Early one morning, Ruby opened her eyes with a start to Archie shaking her.
"Ruby! Wake up! Wake up!"
Ruby bolted upright at the panic in is voice, her heart in her throat. "What's wrong? What is it?"
"The barn. It's on fire. I need you to stay here with the children while I get the animals out."
Ruby barely had time to search Archie's eyes before he raced out of the bedroom. She scrambled out of bed and rushed to the main door, throwing it open to a sight that made her stomach drop. To her horror, a thick cloud of black smoke billowed from the roof of the great structure, flames licking up its sides.
Archie looked so small as he yanked open the large wooden doors, and Ruby would have cried out for him to stop if she could.
"What's wrong?" a small voice asked from behind her.
Ruby turned around and rushed over to August. She enveloped him in a hug before she leaned back on the balls of her feet, her grip tight on his arms.
"I need you to stay here with Peter, alright? Can you do that, as his big brother?"
August's eyes widened, but he nodded with all seriousness. Ruby's heart swelled to see him choose to be brave despite the fear in his eyes. She pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Stay inside with Peter," Ruby instructed again, nudging him to the bedroom before turning towards the door. "I'm going to help your father."
Still clad in her nightgown, Ruby rushed outside, trying to ignore the fear that pounded in her ears and clawed at her chest. She paused and scanned for Archie, letting out a little breath when he emerged from the barn as he herded Flora outside. She could see the intense heat by the way it morphed her view of him, as if rippling in a pool of water.
She felt her knees begin to buckle and she gripped the post of the porch. "God, please keep him safe," she begged, her mouth dry as she offered the only little prayer she could muster. "Please, keep him safe."
She repeated the phrase to herself as she spotted the well a few feet away. She knew Archie had told her to stay inside, but she couldn't just sit and watch as he fought to save everything he'd worked so hard for.
Please, just come back to me. We can get other animals. Everything else can be replaced.
Ruby could smell the acrid smoke even though she was yards away as the sickly stench of burning permeated the homestead. She grabbed the closest bucket she could find and began to fill it up, not caring how much of a difference it would make. When that bucket was filled, she raced to find another, and then another. She ran to fill up the water trough, though the heat singed her skin. All the while, she kept her eyes fixed on the barn as much as she could, the flames dancing higher and higher, the timber beams cracking.
Archie, get out of there!
The only thing that pulled Ruby from her trance was the sight of a lone rider on a horse racing towards them. In a moment, she could see it was David, and she ran to him as he barely brought the horse to a stop before he jumped off.
"David! The barn's on fire!" she cried, barely able to form words.
"I saw. Where's Archie?"
Ruby could feel hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "He's inside."
David gave a firm nod before he grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket and dunked it in one of Ruby's buckets. He tied it around his mouth as he strode towards the barn with even steps.
Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat, suddenly feeling so dry that tears could no longer form. She couldn't let David walk into danger as well—what good would it do to lose them both? But she couldn't bring herself to stop him, either. She'd give anything to make sure Archie was okay.
The yard was in chaos, with animals rushing in all directions, Pongo racing around barking along with the moos of Flora and the terrified sounds of the other animals. As Ruby frantically filled every container she could find, ignoring the sting in her muscles, Archie and David rushed to save what they could—saddles and tack, tools, and—most important after the animals—the feed.
A rush sounded from the building as the frame shifted, and Ruby froze, fearing the worst.
Get out!
Archie and David emerged from inside, covering their mouths with their arms as the ran away. Ruby let out a gasp as hope bubbled up from deep within her, to see him in one piece.
He stumbled towards her, aided by David, and Ruby dunked the edge of her nightshirt in the cool water before rushing to meet him.
"Stay back! Get"—cough—"get back—get back inside."
He sank to the ground and Ruby threw herself in front of him, landing hard on her knees. She ripped at the edge of her nightshirt, tearing off the wet fabric to wipe at his brow and face as she cupped his cheek. "What were you thinking?" she cried, her pulse racing in both fear and joy in equal measure. He fell towards her, sinking his forehead onto her shoulder, and Ruby struggled to support his weight as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm—I'm sorry," he panted as she stroked the back of his head, revelling in the warm weight of him. He was alive.
"Sh-h-h-h, it's okay, it's okay," she murmured. He leaned back to meet her gaze, and her hands fluttered over his cheeks and brushed his hair from his forehead. Their eyes locked, and Ruby felt a surge of emotion, unable to read what she saw in the blue depths of his gaze. Then, he turned his head quickly, overcome in a fit of coughing, and Ruby rubbed his back.
"Let's get you inside," she insisted, glancing up at David to help her. Archie stood as best he could, supported by Ruby and David on either side, and let them lead him to the house. Ruby jumped when she heard the crack of splitting timber followed by the final thud of the barn crashing to pieces, but she refused to look behind her as she put one foot in front of the other.
Archie shuffled along and fell into the nearest chair, once inside. Ruby barely noticed David tell her he was leaving to douse the rest of the fire as she searched Archie for any serious burns.
"Pa?" August whispered from the bedroom door.
Archie twisted in his chair and winced. "I'm okay, Son," Archie assured him, though his voice was weak.
He leaned forward, panting heavily. "I have to make sure it's out," he told Ruby, trying to get up.
"You'll do no such thing," Ruby firmly replied. "David's out there."
"I need to make sure it's out."
"I'll go help."
"Ruby, I can't let you—"
"August, Sweetheart, Peter's okay, right?" Ruby turned to the boy in the doorway, keeping her hand pressed to Archie's shoulder to ensure he didn't move.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Come watch your pa and get a cloth with some water. I'm going to go help Uncle David."
August moved to his new post and soon, Ruby and David were throwing the last of the pails of water on the mass of embers until they were nothing more than sizzling ash.
Ruby let her pail fall to the ground, staring at the pile of charred logs, traces of smoke rising in delicate curls. Her breaths came heavy as her body fought to drag air into her lungs, her legs and arms burning with exhaustion, and she almost missed David beside her.
She sank into him when he placed his arm around her shoulder.
"You did good," he whispered with a squeeze, and Ruby let out a whimper, barely believing that it was truly over.
And yet, the rubble that stood before her was proof of the work that lay ahead.
Ruby let David lead her back to the house, numb to her surroundings in the eerie quiet.
"Is it out?" Archie asked as soon as they entered, his voice hoarse, and Ruby rushed to his side.
"It's out," she assured him, placing her hand on his shoulder with a gentle squeeze.
"I saw the smoke from my place," David explained, still panting to catch his breath, and Ruby only then realized how covered in soot he was. "I rushed over as soon as I saw."
"Thank you," Archie replied, sitting up straighter.
David looked from Ruby to Archie. "I'll corral the animals into one of the paddocks before I go," he said gesturing towards the door. Ruby was about to offer to help, but David raised his hand. "It's fine—you stay here."
Ruby simply nodded and closed the door behind him, turning her focus back to Archie.
"I'll get some ointment for those hands," she said, immediately crossing the room to the cupboard. "August, can you get some soap and water for me, please?"
Together, Ruby and August managed to bathe Archie's raw palms. She noticed his lips were dry and cracked, also, and his face was still smeared with soot where August had wiped at his pa's forehead. Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat at the sight of Archie so vulnerable. Though he'd escaped without any serious wounds, the threat of losing him to the inferno still gripped Ruby with such fear that she didn't want to break away. She kept a cloth to his forehead or a hand to his cheek, just to reassure herself all was well.
"It's not that bad," Archie assured her with a tired smile as she finished wrapping his hands.
"I'll be the judge of that," Ruby replied firmly, as if chastising a child. She let the corner of her mouth quirk upwards, though, despite the tears welling in her eyes, and she noticed Archie's eyes crinkle in a faint version of his signature smile.
Concern creased his brow once more, and Ruby frowned.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
"It's not your fault," Ruby murmured, wiping at his already-clean brow. The action had become a comfort for herself more than anything.
He shook his head gently, and Ruby held it in place.
"Your trunk—your books, your supplies—they were all lost in the fire." His blue eyes searched her own, and emotion swelled in her chest.
"Oh, Archie, it doesn't matter," she replied firmly, a gentle smile spreading as tears pricked her eyes. "I can get more things."
"I—you were supposed to go on the next wagon train," he continued, his voice hoarse.
Ruby shook her head almost violently as something stabbed at her chest. "There'll be other trains," she replied with a crack in her voice. "We'll talk about it later."
He relaxed under her touch, and she tucked a curl behind his ear as his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.
The next step was convincing the patient that he needed to rest, and only with August and Ruby's stubborn insistence did Archie finally let Ruby guide him to the bedroom.
"I'm filthy," Archie groaned as he lay down.
"I'll do laundry," Ruby replied, unfazed. She'd make a new quilt, if it came down to it, though such a concern was the farthest thing from her mind. She let out a sigh of relief when Archie closed his eyes when his head hit the pillow.
It was only when Ruby was about to pick Peter up from his cradle that she realized the state she herself was in. Her nightdress was ruined, soaked and torn and stained black with ash and dirt, and she was in a downright immodest state. She cleaned up as best she could with the wash basin and threw on a clean outfit before she picked Peter up for his feeding, her eyelids heavy as she rocked.
The young mother was completely unaware that David poked his head into the cabin before he left, or that the nine-year-old made himself a meal of bread and jam while the rest of his family slept.
It rook awhile for Ruby to fully process what had happened. Mary Margaret and David visited the next day to ensure that all was well—or as well as it could be. Archie walked the property with David and took stock of the damage while the women visit inside, and Ruby was grateful for the food her friend had brought with her, having been unable to do much in the way of cooking. It also helped to talk things through with someone whose experience and perspective calmed Ruby somewhat. The barn fire was devastating, and yet, they'd been spared from far greater damages—and Ruby was at a loss as to how to thank their dearest friends for their help.
Though much needed, the visit was short, and Ruby was quick to insist that Archie come back inside. He, in turn, insisted that he was fine, but it didn't take long for him to concede to Ruby's instruction and to stay seated by the fire after Mary Margaret and David had left.
One evening, Ruby watched Archie hunched over the table, the firelight flickering against his hair, making it appear more vibrant than usual as he furrowed his brow over his books. Everything had been in order for the spring—just in time for the planting—and then, it was gone.
"We're lucky that this happened when it did," Archie said, looking up to meet Ruby's gaze as if he could read her thoughts. She started before she frowned at him. The dim light and the shadows cast by the lamp on the table accentuated the shadows under his eyes, and Ruby could feel the strain he was under, planning for his most important season after being left with only a fraction of his supplies.
"Lucky?" Ruby said, a crack in her voice.
Archie chuckled. "Well, not lucky—fortunate. Blessed." He offered her a smile, though it wasn't as bright as usual, and Ruby could see how tired he was from the way his laugh lines barely appeared. "The planting was finished—I didn't lose any seed. All of the livestock was spared. Most of the feed was lost, but David can take Flora for us for awhile and keep her fed in exchange for some milk. Cleo can graze on the spring growth—horses can graze on just about anything, anyways. We might have to sell the pig, but I think things will work out just fine."
Ruby bit her tongue as tears pricked at her eyes. She said nothing and simply excused herself to put the baby to bed. She walked around the table behind Archie, taking in the form of a man who, though tested time and time again, showed great resolve in moving forward with more dignity and cheer than she could ever begin to imagine.
After tucking Peter snugly in his cradle, Ruby returned to the main room to find Archie asleep, his glasses on the table and his head resting on his arms over his books. Something tugged at her chest, and she grabbed a blanket and placed it around his shoulders, noticing the bare skin at the nape of his neck and the soft curls that were growing long at his temple. The storm of emotions that had raged within her over the last day beat against her ribs, and she was suddenly filled with the urge to brush her lips against his temple as he lay sleeping. She froze, her fingers tight around the blanket before she adjusted it around his broad shoulders and took a step back, quickly retreating to the safety of her bedroom.