A/N: Please note, this is the 3rd chapter that i've posted in the last 5 or 6 hours so please make sure you havent skipped any before you read this one! 

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Will felt his heart begin to beat a million times a minute against his ribs. Aunt Bernice? He didn’t have an aunt Bernice--as a matter of fact he only knew one person named Bernice and she had four legs, hooves and was in a long term relationship with the man he loved. 

“I miss Aunt Bernice,” Will replied slowly, his mind racing as he wondered if he should really dare to hope that Turner had sent this woman. 

“Well I’ll leave you two to do some catching up,” Doctor Rawling stated from the doorway. “I have quite a few house calls to make now that the air is warm and the snows has melted.” 

Will watched the doctor disappear into the house and only when he heard the front door open and close did he turn back to his sister, “Who are you?” he demanded. 

She winked one light brown eye and sat down in the chair beside him, “I’m your sister, Lillith. Aunt Bernice sent me to pick you up.” 

“It’s okay, there’s no one else here that’ll hear you talk,” Will assured her. “Did he  send you?” Will tried to turn his body and winced, “Is he okay?!” he demanded. 

“Calm down. You look like you’ve been beaten up pretty good and shouldn’t be getting overly excited,” Lillith scolded. 

Will relaxed against the chair the best he could and ran his hand over his face. The bruises were all beginning to turn beautiful colors as they aged and the split welt on his cheek was still swollen. He no longer had to wear the bandage on his neck, ( he had no idea who had cut his neck but someone had), and the wound was scabbed and ugly and the doctor said it was going to leave a scar. 

“Please tell me… Is Turner okay?” 

She nodded and smiled comfortingly, “Turner is fine. Turner was nearly dead when he stumbled into my barn and he wanted me to leave sooner to come to you but I didn’t want to leave him until I was sure he wasn’t going to have a set back.” 

Will felt a relief fill him unlike any he had ever known. Turner was alive and Turner was safe. Will took the first easy breath he’d drawn in a long time. 

“Where is he? I want to see him!” 

“Calm down. God, you two are awful close for cousins aren’t you? I’ve never seen two men more eager to see one another. Though I must say you seem friendlier than him, that’s for sure. He’s a surly brooding piece of work, isn’t he?” 

“Yeah…” Will frowned. “Yeah my cousin has always been the negative type.” Will shifted in his chair. Turner had told Lillith they were cousins? Will sighed. It wasn’t fair that the truth could have made someone change their mind about helping them. Why should two men in love be such a bad thing?

“Well, Turner is at my house. It’s about a three day trip by the main road but I brought along my covered wagon for sleeping in and we can make a bed in the back for you to ride on. As soon as you are strong enough I am supposed to bring you to him.” 

Will attempted to push himself to his feet but the pain in his side drove him back to the chair, “I’m strong enough now.” 

“I don’t think so,” Lillith clicked her tongue. “I’ll be talking to the doctor this evening and we’ll see how long he thinks it will be before you’re ready to travel.” 

Will slumped back against his chair and pouted. He was ready to go now and the doctor better tell Lillith he was ready. Will couldn’t wait much longer to hold Turner close to him. 

***

“What?!” Will demanded, fearing for the good doctor’s sanity. 

Doctor Rawling shrugged as he stuck a bite of the stew Lillith had cooked for supper into his mouth, “It is in my medical opinion that your stitches and your ribs need at least three more days to heal before you go jostling around in a wagon on this rutted, muddy winter roads.” 

‘But I’m ready to see….” Lillith’s foot collided with his shin from under the table and Will stopped quickly and dropped his pain filled gaze to his stew, “The rest of my family. I want to see my family.” 

“I’m sure you do,” the doc’s voice softened. “After all you went through at Thompson’s hands, I’m sure your need to see your family is very strong,” the doctor sighed. “Just three days, Will, and you can go. You can go now if you so choose but I wouldn’t advise it.” 

“Then we’ll wait,” Lillith spoke sternly. “Aunt Bernice was very insistent that I not bring you until you were fully ready. She  doesn’t want to cause you any extra pain with the trip.” 

Will grumbled. Waiting to make the trip was causing him extra pain! “Fine,” he muttered. “But I’m leaving in three days whether you think I’m ready or not.” 

Lillith leaned to the side and kissed his welted cheek, “Of course, little brother. You always have been an impatient one.” 

Will glared at her and cursed her sense of humor. Usually he liked someone who was lighthearted but just now he was missing mean, brooding and surly.

***

Will proudly shuffled across the room. His movements were stiff and his body hurt but he could move all on his own and he didn’t feel as if his side was pulling apart. 

Lillith and Doctor Rawling stood in the doorway and watched with amusement. Will held up his hands impatiently, “So? Can I go now?” 

“Let me look at you side,” Doctor Rawling ordered. 

Will grumbled and pulled up the oversized white cotton shirt the doctor had given him to wear. He pulled aside the bandage and showed the doctor the healing stitches. 

Doctor Rawling tapped his chin as he studied them thoughtfully, “Now those stitches will have to come out in about a week…” 

“I can do that for him, doctor. I have experience with stitches,” Lillith assured the old man. 

Doctor Rawling nodded, “Then I see no need to keep you from your family any longer,” he smiled, “But you will have to take it easy on this journey to your sisters house.” 

“I will!” Will was practically bouncing up and down. 

Lillith grabbed his arm and held him still, “I’ll make sure he doesn’t overexert himself, doctor.” 

Doctor Rawling stepped forward and hugged Will gently, “When you see Turner tell him and Aunt Bernice I said there is no hatred in my heart for either one of them.”

Will’s eyes widened and his mouth worked up and down several times as he struggled to think of something to say. Doctor Rawling laughed and backed away several steps, “I might be an old man, Will, but I’m smarter than I look. You and Lillith have a safe journey.” 

Doctor Rawling left the house then to go about his daily home visits leaving Lillith and Will staring at one another with surprise, “I suppose I’m not as good an actress as I thought,” she muttered.

Will frowned, “Guess not.” Then he smiled, “Lillith?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m ready to go see Turner now.” 

A/N: feel free to worship me ;) I am the updating queen here lately! Of course cooking, cleaning and child care have suffered but psht, who cares!? haha!