Part 1: A Rocky Beginning
“I’m what!” Jimmy exclaimed.
“You’re married” The judge said like it was the most perfectly natural thing in the world.
“But how can I be married. I ain’t ever even had a wedding.”
For Jimmy it had certainly been a strange day. He’d woken up late after his boss’s pre Christmas party the night before to find he was lying the wrong way round in his bed. He had a ringing headache and he couldn’t even remember drinking any alcohol.
In fact when he thought about it the less he remembered about the night before anywhere past the desserts.
Dressing quickly he’d made his way across to the jailhouse. Knowing as he did he was probably late for his shift. He relieved the other deputy silently and after enjoying a quiet morning he had lost most of the worry he had felt. Until that he returned to the jailhouse after lunch.
It was as he made he way back to the jail from his usual cheese sandwich at the saloon that Judge Brown had stopped him to congratulate him as to his marriage. Jimmy of course had no idea what the man was talking about.
He had come to Rock Springs almost a year before. Taking up the job as deputy lawman was easy after his year in the army as a scout after the express had collapsed. In that year he had made a small yet solid group of friends in town, mostly those who worked with him or around him. Yet he had never fancied let alone courted anyone.
“You don’t need to have a wedding to get married son. I sent the papers off this morning. All legal, signatures and everything. You can see the copies though if you like. I don’t know why you’d need to though. I mean, you only signed them last night.” Taking Jimmy’s stunned silence as a chance to escape from this deputy who he was sure was losing his mind the Judge made quick excuses and quickly joined a colleague he saw walking in the opposite direction.
Jimmy just stood there. He couldn’t have gotten married could he? He didn’t remember much of the night before but surely he would remember getting married. Or even who he was married to?
He finished crossing over to the jailhouse looking up as he pushed the door open to see a familiar face.
“Kara.” He greeted stepping across to kiss his friend on the cheek.
Kara was one of his closest friends in Rock Springs. She was a seamstress by trade yet she often helped out her uncle the Marshall when the situation called for an extra gun or a female touch. She was the only person in Jimmy’s new group of friends who was around his age and they got on well together.
“Jimmy. I didn’t know you were working today.” She stated as he pulled back from the peck.
She tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. Some how her hair never managed to stay tied back properly. The young lawman smiled at the motion, it was now quite a familiar gesture to him. One she had done since the day they had met each other. Although he’d noticed the movement happened more often when she was nervous.
“Yeah. I swapped my shift with Bill so he could spend the evening with his family.” Jimmy explained taking a seat behind his desk. “Kara. How much do you remember of last night?” Jimmy asked trying to keep his voice casual.
Kara’s face paled visibly.
“Last night?” She repeated shakily. “Why?”
“I was just curious. Apparently I drank more than I thought.” He joked.
“You weren’t drinking though. Well of course you were drinking but only sarsaparilla.”
“That’s what I thought but I can’t remember much after dinner.”
“I know what you mean. I don’t know what happened last night. At least after dinner. Maybe you and I got into a drinking contest together.” Kara joked without a smile.
Jimmy could see the concern behind her eyes. He made a mental note to talk to the others that’d dined together the night before to see if they had noticed anything strange also.
Before Jimmy could respond to Kara’s statement however the doorbell jingled and Kara’s uncle, the town Marshall walked into the office.
“Ah, I’m glad you are both here. I have an assignment for the two of you.” He stated gruffly, looking down at them both. They had recomposed themselves the moment the door had opened.
“An assignment? Where to?” Kara asked walking up to greet her uncle. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping back to stand at the desk again.
“Some town called Rock Creek. Ever heard of it?” The Marshall pulled a folder out of a satchel he had been holding. Kara was shaking her head slowly as she thought over the name, but it wasn’t familiar to her.
Jimmy however felt as though the bottom of his stomach had dropped out. His thoughts flashed to the family he had once left behind.
After the collapse of the Express Jimmy had followed Cody to join the army. However the life was not for him and after a year in service he’d left and found himself here in Rock Springs, settling down just over ten months ago. He’d only written only once to his Express family, at Christmas to let them know he was well, at that time he had not told them where he was or how they could reach him.
“The name is familiar.” He acknowledged quickly when he realized the Marshall was waiting for him to answer.
“Well I need some documents taken to the Marshall there. Warrants and Scriptures mostly but there are some important papers in them highly confidential. Once there you will have to wait a couple of days to receive more documents back from their Marshall. Now rumors about that there are a few people who don’t want this information to get to Rock Creek That’s why you two will be travelling together. Jimmy you’re our best shot with a gun and Kara you ain’t to bad around a weapon neither. But mostly it’s a good disguise pairing you to up together. After all, you two are newly weds.”
Jimmy’s eyes widened.
“Newlyweds?” Jimmy spluttered thinking about the Judge’s strange question earlier.
“You mean me and Kara…” He trailed off.
“Calm down Jimmy. He is talking about pretending. You know we ain’t married.” Kara was less worried than he at her uncle’s strange statement however she seemed shocked at Jimmy’s reaction.
He was watching the Marshall carefully.
The older man seemed extremely aggravated over something he reached into the folder he was holding and pulled a sheet of paper out.
“I’m sorry this was done to you but General Cooper from the army specifically instructed it be so. Apparently some of these documents are very important. In fact I probably cannot impose upon you the importance of them so…”
“Marshall!” Jimmy called bringing the older man back from his ramble. “Kara and I?”
“Ah yes. Well the truth is. Yes you are married.” He handed Jimmy a sheet of paper.
Looking down at it Jimmy could see the words ‘Certificate of Marriage’ printed boldly across the top. Underneath it were several paragraphs of smaller writing ending in his and Kara’s signatures. He recognized her flowing script easily and there was no mistaking his own defined scrawl.
He passed the paper silently to Kara and looked up at his Boss waiting for an explanation.
“As I said. I am sorry about this. He had no right to meddle with your lives but the General....” The Marshall trailed off weakly.
“But why do we actually have to be married? Couldn’t we just have pretended?” Kara finally spoke placing the certificate down on the table. She sank down into a spare chair in the office in shock.
“How did we actually end up married?” Jimmy added on. A fact that had been troubling him since he saw the signatures.
“And why don’t we remember?” Kara asked.
“One thing at a time.” The Marshall sighed, thinking to himself that this meeting was harder than he thought. He looked up at the two.
“See the General approached me last week about drafting you two to work on this assignment. He had heard about some of your other adventures in the past and he specifically wanted Kara on the case. When he discovered that our ‘Jimmy’ was also a gunfighter he insisted you be the other person on the job. He wanted you two to pair up to take the documents to Rock Creek and he believed that it would be a more convincing front if you were actually married. When I heard this I told him that you two would never consent but that he was free to ask you. According to the Generals information there are some pretty powerful people wanting to stop this information getting through. He thought they would know if any minor detail seemed awry. Like two unwed people passing themselves off as married or an unrelated male and female travelling together.” The Marshall paused to gauge his audience’s reaction the two youths were standing patiently waiting for him to continue.
“Last night at the dinner the General came along. He was supposed to approach you both together about his plan. I was sure you wouldn’t go for it so imagine my surprise when you came up to us after the coffee’s and announced to everyone you were getting married. No one knew about the plan aside from the general and myself and while everyone was very surprised I must say everyone was very happy for the two of you. The General had the papers there and you signed them all in front of everyone. It wasn’t until just now that I discovered the real truth. Apparently the General was worried you wouldn’t agree to his plan so he had his son drug you both. I am not sure what the actual substance they used was but it seems that it did the job they wanted. By the time I found out about their sham it was too late, the town judge had already mailed off the papers to be processed.”
“What if we refuse to accept the assignment?”
“The general says if you do that then he won’t approve the annulment. There was a clause in the Marriage contract stating that to annul the marriage within the next 5 years that it would have to be signed over by the General. So if you do the assignment he will approve your marriage to be annulled if you don’t then you are stuck together. It sound’s insane I know. But the general was adamant that this was the way it had to be.”
There was a long silence after this statement which was finally broken by Kara.
“What is in these papers that make them so important?”
“I’m not sure. It’s classified. But there is also a key. I don’t know what it is for but Kara you have been asked to carry it. The General was very specific on this point, he said you were to keep it with you always until you reached your contact. I am sure the General will give you the rest of the details if you agree to the assignment.
“Count me out.” Jimmy said angrily. “Who does this General think he is?” Sitting back in his chair and stubbornly crossing his arms as if to make a point.
“I’ll go.” Kara said resolutely. “Even if I go alone. I’ll take the papers to Rock Creek, and the key.” Jimmy sat forward in surprise at her statement.
“You don’t have to. I am sure there is another way.” Her uncle reassured.
“No. I would have done this assignment if they’d asked me to. Well aside from the crazy marriage idea, but otherwise I know I would have accepted it. These papers must be important.” She cut off leaving whatever else she might have been thinking unsaid.
“Well I am going to go and see the General now. Perhaps you would like to come. I am sure he can give you more details than I can.”
Kara nodded her head in acceptance. As she stepped forward to leave Jimmy placed his hand gently on her arm.
“You won’t go alone. I’ll come too.” Kara smiled warmly at her friend.
“I’ll join you outside.” She told her uncle waiting for him to leave before turning back to Jimmy.
“It’s alright.” She said as the door shut with a click. “You don’t have to come. I am sure the general will agree to annul the marriage if I go.”
“That’s not why I’m going. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.” Kara looked across the desk into his dark brown eyes. The sincerity that was shown in them touched her greatly.
“I’ll be fine. I always have been before haven’t I?” She stepped back from the desk and made to turn towards the door but Jimmy’s voice stopped her once again.
“Why are you really doing this Kara?” He asked.
“People have been talking lately. They reckon the war’s almost over. Now I just can’t help wondering what makes these papers so important…” She trailed off leaving the though hang. “Just can’t help wondering is all. What if this is my chance to make a difference.”
And with that she turned and walked out the door.
It was early noon the next day when Jimmy and Kara started their journey. From Rock Springs they would ride to Wood End and travel by stage from there to Blue Creek, from Blue Creek it was only a day’s ride to their destination.
“It’s a strange place for a honeymoon but I hopes you likes it.” Thora Watson the Marshall’s wife commented as Jimmy and Kara tightened the straps on their horses.
“It’ll be lovely.” The Marshall assured her. He and his wife had come into town to see the young pair off on their journey.
“Well we shouldn’t be too long. Depending on how long we stay on in Rock Creek.” Kara reminded them. She finished adjusting her saddle and came to stand in front of the pair. Jimmy beside her.
“You just make sure you take care of her young man. Goodness knows you both deserve some happiness.” Thora hugged them both tightly before standing back to let her husband make his good-byes.
At the meeting the day before the General had impressed upon Kara the need for urgency and it was at that time he had given her the papers and key. Jimmy and Kara had met that night with the Marshall and planned out the majority of the trip. The only unknown was how long they would have to wait in Rock Creek for the papers they were supposed to receive in return.
Kara hugged her uncle goodbye feeling as she did the key that she’d sewn into her corset top press into her ribs. The Marshall shook Jimmy’s hand firmly.
“Take care of her now.”
“I will sir.”
And with that the two had set out towards Woods End.
“We should get there early evening.” Jimmy commented as they rode. Kara jumped slightly, it was the first time either of them had spoken in over an hour.
“Should do.” She replied.
There was another pause until Kara spoke again.
“I am glad you came.” Jimmy looked across at her. “I didn’t want you to think I was ungrateful. Don’t get me wrong you still didn’t have to come but thank you all the same.”
“Well I am your husband.” Jimmy joked wryly. “Aren’t I supposed to look after you!” Kara smiled warmly across at him.
“Speaking of our marriage. I had several people coming up to me before we left. All wanting to know why we hadn’t announced our courtship.” Kara laughed. She didn’t add that everyone she’d spoken to had expressed how glad they were that the couple had found each other. A few had even told her they’d seen it coming.
“I know what you mean. The guys at the jail house wouldn’t leave me alone all day.”
Kara looked across at Jimmy as he spoke. He was telling her a story about one of the deputy’s reactions but she wasn’t really listening.
She had never thought of Jimmy as anything but a friend. They had met on his first day in Rock Springs when he was applying for the job of deputy with her uncle. She was bringing her uncle his dinner and had ended up helping Jimmy to find somewhere to stay. After that they’d fallen together as good friends, always close but never had one of them expressed a wish for more than that. Now however Kara found herself looking at her friend in a whole new light. He wasn’t bad looking now she thought about it.
“So what do you think?” Jimmy asked, bringing Kara out of her daydream.
“Sorry?” Kara replied, startled as she realized she had no idea what Jimmy had been talking about.
“How they are going to take it?” Jimmy repeated. Kara looked at him blankly. “When we tell them about the marriage.” He continued at her confusion.
“Who?” Kara asked still not catching on.
“Everyone back home. How do you think they’ll react when they find out?” He said patiently.
“Oh, I’m not sure.” She paused “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it anymore. The marriage that is, someone might over hear. Better safe than sorry.”
“Ok so what do you want to talk about?”
“Me? I don’t know.” There was another pause, this one lasted several minutes.
“Who were you before Rock Springs?” Kara asked suddenly.
Jimmy looked around at her in surprise. Kara had never asked about that before. In fact no one at Rock Springs had asked him about his background. They knew he had a reputation and that it was in the past and they were happy to leave it at that.
“You don’t have to speak about it if you don’t want to.” Kara added uncertainly.
“It’s alright. It’s just I don’t think about it much.”
“Not a lot of good memories?”
Jimmy didn’t say anything for a while.
“No, That’s not it.” Kara could hear the pain in his voice and decided to leave it at that.
Jimmy didn’t notice the silence, he was lost in memories he’d kept hidden for almost two years. Of his family, the one he was slowly making his way back to. If it hadn’t been for this mission he might never had made his way back to Rock Creek. ‘Maybe they’re not even there anymore’ he thought to himself wryly.
“You see to the horse’s. I’ll check into the hotel.” Kara said as they pulled up to the hotel in Woods End. As Jimmy had predicted it was early evening and the couple’s stagecoach did not leave until noon the next day.
Jimmy nodded and collected her reigns in his spare hand. He led the horses around the back of the hotel to the stables where they were taken by the hired help. Jimmy oversaw them being fed and watered and left as the groom was brushing them down. When he returned to the hotel he found Kara in their room.
“Just the one?” He asked as he placed their belongings on the room’s side table.
“How many Newlyweds do you know who sleep in separate rooms?” Kara replied dryly.
She was in the middle of pinning back her hair in the mirror. Jimmy had never seen this done before and was surprised at how complicated it looked. She was using several differently shaped pins and twisting her hair as she went. When she finished she turned around to find Jimmy staring at her. She raised an eyebrow questioningly. Jimmy realized she was waiting for the reason he was still looking at her.
“Sorry, I uh… I’ve just never actually seen someone do their hair before. I always thought you just pulled it back.”
“Well usually I do but this styles supposed to be a bit nicer and the hotel is giving us a free restaurant dinner, I thought it might look odd not to accept.”
“Oh, of course. I guess I’d better get cleaned up.” Now that Jimmy had been told he could see that her hair was different than usual. Some of it was slightly damp most likely from where she had just washed her face.
“Jimmy you’re still looking at me.” Kara pointed out. Jimmy jumped and averting his gaze he made his way to the washstand where there was a full bowl of clean water and a cloth.
“You just look different.” He explained as he walked across.
“I guess now that I am glad Thora made me pack a dress, just in case.” She said, pulling a purple dress out of her pack. Stepping behind the change screen on the other side of the room she began to change.
Once Jimmy had finished washing he stepped across to his own bags and pulled out a clean shirt and trousers. He quickly pulled them on while Kara was still behind the screen. He was just pulling his boots back on when she stepped out. The dress was simple, yet elegant. Jimmy felt his breath catch, the purple color brought out the different highlight in Kara’s hair and seemed to deepen her blue eyes. Aside from that Jimmy had never seen her in a dress before. She usually wore riding skirts and shirts. He’d even seen her in pants and men’s clothing on their other assignments.
“You look… nice” He complimented.
“Thanks, you don’t scrub up too bad yourself.” Kara smiled. Jimmy stepped forwards and proffered his arm.
“Shall we? Mrs. Hickock.” He asked with a smile.
“Why thank you Mr. Hickock.”
Morning sunlight broke through the hotel window waking Kara from her light sleep. Squinting at the open curtains she decided it was too much effort to get up and close them, instead she rolled over to face the other way. When she did she had to stop herself from jumping. She was in bed with Jimmy! Thinking back over the night she remembered dinner in the restaurant. Full of reminiscing over the times they had shared together. She remembered winning the fight to sleep on the couch when they got back up to the room. Both of them had wanted the other to take the bed but in the end Kara had won the coin toss. She remembered being woken not long after falling asleep by Jimmy talking in his sleep. At first it was just murmurs but then he’d started to toss and turn. Kara had gotten up to see if he was all right and as soon as she’d sat down on the bed he had calmed down. She’d lain down to wait until he was sleeping more deeply and must have fallen asleep. Now she realized he was lying still asleep beside her, his arm lying across her stomach.
Gently Kara tried to back up, to get out of the bed before Jimmy woke up. As she shifted however she saw his eyelids start to flutter open. She closed her eyes tight and held her breath. When he didn’t move she opened them again. Jimmy was watching her. When he saw her eyes open he smiled.
“Hey.” He greeted huskily.
“Hey.” She replied, unsure what else to say. Jimmy rolled over on to his back taking his arm with him.
Kara took the chance to slide out of the other side of bed.
“I’m just going to check on the stage coach. See if it’s still on schedule. She explained as she pulled her robe on over her shift and letting herself out the front door.
Jimmy rolled back onto his side as she shut the door. He wasn’t sure why he had woken up in the middle of the night to find Kara by his side and although it had surprised him he couldn’t say he found having someone close to him unpleasant, especially when that someone was his new wife.
When he’d first met Kara, Jimmy had assumed that she was married or at least had a beau, by the time he found out otherwise they were close friends yet he’d never noticed any signs she wanted more and he was content to leave their friendship as it was.
There was also the thought that he could never shake. That he couldn’t afford to be with any one, couldn’t live with him self if she were placed in danger because of him. It was this thought above all others that had kept him from courting any one.
‘Still’ he thought to him self, ‘It was nice to pretend, even if only for a night.’
Jimmy was up and dressed by the time Kara returned to the room.
“It’s on time.” She announced grabbing her riding clothes and ducking behind the change screen again. When she was dressed they packed their things and headed downstairs for a late breakfast before the stagecoach took on its passengers. There was only one other passenger with them for the first leg of the journey. He rode atop the carriage with the driver claiming he wanted to see the countryside and get some fresh air. This left Jimmy and Kara alone inside the coach.
“Who’s Teaspoon?” Kara asked suddenly a short while after their journey began. Jimmy’s head shot around from looking out the window to look at her. She was watching him carefully, judging his reaction.
“How do you know that name?” He interrogated sounding harsher than he’d intended.
“You were saying it in your sleep last night.” Jimmy remained silent but Kara refused to break his gaze.
“Is that why you came over?” Jimmy asked softly. Kara nodded slowly.
There was another pause and Kara thought due to the silence that he would not answer her question.
“I used to ride for the pony express.” Jimmy said eventually. “Teaspoon was the station master. Until he became the town Marshall.”
“The Pony Express. I thought you worked for the army.” Kara stated, genuinely surprised.
“I worked for the army as well. As a scout but that was after my days as an Express rider. I was an orphan and I lived with a man we called The Judge. When I had a falling out with him I joined the Express, it was just starting up and our station was one of the first. All of us riders grew very close, in fact I guess it was the first family I felt a part of in a long time.”
Kara nodded when he finished.
“So why did you leave?” She asked.
“I joined the army.” Jimmy answered non-committal.
“Ok, so why didn’t you go back?”
“I just didn’t. What about you then? Why are you living with your Uncle and Aunt far away from the town you grew up in?” He spat at her. “I know your Uncles family are all alive because he told me, so why aren’t you living with your parents?”
Kara lifted her chin to the attack. “Sometimes people move on.” She replied.
There was a longer silence this time as they both stared at the scenery as it passed by.
“I didn’t mean to pry.” Kara admitted finally. She sounded defeated as if she’d lost an internal struggle with herself.
“I’m sorry I snapped.” Jimmy consented “It’s just, you ask these questions of my past when I know nothing of yours. Ever since we’ve met you’ve remained a mystery and not just to me. I doubt anyone in Rock Springs knows more about you than I, excepting possibly your Aunt and Uncle and what I know wouldn’t fill a whole page on a book.” Jimmy’s voice still carried an irritated tone.
Kara didn’t look around from her window.
“What do you want to know?” She asked softly.
“Don’t worry about it?” Jimmy admitted, his ire quashed at her quiet tone.
There was another longer silence. This time it was Jimmy who spoke first.
“I ran away.” He admitted. Kara looked across at him. “I ran away from them, that’s why I left to join the army in the first place.” He then continued to relate to Kara stories of his time in the Express. Beginning with meeting the riders on his first day and ending with the fall out between friends at Kid and Lou’s wedding and Noah’s death. By the time he’d finished talking the stage was just outside the town they were scheduled to stop for the night in.
Kara hadn’t said a word since Jimmy had started talking. Now that he finished she simply picked up his hand and held it gently in hers. She didn’t know what to say to the man who’d just unfolded his life story before her.
“Thankyou.” Jimmy started. “For listening to me. I didn’t realize how much I was keeping inside.”
“No problems. I’m glad you opened up. Maybe one day I can do the same.” She smiled gently up across the seat at him.
Jimmy looked up and found himself caught in her gaze. Leaning forward impulsively he gently kissed her.
Kara felt Jimmy’s lips brush up against hers and she froze in surprise. When he pulled back her eyes weighed him up judgingly. He paused only inches from her face waiting for a reaction.
As if she was watching herself from another seat Kara felt her head lean in and meet Jimmy’s lips for a second time. This time the kiss was slower and more passionate. In fact Kara wasn’t sure how long they would have kept kissing if the stage coach driver hadn’t opened the door and announced that they’d arrived for the night. Kara pulled back from Jimmy quickly and gathered her things.
The driver chuckled as he helped the hotel attendant collect the bags.
“Newly weds.” He explained with a smile.
The kiss remained unspoken between Jimmy and Kara right the way through checking into the hotel, dinner in the restaurant and the walk back up to their room.
“There’s no couch in this room.” Kara observed shyly.
“You can take the bed, I will sleep on the floor.” Jimmy continued when he saw Kara open her mouth to protest. “No don’t, you won last night but I refuse to give in tonight. You take the bed.”
“Alright.” Kara conceded. “I’m pretty tired so I might turn in now.” She said. Looking around the room she realized there was also no changing screen. Jimmy seemed to notice this at the same time. He coughed gently and turned his back. Allowing her the privacy to change.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. I sleep in my shift after all.” She said unlacing the tie at the top of her riding skirt and stepping out of it. She pulled her top off over her head and dropped it next to her skirt before sliding between the covers of the bed.
“You can turn around now.” She called. Jimmy turned back to see her plumping up her pillow. He walked over to the closet and pulled out the spare blanket. He spread it our on the floor next to the bed, Kara handing him a pillow as he lay down.
“Night Jimmy.” She said blowing out the bedside lamp.
“G’night.”
It must have been just past midnight when Kara woke to hear Jimmy tossing around in his sleep. He seemed restless and agitated by something she assumed he was dreaming about.
“Jimmy.” She called softly leaning down to shake him awake. “Jimmy!” He came to with a start, sitting up quickly and forcing Kara to pull back.
“Jimmy are you all right, you weren’t sleeping well.” She asked concerned.
“Um… Yeah, bad dream I guess.”
“Come up here.” Kara pulled back in the bed making room for Jimmy.
“What?” He repeated incredulously.
“Sleeping on that floor can’t be good for you. Now not another word, up.” She pulled back the covers and waited until he had slid into the bed beside her. Then turning her back on him she snuggled up into her pillow.
“Night Jimmy.” She yawned, but he was already asleep.
Morning seemed to come quickly for Kara who was woken once again by the early light, this time she could tell it wasn’t long past dawn.
“It’s way too early” She groaned rolling over. Jimmy who was lying beside her opened his eyes at her words.
“Hey you.” She whispered realizing she woken him.
“Hey” he replied. Shifting gently. As he did his arm brushed up against her waist. Kara froze, not wanting him to move. Slowly she forced her self to relax. As she did she felt herself lean into his side. Jimmy reacted by pushing his arm under her side and pulling her in to his side. Once there Kara felt herself instantly relax.
“You tired?” asked Jimmy feeling her head droop against his shoulder.
“No. Just extremely comfortable.” She admitted softly.
“That’s good.” He said smiling at her. Kara lifted her head up to look at his features more. His piercing blue eyes were warm and softened by the grin on his face. The morning suns rays were bathing his face in a soft warm light that seemed to deepen the color of his hair and skin.
Jimmy in return was taking time to admire Kara. Her hair had mostly fallen loose during the night and flew wildly about her face and down her neck. Eyes the color of deep clear water were watching him, weighing him up, but he could tell she was happy by the slight smile that played around her lips.
Unable to resist anymore Jimmy raised his body up to meet hers, pressing his lips against her soft mouth gently. Kara less surprised by the kiss than she had been the day before welcomed it warmly.
The pair didn’t realize the time passing as they lay in each other’s arms simply reveling in the comfort that lying close to another person brought. In fact it wasn’t until the hotel rang the first call to board the stagecoach that they realized they had missed breakfast.
Jumping quickly out of bed and rushing to dress the pair managed to pack and arrive at the front of the hotel just in time for the last call. The driver collected their bags with a chuckle and opened the door for Kara. She accepted Jimmy’s proffered hand up into the carriage and was surprised to see another man in the coach.
“Good morning ma’am.” He greeted with a tip of his hat.
The man was of a middling age and weight with traces of a southern accent slipping into his voice. Kara smiled warmly at the man and took a seat on the bench opposite him. Jimmy took the seat next to her and wrapped his hand around hers reassuringly.
Suddenly Kara remembered the reason she and Jimmy were on this trip, the key seemed to grow uncomfortable as it pressed lightly into her side. She subconsciously tightened her grip on Jimmy’s hand. The southern gentleman on the seat opposite appeared to be merely a travelling businessman but Kara knew that looks could be deceiving. The rest of that day’s journey was passed in silence. When her mind wasn’t pondering over the mission she was on Kara was feeling annoyed at the businessman for interrupting her conversations with Jimmy. This was the last leg of the stagecoach journey for them. Tomorrow they would ride into Rock Creek and Jimmy’s past.
When they arrived in the town they would be staying in for the last night Kara booked the rooms while Jimmy saw to the bags.
As soon as they were inside the safety of their rooms with the door shut Kara finally let herself relax.
“Are you ok?” Jimmy asked, noticed her shoulders slump.
“Yeah, I guess I was just a little stressed.”
“Worried about that guy?”
“It’s ok though. Tomorrow it’s all over. Well, half of it anyway. The difficult half.” She smiled up at him from where she was sitting on the bed. He gently pushed a strand of hair out of her face.
“You’re so beautiful” He whispered. Kara looked up in surprise, unsure how to react. It seemed like the past two days had been as if in a dream. Now she was woken by reality.
What would happen after this was all over? She had no idea how Jimmy felt towards her. In fact she hadn’t even asked herself how she felt towards him. As quickly as the thought had struck she pushed it aside. ‘There is plenty of time to worry about that after the mission, she told herself.
“We’d probably see about getting down to have dinner.” She stated standing up.
Jimmy smiled and offered her his arm.
“May I?” He questioned.
“You may.” Kara accepted with a smile. He was just too damn cute.
Dinner had passed uneventfully and it was probably close to the middle of the night. Kara stared up at the ceiling from her position beside Jimmy in the bed. For some reason tonight she was finding sleep extremely evasive. They had retired hours earlier and Jimmy it appeared had fallen immediately asleep. Kara however seemed to be stuck in a cycle of thought from which she couldn’t escape.
Most of it involved Jimmy and all of it what might happen tomorrow and on. Rolling onto one elbow Kara watched Jimmy closely. He certainly was handsome, and she had always felt a great connection with him as a friend. But why then hadn’t she liked him as something else before this week? Was it because of her past, had it made her wary to falling for anyone or was it because she didn’t really like him as more and it was just the circumstances in which they found themselves that had created this interesting yet possibly temporary chemistry. And if this was merely temporary them what would happen after the mission. Would Jimmy return with her to Rock Springs and they continue living as if nothing had happened. And there was another interesting question.
Once Jimmy returned to Rock Creek would he want to return to Rock Springs? After all his family was in Rock Creek what if he decided to stay with them instead of returning with her. Also he knew nothing of her past as she had kept it secret all through their friendship and since they had possibly become something more she had not yet had a chance to tell him anything of herself.
Thoughts like this kept her awake until the early hours of morning until finally she drifted off to sleep from exhaustion, she didn’t wake until after breakfast. Jimmy was already up and out of the room, feeling strangely deserted Kara rose and dressed then went to find her new husband.
He was out the back of the hotel seeing to the horses. They had been fed and groomed and now he was just finishing tightening the last strap on their gear.
“Morning Sleepy.” Jimmy greeted with a smile.
“Good Morning. Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You looked so peaceful” Jimmy explained “I didn’t want to disturb you. Come on lets get our stuff. If we make good time we will be there around lunch time.”
Kara noticed the worry behind his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just not expecting the warmest of Welcomes.”
“They’re your family, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Kara stepped forward quickly to give him a reassuring hug. Surprising herself at the instinct.
Jimmy gave her a quick grateful smile then went to fetch their bags.
As their journey drew closer and closer to its end Kara felt her self grow edgier. The general seemed confident that people would be out to get the information they were carrying yet so far they’d run into no trouble. It seemed to Kara that she was expecting people to be lurking behind every ridge, every tree and in every gully they passed. Yet none were forth coming.
By the time their destination appeared she was as tense as rock and stiff from trying to ride with her muscles so tight.
She fell in behind Jimmy when the approached town and let him lead the way. As soon as they entered the outskirts of town and passed the first buildings she felt the stress ease, leaving her muscles feeling tired and weak. Jimmy rode up to the back of the hotel and offering her his arm led the way inside to get a room. Kara ordered a hot bath to be brought up to their rooms and followed Jimmy up the stairs. Once inside the room Kara let herself flop down on the bed. Jimmy lay down beside her.
“You okay?” She asked him.
He nodded but placing his arms around her he pulled her into his side, as if merely holding her was reassuring him of something.
“Look at it this way, it’s almost over.” She smiled.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Jimmy murmured into her hair, too softly for Kara to notice.
Their moment was interrupted by one of the hotel employees bringing up the bath.
“I’m going to scout out the town, it has changed a lot in the last few years.” Jimmy announced as his wife made preparations to wash.
Once clean and refreshed Kara made her way out of the hotel in search of Jimmy. She cast a curious eye over the Marshall’s office but figuring that Jimmy wouldn’t have gone there without her and more importantly the key she wandered over to the General store.
Jimmy wasn’t inside however Kara browsed through the merchandise anyway in a bid to pass some time and relieve some of her anxiety. She was flipping through the book section, making her way through a collection of dime novels when she realized someone had spoken to her.
Looking up she saw a small brown haired girl who had been standing beside the counter when she walked in.
“I’m sorry?” Kara asked aware that she’d missed a statement.
“I said this store don’t keep a large collection of literature, the only thing people really want to read in this town are dime novels.” The girl offered a warm smile and extended a hand. “You’re new around here. I haven’t seen you before.”
“Yes actually. I’m just on my way through with my, uh, husband. We’re just dropping some things off for a friend of ours.”
“Are you two newlyweds? I remember when I first married. I always stumbled over saying it as well.”
Kara blushed shyly at the slim brunette’s bubbly personality.
“Have you and your husband been married long?” Kara asked putting the dime novels she’d been holding back in their place. She saw as she did the other girl wrinkle her nose at the one that was sitting on the top of the pile.
“I’m sorry I just don’t think much of the authors of Dime novels.”
“It’s alright. I guess I wouldn’t know. I don’t think I have ever read one. My mother always got me to read the English authors. Something about being more proper for a young lady.” She laughed aloud as she said this the other girl joining in.
“I was just about to have some tea. Would you like to join me?” The girl offered.
“You know. I would really like that.” Kara accepted allowing herself to be led out the back of the shop.
Out in the town Jimmy was keeping to the shadows. He had been standing in the lee of the hotel for an hour now watching the Marshall’s office across the street and so far he hadn’t seen anyone he recognized.
He had his hat pulled down low across his eyes so that no one walking past could identify him and he casually played with the clip on his holster as he watched the building intently.
Inside the Marshall’s office Teaspoon was sitting, as usual, feet up on desk hat pulled down over his eyes. The scene that would have been so familiar to Jimmy had changed in only one way. The Kid, Jimmy’s once best friend stood beside the blinds that covered the front window of the office Deputy’s badge pinned to his chest.
“He is still there Teaspoon. I don’t like it. They’ve been watching the office for over an hour now.”
“But he still ain’t doing anything suspicious.” Teaspoon stated opening one eye to look at his young partner.
“I’m telling you Teaspoon, I’ve got a bad feeling about him. He’s wearing his guns too low and he ain’t showing his face.”
“Well I guess if you just have to know you should go introduce yourself to him. I’d take the back door though. Come at him from the side. It’s less intimidating than walking right up to him.”
Without another word Kid nodded and headed for the back of the Marshall’s office.
Over at the town’s small cafe Kara and her new friend were gossiping like old friends. She found it strange that back home she didn’t really talk like this to anyone yet here she could talk openly to a complete stranger.
“How did you know your husband liked you before you married?” Kara inquired curiously.
“Well I guess it was the way he looked at me. Those looks used to get me into all sorts of trouble I can tell you. And if we were together it was the way he talked to me or held me. Like I was the only person in the world. He would make me feel so special and unique. It was a little frustrating at times with his overprotectiveness but it was all worth it in the end.” The other girl opened her mouth again, Kara assumed to tell a story like the ones they’d already shared when they heard a commotion from outside the store. Making their way quickly outside they saw two men brawling in the middle of the street. It took about ten seconds for Kara to recognize Jimmy through all the dust.
Thinking that perhaps this was the attacker they’d been warned about she started to make her way forwards.
“Kid!” her new friend called out also rushing forwards. The girl stopped though when she too recognized the second person. “Jimmy!?”
“Wait you know them?” Kara asked stopped.
“I do that’s my husband Kid.” Lou asked.
At that moment Kara felt weak. It wasn’t an attacker they were Jimmy’s friends. Another thought struck her. This meant that the girl she had been chatting with was Lou. Kara remembered the way Jimmy had spoken about Lou and was hit with a sudden unexpected pang of jealousy.
At the sound of Lou’s voice Jimmy and Kid has ceased fighting.
“Lou.” Kid started apologetically. She cut him off with and icy glare.
At that moment Teaspoon came striding out of the Marshall’s office. Kid had let Jimmy up and the pair were brushing the dirt off their clothes.
“Aw heck Kid, I said talk to him not fight him. What do you…” The Marshall however was cut off in surprise when the stranger in question straightened up and showed his face.
“Jimmy!” Teaspoon stared at the man he had once called son for several seconds before stepping forwards and pulling him into an embrace.
Jimmy returned the embrace in surprise.
“It’s good to have you back son.”
“I’m sorry Teaspoon…” Jimmy trailed off not knowing what else to say.
Teaspoon finally broke apart and stepped back to look Jimmy up and down.
“It’s ok son.”
“Jimmy.” A small voice cut in hesitantly. Jimmy looked around to see Lou stepping forwards.
“Lou?!” Jimmy couldn’t believe how different Lou looked with long hair, striding forwards he picked her up gently and spun her around in a warm embrace. Once he set her down he looked across at the Kid. For a moment there was a noticeable tension until Kid smiled and proffered his hand. Jimmy knocked it aside and greeted him the same way he had with Teaspoon.
“Just wait until Rachel and Buck see you.” Kid said as they broke apart.
“Just as long as they don’t greet me the way you did.” Jimmy smiled jokingly rubbing at his jaw.
From the side of the boardwalk Kara watched the reunion with a smile. As she watched the four friends began talking animatedly obviously discussing old friends. Not wanting to intrude Kara turned and made her way back to the hotel.
Inside a part of her felt hurt that he hadn’t noticed her standing there and introduced her to his friends. ‘Not that I gave him much chance’ she thought to herself defensively. ‘Plus it’s not like we’re actually married.’ But even still the thought worked its way through her mind.
Almost an hour later Kara was sitting on the couch in their room reading the only book she’d thought to bring with her when Jimmy walked through the door.
“You’ll never guess what just happened.” He began excitedly.
“You got into a fist fight with the Kid?” Kara stated not bothering to look up from her book.
“No. Well, yes. But that’s not what I mean… wait a minute how did you know about that?”
Kara looked up to see him stopped in the middle of the room staring at her inquisitively.
“I was there.” She said simply.
“You were there? But…” Jimmy trailed off confused. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You seemed a bit busy.”
Jimmy frowned, concerned by her cool demeanor.
“It’s ok, you can meet all of my friends tonight. They have invited us to dinner at the old station house.”
As he spoke Jimmy had gone to his bags to pull out some clean clothes.
“You go. I think I’ll just stay in. I’m tired from the journey.”
At this Jimmy knew something was wrong. From their experiences in the past camping together he already knew that her stamina bested any man’s he’d ever seen. Indeed it seemed almost unnatural the way she could operate on little sleep.
“You never get tired.” He said, sharing his thoughts.
“Well I’m not hungry. You go, I’ll leave the light on for you.”
“Is this something to do with meeting my friends?” Jimmy asked hesitantly noticing she’d been avoiding eye contact.
“It’s nothing. I’m tired and I’m not hungry can you just leave it alone.” Kara snapped.
Trying to stop her emotions showing was taking a lot of effort.
Jimmy made his way over to her side and tried to take her hand in his. He was surprised when she pulled it away.
“Well if you’re not well I will tell them we can’t make it tonight.” He offered.
“You go. They are your friends and I’m just going to go to bed.”
“How is it going to look when I turn up to dinner without my wife?” Jimmy chided jokingly.
“They are your friends Jimmy, they deserve more than to have to see you in a sham marriage.” As she spoke the last sentence her voice began to break. Taking a breath she stood up. “I’m going out.” Without waiting for Jimmy’s reply she walked out of the room.
Jimmy watched her go in silence. Even though she hadn’t given him time he had nothing to say anyway. He felt like he’d been stabbed in the chest with a blade. Not ten minutes earlier he’d been making plans to show off his old and new lives to each other and now he just felt sick.
Yes he knew that the union between himself and Kara wasn’t ordinary but to hear her call it a sham had destroyed all the hopeful possibilities he’d imagined over the past couple of days.
Walking over to the dresser he mindlessly changed his shirt and brushed his hair clean.
Then after looking in the mirror he turned to leave unable to meet himself in the eye.
Jimmy sat through dinner mostly silent. Letting the others stories and tales wash over him. He was brief when they asked him about his life and he only explained the basics, where he lived, what he did.
He excused himself after dinner when the others made to retire to the lounge room, feigning fatigue from the journey.
By the time he got back to his hotel room the sun was down but true to her word Kara had left the light on for him. He was surprised and disappointed to see Kara asleep on the couch but made his way soundlessly over to the bed and dropped down on top of the covers. That night he found sleep a long time in coming.
Kara awoke first in the morning she looked over at Jimmy lying on his stomach half on half off of the bed. She couldn’t help a small smile coming to her lips. He looked so peaceful like that. She soaked the moment in and tried to trap as much of it as possible inside her mind. She cared so much about this man, she’d let him in closer than anyone else. Which is why she’d pushed him away yesterday, he scared he so much because he could hurt her. Quietly dressing Kara slipped out of the door to the hotel room after leaving Jimmy a note on the dresser.
Jimmy awoke as he heard the door close. Realizing it had been Kara leaving he groaned and rolled over. He’d hoped for a chance to talk to his friend this morning.
Outside the hotel Kara made her way over to the Marshall’s office. She had the key that had been sewn into her bodice and the letter to Teaspoon both in her pocket. Pushing open the door to the office she noticed the same silver haired grizzled old man that Jimmy had embraced the day before.
“Marshall Hunter?” She queried, wanting to confirm his identity.
“That would be me.” Teaspoon announced with a smile and a nod standing up to greet her.
“I have a letter here for you.” Kara handed him the letter returning her hand to hold the key in her pocket after the Marshall had taken it.
Teaspoon noticing her business like manner opened the envelope and read the letter on the spot sinking back down into his chair as he did. After he had finished he looked up again at Kara.
‘She’s so young.’ He thought to himself. Out loud he said: “This letter says you have a key and some papers for me?”
Kara wordlessly held out her hand, she dropped the key onto the open ledger book on his desk and taking a small sheaf of papers out of her handbag dropped them also on the desk.
“I have done my part of this task. Now if I may ask that you write a letter to the General informing him thus.”
“The letter said you would be waiting a week or so until I get the reply to send back to the General?” Teaspoon queried. “Are you heading off already?”
“It says what?” Kara asked, finding suddenly a lump in her throat. All she wanted was to go home.
Teaspoon handed her the letter. In it was greeting from the general, apparently an old war comrade of Teaspoons as well as instructions for the Marshall to send on the documents and await their reply while keeping the key safe. When the reply came more instructions would be with them and Teaspoon could send on his own reply to the General with the Kara and her husband James.
“I see. Well in that case may I ask that you hasten in sending on those documents and that I will be staying in the Hotel when the time comes for you to make your reply.”
Teaspoon nodded graciously, he was amusingly impressed by the way she spoke so eloquently and politely.
“Oh… Mrs. Kara. As you might be waiting a while perhaps you would like to come to dinner with my family, your husband too of course.”
Kara smiled at the kindly old man. She could see why Jimmy respected him.
“Thank you Marshall but I’m afraid I shall have to decline.” And with that she walked out onto the boardwalk closing the door behind her.
Not yet ready to face Jimmy in their hotel room Kara made her way around to the Hotel stables to check on their horses. As she entered the barn she had time to register a swift movement and suddenly she felt the heavy weight of someone attacking her from behind.
Jimmy managed to doze off for another hour after Kara left that morning. When he re-awoke he decided that he wasn’t going to feel better no matter how he slept and so he got up intending to find his wife. When he dressed he saw the note on the dresser. It read:
Jimmy,
If you wake up before I get back then I have taken the key and the documents to the Marshall’s office.
Kara
Jimmy grabbed his hat and tucked his shirt in as he walked out the door and down the hotel stairs. Opting to go out through the back of the hotel and check on Sundance instead of exiting through the front of the hotel is probably what saved Kara’s life. As he approached the stable he heard scuffling. Running to the entrance he saw Kara in a struggle with two men. One was holding down a kicking Kara and had just begun pulling out a knife as the other searched through Kara’s handbag.
Acting out of habit Jimmy went for his guns, realizing when he grabbed at air that he hadn’t put them on just to cross the street. Changing tactics he threw himself at the man on top of Kara and grabbed his knife hand. Slamming the mans hand against the ground forced the attacker to drop it. Jimmy kicked the weapon away and pulling the man off of Kara laid a punch alongside the side of his jaw. The anger Jimmy felt at seeing Kara attacked went into the punch and knocked the man out cold before he could react. Jimmy dropped him to the ground of the stables turning around to see the other man had taken off already. He turned back to Kara who was still lying on the ground although she was sitting up now and wiping a hand across the side of her mouth, which was bleeding.
“ Their mother’s didn’t teach them not to hit women.” She muttered.
“Kara, are you okay?” Jimmy asked stepping quickly to her side and kneeling down.
“I… I’m fine.” Kara said looking down and fixing her skirts.
“Kara please… Look at me.”
Sighing softly Kara looked up at Jimmy. All the fear she felt of him hurting her filling her eyes, as well as all the love she felt for him.
Wordlessly he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I don’t want to let anything hurt you again.” He stated feeling as if he couldn’t hold her tight enough.
One of the bones in Kara’s corset was pushing into her side but she didn’t care. All she wanted to do was stay locked in that embrace forever.
“I love you Jimmy.” She whispered not intending the words to be loud enough for him to hear.
Jimmy broke the embrace apart and taking her gently by the shoulders looked into her eyes.
“I love you too Kara.”
As she looked into his eyes she could tell how he felt not by his words but by the look he gave her. The look of longing, want, need and desire that mirrored her own emotions. The look that Lou had mentioned over tea the day before.
The moment was broken as the mugger lying on the floor of the stable began to stir. Jimmy taking Kara by the hands lifted her up gently.
Once she was on her feet Jimmy took the other man roughly by one of his hands and the nape of his neck and began to walk him across to the jail.
Teaspoon who was sitting behind his desk after placing the documents and the generals letter into his small hidden safe was surprised when Kara re-entered his office this time holding the door open. His surprise grew when Jimmy marched another man through the door and motioned for the Marshall to unlock the cell. Teaspoon hurried to oblige and watched as Jimmy pushed the man over to the bed. The man looked like he was about to say something when Jimmy gave him another punch that sent him reeling to the mattress unconscious.
“Jimmy, what in the blazes is going on here?” Teaspoon demanded as the younger man locked the cell door and handed the keys back to Teaspoon.
“That man attacked my wife.”
“Your wife?! But…” realization dawned on Teaspoon as his gaze transferred to Kara who was still standing beside the door.
“Jimmy, why didn’t you say something last night?”
Realizing how it must look Kara jumped in.
“Jimmy wanted to surprise you and I wasn’t feeling well last night, being very tired from the journey.”
“But… she… you…”
“Don’t worry Teaspoon. We’ll explain everything.” Jimmy promised, patting the other man on the back.
“Right after we get cleaned up at the hotel room.” Kara jumped in taking Jimmy’s other hand in hers and shooting him a meaningful look. Jimmy, still seething from the men’s attack on Kara allowed himself to be pulled out of the Marshall’s office and back to the hotel without protest.
Several hours later found the couple lying tenderly in each other’s arms above the sheets of the bed. Although she’d admitted her feeling to Jimmy and he’d responded in kind Kara was still scared of the emotions that ran through her.
Since returning to the hotel room and after Jimmy had made a fuss over the cut on her lip and the swelling on her cheek they’d lain on the bed, fully clothed, in each other’s embrace. Not speaking, simply reveling in the fact that the other was there. Each secretly marveling at the others returned feelings.
“Thank god it’s over.” Jimmy finally whispered. Kara wasn’t sure if he meant the mission or the confusion over the feelings between them. Her answer fit either way:
“We still have to make it back to Rock Springs.”