Heyes continued to ride away from his cousin for some time finally reining his exhausted horse to a stop late in the afternoon, patting its neck as he looked back searching for signs of being followed. When seeing nothing his shoulders sagged and his brow creased in concern, realizing that both bounty hunters were undoubtedly on his partner's trail. A shadow passing over him had him looking skyward seeing the dark clouds beginning to build over the hills. Sighing he nudged his horse forward eyes alert for a place to take cover knowing he wouldn't make it to the line shack before the storm hit.

He found the cave a couple hours later just as the wind and rain hit. He dismounted leading his horse inside, loosening the saddle and stroking the animal's neck speaking softly to calm him.

"Easy boy, we'll wait it out in here, then decide what we're gonna do."

His hand still resting on his horse's neck he looked out, unable to see anything through the torrential rain. Then the hail started and his thoughts went to his cousin, hoping he was not only able to dodge the bounty hunters but had found someplace safe to wait out the storm.

XXX

The brothers couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the man they were chasing force his horse into the water. They watched as both man and horse were sucked under the churning water…saw the horse surface some distance downstream but could see no sign of Curry.

"We lost him Chase, c'mon we gotta find some shelter. We'll head back to Midland, see if they made any mention of where they were heading next."

Chase didn't move but continued to stare at the river.

"He don't stand a chance in hell o' survivin' that. Body'll probably wash up miles downriver."

Chase, with a curse, finally reined his horse around following his brother in the direction of the town they had left earlier. Finding cover under a rock overhang some distance away from the river where they watched the storm rage on and talked miserably about what they could've done with the money if they'd been able to catch up with Kid Curry.

XXX

Unable to shake the feeling that his partner needed him, Heyes stood at the mouth of the cave waiting for the storm to let up, which it finally did near morning. He watched the first rays of the sun peek through the trees and made his decision. Tightening the saddle he led his horse out of the cave and stepping into the saddle turned back the way he had come…he needed to find his cousin.

The sun was high in the sky when he saw the still swollen river, and as he approached he could see from the debris along the bank just how high the water had been. He doubted his friend would've been foolish enough to try to cross it, but swallowed hard knowing that he would if he had no other choice. He rode slowly along the bank seeing no sign of the two bounty hunters, thinking…no hoping, the storm had driven them back.

He spied the Kid's horse calmly grazing, and talking softly he approached it slowly, leaning from his saddle to grab the trailing reins as he got closer. "Where's the Kid at?" he asked, his eyes skimming along the river as they continued on. Seeing something on the bank, he dismounted looking around frantically when he picked up the battered brown hat. Hanging it from his saddle horn he made his way slowly along the riverbank. It was almost a half mile further on when he froze in fear, not even breathing when he saw the body wedged against a large half sunken tree limb. He could see from chest down he was still in the water but he recognized the sheepskin coat, even though covered in mud, as his cousin's. He sat his horse for several seconds unable to move until the sound of a weak cough had him jumping from the animal and running to grab his shoulders, grunting as he struggled to drag him from the river. Finally pulling him free of the mud and water he carefully turned him onto his back patting his muddy cheek.

"C'mon Kid wake up," he pleaded.

He was rewarded with a gurgling cough and the appearance of confused blue eyes.

"Chased by bounty hunters and you decide to go for a swim in the river," Heyes scolded as he gently turned him onto his side.

"And swimmin' in it wasn't bad enough ya had to swallow half of it too," he continued to grumble supporting the Kid as he threw up muddy water. "Look at you, you're a mess. I just can't leave you alone can I?" He patted his friend's back relieved to have found him…a little worse for wear, but alive.

He helped his partner when he struggled to sit up, handing him his canteen which was gratefully accepted with trembling hands. The Kid rinsed his mouth spitting before taking a swallow and glancing around. "You see any s…sign of 'em?" the gunfighter asked hoarsely.

"No, I reckon they turned back in the storm, especially if they saw you in the river."

"They s…saw me, t…took a sh…shot at me. That's why I ended up in the d…damn river," he shivered uncontrollably, moaning as he coughed again.

"Are ya hurt anywhere?"

His partner shook his head.

"Let's get this wet coat off ya and we'll head to that line shack for a couple days."

Rubbing his cousin's upper arms briskly after draping his own jacket around Curry's shoulders, Heyes then tied the sodden Sherpa behind his cousin's saddle. He stood back letting his shivering cousin try to get to his feet unaided, but close enough that he could grab an arm to steady him if needed.

"You gonna be able to ride? It's about four hours to the line shack."

The gunman gave him a look that had Heyes biting his lip to hold back the laugh...in his bedraggled state his cousin looked nothing like an intimidating gunman. Saying nothing he stood with his hands on his hips waiting to mount up until he saw that his partner was safely in the saddle, then, reaching into his pocket pulled out the bag of peppermints. "Here, got these for ya back in Midland."

Curry took the package, immediately popping one in his mouth to rid himself of the foul taste the river had left him with. "Thanks," he said gratefully.

Riding side by side, with the Kid coughing and still spitting up river water occasionally, Heyes chattered away with his partner nodding or grunting when he deemed a response was necessary. The Kid merely shook his head a couple hours later when Heyes asked if he wanted to stop for a rest, knowing if he got off the horse he might not get back on. His chest and throat were beginning to hurt, his head was pounding, and he alternated between shivering with cold and sweating. Even though he tried to muffle it, his cough was getting worse and he knew his partner would have noticed.

Heyes did hear the cough worsening and kept glancing over at him seeing him beginning to sag wearily in the saddle his chin almost to his chest. When he saw the Kid cough, grimacing as he pressed his hand to his chest he began to worry that they might not make it to the line shack…and then, just minutes later, there it was.

"Here we are Kid," he said as he dismounted. "Now let's get you inside and warmed up…get some food into ya. I know you gotta be hungry."

The Kid lifted his head slowly and blinked at the building that they had stayed in once before when fleeing from a posse. He managed to throw his leg over his horse and drop down, staggering, his legs almost giving out when his feet hit the ground. His partner had been expecting it and was at his side grabbing an arm, guiding him inside where he set him on a chair and grabbed a couple blankets off one of the beds.

"I'll get a fire goin', you get those clothes off," he ordered tossing him the blankets.

Heyes put water on to heat once the fire was blazing. "I'm gonna see to the horses… when I come back in the water'll be hot and you can get cleaned up some while I fix us some coffee and somethin' to eat."

Heyes paused at the door, glancing back at the man sitting in the chair when he heard him sneeze. He sighed closing the door softly behind him as he went outside.

XXX

Heyes returned not much later, both saddlebags over his shoulders. He smiled seeing his cousin apparently asleep in the chair wrapped in the blankets, clothes in a heap on the floor, his gunbelt beside them. He listened to the deep hacking cough as he pulled his partner's wet belongings out of the saddlebags that had somehow stayed on the horse and spread them out to dry. They all needed to be washed but at least he'd have something warm and dry to put on.

He turned sharply from the fire where he had beans and salt pork cooking when he heard the gagging. Taking the few steps to his partner's side with a bowl which was quickly snatched, he walked away returning with a damp cloth and a cup of water. His partner rinsed his mouth leaning forward with his arms resting on his thighs, head hanging after handing the bowl back to his cousin. Feeling the hand on his back he lifted his head meeting his cousin's concerned eyes.

"I'm all right Heyes," he said his voice raspy. "It's just a c…cold."

"This cough got bad awful quick, how long were you in that river?"

"Not sure, it was st…stormin'," he said trying to recall…"was almost d…dark I think."

Heyes' looked at him in surprise, thinking that meant he'd been laying there for over twelve hours.

"Come sit closer to the fire Kid. Got some water heated up for you to clean some o' that mud off ya…probably make you feel a lot better."

"Aw Heyes."

"Yeah I know but… just humour me will you?

The Kid closed his eyes sighing, but moved to the chair that Heyes had put beside the stove and slowly began washing the mud off…it took three bowls of water, but his partner had, as usual, been right…he did feel better. Draping the cloth on the side of the bowl, he reached up to scratch his head, grunting in disgust feeling his hair matted with dried mud and who knew what else. He eyed his cousin when he appeared at his side with two buckets. Setting the empty one between Curry's feet, he grinned.

"Let's get your hair washed.

"I can do it."

"Look, it'll be a lot easier on both of us if you let me help," he reasoned.

Heyes waited patiently as the Kid coughed, a deep painful cough, leaning forward with a nod of surrender once it passed, not having the energy to argue. Heyes quickly cleaned the mud out of his partner's hair, dropping a towel over his head when he was done.

"Now you can have somethin' to eat and drink, then get into bed."

"Just some water, I ain't hungry," he croaked.

XXX

Heyes finished eating and sat back in the chair, coffee cup in hand. He allowed himself to relax a bit while he stared at his sleeping cousin. He had bruises forming on his face and Heyes could imagine that he had many more hiding under the blanket. Watching as his friend's breathing was interrupted by bouts of coughing, he remembered the cold fear he'd felt when he'd seen him in the river only that tree branch holding his head and shoulders out of the water, thinking he was dead. Taking a deep breath he ran a hand over his forehead, then seeing his partner shiver, got the blanket off the other bed. As he was placing it over the Kid he opened his eyes and looked blearily at him. Heyes smiled…"go back to sleep."

XXX

Heyes, catching short naps in a chair beside the bed, had stayed at his partner's side as he tossed and turned when he became fevered. He pulled the blankets back over him when he pushed them off, kept damp cloths on his forehead to cool him, wiped the sweat from his neck and chest and forced water and broth into him despite his feeble protests and attempts to push the cups away.

They had been in the line shack for almost four days when the fever reached its peak. He was startled when his partner reached out grabbing his arm with surprising strength, looking at him with glazed eyes.

"Heyes, you gotta get the boys back to the Hole," he rasped, struggling to sit up.

"Kid…" Heyes started, his hand on his partner's chest, easily pinning him to the bed. "Kid, the boys are safe. You just rest easy."

Luckily that seemed to calm the man and after taking a sip of water from the cup that Heyes held to his lips, he quickly dropped back to sleep.

That seemed to be the turning point and over the course of a couple more days the fever faded, the cough eased and the Kid was finally sleeping peacefully. Heyes was exhausted and yawning, he ran a hand through his hair as he stood, and glancing once more at his friend decided it was safe for him to crawl into the other bed…he was asleep in seconds.

He had no idea how long he'd slept but when he opened his eyes, the sun was shining and turning his head toward the other bed saw his cousin watching him. Heyes smiled, throwing his legs over the side of his bed and going quickly to his side.

"How ya feelin'?"

I'm fine, told ya it was just a cold," he responded, his voice still hoarse.

"Uh huh…yes you did say that…six days ago."

XXX

They stayed at the line shack for three more days, Heyes catching up on some sleep and the Kid regaining some strength. Heyes was thinking they'd be able to move on in another day or so. He went outside in search of his partner stopping when he saw him perched on a boulder staring off into the distance, a stick in his hand. He frowned when he saw him shake his head. He didn't know why but he felt a flash of concern. As if sensing him watching, the Kid turned his head to look over his shoulder. Heyes smiled and walked over taking a seat on a log beside his friend.

"Whatcha doin' Kid?"

His cousin shook his head and dropped his gaze to the stick he was holding in his hands. "I dunno if I can do this for the full three months Heyes."

Curry threw the stick away almost angrily. "Ya know lately I wonder if it wouldn't've been better if I'd stayed home that day instead of goin' fishin'."

Heyes looked sharply at him. "Why the hell would you say that? If you had we'd both be dead because I woulda stayed home too." He glared angrily at his friend, his look softening when he saw him wilt before his eyes.

The Kid looked down miserably. "I know and I'd never want that," he said softly.

Heyes said nothing for several minutes as he tried to think of the best way to handle this. He put a hand on his partner's shoulder. "I know it's been real hard lately. Tell ya what Kid, why don't we head to Porterville, visit with Lom. See if he's heard anything." He continued, ignoring the snort of disbelief from his friend. "Then we'll talk things over and make our decision."

Heyes waited for a response…and waited…and began to get even more worried.

"Fine. I'll go to Porterville with ya...but we're leavin' tomorrow."

Heyes narrowed his eyes, his partner refusing to meet his glance as he got to his feet heading over to the horses leaving Heyes staring after him.