Chapter 5

The two women sat side by side in a companionable silence, if anyone had
looked in the window they would have appeared the picture of contentment.
The fire burned brightly in the hearth, filling the room with a cheery, warm
glow. The women sat on the sofa knitting an ever growing pile of baby
clothes and blankets. The older of the two, willowy and blond, used a
different color for each piece work - a never changing pattern of pink,
blue, yellow and white. The younger, with dark hair and eyes and petite
features despite being heavily pregnant, knitted with pink, or on occasion
white, with pink trim. That is what someone looking in the window would have
seen, if there had been anyone crazy enough to stand out in the pouring rain
looking in a window.

The rain sheeted down, as it had all day, making it the perfect night to
spend in front of the fire catching up on mending - which of course was why
they were knitting baby things.

"Louise, are you sure you want to make everything pink?" Rachel had to ask,
again.

"Well you said yourself that she would be a girl Rachel. And besides, how
can I argue with popular opinion, Jimmy's sure she'll be a girl, Teaspoon's
certain he's getting a granddaughter. The only one who hasn't said 'girl' is
Cody, he says 'horse' from the size of me."

"Remind me to have a few words with him in the morning." Rachel said grimly.
Lou laughed.

"He was just teasing." Lou couldn't help laughing, being told she was the
size of a horse was almost a compliment, when most days she felt as big as a
barn. But at least it was almost over, the doctor had said that she should
deliver within the week. The thought of actually having the baby had
terrified her, but now that it was almost time she felt much calmer about it
all. Having spoken to the doctor and Rachel and Emma, when she had visited
for a few weeks, had helped placate her fears. She had been sad to see Emma
go, as had the other riders, Cody had even gotten leave from the army when
he heard that she was visiting. Lou was so caught up in her thoughts that
she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone knocked on the front door.
Both she and Rachel looked up from their work.

"If that's Teaspoon, don't let him in." Lou said quickly.

"Louise that's a terrible thing to say, you know he's only trying to look
after you." Rachel scolded, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice.
She knew there had been times when Louise, for all her fighting to be
treated like one of the boys, would have liked to have been treated like a
lady. But for the last few months she hadn't been allowed to lift a finger
around the station, Jimmy and Teaspoon took turns watching over her like
mother hens. Rachel knew she missed the freedom of being 'Lou', of being
able to come and go as she pleased, so she had urged Teaspoon and Jimmy not
to crowd her too much. After all, she only had their safety in mind. Rachel
couldn't help smiling at the scene that had greeted her when she had
returned home from town one day to find Louise slamming pots around in the
kitchen, alternating between sobbing her eyes out and plotting painful
deaths for the two of them. All because they had refused to let her sweep
the front steps.

Rachel opened the door to find Buck and Noah standing on the porch, looking
like they'd just been pulled from her laundry tub.

"Evenin' Rachel." Buck said, as though there were nothing out of the
ordinary about them appearing on her door step looking like a pair of
drowned rats.

"The bunkhouse roof still hasn't been fixed has it?" Rachel asked with a
smile as she moved aside to let them enter. The young men paused to remove
their muddy boots before going inside, earning them both a smile of
approval. "I'll go and get some towels."

"Now I don't see what the condition the bunkhouse roof has to do with
anything..." Noah began, then a look of understanding dawned on his face.
"Oh, you think we're only here because the bunkhouse is full of water and we
don't want to go to sleep for fear we'll drown. Well that's just not so
Rachel, we're here 'cause we miss you, we've hardly seen you at all since
you went back to teaching."

Shortly after Jimmy and Lou's wedding Kid had returned South, to join the
army, leaving Eliza in Rock Creek until he found them somewhere to live.
When she had gone to join him the town was once again in need of a teacher
and so, with the lessening number of riders to take care of, Rachel had
stepped in and resumed her role as school teacher. And despite Jimmy and
Teaspoon's protest, Lou had taken on most of Rachel's work around the
station. Not that there was much to do now that only Buck and Noah were the
only riders left, but Lou wasn't about to complain about having too little
to do. It took her most of the day to do the few chores she was 'allowed' to
do, laundry, mending and cooking. Much to the relief of everyone involved
Lou's cooking had improved a great deal, after a few lessons from both
Rachel and Emma.

"Do you two want some coffee or something?" Lou asked, struggling out of her
seat, while Rachel was upstairs fetching the towels.

"No no, don't trouble yourself Lou." Noah said, motioning for her to sit
down.

"Well I'm already up, and it takes me almost as long to sit down again." She
was half way across the room when someone else announced themselves at the
door.

"Rachel don't you let Louise open the door, it's freezing out here."
Teaspoon called through the door. Louise rolled her eyes.

"Well you heard him, I suppose you should let him in." Teaspoon was shaking
water from his coat when he saw Lou going into the kitchen.

"Louise get back here and sit down, you should be resting in..."

"If you say 'in my condition' Teaspoon, I swear you will not ever be let
back into this house."

"All right all right, don't get all worked up. Not in your ... Not at this
time of night." Teaspoon said holding up his hands in surrender. Lou gave
him a 'that's more like it' smile and headed into the kitchen. Rachel
returned with enough towels for the three men, having heard Teaspoon arrive,
from upstairs.

"You leave your new Deputy watching the office Teaspoon?" Noah asked loudly.

"Yep, had a hard time talking him into staying though, seems the fella's get
a pregnant wife and he doesn't like to be away from her for too long at a
time." Teaspoon answered, loud enough for Lou to hear in the kitchen. When
Teaspoon wasn't being unbearably overprotective himself, he like to tease
Lou about how unbearably overprotective Jimmy had become. Of all the riders
Jimmy had always been the first one to back Lou up, agreeing that she could
ride as fast, shoot as straight and work as hard as any man. Now he worried
and fussed and checked up on her and generally drove her crazy.

Teaspoon looked up when he got no response to his barb, so he stepped up his
plan of attack.

"Come on Lou, it shouldn't take this long to make coffee. Even in your
condition."

Rachel shook her head, even as the others laughed, but she knew that Lou
didn't really mind the teasing. Then from the kitchen there was the sound of
breaking china.

"Louise he didn't mean it! Don't break my china." Rachel called, she shot a
look at Teaspoon. "You're paying for whatever that was. Louise..?" Rachel
called again, having gotten no response.

"Rachel, I think you'd better come in here." Lou called from the kitchen.
Rachel was instantly on her feet, Teaspoon, Noah and Buck stood also but
remained where they were, unsure of what was happening.

"Louise honey, are you okay?" Louise was leaning heavily on the kitchen
table, her hands pressed flat against it's surface, at her feet were shards
of china that had once formed one of Rachel's favorite cups.

"I think one of the boys should go and get the Doctor." Lou said in a
strained voice.

"Buck, go and fetch the doctor. Teaspoon, Noah, help me get Lou upstairs."
Rachel issued orders like an General in the army, and not one of her
'troops' questioned a single word. Buck ran to the door, pausing only long
enough to pull on his boots, before charging out into downpour. Noah and
Teaspoon each looped an arm around Lou's waist and half carried her through
the house and up the stairs, despite her protestations that she could "walk
just fine on her own, thank you very much."

When she had Louise settled Rachel shooed the men back downstairs to wait
for the doctor.

"How are you feelin' honey?" Rachel asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I was all right, but now I'm terrified." Lou said in a small voice,
"Rachel, what if something goes wrong, what if..."

"Don't start talking in 'what if's. Nothing is going to go wrong, so stop
thinkin' that way." Rachel patted her shoulder reassuringly

"But if," Lou seized Rachel's hand. "If something does happen, Rachel I want
you to promise me that you'll look after her." She whispered desperately,
almost as though if she said it too loud it might happen. "Promise me!"

"I promise Louise, but nothing is going to happen to you." Rachel gently
squeezed the hand that clung to hers, and as another contraction took hold
of her Louise tightened her grip. Rachel had to force herself not to try and
wrench her hand away from Louise as she crushed her fingers in a viselike
grip. After what seemed like an eternity, for both women, the contraction
passed and as the pain receded Lou released her hold on Rachel's hand. As
Rachel rubbed her battered fingers there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." The door was pushed open and Buck stood in the hallway, his eyes
glues to the floor.

"The doctor's here, he'll be up in a minute." he said quickly, before
turning on his heel and fleeing downstairs. The doctor was at the foot of
the stairs when he was passed by Buck.

"She's in the second room on the left." Doctor Turner nodded briefly, he
knew all about this young 'lady', despite being relatively new to town, he
knew that she had not been married long enough for her to be giving birth,
and he knew about the rumor that she used to ride for the express. Why he
wouldn't be at all surprised if this baby turned out to be Indian or
colored, but the thought was pushed to the back of his mind. He was a doctor
and he was here to do his job, he walked through the still open bedroom
door.

"Good Evening Mrs. Hickok, Mrs. Dunne." He made irritating small talk all
through his examination of Louise, and Rachel almost grinned when, as
another contraction hit her she grabbed his hand. The doctor got her back,
once he had extracted his hand, by saying.

"First babies are notoriously slow, I would be surprised if it arrived
before daybreak. I'll be back then, send someone to fetch me if anything
happens before then." And with that he picked up his bag and left.

"I. Don't. Like. Him." Lou said between clenched teeth.

"Well you sure aren't the only one, don't worry we'll do just fine without
him." Rachel said comfortingly.

Ten minutes later Jimmy burst in the front door, soaked to the skin and
looking half out of his mind. Lightning slashed through the sky behind him,
adding to his crazed appearance.

"Where is she!" He demanded.

"Upstairs, which is why you're staying down here. She doesn't need you
bothering her at a time like this." Teaspoon said, getting up to physically
block the stairs if he had too. "Doctor Turner's seen her, he says she's
doin' fine and he'll come back later."

"Come back? You mean he left, but she's having a baby."

"Son, calm down. Women have been having babies for as long as there have
been people on earth. And there hasn't always been a doctor around to help
them, now if Doc Turner had thought there was anything to worry about he
wouldn't have gone. So just sit down, dry out and try to relax, after all
you don't have to do anything, Louise is the one doin' all the work." As if
to prove Teaspoon's point, there was an ear-splitting shriek from the floor
above them, and Jimmy was back on his feet in an instant. "Am I going to
have to tie you to that chair?!" Teaspoon demanded "Now I admit I don't know
much about this birthin' stuff."

"Now there's a first," Noah laughed. "Teaspoon admitting he doesn't know
something."

"I never pretend to know something I don't. And as I was sayin' I don't know
much about this, but as far as I do know, it's a lot easier makin' a baby
than actually havin' one." He stated with an air of authority.

"Now how would we know anything about that Teaspoon, you and Jimmy are the
only one's who've been married." Noah said, trying not to laugh at his
friends now bright red face. Everyone had conveniently forgotten that Jimmy
and Lou had not been married long enough for her to be nine months pregnant.
And for that Jimmy was grateful, he didn't want to have to answer any
well-meaning questions about what he and Lou had supposedly been doing
behind Kid's back.

The storm raged outside, the wind rattling the windows and doors, lightning
lighting up the sky almost like daylight. Buck, Noah and Teaspoon continued
to try and distract Jimmy, but every time Louise cried out he looked ready
to bolt for the stairs.

"You can't do this for her Jimmy." Buck said quietly

"I know, I just feel useless sitting here." He said, perched on the edge of
his seat, his eyes locked on the front door waiting for the doctors return.
Teaspoon watched Jimmy, as Jimmy watched the door. He hoped he wouldn't have
to make good on his threat to tie him down, he looked as though he were
about to ride into town and drag Doc Turner back with him, at gun point if
necessary. If he could bring himself to leave Louise that is. Teaspoon could
see the love Jimmy felt for Louise, the feelings that were usually buried so
deep inside him, written all over him. The anguish and pain that crossed his
face when ever Lou cried out, you'd almost believe that he was the one
having the baby.

After what seemed like forever, to all concerned, just a few hours before
dawn, after a particularly gut-wrenching scream, there was another cry. The
wail of a brand new, very healthy, set of lungs. The four men jumped to
their feet.

"Jimmy you're a daddy!" Noah cried

"Congratulations, son. Well done!" Teaspoon said, pounding him on the back.
Rachel appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Jimmy, there's someone you need to meet up here." She said, an unstoppable
smile lighting up her face. Jimmy climbed the stairs in record time and then
stopped in the doorway.

"Lou?" He whispered uncertainly.

"Jimmy, come here." Jimmy crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed,
his eyes never leaving the tiny bundle Lou had in her arms. "You were right,
she's a girl." She had tiredly. Jimmy looked up at Louise, she looked tired
and happy and terrified and calm and he'd never seen her look more
beautiful. "Would you like to hold her?"

"I, yes... I don't know how." Lou placed the baby in his arms and he held
her close to him, she looked up at him blinked twice and went to sleep. He
held her a while, marveling at her tiny hands and fingers, when he went to
give her back he saw that Louise too had fallen asleep. "The most important
moment of my life and you're both sleeping though it." He whispered to
himself, lowering the baby into the cradle by the side of the bed.

Sunlight streamed warmly through the lace curtains, all traces of the storm
were gone. Lou woke slowly, listening to the sounds of the boys working
outside. But below that there was something else, a gentle murmuring, so low
she almost couldn't hear it. She sat up, wincing at the pain that small
movement caused, but any thought of discomfort was gone when she laid her
eyes on the scene before her. Jimmy sat in the chair in the corner, gently
cradling a tiny, pink wrapped, baby. He spoke to her softly and she stared
up at him, appearing to listen to every word he said. Lou couldn't help but
smile at the thought of 'Wild Bill' being totally infatuated with a baby.
Jimmy looked up and caught her smile.

"She's so little." He whispered.

"They usually are." Lou answered him, trying to sound knowledgeable.

"She looks like you." Jimmy told her, looking back into the baby's big brown
eyes.

"Yes, you do," he told the tiny bundle in his arms, "you look like your
mamma. You're going to be so pretty and I'm gonna have to get a big gun to
chase all the boys away when you get older."

"A day old and already she's got you wrapped round her finger." Lou said,
delighted by the idea.

"Well, that's the way it's supposed to be, I'm her daddy. Rachel said you'd
chosen a name, but she wouldn't tell me what it is. Said something about a
surprise."

"I thought that, since Rachel's agreed to be Godmother, that we could call
her Emma. What do you think?"

"I think that's just fine, it's not really much of a surprise though. Little
Emma, yes that fits you just fine." He said softly, brushing her tiny cheek
with the tip of his finger.

"Well, it's just that Emma's so important to me, to all of us, that I
thought little Emma should have a second name. Of someone just as important,
to her and to me."

"So long as it's not Teaspoon I think anything will be perfect."

"I'm glad you said that, I wasn't sure how you'd take the idea." Something
in her voice made Jimmy look up.

"Take what?" He said trying not to sound suspicious, and Lou knew she would
have to talk fast before he objected outright.

"Jimmy... I wanted to name her after her father. Jimmy meet Emma James
Hickok."

"Me?" Jimmy whispered. "You named her after me?"

"You are her father, you're going to be very important to her, and you
already are to me." Jimmy laid the baby down in her cradle and moved to sit
on the side of the bed.

"Am I Lou?" The uncertainty in his voice nearly broke her heart.

"Of course you are Jimmy, everything you've done for me and for Emma. But
it's not just that, I've been afraid to admit it, I guess I didn't want to
get hurt again, but I have no reason to be afraid anymore. I do know that
now Jimmy, and I also know that I love you. I'm sorry if I've hurt you by
not being able to say it before now and I hope it's not too late, because I
do love you so much."

"Louise I... It will never be too late for us. I love you too, I always
have."

The End