"A.J., hurry up, I've got 5 more eggs to hide." Rick was having fun ragging his brother as they looked for easy places to hide the "surprise" treats for the kids and Mike to find.
"Well, make sure you make a note of where you hide them, that stink bomb I found cleaning Poorboy's stall last summer never did come out of my shirt." A.J. griped, then turned, to face Rick, a sheepish look on his face.
"I'm sorry, Rick, I forgot you…"
The older Simon interrupted him, grinning. "Believe it or not, I remember, when you said "stink bomb", it flashed in my head where that rotten egg was!"
It was true, he was getting more and more of his past back, and he wasn't afraid of what he didn't recall.
Except Laurie.
She was getting stronger everyday, but he still worried. What if someone tried to harm her from their past and he didn't recognize them. It had only been two weeks, but still…..
His thoughts were interrupted by A.J.'s laughter.
"Well, you know what they say about the sense of smell." He said, spotting one of Mike's "deposits" in the grass.
Rick shook his head. "That dog has a bad sense of direction, I thought I trained him to go where the horses are." Automatically grabbing a shovel from the tool rack, he froze, staring at the implement.
He saw the shovel coming at him, then felt a sharp pain and hit the ground, gasping. Trying to raise his head, he saw Laurie land a blow to her captor's stomach, causing him to release her.
"Rick!" she screamed, terror on her face. At once Whitefeather lunged at her, grabbing her by the throat then snatching up the hatchet again. "I'll start with you then!"
He struggled to get up from the ground, "Laurieeee!"
"Rick, what is it?"
Panting, he looked up, the sweat dripping from his forehead. "A.J., I couldn't save my angel, he was going tokill her instead of me, I couldn't stop him!"
"No, you did save Laurie, Rick, that's it." A.J. took his brother's arm and helped him to the patio, where he gratefully caught his breath.
"He didn't scalp her, she fainted and when she came to you were both in the center's basement. You remember?" Rick looked up at A.J., then managed a smile.
"I do remember, it's like a whirlwind, all these pictures in my head, God, I don't want to see it again, but….." he paused, then glanced at his little brother's worried expression.
"I'm all right now, I'm going to be 53 years old next month and I have an…interesting life. I wouldn't trade it or my Laurie for the world."
He watched A.J.'s eyes mist over as he added, "or the best brother in the world, 'cause I already got him."
"Rick, A.J.!" A familiar voice came from the house, then Rob Gomez appeared on the steps.
Realizing he looked upset, the two brothers hustled to the patio. "What is it, Rob?" A.J. asked the sheriff, noticing his serious face.
"Whitefeather killed himself in jail, I want you all to get in the house and lock up. His brother called us that his father left a note, saying he was going to finish your brother and Light off!"
Rick felt dizzy, he remembered the crazy old man from years ago. He'd orchestrated an attack on his family once before, now….
"Rick, it's okay, we'll find him." Rob's voice cut through his fear, leaving him filled with anger.
"Damn right!" Rick focused on the younger man, then looked at A.J..
"A.J., I'm not cowering in the house waiting for something to happen, I'm going to get my gun. Rob, which direction would he sneak in from?"
"My guess is creek side, we could set up there and on the front side of the barn." The sheriff grinned,
"Welcome back, Rick. I missed you."
Rick patted his shoulder. "You and me both. Come on, let me find Laurie."
As they went inside the kitchen, he found that his sister-in-law had engaged his niece and nephews in a game of "Easter Bingo".
"Uncle Rick, I won candy!" Ceci crowed importantly, then got up from the table and threw her arms around his leg. As he picked her up for a hug, a sudden cold wave swept over him, and he hurriedly set her down.
"Where's Laurie, honey?" he asked, trying to stay calm.
"She went to the barn for some eggs just before Rob came in, oh, no!" Linda pointed at Rick's watch, which had just lit up.
Instantly Rick pushed in the stem to receive, then stared at his brother as his wife's voice quivered over the transmitter.
"I didn't make your son kill himself, he was in jail because he tried to kill Rick and I."
"You made sure he would never see the light of day, now I'll do the same to you and Simon." The wizened voice propelled him to the gun cabinet in the living room, where he unlocked the drawer and pulled out his pistol.
"Sweetheart, where are you?" He "called" to her, then felt a sense of panic.
"In the barn, it's old Whitefeather. Get Dad or Rob, he's going to kill you. Don't come, Rick" she pleaded.
Motioning to the other two men, he mouthed, "barn", then led them out the front and around the blind side of the back of the house to the barn, where they split up.
Pointing to the front and side entrance, Rob indicated he'd take point and A.J. nodded to the side, as Rick quietly grabbed a ladder and placed it so he could climb in the loft window.
Noiselessly he went up the steps, then lowering himself inside, looked down to see his wife struggling with the white-haired man, as he held a knife to her throat and tried to force her inside the feed locker.
"Inside, Mrs. Simon, or I'll kill you and go after your children." He snarled.
Frantic, Rick "told" her, "Go limp, darlin'!"
At once he saw her stop struggling, then Whitefeather pushed her inside the bin and started to drop the lid, only to have Rick fall on him, crashing him into the dirt floor. Immediately A.J. rushed in, then flipped back the lid as he told his sister-in-law, "Stay down, honey!"
As Rick tussled with the old man, Rob and A.J. came in from both sides and grabbed the ex-convict, only for him to throw both of them to the ground.
"You'll all die!" he yelled, then Rick came off the ground and hit him flush in the jaw, then slugged him in the stomach, causing him to drop the small lighter he was holding.
Quickly Rob retrieved it as A.J. pointed his gun at the now fallen Whitefeather. Rob stared at him then growled angrily, "you vicious old man, I ought to just turn my back and let A.J. finish you off." Rick shook his head at him as he rushed past him.
"Laurie!" Rick pulled her from the feed bin. "Sweetheart, are you all right? Did he hurt you?"
She was trembling, but managed to shake her head as she huddled against him. "No, darling. He scared me something awful though. I thought I was going to faint, I didn't see him until he had his hands on me, he was going to burn us alive, oh Rick!" she choked. Rick held her tight, then looked over at the criminal, his eyes now filled with humiliation.
"No, Rob, he deserves what he's earned, he bred hate, he's going to die hated." Rick said, then heard Laurie let out a wavering breath as Rob took the old man away. "Rick, take me inside, please."
At once he picked her up in his arms. "Shh, it's alright now, angel. You're safe, my brave girl." He stroked her hair and soothed her, feeling her stop shaking as he carried her out of the barn.
Suddenly she looked up at him. "Rick? You called me Angel!"
As she stared at him, a smile lit her face.
"You remember, oh, love!" she cried, then put her arms around his neck and buried her lips in his.
"How could I forget my princess." He whispered against her sweet mouth, then covered her face with kisses.
Only the clearing of A.J.'s throat interrupted their embrace, then Laurie blushed as she said, "Thank you, little brother, for you and Rob coming to my rescue."
"Anytime, sis." He replied, dropping a kiss on her cheek as he held the kitchen door open for them. "Can't let my big brother be the only hero in the family!"
Chuckling, Rick set her down only long enough to hug Linda and the children, before taking her to their room to rest. Setting her down on their bed, he wrapped her in a blanket and made her comfortable until Oscar and Rudy arrived and immediately insisted on checking both of them out.
"Rick, let me take a look at that mouse over your eye." The doctor insisted, then beamed as Rick looked at him and said, "Got one good thing out of this, I remember you, Rudy, and you.." he turned to Oscar as he sat holding Laurie, "Dad."
Oscar choked up, then looked down at his daughter as she smiled and said, "Happy Easter, Dad!"