About Two Months Later

Days and weeks went by but the Kid still rode alone. Rumors reached him now and then; Heyes was seen here and there, in bad company, pulling risky jobs that he'd never would have done before.

More than once he read about him in newspapers. The bank of Fort Worth, one of Heyes's biggest temptations ever, had been robbed. The heist had been an ongoing argument between the partners - Heyes assessed it possible and profitable, Curry declared it for too dangerous. Both had been right.

The loot had been incredible but the heist had ended in bloodshed; two watchmen injured, the robbers on the run, one of them caught, one of them dead. Kid Curry's heart stood still. They didn't mention a name. They would, if it had been him, right? Heyes had a reputation!

A simple assumption wasn't enough to settle it for him. He didn't even take the time to finish his coffee. He just grabbed his belongings and left immediately heading for Fort Worth. He pushed his horse to its limit, riding throughout the days and half of the nights. He couldn't close his eyes. Heyes's face haunted him; that last look on his face - and then the same dark brown eyes empty and broken.

A few days later the relief - Heyes had been in the robbery but was still on the run. The reward on his name rose.

Kid Curry was close to Fort Worth when he had heard the news. Both, he and his horse, were about to collapse. Man and mount needed a break and so he stopped for a few days to recover. The young man tried to gather his thoughts. Where would Heyes be now? Planning what? He cursed the nameless devil that had taken possession of the elusive schemer.

Self-doubts began torturing Kid Curry's mind. He was supposed to keep Heyes alive! How could he do his job when his friend was fleeing from him? Curry wasn't one to give up too soon, but over time he got close to desperation. They had been separated before, but always temporarily. The thought of never seeing his partner again scared him more than he would ever admit. His soul was torn apart and the hole inside hurt more than any physical pain he had ever endured.

The Kid followed the slightest clues but couldn't manage to catch up to Heyes. Summer wore old and fall arrived but still he got no hold of his friend.

In the end it was pure coincidence that he found him. The Kid was nearly flat broke when he reached the dusty town late at night. It was crispy cold outside so he decided to get warm for a while in the cheapest saloon in town. It was loud and crowded despite the late hour and he weaved his way towards a quieter table at the far side of the room.

When he got closer he saw that the table was already occupied. A slender figure lay halfway across the top of it, the head rested on the arms and was covered by a well-known battered hat. In front of the motionless body sat an almost empty whiskey bottle and a fallen shot glass.

Hope sprouted and the Kid stepped closer cautiously, forcing an uncertain smile on his face.

"Heyes?" he addressed him quietly, then retrying it a mite louder. "Heyes!"

Still earning no response, he grabbed the shoulder of his friend and shook him. "C'mon, Heyes, wake up!"

The hat slipped off the head. The sight that opened to the Kid let him pale and wiped the false smile off his face. Heyes's handsome features had turned into hard lines, even now when he was asleep ... or rather unconscious. Dark rings surrounded his eyes and he looked completely run-down.

"Heyes!" the Kid hunkered down beside his friend. "What happened?"

Still he noticed no movement. Kid Curry's heart froze. Scared to his very bones he felt for signs of life and found shallow breathing and a slow unregular heartbeat.

He rose and waved at the bartender and indicating Heyes he asked, "Sorry, friend but do you know how long he has been this way?"

The man thought it over. "Came in yesterday and began drinking as if it was his last day on earth. Gave me his money first and told me to keep the whiskey coming until it ran out. Not sure when he finally passed out."

"You have a doctor in this godforsaken town?"

"No, sir, died in June and hasn't been replaced yet." The bartender nodded towards Heyes. "You know him?"

"Yeah. I'd like to get him outta here. You know a cheap place for him to sleep it off?"

"Well now, it's late. If he's no trouble you can bring him into the back room 'till morning when you can move him to the boarding house. You won't make it that far when he's like that." The bartender nodded knowingly towards the drunken man.

"Thanks."

Kid Curry shouldered his friend and made his way out of the busy room. The back room was dusty and musty but it had a cot in it as well as a bucket and the Kid wasn't asking for anything more. Cautiously he eased Heyes down on the cot before he turned around to face the bartender.

"How much?"

"Don't you mind, I'll take it from the money he handed me. You'll keep an eye on him, I guess?" He rooted in his pocket, fished out a bunch of dollar bills, picked a few of them out and pushed the rest into Heyes's vest pocket.

"Thanks. Just tell me where I can get some water."

The bartender motioned him out towards the back door and pointed into the darkness. "There's a pump only a few steps away. Just help yourself."

"Thanks for your help," the Kid replied.

After a quick look at Heyes he went out to get some water. When he returned he knelt down next to his unconscious friend. A touch to Heyes's forehead told him how cold and damp the skin felt.

He didn't like the state of his friend and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Would simply allowing him to sleep his drunkenness off work? He couldn't put his finger on it but he had a bad feeling about the level of his intoxication.

The Kid sighed and rolled up his sleeves. He pulled off Heyes's shirt and turned his friend onto his side. Cautiously he steadied his head over the bucket, inhaled a deep breath and forced his fingers into his friend's mouth inducing violent retching. Heyes threw up a lot of liquid and the Kid repeated the task several times until his friend's stomach was empty finally.

Heyes instinctively tried to pull away during the procedure, muttering unintelligible words, but didn't regain consciousness.

Suppressing his own nausea, Kid Curry took the bucket outside, emptied it, washed it out and refilled it with clean water. He took a short rest and sucked in the cool and fresh night air before he returned to his friend.

The Kid knelt down beside him. He took his bandanna off, soaked it and started to carefully clean his partner's face. The more dust he got off Heyes's skin, the less he liked what he was seeing. That peaky face didn't seem to belong to the handsome lively outlaw he knew so well. The skin was not only pale but it had an omnious blue tint.

Curry stayed by his friend's side, trying to make him sip some water from time to time, too worried to get some rest for himself. Sometimes he ran his fingers through Heyes's thick dark hair, pushed it back and assured himself he was still with him.

Near morning Heyes began to stir and eventually blinked his eyes. When he noticed his partner, a quiet smile smoothed the hard lines on his face.

"Kid...?" he muttered.

"Be quiet," the Kid ordered him strictly. "You're drunk and you're sick but we have to move. I have to leave you for a while and get you a room."

Heyes's face went blank again. He choked hard and slurred a few words. "Have. Hotel. Red Rooster."

"All right." Kid Curry nodded. "I'm not sure how to get you there. I think the best thing is to get my horse. You won't make it that far on your feet."

He rose and headed for the door. Before he opened it, he turned around once more. "I'll be back, all right?"

Heyes's nod was barely noticeable but it was enough to reassure him. The Kid left the saloon through the front door. He exchanged a few words with the tired bartender to inform him they would be leaving soon.

Outside he untied his horse, led it around the corner and into the backstreet. He tied it again close to a through near the back door and let it drink while he left to fetch Heyes.

Slowly, step by step, more carrying then guiding his friend he maneuvered him out on the street and up onto the horse. Getting him to the hotel was the easy part, getting him off the horse and up to his room took a lot more effort but finally it was accomplished.

Still Heyes was barely conscious. Carefully Kid Curry eased him down onto the bed and undressed him. Again, he was shocked at how much his friend's body had changed in the last few weeks. Heyes had always been slender but now he seemed skinny. The once trim figure appeared weary and neglected.

Appearance was important in Heyes's line of work and he had used his good looks to his advantage in the past, treating it like a well-maintained tool that was always used with special care. The Kid knew darn well how good-looking and well-shaped his partner's body once had been.

The Kid dragged the blankets over his friend and tucked them carefully around him. Heyes's skin felt clammy but at least he would warm up now.

Jed Curry had enough experience of his own with hangovers to notice the difference. He sat down on the edge of the bed, stroked the bangs off Heyes's eyes and studied the pale face while he gathered his thoughts.

Diluting the alcohol seemed to be a good idea to him, keeping him warm was another one. If it went along with getting him clean it was even better.

The Kid went down to the clerk and ordered a hot bath and breakfast including a lot of coffee. Maybe enough of that would help to drive out the daemons which had taken hold of Heyes.

When the order arrived, he hauled Heyes into the tub of hot water and let him soak. Meanwhile Jed took a seat close to him, prepared to steady him whenever it was needed, and tucked into his breakfast.

It turned out that Heyes wasn't short of money – How could he be, after last crazy job he had pulled? – and the Kid didn't hesitate to take advantage of the fact. If it turned out that he needed to pay him back, he would worry about it when the time came.

The water inside the tub was pretty hot and the Kid was pleased when he noticed how the color of Heyes's skin was changing from white via pink to red. The cold moistness had gone and was replaced by beads of sweat.

When Jed had finished his meal – the first proper one in days – the water had cooled down so he took a flannel and began washing his friend's body carefully. Most of the scars he found were like old friends to him, each of them telling its own story.

There was a long one running across the left side of his chest. It was only from his habit of twisting his torso when he fired that explained why Heyes was still alive. The bullet had scraped along his rib, instead of shattering it.

His left shoulder had been perforated by a bullet from a posse, chasing them half way down to Colorado.

And then a nasty one on his hip, Toledo '74, another close call. What the bullet hadn't managed to do had almost been completed by wound fever.

And yet it was just to name a small selection of the scars marking his skin.

Jed paused and shook his head. What had happened to them? Their bodies could be read like a diary of violence.

Besides the known marks he noticed some fresh wounds, too, as well as healing bruises and abrasions. His brow furrowed. It seemed that Heyes had deliberately gone out of his way to get hurt.

The Kid carried him back to the bed and wrapped the blankets around him again.

Heyes blinked and opened his eyes. His head felt twice its size and throbbed as if it was being worked on by a sledgehammer – every heartbeat was another hit. He tried to speak but his friend cut him off.

"Not a word! You're weak and you're drunk! Just shut up and sleep it off, will you?" he ordered him.

Heyes nodded slightly and took a sip of the offered water, before he drifted back into sleep again. Jed stayed in a chair next to him. Every time Heyes stirred he made him drink as much as possible before he let him fall back to sleep.

By the time Kid's own strength faded and he wasn't able to keep his eyes open any longer. Between two heartbeats he fell asleep, too.

-o-o-o-

It was late afternoon, when Jed awoke. Caused by the odd position his back ached and his legs were numb. For a moment, he was disoriented but his memories returned immediately. Turning his head, he found himself being watched by deep brown eyes, lit up by a quiet smile.

"Heyes, you're alright?" he asked cautiously while he straightened and loosened his tensed muscles.

"Kid..." Heyes's voice addressed him unfamiliar rough, but low and tender, sending warmth into the remotest corners of his body.

Unintentionally pictures of the fatal night flashed up in Kid Curry's mind. He blushed and his thoughts started spinning around again. Immediately he tried to gather himself and applied his poker face.

Heyes noticed the change. The sparkle in his eyes died and he turned his head away. "I'm sorry. I'm all right. You ... just leave. Just ... thank you," he murmured.

He choked hard. He didn't want to turn away but watch his partner's face as long as possible to take in every single line. Instead he refused himself that luxury. He wouldn't take the risk of seeing rejection and disgust in the familiar blue eyes, which he had known for most of his life. He felt a lump in his throat, closed his eyes and tried to safe the remainder of his dignity.

"Heyes," the Kid asked in his warm amiable voice, "look at me."

Heyes shook his head slightly, refusing to face him again.

Jed's heart went numb when he saw Heyes turning away. No excuse needed. He hadn't even found him worth a second look. He wouldn't forgive.

Time to accept it - he wasn't welcome anymore. Resigned Kid Curry rose, grabbed his saddlebags and shoved his meager belongings into them carelessly. When he was ready to leave, he turned around and glanced at his friend one more time. Suddenly he realized what felt wrong about the scene he was observing: Heyes's face showed no expression! The Kid should have known immediately, that he was just trying to pull the wool over his partner's eyes. Actually, Heyes had something on his mind and probably it was important.

Jed cursed under his breath. He missed their previous private connection and the instant alert it would have given to him. If there was only a way to make things unhappen ... well, if wishes were horses. At least the last weeks had taught him one lesson: about the really important parts of his life. He ignored the request of his friend to leave him be and sat down on the edge of the bed instead. The saddlebags dropped disregarded on the floor.

"You can and you will! Look at me!" the Kid ordered him.

Gradually Heyes followed the strict instruction and braced himself to face the expected rejection. It turned out it wasn't necessary. Jed's glance was unsure but showed only warmth and concern.

"What happened?" Jed asked, just before it dawned on him: the excessive alcohol, the high-risk jobs, the injuries – suddenly everything made sense. Within a beat, the Curry temper took over.

"Heyes, how dare you?!" he blurted out. "All your principles and 'robbery etiquette' for our gang! The devil only knows, what they'll do all alone up in the hole! Instead, you ride with that scum, risking your hide!? After all we have gone through! Don't dare to throw it all away! Blame me! Punish me! Damn, talk to me, Heyes!"

"Might not been loud enough to be heard in the sheriff's office. You'd better repeat it," Heyes countered ironically. "We'll have a lot of time to talk then!"

As suddenly as it appeared Jed's anger faded.

"Heyes ... why?" he asked in disbelief and shook his head.

"You really have to ask?" Heyes retorted with sharp sarcasm. "Shall I spell it for you?"

Jed blushed. "Only because of that one night?"

"Only?" Heyes snapped. "You turned me down because of what I am!"

"You turned me down for what I'd done!" the Kid shot back.

They paused, giving the words time to sink in. It was Heyes who finally spoke up.

"There's one thing that keeps me alive, you used to say. And I lost you." Heyes was calm and composed when he delivered his explanation for everything along with a wistful look of his deep dark eyes. He missed the one person he esteemed higher than himself, the other half of his soul.

Jed knew the feeling well but would never tread the same path as a forlorn Heyes had done.

"It was my fault." Jed admitted and ran fingers through his blond curls. "I never meant to hurt you, or invade your privacy. I was just watching your back." He frowned when he noticed the ambiguous meaning. "You know what I mean ..."

"You're not judging me?" Heyes asked in a bewildered voice. "But you rejected me, you turned away!"

"I was angry and ashamed. I'd thrown away your trust."

"Kid, you can't throw away my trust. I would entrust you with my life – any time! Damn, you know that!" Heyes scolded him.

"Yeah? And why did you turn away from me than?" Curry shot back.

Heyes gazed into space. "I couldn't stand your disgust."

"I wasn't disgusted, I was confused!" Jed said. 'And damned hot,' he added in his mind. "Had to think it over."

Silence filled the room.

Simultaneously they exchanged sheepish glances and shared an uncertain chuckle.

"We should have talked," Heyes admitted after a while.

"That's what you always do, but never when it's really necessary!" his friend complained.

"Maybe you're right..." Cautiously Heyes raised his hand and rested it on his friend's forearm. Physical contact had always been essential for Heyes since they'd lost their families. His stance relaxed immediately.

"Heyes, I know you're a damned thief, but never steal yourself away again! I can't keep you alive when you throw yourself away." Jed told him seriously.

He pursed his lips and continued. "Just to settle it: I don't judge you. I'm not glad, but I won't stand in your way. When you need that buck, go on! If you need it, I'll cover you."

Heyes frowned, forming another question in his eyes.

"It's all right, Heyes, no need to explain," Jed said, but even the thought of Heyes in the company of another man drove him up the wall; he wanted that dark-haired devil himself. It had taken some time to accept it, but after all it was the truth.

Heyes still watched his friend. He pursed his lips and took a deep breath. The die was cast. Time to make a clean sweep, taking the risk it would be followed by a clean cut. Recalling the last weeks, he had nothing left to lose anyway.

"Kid, he meant nothing to me. Nothing more than one of your doves."

"I doubt, that I whisper their name when I come," Kid Curry grumbled.

"You doubt ... what? Kid, you must have had a damn close look! Did you enjoy it?" he asked sarcastically and shot a glance at him.

His partner avoided his eyes.

"You did!" Heyes noticed in amazement and beamed at him. "You really did! And yet you didn't catch the name..."

"To hell with that damned name," Jed Curry growled upset, "and as well with its owner!"

Heyes chuckled. "Be careful with your wish..."

"Why?" the blond snapped back.

"It was yours."

"It – Heyes!" Kid Curry's jaw dropped. The look on his face was priceless. "You're still drunk!"

Heyes shook his head slightly and replied deliberately. "Nope."

It took no effort to recall the picture in Jed's mind. Heyes's joyful face turned upwards, his lips mouthing ... 'Jed'. One single word that changed so much.

"But Heyes...me? How long...?" Jed Curry asked confused.

"Since I was nineteen, Kid," Heyes answered and met his gaze firmly. "You remember that one night by the river? We got drunk and went swimming in the dead of night."

The Kid nodded. "Yeah, partially. It was great, but damned cold when we got out of the water."

"Yeah." A short smile flashed up on Heyes's face and sent a glitter into his eyes. "We couldn't get dry quick enough. When I turned around and saw you panting heavily ... your light curls darkened by the water, the moonlight sparkling on your wet skin ... it quite honestly changed my life."

"But you ..." Jed tried to object but Heyes cut him off.

"Yeah. I left the next day," he confirmed. "Even I knew it was wrong! I'm sorry, Kid. It happened with no ill intent. I just can't help myself."

The Kid's heart skipped a beat. "That's why you really left me? Twice?" He blushed again. "And you never told me!?"

"How could I have told you? I can almost hear me: 'Kid, you're the greatest gift in God's wide world. I'm yours – just take me! All of me!' Don't say you wouldn't have flattened me!"

Jed grinned. "Hard to say in hindsight, isn't it?"

He bent over and gently brushed a probing kiss on the other man's lips. Heyes didn't respond. The look on his face was unforgettable.

"What?" Jed frowned.

"Kid! You ..." he sounded confused, almost shocked.

"C'mon Heyes, a beautiful butt never hurts my eyes. I guess, it doesn't matter when it's yours. It ain't that bad, if I recall it right."

Heyes startled and frowned up at him. "Kid?"

"You could show it to me, just to be sure," he suggested mischievously, although he liked Heyes's back view very much.

"I can't forget you, Heyes; your voice, your face, your gorgeous ..." the Kid bent down and kissed him once again. Heyes's soft and tender lips responded, opened slightly and invited him in.

"Heyes, I want to see you looking like that again!" Jed murmured at those lips before he accepted the invitation.

He had kissed a lot of women before. This kiss was similar and different at the same time – more bitter but more intimate, too. The Kid gave the best his lips and tongue had to offer. When they finally parted both of them were out of breath.

Heyes reached out his hand and tenderly ran his fingers through Jed Curry's curly hair while he caressed the face with his big brown eyes.

"No need to rush things. Maybe you will. We've got all the time we need," he promised him in that dark low tone that sent blissful shivers down Jed's spine.

Another piece of life's puzzle fell into place and made it feel somehow more complete.

Something very special, which had stretched until it wasn't noticeable anymore bounced back and returned into their awareness again. The only thing that had changed was its name, but it wasn't important for them for they never called it by its name anyway.