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.
“Cody” Buck spoke as he embraced his old friend
“When did it happen?” he asked gruffly
“Two days ago, a stupid gunfight in town, he got caught in the crossfire.” Buck had difficulty forming the words
“How’s Lou?” Cody asked quietly
“I’m worried about her Billy, she keeps asking to go with him” Cody shook his head in disbelief, his memories of a strong independent young woman not fitting with Buck’s words.
“Did you catch the one who did it?”
“We think he was a drifter, by the time I had come to my senses he was long gone. There’s a posse out after him now” Buck spoke
“What about the kids?” Cody asked having seen how skilfully Buck had answered young Mary’s questions.
“Mary doesn’t really understand, but Starr is devastated, she loved him dearly” he smiled wryly
“We all did. Rachel coping?”
“She’s okay” Buck nodded looking stoically at Cody
“Are you okay?” Cody had never seen Buck like this even when Ike and Noah were killed, he had managed to keep control
“Yeah” he answered flatly his eyes liquid “I have to be”
“I’m here for a few weeks until I have to go back on tour with my show” Cody spoke, not wanting to annoy Buck, knowing how passionately that his friend hated his Wild West Show.
Buck nodded tightly, knowing from Kid and Jimmy’s bitter experiences that their friendship was far more important than their beliefs or the petty indifferences they may have. The men walked around the barn and towards the house, watching as Starr sat on the old bunkhouse porch and read to both Mary and Rachel’s son Noah. Neither man noticed Rachel sitting on the porch swing as she walked into the small fenced yard.
“Cody” she smiled, her eyes teary rising to greet him.
“Rachel” Cody ran up the stairs and embraced her tightly, he hadn’t seen her since before Teaspoons death and had lived with the regret of missing Teaspoon’s funeral ever since.
“How is she?” Buck asked as Rachel sank gratefully in Cody’s loose embrace.
“I don’t know” Rachel spoke bluntly “It’s like the light is gone from her eyes” her tears overflowed “I don’t think we’ll ever get the old Lou back, I think we buried her today.” Rachel tried to compose herself but failed “Everybody always knew that losing Lou would kill Kid, but I never expected that she would fall apart like this. It’s like she doesn’t want to live without him.” Rachel’s voice caught on a sob “She just lays there crying” she spoke softly cradled against Cody’s buckskin clad shoulder.
“I’ll go and talk to her.” Buck spoke as he opened the door leaving Rachel and Cody on the porch.
He walked quickly up the stairs, but he had no idea how to soothe Lou’s pain, he just knew that he didn’t want her to be alone with her thoughts.
When his beloved Jenny had died, he had wanted nothing more than to go with her, he had spent almost 15 years by her side, sleeping with her in his arms, making decisions with her and well just enjoying her companionship. It was the little things he missed, waking up with her in his arms of the way she always kissed him before she left the room, the way she would push his hair back from his face when he was angry and cause him to completely forget his anger, even the way she comforted Starr when she was hurting. God knew, he still missed her dearly, but at least now the pain of her absence was not a gaping hole in his heart. Lou and Kid had seen to that, easing him through his mind numbing grief as only the best of friends could.
Buck knocked lightly on the door, and receiving no response walked straight into the room, the sight that greeted him nearly breaking his heart. Lou sat in the middle of the bed, dressed in her nightgown, her waist length hair, unplaited and flowing around her slight shoulders, her arms around her legs and her chin resting on her knees, her heart and soul wracked by her uncontrollable sobs. Crossing the room he sat beside her on the bed, gently stroking her silken hair, realising quickly that she didn’t even know he was there, so deeply was she held in the grip of her grief.
Sliding further onto the bed he pulled her into his arms and onto his lap where he cradled her against his chest , desperately trying to absorb her pain. He didn’t know how long he sat there, like that, gently rocking her as he would Mary, murmuring soothing words to her, before he realised that her sobs had slowed and finally stopped.
Brushing her damp hair back from her face, he realised that she had in fact cried herself to sleep. Knowing that she had not slept since Kid’s death made him loathe to wake her, so he settled back against the headboard, content to give her the support she obviously needed, gently brushing his lips across the top of her head.
--oo0000oo—
The thing he became aware of first, was Lou’s arm around his waist, her breath warm on the side of his face. Trying to clear his sleep clouded mind, he realised that he must have fallen asleep. Somehow they had ended up covered and entwined in each others arms. Lou’s legs gently entwined with his own, her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled tightly as he realised that they had both been exhausted, not only physically but emotionally, and had somehow managed to find comfort and the ability to relax in the others arms.
“I love him so much Buck” she murmured against his shoulder
“I know sweetheart, we all did” Buck was startled by her voice “He always, even while we were still riding told me that he would never be able to live without me. I always thought that he was exaggerating’ she tilted her face back so she could look into his eyes.
“Now I know he wasn’t” she murmured, “Buck, I don’t think I can go on without him.”
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