Author Name: Trisha Steere
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Story Title: Shelter in the Storm
Story Status: Complete
Thanks to Wendy who beta read this for me.
Summary: Lou gets caught in a storm, but she's not alone.
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Lou saw two things that worried her. One was the approaching storm; the other was how close the lightning was getting to her. She should have stayed in Seneca when she had first seen the storm clouds rolling in. She had hoped she could out run the storm. She wanted to get back to Rock Creek this afternoon, because she and Kid were going to spend the rest of the day together.
They had been missing each other a lot lately. When one of them was on a run, the other was at the station, and the other way around. It seemed that since they started getting to know each other again, they were spending all their time apart. She really missed the Kid.
Lou kept riding, hoping that Lightning would be able to out run the storm. She hoped that they could make it to the next relay station before it reached her. She wasn't far now, almost there. She could see the outline of the building now.
As Lou got closer, she could see that the building was more of a barn. The main cabin had burned down some time ago. At least she can stay in the barn with Lightning until the storm passed. They'd stay dry until they could be on their way again.
Lou dismounted and walked over to the barn door to look inside. "Well girl, it at least looks dry. We should be okay here until the storm passes."
Lou unsaddled Lightning and was leading her further into the barn when she heard a horse approaching. She turned towards the rider and smiled when she recognized Katy. She moved away from Lightning to meet Kid in the yard.
"Kid, what are you doing here?" She asked him, as he dismounted.
"We saw signs of the coming storm. Buck said it was going to be a big one. Teaspoon said someone should meet you out here and warn you to hold up here until it passes." He explained.
She nodded. "So, you pulled the short straw?"
He shook his head. "Never made it to the straws. I didn't wait for it. I saddled Katy and rode out. I could hear Teaspoon and the boys laughing at me as I rode out." He admitted.
"Didn't think I'd be wise enough to stop here?" She asked him.
He was about to answer her when there was a very loud thunderclap. They both jumped and saw that the storm was almost on top of them. Kid grabbed Katy's reins and followed Lou into the barn where Lightning was still waiting. Once the horses were taken care of, Kid walked up to Lou.
"I knew you'd be wise enough to stop here, but Teaspoon gave me the chance to be here with you instead of back at the station waiting and worrying." He confessed.
She smiled at him as they watched the rain start to fall outside. "Well, when you put it that way, I like the sound of it."
"I hoped you'd say that." He said as he put his arms around her.
"I was trying to make it home today. I was looking forward to spending the rest of the day with you." She said, leaning back against him, watching the rain fall.
The thunder and lightning was getting closer and more frequent. "Come on, let's get settled and wait this out."
She helped him make up a place to sit. "You think Teaspoon was going to send you after me in the first place?"
"Yeah, I think it was a set up. Rachel handed me a satchel of food to make sure you eat. At least I get to spend time with you alone this way." He told her, pulling her into his arms.
She nodded. "We still get to spend the day together tomorrow, too. Rachel made sure to schedule the others to cover our chores and runs all day tomorrow." She explained.
He laughed. "You do know that Teaspoon said he made sure he fixed the schedule."
"Maybe they both did. I don't care who did it, as long as I can spend the day with you." She said laying her head on his shoulder.
"I've missed you Lou. The only time I've seen you the last few days is when you're asleep or riding out." He said and caressed her face.
"I've missed you too Kid. I almost woke you the other day just to say hello. Rachel wouldn't let me though." She leaned into his caress.
"I wish you would have done it, and then I could have at least got to look into your eyes and maybe get a kiss." He said and kissed her forehead.
"We can stare into each others eyes all day tomorrow. Rachel is going to pack us some food to take with us out to the pond." She told him.
"I like the sound of that." He responded.
They sat there late into the afternoon watching the storm and eating the food Kid brought. Lou felt safe in Kid's arms. Buck had been right, it was a bad storm, but they were safe and dry in that barn.
By the time it stopped raining, the sky was starting to grow dark. Before it got too dark in the barn, they saddled the horses and re-packed the saddlebags. They rode off once the lightning had stopped, and it was safe to be out in the open again. It felt nice to be riding home together.
Lou will always think fondly of that old barn. It was where she got to spend just a little while away from the station with Kid, and not worrying that the others would interrupt them. It was where they spent a little time together, taking shelter in the storm.
The End