Mark and Kit kissed each other good luck as they stood at the woodshed. No one was watching them, and Caleb was distracted talking to their mother, so the coast was clear.

"Are you sure?" Kit asked.

"It's now or never," Mark told him. "If I don't make it to Northfork, then you have to go and find my Pa. One of us has to make it."

Kit nodded as they started making their way down the mountain, Mark not caring about how cold his feet were or the declining temperature. He was going to make it home, come hell or high water. He made his way down the rocky mountain, knowing his feet would be bleeding by the time he got down to the bottom because it would be worth it in the end. He'd be home, and he could hug his Pa, and get his candy at Millie's store and see all of his friends again. He could have David catch him up on his classmates, and ride his beloved horse as far as it would take him. And he'd have Kit there with him, whom Mark had promised to take care of as long as he wanted to stay by Mark's side.

Freedom never tasted so good to him, and he wasn't going to take it for granted ever again. Kit stumbled as they neared the bottom as Mark helped him up. "Come on, get up, we gotta keep moving until we see someone who can help us."

"Mark, your feet are bleeding," Kit noticed as he looked down.

"I don't care, I ain't slowin' down," Mark told him.

"Seriously, take my boots," Kit told him.

"No time to stop," Mark told him. "Keep going!"

The two kept running for as long as they could, only slowing down to catch their breath before they started running again. After a while, Kit stopped to think. "Mark, we haven't seen anyone on this road for an hour. I don't think we can count on anyone coming by. We'll just have to try to make it the nearest neighbor."

"Where is the nearest neighbor?" Mark asked.

"I don't know, I've never left the mountain," Kit told him. "Only my older brothers have been off of the mountain, and that was to get my Dad's body when he was shot."

"Well, that's just peachy," Mark told him. "Well, we've gone too far, I'm not turning back now."

"Then let's keep moving," Kit said. "We're bound to find someone sooner or later."

The two kept running as Kit stopped Mark. "I hear a horse coming."

"What if it's—" Kit put his hand over Mark's mouth and pulled him down just in time for Caleb, Jim, and John to angrily ride by, holding their rifles.

"It didn't take them long to notice that we were gone," Kit said. "And they look pissed. We have to keep going."

"They have rifles. Why do they have rifles?" Mark asked.

"They mean to shoot us down if we don't willingly come back," Kit told him. "Don't worry, they only shoot to wound."

"How do you know that?"

Kit lifted up his shirt and showed a bullet wound. "I tried running away when I was 10. They only give you one firing shot before they shoot to wound."

"Oh, Kit," Mark said sadly as he gently touched Kit's cheek. "What have I gotten you into?"

"You're worth it," Kit said as quickly kissed Mark. "They're heading down the main road, we'll have to cut through the woods, but you'll have to be careful. There are bugs that bite, and sharp wood, and—"

"Kit, my feet are already bleeding," Mark said. "A few but bites and splinters aren't going to make a difference."

"Who says you aren't a mountain boy?" Kit smiled as they started running into the forest.

"I'm only doing this on the condition that Mark will get everything back when he comes home," David said as he signed the adoption paper. "I don't want anything that Mark isn't okay with."

"I promise you, David, when Mark comes back, the only thing that will have changed is he'll have a brand new brother living with him," Lucas promised him. "It'll be nice to have an extra hand around the place. Mark will love someone else to wash dishes every other night."

"I don't mind washing dishes," David told him. "It'll be fun to have a brother to share chores with. Can I still visit my Ma?"

"No one's keeping you from seeing your mother," Lucas told him. "Just because you're being adopted doesn't mean you're being cut off from your biological family. Your mom and sister are welcome to come by anytime they wish. We'll even spend holidays together if you want."

"I'd feel a lot better if Mark were a part of this decision," Millie said as she watched the judge presiding over the adoption ceremony.

"I'd feel better if Mark were here, period," Lucas told her. "Mark is always welcome to pick up right where he left off if he comes back. I'm not denying him anything."

"I'd give him the shirt off of my back if he wanted," David promised her. "Mark's made this whole thing possible, I'll gladly repay him for everything he thinks I'm taking. I just hope he accepts me as part of his family when he returns."

"And it's official," the Judge said as he signed off. "David, will you be keeping your last name?"

"I— I don't know," David said. "How does David McCain sound?"

"Like a true rancher," Lucas said as he mussed David's hair. "It has a nice ring, son."

"Son,' David smiled. "It's been so long that anyone's called me that and meant it."

"Get used to it," Lucas smiled. "Millie, Micah, will you join me and my son for dinner at the hotel?"

"Proud to welcome the boy into your family," Micah said.

"I'd love to," Millie said as she took Lucas aside. "There's a whole jar of candy that's just for Mark when he comes home. He just has to ask for it."

"The second he comes home, your store will be the first place we go," Lucas told her. "We might just buy out the whole store since I'll be so happy that Mark's home."

"The way my brothers talk, we just have to make it to the main road beyond the forest," Kit said. "Then it's just a straight line to the nearest town. Think you can make it?"

"If it gets me home, I'll walk until I can't walk anymore, and then I'll crawl," Mark said. "I'll use my tongue to drag myself if need be. Ain't nothin' keeping me from reaching my Pa."

"Save your tongue for more important things," Kit said as he pulled Mark in for a keep kiss. A shotgun blast rant out, hitting the tree near them.

"I knew I didn't beat that evil out of them," Caleb said. "Don't bother running. Ma may be upset, but I can cripple you both the second you make a run for it. I can perform surgery with the rifle, I'm so damn good at it."

"How did you find us?" Kit asked.

"It didn't take a genius to realize that all we had to do was wait on the other side of the woods for you idiots," Caleb told him. 'Now, come on, let's get you home before Ma has a heart attack. I'll whip some sense into you after we get home."

"It's not Kit's fault," Mark told him. "It was all my idea, I just wanted to get home to my Pa."

"Well, we'll fix that so you can never go home," Caleb said. "Jim, John, you two go to Northfork. Kill Lucas McCain and burn that ranch to the ground. I don't want anything left for Jeremiah to run home to."

"No!" Mark shouted as Caleb butted him in the face with his rifle to knock him unconscious. "Get goin', and bring back McCain's fancy rifle as proof he's dead."

Mark McCain opened his eyes and found that he was tied to the bed with Caleb standing over him.

"Where's Kit?"

"He'll be staying in his own room for now," Caleb said. "We gotta you two apart until we cure you. Speaking of which, you've been a naughty little boy. We have to make sure you don't run away again."

"What are you going to do?" Mark asked.

"Hammer it home that you'll never leave," Caleb said. "Mom decided that you're staying in the house forever."

"What are you talking about?"

Caleb placed a block of wood between Mark's ankles. "Don't worry, I'm not going to completely shatter your ankles, you're still going to have to do chores once you've healed up enough."

"Whatever you're doing, don't!" Mark pleaded as Caleb picked up a hammer used to drive in posts. He took one whack on Mark's ankle, just enough to make sure he wouldn't be able to run off again. Mark screamed in pain as Caleb hammered Mark's other ankle as Mark screamed as if he were being murdered.

"Welcome home, Jeremiah," Caleb smiled.