Chapter 14

Kid watched as Louise slept. He quietly stood and eased out the door to the room that she was in. He found Rachel leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. He looked over to the still closed door to the other room. He sat in the chair across from her. She jumped awake.

"Sorry, Rachel, I didn't won't to wake you."

"Is Lou ok?"

"I guess as much as she can be. She is sleeping."

"You haven't heard anything about Jimmy? It has been a while."

Kid shook his head and looked at the door. He stood up.

"I'm tired of waiting. I'm going to find out what the hell is going on."

Kid knocked on the door. Doc Barnes opened it.

"We need to know."

"Come on in. I was just finishing up."

Kid looked back at Rachel before making his way inside. He quietly shut the door and turned around. He stood still as he looked at his friend laying there. Doc was tucking the blankets up around his chin. He didn't recognize him. Doc looked up to see his face as he stood there.

"Kid, I know."

"Is he?"

"He is alive."

Kid couldn't say anything further. He swallowed and just stood there.

"Kid, I know everyone is waiting. I just don't know what to tell them."

"Just tell me straight."

"I am shocked that he is alive." Doc said as he stood up from the bed. "He has several broken bones just from what I could identify. There is no way to tell how many are fractured. Of course, as you can see, there is a large amount of bruising. I know that he is hard to recognize right now with all the swelling in his face but I feel that will go down in time. It looks as if he received several blows to the head. Truthfully, there is no way to tell how severe the head injuries are until he wakes. Well, if he wakes. The same thing for what is going on inside. He has taken a fever. Not a surprise there since he was exposed to the cold night air for a few days before you all found him. I need to move him into the other room where the fireplace is. He has to warm up. His body is still cold. I just do not know if anything will help at this point but you know that I will try."

Kid took a moment to let all that the doctor said sink in. He finally moved closer to the bed where Jimmy lay. As he looked down at his friend, he felt guilty for blaming him. For thinking that he didn't just sacrifice himself to save Louise. He stood in agony before speaking.

"How can I help?"

"I could use your help moving him. I need him by a fire."

"Just tell me which room."

"The kitchen. That will give him some privacy."

Kid nodded and went to tell Rachel.

Teaspoon and Cody were standing in his office when Kid walked in a little later.

"Kid? Everything ok over there? I was just getting ready to head that way."

"That's why I was coming over to get you. I think you need to go check in. Something else wrong?" Kid asked looking at both their expressions.

"You could say that." Answered Teaspoon.

"I can't find Jesse." Cody said holding up the feather.

"Shit."

"Cody, head on back to the station. Make sure everything is quiet over there."

"I'll walk with ya. I need to grab something anyway." Said Kid.

"I'm gonna head over to Doc's. Is he?" Teaspoon asked falling off.

"Not good." Kid said quietly.

Kid and Cody left. Teaspoon took a deep breath before walking over to the Doc's. He walked slowly down the street and for the first time in a long while, he felt scared to walk in the front door. He opened the door and stood in the small entrance. He looked over to Louise's door. He peered inside but the room was empty. He walked over to the other small room but it was empty also. He looked toward the back of the house. He heard someone coming his way. Doc Barnes walked down the small corridor. He stopped when he saw Teaspoon. He paused before walking closer.

"They are both in the kitchen. Rachel also."

"I know, I just feel like I can't move, Dan. For once, I feel like I am falling apart."

"Teaspoon, I can't say anything to ease your pain right now except that they need you. You can do this. Listen to me. James isn't doing well at all. Louise and Rachel are a mess. Lou should not be up and about but she will not listen to me. She needs you. She could set herself back by moving too soon. She isn't helping anyone by doing this."

Teaspoon nodded. He started taking small steps. He slowly found his way into the kitchen. He saw Rachel trying to comfort the both of them. Louise was sobbing trying to sit upright on his small cot. Teaspoon eased over as Rachel turned her red rimmed eyes up to meet his. She slightly smiled. He bent down and touched Lou's arm. She looked up. He pulled her into a hug. She folded into him and cried. He looked over her slight form at his boy laying on the cot. He felt himself shiver from the sight of him. He closed his eyes.

"Louise, darlin, you shouldn't be doing this. You need to rest."

"I can't. I knew that he was going to be like this. I left him there. I could have helped him but instead I ran."

"Listen, If you had stayed, those men would have done the worst. We could have lost both of you that night. It was meant for you to get away. You told us where to find him. If it weren't for you, honey, we wouldn't have him back here now. We would not have either of you."

"But, look at how he is. He ain't gonna make it. He. I don't know."

"He is here now and is still with us. You could not have done anything different to change this. You done the right thing. Now you need to calm down and get some rest."

"I ain't leaving him again." Lou whispered.

Teaspoon eased away from them and spoke with Doc. After agreeing and some rearranging, Teaspoon took a short break. As he excused himself to head back to check on Buck, he looked into the room once again. Lou's cot was beside Jimmy's as Rachel sat in the rocker watching them both. He decided not to tell them about Jesse.

Ike was walking across the yard when he heard horses rushing toward him. He looked and saw two men coming straight for him. He looked toward Rachel's were he had been heading. He saw Buck look from the window upstairs where Teaspoon had told him to stay out of sight. He shook his head at Buck as he saw the fear spread across his face. He turned to run back toward the barn. One of the men cut in front of him, his horse kicking up dust. Ike felt something tighten around his arms and chest. He couldn't even scream as he was jerked down. He couldn't make a sound as he was pulled away on the ground, the dust also blinding him.

Buck screamed out as Ike was roped and then pulled out the yard behind the horse. He rushed down and out onto the porch but all could see was dust in the distance. He felt hot tears on his face. He jumped on the first horse that he saw and rode out the yard behind them.

Kid and Cody stood in the station yard looking around. Buck was gone. There were tracks and drag marks leading out in the distance. They each turned to run back to town and Teaspoon.