Chapter 8 - Legacy

Later that day Doctor Baker had asked Cole to join him in his study. Cole knew what was there in store for him, nevertheless, he felt nervous. Mike had told him Lewis would have his Last Will for him. They took a seat at Doc Baker's huge desk and Cole felt instantly like a teenager again. He wasn't sure where to put his hands. He tried to rest them on the chair's armrest but soon took them away again and began to fidget uneasily with his fingers folded together. The older man pulled one drawer of the furniture open, revealing a sealed letter. He didn't know why but he felt his heart beating up to his throat. Had his father planned it all? Did he know he would die soon? Or was he just thinking he could die in battle on every ordinary hunt and wanted his things to be cleared? Cole swallowed.

Doc Baker began talking, "Mike left me his Last Will. He told me to keep it until you would show up here if the worst should ever happen."

Cole nodded shortly. He was sure wouldn't he hold his hands together they would shake now. "Yes, he told me to visit you as soon as he…" He wasn't able to speak the sentence to an end.

"Do you want me to read it to you?" The doctor saved him from the rest of the words.

Cole nodded with a look at the seal and had to wonder. Mike had seemed to have really a thing for his family crest. He watched Doc Baker break the red wax seal and unfold the letter. He tucked his reading glasses to his nose and began reading with his firm warm voice.

"To my beloved son, Cole Tanner.

Somehow it happened and I managed to die. I'm sorry to leave you. But I'm sure the others can be your anchor and give you solace. They are in all ways Brothers and will help you carry this loss.

I'm grateful that I had the luck to see you grow into a great man. I'm so proud of you, Cole.

When everything went as I wanted, you will sit in Lewis' office right now and I know you are under friends and family.

I bequeath you the Liberty headquarters together with all belongings inside. Maybe you are sick of the loneliness of Wyoming and can use a proper house, maybe for a beautiful wife and a bunch of children. To say it with Wade's ever so wise words, 'You'll never know'.

Nothing against Wade's construction talents. I would have never thought him to last in Wyoming but I was proven wrong. I know your heart somehow is bound to this lonely country. So when you have no use for the house at all, make it a safe haven for the Brotherhood. I also have saved some money that can be useful. It is yours now too.

As for your Brotherhood legacy, you will be the next Knight and because of this, the Dragon's Talon belongs to you. We have discussed the position of The Knight long and precisely, you know what is asked of you.

Give my ring to Wade and should the worst case have happened and we both died, it will be up to Daniel as the next Guardian to collect the rings of the fallen Brothers from now on.

My hunter's journal is for the Scholar.

What else is left to say?

I love you, son. Nothing in the world can take that away from me. Don't worry about me, I will be okay. I'll give your mother a kiss and we will be waiting for you.

Watch out for your Brothers and trust in the Lord. He has a plan for all of us.

Your father,

Mike Campbell"

Cole's cheeks felt wet from the tears that had flowed freely from his eyes. His heart ached and he buried his face in his hands. The words were so typically his father's as if he had sat here beside him, talking to him.

Cole dried his tears with his sleeve and tried to get at least a tiny bit of control over his feelings again. Lewis waited patiently.

"Thank you, Lewis. I know he was a close friend to you. I'm sorry to come back with such bad news. But death seems to follow me somehow and everyone dies around me." Cole's voice broke at the end.

Doc Baker bent forward over his desk and reached for Cole's hand, now resting on the desktop. "Cole, don't think that anything that has happened is your fault. Life is life and all of us have to meet our maker one day. Don't blame yourself when the time has come. Mike had always lived to the fullest. But since you came into his life I have never seen him happier. He told me once that there is nothing more he could ask from the Lord. I know how hard it is to lose someone. There is a time to mourn and there is a time to be grateful for the people who cross our life. Honor the time you had with him."

Doc Baker's words hit the right string in his heart he would hold onto them, though right now he wasn't able to honor anything; he felt just broken and missed his father.

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

Cole came home late at night. He had decided to take Mike's room as his own with everything inside. He slumped down into the wing chair and sighed. He had asked to go out alone after he had been in Doc Baker's office. The others had let him his space. He took a long walk through town. It brought back memories of his time with Mike here.

When he couldn't endure the memories anymore he ended up in a Saloon with a bottle of whiskey and a girl in his arm, he didn't bother to recall her name. After much more whiskey and a few rounds of poker which ended nearly in a fight, he was kicked out roughly to the streets by a huge bouncer.

Tanner somehow wondered how he even had found the way back to the house - his house. That sounded strange.

Sky had been pissed about him because he had left her with Sam. He had been concerned about taking her with him because he knew he would end up in any Saloon full of strangers where he knew he would drink until he couldn't remember his name anymore.

She waited in his room but only woofed once when he staggered inside. Otherwise, Sky punished him with contentment. He would make it up to her tomorrow. Right now it would be great if the room would stop spinning. He didn't trust his stomach to lay down on the bed and decided to stay in the wing chair for the rest of the night.

Cole woke in the morning with sun rays tickling his face and Sky's wet tongue licking his hand. He reached out to her. "Hey, baby. Can you forgive me for letting you here?"

Sky cuddled deeper into his lap and whined affirmingly. With a bad headache, he dragged his tired body to the window to close the curtains. With Sky in tow, he slumped down into the comforting bed sheets where they enjoyed each other's company in another hour of cuddling. They were still in bed when Sam knocked at the door past highnoon and entered.

"Holy mother, what is this smell? Did you loot a whiskey bar? And why are you still in bed? C'mon, time to get up!" Sam opened the curtains and the window without mercy and Cole winced at the bright invasion of light which flooded the room though the fresh air felt good to breathe.

He turned away from the light grumpily mumbling, "Lea' me alone, Sam."

"Certainly not. You had your alone time yesterday. I will stick with you for the rest of the day. We have to see Perry today. George told me to look after you. I didn't want to believe him when he told me, you might still be in bed. But he was right." Sam had approached the bed while speaking and lifted the covers in which Cole had been snuggled together with Sky. "Hell, did you sleep in your clothes? How much whiskey did you drink?"

"Have you ever heard of privacy? Get the hell out of my room, Sam. I'm sure you two can meet Perry without me. I have no intention to see the bastard today," Cole growled at him snatching the covers back over his head.

"As far as I remember, this is Mike's room and he would have kicked your ass, seeing how you are turning it into a dump!" Sam threw back at him pretty unimpressed.

Cole sat up in bed! Now angry. "It doesn't matter anymore, nothing matters. And don't piss me off about the messy room. Mike left me this damn house as part of his legacy, so I can waste it as I want - even can kick your sorry ass out if it suits me. Now get the hell out and leave me to my grief!" Cole spat out angrily.

Sam only stared at him with an open mouth, lips trembling in anger now. It was rare to see Sam like this. Usually, he was calm and never had an outburst of emotions. "Damn you, Tanner! I had patience. I can understand what all this did to you but it is enough, this is not grief this is self-pity! You look like a tramp. It is time to find back to yourself, goddamnit! Now get your ass out of the bed and get cleaned and for god's sake change your clothes. You can not meet any human like this! We will be waiting for you in the hallway. That is an order, Tanner!" Sam didn't wait for the next offense Cole could throw at him, but turned and slammed the door shut.

Cole stared at the closed door still in shock over this atypical behavior of his friend. "What the hell….?" He wondered, turning to Sky. "Have you ever seen him like this? Maybe I pushed it a bit too far. What do you think baby, is he right?"

Sky looked up at him with her blue eyes and barked once. "Okay, okay. Then let's get out of bed.

Cole undressed and gave his body a quick wash-over. A glance into the mirror showed him a complete stranger. He looked thin. Deep shadows had formed around his eyes. He hadn't cared about shaving for days and his hair hung dirty strands into his face. Sam was right, he could not meet the Brotherhood members like this. Sighing he took the washcloth and began to clean himself.

When he was done he opened the chest at the bed end. His changing clothes were all well-used and dirty. He had to wash them before he could wear them again. He went through the clothes left in Mike's chest and found some things which would be fitting. He took the shirt out and smelled it. It was unmistakable his father's aftershave. He took only what he wanted to wear and brought everything else back in order, closing the chest carefully after that.

Dressed in a clean white shirt a black vest and robust dark brown trousers he even sat down on the chair and cleaned his boots as best as possible. The one thing he would not change wearing was Mike's coat. He just brushed it clean until he was satisfied.

Cole gave the messy room a last glance, turning to Sky, "Seems we have to clean up when we are back, huh?" He closed the door with a sigh.

Cleaned, shaved, combed, and well dressed, he turned. Swinging the Dragon's Talon in its holster over his shoulder, he went downstairs like a new man to where the others still patiently waited for him.

Sam came to the stairs speaking up as soon as he was downstairs. "You ready?" Sam looked at Cole bringing a hand to Cole's shoulder. "I didn't mean to scream at you, I'm sorry."

Cole brought his hand to Sam's other shoulder. "No, you were right. Thank you for kicking my ass, Brother. It was more than needed. I am sorry."

"So we're good?" Sam asked hopefully. Nothing of his earlier outburst was visible.

"Sure, Brother. I promise I will never threaten you to kick you out of the house," Cole answered and added, "You know mi casa es su casa."

Both smiled at each other mischievously and turned towards the front door where George waited for them looking pleased about the scene.

"By the way you are a joy to smell around," Sam told him teasingly while walking out of the door into the spring sun side by side with Cole.

Cole smirked at him, letting him know that they were good with each other for sure. It would be different to be one of the leaders of the Brotherhood from now on but as long as his Brothers were at his side he would take what life threw at him.

The End

A/N: There will be a sequel to this story. Many things have ended here and some others have started. Stay tuned and subscribe to my profile, so you will not miss the next one.

Thank you, for reading.