I do not own TYR.
So I am trying to get back into the swing of things. I hope to have two chapters for Price of War done in the next few days, but I also wrote this, as I'm struggling to get back into it.
This is also a one shot. At this stage anyway.
Rated M
Enjoy.
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The boys were all turned in for the night, except for Ike who was staying with Emily while her father was away, and Lou who was still out on a run and wouldn't be back until late the following morning.
Cody was still happily reading, as was Noah.
Buck was just lying there thinking about the chores that Rachel had set out for tomorrow, Jimmy was busy biting his fingernails down, while the Kid had an arm slung over his eyes trying to sleep.
They had only been in Rock Creek for a few weeks, and in that small amount of time they had managed to achieve so much that the small town was certainly turning itself around into something better.
Of course they had gotten off to a rough start, but good things take time, and Rock Creek was definitely a good thing.
The boys loved Sweetwater, and it will always hold a special place in their hearts, but Rock Creek was fast becoming their favourite place to be.
They enjoyed the freedom that they had here. They enjoyed the girls that lived close by and they enjoyed that they were in amongst the heart of all the drama the town seemed to always draw.
Yes, things had certainly changed.
Jimmy couldn't help but wonder if Lou was as happy here as he and the boys were. He hadn't really seen much of her as he was always busy helping Teaspoon out, while Lou seemed to stick close to Rachel and the station.
"Do any of you know how Lou's, liking it here?" he asked the quiet room. "I ain't seen her in a while."
"Don't rightly know." Kid answered still keeping his eyes covered.
He and Lou had been hot and heavy for a month or so, but it didn't last. Kid didn't really agree with the way Lou lived, and there was no way she was giving it up for anyone.
They parted as friends, but there was always an undercurrent of stress when the two were in a room at the same time.
"She seemed alright to me when she was telling Tompkins off for something." Cody laughed. "That language that comes out her mouth sometimes," Cody sniggered, "She nearly caused old lady Barrett's heart to stop." Jimmy laughed to.
Lou was definitely a lady in every sense of the word, but she worked like a man, lived with men, rode with men and was around men not only from their own station but all the ones she delivered to as well.
Over the years she had picked up some not so lady like traits, her cussing was one of them.
"What had her so riled up?" Buck inquired his mind now on Lou and not on his list of jobs tomorrow.
"I don't know. Something about the smell of the soaps he had in stock." Buck didn't think that sounded like anything to get upset about. "Apparently they make her smell like a piece of fruit." Cody was now howling in laughter, as he sat up in his bunk. Tears streamed down his face as he remembered the look on everyone in the store. "She was so serious and the look on Tompkins face was priceless."
"He knows she's a girl, doesn't he?" Kid stated. It was true. The boys had all noticed it back in Sweetwater.
"I think that is why he was so confused. She kept ranting that she was a boy, a man, and she didn't need other men wanting to munch on him like a damn apple." Cody wiped the tears from his eyes, he was laughing so hard. Hell they were all laughing now.
"Does anyone else think that her covers blown now anyway? I mean she hasn't really looked like a guy in quite some time, especially since her hair's gotten longer."
Jimmy didn't dare mention that he never saw a boy when he looked at Lou. Not since Willow Springs.
"Doesn't help none, that we're all getting older, uglier, and hairier. While she looks like she hasn't aged a day." Noah laughed, but Jimmy couldn't. Because Noah was right, while the boys were becoming rugged as the years ticked by, Lou was getting prettier and filling out like a woman does.
"That worries me. I mean if people start to notice, then she isn't safe on her own."
"You're fooling yourself Kid, she's never been safe. None of us have." Buck told Kid.
"Yeah but we all know it could be worse for her, if she came across danger."
There was no denying the Kid was right.
"I heard her tell Rachel that she started seeing someone." Buck announced out of the blue, causing the rest of the boys to sit up in their bunks.
"What do you mean she's seeing someone?" Kid asked, now interested in the conversation.
"Yeah and why the hell are we only hearing about this now?"
"I only heard her mention it yesterday. It honestly slipped my mind until now."
"What'd ya hear?"
"Not much, just that she was excited to see him again. She mentioned something about a dance of some sort and hoping he would go."
"You mean the Rock Creek dance in a week's time?" Cody asked Buck.
"Could be. I have no idea,"
"What about that other fella she was seeing in Sweetwater? What ever happened to him?" Noah asked.
"You mean the Kid?" Jimmy laughed, trying to sound like he didn't give a damn, but he did.
"No," Noah laughed too, "The blacksmith's son. Andy? Aden?"
"Ainsley." Kid confirmed. "She must have broken it off with him." Kid frowned at the idea. He didn't like the sound of any of this. "She's going to get a name for herself if she ain't careful."
"Kid she ain't hurting anyone. Leave her be." Jimmy hated how the Kid could be so self-righteous sometimes. It drove him nuts.
They boys all settled down after that. Each of them were now thinking about Lou and wondering if Noah and Kid were right. Was it too dangerous for her now?
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"Boys," Teaspoon greeted them all for the morning.
Jimmy and Kid were lacing their boots while Ike was sitting back enjoying the morning sun on his face. Buck, with a little help from Jesse, was in the barn getting Noah's horse saddled up, as he was rostered on that morning when Lou was due back. And Cody was still getting out of his bunk.
"Teaspoon," was muttered back by all.
Teaspoon raised his eyebrows in amusement at the lacklustre greeting.
"Rider coming," Rachel called looking out towards the horizon as she made her way over to the bunkhouse.
Lou was coming in fast.
Lightning's hooves were kicking up the dirt behind him, creating a cloud of dust.
Noah came running out the bunkhouse ready for his ride. He adjusted his gloves, and tightened his bedroll before mounting his horse.
"Safe ride Noah," Jessie told him as he kept the horse steady for Noah.
"Thanks Jessie." Noah smiled down at the young mischief maker. The boy had a heart of gold and he had certainly won the riders over, but he was still trouble with a capital 'T'. "Keep out of trouble," Noah winked, causing Jessie to frown.
He hated being treated like a child.
Lou had the mochila stretched out as she came to a halt next to Noah.
"Safe ride Noah," she told him, happy that her ride was now over and done with.
"Thanks Lou. See you in a couple of days." And with that he was gone.
Lou slid from Lightning, and thanked Jesse when he took the reins and lead the horse to the barn. She was grateful for the help as she was so tired, that she didn't think her legs would keep her standing for much longer.
"Morning Lou," Teaspoon called out, but Lou didn't stop walking.
Instead she gave a tired wave as she kept her head down and stumbled for Rachel's.
Teaspoon and the boys knew she was going for a bath, and by the looks of her and how tired she seemed, they bet that they wouldn't see her for the rest of the day.
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Later that evening they were all gathered around the table enjoying a hot meal that Rachel had prepared.
Everyone seemed to be pretty tired and quiet.
But Jimmy and Cody had a playful twinkle in their eye.
Jimmy flicked Cody a wink, to which Cody smirked. He knew what was coming. The two of them had laughed and joked about it earlier in the day.
"What is that smell?" Jimmy scrunched his nose up and sniffed the air causing everyone else to do the same.
"I can't smell anything?" Rachel told him as she too sniffed the air.
"Are you sure?" Rachel nodded, while the others kept their mouths shut, knowing where this was going. "It doesn't smell…" Jimmy stressed as he pretended to think of what the smell was, "Kind of fruity to you,"
"Rachel, please tell me you're making a pie for desert." Teaspoon inquired, looking hopeful as he waited for Rachel to answer. Neither of them knowing what was going on.
"No Teaspoon I haven't." Rachel told him as she racked her brain trying to think what the smell was. She couldn't smell anything.
"No, I think the smell is coming from…" Buck catching on, smelt Ike's shoulder, then leaned into Jimmy's and took a whiff, "It ain't you two."
"But you can smell it?" Jimmy was close to losing it.
"Mmm. Smell's good. I can almost imagine taking a big bite out of it."
Jimmy swallowed his laugh as he leant into Lou and smelled her, "I think it's Lou."
"Yes," Lou yelled. "It's that shitty soap Tompkins insists on stocking. It ain't right…" Lou looked around the table seeing the boys were turning bright red as they tried to keep their laughter contained, "Oh you assholes." She snapped.
"Ah Louise, we're at the table." Rachel smiled as she politely reminded Lou that she was a lady, a lady who shouldn't swear and that she was at the table where that kind of language was not accepted.
"Sorry Rachel." Lou sung, trying to sound ashamed. But the boys knew better.
Cody suddenly jumped from the table yelling out in pain. His eyes narrowed in on Lou, while she sat there looking proud as punch.
"Cody, are you alright?" Rachel fussed. She had an idea what was going on, but she didn't let on as she made sure Cody was alright.
She had no idea what was going on at the station this evening, but liked seeing the boys happy. But just in case it didn't stay that way she decided that she would quickly move the conversation away from the soap.
"You boys got dates for the dance?"
Ike nodded proudly.
He and Emily had been seeing each other for a week or so now, and you could tell that he was happy.
"What about you Louise?" Rachel asked because the rest of the boys were ignoring her question. She also knew that Louise was meeting up with another rider from one of the other home stations, when she was on her own ride yesterday afternoon.
Rachel was interested to know if Lou invited him like she said she was going to.
"I have a date. But I don't think we will be going to the dance." Lou told Rachel.
"Whys that Lou?" Teaspoon asked. He couldn't see why she shouldn't be able to go. She wasn't rostered on to ride from what he could remember of the month's schedule.
"There is no way that I can pull something like that off in Rock Creek. We're too close to town here. People will soon see that I ain't who I say I am."
"So what are you going to do instead?" Kid frowned and shared a knowing look with the rest of the boys.
They were all thinking about what they had talked about the night before, and now they were all wondering if Rock Creek was as good of a move for Lou, like it had been for them.
"I have something planned," Lou smiled to herself as she pushed her food around her plate, "And before you ask, I ain't going to tell." Lou's eyes narrowed at each and every one of them at the table.
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The week soon flew by, and the dance was coming up this Saturday. Ike was the only one with a date at this stage, but the others weren't worried as they knew there would be plenty of girls to dance with.
Jimmy was making his way to the bunkhouse, most of the boys had already completed their chores and had headed to the Saloon for a card game, but for some reason he just wasn't feeling it today, so he was going to be last in the door.
The sound of a horse approaching had Jimmy smile as he saw it was Lou. Of course she hadn't even started her chores, as she disappeared late last night and was only returning now.
Rachel and Teaspoon didn't seem worried, so he hadn't even bothered asking either of them if Lou was alright.
"Hey honey," He greeted as he stepped closer, preparing to help her with Lightning.
"Jimmy," Lou stayed atop of Lightning. Her eyes searched the yard and glanced over at the main house. It was obvious to Jimmy that she was looking for something or maybe someone. Something was off.
"Lou, what's wrong?" Lou looked down and met Jimmy's eyes. She studied him, wondering just how deep their friendship went. Could she trust him enough with this?
"I've done something so stupid Jimmy. So stupid." She cried, deciding she needed to tell someone.
"Come on now, it can't be that bad." Jimmy went to reach for Lightning's reins, but Lou pulled the horses head in the opposite direction, causing the horse to pace around in a half circle, and putting distance between the two friends.
"Lou?" Jimmy was feeling more than a little worried now.
"I think I have to leave Jimmy. I don't think I can stay here."
"What? Why?" If he was worried before, he was on full alert now. Lou was going to flee, and if she did, there was no stopping her. Hell it would take him at least fifteen minutes to get his own horse saddled up and ready to ride out. That would be a huge advantage on an experienced rider like Lou.
"I've gotten myself in trouble with one of the other home stations." Lou did another quick glance over their surroundings, "I know they're on their way here."
"Lou don't do it. Whatever is coming your way I'll help you fight it."
Lou thought about what Jimmy had just said, but then she remembered exactly what it was she had done and how she knew there was no fixing it. With a watery eyed smile she looked back at Jimmy.
"I'll miss you all, and I'm sorry,"
And with that she was gone. Jimmy stood there watching the dust kick up behind Lightning.
He quickly looked around the yard, where the hell was everyone? Running to saddle up his mount, he would call into Teaspoon and let him know what had occurred and that he was going after Lou.
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Teaspoon was lying back in his chair, with his hat covering his eyes. He wasn't asleep, but he wished he was.
A clearing of a throat had him sit up right, and adjust his hat back on his head.
He was taken back when he realised who was standing in his office.
"Clemet, Elsa, to what do I owe this ah…" Teaspoon's eyes cut to Jimmy who was now making his way into the Marshal's office, "um…visit?"
"Cut the shit old man. I know that little harlot would have already arrived back here by now. Just tell me you're going to fire her. She isn't welcome at our station no longer Teaspoon. And when I get word to the others, she won't be welcome there either." Elsa was a younger woman, but she was as tough as old boots. Teaspoon actually didn't mind her, because at least you knew where you stood with her.
"Elsa, I have no idea what you're on about." He could tell by the way Jimmy was acting, that he may have a clue, but he wouldn't call him on it while Clemet and Elsa were here.
"You're protecting her. You should be ashamed."
"Elsa, calm down. I've known Teaspoon a long time, if he says he doesn't know then I believe he doesn't know." Teaspoon gave a nod of thanks to Clemet.
"Ok. Let me ask you this Teaspoon, did you know you had a girl riding for you?" Teaspoon's eyes once again cut to Jimmy's. "Well do ya?"
Shifting his eyes back to Elsa, he shook his head no. "No, and I don't believe I …"
"You're lying. And if you didn't know, I know damn well the rest of your boys knew." Elsa now looked at Jimmy, "It's a wonder there ain't a bunch of bastard kids running around."
Jimmy went to step up on her, but Teaspoon was quick enough to stop him. "Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?"
"It seems that your rider, Lou, is a girl." Clemet was watching Elsa knowing that this was going to get messy. "Last night, Elsa walked in on Lou and one of our other riders…" Clemet's cheeks started to colour.
Seeing that Clemet was struggling Elsa decided she would step in. "She was fucking him in our barn. The dirty little whore was …"
"Watch your mouth," Jimmy hissed.
"Calm down Jimmy," Teaspoon warned, "If he is in fact a girl, and was doing, what you're insinuating he was doing, then what's the problem?"
"What's the problem? Ha, what's the problem?" Elsa was hysterical, "Where do I start? Problem one, she is a girl and it's against the companies rules to have her riding for them. Problem two, she disrespected our station by doing what she did, problem three that was my husband she did it with."
Jimmy looked to the door he had only walked into just moments ago. His eyebrows were drawn in as he thought about Lou doing what Elsa was saying.
Rachel had mentioned just a few days back that Lou was seeing someone, but no other details were given.
"If all of this is true…"
"I'm sorry to tell you this Teaspoon, but I witnessed it with my own eyes, it's true." Clemet sounded generally upset that he had to inform Teaspoon about all of this.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"You tell me what you want me to do Elsa," Teaspoon sighed, feeling completely lost in this situation. He loved Lou, but there was no saving her from this. If Elsa suggests what Teaspoon thinks she will, Lou will no longer be riding for the express.
"I want her gone. I will be writing to Russell, Major's and Waddell and telling them all about the express whore. Who knows how many she's done this with?"
"I ain't staying here listening to anymore of this." Jimmy walked out of the Marshal's office. It was getting on dusk, but he didn't care he was riding out tonight. He needed to find Lou.
"I swear Teaspoon, we've had to put up with a lot from you over these years, but enough is enough."
"Elsa, I have no idea what you're on about."
"Oh come on. The Indian, that gun slinger," she pointed in the direction Jimmy had just gone, "And now that home wrecker. I wouldn't be surprised if you're shut down for good."
"Now you hold on Elsa. I won't have you talking that way…" Teaspoon glanced back towards the door where Jimmy had gone. Teaspoon knew Jimmy was riding out to find Lou. He wanted to go too, so he grabbed his coat and straightened his gun belt. "You do what you think you have to Elsa, now Clemet if you'll excuse me I have some business I need to take care of."
Teaspoon ignored Elsa's threats she was yelling out after him, he just kept heading for the station.
The closer he got, he could see that all the boys were mounted up and ready to ride out. He could see Jimmy was telling them something, but couldn't quite make out what it was.
Jimmy turned his head when he heard Teaspoon approach them. "Sorry Teaspoon, I couldn't stay and listen to her any longer."
"Unfortunately for Lou, the whole of Rock Creek is still listening to her."
Teaspoon and Jimmy both knew that this was it. Lou wasn't ever going to be one of the boys again. Not after this.
"Can you tell us what this is about?" Kid asked. "Is she in trouble?"
"She is. But it's not what you're thinking." Teaspoon quickly told the rest of the boys. He didn't want them to think Lou was in danger. "She's found some trouble with another home station." Teaspoon didn't think they needed to know what one. As it is he was already worried about Jimmy riding out and dealing with the weasel who had gotten their Lou into this trouble.
"What sort of trouble?"
Jimmy narrowed his eyes at Kid. Jimmy knew that Kid would give Lou a hard time about this, but Kid also had a right to know.
"She um…" Jimmy looked to the other boys and Teaspoon before he turned back to Kid, "She's been caught dancing with one of the riders."
"Dancing?" Kid was confused, but only for a minute. "Oh. Dancing, dancing."
"How is that a problem?" Cody asked, truly not getting it.
"Because whoever caught her, knows that a woman is riding for the express. They know that we've all lied to everyone all these months."
"Any ideas?" Cody looked to the rest of the boys to see they didn't know what he wanted, "Any ideas where she may have gone?"
"I'm here." They all turned to see Lou walking up on them. She held Lightning's reins in her hand leading the horse instead of riding it.
"Louise, we thought you'd…"
"I didn't get very far, when I realised I had nowhere else to go." She told Teaspoon sadly. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. She didn't want to see his disappointment.
"Lou…" Jimmy started, but Lou cut him off.
"I didn't know he was married Jimmy. I swear to you I didn't." She looked to him with such sadness that he couldn't stand to look her in the eye. "I thought he loved me. He was making plans with me." Lou turned her back on Jimmy. He watched as her petite frame shook with her tears. "The things Elsa said, and she was right. I'm so awful, so awful."
"Hey, I don't want to hear that from you."
"Jimmy, I slept with her husband. I did. But had I known…" Lou shook her head in despair.
"Lou I know you. We all know you, of course you wouldn't have, had you known."
"But surely you knew that the way you've been acting would finally catch up with you Lou?"
"Kid!" Cody hissed.
"What? It's true ain't it?"
"No it's not true. So shut your mouth before I shut it for you." Jimmy warned.
"No Jimmy I won't. Lou you were only with me a few months back. Then you moved on with the blacksmiths son…what's his name?" He looked to Cody for help.
"I didn't lie with him," Lou said softly as she met Kids cold gaze.
"Lou I'm not saying this to hurt you. I promise I'm not."
"Well you're failing miserably," Cody whispered under his breath.
"Come on, this is exactly what I have been saying from the start. It was always going to be different for her, dressed like a boy or not. She had no right pretending to be a boy to begin with. This isn't the life a lady should lead." Everyone's attention turned to the sound of Rachel and Jesse arriving to join the small group. "As I was saying, Lou you've been living as a man for so long that you don't think of the consequences of your actions."
Lou looked at Kid with pity.
He would never get her. He doesn't see past what he has been bought up to believe.
She wondered if he even really knew what a hard life was.
Of course she knew of his family problems, but had Kid ever known heartache, true gut wrenching hurt? She hoped he didn't, she hoped none of her rider family did, but for some reason the other boys got it.
They got that she had to live this life, because there was just no other option for her. They seemed to get that there was no place for a girl with no Pa or Ma, no money, no husband, but with Kid, she felt like she was forever fighting who she was, and why she was there.
"Do you know why I became a boy?" Lou's voice was distant and deflated, "Did you ever wonder why I would do what I did. Why I cut all my hair off, dress like a man?" Kid just stood there not knowing how to answer that. Of course he wondered, but he just assumed that she enjoyed the riding, and there weren't many options for a young girl trying to make an honest earning.
"I was thirteen, Kid. I had no home, no parents, no money, nothing. I was a young girl on the street." Lou blinked back her tears. "His name was Wicks. He took me in, gave me a job, gave me a friend," Lou couldn't help but smile sadly as she remembered Charlotte. "A year later it was time for me to pay him back. He came to my room one night…he took what wasn't his to have." Lou didn't allow her mind to take her back there, no matter how hard the memory was trying to push through. "I awoke to see my future in front of me. Charlotte seeing what had happened smuggled me out and placed me on a coach." Lou looked up at Kid, but it was like she was staring right through him, "I swore from that moment on I wouldn't end up in a place like that. I wouldn't be the girl that men frequently came to instead of going home to their wives. I wouldn't be the girl who got beat up on because she wasn't loved by anyone to care what happened to her. But reality is cruel, because that was the only option I had." Lou remembered all the merchants she had walked into begging for a job.
But nobody wanted a nobody.
"So I did the only thing I could think of. I became Lou." Lou swiped at the tears on her cheeks, "And until today, until that moment Elsa walked in on me and him…" she couldn't bear to say his name, "When I learnt that he was married, I felt like all of it had been a waste. I was that girl I was always destined to be."
Jimmy grabbed Lou, and swung her around to face him. He was beyond wild, and only a small part of that was because of her, "I don't want you to talk like that, or even think like that. Do you hear me?"
Lou looked up at Jimmy and met his eyes. "Jimmy…"
"No. You have every right to be riding beside us. You are just as good as any man standing here and I have never had a problem with you being a second gun and protecting my back when I've needed it. So don't you dare think you have no right being here." Jimmy turned to Kid and sharpened his eyes. That comment was for him. "You have a family now. You have people who care a great deal about what happens to you. And no one standing here will ever allow you the life you say you're destined for, because that is shit. You deserve so much more."
Lou couldn't contain herself anymore as she let her barrier down and allowed the hurt and sadness that had seeped its way into her, free.
Jimmy seeing that Lou was breaking grabbed a hold of her and held onto her tightly. "We love you honey," he whispered into her hair.