"Okay, long straws go, short straws stay."

The riders stood gathered around Jimmy on the bunk house porch. Teaspoon was leaning against Emma's porch rail when she walked out the door, wiping her hands on a towel. She stopped next to Teaspoon and absently pushed a strand off her forehead. She motioned toward the bunkhouse.

"What's going on over there?" she asked.

"Seems they're drawing straws to see who goes to the dance tomorrow night and who stays here with Buck."

"They're drawing straws to see who has to stay with Buck?"

"Nope. They're drawing straws to see who gets to stay with him. I'm makin' them go and they don't want to. They all want to stay here."

"Well, I'll be..." Emma shook her head and turned back into the house.

Buck had spent the last four days gaining strength and getting his bearings. For two days after his conversation with Teaspoon, he had concentrated on just on being able to sit up without getting dizzy and trying to gain some strength back in his good leg by bending it and moving around on the bed slightly.

The last two days he had convinced Teaspoon and the riders to help him move around the room some, one of his friends supporting him on each side like human crutches. He had even been sitting at the table during meals, which were now being eaten in Emma's house so they could be with him. Emma had ripped the seam out of a pair of his trousers so he had begun to feel somewhat normal again by getting at least partially dressed.

He had figured out the difference between the two teas they had been giving him and had been refusing the one that made him sleep, then relented to using it when the doctor was due to visit, after being awake the first time when the doctor had changed his bandages. Even he had to admit that it would be easier if he weren't aware at that time, at least for awhile.

He was forcing himself to stay awake more, but weakness sometimes overcame him and he couldn't help drifting off. Other times the pain or coughing would overtake him and he couldn't sleep. He and Emma had spent many hours at night after a coughing attack talking. Emma told him about her childhood and even spoke about a possible future with Sam. She managed to draw out stories from him also and he told her things from his childhood that no one else knew, not even Ike. Both knew the other would not tell these things to anyone else.

Emma rather enjoyed caring for the young man. It brought out the mothering instincts in her. And even though he occasionally got stubborn about taking medications, he was no trouble, making very few demands. She just wished he'd let her know when he was in pain so she could help. She found herself feeling a new type of respect for the boy, while at the same time feeling exasperation at his stubbornness.

Kid had drawn a short straw. So had Cody, which he turned over to Lou after a whispered plea, a bribe, and a blackmail threat. It was a lot harder to convince Emma that she should go to the dance. In fact it took Sam planting himself on her porch, much debate, and finally Buck's encouragement before she relented. Convincing Ike was next to impossible, but they finally did and it was a reluctant group that rode off to the dance that night.

The fiddler was playing a lively tune. Gaily dressed women spun on the arms of men that looked like they would be comfortable anywhere but here. Emma and Sam were among the dancers, both trying to enjoy themselves and only having a moderate amount of success. Cody and Jimmy were also dancing, but Ike was standing against a wall, a cup of punch in hand. Teaspoon stood over by the dessert table, sampling his way across the table.

The music ended and Emma and Sam joined Teaspoon. Jimmy and Cody each found new dance partners.

"Well, you two sure paint a pretty picture out there."

"Thank you Mr. Spoon. But you know my thoughts are out at the house."

"Lou and Kid can take care of him. They know what to do, and if any problems arise one of them will come get us. Now, how bout you and me taking us a turn? That okay with you Sam?"

"Sure thing Teaspoon. It'll give my feet a rest, or more accurately, Emma's. I think I stepped on them a time or two."

"Oh Sam!" She slapped his arm playfully as she walked out onto the dance floor.

Lou giggled softly as Kid whispered in her ear. they were seated at the hearth before a low fire, the Kid's arms wrapped around Lou as she leaned back against his chest.

"Stop that Kid. We'll wake Buck!" she whispered as his fingers tickled her rib cage.

"Alright." He settled his arms around her waist in a hug. "Mmm, this is nice," he murmured as he nuzzled her neck.

"Sure is." she cooed back. "What time do you think the others will be back?"

"Not for another hour or so at least." He paused as Buck coughed, both anxiously looking his way to see if he had awakened, then continued on as Buck settled back into sleep. "We've still got some time. I was thinking, Buck's doing better, and I kind of thought that maybe we could sneak away tomorrow and have a picnic down at the creek."

Buck began to cough again and Lou got up to fix a bowl of the scented boiling herbs, carrying it over to the bedside and placing it near his head. Buck had agreed to taking the sleep inducing tea if Emma would go to the dance, so he was still sleeping , but Lou still checked his breathing before answering Kid.

"Sounds good" she said as she turned back to him. She stopped before the small fire and moved the pot of stew closer to the flames to warm.

"I think he'll be waking soon," she said as she settled back into Kid's arms. "He always gets a little restless before he wakes."

"It's hard to believe what he's going through. I'm not sure I could do it." Lou murmured in agreement. "Those burns.... they've gotta hurt something fierce. I don't know how he stands it." Kid finished as they both watched Buck.

"Doc says that while the burns aren't as bad as they could be, they'll still be painful, and he doesn't know of any medications that will completely take care of pain like that. He can't believe the herbs can do it either."

"Well, Buck's strong... and stubborn. Maybe he's just not letting us know he's hurting."

"Maybe." Lou laid her head back on Kid's chest and turned to look into the fire. they kept the flames low so as not to overheat the room.

"Sam says Mrs. Campbell still isn't saying how the fire started."

"Guess it doesn't really matter, Lou."

"No, I 'spose not." She sighed.

"What?"

"Nothing really. Just feeling.... content? maybe comfortable is a better word. This just feels normal"

"You mean us?"

"Yeah, like this, right now. It feels good."

"Lou..." he stopped when she placed her finger to his lips.

"Let's just enjoy the moment Kid." she gave him a quick kiss. He pulled her closer and they kissed long and hungrily, pulling apart suddenly when they heard the wagon pull up and voices outside. Lou quickly stood and moved closer to the bed as Kid rose a little slower. He went to the door, parting the curtains to see outside.

"They must have left the dance awfully early." Kid said as he watched Sam help Emma down from the buckboard and the other riders take their horses to the barn. Lou looked sheepishly down at the floor, self-consciously pushing her glasses up on her nose.

She turned to the bed when she heard a slight rustling sound. Buck's head moved slightly to the side and back, his hand raising a few inches ove the blankets. Lou knelt beside him as Emma and Sam walked in the door.

"Everything all right here?" Emma asked as she removed her shawl and hung it on a hook by the door. Sam did the same with his hat.

"Fine Emma, " Kid replied. "He just started getting restless. Lou thinks he might be waking up."

"He's awake." Lou said from Buck's side. "Hey Buck. How ya feeling?" He was always groggy when waking from the unnatural sleep. Kid poured a cup of tea and brought it over to Lou. "Here Buck, take some of this."

"Thank you." His voice was still little more than a whisper, his throat still a little sore from the smoke.

"Are you hungry? Can you eat some?" Buck nodded. Kid ladled out a bowl of stew as Lou helped her friend sit up, propping pillows behind him. She could tell he was having a hard time coming fully awake. She slowly spooned out warm broth, potatoes and meat to Buck as Emma poured coffee for Sam and herself. They sat on the settee and watched as Lou and Kid cared for Buck, talking to him as he ate, giving him sips of tea for pain.

Sam placed his arm on the back of the settee as Emma sipped her coffee.

"They make a nice couple don't they?" Sam mused.

"Why Sam Cain! How did you know Lou is a girl?"

"What do you mean? Of course I know Lou's a girl!"

"Well don't tell Mr. Spoon."

"He doesn't know?"

"No and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you kindly."

"How can he not know?" Sam shook his head, bewildered.

Buck lay awake listening to the sounds of the house. He heard every creak, every groan. He could hear a slight wind kick up outside, a coyote answering his mate a few miles away. he heard Emma sigh in her sleep nearby. And he heard his own labored breathing and wondered if he would ever heal.

Two weeks. It had been two weeks. The others told him he was getting better. the doctor said he was improving faster than he could have ever anticipated, but to Buck it was taking forever. He still felt very weak. Moving was painful but he tried at every possible chance anyway. And the coughing was always there and rarely left for long. His chest hurt when he coughed and he was beginning to think that he might have damaged a rib. He tried not to think about his injuries, especially his eyes, but there wasn't much else to occupy his mind.

Buck's mind whirled. It was at moments like this where he felt near panic. He was rarely alone since the fire, but the last few nights he had awakened apparently without noise. He would struggle to calm himself, singing a song from his childhood in his mind. It was soothing, reassuring. The panic would ease. He tried to enjoy the solitude, something that he had valued up until two weeks ago, but now found somewhat distressing.

Patience Buck, he told himself as he felt the coughs coming on. Easy, breathe deep. Control it. No good. He started coughing and it wasn't long before it was out of control and he was gasping for breath. Emma was up and moving immediately, grabbing a pan, filling it with coals and placing a bowl of boiling water on them. Tossing in herbs she moved to his bedside pulling a blanket over both their heads.

She sat by his side, humming softly, stroking his hair as he tried to breath. He struggled mentally to relax and calm himself. As always, the coughing slowed, his breathing regulated. Eventually the coughing occurred only sporadically.

"I'm sorry Emma."

"Sssh now Buck," she whispered as she kissed his forehead. "It's all right." She got up and changed the coals in the pan, then sat back down beside him. She straightened his bedding and fluffed his pillows. Emma sat with him for several hours. They talked about his childhood and he told her about his mother, who had died when he was ten, that his brother took him on his first raid the same year. He told her about games they had played as children, and they exchanged stories about their first loves. He finally drifted off.

Emma wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, checked Buck one more time, added a few more coals to the pan, and went back to her cot feeling tired yet contented. Something in her was feeling fulfilled- the need to care for someone who truly needed her. Too bad Buck was suffering. She laid down and fell asleep.

"Ride safe, Jimmy!" Teaspoon called after the rider as he accepted the exchange from Lou and rode off to the west. A drizzle had set in overnight, making the riders miserable. Teaspoon took the reins of Lou's horse as the young "man" dismounted.

"I'll take care of him, Lou. You get on into the bunkhouse and get warmed up."

"Thanks Teaspoon." Lou climbed onto the porch, removing her hat and slapping the water from it. She opened the door and walked into the warm, inviting room.

Kid sat on his bunk reading but looked up as Lou entered. Cody sat at the table cleaning his beloved rifle. Lou assumed Ike was over at the house with Buck.

"That rain's a might colder than you'd think." Lou said as she hung her coat near the fire to dry, then stood before it, hands outstretched trying to warm herself. Kid pulled the blanket off his bed and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Mmm, thanks. That feels better."

"This weather makes for a rough ride."

"Well I'm hoping it stops before I ride tomorrow." Cody added as he reassembled his gun. "I wonder when dinner's gonna be ready? Emma's cooking today up at the house."

"Thank God Emma's cooking again. I don't think I could eat another of Jimmy's or Teaspoon's meals."

"Why Lou, I'm insulted." Teaspoon said as he stood in the open doorway.

"Sorry Teaspoon."

"That's alright. I'm lookin' forward to Emma's cooking again myself. And speaking of which, dinner is ready."

Lou ran a comb through her hair as Kid and Cody grabbed coats and hats and they all dashed across the yard. They shook off water and scraped off mud, then quietly entered the house.

"Well look at this!" Cody commented as he walked through the door.

"Hey Buck!" the Kid added.

Lou pushed her way past the other two to see what was going on. Buck sat up on the bed, his leg finally in a splint, his right hand unwrapped, his left wrapped so that his thumb was exposed and somewhat usable. A pair of crutches Teaspoon had fashioned lay nearby.

"I thought maybe we would celebrate and have dinner together. I'm afraid Jimmy will be gone overnight but I wanted the rest of us together. She motioned to the table she had set with her good china. she had laid out platters of fried chicken and corn bread, bowls of potatoes and green beans, and two pies sat on the sideboard. She had everyone sit down after they had helped Buck to the table and asked Teaspoon to say the blessing.

Teaspoon cleared his throat and began. "Dear Lord, thank you for this meal. thank you for seeing us all through the last few weeks and for setting Buck here on the healing trail. Amen."

"Amen."

The boys helped themselves to the food as Emma fed Buck. His hands wouldn't cooperate enough to hold a fork, but then the muscles hadn't been used in over two weeks. It was going to take some practice. Still he found it somewhat humiliating to be fed, and vowed that he'd have control again in a day or so.

It had been a long day for him. He hadn't slept well the night before and had remained awake during the doctor's visit. He had been up on the crutches briefly and it had pretty much worn him out. He had to work on his strength!

Emma could see that he was tiring. She sat his plate off to the side, picking up a water glass to give him a drink. She leaned over and whispered in his ear. He shook his head, no, he wasn't ready to lay down yet. he leaned his head back against the wall instead and listened to the talk around the table, enjoyed the sound of laughter as the riders bantered back and forth. Emma left his side long enough to cut the pies, slipping a bite or two between his lips until he shook his head no. It tasted wonderful, but he couldn't eat any more. He gave Emma a smile.

"Thank you. It was very good." he said softly.

"My pleasure," she said placing a kiss on the top of hiss head as she gathered up the plates and carried them to the sideboard.

He couldn't get used to such displays of affection and color rose to his cheeks. He knew his own mother had loved him despite the fact that he was the product of rape. But she had a hard time showing her affection in front of the tribe. She, too, was made to feel inferior. His brother hadn't cared what others thought and treated Buck as an equal, but a brother's love wasn't the same as a mother's. When she died, his brother stepped in and became mother and father to him until he had left the tribe at thirteen. Out among the whites it had been just as difficult and had found himself forced into a mission school. But that is where he had met Ike, and they had been like brothers since.

He heard movement next to him and knew it was Ike. He missed being able to talk to his friend. they could carry on a conversation only when one of the other riders was there to translate Ike's sign language.

"That was a mighty fine meal, Emma." Teaspoon leaned back in his chair, sighing contentedly.

"Why thank you Mr. Spoon." Kid and Lou helped gather up the rest of the dishes, then set about washing them for her. Emma wiped off the table and sat down opposite Teaspoon.

The evening was pleasant. Cody spent time reading, occasionally reading passages aloud that he found of interest. Kid, Lou and Teaspoon played several rounds of gin. Ike had his sketch book out and Emma worked on some knitting.

Buck dozed off and on. He heard everything going on around him, but occasionally the sounds grew distant and then louder as he became more alert. It was warm in the room, but Emma made sure it wasn't so warm that he would be uncomfortable. Before he knew it and against his will, he had fallen asleep.

Ike was the first to notice that he had drifted off. He signaled to Teaspoon and the two of them moved him away from the wall and laid him down. They removed his shirt and covered him with a light blanket, then the riders headed out to the bunkhouse. emma went upstairs to sleep and Teaspoon settled in on the bed near the fire, ready to care for Buck should he awaken.

"Emma could you pull the shades down? I think it's time to check out Buck's sight." The doctor had been changing bandages and applying salve to Buck's stomach and chest. As Emma pulled down shades and pulled across curtains he began cutting bandages from around Buck's eyes.

"Okay, now, Buck. I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them. Emma, it's till awfully bright in here. Can you hang a blanket over that window? That's better." The doctor finished removing the bandages and took the pads of cloth off of his eyes.

"All right Buck, slowly." Buck cracked his eyes open, closing them almost immediately, then opening them again, blinking frequently until he could open them to a squint.

"Well Buck?" Emma asked anxiously.

"Dark." Was his reply.

"Emma, light that lamp. We'll put some soft light here. Any better?"

Buck squinted again and turned his head toward the sound of the lamp being placed on the table. The darkness before him lightened a little.

"Foggy."

"Can you see my hand?"

"I can tell something moved in front of the light but I couldn't tell what."

"Hmm. Well, I'll tell you what. As long as it's fairly dark, leave his eyes uncovered. His sight may come back slowly. Cover his eyes against bright light. Let's see what happens over the next few days." The doctor rolled down his sleeves and closed his bag.

"Try these eye drops every two hours while his eyes are uncovered and right before bandaging them up. Don't let him over do. If his eyes get tire, cover them. If they start to feel dry or itchy, cover them. If he even looks like he's struggling, cover them."

Buck felt numb. He had dealt with the pain, with the weeks of laying in bed, by thinking that some day soon the bandages would come off and he would see again. He had been sure he would see again. His heart dropped as he realized that his worst possible fears were probably true-- he was blind.

Emma walked the doctor to the door, looking to see what direction Buck was facing before opening it to let the doctor out. She turned back to him trying to read the look on his face. Walking back over to him, she sat on the edge of the bed, gathering him into her arms, wanting to hug the grief and despair from him. His arms remained at his sides, then he suddenly and desperately returned the hug.

On to Chapters 6-7