Adam felt rather than heard his father's presence by his side. The younger man's heart raced as he gently slipped his arms under Evangeline's limp form and turned her into his chest. Some of her hair fell over her face and he raised his left hand to brush the errant strands aside as his right cradled her neck. "Angie? Angie, darling, can you hear me? It's Adam, sweetheart..."

Ben knelt down and checked her pulse and immediately turned to run back down the cleared path. Adam continued to tenderly assess the damage done to his beloved while she, without a notion that she was safe at last, remained unconscious. Her pulse was weak and she was burning with fever. Adam could feel the heat eating though the front of his shirt where her hot face rested. Using his one hand to hastily pile some leaves together, he laid her back down on the ground while transitioning her head to the makeshift pillow. He checked her arms and legs for signs of fractures but all seemed normal until his search found the festering wound on her upper-right arm. His stomach clenched with the sight of the infection seeping from the swollen confines of the gash.

Ben returned with a water canteen, a blanket and Frank behind him. Out of respect, Adam let the frantic father take the coveted position by Evangeline's head while he himself spread and tucked the blanket around her. Tears were streaming down Frank's face as he grasped his daughter's hand while willing her both mentally and verbally to awaken. But no amount of wishing would make that so for she remained as she was, drifting on the winds of space and time and unaware of her loved ones near by.

Ben wet her cracked lips with a little bit of the water and used his green scarve as a way to wet her face as well. Then Adam gently but firmly moved Frank aside so that he himself could gather her blanket-wrapped body into his arms. The three men moved back to the grassy area by the trail. There they made her as comfortable as possible. Ben went about breaking leafy branches off of trees to create a soft bed and Adam used his yellow coat placed on a large tree log as a pillow for her. Frank moved her to the resting place and then her arm needed to be seen to. It desperately needed to be drained of the sickly pus but each Cartwright was repelled at the thought and was loathed to volunteer. They both bent over Evangeline's still form as they ascertained what needed to be done. Adam looked up at his father with tears and agony in his eyes; Ben could read what his son wanted. Silent understanding passed between them and Ben turned to gather what he would need. A campfire was built and a knife sterilized.

Unused to the ways of survival, Frank was mortified when told of what needed to be done. He lunged at Ben as the lancing began to take place. "What are you doing to my little girl! Stop that!"

Adam jumped up to grab him away but the man fought him every inch of the way. Adam held him fast as the man raged. "Leave me alone, Cartwright! You're nothing but savages and butchers! I was right all along about you! You care nothing for my daughter! Nothing!"

"Steady, man! It has to be done, there's no other way! If the wound isn't drained then the infection will continue to spread and she may die! Is that what you want!"

Frank ripped himself free from Adam's grip and was still but if glares could be dangerous, his was lethal. Adam moved back to assist Ben. After the deed was done, Adam handed some of the bandages he kept in his saddlebags to Ben. The elder Cartwright wrapped the arm securely and Adam also gave him a clean black handkerchief to be used as a sling to keep the arm in a more stable position. Then Evangeline was covered with the blanket once more and as a second thought, Adam produced the green cloak from his supplies and draped that up to her chin.

Since the still-livid Frank was away down the trail , Adam stole the moment. He lowered himself to sit next to her and then bent to briefly press his lips to hers. "You'll be okay, Angie. You'll be...just...fine." Ben had let them have this private time but now he stood at Adam's side and grasped his son's quaking shoulder. Adam wasn't crying but his entire body seemed to be grieving under Ben's hand. "We've done all we can do, Son. You've done all you can do."

Adam's voice was a mere whisper as he drank in the sight of his fiance in front of him, "Thank you, Pa. I don't think...I would have been...able to do that...Joe was bad enough...but a woman...her. I guess I'm a coward..."

Unseen by his son, Ben shook his head one solitary time."Adam, you are as far from being that as I am from being better than your youngest brother at breaking horses. You are strong and proud, she's lucky to have you, Son."

Adam tore his eyes from her to gaze at where Frank was sitting on a log down the trail from where they had come. "I guess I'm back in the same boat with her father. He'll never forgive me for my involvement in all of this."

"Just give him time. He'll need time. He's had quite the couple of days too, don't forget."

After a while, darkness began to fall at long last and the fire was stoked into something akin to a roaring and snapping beast, happy to be unleashed to play. The warmth radiating off of it was a comfort to Adam as he sat and stared into the flames. The laughing faces of his past loves danced in the flickering light interspersed by a tiny shower of falling molten ashes once in a while. He wondered where the time had gone and where those lost women were now. Most probably, they were either dead or living their lives without him. He prayed fervently that Evangeline would not know either fate anytime soon.

Ben came to sit by his side on the ground and they both glanced over to where Frank was alone with his still-unconscious daughter. Evangeline hadn't moved nor made a sound during the previous hours since she had been found. Her fever appeared to not be worsening which was heartening but her prolonged unconsciousness was becoming of concern. At least, her slumber had seemed more restful and her breathing more regular than before.

Ben poured Adam a cup of coffee and then he poured one for himself before settling his back onto the log behind them. Ben commented as he took a sip, "I wonder how your brothers are getting on."

Adam chuckled softly while his eyes remained transfixed on the flames. "If I know them, Joe is probably threatening to get out of bed and Hoss is probably threatening to sit on him."