Homecoming

If only the news was good. Her contractions were coming even more spradically now than before. And with each contraction, Emily's strength just ebbed away. Dr. Seyton knew that if things continued as they were, Emily would soon not have the strength to bring the baby into the world on her own. And there was no sign of the baby being born soon. A choice would have to be made, and the doctor was not sure that Emily was up to making it.

Dr. Seyton looked over at Lou worriedly. If it came right down to it, as he expected it would, Louise would be the one who would have to make the choice. Emily had no family, no next of kin. From what Lou had said, Emily's closest friends were herself and a Jenny Michaelson. And Emily was trying to get away from Jenny Michaelson. That left Louise, and given Louise's history, was it such a wise idea to let her make such a decision?

Lou chose that moment to glance up at the doctor, and she saw the worried look on his face. "Is everythin' all right, Doc.?" she asked.

"Much the same as before, I'm afraid," he replied. "What about you? How are you takin' all this? I know it can't be easy for you."

"I'm all right," Lou said unconvincingly. "I have to see it through, as much for Emily's sake as for Ike's. I can't leave her now."

"Promise me somethin'. The minute it starts to get too hard for you, I want you to tell me, and I'll get my wife to help me."

"Have you been talkin' to the Kid? That sounds like somethin' he would say. I'm fine Doc. I'm gonna be right here when the baby takes it's first breath."

Dr Seyton grimaced despite himself. He knew there was a good chance that Emily would lose the baby, which would be devastating for both Emily and Lou.

Intuitively, Lou knew that there was something that the doctor was not saying. "What is it?" she asked again, forcing the hand.

Dr. Seyton shook his head, but Lou was insistant, so he told her about the decision that would have to be made if things didn't improve with Emily. When he said that the decision was on Lou's shoulders, she promptly fainted.

Teaspoon sighed to himself as he stared into the fire. Stopping like this in the middle of winter was not a good idea, but he was too exhausted to continue. He was worried about Emily. She was in no condition to run off like she did, not with her time being so close. What would make her do something like that? What would make her seek out Lou (if that was where she went) when she had studiously avoided her since she lost her baby?

Dr. Williams told him of his suspicions about the Michaelsons', but without proof, there was not much Teaspoon could do about it. There wasn't much to it, really. All he said was that Emily had stiffened when he mentioned Jenny Michaelson during her last check-up. Which could mean anything. But Teaspoon had a gut instinct that that was the cause of Emily's flight. But to where? Would he be able to find her in time? Was he even going in the right direction?

"Waitin' for somebody, Marshal?" A deep, derisive voice asked.

Teaspoon started and looked up into the eyes of Walter Barrett, the former bank manager of Rock Creek. Eight months before he had been arrested for the murder of Rosa Tarkovsky, a Polish emmigrant who had died in a fire five years before that; a crime that he had framed Rosa's husband Janos for; and Janos had served the time. Barrett had been freed on a technicality, but the citizens of Rock Creek would not accept him back as their bank manager, for what he did to Rosa, and the way he treated his wife, Ruth. Now he was a lonely, bitter man who frequented saloons more often than he should; and rumour had it that he wanted to "pay the Marshal and his Express riders back" for what they did to him.

"What'cha doin' out here Barrett?" Teaspoon asked lazily.

"I could ask you the same question, Marshal,"

Teaspoon stretched, making sure that his right hand was visably near his gun holster, leaving no doubt that he could draw quickly if he had to. "Maybe I'm just out for a ride, visitin' my friends. What about you? Pretty far from your usual rounds, ain't you?"

"Maybe I'm just out for a ride," Barrett shot back.

"Are you gonna stand there all night or move on?"

For a long moment, Barrett chose not to answer. He just glared down at Rock Creek's Marshal, as if he were debating whether or not to attack him or something. That decision was taken out of his hands. At that moment, there was a flurry of movement behind him. Barrett turned just in time to have snow flung into his face as a horse and rider swerved to avoid him.

"What are you doin' out here, Quinn?" Teaspoon asked the rider. It was the question of the evening.

Young Quinn Ellis dismounted. "Miss Rachel sent me, Marshal," he said. "You got a telegraph from the Kid just after you left. Miss Emily is in Lone Tree Valley."

"Are you sure?" Teaspoon asked. "Are you sure that's what Rachel said?"

"I'm sure," Quinn replied. "She wrote you a letter, if you want to read it."

"Give it here." Not only had Rachel sent a letter, explaining the contents of the telegram, she sent the actual telegram itself, which Teaspoon thought was rather over doing it. Nevertheless, he read both of them. The telegram read as follows:

The letter that Rachel had written just elaborated on the telegraph, with an added note stating that the Michaelsons' had disappeared as well, at least, they were not home when Rachel went to see them on some pretense or other. Which, Teaspoon mused to himself, could mean anything. At least he was headed in the right direction, and if the Michaelsons did want to come after Emily, they did not know where to look whereas he did, and as such would likely get there first and ask Emily what made her do what she did.

"Can I go now, sir?" Quinn asked.

Teaspoon started and looked up to see Quinn staring down at him earnestly. He also noticed that the boy was shivering violently. "No, you come sit down here by the fire and get warmed up some. I doubt your sister will expect you back right away, and if she is looking for you, then Rachel will stay with her and make sure she don't worry." Teaspoon had a great fondness for Quinn Ellis and his sister, Cassie, who had been in love with Noah Dixon before he was killed five months before. Out of respect for the former Express rider, and the fondness for two, Teaspoon and Rachel looked out for the Ellis' and cared for them as if they were a part of the extended family of riders.

As Quinn pulled his bedroll and saddle from his horse (he knew that he would not make it home before night had fallen and it was treacherous riding in the snow at night), Teaspoon noticed that Barrett was still standing there. "Was there somethin' else you wanted, Barrett, or are you just gonna stand there in the cold all night?"

"That 'Miss Emily' the boy was talkin' 'bout? Is she young Emily Metcalfe?"

"Could be," was Teaspoon's non-commital answer. "Why do you ask?"

"She's in a lot of trouble with the bank. Somethin' about not bein' able to pay off a loan."

"Barrett, I was under the impression that you were no longer the bank manager in Rock Creek."

"I still have friends that work there, and I know that the bank wants to take the farm. If she has done a runner, then they will have no choice but to do so. Should have done it long ago, I reckon. She's just a two-bit whore who got herself in trouble. She ain't settin' a good example."

"She ain't no such thing, Barrett, though I don't expect you to know that. She deserves to be left alone, regardless, so I suggest you do that. Get outta here, Barrett." Teaspoon still had his hand on the butt of his pistol, ready to draw, so Barrett decided that it would be prudent for him to leave.

The reason the Michaelsons were not home when Rachel called on them was simple: they were out trying to dig up any information on Emily Metcalfe. Michaelson had even taken to hanging out under the window of the new telegraph office, in case she wired somebody. His wife pronounced this a waste of time, but he soon found that it wasn't.

He heard the Telegraph officer call for some urchin who was playing in the street nearby, to go fetch the school marm, Mrs. Dunne. Knowing that Rachel Dunne was closely connected with the Marshal, and the old Pony Express station, and knowing Emily's connection to both, Michaelson found this incredibly relevant. So, he spied through the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the telegraph and read what it said without being seen. He was in luck. Reardon, the telegraph office, rather idiotically left the telegraph in question lying on the counter for all to see.

Naturally, this telegram answered some of their questions. They finally knew where to find Emily. Although, at first, Jenny Michaelson though there must be some mistake, or that her husband mis-read the telegram.

"This can't be right," Jenny said forcefully. "There's no way Emily could have gotten all the way to Lone Tree in such a short time. They must be talkin' about some other Emily."

"Another Emily who is from Rock Creek, who is havin' a baby, and who has a connection with the Marshal and the old Express riders?" Michaelson asked incredulously.

"It's possible," Jenny was defensive. "There was no proof that Emily even knew any of the riders."

"She knew the female rider, the one that got married a few months back, Louise. She's always talkin' about her. What if her story was true, that the father of the baby was one of the riders? She just might seek out her old friend. And the Kid made it no secret that they were settlin' in Lone Tree Valley."

"Even so, how could she get to Lone Tree in such a short time?"

"You told her you were takin' her baby, didn't you? When?"

"I don't know, a few days ago, I guess. I think it was last Sunday, when I popped in to see her after church."

"Have you seen Emily since?"

Jenny shook her head. "You know I didn't get a chance to look in on her until yesterday, and she was already gone."

"Jenny, it's now Friday. It's been five days. That's plenty of time to get to Lone Tree. Face it, love, Emily's gone there."

"Then we've got to go." Jenny Michaelson's face was resolute.

"What?"

"We've got to get to Lone Tree before she has a chance to get too attached to the baby. I have waited so long, I'm not gonna lose the child now."

"Okay, we'll leave in the mornin'." Michaelson knew that it was pointless to try and argue or reason with his wife. She was too determined. It was better to just go along with her. That way she would be safer than if she took off on her own, which she was wont to do when she had her heart set on something.

"In the mornin'? But we would make better time if we left now."

"Listen to me!" Michaelson was unusually firm. "It would be foolhardy for us to leave now, so close to nightfall., especially in the middle of winter. Just because there hasn't been a snow storm for a couple of weeks doesn't mean there won't be one tonight. We leave in the mornin'. All right?"

She could only nod.

Louise came to with a start. Confused, she found herself lying on one of the beds in Dr. Seyton's surgery. "What happened?" she asked the doctor groggily.

"You fainted," he said simply.

"But I never faint." Lou tried to sit up too fast, only to lie back down, dizzy.

"Easy now, take it nice and slow," he placed a cold compress on her forehead. "You really ought to rest for a while. You're quite worn out, which is not good in your condition."

"My condition?" Alarmed, Lou sat up again, managing not to fall back. "What's wrong with me, Doc.?"

"Oh, there's nothin' wrong with you as such. Louise, you are gonna have a baby."

Lou's jaw dropped. "But how? It's only been a few months since..." she trailed off, not wanting the reminder of her miscarriage. "Uh, when? When is the baby due?"

"Around September. But you will have to take it easy, Louise, if you don't want to lose this baby. I know you are healthy, and there should be no reason for you not to carry to term, but the fact is, I'm not entirely sure that the abuse you suffered at the hands of those men was the reason you miscarried last time."

"What are you sayin?"

"I want you to play it safe and take it easy. No ridin', no heavy chores..."

"What about Emily?"

"My wife is sittin' with her now, you don't have to worry. Kid will be here in the mornin', I think it's best if you went home with him."

Lou shook her head. "I'm not leavin' Emily. I owe it to the baby's father to stay with her."

"What about your welfare, Lou? What about the baby? Do you think that the Kid will just let you stay here and care for Emily if he knew you were carryin' his child?"

"Probably not."

"So?"

"So I won't tell him until after Emily's baby is born."

"But what if it goes badly, Louise?" Dr. Seyton asked her softly. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

Lou was spared from answering that question, when Mrs. Seyton knocked on the door. "I'm sorry to barge in like this but Emily has been asking for Louise. Rather insistantly, I might add."

Dr. Seyton opened his mouth to say no, when Lou cut in. "I'd like to see what Emily wants, Doc. It might make her feel better, and I'm feelin' a lot better now."

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her no anyway, for she still looked rather pale. But if Louise's visit made Emily feel better, and she doesn't tax herself... "All right," Dr. Seyton said finally. "But you've got to promise not to over do it."

"All right."

The labour had taken it's toll on Emily Metcalfe, and it showed. She was pale, weak and clammy; and Lou found it hard not to let her shock and fears show and frighten the younger woman. But Emily knew. She had guessed early on that something was wrong, and she knew that a terrible decision would have to be made and made soon.

"Lou?" she asked weakly.

"Shh, Emily, I'm here. I hear you've been askin' for me, givin' Mrs. Seyton a hard time."

"Where were you? I wanted to ask you something."

"I was lyin' down, Doc thought I was workin' too hard," Lou tried to grin.

Emily saw right through it. "Are you all right? You look kinda pale."

"Hey, don't you be worryin' about me, you need to keep your strength up to have this baby. So what was it that you wanted to ask me?"

"Lou, I know that there's somethin' wrong with the baby. I just know it."

"Emily, don't say that. You are gonna have..."

"Don't give me that Lou, I'm not stupid." Emily cut Lou off. "Listen, if it comes right down to it, and the Doc. asks you to choose between my life and the baby's, and I know that it could happen; I want you to save the baby."

"Emily..."

"Promise me that Ike's baby will live at all costs!"