Lou & The Sioux

by kmk1119

While on a run to Fort Laramie with Cody, Lou is injured and left unconscious after rescuing a young Lakota woman, leaving the rest of the riders to wonder if she is dead or alive. Her renewed relationship with Kid is brought to a standstill forcing the riders to question if she'll ever come back home. Part 4 of the Coming Together: The Journey Home series.

7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"How much longer, Curly?" Kid asked from his position atop his paint mare. Today it seemed like they had been riding for days, mainly from his own anticipation at seeing Lou once again. It had been eleven days since he last held her in his arms, gazed at her smiling face, or heard her soft voice whispering to him and he was more than eager to finally be reunited with her. Curly had reassured him earlier today that they only had a few more hours to go, but the strong summer storm had forced them to take a break until it had passed and they could see their way once again. Looking ahead, Kid noticed that Curly had stopped his horse and was dismounting on the banks of a flowing creek.

"We should stop here," Curly stated. "I would like to wash before greeting my wife. You should do the same," he said with a smile.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Kid acquiesced. Sliding from Katy's back, he tied her reins loosely to a nearby tree before pulling his clothes from his body. Pulling a small cake of soap from his saddlebag, Kid waded into the creek, dropping down to submerge his hot, tired body into the cool water.

From nearby, he heard Curly announce, "Once we are done here, the camp is just past the trees over there," as he pointed to the trees on the far side of the creek.

Kid couldn't believe it. In less than an hour, he would be with Lou again. With renewed effort, he quickly washed his hair and body with the soap, rinsing the suds from him and climbing from the creek. Once back on the banks, he quickly pulled his long john bottoms back on, wishing he had brought another pair with him. But, he had been in such a hurry the night Curly showed up at his bedside that he had flown from the bunkhouse and out of town in search of his love. She would have to forgive his less than stellar appearance, but knowing Lou as he did, he was pretty confident she wouldn't care too much about his dusty, dirty clothes.

Soon Curly was dressed and the two men mounted their horses and headed towards the Lakota village. Curly led the way with Kid following closely behind when the wooded trail became narrow. He tried to see around the brave who had brought him all this way. But try as he might, Kid did not notice the first tipi until his friend had brought his horse to a stop, dismounting in a small area roped off just outside the village. Kid followed, leading Katy over to the corral before relieving her of her saddle and gear. Quickly brushing her down, Curly showed the rider where Katy could find some grass to munch on. Leaving his saddle near the horses, Kid slung his saddlebag and canteen over his shoulder and followed Curly around the back of the nearest tipi.

Walking around the round structure, Kid nearly ran into Curly when the man stopped suddenly to inform Kid, "This is my home. Since it is nearly evening, the women should all be back preparing food for the evening meal." Patting him on the shoulder, Curly added, "It will not be long now, my friend."

They had just entered the village proper, when another brave stopped them. He exchanged words with Curly before moving on to another part of the village. Curly's face darkened with a slight frown as he pondered the brave's words to him. Turning to Kid, he warned, "There may be a problem."

"What? What problem?" Kid asked nervously. His thoughts immediately turning to Lou. "Did something happen to Lou?" he demanded, grabbing the man's arm. "Is she alright?"

"She is fine, but there may be trouble. I must find Magaskawee. She will be able to explain," Curly explained. Nearing the entrance to the tipi, he dropped his belongings before searching the nearby space for his wife. His eyes quickly found the young woman who he had bound his life to almost a year ago. She was busy gutting some fish while her sister laid them out in a large basket to be brought to the smoke house. Kid watched as the man he had come to call his friend more than a year ago, walked slowly towards a pretty woman with long silky black braids. He heard him softly say, "Magaskawee," prompting the woman to abandon her task to greet her husband.

"Pahina Mnimniza," she whispered, washing her hands off before standing from where she had been kneeling over a large pile of fish. The two of them exchanged words in Lakota, essentially closing out the rest of the world. Kid watched as the woman spoke rapidly, moving her hands animatedly as she spoke before pointing over to another woman who was sitting with a group of young children. Curly smiled at his wife, turning briefly to acknowledge Kid standing a few feet behind him.

Seeing the pale-faced stranger, she smiled in acknowledgement. His wife walked over to where Kid stood, saying, "Mahpiya Tho. You are here. She will be most happy to see you again." Kid smiled blankly at her. He had no idea who or what Mahpiya Tho was, but he was pretty sure what her last comment was referring to. Magaskawee introduced herself to Kid before smiling at both men and walking over to the other woman. Bending low to take the small bundle from her arms, Kid watched as she leaned over to whisper something to the other woman before returning to her husband's side. Curly took the small bundle from his wife's arms, pressing a soft kiss to the infant's downy head. "Shappa is very taken with our little Wichahpi," Magaskawee commented to her husband and the newcomer.

Kid was barely aware of Magaskawee's return, instead his eyes were riveted on the small woman who had just moments ago relinquished the infant back to her mother. Her hair had been braided up away from her face, but he would recognize her anywhere. It was his Lou! And she was looking decidedly unlike her usual self. Clad in a deerskin dress, her legs and feet were bare and she sat with three young girls around her. Ignoring all the other sounds around him, Kid could hear the girls shouting words he didn't recognize. He saw them pause briefly before shouting a word in English. He was so enraptured watching Lou with the three girls, he jumped when he heard Curly whisper nearby, "You travel this far to see her and now you cannot make the last few steps?" Kid had been imagining her one day with their children gathered around her as they worked on the ranch he hoped they would have. Pulling his eyes away from the vision before him, Kid looked at Curly, before his friend added, "Go to her. Magaskawee has told me she has missed you."

Kid turned his eyes back to where Lou sat laughing with the girls. He slowly dropped his saddlebags and canteen to the ground next to Curly's belongings outside the tipi. Taking his first steps towards her, he watched as one of the girls saw him. Pointing to him, the young girl shouted, "íci-mani."

Lou craned her neck around, twisting in her spot to find what the girl was pointing to. Unable to see from her position, she stood and cast the girl a curious glance, prompting her to repeat her earlier word. This time, the other two girls joined the first one and they all pointed directly at Kid as he stood between the tipi and the fire. Standing next to them, Lou's eyes went wide as she found what they had been asking about. "Kid," she barely whispered as she stumbled forward, moving around the three girls in her path.

"Shappa?" Ojinjintka called as Lou moved around her, seemingly entranced by the stranger in their village.

"Wicás̆a kiŋ Mahpiya Tho?" Wachiwi asked her two friends.

"Slolwayá s̆ni," Hantaywee said, "Slolkíc̆hiya." The three girls watched as their friend and teacher rushed across the village to where the pale stranger stood.

Lou couldn't believe her eyes. Kid was here! He had traveled all the way from Rock Creek to find her, not that she was truly surprised by that. Whenever she was in trouble, he was always the first to come to her rescue. Now that she had been missing, he had come. Eyota was right. Suddenly, her feet didn't seem to be able to move fast enough as she walked and then ran towards him. She could feel the tears running paths down her cheeks, but she didn't care. She was so happy to see him that nothing could keep her away. Running across the path from where she had been sitting with the three girls, Lou passed the large fire burning outside the tipi she shared with her hosts, not stopping until she was in his arms.

Burying her face in his shirt, she wrapped her arms around his larger body, relishing the feel of his strong arms around her petite frame. "Kid," she whispered again as she tried to meld her body against his own. She could feel his hands on her back and around her shoulders, as one reached up to feel her braided hair.

"Lou," he whispered into her ear as he placed a gentle kiss against her cheek. He noticed that it was wet. Pulling back slightly, he saw the tears coursing down her face. Bringing his hands to either side of her face, he gently brushed the salty drops off her cheeks, saying, "Hey. It's alright. I'm here now." He watched as her face lit in a beautiful smile as she smiled through her tears. "You knew I would come for you, didn't you?"

"I figured you would as soon as Cody got back without me." Suddenly realizing he might have not come back home, Lou asked, "He did get back...to Rock Creek, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he came back. Brought your stuff home with him. I wanted to leave right away, but Teaspoon and Rachel made me promise to wait for you to come back. Or at least until I could bring Buck and Jimmy with me. But they had runs coming up and with you missing, Teaspoon couldn't spare them. So I had to wait," Kid said softly, looking deep into her chocolate orbs.

"But then how did you get here so quickly?"

"Curly," Kid said with a chuckle. "He snuck into the bunkhouse after everyone had gone to sleep for the night. Told me he followed Cody all the way home from here. He remembered you from back in Sweetwater."

"Magaskawee told me that. She told me that her husband went to find you, but I didn't believe he would. If I had known it was Curly, I would've known better," Lou said softly, her tears subsiding.

"So tell me, how do you feel?" Kid asked tentatively, not wanting to upset her with his protectiveness.

"Much better now that you're here," she replied shyly. She couldn't take her eyes off him. After spending the better part of two weeks separated from him, she never wanted to be away from him again.

"I meant your shoulder."

"I know, and it is better. It's still sore, but Eyota told me to expect that. I need to keep moving it," Lou replied. "But, Kid…" she trailed off as she felt the tears threatening to spill again. Kid kept his blue eyes fixated on her face and could see her fighting to hold back her tears once again.

"Hey," he whispered, pulling her closer to him once again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Bringing his lips close to her ear, he whispered, "I missed you too, Lou." She was holding onto him as if her very life depended on it. "We'll stay here for a few days so Katy can rest and then we'll head home, alright?" he asked softly, sliding his hand up her back to her neck.

He could feel her pulling away slightly as she turned her watery brown eyes to his, saying, "Promise?"

Brushing his knuckles against her cheek, Kid replied, "I promise." Lowering his head, he gently pressed his lips to her own, relishing the feel of her softness pressed against him. Having missed kissing her while she was gone, he quickly pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Realizing they were still standing in the middle of the Lakota camp, he ended the kiss, keeping his forehead leaning against hers. "I love you, Lou," he whispered softly.

"I love you too, Kid," Lou whispered back.

The two of them were so wrapped up in each other, they didn't notice the arrival of some of the braves from camp. Having been alerted to the presence of a visitor to their camp by the comments of the three girls and then some of the other villagers as word spread of the newcomer, Matoskah quickly became enraged when he saw his betrothed attaching herself so publicly to another man. Plowing through the small crowd that had gathered, he unceremoniously yanked Lou away from the stranger and, tossing her over his shoulder, disappeared through the crowd with her.

"Hey," Kid shouted, his ire roaring to life at the audacity of this brave taking Lou away from him. "What are you doing? She's my…" he shouted at the stranger, stopping when he realized he didn't know what to call Lou. She wasn't his wife or even his intended yet, but calling her his girl seemed horribly inaccurate. All too soon he was going to get an answer as he watched the man who had stolen Lou away from him moments ago come storming back towards him.

"Shappa is to be my wife," the brave spat at him.

"What?" he bellowed. "How could...She can't...What's going on here?" He finally managed to get out.

"She agreed to become my wife just this afternoon. We are to be wed tomorrow," Matoskah replied smugly.

"I don't understand," Kid said. "We were gonna get married."

Having had enough of being manhandled by one brave in particular, Lou had scrambled to her feet and was furiously trying to make her way back to where she had been ripped away from Kid. What was wrong with him? she thought to herself as she stormed back to find Kid and Matoskah glaring angrily at each other. She had just pushed through the thickening crowd when she heard Matsokah claim her as his bride. "What?!" she shouted. Running over to where Kid stood, she turned to face the Lakota brave, shouting, "I am NOT marrying you! I never agreed to anything."

"When you shared my blanket this afternoon, you did," he replied smugly.

"It was raining and you offered to bring me back to the village," she said angrily. "Sharing a blanket as shelter from some rain doesn't lead to marriage."

"It does here," Matoskah informed the two pale-faced visitors.

"Well, it doesn't where I come from," Lou retorted. "If I'm gonna marry anyone tomorrow, it'll be him," she added, indicating Kid standing next to her. She could feel him place his hand on the small of her back as he took a step forward.

"The chief has already granted his consent, so this time tomorrow, you will be my wife."

Kid had heard enough. No one was going to marry Lou except him. Releasing his hold on her he quickly moved in front of her, clearly challenging the brave for her hand. "No, she won't," Kid growled. Understanding the man's defensive stance, Matoskah charged at Kid, knocking the two of them to the ground and forcing Lou to jump out of the way.

As they struggled against the other one, both of them well-matched in strength and size, Magaskawee pulled Lou further away from the fighting. "Best to stay out of the way so you don't get hurt," she said with an imploring look. Being one of only three people aware of Lou's expectant state, she knew the one she called Kid would never forgive himself if something happened to Lou or their child. She watched as Lou gave a terse nod then turned to her husband silently asking him to intervene. The commotion from the fighting men drew the attention of the chief, bringing him as well as Eyota to the space outside their tipi. Curly and Sitting Bull each grabbed one of the two men, pulling them apart and holding them back from further fighting.

"What is going on here?" the chief asked loudly, his muscular arms wrapped around the brave's chest. "Who is this man?" he asked, referring to Kid who was currently being restrained by Curly.

When neither of the two men spoke up right away, Curly told his brother, "When Shappa was brought to our camp many days ago, I recognized her from my time in a little town called Sweetwater. She and my friend Kid here helped me with some trouble with the Indian agent there. Magaskawee and Eyota sent me to find him and bring him back to her. They are destined to be together. Matoskah just told Kid that he is planning on marrying Shappa tomorrow. Kid does not agree and neither does Shappa."

Chief Sitting Bull looked between his brave and the newcomer, thinking about all that had transpired between them and the young woman everyone held in such high esteem. She would be a valuable member of the tribe should she stay and there was no doubt he would very much like to see that happen. However, this pale-faced man seemed to hold great power over her. "Shappa," he began, "Do you wish to marry either of these men?"

Lou looked up from where she now stood next to Kid. Placing her hand on his chest to calm him, Lou said, "Yes." Next to her, Kid shrugged off Curly's strong arm, placing his arm around Lou's waist and drawing her closer to him. She clung tightly to him, waiting for the chief to ask her who her choice would be, but the question never came.

Sitting Bull knew the answer immediately from the way the two young people clung to each other. They were clearly in love. But, he had already given his consent to Matoskah to marry the girl. He thought for another minute, his eyes alternating between his brave and the young couple. Both men wanted her for his wife, and he could easily figure out who she preferred, but he had given his consent. To go back on his word now, was not a viable option. Looking once more between the two parties, he announced, "You will fight for her hand. Whoever wins, will have my permission to marry Shappa."

"This is ridiculous!" Lou exclaimed from Kid's side. "No!"

"Lou," Kid said, pulling her back towards him. "I can do this. He can't win," he pleaded with her.

She took his face in her hands before saying, "Yes, he can. I know you can too, but I can't see you get hurt because of me." Pressing her lips to his, Lou kissed him one last time, whispering, "Please forgive me." She blinked away the tears she was holding back over what she was about to do. Saying goodbye to Kid was going to kill her, but she had to protect him. "Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake," she began, turning away from the one man she truly loved and walked over until she stood close to the chief, "If you can promise me that Kid will remain unharmed, I will stay here and marry Matoskah." She held her chin high despite her tears, standing firm in her decision.

"Lou, no!" Kid exclaimed, running towards her. "I can't let you do this," he whispered to her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him.

"You can't stop me. If it means saving your life, I'll do it," she said tearfully.

"I would rather die than live without you," he whispered as he tried to pull her close to him. Unable to resist his warmth, Lou fairly collapsed into his arms, weeping for the life she knew she was giving up by agreeing to marry the Lakota brave. "I'm not leaving here without you, Lou."

"You have to. It's the only way."

"No, it's not. If you stay and marry him, I'll stay too."

"Why?" she asked tearfully.

"Don't you know why? Lou, I love you," he pleaded into her shoulder.

"I love you, too. That's why I have to do this."

"Please don't."

"I have to."

"No, I can take him. We can leave together. You can be my wife," he tried to convince her, despite knowing how stubborn she could be.

"I want nothing more than to be your wife, Kid. But that can't happen if he kills you. And I can't live knowing you're no longer in this world. It would kill me," Lou pleaded back. Hiding her face in his shoulder, she wept.

From his position between Matoskah and Eyota, the Chief announced, "It is settled then. The wedding ceremony will take place tomorrow. We must make preparations to see that everything is ready by morning." He turned to leave, his pronouncement made, only to find his path blocked by the old healer. "Eyota," he said, warily acknowledging her presence.

"You do not know what you are doing, Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake. If you allow this union between Matoskah and Shappa to happen, you will anger the gods. Shappa's destiny is with Mahpiya Tho. He is the one who creates joy from her sadness. Matoskah will bring her nothing but misery. She does not love him. Her heart lies with Mahpiya Tho, as his does with her. The spirits have shown me the many Weayaya they will create together, including the one she already carries," Eyota explained in Lakota.

While Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake had heard much of this vision before from the older woman, her last statement captured his attention. "Shappa kiŋ hoks̆iikpignaka?" he asked softly.

Eyota slowly nodded her head to confirm her earlier statement. "Mahpiya Tho does not know of their child yet," she explained. "Shappa has just learned of the child herself."

Nodding his head, Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake sighed as he thought about the conundrum before him. As much as he wanted Shappa to become a permanent part of the tribe, he was beginning to understand where she was meant to be. As he thought about the days since the young woman had been carried into their village, he realized that everything Eyota had warned him of had come to fruition. Shappa had come to the village and Mahpiya Tho had followed her, refusing to be parted from her. "If I allow this, what of Matoskah?" he asked the woman.

Smiling, Eyota turned her penetrating gaze to her chief, telling him, "Leave Matoskah to me."

Returning his attention to the small crowd gathered outside the tipi, Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake walked closer to where Kid and Lou stood clinging to each other as if their very lives depended on it. "You will have tonight, Shappa, to say goodbye to Mahpiya Tho before your wedding tomorrow."

Lou turned her teary brown eyes to the chief, his comment bringing out her fire. Releasing Kid from her arms, she turned around to address the chief who seemed hell bent on keeping her here. Proudly raising her chin to challenge the Lakota leader, Lou made her vow. "I may marry Matoskah tomorrow, and I may become part of the tribe, but I promise you this, I will never be his wife," she declared defiantly. Grasping Kid's hand with her own, she pulled him behind her, disappearing within the confines of the tipi she had called home since her arrival.

Curly, now alone with his brother, his wife, and her family, ushered them closer to him. "Brother, what have you done?" he asked, unable to believe his brother was willing to separate two people who were so clearly in love. He watched as a penetrating stare appeared in the chief's eyes, forcing Curly to narrow his eyes with interest.

"Pahina Mnimniza, gather your family and their things. You will be my guests tonight. Allow Shappa and Mahpiya Tho to have tonight to themselves," Th̆ath̆aŋka Íyotake informed his brother. Curly eyed his brother curiously at his directive. Nodding his head in tacit agreement, Curly urged Magaskawee in the direction of their tipi to gather what they might need for the night.

Slipping inside the tipi, the small family was surprised to see Kid and Lou standing silently on opposite sides of the large dwelling. Magaskawee could see the pain and anguish written on both their faces as she moved to gather what she needed for herself and her child for the night. Quickly gathering the sleeping basket, she placed her daughter inside and brought the object to the opening of the tipi before turning to watch the unhappy couple silently watching them. Glancing at her husband who was busy rolling up the furs and blankets on which they slept, Magaskawee moved closer to Lou, whispering, "Louise, things cannot be so bleak as they seem. You are very brave to agree to marry Matoskah, but remember the story Eyota shared with you. Only one will bring joy into your heart. Do not allow your fear and sadness to forget the joy he brings. Remember Weayaya."

Having forgotten about her child in all the commotion of the last few minutes, tears began to course down Lou's cheeks once again as she nodded at her friend's words. Magaskawee squeezed her hand before releasing it to gather Wichahpi, her husband and sister ready to leave. Eyota had not returned to the tipi, leaving Kimimela to gather her belongings as well. Their task accomplished, Curly turned to his wife for a moment, exchanging a curious glance with her as he moved closer to the spot where his pale friend stood raking his hand through his sandy hair. Gaining Kid's attention, he whispered to his friend, "Do not give up on your Shappa. Fight for her, my friend. Her heart is already yours. Do not let her join her life with another." Seeing a new determination lighting the blue eyes staring back at him, Curly patted Kid on the shoulder before returning to his wife's side. Having gathered their belongings, the small family disappeared from the tipi, dropping the flap closed on their way out.

The small space was enclosed in darkness despite the glowing embers of the spent fire in the middle of the tipi. Seeing the dying cinders of the fire, Lou swiped at the tears running down her cheeks as she moved to the small pile of wood sitting by the tipi entrance. Gathering a few small logs for the fire, she walked back to the central fire, dropping to her knees beside it as she added the logs to the coals. Carefully tending the fire, she pressed one hand to her lower abdomen as she thought about the child growing there. If she married Matoskah tomorrow, Kid would never know about the child they had created. He would never get to be a father to it and help raise it by her side. But, if she told him tonight, he would never let her go through with the marriage. He would probably end up being killed and her child would never know its father. The thought of raising her child without Kid by her side brought on a fresh round of tears. Seeing the logs blaze to life before her, she covered her face with her hands allowing her grief to consume her.

His hands in his pockets, Kid watched as Lou moved throughout the tipi, managing the fire to prepare for their last night together before her wedding tomorrow. He couldn't believe she had offered herself up to save him despite his protests. There was no way she would be marrying that brave tomorrow if he had anything to do with it. He stood silently watching her as she slumped down next to the fire, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. Unable to standby and watch her as she struggled alone, Kid pulled off his boots and walked over to where she sat.

Joining her next to the softly crackling fire, Kid slowly sat down next to her, reaching for her hand. His touch seemed to jolt her out of her thoughts as she turned her tearstained face to look into his blue eyes. Seeing the same grief and pain reflected back at her was her undoing. She crawled into his lap, throwing her arms around his body and burying her face in his shoulder. Kid held her close, rubbing a hand along her spine until her tears subsided and her breathing slowed down. "Lou," he whispered into her braided hair, "Please don't go through with this tomorrow. We can figure something out tonight."

Sniffling as she tried to find her voice once again, Lou whispered, "I have to. I have to keep you safe."

"I'll be safe with you," he reminded her. "Don't we usually do better together anyway instead of being apart?"

"Yeah, but this is different, Kid."

"How? How is this any different than when I try to protect you? It usually ends up with you mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you this time," she said weakly.

"Well, I'm mad at you," he replied softly. When she turned her mournful brown eyes to his blue ones, he added, "You just decided that I had no say in any of this, Lou. But this is my life too, and I don't want to live it without you. Do you want to live the rest of your life here without me?"

Slowly she shook her head. "No. I wish it was us getting married tomorrow." Placing her hands on his cheeks, Lou looked into his eyes, saying, "I want to be your wife, not his. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, start that ranch you keep talking about, and have children with you. But I don't see how that can happen now."

Her words brought tears to his eyes as she finally admitted she wanted to marry him. Her small hands dropped from his face to rest in her lap as her gaze followed. Kid wrapped his arm around her small shoulders pulling her closer to him as his other hand gently brought her face back to meet his. "We can still have that. We could run away tonight to Cottonwood and find the preacher. You know how happy this makes me that you want to marry me?"

A watery smile appeared on her face, as she said, "That would never work, Kid. I'm pretty sure Matoskah would just come find me and kill you for taking his bride." Fierce blue eyes gazed into her soft brown ones, willing her to believe that he was not going to give her up without a fight. As his face moved closer to her own, Lou's eyes fluttered closed moments before his lips brushed softly against hers. She could feel the tension leave her body as he continued to press gentle kisses against her lips and cheeks. "Kid," she whispered, trying to push herself away from him. "What are we gonna do?"

"I don't know, but we have all night to figure it out," he whispered back to her. "Why are they in such a rush to keep you here anyway?"

"Sitting Bull told me a few days ago that he would like me to stay as a part of the tribe. But, Eyota kept telling him that you were coming to take me home. She had a vision about us. I think the chief wanted to have me married to one of the braves before you got here so I would have to stay," Lou explained.

"Curly told me about what happened by the creek with the girl. The braves seem to think that you're some kind of prize," Kid added, preferring to leave out the part about her bearing all those warrior sons.

"Magaskawee told me they've been competing for my hand almost as soon as they discovered I was a woman. There have been gifts left outside the tipi and braves would show up whenever I went out with the other women the last few days. I had no idea that sharing a blanket with someone meant you were accepting a marriage proposal. I was picking berries this afternoon when the storm came upon me. I was about to head back when Matoskah showed up and convinced me to allow him to walk me back to the village. He threw that blanket over my head as we were walking, telling me it would keep me dry," she said, relaying the afternoon's events.

"So he tricked you," Kid said, finally understanding the predicament she was in.

"That's what Magaskawee said. When the chief made his announcement to the village, she and Eyota and Kimimela came running. Eyota began arguing with the chief while Magaskawee brought me back here. She told me Eyota would take care of everything. But it wasn't until you got here and Matoskah tried to fight you that I understood what had happened earlier," Lou said dejectedly. "Kid, what are we gonna do? I know I said I would marry him, but I can't."

"Then don't. They can't make you go through with it, can they?"

"Magaskawee said I could refuse when she told me they wanted to marry me off to one of their braves this morning. But without my family here, the chief could grant permission in their place." Dropping her head down to avoid his gaze, Lou suggested, "I know something that might convince the chief to call off the wedding." She hated to tell him like this, but she was running out of options.

"What would that be?" Kid asked, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Trying to avoid his question, she thought about Eyota's story about Shappa and Mahpiya Tho and how he would follow her anywhere. Looking over at the dancing flames, she asked, "Would you really stay here if I married him tomorrow?"

"Lou, my place is with you. So if you said you were going to stay here, then, yes, I would stay here too. I told you I wasn't going anywhere without you and I meant it. Don't you remember how miserable we both were when we were apart? I don't think either one of us wants to go through that again."

Lou shook her head as she listened to his words. Of course she didn't want to live without him again. Her stomach gave off a loud grumble, reminding her that she needed to eat. Moving off his lap, she stood and walked to the entrance to the tipi, her stomach growing queasy from her sudden motion. Pressing her hand to her stomach she said, "We should eat," putting a temporary halt to their conversation. Disappearing through the tipi flap, Lou quickly gathered two gourd bowls from near the fire. Kid was quickly by her side, having put his boots back on before exiting the tipi not wanting to let her out of his sight after the altercation with the brave an hour ago. He stood by her side, watching as she reached over to ladle some stew into the waiting bowls she had pushed into his hands. The aroma of fish emanated from the steaming pot, causing Lou to clap a hand over her mouth and run off into the trees behind the tipi. Alarmed at her sudden flight, Kid placed the bowls back on the ground and ran off in the direction he last saw her retreating form.

Lou had barely made it past the tipi and into the trees surrounding the edge of the village before her stomach erupted. The dried meat and berries she had consumed earlier in the day rapidly made their reappearance as she expelled the contents of her stomach behind a fallen log. She was almost finished when a large familiar hand began softly stroking her back as she bent over to be sick. "Lou, are you alright?" Kid asked upon finding her retching behind a tree. Having never seen her sick before, his worry kicked in immediately.

Having emptied her stomach contents, Lou waved him off, saying, "Yeah, I'm alright." She pulled the small pouch from beneath her dress, fishing some mint leaves out and popping them into her mouth, she began chewing them, trying to get the awful taste of bile from her mouth. Tucking the pouch back under her dress, she finally turned her face to look at Kid, trying to determine what he was thinking. The look of concern on his face told her all she needed to know. "Really, Kid, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, some of their foods haven't been agreeing with me. Magaskawee thought it might be because I hit my head when I was thrown from my horse. It'll be fine, I promise," she explained, keeping the real reason for her illness to herself. She knew she had to keep the existence of their child a secret for now. "C'mon, let's go find something to eat. I'm starving," she added, taking his hand and pulling him back towards the village.

Kid watched her suspiciously as she led them back to the tipi. Once inside, the fish stew forgotten, she began rummaging around looking for the dried meat and raspberries she had picked earlier. Kimimela had left the basket of fresh fruit in their tipi when the family had come to collect their things for the night, so Lou had no trouble finding the sweet, tart gems. She soon located the other baskets of dried bison meat and vegetables. "Do you want any help?" came Kid's voice from close behind her.

"Sure, if you want," she said, pulling a small pot and tripod from the side of the tipi. Walking over to the fire, she quickly set the iron tripod up over the fire, placing the pot next to the stones ringing the flames. This is as good a time as any to show him that I can cook, she thought to herself with a sly smile. Grabbing the pot, Lou walked to the tipi entrance, pausing to look back at Kid, asking, "You coming?" Not wanting to be left behind, he quickly followed her.

In the dimming light of twilight, Lou meandered back to the small creek that ran near the camp. She held the small pot in her hand, reaching out her left hand to offer it to the man close on her heels. She was rewarded when she felt his larger hand grasp hers. He stopped walking for a moment, gently pulling her back to his side, asking, "Where are we going?"

"To the creek for some water," she replied. "You do want supper tonight don't you?"

"Yeah, but neither of us can really cook," Kid reminded her.

"Well, one of us can't really cook," she informed him with a sly grin on her face. Not waiting to see if he understood her meaning, she turned and ran off in the direction of the softly moving water.

Running off after her, Kid caught up to her as she was kicking off her moccasins and wading into the shallow water. The sight of her standing in the evening sunset as the copper rays of the late sun reflected off the water, bathing her in a soft orange glow, took his breath away. He stopped to take in her beauty in the soft evening light, watching as she motioned for him to join her. "Kid, take your shoes off and come in," she suggested. Unable to resist spending what little time they had left together, Kid quickly sat, pulling his boots and socks off before rolling his pants up and following her into the shallow creek water.

"It's really beautiful here today," she commented. "Probably from the storm we had earlier."

Snaking his arm around her waist, Kid looked down the creek at the blazing colors splashed across the sky. "The normally blue sky is mixed with the leftover storm clouds from this afternoon," he noticed.

"Creating Weayaya," Lou finished under her breath, the meaning of Eyota's vision finally bringing her understanding.

Kid drew his brows together in confusion, asking, "Creating what?"

"She was right," Lou mumbled as she waded closer to the middle of the water. Bending down, she dipped the pot beneath the surface, scooping the water she needed for supper. Reaching down once again, she scooped some water into her hand, bringing it to her mouth. Swishing the clear liquid around her mouth, she leaned over and spit it out. Nearby, Kid stood with his hands hanging at his sides as he tried to decipher what she was talking about.

Standing back up, Lou felt a wave of dizziness wash over her at the sudden change in position, causing her to bring her hand to her queasy stomach. "It all makes sense now. Mahpiya Tho is the blue sky. Blue sky and red thunder creates weayaya," she mumbled softly to herself, "sunset." Running her hand over her stomach, a smile crept over her face as she thought about the true meaning behind Eyota's tale. Running over to Kid, who was still standing there in a haze of confusion, Lou beamed up at him, saying, "Eyota was right. About all of it."

"Lou, you're not making any sense," he said as he noticed the look of pure joy shining on her face. He had heard bits and pieces of her quiet speech as she waded around the shallow creek, but nothing she said made any sense.

"C'mon. I'll tell you back at the tipi while I make us some supper," she said, scampering off to the banks of the creek where she quickly slipped her moccasins back on her wet feet. She stood impatiently as Kid waded back through the water, before sitting down to put his socks and boots back on.

Standing next to her, he smiled as she slipped her hand into his, gently encouraging him to join her on the path back to the village. Seeing the heavy pot of water hanging from her other hand, he offered, "You want me to carry that back?"

"Sure," she said, handing the pot over to him. Continuing on the path, they quickly arrived back at the Lakota village, where they found the rest of the village had settled into their own homes for the evening. Slipping inside their home for the night, Lou directed Kid to hang the pot from the tripod over the low fire. She quickly set to work peeling and chopping some of the vegetables she had found before their quick trip to the creek.

"Uh, Lou?" Kid asked as he watched her skillfully preparing vegetables for their supper.

"Yeah?"

He wasn't sure how to ask her what he wanted to know without it coming out wrong. "Is there something you wanna tell me?"

"About?" she asked, panic rising in the pit of her stomach that he might suspect her secret. She momentarily paused her meal preparations as she waited for him to explain.

"You're cooking?"

Smiling in relief, she turned to him, saying, "You didn't think I couldn't actually cook, did you?" Lou resumed peeling the potatoes she had brought over with her. Finishing the potatoes, she moved on to the onions.

"Well, I have eaten your cooking more than once before, and you always seemed a little confused about the whole thing, you know, mixing up ingredients and burning things," he said cautiously.

Lou stopped cutting the onions she had just sliced, turning her face to watch Kid before she threw her head back and laughed. "You did, didn't you?"

"Well, what was I supposed to think," he asked defensively. "You did burn a lot of things and made those beans on our trip to Seneca inedible."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't have done that since the boys weren't around. I just didn't want it getting around that I could cook."

"You can?" he asked in disbelief. "When did you learn?"

She tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth then smiled sheepishly, saying, "At the orphanage."

Now it was Kid's turn to laugh. "You mean to tell me, you already knew how to cook before you joined the express." Lou slowly nodded her head in embarrassment. "So all those bad meals, you did that on purpose?" Again, she nodded her head.

"I just didn't want to get stuck cooking everytime we were off on a run with the boys or anytime Emma or Rachel had to go out of town. Besides, we would've never been introduced to Jimmy's cooking if I told everyone," she said with a silly grin, eliciting another laugh from Kid.

"You know, I think if I never have to eat another one if Jimmy's meals again, it'll be too soon."

"You wanna help me?" Lou asked, returning to slicing her onions. Cutting the slices in half, she dumped them into the simmering water. She then added potatoes, turnips, and chopped dried buffalo meat into the pot. Searching around the baskets, she found some fragrant herbs, dropping them into the broth for seasoning. Kid removed his boots, sitting nearby and watching as she prepared their meal, his amazement at her hidden skills showing on his proud face. Finished for now, she moved closer to him, settling by his side. "You know, this almost feels normal," she said softly. "Well, except for the whole tipi and staying with the Lakota part." Snuggling up next to him, she added, "We just have to wait a while now until it's ready."

Kid moved his arm so it cradled her smaller form to his side. "So how did you learn to do all this at the orphanage?" he asked curiously.

"Let's just say, I got in trouble a lot. As punishment, the nuns used to send me to the kitchen to work. After a while, it really wasn't a punishment anymore. Sister Cecilia had me help make supper most nights and once she realized I was getting in trouble just so I could go to the kitchen, she started letting me make some other things as well. We used to make cookies and cakes while we waited for supper to be ready and snuck them to the rest of the children when Sister Agatha wasn't around," Lou explained.

"You certainly are full of surprises today," Kid said. "Anything else you're hiding from me?" he asked, peering down at her smiling face.

Lou's stomach fluttered nervously when he mentioned her secrets. Knowing she still had a few things she wasn't ready to tell him just yet, she shook her head saying, "You'll just have to wait and see." She knew she wouldn't be able to outright lie to him, so she decided to be as close to honest as she could without giving anything away. Her stomach gave out a loud rumble causing the two of them to laugh.

"Hungry?" he asked her, placing his hand on her stomach.

"Yeah. I'm not sure I can wait until supper's ready. Let me find something while we wait," she said, extricating herself from his side.

Walking over to the other side of the tipi, Lou picked up the basket of raspberries she had picked earlier that afternoon. Setting the basket down between them, she plopped back down on the ground, sitting so she could face Kid while they ate. Reaching into the basket, she plucked a berry from within and popped it into her mouth. The tart berry released its sweet juices into her mouth, reminding her once again of days long ago with her mother. She watched as Kid selected a berry from the basket before joining her. "You picked all these today?" he asked, popping another berry into his mouth.

"Mmm-hmm. There were a lot more, but I shared them with some of the other women and children. Maybe tomorrow I can take you back there and we can pick the rest," she suggested.

Kid stopped eating the raspberries, remembering the fate that awaited them tomorrow. "Lou, we can't tomorrow, remember," he said softly.

"Oh, yeah," she said, the smile disappearing from her face as their gloom from earlier returned. "What are we gonna do about that?"

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, each contemplating the options available to them. "Well, since you're not willing to run off with me tonight, we'll have to think of something else. I won't lose you again, Lou," Kid said.

"I wonder if Eyota can help us."

"How could she help us?"

"Maybe she could talk to the chief and explain things," Lou mused. "Although, I think she's already tried that. Every time she's around him, she seems to be arguing with him about something. Maybe I should go talk to him."

"And what could you say that would change his mind?" Kid asked.

"I'm sure I could think of a few things that might work."

"Like what?"

"I could tell him our story and how well it matches up with Eyota's vision."

"Huh?" Kid asked, clearly perplexed by that. "What's Eyota's vision and how does it relate to us?"

"Oh, that's right. I didn't tell you about that," Lou said, dropping the berries she held in her hand back into the basket.

"No, you didn't. Should I be worried about this?"

Smiling across the basket of berries, Lou replied, "Of course not. Eyota knows we belong together. She has seen it in her visions."

"And has she told the chief about her visions?"

"I think so. I've been able to pick up certain words when she's talking to him that sound a lot like the things she's been saying to me since I woke up. You know, she told me you were coming," she explained.

"She did?" Kid asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, this morning when we were by the creek, she told me you were here. And then a few hours later, you walked into camp with Curly," Lou said, eating another berry. Looking down at her fingers, she noticed her fingertips were stained red with berry juice. Glancing over at Kid's fingers, she noticed the same staining on his fingers as well.

"Is she some kind of seer?"

"Magaskawee said she's a wise woman and healer. All I know is everything she's told me since I got here has come true," Lou said, licking the juice from her fingertips.

"Like what?" Kid asked, eating another berry. He stared across the basket of fruit at Lou's face, watching it soften as she thought about something the woman must have said to her. A soft blush crept over her cheeks followed by a secretive smile. "What, Lou? What did she tell you?" he gently asked again.

"The other night she shared her vision with me about Shappa and Mahpiya Tho," she started.

"But you're Shappa, right? Curly kept calling you that on our ride here."

"Uh-huh. And you're Mahpiya Tho."

"I am?" Kid asked. "How do you know?"

"Eyota and Magaskawee told me that Mahpiya Tho is the one who makes my heart sing with joy," Lou said shyly, the blush returning to her cheeks. Seeing her reaction to the healer's words prompted Kid to scoot around the basket and pull Lou into his arms.

With Lou safely snuggled on his lap and his arms wrapped around her, he said softly, "Oh, is that what I do to you? What else did she say about us?"

Her body started to tingle at his closeness, causing her breathing to become slightly erratic. Gazing into his darkening azure eyes, Lou whispered, "She told me you would come for me because you always come for me. That together we will find happiness from our sadness. That….that… Do you know what Shappa and Mahpiya Tho mean?" She could see the desire clouding the blue eyes staring into her brown orbs, causing her to lose her train of thought.

His lips moved closer to hers, causing a hitch in her breath. Pausing a breath away from her, Kid said, "Huh-uh, tell me? Tell me what they mean?" He turned his head slightly, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. Another one followed as his lips moved closer to her ear. "Tell me what our names mean, Louise."

Breathless from his proximity, she whispered, "Shappa means red thunder." His lips continued to trail hot kisses along her jaw, causing Lou to drop her head onto his shoulder, allowing him easier access to the sensitive skin along her neck.

"That seems appropriate. And what does my name mean?" he murmured between kisses. His hand started slowly running along the length of her spine, softly pulling her closer to him as he kissed her.

"It means...it means…" she struggled to speak under his tender kisses. She had missed him so much over the last week and a half, that now that he was here, she wasn't sure she wanted to spend the rest of the night talking. In fact, talking was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. Sliding her hands along his chest, she started unbuttoning the front of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin under her palms.

Stilling her hands at his chest, Kid pulled his lips away from her neck, gently guiding her to look at him. Holding her hands in one of his larger ones, he gently grazed his knuckles along her jaw urging her to finish telling him of Eyota's vision. "What does Mahpiya Tho mean, Lou?" he asked her softly.

Focusing on his blue eyes, Lou replied, "It means blue sky, just like your eyes." She tried to remove her hands from his so she could touch him again, but he tightened his grip on her wrists slightly, his other arm snaking around her and pulling her closer to him.

Staring into her chocolatey depths, he knew she wanted him. The way she kept looking at his mouth told him she wanted desperately for him to kiss her. But somehow, he knew there was more to this story than she was sharing with him. "Anything else she told you, Louise?" he whispered in her ear, trailing the tip of his tongue along her lobe. Beneath his hands, her skin pebbled and she shivered slightly. Kid drew back one more time, holding her slightly away from him as he softly asked again, "What else did she say?"

Closing her eyes, Lou whispered, "Together they create weayaya," as a tear slid from her eye. Kid brushed the droplet away, leaving a kiss behind to mark its trail. She didn't want to tell him like this, but somehow she knew that he knew she was hiding something from him.

"What's weayaya? Can you tell me?" he asked, his hand releasing her wrists and sliding up and down her back. His roaming fingers soon found the ties at her shoulder. Pulling them gently, they soon fell apart, exposing her soft skin hidden beneath her deerskin dress. Kid slowly traced her collarbone with his thumb, feeling her pulse speed up as he touched her. Replacing his thumb with his lips, he began kissing the skin along her shoulder, slowly pulling the garment from her. Reaching up behind her, Kid soon found the edge of her dress. Skimming his fingers lightly along her neck before curling his hands over her shoulders, he pulled her closer to him as he drew the hide garment down her body.

He could barely hear the word, "sunset" whispered into his shoulder before she lifted herself up and shifted to straddle his hips. Her bare limbs came around his neck as she clung desperately to him, his lips pressing kisses to her injured shoulder. Taking her hand in his, he placed it back on his shirt front, encouraging her to finish where she left off. Pulling away slightly so she could see in the dim firelight, Lou quickly set to work on his buttons pulling the blue garment from his pants before sliding it off his bare shoulders. The thought of never being able to do this with him again, never feeling his arms around her again, brought tears to her eyes as thoughts of tomorrow snuck into her mind. She watched as Kid pulled his arms from his shirt, flinging the garment aside before wrapping his arms around her bare torso. Looking in her eyes, he noticed the tears forming there. She held his gaze for a moment before she buried her face in his shoulder, allowing the tears to roll down her cheeks.

Smoothing his palms over her bare skin, Kid whispered, "Shhh, Lou. It's alright."

"No, it's not," she said from his shoulder. "Eyota was right," Lou said, pulling back to look at him again. She knew she had to tell him everything, even if she kept the one tiny thing to herself for now. "She said we would create the most beautiful sunset together and that I would weep tears of joy because of it."

She was speaking cryptically again and it was confusing Kid. He furrowed his brow as he tried to understand what she was talking about. "I don't understand," he said softly, watching her eyes cloud with sadness.

"Eyota's vision. Everything she told me has come true, even things I didn"t think were possible. And now, if I marry Matoskah tomorrow, it will….I can't do it. I know I said I would, but I can't."

"I don't want you to marry him tomorrow. I wish it was me. I want you to marry me tomorrow, Lou."

"I do too," she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks. "I can't do any of this without you. I won't give you up. I won't do that to you."

"Then don't. We can fight this together," Kid reassured her.

"Kid, I want our sunset. I want all of them, like she told me," Lou pleaded with him. She knew she was speaking in riddles right now, but she also knew that this was the only way she could tell him until she was sure of her condition.

A smile lit up his face as he heard her pleading with him for his help. Kid knew that together they could face anything, and this unwanted marriage tomorrow to some brave was just one more obstacle for them to face. "As long as we're together, we can do this, Lou," he reassured her.

"We can, can't we?" she agreed. Smiling, she added teasingly, "You know, if all else fails, I could always tell Sitting Bull that I'm with child."

The look of shock that appeared on Kid's face, brought Lou back to reality in a heartbeat. "Why would you tell him that?" he asked softly.

"Well, it's not like we haven't done things that could lead to that, have we?" she asked cautiously. She was walking a fine line here and she knew she needed to be careful. "Besides, he won't know if it's true or not. Maybe if Matoskah thinks I'm compromised he won't want me anymore," she said rather flatly.

"But why would you say something like that? You scared me for a minute there," Kid said, relaxing once again and trying to pull her back into his arms.

Pressing her hands against his chest, she stiffened her back, doing her best to push herself away from him. "Why would you be scared? I thought you wanted all that," she said, her ire growing.

"God, Lou, I do. That just came out wrong. You startled me when you said that. I would bet whenever you tell me we're going to be parents, I'll probably be surprised," he tried to explain. A weak smile was her only response as worry clouded her eyes. She allowed him to kiss her once again before she pushed him away again, her brow creased with suspicion. "Lou, I can't wait until you share that news with me. But we're not even married yet."

"Yeah, I know. You think babies can't happen without marriage vows?" she asked incredulously.

"No, I know they can. I just...Why are we even arguing about this? It doesn't matter right now, does it?" Lou crossed her arms over the front of her slipping dress, and shrugged her shoulders without giving a response. He watched her carefully, wondering why she was getting so upset about this. "Well, does it?"

"I don't know," she said softly back.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his tone softening from her noncommittal response.

She turned her nervous eyes to meet his probing blue eyes, her brows pinched together slightly and raised, pleading with him not to ask her the question that was probably foremost in his mind. "Lou?" he asked again, watching her look away from him.

Dropping her eyes to her lap, she whispered, "I don't know."

There was a long moment of contemplative silence as Kid thought about what she was saying. He wanted to know, he needed to know if she was really concerned about the possibility of there being a child. She sat on his lap, silently trying to avoid his gaze while he kept his blue eyes fixed on her form. He watched as she tried to hold the front of her deerskin dress over her breasts while keeping her eyes focused on the space between them. "Lou," he began, his lips forming a small smile at the thought of a tiny version of her cradled in his arms. "Is it possible?" he murmured, fastening his hands securely around her waist. His fingers longed to skim over the soft planes of her back, but he needed her to talk to him right now, not get distracted by his caresses.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to steady her nerves. She could get out of her predicament, avoid telling him about their baby, and tell him about her greatest fear that was a result of her encounter with Wicks all those years ago. "No...I don't know...No," she finally sputtered out, not sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. She knew she had to explain before he got the wrong idea. "I don't know if it will ever be possible," she whispered before a fresh round of tears began anew. This time, when he tried to hold her close to him, she didn't resist. Wrapping her arms limply around his bare torso, Lou buried her face into his shoulder.

Kid continued to stroke his hands up and down the bare skin of her back as she cried into his shoulder. He tried to understand what she was telling him. The sinking feeling in his stomach told him he knew exactly what she was saying. She didn't think she could have children. The thought should have filled him with sadness, and on some level it did. But surprisingly, he was more concerned about the woman in his arms than any children they may or may not have some day. "Lou, how do you know?"

Sniffling, she leaned back to look at him before she started sharing the rest of what happened following Wicks' attack. "It was a few weeks after I got away from the...from...you know," she began. Kid nodded his head to let her know he understood what she was talking about. "I was staying with this woman in St Louis. Charlotte told me to find her, that she would help me and so after I left, I tracked her down. I ended up staying there about a month before I decided I had to move on. Anyway, about two weeks after I got there, I woke up in the middle of the night with horrible pains in my stomach. When I tried to get up, I noticed the blood everywhere. I tried to hide it from the woman I was staying with, but she insisted on calling the doctor. He told me it was probably a result of what happened, but told the woman I had probably lost the child I might have been carrying. She didn't see any reason to keep that from me but the doctor disagreed since I was only fourteen. As horrible as it sounds, I was actually relieved that it was gone. I wouldn't have a constant reminder of that night. But my courses were always few and far between after that."

"And have they stayed that way even still?" he asked her softly.

"They did for a while, but once I joined the express, they were coming every month like clockwork. But now…"

"But now, what?" he prompted, trying to get her to finish her statement.

"Now, they're late again. It's been weeks since they've come. Magaskawee told me not eating well and working too hard can affect them. But, I haven't been doing anything differently since I joined. And then...Eyota told me…" she stopped again, afraid to continue.

"What did Eyota tell you?" he asked soothingly.

"In her vision, she told me we would have many children," she blurted out. Wringing her hands together between them, she added, "I know it's probably nothing but the stress of being on the long run and getting shot and hitting my head and being stuck here, but I can't help but hope that she's right."

Kid smiled brightly at her words of hope. "Well, whatever happens, happens, right? We can hope that Eyota is right and see what the next few weeks or months brings. Lou, whenever it happens, if it happens, please know that I want to be by your side for all of it. In the meantime, let's just wait and see."

"Are you sure you're not mad?" she asked, turning her watery eyes to his.

He held her face in his hands, looking into her sad eyes saying, "Why would I be mad? Alright, maybe I'm still mad at Wicks, but I don't think I'll ever not hate him for what he did to you when you were still a girl. But the rest of this, never. I love you and whatever comes after, as long as we're together we can handle it."

"Alright."

"Besides," he added, smiling at her again, "we have more immediate things to worry about. Like tomorrow."

"I guess."

"You're not gonna start telling me you're gonna go through with this marriage tomorrow, are you?"

"No."

"Good. Because I'm not leaving here without you."

"Me, neither."

"So, do you think supper's ready yet? Or should I distract you for a while longer?" Kid said with a suggestive leer.

"I can go check on it, but you'll need to fasten the ties on my dress for me first," she told him, shaking her head and suppressing a laugh at his obvious suggestion.

Kid brought the back of her dress back up, carefully tying the ties on her good shoulder. When he moved to the other side, he finally was able to see the angry red mark along her shoulder joint where the bullet had grazed her. While the skin had begun to heal, it was still sensitive and sore. He placed soft kisses along the bullet's path before bringing the leather strips together and tying them off. "How does your shoulder feel?"

Wiggling it around slightly, Lou replied, "It's still sore, and my arm's a bit weak, but Eyota has told me I can use it again. I just need to stop if it hurts too much. We went swimming in the creek today and that really felt good on my shoulder."

"I guess that means we'll have to go to the pond more often then, once we get home, so we can move your shoulder more," he suggested, a twinkle in his eye at the thought of having her alone at their favorite spot.

"I thought the same thing," she said, pressing her hands on his shoulders as she tried to push herself off his lap. Kid placed his hand on her waist, offering her assistance as she moved to stand. Lou had just regained her feet when the room started swimming, causing her to stagger. Pressing her hand to her head, she reached out to steady herself on his shoulder. Strong hands were around her waist in an instant as Kid noticed her about to topple over.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laden with concern.

Lou stood with her eyes closed, grasping his shoulder with one hand while placing her other hand on her stomach. With the dizziness came the increasingly familiar nausea, and Lou was determined not to get sick again. Slowly inhaling through her nose and out through her mouth a few times seemed to calm her, allowing her to whisper, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just give me a minute." She could feel movement beside her as Kid stood from where he had been sitting, placing his hand on her lower back.

"Does your head hurt?"

"No. In fact, aside from when I first woke up, it hasn't hurt since. This dizziness and nausea though, I can't seem to get rid of," Lou explained. The room no longer spinning, she walked over to where a bucket of water sat and leaned over to take a drink of the cool liquid. The water felt soothing as it slipped down her throat, calming her stomach from the nausea. Lou dropped the dipper back into the bucket turning to see how their supper was coming. Moving closer to the fire, she carefully stirred the simmering stew, thankful that the aroma was not sending her running from the tipi.

Kid watched her curiously from where he stood by the side of the tipi. She seemed much sicker than she would admit, and his worry was growing. "It seems to be worse when I haven't eaten," she said from her spot by the fire. He watched her as she stood once again and walked over to where he now stood. She went to put her arms around him but stopped as she caught him staring at her with a strange look on his face. "Something troublin' you, Kid?" she asked, placing herself directly in front of him.

Shaking his head, he said, "Nah, just thinkin."

"Thinkin' about what?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter," he said dismissively, telling himself he would keep an eye on her over the next few weeks and try to take extra care of her once they got back to Rock Creek. "Come here," he said, opening his arms inviting her in. Lou quickly snuggled against his bare chest, slipping her arms around his body. With her head resting against his chest she could hear his heart beating just beneath her ear. The soothing sound lulled her body, relaxing into the warm arms around her.

"Can we just forget about tomorrow?" she asked softly, her breath tickling his chest slightly.

"We can do whatever you want tonight," was the low reply. Kid strummed his fingers gently along her spine, pausing to play with the soft curls along the nape of her neck. He continued to draw small circles along her hair line as the motion caused the skin beneath his hands to pebble in response.

"I want to enjoy the time we have left before tomorrow," Lou said, turning her doe eyes up to meet deep blue ones.

Kid stilled his hand, gazing into the beautiful face looking back at him. Brushing his knuckles along her soft cheek, he lowered his lips to lightly brush against her waiting mouth. The moment their lips met, Lou felt herself melting into his strong frame. His hands roamed across her back moving lower across the roundness of her bottom, pulling her closer to him. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth, seeking admission to her soft depths. Angling her head to the side, Lou opened her lips allowing his tongue to fuse with her own.

Her hunger for food forgotten, she gave in to the gnawing desire that had been growing in the pit of her belly all day. She wrapped her slim arms around his bare torso, urging him to hold her close to him. Their kisses grew frantic, Lou's hands reaching beneath the waistband of his trousers, skimming her fingertips along his skin. His hands were roaming along the dress she wore, finally reaching the bottom edge and sliding underneath to run his palms along her strong legs. "Kid, the ties," she whimpered as he gently kneaded the round globe of her bottom.

Through the haze of desire, Kid finally realized what she was talking about. Sliding his hands along the hide dress she wore, his fingers quickly pulled at the leather ties holding the garment on her body. Breaking their kiss, Lou stepped back, allowing the dress to slide down her body and puddle around her feet on the floor. The sight of her lithe body glowing in the soft firelight took his breath away. Closing the distance between them, Kid whispered, "You're so beautiful," before reaching down to cradle her in his arms. With her arms looped around his neck, Lou pulled his mouth closer to her own, her lips fusing with his. She was barely aware of him moving across the tipi until he reached the pallet she had been sleeping on since she had arrived. He gently lowered her feet to the soft fur, her bare body sliding along his chest as he brought her back into his arms. Kissing her deeply, Kid began trailing slow, demanding kisses along her jaw. His lips closed around her sensitive lobe, gently sucking on the soft skin. Kid smiled as he felt goosebumps pepper her normally smooth skin. Dipping his lips lower, he continued pressing soft kisses along the smooth column of her neck.

Lou breathed a sigh as her knees grew weak under his kisses. His hands were running over her back, as his lips continued their journey along her collarbone, dipping lower still until she felt his hot breath on her nipple. Raking her hands through his sandy waves, she moaned as his tongue gently flicked her sensitive nub a moment before his lips closed around the soft flesh. With every kiss, the fire in her lower belly was rapidly becoming an inferno. As he teased her breasts with his mouth, Lou realized he was slowly lowering her to the buffalo fur she had been standing on. As her bare skin came in contact with the plush fur, her thighs parted allowing the man she loved with her whole being to settle between them. His hands roamed along her sides, gently squeezing her breasts as he brought his lips back to join hers. "I love you," he whispered breathlessly, pulling away to gaze into her luminous chocolate orbs.

"I love you, too," she whispered back as tears started to trace a path across her cheeks. Lying beneath him, wrapped in his arms, Lou knew she could never belong to anyone else as long as she lived. "Love me, Kid," she whispered, "Love me as your wife."

Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, Kid slowly withdrew from her embrace. Kneeling between her legs, he quickly removed his belt and unbuttoned his pants. Lou sat up, reaching out to help him out of his remaining clothing. Slipping her hands beneath the loosened waist of his trousers and long johns, she slid the garments over his strong bottom. Allowing her hands to roam over his legs, she kept her eyes locked on his deep blues ones. She could see his desire for her burning in his eyes as he slowly eased her back onto the soft pallet, pressing his now bare body against her own. The feel of his skin against hers and the familiar weight of him above her made her tremble in his arms, bringing tears to her eyes. His hand skimmed along the outside of her thigh, gently pulling at the bend of her knee, encouraging her to open herself to his touch. Never taking his eyes off hers, he watched her as his fingers grazed the sensitive skin along the inside of her thigh. Shifting slightly to one side, he continued stroking along her strong thigh, gradually getting closer to the damp curls nestled at her apex.

Lou blinked back the tears that gently fell from her eyes as Kid's gently probing fingers began stroking the damp curls and the hidden folds within. She could feel the moisture pooling in her core as he finally touched her most sensitive places. Her breathing was becoming labored as his fingers slid between her silken folds. Lou closed her eyes as he began massaging the tiny nub at the top of her sex. "Don't close your eyes, Lou. Let me watch you," Kid pleaded with her. Fluttering her lashes, Lou obeyed his request, locking her chocolate eyes with his azure ones. She saw her love reflected back at her as he dipped first one and then two fingers into her core. Deep inside her, he gently rubbed small circles in her core, feeling her muscles quivering around him. Gently sliding them out, he watched her eyes as he glided them back inside. Her walls were gently contracting around his fingers and he knew she was close to her release.

The sensations coursing through her body were becoming overwhelming and Lou could feel her release coming. She was breathing much heavier as he continued to gently stroke her womanly sheath. Not wanting to fall over the edge without him, she pleaded, "Kid, please."

Understanding her need for all of him, his fingers slowly withdrew from her. He shifted slightly until he was once again positioned between her thighs. Sliding his engorged member between her outer folds, Kid could feel his shaft growing slick with her arousal. Moving an arm beneath her neck, he lowered his lips to claim her mouth. Their tongues twisting and stroking each other, he continued to slide between her lips. Pulling his face back so he could watch her, Kid ran his free hand slowly down the length of her body, gently skimming her ribs and pulling her other knee up to cradle his hips. Locking his eyes on hers, he raised his hips up and gently pushed his arousal into her sheath, pausing for a moment to gain some control over his body. As he entered her, he watched as another tear rolled down her cheek. Kissing it away, he whispered her name as he slowly started to move within her womanly depths.

Lou thought she was going to explode as he finally slid his length into her core. Every inch of her skin felt like it was on fire and the tightening in her belly was threatening to completely consume her. As Kid began to move within her she kept her eyes open and locked on his. She could see the blue of his eyes darkening as he claimed her as his own over and over again. He moved slowly at first, making tender love to her with his entire body. But as her breathing became more labored and her back began to arch beneath him, he knew she was getting close. Soon her hips were moving in rhythm with his as she met each of his thrusts with her own. Pulling her knees further up, Lou pulled him deeper within her until he was completely buried inside her. Taking him deep within her body, she continued moving with him, the sensation within her core building with each stroke. As he plunged into her over and over again, Lou felt her body falling apart around him. Crying out her pleasure, she lost all control over her inner muscles as they contracted around him bringing him over the edge with her.

The feeling of her wet sheath enveloping him was rapidly overwhelming Kid. He prayed that she would reach her peak with him, but she felt so good beneath him and around him that he wasn't sure he would last that long. Plunging within her one last time, he felt her walls contracting around him in her release, pushing him over the edge as well. Moving within her over and over again, his seed erupted into her welcoming body as he relished the feel of her everywhere they touched.

Kid leaned his forehead down until it was resting on hers. Closing his eyes for a moment, he breathed in the sensation of this woman he loved completely nestled within his arms. She smelled like wildflowers and sunshine and unmistakably Lou and he wanted to hold her like this forever. Pressing tender kisses to her forehead, cheeks, and finally her lips, he opened his eyes once again to find her lashes fluttering against her flushed cheeks.

Lou felt like someone had removed her spine along with every bone in her body as she lay panting beneath Kid. Unable to keep her eyes open anymore, she lowered her lids as she fought to catch her breath. Laying there in the afterglow of their love, she rolled her head gently to the side as plush lips pressed kisses along her face, ending with a gentle kiss on her lips. His face inches from her own, she felt the cool night air rushing over them, causing her to glance over to the tipi entrance. Dragging her nails along the strong back beneath her fingers, she saw the flap drop closed as if someone had been watching them. "Kid," she whispered as she slid her feet along the sides of his legs until they were back on the floor. "I think someone's out there."

Looking down into her deep brown eyes, Kid asked, "What?"

"I think someone's out there," she repeated, nodding her head towards the tipi door.

"I don't care right now," he said, tearing his gaze away from the woman who had to become his wife. He glanced over where he saw the flap gently rippling in the breeze outside. "The chief promised us tonight and I intend to take full advantage of it," he said, dipping his head down to kiss her again. Rolling to lay beside her, Kid pulled her with him, not wanting to break the contact between them. Running his hand along her back, he smiled at her, suggesting, "You know, maybe if someone was there, they might report back to the chief. Then he would have to let you leave with me."

Snuggling closer, Lou said, "Maybe." She rested her hands on his chest as their legs entwined between them. Turning her eyes to meet his soft gaze, Lou added, "Whatever happens tomorrow, know that my heart will forever be yours." Her head lolled against his arm beneath her neck, as he tightened his hold around her pulling her lips to meet his.

"Nothing will happen tomorrow, Lou. I won't let you marry him. He can't have you."

"No, he can't." she agreed. "You know, I kind of like this possessive side of yours," she said with a smile.

Looking down at her, a lopsided smile spread across his face. "Really?" he asked, surprised since she usually just got mad if she thought he was telling her what to do. "You're not mad at me?" She furrowed her brow at the suggestion that she would be upset with him. "If I said something like that a few months ago, we would've ended up fighting."

"You're probably right," she said with a laugh. "You know me well enough for that."

"I sure do."

"But things are different now. I know you're not ordering me around out of some sense of duty."

"I'm not?" he teased with a twinkle in his eye.

"No, you're not. Besides, and I will never admit this around the bunkhouse, but I kinda like it when you take care of me," she said shyly.

"You do?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice. Kid couldn't believe some of the things she was saying to him tonight. This was a whole new side of Lou and he wasn't quite sure what to do with all this information.

"I feel safe with you and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

"Not intentionally," he agreed, knowing that sometimes they said things when they were fighting that they didn't really mean. But since they got back together, even their arguments were different. They shared more and yelled less. "What is that delicious smell?" Kid asked as his senses were assaulted with the smells of cooking food.

As if on cue, Lou's stomach gave a loud rumble causing the pair to laugh. "We really should eat now. Supper should be ready," Lou said sitting up. She felt a wave of nausea hit her as she left Kid's warm arms. Taking a few deep breaths, she managed to remain calm until it passed, but she knew it was only a matter of time until it returned. Glancing around the tipi, she saw Kid's blue shirt and rose from their pallet to retrieve it. Slipping it over her shoulders she fastened two buttons over her breasts before moving over to check on her stew. Thankfully, the aroma of her concoction only made her mouth water in hunger and didn't send her running for the woods. "Kid, can you go get those bowls we left out by the fire?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

Reaching for his pants, Kid pulled them on and headed towards the door. Disappearing through the tipi flap, he quickly reappeared handing the two hollowed out gourds to Lou. He found her kneeling by the simmering pot hanging over the hot coals, her hand slipping beneath his blue shirt to gently massage her stomach. Looking down at where her hand was resting, he asked, "Hungry?"

Lou was lost in her thoughts of their child, her wedding tomorrow and her overwhelming fear of losing Kid as a result of that dreaded event. Although she had asked him to retrieve the bowls for their supper, he still startled her out of her reverie when he spoke to her. Yanking her hand off the spot where their child lay, she turned to reach for the requested dishes. Dipping the bowls into the warm soup, she handed both to his waiting hands. Rising from her spot by the fire, Lou soon settled back on the fur and faced the man she wished she was marrying in the morning..

Since they didn't have spoons, they were left to sip the warm broth directly from the bowl. As Lou brought the fragrant stew to her lips, she carefully watched the sandy-haired man sitting across from her as he mirrored her actions. She was anxious to discover what he thought of her actual cooking. The broth was soothing her delicate stomach and Lou was hopeful that her meal shouldn't make a reappearance later tonight. She took another sip of her meal, peering over the edge of the gourd at Kid and was slightly startled to find his bright blue eyes shining back at her. Grinning broadly, he said, "You know, I could've kept this a secret, too." He was teasing her, she thought, unable to suppress her own smile. Closing her eyes as a small laugh escaped her lips, she looked back up to watch him hungrily finishing the rest of his meal. Bringing the bowl to rest in his lap, he asked, "Can I have more?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Lou said, "Sure. Cody's not here so you can have as much as you want."

Rising from their soft pallet, Kid walked over to where the pot was still suspended over the glowing embers of the fire. "You want me to get you some?" he asked before dipping his bowl into the pot for his second helping.

"No. I have enough here," she replied, slowly chewing the potato in her mouth. She took another bite, this time getting a piece of the formerly dried buffalo meat. The texture of the sinuous bite was causing her to regret putting it into her mouth. Slowly moving it around her mouth as she tried to chew the stringy morsel, Lou watched Kid resume his seat across from her. He was studying her with that same suspicious look she kept finding on his face when her nausea would act up.

"Lou," he asked, "Are you alright? You don't look so good." He watched as her eyes narrowed slightly before closing as she tried to breathe through her nose.

Dropping the bowl on the floor, Lou bolted up and out of the tipi, running around into the dark trees to spit the offending piece of meat from her mouth. Despite her state of undress, she leaned back against a tree, closing her eyes as the waves of nausea finally subsided. Placing her hand on her stomach, she said a silent prayer up to the stars that all would be well. Having regained her composure, she started walking back to the village. She was nearing the edge of the tipi, when she saw the shadow of a man lumbering around the path she was following. Realizing she had run out of her temporary home in just Kid's shirt, and barely buttoned at that, Lou grew nervous. With no moon tonight, it was extremely dark out this evening, making it difficult for her to identify who was waiting for her. Creeping closer to the tipi, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the outline was of someone very familiar to her. "Kid, you scared me," she whispered when she caught up to him.

"I got worried when you didn't come back right away. I thought maybe one of those braves carried you off with him," he grinned, half hiding his fear that she had actually been taken. "Did you get sick again?" he asked, growing more serious and placing his arm around her shoulders.

Shaking her head, Lou snuggled into his side, saying, "No. But I should know better by now to eat buffalo meat. I really don't like it. But it seems to be all they have around here."

"Well," he started, "We'll just have to get you something better to eat once we get home, or at least get out of here." Holding the flap open for her, he waited for her to slip inside the tipi before he followed her into its darkened interior.

Once inside, Lou returned to her half-eaten bowl of soup and began fishing out any bits of buffalo meat she found in there. Satisfied that she had removed the offending meat, she began slowly eating once again. Kid sat down across from her, taking in her disheveled appearance. Her dark hair was struggling to stay in the plaits that had been so expertly woven together. His shirt was hanging from her shoulders, slightly askew, exposing her collarbone and the mark left from the bullet that had grazed her just over a week ago. She sat with her bare legs crossed, his shirt dipping in the well formed by her thighs. Bringing the bowl to her lips, Kid watched as she sipped the broth before slipping a vegetable into her mouth. Her eyes were glowing over the bowl as the light from the fire reflected off their chocolatey depths. He leaned over to his side, propping himself up on one elbow so he could continue to watch her as she ate. Unable to resist the pull of her bare skin, he slowly ran his palm along her thigh. He was happy they had this time together away from the rest of the boys, despite what loomed ahead of them on the morrow.

Finishing her supper, she said, "Are you gonna tell the boys about this?" She reached beside her to place the bowl next to her bed, grabbing Kid's bowl to add to it. She would need to wash them in the morning, since another trip to the creek at this time of night was probably unwise. There was no telling what might lay on the path between the village and the creek and she had no intention of finding out.

"Tell them about what?" he asked, placing a soft kiss on her creamy thigh.

"That I can cook?" she reminded him.

Glancing up at her, Kid said, "No. I kinda like having some secrets from them. You know, I never told them how I first discovered that you were a girl."

"Why would they care once they found out I was a girl?"

"Oh, believe me, they care. They've been very persistent in trying to figure that one out," he said with a laugh, thinking back to all the times one or more of their fellow riders would try to get him to let it slip how he found out.

"Still?" she asked, thinking it was pretty stupid to be so interested in that.

"Still." he replied. "Honestly, it's become sort of a contest to see who can hold out the longest, and I have no intention of ever telling them," he added, placing another kiss along her leg. "And as for your cooking, I think I'll just wait until they figure that one out too."

"I wonder when that will be," Lou said, reaching up to pull the leather ties from her hair. Carefully, her nimble fingers pulled her hair from the plaits, gently massaging her scalp once her hair had been freed.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah. They were starting to itch," she explained. "I haven't had my hair in braids since I left the brothel. I cut them off shortly after that. Pretty soon, I guess I'll be able to let my hair grow again."

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes. I guess I've gotten used to it, but lately, yeah," she said, reaching up to play with the ends of her hair. "I wish it was longer."

"Someday it will be," he replied. He watched as she tried to stifle a yawn before her eyes slowly closed. "You look tired, Lou," he said.

"I am tired. I feel like all I've done while I've been here is sleep, but I've been so tired lately," she said, laying back against the fur. Her eyes closed, she could feel Kid moving closer to her body, nuzzling her hair with his nose and wrapping an arm around her body.

"We can go to sleep if you want," Kid murmured near her ear.

"Mmmm, sleep sounds nice," she mumbled as her body relaxed against his. Lou moved her fingers to the buttons along the front of the shirt she wore, slowly unbuttoning the garment. Pushing herself up slightly, she stripped the garment from her body before laying back down and curling into Kid's welcoming embrace. Reaching around she tried to find the blanket to pull it up over her naked body. Figuring out what she was trying to do, Kid sat up and, finding the blanket near her feet, pulled it up over the two of them before laying back down. Running his hand along her bare back, he kissed her forehead,whispering, "Good night, Lou. I love you."

"G'night, Kid," she whispered. "I love you, too." Flinging her arm over his waist, she realized he was still wearing his pants. Reaching between them, she began fumbling with the buttons on his pants, telling him, "Kid, take these off."

With her drowsy help, Kid shucked his pants, eliciting a chuckle when he felt her small hand resting on his bottom as she whispered, "That's better." Kissing her once again, he drifted off to sleep, content to have Lou sleeping in his arms, hopefully not for the last time.