"I don't know son...like I said...he might still pass on...you gotta be prepaired fer that when ya take on an injured animal Luke..."

Jesse said softly, standing up to get a bowl of hot water, mixing shine in with it and finding a rag.

Luke knelt beside the injured animal stroking its soft head gently. "It's ok...I'll take care of ya..."

Jesse soon returned, softly unwrapping the handkerchief from the fawn's leg and started washing the cut gently which made the fawn bleat feebly in pain.

Luke stroked the animal gently. "Don't worry...my uncle can help..."

Lavinia finishes making the formula letting it cool on the counter.

Jesse soon had finished cleaning the cut, wrapping the rag around it so the shine would stay cleaning it.

Luke just continued petting the fawn gently. "Yer gonna be fine...you'll see..."

Jesse sighed and stood up, moving away from Luke and crossing to Lavinia, kissing her on the cheek.

"I don't know if this little thing's gonna make it Lavinia...Luke's already so attatched..."

Lavinia nodded sadly. Little Luke had already experienced more significant loss in his life than most people 3 times his age. As a result, he tended to keep his heart guarded. As a rule, he didn't allow himself to become attached to things easily, so that he wouldn't be hurt when he lost them the way he had lost his home an family. But for some reason, this little fawn had already found a way into Luke's heart.

There was a knock on the door.

Jesse sighed and stepped over to it, patting Luke on the head softly as he went over, opening the door to greet the vet.

"Hey there...we got a fawn in need of some attention..."

The vet frowned. "A fawn? Jesse you know as well as I do that critters born in the wild belong in the wild..."

"I know..I know...but LUKE don't know..."

Says quietly but with enough emphasis on Luke as he gestured to the little boy, still totally absorbed with the animal, to show how attatched he had already gotten.

"I don't think its gonna last much longer...we just need to show Luke we're helping it as best we can..."

The vet nodded a little, stepping over to the fawn to examine it.

Luke kept petting the fawn looking anxiously at the vet.

"Well let's see what ya got here Luke..." said the doc.

"It's hrt bad," whimpered Luke. "You can help it...right?"

"I'm gonna try."

Jesse went and stood back behind Luke with Lavinia and watched the vet work and Luke pet the little fawn to keep it calm. Whether or not it was because of Luke or because it was just too weak, the little animal didn't make a sound.

The vet soon had the wound cleaned and dressed but shook his head.

"Jesse...it'd be kinder to just put it outta its misery..." he began.

"No...no!" cried Luke in a raised whisper.

Jesse swallowed softly, sighing a little.

"What's the matter with it..."

"Well, I don't rightly know. One things fer sure...it needs its mama," said the vet.

Luke looked at the little fawn. "It'll be ok..."

Jesse sighed, looking over the little thing before kneeling down next to Luke.

"Luke son...I know...your very attatched t'this little critter...but son...its in a fair amount of pain...the vet things it'll be better...if we help it pass on..."

Luke looked at his uncle, his blue eyes shining with teas. Keeping an effort to keep his voice down, he cried out, "No...No Unca Jesse no!"

The vet sighed already preparing the syringe.

Jesse swallowed softly, stroking a hand soothingly through Luke's hair, looking to Lavinia for some help.

"Now Lukie, the thing's in pain," began Lavinia using the pet name she had for him.

Luke looked at Jesse, his blue eyes shining with unfallen tears. "But you can fix him...you can do anything..."

Jesse sighed softly and shook his head.

"Luke there are some things in this world I can't fix..."

"No..." said Luke refusing to believe it. "Auntie...Auntie...tell him..."

Lavinia sighed. "Luke..."

Luke turned next to the fawn covering it protectively with his body. "No! No! I won't let em at ya...I won't..." he promised the tiny deer stroking her soft fur.

Jesse sighed and ran a hand down his face, looking up at Lavinia again. He didn't know what to do, he hadn't as yet been able to deal with the kids when they were emotional...that was Lavinia's job...he watched and learned.

"Luke..." began Lavinia. " Now let the vet do his job."

"No....no....no " whimpered Luke.

Jesse bit his lip, looking to the fawn in Luke's arms and into its soft brown eyes. Shaking his head a little, he looked to the vet.

"That wont be neccesary...we'll try our luck with prayers and love..."