"Any sign of her?"

Cal shook his head and said "Calm down. She'll get here when she gets here."

He frowned and asked "Aren't you worried about Uncle Reese?"

The man chuckled and said "I believe he is the best care of hands possible."

The boy shot him a look and he shook his head again. Teddy looked down the driveway again and slowly made out the approaching dust. He jumped to his feet and watched Daemon come into view. He smiled and hopped off the step. Cal stood as the stallion came to rest in front of them and the rider landed on the ground next to him.

"Welcome."

She rolled her eyes and Teddy jumped up into her arms.

"Where is Calli?"

"She's inside upstairs."

She nodded and put the kid down. He ran his hand over Daemon's face and Joe walked into the house. She climbed the stairs and stopped at the landing. Reese's door was open and she quietly looked into the room. She found the blonde sister sitting on the bed looking at a framed photo and worry burned in her eyes.

"Ready?"

The woman almost jumped at her voice but caught herself and looked up at her. A slow smile slid over her face and she put the photo down.

"How is he?"

"He's hanging in there. Doc is with him right now."

"I knew I should've tried to change his mind."

Joe took a deep breath and said "We need to get going if we want to make it by nightfall."

Calli nodded and they walked down the hall to her room. She grabbed her bag and Joe took Teddy's. They walked downstairs and stepped outside onto the porch. Cal brought out Calli's mare, Bella, and helped her climb into the saddle. He set her bag as Joe tied Teddy's to her saddle.

The boy looked up at his mother and asked "Can I ride with Joe?"

She nodded and Joe helped him into the saddle. She checked the straps and looked back at Cal.

"I'll send word if things change."

He nodded and said "I know he'll pull through. He is staying at your place."

She shot him a warning look and he chuckled. Climbing up behind Teddy, she took the reins and turned to Calli. The woman nodded and they trotted down the driveway. Teddy held onto the saddle horn as their pace quickened and they galloped across the country to the ravine. He held his breath as he searched the surrounding rocks while they passed through and let it out when they cleared.

Joe smirked and glanced at Calli. The woman was keeping up just fine and nodded as they proceeded. The sun was starting to touch the horizon when they reached the top hill to her home and Teddy let out a whistle. She took a deep breath and guided Daemon down to the driveway. He walked to a stop in front of the barn and Cliff came out.

He held Daemon while she dismounted and helped Teddy down. The boy looked around as she helped Calli with Bella and caught the woman's apprehensive gaze.

"Jeff won't be in until late."

She tried to appear relieved but Joe knew it wasn't working. She took Calli's bag and guided the woman up the porch steps and into her home. The place was awfully quiet for its size and it sent chills through Calli. She watched the woman climb the stairs and followed her. Joe put the bag in the guest room next to the end of the hall and Calli looked over the room as she stepped into the hall.

She watched her guest adjust to the new place and took a deep breath. Glancing at the shut door at the end of the hall, she walked down the hall and turned the handle. Pushing the door open, she watched her father look up from his seat by the window and glanced at Reese. The man was still covered in a light glistening of sweat from his fever and she crossed the room.

"He tried coming to while you were gone."

"Is he delerious?"

"I'm not sure if its that or if he is dreaming about something."

She took a seat next to the man and asked "Where is Doc?"

"Billy ran him home just about an hour ago."

"We didn't pass them."

Mack chuckled and said "You know when we escort people we don't use the normal roads."

She shrugged and soaked the washcloth in a bowl on the bedside table. Running it over the man's face again, she took a deep breath and glanced back at her father.

"Think he'll come around?"

She sighed and said "I think so, but I don't know how long it will take."

"Doc said the wound could be getting infected."

Groaning, she put the washcloth in the bowl and stood up. The last thing she wanted to do was force the man through a sterilizing with a hot metal rod. Grabbing the bowl, she turned around and found Calli watching from the doorway. Mack stood up and approached the young woman.

"I'm glad you made it here."

She shook his hand and asked "Is he really that bad?"

He looked back at his daughter and said "Joe will be able to give you the best guess."

They watched him leave the room and Calli turned on her. She put the bowl down and brushed the damp hair from the man's face.

"Joe?"

"It's not going to be a fast recovery. He'll need more time."

"He hasn't been this sick since he was little."

She met the sister's gaze and said "He pushed himself too hard this time."

"He was tracking that group of idiots everyday since the accident."

"Why?"

Calli smirked and said "He wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt while he was home."

She shook her head and said "I'm going to go see if one of the guys is working on dinner. I'll bring you a new bowl of water if you want to visit."

Calli nodded and watched the woman leave the room. She let out a sigh and walked over to the bed. Sitting beside her brother, she ran her hand over his face and felt the fiery fever trying to burn her fingers. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and felt his arm jerk. She looked back at him and watched him try to wake up but he never opened his eyes.

She took his warm hand and said "Just rest."

Hearing his breathing settle down again, she heard a faint sigh and was almost positive she heard him say a name. Glancing at the door, she released her brother's hand and crossed the room. Stepping into the hall, she pulled the door shut and walked downstairs. As much as she wanted to sit by him, she couldn't handle it right now and knew he would rather someone else be there when he woke up. Walking through the downstairs, she heard voices coming from off to the right and entered a fairly big kitchen.

She stopped in the doorway and found Cliff and his father and one brother working on food. Mack looked up and smiled when he saw her.

"Hungry?"

"I'm not sure food sounds good right now."

He chuckled and said "It will help. If you want to preoccupy yourself join right in."

She took a spot next to him and Cliff handed her a knife. She began chopping potatoes and watched the brothers glance out the window. Mack's jaw tightened a little and she watched Cliff put his stuff down. He walked out the back door and she put her knife down.

"Don't worry."

She turned to Mack and asked "What's going on?"

He glanced at Billy and the older son left the room. Calli watched him disappear outside and looked back at Mack.

"They're needed in the barn for a few minutes. They'll be back and we'll all sit down and eat a little."

She watched him continue to prepare the food and resumed her chore. The potates soon were boiling on the stove and she was helping him set the table when the door opened in the hall. Running shoes made her look up and she saw Teddy come sliding to a hault when he spotted her.

"Mom, you gotta check this place out!"

She smirked and said "Keep it down."

He smiled and nodded. Mack looked at the boy and then back at his mother. Teddy looked back into the hallway and Joe appeared with her brothers. Billy and Cliff helped finish setting the table and Calli watched Joe talk to the oldest brother. Her throat tightened when the man spotted her son and she caught Joe's gaze.

The woman drew her brother's gaze back to her and he shifted his gaze past her to the blonde woman. She didn't stop working but did hold her breath until he looked back at his sister. Whatever they were talking about, they were keeping it to just the two of them and she watched Jeff nod once before leaving the room. Letting out a sigh, Joe looked at the table of food and Mack handed her a plate barely covered with anything. She caught Calli watching and headed to the hallway.

"They'll be civil."

The woman smiled and she disappeared up the steps. Walking into the guest room, she put her food down on a table in the corner and looked at Reese. Checking his fever, she left the room and walked into hers at the other end of the hallway. She shut the door and walked into the bathroom. Shutting the door behind her, she turned on the sink tap and splashed the cold water over her face.

Turning the water pressure up, she used the sound to drown out her coughing and washed her mouth and throat out when she finished. Tossing the tissues into the trash can, she turned the water off and left the room. Moving back to the guest room, she left the door ajar and walked over to the plate of food. Grabbing a piece of apple, she chewed on it as she moved to the bed and sat beside the man. Running her fingers through his hair, she let out a slow breath and heard a knock come from the door.

She watched Calli enter with a drink and took it with a smile. The woman had brought her what her father made her drink and she had no idea why.

"Thank you."

"How is he?"

She took a sip and put the drink on the beside table.

"He should show some improvement by tomorrow evening."

"How long will I be welcomed here?"

Joe looked back at Calli and said "As long as you want to stay."

"And Jeff?"

"He will deal with it if he doesn't like it. Just let him think about it tonight and let him come to you."

"Do you think he will forgive me for not telling him?"

She tried to offer a convincing smile to the same question that still bothered her at night. Calli watched her brother stir and saw Joe take his hand. She ran her fingers through his hair and it seemed like he was finally going to wake up. The woman soaked the wash cloth again and ran it over his face.

"Rest."

Calli heard the soft call again and knew this time what it was. She watched the woman kiss the man's brow and stay by his side until he settled back down.

"Joe?"

The woman looked back at her and she asked "When were you going to tell me that you two were involved?"

"You know?"

She nodded and said "I had a suspicion when you two started getting along and then I forced the rest out of Cal after you had come home."

"Honestly, I was hoping to not tell you."

"Hey, I don't believe in our families' fighting anymore than you or my brother do."

She smrked and said "What did Cal tell you?"

"You two were seeing each other in secret not too long after you got back from school out East, but that was it."

"You'll have to talk to Reese if you want all of the story."

Calli watched her stand and asked "Why won't you just tell me?"

Joe walked to the door and said "Even he doesn't know the whole story."

She watched the woman leave and glanced back at Reese. The man was sleeping at ease and she left the room. Walking to the stairwell, she saw the light on in the family room and climbed downstairs. She found Teddy talking to Billy and Cliff but couldn't find Joe or Jeff. Mack came up behind her and cleared his throat softly.

She looked at him and said "The other two are outside, but I'd leave them be."

"Is everything okay with Joe?"

He smirked and said "She's just tending to her brother. She's fine."

The woman watched him enter the room and take a seat on the couch. Teddy introduced himself to Mack and she watched the three men get to meet her son. When she knew they wouldn't notice her disappearance right away, she slipped from the doorway and moved down the hall to the kitchen. Stopping by the counter, she heard the muffled voices and focused on the hushed conversation.

"You have to at least meet him."

"How do we know he's even mine?"

"Jeff, stop being stubborn."

He let out a sigh and said "Fine but only on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You tell Reese about Will."

"He's unconscious."

"When he wakes up Will will be here."

Calli frowned as the conversation stalled and tried to recall anything about the Will they were talking about.

"Deal?"

"No."

"Joe."

"I can't."

"Come on, the guy deserves to at least know the truth."

"You were the one that told me not to tell him in the first place."

"Yeah and I just found out I have a son. I think we're in the same boat."

"Jeff please."

"Tell him Joe."

"I'm not ready for what will happen."

"You're afraid of the future, who isn't? Reese, as much as I hate the guy for just disappearing after your relationship ended, deserves to know there's someone in your life."

"You think I don't know that? If I could tell him I would, but I can't."

"Joe, Will will be here in less than a week. You have to tell him."