Chapter 2

The next morning Garrison woke at his usual time, threw on his clothes and headed out for his usual run. The sun was just rising as he set off and would burn off the heavy dew very quickly. He crossed the courtyard and headed into the back part of the estate. He had found the path that ran through the fields and the forested area on his first foray into this part of the property. Because it ventured so far from the building and the controlled area he had not taken the cons there at first. Out of desperation he had forced them to run it one day when they were being particularly quarrelsome. It had done the trick. All he had to do since then was threaten and they backed down.

Almost a month later he had been surprised when he heard footsteps behind him. He glanced behind him and saw Chief struggling to keep up. Not wanting to discourage him he had adjusted his speed. The course was long so he fully expected the other man to pull up but he had persevered and finished it without stopping. He was exhausted by the end but the smile on his face showed he was pleased with his accomplishment. Since then he had appeared each morning and had increased his endurance to the point Garrison did not have to slow down for him. He was still spent by the end but he refused to give in.

The two men set off at an easy pace. This section was flat and ran parallel to the courtyard wall. Two hundred yards on it turned and crossed the rolling fields. Eventually the path led into the forested area. This section had been left fallow because of the uneven ground. The two men ran on hardly slowing for the sloped sections. All was going well until the path swung to the left and followed the stream. Garrison heard his shadow at his shoulder draw closer and he moved over. Chief never challenged him, seeming content to pace him. If he was going to challenge him then he was going to give him a chance. He shifted over to give him room.

This section of the stream ran slowly meandering along the flat. Over time the bank along the bend had been eroding. The overnight rain and the lingering dew brought it to the critical point so all it took was the little extra weight of a foot to detach the clod of earth and drop it into the water. The owner of the foot followed the clod.

Garrison saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and then it was gone followed by a splash. With his momentum it took another step to respond. His head turned to assess the situation and his body turned to allow him to see back behind him. His feet followed and he was off the path. The extra step took him onto the beginning of the rise so his next step did not stop where he expected it to stop. Over balanced, his body continued forward and he landed face first in the water. Fortunately the stream was filled with the nights run off so it cushioned the fall of both men.

Garrison fell in seconds later but he had fear on his side spurring him to action. Thrusting with his arms he pushed himself up and scrambled to his running companions side. He lay sprawled face down in the water, not moving.

The commander in him took over and he put his hands under his shoulders and rolled him lifting his head clear of the water.

"Chief! Come on Chief." He watched his chest but there was no motion. Hauling him up onto the bank he began pressing on his back. "Come on Chief, breathe." His anxiety began to ease as his patient coughed. Another cough and a groan prompted him to ask, "You all right, Chief?" Not waiting for a response he grabbed his shoulder and lifted. "Let's get you rolled over. I want you sitting up." His patient assisted with rolling over but that was as far as he got. Instead of sitting he groaned and put his hand to his head.

A quick look at the area of the water where Chief had fallen showed several large rocks partly submerged. He must have struck his head when he fell.

"Let me see" and he touched Chief's wrist. He moved his hand but there was no evidence of damage. He would be all right.

"Do you hurt anywhere else?" he asked. A fall like that could sprain an ankle or a wrist. A break would be serious.

Chief took several breaths assessing how he felt then shook his head slowly. His head hurt but that was all.

"Can you sit up?"

He had to get back and get dry and maybe lie down for a bit. Carefully he pushed himself up and the world tilted and faded at the edges. He waited, eyes closed until the feeling had passed.

Garrison saw his difficulty and he put his arm under his companion's arm and helped him to his feet. He stood, eyes closed then began to lean.

"Chief?" The Indians eyes opened and he blinked which told Garrison he was going to need help. Taking the other man's arm he put it over his own right shoulder and moving in close he put his right arm around the young man's waist and pulled him in close. "Let's get you back. You ready?"

They started off slowly but surely until they came to the first muddy slope. One step, two, then Chief slipped and fell pulling Garrison down on top of him. When he realized what had happened the blonde rolled to the side. Carefully he stood then bent down to help the other. Chief slowly sat up, head down, but moved no farther.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I miss judged how slippery it is. Here, give me your hand."

"No," and he shook his head. "I don't mean that," he said sadly.

Garrison waited, confused.

"I shouldn't a. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I should a told you sooner. I was gonna."

"I don't understand," said Garrison squatting down. "What shouldn't you have?"

"Last night when…"

"When what?" It was a pleasant morning but the fall into the stream had left them both wet and now they were muddy as well. Getting back to a shower and a coffee sounded good. In an attempt to get to the bottom of Chief's distress he lifted his chin and bit back a gasp. There was blood running down half his face and dripping from his chin.

"Chief, you're bleeding," he said as he pulled off his shirt and used it to bind the wound. "I've got to get you back. Let's get you up."

Chief remained sitting. "No. I gotta tell you and you gotta …"

"I am not going to hit you, you understand?" He paused. "I am going to get you to a Doctor. Now, let's get you up." Not waiting for compliance he took his arm in one hand and put his other under his other shoulder.

Chief would not fight him so he got his feet under himself and he stood. They tackled the hill again, this time on an angle and made it to the top. Slowly they made their way back to the house.

As they neared the steps Actor, usually the next one to rise came out to meet them. He had seen them from the window and knew immediately that something was wrong.

"What happened? Let me help." Actor stepped in on the other side but Chief rebuffed him as he pulled his arm away. Actor was not really surprised. The two men had an unusual relationship and he wondered again if all Guardian-Handler relationships were like this. He felt the familiar twinge of regret. He knew and had many close relationships with women all over the world but he had never known a man that looked up to him like Chief did to Garrison. It was not like between a father and a son but that was as close as he could explain.

"I will get the keys and meet you out front," he said as he headed inside. The other two continued on.

With his head wrapped the patient was driven to the local doctor's office. This was closer and they knew that Chief was very uncomfortable on the base. The Doctor listened to Garrison's explanation of what happened. When the Doctor turned to his pharmacy cabinet Garrison told him that he could not have anything for the pain; he was addicted. Sulfa was all he could do. The wound was flushed, stitched and his head was re-bandaged.

The trip back to their base was slower. Chief walked unaided to the sitting room where he was told to lie on the couch. He sat and the others left.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Garrison.

Chief had been worrying about this all the way back. Garrison had the right to beat him. He had said he wouldn't hit him so he had something else planned. Maybe he was going to make him kneel. He waited with head down in submission.

Garrison had been too concerned with the injury to get to the bottom of Chief's guilt. Now was the time. "You said you were sorry. What are you sorry about?"

"I was wrong. I belong to you and I shouldn't a let'm. I was wrong an' I won't ever do that again. I tried to wash it off but…"

"Hold on. I don't understand. Start from the beginning. What did you do?"

"I let'm touch me." He lifted his head but did not quite meet his eyes. "Please don't get mad at him, I shoulda not let'm. It's my fault."

"I still don't understand. Who touched you?"

"He didn't mean nothin'. He was just tryin' ta help." His head went down and he said, "Don't be mad at him."

Garrison was used to the Army way. Questions asked, answers given. He also knew that Chief was not Army when it came to being punished. He was in the wrong and he was to be beaten. Explanations were unnecessary. The Officer had tried in the past to work on this but Chief still did not understand. Guilt and the inevitable punishment had been beaten into him. Would he ever be able to overcome this? All he could do was try.

"When did this happen?"

"Last night."

Garrison thought back to what had happened. Actor had hugged him. Was that what was bothering him? Was it wrong for someone to hug him?

"Am I supposed to beat you because someone else touched you?" He saw the movement and barked out an order to 'sit'. He was too late. Chief was on his knees and he had his answer. No one touched a Guardian.

Garrison stepped in closer, squatted and grabbed his shoulders. "Chief, you are a man. You're a man who just happens to be a Guardian. You are no different to me than Casino or Goniff. Should I beat them if someone touches them?" There was no response. "Sit up." This time he complied.

"You were angry. That's why you…"

"Chief, when I was growing up my family never hugged. We just weren't like that. If I got hurt, Mother would tell me I was a big boy and to go play. We didn't hug. Last night I saw you were hurt but I couldn't. When Actor," he paused to gather himself, "When he hugged you, I knew that was what you needed but I couldn't…"

"It don't matter," said Chief quietly.

"It does." Garrison exhaled. "When I was a boy there was a woman in the neighbourhood that everyone called Nana Bear. She was every kid's Gramma. She always had cookies and milk and she would hug all the kids. I never let her hug me. I just couldn't bring myself to let her; I didn't see what good it did. I was wrong. Just as I was wrong to not hug you last night. I saw for myself, last night, the good that it did."

Maybe because he saw his own hurt in someone else Chief held out his arms. Garrison pushed back his hesitation and opened his arms as he stepped in and accepted the hug. There was the inevitable tension and the contact did not last long but it had happened. The barrier had fallen.

Chief had been raised without the warmth of human contact. He had been shunned as an orphan all his young life and this was reinforced physically by G-CAT. Contact did not come easily to him but in his moment of extreme need someone was there for him. He had accepted the gift. Now he had seen a rare glimpse of Garrison's need and he was able to be there for him. A strange warmth grew in his chest and it felt good.

When Garrison stepped back he still felt uncomfortable, this was not something that would change immediately but he no longer feared this kind of contact. To cover up his unease he fell back on his leadership abilities. "Get some rest; you lost a lot of blood. I'll be back in a while." He turned to go but looked back and the two men spoke in unison.

"Thanks."

They both smiled in understanding. There was no explanation required. They understood.