They were hunkered down against a storm in the Curry basement, listening to the wind howling above them, with the young boys huddled on their Grandpa's knee. They looked up their face's showing some fear, as Kathleen walked over, shaking her head and scowling down at her father, as she said annoyance clear in her tone. "Pa, stop scaring the bairns, there aren't no banshees in Kansas. It's just the wind."

She took her son and nephew away from her father, and hugged them close before carrying them with her, as she returned to sit next to her husband, who tucked a blanket round them, keeping them close.

Patrick Curry watched in silence for a few minutes, then replied with his voice hushed and his face serious. "Ahh, Katie darlin' how can ya be sure?" He paused then said. "Sure I heard one the day my Moira left us."

"Ma what if he's right, and there is a banshee out there? I don't want any of us to die." Heyes looked up at his Ma, his eyes frightened, as Jed leaned against his aunt, trying not to cry.

Bridie sitting close to her husband, as he whittled, a blanket tucked round their knees, looked over at the frightened boys, and her annoyed in laws and said firmly. "Well, even if there is one of those banshees out there, we got a way of making sure she can't touch us! We got a banishing spell, that'll sort her out."

Bridie snuggled even closer to her husband, as she spoke, and he nodded in agreement, and stopped what he was doing to slip his arm round her as he smiled in approval, adding "She's right you know..."

The Kid woke with a start wondering why he'd dreamt that particular memory, until he heard the distant eerie howl of a cougar. Cougars were of course a far more real threat to him, than the banshees of the old country folklore, but as the scream came again, he understood why the memory had been brought to his sleeping mind, and he shivered a little, letting the rest of the memory come to him, despite the bittersweet feeling remembering always gave him.

His Grandpa, with the rest of the adults, had sung the banishing spell, accompanied by the old man's spare fiddle, that was always kept in the basement, drowning out the whistling of wind. He remembered how he and Heyes had listened wide-eyed and impressed, fears lost in the reassuring sound of the lilting music and the comfort of his Aunt Kathleen's arms. The Kid remembered how the storm had passed by morning, leaving only fallen trees in its wake. And the Kid found a smile as he recalled how sure he and Heyes had been of their parents and grandpa's magic powers. If only life were so simple now, but at least he had the skills Gabe had taught him, and his colt, as more solid protection.

The Kid found sleep elusive for the rest of the night, and finally gave up the attempt just as dawn broke, shuffling out sleepily from the cave where he'd taken shelter. Anxious, he traced the perimeter of the small clearing, noting the hours old big cat tracks, and decided it best to get out of the area as soon as possible. But just as he had packed up and was ready to ride out, a howl came from the rock behind him, and he swirled to see a cougar ready to pounce. He tried to pull his gun out, but hampered by the pain in his shoulder, he wasn't quick enough, and soon found himself flat on his back with a cat on top. The heavy weight was making it hard to breathe, and the rancid smell of the cat's breath was making his eyes water. He yelped loudly as huge claws ripped his skin, and as everything started to blur, his life to date rushed before his eyes. But even as he began to lose consciousness, the irony of him surviving several gunfights, only to be killed by a big cat, did not escape him.

As he shut his eyes accepting his fate, because there was no way he could reach his gun, and he wasn't even sure what use it would be, if he could, he saw a shadow, and heard a loud growling roar. Seconds later, the weight lifted off him, and a loud howl echoed round him making his already aching ears ring.

Through bleary eyes not sure what had just happened, he saw the cat facing off with a lumbering bear. Though only half aware, with the animals distracted, he still managed to scramble away on his hands and knees, and dove awkwardly into a small ditch, where with his head spinning, and his heart thumping in his ears, everything faded out. He woke sometime later, his arms throbbing from the scratches the cat's raking claws had left as they ripped through his clothes, and his chest aching from the impact of the cougar's pounce.

He stayed where he was for a moment, listening to the silence, then painfully sat up, and crawled out of the ditch. On hands and knees. panting, he looked round him cautiously, and saw that both the animals were gone, with only a small pool of blood, large clumps of fur and hair left behind to indicate they'd ever been there at all.

Looking at the raw, reddened marks on his arms, he knew that there was nothing he could do to prevent a fever, the best he could do was to hope that it would be a mild one. Scrambling painfully to his feet, he wavered, then slowly went in search of his horse.

ASJ

The expected fever hit the Kid the following evening, just after he set up camp. He lay wrapped in a blanket, shivering then burning up. The trees over him seemed to reach down to spear him with their branches, leaving burning pinpricks on his arms.

As he lay there, trying to convince himself to move, and find shelter, a shadow loomed over him, and he tried to roll away from it, but found himself pinned down in a tight grip, as a familiar voice broke into his fevered thoughts. It held affection, frustration and no small amount of worry/ "Always finding trouble, ain't you Kid?"

The Kid knew it was just his imagination, because he had at least another three days travel, before he could even catch the stage to San Francisco. So he was well over a week from meeting up with his cousin, so he mumbled. "Go 'way, you're not real. Leave me alone."

"Now, that ain't no way to greet me after eighteen months is it?"

Kid looked up at the surprisingly solid looking face of his cousin, as he muttered. "You ain't real."

A soft laugh met his ears. "Ahh, Kid, now c'mon your imagination ain't this good."

Kid stung, that even in his mind his cousin was being rude, snapped weakly. "Is too."

"We ain't got time to argue, Kid, just lemme take a look at those cuts, then we'll get ya somewhere sheltered."

The next few days passed in a blur for the Kid, but every time he was awake, an insistent voice that sounded just like Heyes, made him drink, and too confused to argue, he did as he was told, before slipping back into darkness, only half convinced he was imagining his friend.

Next time he was fully aware, he felt the unwanted sting of disappointed tears, when as he looked round, he realised he was alone. He couldn't remember how he'd got to this cave, but somehow he must have managed, desperation lending him strength he supposed. Though he was less thirsty than he expected, but with no sign of his cousin, he had to conclude that Heyes had simply been a product of his fevered mind, and he'd conjured him up to help him survive.

A wave of weary disappointment swept over him, and he closed his eyes, almost wishing his fever back, so he wouldn't be alone. But then quickly opened them again, as something hit him. There were two sets of belongings in the small shelter, plus a small fire was burning brightly by the entrance, giving some warmth and light to the stone around him, and he was snugly wrapped in a blanket, and a unfamiliar jacket was laid over him too. As hope began to return, he heard footsteps. He twisted his head back to the entrance, into the face of his cousin, whose face broke into a wide smile as he looked down at him, and he said warmly. "Ahh you're awake at last! Eighteen months ain't changed how much you like sleeping, been more than three days!"

The Kid still fuzzy, still not quite believing his eyes, his throat dry, shook his head slowly trying to clear it, as he swallowed hard and said huskily. "Heyes? How?"

His cousin walked over to him and knelt next to him, feeling his forehead gently, before saying with a wide dimpled grin. "The one and only, Kid, the one and only.. fever's gone, but I think the how better wait till you look less like you think I'm about to vanish in a puff of smoke."

Kid repeated quietly. "Puff of smoke." Then to the sound of a husky laugh, and a quiet sigh of relief, he drifted back into sleep.

Next time he woke, he felt someone lying next to him, breathing heavily, obviously sound asleep, and looked over his face breaking into a weary smile, as he realised that he hadn't been dreaming, and his cousin was really here. He prodded him awake, and grinned at his yelp of surprise, and disgruntled humph, as he said grumpily. "You coulda let me sleep, Kid, some of us have been awake for nigh on three days, making sure you don't up and die on me, 'cos you can't even avoid trouble out here in the wilds."

The Kid refused to rise to the grumbling, and instead squeezed his friends right arm affectionately as he said. "Its good to see you too, Heyes."

Heyes pulled his own hand out from the blanket, humphed softly as he patted his shoulder, giving him a small smile as he said."Now we got that outta the way, lets get some more sleep, then we can have ourselves a proper catch up."

ASJ

The Kid hungrily ate the rabbit stew that Heyes had cooked, happy with how it was settling the churning in his stomach, and making him feel more human. As he took his last mouthful he became aware of his cousin's gaze on him, and looked up, shifting a little uncomfortably, all too aware of how thin and weary he must appear after his time on the work farm, and the days he'd spent fighting a fever, not to mention that his clothes were hardly in the best of condition, well worn and oft mended.

Heyes himself looked well, and his clothes were of decent quality, which was making Kid feel very scruffy and unkempt. He hid his sudden embarrassment, and simply asked his friend calmly, hoping to diffuse some of the waves of worry he could feel coming from him despite his poker face. "You ain't seeing me at my best, Heyes, its just been a rough month is all." A rough eighteen months if he were being totally honest , but he decided to keep that himself, as Heyes sighed obviously not convinced, and sniffed a little, then cocked his head to one side as Kid added quickly to divert his friend from asking too many questions. "Ready for the how, Heyes."

Heyes sniffed again, then said with some irritation in his tone, that Kid despite their time apart, still recognised, as simply a cover for strong emotion, "You were late, and I was bored, so I came out here to see what kinda trouble you were in. Seeing as you didn't used to be so tardy."

The Kid hid a smile at his cousin's refusal to admit he'd been worried, reassured by how easy it was to slip back into their old patterns, and said dryly. "Well next time, I'll make sure, and tell the cougar to leave me alone, as I've an appointment to keep."

With how little Heyes' attitude had changed to him, he began to fear that he didn't know about the reputation he'd gained in their time apart, and he shut his mouth tightly, unsure of how to explain it, without damaging their friendship. But Heyes said with a small smile. "Its a shame cougars don't read the papers, Kid, it might have left you alone, if it knew how good with a gun you are."

The Kid let out the breath he'd hardly been aware of holding, and said unable to keep the relief out of his voice. "You know."

Heyes nodded. "Only what I've read in the newspapers, and of course what I know about you. But yeah I've heard 'bout your reputation."

His eyes held a question that the Kid quickly understood, and before the silence between them could grow into uncomfortable, he said firmly. "I don't mean to kill again, Heyes...I just wasn't good enough to avoid it with Bolton, but I am now, you gotta believe me." The last part came out as a plea for understanding, and relief swept through him, at the way Heyes' expression softened at that, and he knew with certainty that everything would be as fine between them, as he'd hoped it would be.

His voice reassuring, Heyes replied. "I didn't never doubt it Kid, now there's some stuff I gotta explain to you before we get back to San Francisco."

The Kid relaxed, and Heyes watched him for a few moments, then grinned warmly, his eyes sparkling with the affection. The expression made Kid content, in a way that he'd not experienced since the day he'd last seen his friend, too many months ago.

The Kid broke the comfortable silence as an unpleasant thought struck him. "You ain't gonna tell me you stayed conning are ya, Heyes?" He couldn't quite keep the disappointment out of his tone, then regretted it at the flicker of discomfort on his friend's face, especially given how easily Heyes had accepted what had changed for him in their time apart, so he said quickly. "Don't matter if you did, Heyes, better than starving."

Heyes shuffled, his discomfort obvious. "Not conning, no." He paused then added. "You heard of The Devil's Hole Gang?"

The Kid nodded, wondering where this was going, and said cautiously. "Sure have, Heyes, they're gaining a real rep for themselves. Quick and clean robberies, no one gets hurt," He paused as he remembered something he'd read just a few days previously. "Didn't they just turn in one of their own in, 'cos of him tryin' to hurt one of the passengers?" He paused then added honestly."I was thinkin' maybe we could join 'em or somethin'." It was for him a more honest way of robbing than conning, and he'd had more than enough of being poor and unprotected to last a lifetime.

"Well, Kid, I'm real glad you feel that way!"

The Kid took in his friend's broad full dimpled grin, and smiled back, as he realised just what that expression meant. "You're already a part of it ain't you?"

"Even better, Kid, even better, you're looking at the brand new second to Big Jim Santana."

"Well I'll be damned." The Kid returned the grin, a future of plentiful cash, and a life that didn't involve sleeping in barns or doing back breaking work suddenly beckoned him, but he quickly sobered, as worry crept into his excitement. "You figure they'll have a place for a gunnie, if they don't want any killing?"

Heyes leant over to pat him reassuringly on the knee."They don't want any gunnie, Kid, they want the best, who ain't a killer, and I know just the man. Now I got some whisky in my saddle bags that we can drink to the future with."

The Kid grinned, and nodded. "Sounds like a real good plan, Heyes."

"It sure is, Kid it sure is, a Hannibal Heyes plan that don't take much explaining." The Kid gave him a slightly puzzled look, and Heyes grinned at him. "I'll tell ya later, now lemme just get that bottle."