“Rider coming!”

Jimmy muttered something under his breath as Cody’s call was heard, but he quickly pulled on his jacket and headed out the door. Cody released his horse as Jimmy swung into the saddle and accepted the mochilla from Buck.

“Have a good ride?” Cody asked as he reached out for Buck’s horse.

Buck eyed him suspiciously as he nodded. There was a tone in Cody’s voice he couldn’t place, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Cody must have realized it too, because he quickly offered to take care of the horse and headed towards the barn. Too tired to argue or even wonder over Cody’s action he quickly went inside the bunkhouse. Ike, who been resting on his bunk, sat up as he entered. Buck nodded at him and placed his hat on the peg by the bunk when Ike jumped down and sat down by the table. When Buck turned to him he smiled weakly.

*Why didn’t you tell me?* he asked.

“Told you what?”

*About Teaspoon’s brother – about who your father was,* Ike said.

Buck’s face darkened. “That’s none of your business,” he said. “Who told you?”

*Lou did – after Rawnie told her,* Ike told him. He rose and walked up to his friend. *Why didn’t you tell me?*

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Buck muttered and turned away. “Rawnie had no right telling you anyway – it ain’t her problem.”

*Well, you’re her half brother. I’d say she’s involved, whether you like it or not.* Ike shrugged.

Buck sighed. “You don’t understand, Ike. I’m not so sure I understand either.” He looked seriously at Ike. “I would rather not have known,” he said quietly.

Before Ike could comment there was a sound by the door and the two boys turned around.

Teaspoon cleared his throat. “Buck? I think you and I need to have a few words – in private,” he added gently for Ike’s benefit.

Ike looked at Buck. Buck nodded slightly and Ike turned around and left, but not before sending Teaspoon a warning glance. Teaspoon waited until Ike had closed the door behind him.

“How are you doing?” he asked friendly, just barely stopping himself from adding his normal ‘son’. He didn’t think it would be the right word at the moment.

Buck looked at the stationmaster for a few seconds before turning away.

“I don’t know,” he said. “How long have you known?” He turned and looked at Teaspoon again.

Teaspoon hesitated but only for a second. Now was a good a time as any to have the whole truth out in the open.

“I didn’t suspect anything until you told us about your brother,” he said. “At first I didn’t make the connection, although the name Red Bear reminded me of something. It must have been a week later when I remembered him. Then I started seeing other things that reminded me of my family. Little things.” He glanced over where Buck had sat down and now was tapping his finger on the table. “Like that,” he said, only to see the boy immediately stop. “Your grandmother always did that,” he said sadly. He sat down opposite Buck. “And you take after your mother,” he added softly. “I only saw her from a distance and on that dreadful day, but she was a beautiful woman.”

Buck looked down at the table. He too remembered his mother, but he had seen another part of her life – a harsher and more unfriendly life than Teaspoon had seen.

“My brother made a promise to kill the two men responsible,” he said suddenly.

Teaspoon closed his eyes for a second and nodded. He had not expected anything else. For the Kiowa there was just not one guilty. He was as guilty as Logan – not only for bringing Logan to the Kiowa camp, but also for helping him getting away.

“I understand that,” he said calmly.

“If I should tell him, you wouldn’t be safe around here,” Buck added slowly.

“Is that what you’ve been thinking about doing?” Teaspoon asked without loosing his posture.

Buck was silent as he contemplated the question. He had been thinking about it, he couldn’t deny it. Red Bear would not hesitate to avenge the shame of the family. Telling Red Bear would eventually lead to Teaspoon’s death. And Buck was not ready to loose Teaspoon. However he was not ready to admit to that yet.

“I made the same promise,” he said instead.

This Teaspoon had not expected. He should have anticipated it, though.

“I see,” was all he said as he looked at the boy. He was silent for a few minutes. “But you’re not going to kill me,” he said softly.

Buck rose from the table and walked away before turning around.

“I promised,” he repeated. “A true Kiowa would not hesitate.”

Teaspoon remained silent.

Buck lowered his gaze. “But I can’t,” he admitted slowly. “Nor can I tell Red Bear.”

“You couldn’t have been more than a boy when you made that promise,” Teaspoon said in the same tone. “I don’t think your brother would hold it against you for not keeping it.”

Buck didn’t answer. He bit his lip and looked away. “I could not kill you,” he admitted after a few minutes of silence. “You could not have hurt her like that.”

Teaspoon nodded silently. “No, I couldn’t. Unfortunately my brother could.”

“Why?” Buck looked up and looked Teaspoon in the eyes. “Why did he do it?”

“I don’t know.” Teaspoon hesitated for a second, but decided the boy had the right to know the truth. “When I grew up…my father was an abusive man. He used to beat me and my mother. When I turned fifteen I had enough and I left. I was selfish and never considered what would happen to my younger siblings. I guess Logan got the worst of it. When I saw him years later, I had to get him out of jail. I felt guilty and I thought he could change to the better. That the hate and anger would diminish…that he would feel happy. I failed and after the attack on your mother I left him. Guess he must have hooked up with Rawnie’s mother then.”

“When does it stop, Teaspoon?” Buck mumbled.

“I think it already has,” Teaspoon said with a hint of a smile. “It stopped with me and I know it had stopped with you.”

“Sometimes I wish I knew that too,” Buck said with a smirk.

Realizing the tension was slowly slipping away; Teaspoon smiled broadly and placed his hand on Buck’s arm.

“Then trust me, son,” he concluded.