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2020-11-05
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A Short Tale of Two Partners

Summary:

Missing scene from "The Fifth Victim" - A conversation between Heyes and the Kid after things have been wrapped up with Jake and the Sheriff.

Work Text:

 

A Short Tale of Two Partners

by Coronado

"That was a fine meal, Miz. Carlson," Kid Curry said as he pushed back his chair.  "I'm certainly beholden to you for all you've done for me and Joshua."

She smiled at him indulgently.  "I'm just glad that everything worked out in the end.  And that your friend is going to be okay."

Jake Carlson accepted the cup of coffee his wife handed him and nodded.  "I'm just real sorry that four men had to die before we figured everything out.  And our help was nothing compared to what you did for us.  Why, if it hadn't been for you coming back and talking to the sheriff," his voice trailed off. 

Curry exchanged a brief glance with Rachel before he turned to Jake.  "I'm still grateful for everything you did, payin' for the doc an' all.  And for Miz Carlson stayin' with him while I was out hunting those cats."

"You weren't out looking for mountain lions and we both know it," Jake leaned back in his chair.  "You went out there lookin' to see if somebody would take a shot at you.  And they did."

"Yeah, but I move pretty quick," the Kid tried to lighten the mood.  "All I got was wet."

"But you could have been killed," Rachel admonished.  She wanted to move off the subject of killing and shooting and asked Curry, "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

The Kid stood up and nodded.  "Yes ma'am, that would be nice.  If you don't mind, I think I'll go and sit with Joshua for awhile.  He's probably wonderin' about all that's happened."  

"Of course."  She went back into the kitchen and returned, handing the cup to the Kid.  "If you want more there's plenty on the stove keeping hot."

"Thank you ma'am.  Appreciate it." 

Rachel Carlson watched as he made his way to the spare bedroom and opened the door.  She looked at her husband.  "They're both such nice young men.  You really think Joshua is ready to ride the stage tomorrow?"

Jake smiled but his expression was one of doubt.  "I have a feeling that if Thaddeus tries to talk him out of it, Joshua will be all the more determined.  They'll work it out."  His tone sobered as he regarded his wife.  "Just like we will."  

She gave him a smile, one of hope for their future, and he stood up to give her a hug.  "I love you," she whispered to him.  

When the Kid entered the bedroom, he saw that the lamp next to the bed had been lit but turned down and Heyes appeared to be asleep.  Holding the cup of coffee he leaned back against the door, suddenly almost too tired to stand up.  He couldn't remember when he had felt this exhausted.  As if the events of the past few days had been the only thing keeping him going.  Now there was no threat of another murder and Heyes was recovering, he felt everything wash over him in a wave of emotion. 

Pushing himself upright he went to sit in the chair against the wall to watch his partner sleep.  Sipping at the hot coffee he took in Heyes' appearance, noting the darkening bruise on his temple where the bullet had left its mark.  Cold fear gripped his heart as he relived that terrifying moment when the rifle shot had sounded in the darkness and he had watched Heyes fall from his horse.  

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax.  Everything was going to be okay.  Having been shot himself, the Kid knew that it would be several days before the throbbing in his partner's head subsided but it would get better.  He needed to change Heyes' mind about heading out on the stage tomorrow.   Curry was sure the Carlson's wouldn't mind their staying on another few days to let his partner heal up.

Swallowing the last of the coffee, he set the cup on the floor beside the chair and leaned forward, his hands hanging between his knees.  He closed his eyes for a minute, trying to push back the memory of getting Heyes up on his horse, swinging up behind him and riding as quickly as he dared back to the ranch.  He knew his partner was alive but bullet wounds to the head were tricky.  An inch either way...

Abruptly he stood up, clenching his fists and trying not to let that feeling of helplessness overwhelm him.  It was all in the past and things were going to be okay.  He just had to keep telling himself that.

 Over and over. 

He pulled the chair closer to the bed, somehow wanting to be nearby in case Heyes woke up and was confused.  The Kid noticed the fine dark bangs that had fallen over Heyes' forehead and smiled slightly.  ‘You need a haircut, partner,' he said to himself as he took in the too-pale complexion of his friend.  He wanted nothing more than to brush those bangs back just to reassure himself his friend was alive and was going to stay that way.   

But he was a seasoned outlaw.  Well, ex-outlaw.  And men like themselves, hardened by desperate circumstance didn't go around touching each other like that.  But then a memory surfaced, a time when Heyes had done exactly that for him.

They had been trying to outrun a posse.  It was when they were still riding with the Devil's Hole Gang and were robbing a bank.  Everything had gone exactly to plan until one of the new members had panicked. He had seen a deputy make an unscheduled walk around town.  If he had simply stayed at his post everything would have been fine.  But he ran for the alley where they had the horses waiting and, before they knew it they had eight or nine men on their tail.

Heyes always made sure he had a contingency plan and this one entailed splitting up.  The Kid took half of the gang with him and Heyes the other half.  But when Heyes arrived at Devil's Hole there was no sign of the others.  A few hours later he was really worried. The weather had taken a turn for the worst and it was raining, a cold rain that would make riding miserable.

It wasn't until early the next day that the Kid and the rest of the gang rode in, wet, cold - and minus a horse.  Curry's.  Heyes hurried over to the bay carrying both the Kid and the Preacher who shook his head.  "We gotta get him dry and warm, Heyes.  His horse went down in the creek - broke his leg.  The Kid fell in and that water was mighty cold.  I think he's runnin' a fever."

As Preacher explained, Heyes reached up to help his partner down.  The Kid was a mess, soaking wet and muddy.  He managed to open his eyes, but Heyes wasn't sure if he was lucid.  Then, for a moment, the Kid's gaze focused intently on his partner.

"Heyes," he whispered.

"Yeah, Kid, it's me."  Heyes called out orders as he ducked under the Kid's arm to help him walk.  The Preacher was on the other side and they slowly made their way to the cabin Heyes shared with the Kid.

"Wheat, you and Kyle start chopping more wood.  I'll need it for the stove and fireplace.  Lobo, you and Hank see if you can rustle up some kind of broth."

They obeyed without argument.  The tone of Heyes' voice told them that all he cared about at that moment was tending to his partner.  As they carried him inside and into his room Heyes stopped before they reached the bed.  "No, lay him on the floor.  We'll get him out of these wet clothes and into something dry.  Then we'll put him on the bed."  

Within minutes they had him stripped, dried off and in clean long johns.  Laying him on the bed, they covered him with several quilts and then Heyes asked the Preacher to get a basin of cold water.  The entire time the Kid hadn't made a sound, but, as Heyes pulled up a chair he could see him struggling to open his eyes.  "You're safe, Kid.  You're back at Devil's Hole."

Heyes knew how disconcerting it could be when you were unconscious and then woke up but didn't know where you were or how you had gotten there.  He laid the back of his hand on Curry's forehead and wasn't surprised at the heat he felt.  The Kid finally managed to drag his eyes open and he immediately locked his gaze on his partner.  "Everybody okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Heyes could clearly hear his exhaustion in those two words.

"Everybody's fine," he soothed, "but I heard you tried to go for a swim."  

Only the corner of the Kid's mouth turned up but Heyes could see he appreciated the attempt at humor.  Just then, the Preacher came in with the requested bowl of water and a cloth.  "See if you can get him to drink some," he instructed, handing Heyes a tin cup.

"Here partner," Heyes lifted Curry's head up slightly, so that he could drink.  A few swallows was all he could manage and he let his head drop back on the pillow.  "You just rest now.  You'll feel better in no time."

He dipped the cloth into the water and began bathing the Kid's face.

Preacher gave him a reassuring nod.  "He's gonna be fine, Heyes.  I'll see how the boys are comin' with that wood."

But it was as if Heyes hadn't heard.

He turned back to his friend and continued to wipe his face with the cool water.  The preacher directed the entry of Kyle and Wheat with the wood into the main room of the cabin, but Heyes paid no attention.  All of his focus was on the Kid.   A few hours later Lobo entered the cabin and whispered to the Preacher that he had some broth simmering over at the bunkhouse.  "Bring it over here, Lobo," he was told and, once the soup was on the stove in the main room of the cabin the Preacher put on a pot of coffee on and began to slice up  bacon and mix batter for flapjacks.  He wasn't a bad cook and he knew Heyes was going to need to eat if he intended to stay up all night taking care of the Kid.  

When the simple meal was ready, he took a cup of coffee over to Heyes and crouched beside him.  "Here.  You need to drink this and I've got a plate set out for you."  He ignored the hard stare the leader gave him and continued.  "You won't help him if you get sick from not eating.  Go on now."  

Heyes had to admit he was hungry.  So he relinquished his seat beside the Kid's bed and went into the other room to quickly eat what the Preacher had prepared.  He took a few minutes to go outside and use the privy and tell the others how the Kid was doing.  When he came back in he washed up and then went back to relieve the Preacher.  

"How's he doing?"

"Fever's rising," came the unwelcome answer.  "Let me go an' see if I have any quinine left over from when Hank got sick last winter."  

Heyes nodded absently and sat down in the chair.  "Hey Kid," he said softly, as he brushed back the damp curls, "everything's gonna be fine.  You just keep fighting, you hear me?"

But Curry wasn't aware of his friend's voice or anything else.  He was trapped in a world where all he could feel was searing heat and he repeatedly tried to push off the quilts.  Heyes gently replaced them as he continued to bathe the Kid's face.  When the Preacher returned he held up a cup to Heyes.  "Found some.  Now we gotta get him to drink it.  Hold his head up a little an' talk to him."

"Come on Kid, I need you to drink somethin' for me."  Heyes cajoled, gently, as the Preacher held the cup to Curry's lips.  "Kid?  Come on, you gotta drink this."

After several minutes of Heyes' repeated pleas the Kid opened his eyes slightly and blinked slowly.  He knew his partner wanted him to do something, but, he couldn't wrap his fevered mind around what that something was.  And then he felt a drop of the cool water touch his lips and he realized that he was supposed to drink whatever it was that Heyes had in the cup.  Patiently they coaxed the quinine-laced water into him and, when the cup was empty, Curry sagged back against the arm that Heyes had behind his head.  His eyes closed again and the Preacher gave a sigh. 

"That's real good Heyes.  Maybe in a few hours we can get him to drink some more."  He took in the dark-haired man's haggard appearance.  "He's worn himself out now.  He'll be asleep for a while.  Why don't you get some rest yourself and I'll sit with him." 

Heyes ran his hand over his eyes and massaged his temples.  God he was tired.  He really didn't want to leave Curry's side, but he trusted the Preacher to watch over the Kid and he finally met the other man's gaze and nodded.  "Okay.  But you come and get me if he needs me."  

"You know I will."

Heyes stumbled out of the room and into his own, where he dropped down on the bed, fully dressed and was asleep in seconds.   Several hours later he awakened from an exhausted slumber by a weak voice calling his name.  Wide-awake he hurried to the next room.  The Kid was thrashing in his delirium and the Preacher was trying to hold him down so that he wouldn't fall off the bed. Heyes immediately sat beside his partner and gestured for the Preacher to move away.  He leaned forward and carefully laid a hand on either side of the Kid's head, forcing the other man to look at him.  "Kid," he said slowly and distinctly.  "It's me, I'm here.  You're okay.  You gotta stop fighting me."  He continued his litany of reassurances, delivered in a soothing, calming voice. 

The fever was making it impossible for the Kid to understand what was going on, but the one thing that was penetrating the delirium was the sound of his partner's voice.  He recognized that it was Heyes sitting with him and he stopped struggling.

Heyes was here. 

Heyes would make everything all right.  He would take care of the Kid as nobody else could. 

He was safe.

Exhausted by his struggles, he lay quietly and Heyes sat back as he closed his eyes for a minute.  When he opened them, the Preacher was looking at him and Heyes detected a slight tremor in the other man.  "I'm right sorry, Heyes.  He was fightin' me something fierce an' I was afraid he'd hurt himself.  I wanted to come get you..."  

His voice trailed off and Heyes managed a weak smile.  "It's okay.  It's just that if you try an' hold him down he'll fight harder ‘cause he don't understand why he's bein' restrained.    He thinks a sheriff's got ahold of ‘im and they're tryin' to tie him up."  

Preacher nodded.  "Reckon I kin sure understand that."

"Go on to bed.  I'll stay up with him."  Heyes turned back to the Kid and the Preacher left the room.

And, as he sat in the chair by Heyes' bedside in the Carlson home, the Kid remembered that Heyes had done just that.  Whenever he surfaced from the fever induced nightmares, his partner had been there, wiping his face, pushing back his hair and talking to him, trying to keep him in the here and now.  

Curry sighed softly and leaned back in the chair.  He thought it was quite possibly the first time he had relaxed since bringing his partner back after the attempt on his life.  He'd known Mrs. Carlson would take good care of the injured Heyes while he tracked down the killer.

It was when the Kid's head began to nod that Heyes sensed his presence in the room and he slowly opened his eyes, giving them time to adjust to the dim light.  His head still ached fiercely if the room was too bright or he moved suddenly.  Seeing his partner in the chair brought a slow smile to his face and then he looked closer, seeing the worry and concern etched on Curry's face.  His smile faded as he took in the shadows under the Kids' eyes and general haggard appearance.

The Kid always looked so young and vulnerable when he was sleeping, although right now, he just looked exhausted.  Heyes had no intentions of waking him, but Curry must have sensed his friend's gaze on him because he opened his eyes and, seeing that Heyes was awake, he grinned.  "Hey."  Leaning forward, he gave in to his earlier temptation and gently brushed the errant strands of hair off Heyes' forehead.  "How're you doing?"

If he was surprised at the intimate gesture, Heyes didn't react and it told him all he needed to know about how worried the Kid had been over the last few days.  

"I think I should be asking you that," Heyes gave him a grin.  His voice was husky from sleep and the Kid poured some water into a glass and held it for him while he drank.

"Me?  I'm okay.  Just a little tired."  Curry set the glass back down and rubbed his hand over his face.

"Huh uh."  Heyes wasn't going to be put off so easily.  "You look like you've been ridin' drag for a week."  

The Kid looked at him and Heyes could see the fear in his blue eyes.  "I gotta admit I was scared, Heyes.  I didn't know if you were gonna make it.  The Doc said you should wake up in twenty-four hours and it took almost two days."  The words seemed to tumble over one another and Heyes made no attempt to interrupt.  "I let Miz Carlson take care of you ‘cause I couldn't stand sittin' around here doin' nothin'."

"So you thought it would be better to ride out and try to get yourself shot?" Heyes' voice was mild but the Kid could hear the intended rebuke.

"Who told you that?"

"Does it matter?" Heyes sighed tiredly, closing his eyes.  He knew it wasn't fair to play the ‘let's not upset the injured' card, but he really hadn't meant to share what Jake Carlson had told him in an earlier conversation.  

"You all right?" he could hear the worry in the Kid's voice and he opened his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine."  He frowned, scanning his partner's face.  "When's the last time you slept?"

Curry shrugged.  "I've gotten in a few hours."

But Heyes wasn't to be put off.  "In how many days?" he persisted.

Giving a deep sigh the Kid dropped his head.  Then he lifted his head and grinned.  "Does it matter?"  

And Heyes couldn't resist a chuff of laughter at the way his words had been turned back on him.  Then he winced as the throbbing in his head came back with a vengeance and he squeezed his eyes shut again.  Instantly the Kid laid a hand on his arm.  "Easy, take it easy."

In a few minutes Heyes was able to breathe a little easier and he cautiously opened his eyes.  "I'm okay.  Kinda sneaks up on you."

"Yeah, sure," his friend didn't sound convinced as he sat back in the chair.  "I really don't think you're up to ridin' into town for the stage tomorrow.  Why don't we wait another day or two?"  

"Kid, you really think stayin' around here is a good idea?"  Truthfully Heyes wasn't against staying in bed a little longer.  Like maybe a week or two. 

But staying in one place for too long had never worked out very well for them and he was worried the sheriff might start to take a different kind of interest in them.  What he didn't know was how Mrs. Carlson had convinced Curry to go after her husband.  The Kid didn't want to tell Heyes about that because he figured he'd wait until they had put some distance between themselves and Hollistown.

Maybe a few hundred miles.  He just didn't think his partner was well enough to handle that kind of news right now.

Curry dropped his head again and sighed.  He didn't think he had enough energy to get up from his chair right now - he was that tired.  But he didn't want to add any more worry to what his partner was already feeling so he continued to sit, hoping that he'd be able to force his tired limbs to stand up in a few minutes.

Silently Heyes waited for his partner to answer his question, but the Kid simply sat there with his head bowed, hands clasped loosely in front of him.  With a flash of insight that came from being partners for so many years, Heyes knew his partner needed to sleep.  If the Kid wasn't worrying over his partner's stubbornness about leaving he'd nod off right there in the chair.  And, he knew what he had to do about it.  

"Kid?"

Jerking his head up Curry blinked sluggishly and tried to focus on his friend.  "Yeah?"

"I think maybe I would like to stick around another day or so.  This headache just won't quit on me an' I'm not sure I'd even make to the stage depot tomorrow."

It was a tune they had danced to numerous times in the years they had been together.  Never wanting to admit to the other that one was too sick, too hurt or just too exhausted to climb into the saddle and ride out the next day.  So the other one would manufacture an excuse to stay where they were for ‘another day or so', thereby allowing the other partner to relax and recover.  

And normally the one needing the excuse could see right through the efforts of the one making the excuse.  But Heyes knew that Curry was beyond tired and right now, at this moment, Heyes knew he held the upper hand. 

The blue eyes softened and Heyes could see the slight suspicion in them, but then the Kid gave a relieved smile and nodded.  "Well, okay, then.   If you're sure you want to do that."

Mentally congratulating himself Heyes gave him a small grin.  "If it's okay with you, of course."  

"Oh, yeah, it's fine by me." The Kid slowly stood up.  "I'll let the Carlsons know.  I guess I'll see you in the morning then."

He turned to go but Heyes' voice stopped him.  "Kid?" Turning around he looked curiously at his partner.   The dark-haired man looked at him for a moment and then simply said, "Thanks."

Curry nodded and then came back to the bed.  He touched Heyes' arm briefly and then nodded.  "You're welcome."

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.