This is pretty much just a bit of a written doodle exercise as I was just curious where the conversations would go...

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Wheat and Kyle carried Kid into the leader's cabin and placed him unceremoniously on the mattress of the bed that Heyes had already prepared by pulling down the sheet and blankets. The unconscious Kid's only movement was a limp roll of his head on the poorly positioned pillow. Preacher had been right on their tails and now stood at the foot of the bed while Heyes and the other two worked to get Kid situated.

"Help me get his coat and boots off," Heyes ordered.

Once that task was completed, Heyes pulled the sheet and blanket up to his partner's shoulders, then took a step back.

"Is he hurt, Preacher?" Heyes asked.

Preacher shook his head. "He don't appear to have no broken bones or nothing, Heyes. Just passed out cold when that tub hit the tree."

Several of the men, including Kid had been out sledding in the snow, using an old wash tub someone had found sitting dormant in the loft of the barn. They had hammered the bottom rim flat, then smeared the bottom in bacon grease to slick it up, thus increasing the speed for the rides down the path leading to the road. The only control as far as direction was by shifting of the rider's body weight and even this was poorly managed.

"Must have hit his head," Heyes deduced.

"Only explanation I came up with," Preacher replied.

"So you don't think he needs a doctor?"

"You'll know better when he wakes up, but for now, I don't see a necessity in that."

Heyes nodded. "I appreciate your help, boys, and throw that old tub away. I don't want nobody else getting hurt."

Heyes followed the other men to the door and saw them out. He debated whether to sit at Kid's bedside, but decided it wouldn't change things and he was busy researching train schedules, with papers strewn about the kitchen table. Besides, he concluded, he was close enough to hear when Kid began to stir.

It was nearly four hours later that he heard a low, guttural moan emanating from Kid's room and Heyes got up an went to the doorway to check on his partner.

Kid had the palms of both hands pressed hard against his forehead and he moaned a second time.

"Feeling alright?" Heyes asked and approached the bed.

"What happened?" Kid asked without opening his eyes or moving his head in the slightest.

"It sounds like you had an intimate introduction with the trunk of a tree."

"Oh, I don't remember... Where are we?"

"In the cabin."

Kid didn't move his hands from his forehead, but he did slowly open his eyes and looked inquisitively about the room.

"Cabin?" Kid asked.

Heyes brow began to furl. "You sure you're alright, Kid?"

"I will be when this headache goes away... You live here?"

"Uh-uh. And so do you."

Kid looked at the man standing beside the bed. "Me?... Are we...?"

Heyes smiled. "Cousins," he explained.

Kid's head slowly and only slightly nodded. "Good, you had me worried there for a minute."

"Anything coming back to you yet? You know my name?"

Kid eyed the man carefully, then shook his head. "No," he replied.

"You know your name?" Heyes asked, growing increasingly concerned.

"You just called me Kid."

"I mean your real name, your Christian name."

Kid tried to recall his name. "No, but you're beginning to worry me."

"Me, too," Heyes replied. "I think I'd better send for the doctor."

"I don't hurt or nothing, except for this headache."

"Can you move everything? Your arms? Your legs?"

Kid tested every limb, then flexed and straightened his fingers. "Yeah, everything seems to be working alright."

"You stay put then. I'm gonna go send one of the boys to fetch the doctor."

"Boys? You got kids?" Kid asked.

"No, just a figure of speech. Now stay put till I get back."

"Kay."

Heyes hurried over to the bunkhouse and sent Preacher after the doctor. "The rest of you fellas stay clear of the cabin today. I don't want Kid having to try to figure out who all of you are, at least not until the doctor sees him."

Heyes then returned to the cabin and found Kid now sitting up in his bed with pillows propping his back and head.

"You hungry? I could fix you something, Kid."

"Maybe some coffee. Why do you call me Kid?"

Heyes moved to the potbelly stove to pour Kid a cup of coffee. "Well, like I said, we're cousins. You're just a couple of years younger than me."

"This is a really strange feeling, not being able to remember," Kid said and reached out his hand to the take the cup of coffee from Heyes. "Thanks."

"Well otherwise you seem to be fine, so I'm guessing this is just a temporary thing. I doubt if it's anything to worry about. Still got the headache?"

Kid nodded..

"The boys said you took a pretty hard knock against the tree."

Kid's hand reached up to the back of his head and he felt the lump that was starting to form. "Who are these boys you keep talking about?"

"They're... partners in a way. They live in the bunkhouse next to the cabin."

"We ranchers or something?"

"No, not ranchers, but I think it best not to tell you nothing till you've seen the doctor so he can see just how much actual memory you got. I don't want to go planting facts in your head."

Kid saw the logic in the man's statement. "Okay, but knowing things might help me remember, you know."

Heyes nodded. "Once the doctor says it's alright, I'll tell you anything and everything you want to know."

Nearly two hours later Preacher and the doctor arrived. By this time Kid had grown tired of lying in bed and was sitting at the table in the main room. There was no sign of recognition in Kid's eyes, although he should have known both men.

"I heard you were making out with a tree trunk today, son," Dr. Grant said with a thick Irish brogue..

"I suppose," Kid replied.

Dr. Grant set his bag on the table. "Open up them curtains so I got more light in here"

Heyes opened the curtains and Dr. Grant pulled up a chair so he was eye to eye with Kid. "Now, let me look at them eyes," he said and carefully examined both.

Dr. Grant then raised one finger in the air in front of Kid. "I want you to follow my finger without moving your head."

Kid did as instructed.

"How many fingers am I holding up now?"

"Three."

"Got any bumps on your head?"

Kid nodded and raised his hand to the as yet still growing lump on the left side of the back of his head.

"You can take your hand down now, and let me feel around there."

Finally Dr. Grant sat back in his chair. "I don't think there's any permanent damage. I think you got what we call temporary amnesia. It may take a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks to fully recover, but things should start coming back to you pretty quick. I think the impact just jostled things around a bit in your head. Gotta give time to settle things back into place again. Don't want you doing anything strenuous. Don't bend over more that you have to. Get plenty of rest, plenty of sleep."

Kid nodded. "Okay."

"So you think he's gonna be fine?" Heyes asked.

Dr. Grant nodded and stood up. "I do."

"He's asking me to tell him things, who he is and such. Should I be doing that?"

"Won't hurt and might speed things up a bit. I think it's worth a try."

"You need to see him again?" Heyes asked.

"If some problem develops or he don't improve, bring him to my office."

Heyes walked the doctor out on to the porch and paid him for the visit. "I appreciate you coming out here."

The doctor rubbed the gold coin with his thumb. "Never mind coming out for my paying customers," he said and headed for his carriage.

"You know who I am, Kid?" Heyes heard Preacher asking as he walked back into the cabin.

Kid shook his head. "But I bet you're one of the boys living in the bunkhouse, right?"

Preacher smiled. "That's right. You call me Preacher."

"You a minister?"

"No, but I do my best to spread the good word."

"We'd better let Kid get some rest like the doctor said," Heyes interrupted and walked Preacher to the door. "Thanks for getting the doctor."

"Don't worry about him, Heyes. Doc says he's gonna be fine."

"I won't," Heyes assured him and shut the door behind Preacher when he left.

Heyes turned and sighed heavily. "So, now you hungry?"

"Maybe I could eat a sandwich," Kid replied.

Heyes busied himself making them both something to eat. When he was done, he brought the two plates to the table and then brought them both a cup of coffee as well.

"So, you say we are cousins," Kid said as he took a bite of his sandwich. "What's your name, and what's mine?"

"Everybody calls me Heyes and...

"I didn't ask you what everybody calls you, I asked you what your name was."

Heyes smiled. "My last name is Heyes and my first name is Hannibal."

"Well, I guess it makes sense why everyone calls you Heyes, then. Now what's my name?"

"Jedadiah Curry, and most folks call you Kid."

"Why?"

"Well, you got to admit, Kid Curry has kind of a ring to it."

"I guess. Now who are them fellas in the bunkhouse?"

"They're sort of... partners of ours," Heyes said slowly.

"We got some kind of business that we need so many partners?"

"We're in... the field of finance."

"Doing what?"

Heyes was very hesitant and Kid was growing a bit exasperated.

"Look, if you ain't gonna tell me, I'll just go ask our partners in the bunkhouse."

"We...liberate...banks and railroads from...large amounts of their assets."

Kid stopped chewing and looked at Heyes. "We rob em?"

Heyes nodded and Kid began to smile.

"You had me worried there for a minute thinking I was some kind of stuffed shirt businessman."

Heyes' eyes brightened. "So you ain't mad that you're an outlaw?"

"I'm a real live outlaw? Now don't that beat all."

"You don't remember robbing any banks or trains, Kid?"

Kid thought a minute, then shook his head. "Is Kid Curry my outlaw name?"

"That's right, and you can draw your gun faster than anybody I've ever seen."

Kid's chest puffed just a bit. "Really?"

"You've got quite the reputation for it."

"So, you and me are cousins, and we're both outlaws for the same gang?"

"That's right. I'm the leader and you're my second."

"Second what?"

"Second in command."

Kid leaned back in his chair, finding the conversation more interesting than the food.

"Our gang got a name?" Kid asked.

"The Devil's Hole Gang. This here where we live is Devil's Hole."

Kid looked serious, almost reflective. "I've heard that name before, Devil's Hole."

"We've been with the Devil's Hole Gang for six, maybe seven years now."

Kid continued to try to pull bits of information together in his mind. "Preacher... Kyle...Sundance?"

"No, no Sundance. He's with a different gang. Keep trying, Kid. Try to remember."

"Weasel, no that ain't right...Wheat?"

"Yeah, Wheat," Heyes said excitedly. "Can you think of any more of them?"

Kid wracked his brain but finally shook his head with a bit of disappointment.

"Ah, that's alright, Kid. Those names will come to you.. Think hard, anything else you can remember?"

"I ride a chestnut named Buck."

"Yeah, you do."

"And I got an uncle by the name of...Big... Big Mac."

Heyes frowned. "No, not really. There is a Big Mac and he did tell a Sheriff one time that you were his nephew, so you're sort of on the right track, but you're not really related."

Kid sighed. "I can't think of nothing else right now."

"That's okay, Kid. Maybe you ought to go get some more rest."

Kid padded off to his room and back to his bed. Usually falling asleep came easy to Kid, any time, any place, but this afternoon he couldn't stop trying to make himself remember. Unfortunately his efforts were to no avail and eventually he fell asleep from shear physical and mental exhaustion.

Heyes found a book he could settle in near the fireplace with and he spent the afternoon reading until eventually sleep claimed him as well.

"NO!" The shout startled Heyes from his sleep and he jumped to his feet and rushed to Kid's doorway. Kid sat, partially propped up in the bed, the palms of both hands lying flat on the mattress to support him. He was panting and had an expression of fear and worry.

"What is it?" Heyes asked with an equal amount of fear.

Kid slowly raised his head and eyes filled with terror came to rest on his partner.

"We're... we were orphaned?"

Heyes sighed, concerned but also somehow relieved. He walked in the room and stood next to Kid's bed.

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head.

"And... and we came upon the horrors?"

Again Heyes nodded.

"Why?" Kid asked innocently.

Heyes had no real explanation. "It was a time of war. It's called the war between the states... Some of the soldiers on both sides did atrocious things."

"Anything else that bad that I'm gonna remember?"

"I don't think so."

The strength in Kid's arms weakened and he dropped back down on the bed.

"It's nearly suppertime. You want anything?"

Kid shook his head. "I ain't hungry... I think maybe I'll get up for a while, though."

"I'll put some coffee on," Heyes replied and left the room.

A few minutes later Kid started out of his room but stopped in the doorway and leaned against the door frame.

"You alright?" Heyes asked.

Kid nodded and a slight smiled formed on his face. "Peppermints... I like peppermints."

Heyes laughed. "Yeah, you do. Your memories sure do skirt around a lot."

Kid uttered a short chuckle. "No telling what I'll think of next."

Kid sat down and took a sip of his coffee. "Skirting around...Heyes you sound like Silky." With that comment, Kid's jaw dropped and he looked at his cousin with astonishment and a wide smile. "I remember that! I remember Silky."

"I think Doc's gonna be amazed at how quickly you're recovering, Kid."

Kid nodded. "But it's weird having all these haphazard thoughts just coming outta the blue."

"I bet so," Heyes agreed

Kid sat silently for a moment, waiting for the next bizarre thought to pop into his mind. When none did, he just shrugged and drank more coffee.

"Doc said it might take a while to get everything back, right?"

"Yeah, but I bet it won't be as long as he predicted. You seem to be getting a lot of things back already."

"Heyes, we was happy as kids, weren't we? I mean, until all that bad stuff happened?"

Heyes nodded. "We both had good families, Kid, and you and me were like two peas of a pod, always together getting into mischief like all boys do."

"And after all that happened..."

"We got sent to an orphanage."

Kid nodded. "We was wayward boys."

"Well, that was part of the name of the orphanage. The Valparaiso..."

"School for Wayward Boys!" Kid exclaimed.

Heyes laughed. "Yeah," he said, thinking how grateful he was getting his partner back, and much sooner than he had anticipated.

"Heyes, you said we've been with this gang for six or seven years?"

"That's right."

"And we rob banks and railroads mostly?"

"Uh-uh."

"Do we usually get a lot of money in these robberies?"

"Yeah, we only hit places that have a lot of money," Heyes said proudly.

"Are we rich?"

Heyes frowned. "Well no, I wouldn't exactly say rich. The money gets split up twelve ways, you, me, the boys, and a share to take care of the expenses of keeping this place livable.

"We don't save any of our money?"

"We mostly spend it on... good times."

"What happens to us if we ever get caught?"

Heyes sighed. "We will likely spend twenty years in prison."

Kid's eyes grew wide. "And you think being outlaws is a good idea?" Kid asked with astonishment.

"Well, I didn't exactly say that," Heyes stuttered.

"I think being a stuffed shirt is starting to sound a little more appealing."

Heyes frowned. "Oh, don't ever think that, Kid. There may be options other than being an outlaw, but being a stuffed shirt businessman, growing fat-bellied and lazy... No, I could never do that."

"McCreedy! Big Mac McCreedy!"

Heyes was beginning to think the conversation was becoming a bit unsettling and hard to follow. "What about him?"

Kid smiled. "Just that I remembered his name. I think fat-bellied and lazy is what me me remember."

"You sure you don't want something to eat?" Heyes asked, trying to divert the conversation away from their poor choice of profession.

"Canned tomatoes!"

"What?"

"I hate canned tomatoes, Heyes."

"That's no great revelation. Everyone hates canned tomatoes. Maybe you should try giving this memory recall a bit of a rest , Kid."

"Did I say something to bother you?" Kid asked innocently.

"No, well...Yes, if you must know. You make it sound like being an outlaw is a... a disgraceful thing. Might I remind you that we've had some pretty lucrative success stories, largely thanks to me and my planning I might add."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Heyes. I'm sure you're a very good leader, or you wouldn't have lasted this long."

"Damn right I'm good leader. I've kept you out of trouble more than once you know!"

"Not really."

"Not really what?"

"I don't really know, Heyes. I can't remember...Remember?"

"Oh, well... You can just trust me on that, then."

"Heyes," Kid said quietly and waited for their eyes to meet. "I do trust you. I trust you about everything. You're not just my cousin, Heyes. You're my partner."

Heyes suddenly realized how needless it was to defend himself over Kid's musings and recollections. He knew, in fact they both knew, that this bout of amnesia could never sever or even disrupt the bond they shared.

"I trust you about everything too, Kid. That's what partners do, isn't it?"

Kid gave Heyes a smile so sincere and so full of trust and admiration that Heyes knew it was meant solely for him.

"So, you want to get back to the subject of being outlaws?" Kid asked with a sly grin.

"We'll wait and cover that ground when your memory is back a hundred percent and you can better appreciate my leadership skills."

Kid laughed. "That's a deal, Heyes."