By Suzy
Copyright 1999
Cody worried about the emotions of his freiends the whole time as he rode back to the Rock Creek station. He knew that often they all thought that he was shallow and too fond of himself to care about everybody else' feelings, and whilst he did care, sometimes too much, he always tried to lighten the mood and prevent them from saying or doing something they would regret later but this time he knew no amount of support from any of them would be able to help.
He wasn't sure who would be hurt worst but he knew in his heart as they all did that Kid and Lou belonged together, especially now that she was carrying his baby. All of them may as well be orphans and if any of them had anything to do with it, this baby would have both of its parents with it from the moment it was born. He had seen the pain in Jimmy's eyes, just as he knew the torment that he was suffering but both Lou's and Jimmy's lives would be a lie if he and Lou remained together. Riding into the station he knew that if Kid didn't come to his senses soon Jimmy would be inextricably hurt and Cody had no doubt that his friendship with all the remaining riders would be harmed as well. That was something that he was determined would not happen, not while he was arround anyway.
'How's things?' he asked as he slid from his horse and walked towards the barn and Teaspoon where he stood in the doorway watching him ride in.
'We had a win while you were away,' Teaspoon spoke his smile still in his voice.
'What happened?' Cody's eyes flew to Teaspoon's face hope flaring
'Kid walked.' he paused and watched the hope in Cody's eyes 'Not well of course but it is a start.' Teaspoon hated the way that the light of hope that had flared momentarily in Cody's eyes faded.
'Can I talk to you Teaspoon?' Cody asked quietly. Teaspoon looked closely at Cody and realised that something was bothering him
'What's troubling you son?' Teaspoon asked as he laid a hand on his shoulder and walked with him into the barn.
"Am I the only one here who can see what's happening?' he spoke and threw his arms up in the air, despairing of what was going on around him. Looking into Teaspoon's eyes he turned around and faced the side wall of the barn as Buck walked in, ashamed of the emotions he knew that his friends would see in his eyes.
Kid stood at the window in the living room and watched as Cody and Teaspoon walked into the barn confused by the sadness he saw in Cody's face. Knowing that somehow it had something to do with he and Lou. Nobody knew how much he missed his tiny bride, how much he longed to hold her, to cradle her in his arms, god even to talk to her would be heaven sent, but she had been through so much already. He didn't care how much he needed her, he wouldn't have her caring for an invalid, if that meant that she needed Jimmy then so be it. His heart broke as he thought of his wife and his best frient, but he knew that Lou deserved a real marriage and if he couldn't give that to her himself then he wouldn't come between them, no matter how much it hurt him, besides she had asked him for a divorce. He knew how strongly she and Jimmy felt about each other, maybe this accident had helped her decide.
Buck and Teaspoon both moved closer trying to diffuse the situation before Cody did something they all knew he would eventayully regret. They waited until he moved to lean over one of the stall rails patting a foal, before Teaspoon spoke trying to draw an explanation from him.
'What brought that on Cody?' Teaspoon asked his hands on his hips.
'I called in on Jimmy and Lou today,' he stated turning to face his friends. 'If she stays there much longer Jimmy's going to do something stupid, something neither of them will be able to forget. Lou is so confused that she might just fall for him.'
'I knew it' Buck spat angry at himself for letting this happen.
'Now boys this is nobody's fault, you know how strongly they feel about each other. We just should have expected this.'
'What are we going to do about it then?' Cody asked impatiently.
Buck and Cody watched Teaspoon closely knowing that he was formulating an idea in his mind.
'I think it's time that we come up with a plan,' he stated.
The next six weeks were hard on everybody at the waystation. Buck worked tirelessly, it seemed that he never slept, working hard with Kid all day and trying to keep up with his chores at night. Kid worked hard at teaching himself to walk again, nobody could doubt his dedication to his wife and the prospect of seeing her again. Cody had been called back to his regiment to do some urgent scouting for them, so Rachel and teaspoon were working harder then ever to try and keep up with the jobs that needed to be done around the station.
Kid was almost walking, his legs not always responding but sometimes able to take several shuffling steps unassisted. One morning Teaspoon, Rachel and Buck had gone into town to pick up come supplies.' and check on things at the Marshall's office, when a lone rider appeared at the station house.
"Can I help you?' Kid spoke from his seat on the porch.
'Kid, you probably don't remember me, my name is Jim Baker. I used to fill in on runs out of Sweetwater.'
'What can I do for you Jim?' Kid asked his tone more friendly.
'There's been a problem in Sweetwater,' Jim remembered how protective Kid used to be of Lou and didn't want to be the one to break bad news to him.
'What sort of problem?' the hair on the back of Kid's neck prickled, a sure sign that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.
'A gang of bank robbers his the bank, unfortunately they used the old Sweetwater Station as a staging point. Jimmy has gone after them. But Lou was hurt Kid. The doc sent me to find you, he said you should get there as quick as you can.'
'What?...How?' Kid was almost incoherent in his pain for the beautiful young woman that he loved so deeply.
'Thanks Jim,' he spoke as he pulled himself to his feet with his crutches and made his way inside. Jim watched him leave and turned his horse towards town.
Kid struggled to make his way upstairs and packed a saddle bag, struggling back down the stairs he wrote a short note and left it on the dining room table. Knowing that they would distress his beloved Katy, he unbuckled his braces and dropped them on the floor beside the table.
Rushing outside, he stumbled several times as he crossed the expanse of gravelly dirt between the house and the barn. Reaching the barn he went straight to Katy's stall. He gripped her face affectionately , his own face already a lather of sweat and tears.
'Katy, you'll have to help me, I don't think I can do this alone.' You have to take me to Lou. He murmured against her coat. It took him three tries, but he eventually made it onto her back, holding her mane in his hands, he urged her to move forward, galloping out of the barn and across the plains, content that now he was on his way t the side of his beloved.
'Strange Kid wasn't here to meet us,' Buck frowned as he took the reins of Rachel's horse in the same hand that held his own, and led both horses toward the barn.
'He's probably just having a nap,' Rachel answered as she walked up to the porch steps.
'I'll go up and check on him if you like'
Buck nodded his head as he walked into the barn, not prepared for what he found there.
Dropping the reins of both horses he turned and ran back to the house, colliding with Rachel at the door
'Katy's gone,' Buck spoke.
'Kid's gone?' Rachel stated at the same time, waving a note clutched in her hand at Buck. He took the note and unfolded it quickly.
'Lou's hurt. Jimmy not there. Gone to Sweetwater,' he read as he looked back at Rachel
'He's not ready for that ride.'
Both were disturbed by the sound of a horse approaching the station fast. Relieved to see the rider was Teaspoon both of them ran down to the hitching rail to meet him.
'Teaspoon...Kid's gone,' Rachel spoke.
'Jim Baker from Sweetwater just told me, Lou was hurt yesterday. I figured he would go, I thought I would get here before he left.' Teaspoon explained.
'I'm going after him Teaspoon,' Buck stated.
'I figured you would son,' he frowned, 'bring back good news Buck.' Teaspoon asked.
On to Chapter Sixteen
