I do not own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkleys. Napa State is an insane asylum that opened in 1872. Thanks to my Beta Reader though all mistakes are my own.

Once In a Lifetime

Chapter Seventeen

Scene Thirty-Two

John Barkley, his cousin Thad, and his cousin Brayden, all sat in the office of one Doctor Samuel Jackson, a licensed psychiatrist. The white haired gentleman had been in his field for over thirty-five years and was considered one of the best. They'd traveled a good 80 miles to talk to him.

"So, is that man faking it or what?" John and his cousin Thad, a brown haired, slightly stocky, California Highway Patrolman, had come to their cousin Brayden's aide when the stranger had 'appeared out of nowhere' and attacked Brayden, screaming, "I'll kill you, Heath Barkley, if it's the last thing I do!"

"Oh, he's not faking it." The doctor shook his head, sympathy for his newest patient showing in his eyes. "The man sincerely believes the year is 1875 and that Brayden here is really Heath Barkley."

"He's a nut!" Brayden shook his head, though he loved hearing once more how much he resembled his great-great grandfather, Heath Barkley.

"Brayden!" John looked at him sternly, but his eyes said he agreed.

"Well, he is!" Brayden kicked his right foot up and rested the heel of his boot on top of this left one. "He kept calling you Jarrod and Thad there, Nick. Okay," he laughed, "we've all been accused of looking like our ancestors, but that nut takes the cake!"

"Well, I wouldn't worry about him for quite a while." Doctor Jackson again shook his head. "I've never seen such a bad case of mental illness in all the years of my practice!" He hadn't either; he couldn't see the man leaving the hospital any time soon. After excusing themselves, the three cousins walked out of the office and down the long corridor that held nothing but the white paint on its walls.

"I tell you," they heard the man screaming as two orderlies went to give him his medicine, "my name is Grant Payne! Heath Barkley is the one…"

"You know, Brayden," John Barkley looked at his cousin, his eyesbrows turned slightly downwards, "you're wrong. He's not a nut; he's downright insane!"

0000

Alyssa Barkley led her guests, her 19 year old niece Leah, and Marie towards the rooms they would be using. Leah had befriended Marie and helped her a great deal with the loss of her best friend. Marie stopped abruptly as they came to the family pictures that hung on the wall. "Who are they?" she asked her hostess.

"That one there," Alyssa smiled at the picture of a stately white haired lady and man, "is John's great-great-great grandfather and grandmother, Tom and Victoria Barkley, one of the rare pictures they had taken before Mr. Barkley was shot in the back." She chuckled. "One more great and I'd have dropped the word. The picture next to her," Alyssa pointed to the second picture, "is their oldest son Jarrod, his wife Peggy and their four children," again she moved her hand, "that is their second son Nicholas, his wife Anna, and their four children."

She moved to the next picture. "I'm told that is Eugene. He married while over in England and never did make it back to the United States; records say his wife was Juliann and they had seven children." Alyssa then pointed to the next picture. "That is the only daughter in the Barkley family at the time, Audra, her husband Benjamin and their five children and that," she smiled at the last picture, "is Heath Barkley, his wife Cynthia and their five children. Nice pictures I'd say."

Marie grinned from ear to ear as she saw the necklace she had had personally made for her 'missing friend' upon the woman's neck. She couldn't explain, she didn't understand it, but she knew what had happened to her friend. She wasn't surprised either when Alyssa Barkley began telling about the land and how they had inherited it from John's grandfather. The fact that the woman seemed to forgotten they originally had to buy the land back was something that Marie was not about to point out! The three women continued talking as they once more headed for the rooms.

Closing Scene

Cynthia sat next to Heath while the rest of the family sat, or stood, in various parts of the living room anxiously awaiting for Dr. Merar to came down and tell them Peggy and Jarrod were parents, and what they had. Jarrod was doing his best not to wear out the carpet in the living room.

"You know," Nick smiled at Heath, "it's a good thing Cynthia didn't tell us what the deal was when she first got here and that you kept your mouth shut when you first found out. I'm afraid I'd have been driving the wagon to Napa State!"

Victoria nodded. "I'm afraid I'd have been handing him the reins; as it is, I think this is a secret we'd best keep as a family! Jarrod," she smiled at her oldest with sympathy in her eyes, "That child is going to get here when he, or she, decides to; wearing out the carpet ill will not help."

Jarrod grinned, and sat down, "I've got to do something while we wait."

Audra smiled and hurried out of the room, what was she up to? Soon she was back with a box that everyone recognized, well, everyone but Cynthia. The young woman started pulling out pictures, "We could always try and guess who your son, or daughter, will look like? I mean, besides the normal 'she, he looks like his father or mother'."

Smiles appeared as they all began doing just that and they were having quite a fun time of it until Cynthia gasped. "What is it Cynthia?" Heath looked at his wife.

"He," she held up a picture of an elderly gentleman, "he's the one who talked to me at the openings that led to 1968!" She couldn't believe it.

"I'm not surprised," Jarrod started laughing, "Uncle Samuel never could tell time very well."

Cynthia's eyebrows turned down, "Uncle Samuel?" She thought she'd heard about all the Barkleys close relatives.

"Samuel was actually Tom's uncle," Victoria explained, "He was always missing various activities, or at least running late to them, because he never could keep things straight. In fact, he almost missed Tom's and mine wedding because of that fact. As it is, he got there just in time to hear us pronounced man and wife." That brought a few chuckles out of the group. "He always said if it was possible he'd like to play guardian angel for the family after he passed on," Victoria smiled at Cynthia, "looks like he got the desire of his heart." Everyone chuckled; that is, they laughed until they heard the sound of a baby crying.

"Boy Howdy, Jarrod," Heath looked at his brother and gave him a lopsided grin, "That baby either has a very good set of lungs or you have more than one baby." The others started laughing.

Jarrod shot a playful glare at him, "Doc never said a word about twins, Heath." Any laughter quit when Dr. Merar appeared at the entrance way.

"Well?" Jarrod stood up eager to know if they had a son or daughter, and that his wife was okay.

Dr. Merar didn't speak for a moment that set everyone on edge. What had happened? "Doc?" Jarrod feared for his wife and child.

The good doctor started smiling from ear to ear, "I don't know how I missed it, but you have twin boys."

Jarrod's heart felt like it stopped and his eyes looked as if they might jump out of their sockets. The rest of the family started grinning and giving him their congratulations. After Jarrod got over the initial shock, he started beaming and flew up the stairs to see his wife and sons.

Heath looked from his mother to Cynthia's slightly swollen stomach and back to Victoria, "Tell me twins don't run in the family." Laughter erupted from his family as he finished the statement and as they headed up the stairs to see the newest additions to the Barkley family.