In their darkened bedroom on the upper floor of the house that night, Lou tossed restlessly as she tried to get back to sleep. The troubled thoughts rushing through her mind refused to be silent and she knew she would be up all night. She was still trying to make sense of it all—Jimmy's sudden arrival and the disturbing change in him that became apparent soon after. She had been waiting for the day when they would finally see him again, but she had never envisioned it like this. Not after all they had been through together when they rode for the Pony Express. Back then they had been a family, but now… now she just couldn't make sense of it. Rolling over to snuggle into Kid's arms, the one thing that usually settled her immediately, Lou unexpectedly found only a cold, empty space. Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked across the room to the rocking chair by the bay window and saw him there, silent and still, bathed in gray moonlight.

"Kid?" she called quietly, pushing her hair behind her slender shoulders. If he heard her, he did not respond. Lou slipped out of bed and approached him, her luminous white nightgown billowing softly as she walked. Careful not to startle him in case he had dozed off in the chair, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and tried again.

"Kid?"

Glazed eyes that had been staring at the window pane were alert once more at her touch, and he reached up to place his large, brown hand on hers.

"Hey," he replied softly, a faint smile on his lips. It faded almost as soon as it appeared however, causing Lou to frown slightly at Kid's apparent melancholy. She saw he was just as confused as she was.

"Couldn't sleep?" Lou placed herself carefully in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. His arms tightened instinctively around her, eager for the warmth, and they sat there a moment in silence. Lou could feel the rhythmic beat of his heart under her hand, and was comforted by it. Despite her unease over Jimmy, she felt better simply being near him, just knowing that he was there for her. Just as he was here to comfort her when she needed it, Lou knew when something was troubling her husband, even if she was unsure how to fix it.

"You're thinkin' about Jimmy too?" She waited for a reply, her free hand finding his own.

"I don't know, Lou... I feel like we don't even know him any more." Kid's voice was a harsh whisper, and he paused as he cleared his throat. "I kinda hoped that things could be the same as they used to be, but I guess that's never gonna happen."

"Too much has happened, Kid, and I think he hasn't told us the half of it." She raised her head to look into his dark blue eyes, his face dappled in shadows. "You're not takin' to heart what he said about workin' here, are you? He didn't mean it like that..."

"I guess."

"Maybe he just needs some time, you know?"

"Maybe."

"Kid, listen to me," she said seriously, holding his stare. "No matter what happens with Jimmy, we still have each other. We have Jamie and Adam and nothin's gonna change that."

"I know." He smiled at her, the rest was unspoken. He knew that the most important thing in his life was his wife and children and he never let anything get in the way of that.

Kid ran his hand down her cheek, the gold wedding band he wore flashing in the eerie, pale light. Once again he was reminded how lucky he was to have met someone like Lou. Despite their differences, despite all the obstacles that had stood in their way, in the end they had made it. He didn't know what he had done to deserve her, or their children, and he would never be able to take for granted this life they had together. He would never miss the thrill that ran up his spine when she kissed him, or the feeling that warmed his heart whenever she smiled at him—that special, intimate smile she saved only for him. Yes, he was lucky alright.

Lou now bent her face towards his, but before their lips met there was a commotion outside. She threw her husband a startled glance before they both rose quickly from the rocking chair, Kid grabbing an unlit lamp from the bedside while Lou wrapped a shawl around her shoulders.

The ruckus outside continued with the sound of broken glass and drunken singing that reverberated around the silent property. As they stepped from the porch of the ranch house Lou glanced back over her shoulder in the direction of the boys' window, hoping that they had not been wakened by the noise. She knew Teaspoon could sleep through just about anything these days, but as Kid held the lamp aloft they could make out Cholo standing in front of the bunkhouse, a light also in his hands.

In between the buildings was the slightly stumbling figure of Jimmy half-carrying a very drunk Tom Jenkins away from his horse. When they saw the Mexican's grave face watching them without a word, the two of them suppressed the urge to laugh, but tried to compose themselves as Kid and Lou approached from the other side of the yard.

"We're for it now," snorted Jimmy. "Here comes the boss."

Tom stared unseeing towards them before his expression hastily changed to one of a desperate man. Without warning he lurched away from Jimmy's supporting arm and only just made it to the side of the bunkhouse where he was violently sick. Jimmy could barely contain his mirth, especially when Lou fixed him with an accusing eye.

"I hope you're happy now, Jimmy," she said with disgust in her voice, before retrieving Tom and turning him over to Cholo. The old man ushered Jenkins inside the bunkhouse, unquestioning, leaving Lou to return to berating Jimmy for allowing this to happen. "What were you thinkin'? He's only a boy, Jimmy."

"Aw, come on, Lou. Louise. We was just havin' some fun. You probably don't even remember what that's like, bein' married to this one so long." Jimmy nodded towards Kid who was trying to control his temper.

"That's enough, Jimmy," he said quietly—dangerously so. "Maybe you'd better go sleep it off."

"Yes, boss! Anythin' you say, Kid."

Jimmy made a point of straightening his shirt front before he bent over deliberately slowly to pick up his hat from amongst the shattered glass of a whisky bottle. He walked into the bunkhouse with his head held high, stumbling only slightly on the bottom step. After the door had shut behind him, Kid lowered the lamp, and with it his unyielding expression.

"Maybe he just needs some time, huh?" he asked his wife, unable to hide the bitter tone in his voice.

"Maybe," replied Lou half-heartedly, but she didn't believe it any more. She tightened the shawl around her and followed Kid back into the house, knowing that dawn was only a few hours away, when they would have to decide what they would do with Jimmy.