Heyes nudged his cousin hard, and he came awake with a start, as he said blearily. "Wassup?"

"You're terrible company, Kid, you got loads of sleep last night.. don't see why you gotta nap now, when I ain't got no one to talk to but you."

Kid yawned, as he looked out of the window and shook his head. "I did not, Heyes, I was waiting for ya to come back from sayin' goodbye to Susie...sure took ya long enough."

There was something in his tone that brought a bit of heat to Heyes' neck as he remembered just what saying 'goodbye' had involved, and he said defensively. "Told ya, not to wait up!"

"Well, I heard some noises from her room, sorta yelping and thudding, so I was kinda worried about ya..."

Heyes glared at him and said. "Will ya just go back to sleep, Kid."

His cousin grinned. "Figured you'd say that." He closed his eyes again, and said in a muffled tone, that didn't hide his amusement. "Wake me up, when we're 'bout ready to stop and change horses."

Heyes huffed, then went back to staring out of the window, annoyed at his friend, before his face broke into a reminiscent smile as his mind drifted back to Susie, and what they'd done last night. It had been a wonderful farewell, and had left him no regrets. She'd told him quite positively that she had no expectations, other than the night and that she wouldn't be there to see him off in the morning. "Just something to take with ya to Denver, Heyes."

A slight flush came to his cheeks as he remembered how Jenny had eyed him in some amusement, on seeing him creeping back to his room, from where Susie sometimes slept when Jenny felt it was too late for her to head home. " I was just saying bye, Jenny, weren't nothing else to it."

She'd snorted and said dryly. "That was some goodbye, Heyes, I think they heard it three rooms down. I'm figuring you gave your cousin quite the education tonight, with those noises."

Heyes decided that with nothing else to do, sleeping was probably worth a try. So he closed his eyes still smiling , and as he drifted into sleep his last thought was that there was one thing that he'd learnt in Kansas City that he was grateful for, and figured that the next girl he met, probably would be too.

ASJ

After the noise, and mass of people that they'd faced daily in Kansas City, Denver came as something of a relief to their senses. Though a growing town, it was nowhere near the size of the city they'd left behind them. Of course they weren't quite the same boys as the ones who'd arrived in Kansas City close on a year ago, so that may have played a part in them feeling less overwhelmed.

Despite his sense of relief at the reduced hustle here, as a man pushed past them, jostling them as he did so, the Kid still tensed and sighed, wondering if they were already about to face trouble. His hand twitched down the settle at his gun, in anticipation, the feel of it reassuring against his hand. But when the man looked up at him, with a muttered apology, before hurrying away, he relaxed, and let his hand drop away from his weapon, as he shifted into a less tense stance, and breathed easier then he thought he had in quite some time.

He glanced over at his cousin, who feeling his gaze, turned away from the dusty street to face him, a small smile on his face. With a nod out at the town in front of them he said. "Feels a bit more like home, don't it?"

Kid wasn't sure he'd go that far, but he definitely preferred the smaller amount of people there seemed to be here, and he felt less like he was drowning in a crowd of noise, and nodded. "Ain't so loud as Kansas City, that's for sure.

ASJ

"Hey, this ain't bad, Heyes, and cheaper than the dive we had in Kansas City." Kid bounced gently on the bed nearest the door.

Heyes shook his head in some amusement as he said drily. "You keep doing that, won't be long till that bed is as busted as the other one."

Kid humphed ,but stopped his bouncing with a sigh, and instead lay down on the bed, arms behind his head. "When we were walking here I saw a help wanted poster on the livery. Don't pay as much as Marston, but better than the mines did. I'm gonna go ask 'bout it in the mornin'." He paused then added. "We got enough to buy supper, Heyes?"

"So long as you ain't anglin' for a steak dinner..."

Kid laughed, "You're the dreamer, Heyes...not me." Though he was attempting to keep his tone light, he knew by his cousin's face, he'd not hit the note he'd been aiming for, and shrugged a little in apology.

ASJ

Kid was cleaning his gun, remembering how his Pa had told him, that a clean gun, was an accurate one. "You gotta take care of any weapon you own, same way as you do that pocket knife, son."

Kid could hear his Pa clearly as he carefully tended to his weapon, as he felt the weight of his pocket knife in his pants. Their time with Jenny and Billy had reminded him of what it was like to have a family, and his thoughts had drifted to his folks more often in the last weeks. It was a strange bitter sweet feeling, but he still hugged the memory to him, as he feared one day, time would likely make it harder to recall them.

When Heyes gave a satisfied "Ha!" Kid looked over at him. He was lying on his bed, reading the abandoned paper he'd brought back with him from the cafe. The rustling paused, and Heyes grinned. "Says here, that saloon down the street from the cafe is wanting a dealer, blackjack and poker."

Kid paused in his cleaning, and sighed as he scoffed. "You figuring the manager, is gonna wanna hire someone who ain't quite fifteen for that kinda job?"

Heyes looked at him over the top of the newspaper. "You're forgetting who ya talking to, Kid...I'm sure I can persuade him."

Kid was half tempted to suggest they toss for the chance of the job, but reluctantly had to accept that Heyes had a much better chance of getting the job then he did. He was gonna have to stick with the livery job.

ASJ

Kid wiped his forehead wearily, and straightened up as he finished the mucking out the last of the empty stalls. As he leant against the wall rubbing his eyes as he stretched his back, he thought about Heyes dealing blackjack enviously. Somehow he'd convinced the sceptical manager that his youth would be an advantage for the saloon. No one would expect him to be any good, and it'd bring them in more money as folk would figure they'd easy win against him, and he'd been proved right. So he'd been hired long term by the end of his third day.

Jed into his second week working at the livery, definitely wasn't enjoying the hard work of cleaning up after the horses, but was finding feeding and tending to them a positive change from running through busy streets, and facing disapproval from rich folk. It was also much less hard work than the mine, and William, the livery owner, a grizzled old timer, grateful for a youthful pair of arms treated him well enough. The pay wasn't great, but he always made sure Jed was well fed and watered throughout the day.

As Jed turned in preparation to begin pushing in the new straw, William entered, and nodded approvingly at the clean stall. "I think you deserve a bit of feeding, before ya start on that job, son." He waved a lump of cheese at Kid, and two hunks of bread. "Betty down at the cafe, sure has taken a liking to you, she gave me these for free, when she learnt they were for you."

Kid smiled, grateful, and after wiping his hands on his pants, stuffed the bread in first, hardly chewing it before swallowing. There was something about the man, that for some reason reminded Kid of his grandpa, and he grinned at him, as he demolished the cheese in two bites.

William watched him in some amusement, and shook his head with a laugh as he said. "Boy, you got hollow legs."

"You sound like my cousin, he's always complaining he can't fill me."

ASJ

"Hey, Kid, time you were up for work!"

Kid stirred reluctantly, as Heyes gave his bed a kick, and cracked open his eyes, feeling exhausted, with his stomach grumbling. "Gimme a minute, Heyes."

He was surprised his cousin was so awake, as he'd got back from the saloon late, but he was looking revoltingly cheerful, and Kid groaned at the bounce in his step as he added. ""If you want breakfast, you're gonna have to get moving."

Kid shook his head at the idea of breakfast, just the thought of food was making him feel sick. He was about to bury himself under the blankets, deciding an extra half hour of sleep might help, when his stomach cramped, and bile rose in his throat. He sat bolt upright, managing to stop himself being sick, and slowly dressed, trying to ignore Heyes, who was making comments about him being old before he reached 14, until he'd had enough and snapped. "It's all right for you, sat on your ass every night, bet it don't even feel like work!"

Heyes snorted softly and replied with a dimpled grin. "We gotta work with our talents, Kid, and yours is..."

"If you're gonna finish that sentence with anything that sounds like working with horse's asses, I wouldn't."

"Aww, Kid where's your sense of humour this morning?"

Kid just stared at him, and shook his head. "I'm gonna head to the livery early, so I don't get the urge to flatten ya...and no I ain't eating breakfast today..." Before Heyes could say anything, he turned and stomped out of the room, slamming the door in Heyes' face as he tried to follow.

Once on the street, his stomach cramped, and he had to make a bolt for the outhouse, only just making it before he was sick, and then had to sit down hurriedly as another part of his body made its unhappiness known.

He wasn't sure how long he was stuck there, hoping it wasn't so long that he was going to be late, but finally he stood shakily, feeling hollowed out. Just as he exited onto the street, there was a call of "Fire." The call was taken up and down the street, as people rushed past him with buckets of water, while several more men unfurled one of the new fangled hoses and dragged it up the street.

Acrid smoke was already filling the air, bringing up unpleasant, well buried memories back to Jed. His heart pounded in his ears, and another bolt of nausea threatened to engulf him. As he took in what was happening round him, he realised with horror that the activity was focussed round the livery, which was where everyone was heading. He looked down the street frantically, seeing his workplace already burning fiercely, and with a gasp, discomfort forgotten, he raced down towards it, yelling. "William." as he ran.

Smoke was pouring out of the building, and flames were almost engulfing the roof and walls. Jed as he approached, quickly felt his cheeks start to throb with the ferocity of the heat, and his eyes began to burn and water with the effects of the smoke, that was already flooding the street, making everything cloudy.

Ignoring the very clear signs of danger, Jed refused to back away, still determined to get in and help. A man in some kind of uniform, stood a few yards away from the door, tried to stop him, attempting to yank him back as he said. "Boy, there's nothing we can do. They are trained men dealing with it. You'll just get in the way, and die in there!"

Jed shook off his restraining arm hard, desperation lending him strength, and he flung himself closer to the building. He was about to burst through the doors, then someone barrelled into him, taking him to the ground, as a familiar voice hissed in his ear. "Don't you dare, Jedediah Curry, don't you even dare!"

"Not this time, Heyes..." The memory of that day, and the additional muscles that nearly two years of physical work had given him, allowed him to push his cousin off, and he scrambled to his feet. He was already pulling away, and he heard Heyes gasp behind him, but ignored him, determined to help. But when nausea and dizziness swept over him, and a sharp pain in his stomach doubled him over, Heyes took advantage, and tackled him to the ground. As he fell, his cousin covered his back with his body, holding him tightly, even as he struggled. Refusing to let go of him, Heyes hissed in a fierce, unnaturally thick tone. "I ain't losing you too, Kid, I just ain't."

Before they could do or say anything else, there was a loud crack of wood, and several horses came bursting through the heavy wooden doors, with men behind, urging them out, as the building began to collapse in on itself.

There was a deafening crack, and the ground shook around them. The world began to fade as memory flooded Kid. The acrid smell of smoke, and the panicked yelling around him, pushed him back almost two years. The heavy crack of timber collapsing, suddenly sounded like gunfire, and he was watching his home burn, as his family lay dead in front of him. He heard a whimper of pain, and he wasn't sure whether it came from him or Heyes. Then obviously close to tears, Heyes hissed frantically against his back. "I'm sorry, Kid, I'm sorry, don't hate me." Then he knew nothing more, as with his senses overwhelmed, everything went black.