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delorita William tried to drag his father away from the train station. His face was wet from flowing tears.
Why, just why had this all happened?
He felt guilty big time and he wanted nothing more then to bring him back to life. Before this journey, he thought his Pa wasn’t able to do anything right, but he sure as hell had proved his son wrong.
Will paused, wiping his nose on his sleeve, holding the still warm body to his chest, resting for a moment.
Suddenly a shadow fell over his dead father’s body, crouching down beside them, a hand came up to lay on Dan’s chest.
“He’s still breathing.” A very familiar voice muttered beside Will.
He gasped in shock, but then got his bearings quickly and was not the slightest bit surprised that Ben Wade had come up beside him, disguised as a rancher.
“Quick, I know where the doc lives in this town, he may have a chance.” He had taken Dan by the shoulders and pulled him much faster then William could on his own.
++++++
Ben had send William of with one thousand dollars to his mother. Will had first refused him, but then the villain promised to bring his father back as soon as he got through this mess.
IF he got through it.
The doctor had done everything he could after the boy had explained what had happened and that this had been the man who brought Ben Wade to the 3:10 train to Yuma. That this had been the man who got shot at from all the men in town and escaped, until one Charlie Prince shot him brutally from behind.
Ben had stood all the time silently at the doorway, Dan’s hat drawn deep over his eyes.
He’d never prayed after his mother left him, but now he did.
He’d travelled only two days with Dan but the stubborn rancher had grown to him very fast.
He sure hadn’t made his life easy. He had been the one after all, because of whom Ben got captured in Bisbee.
He had distracted him. Dan’s not flinching eyes had captured him right from their first meeting.
The nerve that man had, to tell him, Ben Wade, to give him five dollars for making him nervous.
Ben instantly smiled at that memory. His first thought had been ‘I gotta get to know that man.’
Now he knew him well enough to jump right back into Contention, walk all the way trough it, with the possibility of being shot himself and then sit at his bedside and pray for the rancher’s life. Actually he couldn’t bear the thought that, as soon as Dan was well again, he’d just disappear out of his life.
Ben had easily killed all the boys of his gang. They were killers, they only ever spoke him after his mouth, never had an own opinion, always only thought about the money.
Dan was so different.
Dan was a challenge.
Dan Evans had principles.
And not even the most wanted man in the area was able to change them, was able to bribe him…
Ben sighed, looking at the sleeping figure beside him. Dan’s breath was hitching very irregular, his forehead sweaty from fever. He started to toss his head from side to side.
Without thinking, Ben took his hand, to try and calm the other man somewhat.
“Dan…” His voice was almost unrecognisable to himself, “it’s all right.” He let the other’s hand go, when he realised he was holding it. Ben shock his head.
“Damn.” This was awkward. He’d had the same feeling in the bridal suit, just after Dan told him not to talk for a while.
His dick was twitching, just the same way it had way back in his youth, when an older man had taken interest in him, had made his life better for a little while.
Ben couldn’t believe Dan had the same effect on him. He’d have loved to have Dan on that bed with him in the bridal suit. He’d have given him some lessons in pleasure…
“Wade, no!” Dan yelled in his sleep and Ben was briefly wondering if his thoughts had flown into the other’s feverish mind.
The doctor came running from the other room, quickly checking on his patient.
“The fever is way too high.”
He busily got water and a rug, and ordered Ben to put it onto the sick man’s forehead, cheeks and lips.
“If you keep that up the whole night, he might survive.” With that the doc stomped up the stairs, without even knowing who the man was who sat so patiently with this poor shot guy.
‘The whole night.’ Ben swallowed. ‘Please, God, have mercy for once.’ He started to move the wet cloth carefully over the hot face, not used to such a job.
He started to sing, lost in thought, “They gonna hang me in the morning…”
At dawn, when Ben had the impression his patient wasn’t as hot anymore, he couldn’t stand any longer and fell into the chair, instantly asleep.
He’d padded Dan’s feverish face for hours and hours. He knew every line in it now, every scar, every tiny wrinkle around the corners of Dan’s eyes. Ben knew the curve of his lips, was tempted several times…to …yeah …to kiss them.
But he resisted. This wasn’t the time.
++++++
“Wade?” A low, rough, dry voice woke Ben from his slumber.
Dan was looking at him, his lids only half open but his glance inquisitive as usual.
Ben gave a relieved sigh.
“What the hell is going on?” Dan tried to sit but fell down on the cushion immediately, groaning loud.
“You’ve been shot. I suggest not to move.” Ben tried to be as nonchalant as he always had been with this rancher. But the unbelievable joy that Dan woke let him almost burst into pieces.
“Where’s William and why aren’t you…” A terrible cough interrupted his angry words.
“This man saved your life, Mister Evans.” The doctor came into the room, “And if you are lucky and just lay still for a few more days, you actually will survive this crazy attack. You look like a sieve.”
Dan didn’t look at the doc but at Ben. It was slowly dawning on him, that the shooting hadn’t been a dream, that he actually had been shot by that wicked Charlie Prince.
His whole body hurt like hell, but for some odd reason, the anger about Ben, being not in that train, made him grounded and not going mad with pain.
He closed his eyes after the doctor had tended to his wounds again and had given him some medicine.
“Why aren’t you in Yuma?” He asked with a very week voice when the doc had left them alone again.
“Because I couldn’t leave William alone with a dying man.”
Ben stared at Dan, willing him to open his eyes again and he did. It almost felt like they had an invisible bound already.
“You couldn’t…” Dan swallowed and grimaced with pain. He felt so terribly weak. It was just the same when he’d lost his leg, or even worse.
He passed out.
++++++
Ben just couldn’t help it. After another hour of cooling Dan’s face, he gave in to the urge to caress his stubbly, hollow cheek with one bare hand, without the rug.
He held his breath.
Dan stopped tossing about instantly and leaned into the touch, a deep sigh emerging from what seemed like the deepness of his soul.
He didn’t wake, but his breathing evened out and he started to sleep more peacefully.
Ben was wondering, how he’d convince the stubborn rancher about the fact, that there could be friendship between them, maybe even something completely different?
---to be continued, somewhen---
Why, just why had this all happened?
He felt guilty big time and he wanted nothing more then to bring him back to life. Before this journey, he thought his Pa wasn’t able to do anything right, but he sure as hell had proved his son wrong.
Will paused, wiping his nose on his sleeve, holding the still warm body to his chest, resting for a moment.
Suddenly a shadow fell over his dead father’s body, crouching down beside them, a hand came up to lay on Dan’s chest.
“He’s still breathing.” A very familiar voice muttered beside Will.
He gasped in shock, but then got his bearings quickly and was not the slightest bit surprised that Ben Wade had come up beside him, disguised as a rancher.
“Quick, I know where the doc lives in this town, he may have a chance.” He had taken Dan by the shoulders and pulled him much faster then William could on his own.
++++++
Ben had send William of with one thousand dollars to his mother. Will had first refused him, but then the villain promised to bring his father back as soon as he got through this mess.
IF he got through it.
The doctor had done everything he could after the boy had explained what had happened and that this had been the man who brought Ben Wade to the 3:10 train to Yuma. That this had been the man who got shot at from all the men in town and escaped, until one Charlie Prince shot him brutally from behind.
Ben had stood all the time silently at the doorway, Dan’s hat drawn deep over his eyes.
He’d never prayed after his mother left him, but now he did.
He’d travelled only two days with Dan but the stubborn rancher had grown to him very fast.
He sure hadn’t made his life easy. He had been the one after all, because of whom Ben got captured in Bisbee.
He had distracted him. Dan’s not flinching eyes had captured him right from their first meeting.
The nerve that man had, to tell him, Ben Wade, to give him five dollars for making him nervous.
Ben instantly smiled at that memory. His first thought had been ‘I gotta get to know that man.’
Now he knew him well enough to jump right back into Contention, walk all the way trough it, with the possibility of being shot himself and then sit at his bedside and pray for the rancher’s life. Actually he couldn’t bear the thought that, as soon as Dan was well again, he’d just disappear out of his life.
Ben had easily killed all the boys of his gang. They were killers, they only ever spoke him after his mouth, never had an own opinion, always only thought about the money.
Dan was so different.
Dan was a challenge.
Dan Evans had principles.
And not even the most wanted man in the area was able to change them, was able to bribe him…
Ben sighed, looking at the sleeping figure beside him. Dan’s breath was hitching very irregular, his forehead sweaty from fever. He started to toss his head from side to side.
Without thinking, Ben took his hand, to try and calm the other man somewhat.
“Dan…” His voice was almost unrecognisable to himself, “it’s all right.” He let the other’s hand go, when he realised he was holding it. Ben shock his head.
“Damn.” This was awkward. He’d had the same feeling in the bridal suit, just after Dan told him not to talk for a while.
His dick was twitching, just the same way it had way back in his youth, when an older man had taken interest in him, had made his life better for a little while.
Ben couldn’t believe Dan had the same effect on him. He’d have loved to have Dan on that bed with him in the bridal suit. He’d have given him some lessons in pleasure…
“Wade, no!” Dan yelled in his sleep and Ben was briefly wondering if his thoughts had flown into the other’s feverish mind.
The doctor came running from the other room, quickly checking on his patient.
“The fever is way too high.”
He busily got water and a rug, and ordered Ben to put it onto the sick man’s forehead, cheeks and lips.
“If you keep that up the whole night, he might survive.” With that the doc stomped up the stairs, without even knowing who the man was who sat so patiently with this poor shot guy.
‘The whole night.’ Ben swallowed. ‘Please, God, have mercy for once.’ He started to move the wet cloth carefully over the hot face, not used to such a job.
He started to sing, lost in thought, “They gonna hang me in the morning…”
At dawn, when Ben had the impression his patient wasn’t as hot anymore, he couldn’t stand any longer and fell into the chair, instantly asleep.
He’d padded Dan’s feverish face for hours and hours. He knew every line in it now, every scar, every tiny wrinkle around the corners of Dan’s eyes. Ben knew the curve of his lips, was tempted several times…to …yeah …to kiss them.
But he resisted. This wasn’t the time.
++++++
“Wade?” A low, rough, dry voice woke Ben from his slumber.
Dan was looking at him, his lids only half open but his glance inquisitive as usual.
Ben gave a relieved sigh.
“What the hell is going on?” Dan tried to sit but fell down on the cushion immediately, groaning loud.
“You’ve been shot. I suggest not to move.” Ben tried to be as nonchalant as he always had been with this rancher. But the unbelievable joy that Dan woke let him almost burst into pieces.
“Where’s William and why aren’t you…” A terrible cough interrupted his angry words.
“This man saved your life, Mister Evans.” The doctor came into the room, “And if you are lucky and just lay still for a few more days, you actually will survive this crazy attack. You look like a sieve.”
Dan didn’t look at the doc but at Ben. It was slowly dawning on him, that the shooting hadn’t been a dream, that he actually had been shot by that wicked Charlie Prince.
His whole body hurt like hell, but for some odd reason, the anger about Ben, being not in that train, made him grounded and not going mad with pain.
He closed his eyes after the doctor had tended to his wounds again and had given him some medicine.
“Why aren’t you in Yuma?” He asked with a very week voice when the doc had left them alone again.
“Because I couldn’t leave William alone with a dying man.”
Ben stared at Dan, willing him to open his eyes again and he did. It almost felt like they had an invisible bound already.
“You couldn’t…” Dan swallowed and grimaced with pain. He felt so terribly weak. It was just the same when he’d lost his leg, or even worse.
He passed out.
++++++
Ben just couldn’t help it. After another hour of cooling Dan’s face, he gave in to the urge to caress his stubbly, hollow cheek with one bare hand, without the rug.
He held his breath.
Dan stopped tossing about instantly and leaned into the touch, a deep sigh emerging from what seemed like the deepness of his soul.
He didn’t wake, but his breathing evened out and he started to sleep more peacefully.
Ben was wondering, how he’d convince the stubborn rancher about the fact, that there could be friendship between them, maybe even something completely different?
---to be continued, somewhen---
