A Home for You and Epilogue

Previously: "Jarrod, please," Victoria, who had been stunned to actually hear her oldest son yelling, stepped forward. "Go ahead and do something, anything, outside this room." She turned to the rest of the family and asked them to also go find something to do. "I want to talk to Heath." Her children all had their say; she would have hers.

Victoria waited until the door closed before turning to Heath, who all of a sudden looked the same as a child who'd just gotten into trouble and was looking for an escape route. She had to fight from laughing, as she didn't want him to get the wrong idea and shut her out. "Do you remember what I said to you the night before the fight at Sample's farm?"

Heath might have denied it, only Victoria had a look in her eyes that told him the question was more rhetorical than anything, and her voice was firm. "Yes, ma'am, I do." Heath answered as he moved just enough to get more comfortable in the bed he was using.

"I meant it then and I mean it now." Victoria's eyes softened, as did the tone in her voice. "Heath, you are my husband's son. I know it, and my children know it." She glanced at the blankets; he didn't need to ask why, and then said, "I won't lie and say that taking those bullets for Jarrod-or losing half your leg- haven't affected any of us; it has. However," her voice grew firm again as she said, "Don't ever think it's guilt, a false sense of debt or charity keeping the door to our home open to you. I won't stop you from leaving, but I am asking you think twice about it before you do. As Jarrod said, you will be fitted with a prosthetic leg. That way, you can work the ranch –or whatever you choose to do-like anyone else and not be confined to crutches or a wheelchair." She paused as she bit her lip and then started speaking again. Not knowing Heath had heard what she'd said about his mother, Victoria made the same confession to him. "I was wrong in doing that only I can't go back and undo it. Please, stay. In time, everyone will come to be eternally grateful you came into our lives, and that includes Nick." She then turned to leave the room.

Heath knew why Victoria made the comment about Nick. Truth was that in spite of admitting with his mouth Heath was their brother, Nick was still very much at odds with everything. And the idea that he'd still be able to work instead of feeling like a helpless cripple was more than appealing. "I'll think about it, ma'am." Heath said just as Victoria reached for the door knob.

"That's all I ask." Victoria smiled at him before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her, telling herself she'd have to work on that 'ma'am' bit if her stepson decided to make his home with them.

Epilogue

Victoria, Jarrod, Nick and Audra sat at the breakfast table talking. Gene had left for school; they were just waiting for Heath to show up for breakfast. Nick, as usual, was being impatient and making assumptions.

"Now where is that boy? He's been told breakfast is a seven sharp!" Nick growled. "I told him he'll have to pull his weight like anyone else in this family!"

Victoria, who did her best not to worry about Heath, who had been fitted with a prosthetic leg two days before, told Nick to watch the tone in his voice. "I'm sure your brother will be down soon." Victoria noticed how Nick bristled slightly and knew her middle son's head had accepted Heath as a brother, only his heart was a different matter. If that wasn't the case, Nick wouldn't still be having such a hard time every time she referred to Heath as his brother.

"He needs to be on time! If he's late for breakfast, he'll be late for everything!" Nick bought his palm down upon the table. Naturally, it earned him a hard glare from his mother and the others. They didn't exactly appreciate their plates full of food moving, even if it was only for a few seconds.

"Dr. Merar only released Heath to work yesterday at five in the afternoon, even then he told Heath to take it easy for a little while." Jarrod said, and then paused as he let out a low, tired breath, "It's going to take him awhile to get used to walking with that prosthetic leg."

"Well, he…" Nick started into another rant only to have Heath walk into the dining hall. Everyone was astounded to see him wiping his forehead with a bandana and his shirt was soaked wet. Since he was walking with a cane…doctor had ordered Heath to use it until they could see whether or not the limb would work properly.

"Where the devil have you been?" Nick bellowed from his seat.

"There's a fence and the bridge which both need fixed, especially that bridge as I don't intend to take another bath in the river if I can help it." Heath answered as he sat down at the table. He then watched as Nick's jaw, and the jaws of the rest of the family, hit the floor. A portion of Heath wanted to laugh only he was too hungry to really care what they thought about his answer. After all, what had they expected him to do? Use what had happened as an excuse to lie around and do nothing? They were crazy if they thought he could do that. No, instead he'd been up most of the night practicing walking. Of course, the fact that he'd also spent that time ranting and railing at the man upstairs, asking why such a thing was necessary, was another thing he wasn't about to admit. Why should he? If he needed someone to talk to, really needed someone, he'd go to Strawberry and talk to his Aunt Rachel or Hannah. He wasn't going to vent to a family he barely knew. After thinking that, Heath inwardly sighed. After spending the hours of practicing walking, Heath had ridden off to get some work done. After breakfast, he told he would go back to the same work...or whatever Nick had him do. Yes, he was tired, but he was more tired of laying around doing nothing. He knew he'd hear about it from the doctor later, but he really didn't care enough to do anything but what he was already doing. He'd simply rest later.

Deep in thought, Heath didn't notice Nick had picked up his fork and was going for a piece of meat in front of him. This being the case, Heath did the same only to find him and Nick doing their best to stare each other down, neither one willing to give up the steak to the other one.

Jarrod looked at the rest of the family, who was trying their best not to start laughing, and shook his head. Picking up a knife, Jarrod began cutting the steak down the middle. Heath and Nick said nothing as the meat separated and each took his own piece, though Heath threw a small smile Jarrod's way…as if to thank him. However, he quickly looked away from Jarrod…as he could plainly see the concern Jarrod had for him in the man's eyes, and it made Heath uncomfortable. When it came to Nick, he and Heath would butt heads more than once before what they knew in their heads would work itself into their hearts. Only, it was a beginning and that was what they need the most at the moment.

A/N I hope to be able to do a sequel to this. As far as I'm concerned, it really needs one.