As the wagon pulled away from Rock Creek, Ike sat in the back, his legs dangling over the side of the wagon. He wanted to run, run far away from what he had done… what he had been made to do.

He, along with Wilson and Marcus, had gone into the bank. There were people there, innocent people who were just doing their jobs, going on with their lives.

Wilson had dragged Ike up to the window while Marcus stayed by the door. Then Wilson pulled out his gun and held it on the teller, telling him to fill up the moneybag that Ike held. Ike had stared into the teller’s eyes. He saw the young man’s fear, and hatred. And as they left, he heard the gunshot that killed the deputy who was trying to stop them.

Ike had just been numb the whole time, not resisting, not fighting. He knew in his mind that he could fight, he could try to overtake them. But if he did, he knew there was a good chance that he would die, and that Julie would die too.

So, instead of fighting, he withdrew into himself. He let Wilson tell him what to do, where to go. He was just there, but he wasn’t.

In his mind, he was trying to work on a plan. He needed a plan to escape this world he was now trapped in. As his feet dangled over the side of the wagon, he was tempted to just jump off and run, run back to Sweetwater and get Teaspoon, and have him help solve this problem. Teaspoon would know what to do… so would Cody, Hickok, Buck…

Buck. Ike lowered his head at the thought of his friend. They had been telling him the truth after all, and he hadn’t listened. He didn’t want to have the truth. Ike had wanted friends like him so much that he didn’t want to listen to bad things that his real friends were trying to warn him about.

What would Buck do? Ike thought to himself. I know what he would do. He wouldn’t have let himself get into this situation.

Frustrated, Ike kicked the back of the wagon. Suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed onto his shoulders. "Ike, are you hurt?" A gentle voice tried to calm him.

Ike turned and saw Julie kneeling behind him. He wanted to look at her in anger. He was mad, mad that he had been pulled to joining this group from his love for her. Mad that she didn’t try to warn him. Mad because…

No, he couldn’t be mad at her. He loved her, more than he could imagine. He never would want her to come to any harm. But still… "Why didn’t you tell me?" he asked.

Julie sat beside him and grabbed his hand. "I couldn’t. Wilson made me swear not to, or he would hurt Adam and me. I wanted to tell you so badly, but you don’t know Wilson. He has hurt many others, and he’s never been caught.

"Then I met you. He knew I wouldn’t leave without you, and he thought you might learn about us and be able to catch him. He’s afraid of you, and the only way he could take care of his fear was to make you one of us."

"Not after what Wilson did to them. That’s why they hated us so much. Wilson had Marcus and Josiah do all those things to your friends while we were gone, then he planted those lies in your head so that he would seem innocent."

Julie sighed and looked out the end of the wagon. The sun had set, and the sky was filled with stars. "I’m not sure they would, Ike. Even if they arrested Wilson, they would have to arrest Adam, even you and me. We are now parts of the puzzle too."

"I hope so." Julie leaned against Ike, and they lay along the side of the wagon. "I hope so."

Ike let his fingers run along Julie’s face until she fell asleep. He looked up at the stars, to a special one that shown brighter than all the rest. Closing his eyes, he thought about Buck, and of a way to escape.

Buck awoke with a fright and sat up in his bed. He was bathed in sweat. In his mind, he had felt someone touch him. The touch had been filled with sorrow, fear, and anger. Yet, it was a gentle one.

Shaking his head, he jumped out of his bunk and walked outside. It was a month now since Ike had left. Following Rachel’s advice, Buck was not going to go after him. He would stay at the station, doing his job like normal.

He knew that Ike would contact him when he was in trouble. Until then, Buck would let him be, but he was still worried about him.

Sighing, Buck sat down on the steps of the bunkhouse and looked up at the stars. In his mind, he mapped out the constellations that his half-brother, Red Bear, had taught him when he was a child. Then he saw the guiding star and smiled. The guiding star was known to be able to lead anyone home when they were lost. It was the brightest star in the sky, and was always in the sky, no matter what season it was.

Buck had shown that star to Ike when they had become friends at the mission. It was their special star, one that when they were far apart from each other, they could look at and know that somehow, the other would know that they were being though of. It was a silly thought of a child, but Buck now looked up at the star, wondering if Ike knew he was being though of.

Then he felt it again. The gentle caress in his mind, but one full of sorrow, fear and anger. Buck stood up and looked around, trying to find the source of his feelings but couldn’t see anything. Then, with a sideways glance, he looked back at the star again, then gasped.

"It can’t be…" Buck muttered to himself, disbelieving. But, as the caress came over him again, he locked onto it, and he could feel Ike’s spirit, reaching out for him. In the connection, he couldn’t see him, or where he was or what he was thinking. All he could feel was those emotions… and it gave Buck a sense of dread.

Buck set his teeth, then went back into the bunkhouse. He would sleep tonight, but tomorrow, he would tell Teaspoon what had happened, and that something needed to be done.

As Ike slept with Julie in his arms, a small smile came to his face. He was dreaming of escape, and in it, he could see Buck, coming to his rescue.