Man of Justice

I do not own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkleys.

Chapter Six

Nick sat on the couch, his ten year old ears not wanting to believe what his father was saying to his older brother Jarrod. "Well, what do you think son? Do you want to go on the wagon train and help Jacob or not?" He and Victoria, after talking it over for more than a few hours, had decided it would be a good experience for Jarrod… if he wanted it that is.

Before Jarrod could get a word out edgewise, Nick exploded, something no one had ever seen him really do before. "NO!" the young ten year old jumped up from where he was sitting, not caring how loud his voice was or that he was acting out of anger. "You can't Jarrod, you just can't! It's just like the dream; I know it is! You go with that fellow and everything will change! I just know it!"

Jarrod didn't know what to say. Could Nick's dreams actually be a warning of impending danger to himself? Then again, Nick had said he'd come back in the dreams. He wanted to go and help, yet he didn't. He felt as if he was being torn in two directions and didn't know which way to go. He was spared having to deal with his brother as Victoria stood up, walked over to Nick, took a hold of his arm and started leading him towards the stairs. Everyone knew what that meant; Nick's outburst was earning him time in his room.

"I tell you, nothin' good will come from that trip!" Nick was hollering all the way up the stairs. "Don't go, Jarrod, please!" The young child's voice faded away as his mother opened the door to his bedroom and shut the door, after giving him strict orders to stop yelling and just sit on his bed.

Tom waited until his wife was again seated in the living room before speaking up again. "It's up to you Jarrod. For as long as I've known Jacob, he's been a good man. If he says he needs your help on the short journey, I have no reason to doubt him. Though, I'll admit, I'll be missing you something awful and be more than overjoyed when you get back, if you decide to go."

Jarrod was disturbed by Nick's outburst; it was so unlike his brother. "May I have time to think on it father?" Jarrod looked from his father, to his mother and back to his father. Even at his young age, Jarrod would always need the time to think carefully before deciding anything.

"Of course, though you should know," Tom answered as he picked up the book he'd been reading earlier, "Jacob, his wife and that small company should be here by supper time. They won't have time to wait for an answer."

Jarrod looked at both his parents, feeling the weight of the decision he was going to have to make. "May I be excused? I want to go talk to Nick." It had unsettled him when Nick had exploded like he had; after all, his little brother had never done that before.

Victoria would have insisted on him letting Nick finish throwing his "little" temper tantrum before approaching him, however, she figured it might actually help. If Jarrod could calm Nick down, it would be worth it. "Go ahead. I hope he will listen to you."

Jarrod quickly climbed the stairs to the bedroom and opened the door. Nick was standing by the window looking just as angry as when he left the room. At the sound of the door opening and closing, the child turned around to see Jarrod standing in the room. His anger melted away and he ran into his brother's open arms. "Don't go, Jarrod, please don't go; don't go with that man!" Nick's tears ran freely down his face as he begged his brother to stay.

Jarrod sighed. How he wished there was something he could say or do to ease his brother's troubled mind. Only problem was, he didn't know what it would be. Finally he spoke softly while holding onto his brother. "That man is father's friend and he needs help. What am I supposed to do? If you needed help, you'd want me to give it. I'd want to give it too."

Nick's sobs started to subside, even if he was trying to keep it up. "It won't be a short trip, Jarrod. It won't be, I just know it." He pulled back and looked up into his brother's eyes.

The look in Nick's eyes was almost haunting, and it chilled Jarrod to the bone. He almost promised him right then and there he wouldn't be going, but he couldn't do it. His father always helped his friends out, said you didn't turn your back on people you cared about. "I'm sorry, Nick. The man needs help."

While Jarrod continued talking to his brother, Victoria had taken Audra and gone outside for fresh air. Tom was right behind her. He started to ask if she was okay, she'd been acting out of sorts for a few days when he saw the wagons off in the distance. "Looks like Jacob and that company he's leading have arrived." He put his arm around his wife's shoulder. Due to Victoria's odd behavior the past few days, which he chalked up to the stress Jacob's request had put on her, he added quietly, "I can tell Jarrod we've changed our minds. We can keep him here."

A part of Victoria wanted to do just that, but she couldn't. They'd already told Jarrod the choice was his. She'd had assured her sons early on that once they had made a decision neither she nor Tom would interfere. She couldn't change the rules now. "No, we simply tell Jacob not to ask the boy for an answer until after supper; which I best get started or we won't be eating on time." She turned around and went back inside.

Tom waited until the wagons stopped not fifty feet away before he stepped off the porch and walked over to where Jacob was dismounting his horse. Neither men saw the two faces looking at them from the window above. "You go if you have to, Jarrod. I won't try to stop you." Nick looked up at Jarrod with a sad smile on his face.

Jarrod said nothing as he gave his brother a hug. While he still doubted Nick's dream meant anything dangerous, Nick's strong belief in them left him with a foreboding sadness. But, he couldn't see how he could say no to Mr. Michael. Like he'd just told Nick, the man was their father's friend.