My Dearest Lynnette,
May 13, 1860

My job here at the Pony Express is going good. Hopefully I'll be able to send you a little more money next time. I'm still trying to work out a savings plan so that when you get out of school, we will have a place to call our own.

In my last letter I told you about the boys that I work and live with here at the station. I also told you about the doctor's daughter, Louise. She and I are becoming good friends, I think you will you like her when you come for a visit next month. Can't wait to introduce you to everybody!

Well better go Cody is eyeing this letter pretty hard and I don't want him to read this. I'll try to write more later.

With all my love,
Your Sister,
LeAnn

As Lee sat writing to her sister, Lynnette, Kid and Louise were at the table playing poker with Jimmy, Cody, Buck and Ike. By the looks of the pile of money in front of Louise, she was winning. When Cody had lost all his money, he decided to go torment Lee, the smallest of the riders and the easiest to get riled up.

"Whatcha writin', Lee?"

"A letter." she answered and kept on writing.

"Well, why don't you share with all of us?"

"Why don't you leave him alone, Cody?" Louise spoke up. Her father had told her to bring some bandages out to the way station. While she was helping Kid put the bandages in the cupboard in the bunkhouse, it had began to storm, so she stayed.

Cody gabbed the paper from Lee and held it away from the smallest rider.

"Give it back, Cody" Lee said angrily.

"Cody give it back." Jimmy protested.

But all attempts to come to Lee's rescue stopped when Cody began reading the letter out loud. Lee was mortified. He was going to find out her secret and tell everyone at the same time. How could I have been so careless as to sign "your sister, LeAnn" Of course Lynn would know that I was her sister why didn't I just sign it "Love Lee"? Lee thought.

When Cody finished reading the letter, including the "Your Sister, LeAnn", you could have heard a pin drop. In fact you could hear all the mouths drop open. All mouths except for Lou of course. Lee just ran out into the rain.

"She has right to make her own way the way she sees fit." Jimmy said

"She's putting her sister through school so that she can become a nurse. When her sister finishes, she's going to go to school to become a vet. Please, they have no one but each other." Louise pleaded on behalf of her friend. "Will ya'll keep it just between us?"

"Yes." Came the reply simultaneously from everyone in the room.

"And if anyone in here says anything to Teaspoon about Lee being a girl, then they'll answer to me." Jimmy threatened and promised. As Louise turned to go talk to her friend, Jimmy said, "I'll go after her." Louise stepped aside and let Lee's crush go by, wondering if it was such a good idea to have Jimmy be the one to go after her.

Lee ran into barn to her horse's stall. She was sure she had lost her job. She liked here and didn't want to leave. She was trying to hold back the tears, but she was failing. When she heard footsteps, she turned her back to the door. She didn't want anyone to see her cry, least of all Jimmy. And by the sound of the footsteps, it was Jimmy. She would know the firm, sure tread of his feet anywhere.

Jimmy walked quickly from the bunkhouse with a broad smile across his face. He went immediately to her beloved horse, Black Beauty's stall knowing that that’s where she would be. He watched her as she stood against her horse trying to stifle her sobs as she stood there. Feeling her pain, but his mind and thoughts clear for the first time in the months since he had met her. "You know it's a lot more comfortable inside the bunkhouse."

Lee wasn't sure she could trust her voice not give away the fact that she had been crying, so she kept silent and her back facing Jimmy.

"Come on back inside." Jimmy tried again.

After she thought she could trust her voice, she asked, "Why so ya'll can ridicule me? No thanks you. I'll sleep out here with Black tonight and then I'll get my stuff and I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Why are you leaving?"

"I'd rather quit than be fired."

"Who says you'll be fired?"

"Even if nobody else tells, Cody'll tell Teaspoon and he'll fire me."

"Nobody's going to say anything. Especially Cody. We all talked it over and convinced Cody that it would not be in his best interest to tell anyone anything."

"He's going to let it slip you know that? He can't keep a secret worth a damn."

"He'll keep this secret if he knows what's good for him."

Is that love I hear in his voice? she thought. For the first time since he had entered the barn, she turned to face him. Their eyes locked onto each other for what seemed like forever. Lee could have sworn she saw something different in his eyes, something more than friendship. She decided that it was just wishful thinking. She had fallen in love with Jimmy the moment she set eyes on him. With her low self-esteem, she thought that there was no way that Jimmy could ever return her feelings. Lynn was the pretty and proper one. She was just a tomboy, a "buddy". None of these guys would ever like her in that way.

When Lee's eyes locked with Jimmy, he saw an emotion there that he didn't understand, but hoped against hope that it was the mirror image of his own feelings. He had been mistranslating the feelings he had for Lee since they first met. He thought his protective nature of Lee was because he thought of Lee as younger brother. The "little brother" of the group. Now that he knew she was a girl, he was sure those feelings were more of the romantic nature. But he was that no one could ever love him like that. Just look at the trouble that he caused when Longley was in town. And what about that Marcus fellow. Marcus had made him into a legend. And Jimmy didn't want he reputation that came with it, but he was stuck with it.

That night at dinner, Teaspoon spoke up, “Boys, there have been some reports of the Williams Brothers robbing banks and murdering anybody who see them. The Company wants two riders at all times until these robbers and murders are caught. If you see the two brothers, you are to ride as fast as you can away from them. The Company says get the mail through.” All of them knew that that meant at any expense to the rider

A few days later, a well dressed, gray haired 6 foot gentleman came to the station. "Excuse me, Sir." The well built man interrupted Teaspoon. "I was wondering if you could help me. You see I'm looking for my granddaughters. I was wondering if you had seen them." he handed Teaspoon a poster with a drawing of the two girls. It was obvious that the two were twins, but one looked more familiar than the other one. The shorter twin looked exactly like his smallest rider. (If you cut her hair.) So that's what's different about Lee. I knew there was something different, just couldn't put my finger on it. The names at the bottom of the page read Lynnette Helen and LeAnn Arline Ethridge $100 Reward ALIVE

"My, my, they sure are pretty."

"Yes, well they do take after my son. Although I do unfortunately see some of their mother in them"

"What do want with them?"

"I just want to talk to them."

"Can I keep this?" the man nodded. "I'll see if any of riders have seen these girls. We'll let you know if we see them. Mr..."

"Ethridge, my name is J.D. Ethridge" Mr. Ethridge stuck his hand out for a hand shake.

"All right then MR. Ethridge, I'm sure that if my boys have seen either or both of them, that they will let you know." Teaspoon said shaking the man's hand and smiling. I'm going to have a talk with Miss Ethridge right now and see what this is all about.

"Kid, where's Lee?" Teaspoon asked.

"Uh in the barn mucking out the stalls, why?" Kid replied, but Teaspoon didn't even hear the question as he ran into the barn.

"What's the meaning of this, Young Lady?" Teaspoon asked as Lee looked up and saw him enter the barn. Teaspoon handed her the poster.

Damn. I'm fired. She thought as she looked at the poster. She answered Teaspoon truthfully. "I'm not sure. Who gave you this?"

"A Mr. J. D. Ethridge. He said that he just wanted to talk to you. But there was something about him, I don't trust. He said he was grandfather."

"If he was J.D. Ethridge, then he was my grandfather. Although he made it perfectly clear that he did not want us around.”

“I don’t know. Do you want to talk to him?”

“Not really.”

“Alright. Then you don’t have to talk with him. Kid is supposed to be going with Jimmy to Willow Creek. Why do you go instead. Just be on the safe side that your grandfather doesn’t recognize you.”

“You mean I’m not fired?”

Teaspoon looked as if he was about to burst out laughing. “No. Why would you be fired? You didn’t do anything illegal did you?”

“No, Sir”

“Then you’re not fired.” He started to turn around then changed his mind to say something, “Oh, just so you know, I knew all long you were a girl if that’s what you’re worried about.” Teaspoon lied. “Just let me know how long it takes for the boys to find out.”

“Uh. They already know. Cody found a letter I wrote to my sister.” Lee explained.

Teaspoon nodded and walked out of the barn. “You better get ready for that ride, Lee.” He called out over her shoulder. “Kid, Lee’s going with Jimmy you take over her chores!”

Lee followed Teaspoon out of the barn and got her things together while Kid got Black ready. When Lee entered the bunkhouse, she started to get her things ready to go. Jimmy looked up and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Kid and I switched, I’m going with you. I’ll tell you about it on the way.”

On the way to Willow Creek, Lee explained how her mother and father were disowned after they married each other and how her mother died of Yellow Fever when she was 10 and then 5 years later, her father was killed by Indians. She had found out that her father’s parents lived in Denver. Her and her sister had sold the farm and went to Denver to see the grandparents they had never known. However, when they had gotten there, their grandparents had said that their son had died 20 years ago. Jimmy sympathized with her She told Jimmy that the reason that she and Kid switched rides, was because her grandfather was looking for her and she did not want to see him. She also told Jimmy that her grandfather had shown a picture to Teaspoon and that he said that he had known all long that she was a girl.

On the way back, Jimmy and Lee made camp miles away from any town. As if by unspoken agreement, Lee started to make camp, while Jimmy went hunting for small game for their supper.

Jimmy was some distance from their camp tracking their dinner, when he heard a sound that made his blood freeze in his veins. It was Lee’s high pitched, terror filled scream. He knew that when they were out on a run together she had started to let down her guard and relax with him, looking more and more like the beautiful young woman she was. A sudden thought flashed thorough his mind that he had left a beautiful young woman alone in camp alone in the middle of nowhere while there was a blood thirsty gang in the territory.

Completely forgetting their dinner he ran towards the camp, fear driving him to run as fast as he could, stumbling over the rocky terrain to get to Lee, to protect her whatever way he could. Reaching the outskirts of the clearing they were camped in his worst fears were realized.

Lee was pinned to the ground, one filthy man holding her down by the shoulder, hr tiny hands caught in his as she struggled against them, the other man stood over her between her legs, holding her flailing legs tight while he struggled to pull her baggy pants from her body.

The Williams Brothers saw Lee with her guard down and she definitely looked like a girl. They were there to hide the money that they just had "acquired" when they saw her. They decided to have a little "fun" with her. When Lee saw them, she screamed. Jimmy was off in the woods and heard the scream and tried to make it back to camp. When he got there, he saw one man holding Lee down on the ground and another standing over her, trying to get her pants off of her.

Without even thinking, Jimmy cocked his navy colt and said in a very stern authoritative voice,

"Leave her alone."

"Leave us alone, boy go find your own whore!" The one standing above her said. At that moment, Jimmy pulled the trigger and the bullet went through the man's head while he pulled the trigger again and the second bullet found it's mark in the other gang members heart.

Needless to say they were both dead. "Are you alright?" Lee unable to talk just nodded. "Did they hurt you?" She shook her head no.

"You showed up just in time. Jimmy?" He met her eyes and somehow he couldn't help himself, he couldn't even turn away, drowning in the tear filled depths of her eyes as she spoke "Thank you." Lee wondered if the attraction she thought she felt and saw was really there or not.

"You're welcome." he turned away to go back into the woods, suddenly afraid of the depth of the feelings he felt for her

"Jimmy?" He turned around to face her again hearing the fear in her voice. "Don't go anywhere, please?" Lee pleaded . For the first time since her father's death she was afraid to be alone.

"I'm not going anywhere." He moved the bodies out of her sight and then started searching through their saddlebags to find something for them to eat. They ate strips of Rachel's beef jerky and drank hot coffee sitting silently around the campfire, settling down to sleep side by side, Jimmy hearing her silent sobs reached out a hand to take hers into his reassuring grasp, trying but not quite sure how to help her through the ordeal she had almost been through.

Twice during the night she woke screaming in terror the evenings event s playing over and over in her mind, after the first time she woke, Jimmy moved his bedroll beside hers and held her in his arms providing as much comfort for her as he could.

Jimmy awoke in the morning with Lee tightly in his embrace, cradled against him spoon fashion, his lips pressed against her sweet smelling hair. He knew he should be starting the campfire for their morning coffee but he couldn't bring himself to move, the feeling of rightness and belonging he felt was too much for him to leave. He lay there for some time just enjoying the feelings that he was having. He knew the very moment she awoke, she stiffened in his arms and he knew she was feeling embarrassed at the weakness she had shown last night, Jimmy was just glad that she felt safe enough with him to be herself and feel secure in his company.

When Lee woke, she was embarrassed at how she could have let that happen last night. She knew better than to let her guard down, but somehow when she was with Jimmy her brain stopped working. And he had seen how she couldn't always take care of herself.

"Good morning" he said with a smile in his voice

"Good morning" she said distractedly. "Um, Jimmy?"

"Yeah?"

"You won't tell the others about what almost happened last night will you?"

"No of course not, not unless you want me too."

"I'd rather you didn't. I don't want anybody to know."

"Ok."

"Thank you." she said. As she rolled over to face him, their lips brushed up against one another.

Jimmy didn't know what came over him but he returned her friendly kiss with a love and passion that he wasn't sure he had known he was feeling. He knew he had deep feelings for her but he was confused by just how deep. What surprised him more was the fact that she kissed him back with just as much passion, yet somehow he knew that this was her first real kiss. Their kiss was a kiss reserved for lovers, but somehow it seemed just right for them.

He wasn't sure about Lee but it was at that moment he knew that he loved her more deeply than he had ever loved another person, he knew that if the others ever found out they would never let him have any peace so he decided then and there he would protect his new found love with his life and keep their fledgling love a secret until they were sure it was safe to reveal it.

Lee didn't know Jimmy felt, but she had never felt this way about anyone. But she didn't think that anyone could ever love her the way that she now knew that she loved Jimmy. So she decided not to tell anyone how she felt until Jimmy said something about how he felt.

As they neared the station, Lee’s horse was spooked by a rattlesnake. As Black reared up unexpectedly, Lee slipped off. She started to get up then froze. Jimmy back to see what had happened and saw that Lee looked as if she had seen a ghost. When Jimmy saw what Lee’s eyes were glued to, the snake was about to bite her. He immediately drew his gun and killed the snake.

That night when the nightmares came, she not only woke Jimmy up, but the whole bunkhouse. Everyone saw how she was trembling. Jimmy had a hard time keeping his promise not to say anything when Cody asked what was wrong. “Just a nightmare about snakes is all. I’m terrified of them and Black was spooked earlier today by one.” Lee told the boys.

“Yeah I saw that when you and Jimmy came in from your run. If jimmy hadn’t shot the snake you’d been bit.” Kid informed everyone.

Jimmy got out of his bed and stood up to where he could see Lee. And talk to her where no one could him but her. (Jimmy was on the bottom bunk and Lee was on the top bunk.) “You alright?” he whispered. Lee Just nodded her head yes. “Was the nightmare really about the snake this afternoon? Or something else?”

“Both” Lee whispered. “I told the truth when I said that I’m terrified of snakes.”

Jimmy nodded and wondered if he should try to hold her to help her go back to sleep.

“I’m fine, Jimmy. Really I am. It was only a dream.”

“Ok. If your sure. I’m here if you need me.”

“Alright.”

After Lee thought everyone was asleep, she went out onto the porch and sat sown for a while, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. Jimmy had seen her get down from her bunk and walk outside so he followed her. Lee had the door open, she didn’t need to turn around to who it was. “Couldn’t sleep either huh?”

“Just wanted to make sure that you’re alright. For the past two nights, you’ve been waking up screaming.”

“I’m fine.” she lied trying to put up her tough exterior.

Jimmy saw through it. He also remembered that her nightmares went away when he held her. While he couldn’t really hold her while she slept in the bunkhouse, maybe he could say something that would help her sleep. “Just know that all of us will protect you.”

“That’s just it, Jimmy, You shouldn’t have to protect me! I should be able to take care of myself!”

“Why?”

“That’s one of the job requirements.”

“Do you remember the first Longly called me out?”

“Yeah.”

“What did Kid do?”

“He knocked you out.”

“Yeah why?”

“He did it to save your life.”

“Yep. He did it to protect me.” Lee gave him a confused look then she realized what he was saying. Jimmy continued on with what he was saying, “Sometimes we all get into situations that we can’t handle by ourselves. And it’s ok to need others to help you out.” Lee nodded. Jimmy took Lee’s face into his hands and kissed her deeply . The first kiss since yesterday morning’s “accidental” kiss and Lee returned it with all her pent up fear and passion.

When they finally broke apart, they walked back into the bunkhouse and while Jimmy’s words did not keep the nightmares away like his arms did, they did lessen the intensity of the nightmares and she did not wake up screaming