Chapter 16

That afternoon, Buck and Lou began moving his things into her room and to move Jeremiah into Buck's old room. Buck had just carried in a box of his things and sat them down on the bed. He took the book he was currently reading and went to put it on the bedside table. The drawer was slightly opened, catching Buck's interest. He knew he shouldn't snoop, but his curiosity got the better of him as he pulled it open more to find Kid and Lou's wedding rings. Ah, so that's why it was open, Lou had dropped her ring into the drawer. Buck didn't know what in the world possessed him as he picked up Kid's wedding band and slipped it onto his finger. He looked down at it, it just felt wrong. He was in the middle of pulling it off when Lou walked in and caught him, "What are you doing Buck?"

Buck felt his face flush, "I … I just wanted to see what it felt like."

Lou walked over to Buck, her hand going to his face, "Keep it… it should have been yours in the first place."

Buck smirked and shook his head, "No … Lou, I want to marry you and I want the whole world to know you are mine, but this ring … it was Kid's symbol to the world. It just feels wrong."

Lou reached into her drawer and picked up her wedding ring, Buck eyes watching her every movement. "Come with me." She said as she took Buck's hand in hers leading him from the room.

"Where are we going?" Buck asked.

Lou just turned her face to him and grinned. They walked hand in hand away from the house towards the creek. The wind was bitterly cold, causing Lou to shiver. Buck put his arm around her shoulders trying to warm her, neither of them thought to put on their heavy coats before leaving the house. "Lou maybe we should head back to the house, it's too cold out here. I wouldn't want you to get sick." Buck suggested.

"We're almost there." Lou pointed out as they topped the hill, the creek just on the other side.

"What are we doing?" Buck questioned her as she pulled him toward the bank.

The creek was almost frozen over except for the very center, Lou reached into her pocket and took out her ring. "Give me Kid's ring, Buck." she told him holding her hand out for it.

Buck looked down at his hand where Kid's ring sat in his palm and passed it over, his brows drawn together in confusion. Lou took the two rings, looking at them briefly. "I don't belong to you anymore Kid." She whispered before she threw them both into the moving water.

Lou turned to Buck, a smile on her face. She took both of his hands in hers. "I choose you Buck Cross. Now and always. I may not be able to marry you yet, but know that I consider you my husband."

Buck felt his eyes filling with tears as he looked at this incredible woman before him. This woman who was pledging herself to him. "And I choose you Louise McCloud. It's always been you and always will be. And I promise that I will marry you, if not in the eyes of the law, I will in the Kiowa way. I will send for Red Bear come spring, but you are already my wife in my eyes."

They smiled at each other before Buck pulled Lou against his chest, his arms going around her back as he lowered his mouth to hers to seal his promise. They broke apart shivering. "We need to get back home, before we freeze to death." Buck said hugging Lou tightly to his body, she nodded in agreement.

By the time they reached home, it had begun to snow. Rachel chided them for being out in the freezing temperatures without a proper coat as she made a pot of coffee to warm them and sat them in front of the fire, a blanket around their shoulders as they cuddled together. But Lou didn't care, she had never felt freer than she did at that moment. She had let go of the past, she had let go of the hurt that Kid had caused her, she had chosen Buck. She had decided to move forward with her life, with Buck by her side. He was hers and she was his and when they could they would let the whole world know it. Until then, she was content with just her family knowing.

The next morning Teaspoon rode into town to send a wire to the territorial judge. "Mornin' Matt." Teaspoon said as he entered the telegraph office.

"Mornin' Teaspoon. I was just fixin' to send someone out to your ranch. This just came in over the wire from Marshal Cain." Matt said as he handed the telegram to Teaspoon.

Teaspoon scanned the short missive quickly before putting it into his pocket. "Thanks Matt. I need to send two wires."

Matt handed him a couple of pieces of paper to write down the messages on, the first was to Sam, the second to the judge. The little man scanned the contents of the second message, his brows shooting up. "She aims to divorce him?"

"She just wants to be free legally. Kid told her he released her from the marriage, but I don't know if that would hold up in the law. Keep this to yourself." Teaspoon explained.

"You know I'm bound to keep all wires confidential… Can I ask something though?" Matt said as he pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Teaspoon.

"You can ask, don't mean I'll answer." Teaspoon told him.

"Is Lou wanting the divorce so she can marry Buck so people will quit talking about her?" Matt asked, a perplexed look on his face.

"Well … it's not quite like that." Teaspoon said.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that … I know those kids love each other. Hell, the whole town knows it. It was plain as day at the dance. I only meant did she think if she married Buck legally that people would quit talking about them being together…. Damn that still don't sound right." Matt was getting flustered.

"Matt it's fine, I understand what yer tryin' to say. Lou knows she's gonna be judged no matter what. She just wants to be free to marry Buck when the time is right because she loves him." Teaspoon told him.

"Good for them." Matt said with a little smile. "I hope the judge can help."

"Send me word out to the ranch if ya hear anything back from the Judge or Sam." Teaspoon said, "See ya later Matt."

"Bye Teaspoon." Matt called as Teaspoon walked out of the building leaving him to send the messages along.

Teaspoon left the telegraph office, his eyes looking towards the schoolhouse, he wondered where that devil woman was at. School had been let out for winter break. Was she still in town or had she gone home to her daddy over the break? Teaspoon sure hoped Sam would be able to gather some information on the woman that could send her packing. The telegram he had received from the man had only said he'd look in on it and that Emma had sent a letter to Lou. He knew he should tell them about what had happened with Kid. He should tell them about the baby, about Buck and Lou, but it wasn't his place.

Teaspoon stopped and turned back around and headed back into the telegraph office. "You forget something Teaspoon?" Matt asked looking up at him.

"Yeah, I need to send one more wire." Teaspoon said, taking the piece of paper Matt offered him. He hoped Lou wouldn't be too mad at him as he wrote down the short message.

Matt took the piece of paper, "Who's it going to?"

"Mrs. Emma Cain, Omaha." Teaspoon said with a grin, before tipping his hat and walking out of the office.

Back at the ranch Buck sat at the table, carving on a piece of wood. It was too cold outside to be fixing fences and the animals had all been taken care of already. Lou was resting in their bedroom, she had woken up that morning with a nasty head cold, thanks to being out in the freezing cold the day before.

"Whatcha carving Buck?" Jeremiah asked around a mouthful of cookie.

Buck looked up at the boy, a smile on his face, "I'm making the baby a crib. But don't tell Lou, it's a surprise."

"Can I see?" the boy asked holding out his hand for the piece of wood.

Buck handed it over to him, Jeremiah looked over the carvings. He ran his fingers over the images. "What do these symbols mean?" he asked as he handed it back to Buck.

"It's a Kiowa blessing. It basically means 'May the Great Spirit watch over this child'." Buck told him as he went back to carving a picture of a horse.

"Buck… is the Great Spirit and God the same thing?" Jeremiah asked, his brow furrowing.

"I believe they are … I don't know if others would agree with me though." Buck answered after considering the question carefully.

"So when you have Red Bear perform the wedding ceremony before the Great Spirit, it will be the same as before God right?" Jeremiah asked.

"I guess so." Buck said, confused, "Why are you asking 'Miah?"

"Cause, I wanted to make sure God would recognize your marriage to my sister even if the townsfolk don't." Jeremiah answered.

Buck put down the piece of wood and his knife, and put his hand on the young boy's shoulder. "Jeremiah, I don't know if I'll ever be recognized as Lou's husband in the white world, but that will never stop me from loving Lou, or you and Resa or the baby. The townsfolk will probably never accept our marriage, even if we are able to marry legally. Lou will be scorned for being divorced and for marrying a half breed. And I'm afraid you and Resa will face the same hatred because of it."

Jeremiah looked up at Buck, his face sad. "I don't care what the town thinks Buck. You love my sister, and she loves you. You treat her good and would do anything for her. You came and got me and Resa out of that orphanage when that bastard who deserted Lou would have just left us in there. I can handle whatever the town throws at me and so can Lou."

Buck smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting in a lopsided smile, "Yep you are definitely Lou's brother." He said laughing a little.

Jeremiah just grinned as he got up and left Buck alone with his woodwork.

A/N: Thanks Shauna for the beta. Thank you to all the nice reviews so far. To the reviewer who suggested Teaspoon show the judge the letter as proof, unfortunately he burned it. So the only proof they have is their word. But I think there are members of the town that would be willing to testify on Lou's behalf. We shall see how it turns out for them.