Author's Note : Hey,…. Sorry to have AWOL for so long. It's real life plus holiday and a side order of my Rookie Blue addiction. I wrote this way back right after I Ain't Bunking With Buck, but other ffs came into the picture and this kind of taken the back seat.
This was not exactly how I planned this ff to be but rather than letting it just sit in the Document Section and at the risk it being totally forgotten, I thought I'd share with you what I have already written. Hope you like it.
Thank you to everyone that has read, reviewed and added me in their bookmarks (no matter how late it is). Thank you with a ton of hugs.
Summary : A look into Buck's early days with the Pony Express.
Disclaimer : I do not own The Young Riders, The Pony Express or the local mail service.
xox
"What about you Son?"
"Me?" Buck pointed to himself.
"Yes, you. Aren't you going to sign up like Mr McSwain here and be a Pony Rider?" The clerk leaned his elbows on the table and gave Buck a questioning stare.
"You mean…"
"Look. If you are worried about you're being a half-blood, let me tell you something." He leaned back, took a book out of the shelf behind him and tapped at it. "There is nothing in this here book that has anything against hiring Half-blood or Indians or Colored."
*See? What did I tell you?* Ike backhanded Buck's shoulder.
"I just want you to get the job, ok?" Buck played with his hat. "It's not fair that you keep getting rejected because of me Ike."
*I know why you did it.* Ike nodded. *But…*
"You are gonna say 'I told you' aren't you?"
Ike blew on his fingers and rubbed them on his shirt. He gave Buck a smug grin and a wink.
"Listen," The clerk caught their attention. "I can't help overhearing you two talking," He smiled sheepishly, "outside just now. From what I gathered, the two of you have been friends for a long time. And I'm sure you would rather be together than go your separate ways. Am I right?"
They both nodded.
"Since you," acknowledging Buck, "was the one who had pointed out to Mr McSwain about the poster, I take that you can read?"
"Yes."
"Ride?"
"Yes."
"Handle a gun or two?"
Buck nodded.
"So what is holding you back?" He held out a pen towards Buck with an encouraging smile.
xox
"Son?"
"Yes Sir?"
"Could you come in here for a minute?"
Buck looked at Ike when the stationmaster asked him to step into his Tack Room. A worried frown marred Ike's brows when he heard Teaspoon's request. The other riders stopped in their tracks and turned back too.
They all had just been interviewed by Teaspoon as they stood with their backs against the fence. After the briefing, they were told to collect their gears and proceed to the bunkhouse. When they were nearing the Tack Room that was when the stationmaster had singled Buck out.
"Go on the rest of you." Teaspoon waved them towards the bunkhouse. "Get yourselves in there. Emma should have lunch ready. And no fighting or shooting. You hear me Hickok?"
Jimmy answered with a grunt.
"Good." Turning to Buck, "Come on Son. We need to talk."
Giving Ike a small smile and signing him not to worry, Buck picked up his bag and followed Teaspoon.
Teaspoon Hunter the stationmaster who had risen from the horse trough had left Buck wondering what kind of a person, who wiped his face with a horse tail and smeared bear grease under his arms, would be like to work for.
He had told Ike of his dream of a man rising from a pool of water. The man growled like bear and strutted like a rooster as he circled Buck until it woke him. Could this unreadable character be that man?
Sitting down on a chair, Buck kept his eyes on the stationmaster who took out a stack of papers and picked one out.
"It says here, your name is Buck Cross."
"That's right."
"What is your Kiowa name?"
"Running Buck."
"I know the Company only hires orphans. And I also know Half-bloods don't have it easy in both Red and White world." Teaspoon bends to stare into Buck's eyes. "I am thinking either they tossed you out or you walked out. So, which is it?"
"I walked out." Buck answered honestly.
"Do you have any relations in the Kiowa village?"
"Just a half-brother."
"Someone I should know about?"
"His name is Red Bear. He is the Kiowa War Chief."
"I see you have friends in high places." Teaspoon said with a smirk.
"Are you firing me?"
"On what grounds?"
"My skin. My connections."
"Is that what you think this is all about?"
"Isn't that the reason why you asked me in here?"
"Are you a man of your word, Son?"
"Yes."
"So am I. You signed the contract to be a rider, didn't you?"
Buck nodded.
"And you intend to honor that contract?"
"Yes."
"Well, I gave my word to the Company that I will train the riders regardless of the color of their skin. Even if they don't pay me to, I judge a person on their spirit and character and personality. I don't give a damn if they are Red, White or Black or whatever color that they may come in.
"I was married six times. And two times, were to Indians. So, unless you are thinking of sticking arrows or knives on my back, we will be getting on just fine. Are we clear?"
"Yes."
"Good. " Teaspoon nodded and cleared his throat. "One more thing."
"What is it?"
"I have spent most of my lives with Indians. I know there's an Indian saying that a White man thinks with his head and an Indian with his heart." The older man came close to Buck and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"All I'm saying is that, being who you are, you most likely have your heart in two pieces. I don't know where you stand with the Kiowa or how you even see the Red and White. But, those boys in that bunkhouse there," Teaspoon tilted his head in the direction of the bunkhouse, "will be the people who you will work with. You will live together. Eat together. Fight together.
"I ain't talking about fighting among yourselves. Coz I swear I will see that all your butts are personally kicked by yours truly, if you all do." He paused and shook his head. "Remind me to tell this to the other boys too. Seems we have a couple of trigger happy hotheads in there."
He patted Buck's shoulder when he saw the corners of the young Kiowa's lips curved in a small smile.
"They will also be your friends. Your lives might depend on one another. You will be as one. I'm not trying to scare you away by saying this." he sighed. "But, there may be a time where you'll have to choose between the two. As a rider, your job is to deliver the pouch. But those people out there may not see it that way. You will get caught in the middle of forces that you got no control over.
"I just hope, under the circumstances, you'll do a good job in deciding what the best option is. That is to decide between your friends and your people."
"So what are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is, it's gonna be a tricky bit of business when you have to cross that line that'll decide what you have to live with." He sighed. "But we'll cross that bridge if it comes. Pray tell it doesn't."
"Will they accept me?"
"Have they looked at you different?"
Buck shook his head.
"The way I see it, can you accept them?"
"As long as they don't hurt Ike. Or me."
"Good. How long have you known Ike?"
"A few years. We met at the Mission school."
"They taught him to sign?"
"No. I did. It was how the Indians communicate with other tribes."
"Well, Ike is why you are in here. Have you two ever been separated?"
"What do you mean? You are not fir…"
"Will you stop that Boy! I'm not firing anybody."
"Then what?"
"I need you to teach us all to sign. We can't expect Ike to write everything down. Besides, I'm thinking it benefits the other riders too during runs." Teaspoon leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "So don't think about talking or signing behind my back. You hear?"
Buck let out a chuckle and nodded.
"Right. So what do I call you? Running Buck? Buck? Buck Cross? Cross?"
"Just Buck will do."
Teaspoon clapped his hands and grinned, "Well, now that we have had our little chat, what say you we go dig into Miss Emma's fine cooking, Son?"
Buck thought it was odd that Teaspoon revered back to calling him 'Son' instead of his name.
Entering the bunkhouse, Ike signalled him over to the table and asked him what happened. Buck began signing when he noticed Teaspoon looking at him. The older man's eyebrow had arched and his fingers were drumming on the table.
"What did I tell you about talking behind my back Buck?"
"I'm sorry." Buck smiled nervously.
"Right. In case if you all are wondering what that was all about," Teaspoon glanced around the table. "I had asked Buck to teach all of you to sign. We can't expect to have him translate for us all the time. There will be time that he won't be around.
"And," turning to Ike, "we can't be expecting you to write down everything you want to say." He turned his attention back to the table. "So we all gotta learn the Sign. It'll do all you good I'm guessing. Any questions?"
"I have a question." Cody's voice broke the silence.
"What is it Cody?" Teaspoon replied.
"Buck, how do you sign: I'm hungry. Can we start eating now?"
Chuckles followed his question.
Emma came forward and started serving. "You don't have to sign it Cody. I can hear your stomach growling a mile away."
xox
True to his words, Teaspoon taught the riders his bag of tricks. He prepared them for any problems that they might encounter during their coming run. He made them memorize locations, territories and directions. On top of all that, he made them sit down after dinner and learn the Sign from Buck.
Kid caught the language fast. Lou did alright but kept telling Ike to slow down. Jimmy got frustrated because he kept getting it wrong. Teaspoon promised to dunk him in the horse trough if he drew his gun again. Cody? Emma told Cody to take the lessons seriously or they'll be no breakfast for him.
At the end of two weeks, Teaspoon came into the bunkhouse holding a bunch of straws. The riders looked up as he sat at his usual seat at the head of the table.
"Well Boys," he gathered them around the table. "Tomorrow one of you is going for your first ride."
"Me!" Cody slapped his palm on the table. "I, William F Cody will be the first to ride out of this Sweetwater Pony Express Station."
"No." Jimmy elbowed him. "I'm going first."
"I knew this was coming." Teaspoon sighed and raised his clenched hand. "Here, the one who draws the shortest straw will have first ride."
They each took one and Buck was the one who drew the shortest straw.
"You ready for this, Son?" Teaspoon asked.
Buck nodded.
"Good. It's a two day run. God willing, you should be back here Wednesday evening."
The next day, the riders gathered on the porch as Teaspoon double checked Buck's horse. A cloud of dust in the distance signaled an incoming rider. Buck swung on his horse and got ready to take the mochilla.
Teaspoon patted his knee. "You remember my bags of tricks?"
"Yes."
"Good." Teaspoon nodded and stepped out of the way after telling Buck, "Ride safe, Son."
xox
As Buck rode through the prairie as fast as his horse could take him, a line of mounted Indian warriors stood watch from a crest. Buck could feel their eyes on him. He knew which tribe they were from. But he has a job to do and has no time in guessing their intentions. Avoiding any eye contact, Buck rode straight on as Teaspoon's advice came to him loud and clear.
"Out here you don't stand and fight. You run like hell!"
Their leader, who had just joined his warriors, eagled on the Pony Rider and frowned. As soon as Buck came close enough, one of the warriors moved to attack him but was barred from moving forward by the leader's spear staff.
With a low but commanding voice, the leader ordered, "Let him go."
"But.."
"No one is to harm that one."
At his warriors' nod, the leader signaled them to move away. Left alone, the leader returned his attention back to Buck as he rode in the far distance. The leader who was the War Chief of the Kiowa, prayed to the Spirits.
Whispering softly to the wind, Red Bear ended his prayer with a "Be safe my Brother."
THE END
Thank you for reading. I know Buck might not have been the first to ride since the pilot was Kid centered. But can you really blame me for letting my Sweetie ride first?