I do NOT own The Big Valley nor any of the original Big Valley characters. Thanks to my Beat Reader for all her help and to Martha for answering a lot of questions when it comes to California, towns, distances etc.

End of the Rainbow

Chapter Fourteen

Patrick and Cat were getting the horses ready to go when they heard quiet footsteps. Once again they were alerted to danger, as it sounded as if someone was trying to hide the fact they were coming. Patrick quickly moved into a position to cover the back door, as that was the direction the noise was coming from. Cat didn't exactly waste time finding cover, after retrieving the rifle off her horse.

Patrick was not surprised when Matthew Miller slipped into the livery stable and headed for the horses. "I'd stop right there if I were you." Patrick cocked his pistol as he stepped into view. Mr. Miller, bent on getting the horses, whirled around intent on shooting the man behind him only to find two bullets saying hello to him as both Patrick and Cat fired their weapons. Patrick, naturally, had shot out of a need to survive, and Cat had instinctively sought to protect her husband. Before Mr. Miller fell he got a shot off, and it hit Patrick in the left arm.

Cat ran to his side, removed his hand and quickly ripped his shirt sleeve in order to have something to stop the bleeding until they got to a doctor. Before she could say anything the sheriff, along with a few citizens, was standing in the livery stable.

"Your friend?" The sheriff's sarcasm was not lost on the Barnes'.

"Yes," Patrick nodded, "that's him." Patrick held still while Cat finished with his arm.

"Doc's in his office," the sheriff said as he and the local undertaker, a Joshua Snyder, picked up the dead man. "I'm sure he can help you."

"Thanks," Patrick said as he and Cat headed out of the livery stable.

As they headed down the street, with more than one head turning, Cat smiled. "I'm glad you only be takin' a bullet in your arm, and not anywhere else. I'd 'ate to 'ave to kill you for dyin' on me." She winked at him and laughed.

Patrick chuckled. "It would almost be worth it, just to see how you would do it." That might have earned him a slap on the arm, only she was standing on his injured side and there was no way she was going to do that one.

"That be not even close to bein' funny, Patrick Barnes," Cat chastised him, grinning as she did so, "you 'ave to live a long life. You just 'ave to."

Patrick said nothing as he opened the door to the doctor's office. One, his arm felt like it was killing him and two, he had to fight the angry feelings that wanted to come again, the angry feelings that said 'the Grim Reaper', as his wife put it, had no right to be making plans to come and get Cat either. She must have known what he was thinking as she reached up and, putting her hand on his good arm, said, "I'm sorry. I be not thinkin' when I said that. Don't be startin' to feel sorry for me, let's just enjoy our time together. Now, come on, let's get in there and 'ave the doctor do 'is job."

Dr. Adam Hinton was just getting ready to leave when the door opened. Somehow, he wasn't surprised by what he saw, as he'd heard the gunshots down the street. "At least you're walking in here." The white haired gentleman led the injured patient down to the room he used when he had to operate on people; too many men have to be carried in. "You can wait out here, miss."

"Mrs." Cat bristled at being called miss, "Mrs. Barnes." She didn't realize it, but she was throwing some pretty good sized icicles the good doctor's way.

"It's okay, Cat," Patrick smiled at his wife, "it's a compliment really."

"I don't see 'ow, I'm your wife. What with us bein' married, if 'e calls me miss and someone 'ears 'im, that someone who don't know we be man and wife, they might think I'm a *slapper!" She stood with her hands on her hips and steam rolling out of her ears.

The good doctor didn't know what she meant by slapper, but he could pretty well guess. He smiled as Patrick lay down on the table. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Barnes, I meant no offense. Please, wait out in the waiting room. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

Patrick couldn't help but chuckle slightly as she turned out and walked back towards the 'waiting room'; he also sighed. It would be nice if he could just remember who he was. He'd like his family, if he had one, to meet his wife before she passed away. When the doctor offered him a drink, Patrick declined and told the doctor just to give him something to bite down upon instead. His exact words were, "If I didn't have the horses to move, I'd take some whiskey. However, we can't be sticking around just get the blasted thing out of my arm!" He'd have said something else only the door was slightly ajar and he didn't want Cat to hear any of the foul language he could think of.

* Slapper - A slapper is a female who is a bit loose. Probably also translates into tramp.