Chapter 6

Five days later...

Tony headed into the hospital, hoping that he'd beat Tim's family there this time. They'd got to the hospital three days ago and, since then, even when Tim was awake, it was hard to talk to him at all because there was always an audience. Tony understood that he wasn't family, but still...

When he got to Tim's room, he was thrilled to see that no one else was there. Tim seemed to be asleep, but he had complained about being so tired. Tony figured he wouldn't mind waking up for a few minutes.

He opened the door.

"Good morning, Probie!"

Tim came awake with a bit of a start.

"Oh...morning. Is it morning?"

"Yeah, it is."

Tim was still a little slow, but Tony didn't think there was any point in making Tim aware of it. He just let Tim wake up all the way without rushing him.

"Man, Tony...I am still feeling out of it."

"After falling off a mountain, you have the right to be a little out of it."

"Maybe so, but it isn't the most fun I've ever had."

"Yeah."

Tim blinked a few times and then looked at him.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Tony," Tim said. "It wasn't your fault."

"Do you remember?"

"Kind of. I was trying to catch up to you...because I knew that you'd tease me about falling behind."

"I wouldn't do that!"

Tim raised an eyebrow, looking very much like his usual self even with the stitches and abrasions on his face.

"Okay, I would," Tony said with a smile. "Actually, I didn't think you'd make it all the way up. I thought that you'd back out once we got high enough."

"I thought about it," Tim said. "But I didn't want to."

"Did you trip?"

"No. If I'm remembering right, it was strange." Tim closed his eyes in thought. "I was hurrying to catch up, walking as fast as I could. I started feeling like I wasn't getting enough air. Everything started going black and then, suddenly, I was falling. It was like I'd gone blind, but I could feel myself going backwards and...and then, I... hit, and I don't remember anything else until..."

"Until what?"

"Until I woke up...in the dark. Everything hurt. I couldn't move. I tried once, but it hurt so bad that I didn't try again. I was out and then I was awake and it was terrible every time. I didn't even feel like I could say anything." Tim opened his eyes again. "Then, you were there getting me out. Some of it is a blur, but I was so glad to hear your voice."

"For the only time ever," Tony said with a smile.

Tim smiled back, but he was still very earnest.

"Tony, I thought I was going to die. It sure felt like it. Then, you were there, talking and talking. Even when I couldn't see you, I knew you were there. That mattered."

"Well, since you were only out here because of me..."

"No, Tony. It's not your fault."

"Actually, it's not really yours, either."

"What do you mean? I'm the one who fell. I didn't even trip over anything."

"Yeah, but it sounds like you had the same problem I had when Jesse was leading me up the mountain. I nearly passed out because we were walking too fast. Jesse said that it was because we were higher than we're used to and we weren't getting enough oxygen. You probably were passing out and just didn't realize it in time. If we'd taken some time to get used to the elevation, first, we might not have had this happen."

Tim nodded slowly. Then, his brow furrowed again in thought.

"You mentioned Jesse before. A shepherd?"

"Yeah. I went down the mountain to find help, but it got dark and I got lost. I ran into his flock and charmed him into helping me. He's an interesting old guy, but he really helped. I don't know if I would have been able to get back up the mountain without him. I hope he didn't lose any sheep because of it."

"Oh. You should thank him for me. He saved my life."

Tony was about to say that he couldn't do that because Jesse had left, but then, he stopped himself. There was no reason why he couldn't try to find the old shepherd before he had to go back to DC. Brandon had made sure he got the rental picked up from the campground; so Tony still had a car to drive. He could ask for suggestions about where Jesse might be.

"That's a good idea. I should."

"Glad I could help. Now, I'm about to fall asleep again. Mom said that she'd drive me back to DC once the doctors clear me...but you can tell Gibbs that I won't be working for a long time."

"Yeah. He already knows. I called him a few days ago and I updated him, yesterday."

"Oh."

Tony smiled.

"Just go to sleep, McGee. No worries. All you have to do is get better."

"I wish I was doing that a little faster."

But Tim settled back and fell asleep quickly. Tony got up and left, looking for the doctor who had known Jesse before. He walked to the nurses' station.

"Hi, I'm looking for Dr. Sanders," he said politely. "Is he in today?"

"Dr. Sanders? Yes, but not for another hour. What do you need him for? Is Mr. McGee all right?"

"Yeah. Actually, I was hoping he could tell me where I could find the guy who helped me find Tim."

"Oh, Jesse?"

Tony let out a surprised laugh. "Do all you people know each other?"

"Pretty close. It's a small town. You're either a tourist or a long-time resident. Jesse's a long-time resident." Her smile became a little sad. "And I got to know him a little when his wife died."

"So...do you know where he'd be? He said he was taking his sheep down to the fields in a sheep camp or something."

"Oh, I know where you can look. Take the main highway north out of town and then turn east at the first paved intersection. He should be along there somewhere, in one of the fields. I'm not sure where, but that's the path he usually takes. He's the only one around here using a sheep camp these days."

"Okay. What is a sheep camp?"

"It's like a tiny cabin on wheels. He actually still uses horses to pull it. I'm surprised it has room for him in there, let alone anything else, but he seems to manage all right."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Tony left the hospital and got in the rental. He drove north out of town and, following the nurse's instructions, took the first right and headed east, toward the mountains. It was all just fields and rolling hills. The road was narrow but paved. As he drove, he wondered if he had gone wrong. He couldn't see anything and, surely, something like a small cabin on wheels, along with a flock of sheep, would be pretty obvious.

But he didn't see a thing besides fields as he drove along.

Then, he went up over a hill and down into a dip.

There was a tiny cabin on wheels. He saw the sheep grazing on some small green shoots. Connall was out among the flock. It was the first time Tony had got a good look at the dog. It was huge. Easily as big or bigger than the sheep it was guarding. Actually, the color of his fur was similar as well, but that was not a dog he'd want coming after him.

Tony pulled over and got out, hoping that Connall would remember him and not attack or growl. He started walking toward the sheep camp.

The big dog saw him and growled a little, but not as much as he had that night.

"Hey, Connall...remember me? That I'm a nice person and not about to steal a sheep?"

He kept growling, and seeing him by the light of day didn't make him any less threatening.

"Who's out there?"

The door to the sheep camp opened and out came Jesse, just as grizzled and unfriendly-looking as he had appeared before. He had his rifle out and ready. Tony could see how that might put some people off a bit. He raised his hands in the air and smiled.

"Hi."

Jesse looked at him for a moment and then lowered the rifle.

"Oh, it's you. How's your friend?"

"Getting better. It was pretty bad, but he's awake and talking...for parts of the day. His family's here and he wants to get home as soon as the doc lets him leave."

Connall was still growling; so Tony didn't move, except to lower his hands.

"Can you call your dog off?"

"Connall, stop it."

Instantly, Connall stopped growling and trotted back to his place among the flock.

"He really wouldn't hurt you unless you tried to take a sheep. He's a baby," Jesse said. "When the lambs are born, he lays down by them and lets them climb all over him...and they do. Weirdest thing seeing that big dog with little lambs playing on him." He shook his head and almost looked pleasant.

"Well, I wouldn't want to make a dog that big mad at me. What kind is he?"

"Great Pyrenees. Best sheep dog I've ever had. What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to say thanks."

Jesse shrugged. "Already did that. Don't need to say it again. I have a good memory."

Tony laughed.

"Are you really like that or are you just testing me?"

"Like what?" Jesse asked, narrowing his eyes a bit.

"Pretending that you're all gruff and mean. I think you're just like Connall."

Jesse raised an eyebrow and then smiled a little.

"Maybe I am. What's it to you?"

"Well, Tim wanted me to say thanks. He couldn't really before, and he's really glad that he survived."

"Me, too." Then, Jesse gave him a look. "You heard things about me and wanted to know more, didn't you. Wanted to ask questions that have nothing to do with you. Poking your nose where you're not wanted."

"I'm not wanted in lots of places where I ask questions. That's nothing new," Tony said.

"And why is that?"

"I'm a federal agent."

"Oh, I should have known."

"Come on. You have a captive audience."

"Who says I want one?"

Tony grinned. "Maybe you don't, but I'm still curious about why an old guy like yourself would want to hang out with sheep and a monstrous dog every day."

"Maybe I'm curious about why a young guy like yourself would want to come out here and go hiking when you're clearly not prepared for it."

"I'll tell you if you tell me."

Jesse rolled his eyes but then gestured toward the sheep camp.

"All right. Come on. No sense in standing here jawing. I have a couple of camp chairs. You won't fit in the sheep camp. Only room for me in there...and Connall if necessary, not that it's ever necessary. It's a nice day."

Tony followed Jesse over to the sheep camp. It looked smaller and smaller, the closer they got to it.

"Do you fit in there?" he asked.

"Of course."

Jesse climbed into the camp and then came out with two folded camp chairs. He handed one to Tony and unfolded his own. Then, he sat down and looked at his sheep.

"So...you first or me?"

"You," Tony said. "You might pretend to run out of time if you make me go first."

Jesse chuckled and then leaned back.

"Edna was the best thing in my life. Best thing that ever happened to me was meeting her. And cancer was the worst thing that ever happened to her. She tried, but it won out in the end." He sighed. "Did everything we could. Doctors did everything they could. Nothing worked. In the end, she had to admit that she wasn't going to win that one. We never could have any kids. Couldn't afford to adopt, tried fostering a couple of times but it never worked out. She would have made a wonderful mother. She volunteered at the school. I'd been raised to be a farmer. She was raised to be a farmer's wife. We fit together."

"Didn't you say you had sheep before?"

"Yeah. I hired people to do this part of the job. I owned the sheep. I didn't take care of them much. I was focused on the rest of my farm. Edna loved the sheep. It was the one part of the farm she didn't mind. She loved the lambs in the spring. She'd never let me use them for meat. Only wool. I didn't mind. I don't care much for mutton. After she died...I don't know. The rest of it just didn't seem so important. Figured that I could take care of the sheep for her. Sold a lot of my land. Kept enough for the sheep and some crops. Enough to live on, to save a little and pay the men. I make enough from the wool."

"So...why be alone all the time?"

Jesse shrugged. "Always been kind of a loner. It's easier to be with the sheep than to try and find people to talk to. Besides, always wanted to be a cowboy."

"But you have sheep, not cows."

Jesse chuckled. "Yeah. That's a definite obstacle."

"Shepherd really doesn't have the same ring to it."

"Nope...but you know, I almost think it's better. I've had five years of this, and there's something about it that makes me feel closer to Edna than I could be sitting around at home."

"Those are the only options?"

"Now, listen, son, I didn't invite you to stay to have you give me advice. You asked for my story. I told it to you. Now, you tell me why you were hiking where you had no place hiking."

"Well, a buddy of mine suggested it, but then, he backed out at the last minute. Had something come up."

"Did he really?" Jesse asked.

"I don't know. The hiking was his idea, but..." Tony shrugged. "Well, actually, getting together was mine."

"Why are you acting so embarrassed by that? Not everyone is like me and likes being alone."

"It's not that. It's..." Tony shrugged again, feeling uncomfortable about sharing, but then, Jesse had done the same. "Some things have been changing a lot in the last year. Someone left."

"A female someone?"

"Yeah. ...but we weren't really together or anything. It was...complicated. And then, I just started to think about other people I'd lost touch with. Started calling some of my old friends. Seemed like a good idea. I didn't ever tell anyone about it. I just don't want to end up alone because I let people drift away."

"Not everyone does."

Tony looked at Jesse, and for some reason, saw something of himself in the man. "I don't think you do, either."

Jesse chuckled. "Well, the only one I cared about being with has been dead for five years, now. Look. I didn't help you out thinking that you'd owe me. I helped you because you needed it and I'd have done the same thing for any other fool who wandered off the mountain and into my sheep."

Tony sighed.

"And you're not a fool because your friend fell. You're a fool because you didn't even pack a flashlight! These mountains don't suffer fools. You're lucky you caught them on a good day. ...and that you ran into me. The mountains like me."

"They sure hated me."

"I don't think so. I think they were testing you. You survived. So did your friend. That means you passed."

"And what do I get?"

"To live," Jesse said, pointedly.

"Is this really the life you want?" Tony asked.

"I have my sheep. I have my dog. I have a home. Son, if there's anything more that I needed, I know I could ask any person in the area and I'd get it."

"But would you ask?" Tony asked.

"If I needed it."

"Yeah."

Tony could tell that they didn't really have anything more to say. So he took a breath and stood up. Jesse did as well. Then, before Tony could say his good-bye, Jesse clapped him on the back.

"Even though I don't need it, thanks for trying. Now, you go and keep your friends. If you want them, you gotta keep 'em close. Then, even if you end up losing them, you'll know that you had the best you could. ...and never forget to stay with your flock."

Tony laughed. That was the weirdest piece of advice he'd probably ever been given.

"You think it's funny, but it's true, no matter how you put it. The sheep never learn that if they'd just stay together where I lead them, they'll be fine. They know I'll get them out of trouble, but they don't realize that they can avoid it if they just stay together. So stay with your flock and don't get into trouble." Jesse wagged his finger in Tony's face again. "Now, get out of here and don't scare my sheep."

"Yes, sir."

Tony headed back to his car. Jesse was kind of strange, but Tony could see that he was a good man and he'd done more than Tony could have asked when he'd needed help. He just wished that he could repay. Connall was sitting contentedly on the ground. He stopped by the huge dog. For the first time, Connall didn't growl at him. He was panting and looked much less threatening. Tony hesitated and then, tentatively patted him on the head.

"Hey, take care of him, okay?"

Connall made a weird noise at him and then went back to panting.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He went and got in the car and headed back to the hospital.