Chapter 24

Teaspoon was saddling his horse along with Cody. Both men looked up as Lou walked in dressed in her old express clothes. Cody smiled at Teaspoon as she went to get her horse.

"Figured we'd head out toward the area where he was frequenting. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will have seen him."

"Good a place as any." Said Lou.

"Maybe we should check at the doctors around. I think he would still need help with that hand for another week or so." Said Cody.

"I got a few new posters from Barnett that came in. Always something to think about." Said Teaspoon.

They all looked at each before mounting.

"If we find him, it's gonna be a fight." Said Cody.

"He's worth it." Said Lou as she rode out the yard.

Teaspoon looked at Cody and winked. They rode out behind her.

Kid rode slowly back toward the old station. He glanced back over his shoulder to make sure Jimmy was still there.

"You don't have to act like that. You can talk."

Jimmy remained silent.

"I'm trying to be your friend here instead of beating you to death."

A grunt.

"Sometimes I think it would be easier if I did. But I can't hold the past against you anymore. I was only hurting myself."

"That ain't gonna work." Said Jimmy.

"You see. You can do the same." Kid said as he pulled the horses to a stop.

"It's time to give it up. Let it go. Talk to Lou."

Kid walked over to the stream and splashed water on his face.

"Should be there tomorrow."

Kid turned around to see Jimmy still sitting on his horse. He walked over to help him down. Jimmy kicked Kid in the face knocking him out on the ground. He slid off the horse. He went over to Katy and dug in the saddle bags. He found a small knife. Holding it in his mouth, he cut the ropes off his wrists. He got his guns and went back to his horse. He looked at Kid.

"I'm nothing but death."

He got on his horse and rode away. Teaspoon, Cody, and Lou stopped in Benton the next town over. No sign of Jimmy. So they rode on toward the next town in line. They rode for a few ways longer.

"There's a creek up ahead. We are gonna stop for a mintue." Said Teaspoon.

The group stopped at the small creek. Cody walked down the stream aways just looking when he saw what looked to be Kid's horse.

"Katy?!"

The horse lifted her head in her direction.

"Teaspoon, Lou!"

Cody ran over to the horse. Kid was just starting to stir when Cody fell down beside him.

"Kid?"

"Cody? What?"

Teaspoon and Lou ran up behind him. They looked down at Kid.

"What are y'all doing?" Asked Kid.

"Question is, what happened to you?" Said Teaspoon.

"Where's Jimmy?" Kid asked looking around.

"That's what we'd like to know." Said Cody.

Lou felt her stomach flip. She felt her heart fall.

"You saw him? Did you hurt him, Kid?" She asked carefully.

"I ain't gonna lie. I tried to beat the hell out of him. I wanted to kill him but I didn't. I found that I couldn't. If you could forgive him, Lou, then I needed to also. I tried to get him back but he must have kicked me. He's gone."

"I don't want him to die, Kid. I just want him to be happy."

"He wanted me to kill him. He's gonna try again. He told me about the snake."

"Time is passing us by. Kid, we are so glad to have your home. Wish it was a better homecoming though." Said Teaspoon.

"It's ok. Just glad to be back."

"You ok?" Asked Lou.

"Yeah, I'll do."

"This would be a hell of a lot easier if we just knew where to look." Said Cody.

"I think I might know a place to start." Said Kid.

The others looked at him waiting.

"He told me about Maddie."

"He did?" Asked Lou.

"Yeah, he did. Told me that he wanted us to raise her proper. That he weren't fit. But he also told me about her mother and how she died. He said the man should have killed him. I think he'll go there. The man will know him right off."

"What are we waiting for then?"

They mounted and followed Kid toward Dodge City.

Jimmy made decent time until right about dusk. He walked his horse to a spot out of the way. He slid down. He made a small fire and sat down beside it. He thought of how many times that he had done this same thing over the last two years. He thought of how all that changed when he got Maddie. He sat back and tried to remember every detail of her and Rosalyn's little faces. He thought of Lou. He recalled how pretty she was when she smiled. He actually smiled. He was thinking when his thoughts strayed back to that night. The night he could barely remember. The night he had hurt her and killed himself. The thought of his little girls disappeared as he saw Lou's face covered in fear. Then he saw Maddie's mother's face covered in bruises. All of it because of him. His girls didn't need him. He closed his eyes. He knew where he was going. He didn't know why he didn't think of it sooner. He didn't know why he had lingered around Rock Creek for so long.

Kid, Teaspoon, Lou, and Cody sat around the fire watching the flames burn down. The last hours had been quiet ones. Kid looked at his family.

"You done for good?" Asked Kid to Cody.

"No. Not yet. Just decided to leave for a few. Glad I did. You?"

"Yeah, I've seen enough. I needed to see Lou."

Lou looked up embarrassed. She quickly looked back down.

"Ain't no need to put it off. Lou, I see you ain't wearing the ring."

"I was. I just took it off to keep it safe."

"It's ok, Lou. I was coming home to tell you that I met someone. You didn't really want to marry me anyway."

"I'm sorry, Kid. I just couldn't do it."

"And it's ok. I know it now. You can't control who you fall in love with. I understand it now. I see how you could forgive the past."

Lou smiled.

"I'm sorry to smile. I'm just glad. For you, that is."

"Don't lie. You feel like you ain't sinking anymore. Admit it."

"Maybe." Smiled Lou.

"Well who is she?" Asked Teaspoon.

"You have to promise not to judge her."

"Do we ever?"

"Her name is Savannah. She runs a cat house in Georgia."

Cody spit his coffee into the fire.

"Well then." Said Teaspoon cocking an eyebrow.

"Wait, wait. She used to run the cat house. She wasn't one of the girls herself. She treated her girls well. She sold it."

"Sold it?"

"She's moving here to Rock Creek. Bought the hotel. She said she's gonna try to run a straight establishment." Smiled Kid.

"So did you meet her at said cat house?" Laughed Lou.

"On the street. A man was hurting one of her girls. I tried to help and she shot me."

"Shot?" Laughed Cody.

"Yep. In the arm. She found out that I was trying to help and it went from there. She has a three year old son."

"No husband, I hope."

"No. He was born out of wedlock. I'd rather let her tell you that story if she sees fit. I think you'll like her, Lou."

"If she shot you, then I already do."

"I was worried about telling you."

"I was worried about being pushed to marry you. I'm glad that you are happy. I really am."

"If only we can save the one you love and make you happy. I never could understand how you could still love him after that but now I know that when you find your soul mate, nothing else matters."

"I'm afraid that he is already gone."

"He's not. We just have to get him to remember who he used to be." Said Teaspoon.