Brutus came to a stop by the tree line and looked up at Jeff. The man dismounted and left Trex secured beneath the safety of the trees as he moved to the closest building. Looking inside, he found all the prisoners sitting against the wall and he broke the lock with a bullet. Stepping inside, he watched all the men look up at him and one stand up. Adam saw the recognition in his eyes and nodded.

"You must be the calvary."

"Where's Reese?"

Another guy stood and said "Abigail has him separated. I think he's in the cellar."

"Lord knows what's been done to him."

Jeff held his tongue and looked outside. No one was checking on the prisoners and he looked back at all the men.

"Can you fight your way out?"

Adam chuckled and said "We're marshalls."

"I swear you're growing like rabbits in numbers."

The man nodded and said "We used to have a large amount of us until Abigail and her family started kidnapping and killing us."

"So this was all planned?"

"Long time ago, before Joe and Reese reunited."

Jeff sighed and said "Point me to the cellar and get out of here."

The man shook his head and said "Not leaving a man behind. Reese was the key to getting us out. We won't let him stay behind for any of us."

The relief he felt was overwhelming and he followed the men out of the building. Adam indicated where the cellar was on the house and he took a deep breath.

"Don't worry. They kept all of our weapons in the shed just beside the cellar."

He watched everyone slip in and out of the cellar, reuniting themselves with their gear, and he approached the cellar. The doors were bolted shut and he knew he was going in through the house. Adam pointed out a back door and Jeff followed a crew of them inside the place. They bound any of the guards that weren't one of them and one showed them the entrance to the cellar. A gun cocked behind them and Jeff looked over his shoulder.

He found the blonde woman disturbing to looking at with her blue eyes and a sneer on her face. She raised her gun at him and one of the marshalls knocked the gun away. She was wrestled to the ground and bound.

"You can't have him! He's mine!"

Jeff walked over to the woman and knelt next to her. She was staring up at him with hatred and he caught her chin in an iron grip.

"You should've left my family alone."

He bashed her head into the floor and kicked the cellar door open. The dark room made him pause to allow his eyes to readjust and then he found the man. Reese was leaning back against the wall with trays of discarded food all over the floor. The man fixed a stone cold amber set of eyes on him and he looked back at Adam.

"I need a key."

The marshall dug through the woman's pockets until he found the key and tossed it into the room. Jeff caught it and approached the prisoner. Reese didn't say a word when the shackles were removed but he didn't move either.

"We've got to go. Trouble's on the way to your home."

He shook his head and said "I can't."

His voice was thin and laced with pain. Jeff caught his arm and forced him up onto his legs. The movement about killed his side and he bit back most of the groan. Adam hurried into the room and helped them walk out. They stepped into the light and Jeff saw the extent of the damages the men had warned him about. The horrible side wound was matched with brusies and cuts all up and down the man's chest and arms.

"Joe needs you Reese."

The man took a deep breath and asked "Champ?"

"Never came back with Brutus."

"Stubborn horse."

Jeff held his tongue when he knew the stallion was just like his rider. Adam and Jeff carried Reese outside and they let him sit to catch his breath as the other marshalls approached.

"We've got to get him to a doctor."

"No."

Jeff watched him stand slowly and give a single whistle. If Champ hadn't returned home with Brutus, he knew the stallion had been in hiding around here, waiting for his call. They waited in silence for a few minutes before the stallion burst into sight with Brutus. Jeff shook his head with a chuckle and watched the man pull himself up into the saddle. One of the men handed him a discarded, clean shirt and he slid it on as Jeff walked with him out to the tree line.

Reese leaned into Champ as the man freed Trex and mounted him. Brutus sniffed Reese's boot and then took off. They didn't look back at the rest of the marshalls as they took to the mountains quickly and flew through the night like ghosts. Reese could feel his body weakening as they passed opportunities to rest but now that he was on the move, he couldn't afford to lose any time. He had to get home and see for himself that she was okay.

Jeff tried to say something to ease the man's mind so he'd slow down and not kill himself but he couldn't muster up the strength. Right now, all that drove Reese and kept him from crumbling to the ground was the thought of getting home and making sure everyone was all right and he didn't blame him. He had left without thinking and had let his own family unprotected in all sense. His family was more than great marksmen but the marshalls residing there were too exhausted to be much help and he feared his sister would try and protect everyone. They rode through the night and the next day without a stop and when he saw the farm, his body's lack of strength grew.

Champ stopped by the barn door, weary from the hard run, and Billy came out of the barn in time to see him drop to his knees. Jeff dismouted as nearly exhausted but helped the man up and they saw the look on the man's face.

"What happened?"

"The band of attackers turned out to be mostly marshalls but not enough to stop one from striking close to home."

"Joe?"

"Shielded Cliff from the lethal blow."

Reese shoved himself free from Jeff and tried climbing the porch steps but stumbled. Jeff helped him up and Billy got the door. Brutus raced inside and they saw Grace come out of the family room. Her eyes lit up when she saw Reese and she ran up to him. Her hug about toppled him over but he bit back the pain.

"Where's your mother?"

"She's upstairs."

He let Jeff help him up the stairs and pushed the door open to their bedroom. Will hopped off the bed when he saw him and ran up to him. This hug did drop him to one knee and the boy helped him back up. The doctor rose from his seat and looked him over as he approached the bed. He found her resting and saw the wrap on her left arm.

"What happened?"

"I could ask the same about you."

Reese turned a burning gaze on him and the man said "The knife was a clean blow. No serious damage."

"But?"

The doctor sighed and said "I don't think you'll be able to wait much longer."

He studied the man and asked "What are you saying?"

"I'm keeping her sedated. The pain from the wound amplified all the other pain and she's in the beginning stages of labor. It's too early Reese."

He sat down beside her and said "Then deliver them."

"Them?"

He looked back at Will and found the boy staring at him with a stunned look on his face.

"You're getting two younger siblings."

The boy stared back at him speechless for a minute and then a smile crept onto his face. He started laughing and Reese shook his head. They had worried it was going to be too much for him to handle but here he was enjoying the news.

"Well he won't be a big brother to any new siblings if we don't get those two out of their mother. I need everyone out of this room except for you Reese."

He watched Jeff leave the room and said "I think you should send in Calli."

Jeff looked at the doctor and the man nodded. He caught Will's shoulder and forced the boy out of the room. Reese took his wife's hand and let out a slow breath.

"When she wakes we'll deliever them."

"Naturally?"

The doctor nodded and said "If it weren't for the wound, her body would be perfectly strong enough and I think she wouldn't want us to go any other direction."

He nodded and watched the doctor begin to prep his equipment. The door opened and he watched his sister walk in. The woman let out a gasp at the sight of him but he was more worried about her aiding the doctor than fussing over him.

"Joe, wake up."

He watched her as she slowly came back from whatever dream the medicine was keeping her in and she looked at him with very tired eyes. He could see the pain growing as she woke more and he squeezed her hand.

"Just hold onto my hand and we'll get through this."

"Through what?"

He watched the doctor open his mouth to explain but saw her tense with pain. Her hold on his hand tightened considerably and she closed her eyes as she fought to control her breathing.

"They're coming early, Joe. Just stay strong and it'll be over for all of you."

She looked back at Reese and he kissed her brow. Her eyes closed again and he turned his focus on the doctor. It had been a few years since Teddy's birth and he knew the procedures had changed over that time spand. Calli kept a cool cloth on her forehead and held her other hand as the time drew closer. Each second felt like minutes and when the time finally came, Calli helped her sit up and he let her cling to his hand as she pushed.

"One's out. Push again Joe."

She looked over at Reese and he nodded. Exhaustion was wearing on her and he kissed her forehead. She took a deep breath and he watched her push one last time. The second child came out and the doctor chuckled.

"Two boys."

Calli left them and helped clean up the boys. Leaning her head against her pillow, she met the amber stare on her face and ran her tired hand along his face. Right now all she could see was him there with her and they watched the twins be brought over. She took one as he was given the older one and he examined both of them personally.

"Two healthy boys there. Let's show them off to the family while Mom here gets some sleep."

He watched Calli take the one from Joe and let the doctor take the other. He couldn't leave her just yet. She had just given birth to his sons and he needed to make sure she was going to be fine before he'd leave her side. She caught his hand and met his gaze.

"Go. Show them to everyone downstairs."

"Not until I know you're going to be okay."

The doctor chuckled and said "I'll send for you if she isn't."

He waited until she fell asleep again and then stood up. Some of his muscle strength was back and he knew it was just the adrenaline from watching Joe give birth to these two. Calli helped him carry them out into the hall and down the stairs. Everyone was in the family room and when they entered everyone started clapping and he heard the sighs of relief. He handed his to Mack and let the man hold his grandson.

"What are their names?"

He looked at the waiting family members and said "Sam and Adam."

Mack chuckled and said "Welcome to the family boys."

Reese watched the family welcome in the newest members and saw Jeff vacate the chair for him. He sat down slowly and leaned his head back as his body finally refused to support him. Jeff had Calli get the doctor to look him over and he let the man do the examination out of pure exhaustion.

"They really did a number on you."

He kept his eyes on Will and Grace as they were taught to hold their siblings and he felt the doctor examine his side wound. The man remained quiet but he looked Reese in the eye. The wound wasn't healing well and would need lots of rest and medicine to allow it to recover. When the babies started fussing, Calli and Mack took them upstairs to sleep and Jeff helped him up to his room. The babies were put to bed in a cradle by the window next to Bear's pillow and he sat down on the bed.

He looked down at Joe and watched her rest as everyone left the room. The door shut and he slid his boots off with extreme pain. His side screamed by the time he laid on his back under the covers and he refused to move closer to her. She needed the rest and he couldn't alert her to his state until she was recovered from the labor. Hopefully in the morning he wouldn't be as bad as he was at the moment and she won't feel like she has to fuss over him.