I know it won’t be easy
But I’ve got a plan
To just let my memory
Let go of your hand
I’m gonna miss your touch
But I know I must
Forget about us
- Forget About Us, Tim McGraw

He woke, slowly, reluctantly, as the morning sun slipped through a crack in the drapes and shone in his face. Morning came too early, especially with the late night and the thoughts that had plagued his sleep. Rolling onto his side, he was a bit surprised to see Nicolette still asleep beside him. She always was an early riser in contrast to his late nights and desire to sleep until noon. Very rarely did he get these moments to watch her, feel his love for her swell as she lay beside him still in slumber. Her arm rested on top of the quilt and he slowly reached out, so as not to disturb her, and placed his hand next to hers. His finger shook slightly as he traced the gold band that had adorned her finger since the day they married in France.

He hadn’t had much money at that time and picked out a ring with a simple etching around the band. Wanting to give her more, he was almost ashamed when he placed it on her finger, but she shone as if he’d given her diamonds. He’d tried to buy her fancier rings, something with precious stones to show the world just how much he loved her. But she always refused, wanting to keep the ring he’d first given her. She said it was pure, simple, perfect for her, and when she spoke so rapturously of it, he felt wrong for having even suggested replacing it.

It had been that ring that brought him back to her, and he knew – even when he’d get in his moments of grandeur – that it would be wrong. That ring had been his rock, and he thanked his maker that she was still around and she still wore it on her finger.

When he’d left his quest to find new talent, and his new friend Wallance Odd behind, he’d intended to head straight home. His child would soon be entering the world and he’d missed too much time already with his wife. Resigned to most likely losing his show and having to find a new way to provide for his family, he headed for the train station to board a train for the East.

However, between his hotel and the station his good intentions blew away in the wind. The call to find Louise flared again and he found himself purchasing a ticket that would take him South instead of home. The entire trip he was restless, calling himself a fool, but with every town that came and went, he remained on board. When at last he reached his destination, he went forward with a bit of hesitation.

Not knowing what he would say or do, he marched forward with resolution before he could allow himself to admit this was wrong and run back to board the train for home. He kept telling himself he needed to do this, to see her, to ask her why they never worked out and if circumstances had been different did she think they could have had a chance? He wanted to know if she ever thought of him like he thought of her, if the time together had affected her like it did him, or if the feelings were only one sided.

When he reached her house, he slowed, trying to hold onto his fleeting nerves. What if her husband was home; how could he ask those questions with him present? But he never made it up the steps to knock on the door.

A little boy with fine blond hair was playing under the tree in the yard while Louise, obviously great with her second child, hung out the laundry. She would pause as her son came running up with a leaf, a stick, even handfuls of dirt to show her, and she would smile and laugh and express her delight in the gifts. Content that his mother appreciated the shared treasures, he would run off in search of more.

He was unaware of how long he’d stood against the corner of a house, watching the scene before him. But soon the clothes were all hung and Louise was sitting on the front porch, watching as the little boy ran around the yard, laughing as he chased butterflies from the bushes. He abandoned the chase when his father approached and entered the yard. Running forward he launched himself at the tall, sandy-haired man and Cody watched with a pang in his heart as Lou stood and made her way down the steps. The family stood in the yard, relishing in their love for each other and he knew he should look away, but he couldn’t.

Louise lifted her hand to ruffle her son’s hair, then slid it around her husband’s neck as he leaned down to kiss her. The stone in her ring winked in the sunlight at him and he squinted, finding something wrong with the picture. That’s when he realized that he liked plain, simple bands without stones adorning them. And suddenly he felt sick, disgusted that he had stood for hours watching another family and ready to give his up.

Turning quickly, he made his way down the darkening streets back to the train station and bought the first ticket that would take him anywhere but there. The dream of Louise was simply that, a dream - and he had seen the reality of the situation.

She was married with a family, and the happiness on her face was pure and obvious. She couldn’t be unhappy, secretly pining away for him, and look so content. He was grateful that he hadn’t disrupted her life, turned his own upside down for a moment that was best left in the past. As he climbed on the train, he was determined to put Louise where he thought he’d put her, but hadn’t completely because of his unwillingness. He needed to forget about her, focus on his future, on the woman he’d married and made promises to in front of a priest and with a ring. It was the right thing to the do, and the only thing he could do to completely go forward with his life.

He couldn't even feel the ring in his hand. Couldn't feel much of anything beyond the tightness in his chest and the raw cotton taste of his tongue. Am I really ready for this?

The conversation around the table was upbeat. Everyone chiming in almost like it was one of Cody's plays. All playing a part, none of it making sense. Hardly a word that floats through the fog of his mind. The ring.. the ring... it was a weight in his palm. A circle that warmed to his touch and chilled with his fear... the ring.

He looked at her across the table. What would she say if I asked?

She lowered her eyes to the plate before her, her glance skimming over the remains of her pie like the flutter of birds' wings over ripe wheat. Sure, poetry... now, I'm tongue tied.

Someone nudged him, stiring his thoughts from the cycle of doubt he was drowning in. The ring.. the ring... it was as beautiful as it was simple, but it offered him a world of pain if she said no. No. No. No. He'd tried to say the word to himself enough that it wouldn't hurt coming from her lips.

She smiled, and even from this distance, he could see the joy in her eyes as clear as if he had put it there himself. The ring... could she say yes

The laughter surrounding him was near deafening.

Could she consider accepting him as a husband?

"Well now," Lou began, capturing his attention, "I think Ike had something he wanted to say."

Good Lord, Ike held the ring tightly in his hand and tried to smile through the panic.

Would she... really... ever... consider.... taking this ring?

The year was 1925.

Lou had seen much in her 82 years. Electricity to women’s suffrage. The War Between the States to the Great War in Germany. The massacre at the Little Big Horn to the massacre at Wounded Knee. She’d seen the Indians forced onto reservations and the freely roaming buffalo all but annihilated. The Pony Express was replaced by the telegraph; the telegraph replaced by the telephone. The great iron horse, the railroad, connecting the East and the West.

Of course she had followed Cody’s exploits with avid interest throughout the years and had visited his hotel in the Rockies, the Irma, named after his daughter.

Then there was the great earthquake and fire of 1906 in San Francisco, California, which both her and her husband had lived through.

Ah, Jimmy. Her beloved husband, who had passed on just months before. She was thinking about him more and more these past few days. Not that a day didn’t go by she didn’t think of her Jimmy, her thoughts were just more consuming lately.

How she wished he were here now to witness their great-granddaughter’s marriage and watch as she began her new life with her new husband.

It was that same great-granddaughter that brought her out of her reverie.

“Annabeth, you are as lovely as your mother was and her mother before on their wedding days.” The young girl beamed.

“Come. Sit down by me for a moment.” Lou patted the seat beside her. “I have something I want to give you.”

Lou looked down at her left hand and carefully twisted off the ring she had worn on her finger for the past 64 years. She opened Annabeth’s hand and gently laid the band of gold in her palm.

“I want you to take this ring and keep it safe. Know that it’s one of the many connections to your great-grandpa Jimmy, but it’s the one I hold most dear. I want to know that whenever you look at this ring you’ll remember the kind of love Jimmy and I had for each other and know that you, too, will have that kind of love. Jonathan is a very special man and I know you two will be very happy together.”

“Grandmama Louise, are you sure you want to part with this? I love it and you know I’ll cherish it. But this ring, it’s as much a part of you as Grandpa Jimmy is.”

“Honey, I know you’ll take good care of it, that’s why I chose you to give it to. But I’m not going to be around much longer and…”

“No, don’t talk like that.” She protested with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Sweetie, don’t be sad. Not on your wedding day. Listen, people don’t live forever, but they will live forever in your heart if you let them. Just like your Grandpa Jimmy lives in mine. But I want you to have this ring as my wedding gift to you. Alright?”

Annabeth nodded between sniffles and hugged her Grandmama Louise tight.

Later that night, as Lou lay awake in her bed instead of sleeping, she thought back over her life, her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and of the love of her life, Jimmy.

This night as she did every night since her Jimmy had departed this life, she closed her eyes and imagined the feel of him hugging her close, as she cried herself to sleep.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, she felt his warmth wrapped around her once again. He was whispering in her ear that everything would be alright. She turned to him in her sleep and saw he was there with her once again, holding her, kissing her. And it was real. So very real.

Suddenly, she saw a bright light and Jimmy rose from the bed holding out his hand to her. She reached for him and as they slowly walked toward the light, hand-in-hand, Jimmy turned to her and smiled his sweet, wonderful smile. In that moment Lou knew everything would be alright.

And they finally were together again…for all of eternity.

The door closed behind him with a hollow note of finality that made him want to head right back out the way he came. "Who's there?"

Swallowing his apprehension, Teaspoon turned and pasted a smile on his face. "What are you doin' here, Hickok?"

Jimmy dropped his hand towel onto the bar. "I was just givin' Polly a hand with things."

"Oh?" Curiosity always got the better of the old Ranger. "What happened to Tom?"

Shaking his head, Jimmy didn't try to hide his smile. "He left, Teaspoon. It's been almost a week now."

"Really?" Teaspoon felt strangely confused. "A week?"

Passing by his friend, Jimmy patted Teaspoon on the shoulder. "Yeah, he went back to Boston, but you knew that. You offered to give Polly a hand after Tom left, so don't try to get out of it now." Jimmy reached the door and lifted his jacket from the coat rack by the door. "Besides, she's already plenty mad that you haven't lived up to your promise."

"I forgot!"

Jimmy swung open the door and turned back with a wide grin on his face. "Like that ever matters to a woman, Teaspoon."

The door swung shut behind the younger man and seemed to echo in the empty room. There was no extra noise from the outside world, just the artificial quiet of a man in desperate need of an excuse.

The sound of her steady footfalls set his heart pounding. The problem was, he didn't know if it was from missing her so much, or wondering if she was going to hit him.

She stepped into the room and faced him much like a pistoleer, feet braced shoulder width apart, hands relaxed at her sides, and eyes blazing with intensity.

He felt his heart open up and sing. "Polly-"

"Oh no," she began, "don't you 'POLLY' me! You offer ME help and then... disappear like a mirage on the desert? Hmph! Some friend you are-"

"Now, Polly-"

"And don't you think that I'll melt into a puddle, because you come around and bring me..." She narrowed her eyes at him, "you didn't bring me flowers, did you." It wasn't even a question. Her flat tone spoke volumes, he was in a terrible mess.

"Now, Polly, I had completely forgotten about Tom leaving.. and I know," he rushed on, "that that's no excuse, but I was doin' something really important."

"Good, then get going and do something else 'important,' in the meantime I have to get back to my little, insignificant Saloon." She turned away from him and snatched up the rag that Jimmy had left on the counter.

Teaspoon stood frozen for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts into a coherent phrase.

He watched the ramrod straight line of her back, the short jerking motions as she cleaned the already spotless bar, and the short terse bursts of air as she blew at the excess strands of hair that fell over her face. Oh, he wasn't in trouble... no. He was in deep deep deep-

"Well?"

He met her glare with a look of confusion. "Polly?"

"Ah!" She threw down her rag and folded her arms over her chest. "Is that all you have to say?"

His mouth worked at an answer, but there was a flash of fire in her eyes and he knew that anything he could say would fall on deaf ears. Her temper was legendary, but her love... her love...

He rounded the corner, surprising her, as he grabbed hold of her by the shoulders and hauled her up against him.

Polly's lips parted in a measure of her own confusion, her warm brown eyes looking up into his. "Teaspoon-"

"Shhhhh..." he smiled at her curious frown, "Just... just..."

He wanted to tell her everything that was in his heart. How they'd wasted the years. How they should grab a hold of the future and never look back. Tell her how much he wanted her by his side and to have her wear the ring that was weighing down his jacket pocket..... but, her eyes. Those warm brown eyes that snapped with anger one minute and blazed with another heat a moment later. This was the woman he'd been meant to love.. this was the woman he-

"Polly?"

"Yes, sugar-lips?"

"Polly-"

"Yes-"

Teaspoon wrapped his arms around the woman of his dreams and sealed their future with a kiss they'd never forget.

Buck stifled a groan as he pushed himself stiffly into a sitting position. Unfortunately, except for making him feel like he’d accomplished something, sitting up didn’t really help. His head pounded, his ribs ached – and the cell door was still very definitely real and locked. There was still a guard just outside the door that led back to the cells too.

He leaned slowly back against the wall, trying to steady his breathing as he considered how he’d ended up here. The short answer, of course, was that this was yet another case where a Kiowa half-breed wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The longer answer was a little more complicated.

It really started with Teaspoon’s odd – well, even odder – behavior back in Sweetwater, followed by his sudden departure with Erastus Hawkins for Texas. Buck and Jimmy had trailed after him, finding all sorts of new adventure before finally winding up at the Alamo.

The Alamo – now that was someplace Buck had never really figured to see. And the sight of all those candles burning inside the church still made him uncomfortable. But it was the sight of Teaspoon Hunter, father-figure and mentor to all of the riders, lying in a pool of his own blood after being shot that had truly been frightening.

Fortunately, although the wound had been serious, they had been able to get Teaspoon to a doctor within the hour. With medical attention and a lot of rest (enforced by two stubborn Pony Express riders), the stationmaster had made progress toward recovery. And when the doctor finally cleared his patient to travel, the three riders had set out for Sweetwater and home.

Everything should have been simple from that point on. Except . . .

Except for the day they’d come upon the wagon train. Or, more accurately, the remnants of a wagon train. They’d seen the smoke first, black wisps rising against the clear blue sky. And then, as they topped the final hill, they saw it.

The fires were still smoldering, consuming the wagons, the personal belongings strewn around the area, even a few bodies. Around the wagons were the dead, the dying, and the survivors who were trying to save what they could of their lives.

The three men from Sweetwater helped where they could. But of the initial twenty-four settlers, only eleven remained, seven of them children. Of the ten wagons, only three could still be made serviceable. Of the settlers remaining, none were unscarred by the brutality of the attack they had suffered.

Still weakened from his recent wound, Teaspoon wasn’t up to the arduous task of a slow wagon train trip. After two days of assistance in getting the victims buried and the three wagons repaired, Jimmy left with Teaspoon to finish the trip to Sweetwater. And Buck found himself agreeing to lead the survivors as far as Fort Bridger.

It wasn’t as though he knew anything about leading a wagon train, of course. Still, he knew how to find his own way, and the people of the wagon train knew their ultimate goal. Leadership had naturally fallen to Joanna Marsh, whose father and brother would be meeting the group in Bridger. They had gone ahead the year before and found the land the group would be settling.

Unfortunately, her younger brother and an uncle would never see the new home they had dreamed of. They were victims of the attack.

Late yesterday afternoon, Fort Kearney had come into view on the horizon as he scouted ahead. With the group camped a couple of miles from the Fort, he’d made plans to go for badly-needed supplies. He had his own money, plus whatever Teaspoon and Jimmy had been able to leave. It wouldn’t buy nearly enough, but it would help. But as he’d prepared to leave the camp this morning, that changed.

“Take this ring,” she’d said.

And it really shouldn’t have been a problem . . .

Buck’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the outer door opening. And then there were voices from people he couldn’t see.

“Captain Howell, sir?”

“Would you be Joanna Marsh, ma’am?”

“Yes, I am. Is there some sort of problem?”

Buck breathed a sigh of relief and got painfully to his feet. At least with Joanna here, there might be an end to this whole ordeal in sight.

“Ma’am, is this your ring?”

“Yes, it is. I gave it to . . .” A gasp. “Buck! Has something happened to Buck?”

“Joanna, I’m back here,” he called. “They think I stole the ring.” He heard footsteps coming his way, and then she was there in the doorway. Her dark brown hair fell soft and loose around her shoulders and even in the dim light he could see the familiar sparks in her green eyes. She wore the old work trousers and faded shirt, the only clothes she had left – and still she was beautiful.

“Buck?” She walked into the back room toward the cell. As she got closer she could see the bruises, and the blood. “Oh, Buck. What did they do?”

“It’s not important,” he said. He even tried to smile, though his jaw protested strongly.

“It is important,” Joanna replied. She turned back to the officer. “Please open that door.”

“Ma’am, maybe you’d best tell us what happened before I do that,” Howell suggested.

Joanna had reached through the bars, running her fingers along a particularly nasty gash over Buck’s left eye. “Has he seen a doctor?”

“No, ma’am,” the officer admitted. “The prisoner said he was fine.” Of course, the way they’d asked the question might have influenced the answer.

“Well, he’s obviously not fine!” Joanna took a deep breath, trying to stay clam. What else could go wrong on this trip? “He needs to see a doctor. And I want him out of this cell. Then I’ll answer any questions you have.”

Howell considered that for a moment. He didn’t like being made to look like he wasn’t in control. Still, if even half of what the half-breed had tried to tell them was true, they’d be letting him go soon anyway. He finally nodded at the private on guard duty.

Buck watched the door swing open, then he stepped out slowly and went to stand by Joanna. “I’m sorry they had to bring you into this,” he said softly. “But everything will be all right.”

Howell gestured toward the front room and they moved that way. He couldn’t help but note the concerned way that the woman was checking the Indian’s injuries. Maybe they really had misinterpreted the situation. He turned to the man who had gone to the camp to find Joanna Marsh. “Sergeant, see if you can find Dr. Billups.” As the man nodded and left, Howell turned back to the others. He pointed at chairs by the desk. “Please, have a seat,” he offered.

Joanna sank onto one of the chairs, while Buck elected to stand just behind her. She waited silently for the officer’s questions.

Howell took his seat behind the desk. His men had told him this was a simple case of an Indian trying to sell stolen jewelry – but there was obviously more going on. And it was his job to find out what that was. He cleared his throat and asked, “Ma’am, you said this is your ring?”

Joanna looked down at the gold chain and ring in her hand. “Yes,” she said.

“And you gave it to this man,” Howell prompted.

She nodded, closing her fingers around the ring. “I told him to take this ring,” she said, “and sell it.” She looked over her shoulder at Buck, tears filling her eyes. “I asked Buck to sell it, because I didn’t think I could do it myself.” She paused, taking a deep breath before she could go on. “It was my grandmother’s, and it passed to me when she died,” she added softly. “It’s all I have left.”

Howell got up and went to pour a glass of water. When he turned back to the desk he noticed that the Indian had pulled up a chair and was sitting next to the woman, holding her hand in comfort. He walked back and handed her the glass of water, and then he sat down again behind the desk. He had a feeling he was about to step into something much bigger than he’d ever dreamed of when he’d come on duty that evening. “Why did you need to sell the ring, Miss Marsh?”

“I’m sure Buck told you.”

Howell sighed. “I’m afraid we didn’t give him a chance to tell us everything.”

Joanna looked over at Buck. The bruises were even more evident out here in the better light. She squeezed his hand and began. “We set out for the grand journey west. There were twenty-seven of us. Three people decided to stay in Independence, but the rest of us forged on, scared, but also excited by the new challenges, the new land ahead of us. And everything was going well. Everyone was healthy, the horses were healthy, the wagons were in fine repair, we were making good progress. And then eight days ago . . .” Her voice trailed off as she remembered.

“There was some mention of an attack,” Howell prompted.

She took a deep drink of water and nodded. “We woke up to the sound of gunfire,” she said softly. “There were seven of them, and they just stormed into the camp. They stole everything we had of value, and whatever they couldn’t take, they destroyed. They scattered the wagon horses. Then they set fire to the wagons . . .”

“That’s when we found them,” Buck added quietly. “I ride for the Pony Express out of the Sweetwater station, Captain. I’d just been in Texas with the stationmaster, Teaspoon Hunter, and one of the other riders. We were heading home when we saw the smoke.”

“Texas is a long way from Sweetwater,” Howell pointed out. “Were you there on Pony Express business?”

“No,” Buck answered. “It was personal business for Teaspoon. Jimmy and I were just there to help.” He didn’t really think the officer needed to know more than that.

“They helped put out the fires,” Joanna said. “And tried to help with the people who had been shot.” She paused, then whispered, “I lost my uncle, and my youngest brother.”

“We buried thirteen people from Joanna’s party,” Buck confirmed. “Most of them were already dead when we got there. And the others, they were badly hurt. There just wasn’t anything we could do.”

“Buck and Jimmy helped salvage parts from the various wagons, and we finally had three wagons that could go on,” Joanna added. “We even salvaged enough pieces of canvas to put together to make one cover.”

“Teaspoon rounded up some of the horses,” Buck said. “He’d been wounded while we were in Texas, so he wasn’t up to the work of staying with the wagon train. He headed back to Sweetwater, and Jimmy went with him. I agreed to see the others through to Fort Bridger.”

Howell leaned forward in his chair. “Ma’am, I’m very sorry about all of this,” he said. “But are you sure it’s really best to go all that way west? You could still turn around.”

“My father and my other brother will be meeting us at Fort Bridger,” she answered. “They went ahead last year to find a place for us.” She took another drink of water and sighed. “Besides, we all sold everything we had to make this trip. We’ve nothing to go back to.”

Howell considered that for a moment. “With all of the casualties and the damage you’ve suffered, are you really able to go on?”

“Buck has been a godsend,” Joanna replied. “In addition to guiding us, he’s hunted for game, and shown us what plants are safe to eat. But the more time he spends on that, the less time we spend moving each day.” She looked over at Buck and shrugged. “He’s tried to teach me to shoot, but I’m afraid I’m not a very apt pupil.”

He gave her a little half grin. “You’d be fine,” he said. “We just don’t have many bullets to spare on practice.”

“We desperately need supplies, Captain,” Joanna said. “Besides food, we lost almost all of our clothing and other equipment.” She shook her head sadly. “We have seven children with us, four of them now orphans. And yet we have only three blankets among the whole group. When Buck said we were near Fort Kearney, we knew this was our best chance for supplies for quite a while.”

“I had some of my own money,” Buck supplied. “Plus Teaspoon and Jimmy had left whatever they could spare before they left. I was going to buy what I could.”

Joanna held out the ring. “I always wore this on a chain around my neck,” she said softly. “That’s why they didn’t find it. But it’s really all we have left to get enough to see us through to Fort Bridger. So this morning I told Buck to take this ring, see if he could sell it, and use the money for supplies.”

“I talked to the jeweler, and he said he’d buy it,” Buck said. “But he needed time to get money from the bank – or so he said. When I went I went back, there were soldiers waiting. They accused me of stealing the ring, and that’s how I wound up here.” After taking quite a beating, of course. He turned to Joanna and smiled. “At least something I said finally convinced them to go find you.”

“I should have come in the first place,” she answered. “I just knew how hard it would be to let go of this ring.” She wrapped her hand around the ring again, holding it tight. With the other hand she wiped at the tears that were filling her eyes. “It’s all I have left, but we need the supplies. I’ll talk to the jeweler myself tomorrow.”

“Well, it does appear that Mr. Cross was arrested in error,” Howell admitted. Though it was possible some good might come of it, if he could work a few things out. Something about her story had touched him deeply, and he wanted to help.

“Are we free to go then?” Joanna asked.

Howell thought fast. He needed to buy some time. “I am sorry ma’am, but Colonel Mayborn is the only one who can release the prisoner, and he’s off-post until morning.”

“Captain, you just admitted it was an error!” she protested.

“Yes, ma’am, I believe it was,” Howell answered. “There’s just nothing I can do until morning.”

Buck stepped in before Joanna could protest again. “It’ll be fine,” he said. “I can give you enough money for a hotel room, and then in the morning, after this Colonel Mayborn gets here, we can get the supplies. The stores are closed by now anyway.”

The door opened just then, and the sergeant who had been sent to find the doctor returned. He went up to Howell and leaned over, whispering something to the officer.

Howell nodded and looked up again. “I’m afraid Doctor Billups has been called to an outlying farm to deliver a baby,” he reported. “He’s not expected back until morning either.”

“Joanna, I’m fine, really,” Buck said. Well, ‘fine’ might be a bit of an exaggeration, but he was pretty sure nothing was actually broken.

“You’re not fine,” she replied, pointing at the fresh blood over his eye. “You’re bleeding again.”

Howell stood up. “Miss Marsh, I’ll have someone bring water and bandages. His wounds will be tended to.” He motioned for the corporal on guard duty near the door, who came up to stand behind Buck. “I’ll escort you over to the hotel, ma’am.”

Buck felt the hand on his arm and he stood up, facing the corporal. He didn’t relish the idea of spending the night in a cell, but Howell seemed to be a reasonable man so he didn’t really think there was any danger. “It’ll be all right, Joanna,” he said. “They’ve got my money, along with my gun and knife. Take what you need for the hotel.”

Joanna watched silently as Buck was led back toward the cell. Everything just seemed to be falling apart around her . . .

Howell turned to his men. “Private Simmons, fetch a basin of water and some bandages for the prisoner,” he ordered. As the younger man ran out to comply with the command, Howell turned back to Joanna. “Miss Marsh, if you’ll come with me.”

Joanna looked at Howell, and then back to where the corporal was just escorting Buck into the cell again. Making her decision, she walked quickly toward the back, entering the cell just as the door was being closed.

Buck just looked at her in surprise. “Joanna, what are you doing?”

“I’m not leaving here without you.”

He took her arm and tried to push her gently out the door. “This is no place for you.”

She planted her feet firmly and twisted away. “It’s no place for you either! Everyone here knows you’re innocent, and they still won’t let you go. Well, then I can’t go either.” She sat down on the cot, arms crossed.

Howell stepped up next to the cell. “Miss Marsh, it would really be much better if you allowed me to take you over to the hotel.”

“I told you I can give you the money for the room, and enough so you can get a decent meal for a change,” Buck said.

“We need that money for supplies,” Joanna replied. “When they bring the water and bandages, I can tend your wounds.”

“If I let you do that, will you leave then?” Buck asked. Somehow, though, he knew what the answer was going to be.

She shook her head – surprised at how much the rest of her was shaking too. “I should have come into town with you today,” she said softly. “But I was afraid to let go of the ring, so I didn’t come, and as a result you got beaten up and arrested.” She held out her hand. “Buck, you’re too important to all of us, to what’s left of our dreams. I am not leaving here without you.”

Buck reached for her hand. At least now he understood her fear. “Nothing’s going to happen to me here tonight.” He looked to Howell for some support.

The Captain stepped into the cell doorway. “I apologize for what happened to Mr. Cross this afternoon,” he said. “The men responsible will be reprimanded. But I assure you, he is perfectly safe here tonight.”

“Well, if Buck is safe here, then I assume I’m safe here too,” Joanna replied.

Howell just shook his head. It was hard to argue with that logic – and after hearing her story, it was easy to understand her fear. “You can stay and tend to the wounds Mr. Cross sustained, and I’ll see that food is delivered,” he said. “Then we’ll discuss where you’ll be spending the night.”

The sun was just starting to make the eastern horizon glow when Howell returned to the guardhouse. Fortunately, it had been a quiet night at the fort, so he’d had plenty of time to work on his plan. All he needed now was approval from Colonel Mayborn, and he didn’t really anticipate a problem there – as long as he didn’t wake the Colonel before dawn.

He stepped into the front office, and the sergeant at the desk jumped to his feet. “Any trouble, sergeant?”

“No sir, everything’s been real quiet.”

Howell nodded and headed back toward the cells. He stopped just inside the door. Only the one cell was occupied. The prisoner, Cross, sat on the cot with his back against the wall. The woman was curled up at his side, her head nestled on his shoulder. He held one arm protectively around her arms.

As Howell stepped into the back room, Buck looked up. He’d been awake for a while, watching as night passed. He nodded at the officer in greeting.

“Did you get any sleep?” Howell asked, his voice a whisper.

“A little,” Buck answered. He looked down at Joanna. “It was more important that she sleep.”

“Reveille is in about fifteen minutes,” Howell said. “Colonel Mayborn will be in his office shortly after that. I expect you’ll be on your way soon.” When Buck just nodded, Howell continued. “I’ve asked the cook to send over some coffee and food.”

“I’ll let her sleep until it gets here,” Buck said.

Howell just nodded, then he turned and went back outside. He intended to be first in line to see the Colonel.

Joanna waited as Buck sheathed his knife, filled his pockets with the money and other items that had been confiscated, and strapped on his gun. When he indicated he was ready, she turned to Howell. “Captain, I do thank you for your help,” she said. “And I’m sorry if I caused you trouble last night.”

“No trouble, Miss Marsh,” he replied. Well, Colonel Mayborn hadn’t really been very pleased to find out that she’d spent the night at the jail, but it didn’t seem to be too much of a problem.

She just smiled at that, sure that he was just being polite. “Well, we need to go find those supplies,” she said. She reached up to finger the chain around her neck. “And I need to sell the ring.”

Howell smiled and went to open the door. “Actually, Miss Marsh, that won’t be necessary.” He gestured for her to go outside.

Joanna started to reply that they couldn’t buy enough supplies, but the protest died on her lips. She knew what needed to be done. She went to the door and walked outside, followed closely by Howell and Buck.

The Captain hurried ahead to the corner of the building and waved at someone just out of sight. Almost immediately they could hear wheels moving and the jingle of a harness, and then a wagon appeared. “I think this should keep your group supplied for quite a while, Miss Marsh.”

Joanna stepped up and looked at the wagon. In the bed were bags of flour and beans, blankets, clothing, lanterns, oil, and several boxes she couldn’t identify. She turned back to Howell. “I don’t understand, Captain.”

“Ma’am, part of the Army’s duty out here is to protect people like yourself and your group. Now, we weren’t there to save the rest of your party, but we can help those of you who are left to go on.”

She was just staring at the wagon, shaking her head. “We don’t have the money for all of this,” she said softly. “Not even after I sell the ring.”`

“The supplies are yours, Miss Marsh,” Howell said. “We have emergency funds, and some of us took up a little collection. Colonel Mayborn approved the final funding this morning.”

As Joanna continued to stare in shock at the wagon, Buck stepped up next to Howell. “You didn’t really need the Colonel’s permission to release me last night, did you?”

“No,” Howell admitted. “I just needed the time to try and put this together.” He paused, grinning. “I just never figured on Miss Marsh insisting on staying at the jail too.”

Buck grinned himself. “She’s full of surprises.” He held out his hand. “Thank you, Captain. These people deserved a break.”

“I think they already got a break when they found a guide,” Howell replied as he shook hands. “These supplies should get you well on your way.”

“That they will,” Buck agreed.

Joanna finally turned around. “I don’t know what to say.”

Howell stepped forward and took her hand. “Just send word back when you reach Fort Bridger,” he said. “I’ll look forward to hearing that you’ve arrived safely.” He stepped back so that he could look at both Joanna and Buck. “Good luck to you both,” he said. “You’ll still need plenty of that.”

Buck finished rolling up his bedroll, and then he added it to the gear already on his horse. He looked around at the wagons and tents gathered near the river. Just beyond the camp, Fort Bridger loomed in the background. Somehow, against all of the odds facing them, they had reached the Fort.

He smiled as he saw Joanna coming toward him. She’d been reunited with her father and brother, which made the losses suffered on the trail just a little easier to handle. “Good morning,” he greeted, taking the cup of coffee she offered him.

“Good morning,” she replied, looking beyond his shoulder to where his horse stood saddled. “Do you really have to leave today?” They’d actually spent the previous evening talking about his leaving, and saying goodbye.

“I’ve been away from Sweetwater for a long time. I have friends – family – waiting there.”

“I know,” she admitted, sighing. “I’ve just gotten very used to having you around.” Seeing all his gear packed up made things seem so final.

“I’ve enjoyed being around,” he answered, a little surprised at how true that was. That was something he hadn’t expected when he’d taken on the responsibility.

“I don’t know how we could ever repay you for all you’ve done,” she said. Joanna reached up and unclasped the chain around her neck. “I want you to take this ring.” She pressed the ring into his hand.

Buck shook his head. “Joanna, I can’t take this.”

“We owe you so much more,” she replied, closing his fingers over the ring. Fighting back tears, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for everything, Buck Cross. You take care!” She let go of his hand and hurried away.

“I thank you too, Mr. Cross.”

Buck turned to face Joanna’s father, Victor. “I did what I could. I’m just sorry we were too late to help your brother and your other son.”

“Their loss was tragic,” Victor Marsh said. “But it would have been more tragic to lose Joanna too.”

Buck looked over to where she had stopped near the river, and then he turned back to Victor and held out his hand. “Take this ring,” he said. “She gave it to me in payment, but I can’t take it.”

“This was my mother’s ring,” Victor said softly as he looked at it. “It does mean a lot to Joanna.”

“Give it back to her when you get to your new home,” Buck said.

“I will,” Victor replied, putting the ring into his pocket. He extended his hand. “Thank you, for everything. And I will send you payment for all your help when we get home.”

“I didn’t do it for money,” Buck pointed out as he shook hands.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be paid.” Victor looked over at his daughter. “Fact is, I owe you more than I could ever pay.”

“Just take care of her,” Buck replied. “Take care of all of them. They deserve to find a place to be happy.”

“That we’ve got,” Marsh answered. “We’ve got a real good place.”

“That’s good then.” Buck settled his hat on his head and mounted his horse. “Good luck on your trip to your home, Mr. Marsh. And I need to be getting back to mine.”

“God speed,” Marsh said. Then he turned and walked away, toward the river.

Buck watched as father approached daughter, and then he turned his horse toward the east and started forward. He still had a long road ahead of him. But as he started to ride, thoughts of Ike, Jimmy, Kid, Lou, Cody, Teaspoon, Emma, and Sam began to fill his thoughts. He had a lot to tell them – but he’d bet they’d had their share of adventures too in his absence. Things never seemed to stay quiet around the station for too long. Thinking about getting back to hear those stories made the long trip home seem less daunting somehow.

He grinned, urging just a little more speed from his horse. He had family to get home to.