Buck hadn't expected Rachel to be happy for him when he told her about Cami. A barely 18-year-old religious young woman with ambitions to be a teacher or actress one day, that's how Rachel saw her. And Buck too. But he also saw the most precious being in the world when he looked at her, he didn't see a pupil in a classroom.

"Buck," Rachel started and walked up to him with a serious face; Buck's heart froze when he realized he didn't have Rachel's blessing. Not that it mattered much, he could decide for himself who he wanted to spend time with, but Rachel was one of the few women he looked up to. If he had her consent he would feel a lot more at ease.

"Rachel, I know what you're about to say," Buck argued and threw a quick glance at Teaspoon who sat on a chair across the bunkhouse, drinking coffee.

"She's too young, Buck."

Buck closed his eyes and drew a deep breath to control the boiling emotions that were about to surface. He cleared his throat and looked up again, this time staring Rachel hard in the eyes. "I don't think so."

"I do," Rachel said and crossed her arms over her chest. "She's still in school, there are other women out there for you!"

"I don't want any other woman," Buck replied honestly and glanced at Teaspoon again. "I've made up my mind, I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

Rachel seemed to take a moment to digest the information and then turned back to him with a crossed face. "Buck, are you sure about this?"

Buck looked at Teaspoon and then at Rachel. "Yes."

"Do you think she's ready for that?" Rachel asked curiously and Buck heard the undertone clearly; she meant that as sarcasm.

"I do actually." He wanted the conversation to continue, and he wanted to tell them how much he loved her so they would understand, but the words got stuck in his throat; he had never been good at speaking of feelings.

"Well, why don't you let her decide that for now, okay?" Rachel suggested.

Upon seeing Buck's doubtful look, she continued. "I'm a woman, Buck. We don't want men to decide what we should and should not do."

"I would never force her, Rachel."

Buck's voice was dry and low, and his eyes were almost tear-filled. He didn't know why, he just felt so strongly for the whole marriage idea. He didn't want anyone to tell him it couldn't happen. Not even the two people he looked up to most.

"We know that, son."

Buck turned to see Teaspoon rise from his seat. The marshal stretched one leg at a time and slowly approached his young employee. Placing his right hand on Buck's shoulder he took a moment to just look at him. "You do what you think is right, Buck. Is no harm in askin'!" The smile on Teaspoon's lips reassured Buck that his instincts could not be false. He must continue to strive for what he believed was right.