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

[Lovebite]

Them being let in was a relief, he had half thought to be turned away so early in the morning, but they weren't and he was insanely grateful. As he came into the clinic, which was more of an old wooden house beside the tavern, which he guessed was a good place to have one. He laid his son gently onto the bed, propped up with some pillows and moving the blanket away from his face.

[018Luxio]

The doctor grabs a few supplies before he begins checking Samuel over. He checks his heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure and anything else that he can think of to determine a diagnosis.

[Lovebite]

Baxter stood as close as he could without getting in the older man's way and worried for his son, for Samuel as he laid there almost vibrating with his own shivers. He couldn't feel most of his own body, his heartbeat was like a numb thump beneath his chest and his hands sweated. "Doc?"he looked at the man and his boy again,"What can be done?"he asked him, forgetting that John was inside of the room with him.

[018Luxio]

The doctor slips his stethoscope back around his neck before turning to look at Baxter. "Looks like he's either caught a case of influenza or desert fever, they're both common in these parts, but they're also deadly."

[Lovebite]

Baxter felt sick to his stomach when he heard that, he cradled the underside of his belly and sank onto the edge of the bed where his son laid. He didn't think that this could happen to Samuel, of course he didn't, he even ended up pregnant again trying to get money to put food in his belly. So much work to keep this kid alive and he might just die either way, he thought he could vomit as he sat in silence after the doctor's news.

[018Luxio]

The doctor leaves him to think for a bit then as goes to gather a few more supplies.

[Lovebite]

Baxter looked up to John after a silent moment, then down to their son, before he moved to gather the boy into his arms as he sat back in the doctor's bed. He held Samuel and stroked his hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head and looking out of the window beside them. As quiet tears came down his face, though he still didn't speak or even move to wipe them while the boy laid against what he could of his chest. With his belly sitting between them.

[018Luxio]

John remained silent as well before he too slipped from the room, going in search of the Doctor.

[Lovebite]

The doctor glanced back at the other man who came back out of the room, he seemed to be setting up shop for the day and seemed to be irritated before the younger man even spoke. "I can't do anything for you, not without money and time, which I'm sure even the two of you put together has none of. Especially that boy."

[018Luxio]

"I'll get you the money. However much of it you need. Just save him."

[Lovebite]

He pursed his lips, his face sagging and wrinkly as he looked to the man,"I'd have to diggup the ingredients for medicine... Take some measurements..."he sighed and looked away as he finished stocking a shelf,"I'll see what I can do... I'm not makin any promises, ya hear?"

[018Luxio]

"Yeah, yeah I hear ya." John nods as he steps outside to collect his thoughts.

[Lovebite]

Baxter followed John out a few moments later, leaving Samuel to be looked after by the doctor, he needed air. The older man moved to sink down onto the steps of the porch and shift his legs apart so his stomach sank further between them. He looked hard in the face, staring at the ground and rubbing the knees of his pants before taking his hat off and placing it beside himself,"Did you... Did you talk to him?"

[018Luxio]

John nods once. "He'll do what he can, not giving us any promises though."

[Lovebite]

He pressed his face into his hands and couldn't help but start blaming himself, he should have taken better care of Samuel. The open road is no place for a boy, not one his age at least, he needs a home and warm meals and better schooling. He's tried to teach him what he could but he wasn't a teacher, he wasn't even a good father,"I told you. I fuckin' told you we should have given him to better people. He could have been better with someone else and not dying in that room back there."he felt sick to his stomach, maybe it was just because he was a bad father, he cradled his stomach with one hand and shook his head as he stared at the ground.

[018Luxio]

"You couldn't control wether or not he got sick. It just happens." John looks at him for a minute before he sighs. "Didn't none of those people look like they could even afford the kids they had."

[Lovebite]

"I could have."he shook his head,"I could have, but I didn't."he thought he would lose his stomach contents as he couldn't stop thinking about what he could have done differently or not have done differently. "We could have kept tryin'. We could have did- Fuck!"he stood up suddenly, or as fast as he could as he didn't want to actually think that he could have did something about their son being back there,"I need a drink."he said with a huff, badly.

[018Luxio]

"You know you can't have it, no matter how bad you want it."

[Lovebite]

"Why does it matter either way. It isn't your kid and even it's father couldn't give a shit."he frowned as he looked down at his round middle, though he kept from saying that he couldn't give a shit either as he exhaled heavily. It was starting to snow again, just to add onto his problems,"Are you going to stop me?"he looked to him.

[018Luxio]

"Alcohol isn't going to help, I know it probably feels like it will. It will numb you for a while, but all of that eventually comes back. But no, I'm not going to stop you."