The next day Lou didn't have a run to make and took a free day away from the station. Lou spent her day relaxing under a shaded tree. She sat with her dairy reading over past entries and how her feeling have changed. Recently Lou had been keeping to herself, unsure what to think about her kiss with Jimmy. So much was behind it. What about Kid? He didn't just disappear either. She spent these past few days contemplating her feelings for the two most important men in her life.

During these past weeks Kid had grown fonder and fonder of Samantha, the schoolteacher. Lou saw within Samantha everything Kid wanted to make her into. She realized that she would always love Kid and he'd hold a place in her heart. But Samantha was the woman for him.

Kid was too over protective and always smothering her with concern and worry. She didn't mind it sometimes and even enjoyed him fussing over her. But other times it was too much. They seemed to argue all the time about this and that. He wanted a woman who could cook, clean, stay at home, entertain guests and need him to protect her and be there for her always. Lou realized she was not that kind of a woman. She enjoyed being free and actually liked doing the guys work around the station. Sure Lou loved to dress up and have all eyes staring at her but she wasn't anywhere near ready to give up her life to be that little house wife for no man.

As she sat with the wind in her hair, her thoughts then turned to Jimmy. He was a man who also worried over her and watched out for her. But he also gave her room to breathe and be free. Kid would want to put her in a glass case and show her off to the world but never remove her from it, in fear of breaking what was inside. Jimmy on the other hand had her in a glass case as well but he took her out and showed her off and let her go where she wanted. He trusted her abilities and knew she was tough enough to hold her own. She realized Jimmy had always owned a part of her soul. She needed him.

She didn't know how to convince Jimmy to open himself up to her and say what she already knew was in his heart. He was a hard man, always hiding his deeper emotions and letting very few people inside him. He loved her but wouldn't hurt Kid to be with her. He felt that the Kid and her were meant for each other but Lou was not sure of that anymore. Lou wanted Jimmy through every fiber of her being since that kiss. Jimmy believed he could not give her the life she deserved but she felt any life with him was what she wanted. Just to be with him, through his hell and back if need be.

She had to talk to Kid first. He was out with Samantha and would be back later. She gathered her belongings and decided to head over to the watering hole for a therapeutic swim, if the guys weren't there on sure a gorgeous day as this. As she swam around the warm water she never felt so clear on her feelings as she did now. She knew the direction she wanted her life to go. When she returned she saw Kid taking care of Katie in the barn as she put her horse away.

"Hey Kid, can I talk to you for a minute?" Now that she started this conversation she couldn't back out of it. She wasn't sure what would come out of her mouth next.

"Sure Lou, what is it?" Kid said a bit concerned, as he was worried over what she might say next. To Kid Lou was beautiful to him. He wanted to be with her again but knew some how he couldn't. Not after their last fight.

"I think Samantha is the perfect woman for you," she said honestly.

This made Kid stop dead in his tracks. That was the last thing he'd thought she'd say. Those words angered him. He thought Lou was being sarcastic about his new girlfriend.

"What ever you want to say about her Lou, just say it!" Kid snapped.

"I'm being honest Kid. She is everything you tried to change me into and I couldn't handle that. I still care about you Kid and I am actually happy to see that you found someone that makes you happy."

Kid wasn't sure to make of all this. He felt ashamed at his earlier attitude.

"I'm sorry Lou, but not even Samantha could ever make me as complete as you have. I still need you."

Those words didn't make what Lou wanted to say any easier. She loved Kid too but came to the honest conclusion that it wouldn't work between them. They had tried, tried and tried again.

"Kid I will always care about you and love you but I can't go on with the constant worry and hysteria you have for me. I'm just too independent for that. I can't live up to your ideals."

"I don't want you to change, I don't want you any other way than you are right now."

Lou pondered for a moment on how to word her next thoughts…

"Kid I see the way you look and smile at Samantha. You wish I could be like her, but I'm not. What I'm going to say now there's only one way to say this…There's someone else that I love who treats me with respect and believes in my abilities as a person. I'm not saying you never did but he gives me some room to be myself and doesn't try to argue with me every time over what I can and cannot do. He doesn't want to change me in anyway and lives a life that I want to live, not one that's stationary and constant."

Kid's eyes burned like fire, filled with pain and anger. Those words pierced his heart ripping it to shreds. Lou even saw a tear come down from his eyes.

"I can't deny what I feel Kid, I can't tell my heart what to do. It does it on its own."

He stared at her, knowing whom Lou was talking about. Lou went on to explain what happened between her and Jimmy by the fire after taking Elias and the Kiss. Without saying another word Kid stormed out of the barn and Lou was powerless to stop him. Lou herself burst into tears as she broke one of her best friends' hearts and now she was in limbo. She drove one man away and now needed to get the other to open up to her.

Jimmy along with Cody and Ike saw Kid burst out of the barn like it was on fire.

"Well another lovers quarrel heats up again. Never a dull moment around with those two." Cody commented.

Ike hit Cody upside the head for his lack of concern over his friends. Jimmy as usual went to find Lou. Cody and Ike stayed back and found it best to just leave Jimmy to solve the problem.

He entered the barn to find Lou sitting in the hayloft above filled with tears in her eyes. He climbed up and sat beside her. Without saying a word he placed his arm around her and she held him tightly not wanting to let go.

"Are you OK?" Jimmy asked.

"I just told him that I don't love him the way I use too and that he was lucky to have found someone like Samantha. She is everything he needs."

Shocked by this Jimmy came to Kid's defense. "He loves you and Samantha is no where near the perfect woman for him. You are Lou. I know you love him too. You guys were meant for each other."

"No!" Lou shouted, "Kid owns a part of my heart and always will just like the rest of you boys but only one has captured my soul." She looked up into his eyes for some kind of reciprocation.

Jimmy looked right back at her and realized she was talking about him. He had waited forever for this moment and thought it would never come. He longed to kiss her right then but he couldn't hurt Kid, his best friend.

"No, you're wrong Lou."

"Who are you to dictate to me my feelings when you can't even confront your own?"

Those words hit like a knife into his heart.

All Jimmy could reply was, "Kid can give you the world, everything you deserve. I can only get you shot in the back."

He didn't turn around but just stormed out side and grabbed his horse to go after Kid.

Cody and Ike still working outside saw Jimmy burst out and ride off like Kid. Cody then looked at Ike. I'm not going in there. No way. Ike signed.

Lou was inside and though to herself… Oh, what have I done now? I've lost them both. Her eyes watered and she sank down into the hayloft corner and cried and tried to think of a way to straighten this whole mess out. No matter what way she looked at it everyone got hurt.

Jimmy finally found Kid a couple miles from the station pounding his fists into a tree. Kid heard Jimmy coming but never looked up. Kid's fists were on fire and his jaw locked in anger. Before Jimmy even got off his horse he said while dismounting "What is the matter with you Kid? You're running away from the one person that loves you the most."

Kid didn't look up, controlling every ounce of strength not to fight Jimmy.

"Not anymore she doesn't. Besides, I have Samantha now." Kid replied, his voice shaking with uncertainty. "So why don't you ride back and take Lou. Isn't that what you always wanted? Apparently she wants you now too. Got a little close by the fire and you took her away from me." His eyes now up focused and locked at Jimmy.

"She's confused Kid."

"She seemed pretty clear to me."

Now the two men were right next to each other, once false move would set Kid in a blaze of punches, each one aimed at Jimmy's face. Jimmy didn't know what to say about him kissing her. "I'm sorry I kissed her. We both got caught up in the moment and I told her that was a fluke and it wouldn't happen again. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you Kid."

"Too late for that." He snapped. For some reason his anger seemed to cool a bit.

"She's just hurtin'. If you cared about her still why did you go after Samantha just after you broke up? She thought you didn't care about time you spent together at all. That your relationship with her meant nothing."

"That's not true and you know it. Samantha…I saw a lot of Lou in her but she had something more that I couldn't stop seeing her."

"Like what?"

"What do you mean like what?"

"You said she had something more and I want to know what she had the Lou didn't. What did you give up a wonderful relationship with a great woman for? I want to know."

"I never argued with her and she never yelled at me for wanting to protect her and watch our for her. She's great with kids…and well, she's…she's…"

"A real lady unlike Lou. She wears dresses, needs a man to look out for her, cooks, and can run a home…" Jimmy added in sarcastically with cynicism.

"No, not that, I never said Lou wasn't a lady…but I guess it is the fact that I am needed and she would want to stay home, raise a family and not go out and try to prove herself to the world by getting shot at and killed needlessly. Sounds shallow and selfish doesn't it?" Kid's temper now cooled to average and Jimmy started looking at his friend who just fell in love again with another woman. Jimmy could see it. He had that mixed up stomach churning feeling many times and Kid looked that way right now as he talked about Samantha.

"No that doesn't sound shallow. That's what most men want. I know I'll never have that." Jimmy's life was far from average and the future would not be white picket fences for him.

Kid carried on, "But is it too much to ask that I can take care of and support a woman I love on my own? I love Lou but we never saw eye to eye on our future together. She saw it one way and I wanted it another. Lou is independent and tough, ironic that what I loved about her I don't think I ever really wanted."

Silence emerged between the two friends as they now sat down on a fallen tree log. A few minutes later Kid asked Jimmy to take care of Lou.

"Jimmy take care of her. I know she loves you, and I know how you feel about her. Just watch out for her and don't ever hurt her."

Jimmy was surprised by all this and confused. These words he wanted for so long to hear. It was OK by his best friend to go after the one woman he knew was right for him. But he offered her nothing.

"Woah, wait a minute Kid, I can't give her anything she deserves. Men hunt me down for sport trying to beat me in a draw. I'm not dragging her into all that. My life is not something she needs to be a part of."

"Jimmy I trust no one else in the world can treat her as good as you do. Lou knows who you are, she knows what's inside of you, knows what your life is like and," Kid had to smile at this one, "like it or not she will follow you. You have to talk to her." He never felt so free in giving Lou up. He couldn't believe his own ears and heart was doing this but felt no huge regret in it.

"I won't let her be a part of my personal hell," Jimmy said, not so sure about himself.

"Jimmy, you told me once to go after the one good thing I found and that they don't come around very often. I was lucky to find another but if you don't go after Lou and talk to her, you may lose the only woman that's right for you."

"You still have her heart Kid, I don't fit into that."

"I own just a piece of it. You have another piece plus…you have her soul. Now get the hell out of here!" Kid shouted and pointed for Jimmy to head back to the station.

Realizing that his best friend gave him permission to go after Lou made Jimmy's heart more tormented. His two friends split and now would never get back together, yet friends they would always be. So why not go after Lou? She had feelings for him. He longed to kiss her again and be with her. He remembered the night she almost got hung because of him. An enemy used her to get to him and almost killed her. This haunted him terribly. He vowed never to put her in that kind of danger again. Never! He rode off fast paced not knowing what to do.

Kid ironically arrived back at the station before Jimmy. He was a little worried over his friends where abouts. He went to find Lou. She was in the bunkhouse, much more calm and collected than earlier. Lou, Buck and Ike were playing cards. As Kid entered the room it went silent. The guys never knew what to say or how to act around Kid and Lou when they argued.

"Can I join in?" Kid asked.

"Sure can…depending on if you're in a good mood or a bad mood." Buck looked at Kid questioningly.

Lou looked at Kid; at least he wasn't bruised. Either Jimmy didn't find him or they actually used words to solve their problems instead of fists.

Kid smiled and gave Lou a reassuring glance, "Good mood."

Then have a seat Ike gestured.

"Lou," he looked at her with sincere eyes, "I'm sorry for being so angry with you earlier." Not knowing what else to say he offered her a hand of friendship. "Friends?"

Buck and Ike exchanged glances. Should they leave or stay?

Lou smiled, Jimmy had found him and said something to him. She got up, pushed his hand aside and hugged him. "Always."

They then sat down and played cards. Lou as usual was beating them terribly hands down. Ike then got ready for his run as Cody came thundering in.

Jimmy came back at night, missing his earlier run; Lou kindly took it for him. Teaspoon caught him as he was heading to put his horse into the barn.

"Jimmy!" Teaspoon yelled.

"Yep," Jimmy replied not caring.

"Where were you son?"

"Out."

"You missed your run. You have a job to do while you're here you know."

"Sorry." Jimmy said with sarcasm as if he didn't care.

Teaspoon was got in the way of Jimmy going to the barn. "Lou was nice enough to take it for ya."

"Good for her."

Rachel had come out form the bunkhouse after she just started serving the other boys supper.

"What is with your attitude you have developed Jimmy?" Rachel busted in.

"None of your business Rachel." And Jimmy brushed her aside and headed to the barn.

"Don't you walk away from me James Hickok when I'm talking to you." She yelled and grabbed his arm and twisted him around to face her.

With all the yelling the boys came out from the bunkhouse and left supper on the table. Kid yelled at Jimmy and came up behind Rachel and plowed a fist into his face. Rachel tried to end the punches that seemed to proceed but Teaspoon finally with the help of the rest of the boys pushed them apart.

"The only reason you two use each other as bunching bags is if it's about Lou. What is going on with you two?" Buck yelled as he let go of Kid.

Kid commented that "Jimmy's running from his problem just like every other time."

This flared Jimmy up again but Noah and Cody had a good hold on him. Cody even took Jimmy's colt just in case he got too out of control.

Rachel, who hated the boys when then actually acted like one, "I want this nonsense to stop and I mean now!" She had the look of death in her eyes and no one wanted to cross her now.

Everyone quieted down to hear her. "Since Kid seems to be the only one willin' to talk, let's hear it."

Kid never really talked about love and Lou with them like this. He felt awkward but knew Rachel would not budge on this one.

"I guess...well…Lou and I…We kind of officially ended things between us. I really like Samantha a lot and Lou told me she wanted to be with someone else: Jimmy. She said Samantha was a wonderful woman and she was happy for me. We got civil again. Jimmy here, being as stubborn as she is, won't admit to her how he feels. He thinks his life is cursed with death and doesn't want to get Lou involved. I don't want anything to happen to Lou either but I know she can only be really happy with him. I admit I am scared about what might happen to her but Jimmy doesn't realize the one blessing in his life is right in front of him. He'd rather go on being his miserable grumpy self than take a chance on what I know was the best woman to enter my life and change everything."

Jimmy still held by Cody and Noah stopped struggling and stood confused about the feelings inside of him.

"All right everyone one of you go finish your supper. Jimmy you stay put." Rachel wanted to talk to him alone for a minute. All the guys headed back inside.

Rachel stared at Jimmy and told him flat out, "God gives us gifts, we take them and love them for as long as God gives them to us. We don't know how long that will be. When God does take those gifts away, we then always cherish the memories we had." She waited a minute for that to sink into Jimmy's sometimes-thick skull before continuing.

"Jimmy you are just as bad as Kid when it comes to worrying over Lou but which would you rather have: her at your side fighting with you or her somewhere else apart from your life where you can't see her, be with her, talk to her or hold her?"

There was only one fighting point Jimmy had left. "I don't want her to die because of me."

"You never know what will happen but you should never have to wonder what you'd miss if you didn't even try. Now get out of here." Rachel smiled and pointed to the bunkhouse for him to eat supper.

"Thank you Rachel, I'm sorry." Jimmy unable to wait any longer jumped on his horse and rode out after Lou.

Lou came running back home at full gallop. The trouble she ran into, literally, in Blue Creek nearly got her killed. She'd keep that story for another time. She just longed to get home and have something hot to eat. She wanted to sleep in her own bed tonight and not out under the stars.

She saw a rider approaching and it was Jimmy. She wondered what he'd have to say to her now. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk to him again. A bruise or two shown clearly on his face. Kid and him must have gone at it again.

"Lou!" Jimmy was shouting and busted off his horse towards her.

"What is it Jimmy? I got to finish this run and I'm already behind."

"Just hear me out please." His eyes looking sincere and wonderful to Lou. "Lou, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I…" he seemed to choke on the word…"I care about you so much it hurts not to be with you."

At these words Lou had been trying to get out of him made her heart break open with joy. She dismounted from her horse to face Jimmy.

"I want you in my life but I'm afraid I'll only bring you hurt and pain. I don't want that for you."

"Jimmy I don't care. I need you be with you. You're the best friend I've ever had and I love you."

As she said those words Jimmy's love for her radiated from his every being. He picked her up into his arms and kissed her passionately. Both never wanted this moment to end. Jimmy finally looked her right into the eyes and said "I love you too Lou."

Lou realized the old fire for Kid was gone and that it was Jimmy that now burned within her. This was a new start for them and an adventure they wanted to share together. They mounted up and rode back to the station, off into the sunset.