Disclaimer: This story is the
copyright of Hanny and are published for others to
read. Any abuse or infringement of the author's rights will
be goverened by Swedish law. The characters have been
borrowed from the TV-drama "The Young Riders" . This has not
been done in order to violate the copyright of the authors
of that show, however, if an infringement has been done,
please notify 
and this page will be removed. The story may not be used
without the written permission of 
.
Chapter 2
Til Birth Does Us Part
Chapter 1
Buck saw a figure heading toward the station. "Rider coming!"
Cody emerged from the bunkhouse, ready for departure. "Is that Lou?"
"Yes." Buck answered. "Looks like she's hurt or something. Look how slow she rides."
Buck ran to meet with her, Cody following him close behind. Lou dismounted from Lightning into Buck's arms.
"Lou, are you O.K.?" He asked, his voice full of concern.
"Yes. I'm fine." She said. "Just a bit tried."
Cody stood beside them, quiet for once, not quite sure of his place there. "Uh… Lou… do you have the mochilla for me?"
"Oh, the mochilla!" Lou cried. "I totally forgot about it!" The tears that formed in her already red eyes confused both Cody and Buck. "It's all right, Lou. You don't need to cry over it. It's only a mochilla."
But Lou was already crying, her body trembles in Buck's arms.
"I'll get Rachel." Cody said. "Bring her to the bunkhouse."
Cody mounted Lightning and rode toward the house. "Rachel!" he cried before the horse stopped. "Rachel!"
Jimmy and Rachel emerged from the house. Seeing Lightning by the porch, Rachel scolded Cody. "Weren't you suppose to go in the opposite direction?"
"Rachel," Cody ignored her sarcasm, "Lou just came back, but she isn't well. She started crying…"
Before he could finish, both Rachel and Jimmy were on their way to the bunkhouse. Rachel took a moment to turn back to Cody. "Thank you, Cody, but I suggest you'll start on your way…"
Cody mumbled something she couldn't hear and reluctantly went to his horse and mounted up. Well, I guess I'd better get going before Jimmy'll start blaming the Kid for Lou's crying… He thought to himself as he rode away from the station.
Buck almost carried Lou into the bunkhouse. Her legs shook terribly. He opened the door for her and helped her in. As she saw the Kid sitting there, with Samantha, a gasp escaped her lips. Kid turned as he heard her, his cheeks reddening. Lou felt even weaker and she grabbed a chair, holding its frame with shaking hands.
The door behind her burst open and Jimmy walked in, Rachel right behind him. Buck and Samantha turned their heads toward them but Lou and the Kid remained staring at each other.
"Lou…" Jimmy started.
Rachel put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Sweetheart, are you O.K.? Louise… Louise, do you hear me?"
Lou turned her head, her eyes red and swollen. "I'm fine, it's… It's just my head…" Tears continued running down her cheeks.
Rachel took her hand and led her toward one of the bunks. Since hers was a top bunk, Rachel thought it would be better for her to sleep in a lower one. All the occupants of the room stared at them, as Rachel took off Lou's boots, and laid her on the bunk. "Boys, Samantha, will you please wait outside?" Rachel said.
The boys and Samantha cleared the bunkhouse. Before he closed the door behind him, the Kid turned back to Rachel and Lou. "Rachel, what's wrong with her?"
Rachel turned to face him, her face full of concern. "Would you just wait outside, Kid?"
He walked out, closing the door behind him. Buck was already walking Lightning to the stables, but Jimmy still stood on the porch, eyeing Samantha with eyes full of hate. "Come," Kid walked toward her, "I'll take you home". She smiled at him, her eyes reflecting the relive she felt.
Rachel looked at Lou who was lying on the bunk with her back to Rachel. Seeing Lou sobbing like this, her shoulders shaking, broke Rachel's heart. Lou was like a daughter to her and she wanted so much to help her. "Lou, darling, please talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I really don't want to talk right now, Rachel."
"Lou, I want to help you…"
Lou turned to face Rachel. "Rachel, please… I can't right now." Rachel started to answer her but Lou interrupted. "Rachel, please… I just want to sleep."
She was exhausted. The news, the journey back home and the crying took their toll on her. She just wanted to sleep for an hour. Two. A day. A week. Forever.
Rachel sighed and walked out. She looked at Jimmy who was still there, waiting on the porch. He was worried. She knew he loved her and she knew how angry he is at the Kid. But she also knew that the Kid still loved Lou dearly. She knew why they broke up. Jimmy knew it too, but he didn't understand how the Kid gave up on her so easily.
"How is she?" he asked.
Rachel took her time answering him. She looked over at the stables where Buck was coming from toward the bunkhouse.
"Rachel," he said as he came closer, "I don't think she rode Lightning all the way from Seneca."
"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked, a bit puzzled by what he said.
"Well, he's not as tired as he should've been," he told them. "If she would've rode him the whole way, he would've been much more tired."
"If she hadn't rode, than how did she get here?" Jimmy tried to reason with Buck, not wanting to understand what he was saying.
"I don't know how she got here." Buck answered, a bit impatient with his friend's questions. "Look, she did ride in, but she was riding very slowly. Cody and I ran to see what's wrong with her and she just started crying, especially when Cody asked her about the mochila, which she forgot."
"Dear Lord". Rachel said. "What happened to her?"
"I don't have a run for a few days, I'll go to Seneca and try to find out what happened." Buck said as he started toward the stables to get his horse ready.
Jimmy stared as Rachel. "How is she?" he asked.
Rachel flung her arms around his neck and sobbed. "I don't know Jimmy. I honestly don't know. But whatever it is, it's obviously not good."
Jimmy patted her back. "Buck will find out. Don't worry. She'll be O.K. She has to."
He saw the Kid return. "I'll be right back." He said as he went to the stables after him.
"What did you do to her now?" Jimmy asked the Kid, with a shove.
Kid stumbled backward. "I didn't do anything to her."
"Then why is she crying like that?" Jimmy asked, again shoving the Kid.
"I don't know, Jimmy. Maybe it's your doing?" The Kid asked, now ready for a fight.
"Boys!" Rachel called from the door. "Please don't fight now. Louise is gonna need both of you…"
"She won't need him" Jimmy cut her, mentioning for the Kid.
Before he understood what happened the Kid was all over him and the both of them engaged in yet another fight.
"Boys, please…" Rachel tried. "Kid… Jimmy…"
Suddenly they heard a growl from behind. "What's going on here?"
The three of them turned to see Teaspoon standing at the door. "What's going on here?" he demanded for the second time.
Jimmy got up and straightened himself. "It's Lou. She's crying. And it's all the Kid's fau…"
Before he even got a chance to finish, the Kid emerged from behind and again they were rolling on the ground, punching each other.
"Nock it off! Now!" Teaspoon shouted at them.
"I did nothing!" the Kid yelled, somewhat desperate.
"No one says you did, son. But, what, the hell's going on? Rachel, would you please explain to me as to why these to hotheaded are trying to kill each other."
"It's Louise." Rachel started. "She came back earlier, and hasn't stopped crying since."
"And Buck said she didn't rode her horse here." Jimmy added, his comment drawing both the Kid and Teaspoon's attention.
"What?" Teaspoon said.
"How did she get here, then?" Kid asked.
"Buck went to Seneca to try and find out what happened to her." Rachel continued.
"Is she hurt?" Teaspoon asked.
Rachel shook her head. "I don't think so, but she wouldn't let me check on her. She didn't even said much, just that she's tired and her head aches."
"Well, boys, there's no use in blaming one another. Let's hear the story from Lou. In the meanwhile, I don't want to see you fighting each other again. Is that clear?"
The Kid and Jimmy stood with their heads downcast.
"I said: is that clear?"
"Yes!" they answered.
"Good. Now, Rachel, I'm going to try and talk to her, I want you to come with me. You two have chores to do, if my mind isn't playing tricks with me…"
Teaspoon and Rachel left the stable, leaving the Kid and Jimmy eyeing each other suspiciously.
"Lou, sweetheart." Teaspoon said as he gently stroked Lou's hair.
Lou woke up, her eyes red and swollen. She was still crying.
"Lou, what's wrong?" Rachel asked.
Lou's flow of tears became even heavier. She got up and sat on the bunk, her legs crossed, her back loose. "I don't know how to tell you this." She said, can't lift her head to meet their eyes.
"Did someone hurt you?" Teaspoon asked, fear clear in his voice.
Lou shook her head. "Teaspoon, can I talk to Rachel alone?" she knew she would have to tell Teaspoon about it as well, she just didn't think she could handle the both of them right now.
Teaspoon put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be here when you need me." He said.
As he closed the door behind him, Rachel moved to sit on the bunk beside Lou. "Louise, honey, please talk to me. I want to help you, but I need to know what happened." She said. "Did anyone hurt you?"
Lou shook her head. "It's nothing like that."
"Is it got something to do with the Kid?" Rachel tried, knowing it was a sensitive subject.
The sobs that grew louder confirmed it. "What did he do, Lou?"
"He didn't do anything. Well, not exactly." Lou said through sobs.
"Lou, just tell me everything from the beginning." Rachel said.
"Oh, Rachel…" Lou tried between sobs. "I can't".
"Louise, you have to if you want me to help you," Rachel told her, gently stroking her hair.
"I'm such a fool." Lou said. "I should've known something like that might happen…"
"Something like what?" Rachel asked the trembling girl before her. "Lou, you're not making any sense."
"Rachel… this whole situation doesn't make any sense. I can't be pregnant. I can't be. Not now…"
It took Rachel a few seconds to recover from the shock from hearing Lou's last words. "Pregnant?" she asked, still stunned.
Lou's cry stopped abruptly as she realized what she just said. Her eyes were full of shame and she looked hunted.
"Oh, Lou…" Rachel didn't know what to say.
"What am I going to do, Rachel?" Lou asked between renewed sobs.
"I don't know, Lou. But you have to tell the Kid!"
"No…"
"You have to, Lou."
"No, Rachel, You have to promise me you won't tell him."
"Louise, he has a right to know he's gonna be a father."
"I don't want him to know. Rachel, I don't want him to be a father for my child."
"He is."
"But if he wouldn't know about it… I don't want him to know."
"Louise…"
"No, Rachel!" Lou said with more confidence. "He can't know. You have to promise me."
"I don't know, Lou…" Rachel said, trying to convince her to do the right thing.
"Rachel, please. It's hard enough as it is. I don't need him and his conscience too."
"O.K., Lou. I won't tell him. But what are you going to do now?"
Before Lou could answer there was a nock on the door. Rachel went to open it. The Kid was standing in the doorway, trying to peek at Lou.
"Um… Rachel… You wanted me to get something from town earlier…"
"Oh, yes." Rachel said. She completely forgot about it.
"Well, I think I should go before Tompkins will close the store."
"Yes. Well, I need some flour and sugar. Tell Tompkins to write it down and I'll pay him tomorrow."
"Sure" he said and then added in almost a whisper, "Is she alright, Rachel?"
Rachel looked at Lou and with tears in her eyes nodded her head. "She's fine, Kid. Don't worry."
"Right. Just tell her… tell her that…"
Rachel looked questionably at him.
"Never mind. I better get to town." He said as he headed toward Katy who stood by the fence of the porch.
Rachel closed the door behind him.
Lou looked at him riding through the window. "What did he want?" she asked.
"I need some things from town. He just came to ask what I needed."
"Oh." Lou said with no evident reason.
"Lou… he will find out, you know."
"No he won't."
"He will, Lou. You won't be able to hide yourself from him forever, nor the baby."
"I'm not staying here that long." Lou said with conviction.
"What are you talking about? Where are you planing on going, Lou?"
"I don't know yet. Maybe I'll go to stay with Emma for a while, if she'll have me."
"You can stay here. This is your home."
"No, Rachel. This is my job, which I can't do anymore. Teaspoon won't let me stay here."
"Lou, you know him better that that…"
"I don't want to stay either, Rachel. Not with the Kid here, and his girlfriend. It would be too embarrassing. And I can't have him find out about the baby."
"You've made up your mind then, about leaving?" Rachel couldn't believe it. Lou - leaving.
"I don't know, Rachel. But I don't see any other option for me."
"Why won't you tell the Kid and give him a chance to do the right thing?" Rachel suggested, still thinks they ought to tell him.
Lou laughed bitterly. "The right thing? What? Marry me? You know, Rachel, the reason for our break up was that I didn't want to marry him, so what your suggesting now is that I marry him just because of this?"
"This is a very good reason, Lou." Rachel answered.
"But what about love, Rachel? What about that?"
"You still love him." Rachel couldn't be fooled.
"But he doesn't love me. He doesn't and I'm not sure that he ever did."
"Lou, you know that's not true."
"I don't know anything anymore, Rachel. All I know is that leaving is the only thing I can do."
They heard a horse galloping toward the station. A couple of minutes later Ike stepped into the bunkhouse. He looked suspiciously at Lou who's eyes were still red even though she stopped crying for now.
*What's up?* he signed.
"Everything's fine, Ike." Rachel told him. "Why won't you go wash up and I'll make you something to eat."
Ike nodded but before leaving he looked at Lou again. She managed a little smile. "I'm fine, Ike." She said reassuringly.
He smiled at her and walked out.
"You better make him something to eat, Rachel. I'll just rest for a while."
Rachel nodded and got up. She leaned down and kissed Lou's head. "Just tell me if you need anything." She turned toward the stove.
"Rachel…" Lou called after her. Rachel turned back to her. "Would you, please tell Teaspoon about this? I know I have to tell him I just don't thing I can."
"You sure?"
Lou nodded her head.
"Lou, sweetheart, I'll talk to him. You just rest now, and I'll tell the boys not to disturb you." Rachel waited for Lou to lay down and moved toward the stove to fix Ike something to eat. Poor girl, she thought, what can I do for her?
It was late afternoon that Eli walked down the hotel's stairs. Tom was tired from the trip and fell on the bed as soon as they entered their room. But not her. She was too excited to sleep. There was so much to see at town, and she wanted to experience it all, as soon as possible.
She went out of the hotel. The little stores were starting to close. She saw the stagecoach driver and started toward him. As he saw her, a smile spread on his face.
"Oh, hello ma'am. Did you get settled already?"
"Why, yes. Thank you, sir." Eli said. "Can I ask something?"
"Sure, ma'am, anything I can be of assistance?"
"I was wondering… the girl that rode with us… Louise."
"Uh, yes. Louise." The driver said.
"Well, I was wondering… since she seemed a bit distracted, I thought I might pay her a visit. It's just that I didn't get her address, and I wondered maybe you knew where it was…"
"Well, she got of in the middle of nowhere. The only place near is the Pony Express station. Maybe she's there." The driver said.
"Thank you so much, sir. I'll try there."
"There's an express rider over there." The driver said pointing at the store across the street.
Eli followed his pointing. There was a young man loading sacks and boxes on a buckboard. She crossed the street toward him.
"Excuse me, sir."
"Um?" he asked without even stopping to look at her.
"Excuse me, sir!" Eli said more firmly.
Kid stopped his loading at looked at her. "I'm sorry ma'am, I guess I wasn't paying much attention to anything."
Eli smiled at him. "That's O.K. I just came into town. My name is Eli Smith." She extended her hand for him.
He shook it. "Most folks just call me Kid."
"You're working at the Pony Express?"
"Yes, ma'am. How can I help you?"
"Me and my husband just came here from Seneca on our honeymoon and…"
Seneca? Did she say Seneca? He thought. Did she see Lou?
"I came in the stagecoach and a girl was riding with us. Louise. She got off the stage in the middle of the rode, said she wanted to surprise her family. I hope I'm not ruining her surprise, it's just that she didn't seem well and I was wondering if she's O.K. now."
"What do you mean she didn't seem well?" the Kid asked concerned.
"Do you know her?"
"She's staying with us for a while." Kid had to be careful. He didn't know this woman.
"Well will you just tell her that I just wondered how she is and that I might came and visit her if she wants me to. I'm staying here at the hotel for a while, so she just need to let me know if she wants me to come."
"I'll tell her."
"Thank you, sir."
"That's O.K. and don't worry about her, she'll be fine."
"I'm sure she will. Good-bye then." She said and left.
Kid was standing by the buckboard confused. Why hadn't she ridden Lightning back? And the way she's been acting… is something happen to her? If anyone hurt her, I'll… he stopped in the middle of the thought. It wasn't his place to help her anymore. She didn't want him by her side. She was very clear about that when she didn't want to marry him. But he couldn't help the way he felt.
Rachel sat on the swing. Louise was sleeping and the boys were avoiding the bunkhouse. Ike was sleeping too, after his ride, Kid was still at town and Jimmy, Buck and Noah were playing cards inside the barn.
"Rachel?" Teaspoon was seating himself beside her. "How is she?"
"She's sleeping now." Rachel didn't know how she was gonna tell him this. "Teaspoon, there's something I have to tell you."
