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In the morning, Walker slowly woke up, his whole body aching so badly he didn't want to move. He let out a groan as he opened his good eye to see he had somehow rolled over onto his right shoulder. Boy this will be rather painful, thought Walker as he attempted to move. He grimaced as a sharp pain ran down his arm completely immobilizing him. Man, how is he suppose to get up?

A moan from somewhere inside the room told him Jarod was also waking up. "Corbett?" It seemed strange to call his brother by any other name than Jarod. "You in here?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Walker heard Jarod yawn then the�squeaking of a camp cot as he stood. He then appeared next to Walker, the right side of his face pink from sleeping on it. "Here, let me help you."

"Thanks." Walker gritted his teeth as Jarod pulled him to an upright position. "Can you get an ice pack?"

"Sure." Jarod quickly ran out of the room and came back minutes later with a large ice pack and towel. "How's the pain?"

Walker shook his head. "Bad. Must have slept on it all night."

Jarod gently placed the pack on Walker's shoulder. "Just take it slow today."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Walker leaned against the headboard as Billy came in holding a cup of coffee. "Morning, Billy." He gave his close friend a smile. "What's for breakfast?"

Billy leaned against the doorframe then shrugged his shoulders. "Thinking about pancakes. But Corbett was talking about Southwest omelets."

"Omelets sound good." Walker suddenly realized he didn't have his eye patch on and lowered his head. "Sorry, Billy. I forgot I had taken off the patch…."

"No need to worry." Billy stepped inside the room then went to Walker's side. "I was thinking, today I get you a leather eye patch." He seemed a bit embarrassed. "I mean…if it's okay with you?"

Walker beamed at his friend. "I think that's a great idea."

Jarod sat down next to Walker and smiled. "So, you decided then on not having the surgery to repair your eye orbit?"

"Probably not for awhile." Walker's right hand slowly went and rubbed at the fuzz on his head. "I have a feeling I'll need another surgery somewhere else."

"You think it's gotten that bad?"

Walker slowly nodded. "Yeah, I do. I think it was the last few hits I received from Marcellinio." He took a deep breath then smiled. "Enough with this, let's go out and show you around."

Jarod appeared worried. "You up for it?"

"Yeah, I just have to be careful." Walker slowly stood with Jarod's help, his face blushing. "Thanks. I need to get washed up."

Jarod watched as his brother made his way into the bathroom with a towel and a fresh pair of clothes. He checked his watch to see it was nearing time for Cordell's morning medication. Let's just hope today is a good day for his brother. After all Cordell did sleep rather well last night, possibly the best he has had since the last attack.

While Cordell got himself ready in the bathroom, Jarod went into the kitchen to see how breakfast was coming along. He then got Cordell's pills ready, making sure he didn't miss any as he did so. After checking the medication off in the book, he wrote down the hours of sleep his brother got then made his way to the bathroom.

He knocked on the door then leaned against it's surface. "Cord, need help?"

"You know the answer to that, Corbett." Came the reply. "I'll be out shortly."

Jarod chuckled and made his way back into the kitchen to see Billy had set the breakfast table. "Thanks for breakfast."

"Not a problem." Billy placed a plate in front of Jarod. "Hope you enjoy it."

"Oh, I know I will." Jarod glanced up as Cordell slowly came into the kitchen, his shirt unbuttoned as usual. Because of his hands, his brother could barely do simple tasks like getting dressed or bathing. "Here Cordell, let me button your shirt for you."

Cordell blushed as he stepped up to Jarod. "Thanks, Corbett."

"Not a problem, what are brothers for?" He checked Cordell's chest injuries then his shoulder. "Burns look slightly inflamed. Let's put some ointment on them." Cordell huffed as he sat down in a chair. "You know it has to be done."

Billy watched as Jarod gathered Washo's pills then grabbed a tube from the small pill bag. As Jarod got a glass from the cabinet, Billy noticed a change in Washo. His friend's one good eye glassed over then slightly drooped closed. He remained this way for several seconds till his head began to bob up and down.

Jarod let out a curse as he put the pills and tube on the table. "Cord, you just had a seizure." He gave Washo a very gentle look, one a brother could only do. "You need to take your meds before you sleep it off."

"No, meds…." Washo started to fight Jarod. "Just leave me alone…."

"Sorry Billy, this sometimes happens after a seizure." Jarod gently patted Washo's knee as he put a cup of water in the latter's hands. "Now drink up and take your meds."

Washo dropped the cup, which clattered onto the floor. "No, don't want to."

Jarod quickly took hold of Washo's waist pulled him to a standing position then led him to the couch. "Just lay down." Washo did without argument and was soon asleep. "Sorry about that Billy. Happens rather rarely, but when it does, he's rather adamant about not taking his meds." He went back into the kitchen to clean up the water spilt by Washo. "He'll wake up shortly. It wasn't a bad seizure."

Billy glanced at his friend to see him laying on the couch, his hands crossed on top of his chest. "So, that was a seizure?"

"Yeah, it was." Jarod shook his head. "Hopefully it will be the only one for today, but I doubt it." He got the ointment, went to Washo's side then knelt next to him. "What do you want to do today?"

"Not really sure." Billy watched as Jarod tended to burns on Washo's chest. "What were those caused by?"

"Cattle prod." After he was finished Jarod gently pulled back Washo's shirt to check the suture site on the right shoulder. "He popped a few stitches." He shook his head. "If it's causing him problems, we should leave tomorrow morning."

Billy nodded. "Understood. I hope he can recover from these injuries."

A look of pain crossed over Jarod's face. "I did this to him." He rubbed his hand down his face then started to massage the nape of his neck. "If I didn't get involved like I did with Marcellinio then Cordell may not be�suffering like he is…."

"Did you do this to him?"

Jarod shook his head. "No, but…."

"Then you are not at fault." Billy patted Jarod's back. "Come on Corbett, let Washo sleep. I have much to talk about with you."

An Hour Later

The grogginess that Walker felt as he came to was all too familiar to him and he let out a groan of frustration. He licked his lips then opened his good eye to see a white ceiling above him. Well, at least he didn't roll over onto his bad shoulder like the night before. Ever so slowly he tried to sit up, but found it difficult to do. Man, he really hated being like this. Hopefully once he heals from the injuries sustained in the torture things will be a little easier for him.

"Hey Cordell." Jarod appeared before him with a smile on his face. "Let me help you up."

"Thanks." Walker allowed his brother to pull him up. "How bad was it?"

Jarod shook his head. "It wasn't, though you did fight me a bit when it came time to take your medication."

Walker blushed at this news. "I'm sorry. You got the meds ready?"

"Right here." Jarod gave him a bottle of water and a small paper cup with pills in it. "You weren't out long, only an hour this time."

"That's good." Walker swallowed the pills then glanced around to see Billy was nowhere in sight. "Where's Billy?"

"He went into town to get a few things." Jarod smiled at him. "Billy is a great guy. You're very lucky to have him as a friend."

Walker nodded. "Definitely. Need to keep in contact with him." The front door opened and in walked Billy with two small bags in his hands. "Hey, Billy."

"Washo! Nice to see you awake." He patted Jarod's back then sat down next to Walker. "Hope you don't mind, I got you a little something." He handed a brown bag to Walker. "I'm not really sure if it's even you or not."

Because of his casts, Jarod had to get the item out of the bag and when he did, Walker saw it was a black, leather eye patch with an embossed cross in the middle of it. He nodded his thanks and allowed Jarod to remove the old patch and to tie on the new one. The patch felt really good, much better than the one issued from the hospital.

"Looking sharp!" Jarod sat down on the other side of Walker. "I really like it." Billy handed him a small plastic bag. "And what did you get me?" He dug inside and pulled out a small wooden box with a Cherokee tribal design burned into it. "What is this?" He opened it up to see a silver harmonica. "How did you know?"

Billy beamed. "I noticed in one of the pictures you showed me last night, you had a harmonica in your hand." He shrugged. "Hope you like it."

"Like it, I love it!" Jarod took it out and ran it across his lips. He blew out a few chords with a huge smile on his face. "I haven't played one in years."

Walker shook his head in disbelief. "Are you sure we're identical twins?" He chuckled as Jarod began to play the harmonica. "You're actually quite good, Corbett."

Jarod ran the harmonica once more over his lips then turned to Walker. "All right, Cordell. It's time for a reading lesson." He got up, went to a bag and pulled out one of two youth novels Walker brought for the trip. "However, Billy is going to help ya out." He handed the book to Billy then smiled. "I'm going to start packing the truck. We should leave today so you can get the shoulder looked at."

Billy glanced the book over then opened it to where a page had been dog eared. "I just help you when you get stuck, right?" Embarrassed, Walker just nodded his head. "Washo, no need to be ashamed." He handed the book over. "Start reading. I'm here to help you out."

It was strange helping Washo out with tasks he would normally teach kids in Sunday school. No wonder his friend was depressed and irritated, his brain was locked in this kid like state. Washo grimaced as he got stuck on a word and when Billy glanced down he saw it to be "handwriting".

"Sound it out, Washo."

Washo huffed then shook his head. "Ha…hand…wri….writ…writing. Handwriting." He blew through his lips and continued to read the rest of the page.

After a few more pages, Washo closed the book then leaned back into the couch. He took a deep breath and gently shook his head as though to clear it. His eye got slightly droopy, but instead of zoning out like before he actually tried to get up. Billy, unsure of what to do, gently helped his friend to his feet.

"Washo, are you okay?"

"Fine, I'm fine." His voice was barely audible as he began walking towards the front door. "Just need fresh air."

Confused to what was going on, Billy ran past Washo and out the door where he nearly collided into Jarod. "Corbett, something's wrong with Washo."

Quickly, Jarod and Billy ran back into the house to see Washo staring out the front window. The former went to his brother and gently put a hand on his back to guide him back to the couch. However, Washo wasn't going anywhere. He seemed to be rooted in this one spot, staring at nothing in particular.

Jarod shook his head then turned to Billy. "I think it may be the medication he's on. Sometimes, he just wonders or stares out like this."

"I can't see him like this. I'll be right back."

Billy left the house to get some fresh air, his heart now aching so hard for his dear friend he wondered if the pain would ever go away. This was not the Washo he had known growing up, this was an all new person. Washo had been like a brother to Billy, but now they were so far apart, it seemed they didn't even know each other anymore.

Jarod stepped up to him, his hands on his hips. "You need to go back in there, let him know…."

"I can't. That's not Washo in there." Billy ran his hand down his face then turned to Jarod. It was strange to see a man that looked so similar to Washo, but wasn't him. "How do you do it, Corbett? You deal with it so well."

Jarod shrugged. "He's my brother." He gave Billy's back a gentle pat before he turned back to the house. "Come on, I think Cordell needs to know you're with him."

Billy took a deep breath then made his way back into the house. Here, he saw Washo sitting on the couch looking tired and frustrated. He sat down next to his friend who slightly turned to look at him.

"You don't like me like this, do you?" Washo's voice was slurred, but understandable.

"It's just different." Billy grimaced at his choice of words. "Sorry, just not real sure how to take to your new life…."

Walker gave him a lopsided smile. "You have always been blunt." His shoulders slumped forward. "I need to sleep though. I'll be better after a nap."

Jarod came in and nodded his head. "Truck is packed. You can sleep on the way home."

"Right." Walker slowly stood up. "Billy, I will call you."

Billy gently gave his friend a hug. "Do come see us again."

"That we will." Jarod shook Billy's hand. "Come on Cord, let's get going."

\/p