C A Merc and the Target. ((Luxio018 and Lovebite))

[Lovebite]

It scared him, he loved the little boy, of course he did, though his love of course wasn't enough to cure him and he hated that. He hated being helpless. He cut him another piece and then grabbed a canteen of water from his coat pocket to hand it to him after he ate the second. "How far is the town?"he asked John as he looked up at him, as if it hadn't been a whole two years since the last time he's seen him.

[018Luxio]

"About half a days ride." John looks around for a moment. "Though I advise against going anywhere is this weather." John looks down at the boy again. "So he's been...alright?"

[Lovebite]

"We won't be."he replied,"We're both tired."he then took a bite of sausage himself and a drink of water silently until another question was asked. His head tilted as he watched the boy lay back down again and he rubbed his back,"He's been okay... Feeling bad for a day or two."he pushed his hair away from his face, knowing he would need a haircut soon, he was starting to look like a little girl.

[018Luxio]

John nods slowly but says nothing more. It wasn't much longer that Baxter had drifted to sleep along with Samuel. John stayed awake for about an hour longer before drifting off as well.

[Lovebite]

Baxter ended up leaning against John, the fire went out in the morning and the bitter cold woke him up. He groaned lightly and pushed himself up again slowly, careful not to let the boy fall from his lap as his arms wrapped around him. Rubbing his back gently and kissing his head softly, not usually doing that besides the morning times when they woke up together. He pinched his cheek lightly,"Get up, sleepy bug."he murmured and the boy of course didn't seem to want to stir as he shifted him in his arms.

[018Luxio]

Samuel infact didn't want to move at all, he instead curled tighter into a ball in Baxter's lap. He began to shiver slightly after he had moved though it wasn't from the cold.

[Lovebite]

Baxter looked down at him, gathering the toddler into his arms and tilting his head as he sat up from the other man's side,"Sammy."he said softly, wrapping the blanket tightly around him like one of the mexican burritos that his son always loved to eat. Messily of course, he hugged him to his chest in attempt to warm him,"Baby, come on, it's time to go."he rubbed his back slowly and pushed his hair away from his face.

[018Luxio]

John watches the interaction between the two of them before he reaches out to lightly touch the boys forehead. "Kids burning up, probably too small to handle the cold."

[Lovebite]

Baxter moved to stand to his feet, careful with the two year old in his arms, in the morning light the bulge protruding from his middle was obvious even despite his coat,"We'll get him a doctor then. Someone to get him better."he forced himself into ignorance as he moved towards his horse,"Up."he said and the animal rose and he moved to climb up it with his son in his arm and his other hand grasping onto the saddle, though he couldn't get good footing and huffed as he shifted Samuel into his other arm.

[018Luxio]

He hadn't noticed John get up until he came over and held his arms out for Samuel. "Let me hold him till you can get ready to go."

[Lovebite]

The hunter looked at the other man with a small frown, he didn't know when he would stop distrusting him though he wasn't sorry that he did feel that way. Knowing he had a damn good reason to. He sighed as he looked down at the boy in his arms who was still shivering, there wasn't any time to waste getting him to a doctor. He knew that too. So he nodded as he handed his son over to Johnathan, then moving to make sure he had everything, before climbing onto the horse.

[018Luxio]

Once Samuel was placed in his arms John was actually able to get a good look at him. He couldn't help but smile softly as he tightened the blanket around him before leaning in to lightly kiss his hair. "Your gonna be alright buddy."

[Lovebite]

"Give 'em here... I have 'em, but if you want, you can come with us into town."he mentioned,"Sure as hell need the help."he muttered quietly, he hadn't had work in a while, not that he was complaining, it was just hard to feed himself and a little boy off a few cents. Despite being well off for a while now, since he looked into using what he knew to get them money, that was one of the reasons he was pregnant again now.

[018Luxio]

John hands Samuel back to Baxter before making his way over to his own horse and mounting it. Despite the weather they both make their way toward the nearest town.

[Lovebite]

It was a slow trip, though he supposed they were making good time, as when they stopped for the next night on a cliff side the town could be seen. At least a little through the thin snow, he sighed as he watched the flickering lights a few miles off and held his son against his chest. Rubbing his back slowly and pressing a kiss to the crown of his head, pushing his long blonde hair away from his face silently. He looked to John,"I want to keep going. It can't be that much farther."

[018Luxio]

John looked at him before looking to the shivering boy in Baxter's arms before he nodded. "Alright, stay close." They started off again at a slow pace though the flickering lights began to get closer.

[Lovebite]

They approached town as quickly as they could, mindful of the snow and ice that covered most of the road, they had been heading north and the weather was lighter. Baxter kept his eyes on Samuel mostly and a hand gripped around the horses reigns, he slowly began to feel...terrified for his son. He had yet to teach him anything important, how to shoot or ride a horse, he wouldn't lose him, not like everything else he's had, he was his. He'd be damned if he would lose him, he'd be damned.

[018Luxio]

When they finally did reach the town John leads Baxter to the clinic. It was late and the town was mostly empty when John headed up to the door, knocking loudly to see if he could get the doctor to wake up.

[Lovebite]

It took a while, a few minutes or so, until a old man was at the door, pushing his bifocals onto his face and squinting at the trio,"What're y'all goin' 'ere rappin' on my door 'fore noon?" Baxter almost flinched at the deep drawl that came from the screen door, he stepped forward with his son in his arms,"I apologize, sir...but it's my boy... He's... I dunno what's wrong with him."

[018Luxio]

It took a few minutes before the door finally opened. "Bring Em in." The doctor leads them back to one of the empty bedrooms of the house. "Lay 'im down and let's have a look."