Kid tried to rush over to Lou, but was quickly stopped by a swift hit over the head with Gregg's gun. He was conscious only long enough to feel a sharp pain run down his back, before he faded out into complete blackness.
"You low down....!" Without a second thought Henry shot Jake at point blank. Jake's evil smile faded rapidly as he fell to the ground never to rise again.
The three brothers rushed over to where their youngest brother was lying on his back with his hands rested on his bleeding stomach. He groaned in pain.
"Wha'd you do that for!" Jed yelled. "You pushed that girl out of the way!"
Bud said nothing but slowly turned his head over to where Lou was carefully sitting up. "She....she....didn't need to die." He coughed hard and his brothers gently placed a hand on his arm. "This ain't worked out right at all." Gregg mumbled.
Lou looked over at the man who had sacrificed his own life to save her's. She knew how awful these men had been, and she wasn't so sure she felt sorry for Bud....still the compassionate side of her was sorry it had to happen to him. Suddenly she turned as she heard another groan from the opposite direction. Kid was starting to move his arms up to his still-throbbing head. With one swift movement she had made her way over to where he was. "Kid, are you alright"? She brushed hair off of his forehead.
He looked up to her with ecstatic relief in his eyes. "I thought....I thought he'd shot you."
She smiled down at him. "No a'course not. I'm too stubborn."
Kid looked over at the brothers who were kneeling around their younger sibling. Sensing the question he was about to ask, she answered it for him. "He pushed me out of the way. If he hadn't, I'd be where he is right now." Her voiced trailed off and she helped him rise slowly with her weight balancing his own. Once standing, Kid hugged her again tightly. Lou could feel tears swell up inside her eyes, and she let them go as she buried her face into his shirt.
They both walked over hand in hand to where the brothers were. Lou walked over to kneel by Bud. She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for saving my life."
With strained effort he looked into her eyes and gave a faint smile. "I told you I liked you." Bud took one last deep, painful breath and closed his eyes for the last time.
Jed brought a blanket over and placed it across him. "He was just a young one."
There was a brief moment of silence, when suddenly three riders came up behind them, guns drawn they were ready for action. "It's about time you guys showed up." Kid said, glad to see them.
At the sound of their voices, the three brothers wheeled around with guns drawn. There was no denying they were ready for action.
Teaspoon aimed, "I suggest you boys drop your weapons and put hands on your head. You've kidnapped your last person."
Henry's defying anger came on and he raised his arm to fire. Jimmy saw it coming, and shot without hesitation, dropping him instantly.
"That was quick! He didn't even say 'hello'." Cody remarked as he received annoyed looks all around.
The two remaining brothers obediently dropped their guns to the ground at Teaspoon's second warning. In spite of the fact that they may have pretended to be tough, Gregg and Jed were terrified of the skillful speed of Wild Bill Hickok. They decided it would be best to go willingly, not wanting the same fate as their now deceased brothers. Buck swiftly slid off of his saddle and began to tie them up.
Lou walked over to her old friends. "Don't you guys know the Express days are over"? Jimmy and Cody got off of their horses to give her an affectionate hug.
"Gosh it's been ages, Lou." Jimmy said looking her over. "We were all worried sick about you." He smiled at her, relieved....relieved that she was alive. They were ALL alive.
"I always manage, thanks to a few friends." She returned his smile and turned to Cody. "So, you keepin out of trouble and staying as cocky as ever"?
"You better believe it." He tipped his hat smiling broadly. Well, guess we made it. Didn't think it would turn out Cody thought. But I wouldn't want it any other way.
Chuckling, they all walked over to Teaspoon. "I figured you'd have killed this one by now." Teaspoon hugged Lou and motioned his head towards Kid who was standing close by.
She laughed softly. "No, I think he's definitely something I'll keep around!"
Kid smiled back at her and for one long moment when their eyes met, he and Lou were the only two people in the world.
Buck broke the moment's silence. "Aren't you forgetting someone"? Lou glanced over her shoulder and strode a few feet to meet yet another friendly embrace. She slapped him lightly. "Of course not. I'm just saving one of the best for last." He grinned.
"We're glad you're safe Lou." Teaspoon said. It had been a long ride, and he realized that they had defied all odds. Thank the Lord above things turned out the way they did. She's alive! "Well, what do you boys....and girls say we get outa here"? Teaspoon asked.
"I say that suits me just fine!" Lou replied, with all anxiousness showing. She wanted nothing more than to be back home.
Everyone in agreement, the weary travelers headed back to their horses. Kid put his arm around Lou and they walked ahead of the others to Katy who stood ready to go. Teaspoon walked behind the prisoners, escorting them to their horses. Within a short while the riders were mounted and heading back to Rock Creek.
The journey back home had been quiet and time passed hastily. Teaspoon had turned over the crooks to the deputy in Rock Creek, and life seemed to slowly return back to normal. Kid and Lou had asked their friends to stay for a couple of days. They readily agreed.
"So all of this wasn't about money at all"? Cody asked as they sat around the dinner table reflecting on the past few days.
"As it turns out, Jake just had revenge that he wanted to take out on me." Kid replied crossing his arms and leaning down on the table.
Teaspoon pushed his chair back. "Then he hired the Crawfords, whom he'd known for some time. Got them to do the kidnappin for him. It would all have been so smooth; kidnap Louise, bring Kid out into the open, kill em' both, return back here, and the townsfolk would just believe that the Crawfords had committed the murder."
"Ain't that a lot of trouble to go to, just to kill someone"? Jimmy asked.
"Depends on what you're after. Revenge can be a powerful thing. What they do and why doesn't always make sense." Buck looked around at everyone in the room and they nodded.
Lou had been staring at the table with her chin propped up in her hands. Just thinking over those horrible days still frightened her. She put the palms of her hands flat on the table and pushed herself up. "And I suppose it doesn't matter why it was done, just as long as it's over now." Everyone smiled in agreement and relief. They had all come so close to losing the woman whom they so admired.
For another few hours the former Express riders sat around trying to forget the terrible event and focusing on happier memories. Memories of Ike, Noah, Rachel, Emma, Sam, and the various adventures that had made up the rides for the Pony Express. It was close to midnight when they all slowly filed off to bed, until Kid and Lou were the only ones awake. He stood up to go sit by her on the sofa.
Taking her tiny hand in his own he looked into her eyes. "You know I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. I thought I had lost you Lou."
She gripped his hand tighter, "I thought you were going to lose me. There were times I was afraid you wouldn't come.....but you know what scared me the most"?
Kid looked into her piercing brown eyes and listened carefully. "What"?
She paused to looked down before once again staring into his face. Her face became sad and pale. "I was afraid I'd never get to look into your eyes again, and tell you how much I love you. That was more terrifying than the thought of dying."
Overcome with emotion their eyes filled with tears. He lifted her chin with his warm hand. "I love you too Louise, and I'm never going to let you go again.....never."
He kissed her and they both stood up to go seek some much needed sleep. Putting his arm around her waist they started upstairs. Pausing for a short moment he turned to her. "Seems like you and I had a date. You free tomorrow night"?
That old familiar sparkle came back into her eyes....the sparkle that he so loved. She contemplated a moment before she gave him an tender smile. "I might be able to fit it in."