Disclaimer for Scandals books:

Thank you for taking interest in reading my newest Scandals book. The series is composed of fourteen interlocking stories. DO NOT read this story unless you have read the previous parts. Otherwise it will not make sense, because there is a lot going on in every part. The rating is for language, sexual references, mild violence, and adult themes. Some of these stories are based on things that actually happened in history, others are not. Please, enjoy the story, and look for the next part in the series!

"Kid, you've got to stop worrying yourself over Lou. She's smart, she'll be okay." Buck was trying to comfort his friend, who was beside himself with fear.

"But it's my fault. None of this would have happened if it weren't for me and my dumb idea to screw around." Ike tapped Buck and made a few signals.

"Ike says it's just as much her fault as it is yours, and he's right."

"Now, you can't put this on her. There ain't nothin' that makes her to blame."

"Kid, let's not be hasty…"

"There's no way, You-you can't blame her!" Kid walked out of the barn and to his horse. He always had had a tendency to back out when the going got tough. But this time, he was going to own up to his mistake, and make things right. Or at least try…

"Woah, boy." The horse stopped dead in it's tracks. It's rider slowly got off, and proceeded forward very carefully. There was a large object in the way, so a strong foot reached out and kicked it. Realizing what it was, a pair of arms reached down, picked it up, and carried it to the horse. The rider struggled to carry it, but got the job done. Once a bloody and injured Cody was safely slung over the horse, they took off toward Sweetwater…

Kid finished tightening the cinch on his saddle. Hot-headed and temper-mental, he threw on a saddle bag, and got in the seat. He wasted no time acceleration from the yard, and was full speed ahead out the lane…

The horse, it's rider, and Cody stopped right in front of Doctor Smith's house. Lou got off, and practically dragged Cody to the door, where she rapped loudly four times. It was almost nine, and she had spent the whole day in the grove just thinking about her options and what would happen next. Mr. Smith opened the door.

"Lou? What are you doing here at this time of ni- Oh my. I see." Almost immediately, Dr. Smith assisted Lou in brining Cody into his clinic. They laid him down in his office, where he started to examine him, as Lou watched intently.

"Is- is he going to be okay?"

"Well I can't quite say. He's lost a lot of blood and his wounds are pretty deep, but thanks to you," he smiled, "I think he'll have a chance."

"Will he come around tonight?"

"He may, but even if he does, he won't remember a think until he's fully with it."

"If it's okay, I'll just stay here for a while."

"Sure, Lou. Go ahead." Dr. Smith left to another room for a brief moment, but returned with a bag of instruments, which he used to prod and poke at Cody. Once he was done, he turned to Lou.

"I'm going to try to get some shut eye. But when, and if, he comes around, wake me up will you? It's probably better if he's totally out until the pain diminishes."

"Okay, Doc." But almost immediately after he left, Cody began to moan and turn around. Lou left to get Dr. Smith, who injected him with a syringe that relaxed him almost instantly.

"So Lou, why weren't any of the other riders with you?"

"I don't do that anymore, sir." He looked puzzled. "You see I- some things happened, and I got kicked out. So I was just out riding around and happened to find Cody. I don't really know what happened."

"Gunshot."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I picked shell fragments out of his wounds. That's why he lost so much blood."

"I wonder who…"

"Well, whoever it was, they were on a mission to kill him." Lou sat thinking for a while. She stood up, and Dr. Smith followed.

"Well, I'd best be going. Thanks Doc, for everything."

"No problem Lou, anytime. Oh, and don't worry, Cody will be just fine." With that, she walked out the door, and didn't plan on ever seeing either of them again…

Kid came to an abrupt stop in front of an old oak tree. He got off Katy, but didn't bother tying her up. He pulled out a long, rough rope and flung it over a branch of the tree. And over a period of time the rope and tree became components of an elaborate hangman's noose. He stood back to look at his creation.

'So this is what it's come to,' he thought to himself. 'I never should have loved Lou. And now because of me, she has to go through all of this, and be socially shunned for the rest of her life. And the baby. I didn't even think about that. What kind of life would that kid have. God, help me, it's time for my sick, shitty, pitiful excuse for a life. This one's for you, Lou.'

He started to get his head though the loop, but he stopped.

"Tomorrow," he said aloud, "Not today, tomorrow. But it will happen, so God, get me a wagon to Hell. Departure time; tomorrow. Because suicide is a sin, but that's not going to stop me." And with that, Kid mounted his horse, and slowly headed back for the ranch…

TO BE CONTINUED…