Untainted Devotion

Lou rode in-between Buck and Kid when the path was wide enough, and few words were spoken amongst them as they traveled. They were within close proximity to the town, which for several reasons, caused anxiousness and anticipation.

"I really pray that she is here," Louise said as they rode through the center of town.

Buck turned to her, "Can you give us a description of the men that were holding you? I think that we better report it to the sheriff."

She thought back on their terrifying faces...those evil glares. "Yes, I can give a description." Then with a shudder, she began to tell Buck what she knew about the men and where she last saw them. Inside of her, the thoughts of satisfaction rose high as she began to picture what it would be like to look at those horrible men through iron bars.

Stacy stormed out of the saloon. She was too upset from his lack of response that she failed to notice the man who stood outside the saloon, waiting. "Well, if it isn't miss Stacy," he grinned.

She froze in fear and was furious at herself for not watching her back more carefully. "I suppose you want to just shoot me right here on the street?" He didn't respond so she turned to face him. "Go ahead, someone else already took a pretty good shot."

"Aw, you're such a good sport," he smirked. "But I have a better plan." He pushed her down the steps and into the street. "You're coming with me."

Stacy resisted his grasp with all that she could, struggling all the way down the street. People stopped and stared, but did nothing. It was a rough town, so things of that nature were not uncommon.

"Let go of me!" She screamed, but he only twisted her arm behind her. "Jimmy!"

As it was, Jimmy was one step ahead of her. He had followed her out of the saloon a few moments after the man had grabbed her and had been trailing them every since. He held his weapon in his right hand, raising it to eye level, "I'd be letting go of her if I was you." Jimmy clicked back the hammer and set his jaw.

McGuire wheeled around and put Stacy's body in front of his own, holding a gun to her head. "Alright, take your best shot. But I warn you, I'll drop her."

Jimmy took a step back. He knew that this man wasn't kidding, he would drop her without a second thought. "What do you want? Revenge? If so, then take me instead. You know there's a high price on my head these days. Everyone's looking to kill James Hickok."

The man tightened his grip on Stacy's arm. Sure, he could take out Hickok and make a name for himself. In fact, after this was all over, he still might. For the present though, he had a score to settle with the young lady. "Sorry, Hickok, right now the price on her pretty little head is worth more than your's."

"Shoot him, Jimmy! Just do it!" Stacy shouted, not caring what happened to her own life. She just wanted this man who had been haunting her, dead. Her feeling on the matter was so strong that she was willing to sacrifice her own life by the hand of the man she loved.

Jimmy shook his head and carefully set his weapon on the ground. "No deal, Stacy. You were right about everything you said, but wrong about one thing," he paused, hoping that these wouldn't be the last words that he ever spoke to her. "There's no other heart that I'm going to play target with. I'm hanging up the gun, Stacy. It's time that I throw away the shell and start fresh. I'm sorry."

Instantly she forgot the danger of her own life, and stared into his eyes, finding the look that she never thought she would see from him again. "I love you," he mouthed.

"I've had enough of this, Stacy. I told you that you made a fatal mistake in killing my friend." McGuire looked once more at Jimmy. "Better say goodbye while you still can."

Then, without another word on the subject, a shot rang out into the town. Jimmy threw himself on Stacy, knocking them both to the ground. Blood covering his hand as he did so, although he was not sure where it had come from. "Stacy!" He screamed. "No, don't die on me! I can't lose you." He whispered through rising tears. She didn't move at his touch and he carefully rolled her over onto her back.

Before he could react, another shot ran out and Jimmy looked up to see smoke rising from Kid's gun. McGuire fell to the ground, gasping his last breath of air, and looking at Stacy once more. Jimmy reached for his gun and longed to fire another shot into the man......a shot of anger, but Stacy's groan stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Jimmy........Louise," She was able to cough out. Lou rushed over to her friend's side. Kid and Buck closely behind.

"I'm here!" Lou said stroking the matted hair from her forehead. From what she could tell the bullet had only grazed her temple, thanks to Jimmy's bold move.

"I'll go get the doctor." Kid said.

Buck kneeled down and took off his jacket and laid it across her. Jimmy took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "I knew you were too stubborn to die," he said soothingly, clutching the locket in his free hand and then carefully enfolding it into her's. "I think you can start wearing this again."

She looked up and smiled. "You only told me that you loved me because you thought I would die," another fit of coughing stopped her in mid sentence and Lou helped her sit up slightly. "I had to get shot to hold you to it," she finished. With one last choke, she closed her eyes and heard none of the pleas and words of comfort being thrown at her. She was surrounded by blackness, yet she still felt the warmth from Jimmy's hand, and the rounded form of a locket.

Kid returned shortlwasn't just saying it to make her feel better. "She is a fighter, and if anyone can pull out of it, she can." Lou added, wiping her eyes free of the tears that were rapidly swelling in her eyes.

"Therefore, you are one lucky lady." The jovial doctor announced at the semi-coherent Stacy.

She mustered a faint smile and then wanted nothing more than to sleep. Something that the doctor had prescribed to her was making her eyes feel as if they were each carrying ten-pound weights. She was irritated with herself for not being able to stay awake and convince her friends that she was all right. The doctor assured her that it was good for her to be tired, and he would be worried if she weren't.

Not having any choice but to follow orders, Kid, Lou, Buck and Jimmy left his office. They walked out onto the main street of town, promising to come back in a short while to check on how she was doing.

"There's still one out there," Lou finally said, as they walked past the sheriff's office.

A man, presumably the sheriff stepped outside almost an instant after she had spoken. He was a handsome man in his early twenties. Apparently he hadn't had this job too long...his eyes weren't underlined with black circles, and he seemed to be enjoying himself too much. "Excuse me, ma'am?" He called out to her.

The riders turned in unison. "Yes?" She responded, and followed his motion to step into his office.

Inside the jail cell sat a man...in fact it was one that was quite familiar to her. "Recognize him?" The sheriff asked.

Shooting him a quick look of disgust and hatred, Lou turned her focus back to the sheriff. "Yeah, he's the partner to the man responsible for trying to kill my friend."

"We figured it was. Now I'll just bring back my deputy from his search for that other man you were talking about. I've already had the undertaker deal McGuire." He said between puffs of his foul smelling tobacco.

"Thank you," she paused, "But tell me, how'd you catch him?"

The sheriff laughed and sat down at his desk. "Funny, outlaws are so smart until they start stealing too much of one particular thing...consequently causing fights and killings."

"What's that?"

"Liquor. In fact our friend here had so much of it, that he confessed everything."

A Week Later, Back at Rock Creek

Buck had come back to visit for a few days before he headed on back to his job and home...whatever and wherever that was going to be. He still hadn't decided on a particular destination, although he did know that he wanted to work as a go-between for the army and the Indian tribes of the area.

Stacy had come back to stay with her beloved Lou (with a little persuasion of course). That prospect didn't seem to bother Kid a bit, except that he made them both swear by the only sacred things they owned that they would not ride out or leave the house unless one of their lives depended on it while he was away.

Jimmy had come to the house, never asking to enter it, every day to see how Stacy was doing. When Lou would give the report, he would thank her and leave. She was determined to stick with her warning to him, until she saw beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had changed. Therefore, he still hadn't sat down to talk to Stacy about what all had transpired in the past week.

So perhaps that was why, when he came visiting to see how Stacy's recovery was and he saw that she was well, he decided that today was the day.

Walking up the steps, he knocked on the door lightly, while the thoughts on his mind were weighing heavily. "Hi, Lou," he said meekly as she opened the door.

"She's sitting up today," Lou offered, knowing what he was going to ask.

"Is she awake?"

"Yes," She said, continuing to keep their conversation more on the business aspect. Although it hurt her to treat him like this, she wanted very much to make sure that he wasn't going to hurt her friend again. It may have been a drastic measure, but after discussing it with Kid, they decided that for the present it was the best one to take.

Jimmy fiddled with his hat. "Lou, I remember the talks that we've had, and I just wanted to tell you that I'm ready to make things right. I don't want to go on like this."

She looked deeply into his eyes and knew right away that he spoke the truth. Lou had always had a way of telling....even in the Express days. The man before her was sincerely wanting to make amends. "Come in," she said, opening the door and offering him a seat. "I'll go see if she's still awake."

Hickok mustered a faint nod and sat patiently waiting for the news. Lou returned swiftly and motioned him towards her bedroom door. "She's up."

"Thanks."

With hesitation and reservation in his steps, Jimmy walked into her bedroom and was overtaken with emotion when he looked at her lying there helplessly in bed. A white cloth was bandaged around her wound and she turned her head towards him slowly. "You come to take another crack shot?" She smiled sarcastically.

He helped himself to a seat. "Yeah, but it is going to be a different shot." Jimmy waited for her to interrupt, and was surprised when she didn't. "Stacy," he started but then fumbled for the words, "Stacy..."

"That's my name James, has been for a long time too."

Jimmy shot her a look of 'thanks a lot', before he proceeded. "Stacy," he started for the third time, "Something happened, and well, I just wanted to know what I could do to make it right again."

In her weakness and lack of strength, she was still able to have the same philosophical approach that she always used. "Jimmy, there's nothing you can do. I'm not going to ask you to give something that you aren't willing to give. It's got to come from you."

He looked at her and for the first time he thought that he might have a chance at understanding what all of this 'love' stuff was all about. "Stacy, somehow I thought you were expecting something from me. I was afraid of all that I wouldn't have to offer you, and I can't promise a life of ease."

Pushing her pillow up, she sat up and took his hand. "I never wanted anything from you, except for you to be the man that I loved. Do you think that I'm one of those girls that has to be made happy by everything, and is afraid to get dirt on her hands? All I wanted was to be with you, wherever that took you."

Jimmy's admiration had grown more for this woman in the past few moments than it had in weeks. There was just one thing that he had to say to her as he took her hand. "Stacy....."

Stacy must have realized where it was going, and so she pulled on his arm and drew him closer to her. She kissed him and then slowly laid back down. "Maybe you better hold that thought for a moment," she said, smiling, "And let a poor girl get some rest."

Not sure what else to say, Jimmy nodded with a weak smile and stood up. He gently released her hand, "I'll see you later."

She winked playfully, "You can count on it, James Hickok."

Lou was downstairs with Kid as they were rummaging through some old things left over from the Pony Express. Saddles, spurs, and various supplies were crated and stashed downstairs. It was the kind of stuff that you could easily put off sorting through for another year, or never even open it up at all.

Jimmy walked in slowly, an immediate difference was in his countenance. "Hi," he said to them as they glanced over at his presence. For the first time in months he didn't feel insecure about their friendship...it was like everything had gone back to the way it was a year ago.

"Hey, Jimmy." Lou said smiling. "Did you have a nice time talking?"

"Yeah," he paused, "There's something that I'd like to talk to you both about."

Kid looked at his old friend, "You sure you don't want me to leave?" The question was half sarcastic, and half truthful, yet he said it with a smile.

"No, this is for both of you to hear," Lou motioned for him to sit down in one of the chairs. She sat down across from him, and Kid chose to remain standing. "You know how hard it is for me to say I'm sorry."

They both nodded in agreement. Of course it wasn't exactly easy for either of them...which a few fights had proven.

"I owe you both an apology. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I know I've stepped on toes and hurt people that I didn't mean to hurt." He finished before standing up and taking a step closer to the door. "I'll leave now," he quickly finished, not sure if his presence was desired any longer.

Lou looked at her husband and he was at a loss for words. Stepping over to him, she grabbed Jimmy's arm to stop him. "Jimmy, you're always welcome here. And thank you for saying you're sorry."

He smiled at her and then she hugged him warmly, "Join us for dinner." She finally said.

"I'd like that, Lou, Kid." He walked over and extended his hand to Kid who took it before they also exchanged a brief hug.

"Nice to have you back, Jimmy." Kid said.

"It's good to be back."

Louise took some food up to Stacy and returned shortly with a grin on her face. It was all starting to feel right once again. Stacy was returning to her happy self once again. Jimmy was with them, and she felt that her family was more complete now.

When Jimmy had gone home, Lou went back up to spend some time with her friend. It seemed like old times once again when they discussed the orphanage and the years that had passed afterwards.

They had both completely lost track of time when Kid came in to say goodnight. He smiled at the two women both wrapped in blankets and sitting on the bed. There was a part of them that would never grow up.

"Good night, Kid," Stacy said, "And thank you, for everything." She planted a kiss on his cheek.

"You don't have to thank me," He said matter-of-factly, "Just try to stay away from trouble from now on."

"No promises!" She laughed.

Kid left the room chuckling to himself. Somehow he didn't believe that as long as Stacy was in Lou's life, there would ever be a complete absence of mischief or trouble. Maybe that's how it was meant to be....

Lou waited until Kid had left the room before she repositioned herself to face Stacy. "You have to tell me, what Jimmy said to you. Did he ask you again?"

The look on her face told Lou everything. Her eyes sparkled. "Well, I didn't really give him a chance."

A few long moments passed. It was awkward for Lou because she didn't know quite how she should react. Was Stacy happy about what had happened? She hoped so because her friend deserved nothing but the best. "What are you going to do now?"

Stacy contemplated before answering. "Well, I'm going to get up every morning, as I always have. Then I'll start each day fresh, making every moment count," she paused and looked out the window, "And whatever arises in the future will be dealt with accordingly."

Stacy looked back over at her friend, her face beaming with a radiant smile. "But I'll tell you, Louise, no matter what happens, my heart will always be devoted to James Butler Hickok."

Once Stacy was well enough to be moving about freely, without any assistance, she started making plans for what she was now going to do with her life. So, it was after much pleading from her two friends that decided it would be best to leave.

Jimmy had written her on several occasions, telling her where he was and what it was that he was doing. He had taken a position, not far from Rock Creek, working with the law enforcement. It seemed from his letters that he enjoyed his position, but she could also see between the fine lines.

"Where will you be going?" Lou asked, wanting to be sure that she would have a way to contact her.

Stacy packed her last dress. "I'm not sure. I will write you when I get there though, I promise." She embraced her friend and they remained clinging to each other for a long time.

"You take care of yourself. I'm not going to be there if you run into any more trouble," Lou teased.

"I'll be fine, I promise," she turned to Kid and hugged him as well. "You take care of Lou." Then she whispered in his ear, "She always blamed me for being the troublemaker, but just ask her who gave me the lessons."

Kid smiled. "I can believe it," he paused, "Come see us again soon."

"I will," she promised.

Having nowhere else to go, Stacy decided to follow the address of the last letter that she had gotten from Jimmy. Mounting the horse that Kid and Lou had given to her, she took off in the general direction.

Through the entire ride, she thought about the past two months and what all had transpired. She didn't know quite what it was that she wanted to do with her life. For so long, she had been so sure that Jimmy was the one for her. Maybe he still was, and hopefully this visit would help her sort that aspect out.

The saloon was filled with cigarette smoke and loud voices. It wasn't really crowded, just stuffy. James Hickok sat at a table by himself, save for the saloon girl that stood over his shoulder begging him to let her sit down. In spite of his constant 'no' response, she kept badgering. He wanted to be alone, and stare into his drink as if there was no tomorrow...it was his way of relaxing.

"I'm telling you for the last time, I don't want any company!" He shouted firmly at the girl.

Then, a voice, familiar to him spoke. "You heard the gent, scram!"

The girl turned in disgust and walked away. "The good ones always have wives!" She mumbled as she went to find her next customer.

"Mind if I sit down?" The girl asked Jimmy.

He didn't look around to see who it was, but whoever had eliminated the little pest from his life deserved to sit down. "Sure."

Stacy moved around to the other side of the table. Jimmy smiled at the sight of her. In fact it had been she that he was thinking of even before her timely arrival. Of course who was he fooling, it was always her that was there in the back of his mind.

"Hey, Jimmy," she said in response to his shocked look.

"What are you doing here?" He said, for lack of better words.

Stacy sat down, leaned back, and crossed her arms. The gold locket which he had given back to her was now hanging out over her dress. "That's a fine greeting for a lady that's traveled all the way out here just to see you."

He looked apologetic and she shook her head, not wanting another 'I'm sorry' from him. "I'm glad to see you," he said softly.

"Let's get out of here," she pleaded, rising to her feet and holding out her hand. He took it gratefully and they walked out, hand in hand. The streets weren't crowded, and many of the townsfolk tipped their hats or curtsied slightly when they saw Jimmy pass. He had certainly earned respect from them all.

"Stacy, I'm glad you're here," Jimmy started, "It's been two weeks since I saw you last, and I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"That's a bad habit, you know," she teased. It was also a nervous response to what she was afraid he was about to say.

"We've known each other for quite a long time," he began.

"Yes, that's true."

"That's why I feel that it's time I asked you something." They stopped on the outskirts of town and he turned to face her. He took her left hand held it in his own. "I need you, Stacy."

Need! Jimmy was actually admitting that he couldn't face life on his own anymore. Stacy tried to hide her smile of satisfaction. He, the man who she wasn't sure needed anyone.

"Will you marry me?" He said sincerely, all tenderness shining through his gentle eyes.

(Author's note: I know that everyone's perspective, or wishes on Stacy's answer might be different than mine, so if that is the case, please end it as you would have liked to see it end in your imagination. I won't be insulted, I promise! And if you think that you might like how I have decided to end it, carry on!)

The words, spoken to her once before, seemed more magical and sincere this time. In fact, now more than before, she could see how much he really meant it. That was how she knew exactly what her response would be. She had found her answer to a troublesome question. "Yes," she whispered.

A year later...

January 1863

My dearest Louise,
My letters have become scarce and few, and I apologize for not writing you sooner at the joyous news of the arrival of your baby! You should have seen Jimmy's face when I told him that he is going to be an uncle, again. Wait until I tell him the news that he is going to be a father! Yes, it is true my dear friend! My greatest hope is that our children will grow to be as close as you and I have in the years to come.
I cannot wait to see you next month. I have so much to tell you, and I plan on telling Jimmy the news when Kid is there to catch him in case he faints.

All my love,
Stacy

Love always,
Stacy

The history books tell us that the real James Butler Hickok was in fact married. To whom or when or for how long, I am not completely sure. Maybe some of you know. This is just my interpretation of how it might have happened. I have left the story up to the rest of you to finish in your minds however you think it might have occurred. I like to believe that somewhere down there Stacy held a place in the heart of James Hickok forever. She was just the kind of woman that a man like him deserved, and I hope that the real Mrs. Hickok was as happy as Stacy Nelson was in my imagination, writing, and dreams.