Heyes startled awake when he heard his partner saying his name rather urgently. Sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed he ignored the book falling on the floor to stumble half asleep to his friend who was perched teetering rather precariously on the side of his bed.

"What's wrong Kid, you all right?" he asked in concern reaching out to steady him.

"I need some help Heyes, don't seem to have the strength to stand up."

"Well o' course not, you bin bedridden for I dunno how many days not eatin'…."

"Heyes will ya shut up! You bin pouring water and broth down my throat almost continuous and I need to get rid of some."

Heyes looked at him in momentary confusion snorting when he realized what the problem was.

"Suppose so Kid, sorry," he reached under the bed for the pot. "Can you manage all right?"

Kid shot him a withering look.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle this part by myself Heyes," he replied sarcastically fumbling clumsily in his hurry.

Heyes turned, retrieving his book from the floor and setting it back on the bed he heard Kid sigh in relief. He grinned as he looked out the window seeing the sun just starting to rise before chancing a look at Kid.

"Done?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Covering the pot he slid it back under the bed and then sat beside his friend.

"How are you feelin'?"

"Better. Think I can get up today."

Heyes raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Ya think so huh?"

"Sure. Thinkin' maybe I can go get me some real food today."

"And what do you suppose is gonna happen when you fall on your face halfway to the café?"

"You'll pick me up and help me the rest of the way. That's what real friends do."

"Is that a fact?" he couldn't help but laugh at Kids' logic as he put an arm companionably around his shoulders.

"I know I'm gonna regret sayin' this in a couple days, but I sure have missed your voice."

"Hmph, that sounds kinda insultin' Heyes."

"It wasn't meant to be Kid, it's just seein' you lyin' in this bed not movin', not makin' a sound…" he shook his head frowning at the memory of just how sick his cousin had been when he had arrived in town.

"Aw Heyes, ain't no need for you to go on frettin' about it, I'm fine now."

"You might be feelin' better, but how fine are ya really if you can't even get the pot from under the bed?"

A knock interrupted their conversation, the sheriff coming in followed closely by the doc when Heyes opened the door. Lucas grinned at the young man sitting on the side of the bed.

"Well, look at you! You look like you're feelin' a bit better."

"Let me take a look at you son," the doctor said walking to Kids' side bending to check him over. Straightening a couple moments later he looked down at him, tipping his head to one side as he regarded him thoughtfully.

"I think we can start you on solid food today…nothing too heavy though."

Heyes put a hand over his mouth failing to smother the laugh.

"He just finished tellin' me not five minutes ago that he was gonna walk over to the café and get himself some real food."

Kid looked up at Heyes, his eyes widening in surprise at his friends' betrayal.

"Son, maybe later on today you can try that, but for now let your friend get you a couple decent meals and eat them in here. Try taking a few steps around the room…with help at first," the doctor instructed looking sternly over his glasses.

Kid crossed his arms over his chest a mutinous scowl on his face, "Fine," he huffed.

"You'll have to forgive him, he gets a little proddy when he's hungry," Heyes apologized, "and he's hungry most of the time," he added with a teasing grin at his partner.

"Hey," Kid sputtered.

Heyes winked at him and Kid shook his head rolling his eyes.

XXXXX

Once they were alone, Heyes assisted his partner over to the chair by the window despite his insistence that he was quite capable of doing it by himself.

"There, you stay put and I'll go get us some breakfast. You need anything before I go?"

"Can I have my gun?"

Heyes knowing what he wanted to do smiled as he retrieved the colt along with the cleaning supplies without complaint.

"Won't be long Kid," Heyes said over his shoulder as he left the room.

Kid nodded absently as he turned his attention to his gun, clicking his tongue and shaking his head at what he considered to be the terrible condition it was in.

XXXXX

By mid afternoon Kid was making good progress and he was starting to get on Heyes' nerves with his constant walking around the room.

"Kid, can't ya give it a rest for a bit? I swear you're about to drive me crazy."

Kid stopped his latest circuit around the room turning to his friend with his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face.

"Now you know how I feel when you start with all your pacin' around. Least it's daytime, you do most o' your pacin' at night."

"That's different Kid, when I pace I'm workin' on a plan."

"Uh huh…well I'm workin' on a plan too."

"What kind of plan might that be?" Heyes asked snorting in disbelief.

"The plan where I'm gonna walk to that café and have me a decent supper."

"I brung you breakfast and lunch…."

"I need somethin' more than eggs and stew. I'm hungry Heyes."

"Well I'm tired Kid, think I'm gonna need to lay down for an hour before we go for supper."

Kid eyed him suspiciously, sighing when he noticed the weariness in his friends' eyes.

"All right, guess I can wait another hour, go ahead and get some rest."

"I won't be able to relax unless you calm down some. Why don't you put your feet up a while."

Heyes smiled to himself as his cousin went to his bed and lay down with a frustrated sigh. Picking up his book he made himself comfortable on his own bed opening the book intent on reading a couple more chapters hoping his cousin would get some sleep.

"Thought you was needin' to rest."

"Reading relaxes me you know that."

Kid snorted and rolled his eyes but said nothing more as he put his hands behind his head and lay staring up at the ceiling.

XXXXX

He woke with a start feeling a light shake on his arm, opening his eyes he looked into the smiling face of his partner.

"Easy, it's just me. Figured I'd better wake you before the café closes or I'd never hear the end of it."

Heyes stepped back as Kid sat up rubbing his hands through his hair, blinking himself awake. He wasted no time in getting to his feet, strapping on his gun, plopping his hat on his head and heading toward the door.

"Let's go, I'm hungry," he stated glancing over his shoulder at his partner who was shaking his head in amazement at how quickly Kid had got himself moving. He caught up to him at the bottom of the stairs putting a restraining hand on his arm.

"Slow down will ya? Don't think you're gonna starve to death in the five minutes it takes to get there."

XXXXX

Kid sat back patting his stomach happily, Heyes looking on in stunned silence.

"I can't believe you ate all that!"

"Told ya I was hungry."

"There was enough food there for three people. Evenin' Clara," he greeted the owner of the café.

"It's real nice to see both of you here. Glad you're feelin' better," she said raising an eyebrow at Kid. "And obviously you got a healthy appetite."

"Yes ma'am, it was real good thankyou."

"He's got a few days eatin' to catch up on I guess."

Clara laughed all the way back to the kitchen.

"I figure we can spend a couple more days here at least, make sure you're up to travelin'."

"I can travel now…"

"Don't start, you ain't ready to be on the trail yet. You remember Lucas, that's the sheriff, he's a right nice fella, sure tells some pretty funny tall tales. And the folks are just as nice as they were when we stopped here last year. We'll stay a couple more days get some supplies, rest up real good…maybe even fill that bottomless stomach of yours."

"Very funny…okay a couple more days, but then we go."

"Maybe I can play some poker make a few dollars."

"Yeah, s'pose me bein' sick put a strain on our finances, he said somewhat guiltily.

"Nope, doc wouldn't take any money except for the cost of the medicine and Clara didn't charge me for anything that was brought to our room. Only other thing I had to pay for so far was the hotel, I ain't checked to see how much we owe at the livery."

"Maybe stayin' here ain't such a bad idea," Kid grinned adding "after all that Clara is a real good cook."