Lou and Jimmy spoke with the Doctor just moments after he examined the 'deathly ill' Cody who was still nesting in Miss Mina's guilded cage.

"Well now," chuckled the aging doctor.. I don't know who was in more pain... the 'lady' or the young gentleman." He was putting his instruments back in his bag, one by one. "Everytime I touched him she would whimper and ring her hands."

"So...." Jimmy hedged.

"He's fine to ride, but he seems to like the care he's receiving here. I told him to stay abed another day or so... and then ride on home."

Lou nodded and shook the Doctor's hand, " Thank you, sir."

The man nodded at Jimmy and left through the back door... it doesn't look good for a doctor to be seen coming out of a brothel.

The ride back to the Waystation had the two in high spirits, they enjoyed the fresh air and lighthearted conversation.

Several times Jimmy would gaze at Lou as she told him a story of her childhood or make some comment about the scenery. He tried to remember everything about these moments as if they were precious memories. To him they were, it was so rare to find himself alone with Lou. No Rachel (who watched them all so carefully), no Teaspoon (who acts like a mother hen), no riders (acting like a flock of overprotective brothers) and especially.... no Kid.

He moved up so that he rode side by side with her, everything but the moment was pushed aside in his mind.

"Riders Comin'" Buck called as he stood up from the steps of the Bunkhouse.

Ike came out of the Bunkhouse, hat in hand & half-heartedly signed Who?

"Lou and Jimmy are home."

Hearing Buck's last comment, Rachel came to the door wiping her hand on her apron and smiled a greeting at the two riders reigning their horses to a stop.

Lou slid down off Lightning and took the steps two at a time- a warm hug for Buck and Ike. She beamed a smile at Rachel.

Jimmy wordlessly took Lou's horse and his and walked them to the stable.

By the time he washed up and entered the bunkhouse Lou and the other riders had started dinner. Lou was rapidly motioning with her hands as she told them the story of their encounter with 'George' at the Saloon in Ft. Laramie.

Rachel sat across from Lou and listened to the story with a happy heart- this was a different Lou than the young girl who had been sleepwalking through the last few weeks.

Others noticed it too - Noah honestly found the story funny and sat smiling and laughing with Buck and Ike.

Jimmy took a plate and helped himself to the salad and chicken on the sideboard. He sat next to Ike, who signed, Sorry I missed all the fun.

Jimmy nodded as he buttered a roll, "Yep, it was a sight to see."

"And what were you doing while he attacked her?" Jimmy ignored a furious Kid, who until now had remained all too quiet.

Lou froze mid-word and Jimmy dropped the roll back onto his plate, knocking his fork off the edge. "Now Kid --"

"What Jimmy?" the young man pushed his plate away from him, "What 'good' reason did you have for sitting back doin' NOTHING!"

Jimmy leaned forward across the table and seethed through his teeth, "Because she didn't need no help."

"What do you know about it?" Kid's hands were clenching the edge of the table, "We need to look out for each other Jimmy, we're family. Don't forget that!"

Jimmy tore a piece of meat from the chicken and popped it in his mouth, trying hard to maintain his calm demeanor, "I didn't forget anything -- Lou is family, she can take care of herself." He nodded in her direction, "And like a family," he paused to look at all the faces around the table, "we all have to grow up sometime."

Kid pushed his chair back and stalked out the door.

Rachel chided Jimmy with a look as she picked up Kid's plate.

Lou stared down at her food, her appetite and good humor gone. Buck, Ike and Noah cleaned up their own plates... each trying to give Lou some room as they filed past the table.

When they were alone, Lou looked up at Jimmy who was thoroughly involved in eating his meal.

She picked up her own chicken and shrugged her shoulders, "I still think it's a good story." A little spark returned to her voice.

Jimmy wiped at his mouth and nodded, "A damn good one Lou."

Lou smiled and finished her meal with Jimmy in companionable silence.

Jimmy had an afternoon run the next day and headed to the stable early to saddle up. He was absorbed in securing his pack, but he still heard the unsteady foot fall behind him. He knew it was Kid- no one else had cause to hang back. He thought he'd let Kid make the first move.

"Jimmy," he stilled, his hands on the cinch, "Jimmy, I wanna talk to you."

Jimmy turned around and looked at his friend, "I'm listenin'."

Kid shuffled his feet in the dirt, losing some of his nerve.

Jimmy clicked his tongue, impatient for Kid to 'spit it out', "Kid, I've got a run."

"Dammit Jimmy!" Kid through his hands up in frustration, "Just when I think everything is fine with me and Lou, you-" Kid paused, unsure of the next word, "you-"

"I what, KIIIDD?" he drew out the word, making it sound like an insult.

"You try to change her." There, Kid felt relieved, he had finally said it.

"Change her?" Jimmy could have laughed, "You think I'm trying to change her?"

Kid's bravado faltered, he looked away from Jimmy's dark eyes.

"For all your talk of southern manners, you sure can act like a horse's ass sometimes!"

Jimmy shook his head and turned to mount his horse, "Rider Coming!" called Rachel from the porch. Picking up the reigns, Jimmy stared down at the shaken Kid, "You say you love her, but you want her to fit the image you think is right." He paused before he headed out into the courtyard, "The thing is Kid, maybe its time you find out what she is really like. Stop fighting the person she is becoming, and learn to accept it -- or 'dang it', you'll lose her."

Jimmy rode out into the sun and reached out to the incoming rider -- his gloved hand gripped the mochila with ease and goaded his mount into a gallop. "...and I'll be waiting," he said to himself and he headed off to the next stop.

On to Chapter 7!