Chapter Six: Undertaker

*Hiiro mounted the horse and adjusted himself. With one hand holding onto the reins and his other supporting the feverish woman in front of him, he took his time in wheeling the horse around. Then he kicked his horse into a gallop and soon they were racing across the open prairie.

As they rode, he Hiiro felt the horse begin to sweat- it wasn't used to running at a breakneck pace for such an extended period of time. It's muscles shifted into over time, it's mouth foamed slightly, and it's breathing became heavy as it tried to keep it's gait steady. When Hiiro could feel the large animal below him beginning to slow too much, but he kicked it again and sent it back into high gear. They had to reach the doctor.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hiiro spied the town through the thin grouping of trees that bordered it's outskirts. As he rode into town, people made a mad dash to get out of his way. A few of the brave and rather perturbed citizens made it their business to confront him as he hopped off his horse.

"Young man, what is the meaning of this? You nearly ran down three women and five men!" An old man yelled.

"Hnn." Hiiro grunted at them as he unknotted the tie he had used to keep Serena firmly secured to the horse.

"Son, what happened here?" The sheriff strolled over.

"She was bit by a rattler. There's a doctor in this town right?"

"I'm the doctor!" A voice called out from the crowd. A short figure made it's way through the crowd and towards Hiiro.

"She's sick." Hiiro grunted and motioned to Serena, who he was now carrying in his arms, with his head.

"Bring her into my clinic and I'll see what I can do for you." The doctor stated worriedly. Hiiro nodded and followed the doctor across the street and into one of the buildings.

"Now then. I'm Quatre Winner, Doctor Winner around here."

"You're too young to be a doctor." Hiiro grunted.

"I finished first in my class at Redmond University six years ago, I assure you I'm a doctor and I'm experienced." Quatre clipped. He studied the boy in front of him. Hiiro Yui. Everyone in town knew about him; he was Serena's new hired boy- the one hunting Wild Shields. But Quatre had never met the boy; he had tried to stay out of the entire mess.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Hiiro that had been bitten, but Serena. Quatre gulped. He had known Serena since she had been born- they had gone to school together for a few years. But when he had left for college, things had changed. He had come home only to find that though she herself had not changed, Serena's fate had become quite different from anything he had ever though would happen. And if she died now, he would be the one to pay for it, he knew.

Hiiro sized Quatre up as well. The boy did not look as though he was the same age as himself. He had white blonde hair and large blue eyes set in an innocent and boyish face. He wondered at the boy's skill. He also wondered if Quatre was a native to the town or whether he had been a stranger once.

"Are you going to look at her?" Hiiro snapped out of his reverie and growled at Quatre. Some doctor, making a seriously injured patient wait so long to be seen.

"Lay her here." Quatre shifted a few things around so Hiiro could put Serena's limp and feverish body down on the medical examination table. As Quatre began to cut away at Serena's pants, both he and Hiiro blushed. Quatre because he knew after this he would never be able to look at Serena the same, and Hiiro because though he had already seen her legs, it still gave him a funny thrill to look at the forbidden.

"Can you tell me what happened exactly?" Quatre asked as he unwrapped the bandage Hiiro had applied to her leg.

"Yesterday a few hours past noon she was bitten by a rattler. I put a tourniquet on her leg and moved her indoors, where I broke her china and she proceeded in yelling at me for it." Hiiro had to smirk. It helped to look on the bright side in a bad situation. It could have been worse after all- she could already be dead.

"After that she calmed down slightly and I sucked the poison from her leg. When her leg still looked swollen, I lanced the wound and tried a bloodletting." Hiiro saw Quatre's face go into shock. "I've had experience with bites myself." He tried to explain. "She did look better for a while, then during the night she became feverish and delirious. This morning when her condition had not improved I brought her here. You are a last resort."

"Wonderful." Quatre muttered. "Tried a bloodletting on his own… could have killed her… bite's not infected… secondary reaction…" Hiiro could only catch pieces of what Quatre was saying, but he already didn't like the man.

"Will she live?" Hiiro asked gruffly.

"I need more time to examine her properly… I need you to leave."

"No."

"I can't fully examine her with you here!"

"No."

"I need to undress her, and I doubt she would appreciate you seeing anything too much." Hiiro inwardly sighed and outwardly glared.

"I will be right outside this door. If I hear so much as a groan, I will not hesitate to break the door down."

"Very well." Quatre agreed, a frown playing on his boyish face. For someone who put on such a cold and emotionless façade as Hiiro Yui, he certainly seemed protective of Serena.

Hiiro gave Quatre one last blood-curdling glare, then stormed out of the clinic and slammed the door behind him. He leaned up against the wall, then slid down and sat on the bench below him. Running his hand through his hair, he reached into his pockets. Finding what he was searching for, he put the cigarette to his lips and struck the match. Lighting up, he extinguished the flame with his fingers and dropped the used match on the ground.

He didn't usually smoke. But when his nerves had been taken so far that he could not relax, he resorted to drastic measures. Puffing the drag slowly, he let the smoke seep into his lungs. Fighting the urge to cough, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. How long he sat there he didn't know. But after what seemed like an impossible amount of time the door opened and out stepped Quatre.

"Those aren't good for you."

"Hnn." Quatre coughed as Hiiro blew a cloud of smoke directly into his face. "Done with your examination?"

"Yes, I am." There was an awkward pause.

"Well? Is she going to live?" Hiiro asked annoyed.

"I've known Serena her whole life, and most of mine. She's a strong woman who can do amazing things." Quatre stated quietly. Hiiro wanted to roll his eyes. The damned boy was circumventing the question.

"Will she live?" He asked again.

"Honestly? I don't know." Hiiro looked sharply at the boy. Did he have tears in the corners of his eyes?

"You should save your tears for when she's a corpse boy." He sneered.

"How can you say that? She deserves sympathy now." Quatre angrily shot back.

"When she's so delirious she doesn't know who she is? I doubt it matters." Hiiro shrugged and dropped his cigarette. Quatre looked at him as if he were contaminated.

"I'm sorry the snake didn't bite you!" He paused. "No, I take it back. If it had bitten you, she would have nursed you back to health with as much compassion as she could muster, and you wouldn't have the decency to thank her! You wouldn't be worthy of her help!"

"I'm not a decent person no matter what I do, I see no difference." Hiiro smirked.

"Then why wouldn't you let me examine her at first?" Quatre challenged. Hiiro frowned. The blonde boy had a point. He was getting soft. What a shame.

"Hnn." Was his answer. Quatre frowned at him, but gave up. It wasn't worth it. All he could do now was pray that Serena would be alright, for her sake, and his. He wanted her to get better, to live a happy life. He also valued his life, and if he found out Quatre hadn't been able to save her, then he would pay with his own life. Quatre shuddered. In his mind he knew he was no better than Hiiro, except Hiiro had the nerve to admit it aloud.

"When will you know whether or not she'll live for certain?" Hiiro asked suddenly. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut. He knew he shouldn't allow himself to be seen as attached to the ill woman, but something else, a stronger force than he had thought possible, had driven him to ask. He had to know when her fate would be decided.

"If the fever breaks before three days' time, she should be fine. If not…" Quatre shuddered at the possibility. As the two men stood in silence, they eyed each other again.

"Winner." A new voice broke onto the scene. Quatre turned to see who it was, and then turned right back around.

"Barton." Quatre answered back.

"Hiiro Yui?" The new person questioned.

"Hnn." Hiiro responded. He must be popular with this town- not what he had wanted.

"My name is Trowa Barton." The new boy introduced himself.

"Look Barton, take your self elsewhere, and don't return for a while." Quatre suddenly found himself a backbone again.

"Now Quatre, be reasonable. I'm only trying to make a living." Trowa smiled darkly.

"Make your living somewhere else you walking corpse." Quatre yelled.

"She's in your clinic though Quatre."

"What do you want?" Trowa and Quatre turned to find that Hiiro had his gun aimed directly at Trowa, the safety off.

"My name is Trowa Barton."

"You said that. Either state your business or meet the undertaker." Hiiro sneered.

"But Mr. Yui, I am the undertaker." Hiiro blinked. But he was not to be deterred.

"She's living. Leave."

"I agree with him. Get out of here until she's gone Trowa." Quatre joined in.

"Very well. I'll leave for now." Trowa held up his hands to show he bared no ill will and slowly backed up. "But Quatre, remember: she dies, and I'm not only making her coffin, but your as well." Quatre made to jump for Trowa, but Hiiro's solid hand firmly clasped down on his shoulder, making it impossible for the weaker doctor to break free. When Trowa was out of their sights, Hiiro let go of Quatre. Silence became the atmosphere for another few moments.

"I'll be back later to check on her." Hiiro stated, breaking the silence. "And he's right. She dies, and my gun sends you to hell for letting her go." As Hiiro stalked off, Quatre let go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding. But it wasn't Hiiro's threat that scared him. There was a much bigger threat to contend with if Serena did pass away.

Hiiro rode home at a slightly brisk pace. He had been torn between staying with Serena in town, or going back to watch the farm. He had chosen the latter, but why his heart had a pang of longing when he had first left the town he did not know. He knew the house would be empty without her around.

Without her around. What was he thinking? It was her house to begin with. But he had been there for so long that he had nearly forgotten any other way of life he had previously known. Three weeks had changed him, softened him. He should make it a point to get out of this arrangement as soon as possible.

After cleaning and feeding the horse, Hiiro walked back inside the house and looked around. Throwing his sweat stained hat onto the rocking chair by the cold fireplace he looked around. He remembered the mess he had made with the china in the dining room and smirked. Time to do a little house cleaning.

Once the house was back to the way it usually was, Hiiro found himself a strip of dried jerky and a cup of water. By now he was fully aware of the creepiness of the empty house. It had always seemed so warm, but without it's occupant, it was dank of lifeless. Hiiro had been tempted to leave and return to the town, but then decided the better of it. If he did, the house would be left alone and unprotected. Bandits and wild animals could tear it apart, and Hiiro was sure Serena would rather him protect the house than sit by her side doing nothing.

So instead of dwelling on it anymore, Hiiro retired to his bedroom. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. But when morning fell, it found him lying on his bed, eyes wide open, as they had been the rest of the night. He was going crazy not knowing what her condition was. He didn't know why. He must already have been crazy to care. But after morning chores had been completed, Hiiro saddled his horse and rode for the town once more. *

~~~ Ok. So you can hate for Quatre and Trowa's roles if you want, but think about it this way, at least I incorporated them! I wasn't planning on it originally. But Trowa was just too much to pass up, I'm sure you'll all understand! I do, however, apologize for Hiiro's addiction. I have to try to stay true to the era, but I didn't want him to be an addict, cigarettes are nasty!! Much love –Vixen~~~