Title: Aftershocks
Author: Cindy Ryan
Notes: See part one
Furious Lou slammed the butt of her gun into the deputy's skull sending him crashing to the ground.
She should've knocked him out first but there was no time for regrets now.
Firing off a few shots Lou crossed the street and ducked behind a pile of barrels.
*********
"Nobody else needs to get hurt here, Wilcox."Teaspoon shouted. "Tell your men to lower their weapons."
"Only if Hickok surrenders."
"That's not going to happen and you know it."Teaspoon countered as he moved a few feet closer.
Cody leveled his rifle and took out a deputy that was about to shoot Buck.
Buck nodded his thanks and continued his way up the street moving from cover to cover.
********
Kid finally maneuvered his way to where Wilcox was. Buck from his position across the street shot the deputy blocking Kid's path. Wilcox turned at the sound but wasn't fast enough.
Kid knocked the gun out of the Marshal's hand.
Wilcox instantly reached down for his weapon but Teaspoon shot it out of the way the bullet missing Wilcox's fingers by inches.
The gunfire stopped.
It was over.
"You all will be facing serious charges for this."Wilcox sneered."Freeing a criminal, assaulting a lawman doing his duty...."
"No they won't."Thompson stated as he moved from the nearby shelter of the bank.
Wilcox whirled to face the judge eyes blazing. "They interfered with a hanging."
Thompson shook his head as he met Lou's gaze as she approached. "They were protecting an innocent man. Myers shot Ms. McCloud. All Mr. Hickok did was defend himself and his friend. No other charges will be brought all prior charges are dismissed. Mr. Hickok you have my apologies."
Lou smiled. "Thank you, Your Honor."
Thompson nodded.
Wilcox sputtered. "You can't just end this. They willfully endangered my men."
Thompson shook his head."If anyone did that it's you, Marshal. I suggest if you wish to keep your star you'll leave Rock Creek as soon as possible."
Wilcox glared at Jimmy as he replied. "Gladly."
"Lou, you need to rest."Rachel ordered gently as she watched Lou worriedly.
"I'm fine, Rachel."Lou assured her but as she walked toward Kid she stumbled.
Kid instantly reached out to steady his fiance. "Come on, Lou. I'll take you home."
Cody came up behind Jimmy slapping him on the right shoulder a wide smile on his face. "Since you're a free man now, Jimmy, you can take my runs for the next week."
Jimmy smiled. "Keep dreamin' Cody."
Teaspoon chuckled. " 'Fraid Jimmy's right, Cody. With all the distractions of late chores have fallen behind. So if Jimmy's takin' your runs, Cody, there's still plenty of work to do."
Cody shook his head. "No thanks, Teaspoon. In fact I'll take the next run."
*********
Jimmy stood just inside the spare bedroom of Rachel's home the next day. It was early and Lou was still asleep buried under the quilts. Kid was out on a Run.
Jimmy took off his hat and turned it over in his hands as he studied Lou. Her color had returned but Doc Miller had still ordered her to rest most of the day.
Maybe just maybe his luck was turning Jimmy thought as he quietly pulled a chair over to the bed. By some miracle Lou was going to make a full recovery. Plus he was a free man.
"Jimmy?"Lou asked quietly as she sat up. "What time is it?"
Jimmy smiled. "Early. I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't."Lou replied. "I sleep too much anyway."
Jimmy met her gaze. "You need your rest."
Lou reached out and touched his right hand. "You're not leaving, are you?"
Jimmy shook his head a smile reaching his eyes for the first time in weeks. "No."
"Jimmy."
"Yeah?"
"Do me a favor."
"Anything."
"Talk to Kid when he gets back."
Jimmy ducked his head briefly. "Lou...."
"You two used to be friends. Good friends."
"That's in the past, Lou. Too much has happened."
Lou shook her head. "I don't believe that."
Jimmy met her gaze. "I'll try, but I can't promise any miracles."
Author: Cindy Ryan
Notes: See part one
Furious Lou slammed the butt of her gun into the deputy's skull sending him crashing to the ground.
She should've knocked him out first but there was no time for regrets now.
Firing off a few shots Lou crossed the street and ducked behind a pile of barrels.
*********
"Nobody else needs to get hurt here, Wilcox."Teaspoon shouted. "Tell your men to lower their weapons."
"Only if Hickok surrenders."
"That's not going to happen and you know it."Teaspoon countered as he moved a few feet closer.
Cody leveled his rifle and took out a deputy that was about to shoot Buck.
Buck nodded his thanks and continued his way up the street moving from cover to cover.
********
Kid finally maneuvered his way to where Wilcox was. Buck from his position across the street shot the deputy blocking Kid's path. Wilcox turned at the sound but wasn't fast enough.
Kid knocked the gun out of the Marshal's hand.
Wilcox instantly reached down for his weapon but Teaspoon shot it out of the way the bullet missing Wilcox's fingers by inches.
The gunfire stopped.
It was over.
"You all will be facing serious charges for this."Wilcox sneered."Freeing a criminal, assaulting a lawman doing his duty...."
"No they won't."Thompson stated as he moved from the nearby shelter of the bank.
Wilcox whirled to face the judge eyes blazing. "They interfered with a hanging."
Thompson shook his head as he met Lou's gaze as she approached. "They were protecting an innocent man. Myers shot Ms. McCloud. All Mr. Hickok did was defend himself and his friend. No other charges will be brought all prior charges are dismissed. Mr. Hickok you have my apologies."
Lou smiled. "Thank you, Your Honor."
Thompson nodded.
Wilcox sputtered. "You can't just end this. They willfully endangered my men."
Thompson shook his head."If anyone did that it's you, Marshal. I suggest if you wish to keep your star you'll leave Rock Creek as soon as possible."
Wilcox glared at Jimmy as he replied. "Gladly."
"Lou, you need to rest."Rachel ordered gently as she watched Lou worriedly.
"I'm fine, Rachel."Lou assured her but as she walked toward Kid she stumbled.
Kid instantly reached out to steady his fiance. "Come on, Lou. I'll take you home."
Cody came up behind Jimmy slapping him on the right shoulder a wide smile on his face. "Since you're a free man now, Jimmy, you can take my runs for the next week."
Jimmy smiled. "Keep dreamin' Cody."
Teaspoon chuckled. " 'Fraid Jimmy's right, Cody. With all the distractions of late chores have fallen behind. So if Jimmy's takin' your runs, Cody, there's still plenty of work to do."
Cody shook his head. "No thanks, Teaspoon. In fact I'll take the next run."
*********
Jimmy stood just inside the spare bedroom of Rachel's home the next day. It was early and Lou was still asleep buried under the quilts. Kid was out on a Run.
Jimmy took off his hat and turned it over in his hands as he studied Lou. Her color had returned but Doc Miller had still ordered her to rest most of the day.
Maybe just maybe his luck was turning Jimmy thought as he quietly pulled a chair over to the bed. By some miracle Lou was going to make a full recovery. Plus he was a free man.
"Jimmy?"Lou asked quietly as she sat up. "What time is it?"
Jimmy smiled. "Early. I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't."Lou replied. "I sleep too much anyway."
Jimmy met her gaze. "You need your rest."
Lou reached out and touched his right hand. "You're not leaving, are you?"
Jimmy shook his head a smile reaching his eyes for the first time in weeks. "No."
"Jimmy."
"Yeah?"
"Do me a favor."
"Anything."
"Talk to Kid when he gets back."
Jimmy ducked his head briefly. "Lou...."
"You two used to be friends. Good friends."
"That's in the past, Lou. Too much has happened."
Lou shook her head. "I don't believe that."
Jimmy met her gaze. "I'll try, but I can't promise any miracles."
