I do not own the Young Riders.
Meanwhile, while Lou was awaiting the safe arrival of Kid, Teaspoon was in his office back in Rock Creek, pleased that his boys were home and safe.
Well most of them anyway.
His mind went straight to Kid and Louise.
He knew Kid thought he was doing the right thing by going back to the South, hell the thought had even crossed Teaspoon's mind on more than one occasion. But Teaspoon was heading back so he could be a bystander, a supporter of his heritage.
"What has you deep in thought?" Cody asked as he, Jimmy and Buck walked into Teaspoon's office.
A genuine smile graced Teaspoon's face as he looked at the boys he once knew, and the men he knows now.
"Thinking 'bout the Kid and Lou," Teaspoon watched as a small stab of pain shot through the boys eyes. He knew that they missed Kid and Lou just as much as he did.
Times were stressful when Kid and Lou departed, they did not get the send off they deserved, and things were said in the heat of the moment between the boys. It was hard to watch them leave, and while Teaspoon knew Lou did not want to leave her home in Rock Creek, she did so for Kid.
"Mr Spoon, Mr Spoon." Adam Matthew's the young boy who worked for the postal service called out as he ran into the office.
"Slow down son," Teaspoon warned him as he could see that the young boy's legs were moving faster than the rest of him.
"Now what has you in such a hurry?"
"A letter Sir," Adam announced holding out a small yet thick envelope towards Teaspoon.
Teaspoon read the words, Urgent, scribbled across the top of it, and as he turned it over he was surprised to see that it was sent by Kid.
"Well I'll be," he laughed thinking how ironic it was that he was just thinking of him.
"It's from Kid," Teaspoon told the boys.
Teaspoon opened the small envelope and pulled out a couple of letters, one addressed for himself and one addressed to Lou.
That was strange, and suddenly his heart knew that nothing good was in the letter he held in his hands.
Thinking it would easier to just read the thing out loud so he didn't have to go over it again when he had finished.
"Teaspoon if you are reading this then I have not survived the war." Teaspoon started, but paused to look up at the boys as he got the first sentence out. Jimmy stood full height as soon as Kid's words registered in his ears. Shaking his head no in disbelief and crossing his arms over his chest, he looked to Buck and Cody, seeing they were in the same distressed state.
"I asked that this letter be posted to you if I was found dead. I also left instructions that Lou was not to be informed as I want you to break that news to her."
Teaspoon looked up to the boys once again, not believing what he was reading. All three of them had taken a step closer to him, all with the same look of bewilderment on their faces.
"She is living in a small bungalow, nestled in a small clearing south of Chickamauga, and although it is not where I had hoped we would be, it has been our home for such a short time but it is still a home. I know that it will be hard for her to leave there, as I think she likes it, but I am asking you to please take her back to Rock Creek where you can watch over her.
As you will know she would hate that I have asked this from you, as she feels she can take care of herself, but I hate the thought of having her out there alone. So please don't tell her I have asked you to do so. I regret ever taking her away from you and Rachel to begin with. I was a fool to believe that I could make a difference.
There is a letter in here for Lou as well. Please see she gets it and please kiss her for me when you see her.
Thank you for being there for me throughout the years, you are a good man and I am honoured to have known you. I know you will keep a watchful eye on Lou, and keep her from harm.
Love your son,
Kid.
The boys sat in silence going through in their minds what they had just heard and read. Buck was in shock that yet another one of his brothers had gone. Was it just him or were the small group thinning out rather quickly.
"Teaspoon the war has been over for months." Cody stressed,
"Meaning?"
"Meaning Lou has been waiting for Kid to return all this time."
"Then what are you waiting for, mount up," Teaspoon all but ordered, not that the boys needed telling.
Teaspoon and the boys knew that Lou would know Kid wasn't coming home. She was a smart woman, but knowing that Lou was out there alone was enough to have them running to their horses.
Teaspoon headed for the school. He knew that Rachel would be over the moon to hear that Louise was coming home. In fact Rachel had been planning a trip herself to go and visit Louise in the next few weeks, so hopefully all works out.
"Ride safe Teaspoon, and please drag her back if she puts up a fight," Rachel smiled as she placed a tender kiss on Teaspoon's cheek.
Over the years the two have become close, and although not close like a husband and wife would, the attraction is there. Yes Teaspoon was ahead of Rachel in years, but Rachel only saw the kind hearted man he is, and not the years that weathered him.
.
.
It took three days of hard riding to find the small clearing to where sat a bungalow nestled in the heart of it.
A small yet familiar figure was leading two horses out to a small corral. As the boys surveyed the small farm and yard they couldn't help but notice how maintained it all seemed.
While most women could handle a small property on their own, he could see Lou had exceeded herself. Lou had done a fantastic job, and could tell a lot of work had gone into doing so, so Teaspoon knew that he would have a hard time dragging her away like Kid had said in his letter.
"What do you think boys?" Teaspoon needed no words, with a slight flick of their reins they rode down to see their friend, hating that they were coming with bad news.
.
.
Lou led the two mares into the corral so she could get to work on fixing their stalls.
Lily was set up in a play pen that Lou had made, inside the barn. Since Lily started walking Lou had found it hard to keep her in one spot and to keep an eye on her. So Lou made the pen big enough so Lily could walk around in it with her toys and not disappear out of her mother's sight.
"Go on, get," she told the mares as she took their leads off of them both.
As Lou turned to go back into the barn she could hear the sound of horse hooves approaching. She stopped dead in her tracks feeling very exposed and not in a great situation at all.
Lily was in the barn, she had no weapon on her, and the fact it was day light meant that her visitor's would have seen her.
The closer the boys got, the more anxious they became. It has been years since they saw Lou.
Jimmy's eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he watched Lou stand stock still, almost like she was afraid to turn around. He knew that she must have heard them approaching, so why wasn't she checking to see who it was?
"Hello Lou," Teaspoon called out as he pulled to a halt.
Lou spun around so fast, as the sound of Teaspoon's voice registered in her ears, dropping the ropes she held in her hand.
The boys watched as her shoulders slumped and her lip quivered as tears started falling from her eyes.
She seemed to stumble towards them, Teaspoon seeing this, quickly dismounted his horse to meet her.
"Oh Teaspoon," she cried as she fell into his arms, "Is it really you?" she sobbed harder.
"Shhh sweetheart, it's alright, we're here now." he told her as he held onto her stroking her hair with his hand.
She cried and she cried and the boys just let her, as they dismounted their horses and took another look around.
It was a nice wee farm Kid and Lou had bought, and although tidy and work had been done, there was still a lot of work needed.
"Mama," A small voice called out from the barn causing the boys to look up at the barn.
"Oh god Lily," Lou cried as she pushed away from Teaspoon and ran towards the barn.
"Mama?" Cody questioned out loud to Jimmy, Buck and Teaspoon.
Lou came out from the barn carrying a small girl in her arms. She was wearing a white dress and from what the boys could tell she had brown curls, but her face was hidden in Lou's hair.
"You're a mother," Teaspoon announced amazed by the scene in front of him.
"I am," Lou smiled. "This is Lily. Lily would you like to say hello to Mama's family?" Lou asked Lily sweetly.
Lily turned her wee face just so slightly so she could take a look at the visitors. She never really saw other people so it was no wonder why she was so shy.
"How about I make some lemonade, you boys must be thirsty," Lou started towards the house.
The boys all followed close behind, still in shock by what they had learnt.
Lily took the opportunity to peek over her mother's shoulder, using Lou's hair as a shield she peeked through it at the men that were following them up to the house.
She caught Cody's eye, to which he smiled and made a silly face at her, Lily couldn't contain the small giggle that came from her.
Lou smiled to herself knowing that Lily was going to love these boys just as much as she did.
The boys all took a seat on the porch while Lou and Lily fetched the lemonade.
They were all wondering why Kid had not mentioned a child in his letter, did he even know?
Once Lou passed everyone their drinks she sat on the step with Lily on her lap sucking on a cookie.
"He's not coming back is he Teaspoon?" Lou asked as she played with one of Lily's soft curls, twirling it around her delicate finger.
"No Lou he's not." Teaspoon replied amazed by the women in front of him.
Lou only nodded, she knew in her heart that he wasn't coming home, but she hoped that for Lily's sake that it wasn't true.
"Do you know when, where, how?" She asked, wondering why she was not shedding a tear for her lost husband.
"Sorry sweetheart I don't. All I know is that he had left a letter for me and one for you in case something happened. He wanted me to tell you instead of some stranger."
Again Lou only nodded. That sounded like Kid.
Lou looked out towards the farm, wondering what on earth she was going to do now. There was no way in hell she could live here by herself with Lily, not that she needed a man, she had proven to herself that she could run a place on her own, but she did need the company. Company of those she trusted and loved. But most of all she needed security for her and Lily.
"You will take me with you, won't you?" Lou seemed to blurt out from nowhere.
Teaspoon gave the boys a quick glance, seeing that they were staring at Lou in concern. She didn't seem like the spirited young women they knew before. The years have changed her, and in this moment they didn't know if it was for the better.
"That is what we had hoped for Lou. You don't mind leaving here?" Teaspoon asked wanting to make sure Lou was positive about this.
Lou looked around the yard once again and then back at the house.
"I hate this place. I hate it so much Teaspoon." She told him sounding detached, confirming to the boys and Teaspoon that she was not at all like the Lou they knew years ago.
"Then we would love to take you back with us." Teaspoon told her not really knowing what more to say.
"You hear that baby girl we are moving," She smiled at Lily, while Lily sat there smudging her half mushy biscuit between her fingers.
"Lou, Kid never mentioned Lily in his letter" Teaspoon begun carefully.
"He didn't know Teaspoon. I didn't find out I was with child until months after he left."
"She's beautiful Lou," Jimmy told her honestly. Lou smiled brightly as she looked up at Jimmy.
"She is isn't she?" Then she looked down at Lily, "Though she's not very lady like when it comes to eating," Lou laughed as she tried to wipe the cookie mess from her daughters face.
"I think she eats just fine," Cody smiled.
Buck laughed, "You would,"