A/N: Sorry didn't have much time to proof read. I just like to thank you for reading, and please leave a review.

Even though Heath didn't have much schooling in his life, he wasn't stupid. He knew that much. He also knew that he was out matched, and that it would take a complete fool to try to take both men on with only his fist.

"Why did you come here?" sighed Tom as he took a small step forward in Heath's direction making the boy winch, something that he could only hope no one noticed.

Pressing his back into the wall even more, he shot a quick glance over to the door beside him. Making sure it was still open. Before returning his gaze back to Tom just in time to see him take a step back, and open his mouth to say something before two children at the top of the stairs emerged out of no where, and came sprinting down the stairs as if life depended on it, with shrieks of laughter following them.

The one that lead the way was a small boy with dark brown hair it was obvious he was the youngest out of the two. The other that followed behind right on the boy's heels was a young girl with bright golden blonde hair that. Unlike see the other child who wore a giant grin and couldn't stop laughing. The expression she wore was one of anger. With a murderous look that glittered her bright blue eyes.

Heath's heart seemed to stop for a second, before picking back up again, but in a faster rhythm as he realized that the two children. Were no other than his fath- Tom Barkley's real children.

He, along with the two men before him watched as the two ran straight into their mother's grib at the bottom of the stairs. He heard her saying something to them, probably scolding them. But for the life of him he couldn't hear what she was saying. Nor did he care at the moment. He just kept on watching her, and two children who shot confused glances in his direction, before the youngest raised his hand to Point at Heath. Clearly asking who he was.

Heath was quickly swallowed by envoy, and guilt leaving him a bit puzzled.

He envied Tom Barkley's children. For being able to grow up with a father. Not having to worry about where their next meal would be coming from, or having to constantly hear the insults being thrown at them by whoever walked by. Not having to live with the fact that they were the reason for their mother's suffering. not having to endure all the things he experienced in his life.

But why was he feeling guilty all of a sudden? He did nothing wrong. He didn't! At least he thought he didn't. All he did was punch the man who was responsible for starting all the suffering.

As Heath thought about it though. He slowly began to realize, as his fingers only sunk deeper into the palms of his hands making them hurt, how much he really hadn't thought all this through. He hadn't been thinking about whos lives it would deeply affect after exposing, and possibly hunting Tom Barkley for what he did eighteen years ago, in a small mining town that Heath was forced to call home. Nor did he think of the consequences their would be after. He hadn't even given a thought about Mrs. Barkley. or her children. and the fact that they could possibly grow up without a father like how he had to, it made his stomach twist into tight knots right before the words of his mother exploded in his mind. Repeating that same Bible verse once more, as he looked at the children's faces.

Their eyes gleamed of pure innocence. Something Heath never had the luxury of. Something that was robbed from him from such a young age.

Heath just couldn't. He couldn't do it. For the sake of his mother, and the Barkley children, and Mrs. Barkley... and his two aunts that were up to him to take care of. He just couldn't.

There was obviously something about the man that had so many people drawn to him. Being as judgment as they were, from his experience, Heath caught himself thinking, and believing that maybe there actually was some good in the man.

When he made eye contact with Mrs. Barkley after she had ordered her children away, wearing a concerned expression on her face, as her eyes darted back and forth from him to her husband, and the other man. ho Heath presumed was their eldest son, or a ranch hand. It convinced him even more that maybe there was some good.

Ripping his gaze off of the woman, and turning his attention back to Tom, Heath sucked in a breath through his teeth. "If it were any other day... i'dda killed you," he rasped before turned on his heels and stormed out of the house in fuming anger.

As he crossed the porch it took everything in him to fight the urge, to not turn around, and storm back in there to beat both men within an inch of their lives.

Ignoring the orders Nick shouted at him, for him to come back, Heath untethered his horse from the hitching post out in front, and swung himself up, into the saddle.

Giving them both a small almost unnoticeable wave, just to anger Nick even more than he already had, which he succeeded in before reining his modok around and giving her a sudden kick to her sides. Causing the mare to jolt forward into a canter, carrying him further away from Tom Barkley as more of his mother's words came flooding into his mind from so long ago. When he had asked why his mother wasn't angry for his... for Tom Barkley leaving her. Her words still stuck with him even to this day. and if only she could know how much they helped him ride across the yard, and out the gates in front of the mansion.

"The past is the past, Heath. There's no changing it, and theres no reason to dwell on it... Best we can do is forgive and forget."