Hi All! Here is another chapter of my Snowy River Fanfiction!

Enjoy!

Josie drifted in and out of consciousness over the next couple of days as the fever ravaged through her, sapping her strength away and leaving her even weaker. Colin, Emily and Montana took turns sitting with her, trying to get her to drink when she was awake, trying to get the fever down but they couldn't.

It was late at night when Josie woke again, tired and hot. She could feel the fever weakening her and she knew she had to fight it, but she just felt so exhausted, so worn out. Her mouth and throat were so dry, the fever draining her of her fluids. She could feel Colin wiping her face with a cool cloth. It felt so nice on her hot, flushed skin. She opened her eyes for a second, but they fell closed again and she moaned wearily.

Colin saw her eyes open for a moment, and for a second he thought she was coming out of it, but it quickly died away as she moaned, barely audible. 'Josie?' He saw her eyelids flutter. 'I'm going to give you some more water honey.' He put the cup to her lips, but the girl wouldn't drink. 'Josie, you've got to drink. Drink it please sweetheart. It will make you feel better.'

Josie could hear him pleading and opened her mouth slightly so that he could pour the water in. She slowly swallowed it, letting him force her to drink till he thought she had had enough. She could feel her body being taken over by the infection, and was fighting it, but she felt like she couldn't fight any longer. She was tired, so so tired.

Colin put the cup back on the bedside table and looked back at the girl. As he watched, he saw her breathing become shallower, than it stopped. 'No Josie! You can't give up!' He began to push down on the girls chest, trying to get her to breath again, then he opened her mouth and blew into her lungs, then repeated it. Finally he heard her start breathing again and sighed with relief. 'Thank God.'

Josie didn't know what had happened, but she could hear Colin thanking God for something, she didn't know that she had just almost died. She could hear him talking, but only faintly as she nestled down into the soft pillow to sleep, then she felt Colin's hands on her cheeks.

Colin gently cradled her face with his hands. He'd almost lost her, had he been sleeping, he would have woken to her being dead. 'Josie, you listen to me sweetheart. You can't go yet, we all need you. Thunder, Trigger, Lass, they need you to look after them.' He paused as he looked into her closed eyes. 'And I need you. In the last few days that I've been looking after you, I've gotten attached to you. Your like a sister to me. I know that this is selfish of me, but I want you to get better. I want to show you what a family is like, I want to show you what it's like to be loved, and wanted. I want to protect you, keep you safe, dry your eyes when your crying, and laugh with you when your happy. Josie, you have to fight to get better, you have to fight!' He gently kissed her on her cheek as he stood up to put another log on the fire, praying silently. 'Please Josie. Please.'

Montana was woken by the clock a couple hours later from where she had slept on the floor beside Josie's bed. She yawned softly as she sat up, then looked at Colin who was snoring quietly in the chair, his head beside Josie's. She got up carefully, so that she didn't wake them and walked over to the girl. In the light of the fire, she saw how pale the girl looked and a fear gripped her until she saw the girl breathing steadily, yes it was shallow, but it was steadyer then it had been before. She gently placed her hand on the girls forehead and cheeks, then smiled. Her fever was gone. She walked around the bed to Colin and placed her hand on his shoulder to wake him. 'Colin, Josie's fever has broken.'

Colin woke up and placed his hand on her forehead. 'Thank you Lord.' He looked at the clock, it was only three hours after he had prayed. 'Thank you.'

Montana unwrapped the girls leg where the infection had started and sighed with relief as she saw that it had began to recede. 'The infection is calming down too Colin. I think she might be okay.'

Colin took a look for himself and saw that what she said was true. 'I think your right.' He glanced at the girl. 'I can't tell if she's unconscious or just sleeping.' He sat down again and took the girls hand in his. 'Josie? Josie? Can you hear me?' He watched for a response, but there was none. 'Josie, wake up honey.' Still there was nothing. Colin sighed as he looked at Montana, then back at Josie. 'Its alright, I can wait.' He was about to put her hand down when he felt it move. 'Josie?'

'Tired.' Josie muttered. 'Thirsty.'

Colin sighed with relief. 'You had us so worried Josie, you know that?' He playfully teased her as he poured a glass of water. 'Here you go.'

Josie fairly gulped the water down, then opened her eyes, her breathing steadier. 'Thanks. Where's Lass? And Thunder?'

'Lass is asleep on the floor.' Montana replied as she played with the girls hair. 'And Thunder is outside the door. Both of them refused to move, they didn't want to leave you.'

Josie smiled. 'They're great pets. Lass has always looked after me, so has Thunder. I don't know what I would do without them.'

Colin gently placed his hand on her shoulder. 'You can go back to sleep now honey. We can talk in the morning, if you feel up to it.'

'Alright.' She nodded as she closed her eyes, snuggling down into the blankets.

Montana looked at Colin. 'I think I going back to sleep too, I've got to help out with bringing the cattle down tomorrow.' She put another log on the fire and laid back down in the bed she had made on the floor. 'Night Colin.'

'Night Montana.' Colin sat staring into the fire as he gently held onto the girls hand, praying a prayer of thanks that she was going to be okay.

Colin was awoken a few hours later when the sun began to rise, shining on his face. He could faintly hear the rest of the family preparing breakfast, and he got up to go tell them the good news, leaving Montana and Josie to sleep. Quietly he stepped out the door, pulling it shut behind him, then walked into the dining room, a hush falling over them as he came in. 'Josie's fever broke just after midnight, she's going to be alright.'

'That's wonderful news Colin.' Rob said as he helped himself to think bacon. 'I guess that means you can help us today with the muster.'

Colin shook his head. 'I'm going to stay with her for a couple more days, she's not completely out of the woods yet.'

'What about tomorrow Colin?' Emily asked as he sat down beside her to grab a quick bite to eat. 'You've got services to do.'

'I didnt think about that.'

'It's okay, I'll stay with her.' Danni offered. 'I don't mind, and I can get a chance to know why she's so special that you've forgotten me.'

Colin playfully punched her gently on the arm. 'Your not getting jealous are you Danni?'

'Maybe. I might just deck you if you don't hand me the toast.' Danni teased back. 'I don't mind Col, I have to share you with Emily anyway.'

'Very funny.' Colin replied, then saw Rob taking the last of the bacon and eggs. 'Going to save any for Montana Rob?'

Rob looked up. 'I probably should, where is she anyway?'

'Still sleeping. I didn't want to disturb her.'

'Good idea Colin.' Michael added as he ate his scrambled eggs. 'She doesn't take kindly to being woken.'

'And what gives me the feeling you were the reason?' Kathleen said as she looked at her son. 'She told me what you did.'

'I thought she liked having early mornings.'

'Not that early.' Montana said as she walked in. 'Morning all.'

'Morning Montana.' Matt said as he handed her a plate. 'We were just discussing what Michael did a couple weeks back.'

'Oh really?' Montana sat down. 'Just remember I'll get you back Michael.'

'Was Josie still sleeping when you left?' Colin asked as he scraped the rest of the scrambled eggs onto her plate.

Montana nodded. 'Yes, and soundly. Your going to have a hard time waking her, she was snoring when I slipt out.'

'Have you given it much thought what we're going to do with her Colin?' Kathleen began to clear the tables. 'Her family must be worried about her.'

'Ah, no.' He gave her a look that said they would talk about it when the kids were gone. 'How about you and Michael go get a headstart on your chores Danni.'

'Sure.' Danni got up. 'Come on Michael.'

Colin looked at Kathleen after they had left. 'I didn't want to discuss it in front of them, it's not something they should hear.' He pulled the letter he had found out of his pocket. 'Josie doesn't have much of a family that I can tell, except for an uncle. I can't be sure of it, but Josie is covered in scars from begins beatern, and I think he's the one who did it. I'm not going to ask her outright though, in case she lashes out.'

Kathleen nodded. 'That sounds fair enough.'

'I'd take guardianship of her.' Montana offered. 'But the law here states that it has to be a married couple, and of course, I'm not married.'

'Emily and I did speak about the possibility of us taking her in, but we don't have the money, let alone a house yesterday big enough to be able to do that. I don't want her being thrown in an orphanage though.'

Kathleen looked at Matt. 'What about us, Matt? We could take her in, if she needs a permanent home.'

'I guess we could, if we needed to.' Matt replied. 'But she would need to agree to it, after all, she might have other family that would want her.'

'I don't think so Dad.' Colin looked at the clock. 'We don't need to decide anything straight away, but we need to at least know its on the cards. I probably should go check on her, so excuse me.' He walked out of the room.

Kathleen looked at the letter intently. 'I seem to recognize this handwriting from somewhere, but I can't remember where.'

'May I look at it Kathleen?' Emily asked, then it was handed to her. 'Hmmm, it does seem familiar somehow.' She suddenly figured it out. 'Widow Thermon! The old lady that ordered some dresses off me a couple years back.'

'Do you know where she lived Emily?' Matt asked. 'It might be able to help find any family.'

Emily shook her head. 'No. She was just passing through, but she was by herself. She did mention she only had one son left though, her other one and his wife died in a bank robbery.'

'Josie's uncle.' Montana said as she figured out the connection. 'I'd really love to find out more about him.'

'That will have to wait.' Rob said as he stood up. 'We have cattle to get moving.'

'Yes.' Matt placed his plate on the pile. 'We should probably get to it.'

'Right.' Montana agreed as Mrs. Tan came in to get the plates. 'I'll see you later Kathleen if your gone to town before we finish.'

'Bye Montana.' Kathleen said as they walked out, then turned to Emily. 'I really should get my shopping list done.'

'Better add tumeric to the list, I used most of it on Josie's wounds, speaking of Josie, I really should go see if she's awake and wanting anything to eat.' She stood up and walked into their room, Colin sitting beside the still sleeping Josie. 'Do you want me to prepare some food for her?'

Colin nodded. 'I can keep it warm beside the fire till she wakes up. Just broth or something like that.'

'Alright.' Emily walked out and soon came back with a steaming bowl. 'I'll just put it here for the moment, I have sewing I really need to get done for Mrs. Wismann.'

'Thanks Emily.' Colin replied as she left, then he got up and grabbed the bowl of broth and placed it on the bedside table to let it cool.

Josie could smell something really good and opened her eyes. 'Mmm, that smells tasty.'

'Welcome back to the would Josie.' Colin teased. 'Did you have a good sleep?'

Josie shook her head. 'Nightmare.' She looked away from him, not waiting him to ask, then she saw her dog. 'Come here Lass.' The dog got up and jumped onto the bed. 'Good girl.'

Colin saw she considered the matter closed as she patted the dog. There was something he could see in her eyes, like a haunting, scared look that had taken hold of her. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and felt her flince and pull away. 'It's okay Josie, I'm not going to hurt you. Do you want some chicken broth?'

Josie nodded as he removed his hand. It had taken her back to memories of her uncle touching her, though not so gently and with a whip normally, after he had tied her up so she couldn't run. But she didn't want Colin to know she was scared of him, he had been so kind to her. 'Yes, please.' She went to raise her arm to grab the spoon, but yelped and put it back down as she felt the wound on her shoulder. 'Ouch.'

'Don't try and more Josie.' Colin said as he began to give her spoonfuls of broth. 'The panther scratched you up good.'

'Right.' Josie remembered the panthers. 'Did you manage to shoot them?'

Colin shook his head. 'I'm more at hope with a Bible then a gun, although being able to shoot straight would have been helpful.'

'I guessed as much.' Josie said in between spoonfuls. 'Being a preacher. But sometimes you need a gun to protect yourself, and the things you love, and you want to be able to hit what you aim at.'

'Is that why you carry one?' He said without thinking, then realized he shouldn't have said it. 'Sorry Josie.'

'It was my fathers pistol.' She replied, then went quiet. 'Sometimes you need to protect what's yours.' She looked at Lass. 'Like my dog. When the panther knocked me off my horse, she attacked it, and I knew the panther was stronger then her so I fired off a shot to scare it off. I didn't shoot it cause I wasn't sure if I could kill it in one go, and a wounded panther is worse than a normal one. What happened to them anyway?'

'Your stallion finished them off.' Colin placed the empty bowl back down on the table. 'What were you doing up in that part of the high country anyway. There is no one around for miles.'

'That was the point of being there.' Josie looked away from Colin as she began to play with her dogs fur, knowing she might as well get it over and done with. 'I'm running away.'

'I guessed as much.' Colin put some laudanum on a spoon. 'Here's your medicine for the pain. What are you running away from Josie?' He gently prodded.

'Who, more like.' Josie stared at the ceiling. 'My uncle.' She went silent as she remembered, then started from the beginning. 'I haven't always been an orphan. I had a loving home, and good parents till I was six.' A tear rolled down her face. 'I wanted to be grown up, like my mum and dad and I convinced them I wanted my own bank account. Thinking back on it, it was the worst decision of my entire life.'

Colin gently wiped away the tears on her face. 'Why?'

'While we were there, a gang came in to rob the bank. Both my parents were killed in front of me. I was so scared they were going to kill me too that I hid under the desk till they had gone. When my grandmother heard about their murder, she sold her house in melbourn and came to take care of me and run the station. She did her best to raise me on her own, her husband having passed on before I was born. She taught me how to dance and cook, and how to shoot and bulldog a calf single handedly. She meant the world to me, spending every spare moment of her time to teach me something new, then she got sick. She called my uncle and his family over from England, and let him take over the station. At first I was really excited to have them living with us, till I found out what they were really like. My aunt sucked up to my grandma, as did the kids, just to get what they would think their station. I stayed away from them as much as I could, spending most of my time with the servants or out on the ranges with the stockman. It didn't get really bad till a couple years ago, when my uncle started drinking. Nanna knew he would was getting drunk on occasion, but she never knew what happened to me when he was in one of his rages.' She fell silent as the memories flooded back, tears falling down her face.

'What did he do?' Colin asked gently, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it for himself as he wiped her tears away.

'He would take me out to the barn and beat me. At first it was only once a week that he would hit and punch me, but as time wore on, it was almost every day. I couldn't tell my Nanna what was happening, she was too sick and I didnt want to bother her, so I hid it as best I could. After she died, and the will was read, he got angry when she left the station to me in trust, like my parents had wanted, then the beatings got worse. I never screamed when he hit me or anything, and it made him madder that I wouldn't call out, even though he would gag me every time, then hit me until I would pass out. I'd be covered in bruises, sometimes bleeding when he would finish and leave me in the hay loft to wake up. I stayed of his way as much as possible, going so far as to sleep out in the barn with the horses, too scared to even go near the house. One of the stockmen saw me one day and knew I had been beaten and tried to stop my uncle from doing it, but he got fired and was made to leave. The others knew, but they didn't say anything, worried they would lose their jobs too. Thunder and Lass tried to protect me from him, but they were both fearful of him and would cower in his presence. Finally I had had enough, and I took off. I didn't realize his son was following me, till his horse fell and he was injured. My uncle blamed me for the accident, and he took me into the barn to beat me, but I had enough and I punched him back. As I did, I fell on the stall door and got knocked out. When I woke, he had me tied up and had thrown me into the grain shed that was full of rats and left me in there for two days with no food or water, the rats constantly biting me. He finally took me out, but he tied me up and whipped me with the stockwhip. He threw me back in the grain shed, but I managed to get out. When he saw I had escaped, he whipped me again, worse then before till I fainted. I couldn't understand why he hated me so much until I woke up a couple days later and heard him and his wife talking. He blames me for my parents death, and he knew if he got me out of the way, the station and all the money would be his. Their plan was to ship me off to the poorhouse in Sydney, but I didn't want that to happen so even though I was badly hurt, I ran off, taking only a few things and my pets with me. I wasn't fast enough though and he caught and whipped me again, then left me to die in the scrub. A couple of aborigines found me and took care of me till the wounds healed, then I came up here where I've been for the last year or so. If I hadn't wanted to get that bank account when I was six, they would still be here.' She began to cry again, but tried to sniffle it away.

Colin gently cradled her head with his hands and kindly looked into her eyes with sympathy. 'Listen to me Josie, your parents being killed is not your fault. It could never be your fault.'

'But, I-'

'No buts sweetie. What happened was not your fault, none of it is your fault.' He brushed her tears away with his fingers, then gently ran them down the side of her face. 'What your uncle did to you will never happen again, you have my word. Your safe here, as long as you want to stay.'

Josie finally stopped crying and looked at Colin, the barriers she had put up for her protect in collapsing as she saw the concern on his face. 'What did I do to be treated like that? Why could someone be that mean? By the time Nanna passed, it didn't matter if he was drunk or sober for him to beat me, it was like I was nothing more than a punching bag for him to take his anger out on, a worthless possession.'

'Josie, you are not worthless.' He gazed into her brown eyes. 'You are a beautiful young girl who is a fighter. Saying you are worthless couldn't be further from the truth, you are priceless. I don't know why your uncle hurt you like that, I don't know what gets into people to treat other human beings like dirt, but I know this; your safe now, and he can't hurt you anymore, you have all us to protect you. Rob, Kathleen, Montana, all of us will look after you. You don't have to go through that again, ever.'

Josie looked at Colin, her eyes still watery. 'Promise?'

'Promise.' He affirmed. 'Your a sweet girl who has been through so much, it's time for that to change, time for you to have people who care for you.'

'But.' Her voice broke. 'What if he finds me. You can't stop him from taking me when he's legally my guardian still, and as long as I'm alive, he can't have the station.'

'You let us take care of that. Don't you worry about it.' He could see Josie breaking down in front of him. 'Josie, where does your Uncle live?'

'I have no idea where he is, and that's what's scary. He is a snake, and he changes his name to suite the company he is in. I know his kids are in Melbourn, at boarding school, but I don't even know his full name. I could never be bothered to find out, I was just trying to stay out of his way.' She began to shiver slightly as she thought of him. 'I've been too busy trying to survive to care about him, but I know one thing, I never want to see any of them again.'

Colin nodded. 'I can understand why.' He looked at the clock. 'I'm going to go get Emily, okay? She needs to change the dressings on your wounds.'

'Okay.'

'You'll be okay for a few minutes?'

'Yes.'

'Alright.' He stood up and walked out the door, then saw Montana and Emily standing there out of sight and motined for them to follow him to the living room. 'How much did you two hear?'

'All of it.' Emily replied. 'We didn't want to disturb her telling you about what happened, but now we three have heard it.'

'I don't think her knowing you two were eavesdropping is a good idea, so I think it's best if you pretend you don't know about it. I'll fill Dad and Rob in, but let her tell you herself if she wants too.'

'Sure Colin.' Montana replied. 'I just can't believe that a person could be so nasty to a child.'

'Neither can I.' Emily interjected. 'That poor girl.'

'How are we going to stop her uncle from finding her if we don't even know what his name is?' Montana asked. 'We can't hide her in that bedroom for forever.'

'I don't know.' Colin replied. 'But we have to figure out some way.'