Back at the hotel doc Franks spent some time carefully checking over his rather reluctant patient. He straightened up peering over his glasses as he looked from the shirtless man lying on the bed to the man who was hovering worriedly close by. Pursing his lips he looked down again.
"You young man, need rest and food…and lots of both. And from the look of your friend here, so does he."
Reaching into his bag he pulled out a couple small pouches and handed them to Heyes one at a time.
"Dissolve this one in a glass of water as soon as he has something to eat, I would suggest soup or stew. He'll probably want coffee or something after the medicine…it's not the best taste, but it works a treat. Give him this one tomorrow after you both have a good breakfast."
Heyes couldn't help but grin as he walked the man to the door. Still smiling he turned away from the door and saw his partner sitting on the side of the bed reaching for his shirt.
"What're you doing?"
"What's it look like I'm doin'?"
Heyes, saying nothing, walked to the table setting the pouches down turning back in time to see his friend finish pulling on his shirt, then close his eyes, his head dropping forward as he reached up a hand to rub his forehead wearily. A soft knock had Heyes pulling his gun as he strode to the door, glancing back to see his partner with his gun in hand as well. Opening the door he saw a young girl rather precariously balancing a tray that seemed to be almost too heavy for her. He holstered his gun quickly, reaching out to take it from her. She smiled her thanks.
"Doc Franks told me to bring this up to you."
"Thank you miss," Heyes smiled.
She started to turn to walk away, pausing to look back at him with a mischievous grin. "He also told us to tell him if we caught either of you leaving your room."
"Did he now?" He grinned hearing her giggling as she disappeared down the stairs.
"Seems we're under house arrest," he chuckled as he carried the tray to the table. The two men sat in companionable silence as they ate the bowls of soup and thick slices of buttered bread, both sitting back in their chairs when they'd finished.
The Kid reached for one of the cups of coffee that had accompanied the food while Heyes picked up the pouch of medicine that the doc had told him to give to his cousin after eating. Following the directions he had been given he mixed the powder in a glass of water and handed it to his partner.
"Here ya go Kid, get that into ya before you finish your coffee."
Curry took the glass taking one mouthful and with a grunt of distaste, turned his head away his face screwed up in disgust, his eyes closed.
"Oh c'mon Kid, it can't be that bad," Heyes admonished.
The Kid looked at him his eyes watering. "You drink it then," he managed to choke out, ignoring Heyes' amused grin. Heyes cringed as his friend struggled to swallow the liquid, but he had to hand it to the man, he did drain the glass despite his obvious misgivings. He then wasted no time in setting the glass down and picking up his cup, finishing off his coffee in an effort to get rid of the taste of the medicine.
"You know Heyes it sure would be nice to settle down, maybe raise a family," he said toying with his cup.
"Yeah Kid it would, but don't think we better be making any plans for that just yet."
"I know, it's just…" a yawn cut off what he was going to say.
"We just have to wait and see what Moonlight decides."
The Kid nodded and they lapsed into silence again, both men lost in their own thoughts.
Seeing his partner's eyes beginning to get heavy, his head nodding only a minute or so later, Heyes looked somewhat suspiciously at the empty medicine pouch…no writing saying what it was or directions for use. He smiled in admiration. "You sneaky devil doc," he said under his breath.
"Get some sleep Kid, don't think I'll be far behind ya…just gonna pack this stuff up."
Heyes put the dirty dishes onto the tray, setting it on the small table beside the door and picked up his saddlebags, digging through them pulling out a book. He stood still looking at it for a moment. "Will it bother you if I read for a bit?" he asked and getting no response he turned, book in hand, and glanced over at his friend seeing he was sound asleep still fully clothed, one hand trailing on the floor, his breathing deep and even. He walked over, the Kid not moving as Heyes placed the dangling arm on the bed before covering his friend with a blanket, sighing as he looked down at the man who had been at his side almost all his life. "Damn I sure hope this is worth it," he mumbled.
He turned away from him as the door opened and Lom's head appeared. Seeing Heyes still up, he grinned holding up a bottle. "I brought you a drink. I see he's finally gettin' some sleep."
"Yeah thanks to whatever that medicine was the doc had me give him."
The sheriff poured two glasses of whiskey and they sat at the table, both men tipping their glass at the same time.
"I hear you're not to leave the room," Lom's shoulders shook as he struggled to control a laugh.
"So I've been told."
Lom took another sip of the liquor and turned serious. "Moonlight wants the three of us in his office tomorrow at twelve noon."
"He give you any idea what he's planning to do?"
Lom shook his head. "Nope, guess we'll all find out together." He drained his glass. "You better get some sleep too. I'll stop by in the mornin' and get boys you for breakfast. I'm under strict orders to make sure you both eat and to see that he takes the medicine the doc left."
Heyes just nodded and locked the door, wedging a chair under the doorknob after the lawman left. He yawned, looked at his book, and leaving it on the table, undressed and climbed into bed.
XXX
The Kid sat on the porch his feet up on the railing as he looked over the land he and his partner had bought just a little over five years ago. They'd come close to giving up on ever being able to stay in the west, even having a serious discussion about making the move to Canada since they at least spoke English there. But when they had shown up at Lom's dead on their feet he had arranged that meeting with Governor Moonlight. He took a deep appreciative breath, turning his head toward his partner's home. Heyes had insisted on building it when the Kid decided to marry, but they still spent most of the time here, sharing meals and plans for their ranch. Hearing his cousin's low voice followed by a soft female giggle he looked over his shoulder and smiled seeing Heyes standing behind his wife, his chin resting on her shoulder, his hands on her swollen belly. He chuckled to himself seeing her blush slightly at whatever he'd whispered in her ear, glad that his friend had found love at last. He looked out over the fields again and so lost was he in his thoughts of the past five years that he was startled hearing a sultry voice close to his ear. "What are you thinking about mister?" He reached up grabbing the hand resting on his shoulder and guided his wife around to sit in his lap, caressing the side of her face as he looked deeply into her eyes.
"Thinkin' about how lucky I am Mrs. Curry," he said huskily before capturing her lips with his, both lost in each other. A baby crying had them both chuckling as they broke the kiss.
"Your daughter sounds hungry," she said giving him another quick kiss before getting up to feed their youngest child.
"Must take after her pa," Heyes teased. He released his wife so she could help get supper started and he came to lean on the railing sighing happily as he too looked out over the land they owned.
"Did you ever imagine it could be like this Heyes?"
"Well Kid I tried not to, but gotta admit I surely did hope a time or two."
"We come awful close to crossin' the border into Canada."
The Kid looked to his right seeing his young son chattering to himself as he played with his toys on the porch and smiled. Then he felt his arm being shaken…and his cousin's voice.
"Kid…c'mon Kid, wake up."
"Uh?" Curry grunted as he opened his eyes, sitting up quickly and looking around in confusion. "Where'd he go?" he asked blinking, seeing not his porch, but a hotel room.
"Where'd who go? It's just the two of us here Kid, but with a smile like you had on your face I'd say that must've been some dream you were havin'," his partner teased.
"A dream…" Curry mumbled fuzzily, slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed to sit rubbing his eyes.
Heyes frowned seeing his partner trying to wake up. "Hey, you all right? That stuff the doc had me give you last night really knocked you out."
At the Kid's nod Heyes patted him on the shoulder. "C'mon then, Lom'll be here any minute to escort us to breakfast."
The gunfighter blinked up at Heyes. "Breakfast with Lom?"
"He stopped by last night, but you were already sleepin'…and the three of us have a meeting with Moonlight at noon."
His partner responded with a groan.
XXX
At ten minutes before twelve, the three men once again entered the office of the governor, and were greeted by a smiling William.
"Good day gentlemen. The governor is ready for you…his earlier appointment finished a little while ago."
After putting their guns in the drawer he led them down the hall and knocking, opened the door to allow them entry once he heard the governor bid them to come in. Moonlight was on his feet, unsmiling as he watched the men enter, gesturing with a wave of his hand for them to sit. Once everyone was seated, the governor leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocked across his stomach as he regarded the men who were keeping their expressions carefully guarded.
"You look better today Jed."
"I feel better," he responded with a nod.
"Let me start by saying that I've always prided myself on being a good judge of character, but I have to confess that I had a preconceived idea of what you two would be like…and I admit you aren't what I expected. Both of you surprised me with your honesty when answering my questions, some of which I know were difficult. I thought long and hard about our conversations yesterday. I even spent a few hours last night rereading the many telegrams and reports about you that sheriff Trevors has been sending to this office, including those sent to my predecessors." He smiled at the sheriff sitting beside Heyes. "There were many…you have a good friend in this man, he's never given up on you boys."
The governor got to his feet Heyes and Curry glancing at each other.
"Stay seated gentlemen." He walked across the room and opened the door. "William, would you come in now please?"
He returned to his chair and sat waiting patiently for his secretary who entered stopping beside his boss, who picking up his pen, pulled some papers toward him. Saying nothing he dipped the pen in the inkwell and scribbled something on several papers. Then handing the pen to William watched silently as he bent over the papers also writing something on them. He laid the pen on the desk and straightened up.
"Thank you William, that will be all for now."
Moonlight leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, his hands clasped together. He watched the curly haired gunman cast a quick glance at his partner who shook his head once so minutely that if he hadn't been watching so closely the governor wouldn't have seen it.
"As I was saying I gave this idea of amnesty for the two of you a great deal of consideration. It was a decision I could not and did not make lightly…and in the end…"
Without finishing his sentence or telling them what his decision was he carefully separated the papers sitting in front of him and pushed them across his desk. Before taking his hands off the papers he looked at the men a smile spreading across his face. "And in the end I decided that you have earned this."
He leaned back raising an eyebrow when the lawman who, after peeking over Heyes' arm and seeing he had been granted amnesty, looked at Governor Moonlight mouthing 'both?' At the governor's nod he blew out a relieved breath and smiled his thanks.
Heyes was the first one to look up after reading the papers in his hand, but didn't say anything until his partner also raised his head. They looked at one another with a smile, Heyes patting his cousin's knee a couple times.
"We did it Kid," he said softly.
They both looked at the governor who sat smiling at them.
"Thank you governor". "Thank you sir," they said at the same time.
"You have both more than earned it and William has extended your stay at the Imperial for another night since the train to Porterville left a few minutes ago…and I thought you might want to celebrate a bit."
The governor got to his feet, walked around his desk to stand in front of the three men who had also risen. He shook hands with Lom first. "Sheriff I trust I won't be seeing you quite so often in my office from now on." The lawman smiled but said nothing as Moonlight moved to the next man. "Heyes, it was a pleasure meeting you. I have a feeling that had I met you under different circumstances we would have been friends."
"That's a possibility governor," Heyes said, his dimples on full display.
Moving to the third man, he reached out shaking his hand but not releasing it as he looked the young man in the eye. "Jed…I know that we touched on some very painful memories just…do be careful…be sure to watch your own back as well as that of your partner."
"We watch out for each other sir," the Kid smiled. "Thank you."
Moonlight escorted them to the door of his office but before opening it added one more thing. "Gentlemen I wish you both the best in whatever you decide to do in the future."
EPILOGUE
The two ex outlaws were roused the next morning, both groaning at the sound of someone banging loudly on their door.
"Hey, you boys alive in there?"
"Heyes get the door," Curry moaned.
"Why me? You got legs?" Heyes grumbled putting the pillow over his head.
The Kid started to lift his head but let it fall back down again. "You're closer."
"C'mon wake up!"
"All right, all right," Heyes yelled, wincing at the sound of his own loud voice, while the Kid, growling in frustration pulled himself up to sit on the side of the bed as his cousin made his way to the door. Lom entered, smiling as he looked at the two men, picking up the empty whiskey bottle that was lying on the floor.
"Do some celebratin' did ya?"
He laughed when neither man answered.
"Get cleaned up and dressed…get your stuff together, the train leaves in an hour and a half. That gives us just enough time to grab some breakfast."
XXX
Stepping out into the sunshine half an hour later, both men blinked, pulling their hats a little lower to shield their eyes as they started following Lom to the diner, passing a young boy who was opening a bundle of newspapers. They hadn't gotten much further when all three stopped, turning back to the youngster hearing him holler.
"Extra, extra…Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry given amnesty by Governor Moonlight."
Heyes walked over to him, pulling two cents out of his pocket for a copy of the paper. The boy handed him the paper with a smile. "Ain't that somethin' them gettin' amnesty? I'm glad though, I like 'em."
"You do huh? Have you met them?"
"Nah, but they never killed nobody and my aunt Lucy was on a train when they stopped it. She said they was real nice and polite." Then he rolled his eyes. "Said they was real handsome…girls huh?"
Lom and the Kid stood not even trying to hide their amusement.
"You'll change your opinion of girls when you get a bit older."
The boy's face scrunched up in disgust…"Yeah sure I will mister."
Heyes shook his head, grinning broadly as he watched the boy turn his attention back to selling his papers.
Heyes looked down at the paper in his hands, the headline announcing their amnesty in bold print.
"Would you look at this..."he said, turning it to show his friends.
"Yeah Heyes, it's real nice, but I'm hungry."
Heyes looked up at his cousin and laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"By all means Kid, I know how you get if you miss breakfast."
Lom grinned at the two men. "Didn't I tell you boys Moonlight would be the one?"
"Yes you did Lom...and in the end…you were right."