Even after only hours on the road, Jimmy already knew he was not going to find Buck. Lou sent him searching for someone both of them knew they weren’t going to find. Buck was too much of a master for them to be able to track him. Especially for Jimmy, who never cared much about tracking. But his heart wouldn’t let him stop his search just yet. He owed it to Lou to keep on searching. At least for another day. He just prayed he was making the right decision by leaving her like that for another day.

Lou was standing with her back to the kitchen door, making sandwiches for lunch. She looked out the window at her children, not letting them out of her sight. She jumped when she heard a noise behind her, but relaxed when she saw it was Kid and rushed to his side, helping him sit down. "You shouldn’t be out of bed yet." She scolded.

"I feel fine." He muttered.

She looked at him for a few seconds, then returned to the counter to finish preparing lunch.

Kid watched her back. "Jimmy hadn’t come back yet?" he asked.

Lou shook her head.

"Louise…" Kid stood up and walked to stand behind her, ignoring his trembling legs and the searing pain in his body. Lou turned to find herself in his arms, his face only inches from hers. "We need to talk." He said.

Lou closed her eyes and looked down, unable to meet his eyes. "What about?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.

"About us." He answered her, his voice husky with emotions.

Lou turned her back to him, still standing in the circle of his arms. "I have to go get the kids back in for lunch." She said and moved away from him, walking outside.

Kid sunk back into the chair and sighed. His head was spinning and he cursed himself for coming down. His headache only grew worse when the children came rushing in.

Emma tried to climb onto his lap but Lou was quick enough to catch her and move her away from her father. "You’re father needs his rest." She scolded and served the food to the table.

Jed stared at his father, feeling uncomfortable with his, knowing all that happened between his parents. "Are you going to stay here?" he was surprised to see his father looking at him intently and only then realized that he spoke out loud.

Kid looked at Lou and then back at his son, "What brought that up?" he asked with a smile, trying to look innocent.

"Mama said you will stay here when you wake up." Jed answered.

Kid shifted uncomfortably in his sit. "We’ll talk about it later. Okay?"

Jed looked hurt and lowered his eyes. "Don’t you like us anymore?" he asked. The tears choking him.

Kid’s own eyes filled with tears as well. "Of course I like you. I love you. Don’t you know that?"

Jed stood up and run upstairs. Lou called after him, but he wouldn’t stop. "I’ll go talk to him." She said and rose but Kid held her hand, stopping her.

"What will you tell him?" he asked. "We need to talk before you go up there." He stood and led her to the parlor, leaving their daughters with tears in their eyes.

"Kid…" Lou started when they were alone. "Why didn’t you answer him? Why didn’t you tell him you are staying?"

"Am I staying, Lou?" he asked. "And what will happen the next time we would argue?"

Lou turned her back to him. "We won’t." she said simply.

"Louise…" he sighed and dropped into a chair. "You know better than this. At times it seems all we do is argue and fight." When she looked at him with hurt in her eyes he quickly explained. "I’ve never stopped loving you. But we do argue a lot more lately. A lot more than we used to." He stopped before his next sentence, which he knew would be definite. "I don’t want to come back if you will tell em to leave the next time we would disagree on something."

Lou took a step back and looked at him unbelievingly. "You don’t mean it." She said shakily. "Kid, tell em you don’t mean it."

Kid looked at her, tears rolling down his face and then lowered his eyes to his hands, unable to look at her anymore.

Lou fell on the floor by him and grabbed his hands in hers. "Please, Kid." She begged. "I was wrong. I thought I was strong enough to live my life without you, but I was wrong. Kid, I’m not strong enough. I can survive and beat a thousand men, but I won’t be able to live without your love."

"You will always have my love, Lou." Kid said.

"It’s not enough." She said and took his face in her hands. "I want you here. Forever. This is your home and your family. I will never doubt your love and your devotion for us. Just, please, say you will stay here." She kissed him, not stopping until she felt him returning the kiss, his arms enfolding her.

Kid broke the kiss when they were both breathless. "I will never leave you again, Lou." He promised. "I’ll go up now and tell Jed that."

She took his hand in hers and helped him stand. "Lets tell him that together." She said.

Jimmy stopped his horse as he saw the house. He sighed, fearing what he was going to find there. Had the men came back? Were Lou and the children okay? And Kid?

He shook his head. Of course they are all fine, he thought and spurred his horse forward.

He found Kid sitting on the porch swing, watching his children playing in the yard. Jimmy dismounted and hugged Kid who came down the steps to greet him. "I couldn’t find him." He answered the unasked question.

"I didn’t think you would." Kid said. "It’s a good thing, though. Means no one else would find him either."

Jimmy nodded. "How are you feeling?"

Kid shrugged. "Like I’ve been shot at." He smiled. "I feel better now. Lou and I talked about our problems…"

At that minute, as if on signal, Lou ran out of the house and into Jimmy’s arms. She hugged him tightly and then let go. "Well?" she asked. "Have you found him?"

Jimmy shook his head.

"Lou," Kid started and put an arm around her shoulders. "Buck is far away from here by now. I’m sure he’s safe." He kissed her forehead. "I want to go to town to check on a few things. Jimmy will stay here with you."

"I don’t need a babysitter, Kid." Lou turned to face her husband. "And I don’t want you to go there. You’re not well yet and the murderer is probably still out there. And Shuster…"

"Damn, Kid," Jimmy cried suddenly, interrupting Lou, "I forgot to tell you." Both Kid and Lou were staring curiously at him now. "When I was in town to get the doctor I found him in the telegraph office. The clerk asked me to tell you that the lawyers telegraphed Shuster saying he will inherit all his wife’s money."

Lou gasped and clenched her husband’s arm. "Kid, that’s the proof we needed. That’s the motive."

"He killed her for the money." Kid stated the obvious. "He must’ve attached Buck on his way back here and killed his wife, blaming Buck." Kid stopped for a second and looked at Lou and Jimmy, trying to see through their thoughts. "I’m going to Shuster’s place." He said finally and started toward the stable.

"Kid, wait…" Lou shouted after him and looked at Jimmy, pleading with him to stop her husband.

"Sorry, Lou." Jimmy said and walked after Kid.

The both of them emerged from the stable after a minute, Jimmy riding Lightning, figuring his horse was tired after the last couple of days.

Lou watched them ride, knowing why they had to go, but fearing for their safety.

She ran back into the house to fetch the gun and returned to the porch to watch over her kids, the gun held tight in her hand.

Kid and Jimmy rode fast the few miles that separated the McCloud’s house from the Shuster’s.

Kid jumped off Katy at the house steps and reached for his gun. "Shuster!" he yelled toward the house. "You’re under arrest for the murder of your wife!"

Kid looked around at the deserted yard, taking a glimpse of Jimmy carefully entering the small barn.

"Shuster!" he yelled again.

"Kid!" Jimmy came running toward him. "He’s not here. All the horses are gone and there are some fresh tracks heading south."

Kid, hearing this, broke the door open and entered the house. He re-holstered his gun and run up the stairs to the bedroom, the scene of crime. He looked around the room, while Jimmy watched him from the door, but found nothing new.

"Kid," Jimmy started, walking to stand by his friend in the middle of the big room. "We’d better head after him. He’s probably already far from here."

Kid nodded. "We have to pass at the house first. I want to tell Lou."

An hour later they were mounted on their horses again, their bags filled with food Lou arranged for them to take.

"Take care." She said, standing by Kay. "Remember you promised to stay here. So come back safely."

Kid leaned down to kiss her. "We will both come back." He said. "I love you."

With that, the two men started their ride after Shuster.

Being the expert riders they were, they were able to gain speed and by noon the next day, they finally reached Shuster and his two friends. They weren’t wearing the hoods now, and Kid, seeing as he couldn’t identify the other two, figured they were from out of town.

"Well," Jimmy started. "What do you want to do?"

Kid shrugged. "We still need to get down this slope."

"We can get them from here." Jimmy noted.

"I’d rather get them alive, Jimmy, so they can stand trial. I can’t just shoot them."

Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, I know. I’m wearing the same badge, Kid."

Kid looked at him and smiled. "It sure is surprising."

Jimmy smiled at that. "Yeah, well…"

"Come on." Kid started toward the valley below them. Jimmy followed immediately.

They followed the three men for a few miles longer, deciding to surprise them when they make camp. By nightfall Shuster and his friends stopped at a clearing and dismounted. Kid and Jimmy stopped their horses and came closer on foot.

"Shuster!" Kid yelled when they were close enough. "You’re under arrest for the murder of your wife! Drop your guns and hold your hand up where I can see them!"

Before Kid could continue a shot rang and he ducked. "Shuster!" he shouted again. "Don’t force me to kill you!"

More shots followed and Kid and Jimmy were forced into a gunfight.

Suddenly Kid heard a shot coming from a new direction, directed at Shuster. He looked questioningly at Jimmy but got only a bewildered shrug in response.

After a few more minutes the shots stopped. Shuster was dead and his wounded friend held his good arm up, surrendering himself.

Kid and Jimmy emerged from behind the trees, looking around for the mysterious shooter.

Their faces broke into grins as Buck came out of his hiding place. "Your gun." He said to the Kid, giving it back to him.

Kid hugged his friend tightly. "I’m sorry, Buck." He said.

Buck pulled away and shook Kid’s hand. "It’s okay." He said. "I am free now." He looked at the dead men. "Shuster?" he asked.

Kid nodded. "He was after Melissa’s money." He sighed. "The poor woman…"

Jimmy walked closer to them, after securing the wounded man to a saddle. "I’m sure Lou would be very happy if you came with us." He told Buck.

The Indian shook his head. "Not today." He said. "Tell her I’m alright and that I will come back, but not today. I think it’d be better if I stayed away from town for awhile longer."

Kid and Jimmy nodded understandingly.

"You’re always welcome." Kid said, taking Buck’s hand in his.

Buck smiled. "I know. Send my love to Lou." With that he turned and disappeared between the trees.

Jimmy looked at Kid and patted his shoulder. "Let’s go home." He said.

Kid nodded and after a few more seconds followed toward the horses.

They reached the town by late afternoon the next day. Jimmy stayed in the jail, watching over the prisoner, and sensing Kid needed some time alone with his wife.

Kid dismounted and led Katy to the stable, stalling, a bit intimidated by seeing Lou. She surprised him, however, by coming to the stable after him. She looked at him, patting Katy absentmindedly. "Where’s Jimmy?" she asked.

"In town, we have a prisoner."

"Shuster?" Lou asked.

Kid shook his head. "He’s dead. One of his friends."

Lou nodded.

They looked at each other awkwardly. "Are you okay?" Kid asked her.

She nodded, finding it impossible to talk. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, tears of relief falling freely from her eyes.

"I was so worried." She said when they broke the kiss.

"I told you I’d come back." He said.

"So you did." She kissed him again.

"We saw Buck." Kid said after they kissed for a few moments.

"How is he?" Lou asked, fearing the worse.

Kid saw all the emotions running trough her head and smiled. "He’s fine. He promised to come visit sometime, when the town’s people cool off."

Lou nodded and hugged her husband tightly. "Thank you." She said. "For setting him free."

Kid kissed her forehead. "I finally saw the truth. I’m just glad I wasn’t too late."

Lou kissed him deeply. "You’re a good man, Kid McCloud."

Kid laughed at that. "Thank you for giving me your name."

"You deserve it." She said and kissed his nose.

After they held each other awhile longer, Lou backed away toward the door, taking Kid’s hand in hers. "Come on, let’s get something to eat."

They walked together, hand in hand, toward the house with a promise for a happy future.

Feedback is greatly appreciated!

Fan Fiction Main Page