A/N - This was written as a birthday gift for Elleree. Happy Birthday!

A Box For A Birthday

Hannibal Heyes lay awake in his bed in the semi-darkness. The only light illuminating the room was from the half moon shining through the hotel window. His thoughts were centered on the softly snoring form in the bed across from his. Jed 'Kid' Curry's birthday was coming up and he wanted to get him something nice.

Times had been hard since they'd started their quest for amnesty almost two years ago. Money stayed scarce and more than once he'd thought about giving up. But it was his cousin that kept him going when he dropped into the dark part of his mind. He knew without a doubt that if he slipped and gave in once again to the temptation of easy money, Kid would follow him. And he couldn't do that to him. He wanted nothing more than to give his cousin the life he deserved. A happy, carefree, life where he could marry and have a family if he wanted.

As it stood right now however, he couldn't give him that. So, he lay, staring out the window into the night thinking. The gift should come from money he had earned for himself, for a job he completed alone. Wouldn't mean as much if he used money Kid had helped earn and was therefore half his. Just didn't seem right. There was something special out there he could get his partner. He just had to find it. And also find a way to pay for it.

They were currently resting up from a short cattle drive, picking a larger town with an unknown sheriff at the jail to spend a few days.

Sitting on the porch of the hotel in rocking chairs, Heyes scanned the newspaper he'd picked up in the cafe at breakfast while Kid lazily rocked smoking a cigar.

"Anythin' interestin' in that paper? Seems like you're studyin' it awful hard."

"Nothing much. Somebody stole another goat from some farm around here. Apparently it's a crime spree. Sixth goat to be stole in a week and a half. Then some chickens and ducks been busting out of another farm. Guy's asking people to be on the lookout for them. Reward on their heads are a penny a piece. Must be some special birds."

"What's this world comin' to? Bounties on chickens. 'Get yer wings up where I see 'em!' Can you see some bounty hunter chasin' chickens and ducks all over the place?"

"Better than them chasing us."

Curry chuckled and went back to people watching, especially people of the female sort going in and out of the stores across the street.

Heyes was actually more interested and thoroughly reading the want ads looking for some small job he could do discreetly to make a little money. He and his cousin always split their poker winnings so that money was also dismissed as being an acceptable way to pay. Finally, he stifled a grin behind the paper as he found the perfect job that would be easily done stealthily. Kid would never know about it if he pulled it off successfully.

That evening after dinner, the partners were spending time in the saloon. Kid had found himself a well endowed, voluptuous little blond in a very revealing red and black dress and was currently upstairs. Heyes had ventured to the bar after a short poker game in which he made sure not to win too much. He ordered a beer.

"Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for some information," he said as the beer was placed in front of him. The bartender's eyebrows rose.

"Depends on what kind of information ya want. I ain't no snitch if'n ya looking fer somebody."

Heyes took a drink. "Well, I am looking for somebody but it's about a job I saw in the paper. You know where I could find a man named Nathan Bixby?"

"You're in luck mister. That's him over there at the table beside the wall having himself a sandwich." The bartender pointed to an older man in a grey hat.

"Thank." Heyes laid a dime on the bar and walked over. "Mr. Bixby?"

The white haired older man looked up and with a wad of sandwich in one side of his mouth, asked, "Yeah? Whatcha needing young man?"

"I wanted to enquire about that work ad you places in the paper."

"Enquire?"

"Talk to you about it," Heyes said smiling amiably.

"Oh. Well sit yourself down here then."

Heyes pulled out a chair and sat his beer on the table. "What exactly is the job? The ad only said you needed a man for a couple of days for an overnight job and that you'd pay twenty dollars. That's quite a payday for a couple nights work."

"Well," Bixby swallowed another mouthful, "I'm pretty well set up. I took myself a trip a few days ago to see my brother in California. He gave me a few things I'd like to keep in one of them locked up boxes in a bank. Don't trust this bank here on account of it's been robbed a few times."

Heyes squirmed just a bit in his seat but hid it with a drink of beer.

"Ain't nothing real valuable. Another big bite was pushed into his jaw as he spoke. "Just some old family things handed down through the years. Anyway, I wanted me somebody to watch over my house at night while I's gone. Them neighbors of mine ain't too friendly and I don't trust 'em at all. Sneaky dern rats wouldn't try nothing during the day on account of my house being just outside town. But they a bunch of heathens come nightfall. Drinking and carrying on. Nope. Don't trust 'em as far as I could throw 'em."

'This man is a talker' thought Heyes with a small grin. "Well sir, I'd be happy to take that job. Just two days is it?"

"Yep."

The sandwich was finally gone thankfully. It made Heyes think of Kyle and his ever present wad of tobacco. Except it was drool escaping the corner of the man's mouth, not brown nastiness.

"Well, I'd say you've found your man, that is if you'll hire me."

"Young man, I'm glad I finally found somebody willing to do it. And from the look of that tied down gun, you're more than able. Start tomorrow at midnight. That's usually when the neighbors get downright rowdy 'cause that's when they usually drag themselves in from the saloon liquored up good. Did I tell you they was heathens?"

Heyes stood smiling and offered the man his hand. "Yes you did. Thank you, Mr. Bixby. I won't disappoint you."

Bixby shook his hand. "Better not. Anything goes missing, I's be holding you responsible."

"I understand." Heyes nodded and headed off to find another poker game.

Heyes got up the next night slowly to try and prevent any noise. He got dressed, grabbed his hat, and very silently crept from the hotel room at 11:30 the next night. Being an ex-thief came in handy once again.

'Thank God Kid's sleeping pretty good.'

He was glad that he usually slept the lighter of the two of them. Very rarely was he able to sneak away from his cousin at night, but luck was with him. He cringed as the lock in the door was turned and made the light clicking sound. Putting the key down on the table from which he got it, he left, planning to get back in using his lock picks. He would always return just before dawn to undress and get in his bed, leaving his clothes and hat in the exact same position he'd had them the night before.

The job turned out to be really easy. All he had to do was sit on the porch and patrol the perimeter around the house every hour. His chronic insomnia helped him to stay awake. It was actually pleasant to him sitting out overnight. Scooted back against the wall of the house on the porch, he was virtually invisible to anyone, even if they looked directly in his direction so he felt partially safe. He watched the stars creep their way across the sky, trying to imagine pictures by connecting the different colored spots of light close to each other, only for them to disappear in the growing dawn. Crickets and frogs sung their nightly melody with occasional accompaniment by an owl or two. He'd study the moon, looking at all the darker spots on the surface, wondering what could be there, and wishing he could walk on the surface to investigate and see what he might find.

The two nights passed quickly and thankfully, Kid never knew he was gone, although the dark circles under his eyes and head resting on his hand brought suspicion.

"You look more tired than usual, Joshua," Kid said between bites of biscuit and gravy. "Ain't you been sleepin' none at all?"

"You know me. I like to read and think at night. It's when I do it best."

"Yeah, you don't have to tell me that. I know because of all the times you've woke me up with some crazy scheme you've concocted."

Heyes smirked as he drunk his coffee. "Well they worked!" Then under his breath, "Most of the time…"

Curry hid a grin. He'd heard the muttered confession but said nothing.

Heyes pushed his plate back. "That's all I can hold. Unlike you, my stomach isn't a bottomless pit."

Now it was Curry's turn to smirk. However, he did reach out to pull his cousin's leftovers next to his own plate. Heyes' expression grew into a crooked grin. "Shut up. No sense lettin' food go to waste."

The dark haired partner drained the rest of his coffee, wiped his mouth, and stood up, dropping his half of the amount of the check onto the table. "I'll meet you at the livery. Going to go pick up what supplies we need at the general store.

"Okay."

"Don't lick the plate clean."

"Gonna throw the plate at you if you don't shut up."

Giving Curry another crooked, cocky grin, he left.

Heyes sat all the supplies on the counter, scooting them to one side, and told the clerk he needed to get one more thing before he paid. He walked around the store slowly after examining all the things at, and behind, the counter. He sighed, thinking he wouldn't find anything when he finally saw it. Back in one corner of the store sat the perfect item. He knew it the second he laid his eyes on it. Happily, he left the store, supplies and a very special item in tow.

Curry looked at the box when Heyes met him at the livery.

"What's in that?"

"This box?" He climbed up in his saddle after securing the box behind it. "The store ran out of bags so put the rest of the stuff in this box."

Kid looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. "Well why not just put the stuff in our saddlebags so you ain't luggin' that thing around behind you?"

"I figured when we stopped to camp for the night, we could use it to start a fire."

Kid nodded and they rode out.

Later that evening, as they sat around the campfire playing blackjack, Kid made an observation. "I noticed you didn't throw that box in the fire. Got it settin' on your bedroll. You gettin' attached to it?"

"Nope." Heyes reached over and brought the box next to him. "It's for you."

Kid looked at him with an odd expression. "You got me…a box?"

A large dimpled grin appeared. "Yep. Happy birthday, Jed!"

Curry developed his own smile at that moment. "You remembered! I hadn't even given it a thought."

"Been keeping up with the date by reading newspapers."

Kid gave him a fond smile as he took the box his partner handed him. When he opened it, however, his expression turned to one of surprise. He looked up at eyes that were flickering different shades of brown in the fire light. "How did you get this? We didn't have the money for somethin' like this. …..Did you steal it?"

Heyes looked affronted. "No! I didn't steal it! I…sneaked out of the hotel a couple of nights to do a job to get the money."

"You did?" Kid was shocked he'd slept through that. "I can't believe…you did that for me?"

A dark head just nodded sheepishly.

Kid was touched even more at finding out how Heyes had afforded his gift. He carefully lifted a brown, floppy hat with a silver and turquoise studded band out of the box. He examined it thoroughly and his face clearly showed how much he liked and appreciated his new headwear. He tried it on and it fit perfectly. He looked up to meet brown eyes as he softly said, "Thank you, Han. I love it. But you shouldn't have went out and worked all night for me. I'd have been happy with a single piece of candy."

"Well look back down in the box."

Curry did and found a bag full of peppermint candy. His eyes lit up again making him look younger as he plucked a piece out and plopped it in his mouth. He then offered one to Heyes.

"No thanks. It's yours. Besides…," He dug a small bag out of his jacket pocket. "I got myself some spearmint."

The blond fast draw laughed. "What do you think I should do with my old hat? It still looks good. I take care of them unlike some people."

"Cut two holes in it and let your horse wear it."

A small rock was thrown across the campfire. "You're a little weird you know that?"

"Nope. I'm normal. It's the rest of the world that's weird."

Kid snorted and took his new hat off to look it over again. He was as thrilled as a five year old at Christmas, and he looked like it as well.

A couple of hours later, after many hands of blackjack and half the bag of peppermint now empty, both lay down for the night. After so much lost sleep in the last two nights, Heyes uncharacteristically fell asleep pretty quickly. Now it was Curry lying on his back, his fingers intertwined over his abdomen, looking up at the sparkling night sky thinking. He turned his head to look at his cousin on the other side of the fire and gave a heartfelt smile. His new hat lay beside him. Finally, he turned on his side and went to sleep. And at some point during the night, his hand unconsciously roamed around and found the hat, his fingers curling around the stampede string.