Rachel went around to each of the boys in turn and had them pick a name out of a hat and that was who they would get a Christmas present for. What she didn't tell Lou and Buck was that when she had them pick there was only the others name in the bag. She wanted to make certain that they got each other and that no one thought it seemed funny that they bought each other presents, as they didn't seem ready to tell everyone about their relationship yet.

Rachel smiled when she saw she had gotten Kid as her surprise gift recipient. She knew exactly what she wanted to get him and it was easy enough to pick up when she went to Tompkins store for supplies. She laughed as she watched the others sneaking around town trying to find presents, buy them, bring them home and wrap them without anyone else seeing. Only Ike came over to her and asked if he could hide Cody's present in her place. He said he'd tried to put it in his trunk but Cody had been snooping and he was afraid as soon as he went on a run Cody would go through his stuff. Rachel gave him free access to the house and had a good time watching Ike run around testing out different possible hiding places before finally deciding on underneath the pile of mending in Rachel's bedroom.

Lou started coming over first thing in the morning and staying nearly all day working on Buck's shirt up in the front room. She wouldn't let Rachel see what she was doing, but it didn't sound fun by the plethora of curses that emanated out of the door. Finally, on December 23rd Lou called out, "Rachel can you come look at this please?"

Ecstatic Rachel rushed up the stairs and into the front room, "Is it done?"

"I hope so. I don't think I have any fingertips left." Lou teased and held up the blue shirt showing off the back.

Rachel's hands went immediately to her mouth, "Louise! It's breathtaking!" Rachel reached out a hand and gently traced the design running along the seam just below the shoulders.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Lou asked nervously

"How could he not?" Rachel said as she admired the craftsmanship.

Christmas morning dawned cold but sunny. The riders all climbed out of their bunks and looked at the tree that Teaspoon had brought in the day before and they had spent all day decorating. "That's a lot of presents." Cody said breaking the silence.

"More than if we got just one each." Noah added

*Where did they all come from?* Ike asked just as Teaspoon walked in.

"Well lookie here. Looks like Santy Claus has come." Teaspoon said as Rachel peaked around him and laughed her arm sliding around his waist.

"You must have been good this year." She teased the riders as she stepped into the room.

"Some of us were" Jimmy said and tossed his pillow at Cody

"Speak for yourself." Cody said laughing.

"All right. All right" Teaspoon said laughing "Presents now and then we can go over and have a nice big breakfast."

"All right!" Cody said and his stomach immediately grumbled.

Everyone laughed as they gathered around the table. Teaspoon and Rachel handed out the gifts. It became a game to figure who had gotten what and why. Kid had received a set of splint boots for Katy and everyone laughed at how perfect it was that Kid's present was for his horse, though no one guessed it was from Rachel. Jimmy got Noah silver polish and Noah got Ike a sketch book and a dozen pencils. Ike's gift had finally come out of hiding and Cody received a knit cap that Ike proudly stated he made himself. Cody got Jimmy 5 boxes of bullets and some gun oil and Teaspoon through a pillow at Cody. Kid got Teaspoon a white ball, a book called the Cambridge Rules to Football, and everyone both groaned and laughed at the same time. Teaspoon got Rachel a small cameo, which she pinned on right away. Somehow, nobody noticed that Buck and Lou forgot to exchange gifts.

"Allright" Teaspon called rubbing his hands together happily, "Let's go have breakfast!"

"Wait." Cody said surprised. Everyone turned and looked at him, "What about all of those presents."

"Yeah" said Kid "and the stockings."

Rachel laughed, "They can wait until after breakfast."

Everyone grumbled but happily went out the door and across to the main house and inside and sat at the table.

"Rachel?" Jimmy queried "Are we expecting company?" indicating the two empty chairs across from him.

"Oh lordy." Teaspoon said surprised, "Did we forget to mention your biggest Christmas present?"

"What?" everyone said and looked at Teaspoon confused

"Oh Elves! Breakfast is ready!" Teaspoon called loudly and two sets of feet could be heard pounding down the stairs and around the corner.

"Merry Christmas Louise!" they shouted as they ran into the room and hugged their sister.

Lou's jaw dropped and she slid out of her chair her arms enveloping Jeremiah and Teresa. Tears were falling from her eyes into Teresa's braids. "How?"

"Santa dropped them off last night when he was delivering presents." Teaspoon said with a wink.

"We're gonna live here now. With you." Jeremiah explained as he pulled himself away from his sisters.

"and we're gonna go to school." Teresa said softly as she played with the ends of Lou's hair.

Lou just nodded to surprised and happy to speak.

Buck got up and walked over and kneeled down next to Lou, "Why don't we eat now and we can catch up and get all the details over breakfast."

Lou looked at him and smiled. "Sure."

Buck put a hand under her elbow and helped her stand and smiled as she held Teresa's hand tight in her own and walked with the little girl and sat down next to her at the table. Jeremiah stood off to the side for a moment watching unsure of where he fit in.

"Jeremiah. There's a space here next to me if you want." Buck said as he walked back to the table and Ike smiled and scooted over so the young boy could sit between them.

Jeremiah nodded and sat down. He looked around the table as the food began to be passed and was surprised to see how happy everyone was and how easily they all shared the food and talked and joked with each other. Very different than the orphanage.

*Eat all you want. It's ok* Ike said

"Huh?"

"He said to eat all you want." Buck translated. "Ike doesn't speak aloud so he uses Indian sign. You'll learn it and soon you'll be talking to Ike on your own. Don't worry."

Jeremiah leaned closer to Buck, "Why doesn't he speak?" he whispered.

"Ike can hear, he just can't speak. He got very sick when he was little and hasn't spoken since. But it's better if you ask Ike himself. He'll talk to you about most things."

"Yeah Ike can be a real chatterbox." Added Cody teasingly

*At least I'm not a gossip.* Ike teased

"What's Cody gossiping about now?" Rachel asked as she placed 2 fried eggs on everyones plate as everyone laughed.

"Aw come on." Cody said in mock frustration.