Chapter 15

The next morning dawned bright and clear, but Buck and Lou were unaware of it, sleeping soundly in each other's arms. It wasn't until the children woke and could be heard running around outside doing morning chores before breakfast that they awoke. Buck opened his eyes to find Lou in his arms, her eyes on his bare skin, "I thought I must have dreamed last night." he whispered pulling her against him, kissing the top of Lou's head.

Lou giggled, "You definitely didn't dream it, those scratches and bite marks are proof enough."

Buck pulled back from her slightly trying to see the marks on his skin without a mirror. He looked at Lou and groaned, "Lou … you're gonna kill me."

"What? Why?" Lou asked, her forehead wrinkling.

"Let's just say I left my own marks on you." Buck told her with a lopsided smirk on his face.

Lou rolled over and got out of bed, padding on bare feet and naked to stand in front of Buck's mirror. Buck happily watching her naked body, before he moved to join her, pulling her against his chest as they looked at themselves in the mirror. Buck could see the scratches all on his chest and shoulders, he was sure his back was probably worse judging by how it was stinging. And there on his right shoulder was a huge bite mark.

Lou groaned as she took in the multiple bruises along her neck and shoulder. "How in the hell am I gonna explain this?!" She cried gesturing to her neck.

"Sorry" Buck said grinning sheepishly, really not sorry at all. "Come on we better get dressed before Teaspoon or Rachel come looking for us."

"You're right." Lou agreed, walking over to pick up her dress and petticoat from where it still laid in a heap on the floor.

Buck pulled on his long john bottoms and pants before going over to Lou to help her with the closures on her dress. His fingers trailing up her skin as he clasped each one together. Lou turned in his arms, his shirt in her hands. Buck took it from her, pulling it on over his shoulders, Lou buttoning it for him. He tucked his shirt into his pants, then pulled his vest on over his shirt. "Lou where is my medicine pouch?" Buck asked looking for it, he didn't really remember taking it off last night, but it wasn't around his neck.

Lou looked around and found it on the floor next to the bed, "Here it is Buck… how did it get on the floor?"

"I don't know. I don't remember taking it off." Buck said, as he took it from her and put it back around his neck where it belonged.

Buck pulled Lou into his arms and kissed her soundly, "You ready to go face the music?"

"As long as you're with me I can face anything." Lou told him.

Together hand in hand they slipped from Buck's bedroom, to join the rest of their family, who were just sitting down to breakfast. They quickly joined them at the table, Lou doing her best to hide the love marks on her neck.

"Morning sleepyheads, did you have a good night?" Teaspoon asked, his lips curling into a snarky smile, his eyes full of laughter. They both blushed as they sat down, with a murmured yes.

"Did you have a bad dream Louise, I thought I heard you scream?" Teresa asked innocently causing Buck to almost choke on the biscuit he had just taken a bite out of. And for Teaspoon to spit out the mouthful of water he had just taken, and doubled over in laughter.

Teresa just looked confused, as Lou turned bright red. "Of, course she did dummy, why else would she be in sleeping in Buck's room this morning." Jeremiah offered.

"Yeah she must have been having a terrible nightmare… I kept hearing her toss and turn." Rachel added, winking at the two lovers.

Lou thought she was going to die from embarrassment, Buck however could see the humor in the situation and was trying his best not to start laughing, when Teresa noticed the marks on Lou's neck, "Louise! What happened to you neck?" She cried, causing all eyes to focus on the love marks Buck had left.

"Geez Buck, I didn't think you were the type to hit my sister." Jeremiah said, trying to glare at Buck, but the corners of his mouth were twitching.

"I didn't hit her!" Buck exclaimed in surprise at the suggestion completely missing the fact that Jeremiah was teasing him.

"Then what happened to her neck?" Teresa asked, looking very concerned.

"Don't you worrying about it Resa." Lou told her, "Just eat your breakfast."

Rachel and Teaspoon were doing all they could not to laugh, Lou and Buck just looked so embarrassed. "If you kids are done eating, go on outside and start mucking the barn." Teaspoon told the children.

"Do we have to?" Teresa whined.

"Yes, now git on out there. I'll be along soon to give ya a hand." Teaspoon told them.

As soon as the little ones were out of earshot, the adults turned to look at the two lovers. "I'm just gonna say this once…" Teaspoon started, staring at them, both of them shrinking in on themselves, ready for a tongue lashing. "Next time, can ya keep it down a little more." he said chuckling.

"Sorry." Lou mumbled, her cheeks red as a tomato.

"Yes sir." Buck whispered.

"Louise, Buck … I am truly happy for you. I really am. I'm just concerned. Lou, you're still technically married to the Kid… you even have your wedding ring on. You two can't marry, legally. You already face so much hate in town, they already think horrible things about you." Rachel told them.

"Rach …" Buck started, "I love Lou. I may not be able to marry her in the eyes of the white man, but I can in the eyes of the Kiowa, when the time is right."

Lou was looking down at her hand to the ring that was still there, why did she even still have it on. Lou pulled the ring off her finger, and placed it in the center of the table. "Kid freed me from our marriage and I choose to love Buck and to be with him. What can we do?"

Teaspoon leaned back in his chair, scratching his whiskered chin, "Well now… I reckon I can talk to the territorial judge, and see if he'll sign divorce papers for you."

"Can they do that without the Kid?" Buck asked.

"I don't honestly know, but worth a try. If that's what Lou wants… townsfolk might not take to kindly to a divorced woman."

"They don't take to kindly to me anyway." Lou muttered. "Contact him Teaspoon. I need to be able to move on with my life completely."

"In the, meantime…" Rachel said,

"I know, no more bunking together." Buck said softly interrupting.

"Actually, I was going to suggest you move Lou's things into your room." Rachel told the young couple with a grin.

"What? You two wouldn't disapprove?" Buck asked shocked.

"Honey, as far as I'm concerned, you two belong together and I'm certain that if you could, you'd marry Lou right now." Rachel told Buck, patting his hand.

"Alright, we got lot of work to do today, best be getting to it." Teaspoon said as he pushed back from the table, getting to his feet.

Teaspoon and Buck left the kitchen leaving Lou sitting at the table with Rachel finishing her breakfast. "Rach, can I ask you something?" Lou asked her, a pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Sure honey." Rachel said as she began cleaning up.

Lou bit her bottom lip, unsure how to bring this up, "Am I … a bad woman?"

"A bad woman? What do you mean sweetheart?" Rachel asked, turning to look at her.

"Last night when me and Buck were … dancing… I … umm … well you know." Lou stammered out.

"You what … enjoyed it?" Rachel asked, her voice holding a teasing tone.

"Yes… a lot… does that make me a loose woman?" Lou asked, her face very concerned.

Rachel walked over to Lou, sitting beside her, her hands covering the young woman's, "Sweetheart, have you never felt like you did last night before?"

Lou shook her head no, unable to answer or look Rachel in the eyes. "Oh, honey, it's completely normal to experience pleasure from 'dancing'. The fact that you didn't with Kid says a lot about your relationship with him."

"So, I'm not a bad person?" Lou said, her eyes full of hope.

"Not at all honey. There's not a damn thing wrong with enjoying yourself with the man you love." Rachel told her, with a little laugh.

Lou grinned up at the older woman, "Thanks Rach."

"So, you wanna give me details?" Rachel teased, causing Lou to blush bright red.

"It was incredible … oh my God Rachel … I never knew it could feel so good." Lou admitted.

Rachel laughed, "Oh I know, I could hear just how good it was."

"Were we really that loud?" Lou asked embarrassed.

"Not terribly, just the walls are thin, and Buck's room is right next to ours." Rachel told the embarrassed girl.

"Do you think we should take my room then?" Lou asked.

"No cause then you'd be right next to Jeremiah." Rachel said, "You know what you could do, put Jeremiah in Buck's room, have Buck move into your room, that would leave an empty room between your room and Teresa's. When the baby comes it could be used as a nursery."

"That's a great idea Rach, I'll talk to Buck about it." Lou said as she stood, taking her plate to the sink. "I best go help with the chores."

"Don't work too hard Lou!" Rachel called as the young woman left the kitchen.

Rachel watched Lou from the window as she walked across the yard towards where Buck was shoeing one of the horses. Buck stopped what he was doing, reaching for her once she got close enough to kiss her softly. Rachel gave a happy little sigh for her young family members as she turned back to her own chores.