My boots crunched on carpet and my eyes swept right up to the counter. The clerk was just getting comfortable to drift off, but his head came up to look at me and an easy smile slipped on his face.

"Howdy Jess. Here about Daisy?"

"Sorta."

I caught my hat in my hands and fiddled around with it a moment.

"I know it's late, but you got some coffee?" I asked suddenly, my head popping up, and the clerk smiled.

"Well the kitchen is closed, but there's always a pot on. You can go help yourself?"

He hooked a thumb back and I smiled softly, my hat slipping back on, and walked back to the kitchen of the hotel. It was empty, but it had a small fire letting off a large glow and someone had left a lantern. Turning it up, I fetched a cup and sat back staring at the fire sipping it slow.

A hand squeezed my shoulder and I jumped awake. First I glanced at the clerk, second I glanced at the floor and the cup. Coffee had splashed over the side, at my hurried awakening, spilling on the floor and my hand.

"Daisy's looking for you. I told her I would fetch you."

"Daisy?"

My mutter sounded more confused than I was as I dried off my hand.

"She came down this morning and I told her you were here."

"Morning!"

My brain was starting to spin and my eyes shot outside where a dim glow was just starting to show.

"Well it's early morning." He smiled and pulled out a long gold chain watch. "Six to be exact."

That doing nothing to clear my head, I forgot about the few drops on the floor and headed out into the lobby.

Daisy sat out there waiting for me and she rose when I came out.

"Jess," she said softly, all smiles and I ducked my head slightly not really wanting to have to explain. "You didn't have to come all the way to town for me and Mike, we would have been fine."

"I know that Daisy," I pushed on a smile and tried to bring my eyes to hers. "It's just…"

"It's just what, Jess?"

Her tone had changed taking on that worried edge of hers and I knew that once again my poker face had failed me. The story tumbled out slowly and perhaps in less detail than what I told Mort, if that's even possible, and by the end of it we were sitting at a table drinking coffee and she was all rather silent.

We had breakfast together and Daisy gave me Mike to keep busy while she walked off to the doc's. Mike of course wanted to know what was up, and I told the tale again it getting shorter each time I told it. There was nothing at the hotel for us to do and there was no way I was taking Mike to the saloon, so we headed down to the livery and spent our morning there, helping Tim finish up with our wagon and killing time doing odd jobs for him.

I took Mike for lunch, and it was just as he was starting to become more than I could handle, that Daisy returned with a soft smile and slowly walked to our table. I rose and Daisy stood behind Mike gently fingering his hair. She made an offhand comment about him needing a cut and as he whined slightly about not needing one, she nodded to me. I snatched up my hat smiled and took to the boardwalk quickly.

Up the steps I bounced and politely I knocked on the door, but really I wanted to barge right on in. Daisy had been smiling so things must have been looking up. It took forever, but the good old doc himself opened the door, and with a short greeting he took me back to see Slim.

"Mr. Sherman broke his two lower ribs and punctured a very small hole in his intestines…"

I was by then standing in Slim's room, and looking very intently at his face. He was asleep, pale with a very slight sheen of sweat. My eyes moved to his side where it had been wrapped in abundance and the doctor paused his speech to smile at his wife.

"I had to open him up last night, and sew close the hole. He's fine though, nothing much to worry about. I would keep him for a whole lot longer, but your Daisy is pretty handy with this sort of stuff and…"

He went on to explain why it was better for the patient and them if Slim went home, but I didn't pay much attention. My ears were tuned for the important stuff, but I had slipped down next to Slim, taking his hand in mine and staring at his face. He was still so very still and I felt my gut get all tight all over again. The doc said there was nothing to worry about and gravy I wanted to believe him but Slim looked so…

"…As soon as he's awake and able, I'm sending him home."

My hearing picked up that, and by the way he stood and tone I sensed that he was drawing my visit to a close. I didn't want to go and my heart yearned to sit with him longer, so I turned to the doc and slipped a great amount of my worry onto my face.

"Could I sit with him? Just for a bit?"

I looked from the doc to his wife as they exchanged a glance. She looked at him softly with round eyes. He shook his head and sighed defeated.

"For a bit."

He shuffled away, shoulders drooping slightly, and she smiled at me, picking up a bowl of water, walking from the room closing the door gently. A very deep gratefulness to her, settled someplace in with the worry and I reached gripping a chair and pulling it to myself.

For the longest time I didn't say anything, watching the rise and fall of his chest, the very still face, and his hand. Nothing came to mind as I sat there watching him, and the only thoughts that I did have I didn't feel needed voiced. It's rather odd to ask someone to be alright, or not to die, but it's so very real when you sit there with it in your face.

"Please don't go." I mouthed, my hand closing around his.

I could sense that my time was coming to an end. The sun had moved all around the room, and we now were in an odd darkness as it was setting.

The door creaked open.

"Harper…?" It was the doc and I knew what he wanted.

I didn't turn to look at him as I gave the very limp hand one last squeeze.

"For me Slim," I mumbled. "For me."