TITLE: Fire And Ice
AUTHOR: Kirsten T.
FEEDBACK: robin-t@clear.net.nz
STANDARD DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders don't belong to the author, but to 
MGM/UA Television, Ed Spielman and Josh Kane. I'm just borrowing them. No 
copyright infringement intended.

                                Fire And Ice
                                By Kirsten T.

Who knew a painting could cause so much trouble.

It was going to be the largest auction ever, Joseph Broots could feel it.
Ever since word had got out that Thomas Denver was selling his favorite
painting, people had been trying to out bid each other and the auction
wasn't even due to start till this afternoon.

The hall where the auction was to be held had already started to fill. It
was the two gentlemen that remained standing at the back of the hall that
caught Joseph's eye. One was an Indian, the other a white man. They were
both in their sixties and were obviously friends. With them were two women
in their twenties, perhaps their granddaughters. They all seemed somewhat
out of place, but that was the least of Joseph's problems. It was beginning
to look as though there wouldn't be enough room for everyone and Thomas
hadn't tuned up yet.

The hall full of people suddenly went silent as all heads turned to see the
artist himself walk in carrying his most prized procession. He to, had
noticed the foursome at the rear of the hall. The painting was entitled
"Fire and Ice". Thomas carefully placed the painting on it's stand and
unveiled it. He smiled at the pictures subjects: Two of the most beautiful
women he had ever seen in his entire life. One like fire, the other as cold
as ice, both strong with wills of iron.

At the rear of the hall, tears came to the Indian's eyes. There she was on
canvas: His Ice Princess.

"Buck, are you alright?" Kid hadn't missed the look on his friend's face
when the painting had been unveiled.

"Yeah Kid, I'm fine. I just miss her that's all." Katelynn had been his
world. They had gotten through so much together. It pained him that she
hadn't been able to see their granddaughter that now stood beside him. She
had her grandmother's temperament as well as her blue eyes and red hair. As
she looked up at her grandfather, she squeezed his hand to reassure him that
everything was alright. She reminded him so much of his wife. She seemed to
know what he was thinking, just like Katelynn used to. It had troubled all
of them to find out that this painting still existed.

The memory of how they all got here was still fresh in both Buck and Kid's
minds.

Katelynn had, had a difficult pregnancy. Buck had been worried that he would
loose both Katelynn and the baby, but as usual, Katelynn proved to be
typically unpredictable. She had given Buck a beautiful daughter. She would
grow to be the image of her father except for the icy blue eyes she had
inherited from her mother. Although Katelynn had never managed to get her
full strength back, she was still a force to be reckoned with. Over the
years, Buck had gotten used to the strange assortment of people that would
turn up at their home unexpected and uninvited. When both Napoleon and
Blackie had died, an entire circus troop turned up.

It was as if the whole family had turned up for Christmas dinner. The
Ringmaster had been on a loosing streak at cards when he had met a very
young Katelynn. To say that he was in big trouble was a huge understatement.
Katelynn had won his money back, paid his debts and saved his life in one
afternoon and he knew he could never repay her, but he was going to try.
Napoleon and Blackie were his gifts to her. She had trained them and they
had been her most loyal companions. Now he had new companions for her. When
he had first seen the white fowl and the black puppy, he knew that it was a
sign. It was time to find Katelynn. When they heard rumors of an Ice
Princess, they knew they were on the right track. As Buck had become used to
surprises from Katelynn, so had the Ringmaster. He was, however unprepared
to see a pale Katelynn being carried out of the house by Buck. The circus
family were amazed to hear that Katelynn had gotten married and had a child.
When Louise had carried the baby girl out to her mother, who Buck had
carefully placed on the swing seat on the porch, any amazement was pushed
aside as the extended family of riders and performers looked on with pride.

Katelynn was touched by the Ringmasters gifts of another two animal
guardians whom looked so much like Napoleon and Blackie and Louise was
treated like another daughter by the old man.

As they all sat around a campfire that had been built in the front yard,
stories of the places they had been, adventures they had, had filled the
night air. The stories of Katelynn's place with the circus family amused
them all the most. Katelynn had joined the circus family for three years
training and working with the horses and the dogs. She had also on several
occasions worked on the trapeze. Her ability with a whip had come in handy
when some of the men had gotten a little too drunk. As impressed as the
riders were with the performers stories, the admiration was double when some
of the riders adventures were told.

The performers had stayed a few months, surviving by doing a few night
shows. When Katelynn was back on her feet they knew it was time to move on.
That was when Thomas Denver entered their lives.

Thomas had made his living by doing several jobs: newspaper reporter,
gambling, bar tending and painting. He had managed to sell a few of his
paintings, but nothing had ever inspired him, so at best, his paintings
lacked passion. He had spotted Louise as he rode into town. Louise never
noticed the looks she drew as she walked down the street. Her children were
never far from her side which seemed to make her even more attractive.
Thomas could not take his eyes off of her, so much so that he rode into a
hanging sign and was knocked from his horse. When he started to sit up he
was convinced he was seeing double.

"Well, he's alive Lou, but I think he would do better watching where he was
going rather than watching you."

It was then that Thomas realized that he was looking at twins. One had red
hair and blue eyes, the other reddish brown hair and brown eyes. "Excuse me
Ladies. I'm sorry to interrupt you both but I would like to retain some
dignity and stand up." The icy look that he received from Katelynn and the
fiery look that he got from Louise mad him realized that he had no right to
be so abrupt. The blue eyed woman was right. If he had been looking where he
was going, he wouldn't be embarrassing himself in front of these two
beautiful women. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. Could you possibly
tell me where I can find a place to stay?"

Louise pointed to the hotel which was next door to the Saloon. "You'll
probably find a room there." Without waiting for any response from Thomas,
both Katelynn and Louise turned and walked away.

Thomas' jaw dropped when he saw Katelynn walk up to an Indian and kiss him
passionately in the middle of the street. When the Indian handed the child
he was carrying over to her it mad Thomas' jaw drop even further.

"Something bothering you Mister?" A Southern accent spoke from behind him.
Thomas spun around to see an older version of the boy who stayed so close to
Louise. Kid stood waiting for an answer. He had been watching Thomas since
he rode into Sweetwater.

"No. I was just wondering who those two women were." Thomas could see that
the gentleman before him didn't believe a word.

"The one with brown eyes is my wife and the one with blue eyes is his wife."
Kid pointed to Buck. "You have a problem with that?"

Thomas got the distinct feeling that it would be a big mistake getting on
the wrong side of this man. "No. No problem what so ever."

"Hey Kid, is that you?" The two men turned to see a tall, dark stranger
heading towards them.

"Jimmy." Kid raced forward to hug his friend. "Come and meet your newest
niece." Thomas was instantly forgotten.

Thomas watched the dark stranger embrace Lou and swing her around. But the
reaction to the other woman was one of surprise. Slowly Thomas walked to the
hotel. He wasn't in any great hurry to loose sight of the two intriguing
women.

Later that night Jimmy and Buck sat on the porch talking. It had taken Jimmy
completely by surprise when he saw Katelynn. She looked so pale and thin.
Louise had written to Jimmy and told him that they had nearly lost both
Katelynn and the baby, whom they had named Kathryn "blue ice" Cross. Kathryn
had her fathers looks and her mother's blue ice and icy temperament. She was
going to grow to be quite a stunner. Jimmy was already taken with the baby
girl. "Katelynn isn't getting any stronger is she?"

Buck shook his head. "No. She spends any time that she isn't sleeping or
looking after Kathryn, training the horse and the dog. I'm worried. She has
always been thin and pale, but at the moment she looks like a ghost. She
still tries to do everything under the sun. Normally I wouldn't worry, but
Lou is really scared for her and if Lou is this scared there has got to be
something really wrong."

Jimmy turned to his friend. "Maybe Katelynn just needs to slow down a bit."
Buck nodded. Jimmy was probably right, but it didn't stop him worrying.
"Hey, who was that guy that Kid was talking to in town?"

Buck laughed. "Oh, you'll love this. That guy rides into town, takes one
look at Lou and is so busy starring at her, that he hits his head on a
hanging sign and knocks himself off of his horse."

Jimmy starred at his friend laughing. "I know Lou's a head turner, but you
are kidding aren't you?"

Buck was laughing so hard that he was almost crying. "No, I'm not kidding
and the best part was Kid was watching the entire thing. If you hadn't
called out to him when you did, Kid would have decked him one."

They spun around when they heard the screen door shut behind them. Katelynn
sat down between them. "Care to let me in on the joke."

Buck smiled at his tiny wife. "Just telling Jimmy about that guy in town."

Katelynn smiled and raised one eyebrow. "Louise does attract the strangest
men, doesn't she?'" Both Katelynn and Buck turned to look at Jimmy.

"Don't look at me like that. I am very happy with Amanda at the moment,
thank you." Jimmy grinned good-naturedly.

Katelynn rested her head on her husband's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Does Teaspoon know about you two yet?"

Jimmy shrugged his shoulders. "I think that he suspects something, but he
never says anything. Amanda's pleased that he comes to visit so often, but
since you and Louise last visited Abilene he seems to visit every month.

Buck looked down at his wife. She had fallen asleep. Carefully Buck picked
his sleeping wife up and carried her up to their room while Jimmy opened the
doors for him. Jimmy said goodnight to Buck and started to leave to go to
his own room. As he got to the door he turned and watched Buck putting his
wife to bed. Katelynn looked like a china doll, so pale and fragile. Jimmy
tuned back to the door and went to bed.

Thomas sat in his hotel room that night unable to sleep. Everytime he closed
his eyes, visions of the two women danced in his head. He had given up
trying to sleep and had unpacked his sketch pad and drawing pencils.
Although it had been a while since he had drawn or even painted, his pencil
swept across the page. By the time the sun came up, he had five pictures
drawn. At least three were worth turning into paintings. All of them were of
Katelynn and Louise. There was a strength he had seen in them. Together they
seemed to be the strongest, separate they were not to be taken for granted.
Exhausted Thomas finally fell asleep on one of his pictures.

The following night Thomas decided to try his hand at cards. The dark
stranger he had seen yesterday was already dealing a hand of cards. Thomas
at the best of times was a bad card player and when he cheated, he was
worse. When the spare ace dropped out of his sleeve, the dark stranger
whipped out a gun. Thomas knew that he would need a miracle to get out of
this one.

"Jimmy, your nieces and nephew are waiting up for you." Thomas looked up to
see his fiery brown eyed angel standing beside him.

"Come on Lou. I just caught him cheating." Jimmy was furious. "This idiot
can't play cards and he is even a worse cheater."

Lou looked down at Thomas who had the good sense to start shaking in his
boots. "Well, he doesn't look as though he is worth wasting bullets on. You
know, I think we should get Katelynn to sort this out. Katelynn!"

Thomas had noticed how everyone but Lou looked worried. Who the hell was
Katelynn? Suddenly, a knife came flying through the air pinning the
incriminating ace to the wall. Everyone turned in the direction the knife
had come from. "This is how it's going to be." The icy voice came form the
icy redhead he had seen yesterday. "I will deal a hand of cards, winner
takes all. The cheater will, of course be expected to leave town and Jimmy,
you owe our children a bed time story and I want to go home to my husband."
Katelynn sat down and started to deal the cards. The cards moved in a blur
between her long fingers. Her blue eyes watched Thomas full of suspicion.
Thomas didn't dare cheat. He had a feeling this woman didn't miss much.

Jimmy won the hand of cards and Thomas was escorted to his hotel to collect
his things before being escorted out of town.

It would be ten years before Thomas would come back to Sweetwater. He had
become a successful painter over the years. all of his paintings were of
Louise and Katelynn, but there was one that he could not bare to part with.
He had titled it "Fire and Ice" Fights had erupted whenever it was on show.
Many people offered ridiculous amounts of money to buy it but Thomas would
never sell. He had painted it from memory. The two women, so alike, yet so
different. Katelynn pale and cold as ice and Louise fiery and hot headed as
a flame of fire. Both made the same point but in different ways.

It was quiet when Thomas rode into Sweetwater that afternoon. Too quiet. As
he rode past the cemetery he discovered why. It seemed as though the entire
town was at a funeral. There at the front of the crowd were his two muses.
They both looked tortured. Their husbands standing behind them didn't look
much better. Thomas continued on to the hotel.. Later that day he saw the
two women helping an older man up the street. It seemed strange to Thomas
that a whole town was suffering over one person's death.

Hickok had been like a son to Teaspoon. He knew about Hickok and Amanda and
had hoped that they may even marry. It had aged him years to hear that Jimmy
had been shot in the back. No one could beat Jimmy face to face so a coward
had shot him in the back while he was playing cards. The pain that he saw on
Amanda's face aged him even more. First they had lost Ike, the Noah, now
Jimmy. Teaspoon had never thought that he would out live any of them. Amanda
hadn't left her room since the funeral. Katelynn and Louise barely spoke,
not that they ever needed to. Cody barely touched any food which was unusual
for him. Cody's wife Louisa refused to leave his side, at least this seemed
to give him some comfort. Emma and Rachel kept themselves busy with their
husbands and children, but as with Teaspoon it was as if they had lost a
son. Buck and Kid kept them selves busy around the farm. James (Kid and
Louise's son) tried to keep the younger children entertained, but it wasn't
easy. They all missed Uncle Jimmy.

Thomas had decided to take a ride in the field to try and get some ideas for
some more paintings. He had been told a collector had brought all of the
paintings that he had sold that had Louise and Katelynn in . It was then
that he saw the children playing. There were three boys and two girls. One
of the girls caught his attention in particular. She was obviously of Indian
blood, but she the bluest eyes that Thomas had ever seen. The oldest of the
boys saw Thomas watching them and quickly gathered the younger children
together. The boys surrounded the girls. "You want something mister?" The
boy didn't trust this stranger.

"No, I was just watching you play. You looked like you were having fun."

James was a smart boy. He knew that Thomas had been watching his cousin,
Kathryn. Even at the ages of ten and twelve, Kathryn and his sister Mary Lou
attracted more than their fair share of admiring looks. As a result James
and his twin brothers Ike and Noah had grown up very protective of the
girls. "You'll excuse me if I don't believe you, Mister. Come on, Ma and
Aunt Katelynn will be wondering where we are." James took hold of his
sister's hand and started to walk home.

"Wait." Thomas started to climb down from his horse, but the sound of a gun
shot stopped him. Thomas spun around to see Katelynn and Louise sitting on
their horses. A black dog sat between the front hooves of the white stallion
that Katelynn was on.

James, why don't you take everyone home. Your father and Uncle Buck need
your help on the farm." Louise's tone was gentle, but her eyes never left
Thomas' face.

"Yes Ma." James grinned at Thomas. "Boy are you in trouble now." James
turned and headed home with the rest of the children following him.

"Look, I wasn't going to hurt the children. I was just watching them play."

The white stallion knelt down and allowed Katelynn to dismount. Katelynn
walked closer. "I remember you. You were kicked out of town for cheating at
cards. You were lucky that Jimmy didn't shoot you on the spot."

"My name is Thomas Denver. I am an artist. My paintings sell for hundreds of
dollars." Neither Katelynn nor Louise looked very impressed. "I was just
taking a ride, trying to find ideas for a new painting."

"Our children are not material for your paintings." Louise had also
dismounted. "Leave our children alone or this time you won't make out of
town alive."

Thomas couldn't believe how protective these two women were being. "But your
children will be famous. My paintings are known all over America."

"Our children don't need to be famous, they are loved. Your paintings bring
nothing but trouble. Do you know how many losers turned up in Sweetwater
looking for your inspiration?" Louise's eyes were burning with hate. They
had both had their fair share of men walking up to them as if they had known
them all of their lives. They had seen the paintings and thought Katelynn
and Louise were free for the taking. They had heard about the fights
erupting at a showing of the "Fire and Ice" painting. More than once Kid and
Buck had, had to chase unwanted suitors off with their guns.

Cody had come looking for his friends when their children had come home and
told him about the stranger. Cody had heard every word they had said to
Thomas. "So you're the one that has Kid and Buck constantly reaching for
their guns." Thomas hadn't heard Cody ride up, but it was obvious that the
women had. "Mister, we just buried a friend who got shot in the back. You
know, all of his problems started when some idiot wrote a ten cent novel
stating he was the fastest gun in the West. Ever since he's had to shoot to
defend himself until somebody, some coward who didn't have the guts to face
him, shot him in the back. Do you have any idea what it's like to have
complete strangers attack you because of lies they have read. Your paintings
do the same thing. They tell a story that isn't true. You don't even know
Katelynn and Louise. What gives you the right to paint them anyway? I know
you didn't get their permission." Cody was furious. They were his family and
some one was endangering their lives for a profit. That was how it had
started with Jimmy and look where it had got him.

"Come on Cody, let's go home. I'm worried about Amanda." It was more of a
command from Katelynn than anything else. "It's been a long day and I'm
tired."

Cody nodded, never taking his eyes off of Thomas "Alright Katelynn. I'm
worried about Amanda too. Besides, Kid and Buck will have my hide if I don't
bring you two home soon."

As before, the white stallion knelt down to allow Katelynn to mount. Louise
however chose the old fashioned way to climb onto her horse. "Show off." She
teased her sister.

Katelynn grinned "You have to admit, there are advantages to joining the
circus."

Louise laughed. "How many families do you belong to and how many should I
expect for Christmas dinner?"

"Well, it's like I always say, aim big." Katelynn clicked her tongue and
rode into the sunset with her sister.

Cody started to turn his horse to follow, when Thomas called out to him.
"Excuse me Mr. Cody, but why does the white horse not wear a saddle or
bridle?"

A smirk crossed Cody's face. "Weren't you listening? Hamlet is a circus
horse. He was trained to be ridden by one person only." With that Cody rode
after his friends.

It was just a day full of surprises with those two women. Was there nothing
that they couldn't do.

Amanda sat by the window starring at the full moon. So many nights like this
she and Jimmy spent together. Sometimes making love, sometimes talking,
rarely sleeping. She wondered how he would have felt if he knew about the
baby. Jimmy loved children. He had been wonderful with Louise and Katelynn's
children. But he had been an Uncle to them not a father. There was a big
difference.

"Jimmy didn't know about the baby did he?" Rachel had been watching Amanda
for sometime.

Amanda turned from the window and shook her head sadly. "No. I had just
found out and was heading to tell Jimmy when I heard the gunshot. When I got
to the Saloon, I found Jimmy dead on the floor." The tears were flowing down
Amanda's face as she remembered that terrible day. Rachel sat beside her and
put her arm around her shoulder. "This kid was standing there crowing about
how he had shot Wild Bill Hickok and he was so proud of it. At least he was
until someone called him a coward. There's no pride in shooting someone in
the back."

Rachel shook her head. "This has been hard on all of us especially you and
Teaspoon. I have never seen him look so old. Why don't you let him and the
other men know about the baby. They could use some good news." Rachel smiled
at her friend.

Amanda frowned. "You don't want me to tell the other women?"

Rachel laughed. "I'm pretty sure, they already know. You are surrounded by
some very wise women. Then there is Louise and Katelynn whom seem to be able
to read minds. I don't think anyone will ever figure those two out."

Amanda smiled. "I don't think anyone is supposed to."

"I guess not."

The smile faded from Amanda's face. She hadn't forgotten how pale Katelynn
was and she was sure it wasn't just Jimmy's death that was the cause.
"Katelynn's ill isn't she?"

Rachel starred out the window. "Well, Louise said that she never really
regained her strength after she had Kathryn. Then she got the flu last
winter and that took a lot out of her. Buck says that she won't rest like
she's supposed to and she gets herself tired out. Teaspoon's scared that she
will be another one that he'll out live."

"You don't think that she will make it through another winter?" Amanda was
concerned for her friend. Katelynn had beaten the odds so many times. It
didn't seem right.

Rachel shook her head "Katelynn is one of the strongest women I have ever
met. Look at what she had made it through. Her father beats her, she gets
stabbed by a madman, she jumps off a cliff into a river to save Kid, despite
not being able to swim and she gets hanged. There is only so much a person
can take."

The two women went downstairs to spread the good news. As Rachel had
predicted, the women didn't seem surprised and the men were greatly cheered
up by the news that Jimmy would live on through a child. That night they all
went to bed wit a sense of hope.

Cody snuggled closer to his wife. Louisa looked over her shoulder at her
husband. "Are you going to tell them that you brought all of those
paintings?"

Cody kissed his wife "No, I think that I will let things settle down before
I give them the paintings and let them decide what to do with them. Besides,
I met the artist today and I have a nasty feeling that he is going to cause
more trouble."

Louisa groaned. Just what they didn't need: another fight. Someone always
got hurt or killed. This family had been to too many funerals.

Thomas had spent the entire night painting the image that was dancing
through is head. This painting he would call "Freedom". The figure on the
canvas starred back at him from fierce blue eyes. The wildness of both the
white stallion and it's rider who needed no harness was incredible. It was
obvious to anyone that there was an understanding and respect between beast
and rider. It was strange though, it was a great painting, even if Thomas
said so himself, but his favorite was still "Fire and Ice." It was as though
he had a bond with that one painting. Little did Thomas or anyone else know
what the outcome of the next days events or the trouble one painting would
cause.

Buck woke early the next morning as he always did, but on this morning he
had a horrible feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong. He
watched his lovely wife sleeping beside him, her red hair like a silk
blanket lying across her pillow. In the twelve years that they have been
married, she was still as lovely as ever. A bit paler and certainly thinner,
but she had a beauty that shone out from within. Slowly her blue eyes
opened. When she saw here husband watching her, her eyes shone with love.

"What are you looking at." She smiled and sat up to kiss him good morning.

The most beautiful woman in the world."

Katelynn looked deep into his eyes. "You know, beauty is in the eye of the
beholder." Her smile was dazzling and so damn sexy.

Buck chuckled "Well, I would love to behold you some more but I have a lot
of work to do."

Katelynn arched her eyebrow. "Oh, I think that I may be able to change your
mind." She reached for Buck and pulled him back into bed.

Two hours later Buck finally made it down to the stables to help Kid out.
Kid looked up from where he was shoeing one of the horses. "You're up late
Buck. Is Katelynn alright?" Kid knew Louise was worried about her sister's
health and was wondering just how right his wife was.

Buck grinned at his friend. "She's fine. Katelynn had a rather good argument
for not getting out of bed this morning."

Kid laughed. "Lou had the same argument with me yesterday. You have to
admit, it's a great reason to stay in bed. You think that you'll have the
energy for the dance tonight?"

Buck chuckled. "I'll have to if I'm going to keep up with my wife."

The morning had gone by with ease and Buck started to wonder if he was
worrying too much this morning. Katelynn looked like a Princess in the royal
blue dress she wore. It mad here eyes seem even more blue than usual. Louise
was a vision in forest green. Kid's jaw dropped when he saw how beautiful
his wife looked, which started Louise laughing. Teaspoon had managed to
convince Amanda to go with them. Louisa was glowing as she make her way into
the hall on Cody's arm. She was the envy of more than one woman there.
Rachel and Emma walked in looking as lovely as ever and obviously the pride
of both of their husbands. James, as always kept a close eye on his siblings
and cousin. Sometimes Louise worried that her son was a little too serious.

Unfortunately, Thomas had decided that he would unveil his new painting and
make some money at the dance that evening. Some of the men had, had a little
too much of the spike punch and started to get rowdy. They wanted to get
their hands on the "Fire and Ice" painting. After all it would be worth more
money.

Cody was furious that Thomas hadn't listened to his warning of what would
happen if he continued to produce these paintings. The someone got hold of a
gun which had to be left at the door. Teaspoon managed to get the gun off of
the drunken fool, but by that time all hell had let loose. Whoever hadn't
got hold of a gun was throwing their fists around all with the intention of
getting hold of the painting. They, like Thomas, only saw dollars signs.
Everyone knew that a Thomas Denver painting was worth a fortune, especially
to the mysterious collector who had brought all of his paintings with
Katelynn and Louise in. Numerous gunshots went off and Katelynn signaled to
James to get the children out. Bullets and fists were flying everywhere.
Buck looked over to the painting and saw a bullet had gone through the
painting. Right through the figure of Katelynn. It was a sign. Buck searched
through the crowd for his wife. He found her ducking punches and knocking
more than her fair share of men down. He had to get her out of there.
Katelynn brought a chair crashing down onto another drunken fool's back. She
had to get to Amanda who had been trapped into a corner and was breaking
bottles over several drunks heads. Just then Buck saw a panicked look cross
Katelynn's face. Buck looked across the room to see what had panicked her. A
drunk had a gun and was waving it in Amanda's direction. Katelynn started to
run to Amanda as Buck made a run for the drunk. That one gunshot was the
most deafening sound Buck had ever heard as he jumped for the drunk,
Katelynn mad a jump for Amanda. Time seemed to go in slow motion. They could
almost see the bullet leave the gun as Buck knocked the drunk down one
second too late. Louise turned just in time to see her sister throw herself
in front of Amanda. Kid spun around when he heard Louise scream as she felt
the bullet enter her sister's body.

What had seconds before been a hall filled with gunshots and fist fights was
now deadly silent. Buck ran to Katelynn having knocked the drunk unconscious
with the force of his body hitting him. Teaspoon helped Amanda up, who was
shaken but not hurt. Katelynn, was lying face down on the floor, not moving.
Louise ran to Buck's side with Kid right behind her. Gently Buck rolled his
wife over. Katelynn was having trouble breathing, the bullet had punctured
her lung.

"Is Amanda and the baby alright?" Her voice came in gasps.

Buck looked over to Amanda and Teaspoon who nodded that they were fine. Buck
looked back down at his wife. "There fine Honey. Let's get you home." He
gently picked his wife up.

"Buck." her voice stopped him outside the hall. "I'm not going to make it
home. You know that." The tears had started to roll down his face. He knew.
Buck sat down on the steps out side the hall, his dying wife in his arms. "I
want you to promise me that you won't give up our dreams. Kathryn needs
you." It was getting more and more difficult for her to speak. A doctor had
been sent for but everyone knew Katelynn could not be saved this time.

Buck kissed her forehead. "I promise. You know, you're the strongest person
I know."

Katelynn smiled through her own tears as she glazed with love into her
husband's eyes. "Strength is like beauty. It comes from within. Thank you
for being the love of my life." Buck bent down and kissed his wife. Tears
were flowing from everyone's eyes by this time. "Where's Louise?" Her voice
was barely a whisper now.

"I'm right here, sis." Louise sat beside Buck and reached for her sister's
hand.

"Take care of Buck and Kathryn for me will you."

Louise nodded. "Of course, you know I will."

"I love you both. Make sure you tell Kathryn I love her. I will always be
with you all." Buck nodded. He couldn't speak for the lump in his throat. As
they all watched, Katelynn's eyes slowly closed as if she were drifting into
a peaceful sleep. As she breathed her last breath, Katelynn's dog trotted up
to Buck and pushed his head under Katelynn's hand. Whining he looked at
Hamlet who had also trotted over and looked back as if asking why his
mistress would no longer stroke his black head.

Kid held his sobbing wife. Jimmy's death had been hard, but with Katelynn it
was as if part of Louise's soul had been ripped from her body.

Buck stood with Katelynn still in his arms and looked down at the dog and
the horse. "Come on. Let's take her home." Obediently the animals followed
him home.

Cody turned and stormed back into the hall. Thomas turned gray as he saw
Cody heading for him. Cody grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against
the wall. "Are you happy now? A good woman is dead because all you can see
is the almighty dollar sign. You might not have pulled the trigger, but you
are as much to blame for Katelynn's death as that drunk that Teaspoon and
Sam have just dragged to jail. I'm warning you here and now with all of
these witnesses, if I see anymore paintings of those two women, I will track
you down and personally rip you limb from limb." Thomas could see from the
look in Cody's blue eyes that he meant every word.

"Billy!" Louisa called her husband, afraid of what he might do if she left
him any longer. "Buck's taken Katelynn home. Don't you think that we had
better check on him and the children? I don't think Kathryn knows her mother
is dead yet." Billy let go of Thomas and took his wife's out stretched hand.
Thomas took one look at the angry townspeople and quickly made his way back
to the hotel, where he locked himself in his room and started to pack. Had
he really been so greedy that an innocent woman had died as a result?

Rioting hoards of people kept Thomas trapped in his room the entire week.
The following week he awoke to find it strangely quiet. Seizing the moment,
Thomas grabbed his things, mounted his horse and started to ride out of
town. It was then that he saw why it was so quiet. Just as it had been when
he had ridden into town, the whole town was at a funeral. Katelynn's. There
were a strange assortment of people gathered at the cemetery. White, black
and Indian peacefully gathered together to say good-bye to one woman.
Suddenly Thomas wished that he had actually taken the trouble to get to know
the woman who had inspired such loyalty. When Thomas saw the fierce look on
Cody's face, he realized that he had stayed too long and quickly rode out of
town. Thomas Denver would never go back to Sweetwater, which was just as
well as he was not welcome.

Now, here they were in a hall watching Thomas repeat the same mistake he had
years ago.

"How about I save you the trouble of an auction and the fighting that
usually goes with your paintings." Kid turned to see Cody standing beside
him. "since I brought the other paintings, why don't I just give you the
money for this one."

Thomas, then recognized the three men. Buck's granddaughter threw Thomas one
of Katelynn's icy looks. They all knew trouble would erupt if that painting
wasn't handed over. Thomas nodded his approval as Cody walked up to the
platform to hand over the money. Cody turned to the amazed audience. "Buck."
He handed the painting over to his friend. "Take her home. The other
paintings are heading to Sweetwater as we speak."

Buck was moved beyond words, so he just hugged his friend before turning and
leaving the hall with his friends and granddaughter following him.

Thomas watched them leave, but as they got to the door the young woman
turned to look at him. A cold chill went straight through Thomas. It was as
though he was looking at a ghost.

"Katelynn!"

The young woman smiled and turned and walked away. Not even on the day he
died, did Thomas forget that feeling.

Kathryn had named her daughter after her mother. She told Buck that if her
daughter was loved even half as much as her mother had been, she would be a
lucky woman.

It had been a long day and it had worn Buck out. But as he looked into the
sunset that his Ice Princess had loved so much, he saw her standing in the
distance. Her long red mane blowing in the breeze, watching her family with
icy blue eyes. She had told him that she would never leave him and she never
had. Rising from his seat on the porch, Buck blew a kiss into the wind and
went inside. As he turned to take one last look as the sun slowly
disappeared into the hills, he saw her smile. That smile that had always
been so sexy, that it had melted his bones. She blew him a kiss back before
she faded from sight.

The End