In the corral, the Kid tightened his grasp on Katy's reign as the boys grinned with delight. The Paint was the only horse their father would let them ride, the only one he trusted not to buck or bolt. All too soon after they began their lesson they heard their mother's voice calling them in for lunch, and with sighs of disappointment they waited as their father lifted them down from Katy's back. Jamie and Adam ran towards the house. Kid tied his faithful horse to the corral post and ducked under the fence, and when he rose he saw Jimmy walking towards him. The Kid steeled himself for an argument or the bitter words that would no doubt pass between them. He stood waiting by the fence.

"Hey." Jimmy wandered up finally.

"Hey… How you feeling?"

"Better than I got any right to." He pressed his lips together in a grim smile, and leaned on the weathered wooden rail, staring out at the grazing horses. Kid followed suit and the two men stood side by side without speaking for several minutes. The uneasiness between them had somehow evaporated when Kid looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

"You did act like a jackass," he commented eventually, keeping his voice light.

"Yeah." This time Jimmy's smile was more pronounced. "I had some stuff to sort out. Guess it all came to a head comin' back to this old place. A lot of memories."

Kid squinted as he raised his face upwards, pushing the old hat from his head. "Don't s'pose the place would've made that much difference. Just as long as you saw her."

Jimmy's grip tightened around the fence as he averted his eyes. But the Kid was not angry, he spoke deliberately gently. He should've known Kid would guess, that he had probably known all along. He had known that Jimmy would come back principally to see Lou, he just hadn't reckoned it would take this long.

"Yeah," repeated Jimmy unnecessarily.

"Is everythin' sorted out?"

"It is now."

"Good."

"I guess you'll want me outta here first thing. I'll leave at dawn." Jimmy's arms fell to his sides and he took a step away. Kid glanced up quickly with a surprised expression written on his brown face.

"Who said anythin' about leavin'?"

"Under the circumstances, Kid, I thought that's what you'd want. I'm just kinda surprised you don't have a gun pointed at my head."

"You said everythin's sorted out, right?"

"Yeah."

"So why shouldn't you stay?" Kid did not smile, but his eyes danced. "You just got here after all."

Jimmy stared at him a moment and knew the invitation to be sincere. Although he wondered what it would be like just to turn away from his life now and settle down with a real family again, he doubted he could ever be content. For some reason, whatever that might be, it just wasn't in his make up.

"Thanks, but I gotta find my own place in the world, Kid. You an' Lou got yours…" Jimmy studied his hands with fierce determination, knowing deep down they were only good for one thing. He knew where his destiny lay—the wheels had been set in motion long ago when he strapped on his first gun. "I'm gonna take a job as marshal of Fort Hays and see if that ain't it. I don't belong here anymore… But I don't mind visitin'. S'pose it wouldn't hurt if I stayed a few days."

Jimmy had voiced his decision almost before he was through making it, but he was content with his choice. It was the way things were meant to be. He resumed his position on the fence beside his old friend, the new silence between them one of comfortable companionship. Neither Kid nor Jimmy ever thought they would feel it again.

Kid cleared his throat. "You still remember how to break in a horse?"

"I reckon so. Easy as fallin' off one, right?" Jimmy chuckled.

Kid slapped his back and started up to the house. "It's been a while, Hickok, so I'll try not to embarrass you."

"You? Embarrass me? That'll be the day, Kid. That'll be the day."

The two men grinned at each other and went inside to join the others.