DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
Buck rode for days, missing his assailant in each town he passed through by a day sometimes less. Each night he spent wrapped in his bedroll dreaming of the night that he and Lou had spent together and dreaming of what their futures would be. He missed her more than he could have ever imagined, but he would not go home without a prisoner. Each day he got a little closer to his quarry, he knew that the man was running scared, he was also sure that he had chosen the right man, each town he had passed through had lost their lawman while the nameless man had been there. Buck didn’t know what his problem with the law was, but he had picked the wrong man when he had killed Kid and he would pay for the injustices he had handed out with his thoughtless actions. What he failed to notice was that the path of his quarry was actually circling back towards his own home.
--oo0000oo--
As the days turned into weeks, both Cody and Rachel were amazed at the tranquility of Lou’s emotions. When Cody had explained Buck’s actions to Rachel, both of them had expected that Louise would take the news badly and follow Buck regardless of his excuses. Instead, Lou had happily stayed at the ranch, spending many hours with Mary, helping Rachel and Starr with the chores, spending the evenings talking to her husband’s headstone. However, Buck had been gone for a little more than four weeks when Lou’s serene moods began to unravel.
Rachel worried about her, knowing that she was worried about something, she just assumed it was Buck’s safety, but it didn’t take her long to realise that something else concerned her and she sought her out one morning, finding her sitting behind the barn, just watching the sun rise.
“Rachel” Lou exclaimed “what’s wrong?” she asked thinking that one of the children was ill
“I was hoping you could tell me” Rachel spoke as she pulled up a seat on the hay bale next to her best friend.
Lou shook her head, her bottom lip quivering.
“Lou you know that you can tell me anything don’t you” she paused thinking tha maybe Lou was embarrassed about having feelings for Buck so soon after Kid’s death. “Nothing you can say to me will offend me” Lou stood stiffly and stalked off to stand a few feet away, turning back to speak to Rachel, her voice little more than hicupping sobs “What if I were to tell you that I think I’m pregnant and I don’t know who the father is?” she folded her arms across her chest, her hands shrouding her face, not wanting to uncover her face and see the disgust on the face of the woman who had been her confidant since she was a teenager.
Rachel was instantly on her feet, moving to take her friend in her arms, completely understanding Lou’s reluctance.
“Oh Lou” she held her close “That’s nothing to be ashamed of honey” she held her while she sobbed like her heart was breaking
“what will the townsfolk say?” Lou asked softly
“It’s none of their business, but the one’s that matter will be happy for you, you know that nothing that the small minded petty litte gossips in town say can matter to any of us” Rachel spoke cupping Lou’s face with one hand she wiped away her tears.
“Do you have any idea whose baby it coud be?” Rachel asked quietly, knowing that she was risking a flood of tears again.
“No” Lou spoke her chin jutting forward stubbornly “What am I going to tell Buck?”
“I’m so surprised that you even have to ask Lou.” Rachel spoke to her sternly
“He will be thrilled, either way you will have a baby that you can raise together, can mold into the same honorable soul both of its fathers have.
“he so badly wants another baby” Lou spoke sinking back into Rachel’s embrace “Jenny was expecting when she died.” she spoke
“I didn’t know” Rachel murmured
“No one did, he told me the night before he left.” she spoke quietly
“Lou, he will be thrilled to know that you are expecting, Kid was like a brother to him, I’m sure he would be honoured to raise Kid’s child, you know that the two of you have the rest of your lives, but this could be the last part of Kid you have left.” Rachel spoke wisely
“I know that, I just didn’t want to hurt him” Lou murmured “but I don’t know how to tell him”
“You could never hurt him Lou, I think he is more concerned with hurting you.” Rachel spoke to her
“What do you mean?” Lou frowned
“He worries about you, he fought against going to you, he didn’t want you to be confused by your feelings for him” Rachel explained
“I do love him Rachel.” she sank to the ground on her knees “It’s not the same as Kid, but I do love him” she spoke as if to herself
“Why don’t you tell me about it Lou?” Rachel sank to the ground “Maybe if you talk about it, it will be clearer to you”
“Kid was like part of my soul, it was like we were two halves of the one soul.” she paused “but Buck is like well a comfortable old jumper” she tried to explain
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked quietly
“I think I have always loved him I just never realised until Kid was taken from me. Sort of like a comfortable old jumper, always there but you never realise just how much you love it until your favourite is taken away” Rachel smiled at Lou’s analogy, not quite sure that Buck would like to be compared to a jumper. “Does that make sense?”
“Of course it does sweetheart” Rachel took both of Lou’s hands in hers “I didn’t realise that you had both become so close so quickly”
“It was the night before he left” Lou blushed hotly “no matter what anyone thinks Rachel, we never even thought about each other this way while Kid was alive”
“I never even considered that Lou” Rachel spoke “You don’t have to explain your actions to anyone”
“I didn’t want you to think that I would do that to him” she replied.
“C’mon honey” Rachel started to rise to her feet pulling Lou with her “Let’s go make breakfast”
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