Chapter One: Cursing softly at the bone jarring gait of the bay beneath him, Kid pulled hard on the ropes, upending the mare and sending her to the ground amid cheers from the boys. Jumping clear he held on tight to the rope and forced the mare to lay still on the ground, until the terror faded from her eyes. “She’s getting worse everyday,” he muttered taking a long pull of water from the dipper. “You rumps just getting soft,” Jimmy teased him quickly and glanced down the fence at Cody’s chuckle. His eyes stopped on Lou who watched Kid with a shuttered expression, the love in those dark eyes was enough to make Jimmy ill but he remained silent. Whatever troubles they were having wasn’t something he wanted to get into the middle of. Neither Kid nor Lou were exactly pleasant when they were mad, probably why they were so entertaining when they were fighting. “Kid, someone’s here to see you,” Rachel called softly and everyone turned toward her. Standing in the early afternoon sun was a big man, well over six feet tall, with a barrel chest that flowed into a narrow waist and heavily muscled legs. His arms were folded over his chest and the trailing rein was held loosely in one hand. “Hey Mark,” Kid smiled easily at the other man. “Georgia get mad and run you off?” “Damn Bakers,” Mark snarled angrily a flash of something dangerous in his eyes. “Since you was close to Georgia’s kin figured you would want to know that there’s been trouble.” “They’re all alright though,” Kid wiped his hands off on his rump and watched Mark shake his head. The big farmer was dirt poor and rarely if ever left his home atop the hills of Tennessee. Not that had ever mattered to anyone who knew him, his heart was as big as he was and he’d loved the slim, willowy girl Kid had known. “Right?” “Done hung the girls up in that big tree back yonder of the house and shot the boys. Old man got beat pretty badly, hung on for a couple days before we buried him.” “What about Georgia? She spent most of her time..” “She was at home visitin’ her folks,” Mark shrugged coldly. “Buried her and the baby up behind my place, next to my Momma.” “Sheriff Hitchers say anything?” “The Baker’s and the Trotters have been feuding for years. Baker’s won this round.” Kid nodded and grabbed his hat, and his gun “I’ll ride back with you. You get hold of your brothers?” “Yeah, they’ll be there any day. Left ‘em word where I was going. Old man Trotter figured you’d done earned a piece of the farm since you did so much work on it.” “Just earned my keep,” Kid called hurrying into the bunkhouse to collect a couple of extra things he would need. “Yep, and avoided any entanglements with those daughters of his,” Mark smiled sadly his mind drifting to the red-haired angel he loved. “Yeah well, it wasn’t that hard. I thought of ‘em like sisters.” “You don’t have to ride back with me if’n you got work to do,” Mark said glancing at the others uneasily. “Work’ll keep. This is important,” Kid replied disappearing into the barn. “See you’re still riding that knot-headed mule.” “Ha, that mule’ll still be going when your horse is dead and eaten,” Mark replied quickly as he waited. A few minutes later Kid led a pretty paint mare out, and Mark nodded approval. “Well it might be a toss up.” “Rachel you mind lettin’ Teaspoon know where I’m headed? This is kinda important.” “Not at all,” Rachel shook her head quickly. “Take care Kid, and don’t go gettin’ shot.” Kid smiled and mounted up his eyes skittering over the gathered boys, pausing fractionally on Lou before he turned Katy east. No use hoping for something that he would never get back, it had been a painful lesson but he’d learnt it and he didn’t know if he was coming back. “She’s kinda pretty,” Mark declared glancing at Kid out of the corner of his eye. “No argument from me,” Kid said nudging Katy into a trot they had a long way to go before they got to Mark’s small farm, and looking back only made him long for something he’d lost a long time ago. “If’n I’d had to wager a guess, I’d say you’re still in love with her,” Mark said softly. Kid shrugged, “So? Love don’t necessarily mean a happy ending Mark. You can’t hold someone back when they don’t love you. I know, because I tried it and ended up with nothing but a few memories and a sour taste in my mouth.” Mark nodded and squeezed his mount’s sides. “I’ll take your word for it. All’s I know is that Georgia and I were happy. We had everything we wanted.” “So did I,” Kid replied seriously looking at Mark. “Then I lost it.” Falling silent, Mark followed Kid as he set the pace. Whatever the reason for the split, it still bothered Kid because the young man was still obviously head over heels in love with the young, willowy girl who’d watched in silence a mulish expression on her face. “Well something tells me Kid’s riding head-long into trouble,” Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Rachel who looked at him incredulously, “I’m right.” “Ain’t denying that,” Rachel replied quickly. “But he didn’t ask for help from you.” “He won’t,” Lou snapped angrily. “Mister I’m on top of it himself wouldn’t ask for help if he was bleeding to death right before our eyes.” Watching her stomp off toward the bunkhouse Rachel shook her head, “Okay what set her off?” “Kid left,” Buck replied quickly. “Didn’t even look at her. He ain’t mourning his loss so much these days.” Rachel shook her head and looked at the boys, “Really? Seems to me he still cares or he wouldn’t be here. He’s just learned not to get his hopes up. Besides, as stubborn as Kid is, and as foolish at times, he ain’t dumb. He knows what’s going on, just can’t bring himself to face it just yet,” Rachel snapped and glanced sharply at Jimmy before turning and walking away. The minute she was out of sight the boys turned to Jimmy who shrugged, “What?” “Alright, what did you say to him?” Noah snapped. “Kid’s your best friend..” “Have you actually noticed anything lately? Kid ain’t exactly talkin’ to me, matter of fact he ignores me almost as much as he ignores Lou.” “Any wonder?” Cody snapped, “You’re courtin’ his girl.” “I am not!” Jimmy snapped quickly, uneasily. Sure he cared about Lou but more importantly he cared about Kid to. He wouldn’t do that to his best friend - especially when he knew that his future was already set and a woman in it wasn’t possible. “Mmhm,” Noah looked at him. “Spending hours in the barn talkin’, taking runs together, sitting side by side at dinner. We ain’t blind, and neither is Kid.” “Look, I’m Lou’s friend that is all. She wants to talk, I’ll talk. What’s so difficult about that?” “Nothing,” Noah replied looking at him steadily. “It just cost you the best friend you’ve ever had and you didn’t even see it coming!” “Look Kid’ll be back and then we’ll straighten this mess out. I ain’t after Lou; she’s not exactly my type.” “Don’t matter,” Buck noted carefully. “She’s the best thing since money was invented in Kid’s mind, and he doesn’t exactly appreciate you takin’ her.” “Do I need to remind you that he broke up with her?” Jimmy pointed out defensively. “After she turned him down when he proposed,” Cody shot back. “Now why would she do that I wonder?” “Oh shut up Cody,” Jimmy snapped and glanced east. Kid was long gone, taking nothing but the clothes on his back, his gun, and Katy and Jimmy wondered if the tall southerner would be back. Feeling the familiar tinge of guilt, Jimmy shifted and sighed softly. There was no telling with Kid, he was bull-headed to the extreme, always set to do the right thing even when the wrong would have served him better. Long after the others had faded off to do whatever they had to do, Jimmy stood staring east lost in his thoughts. What he wouldn’t give to go back, to make Kid see that he was wrong but there was no going back. Instead he’d have to wait, be patient until such a time as Kid showed back to face this disaster. “Standing here thinking about it ain’t getting anything done,” Teaspoon advised softly, “And you and I both know that Kid’s already got his mind made up. He’s not about to do anything that he feels is going to make things worse.” “Just wonder if he’s coming home when this is over is all,” Jimmy declared. “Both Kid and Lou need to deal with the issues at hand.” “What they need to do and what they will do are to very different things Jimmy. We both know that.” “Well in that case I don’t know how we can survive this break-up. Kid’s gonna have to deal with things on his own.” “I guess you’re right.” Teaspoon nodded quickly and patted Jimmy on the shoulder before walking away. It was highly unlikely that Kid would come back. After all in his mind all that was here was some money, not something he valued a great deal. Swinging the axe Kid glanced around a moment later his eyes scanning the tree line. He’d been back a week and already there’d been two attacks on Mark’s farm. One that had nearly cost Mark’s brother Jacob getting seriously hurt, the other had resulted in the loss of a shed. With that thought in mind, he kept a close eye out on the surrounding area, he wasn’t overly anxious to get shot at least not yet. Mark’s six brothers had been at the cabin when he’d ridden in and they’d all welcomed him back into their circle easily, like family making him feel good. It had been a long time since he’d felt part of something other than himself. “How’s that woodpile coming?” Jacob’s voice had Kid turning slightly. “Its coming,” was all he said as he glanced at the stack of wood. It would take a while to pile neatly but he didn’t care, it wasn’t like he had anything of importance to do besides keep his friends safe. “You miss her don’t you?” Jacob asked softly noting the stack of wood that had been chopped and the pinched look on Kid’s face. Mark had told them that Kid had a girl back home but they’d split up for some reason and it was obvious that Kid still felt something. “Been missing her a long time,” Kid replied seriously as he sank the axe head into the block of wood. “A very long time.” “Kinda figured that out myself,” Jacob replied as he stiffened and straightened away from the porch beam. “Kid look out!” he screamed even as he recognized the movement in the edge of the trees. The report of bullets tore through the air even as Kid dived for cover and Jacob hit the ground his gaze darting to the rifle that sat a short distance away. The splintering of wood above his head and the kicking up of sand told him that the Baker’s still didn’t have very good aim. Hunkering down he waited impatiently for them to stop. Glancing at Kid as the last echo faded away Jacob shook his head before getting to his feet, “Looks like we were lucking that time. Must’ve been the younger boys their aim wasn’t worth..” frowning slightly Jacob stared at Kid who remained motionless on the ground by the woodpile. “Kid?” Moving in a rush Jacob hit the ground next to Kid and rolled him over. The once pale dirt was now a dark reddish brown mud, eagerly soaking up the blood that seemed to pour from Kid’s body. “God damn it!” Jacob said tearing open the front of Kid’s shirt and staring in horror at the multitude of holes that flowed with blood. Hefting him up Jacob all but dragged him inside the cabin and closed the door. The boys were due back in a couple of hours until then he had to do what he could to stop the bleeding. “Don’t you have any sense? You’re supposed to duck for cover when they open fire!” Jacob admonished Kid quickly as he gathered bandages and began plugging holes. By the time he was finished Jacob was swearing fluently, he’d counted at least nine holes ranging from inconvenient to truly threatening. Cursing the fact that he wasn’t a doctor, Jacob waited uneasily for his brother’s to get back. “What happened?” the jerking open of a door had him whirling around the shotgun in his hands. “Baker’s stopped by. Must have been the younger boys though, they shot the place up,” Jacob declared easily then glanced at the simple cot where Kid lay still. “He took the worst of it.” “How bad?” “Nine holes. I plugged him but the bullets still in him.” “Nine!” Mark gaped at his brother knowing the other man wasn’t lying. “What were they trying to do? Cut him in half?” “Probably. Did the best I could with what I had,” Jacob said as Thomas moved through the room and began inspecting the wounds. “Did well,” Thomas said as he glanced at the black bag sitting on the corner. As the eldest he’d gotten the most chances in life, and had went to work for the local doctor for a number of years. Working for the old man he’d learned everything there was to know about medicine and when he’d died, Thomas had become the closest they had to a doctor. Using the skills he’d learned, Thomas wondered if he’d be able to save Kid or if they’d be sending him home in a box. The slam of the bunkhouse door had everyone within it cringing as the walls seemed to quiver. “How long has it been?” Cody asked as he took another helping of breakfast. “Month or so,” Teaspoon drawled. “And each day she’s gettin’ worse.” “Oh she was in a good mood this morning,” Noah declared without looking up from his plate. “She threw something at Jimmy last night.” “The book she was reading,” Jimmy replied quickly, “Then she yelled at me for taking it.” “Difficult doesn’t begin to cover what she’s doing. I thought it was bad when her and Kid were fighting but this is getting ridiculous,” Buck drawled easily. “Glad Ike’s on a run mean’s he don’t have to put up with her temper.” “Wish we were all on runs.” “Better yet wish she were on a run,” Noah stated and rose stiffly to head for the door. “Well best get to work, that is if I don’t get killed before I even start. You hear a loud noise, it means she shot me.” Laughing at his words the boys watched the door close soft before glancing at one another. “Has there been any word Teaspoon?” Jimmy asked softly. “Nothing. It would have taken a couple of weeks to get to Tennessee if he didn’t run into trouble.” “Seems to me he was riding into trouble,” Jimmy shot back. “He should have had better sense than to go riding into some hill folk’s feud.” “Seems to me he knew ‘em. Kid’s bullheaded; he’ll do whatever he figures is right. Even when it means he loses,” Teaspoon said glancing pointedly at the door. “Wonder if she wants a run. Got one that would keep her outta our hair for a week or so.” “Send her on it,” Cody declared easily. “Or we’re gonna kill you.” Laughing at the empty threat, Teaspoon rose and headed for the door. “Alright boys, no need to threaten me. I’ll see what she’s feelin’ like.” “Good,” Buck sighed, “Cause the rest of us would get shot.” “Just finish you breakfast,” Teaspoon muttered. “There’s work to do.” “Yeah,” Cody shrugged as he took another bite. “There is always work to be done.” “Cody!” the sharp retort had the blonde flushing guiltily but hurrying to finish the few scraps left on his plate. “Wonder if she’ll take the run?” Jimmy whispered. “Would be a relief that’s for sure.” “Anything would be a relief from her and her bad moods,” Buck replied seriously as he rose and smiled easily at Rachel. “Thanks Rachel.” “No problem,” Rachel waved at him. “Go on with you.” Lou glanced sharply at the barn doors as a long shadow fell across the floor. Swearing steadily under her breath, she turned back to brushing Lightening down. “Something wrong Teaspoon?” “Got a run, figured you might want it.” “Why don’t the boys want it?” she shot back. “Didn’t offer it to ‘em,” Teaspoon replied seriously as he moved to lean on the stall door. “Figured you might want to get away from things here for a couple of days. Clear your mind if you will.” “Where’s the run to?” “Fort Neelson,” Teaspoon replied and watched Lou’s mind begin to work. He knew the instant she realized that Fort Neelson was half way to Tennessee, knew exactly what she’d say when she turned slowly toward him. “How long did you say I had?” “Few days,” Teaspoon shrugged. “If he’s okay he’ll be back that way figured you might see him.” “What if I take longer?” Lou asked suddenly straightening and staring hard at the older man. “Might as well go see what’s so great in Tennessee if I’m there.” “Lou now don’t go stickin’ your nose in where it don’t belong. You know if he wanted help he’d have sent us word.” “Kid won’t ask for help,” Lou snapped angrily. “He doesn’t need our help! Always on top of things, smarter than everyone else - what could he possibly want with our help?” “Lou,” with a patient sigh Teaspoon shook his head, “Kid’s just Kid. You know that, you’ve been around him enough.” “Still don’t mean nothin’,” Lou shot back with a dark look. Knowing Kid hadn’t done her a whole lot of good lately, he seemed completely different from the man she knew. Course part of that was the wall he’d built to keep her out, but most of it was his fool pride and there was no cure for that. “Well you take this parcel to Fort Neelson, what you do after that I can’t tell you,” Teaspoon drawled knowing that Kid was going to kill him if Lou didn’t. “But I want you back here at some point before the months out!” “Yes Teaspoon,” Lou said as she slipped past Teaspoon headed for the bunkhouse. It would only take her a few minutes to get her coat, hat, gun, and bedroll before she would be on the road. She’d deliver that stupid parcel then she’d head over to Tennessee and find Kid. Stupid southerner didn’t have a half a brain when it came to trouble - everyone knew that you didn’t stick your nose in someone else’s feud, you just didn’t do it. Posted up to this point – wait for votes until Friday morning. Chapter Two: Watching Lou race outta the yard the boys breathed a collective sigh of relief, with her gone for the week or so it would take to deliver the mail and be back they’d at least have some semblance of peace. “Well that went better than I expected,” Jimmy whistled as Lou’s dust trail rapidly disappeared. “Not really. She’s still mad,” Buck pointed out amid agreements from Noah and Cody. “Well you got a reprieve boys,” Teaspoon drawled eying them. “Way I see it she’s probably going to head over and see Kid after this run so we’ll have some peace and quiet for a few weeks. Course them boys over in Tennessee will be wishing that they’d never heard of Lou McCloud by the time they leave.” “Better there than here,” Noah replied quickly with a grin. “She’s likely to kill the Kid for this.” “Oh I have no doubt that it’s a possibility,” Teaspoon replied snapping his suspenders. “But at least it ain’t here.” “You got a point,” Cody said with a grin, “Course that means that we’re missing out on a good show.” Glancing sharply at him everyone glared, “What is that supposed to mean?” “We’ve all bet who’s gonna win when they get into a fight,” Cody shrugged and looked steadily at ‘em. “This time ain’t no different.” “Where’d I go wrong?” Teaspoon muttered and walked away shaking his head amid chuckles from the boys. Pushing her horse hard, Lou made the delivery in record time before bunking down for the night. She’d head east in the morning, it couldn’t possibly be that hard to find that lunkhead! Pushing the black under her harder than Teaspoon would have liked, Lou pulled up in front of a run down store in the middle of nowhere and dismounted. Walking inside she glanced around uneasily, one hand going to rest on her gun, the other on her coat. “can I help ya son?” the gravelly voice had her glancing to her right and she eyed the weathered old man standing watching her. “Lookin’ for someone,” she drawled shrugging deeper into her coat. “Might have come through here.” “What’s he look like?” “Tall, sandy hair, blue eyes, he was riding a paint.” “Oh yeah, the southerner,” the man nodded and coughed harshly before spitting into the spittoon. “He’s up the hill at the Trotters. You can’t miss it; it’s the only shack up there before the point. You ride with him?” “You could say that,” Lou replied turning to head back outside. “Best watch yourself, up there the folks are likely to shoot first, ask questions later.” Lou nodded, “Thanks old man.” “Don’t thank me. Only fools and idiots go up there. Nobody in their right mind would ever risk getting’ in the middle of one of those feuding fights.” With a quick nod Lou moved into the rapidly fading light and swung onto Lightning’s back. Gathering her reins she glanced behind her for a moment before turning and kicking the mare into an all out gallop. She had no need, no desire to stay here. Instead she had a too-proud, southern jackass to find. The soft thud of hoof beats woke Jacob and he rose smoothly to move to the window. Peering out he stared at the tired black that trotted into the yard and watched a slim, willowy girl dismount from the animal. “Got company,” he declared softly waking his brothers easily. A moment later they were assembled at the window watching as the girl ran familiar hands over Kid’s paint mare. Glancing behind them at Kid then at Mark they waited impatiently for that knock on the door they were sure was coming. “It’s that girl Kid’s head over heels for,” Mark muttered. “Wonder what she’s here for? Kid said she was riding with some other fella now.” “Maybe she’s not,” Jacob drawled easily as he met his broher’s gaze. “Some woman was riding with you, ya think she’s gonna go chasing off after the last man she loved?” “NO. But it don’t make much sense. She ain’t exactly emotional toward him. Barely looked at him when I was there.” “Love don’t make sense big brother,” Jacob drawled and moved to get another cup for coffee. “It ain’t never made sense, that’s why it’s so bloody hard.” “If you say so,” Mark replied with a pained sound, for him love had been easy; he’d loved his girl until someone else had stolen her away with the stretch of a rope. Maybe that’s what Jacob meant by love being hard. Moving to the door he pulled it open and stared at the girl who glared back at him, “Can I he’p you?” he demanded. ”I’m here to see Kid,” Lou ground out, “Where is he?” “Restin’,” Mark drawled, “Had a bit of a run in with..” “Move,” Lou pushed past the big man and stepped inside, her gaze scanning the room to find Kid. It skidded to a halt when she saw him, her heart stopping at the paler that covered his face. Even from the doorway she could see the sweat on his face, see the pain wrapped around him. Moving toward him she knelt next to the bed and winced at the amount of bandages that covered his chest. “How bad?” “Nine holes,” Jacob stated quickly. “Thomas patched him as best he could.” Lou glared at the men standing across the room before reaching for the cloth next to the bed. Moving it gently over Kid’s face she sighed, this was as much her fault as it was this people’s. If she’d been a little more willing to compromise, to understand where Kid was coming from he wouldn’t have run. Instead she’d turned a blind eye to the way he felt, heaping assumptions on him, putting another’s morals, another’s code of ethics on Kid’s shoulders and now, now they were both paying the price. Rubbing her forehead she bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. If he died a large part of her would die with him. A part of him that she needed, that she relied upon would be gone and she would be alone again – only it would be worse than ever before because she understood now what it meant to be loved. “God willing he’ll pull through. Kid’s pretty tough.” “He shouldn’t be here,” Lou retorted angrily, her left hand clutching his as it lay so still on the bunk. “What do you care?” Mark demanded. “You’ve got yourself a new beau..” “Shut the hell up,” Lou snarled angrily. “You don’t know anything about anything.” “No just what I saw, what he’s said,” Mark replied. “Well as you can see he’s hurt but he should pull through. Now you can go back and laugh about it with your..” Mark stopped suddenly even as his brothers tensed behind him. The quick click of the hammer being pulled back on the girl’s gun loud in the room. “You say one more word about anything and I’ll blow your head off. Kid and I had some problems, part of ‘em were my doing but that don’t give you no call to be saying that load of manure. Just cause you’ve had everything real easy don’t mean the rest of us have. Some of us have scars and you wouldn’t understand what that means. Now excuse me but if you’re just going to say something bad about me and Kid’s friends then shut your mouth.” Mark met the girl’s eyes and blinked. Pain rolled with guilt, and love. Obviously the girl still cared a great deal for Kid. The question now was what was she going to do about it? She couldn’t be serious about shooting them, and yet somehow he knew she was. Somehow he knew that she blamed herself for the Kid’s wounds, and not them. Chapter Three Setting the heavy bucket down on the table Jacob glanced across the room to where Kid lay sleeping. The fever that had plagued him of late had broken last night and now he slept peacefully, his face calm, with normal color. Watching the young man Jacob sighed as he caught the young woman who sat next to him, one hand tightly clenched in both of hers. He could clearly see the strain on her face, see the red, puffiness around her eyes and knew that she’d cried recently. “Why are you here?” Jacob asked softly, Kid had told him once that he had nothing really behind him except work and the appearance of Lou McCloud told him that there was something else going on. “What do you mean?” Lou snapped softly, tiredly. “What made you come here? From what I gathered you and he are no longer together, you’re not sparkin’,” Jacob shrugged, “You got another fella back in that town so why would you come here like this?” “I don’t have anyone back home,” Lou whispered staring hard at Kid’s face. She wanted him to wake up, wanted him to see that he was wrong, that she did love him. She needed to make him understand that she was scared, scared that she would lose him and be alone again. The fact that she’d lost him, that she was alone because she’d refused to fight for what she wanted ate at her until she couldn’t stand it and blinked against the burning in her eyes. She refused to allow herself that luxury; she wouldn’t surrender to that particular ghost just yet. Jacob laughed shortly and shook his head, “Sure you don’t. Does he know you followed Kid? You think he won’t care that his girl’s riding off after the man she didn’t want?” “I said I don’t..” “Tell it to someone else,” Jacob drawled coldly. “You don’t know what you want; you just can’t stand to see someone else have it. Whatever ‘it’ is.” “Anyone ever tell you that you need to shut up?” Lou snapped turning her head to stare at him, an icy coldness in her gaze. “Sure, I just prefer not to listen. Kid’s my friend, as close to a brother as he can be and I won’t stand by and watch someone destroy him. You got whatcha wanted outta him, why don’t you go home to your beau and leave caring for him to those of us that give a damn?” “I can’t,” Lou whispered too tired to move, to strike out at the hard words. “I can’t.” Turning her head she stared down at Kid and swallowed, blinking slowly she cursed the feel of tears streaming down her face even as she hunched over a little more. She’d done this, she’d driven him away and now she had to fix it. There wasn’t anyone back in Sweetwater for her, there was no one anywhere but here, lying in this bed and she prayed that he would come back to her. “I’m sure you’re having a good laugh at this,” Jacob snapped, “Hell you’re a great actress, crying and acting all sad and such but it don’t wash with me. You ain’t no different than any other person who uses a body for what they can get out of ‘em. This time you ain’t gonna win, he’s not going..” “Shut up,” Lou cried softly sniffling slightly, “Just shut up! I know you hate me, I know that! I know I did this, put him here but you have no idea about nothing so just shut up!” Jacob paused at the impassioned words and frowned, “It’s my house..” “So?” Lou turned her head to look him dead in the eye, “You have no idea what its like to be scared. You don’t know what its like to see everything you’ve ever wanted and know that someday, somehow, you’re gonna lose it. I do. I had everything, and I lost it okay? I know that so just shut up!” “You’re whining to me about fear,” Jacob laughed and shook his head as he moved to put another log on the fire, “Fear can make you stronger, doesn’t mean you’re gonna go weak.” Lou wiped at the tears on her cheeks, “Like I said, you don’t know nothing.” “So explain it to me,” Jacob snapped angrily. He hated watching her act so loving toward Kid knowing that she didn’t love him. “Go to hell.” “You first,” Jacob snapped back. With a sad shrug Lou looked at him, “Everything I’ve ever had I’ve had to fight for, even if it was only myself I was fighting. With Kid it weren’t any different, only problem was I knew deep down that sooner or later he’d leave me. I knew I’d lose him and I wanted to protect myself from that pain so I pushed at him, pushed at the boundaries of our relationship until there wasn’t any anymore. Rather than run the risk of being hurt later, I pushed him away, pushed away his feelings until I got what I knew was coming. He left me, and I was alone again; only this time is so much harder, so much more painful than I’d anticipated,” Lou admitted softly, “Because I know deep in my heart that I still love him more than life itself, I just don’t know how to show him that.” “He loves you,” Jacob whispered softly moving toward her slowly. “He did,” Lou looked at Kid’s face as he rested comfortably, “At one time. I killed that as surely as I’ve killed any hope that things will go differently. You know its funny, I feared losing him to some ghost, I never once thought I’d be that phantom. I never thought I would be the one to kill us.” Jacob stared at the young woman’s hunched shoulders and sighed; resting a hand on her shoulder he wasn’t shocked when she tensed and look at his hand before turning away from him, “You haven’t killed it. Talk to him, tell him you love him. Right now he doesn’t think he’s got anything to live for, make him believe he does.” “How?” Lou whispered sadly, softly. “Talk to him. Tell him you love him. Show him that you’re still scared but you’re not letting that fear rule your heart,” Jacob shrugged and shook his head, “Love him like you want to. Don’t let whatever’s in the past destroy what you’ve got – because I happen to know if Kid knew what he’s got he’d be fighting tooth and nail to get back to it.” “You think so?” Lou whispered glancing up at him a hopeful expression in her eyes, “You really think Kid would come home to me?” “Yes, yes I do. Give him that chance Lou. It’s okay to be scared, it makes us human, just don’t let whatever caused that fear to control you.” Lou nodded slowly and turned back to Kid, “Thank you.” “Don’t mention it,” Jacob replied and turned to slip unnoticed out the door. He glanced around and saw his brothers standing together talking and sighed, he didn’t doubt Lou’s words, Lou’s intentions any longer. Rather he doubted his own motivations. He’d talked like he knew, but really he didn’t. He sighed; time to take his own advice. Chapter Four With his thumbs tucked under his suspender straps Teaspoon stared at the empty stall with a look of mild disgust and curiosity. Tilting his head he frowned and reached up to scratch his cheek, the scrape of his stubble loud in the quiet barn. Turning with sudden inspiration he headed for the bunkhouse, his steps quick, accurate and he knew the boys were not going to be overjoyed to see him tonight. Taking the steps in one motion he opened the door and stepped inside, his gaze quickly scanning the room and assessing each of the riders who turned to look at him with hesitant looks. “Evenin’,” Teaspoon drawled moving to sit in his customary seat. “Sure,” Jimmy snorted. “What are you buttering us up for?” Teaspoon chuckled and leaned back in his seat, “Well now that you’ve asked I need a couple of volunteers.” “For what?” Cody asked silkily glancing at Teaspoon, they’d all seen him eying Lou’s horse’s empty stall in the past couple of days and knew that he was starting to get worried about the young woman, they all were but none wanted to stick their noses in where it didn’t belong. That was up to Kid and he wasn’t here so they would leave it alone. Lou’s been gone an awful long time,” Teaspoon started easily, “I want you boys to find out what the hell’s going on out there. Ain’t saying bring ‘er back cause that would just be insanity on my part, just saying take a ride out see what you can and get back here.” “And we’re supposed to do this without getting killed huh?” Jimmy chuckled and looked at Teaspoon. “Why does it feel like you ain’t askin’?” “I ain’t,” Teaspoon shrugged, “Family sticks together boys, best remember that. Now as prickly as she can be she’s still a member of this family and I’d expect nothing less of anyone of you than to want to know.” “There’s wanting to know, and there’s getting our heads ripped off,” Buck stated calmly as Ike sat looking shocked and horrified. “With Lou you can never tell which one it will be.” “Either way you boys best get yourselves together and get ready to leave. I want you to leave a tfirst light,” Teaspoon rose to his feet, letting the legs of his chair hit the ground with a thump, “Don’t go gettin’ yourselves killed, ya hear?” “No Teaspoon,” Jimmy sighed and glanced at Noah, “We won’t get ourselves killed.” “Good. Stop and see me afore you leave in the mornin’,” Teaspoon ordered as he stepped out into the night, closing the door on the boy’s snorts of disbelief. “We’re dead,” Cody whistled, “She’s gonna kill us.” “If Kid don’t beat her to the trigger,” Noah smirked at the boys. “Well I guess we should get ready for bed. He’s gonna be knocking on that door pretty early.” “Hmmph,” Jimmy snorted and glanced around, “I say just let ‘em fight it out. Safer they do it there than here.” “Well Jimmy, I don’t reckon they’re gonna be doing much fighting about their relationship, especially with you sparkin’ Kid’s girl.” ”I am not!” Jimmy protested before shaking his head, he knew it was useless; much like everything else was these days. Nobody listened to him. Rising he padded over to his bunk his mind drifting to Lou and Kid, and a soft prayer for them crossed his lips. Groaning at the agony that burned through him Kid turned his head at the gentle touch on his face and blinked to clear his vision. Frowning slightly at the way his eyes didn’t want to work he stared at the fuzzy shape until they focused and a familiar face came into view. “What the hell are you doing here?” Kid croaked as he pulled on his hand, a hand that she held tightly. “Watching you sleep,” Lou retorted pushing aside the hurt at his words. Kid was acting with his pride, not his heart and she wouldn’t let him drag her into a fight. “Nobody said you had to,” Kid started as he struggled to sit up, wincing at the sharp pain that it brought. Pushing firmly on Kid’s shoulders Lou had him laid back out in the bed fairly easily, “You’re as weak as a newborn colt, you don’t need to be acting all stupid. Now just relax, and go back to sleep.” “Go home,” Kid ground out, “Go back to Jimmy and leave me to hell alone Lou. Just go away!” Raising an eyebrow at his words Lou shook her head, “I will not! You’re stupid foolish pride is what’s got you into this predicament, and you’re not going to get mad at me for it. You don’t like that you’re laid up you should have watched your back.” “I do just fine,” Kid ground out as he turned away from her. “I don’t need you.” “Yes you do,” Lou retorted reaching for a glass of water and moving to hold it to his lips. She knew he’d be thirsty, although she doubted that he was hungry. “Now stop being a pain in the butt and drink.” Drinking the refreshing liquid quenched his thirst but it didn’t help ease the pain in his chest, or settle his mind. Closing his eyes Kid sighed softly, sleep somehow seemed preferable to the stupidity of having the woman he loved fussing over him. He wondered if Jimmy was with her, and winced just for the sake of wincing. He didn’t want nor need to have to deal with Jimmy on a jealous streak. Shifting he turned his head to face the wall, hoping that when he woke up, she would be long, long gone. He didn’t want a reminder of what he’d lost, what he still wanted, what was slowly killing him because he knew that he would never have it back. “There is no Jimmy and I,” Lou whispered softly, sadly as she watched Kid turn from her. “I know you think there is but there isn’t. I’m sorry you’re hurting so bad Kid, I wish you’d just talk to me.” “Already said all there was to say,” Kid replied stiffly. “We wanted different things, I accepted that, don’t mean I got to change my mind..” “But Kid..” “No,” the anger in his tone stopped her, “I will not let you have any more of me than what you’ve already got. After all I may be a small, controlling little man but that doesn’t mean I have to let anyone have bits and pieces.” “I never said that!” “You didn’t have to,” Kid retorted hotly, “You thought it and that was enough!” Lou shook her head, “What are you talkin’ about Kid? You’re all upset because I wouldn’t jump into marriage?” “I’m not upset about anything when it comes to you Lou,” Kid replied softly, tonelessly, “You’re in the past for me, what we had is gone, lost, and there isn’t any going back. I know that, I know you wish you’d made a better choice to begin with but still. That’s all in the past, move on, and forget it. I’m trying my damndest to.” “Why?” Lou hissed, “Because I wasn’t ready..?” “Forget it Lou,” Kid sighed, “You wouldn’t understand what I meant. You never wanted all of me, if you had’ve you’d have accepted my proposal. I realize that now, I’ve come to accept my shortcomings, lets not rub salt into the wound okay? Go home to Rock Creek, go home to Jimmy where you belong, where you want to be.” “But Kid, that ain’t where I want to be,” Lou gasped. “I want to be here,” she stopped as she realized that Kid wasn’t listening, that he’d effectively shut her out. Feeling the deep pain tearing through her Lou swallowed and rose, “I’m gonna check on the horses,” she croaked and hurried out of the cabin. Sinking onto the step she stared out over the front yard, unseeing of the trees. She had never realized just how deeply she’d hurt Kid, and she knew she was going to have to prove that she still cared, even if it meant putting up with his cold indifference for the moment. Chapter Five Setting down the armload of wood Marc glanced at Kid who’d shifted and was struggling to rise into a sitting position, “Glad to see you’re a little more fit for company.” “Mmph,” Kid grunted his expression filled with pain, “Don’t feel like it. How long I been laid up?” “A few days. Your woman showed up a couple of days ago.” “She ain’t mine,” Kid muttered glancing at him with a dark look. “She ain’t been mine for a while now.” “Why not?” Marc asked quickly, “I have to say I think she still cares.” “Sure she does,” Kid sighed tiredly, “We’re still very much in love.” Marc shook his head at the derision in Kid’s tone, and the pure skepticism as well and sighed, “I can see it.” “Look what we had was never meant to last,” Kid shook his head tiredly, angrily. “We were never really a we. When I met her, when I fell in love with her I knew I was going to love her forever. And I did, I do but I’ve learned the hard way that what I wanted wasn’t enough. Everything was great until I made the mistake of asking for more than she wanted to give me, more than just a temporary thing.” “Maybe she just wasn’t ready to get married,” Marc suggested calmly. Kid snorted and winced as he tossed the blankets back, “Do you have any idea what it feels like to have everything you’ve ever wanted, everything you’ve ever dreamed of having and watch it walk away? If you did, you wouldn’t stand there and say she still cares. My world fell apart Marc, I lost everything that day, and it wasn’t just that she wasn’t ready. I could have accepted that, I would have accepted it and been willing to wait,” Kid moved to the table and sank into a chair, “She was never really in love with me, I think I was handy, convenient, safe.” “Kid you’re being too hard on yourself,” Marc protested quickly. “She’s in love with someone else Marc. I thought Jimmy was my best friend, I thought we were like brothers but that was an illusion. We’re friends, but that’s it. There will never be anything else, anything more between us because I know deep down that they love each other in ways that neither Lou, nor Jimmy are willing to give me.” “She wouldn’t have come if she didn’t give a damn Kid.” Kid laughed coldly, “Sure she would have. Teaspoon probably sent her to find out what was going on with me. Don’t get me wrong I still love her, but I won’t let her back in. She’s at best a friend, at worse an old love.” “I think you’re wrong,” Marc stated as the door opened and Lou stepped in, her gaze darting between them. “I know I’m not,” Kid shrugged and glanced at Lou. “Figured you’d have gone back to Rock Creek by now.” “Figured, or hoped?” Lou demanded angrily. Kid shrugged, “I’m not about to argue with you Lou. I told Rachel I’d be back as soon as I was finished with this. Didn’t they believe me?” “I wouldn’t know. Teaspoon gave me a run and I came up here to check on you, make sure you’re okay.” “Well as you can see I’m still alive so you can go back and tell everyone you saw me and I’m alive,” Kid snapped as Marc inched his way toward the door. “You know you’re so busy feelin’ sorry for yourself that you’ve forgotten that you’re not the only one involved here.” “Ooh riiight,” Kid snorted, “I imagine Jimmy had plenty to say about you coming up here. Didn’t figure he’d be too happy you running off after me.” “I am not involved with Jimmy, or anyone else for that matter!” Lou shouted angrily, her arms crossed over her chest. “Of course not,” Kid looked ather steadily, “Was there a reason for your coming inside or did you just do it to tell me you’re headed back home?” “Actually I came to check on how you’re doing,” Lou snapped angrily. “After all when you’re not being such a selfish moron then you’re actually a nice guy.” ”Sure I am,” Kid glared at her, “Such a nice guy that I’m good enough to go about with but not good enough to marry. Yeah I kinda figured that out sometime between proposing and having it thrown back in my face!” “I did not..” “I do believe you turned me down that you lost the right to follow me anywhere. Why don’t you go back, run back to Jimmy after all you’re so sure he’s better than me..” “I never once said anything of the sort.” “No of course you didn’t,” Kid snapped rising to his feet shakily and moving toward the water. “You merely fall all over yourself to get close to him whenever you can. Do you think I don’t have eyes? That I’m stupid? I’ve seen the long, lingering looks, the hours spent in the barn ‘talking’. Correct me if I’m wrong but at one point, at the beginning of our relationship you did that with me – remember?” “That’s different.” “Yep,” Kid smiled at her, “You never gave a damn about me. I was a safe outlet for you, someone who had proven could be trusted and therefore..” “Oh you were not!” Lou shouted slamming a hand down on the table. “That is not what happened..” “Of course not. After all we were only friends,” Kid smirked at her, “Friends that spent a few wild nights riding double, but friends none the less. So why don’t you be a good little friend and go home? Run back to Jimmy and tell Teaspoon that when I’m finished I’ll be back to take up my runs.” “I am not leaving you here!” Lou snarled angrily, “Especially thinkin’ that.” “Hey it’s not a reflection on you,” Kid shrugged, “It was my own stupidity, my own naiveté that had me thinking that what we had was more than just a trial run.” “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t agree,” Lou all but screamed. “I wasn’t ready Kid, I couldn’t handle the thought of being tied down, of having control of my life being taken over!” “Oh really? Did you ever think that maybe I didn’t expect you to give up what you were doing? Perhaps if you’d been honest with me I would have understood, I would have said take all the time you need. No you just turned me down flat and run into the waiting of arms of the man who’s supposed to be my best friend!” “I can’t believe you’d think I was so shallow..” “I’m not the one that turned your proposal down. I’m not the one that walked away from what we had Louise, you did. If you’d have said I love you Kid but I’m not ready to set a date for the wedding, we could have worked it out? No you just decided I wasn’t worth the effort, that what I had to offer wasn’t good enough for you. Well when things go sour with Jimmy and you wake up some morning only to find that you’re alone because he’s off on one of his little temper tantrums. Only when he doesn’t come back will it strike home that maybe, just maybe fallin’ in love and attaching yourself to a gunslinger in the making wasn’t so grand.” “Jimmy doesn’t deserve that and you know it!” “What he deserves, what you both deserve is each other!” Kid shouted at her, “Now if you don’t mind I’d rather spend my time healing rather than listen to a few more stories.” “I am not in love with Jimmy!” Lou screamed, “It’s always been you! Right from the first time you found me, right from that moment when you didn’t say anything. I’ve always trusted you I just haven’t trusted me!” “Lets leave it as friends,” Kid sighed tiredly, “Because I’m not willing to play this game any longer.” “You have no idea about anything do you? You’re making a judgment based on wounded pride and..” “I do believe I told you to leave,” Kid stated calmly, “Why are you still here?” “Go to hell Kid,” Lou snarled at him. “You don’t know the first thing about anything, let alone a serious relationship.” Kid laughed harshly, coldly, “Oh and you do? You’re so self righteous aren’t you? You didn’t do anything wrong, there was no misleading on your part, nope, just honesty and trust. Course lying about havin’ dinner with some fella, and dressing up were all the makin’s of purity and respect.” “That was once..” “Whatever Louise,” Kid sighed tiredly before turning and shuffling back to his bunk, “I’m not arguing with you anymore. I’m tired, physically, emotionally, I’m totally exhausted. You win, I lose. Lets just leave it at that.” “No, I can’t,” Lou whispered as Kid slipped back into bed, “Because I lost to Kid. Out of fear and self-doubt I lost just as much as you, if not more.” The soft click of the door closing echoed like the cracking of a whip and Kid closed his eyes at the finality of the sound. Turning to face the wall he sighed as he felt a lone tear escape his control and roll down his cheek. He knew beyond a doubt that despite the pain he was in, he didn’t want to forget this experience. He wanted to keep her memory alive and within his heart because it looked like it would be all he would ever have. Chapter Six Grinding her teeth in frustration Lou dropped onto the top step of the porch and stared out over the yard. Marc and another of the boys were standing talking in low tones by the barn, Jacob was organizing the wood pile, and once again Lou was sitting alone, watching. Cursing men in general and Kid in particular Lou slumped slightly as she stared out over the yard. Obviously being close to Jimmy was a source of contention with Kid and she wondered why. It wasn’t like her and Jimmy were involved, rather she looked at him as a brother. She could talk to him when she couldn’t bring herself to talk to Kid. Recently, though it seemed like there was more to it in some of the boys’ estimation than just camaraderie, they like Kid had come to the conclusion that they were involved. Tossing a bit of wood from the step Lou sighed, even when she wanted things to go right they were always put off by something. Perhaps she wasn’t supposed to be happy, maybe she was supposed to spend the rest of her life miserable and alone. Shaking her head at the depressing thought Lou rose to her feet and glanced to the right at the slight movement and the soft thud of horses. “We expecting company?” Lou called just as the distinct boom of an old Hawkins went off. “No, get down,” Jacob shouted even as the air seemed to explode and the mysterious guests appeared. Six men on horseback galloped into the yard, their guns blazing and Lou dived for the porch floor. She didn’t need another bullet hole, and they didn’t need Kid out here. Scrambling for cover she grabbed for her gun and fired at the riders. With the porch splintering around her with Lou suddenly wished for Jimmy’s shooting skills. Right about now she’d even take a lecture from Teaspoon rather than getting shot at. “Damn it,” Marc shook his head as he dived for cover next to Lou, “You’d think that they’d give it a rest.” “What started it?” Lou asked as she ducked down and quickly reloaded. “Don’t know. Been feuding with the Bakers for years.” “Stupid feuds,” Lou snapped and ducked as a bullet went whizzing past her head. “Yeah,” Marc replied as he glanced over his shoulder at the sudden opening of the door. Rolling his eyes he turned his attention back to the fight, “You should be resting.” “Don’t have time,” Kid panted as he fired. His aim wasn’t the greatest but at least it was one more gun and that meant that perhaps the intruders would leave sooner rather than later. Firing steadily Lou frowned as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, turning her head she stared in horror at the rider lining up a shot with his rifle right on Kid’s chest. Reacting she dived for Kid even as the air was split with the boom of a rifle. Feeling the sting and then the agonizing burn of a bullet going in Lou flinched slightly even as her slight weight forced Kid back inside. She felt him pushing on her shoulders even as the darkness that rose up around her swallowed her. “At least it wasn’t another wound he’d have to heal from,” she thought as she sank into the oblivion that was wrapping around her. As suddenly as they had arrived the Bakers departed, taking with them their wounded and leaving an eerie calm about the small cabin’s yard. “Well at least..” Marc turned to see the tangled limbs that lead into the cabin, “Oh no. Kid? You okay? Lou?” “I think Lou’s hurt,” Kid’s weak words were barely heard. Rushing forward, Marc rolled Lou over and winced at the spreading pool of blood she was laying in, “Looks like we’re gonna have another wounded one,” he drawled as Kid struggled into an upright position. “But she’ll be okay right?” Kid demanded, “I mean its not fatal…is it?” Exchanging a glance Marc moved aside for his brother who bent to examine Lou carefully. Meeting his brother’s eyes Marc swallowed, the wound was in a trick position and it could go either way. “She’ll be okay, right? Please, you have to help her,” staring at the pair Kid swallowed harshly, “You can’t just let her die.” “I’ll do what I can,” Thomas replied quickly. Swallowing harshly Kid barely registered the warmth seeping over his chest as his wounds bled from being reopened, instead his attention was focused on Lou who lay so still and deathly pale. ‘Please God let her be okay,’ he prayed, ‘let her be okay and I promise I’ll let her go. I’ll do whatever I have to just let her be okay.’ “Seems to me she cares more’n you think,” Marc whispered softly as he turned to Kid, “It’s a rarity for anyone to take a bullet meant for someone else unless they care a great deal.” Kid shrugged and looked at Marc, “She shouldn’t have come. She should have stayed in Rock Creek.” “She couldn’t and you know it,” Marc replied even as Thomas moved Lou easily onto the table and began lighting lamps. Obviously she still had a bullet that had to come out and Marc wondered briefly what would happen if she didn’t make it. Chapter Seven The crackle of flames devouring dry wood was the only sound other than the raspy breathing in the tiny room and Kid shifted as he leaned against the wall. With his legs stretched out before him his gaze was fixed upon the prone form lying so still on the bed. The thunk of metal hitting metal still echoed within Kid’s head as he remembered Thomas pulling the pieces of a shattered bullet and bone from her body. The burning of his opened wounds was more of an irritant than an actual concern as he waited impatiently for word, and now, hours later with the darkness around them Kid was left wondering what had happened. How could it possibly have come to this? She shouldn’t have been here; Jimmy should have had better sense than to let her come after him. Shaking his head Kid swore softly, succinctly under his breath. It wasn’t Jimmy’s fault that Lou was laying near death in some crowded cabin in Tennessee, it was his. He should never have let them know where he was going, should never have gotten so focused on avoiding the pain. If he’d paid a bit more attention than perhaps he could have figured out a way of keeping what was happening from Lou, from the boys because he knew they’d follow.. Frowning slightly he glanced across the room at the sleeping form of Thomas and inhaled before exhaling slowly. Wincing at the pull and agony of moving he inched closer to Thomas and nudged him awake. “What do you want?” Thomas grumbled before glancing at him sleepily, “You bleedin’ again?” “No,” Kid shook his head slowly. “Look I’ve got an idea and I want to know what you think.” “Shoot Kid, can’t it wait until morning?” “No,” Kid hissed glancing at Lou’s still figure. “I’m losing her Thomas and it’s my fault. If I had just walked away sooner, if I hadn’t started it at all it wouldn’t be this way.” “You’re blaming yourself for something that you had no say in,” Thomas smothered a yawn, “You can’t control folks, can’t save ‘em from what their hearts tell ‘em either. She loves you; hell the girl took a bullet for you so thank your lucky stars about it.” “It ain’t that,” Kid sighed, “Look I know the guys, if I send ‘em word that we need a little help..” “No.” “We can’t win Thomas,” Kid snapped angrily. “And we both know they’re not going to stop until they win.” “Even if they win, it don’t..” “For them winning means we all die. They don’t want anyone from this family alive Thomas. I mean look at Marc, he lost his wife, his child, and his wife’s kin. What do you want to lose?” “Nothing,” Thomas blew an exasperated breathe, “But would your friends help is the question?” “If I asked ‘em?” Kid shrugged and looked at the old boy, “Yeah they would. We’re family, and family sticks together,” he replied looking at where Lou lay. Even through the worst of the worst they had stayed together and he trusted them intently. He wondered what he’d ever done to deserve that. “Even when we don’t deserve it.” “Ask ‘em,” Thomas drawled quickly. “The worst that they can do is say no, right?” Kid chuckled softly, “Jimmy say no to a fight? Not likely. I’ll send ‘em a letter first thing. Marc’ll have to take it down I guess.” “Naw, I’ll send it down with the bird,” Thomas replied before shifting and stretching out. “Get some sleep, if she stirs or anything in the night I’ll hear it.” “I shouldn’t have let her come. I should have tried to keep her from coming here,” Kid mused softly, guiltily. Thomas laughed and closed his eyes, “That I would have paid money to see. Seems to me she’s about as reasonable as a Missouri mule.” Kid grinned, “Yeah, but she’s still a great lady.” Thomas nodded as he slid back into sleep, “Sleep for now Kid. Tomorrow’s gonna be a busy, busy day.” Tennessee Chapter 8 Sitting on the floor next to the bed Kid stared into the flames his mind racing with the fear that Lou would die before he could tell her he was sorry. In the two days since she’d been shot he’d been forced to deal with the pain of knowing that he’d done this, he’d put her in this position. Shifting he winced slightly at the pain of the still healing wounds before glancing at the young woman in question. She lay so still, her body prone, her face pale with a sheen of sweat covering her cheeks. Only the rise and fall of her chest and the movement behind her eye-lids indicated that she was still alive and with him. Regardless of how she appeared, in his mind she was beautiful. Her dark hair was so different than that of anything he’d ever known. Back home the women he’d been involved with had fair hair, blonde, or red but the dark brown of Lou’s hair was unusual. With a bitterness he felt all the way to his soul he realized that was one reason he’d allowed her into his world. She didn’t remind him of his mother or Doritha, instead she was an individual, a person he didn’t know and thus could hide the truth from. He’d never trusted her enough to reveal his fears that he would be as destructive as his father had been. He could still remember the fear, the anger, and the hatred that had colored his childhood. Too often there had been pain and the flow of blood to color the days and nights. Too many times he’d seen the bruises, the agony on his mother’s face and had sworn he would not be anything like the old man. So what did he do? He tried to control, to tame the one person he loved above all else. He knew that Lou wasn’t the type to let herself be controlled by a man and yet that is exactly what he’d done. It was no wonder that she’d refused to tie herself to him, that she’d given her heart to another. In all honesty he wouldn’t want to be attached to him forever – he was too much like his old man. Determined to correct the wrongs he’d done, Kid shifted, leaning back and resting his head against Lou’s prone hand. He would release her; he would give her the freedom to be with the one she loved regardless of what he felt or how much it hurt him. It was what a real man would do – something he had always thought himself to be. ************************************************************************ The crackle of the flames seemed unusually loud within the night as the boys sat around them. Glancing up Jimmy sighed softly, the atmosphere had deteriorated beyond belief as of late and most days he knew that there was more than a little speculation about his involvement with Lou. “Do you think he’s killed her yet?” Cody asked quietly. “Uh, don’t you mean she’s killed him?” Noah replied staring into his coffee. “No,” Cody shrugged, “Seems to me that there was more than a little tension between them lately. I wonder if they’ve managed to work things out some.” “Probably not,” Jimmy shrugged, “Neither of ‘em is really even tempered. Both of ‘em are too stubborn for their own good.” “Yeesh,” Jimmy glared at him. “Seems to me that they both have reason to be a bit bull-headed. Besides, Kid would do anything to help us out or have you forgotten the trouble he’s gotten into because of one of us?’ “Ain’t sayin’ nothing bad about him,” Cody replied with a quick shrug, “Just saying that seems to me neither of ‘em is really ready to let go. Lou’s still very much hung up on Kid, and Kid is so in love with her that it’s scary.” “Why?” Buck asked quickly glancing at the blonde rider. “Because neither of them will back down and admit to being wrong. I wonder what could possibly have happened to drive a wedge between ‘em.” “Don’t look at me,” Jimmy snapped when everyone glanced at him. “I ain’t responsible.” “Oh come on Jimmy. You and Lou been sparkin’ ever since they split..” “We have not,” Jimmy ground out shifting uneasily. “Its like you said, Lou’s still hung up on Kid – so much that there ain’t a hope in hell of another man coming into the picture this lifetime. I’m her friend so I talk to her; don’t mean I’m sparkin’ her or nothing.” “Sure and if we believe that we all deserve to be shot,” Cody snapped. “Well I could shoot you,” Jimmy replied quickly, firmly, “But something tells me that Kid needs every gun he can round up so I’ll have to let one of the feuding mountain boys get you.” “You are not funny Mister Hickock,” Cody snapped angrily. “Wasn’t trying to be funny,” Jimmy replied glancing around, “I’m tired of being painted as the bad guy here. I ain’t done nothing but be a friend to Lou and suddenly I’m guilty of takin’ her away from Kid. I ain’t and I’m tired of y’all trying to point the fingers at me.” *Some reason why Kid thinks that?* Ike signed quickly. Jimmy shrugged and glanced away, there was a reason but he didn’t want to discuss it with the boys. It was a personal reason, one that meant the difference between life and loneliness. “Kid’s reasons are his own,” was all he said before shifting to lay down, pulling his hat over his face. Tomorrow would be another day, one that would hopefully bring them a little closer to Tennessee and the confrontation that Kid was embroiled within. Chapter 9 Rolling his shoulders as he followed Jimmy, Buck glanced around at the tall, sprawling expanse of forests surrounding them. Despite the well worn road that told of a wagon's transport there had been no indication of human trespass on the wilderness. Knowing that Buck felt a chill go through him at the unusual silence of the area. Where the sounds of birds and squirrels should have been loud in the silence there was nothing. The only sounds that they could hear were of their horses' shoes making contact with rocks. "Feels like a heavy weight," Cody stated softly as though not wanting to draw attention to their passing. "There hasn't been a chirp, a squeak, or a beat of a wing in two days. It's almost like everything is holdin' it's breath." Noah declared even as he caught Jimmy pulling the letter they'd received out of his pocket. As was usual the moody gunfighter in the making read it before putting it away. "Anything new?" "Shut up," Jimmy snarled and nudged the palomino he rode a little faster. He felt bad about the fact that both his best friends were laid up with bullet holes. He should have followed, should have protected them a lot better than he had. With that thought he glanced at the others. Unlike them he wasn't worried about the silence, about the oppressive calm that seemed to permeate the area. He knew better than most what it meant, knew that Kid and Lou were facing odds better left to an army instead of a few honest farmers. "How much further do you figure?" Cody asked grabbing an apple from his saddlebag and started to eat it. "Should be there by mid afternoon," Jimmy replied as he turned his horse up an easily missed trail. Somehow the idea of going in with guns covered made him feel more at ease than usual. After all he knew Kid didn't want anyone of `em to get hurt just because they rode in to help them. Falling silent the others followed Jimmy in silence, sharing a curious look even as their brother covered his guns as they topped the rise. Pausing they stared down at the land before them. Rolling hills of blue and green were dotted with the odd column of smoke, further up the trail they could clearly make out the shape of a building, a corral, and a lean to. The familiar lookin' paint in the corral had them all sharing a glance before they headed up the trail. "You boys followed Kid's advice wisely," the low, hostile tone had them glancing to their right where a tall, broad shouldered man stood with a shotgun, his gaze running over them before it scanned the surrounding area. "Could have shot you, would have to if you'd made for your guns." "We're here to help Kid," Jimmy snapped swinging down. "He said both he and Lou got hurt." "Yep," the man nodded and nodded at the cabin, "The boy's got himself a bit of a problem, nine holes and he's trying to do way too much too soon. Won't let nobody tend the girl." "That sounds like Kid," Cody grinned. "He never was one to do the easy things." "Never has been," the man drawled pushing his hat up onto his head, "Not as long as I've knowed him. Course he's gotten a little easier to be around in his old age but still, stubborner than a mule." Ike smiled and nodded before glancing at the cabin, *Should we go in you figure?* "Go on in," the man drawled. "My brothers are out scouting around the area. Wanted to be sure you weren't followed." Glancing at the cabin Buck frowned as the door opened and a familiar figure stepped out, "Kid's up." "Damn fool should be restin'," the man grumbled. "Don't he realize he opens those wounds he could bleed to death." "He never was one for takin it easy when it comes to Lou," Jimmy drawled as he unsaddled. "Don't see why he'd start now." "You have any trouble?" Kid asked as he shuffled toward them, trying to ignore the burning pain in his body. "Nothin' to speak of," Cody replied seriously. "You look like you're about to topple over." Kid shrugged, "Just tired is all. Put the horses in the corral, I'll get some more water." "Let one of them do it," the short order was met with a stubborn stare. "You open those wounds again Kid you ain't gonna be doing nothing." "I ain't gonna lay around and let her die Thomas, you should know that." With a shake of his head he raised his arms in surrender, "Let her bury you then." "I'll help," Jimmy stated calmly and followed Kid around the corner of the building to where a bucket sat next to what was obviously the well. "How's it been going Kid?" "Okay I reckon," Kid replied seriously. "They hit us regularly. So far we ain't gone after `em but it won't take much to get us to. Seem to like to sneak in after dark." "How bad you hit?" "Nine holes, several were clean, entry and exits." Jimmy shook his head, "And Lou?" "Just one," Kid paled and his tone went icy. "Chest, she lost some blood but she's gonna be okay." "You won't let her be anything else," Jimmy said pushing his friend out of the way to lower the bucket and gather the water. "You two talk yet?" "Ain't nothing to say," Kid replied softly. "Yes there is," Jimmy replied plunking the bucket down. "She loves you." Kid shrugged and looked at the other man, "Maybe at one time she did. Now she just feels sorry for me. Told her she didn't need to, I ain't about to take charity – not even from her or you for that matter. Besides as long as she's happy, and one of those men lookin' to build a reputation doesn't kill you she'll be fine." Jimmy shook his head, "You ever tell her you still love her?" "That don't matter anymore," Kid replied reaching for the bucket. "Hasn't for some time." "Do you think if she felt pity for you she'd have rode all this way to see you? Do you really believe that?" Kid ground his teeth together and stared at Jimmy, "Why do you care what I feel? You've got her and I've got the memories, lets not go into details shall we?" "No we shall. Jesus Kid she's hurtin' and you're wallowin'.." "I am not wallowing in nothing." "Nothing but pride Kid. I may be a bit dense at times Kid but even I can see you two are still very much in love, so what the hell's keepin' you apart?" Jimmy snapped as Kid hefted the bucket. Kid shrugged and looked Jimmy in the eye for a moment before starting back for the front door, "You." Paling Jimmy shook his head and followed Kid. Obviously the thick headed idiot was being stubborn. Once they'd gotten things under control they were gonna have to fix this and fast because he wasn't gonna bury Kid or Lou over some stupid matter of pride. Chapter 10 Groaning at the pain in her chest Lou struggled into a sitting position, her eyes scanning the interior of the cabin. Spotting the rolled up sleeping gear she sighed, obviously the boys had arrived. Catching a hint of Jimmy's voice and Cody's laugh she sighed even as she pushed at the blankets. Turning her head at the slightest snore she stared at Kid who lay on the floor covered in a couple of blankets sleeping his face pale, and etched with pain. Sighing she rested her elbows on her knees and shook her head, even when she tried to help she couldn't. Wishing that she'd been a lot wiser, a lot more mature in life. If she'd had more sense than she would've known that Kid's heart was a one shot deal. "You staring for some particular reason?" the low, angry grunt of Kid's voice had her glancing at him barely hiding her shock. "Thinkin'," she replied stiffly. "Figures. Jimmy arrived day before yesterday," Kid grunted as he struggled to his feet, his movements stiff and filled with agony. "He's outside you want me to get him for you?" Watching in shock as Kid moved toward the door Lou sighed, "You trying to be mean or something?" "No." "Then what is your problem? How many times do I have to say I am not involved with Jimmy for it to sink in?" "There something you need? I mean you didn't get enough blood last time?" "You hear yourself?" Lou hissed rising and wincing at the pain from her wound. "Poor me, my girl left me because I was pressuring her for more than she could handle." She sing-songed angrily. "Poor pitiful little ol' me." "You're the one that walked away," Kid retorted as he reached for the door handle, "Not me. But then I guess that's the way you like to play that game huh? Doesn't matter who gets hurt as long as you get what you need and you feel safe it's okay." "That isn't funny or fair Kid." "Who said anything about fair?" Kid snarled glaring at her. "You're the one who said you weren't any different than before we started riding double. You're the one that called me out because I was trying to think of you. You're the one who said no. Turned me down flat out, no I need some more time Kid; no can we have a long engagement. You didn't even ask me what I wanted when I asked you. You just said no! And why am I tellin' you this?" "I don't know Kid.." "Wait I do!" Kid snapped his fingers, "Because that's what friends do. Because after its all said and done that's all I've ever been! Your friend, someone who can be safe, who won't break their word. Well now you don't have to worry about it, you've got your job, your boyfriend, and everyone's sympathy for you." "Oh shut the hell up," Lou snapped as she poked him in the chest, uncaring of their wounds or anything but his stupid attitude. "I don't think you asked me because you were even serious, you just didn't want me hanging around anyone else.." "Ooh here we go. Right back to Jimmy!" Kid snapped as he glared at her. The sudden movement of the door had him jumping forward clumsily and he hit Lou head on, tumbling her over the table and hitting the floor in a tangle of legs, arms, and curses. "Oh for the love of.." Kid groaned as he shifted, realizing that Lou's hand was trapped between his legs in an old, familiar position one that if they were caught they'd have some explaining to do. "I thought someone was coming in," Lou muttered as she shifted, her leg caught on the bottom of the chair nearest her. "So did I," Kid glanced at the door and frowned. It remained closed tight, with no sign that anyone had been on their way in. With a shrug he glanced at Lou only to find his nose even with the barest hint of cleavage he knew by heart. "Uh Lou, don't take this the wrong way but.." "What in the hell are you two doing?" Jimmy's shocked voice filled the cabin along with the muffled snickers of Cody, Buck, and Mark. "Don't ask," Kid groaned hiding his face as best he could. He could feel Lou laughing and he wiggled enough to look at her, "Quit laughing. This ain't funny." Lou shook her head, her laughter growing in volume, "Oh I know Kid. I know. Just hit me that for someone who despises me you seem awfully happy to be this close to me again." Kid groaned at the subtle shift of her hand against his crotch and felt the fresh wave of color hit his face, "Damn it, kill me now." "You say something Kid?" Jimmy laughed as he caught a glimpse of where Lou's hand was, and how they were laying, "Or are you just admiring the view from down there." Rolling their eyes Lou looked at Kid as the boys laughed at their predicament, "Should we kill them?" "No. They'll get theirs soon enough," Kid grumbled, "You gonna stand there all day guffawing or you gonna give us a hand?" With a snicker Jimmy shrugged, "You two worked out whatever you was fighting about?" "No," Lou giggled, "We got interrupted, by..." "Oh in that case, continue working out your problems," Jimmy said reaching for the door an evil grin on his face. "We'll be back later." "Jimmy no!" Lou screamed as the door closed quietly, "Jimmy, come on this isn't funny." With a groan Kid shook his head and wondered what he'd ever done to deserve this. Chapter 11 Holding onto the cup of coffee like a lifeline Lou watched Kid moving around the yard with the others. After picking themselves up off the floor they'd both scurried to do whatever it took not to have to look at the other. With a bitter sigh she blew on the steaming liquid and turned her attention to the path of alone ant at her feet. It didn't seem fair that once again she was wallowing in the misery of her own emotions. It didn't seem right that she was drowning in a sea of self doubt, longing, and need so turbulent she doubted anyone would willingly choose to sail it. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath a moment before glancing up at a shadow that fell over her. Hiding her impatience she met Cody's gaze, "Something you wanted?" "Move over," Cody drawled sinking to the step next to her and staring out over the yard. "You any closer to working things out with the kid?" "No." "You'd better hurry it up. This uneasiness is ruining my appetite." "I'll try to remember that," Lou snarled angrily shifting so there were a few inches between them. "Is that all?" "No," Cody replied glancing at her then away, "I know it's not really my business but you can tell me anyway." "What do you want to know?" Lou demanded, "I'm not sparking with Jimmy, or anyone else for your information." "Why'd you turn Kid down?" Cody asked softly turning his head to stare at her stricken expression, "Couldn't handle conning an honest man or something?" "None of your bloody business." "It is when my friends are involved, when I'm involved however indirectly." Shaking her head Lou stared out over the terrain, how could she possibly explain her reasonings? It would mean revealing things that were better left in the shadows, things she didn't want anyone to know about. "Who is he?" Cody prodded earning himself a dark glare. "What?" "Who's the guy ya got on the line? You know the one you were playing with when you and Kid..?" "Kid and I were never playing," Lou snarled as she shifted wishing that she could hit him with something, "And there is no other guy." "So what's your reasoning behind turning him down?" Sensing Cody wasn't about to let it go she shrugged, "Something that you don't need to know about. I explain anything it ain't gonna be to you." "Then you better explain it to Kid," Cody rose smoothly, dusting his pants off. "Before he kills himself trying to avoid you." Nodding sullenly Lou watched him walk away, her gaze slipping past him to where Kid stood struggling with the end of a log. Rising she turned and moved into the shadows, pulling out a slip of paper as she did so. Cursing her own weaknesses Lou glanced at the guys for a moment before exhaling and putting the pencil to the page. *Dear Kid; I know things have been difficult lately and most of it is my fault, I guess I owe you an apology for that as well as an explanation for my actions. You know what you once told me about how your heart had a way of blinding you to some things? Well you were right, but at the same time it sure doesn't help when even your heart can't hide the truth from your soul. The last time you asked me to marry you, I was overjoyed. I was elated for all of a few seconds then it hit me – no man in their right mind marries the kinda girl I am. Sure I'm one of the boys, but deep down there's a part of me that knows the truth. I can't give you what you need, what you want from a wife and it scares me. What if I can't give you a child? Can't cook, can't do the whole `lady' thing? What kind of woman would I be? I love you so much that I would do anything to keep you happy but we both know I'm more comfortable on a horse than on a porch sewing. Can you really accept me for who I am knowing that? Can I? I'm not so sure Kid. Love Louise.* With a sigh she folded the page together and tucked it into Kid's coat pocket before reaching for her coffee maybe that would give them an opening for a real, honest conversation instead of just tossing insults and accusations. She hoped so. Chapter 12 Groaning softly at the pounding in her head, Lou wondered briefly what hurt more – her chest or her head. Shifting she rolled over only to bump into a warm, solid object. Freezing she opened her eyes and glanced around only to find herself swathed in darkness. Reaching out she patted what was next to her, preying it was a dog or something only to find herself groping a muscular leg. Smothering a moan she sat up shakily and shifted, her gaze searching for a hint of light to tell her where she was. “Would you quit moving around? Its not even light out..” Kid’s groggy voice had her freezing. <>“Uh Kid, where are we?” ”In the cabin?” Kid retorted speaking as though she was a simpleminded child. “Door’s over there.” “Where’s the fire? Where’s the lamp that was left burning when we went to bed?” The rustle of fabric told her that Kid was moving even as she realized with a sinking sensation that the floor wasn’t made of wood but rather hard packed earth, “And why the hell are we on a dirt floor?” “Lou, relax. I’m sure it’s nothing..” Kid stated calmly hoping to prevent her from panic even as he searching his mind for answers. “Nothing? You call being locked in a dingy little cell nothing!” “Would you relax? You’re acting like the worlds coming to an end.” “We’re locked in what amounts to a large enough for two coffin with no way out and you’re not concerned?” Lou shook her head cursing softly, “You hit your head or something? Or maybe we’re both dead and this is the price we have to pay for our stupidity in life.” “Ha ha, not funny Louise. Why don’t you holler and see if your boyfriend will come to your aide? Maybe Jimmy’s close enough to hear you?” “He is not my boyfriend,” Lou hissed furiously, “If you would just give it up then you’d figure out I’m not playing you.” “You don’t even know me,” Kid sighed and moved to ly back down, “You just like to make assumption.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “That means if you’d told me that you had some fears about us, about our future, about what I wanted then we could have worked through them. It means I’m not so shallow as not to respect your feelings, your fears, let you set the pace – it means Louise that unlike you I’m not scared of living with the consequences.” “Really? You don’t mind the possibility of not having a child of your own? You don’t want a son to carry on your name – which you still haven’t told us by the way! Which brings me to a whole set of questions about trust!” “I hate my name! It has nothing to do with my past, or with anything other than I dislike my name.” “Ha, but you’re still hiding it from me. You’re still not letting me in, not trusting me enough to tell me..” “I don’t like it! How would you like it if I went around calling you Louise Boggs huh? You wouldn’t and you know it!” Kid snapped back. “My name has nothing to do with this! You’re talking about trusting you with my fears and yet you refuse to tell me about yours about your past!” “I don’t have one that I want to discuss! Do you tell everyone about yours? NO!” “I’m not everyone you thick headed Southern jerk! I’m the woman you supposedly love!” Lou screamed angrily taking a swing at him and instantly regretting it when the motion pulled on her wounds. “You know the one you want to the spend the rest of your life with!” “I am well aware of who you are Louise! That’s not the point, the point is..” “I did not hide anything from you! You’d think that you’d have picked up on my emotions more than once when I called you on your actions!” “You calling me a snake in the grass for doing something for you doesn’t exactly point out what your fears are Lou,” Kid shouted back, “How you get I’m scared from that I will never know but I’m sure you’re gonna point it out.” “Why waste my breath? You obviously have no interest in resolveing this issue..” “Issue now? Ooh boy are you trying to be difficult because it sure doesn’t seem like you’re interested in talking to me about anything but my own shortcomings.” “You’re a bullheaded jerk,” Lou snarled, “You’re turning this into all about you and totally ignoring the fact that I made sure you knew damn well that I was scared of a commitment. There are issues that have to be taken into account ya know?” “What like Wicks?” Kid snapped, “That has no bearing on this..” “Yeah and if I believe that I’ll believe that a woman’s gonna be president someday..” “I don’t care about that!” Kid shouted tossing his hands in the air and hitting the ceiling, “He deserved to die for what he did – doesn’t mean I look down on you for it.” “Of cours not, after all..” “Wicks is not the problem Lou,” Kid interrupted, “You thinking I’m like him is.” Lou gasped at Kid’s words, “I did not..” “You do so. You’ve got me lumped in there with the likes of that thing like I’m gonna tie you up in a closet and let you out only to dance, feed me, and bear my children. That was never part of the deal, never part of what made us who we are.” “Is that how you really think?” Lou whispered softly. “Yes it is. I know he hurt you and I wish we could bring him back just so you could get justice but I’m not him. I don’t want to own you Lou, I’ve never wanted that. I want a partner who’s strong enough to do what needs to be done not someone who carries the burden for both of us.” Swallowing hard Lou blinked, “Do you really think we could’ve survived, that we could have made it?” “I still do,” Kid replied softly, sadly. “Even after everything that’s happened, I just pray that you realize that you deserve more than to settle.” “And you think I am.” “I don’t know. I think you’ve accepted the blame for what happened in the past and used that to decide that you’re not good enough to have more, to be more than a shadow of someone else. I’ve never seen you as my shadow, I tried to see you as my lover, my equal – and while it wasn’t always easy, it was always the truth.” “How do we go back?” Lou asked softly, “How do we recover what we lost? What do we do to find us again?” “I don’t know,” Kid sighed, “We both have to learn to trust the other again I know that much. You have to decide whether you can do that or not.” “Can you?” the small, frightened whisper barely stirred the air in their ‘cell’. “I think it’s worth a shot.” “Now all we have to do is get out of here and see about it,” Lou stated calmly. “And getting out of here is going to be fun.” “Oh somehow I doubt it’ll be complicated,” Kid sighed, “You still out there guys? If you are we’re going to kill you!” He hollered up through the floor and listened to the sudden scurrying of feet on straw covered wood. “See? Our rescuers are mere feet away!” “I am going to kill them,” Lou ground out half heartedly. Hurdle number one was navigated successfully, now they just had to figure out a way of living with the boys knowing there deepest secrets. Chapter 13 <>The chill of early morning had Kid pulling his coat a little tighter around him as he moved through the darkness to the outhouse. The sound of paper rustling in his pocket had him pausing and he pulled it out and turned it over for a few second before sighing and heading to finish his business. Slipping back inside he edged closer to the fire and sank down to unfold the crumpled paper. A few minutes later he sat staring into the flames, his fingers clutching the note tightly as he lost himself in the flames. Could he accept the possibility of a wife that was more comfortable doing a man's work than cooking and cleaning and being a good little `lady? Could he accept that there would never be a child? The answer was simple to him; yes he could as long as the woman was Lou. Yes we wanted children, wanted a family of his own but he knew that sometimes fate had other plans and as long as there was children in the house did it really matter if they were his by blood? Not so much to him, he could deal with raising another's child after all he knew what it felt like to be an orphan to be unwanted, unloved. He'd felt that way so long, so isolated from others that when he'd met the boys, met Teaspoon, he'd been hesitant to open himself up but he'd done it and it had proven to be a wise choice. He needed Lou in his life, needed her close by, to be a part of his future. He knew beyond a doubt that things would take time, he had to get her away from Jimmy but still he could do it. He could win her over again it would just take a little time, and some thoughtful gestures. Exhaling suddenly he shook his head, no he couldn't do that. He would let her make the choice, let her decide between them and if she chose Jimmy then he'd support her. He would even if it killed him – and he sincerely hoped it did! Sinking down onto the porch Jimmy looked at the boys as they stared back at him, "Okay what's up? You've been eying me all mornin'." "We've come to a decision," Cody stated calmly. "Kid and Lou need to work out their issues.." "And it's something you've just discovered?" Jimmy snorted in disbelief. "No actually," Buck started, "We're trying to work out a means of getting them together long enough to actually talk `em through." "My suggestion, lock `em up and throw away the key," Jimmy stated biting into his apple, "Because neither of `em is about to give an inch. They're stubborn, proud, fools who haven't figured out that the only thing keepin' apart is themselves." "Okay but would they talk or just try to get out?" *Couldn't escape if they were tied up,* Ike suggested calmly. "He's right," Noah nodded quickly. "If we tie `em up and lock `em up somewhere.." "Hey I overheard Marc talkin' about turning an old dried up well into a storage pit," Cody interrupted. "Why couldn't we drop `em in there? We'd have to check on `em periodically but it would work." "How we gonna get `em down a well without them killin' us?" "They gotta sleep sometime.." "Well's too narrow," Noah pointed out. "Need something like a cellar or something." "Barn has a cellar, and if we put some grain sacks on the door they couldn't get out." "How do you know?" Cody glared at Jimmy. "Marc told me when I asked if there was somewhere we could escape Lou and Kid's fightin'." "Okay then we'll use the cellar, and move those heavy wheat sacks over the door. When do we get `em?" *Tonight,* Ike stated calmly, *When they're sleeping. Means we'll have to drug `em a little but it'll work.* "I'll get the herbs ready," Buck grinned as the others smirked. Kid and Lou wouldn't know what was going to hit `em. Chapter 14 From where he sat on the front stoop Kid hid a grin as he recognized the scene before him. Lou was on the warpath and justifiably so. He knew her tolerance of tight spaces was limited; she hated to be where she couldn’t escape a side effect of her childhood no doubt, but one that he accepted. Catching Cody sneaking into the barn he watched Lou stomping towards the boys hiding place. Leaning back he let her have her temper tantrum – after all if anyone deserved to have their throats ripped out it was the boys for their stunt. “Are you all insane?” Lou’s angry voice had Kid flinching but he didn’t move, “Do you understand at all what you could have done? What if I hadn’t realized it was Kid next to me? Huh? You’re about as smart at Teaspoons’ boots! You don’t tie someone up and lock them in a crawl space because you want them to do something! We could have died!” “But you didn’t, and you and Kid are that much..,” Cody’s distinct voice had Kid shaking his head. “Shut up Cody! You’re even stupider then the rest of ‘em. You seem to forget that you’re not some great man! You had no right to lock us up and wait for us to work out our problems. Anything that happens between us is personal, private not open for public speculation!” Lou’s voice was gaining in volume and Kid hid a grin. “You and your stupid advice, and your sticking your nose in, and locking us up was just stupid! You ever, ever, do that again and I will personally shoot every one of you in a place that’ll hurt a lot and leave you very, very sick for days of torment! You understand?” “Yes Lou,” Jimmy’s voice held contrition, and sincerity. “Good now get outta my sight!” Watching the boys scatter Kid took another sip of his coffee even as Lou stomped out of the barn half a step behind Ike. Hiding his smile Kid watched her step closer to Ike and say something softly, and saw the answering smile on his friend’s face. Obviously things were going to be okay if Lou could be forgiving. “You finished tearing a strip off ‘em?” he asked softly. “For now,” Lou replied softly, “Couldn’t let ‘em get away with locking us under the barn but we owe ‘em big time. Probably would have taken months to work out the problems we had.” “Yes, but then we’re family. Family tends to help one another all the time!” “And you’re a big softy,” Lou declared easily. “I know.” Shaking her head Lou watched the boys carefully, she still owed them something but she wouldn’t apologize for yelling at them. They should have known better than to put them into a situation that felt like a coffin. Perhaps she’d explain things on the way home – whenever they headed back that was. Tennessee Part 15 “Sooo, what do you think?” Cody asked setting down next to Jimmy in the late afternoon sun. “Teaspoon’s probably wondering what happened to us.” “Either that or counting his blessing that we ain’t there to bother him,” Jimmy retorted with a grin. “But you are right, we should think about getting back.” “What about them?” Noah asked nodding at where Kid and Lou sat deep in conversation on the porch. “We can’t leave ‘em here.” “No, no we can’t. Be nice if they had things all wrapped up before we got back though,” Cody mused, “I mean they belong together, they’re perfect for each other so why can’t they quit disturbin’ us?” “Not jealous are you?” Jimmy teased. “Of them? Good God no!” Cody shook his head firmly, “Just think they belong married already. If they were we wouldn’t have so many problems because they’d have their own place..” “Now that’s an idea,” Noah snapped his fingers. “If we can manage to get ‘em married before we get home then we’d all be better off.” “How we gonna do that?” Buck asked from behind his coffee cup. “They’re just starting to talk to each other – forcing ‘em into something might make things a bit uncomfortable for us.” “Not really,” Cody leaned forward, “Look its simple we just stop on the way say something about going to church or something and get ‘em before the preacher. We hold em till their vows are said then run like hell.” “Yeah cause they’d both kills u, slowly, painfully,” Buck stated, “You do remember this is Louise we are talking about? I mean look at how she’s gotten the Kid tied up in knots without half trying.” “Exactly,” Jimmy replied, “She’s focused on Kid right now, as long as we are quick, calm she’ll never know what hit her.” *What about Kid?* Ike signed, *What if he ain’t thinkin’ ‘bout marriage right now?* “Kid? Not thinking about it?” Jimmy shook his head, “He’s thinking about it, I’m willing to bet he’s plotting some way to get her to the alter even as we speak. We’re merely helping him.” “But..” “No buts,” Cody pointed a finger at his brothers, “You willing to live with those two fighting? Or worse sitting making cow-eyes at each other. It’s bad enough when they’re fightin’, it gets worse when they’re sparking on each other. Who wants to have to witness that?” “Cody has a point,” Buck pointed out, “We need to finish this, like today.” “Today? Are you insane she’s too close to a gun right now!” “Not right this minute Cody, I merely meant sooner than later. So we have to figure out a way of getting them both into fancy clothes and into a church on the way home.” *Lou ain’t gonna wear a dress,* Ike pointed out, *She’d be too worried about being recognized and loosing her job.* “So who said she can’t be married in a suit?” Jimmy replied thoughtfully. “Really it’s pretty simple actually. If we stop in Lone Butte I can talk to the Preacher there. I know him, they’d never know what hit ‘em.” “But how are we going to get them to stand before him?” Noah asked. Jimmy smiled mischievously, “Well, they have to have attendants right? I’ve been to at least one wedding guys,” he explained at their shocked looks, “So we’ll all stand up behind them, make the wedding real simple. Just us – after all it ain’t like they got a whole list of kin to come to it.” “That’s true,” Noah nodded, “If we’re all dressed up they won’t suspect a thing and we’ll be able to get it done and over with before long.” “Exactly then we just slip away until the next morning. IF we leave before they do, we’ll be a whole lot safer – at least until we get home and by then they’ll both have cooled off enough to keep from shooting us full of holes.” “What about Teaspoon?” “What about him?” “What’s he gonna say to this?” *Probably nothing, after all we’re taking a big strain off him.* “So we’re all agreed then?” Jimmy glanced at each of the boys who nodded quickly, “We just have to find out how much longer we’re needed here. I’d rather we got ‘em home safely, they’ve had more than enough excitement to last ‘em a while.” Laughing at the slight joke the boys glanced in unison at the porch where Lou was snuggled against Kid who was leaning back against the porch railing their heads bent close together. They deserved each other – and the boys deserved at least a couple of days of peace before all hell broke loose. “I’ll ask Mark tomorrow,” Cody said softly chewing on a hunk of jerky, “See what he thinks.” Nodding in agreement the others glanced at each other and shared a smile, their plan was fool proof – neither Kid nor Lou would ever know what hit ‘em! Chapter 16 The bowl of potatoes Kid had been working on sat on the edge of the table, the knife right next to it as he moved to where the fire danced over newly thrown logs. Picking up the large pot he brought it back to the table just as the door opened softly. Turning to greet whoever was coming in he smiled softly at Lou who smiled back and walked to the table to set down. “The boys are wondering when dinner’ll be ready.” “Soon as it’s cooked,” Kid replied with a grin. “If you’re hungry there’s some bread left.” “Naw, I can wait,” Lou said sitting down at the table. “So you uh brooding again?” “Brooding?” Kid frowned slightly as he glanced at her, “I’m not brooding.” “Just curious, you’ve been kinda quiet all day.” “That’s cause I’m watching the fellas. They’re up to something,” Kid explained.” “Probably trying to figure out when they can go home,” Lou said stealing a sliver of potato and biting down on it. “This might have been fun once but it’s not any longer.” Kid nodded thoughtfully, “Yeah I know. It’s definitely not the way I thought my life would go.” “What do you mean?” Kid shrugged, “I always thought I’d make enough with the express to buy a nice place, and some good Indian ponies. Start a ranch, have a family, a life that meant hard work, sweat, and tears, and a lot of happiness.” “And where in that dream did we fit in? Did I fit in?” Kid smiled at her quickly, “Right beside me. You’ve always been right next to me from day one, right from the first tiem we kissed actually. Your touch woke something within me.” “So I’m in your little plan then?” Lou asked softly, seriously her gaze steady and unrelenting. “Yes, you and your brother and sister all are. I won’t lie, the dream of having my own kids with you is there but you know, I’d rather have you in my life than have that. It’s like I said we can always adopt, there are always little kids out there without folks.” With a soft, sexy smile Lou nodded, “You planning your wedding to?” “Who hasn’t?” Kid replied seriously, “All I want is to be standing next to you with a Preacher before us and our friends, our family behind us. I love everyone like a brother, and I know if I asked they’d stand up with me but still – sometimes you have to be willing to compromise. Besides I think Jimmy’d be happy to see us married. It would mean he’d have some peace.” Chuckling Lou nodded, “A wedding in white?” “It’s only a color,” Kid stated softly looking at her, “you could show up in nothing and I’d still marry you.” Smirking Lou shook her head, “You would to.” “I mean it Lou. Fancy clothes or not, lavish decorations, a big crowd – they’re only the trappings. It ain’t trappings I care about, it’s knowing that you’re standing there before God and the law and promising to love, honor, and cherish me until death do us part. Same as I would you. After all you’re all I need in this world; the rest can come later – as long as we’re together.” “what if I want those trappings?” “That’s your choice, your right to have ‘em. I’m just saying they ain’t as important to me as you are.” With a nod Lou rose, planted a soft kiss on his lips and turned to walk toward the door, “I’ll let the guys know about dinner.” “Thanks,” Kid said watching her leave. Ducking down behind the woodpile Buck smirked softly as he watched Lou head for the corral. A moment later keeping low he snuck off toward the barn, he had a message to deliver to his brothers. Chapter 17 Catching sight of Kid’s friends sitting in the shade of a tree talking in low tones Marc headed in that direction a slight frown on his face. The past few days had been a little unusual, well if he was honest a lot more than a little, but both Kid and Lou seemed to be faring okay. Neither had perished, both seemed to be talking to the other and it would appear that they were slowly working their way back into love. The only problem with that is their friends incessant meddling. The drugging and locking up until they talked was a bit harsh in Marc’s opinion and he had come to the conclusion that it had to stop. “Hi,” Marc greeted the small group who looked at him with matching grins. “What did you do now?” “Nothing, we’re just figuring on how to steal something,” Cody replied quickly. “Ya do recall there’s a commandment against that sort of thing, right?” “Actually we’re doing it tosave lives,” Buck stated calmly. “See we’ve come to the conclusion that Lou and Kid are insane and as such need to quit acting like a pair of school kids and just get it over quick.” “What are you talking about?” Marc demanded sinking onto the ground next to Ike. “Kid found out Lou was a girl a long, long time ago,” Jimmy explained, “He didn’t tell on her and because he had that information she learned to trust him, after that came learning to love him, somewhere along the line though things changed. See Kid’s a bit um..” “Bullheaded and old fashioned?” Marc chuckled. “Yeah I know what’s that got to do with it?” “Well since we’re heading home tomorrow we decided that enough is enough,” Noah replied. “See after listening to them fight and make up, then give each other the silent treatment… something that has given us all nightmares… we’ve decided simply to solve the problem for them.” “What problem?” Marc asked slowly, hesitantly. Now he understood why Kid and Lou were so secretive. The boys obviously couldn’t stay out of anything to save their lives. “We’re gonna give Kid and Lou their dream,” Cody chuckled, “Don’t know how but we are.” “What dream would that be?” “A nice wedding, a ranch of their own, and hopefully some peace and quiet for us.” Shaking his head Marc laughed, “You’re setting up to get yourselves shot is what yer doing.” “See that’s the beauty of it,” Jimmy leaned in a little, “We’re going to steal their guns before we get to town.” “Don’t you think that might be a tad dangerous?” “They gotta sleep sometime,” Jimmy pointed out, “Besides have you seen the way they’ve been acting lately? I mean I’m a fan of true love, I just don’t want to watch it while I’m eating my supper!” “Have fun with that plan boys,” Marc rose to his feet, “I’ll be sure and send my condolences to your boss.” Chuckling the boys watched Marc as he walked away, confident in their plan’s success. Dawn found Marc eying a still sleeping Kid and Lou who were curled together on the floor by the fire. Reaching into the possible truck that he’d kept by the door he pulled out a small, tightly wrapped package that had been his wife’s. Slipping out into the early morning mist he smiled as he realized the boys had saddled their horses and were getting ready to ride out. “You forgetting someone?” he asked walking up to them. “Naw, let ‘em sleep for a few more minutes. Once the horses are saddled we’ll wake ‘em up, feed ‘em and be on our way,” Jimmy drawled eying Marc. “How’s it going?” “Good. Here, figuring on how Lou’s a woman she ain’t likely gonna wanna stand before a preacher in her riding clothes so if you can get her to a hotel to change, she can wear this.” “Don’t..” “It belonged to my wife,” Marc sighed sadly, a far off look in his eye, “She’d want it to be worn again.” “Thanks,” Jimmy tucked it into his saddle bag. “You okay with us leaving?” “Yes, Thomas said he’s got an idea on how to end this so I’m gonna let him do it.” Jimmy nodded and glanced behind Marc at the soft creak of a door opening, “Looks like the two sleepyheads are awake.” “Morning,” Marc called as Kid and Lou both stumbled out the door, grumbling softly to themselves. “Morning,” Kid smothered a yawn, “Hate to be leavin’ you with so much still to do.” “You’ve done quite a bit for us,” Marc smiled and winked at Jimmy, “thanks.” With a slight frown Lou glanced between the men and shook her head, “I’m going to check on my horse. Try not to kill each other okay?” a pointed look at Kid and Jimmy was the only indication of what she’d meant. “What?” Jimmy shook his head, “I’m not the one with the problem Louise!” “Shut up.” Chuckling Kid slapped Marc on the shoulder and went to check Katy’s cinch. Tossing a bag of food over the saddle horn he led Katy over to the hitching rail next to Lou, “They’re upto something.” “I know,” Lou whispered softly glancing at them then back at Kid. “We can lose ‘em at Petersons station.” “Sounds good, I’m not too anxious to have that uh drink Buck mixed up last time.” Smothering a giggle Lou shook her head, “Come on it’s the best sleep we had in weeks.” “I woke up under a barn Lou,” Kid shook his head, “That’s never a good thing.” “So y’all riding out?” Thomas called as he appeared from behind the cabin. “Yeah, best get home while we still have a job to go to,” Noah replied. “Well ride safe, hope you don’t run into anything unpleasant on the way.” “Oh I don’tthink so,” Kid shrugged, “Besides if we do, we’ll just give ‘em Cody.” “Cody? Why?” “After having him around a day or so they’ll pay us to take him back,” Kid replied seriously amid much protest from the man himself and laughter from the rest of the boys and Lou. “Get outta here,” Thomas chuckled as they mounted up, “Try and stay clear of Possum Pass, it’s a bit closer to the Bakers place than you’ll like. Take the east trail, it’s gonna take you into Morrisonville but that’s better than getting into afire fight.” “How far is it into Morrisonville?” Cody asked quickly. “Two and a half days,” Thomas replied. “The trail’s a bit steep in places so be careful but it’s a good solid route.” With nods and mutters of goodbye the boys kicked their mounts into a gallop and headed for the trail indicated. “Why send them that way?” Marc demanded, “You know that…” “They need at least one night to steal those two’s guns, now I don’t know about you but sending ‘em somewhere else was only going to delay the inevitable.” “You knew?” “Course? Who do you think they got to drug ‘em this time?” Thomas drawled and turned to walk away a smug grin on his face. Pushing hard the boys made good time, stopping as night fell near a pristine creek. The slow moving water bubbled and rolled over the rocks drowning out all but the most obvious of forest noises. Waiting impatiently for Kid and Lou both to go to sleep the boys were on pins and needles until the soft sound of Lou’s even breathing and the slight snore from Kid told them they were sleeping soundly. *Okay, Buck grab Kid’s gun, I’ll grab Lou’s,* Ike signed quickly in the firelight. *Remember we don’t know anything.* *We’re not stupid,* Cody signed back, *Do you think we can get to Morrisonville tomorrow?* *Of course,* Buck replied with an evil grin. *Late tomorrow would be a good guess after all, we’re usually faster than anyone else.* Smothering their chuckles the boys hid the two guns in their owner’s belongings where they’d never think to look, Jimmy tucking the package Marc had given him into Lou’s saddle bag quickly before scurrying back to their bedrolls and falling into his own. A shared grin, and a nod and the boys slid off to sleep leaving only Buck awake and on watch. Tomorrow would be a long, hard ride and at the end of it, at least they’d get a little peace and quiet after the explosions from both Kid and Lou! Chapter 18 The annoying pounding on the hotel door had Lou pulling a pillow over her head and hoping the sound would stop. When it only increased she opened one eye and peaked out, her room… a room that the boys had been generous enough to rent for her alone. Sitting up she tossed aside the blankets and stalked to the door. Jerking it open a few inches she met Buck’s dark gaze, “What is it?” “Good you’re up. Here,” he shoved a package at her, “get dressed. We’re having breakfast with the preacher this morning.” “What? Why? When?” Lou sputtered as Buck moved off. Watching him until he’d vanished Lou sighed and glanced down at the package before closing the door and moving to light a lamp. Five minutes later, the room sufficiently trashed for her to be furious Lou finished pulling her hair back into a loose knot before heading for the door. Stepping into the hallway she grumbled silently as she hurried down the stairs, the whisper of cotton against wood loud to her ears. Stepping into the foyer of the hotel she hid a snicker at the sight of the boys dressed in their Sunday best even as her gaze scanned them. Frowning slightly when she realized that Kid was absent she turned and looked at Buck who looked innocently back at her. “Come on, we’re gonna be late,” Cody said all but pushing her out the door. “Where’s Kid? If we have to go why doesn’t he?” “Oh he went ahead,” Cody explained quickly, “Something about he wanted to check on the horses.” Lou nodded, that sounded like something the Kid would do. Falling silent she followed Cody’s lead all the way over to the small, white house behind the church. Sucking in a breath she wondered if he would notice if she didn’t show up. The robust man who met them at the door smiled at everyone and ushered them into the house. Leading them through the foyer, he directed them to a small, warm little room and excused himself for a moment. “Is there any reason the groom didn’t arrive first?” he asked the tall, moody man staring back at him. “He went to check on the horses,” Jimmy tugged at his tie, “Lucky him. Now remember, no matter what they say just finish the ceremony.” “Seems a bit odd that two people in love as you say would be so opposed…” “It ain’t that they’re opposed to it,” Jimmy explained tugging at his tie again, “They just took a real rocky road to get here and aren’t exactly in a big rush.” “So why are you trying to marry them off to each other?” “Because it’s best for all of us. As long as they’re man and wife they can live in the big house, which means more peace and quiet for us. It also means less of a chance to get into one of their ‘discussions’. Now we all have to pay for their fallin’ out, don’t see any reason why now that they’re together again we should have to continue on that path.” Shaking his head the preacher shrugged and trudged off to answer the door. He’d never seen anyone being railroaded into a weddin’ before and he wondered if this was a good idea. An hour later after a lovely breakfast his wife had fixed before retreating to get the children ready for school, he had a massive headache, and two stunned people standing together eying him as he fidgeted with his bible. “And why are we doing this?” Lou asked coolly, her gaze skirting to the boys and back again. “Doing what?” Buck asked handing her a cup of coffee. “We’re being polite guests.” With a skeptical look Lou took the coffee, sipping it gently even as she saw Kid drinking his own coffee. Neither saw the looks being exchanged even as their ‘friends’ moved to flank them; effectively cutting off any and all escape routes. Groaning at the pounding in his head Kid rolled over and rubbed at his eyes even as he realized that it was way past sun-up. Shaking his head, he stretched and sat up taking the blankets with him. The low, tortured groan from beside him had his head whipping around faster than Noah’s whip. Staring down into a familiar face that was only now beginning to stir Kid swore. “Keep the noise down,” Lou groaned, “Some of us don’t feel so good.” “Headache?” Kid groaned as Lou’s eyes shot open and she bolted into an upright position. “What are you doing…?” “Something tells me the boys set us up again,” Kid groaned as he looked around. Their dress clothes were folded neatly on a chair, their boots, hats, and coats all sat neatly, the only thing missing was their guns. “Well at least its somewhere not dark, and damp.” Spotting something folded neatly on the bedside table Kid picked it up and unfolded it. “Dear Kid and Lou; congrat’s on the wedding. We’ll see you in a week or so at home! The boys.” “Wedding?” Lou croaked as she took the note and found a second page with it. Opening it with shaking fingers she paled at the very official, very legal marriage certificate. “Uh Kid? Did you know we got married yesterday?” “What?” Kid snapped crawling over the bed and nearly crushing Lou in his haste to get the page she held. Reading it he shook his head, “I’m gonna kill them. Every single one of them!” “Me first,” Lou snarled kicking at the blankets and succeeding in tangling both of them up in hem. “Right after I get out of this bed!” “Do you think they left town?” Kid muttered already searching for his gun with his eyes. “Oh I’m sure of it. They all have a wonderful sense of self preservation when the want it!” “Come on,” Kid tugged on Lou’s arm, “If we hurry…” “I’ve got a better idea,” Lou smiled slowly. “Let’s relax. Let them think we’re going to go easy on them, that way we have a seven day holiday and they have to do our chores with out us.” “When we get back we’re going…” Kid started only to stop at Lou’s soft laughter. “Kid, we have a week to plot their demise. I don’t know about you but the thought of getting up and moving around is killing me. There’s gotta be something else we could do to kill some time.” Grinning as he caught her meaning Kid nodded and slid beneath the covers, “Oh I think we can come up with something to do,” he agreed easily. Chapter 19 Sitting in his regular chair at dinner Teaspoon eyed five tired young men with a disapproving eye. A quick glance at the two empty seats, two neatly made bunks, and a rather ungainly pile of parcels and packages that sat on Kid’s bunk only raised his ire. “When did you say they were due in?” he asked softly noting the rapid, uneasy glances being exchanged.   “Uh yesterday,” Cody replied. “They probably just decided to stop somewhere or something.” “What did I tell you boys about meddling?” Teaspoon sighed, “You can’t do it. Not with the Kid and Lou. They’ll both skin your hide. Then stomp on what’s left of your blood carcass.” “But you we had no choice!” Jimmy stated quickly in defense of their actions. “If we hadn’t stepped in they’d still be giving each other the silent treatment.” “Son, you can’t hurry love. And you can’t make somebody’s heart follow your dictates.” “Uh what’s dictates?” Jimmy frowned at the word. Groaning softly Teaspoon shook his head quickly, “Means what you want, your orders. This is Kid you’re talkin’ about. He’s bullheaded, always does the right thing, does right by the girl and to hell with what might be a gray area. Not to mention Lou who if you recall nearly killed Kid for moving her belongings out of the bunkhouse. You think she’s gonna go easy on you for marryin’ her off?” “Yes,” Noah nodded firmly, “Because it’s what she wanted. She loves Kid…why I do not know, he’s about as much fun as a boil but still it’s her choice. Besides of that we didn’t do anything that they didn’t already want. We all know they were talkin’ about getting married, we just picked their wedding day for them.” “I should let them kill you,” Teaspoon groaned even as he heard the distinct sound of footsteps on the porch. “And I believe that they’re here so you boys might want to be prepared to scatter.” “Sorry we’re late Teaspoon,” Kid hurried held the door for Lou who nodded at him and smiled sweetly. “No worries. Everything okay?” “Of for sure,” Lou shrugged, “Katy threw a shoe had to get it fixed before we could continue.” “Glad to hear it wasn’t anything too trying.” “Boys,” the decidedly cooler tone in Lou’s voice had them all fidgeting in their seats as they looked at Cody and Jimmy with pity. “Lou, Kid. How was your honeymoon?” Cody asked only to wince when Jimmy elbowed him sharply. “Oh it was good,” Kid smiled at Lou knowingly. “Really, really good. So good in fact that we figured if Teaspoon doesn’t mind we’d like to take a few more days off. Should really head up to see Lou’s kin, let them know what’s happened.” Teaspoon nodded slowly, “Uh okay. I’ve got a run going that way, you wanna take it?” “Sure. When’s it leave?” Lou asked settling next to Cody as Kid settled next to her. “Tomorrow after lunch. You’ll be gone about four days. You’ll have to spend one night in Saint Jo before returning this way.” “Sounds good,” Kid smiled at Lou who snuggled against him, her hand landing on his thigh. “Right Lou?” “Mmhmm,” Lou sighed, “Just us, alone..” “Okay what’s up? You two are torturing us yet so get on with it?” Jimmy snapped at the simpering look Lou was giving Kid. Sharing a glance they turned to look at him, “Whatever do you mean Jimmy?” Lou smirked. “Torture you? Hmm, no not on my list of to do things.” “Not on mine either. Uh Teaspoon do you mind if we sleep up at the big house tonight? Kinda feel strange to sleep here married and all.” “Not at all,” Teaspoon eyed them carefully. “Feel free to use the spare room. Rachel’s still at the school house so you’ll have to fetch whatever you need.” “Don’t need much,” Lou replied almost crawling into Kid’s lap, “Just a nice big bed, and privacy.” Groaning Cody slumped at the table, “I just lost my apetite.” Laughing at him Teaspoon nudged Ike to hand him the potatoes. “I’m sure you’ll survive Cody.” Epilogue: Six Weeks Later “Teaspoon you have to do something!” Jimmy paced relentlessly in front of the older man in his office. Sitting quietly around the room all wearing matching expressions of horror and shock the boys nodded. “About what?” “Kid and Lou, they’re driving us all insane. Last night Lou came into the bunkhouse to get something for Kid. She smiled sweetly at all of us, didn’t even bite our heads off. Just this morning Kid offered to help Cody with that fencing he’s been putting off. Not to mention he asked Buck if he needed help feeding the stock!” “So? What’s the problem?” “They’re killing us!” Buck snapped raking a hand through his hair. “They haven’t stopped being so sugary nice to us since they got back. Personally, I much preferred the moodiness…” he broke off as he spotted Lou all but skipping along the sidewalk. “Oooh nooo.” Matching groans echoed in the small jail as the boys all moved away from the door and into the open cell where Ike was flopped onto the cot. “Hi guys,” Lou giggled at them, waving slightly as she plunked herself down in front of Teaspoons desk. “Have you seen Kid?” “Not since this morning. I believe he said something about helping Old Mrs. Peterson with that bottom field.” “Hmm, drat.” “Why? What’s got you in such a good mood?” Teaspoon smiled at her. “I’ve got a surprise for him.” “For who?” Kid asked stepping through the door and smirking at the boys even as his expression softened and he glanced at Lou. “You will never believe me…” “I don’t know,” Kid shrugged, “Why not try me first.” “I just came from Doc. Hudgson’s office…” “You’re okay? I mean it’s just a cold or something…right?” Kid’s face darkened with worry. “Or something,” smirking Lou leaned forward in her chair, her gaze steady on Kid’s, “I’m pregnant.” “Oh NO!” Cody shouted and dived for the bars, “Go away. Like hell you are. I’m not putting up with this any longer. Uh huh, you’re both insane. This is crazy. This is your way of getting back at us! I know it is…” Turning to stare at Cody’s outburst Kid and Lou both frowned, “Why are you in jail?” Kid asked with a puzzled look. Groaning Jimmy sank to the floor, “This is a bad dream. This is a bad dream. If I don’t believe in it, it’ll go away!” Turning back to Lou with a sad shake of his head Kid stared at her, “You’re sure? As in diapers and midnight feedings…” “And the patter of tiny little feet,” Lou laughed as he swung her into his arms. “Wasn’t really expecting it but… are you happy?” “Elated!” Kid chuckled kissing her hard on the mouth. “Come on, I can’t wait to tell Rachel. We have to send word to Jeremiah and Teresa as well. And I talked to Mrs. Peterson today while I was out plowing that field. She said she’d allow us to move out there on one condition. Said we could have the farm, have everything as long as she could stay there. Wants to be buried next to….” Sitting in stunned silence the boys glanced at each other before Cody leaned over and pulled the door of the cell shut, “If you need us Teaspoon, we’re right here.” He whispered softly, “In this nice, little, safe, jail cell. Where Kid and Lou can’t get to us. There’s no kissing and hugging, no cow-eyes being made, no sickeningly sweetness, no…oh no! Mood swings, cravings, swollen feet…they’ve created a monster!” Rolling his eyes Teaspoon rose, “When you boys figure out what you’re gonna do I’m gonna go talk to Kid and Lou. See if they’re quitting or what have you.” “No! Don’t tell ‘em anything about us!” Cody begged, “We like it here. It’s safe.” Teaspoon looked at them before glancing out the door, “I’ll send Doc over to talk to you. Figuring like that you boys all need a break. Why don’t you take the day off and go swimming and fishing? Hear the fish are biting pretty well at the fishing hole.” Swallowing Jimmy glanced at his mentor, “Not as long as those two are out there. You put them in this cell, we’ll come out. Better yet lock them in the house and we’ll come out.” “Where did I go wrong?” Teaspoon groaned leaving the boys huddled together in the jail cell. At least Kid and Lou were acting normal, although Lou was a little too cheery today but news of an impending birth does that! End Email Destardi HOME