•Tombstone• Brothers Under The Sun

Chapter 46

𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮.

The sun shone through the curtains as Elle watched from the doorway, Emily with a telescope to Doc's chest. He lay there lifeless, unconsciousness had taken over his body.

Elle chewed on her finger nail as she watched quietly. Emily took off the telescope and then sighed. She looked down at Doc as she stood up, she turned to Elle with a look of concern and sorrow. Elle stood herself up and took her hand away from her mouth. Emily patted Elle on the shoulder and turned to her in the hallway.

"I'm sorry Ellanora." She started. She tried to say something but just sighed. "There's nothing I can do."

Elle looked to her and gasped for a moment. She turned back to the doorway and saw her husband laying there, pale as a ghost. He was knocking on deaths door once again.

This time, Elle feared he would enter that door, and not come back.

"There is somewhere where you can take him." Emily said breaking Elle from her thoughts. She turned to her friend, "They might be able to do something, or at least make him more comfortable for the time being."

"Where is it?" Elle asked.

Emily hesitated, "Up in Colorado." Elle sighed as she knew how far that was from Arizona. "I used to work at this treatment centre for patients like him."

Emily put her hand on Ellanora's shoulder. "There is no cure for what he has. But this place will make him a lot more comfortable."

Elle looked to her friend and nodded. "Will he wake up?" She turned back to Doc in the room.

Emily shrugged, "He should. But he'll be very weak. If you travel by horse, you'll have to leave as soon as possible." Emily looked to Doc as well, "I'm afraid he's going to get worse of you don't get him there soon."

Elle crossed her arms over her chest as of to hold herself. She stepped into the room and heard the creaking of the boards below her feet.

"Is this how doc felt?" She thought to herself. "When I was laying on that bed, uncertain of my fate. Did he feel this anxious about me?"

She thought so many things in that moment. All she wanted was him to pull one of his tricks again and open his dark sea eyes, wrap her in his embrace, and kiss her. But he didn't. He lay there, unmoving, pale. Sick.

Once she reached him, she sat down on the chair that Emily once was in, and leaned forward on the bed. Her elbows propped her up as she took his hand and held it close to her mouth. She kissed it once and looked down at him.

Elle wanted to badly for him to open his eyes. Sighing again she leaned her head back down, his hand still embraced in hers.

Emily watched from the doorway, she had seen many patients like Doc Holliday. She knew their fates. But she didn't have to heart to break it to Ellanora. But somewhere in her heart, Emily knew, that Elle knew the unchanging future of Doc Holliday. Emily wished she could do something, but Holliday would only suffer if he stayed on the Arizona heat. He needed a cooler place now, and proper medical attention.

She turned away from the room and wiped her tears that had creeped down her cheeks. She had been a nurse for years, taken care of so many people. But never in her life, had she been more heartbroken by a dying man and his loving wife.

Elle had fallen asleep next to Doc, her head resting on her arms next to Doc as he slept. That following day she was downstairs with Emily and Kurt.

"There's a train down by the west side of the town you came from." Kurt said smoking his cigarette.

They sat at the table and discussed how to get to Colorado.

"He can't ride on his own, he'll have to ride with you." Emily said as she fed Curtis.

Elle nodded to her friend and shook her head. She ran her hand over her face, as the stress was getting to her. She stopped for a moment as she heard footsteps behind her.

Emily stood up as Elle turned to meet the gaze of a very worn out Doc Holliday. He leaned on the wall by the stairs, looking almost lost as his breathing was very heavy.

Elle stood up quickly and looked her the man, "Doc." She breathed out.

"You should be in bed." Emily said as she stood next to Elle.

Doc waved her off and closed his eyes, "I'm fine." His voice was rough.

Doc pushed himself off the wall and took one step before stumbling. Elle rushed to his side and caught him. She put his arm around her shoulder and her other hand on his chest, as she helped hold him up.

"Doc please." Elle whispered as she helped him regain his composure.

He looked down at her for a moment. "Let me take you to Colorado." She said to him.

Doc's eyes closed for a moment, as if he had given up and accepted his defeat. This broke Ellanora's heart. She saw the man who resisted death for so long, and face death many times before, finally give in and accept what was coming.

Emily took his other arm and put it over her shoulder, and helped Elle bring Doc up to bed. They walked up the stairs and helped the weak gunslinger to his bed. Once he sat on the edge of the bed, he grabbed Elle's hand in a weak attempt for compassion.

"I'm sorry." He whispered under his breath.

Elle sat next to him and held his hand in hers. Emily made her way out of the room to give some privacy to the couple. Elle looked into his eyes and saw how tired he truly was. The fire was gone.

"There's this place in Colorado." She started, "They can help you."

Doc hesitated with his words. "I... I don't want to go."

Elle leaned closer to him, as if telling him to continue.

"I'm afraid I won't come back." He admitted.

Elle looked down at the helpless man. He had become to vulnerable in the face of death.

Elle put her hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead, "Yes you will, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." She whispered.

Doc pulled her into her arms and she lay her head on his chest.

Ellanora let one single tear down her face as she knew Doc knew she was lying.