the words spoken. Heath gradually opens his eyes and looks directly at Jim searching for some minuscule piece of evidence that all that has been said is a mistake. Instead, he only sees anguish and concern staring back at him.

"Aunt Rachel! Hannah!" Heath jolts up, startling everyone, unconcerned with the amount of pain the action causes him. He starts to throw back the covers when two strong hands wrap around his arms holding him still. The family closes in around the bed showing a growing solicitude over his well-being.

"Heath, boy. Look at me. I already went to Strawberry. I went there first, as soon as I heard. I figured that would be where they were headed."

Heath allows his body to relax back into Jim's hands. His ribs and wound are screaming at him for making such a sudden movement.

"Did ya take 'em somewhere safe or leave someone with them?" Heath searches Jim's face only to be stonewalled by his lack of expression. "I won't be able to go myself for a while yet."

"Heath." Jim pauses, he can hear the desperation in Heath's voice. He looks down over his young friend, but instead of the man he has become, he sees the three-year-old boy he met standing outside Ms. Hannah's cabin cradling an injured grasshopper in his hands. The grasshopper had broken its back legs and was unable to hop. The boy was telling the grasshopper how Ms. Hannah was going to fix him up and then he could go home to his family. He had never seen a child that age be so calm or so gentle. He thought for sure when Ms. Hannah saw that bug she was going to shoo the child away, but she didn't. She reached down and took the grasshopper just as gently as she could, then leaned over and kissed the boy on his head and told him to never let anyone change his heart and Heath never did. "Heath, the Simmons had already been there by the time I arrived."

"NO!" Heath screams. The tears already starting to fall. "Are they…," he starts only to be thwarted by the lump forming in his throat.

The family watches with dread seeing the devastated look in Heath's eyes. Only Jarrod has a small idea of who these women are to Heath, but it is plain to all in the room that they are very important to him.

"Hannah is fine. A little shaken up but not hurt. She is at Doc Harn's place. Lula is expecting again and they asked Hannah to stay with them, so she agreed. I have Sammy keeping an eye on her." Jim's own tears begin filling his eyes. He curses fate for allowing yet another blow to befall this boy, especially so soon after his mother's death. "Rachel…," he fights down his own emotions.

"Yea... Aunt Rachel?" Heath can't stop the tears now cascading down his face. His eyes reach out to anyone around him begging them to change the truth he can see in Jim.

'Heath, I'm so sorry son. She's gone, Heath. She fell into a mine shaft. I buried her next to your mama."

Heath's eyes go blank and he crumbles boneless and sobbing into Jim's arms. Jim does his best to console the grieving boy, though his own body is racked with guilt. The guilt of having to deliver this news and the guilt over not arriving in Strawberry fast enough to save Rachel. He looks over around the room to the family bearing witness to the devastation and takes notice that they are all moved to tears over the pain Heath is feeling.

Victoria reaches over and takes Heath's hand in hers, gently squeezing to let him know she is there, while Audra runs over, her own tears blurring her vision, to sit by her mother. She places her own hand on top of Victoria's and Heath's hands as a show of solidarity with them both. Gene kneels down beside Jim and Heath and begins rubbing Heath's back repeating over and over that he is here for him, while Jarrod and Nick stand at the end of the bed looking out over the scene before him. Their hearts can't help but be moved.

"She would never…" Heath mumbles between sobs, his face still buried in Jim's chest.

"I know, it was them. When I got to the cabin I found Hannah hiding, scared. She told me they had come by asking questions and dragged Rachel out. She thought they were going to come back for her so she hid." Jim pulls the boy in tighter trying to help him feel secure. "Heath, Frank and I will find them and will bring them to justice."

"I'd like to be alone now." Heath pushes away from Jim and allows Jim to help him sink back into the pillows. He turns his face back to the window that looks out over the corral but no one dares to move. "Please," he asks simply, the tears still streaming down his face.

With this request, Gene moves from Heath's side but not before giving his shoulder a firm squeeze. Jim runs his hand over the boy's head but getting no response he stands to respect Heath's wishes and is followed to the door by Jarrod and Nick. Victoria grips Heath's hand tightly and then meets the others by the door. It is Audra who surprises them all when she leans over and kisses Heath on the check.

"Heath, just remember you're not alone," Audra says as she gets up to follows the others and is the last to leave.

When he hears the click of the door closing, Heath's anger joins his grief. Why? Why must everyone he loves be taken from him? He searches the room through blurred vision, desperately looking for the one item he possesses that has carried him across this life of pain and loneliness. He finally spots it sitting on the edge of the dresser across the room from him. His bible, it is the only real item he owns. It was given to him by his Mama when he returned from the war and it has never left his side since.

Slowly, painfully he pushes back the covers and slides his legs over the edge of the bed so that his feet touch the floor. Using every ounce of strength he has, he raises himself to his feet only to be caught off guard by a wave of dizziness that almost sends him to his knees. Steadying himself with his hand on the headboard, he pushes himself towards his goal and with each painful step he thinks of how his Mama and his Aunt Rachel have been needlessly taken from him. Reaching out he grabs the bible from the edge of the dresser and the leans on its side. Unable to make the journey back across the room, he slides down using the wall and the dresser to stabilize him.

Sitting with his back against the wall, he wraps his arms around his anchor and gives fully into his anger and grief.