Buck stood nervously in front of the door, awkwardly holding a daisy he had picked on the way into town. He was about to go down and ask the clerk to double check Kat's room number, thinking Cody had gotten it wrong, when he heard her call.

"Who is it?" She asked cautiously.

"Don't tell me you need saving again!" Buck teased through the door. Immediately the door flew open and Kat squealed with glee as she threw herself into Buck's arms. Buck faltered a little with the unexpected force of her greeting, but quickly returned her hug.

After a moment she stepped back and looked at him, almost like a thirsty man looks at water.

"For you." Buck smiled, holding the flower out to her. He too was looking at the changes in her. Her long auburn hair was pinned up in a loose bun, and her eyes danced wildly. Buck still couldn't decide what color they were, but her pupils faded outward to match the light blue blouse she was wearing. She was a little thinner than Buck remembered her, and her face looked like she had aged five years instead of one. But, she still had the beautiful pale skin and smattering of freckles that made her look like a porcelain doll.

Buck smirked as he pictured that porcelain doll in a dark alley holding a gun on someone.

"Bet you're surprised to see me." Kat smiled as she took the daisy and invited Buck into her room.

"No, I knew you were here." Buck grinned and Kat laughed. He stepped toward her and embraced her again. "Cody told me." Buck said, growing serious. "I'm sorry to hear about your father."

"Thank you." Kat said as she tightened her grip on Buck. They stood together for a few moments. Kat enjoyed the comfort of someone she trusted, and Buck enjoyed giving her some comfort. He'd always felt like he hadn't given her enough after he found out what she was going through in Omaha.

After several minutes, Kat broke the embrace and looked up at Buck. She had a lone tear streaking down her cheek. Buck remembered the last tear he'd seen from her that he had ignored. This time, his strong hand moved to gently wipe the tear away. Kat smiled happily and kissed him on the cheek.

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me for supper at the ranch." Buck stated as Kat pulled away.

"I'd love to." Kat said happily. "I have something for you first." She added as she walked to the dresser where her carpetbag was sitting. She removed her hand something wrapped in her fist.

"I promised my father I'd give this to you." She explained, opening her palm to reveal an elaborately carved gold pocket watch. Buck stared at the gift, unsure of what to do.

"I can't take this." Buck protested softly, as he nodded toward Kat's hand. He knew he couldn't accept the gift from anyone, much less someone he had barely known. Buck had respected Oliver Schmidt right away. Mostly because the man had no problem with Buck's heritage, something Buck rarely found in anyone.

"He told me before he died you should have it." Kat pushed. "He always wanted to give it to his son-in-law, because it matches the one of my mother's that I have." Kat explained sadly, thinking of all the things that her father would never see her do. "Since you saved me in Omaha, he felt like you were the closest thing he had." Kat finished, her voice cracking slightly.

Buck looked at Kat, still not sure what to do. Kat had tears filling her lower lids, but she was staring at the ceiling to keep them from falling. He reached out and took the watch then folded her in a soft embrace. He hoped he had done the right thing, fulfilling a man's last wish. He also hoped he could help mend the broken heart inside the woman he held.

"Let's go." He suggested softly after her tears were under control again.

Buck and Kat arrived at the ranch to find Teaspoon, Kid and Cody outside talking. Once Teaspoon had been introduced to Kat, he tipped his hat slightly.

"Excuse me Miss Schmidt." He said kindly. "But I need to speak to my deputy for a few minutes."

"Of course marshal." Kat said cordially. "I'll help Lou with dinner."

"She's in the bunkhouse." Kid encouraged hoping his wife wouldn't have her usual reaction to a new woman being around.

The four men watched as Kat made her way to help Lou. When Kat was out of earshot, Teaspoon cocked an eyebrow at Buck almost teasingly.

"She's an old friend, Teaspoon." Buck stated, saying plainly that he wanted the discussion of Kat to end there.

"A very pretty friend." Cody said admiringly.

"And a nice distraction considering your afternoon." Teaspoon nodded skeptically. Kid had told Teaspoon how badly Buck's proposal had gone.

"What did you want?" Buck asked, not liking the direction of the conversation. Sure, he didn't love Kat like he loved Jen, but he did care about her. He had made a promise to her and to himself. Buck probably wouldn't have asked Jen on their first picnic if it hadn't been for his experience with Kat. He would have seen Kat even if Jen had accepted his proposal, and he didn't like the insinuation that this was just because of his disappointment over Jen.

Teaspoon sighed. Apparently this wasn't the time to discuss the woman who had shown up at his office earlier that day looking for his deputy. Teaspoon decided to get to the point of why he had called the boys together.

"I'm going to spend tomorrow rounding up a posse." Teaspoon began. "These thieves have got to be stopped before someone gets hurt."

The three young men nodded in agreement. So far, only property had been taken, no lives had been lost yet. Teaspoon had already rounded up two posses, but even Buck's tracking had turned up nothing. Buck and Teaspoon had begun to kick around the idea that someone from town was hitting the ranches since only money and valuables had been taken. But, they hadn't found any evidence of that either.

"You know you can count on us to ride." Kid insisted.

"I know that boys." Teaspoon smiled proudly. Time and time again, his "boys" had proven they could handle anything the old lawman threw them into. He looked hard at Kid though. "But I need you to stay here and be acting marshal."

"Teaspoon!" Kid almost wailed. He had been upset enough when Teaspoon made Buck deputy over him. Both young men were more than qualified, but Kid was obviously the less troublesome choice considering the prejudices against Buck. However, Teaspoon had chosen Buck, explaining he needed a deputy without any attachments to cloud his judgement.

"Now Kid." Teaspoon held up a hand indicating his mind was already made up.

"I need Buck to track and I need Cody's eye. Besides, we're not coming back until we catch these guys. And, if you go," Teaspoon sighed, exasperated he had to explain this again, "Then Lou goes, and the whole ranch falls apart." Kid just nodded, accepting his fate. He finally understood how Lou had felt when he tried to make her stay behind because she was a woman. Now he was getting left behind because he was married.

"We'll round up the posse tomorrow and head out the next morning." Teaspoon announced, relieved Kid didn't put up more of a fight.

As the men turned toward the bunkhouse for dinner, Teaspoon caught Buck's arm. "Just remember son," He said lowly. "Wounded hearts break easier." Although Cody was in front of the two, he heard the comment. He couldn't help but wonder if he should be worried about Buck's heart, or Kat's.

When the men reached the bunkhouse dinner was ready, but Lou and Kat were nowhere to be found. They all stiffened as they heard a gunshot from behind the bunkhouse.

The four men ran toward the sound, guns drawn.

"Lou!" Kid screamed in panic. By the time he was around the corner of the bunkhouse, Cody and Buck were almost doubled over in laughter. Confused, Kid looked to where Cody was pointing, and almost burst out laughing too. Lou and Kat were both looking at the men in amazement. The two women had wondered back to the area Jimmy had always used for target practice.

"Did you forget we can take care of ourselves?" Lou asked, hands on her hips.

Kat stood behind her looking equally irritated.

Kid just shook his head and smiled at his wife. She had obviously found an instant friend in Kat.

"You guys didn't tell me Kat was the city version of me." Lou said, looking at Buck and Cody as she put her arm around the new girl.

"You think we'd bring somebody here you wouldn't like?" Cody joked. God knew this was the first woman Lou seemed to like so quickly.

Buck just shrugged. He was glad Lou seemed to like Kat, especially since Lou and Jen had become close friends in recent months. He was also happy that Kat was smiling and giggling with Lou, flirting with Cody and sizing up Kid and Teaspoon. Buck had no doubt the Kat he had met in Omaha would be back by the end of her visit to Sweetwater.