"Nick, we're lost."

Nick turned around and gave his brother a fierce glare. "Jarrod, we're not lost. I've been this way a hundred times. It just looks different in the snow."

"Yes, it looks different in the snow," Jarrod agreed. "That's how you got us lost."

"Jarrod, for the last time, I did not get us lost!" Nick bellowed. "Gene, do we look lost?"

Gene pulled his horse to a halt. "Well, unless the river's changed course, I'd say yes. We crossed yesterday and there it is again."

"Oh, c'mon, I…" Nick stopped in the middle of his tirade to observe the water closely. "Huh. I could've swore we were heading the right way."

Jarrod and Gene exchanged glances.

"I thought we should've turned right at the stand of firs," Gene told them, "but hey, what do I know? I'm just the kid brother."

"Well, kid brother," Jarrod announced, "I think I'm following you. Coming, Nick?" He turned to follow Gene without waiting for a reply.

Nick grumbled, but turned Coco's head and they backtracked down the trail. He continued grumbling when Jarrod followed Gene's directions and didn't let up even when they passed a distinctive set of rocks. "Hmph, just a lucky guess."

Gene turned in his saddle and grinned impishly. "What, you don't think I ever paid attention to you whenever you've taken me on any sort of trail? I'm a good student, but I've also had the best teacher. Teachers," he corrected with a wink to Jarrod.

The eldest brother just laughed. "He's got you there, Nick."

Nick's expression changed from irritable to mollified. "Well, glad to see you were listening, kid." Gene moved aside to let Nick take point again, but the tall rancher shook his head. "Seeing as how you've got us this far, lead on."

.

.

It was slow going. Just like Heath predicted, the ground got mushier as the day progressed and the snow melted. The mud sucked at the horses' hooves and Ted's boots and more than once the blond cowboy offered to take a turn walking that was rebuffed every time. He felt guilty about not arguing harder, but seeing the effort it took the other man to pull his feet out of the muck with every step made Heath's injured ankle ache in sympathy.

Eventually they got to harder ground and Heath suggested they take a breather to rest the horses. The animals were holding up well, but they still had a good many miles ahead of them before they reached the ranch. Ted nodded and they spread out the groundsheet from their bedrolls before pulling the saddles off the horses to give them a rest. The two men stretched out as well, leaning on the saddles as they took their break.

"Don't reckon we're going to make it back for Christmas Eve tonight," Ted observed.

"Nope," Heath agreed. He thought about all the different Christmases in his life; the joy and wonder he felt as a child opening the small gifts his mama or aunts had made for him, trying to make it a special time when he was older by making sure there was some sort of meat on the table and useful gifts he'd fashioned with his own hands, the cold, lonely holidays during the war when he prayed he'd make it through to spend another with his family and doing his best to get home every year so he and his mama could be together. He then thought of the more recent Christmases spent with his newfound family; picking out the tree that graced the front room, gathering gifts for the children at the orphanage, visiting all the friends and neighbours on Christmas Day and the grand feast that the family would partake of later in the day. Seemingly different on the surface, but underneath they had all been filled with family and the thoughts of his loved ones even when he was all alone.

This Christmas was no different. He hoped they'd make it home before it was over, but if they didn't, he had the best of all gifts in his heart, the love and belonging of family and that made it all right. He looked over and saw Ted's forlorn look.

"I saved so hard so Emma and I could spend our first Christmas together," he said quietly. "Reckon it's not going to be."

"Still got us the rest of today and tomorrow," Heath said optimistically before speaking aloud what he'd just been thinking. "If you have her in your heart, she's always with you, Ted. You just gotta hold onto that."

Ted nodded and a determined look came over his face as he got to his feet. "You're right, Heath. The going's not gonna get any easier, might as well get at it again."

Heath checked Charger's leg before resaddling him. The bay appeared sound, but Heath wasn't going to take any chances. His ankle was feeling better, too. "I'll walk for a bit, Ted," he announced and grinned when the other man started to protest. "I promise I'll tell you if my ankle gives me too much trouble. You take a turn riding."

Ted reluctantly gathered the reins and was about to mount the other horse when Charger raised his head and gave a loud whicker. An answering neigh was heard from down the trail and Heath easily recognized it.

"Boy howdy, it took you long enough," he chastised his brothers as they came around the corner.

Nick pulled Coco to a stop and hooked his leg over the saddlehorn. "Well, I reckoned you could take care of yourself, but Mother wanted us to make sure you're keeping your feet warm and dry."

"Doing my best, Nick," Heath said with a grin. "Ted, these're my brothers, Nick, Jarrod and Eugene. Fellas, this is Ted Fisher. He's one of our men from Indian Springs."

Jarrod pushed back his hat with a smile. "Well, I know a certain young lady who's going to be mighty happy about that."

"You've seen Emma?" Ted asked quickly. "Is she all right? I was worried about her, all alone and me not meeting her…"

Jarrod stopped him with an upraised hand. "Your Emma's fine," he reassured the other man. "She's staying at our house and our mother and sister are taking good care of her."

Ted breathed a sigh of relief. The three brothers shared a grin. It wasn't their place to tell Emma's surprise. They hoped her husband would be thrilled but they didn't think his sense of relief was going to last very long once they arrived home.

.

.

Victoria closed the door behind Dr. Merar. She smiled softly to herself as she tiptoed upstairs, pausing to listen at the guest room door. She wanted to give the new mother and baby some privacy, but also wanted to make sure everything was all right. The soft refrain of a lullaby drifted out and Victoria quietly continued on to the attic.

Audra looked up from the trunk of baby clothes she was sorting through. "I think these should do for now," she said as she placed a last blanket on the small pile. "What a perfect gift for Christmas morning."

"And even better that mother and baby are healthy," Victoria agreed. "The only things that would make it more perfect would be that little girl's father and your brothers."

Audra closed the trunk and gathered up the baby things. "Do you think they'll make it?" she asked as she stood. "It just doesn't feel like Christmas without everybody home."

Victoria patted her arm. "I know, Audra. But your brothers are strong, capable men and I have faith that they'll be back soon, safe and sound. And I have no doubt they'll have Emma's husband in tow."

As if on cue, a loud shout was heard from the main floor.

"MOTHER! AUDRA! SILAS! WHERE IS EVERYBODY?"

"Oh, that brother of mine!" Audra huffed as they went down the stairs, but Victoria could see her eyes were sparkling with joy. "If Nick's woken up the baby…"

They came down to a foyer full of wet coats, muddy boots and high spirits.

"We made it, Ma!" Gene announced as he kissed her on the cheek. He turned and gave Audra a big hug. "Merry Christmas, sis!"

Amid the hugs and kisses and more proclamations of "Merry Christmas", Victoria turned to the quiet young man standing behind her sons. "I do hope your name is Ted," she said graciously.

Heath grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Mother, forgot my manners. This is Ted Fisher. Ted, my mother, Victoria Barkley and my sister Audra."

Ted held onto his hat as he inclined his head towards the grand lady. "Ma'am, I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all," she assured him, "and I believe I have someone upstairs who is anxious to see you."

"Upstairs?" he asked anxiously. "Is Emma okay?"

Victoria's smile was wide and reassuring. "She's doing marvellous," she told him as she took him by the arm and escorted him up the gold-carpeted staircase.

Nick, Jarrod and Eugene looked in askance at their sister who beamed as she nodded and they broke into wide smiles of their own. Jarrod clapped their blond brother on the back when he noticed Heath's confused expression.

"An unexpected Christmas gift, brother Heath," Jarrod told him warmly "Let's go wash up and we'll tell you the whole story."

The atmosphere was more than festive in the white mansion that Christmas. The surprised husband and new father spent the day with his wife and new daughter, basking in the happiness of his family and the Barkleys gave them their privacy as they rejoiced in the presence and warmth of their own loved ones. There could be no better gift than having everybody home for Christmas.