Chapter Four

"A Pony Express station is no place for a baby," Teaspoon stated calmly, "You riders are always coming and going all hours of the day and night. You are all loud and often bicker and fight. Trouble comes often, and sometimes it comes her to the station."

"Then the baby won't stay at the station." Rachel stated.

"Well, I'm not sending Katie away!" Kid said heatedly. "She's my daughter, and know one is going to raise her but me. She stays with me."

"Of course, you are going to send her away." Rachel was quick to assure him. "I wouldn't ever suggest that Kid. Katie is now a member of our PX family, and she belongs here. What I was suggesting, is that Katie live with me at my house. I have the room, and even though my house is technically a part of the station, its away from the rest of the buildings should any trouble arise."

"I can't ask you to do that Rachel." Kid started, but the housekeeper cut him off.

"You didn't ask me, I volunteered." Rachel said.

"Taking on the raising of a baby is no small task Rachel." Teaspoon interjected, " You already have your hands full with your housekeeping chores and keeping the boys and Lou in line."

"She won't be doing it alone." Kid told him. "Katie will be with me as much as my job allows."

"Katie will be with of us as much as possible." Lou corrected him gently.

"Lou..." Kid started.

Lou lifted her gaze off Katherine sleeping form and met Kid's eyes. "I know there's some talking we need to be doing to sort all of this out, but I want you to understand that I'm not going anywhere. We made a promise to one another not too long ago that no matter what the future holds for us, that we would face it together. I intend to stick to my end of that promise, what about you?"

"I will too." Kid agreed.

Rachel beamed at the young couple. It was only a few short months ago that Kid and Lou had barely been able to be in the same room with each other, and had spread the misery around to share with all of them. Looking at them now, with their eyes glowing with love for each other, one wouldn't ever have imagined it. Adding a baby into their lives was going to only strengthen their love.

"Well, Teaspoon, what do you think?" She turned her attention off Kid and Lou, and onto Teaspoon. "Can Katie stay or not?"

Kid held his breath as he watched Teaspoon ponder Rachel's proposal. He had no clue where he would go with Katie if the stationmaster said no. He felt Lou reach out and slip her hand into his and give it a reassuring squeeze. He didn't know how all of this was going to turn out, but he was relieved to know Lou would be by his side.

"Katie can stay." Teaspoon said at last. "I can't turn her away anymore than I could send Lou away when I found out she was a girl. I still have my doubts about having a baby around the station, but looks like we're going to have one nevertheless."