Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit. Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – warning: story includes reference to major character death, Smith and Jones Days c1934

Not Done Yet

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"Hey Kid…"

The familiar voice, long since unheard, stirred the former outlaw as very few things would. The eighty-year-old blinked his sleepy blue eyes. Through his lashes, he could make out the shadowed figure of his partner, cousin, best friend. The dark-haired man leaned over him, head tilted to one side, the dimpled smile held in check, a worried expression in his eyes.

"Heyes?"

Jed's voice came out in a raspy croak. He'd been caught out in the spring rains over a week ago. The resulting chill, fever, and heavy coughing had sent him to his bed. He knew his youngest daughter Amanda, the only one of his children that still lived in Thunder Ridge, had been worried about him. She'd checked on him every day. Jed wouldn't have put it past her to have even slept on the sofa in the front room some nights. Clem had spelled Amanda some. The tiny woman was a white-haired dynamo.

"Yeah Thaddeus…," smiled Heyes.

The inside of his home still smelled of the chicken soup Amanda had insisted he eat. 'Mama's recipe,' Amanda coaxed. The scent of that soup held so many good memories, but Mattie hadn't been here to make it in far too long either. Jed missed them so much.

"Am I dying?"

This was the first day that Amanda had let him get up and outside. They both agreed the fresh air would do him good. The aging shootist lay stretched out on the old porch rocker. Someone, probably Amanda or maybe Clem, had draped a blanket over his lean, muscular frame. His feet were propped up on the ladderback chair… the same chair that his cousin had often used.

"What?" Heyes looked horrified. "No! You…"

Jed struggled to sit up straight, his head turned left and right, looking. Searching.

"You ain't dying!" snapped Heyes. "Mattie asked me to tell you to wake up, you ain't done yet…"

Wake up? Wasn't he already awake? His loquacious partner might have said more, but Jed spoke again.

"Then why are you here?" interrupted Jed. "Is Mattie here too?"

"No," answered Heyes.

"Where is she?"

"She's busy," snapped Heyes. "That grandson of yours is a trouble magnet just like you…"

Cole. The sound of Amanda's laughing firstborn carried across the front flower garden. Jed stood up, tall and straight as he'd always been. A sure hand reached for the holstered colt on the side table. Amanda had fussed about him bringing the weapon outside, but the Kansan still felt he needed to have it nearby. Even if nowadays the only trouble seemed to be from politicians. His daughter was picking peas in the vegetable patch. The toddler had moved away from her, nearer the woods. Behind Cole, a hissing serpent slithered from a rocky ledge towards the boy. The child turned to see what was making the rattling sound.

"No!"

Kid's voice was a whispered protest. Reflexes long honed for survival took over. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! The rattlesnake disintegrated, head flying one way, tail another. The startled child howled a protest and fell backwards landing on his well-padded rear.

"Cole!"

Amanda's frightened voice called. The peas in her apron dropped to the ground as she ran to her young son. Jed's daughter scooped up the curly-haired blond boy. Together they backed away from the remains of the poisonous creature. To Jed's eyes, it seemed as if Mattie stood on the path near them. It seemed as if she smiled at Jed. The screened front door opened as Clem stepped out to join him on the porch. For a moment, Jed felt a warm glow emanating from his partner as the brown eyes looked at Clem.

"You need to sit," ordered Clem.

"What?"

Jed turned to look at his long-time friend in astonishment. He gestured in protest towards the snake.

"I needed…," objected Jed.

"And put that thing down!"

As if that thing was something dreadful. And Jed knew a gun could be, especially in the wrong hands. But the pistol was a tool, and right now it was a tool that had saved Cole's young life. Amanda reached the porch with Cole.

"Papa, you need to sit," urged his daughter.

Jed glanced around. Heyes and Mattie were gone. He soon found himself settled back in the rocker. His colt back in its holster, on the table still within his reach. Amanda thrust Cole into his arms. Together, Amanda and Clem fluffed pillows and wrapped blankets and promised that lunch would be out here in a few minutes. The screen door slammed shut behind the women as they headed towards the kitchen. The toddler looked up at Jed. The trembling little chin had stilled, a thumb slipped into a pouting mouth. Jed pushed the rocker in motion.

"Don't worry none, you didn't do anything wrong," assured Jed. "You're gonna appreciate women fussin' over you someday…"

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