Jed ran as fast as he could and jumped into the car. He started driving not really caring where he was going. He just had to get away and think. The cowboy finally stopped at the main hall and just sat there.
'How could I do that?' Jed asked himself, ' I didn't mean to hurt him. Lord this is my entire fault!'
Jed looked down at the dry blood on his hands. It was Octavius' blood. His best friend's blood. His soul brother's blood. He couldn't believe he did that. He drove back to the Frontier to see how Jane was and to tell Ida what happened.
Jane had gone tall and left to the hall of writers, it was close to when the sun would come up, and Ida got Teddy to help Jane over to where she was needed. "He deserves what you did to him Jed," Jedidiah had finished telling her what he had done to Octavius.
"No. He did not; I mean he wasn't even aware of Jane knowing about it! I just made everything worse!" Jed stated.
"One more minute till the sun!" called George.
"You did not; he needs to get it through his thick head that he can't be kissing any other lady!" Ida exclaimed.
Sighing, "I know. Still…you know what, you and I should go check up on him, and this time actually talk to him."
Pouting, "Fine, but I still think we should beat him up some more!"
Jed and Ida walked over to local doctor's office the next night. When they got in there they saw the doctor sitting down at his desk.
"Excuse me doctor. I was just wondering if general Octavius was brought in yesterday night?" Jed asked.
"Yes he was," the doctor replied.
"Is he alright?" Jed asked.
"He has some bruised ribs, a broken nose, and a severely bruised jaw but then again he is fine. He should make full recovery," the doctor said.
"Do you know where we could find him?" Ida asked.
"He is in the back room. I will let you go in and see him," the doctor said, "but will you do me a favor and let his wife, Jane, know what is going on."
"We'll do that," Ida said. As they walked into the back room Ida stopped. "Maybe you should talk to him…alone. I had better tell Jane."
Shaking his head, "That is probably best. Wish me luck." With that Jed entered the room.
It was a small room; Octavius was lying on a cot not noticing his presence. Jedidiah stood in a room of silence, he had to break it. "Nice room you got here," Jed said. Octavius turned the best he could to face Jed bewilderment struck Octavius gruesome features. The Roman general had circles around his eyes, cheeks tear stained, the Roman was not in his armor, but in plain underclothing.
"What are you doing here Jedidiah?" Octavius asked weakly, the words coming out as more of mumbling. His brown eyes barley open, Jed couldn't bear to look at his best friend. Jedidiah did this to Octavius. Sitting on a close by chair.
"I-I came to see you of course…" Jed said. "How are you feeling?"
Octavius was confused a bit, yesterday Jed was beating him up, and now…, "I feel the way I look." Octavius said with a smile.
Looking down at his hands, "Octavius, I'm sorry for what I did to you…I over reacted. It's just…Jane is like my sister; if someone hurts her…I'd do anything to make her feel better."
"I know. I respect that," Octavius said.
"I mean I didn't mean to beat the living crap out of you I just wanted to talk and then I just got mad and..."
"Jed please stop. You are forgiven," Octavius said.
Jed grasped Octavius' hand.
"Thanks man," Jed smiled.
Right then a little boy walked in, "Mr. Smith you are needed at the railroad."
"Can it wait Tommy?" Jed asked.
"Nope."
Sighing he turned to Octavius, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"I understand," Octavius said.
With that Jed hurried off. When the cowboy was gone, Regina walked in.
"Get out of here Regina!" Octavius spat.
"But my poor general needs me…"
"NO! Get out! You have ruined everything! I never wish to see ever again!" Octavius yelled.
"But-."
"I SAID OUT!!" Octavius yelled at the top of his aching lungs.
Regina ran out of there faster than she had ever run her life. Octavius plopped back down onto the cot, breathing heavily. Meanwhile Jane stood there, Jane ran all the way to the Doctor's office once she found out Octavius was hurt, once she got there she saw the whole thing with Regina, as she was about to step forward into the room when a sharp pain went through her middle. But she ignored it.
The best she could she kneeled to where Octavius laid. Quietly she took his hand in hers. "I love you Octavius," Jane whispered, suddenly out of no where a wave of pain ran though her stomach, back, and abdomen. Letting go of his hand, she grasped her middle breathing heavily, it stopped for a few minutes, and then once again it came. Jane was almost to tears for how bad it hurt, a scream of agony was begging to be set free.
Ida came rushing forward with the doctor. Together they both helped Jane on to the other cot.
"What is wrong with her?" Ida asked.
"The stress she is enduring is too much for the baby. It's trying to come out. I need to stop it," The doctor explained.
Jedidiah was now in the room.
"What is going on?" He asked.
"Jane's baby is trying to come out," Ida said, concern in her voice.
"But isn't it too early?" Jed asked.
"Yes the doctor is trying to stop it," Ida said.
Jane who was now in tears grasped her middle, "Please. Please stop it!"
The doctor moved Jed over to where Octavius laid and pulled a cover across the room separating Jed and Octavius from the rest of them.
Octavius' eyes opened, "Jed…what is going on."
"Uh…well Octavius'-," Jedidiah was interrupted. By Jane's blood curdling scream, Octavius shot up.
"That was Jane!" Octavius exclaimed trying to get out of bed, but Jed pushed him back down.
"I know, but you gotta lay back down Octavius."
The general tried to get out of Jed's grasp, "Jed let me go! Jane needs me!! What is going on!!?"
"Octavius please you need to settle down," Jed stated.
"What is going on?!" Octavius demanded.
"Jane is having trouble with the baby!" Jed yelled.
Octavius stopped.
"What?"
"She found out you were hurt and came running. She had too much stress on her body and that made her have contractions. The doctor and Ida are in there now trying to stop the baby from coming," Jed explained.
Octavius was shocked. He might lose his first baby, and wife. He couldn't believe it.
"Octavius will you please lay back down? You are really hurt. And besides there is nothing you can do right now," Jed stated.
Jed gently pushed Octavius back down onto the cot.
"It's my entire fault," Octavius said.
"No it is not," Jed reassured.
"Well it sure is not Jane's!!" Octavius yelled.
"It ain't yours either! It is more mine, if I hadn't hurt you Jane would have never had to run all the way here!"
Ida came out from the other side, "Hush up the both of you! Jane is resting!"
"How is the baby?" Octavius asked.
"It's fine. And so is Jane," Ida said, "but the doctor said that Jane is going to be in bed for the of her pregnancy to limit the risk of stress and hurting the baby."
Octavius just laid there taking it all in. He had come so close to losing his first child and probably his wife.
"Can you two just leave me alone for awhile please?" Octavius asked.
"Sure we'll check on you later," Jedidiah said.
Jed and Ida left.
Laying there in silence, he got out of bed and stood up, his chest felling swollen. He pulled the sheet back, Jane was fast asleep seeming like nothing could wake her, and Jane's dress was lying on a chair, piercing red blood upon it. Tears were ready to burst forth from the general at the sight of his wife's blood.
Breathing in he sat on the edge of the cot and just watched her sleep, thanking all the god's, and goddess' of Rome for keeping his family alive.
A yawn escaped Jane as she opened her eyes as best she could. When her eyes adjusted, she saw Octavius looking at her worriedly. He was the only thing that made Jane keep herself awake. Octavius rubbed Jane's foot gently, "Everything's alright Jane, go back to sleep."
That was no avail, Jane opened her mouth trying to speak, but nothing came out. Jane began to sit up as best she could, this scared Octavius. "Jane! Lay back down, please!"
Clearing her throat, "I-I'm fine."
"Jane," he said nervously.
"Wha-what happened?" Jane asked tiredly.
Raising an eyebrow, "You don't remember? You went into early labor and…"
It all came back to Jane, this scared her deeply, tears now flowing freely, "Did I lose the baby?!" Jane said through her tears panic in her voice.
"No you didn't," Octavius reasured.
"Thank goodness. Are you alright?" Jane asked.
"Yes I'm fine," Octavius said.
There is a pause. Jane broke it.
"Octavius I'm proud of you," she said.
"What do you mean?" Octavius asked.
"The way you stood up to that woman," Jane said, "who was she by the way?"
"An old lover named, Regina. We broke up because it just didn't work out," Octavius said.
Jane thought this through, and then gazed into his eyes. "Octavius…I truly wished you had not kept this from me."
"I know," Octavius exhaled. "I hope you know that if I could go back and change what happened, I would! Truthfully." There was silence, "Jane, she means nothing, and never will mean anything to me."
Taking Jane into his arms, and kissed her cheek, "You are the only one for me, today, tomorrow, and forever." Jane and Octavius kissed letting their lives pause for a moment to enjoy this moment. "I love you, Jane."
Smiling at her husband, "I love too, Octavius." When they were hugging, Jane felt a kick on her middle looking down, she chuckled placing Octavius hand on her middle. "It seems that someone is upset to be left out."
Crouching down, while trying not to hurt himself any worse than he was he kissed her middle. "I love too," both of them laughed at this, thinking nothing else could spoil their happiness.
….
Regina stood in the doorway gazing at Octavius and Jane who were sleeping on the same bed.
'I'll show you to take away my man,' she thought to herself.
Regina quietly approached them. She took Jane's arm and stuck the needle she had found, and put it in Jane's arm. She had put in half the liquid, which had been in the needle into Jane's arm, when she heard a voice behind her.
"Hey what are you doing?" the voice asked.
Regina whirled around and saw Jedidiah behind her.
"Saving my man from her," Regina said.
"He is not your man. He belongs to Jane. Now get away from her," Jed demanded.
Jed rushed over and grabbed Regina and the needle. Regina started struggling. Regina backed Jed against a wall hard. Jed loosened his grip and fell to the floor dazed. Regina tried to make a run for it but Octavius grabbed her.
"You shouldn't have done that," He said.
Before he could do anything, Regina elbowed him in the chest. This made Octavius chest feel even worse, he let go. Regina ran off.
Once Jed stood got up he helped Octavius, they looked at each other, then at the needle that rested in Jed's hand. "What is that?" Octavius asked, for from the time Octavius was from they did not have needles like that.
"A needle," he said concerned, looking at what was left in the needle. "I had better get the doctor!"
Grabbing Jedidiah's arm, "Why?!" Octavius asked nervously.
"You see the liquid in there…when that lady injected this in Jane's arm, it could have had…poison, or stuff! I don't know! Stay here with Jane!" Jed said running off.
When he was gone Octavius felt his heart jump up through his throat.
….
The doctor looked over Jane who was now running a fever.
"It seems to be some new sort of poison. I don't think it will do anything to harm the baby. It'll just give Jane a fever and headaches but nothing serious," the doctor said.
The doctor turned to Jed and Octavius.
"Are you two alright?" he asked.
"I'm alright. She didn't hurt me too bad," Jedidiah said.
"Well, my chest hurts more because she elbowed me," Octavius said rubbing his chest.
"You go rest. Don't worry about Jane she will be fine," the doctor said.
"I agree with doc. You should rest. I'll stay here and make sure that one girl doesn't come back," Jedidiah said.
"Alright fine," Octavius said.
Octavius laid back down on his cot. Jed sat in a chair beside his bed and the doctor went into the other room. Soon, Octavius was fast asleep.
………
Hey thanks for reading, and thanks a load to Daisyduke80, a good portion of this stuff is hers, so thank you R&R