Man of Justice

A/N Not surprisingly, Jarrod has insisted on 'taking the reins' per say.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nick and Heath found themselves back in the living room much to Nick's dismay. He'd just been getting ready to tell Heath about Jarrod's return to the ranch when their older brother had sent Audra out to ask them to please come inside. Out of respect for Jarrod, the men had complied, though Nick stood as far away from Jacob Michael as he possibly could…with his arms folded tightly across his chest as a form of personal restraint. Nick dared not drop his arms, for fear he may strangle the man right there in front of his family. Heath sat on the chair nearest the living room entrance. After what Nick had told him, he had no desire to be too close to their visitor either.

"I assume you have told Heath what happened?" Jarrod looked at Nick with, with a bittersweet tone in his voice and a look of weariness in his eyes. It tore once again into Nick's soul.

"Yeah, I told him. That is, up to that trip through Chico you told me about." Nick answered bluntly but did not bark, as he didn't want to upset Jarrod any more than what he seemed to be. "Now, why was it so necessary for you to ask us to come back in here?" he demanded, as he glared yet again at their guest.

Jarrod's voice grew firm and both his brothers could hear "that tone" in their Pappy's voice. "Let's just say I just decided it didn't make sense for the same story to be told in two different spots. And yes, we've been discussing the consequences of Mr. Michael's actions in here too…not just his prison time either." Jarrod then turned his attention to Jacob Michael. "When you say the adjustment I and my family had to go through when I got back must have been hard, you are making the understatement of the century! It was more than hard, it was… excuse my language ladies," he looked at his mother, Mrs. Michael and Audra, all whom simply nodded as if to tell him that under the circumstances they understood. "It was hell."

Jarrod rode in between Jim and Tom. Tom and Jim stuck to traveling through the hills rather than going onto any main roads, not because they were ashamed to be seen with Jarrod "the way he was", but simply out of consideration for Jarrod's feelings. They'd already had a number of encounters with people that thought the same as Mrs. Williams. Thank goodness, they'd met a number of people who didn't as well. If they hadn't, Tom was sure Jarrod would have turned his horse around and gone back to the Shoshone and to his Shoshone father.

Birds flew through the air and a few wild animals could be seen making their way through the area the men were riding through. After Jarrod's one word apology, he had said nothing more, though Tom and Jim had both talked about the family and the ranch. When the ranch came into view, Tom was not surprised to see Jarrod stop his horse. He watched as his son's eyes moved from one side to the other taking it all in.

Jarrod felt everything for anger to excitement to trepidation running through him. Memories he'd forced to the back of his mind, out of the necessity to cope with adjusting to his Shoshone home, came rushing to the front of his mind, some that should have caused his heart to jump for joy only it was too full of pain and confusion to do such a thing. For whatever reason, the memories had his heart pounding eighty miles an hour and Jarrod came close to turning his horse around. How close he came to riding back to Straight Arrow and the other Shoshone people was something it would take years for Jarrod to admit. Even then it would only be to Nick and his mother as it wasn't until after his father had been gone for close to six months that he could get himself to even acknowledge that fact. The sight of their new home was also overwhelming.

They sat on their horses, in the same place, for a solid thirty minutes before Tom realized his son wasn't just taking things in. Jarrod was also unable to get himself to move forward. Tom sighed yet again and nudged his son's horse to start moving. Tom then led the way down the hill and towards the home he'd told Jarrod about a number of times on the way back. Because Jarrod was still not speaking, Tom was confused. He couldn't understand how Jarrod could so easily forget. He wondered if the Shoshone had tortured his boy; wondered if his fight to survive the terrors had actually transformed Jarrod into a Shoshone. But in truth, he could not believe that. He'd seen the look of love and admiration on Straight Arrows face and seen it in Jarrod's as he looked upon the man. Tom also silently reveled in the name the tribe had given his son "Man of Justice". It was a name marked with honor. For now Tom had to be a man of patience, if he were to help his son.

Victoria was standing in the front yard holding Eugene and talking to McCall and Nick, Audra played near her feet while some of the ranch hands stood nearby when the trio could be seen approaching their home. The moment Nick saw who was coming he hid behind McCall. The sight of Jarrod with his long hair and buckskin clothes proved to be a bit overwhelming for the young child. McCall said nothing though, he simply reached back and pulled his young shadow around to his side and held onto him. That small gesture was something that Nick not only found comfort in at the time, but would cherish forever.

Victoria held back the tears she so wanted to shed, as she looked upon the son she barely recognized. He'd shot up to the height of a man and the long hair had changed his looks quite a bit; still, she would have recognized him as her son, even in a crowd of thousands. While some of the men standing nearby would say later all they saw was defiance in Jarrod's eyes, she, like Tom and Jim, saw the pain, hurt and fear. "Welcome home, Tom." She smiled at Jarrod when her husband stopped the horse. "Welcome home, Man of Justice." She, like her husband, had to stop, think and make herself say the name given to her son. At least, it was an honorable name. She was grateful for that.

"McCall," Tom said as Jim and Jarrod dismounted their horses, "would you and Jim please take care of these animals?"

"Yes, sir." McCall let go of Nick and, after giving the boy a reassuring smile and pat on the back, took the reins to Jim's horse, but not before slipping a nearby rope around the neck of Jarrod's stallion. He then did as his boss requested.

Once McCall and Jim had left, the other men drifted off and an awkward silence fell between all the Barkleys; no one quite sure of what to say or do. That is until Nick ran up to Jarrod, wrapped his arms around his waist and cried out, "Welcome home, brother!" Nick had already determined if he couldn't call Jarrod by his white name, he'd simply call him brother for now.

Jarrod felt a knot come into his throat and knelt down in front of Nick. During the seven weeks of traveling Tom and Jim had gotten Jarrod used to hearing the English language again, he had yet to say more than his one word apology. Truth was, with the exception of the time at the trading post and next to his horse in front of the boarding house, Jarrod hadn't even spoken Shoshone. It had been one very quiet trip when Tom and Jim hadn't been talking.

Tom and Victoria held their breath as Jarrod knelt down in front of Nick; both prayed their oldest would say something, anything, to his younger brother…even if it was in Shoshone. They were granted their desire when Jarrod, after studying Nick for a few intense moments replied with a small smile, "Tam-ets-y."

Nick might not have understood Jarrod had just called him "younger brother", but he understood the smile and look of longing he saw in Jarrod's eyes. It was those things, the small smile and longing, that took a hold of Nick and had him remembering what McCall had said to him moments before Jarrod, his father and Jim had come into view. "Who knows maybe, for a change, it will be you who will need to let your brother lean on you." Nick whispered, "You can lean on me, brother."

TBC