Author's Note: the Kirk in this chapter is not the same as Kirk Kennedy, the PnF character. This is a different Kirk. This A/N is mostly directed at one person; you know who you are XD

…

When I got back to town, I decided to head straight to the infirmary to check how Chase was doing with Benji. As I entered the building, I spotted Jed across town. He was having a heated exchange with Kirk, another sharpshooter. Nowhere near as good as me, of course, but he was still pretty good. I wondered why they were arguing.

But as I squinted at them, I realised that only one of them was angry, and that was Jed. Kirk was…CRYING?!

I had to look again to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Kirk, a grown man, was actually crying!

I quickly hurried closer. As I got nearer, Jed raised his fist and punched Kirk right in the gut, causing the poor man to fall to his knees, winded. "Hey!" I yelled, drawing my pistol.

Jed turned and glared at me. "Are you here to rebel against me too?!" he shouted at me.

"If you continue hitting Kirk, then yeah!" I snapped, holding my gun in such a way that it wasn't quite aiming at Jed, but it was ready to shoot if need be.

"You'd really shoot me?" Jed said incredulously. "Just like that?"

"You just hit Kirk for no reason!"

"He questioned my authority!"

I exhaled sympathetically. "Jed, I know you're under a lot of pressure right now. Finding the bandits' hideout won't be an easy task. But you can't just take it out on us!"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do!" growled Jed, clenching his fists, his whole body tight and tense as if he was preparing himself to punch again. "I ain't afraid to hit a woman, you know!"

"Don't you dare threaten me," I hissed.

"Stop!" snapped Kirk's wheezing voice. "Both of you!"

I turned to look at Kirk's tear-stained face. "Exactly what did you say to make him cry?" I snapped; though I was looking at Kirk, my words were for Jed.

"None o' your business," snapped Jed.

I bent down next to Kirk and began rubbing his shoulder. "What did he say?" I asked gently.

Kirk shook his head slowly. "It doesn't matter." He wiped his eyes.

"It does to me," I argued. "He made you CRY, Kirk!"

"It's fine." Kirk gently pushed me away. "I'm fine."

I was doubtful, but I stood up and nodded. "Alright, but if you need to talk, I'm here, okay?"

Kirk nodded and put on a brave smile. "Thanks, Irene."

I turned to chew Jed out some more, but I found that he wasn't there. Instead, he was just disappearing into the infirmary. Narrowing my eyes, I followed him.

Great. What damage could Jed POSSIBLY do in there?

Peering inside, I spotted Chase running about the room, clearly performing surgery on poor Benji, who was unconscious on a bed. As I entered, I saw Jed striding towards Chase.

Uh oh. This won't be good…

I hurried up to them.

"Chase, I need you to listen to my plan to take the bandit hideout," Jed was saying.

"Jed, I'd really love to, but I'm in the middle of an operation," Chase said desperately, administering some kind of injection to Benji, whose body suddenly spasmed on the bed.

"Is he okay?!" I gasped, moving to a good distance away, where I could still observe, but I wasn't in the way of the operation.

Unfortunately, Jed didn't get that memo. He got right up in Chase's face and snapped, "That was an order, Chase."

"I don't care," Chase snapped back. "I'm operating."

"Chase, if you don't-," began Jed, striding even closer, but he was cut off by Chase firmly pushing him aside.

"Jed, really, just leave! I'm in the middle of an important-!"

Jed suddenly grabbed Chase by the lapels and lifted him off the ground. "You're also rebelling against me, aren't you?" he growled.

"HEY!" I yelled, charging forwards. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Jed threw Chase to the ground. The doctor tried to get up, but Jed kicked him in the shoulder, sending him rolling into the wall. "M-my patient," croaked Chase, trying again to get to his feet. "Benji…I have to help him…"

"Maybe next time you should obey my order straight away!" Jed yelled, kicking Chase in the face.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I screamed, shoving Jed towards the door. He tripped over backwards and landed on his back. "GET OUT!"

"Don't tell me-!" he began furiously.

"I SAID GET OUT!" I bellowed again, so loudly that I was sure even the Mayans heard me across the room. "NOW!"

Jed scrambled backwards and, struggling to his feet, ran out the room.

A distressed cry of, "no, no, no!" brought my attention round to Chase, who was bent over by Benji's bedside, despite his bleeding nose and his bruised shoulder. "No, no, NO!"

I wanted desperately to ask what was wrong, but I decided to stay out of it for now. I stepped back, biting my lip anxiously.

I watched as Chase did several things to Benji, from injecting him with stuff to working on the wound.

Eventually, Chase stepped back, his eyes filling with tears, as he wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist. I nervously approached him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Chase?"

"B-B-Benji," Chase stammered, clearly a few seconds away from losing it completely. "He-he's…he can't…he'll never be able to…"

"Chase, breathe," I urged. "What's wrong?"

"Jed distracted me." Chase closed his eyes, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. "Th-the operation failed."

"Wh-what?!"

"B-Benji…he survived, but…" Chase hesitated, clearly struggling with the words. "He-he'll never walk again," he finished in an agonised whisper. "He's going to be paralysed for the rest of his life."

My eyes widened. "I-if Jed hadn't distracted you…?"

"Benji would most likely have made a full recovery," Chase said quietly, meeting my eyes for a brief second, before he broke down in my arms, shaking and crying.

"It's okay," I whispered, lying through my teeth. "It'll be okay, I promise."

Jed needed to pay for what he did. Chase was going to blame himself for not being able to save Benji's ability to walk, when it wasn't his fault at all. It was Jed's. It was all Jed's. If he hadn't needlessly attacked Chase in the middle of the operation, Benji would still be completely abled. I knew what I was going to do: I was going to find Jed and make him answer for what he did.

But first, I decided to stay with Chase.

He needed me.