A tender moment between Candy and his injured knight in shining armor.
Or: Joe has a bad dream and Candy's there to offer some comfort.

"Candy!"

It was to his name being called, just as it had in the middle of a dusty street on a clear day in town, that Candy woke with a start which jolted him to his feet.
He was over to the bed from his chair in a blink and had the bedside candle lit before Joe could register he was there.
They both blinked in the light of the little flame, then Candy felt something hard bump his chest. Glancing down, he found a splinted hand thumped against him and grabbed it to make sure it wouldn't make the mistake of banging into anything sturdier. Like the bed frame.

"Joe, I'm here." Spoken clearly even though his mouth wasn't yet fully awake and felt like it could use a good drink.

"They lied, Candy," Joe said, blinking again as if the candle was too bright for the middle of the night darkness of his room.

Without letting go of the splinted hand, Candy scooted the candleholder to the far side of the little table and asked, "Who lied? 'Bout what?"

"Hoss 'n' Adam. They didn't mention the horse. Someone wanted to hurt you," Joe informed, squirming around under his covers and definitely sounding as if he wasn't fully awake. "Good thing..." Candy watched Joe pause, searching for something which must've stayed out of reach, because the guy closed his eyes and sighed in a defeated fashion.

"It's alright now, Joe. I'm here, we're home, everyone's gonna be just fine," Candy reassured. Figuring the southpaw in he bed couldn't have gone back to sleep that suddenly.

Yep. Both eyes cracked open and the uninjured hand moved to rub at them.
"Feels like I got hit by a horse." The soft noise of pain at the end really sold it and Candy was disheartened in the knowledge that his friend wasn't up for making tasteless jokes at the moment. He was just plain hurting.

"You want a pinch of laudanum? Take the edge off?" Candy asked. Surprised when Joe's eyes went wide.

"Laudanum?!" Hoping the volume didn't wake anyone, Candy nodded. "Pa doesn't keep laudanum in the house; stuff'll kill a full grown hellephant."

Trying not to smile at the mispronunciation, Candy pulled the dark bottle out from the recesses of the side table drawer, where he'd somehow figured it must be kept, now fully understanding the Doctor's serious tone every time she'd mentioned it by name.
"Well, ain't no hellephants here. Sorta sounds like a rule for a house full'a youngsters anyhow. Don't ya think, Little Joe?"

"Don't call me that," demanded the bedridden rancher who must've finally found a reason to take back his busted up paw. Laying it across his middle in a huffy manner.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Candy said, removing the cork and pulling out the accompanying spoon.

Joe rubbed at his face again and groaned this time. "Feels like I got run over by a horse. A mean one."

That he hadn't said the exact same thing twice comforted Candy as he portioned out the prescribed dose of the purportedly deadly medicine, recorked the bottle and leaned over the bed to offer it up.
"Say 'ah'."

"Why should I?"

"It'll make your head stop hurtin'?"

"...'Ah' then."

"Here it comes. And don't spit it at me if the taste doesn't please."

"It doesn't," Joe said, following a swallow and cringe. Then his face grew quizzical and he directed his eyes downward. "Why's my arm in a box?"

Candy gave the splint and wrapping a look and figured he could see the resemblance.
"'Cause you got hit by a mean horse."

Squinting in a way that seemed to say, 'that makes sense,' Joe squirmed again, found a comfy place, and closed his eyes.
"I'm glad he didn't get you, Candy."

"Thanks, Joe. Guess I owe you one now."

The only reply forthcoming being the soft snoring of a well deserved, laudanum induced sleep, Candy blew out the candle and trundled his way back over to the chair he'd decided to call bed for the night. Not regretting the decision when he woke up the next morning with a crick in his neck and an unhappy Hop Sing pushing him out the room.

"I clean stitches. You wash up before bleakfast. Smell bad," the longest time family friend said. Pinching his own nose to drive the point home. Then he closed the door in Candy's bemused face. Effectively sending the cow punch on his way.

"You'd smell bad too if you didn't have chance to change for nigh on three days," he mumbled to himself as he walked out the front door and wound his way to his quarters and a good freshening up.
Hoping Hop Sing was gentler with someone he just might've viewed like a son than he was with the saddle tramp that was suddenly spending a lot of time near his kitchen.

You better bet Hop Sing treats his family well! Haha!
Good job, Candy! Helped out Joe all on your own and in the middle of the night no less!

Anyone think this chapter felt a little shorter than most the others? I have a feeling the next couple will be shorter as well, but please bear with me; they are begging to be that way.
And no worries, the story's not winding down and it's not over yet!