A/N I really don't know what kind of time we're talking when it comes to traveling from Stockton, California to Virginia City by train. So…if I'm way off, so be it.

Chapter Twenty Eight

Jarrod stepped away from Virginia City's train station as he saw the approaching train. It had been three days since he sent the telegram. Heath had sent a reply, saying they'd catch the first train they could. He'd then sent one when they rolled into Carson City, telling Jarrod they were taking another train into Virginia City. As he watched the train approach he thought on the last three days. Nick and Kim remained in a coma, and the words Dr. Martin had spoken just that morning kept ringing in Jarrod's ears.

"I don't know why Nick's not waking up. If it wasn't for the broth that you've all been able to get down him, I'd dare say he'd be gone. As it is," Dr. Martin stood in the Cartwright's living room looking at the distraught family members, "If he doesn't wake up in the next forty-eight hours, I dare say he never will." He then spoke slowly admitting that Kim needed a blood transfusion after all. "I would have preferred it to be a female relative as transfusions seem to go better if they're not only going from male to male, female to female, but from relative to relative." He looked from Mary to Victoria, "However, there's no other natural born female Cartwrights. "Would one of you be willing?"

"I'm her aunt." Victoria shocked the doctor as she stood up and spoke. "And, I'm more than willing."

Jarrod sighed as the train stopped and Heath, along with Audra, got off. Both siblings looked more than upset; Audra had even been crying. When Jarrod took Audra's luggage from her, he teased her. "What did you do? Bring your whole closet?" Jarrod was trying to lighten the tension that hung in the air, as he started walking away from the train station and towards the livery stable he had horses and a surrey waiting for them.

"What happened? How is he?" Audra asked; Heath's eyes asked the same questions.

Jarrod didn't ask why she didn't ask about Kim too for one reason…he'd been in such a hurry when he sent the telegram that all he'd said was 'Nick critical … Hurry … bring Audra .' "The question should be… how are they?" Jarrod wasn't surprised when confused looks appeared in his siblings eyes. "It's a long story. I'll tell you everything on the way out to the Ponderosa." It wasn't long until Jarrod, Heath and Audra were in the surrey and riding out of town, with Jarrod repeating the whole story. By the time he was through, they were only a mile from the house and both Heath and Audra were twice as worried…and very much amazed.

"Doc doesn't think they'll make it," Heath broke the silence that had fallen upon them as they drove up to the house. "That's why he had you send for us." It didn't matter if he and Audra had never met Kim. Just the fact that Nick was their brother would have made the doctor tell Jarrod to send for the rest of Nick's siblings…or the ones that could come anyway.

Jarrod shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "I gave Nick some blood, and Mother has given Kim some. They're still breathing, but, yes, doc's pretty much written them off." He turned to look at Heath and Audra. "However, I haven't. I can't put my finger on it; I can't explain it, but I know there's still a chance for them. I guess, I'm hoping," Jarrod said as he started climbing out of the surrey, and watched his brother and sister do the same, "That one of you will be able to get through to Kim, and then she can get through to Nick...or vice versa. Guess I'm grasping at straws; only, it's what I'm praying for." He then headed to the house saying he was more than ready for the rain, as it were, to stop.

Neither Heath nor Audra asked what he meant when he made the rain comment; they didn't have to after everything he'd told them. They simply followed him into the house.

~oOo~

Heath stood in the corner of the room being used to tend to Nick and Kim. Audra, who had been talking to Nick, turned and walked over to Kim's bed. As she did so, Heath thought on a couple he'd known years ago… a man and woman, who like Nick and Kim, had people talking when they married extremely fast. Folks in Strawberry had insisted a baby was on the way only it hadn't been the case. He also remembered how the couple had been seriously hurt, and what the man's mother had done-even though folks said she was crazy. At the time, if he were to admit it, Heath had wondered what the woman was thinking. Now, he found himself thinking he should do the same thing.

"Heath?" Audra's voice brought her blonde haired brother out of his thoughts.

Heath, who had been keeping an eye on Nick and Kim, looked at his sister. He wasn't surprised to see a look of great concern in her eyes, probably wondered if all her talk had done any good. "I'm fine, please go get Jarrod and Ben." He wasn't about to tell Audra what he had in mind for one simple reason, he didn't want to tell her what he was thinking only to have to turn around and repeat himself..

Audra gave him another concerned look and left the room. Once she'd left, Heath walked over to the beds and took a closer look at them. He was still looking at them when Jarrod opened the door and stepped inside; Ben was right behind him. Since Audra couldn't tell the men what the blonde haired cowboy wanted, the famous Stockton attorney and Ben feared Nick had died and Heath wanted to tell them d first. However, looking at Nick, the two men could tell the man was still alive. "You sent for us?" Jarrod asked.

"Yeah," Heath said as he turned to face his oldest brother and their host. "I want you to help me move Nick into Kim's bed."

"What?" Jarrod and Ben's faces filled with a mixture of shock and surprise as they asked the question in unison.

"You heard me. I want to move Nick and Kim into the same bed. Hers is slightly larger." He gestured towards the bed Kim lay in. "There's enough room for both of them. And don't tell me we should ask the doc, you admitted he's pretty much given up on both of them anyway."

Not sure what to think, Ben and Jarrod glanced at each other. The look that they exchanged said 'I'm desperate to do anything to help them live' and 'What would it hurt?' Jarrod and Ben looked away from each other and headed for Nick's bed while Heath hurried and pulled the covers off Kim. Gently, he moved her over just enough that Ben and Jarrod could lay Nick in the bed next to her. Afterward, Ben held Kimimela up just enough that Jarrod could move Nick's arm away from Nick's side…enabling Ben to lay Kim in the crook of Nick's arm.

"Call me crazy; I've been called worse." Heath said as Ben laid Nick's arm on top of Kimimela's arm before stepping aside and letting Heath pull the covers back up and laying the blanket on the couple's chests. "But I don't think either one of them is fighting to live because they are convinced the other one isn't here…in spite of what you've been telling them." He then told them about the couple he'd known while growing up.

Ben pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down, again telling himself what they'd done couldn't hurt. 'And if they do die, at least they'll be together' was an added thought that he kept to himself, not wishing to upset either Heath or Jarrod.

"I'm staying with them for now as well." Jarrod said as he pulled the only other chair in the room away from the wall. "Mother wanted to talk to you after we were through up here. She'll probably ask you about the noise we just made too."

As if on cue, Victoria stuck her head into the room. Her face registered the surprise she felt at the sight that met her eyes. Though, before she could say anything, Heath was walking out the door, saying he'd explain everything once they were down stairs.