A/N: I started my day yesterday with fresh power, made all the duties of the morning, and fell down two steps of the stairs at home. :( Glad nothing is broken but my plans for the weekend are reduced to writing, reading, and drawing it seems. At least good for my stories and readers. ;-) Now have fun with the new chapter.

Chapter 7 - Bearer of Bad News

George Harris felt lost. His Brothers were dead. He was alone now. He still could not understand it. On top of that, maybe his mother was involved in this. He was not quite sure of it but her reaction was so heartless - so wrong. Her words about his Brothers had hurt him to his core.

He knew for a long time that he had more from his father than from his mother. His father had been the reason his heart beat for The Brotherhood. His parents were never married, or a couple. He was a Beltane kid, though when his father found out he had a son, he had cared more for him than his mother ever did. He had visited him often during his early childhood at the East Coast Coven his mother had stayed at. But soon Maddalena had seen he had only a weak talent for witchcraft. For the Brotherhood his talent, though even small, was an asset. His father had convinced Maddalena to take the teen with him to Connecticut where he finally felt accepted - wanted. They had been by all means his Brothers - his real family.

Maddalena's revelation about his arranged marriage with Cathrine irked him. For god's sake, she was his mother. Shouldn't she love him at least a tiny bit? It seemed not so. He was just her tool to breed a successor for her Coven. But he would cross her plans. Malachi would take his place in the Brotherhood, not in the Coven. George had kept a close relationship with his boy before he came over to Wyoming. In addition to being close to his Brothers, he had thought he could help his mother with the coven. Now it seemed this feeling of responsibility had been wrong. He asked a lot from Malachi - he knew - but he would not let his mother get her conspiratorial hands on him.

George concentrated and called mentally for Milo. Soon a bird scream was heard and his familiar appeared in the sky, circling above him. He stretched out his arm for him to land on it. "Hey, buddy. Good, you are around. I need your wings. You have to deliver a letter to Malachi. Would you do that for me, old friend?"

Milo cried one time, brushing his head against George's cheek.

The intimate gesture brought a faint smile to George's lips. "Thank you, buddy. I love you too. Here, bring this letter to Malachi and him alone. Wait for his answer then return to me as fast as possible." Harris bound a small leather bag with the letter for his son on Milo's leg. He fixed it properly so it could not loosen. "Now fly, buddy."

The red kite pushed up into the air and flew whistling higher, his shape getting smaller until he vanished into the east.

With Milo no longer in the near distance, he felt even worse. "Oh Brothers, I hope you are safe wherever you are. I promise I will take care of the boys as best as I can." He glanced over to the two who were busy at their campfire, making morning coffee and breakfast. Harris was glad Sam had come with them. He knew how to handle Cole, though the boy had had a pretty hard job getting Cole out of the Coven without causing a war with the witches. But he had managed it. Sam was a great choice for the Scholar. Cole had still a lot to learn but he had his heart at the right spot. The losses the poor boy had to carry must be overwhelming. Maybe a hunt would help him to think about something else. Harris would look out if something would come up in Liberty. But now they needed to head on.

*** The Wild West Triad - prequel ***

End of May 1838

Finally, their destination came into view. The land around the Missouri River was breathtaking. Big oak and walnut trees stood between dark green pastures. Everything was blooming and growing around them. Liberty builded the frontier to the unsettled territories further west. They entered the busy town unnoticed by most inhabitants.

The journey had taken them over a month. Enough time to understand what had happened at the Coven. But still, Cole had no clue what really had taken place and if the witches were to blame. The tea had not affected Harris and therefore they had no evidence that the witches had anything to do with the Triad's illness. Still, Maddalena's latest fight with George had left Cole with a bitter taste about the friendly ties his uncle had had with the witches.

He was so angry at the world. Would he have been able to prevent anything from happening? All these thoughts left him in despair. The beauty of the landscape hardly could reach his mind. At least some friends would be here in Liberty. Cole spied the Missouri River with Liberty Landing in the background further south and had to think of their hunt on the Kelpie some years ago. He would first see Mose then James Singer and Doctor Lewis Baker. It was a thing he really was looking forward to.

The city had grown since he had been here the last time. Bridges had been built and many houses were new. He noticed some overseers here and there on the busy streets. Then Mike's house came into view. George offered to care for the horses that left Sam and Cole to announce their arrival. Cole had to swallow at the sight of the metal plate with his father's name on it. He took a deep breath and followed Sam who had already knocked.

Mose was surprised to see the hunters in front of the door. One look into their faces made him ask immediately what had happened. The following hours were hard to endure for Cole. Though happy to see the old hunter, he was sick of telling people how the Triad had died. He left it to George to fill him up with news, took the condolences and hugs with a stoic expression, and excused himself to Mike's private room. With Sam and Sky on his heels, they climbed up the stairs to the upper level.

Entering the room was a flashback of emotions and memories. He walked to Mike's secretary to open the small wooden doors on the furniture's top. The bottle of Gin was still there. His mother's letters were secured in Mike's diary. Cole had found them too when he had read it. "Come, Sam, let's have a drink to my parents."

Sam joined him and they talked about their good memories of the older hunters. Somehow the surrounding loosened his tongue and he was finally able to talk. It was relieving and Cole's heart felt much lighter after it.

After a night in a soft bed for a change, they were well-rested and planned to visit James and Doc Baker after breakfast.

James opened the door and was surprised at who had come to his doorstep. "Cole?! Oh my god," The young doctor pulled Cole into a tight hug. "I hadn't thought to see you this soon when I told Mike he has to bring you with him next time."

"Hey, James," Cole brought out, brokenly due to the big lump that had formed in his throat instantly when James had mentioned his father.

"It's good to see you," James let Cole go, giving him a closer look. "Is everything alright?"

His strong facade only reached so far as to fake strangers. Everyone who knew him better saw the hurt he could not cover well enough for his friends. "Let's talk inside." Cole walked past his friend and knew with this, James had his answer that it was not. He heard Sam and George say their 'hello' to James too before the young doctor closed the door.

"I'll get Lewis, he would want to know you are here. Feel at home," James announced, crossing the hallway to the study of Doc Baker.

*** The Wild West Triad - prequel ***

James was instantly worried and his fantasy constructed weird scenarios that one of the other hunters had maybe a hunting accident or something. He knocked one time and entered the study. "Lewis, we have guests. Cole is here with Sam and George. I think something happened."

The doctor took off his reading glasses and looked up at James. "Cole is here? Has something happened to Mike?" He got up from his desk, grabbing the cane next to him with the usual tremble, the older doctor tried to get fast to the guests.

James held the door open for him. "I don't know. I hope not. He will tell us soon."

They entered the living room where the three men had found a place and waited for James and Doctor Baker. James had met Sam only once before when he had visited with Bastian Summers. They had come along pretty well and they had found many interests they shared though with Cole his friendship had come naturally from the first moment they had met.

As he now entered the living room he saw that something bigger was weighing on their minds. Sam sat on the sofa, hands folded before him, elbows on his knees. George looked concerned out of the window and Cole stroked absently Sky's fur staring at a spot beyond time and space. Doc Baker entered and all three stood up to greet the older man.

James approached Cole and took him by the shoulder. "Cole what happened, I can see something is wrong. Is it Mike?"

Cole's eyes filled with tears, averting his gaze to the ground. Then Cole gave the others a short glance before he awkwardly started to speak. "I … they arrived at home from Liberty in March. Bastian had a fever - we tried everything. Wade and Mike got ill too." Cole paused to take an unsteady breath. "All three died seven weeks ago."

The room was quiet with this and it seemed as if the words echoed through the house. After what felt like forever, James found his voice again. "Oh my God. I'm so sorry." He didn't wait for Cole to respond and pulled him back into his embrace. This was the worst that could have happened to the boys, James could tell. His heart already hurt over the loss of three honorable men he saw as good friends and mentors. But he knew, for Cole, it was like the world had come to an end. How much more could a man endure before he would break completely?

James felt the shaking of his friend and knew it was not much more. With a side glance at Lewis, he saw how the older man held fast to the door frame, George at his side to steady him. The shock was written all over the doctor's face, a sight James had never seen on the emotionally strong man he knew as a kind of father. "Come, Cole, sit down. I think we can all use a drink."

Sam filled them up with all details they wanted to know and James noticed Cole was pulling back into his own thoughts. He knew this kind of behavior and it reminded him too much of the Cole he met first six years ago. He was really worried about his friend.

TBC

A/N: I can use a little response from my readers as comfort (I know some read). Please pay me with a review, even when it is only one sentence. i need to find new muse to work on my other Brotherhood mainline story "Losing My Girp". It is worth a read, trust me. ;-)