A
LOVE REBORNA
LOVE REBORN
"You did this!" Buck screamed at Thompkins, a savage look filling his dark eyes.
Thompkins shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about… Half-breed."
Buck lunged forward, but Jimmy pulled him back. "You just couldn't leave her alone, could you?" Buck screamed again, his voice thick with emotion. "You're a miserable, bigoted, lonely man, and you have to make everyone else just as miserable as you are!"
"Now you just hold on there one minute!" Thompkins started to walk forward. "How dare you talk to me like that? She got what she deserved."
Jimmy stepped forward, forming a barrier between Buck and Thompkins. "What did she deserve? To be shot down like a dog? Or are you only sorry that you didn't get to hang her?"
"Again." Buck muttered so softly that only Jimmy heard him.
"She was a witch!" Thompkins exclaimed.
"She was innocent!" Buck cried out.
"She was killing off all our livestock so that hers would be the only healthy ones in town!" Thompkins tried to reason.
Noah stepped forward through the crowd. He had been holding back for as long as he could, but to see the sheer devastation in both Buck and Jimmy's eyes was too much for him to handle. "No Thompkins, you're wrong."
"What are you talking about? We have the facts!" Thompkins voice was gruff with anger.
"And do the facts tell you that the reason all them cattle and horses was dyin' was because of the bad feed that they were eatin'?" Teaspoon countered.
"Bad-" Thompkins started to answer, but Teaspoon cut him off.
"Bad feed that you was sellin' in your store."
Thompkins' eyes widened, but still held doubt. "I don't know nothing of the kind! What makes you think that?"
Teaspoon folded his arms across his chest. "Because even our own horses have been affected. We just lost a filly today. And we found rotten feed in the barn, feed that we purchased from you a few weeks ago."
This time it was Jimmy who spoke up. "And the reason Devon's livestock didn't die was because she grows her own crops. She didn't buy none of yours."
Teaspoon's eyes scanned the now quiet crowd in front of him. "Anyone else here not buy their feed from Thompkins?" There was a murmur in the crowd as they all looked around, but nobody spoke up. Teaspoon nodded. "I thought so."
Thompkins hung his head in shame and remorse. "I don't know what to say." He finally looked up at Buck, who was back on the floor, cradling Devon in his arms, weeping silently. "I'm sorry Buck."
Buck looked up with fierce hatred in his eyes. "It's too late for that Thompkins. Maybe you should have thought about that the first time."
And with that Buck stood up, leaving an open-mouthed Thompkins standing there. If Thompkins remembered what he had done 170 years ago, he didn't say, and we'll never know. But Buck knew, and it was something that was going to haunt him for the rest of his lives.
Buck kneeled down to Devon's body one last time and caressed her cheek. Suddenly he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and he looked up to find Jimmy standing over him. Jimmy's cheeks were stained with fresh tears, his eyes red and swollen.
Buck offered a slight smile as Jimmy helped him up. "Never thought I'd see the day when 'Wild Bill' Hickock cried."
Jimmy grinned, Devon's words echoing in his head. "You don't have to be strong all the time Buck." Jimmy looked at Devon one last time and turned back to Buck. "Come on, I think we've given these people enough of a show."
Jimmy gently lifted Devon in his arms, carried her down the steps of the gallows, and over to where the buckboard was. He carefully lowered her into the back of the wagon, and kissed her forehead softly. "Goodbye my friend."
Buck walked over to Lily and opened his arms. She looked at him for a fraction of a second before she flew into his embrace. Buck held her for a few minutes, breathing in her love. He was immediately comforted and he remembered Devon's dying words. I need you . . .to promise that . . .you'll keep Lily happy. . . that . . . that you'll love her . . like you did . . . then.
"I'm so sorry if I hurt you Lily. I never meant to." Buck whispered.
Lily looked up at him with love shining in her eyes, and placed a finger over his lips. "There's no need for that. It took Devon show us that we were meant to be. That we were lucky to find each other again. Our love was reborn."
Prologue ~ Chapter
1 ~ Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3
~ Chapter 4 ~ Chapter 5 ~ Chapter
6 ~ Chapter 7 ~ Chapter 8
~ Chapter 9
~ Chapter 10 ~ Chapter 11 ~
Chapter 12
