A/N I got thinking and realized if I was reading this I'd want to know what on earth Heath did with his children. I guess the muse agreed, but this came quite fast. No one dies or is hurt physically; still, you still might want to keep a tissue handy. It's still a tear jerker.

Chapter Nineteen

Mrs. Stokes stood in a nice three bedroom home near the San Francisco Bay; it belonged to her distant cousin and friend, Susan Bradford. Mrs. Stokes watched as Bryon played quietly with his toys. She couldn't help but smile as the boy seemed so content with what he was doing. However, when she turned her attention to Leah the smile turned to a concerned frown. The young girl sat in the bay window, leaning against the glass. She'd been sitting there for a couple of hours simply staring outside. Mrs. Stokes' mind ran back to the moment, she and the children were sitting on the couch in the Thomson's home.

"Heath! I thought you were going to be in town for awhile?" Mrs. Stokes stood up from the couch. Since Heath hadn't been gone that long, she was confused.

Heath didn't answer her as he knelt in front of Byron, who was playing with his wooden soldiers. "Hey slugger, how about takin' these toys into your bedroom for a few moments?"

Bryon didn't want to move, but he picked up his toys and stood up. "Yes, papa," the child then went to join his sister who was already in the bedroom playing. Heath wasn't surprised when he stood up and saw the look of worry that had taken its place upon his friend's face.

"Heath? What's wrong?" Mrs. Stokes braced herself, not knowing what to expect.

"Didn't you say once you had a cousin in San Francisco?" He asked quietly, not wanting his children to overhear this part of the conversation.

That one question had Mrs. Stokes on high alert. She had mentioned such a thing at one time; she'd also flat out stated she'd only talk to, or go to, that cousin if it was a downright emergency. "Yes, I did." She answered as she stiffened and braced herself. "Why?"

Heath explained what he'd overheard. "I am going to warn the Barkleys; I don't want the children around until those men are dead or in jail." Heath told her. "I need you to take the children away to safety until I send for you."

"Is that really necessary? They're after the Barkley's not you."

Mrs. Stokes still recalled how shocked she'd been when Heath had confessed what he'd found out and exactly what the fight in the barn had been about. "That is why I was hoping you'd take them. No one would ever think of looking there. It's not like you are looking forward to returning to Modesto." He said that because she'd told him the night before that, since Jack had taken over the ranch, it seemed like foreign country and not her home anymore.

For the sake of protecting the children from whatever Mr. Stoddard and his brother were planning, Mrs. Stokes had relented and packed her and the children's bag while Heath went into to talk with Leah and Bryon. Mrs. Stokes could still hear Bryon asking question and Leah begging her father to be careful and to, please, not fight with Cowboy Nick again.

Now, looking at Leah, Mrs. Stokes was still very concerned for the child. Walking though the living room, the older woman sat down next to her. Leah didn't turn her head when Mrs. Stokes joined her, though she did break the silence that hung in the room when she sighed and said, "Too many people, too many houses, there's not enough space." It was a statement that did not surprise the older woman. Ever since this child had learned to walk and talk, she'd made it known by her words and actions she loved wide open spaces. "Where's papa? Why isn't he coming? Did he go to join mama?" Leah looked up at the woman she knew as "Grandma Stokes".

Mrs. Stokes felt her heart jump into her throat as she fought to control her voice as she answered the young child. "No, Leah, he's back in Stockton. It's like he and I told you before; there are things going on you're too young to understand. He asked me to bring you here until he can send for you again."

"When is he going to tell you to take us back?" Leah's eyes were sad and a tear slipped down her cheek as she asked the question. She wanted to feel the safety both her father and Cowboy Nick seemed to hold for her. In fact, truth be told, she just wanted to be back with her father and the Barkley's period.

"I don't know." Mrs. Stokes picked the child up and sat her on her lap. "But I can promise you, it will be as soon as possible. It's just better for you and Bryon to be with me, here, right now." Not knowing what the men Heath had talked about were planning, all she could was hope Heath and the Barkleys would be able to take care of the matter as soon as possible.

Leah didn't like it. If it was better for her and Bryon, why had her father stayed behind? Wouldn't it be better for him to be with them too? Being too young to be told, or understand even if she had been told, the true situation, she felt fear fill her heart. With this being the case, she wrapped her arms around her caretaker's neck and cried softly, "Do you think Papa gave Cowboy Nick his whistle? I gave papa his." she sniffled and scrubbed at her tears.

"I'm sure he did." Mrs. Stokes and then, thinking to change the subject, asked if Leah wanted to make a whistle for her brother.

"Yeah, I guess so." Leah answered quietly as she looked up at Mrs. Stokes and proved that she wasn't going to be distracted her train of thought. "Papa and Cowboy Nick are my friends; they should be friends too. I want papa! I want my Cowboy Nick!" Leah burst into tears.

Not knowing what else to do, Mrs. Stokes simply moved herself and the child into the rocking chair her cousin had placed in the living room and rocked the child. Only when Leah had relaxed and fallen asleep did Mrs. Stokes stand up, walk into a nearby bedroom and lay the sleeping child onto the bed. "Lord, I don't know for sure how things work." Mrs. Stokes looked upwards. "Please, can't you do something to make it so these children can be reunited with their father?" She turned and looked out the bedroom door. From where she stood, Mrs. Stokes could see Bryon. She was shocked, but not surprised, to see a couple of tears escaping down his cheeks also. Sighing, she went to give what comfort she could to a boy who was much like his father in many ways, a human who was too quiet and held his feelings too well hidden. All she could do was hope her prayer would be answered soon.