I do not own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkleys. Thanks to my Beta Reader for all her help. Also thanks to Lorilee for her help also.

Once In a Lifetime

Chapter Thirteen

Scene Twenty-Four

Cynthia climbed the long flight of stairs carrying a box Victoria had asked her to put in the attic. Her thoughts ran over the past few months, and the way things had developed between Heath and herself. '..if you don't you'll be stuck..' the old man's words came back. Opening the door to the attic, Cynthia stepped inside and set the box in the corner.

As she turned to go, she saw an old box with no lid and pictures set inside. Kneeling down by the box Cynthia pulled out the pictures one by one. She had to smile as she looked on each of the Barkleys, that is, until she realized there were no younger pictures of Heath. She wanted to cry for the man. 'Victoria ain't my real mother' Heath, not knowing exactly what she did or didn't know, had confessed the fact the day before. She'd assured him she already knew and it didn't matter to her, but it hadn't really hit until now.

Life didn't hold any guarantees; Cynthia knew that. Two more months and she'd have to choose which way to go. As she put the last picture down she noticed a strange light under the slightly opened attic door. It couldn't be! The old man had never said anything about another way back to her time, that is, no other way besides the one she'd already seen. She hurried to the door and opened it up only to receive the shock of her life.

Marie and a woman Cynthia had never seen before stood in the hallway looking at a picture and talking. Cynthia automatically started towards her friend only to find herself hitting some kind of wall. The only thing she could do was listen.

"It's a beautiful painting, Alyssa," Marie turned to Mrs. Barkley, "Where did you get it?"

"It's been in the family for years. The way the story goes my husband's great- great grandfather, Nicholas Barkley, bought it for his wife shortly after they were married. There's a lot of stories about John's side of the family, most of them I'm fine with, but," she shook her head in frustration, "I wish I could get a straight story on John's great-great Uncle Heath. I'm ready to pull my hair out on that one."

If Cynthia had any intention of leaving, since she couldn't get past the wall, that one sentence froze her to the spot she was standing in. What was so mysterious about Heath?

"Why?" Marie looked puzzled as she asked the question.

"Because," Alyssa threw her hands up in the air, "Last month I was going through some books, family history books, and came across an entry in an old family bible. It had Heath Barkley dying in the fall of 1874, after drinking water that he didn't know had been contaminated. But," she again looked exasperated, "I took the same family bible out last week, in order to get the death date again, and get this…that entry isn't there, the information is different and it contradicts itself!

"How's that?" Marie asked, curious as all get out.

"One part says he was killed a few months later, in the winter of 1874-1875, from a bullet wound, actually he was supposed to have been shot twice, but the second bullet killed him, and that he left a widow behind. The other part says he didn't die until 1927, the family he was supposed to have left is very blurred though; I can't read anything, but he had a wife and children. Something is going on!"

Cynthia's face paled. She'd stopped Heath's death when she told him about the mine and the cyanide? He still might die early? She couldn't believe the Stockton Historian hadn't told her about that fact! The way he'd acted she'd thought for sure he'd told her everything. Shock waves ran through her as she realized the man hadn't told her anything about any of the Barkleys deaths…just their lives! Which, in her opinion was insane as Heath's death would have been connected to the cyanide! While she had no clue to as what was going on, Cynthia ran back into the attic and slammed the door shut, hoping like mad nothing had happened to make it so she was stuck in between times!

Marie and Alyssa whirled around, "My word, I must have left the attic window open! Someone should tell that wind outside it's not nice to pull pranks!" The two women laughed as they opened the door and went to shut the window, which was indeed open. In doing so, they walked right past Cynthia as if she wasn't there. Once they'd left the room, Cynthia sat down on the box wondering what to do. When the door opened again, she jumped to her feet. It was Heath! He was looking right at her; concern could be seen in his eyes. Yes! He could see her!

A look of shock and instant alarm came onto the man's face as Cynthia practically flew into his arms, "What is wrong?"

Scene Twenty-Five

Heath and Cynthia stood in the living room in front of the fireplace, as Heath's family entered one by one. Cynthia couldn't help but smile wider than she already was Miss Peggy was walking without any aid. "So," Nick grinned as he sat down in a chair, "What's so all fired important we had to stop our work?" his mouth asked the question, his eyes were laughing though as he pretty well figured he knew; they all did.

After Cynthia had confessed to him what had happened, and what she'd heard, Heath thought long and hard about a few things. Maybe, he was crazy, maybe he wasn't; still, he couldn't say he wanted to take anything back either. "Well?" Jarrod looked at him and smiled, Heath was looking at Cynthia the way Jarrod looked at Peggy.

Heath gave the family a crooked smile and said, "I've asked Cynthia to marry me." Cynthia had not hesitated in accepting, as she'd realized the moment she'd heard the woman talking about his possible early death just how much in love with him she really was. Though, she'd only said yes as long as he swore within an inch of his life to be extremely careful for the next few months and to never to say where she was really from. He'd had no problem making that promise. The room erupted with joyful shouts as the family began offering their congratulations.

"Guess, getting a new daughter in law will more than make up for having to get a new housekeeper," Victoria laughed as she gave Cynthia a hug.

"We need to go get a wedding dress for you!" Audra was excited; she loved weddings!

"I can make you one," Peggy smiled, "After all; I've got plenty of material." They all laughed. The woman had more than enough. The joke was that Jarrod better make sure the house he was having built for the two of them had plenty of attic or closet space for all his wife's material and knick knacks.

"I'd love it, "Cynthia was beaming from one ear to another, "and the sooner the better."

As the family talked back and forth Cynthia, somehow, managed to slip outside; Heath was quick to follow. When Nick headed for the door his mother stopped him, "If you have to go outside, use another door. Leave those two be!"

He chuckled, as they all did, and replied, "Yes, mother." While Nick found another way to exit the house, Heath had found Cynthia.

Heath walked up beside Cynthia who was, not surprisingly, standing next to the corral talking to the horses. "You know," he smiled at her, "I'm still having a hard time believing you accepted my proposal."

Cynthia slid her arms around his waist as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, as she finally admitted out loud what she'd realized in the attic, "I've been in love with you from the beginning," she sighed, "I always knew something was missing."

Heath felt his heart racing slightly, "I was too." He once more lowered his head and pulled her to him. They'd have to convince his family not to argue with a wedding with little planning time attached. He didn't know if he'd be dying that year or living to be an old man, but he knew he didn't want to do anything before he and Cynthia were married.

0000

Oblivious to any of the happenings in Stockton, Grant was busy tying up what he thought was all the loose ends in Sacramento. "Are you kidding me?" Julie was staring at her longtime lover, "Are you sure you can make it so they lose the land? They're an awful strong family, from what I hear anyway."

"They'll lose it, once I get back to Stockton and hook back up with William and Troy; they'll lose it. And you and I can finally be rid of our friends back east and we'll travel just like we always wanted to, just wait and see."

Julie wanted to, but as the man spoke she got a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach, an almost nauseating one, but she only smiled. Maybe, she'd be lucky for a change and the feeling would only turn out to be something she ate. Besides, even if it wasn't, she didn't care to see Grant fly off the handle.