Octavius POV

I was lead into one of the few permanent buildings in the west exhibit, after Larry had taken over as night watchman, he had introduced his "modern" health standards abolishing practises like blood letting and some of our more physical rituals, and had given us medicines and "disinfectants" from his world. As much as I hate to say it, they worked quite well. The inside was clean and tidy, but it was cramped, and smelt a little Smokey. I was soon shepherded into his room, warned to be quite while he rested, and planted in a chair to wait.

It was about this time I realised I was still only in my tunic and undershirt, and covered in dirt and grime.

I looked at Jed across the room, the nurses had carefully washed him off after they had treated him the best they could, all his wounds had been carefully cleaned and treated with Larry's medicines and further healed by the pharaoh's magic. He looked pale, not deathly pale but still dangerously so, he didn't snore but his chest rose and fell at a steady pace, which was strangley comforting.

The door opened up and a cheery nurse stepped in with a tray, "alright luv, git your kit off and ill look at them bruises" she set the tray down on the table and began to unpack it.

"I'm sorry but my own doctors are just as competent in healing bruises as you, ill have them do it for me" I was tempted but none the less I could not have my people thinking I was picking sides.

"Nonsense luv, you're here now aint cha? No point getting them ta do it later when your right here now, just tell em ya needed ta clean up before ya saw your friend" how could I argue with that? I was feeling rather grotty at the moment and the comb sitting on her little tray did seem rather inviting.

I took of my undershirt, not my tunic I had dignity to think of, and let her do her thing. We chatted softy as she did so and I learnt that her name was Cheryl Wang, she had been a nurse for most of her life, her husband was a china man making dynamite for the rail workers, both our people were worrying over Jed's health, (because who were we supposed to fight if the cowboys weren't around?) and a lot of gossip that went completely over my head. I did get some more useful information however being that Jed's injury wasn't as bad as it had first appeared, being narrow but piercing the mussel tissue and loosing a lot of blood, probably bruising a rib or two as well, he probably would rest till tomorrow night, dosing off soon after he was winched out of the pit, the Romans had retrieved my armour and were having it repaired, and had left me some fresh clothes from my wardrobe assuming that I would want to wait with my friend.

After Cheryl had finished her ministrations and left me to bath (can you even call it a bath? More like a bucket if you ask me) I changed into the clothes I had been left, and settled back into the plush chair, watching Jed breath until Cheryl returned with a meal for me and a pitcher of water. I had to help her give Jed a drink before eating however, I propped up his head and shoulders with one arm and gently rubbed circles round his throat to make him swallow, just as you would to give a pill to a dog, as she poured the water and a cup of medicine broth down his throat, his lack of response made me worry he may have slipped into a coma but Cheryl assured me that he was simply very exhausted. To my surprise the frontier style food was quite tasty, not crude as I had assumed judging by their "barbarian" attitude. I was hopping to stay awake until Jed woke up but his heavy slumber and the colours of dawn tinging the horizon spoke otherwise, I surrendered myself to the welcome embrace of Morpheus as the sun peaked over New York.

The Next Night

I snorted awake to the uncanny sensation of having a fit of pins and needles throughout my body followed by a rush of vertigo, I would have toppled over if I weren't sitting down.

"Oooh, Octie is that you?' my body jumped at the sound of the raspy voice across the room, and saw Jed's heavy lidded eyes blinking awake.

"Jedediah your awake, you were worry all of us! Are you in any pain?" He nodded, I rushed over to his side instantly and fumbled for the jar of Larry's "pain killing" medicine powder and a cup of water by the bedside I poured a cup, stirred in a teaspoon of the ground powder and helped him drink it.

"You saved my life Octie" his raspy voice grated, I wish I could hear his usual enthusiastic cheering, but rasping was a start.

"I merely did what any other man would have done Jed, any of our men would have saved you, sure we have our qualms, but we will look out for each other" I meant that, every word. "And I'm sorry about the quarry thing Jed, can you forgive me?" he chuckled at that, I did not find it funny.

"Octie, I nearly died and your worrying over a quarry, of course I forgive you, you're my friend"

"You have no idea what that means to me Jed, I was scared you would hold this against me" I hung my head in shame.

A weak pale hand grasped my shoulder, griping it with a shadow of his former strength. I forced my gaze to meet his eyes they were warm and forgiving. I had never seen that look before but I decided right then and there that I really liked it. I can't believe that I never noticed how pretty his eyes are either, deep brown like polished oak wood and ever so expressing. They truly were the windows too his soul.

"I did a lot of thinking in that pit Octie, and I realised something, I know we fought, waged war with each other but that's the past and I'm looking at us now. Our people are talking, trading, befriending each other and I was too stubborn to see what that was doing for us, my people are happier than they have ever been and I think yours are too. Fighting is in the past and I'm leavin it there. Octie I owe you my life, you are the best friend I've ever had and you are a great man, I was too stubborn, stuck up and jealous to see that, but I do now. I am honoured to call you my friend"

My eyeballs were bulging out of my sockets. How by Pluto could I have called this man a barbarian, those were the kindest and most heart warming words anybody had spoken to me since, well, ever! I slowly fluttered down from my little peak of shock and awe back to the cowboy in front of me, he was so sincere, and even in his exhaustion you could see his emotions written through his very being.

"I, I, I really don't know what to say to that Jed, nobodies ever… ever said anything like that to me before, I'm touched I really am, and I am the one who should be honoured"

I did the only appropriate thing in that situation, I hugged him, very gently mind you I did not want to aggravate his damaged ribcage. I gently held the cowboy just comforted by the warmness of him, so very full of life, before pulling back, there was something that needed to be said, our eyes locked and I willed my voice to work.

"Your not a barbarian Jedediah, or a savage"

He treated me to a smile, a true genuine smile so full of the hidden joy he revelled in so often, and in the past had shared with me how had I not noticed his inner qualities before.

"Well not that I didn't need that, but if you breathe a word of this ta anybody ill gut you like a Christmas dinner." Now that's the Jed I used to know! Glad to see he hasn't left us.

"You had better go get back to the Romans, set them back to do whatever it is you do, I need some sleep." He yawned as if to emphasise his point and settled back into the soft mattress.

"Ill go tell the nurse, good night Jedediah" I slipped from the room as quietly as I could, stealing one last glance as I shut the door, he was smiling in his sleep.