A/N I have never heard Victoria's maiden name mentioned so…I'm making one up.

A/N I've been having computer problems. My friend lent me her laptop while her son fixed m computer. Only now, ugghhh, for some reason the chapters are uploading, but are not in the format they're supposed to be in. So...I've edited the chapter after I uploaded it to "document manager". I hope it post okay.

Chapter Thirteen

As the train pulled into Carson City, Jarrod looked out the window. As he did so, his eyes fell upon a dark haired gentleman dressed all in black standing on the platform in front of the railroad's ticket office. He was wearing a black hat and his boots had silver spurs on them. "John loves a good laugh just as much as anyone else, but he's seen a lot of sorrow in his life and started wearing black because of it. He says it reminds him to keep his head in reality" Steve's words, spoken earlier that day, rang in Jarrod's ears. Even though he could not see the color of the man's eyes, Jarrod could see the gentleman's brown hair and dimples; the man was smiling wide and laughing with one of the railroad workers. With him stood a red headed man who appeared to be in his forties. At least, with the clothes the other man was wearing, Jarrod assumed the stranger worked for the railroad.

"I told you John stood out like a sore thumb." Steve smiled as he followed Jarrod's gaze. "From what the Davies said the last time I was here, he always has. Though, like I said, I think it's best we don't say why we're here until we're at least sitting down in a café or something. Don't need the whole station hearing our business." Well, if anyone asked Steve, they didn't. Jarrod felt his heart skip a beat. For a split second, he could see everyone from a few of his cousins to one of his mother's brothers standing in John's shoes. Without thinking, Jarrod whispered. "It's Nick; he and I always looked more like the Miller side of the family. That's my mother's side of the family." He sighed as he thought on what might have been if Tommy and Nick had not gone missing that fateful day. He and Steve watched as John turned away from his friend and disappeared into the ticket station.

"I wasn't expecting him to actually be here at the station." Steve said as the train came to a complete stop. "I figured I would have to take you out to the Davies ranch to introduce you to him." He stood up and stepped into the aisle, allowing Jarrod to exit his seat as well. The two men then made their way to the door at the end of the train car. Soon they were standing on the boardwalk that surrounded the ticket office. "We might as well…" Steve started to speak only to jump backwards, as did everyone else, when the ticket office door flung open. It was all Steve could do not to laugh when he saw John and another fellow-a man slightly shorter than John and just a tad bit heavier-tumbled through doorway and onto the platform.

The man that John was fighting came up swinging only to have John grab the man's arm and swing the man around, benting the secured arm behind the man's back. Clamping his free hand upon the man's shoulder, John very forcibly walked the man off the platform and threw him down to the ground, roughly forty feet from where Jarrod and Steve stood.

"IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY CHEATING THE TICKET OFFICER, DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK!" John bellowed loud and clear. "NOW GET ON YOUR WAY!"

"Told you he was loud," Steve, turned his head slightly, and whispered just before John turned and saw them.

Once again a smile a mile-wide spread over John's face as he quickly closed the distance between him and Steve. "It's good to see you again!" John clasped Steve's hand and shook it vigorously, clasping Steve's shoulder as he did so, and said, "I had about convinced myself you'd gone back up into those mountains for good."

"Naw," Steve laughed. "I'll be living in the valley for a while at least." John smiled and let go of Steve's hand, even as he turned his attention he stranger who stood next to Steve. With most of his time spent working with his older 'brother' on the ranch, John was seldom in town…and even more seldom would he be found in the company of anyonewearing a three-piece suit. "Who's sick or in trouble?" He joked as he looked back at Steve.

It only took Steve and Jarrod a split second to see what John was getting at. "No one," Steve chuckled as he gestured towards Jarrod. "This is the friend I told you about in the telegram; name's Jarrod Thomas Barkley, Esquire, though you can call him Jarrod." Steve then looked at Jarrod. "This is John."

"Welcome to Carson City," John held out his hand, even as his eyes filled with curiosity. "Esquire, you're an attorney?"

"Yes, I am." Jarrod did his best to smile and hide his nerves as he took a hold of John's hand. "But I didn't come to represent anyone." It was all both men could do to hide the shock they felt as they looked into each other's eyes and shook hands. Both felt as if electricity ran through their fingers, hands and up their arms as the moment they made contact…though both were oblivious to the fact that the other one had felt it too.

John, unprepared to feel any such thing, quickly let go and turned his attention to Steve. "I have the wagon waiting around the corner; do you need me to take you and Mr. Barkley to the ranch or are your horses waiting?"

"They're waiting in the animal car." Steve answered. "We'll get them and meet you at your wagon."

"Fine," John started to turn away only to have Jarrod speak up.

"The name is Jarrod." He might agree with Steve that he did not want any of the men and women close by to hear the conversation he meant to have with his brother and Steve, but he didn't want his own brother calling him mister either. John nodded; he could understand anyone wanting to be called by their first name. "Jarrod it is." He then turned and walked away.

Only then did Steve look at Jarrod. "Deep down inside, he remembers your name. I could see it in his eyes. Give him time though. He's good as gold; however, from what I remember, he'll need time to accept something this huge."

Jarrod said nothing as he and Steve headed for the animal car. How could he say even one word when he was still reeling from what he'd felt when he and Nick shook hands…and in his heart that would always be his brother's name no matter what anyone else might call him.