Chapter Text
Jed ‘Kid’ Curry was short-tempered. Almost everybody avoided him and he was fine with that. He was stuck in this dusty one-horse-town with nothing to do but worry. His partner was overdue by nearly a week now.
They had to split up once again and Curry never got used to the bad feeling that took hold of him every single time it happened.
Enough! His beer mug crashed hard onto the surface of the bar. He’d waited too long - much too long. Determined he left the saloon, strode to the stable to get his horse and got on his way.
-o-o-o-
Two days later there was still no sign of Heyes. Kid Curry had only found tracks of a group of four horses which were already a few days old - two maybe three he guessed. A brief smile flashed upon his face when he imagined the objection of his absent partner.
‘Much fresher,’ he would say with utter conviction, ‘just a few hours,’ and start to swagger about his famous tracking abilities that he had demonstrated in the past when there had been no one present to confirm them.
Sometimes Kid Curry’s only wish was to silence his chattering partner for just a few minutes. At the moment he would gladly endure his nonstop sermon for two days and more, if only Heyes was with him now.
He scrutinized his surroundings. The hoof trails led into plain and deserted territory. If Heyes had been one of riders, he’d parted somewhere around here to meet his partner.
The tracks came from the direction of somewhat higher ground. Despite any other trace he followed the hoof trails backwards. In the distance he noticed cliffs which appeared to have some vegetation. It was the only suitable site to make camp so he might just find some trace of his missing partner there.
His instinct was right. There had been a camp about two days ago. Four horses, three or four men. He wasn’t quite sure about the number of people ‘cause the wind had already begun to wipe the signs away.
Curry discovered a beaten path through the bushes and towards the foot of the cliffs. Following it he found the entrance to a small cave. He became suspicious. Why did the men camp outside when they could have settled down protected from the ongoing wind?
He drew his gun and took a peek inside. He sensed neither sound nor movement. Cautiously he stepped inside. The cave was pretty dark and not too large proving only a few corners in which to hide something. In one of them he noticed a heap of clothes. Moving closer he got a better view of it: clothes of well-known color, dark hair, pale skin.
His heart stopped.
Heyes!
In the blink of an eye he was on his knees beside the motionless bundle, the six-gun slipped from his hand and dropped to the ground. He suppressed his urge to throw up when he noticed the gruesome details. The body of his friend was smeared with blood and worse - used, shattered, carelessly discarded.
He barely dared to breathe, unsure if he should pray for life signs or their absence. He noticed no movement, no breathing.
Ignoring the stench Kid Curry took the mistreated body into his arms, rested his partner’s head gently on his shoulder and stroked the greasy hair. Cradling Heyes’s body like a child he tried to hold back anger and despair.
Late. He was too late. He’d waited too long.
How long was he lying here? At least two days. Two damned hard invaluable days!
Against his will tears welled up in his eyes.
-o-o-o-
At first there was pain, sheer agonizing pain. He felt broken, torn.
His memories returned, leaving him in a world of torture and darkness and unbearable pain. Nothing left to live for but horror and agony.
‘Let it be over,’ he thought. ‘Let me leave, oh Lord.’
The abyss called for him and he was about to let go.
Then he felt it - strong arms holding him, gentle hands stroking his hair, touching his face. Wetness, salty wetness on his face, his lips. A strong and regular sound close to him. Sweet and close. A heartbeat. Not his own but equally familiar.
Warmth spread through his shattered body. The Kid. Jed.
Suddenly he had a goal: to see him just one more time. His warm blue eyes. His familiar face. Just a glint of golden curls. A light to guide him through the darkness.
The abyss reached out for him again, but he fought it. He wasn’t prepared. The Kid! He had to see the Kid again! One time, only one single time!
He couldn’t leave without it.
He couldn’t live without it.
He couldn’t die without it.
The Kid. The Kid. The Kid.
Using all his might he forced his eyes to open...
And there he was. Close to him, oh so close. The eyes filled with tears, trickling steadily off his face and down on to his own. Sweet and salty at the same time. The sensual lips forming inaudible words.
Heyes tried to speak, tried to comfort him. ‘I’m all right, Kid. Don’t be scared.’ But no sound left his lips, just a sigh, soft and low.
Enough to be sensed by the Kid. He looked down at him amazed and terrified.
“Heyes,” he whispered. “Heyes.”
The sweetest sound Heyes had ever heard.
Suddenly he knew the name of the bond that had connected them for almost all of their lives.
He mouthed four words before he closed his eyes again.
Darkness surrounded him but there was no reason to be scared anymore.
He was with him.
He’d always be.
The Kid.