The rain that had been coming down by bushels at least slowed up by the time Vin finally arrived back in town. He stopped his horse at Nathan's and ran up the steps, calling for him even before he got to the door. But the little room was empty and Vin hurried back down to the street to find him.

The rain wasn't stopping and there was a distant rumble of thunder. Vin wished the sun would come out so he'd be warm again. He took off his hat and slapped the water off of it, but that stung his fingers. So he breathed on them again, and tried to rub the blood and feeling back into them as he strode to the saloon. One of the fellas had to be there, they'd know where Nathan was. He was barely through the doors when he heard Chris.

"Vin - what're you doing back already? You weren't gonna to be back for three days..."

"Nice to see you too, Boss." Vin chided him, still rubbing his hands. "You seen Nathan?" By his voice, Chris could tell there was something wrong. He took a mental step back and asked the question that was next anyway but maybe should've been first.

"You okay?"

Vin nodded but couldn't help thinking that if this had been JD & Buck, Buck would've been all over the kid, checking him for bullet holes and broken bones and God knows what all, not taking his word that he was okay. He wondered why that came to his mind.

"Ain't me. The O'Briens. Their little one dropped hisself into the creek. He was lookin' a mite froze, said I'd send Nathan out."

Chris shoved his chair back and was on his feet in a motion. "C'mon - Nathan's down by Josiah."

M7*M7*M7

"Bet those folks was real grateful when you brought their young 'uns back to them." Nathan said. He and Vin were headed to the O'Briens. The rain had finally stopped, but Vin shivered in his coat, and his hands were like ice.

"Parents weren't there. They's all out lookin'. Dropped 'em both off and came looking for you...'sides, I didn't find him. Just happened to be there when his brother did." It actually bothered Vin to call the two boys "brothers". It wasn't fair. "He was headed that way anyhow."

They rode in silence a little farther. Nathan ran over in his mind all the little details he'd check the boy for to be completely sure he was all right. Vin tried to occupy his mind with tracking the marks he saw along the road...that horse is about to throw a shoe...marmot changed his mind here and went back where he came... anything to keep him from hearing Will O'Brien's words

"You're mine to look out for..."

It wasn't fair.

M7*M7*M7

Mrs. O'Brien fairly ran out of the little cabin as Vin and Nathan dismounted, and like salt from a shaker, eight children spilled out of the door behind her. Some led Nathan into the cabin to their little brother Daniel who was being closely guarded in the new bedroom by Will, two of the bigger boys got possession of the horses, the rest stood near their mother as she enfolded Vin in a hug that all but swept him from sight. There were tears in her eyes when she finally stepped back.

"Oh honey - you can't know how much it means you brought our littlest one back...we thought he's gone for sure. Spent the better part of the morning all over creation...we was just all so worried...why honey, you're soaked through...you didn't ride through all that rain just to...why child, get in this house, got a real warm stove goin' and the good Lord didn't bless you with a body that'll keep out the chill like He done me..."

By the end, she was leading Vin into the cabin by the sleeve, rattling off instructions to her kids for towels and blankets, put the kettle on to boil, build up the fire, put two more plates on for dinner...

Vin let himself be led into their warm, welcoming home. He couldn't count all the voices that filled the little room and two kids immediately attempted to clamber up into his arms.

"...Dan'l almost drowneded...' a little girl was saying as her twin brother attempted to be heard over her "...an'...an'...an'...then all his blood woulda come out..."

But Mrs. O'Brien shooed them away and continued to lead Vin to the section of the room that was signified as the kitchen by the cook stove and the rough hewn table surrounded by too many chairs.

"You just set right down here, child. Thank you Abby..."

The older girl nearly dropped the pile of towels out of her mother's reach as she stared wide-eyed at the sodden hero who was actually sitting at her table, only three chairs away from her chair. Vin smiled at her and Mrs. O'Brien repeated herself more distinctly.

"T h a n k y o u A b b y."

Vin watched Abby wander back into the cloud of children, and his eyes fell on a small boy, about five or six, with his back pressed up against the wall, shaking his head rigidly at all attempts to be brought into the group and only stood, rocking slightly, sucking on his fingers.

"Honey, what is it?" Mrs. O'Brien saw that same troubled look that she'd seen on Vin's face the other day. This time, Vin didn't answer her and she followed his gaze. "That's Bart, poor boy. Old enough to remember his folks, young enough to still think they'll come back for him..."

Vin nodded absently and took the towel she offered. Mrs. O'Brien relieved him of his hat and began to tug his jacket off of him. She stopped chatting to him, she could see that he was miles away - no, she could see that he was years away...

the small boy stood defiantly in the middle of the floor

not hiding where he'd be farther away from getting hit

not flinching when the old man raised his fist again

he shouted till his throat was raw

"She is - she is coming back for me! I know she is!"

the next blow knocked him down

and he struggled to his feet again.

Vin came back to the present when Nathan came out of the bedroom.

"He's fine, Miz O'Brien. He ain't shiverin' no more, so I don't think it'll turn to anything. He oughtta be up 'n around - soon as Will decides it's okay." He sat next to Vin after rearranging several of the numerous chairs. Vin broke his gaze from Bart and finally used the towel to dry his hair. He was surprised to find he was no longer wearing his jacket.

"Will watches him like a hawk, he does." Mrs. O'Brien agreed. "I never seen the like - 'less it'd be Buck and that boy he keeps under his wing...honey...?" She turned back to Vin when she saw he was paying attention. "...you feelin' warmer now? Still shiverin' a mite..." Vin nodded and ducked his head, pretending to dry off the back of his neck, when he saw Nathan looking at him, silently assessing him.

"I'se chilled is all." Vin said, when he raised his eyes to find Nathan still looking, still assessing. Nathan had seen chilled bodies in his lifetime; he'd also seen chilled souls. Something in this cabin was gnawing on Vin, something he needed to get away from.

"Well, Vin. If I can pry you away from this here toastin' stove, I gotta get back to town. I'm sorry Miz O'Brien...." He said when she started to protest. "Your little fella will be all right." He snuck another glance at his friend. "We gotta get back to town."