Please forgive the brevity of this penultimate chapter of 'The Protector'. I promise a much larger one in the final section...

The burning sensation turning Adam's arm numb was inconsequential. The ever-present pain fading as the realisation hit that both Hoss and Clara had drowned in the lake.

His father was breathing heavily beside him, his eyes flickering as he fought to focus, to understand, to comprehend what had just happened.

This was his fault. He had pushed Clara behind him. Why, why, did he do such a damn fool thing as that? He should have pulled her away from the edge but no, he had to play the hero. And Hoss had gone in to sort out his mess. And his beloved brother had paid the price.

"Pa, I'm sorry, I…" his words trailed away as Ben's eyes caught his, but they were unfocused, unseeing, and he looked away distracted. Adam turned to Joe and opened his mouth to speak, but Joe couldn't look at him. He stood and walked away, his back stiff and his head lowered.

Did they blame him? Adam didn't know. But he knew one thing. He blamed himself. If he hadn't got caught up in this mess, if he had stayed out of it back in Chia Springs, Hoss would be alive today. Clara would be… Adam screwed his eyes closed to stop the tears that were building.

There was a shout.

Three heads rocked up. There it was again, coming from below. Joe threw a quick frown at his father and Adam, ran back to the cliff edge and dropped to the ground. He leaned out over the precipice as far as gravity would safely allow and shouted down to the water. A voice shouted back: a loud prolonged 'Hey' which was recognisably Hoss.

"Haha!" cried Joe, his face lit with a wide grin as he turned to look at Ben and Adam. "That's my brother, alright, I can hear him but I can't see him." He leaned out again. "Hey Hoss!"

Ben left Adam's side, shuffling forward on all fours to look down the cliff face. Adam stayed where he was, the bullet in his shoulder suddenly making its presence known to him. He let his good arm take his weight and closed his eyes in relief and pain. He raised his head as Hoss's voice carried upwards.

"Hey, did you fellas know there's a cave down here? It ain't high but it goes back a long way."

Ben ignored the question. "Son, are you alright? We thought you were…we thought..." Adam saw him pull his chin into his chest, the words remaining unspoken on his tongue.

"Oh hey, I'm fine. Wet. But fine."

"Clara…" Adam choked her name out before summoning the strength to raise his voice. "Clara, Hoss. What about Clara?"

"She'll be fine. Oh, and it's good to hear your voice, Adam." There was a pause. Adam heard the emotion in his brother's words. Of course, Hoss would have seen Adam shot and stumbling at the edge of the cliff, but he wouldn't have known how seriously, or not, Adam had been injured. Adam opened his mouth to reply but no words would come. Hoss shouted up again.

"She's a plucky li'l thing. I was flappin' around in the water lookin' for her, and she'd found her own way to the cave and hauled herself out. But, er, it's gonna take a bit of persuadin' to get her back in the water, so y'all jest hold on and I'll get her up to you as soon as I've worked my charms on her."

Joe jumped to his feet, the smile having never left his face.

"I'll come down to the shoreline, see if I can help."

He trotted past, then stopped and turned. "It's good to see you, Adam, real good. Only, next time you go away for six years, could you return with a little less drama? My hair's grey enough as it is."

And he was gone, running over the promontory and down to the shoreline with all the boyish energy and exuberance that never seemed to leave him. Adam gave a half smile and looked up with pain-creased eyes at his now standing father. Ben took the hint and dropped to his heels next to him.

"Okay, let's take a look at that wound."

As Ben started to pull the vest off Adam's shoulder, Adam let out a snort. "Less drama, he said. That's funny coming from Little Joe."

"Indeed. Your brother has more than made up for your absence with his injuries, adventures, and poor Hoss being roped into more than one. This will hurt, son." Adam grimaced, sweat breaking out on his forehead and his hand clamping onto his thigh as Ben carefully peeled the shirt away from Adam's wound.

"You've lost weight."

Adam said nothing.

"Suits you." Ben cocked his head to one side. "In fact, if it wasn't for this bullet, which is well and truly lodged inside you, by the way, and the bruise on your face, I'd say you've never looked better."

He started to look around him. "I need a strip of material for a sling." Raising his eyebrows he looked at Adam. "I would use the sleeve of my shirt but it's a brand new one. I bought it in honour of your return." There was a moment of silence and then he laughed. Adam managed a smile.

"It's okay, Pa. I can wait until we're back at the camp. There are things you can use up there."

Ben patted his son's leg. "Let's get you up." He moved next to Adam who wrapped his good arm around his father's neck, ready to be hauled upright. But before Adam let Ben take his weight, he paused and looked into his father's eyes. "It's good to be home, Pa." He squeezed his father's shoulder. "Real good."

Ben slipped an arm around Adam's waist. "And it's good to have you back, son, despite your being slightly the worse for wear."

With a groan Adam rose to his feet. It was then he noticed Cordell for the first time since he'd been shot.

"Pa, he's still alive."

Cordell hadn't moved. He sat slumped on the ground with his knees splayed out and his ankles crossed. His eyes were closed but his chest was rising and falling as sharp shallow breaths escaped him. Adam moved towards him on unsteady legs with Ben by his side.

"Help me down, Pa."

Adam sat on his knees next to Cordell and with Ben's help moved the dying man on to his back. Cordell's eyes opened and his lips twitched into a smile. Adam pulled back Cordell's shirt and winced at the sight of the gunshot wound on his chest.

"Nate got the better of you."

Cordell moved his head an inch and looked at the dead body of his former number two.

"More like...I got the better of him." He looked away, his eyes falling shut.

Adam's gaze wandered to Nate sprawled in the dirt and back to Cordell.

"Why'd you do it? Why kill Nate?"

Cordell struggled to open his eyes. But when he did, he looked up at Adam, and a half smile lifted the side of his mouth.

"He was gonna kill ya. I didn't want him to."

"Why not?"

"I like ya, Cartwright. You're a pain in the butt…a real pain in the…" He coughed then raised his hand weakly. Adam grasped it. "That little girl looks up to you...you take care of her..."

Adam was surprised by the sudden power in Cordell's grip. With what was left of his strength the dying man lifted his head and shoulders off the ground, his eyes fixed on Adam's. "I really did love her, ya know."

And with a long exhalation of air, Cordell died.

Adam dropped his head. He had done everything in his power to escape from this man. Cordell had been ruthless, cruel and single-minded to the exclusion of all that was fair and good. But Adam couldn't help but feel an unexpected sadness at his death. He unfurled his fingers from Cordell's and laid the still warm limb over the dead man's chest.

Two hands patted his waist and, with a little help, he took his father's hint to move away.

Ben cocked his head. "What was he to you, Adam?"

Adam looked down at Cordell's body. "He was my kidnapper. But I think he saw me as a friend. I've got a feeling I have a lot to be thankful to him for."

Ben nodded. "And did you consider him a friend?"

There was a pause as Adam looked down at the man who had caused him so much trouble. But then there was the sound of movement and Hoss calling out as he stomped onto the promontory, Clara snug in his arms. Joe brought up the rear, a broad smile on his face.

Clara begged to be put down, and after Hoss had lowered her to the ground she ran to Adam who dropped to one knee with a grunt. She flung her arms around him, dropping her head over his shoulder. Somehow she managed to avoid his wound, and Adam curled his good arm around her back squeezing her tightly.

"Oh, Adam, I thought you were dead," she cried. "You fell down. I thought Nate had killed you."

Adam patted her back. "Do you remember what I told you, all those days ago, when you were struggling to put one foot in front of the other? I said I'd stay by your side all the way." He pulled back to look up at her and she raised her eyes to meet his. "All the way. And I never break a promise."

Her eyes glistened from a swelling of unshed tears and with a shy smile she gently lowered her head over his shoulder again, her arms tight around his neck. He kissed her hair and rested his head against hers, and then felt something he hadn't felt in many years. He felt needed. It wasn't the need his father had of him as a right-hand man; or the need his brothers once had for his ability to help them out of a tight spot. No, he felt needed, as a father was needed.

Now, with his family around him and the threat to Clara's immediate safety lying dead, Adam let his own need show. He held her tight, his eyes closed, and was astonished by the flood of paternal feelings that enveloped him.

He patted her back. "Come on," he said. She lifted her head and he smoothed his palm over her hair, pushing the damp straggly strands off her face. "Let's go home."

And taking her hand, they began the trek back to camp.

Coming in the next chapter, the conclusion to 'The Protector'...