Whispers in Silence – 5
by BeckyS
revised 3 Oct 04

Paul Martin, when consulted, was noncommittal. He'd telegraphed an acquaintance in New York City in the hopes of locating a doctor somewhere who knew more about this type of injury, but so far had received no leads, and he wouldn't even speculate until he learned more. He'd convinced the Cartwrights, however, to cease their round-the-clock watch on Adam, saying it wasn't necessary any more, and was simply wearing them all down.

Then, one morning about two and a half weeks after the accident, Hoss woke up in the still, quiet hours of the early morning and realized he was cold. Mountain weather was chancy at the best of times, so he wasn't particularly surprised at the overnight change, even this late in spring. He was about to snuggle down under his covers again when a second thought brought him wide awake. Had they left Adam's window open last night? Yesterday had been a scorcher, so he knew it had been open at least for a while. And Adam couldn't get up and close it, or even get another blanket.

He was out of bed in a heartbeat, and his fears were proved well-founded the moment he opened his brother's door. The room was like ice. He left the door wide open to let some heat in from the hall and rushed to his brother. Adam was curled on his right side, as they'd left him last night, but his blankets had slid halfway to his waist and he was shaking uncontrollably. His left hand clutched at the blankets, but couldn't hang onto them long enough to drag them higher. Pure misery shone from his dark eyes.

"Pa, Joe!" Hoss cried as he pulled the few blankets back up over Adam's shoulders. He slammed the window shut and searched the room quickly for a comforter or quilt. "Joe, get in here!" he called again, knowing that since Joe was nearer, he had a better chance of hearing him.

His younger brother appeared in the doorway, bleary eyed and shirtless. He shivered. "It's freezin' in here," he commented, then came abruptly awake. "Is he okay?"

"He's colder'n a possum dunked in the lake in a January blizzard. Is your room any warmer?"

Joe shook his head. "Not by much. Pa's might be, though."

Hoss had tucked another blanket around Adam. "Go find out. I'm not gonna go movin' him around if it ain't gonna help."

Joe disappeared, and Hoss murmured, "Why didn't you call out, pardner? I woulda helped you."

Adam didn't answer, just squeezed his eyes shut as he continued to shiver.

It was Ben who barreled through the door next, tying his robe. "Let's get him into my room. Joe's building up the fire. Careful, though."

"I got him, Pa. You go get the bed ready."

Ben untucked the blankets from the end of Adam's mattress then headed back out the door, and Hoss lifted his brother, covers and all. "You gotta let us know what's goin' on," he said as he maneuvered out the door and down the hall. Adam was still shaking, but he also tensed slightly, and a grimace twisted his mouth. "Am I hurtin' you? All you gotta do is tell me where, an' I'll do whatever it takes to fix it, but you gotta let me know what to do."

He'd reached his father's room, happy to see Joe holding the covers ready, though not pulled back yet, since they would rapidly lose whatever heat they'd held from Ben's body. As soon as Hoss approached, he lifted them slightly. Hoss smoothly lowered Adam to the bed and pulled Ben's covers over the blankets he'd dragged in with him.

"Hoss," Ben commanded, "get him something hot to drink from the kitchen. Even hot water from the stove's reservoir would help. Joseph, climb under there with him. There's nothing like another body to help get you warmed up."

Hoss headed out the door, and Joe gratefully slid under the covers. He didn't know how much use he'd be – he was pretty cold himself by now – but figured he'd warm up faster than his brother.

"Pa, should we send for the doc?" he asked as he scooted closer to Adam and put his arms around him. "Could gettin' cold like this hurt him?"

Ben sat on the edge of the bed and stroked a few dark locks from his eldest's forehead. "I don't know, son. Let's see how long it takes to get him warmed up. Paul is due out today, anyway, so if he seems to be all right, we'll just wait till he gets here."

"He's still shaking." Joe burrowed under the blankets from Adam's room, trying to get right next to him. "He's real cold."

Ben held his hand to Adam's cheek. "He's losing a lot of heat from his head." He looked around, found a small, soft lap robe, and snugged it over his son's hair. "Don't worry, son," he said softly, "we'll get you all fixed up."

There was no answer, though he could have sworn he could read grateful relief in Adam's expression.

Hoss entered with a coffeepot in one hand and a cup in the other. At his father's bemused expression, he explained, "Hop Sing's makin' some tea, but this was already hot."

Ben took the cup and filled it while Joe got behind his brother and lifted him up, blankets and all.

"Looks like one o' them sheiks from Araby," Hoss commented, his face screwed up into a haughty impression of what he thought a royal sheik would look like.

Joe laughed at his expression, but it was the brief snort of air from Adam that stopped them all in their tracks.

"Son?" Ben asked, his voice a strained whisper.

Again, no answer.

Ben sighed and held the cup for him to drink. He accepted the liquid with lowered eyelids and a sigh.

"Are you getting warmer?" Ben asked him. No answer except for a brief glance which then refocused on the cup.

"D'you want more?" Hoss asked.

Adam merely closed his eyes tightly.

"I dunno if that's a yes or a no," Hoss sighed.

"I think that was a yes," Joe said cautiously. He raised himself up on one elbow and spoke thoughtfully. "Pa, every time you ask him a question, he gets all tensed up. I can feel it, close like this."

Ben frowned in concentration. "So you think he's understanding what we're saying."

"Somethin's goin' on," said Hoss. "He just won't tell us what."

"Won't," said Joe slowly, "or . . . can't?"

Adam's eyes flew open, and the yearning in them as he gazed at his youngest brother was heartbreaking.

"Son?" Ben moved closer with the cup of coffee. "Do you want more?"

Adam shifted his gaze to his father.

His soul aching, Ben moved the cup forward. "If you want more, nod your head 'yes'," and he demonstrated. "If you've had enough—" and he pulled the cup back "—shake your head 'no'." And he turned his from side to side.

Hoss and Joe held their breath as Ben repeated the motions. Cup forward, "Nod;" cup back, "Shake."

His eyes never leaving Ben's, ever so slowly, ever so slightly, Adam's head dipped, just once. Hoss and Joe broke out into huge grins, but it was the warm love on his father's face that Adam responded to, and just before he took a sip, a faint dimple of a smile appeared.