TRUSTTRUSTby Heather Daly
© 2000
When her tears were under control, Buck helped her back to the camp. As soon as Ike saw her he rushed to her, Rick collapsed in his arms, she felt safe and loved for the first time in a long time.
"I'm going to go see if I can find any signs of the bandits, I want to make sure they don't find out about our plans for tomorrow." Buck smiled when he realized that neither one of them was listening to him. He grabbed his guns out of the wagon and as an afterthought picked up his bedroll. They deserve some privacy, he thought, as he headed off into the trees.
Ike wasn't sure what had caused the change in her but whatever it was that Buck had said, he was glad. She seemed even closer to him than when they were watching the sunset, not physically closer, but she was finally letting him close. The funny thing was, he hadn't even realized she had been distant. She looked up at him with eyes full of love and trust. No one had ever looked at him that way before. His eyes glowed back at her with the same emotion echoing a thousand times off their hearts.
Not surprisingly, neither of them noticed that Buck was gone until they awoke the next morning. About the time they were starting to get worried, Buck came back with the message that he had breakfast ready if they wanted to join him. He didn't appear to be the least bit upset that they had forgotten all about him the night before, if fact he seemed to find it all very amusing.
While they were eating, Buck told them that he had found the men's camp a mile or so away. "They are planning to get the map from you in Sweetwater, this works fine with our plans."
=About those plans, I have no problem with them, except one slight change.=
"What might that be Ike?" Buck replied.
=I think I should stay with Rick, them some time after you sneak out of the jail, I will come up with some excuse to leave her alone and we will wait for the men to make their move. This way she will be protected until we are ready for them.=
"You just don't want your friends to think I caught you." Rick teased.
Ike turned red with embarrassment, and quickly denied it. =No, I want to protect you.=
The girl smiled and they kissed again.
Buck cleared his throat, "All right, I'm on my own then, you two just be careful. Now we've got to set up a time and place for this to come together and I think we might need some of the other riders to help….."
When all the plans were finished, they packed up the gear from the two camps and were ready to leave. Buck placed his gun and knife into his saddlebag, and picked up the chains from the back of the wagon. He turned to Ike and smiled, "Want to do the honors?"
Rick seemed startled, "Is this really necessary?" she paused, "I mean, they might be no where near us the whole trip."
"True, but they could also be watching us and its safer this way. I trust you," Buck replied.
Ike gave a sinister smile and bent down to shackle Bucks ankles. Buck noticed this, "See Ike doesn't mind."
"I think this is just Ike's way of saying thank you for that bruise you gave him the other day." Rick told him with a teasing grin.
Ike stood and placed the chains on Bucks wrist, =Too tight?= he signed.
Buck grumbled but gave Ike a smile to show he was kidding him.
Ike helped Buck into the back of the wagon and they were ready to go.
The two men high up on the hill saw the wagon approach with the still chained Buck in the back.
"My goodness, that girl will never trust that half breed will she."
"This could be very good for us, she still only has one protector, and it will be easier to catch her when she drops her guard in Sweetwater."
"Yep, then we can get the map and get that money."
"Gee, I never thought of that." He replied sarchastically, slapping his friend on the back of the head. "How'd you get to be so stupid."
"Just lucky I guess" he replied with a smile.
The trip back to Sweetwater was typical until they got to the edge of town. When the townspeople spotted Buck in the back of the wagon there was a mixed reaction. Some seemed angry, some confused, some seemed relieved, some seemed happy. Jimmy and Cody spotted them as they got near the jail.
Oh great, Buck thought, Cody saw this. Now I'll never hear the end of it. Ike glanced over his shoulder with a very apologetic look.
"Teaspoon," Cody shouted, "you better get out here now!"
Jimmy was giving Rick a very hard look, his fingers resting on the edge of his belt, a little too close to his colts for comfort. Ike stepped down from the wagon as Teaspoon came out of his office.
"Ok Cody what is it this…." His words were cut short as he saw Buck in the back of the wagon. "Ummm Ike, would you care to explain why you have Buck chained up?"
Ike shook his head and motioned toward Rick.
Rick, for her part played her act very well, she reverted back to her initial reaction to the two men and told Teaspoon how she suspected Buck had killed her father. She produced her evidence, being careful to point out that she was keeping the map safely stowed in her shirt pocket. She loudly told Teaspoon that she wanted Buck locked up until his trial. Cody and Jimmy could not believe their ears, they kept looking at Ike waiting for him to come to Buck's defense.
Teaspoon was equally confused. He started to defend Buck but Ike quickly signed, =Let's take this inside.=
Jimmy went around and helped Buck out of the back of the wagon. With some difficulty Buck managed to make it inside the jailhouse. Rick made a big show out of shoving Buck into a cell and removing the chains before shutting the door heavily.
The riders were so busy watching this show with pure hatred for the girl's callousness, they hadn't even realized that Ike was missing until he came back inside and signed to Rick, =They went into the saloon.=
"Good," she replied with a sigh of relief.
Buck, who until that moment had been silent and sullen, came up to the front of the cell with a smile on his face.
Teaspoon was even more confused, "Ok you three, one of you better tell me what is going on around here."
Surprisingly it was Buck who spoke up first. He leaned against the bars and said, "this is a trick, she doesn't really think I killed her father anymore."
"Well gee, that clears everything up doesn't it Cody, lets just head back to the station now," Jimmy said sarcastically.
The girl broke in then and explained the whole situation. She started with what happened to her father and how she had tracked the killers only to run across Buck and Ike at the end of the tracks. She told them all how they had the map and note and how she had arrested them. She started to confess how cruel she had been to both Buck and Ike, but Ike cut her off to finish the story. He told them about the real killers and how they had already been attacked more than once. He signed =The real killers don't know that Rick knows that Buck didn't do it=.
Then Buck cut him off to explain the plans for the night. "My plan is for you, Teaspoon, to keep me locked up here. Ike and Rick will go over to the saloon for a while, then at a planned time when the street is nearly deserted, they will leave together. Ike will pretend he forgot something and go back inside, this will leave Rick alone outside. The bandits will try to get their map back and Cody and Jimmy will be hiding nearby waiting for them to make their move."
"Who's Rick?" Cody demanded as if this was the only flaw in Buck's plan.
"I'm Rick, Rick Carson."
"Rick? What's that short for Rickelle?"
She was startled that this dense man had noticed so quickly that she was a girl. She supposed that her emotional outburst had made that obvious. She only slightly realized just how feminine she had become since the last time she had posed as a boy. She was also confused as to why he thought Rick had to be short for something. "Ummm it's not short for anything, my real name is Marie, but I am deputy Rick Carson"
"Carson….Carson, as in Mitch Carson?" Teaspoon questioned.
"Yes, he was my father." Rick replied, a note of sadness in her voice this lie just kept growing.
"He was a good man," Teaspoon shook his head sadly, "I assume he was the one who deputized you."
She simply nodded.
"Alright," Teaspoon started, "If he thought you were up to being a deputy who am I to argue. Now I have no problem with your plans, but you sure you're alright with this Buck, if those bandits don't turn up tonight you could have a long wait in that cell."
"I understand that Teaspoon it was my idea."
"Oh," Teaspoon seemed startled.
At the side of the jailhouse Jimmy was smiling and Cody was trying to stifle a laugh as they both seemed to realize what this meant at the same time.
Ike sent them a glaring look, =what's with you two?" he signed.
"The two of you," Jimmy started. "You got yourselves captured by a girl."
"She came up on us in the dark, we were asleep," Buck defended.
=Besides, she not only a girl, she's a deputy what did you want us to do shoot her?=
Cody could not hold it in any longer, and let out a loud gaffaw, only to find the barrel of a colt held tightly under his chin. He immediately cut off his laugh. Rick had a serious look in her eye, "I don't know just who you think you are, but these two men are the most noble and kind men I have ever met. They are also two of the bravest. If you think I am going to let you laugh at them for something stupid that I did you are sadly mistaken. How dare you call yourself a friend, one of them is locked up for heaven's sake. I am going to put my gun away now, but if you ever mention this to either one of them again, you will have to explain to everyone just how you ended up with a bullet in your big toe. Got it?"
"Umm got it sir…..I mean….. Maam" Cody stammered.
Both Jimmy and Teaspoon were stunned with the girl's actions. This time it was Ike and Buck's turn to laugh.
"My names James Hickok," Jimmy started, "but everyone calls me Jimmy. You're pretty fast with that gun."
"I have to be," Rick smiled and shook Jimmy's out stretched hand.
Cody was still standing shocked where the girl had left him so Ike introduced him. =That there is William F. Cody, speechless for the first time in his life.= Ike was positively beaming.
"Nice to meet you maam," Cody said after finally finding his voice he made no move to shake her hand, he was still keeping what he felt was a safe distance from her colt.
"You already know Teaspoon," Buck said as he continued the introductions from his cell.
"Well I haven't met you officially, I saw you last a couple years ago when my father sent me with a message for you. You didn't hardly look at me twice though," she stuck out her hand and Teaspoon responded with a hearty handshake.
"I'm sure I would have remembered if I'd met you before."
"Well I've grown up a bit since then, my boy cover doesn't work as well as it used to it seems."
"It certainly doesn't," Jimmy stated without thinking, when he realized what he said he blushed a light pink, and gave a small embarrassed smile.
Ike stepped forward and put a defensive arm over Rick's shoulders as if to say 'back off Jimmy'.
Rick smiled up at Ike and said, "Now that we are all acquainted, Ike and I should be getting over to that saloon to make our presence known."
After the planning session was completed, Ike and Rick left for the saloon. Unfortunately, they were so absorbed in each other's company that they didn't notice the man who had been standing outside the jailhouse just a little too long.
"Swift, Swift, you were right, they are planning something. They are going to ambush us when we try and get that map back tonight, they were setting us up!!!"
"Quiet down now, so they have an ambush set up around the girl huh? Well then we will get everyone but the girl."
"Everyone?"
"No, of course I don't mean everyone, but we can get Buck. He will be a sitting duck alone in that jail. Once we get him, we can use him to get Ike, between the two of them we should have enough leverage to get that map back."
"When do we leave?"
"Now."
One at a time, Cody and Jimmy left the jailhouse. Jimmy found a hiding place around the alley near the saloon. Cody climbed up onto a rooftop across the street with his rifle. Buck was adament that Teaspoon go with them, so he finally left and found a nice spot on the opposite side of the alley from Jimmy. The three all had their eyes on the saloon so none of them noticed two shadowy figures slip back into the jailhouse.
Buck was reclining on the bunk his hat over his eyes. He was trying to remain calm. There was nothing he could do right now but wait to hear what happened. Then he heard a voice that chilled his heart.
"I knew we'd meet again Buck Cross."
Buck cursed himself, he should have had Teaspoon give him his gun before he sent him away, or even better he shouldn't have sent him away at all. Buck sat up on the bunk.
"We gave you the chance to join us, you could have gotten some good money out of the deal. Instead you sided with those losers and wound up here in jail with your two worst enemies."
"Don't flatter yourself. You're not nearly the scariest guys I've had to deal with. You can't even get a map back from a girl."
Tyson moved to grab his gun, but Swift was too smart for that, not by much, but still a little too smart, "If we shoot at him even if we kill him we will have half the town on our backs not to mention that marshal. No, I think we will have much more fun if we take him and his friend Ike somewhere a little more private before we start spilling any blood. Get the keys and unlock his cell then get him chained up. We got to go find that Ike guy and get out of town before they notice he's missing."
Tyson followed his instructions. Swift placed a note on the bunk in the cell before he dragged Buck out the back to the wagon. They had to go the long way around the town to avoid being seen from the main street or the alleyway, but they managed to get behind the saloon in time to see Ike head back into the saloon. As per the plan, that left the girl seemingly unattended. Just as they had figured though, Ike soon appeared out the back exit to cover from the rear. As soon as he got outside the door he was greeted with a view of Buck chained and gagged with a gun pressed to his temple.
"Well Ike you going to stand there all night or are you going to get in the wagon?"
Ike raised his hands and walked to the wagon.
"Aw too bad he came along quietly now I can't hurt him," a cruel smile crossed Swift's face. "Wait…I'm the bad guy, I can still hurt him." He laid a few quick hard punches into Ike's stomach. Then he hit Ike hard across the face. The blow was so hard it knocked Ike's head into the corner of the wagon.
"I don't understand why we had to take both of them." Tyson said as the wagon left the outskirts of Sweetwater. "One of them would have done to get that map back.
"Come on now, you don't think that girl would trade the map for the life of a half breed do you? Now for her sweetheart she would. Besides this way we won't have any trouble with our prisoners. Neither one of them will try anything that could get the other one shot."
"Your right Swift, so where we going anyway?"
"I know of a cave not far from here, we'll wait there til we are sure they have found the note, then we will simply go pick up the map."
"What are we going to do with these two when we are done with them?"
"Well we can't have any witnesses…."
Buck heard this last statement and turned to the unconscious form of Ike who was lying next to him. 'It's all my fault,' he thought, 'but I will get him out of this, no matter what.'
"It can't be" Rick stood with the note in her hands, a stricken look on her face. "How could this have happened?"
Everyone was gathered back in the jail, they had waited 2 hours, Ike hadn't come back and no one had showed for the girl. They had found and read the note that was left in Buck's cell.
"This is all my fault," moaned Rick as she sunk down onto the bunk.
Teaspoon moved to put an arm on her shoulder, but she quickly stood up. "I am going to do just what they want. I'll go alone and take them the
map."
"That's a possibility," said Teaspoon slowly, "but you know they might kill them both anyway once they get the map, after all they wont want any witnesses."
Rick turned away, the sudden determination in her eyes had vanished, and it was all she could do to hold back the tears. "What do you suggest?"
"We all go. I may not be as good a tracker as Buck, but I think I can figure out where they went. We surround the place, and we wait for an opportunity."
They all silently agreed to this tentative plan and Kid, Jimmy, Teaspoon and Cody moved for the door. Rick went to follow and Teaspoon stopped her, "I want you to stay here."
Rick started to protest but Teaspoon cut her off.
"This has nothing to do with you being female. I want you to deliver that map just as you planned. One of them will have to go to pick it up and that may just give us our opportunity."
Rick couldn't find her voice so she just nodded. She must have been stronger than she thought because she managed to hold back the tears until Teaspoon was two feet out the door.
'Now what,' Buck thought as again he and Ike were approached by their captors. He was beginning to think being Rick's prisoner hadn't been so bad. Buck was still chained and Ike was tied at the wrists and ankles. Ike had finally regained consciousness, but every time Buck tried to talk to him it earned him and Ike a fist across the mouth so he limited his question to a quiet, "Are you alright?" Ike nodded.
Buck didn't believe this for a second, he could see that Ike's eyes could barely focus and that he was having a very hard time keeping his head up. He wanted to keep Ike awake in case he had a concussion, but without conversation Buck was having a very hard time keeping his attention.
The approaching man grabbed Buck by his arm and pulled him to his feet.
"Where are we going?" Buck asked gruffly.
"Wherever I say." They walked a few more steps. Buck was stopped by a sharp blow to his right leg. Buck fell to his knees. "Stop here," the man said with a cruel smile.
It turned out he had only been taken just outside the cave. Swift unchained one of Buck's wrists and stretched his arms way up into a tree. He looped the chain over a very large branch and re-chained Bucks wrists. Now Buck could barely touch his feet to the ground, the stretching of his arms caused the bracelets to cut deeply into his wrists.
"You better hope none of your friends decide to try something, if we hear one sound out here tonight we use you for target practice."
"Well I gotta admit they are smarter than I thought."
"What do you mean Teaspoon?" asked Cody.
"Well we can't try anything like this. Buck is between us and them, he would definitely be in the cross fire. They have left their one entrance impenetrable."
"That means we can't get in Cody."
"I know what impenetrable means Jimmy."
"Will you two stop, we just have to wait til they leave to get the map."
Cody looked back at Buck. Buck had seemed calm at first but after several minutes of staring into the cave, he started struggling and yelling.
"Oh be quiet, please be quiet," Teaspoon whispered to himself.
As Teaspoon had figured Buck's yelling resulted in a visit from one of the men in the cave who beat Buck with a stick until he was hanging limp. What Teaspoon didn't know was the reason for Buck's yelling. Buck had managed to direct the men's attention away from Ike and for that Buck was thankful.
After working on Buck the night before Swift didn't have the energy left to get back to Ike, but that was just as well. The girl would be calmer and more receptive to handing over the map if Ike was conscious.
Tyson just smiled, he walked over to Buck and gave him a few hard punches in his unprotected stomach, until Buck was again gasping for breath.
Buck was sure Swift had broken a few of his ribs the night before and this wasn't helping. He was watching the wagon disappear when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly glanced back into the cave and found that Tyson was facing the other way for the moment, Buck looked closer in the direction of the movement. Sure enough, there was Cody, who never could seem to blend in anywhere.
"Tyson," Buck called his voice straining, "Hey Tyson." He was quickly losing his voice from all the yelling, but if he could just get Tyson out of the cave for a moment so Cody could get a clear shot.
"What do you want?"
"I need some water."
"Your not getting any, now shut up or Ill come out there and finish what Swift started, we only need one hostage you know."
"Give me some water now."
Tyson came storming out of the cave with his colt in his hand. Just as he appeared out the cave entrance, a bullet met him square in the chest.
Buck let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and shouted to Cody, "It's all clear."
Cody got up from his 'hiding place,' and approached Buck's helpless form. "Buck, are you ok?"
"Yes, just get me down from here."
Cody found the keys after a little searching and released Buck.
Buck sank to the ground grasping his bleeding wrists. He refused to stay down though.
"Its ok, Teaspoon and the others went after Swift, they are taking the long way around to meet up with Rick, by now they should have Ike safe and sound."
"No, I have to get to Ike." Buck rose to his feet, but his right leg wouldn't hold his weight, and he fell back to the ground.
Rick watched the wagon come into view. At first it looked like there was only one person in the front, but as the wagon drew closer she saw Ike hunched over, barely holding his seat. He was conscious, that much she could tell. He was still tied hand and foot. His forehead was bleeding pretty badly.
Ike was trying desperately to stay awake, he was just about to lose his battle when his eyes locked into Rick's. With this new strength he was actually able to sit up a little straighter.
"Where is it?"
Rick didn't hear the man at first, she was too busy trying to see if Ike was ok.
Swift pulled his gun and pushed the barrel into Ike's temple. "Where is the MAP!" he yelled.
She pulled the map out of her pocket. "It's right here….let him go and I'll give it to you."
"You think I'm stupid don't you," he cocked the gun, "throw it over here now or your boyfriend dies."
Rick looked at Ike and tossed the map to Swift. Swift heard the sound of horses approaching he looked over and saw 3 horses coming over the hill.
He quickly shoved Ike out of the wagon and took off.
Rick pulled her gun and fired a single shot, it caught the escaping bandit in the arm.
With his arms tied behind his back Ike had no protection against the fall. Rick rushed to his side. "Ike are you alright?" She reached down and untied his hands.
=I'm ok= he signed. =We have to get back to Buck.=
"Your head is bleeding."
=I'm ok=
Rick had her handkerchief out and was trying to wipe the blood off of Ike's forehead. She could barely hold back her tears. "I was so afraid, I thought he was going to…"
=I know, but I'm all right now. I'm ok.= He pulled Rick into a tight embrace.
She never wanted him to let go. She felt so safe in his arms, but after all the hurt she had caused she knew in her heart that Ike couldn't be safe with her around. In that instant she made her decision. She broke away from Ike's tender hold and her mask slipped back down. "We should go now. We may not have much time…come on."
Ike didn't move at first then decided it was best to go now. He didn't know what had suddenly changed Rick, but Buck was still in danger after all. He climbed onto the back of Rick's horse. The approaching riders turned out to be Teaspoon and Jimmy. They had left Cody to watch out for Buck. Apparently they had ridden back to town and had just missed Rick leaving the jail. Teaspoon and Jimmy took the wounded bandit back to the jail to await trial. They tried to get Ike to come back too so his wounds could be tended to, but he refused to go until he was sure Buck was safe. Ike and Rick decided to take the wagon since none of them was sure that Ike could stay on a horse.
"Buck, Teaspoon will kill me if I don't get you back to town to the doc."
"I have to see Ike first, what if something went wrong?"
"Nothing went wrong, look for yourself."
While Cody was trying to get Buck calmed down, Rick and Ike had arrived. Ike immediately rushed to Buck's side.
=Are you ok?= he signed.
"I'm fine, you're the one who was supposed to be hurt, how are you?"
=I'm fine=
"Your fine? Well that's just great I risk myself trying to protect you from being hurt worse. I got it worse than you did."
These words were spoken with a smile so Ike simply answered. =Thanks=
"No problem, just remember next time we get kidnapped you get to play punching bag." Buck looked over Ike's shoulder and saw that Rick was hovering in the background not quite sure what to do. She turned to walk away.
Rick was speechless, she didn't know what to say, she ran to her horse and galloped as fast as she could back to Sweetwater. She wasn't quite sure why she was running, all she knew was she couldn't stay any longer. She couldn't face those men who had almost died because of her. She didn't want the pain any more. She hated the lies. The faster the horse moved though and the further she got from Ike the more she hurt and the less she wanted to leave him. She owed Ike the truth. She was slowing her horse when she heard a gun shot. Her horse reared and she fell to the ground and into silent blackness.
Rick awoke to find herself tied to a tree and looking into a face she had hoped never to see again.
"Get away from me you monster."
"You were doing so well, you had such a bright future. Then you had to go and betray me."
"I said get away from me. Your men killed my father, and for that they will pay. You hired them and for that you will pay."
"That's mighty big talk for someone in your position. Your father was one of my best men, if only he didn't have that little problem with killing people we'd have gotten along fine. I knew I couldn't trust him to complete this job so I sent in Swift and Tyson."
"When he refused to kill the marshal, the half blood shot both the marshal and my father. You know one thing they did wrong though? They left me alive. You seem to be making the same mistake."
"Don't worry about that honey, that will be fixed once we get Swift and my map back from the jail."
"They will never let him go."
"Oh, I think they will. Once they see that I have you they won't have a choice."
"They wont trade, once I tell them who I really am."
"You really are stupid aren't you, and blind too. I have been watching you, that boy is so head over heals over you. He wouldn't care if you killed his whole family, he would still protect you. Oh don't you worry about me, I'll get what I want. It's your own life you should be worried about right now. If your boyfriend gets in my way I will take pleasure in disposing of him too."
Rick didn't have a reply. She needed a plan, what should she do? All she did know, was she wasn't going to let this man get anywhere near Ike.
She heard a gun click behind her, she turned slowly and saw 'the marshal' staring down the barrel of a gun. "IKE."
Her cry distracted Ike for a moment and that was all the marshal needed. They fell to the ground in a tumble of arms and legs. The marshal tried to wrestle the gun from Ike's hand. The marshal was an older man and not very physically active, but Ike was injured and this made it a pretty even fight. Suddenly they rolled together and the gun went off, for a moment Rick couldn't tell who had been shot. Somewhere in her mind she registered that Cody and Buck had arrived with the wagon. They pulled their guns and Cody rushed up to the two still forms in the dirt. It was as if the world stopped turning as she waited to see who would rise from the fight. She couldn't hold back her tears when the marshal moved first. Ike rolled the lifeless body off of his own and climbed painfully to his feet. He was covered with blood. He rushed to Rick's side and quickly had her untied. She held Ike to her as if she was afraid something might grab him away from her. She pulled away only when it registered that with all the blood Ike might have been hurt even worse. Ike saw the look on her face and quickly signed. =I'm fine, really=
Rick smiled, "You seem to be telling me that a lot lately. I think we should get you back to Sweetwater just to make sure."
When Ike was safely at the doctors office, she snuck out the back door to head for the stable.
(end part 21)
When she got there she was surprised to find Buck learning against her horse's stall, his crutches lying nearby.
"How's the leg?"
"Doc said it was going to heal fine not even broken, just said I should stay off it for awhile."
"Well you don't seem to be taking his orders, why don't you sit down."
"I will if you will."
Rick smiled sadly and sat down on a bale of hay. Buck sat across the way on an over turned bucket, he stretched his leg out in front of him.
"How'd you know I would come here?"
"Seems to be a pattern with you, running from someone who cares about you."
"I can't stay, he knows the truth about me now, or at least he heard enough of it. He can't trust me now."
"But he does."
"Then he's a fool."
"Yes, he is, most men are when they are in love."
"He can't love me. My father wasn't a marshal, he was a liar and a cheat and a thief. I loved him."
"He was your father, that's reason enough to love him. Did you ever do any of the things that he did?"
"NO, he wouldn't let me help him. He always had me outside watching his horses, or if he was afraid he might get caught like on this last job he would send me on some stupid errand just to keep me away." She looked up at Buck with all honesty in her eyes. "I would have though, I would have done anything he asked of me, anything to help protect him."
"That's what Ike has fallen in love with. Not your father's profession, but the love that you hide. The part of you that would have done anything to protect the one you love. If I can see that part of you, then Ike can certainly see it, he loves you, and he would still love you even if you rode out right now. Please don't. He needs you, and I think you need him too."
"I can't stay, but I guess I at least owe him an explanation before I leave. By the way I may not show it but I am grateful for what you have done. Not just risking your life, but for this. I have never had anyone I can really talk to."
Buck smiled, "believe me, if you want to talk there are plenty of ears around ready to listen, and just as many shoulders to cry on. You are always welcome here." Buck picked up his crutches, satisfied that at least for the moment she wasn't running away. He left the stable just in time to see Ike rushing out the back door of the doctors office. Ike stopped in his tracks as he saw Buck.
"She's in there, and I think she wants to talk to you."
Ike didn't know why but he was sure that yet again Buck had come to his rescue. =Thanks again.=
Buck smiled.
Ike walked slowly into the stable, he wasn't sure what to expect, she had seemed fine on the ride back, but had disappeared the moment they reached the doctors office. When he realized she was gone he was afraid she had run away from him again.
Rick gave Ike a searching look as he entered. Even though she had seen him just minutes before she needed to make sure he wasn't hurt or sick just to reassure her mind that he was ok. She had a sick feeling in her stomach as she saw the bandage on Ike's forehead. He wasn't nearly as badly injured as Buck, but even though she cared for Buck, his injuries didn't give her the heart ache that seeing any harm to Ike gave her. She didn't know if that was love, or guilt from knowing that it was all her fault. Her eyes met Ike's briefly but she quickly lowered her gaze to the floor, she had no right to look at him like that. "What did the doctor say?"
=He says I'll be fine I just need to take it easy for a while and avoid being knocked on the head anymore. Cody says I can't spare to have any more sense knocked out of me.=
"He's probably right." She smiled sadly, thinking Cody probably meant Ike's bad judgment in sticking his neck out for her life. "How much of what I said did you hear."
=I heard enough.=
"I want you to know the whole story, you deserve it."
Ike didn't say anything, he decided not to interrupt her, it was better if she got it all off her chest at once. He knew in his heart it wouldn't matter what she said, but figured it mattered to her that he knew.
"I have lied to you, more times than I would care to point out. I am not the daughter of an honorable marshal. I am the daughter of a no good lying thief. I rode with him. I knew what he was doing was wrong and I stood by him. I wish for your sake I could tell you I hated him, but I didn't. I couldn't have loved him more if he was a honest man." The words were tumbling out now, she couldn't look at Ike for a reaction afraid of the disgust she might find there. She wasn't sure that she could stand seeing Ike look at her like that. She continued, "The man that you shot was the marshal from Green Creek, he hired my father to steal the map from Mitch Carson. Apparently he was also supposed to kill him, but my father didn't tell me that part. From what I have pieced together the marshal knew my father wouldn't kill Carson so he sent two of his other men to make sure it was done. They killed my father and the marshal and took off with the map. I didn't know either of these men except what I had picked up from the town gossip. I stole a deputy star and set out to track them down, I found you and Buck and you know the rest. Carson did have a daughter, but she was only 5 years old. I figured the two men would be easier to handle if they thought I was a deputy. I was angry but I am still not a killer I wanted to bring my father's killers to justice. I have done nothing except cause trouble and hurt to more kind people. For that I will never forgive myself, and I will understand when you don't either, but I thought you should know the whole truth before I leave." She turned toward her horse and was about to mount when a hand grasped her arm. She turned but still stared at the floor.
Ike cupped his hand under her chin and lifted her face until she was looking into his eyes. He released her long enough to sign =There's nothing to forgive, I love you=
She opened her mouth to speak but Ike silenced her with a touch to her lips.
=You are so special to me, I can't think of my life without you there to share it with me. I realize that this is a bad time to ask you this but….=
Ike stopped his signing as Rick turned and ran for the door. Ike caught her several steps out the door. =Please stop running, yell at me, cry, but don't run from me. What is wrong?=
"I don't deserve this, I hurt you and you tell me I am special. I come between you and your best friend and you tell me you still care for me. I nearly get you and your friends killed and you tell me you love me. How am I supposed to react. I am scum, I have no right to expect love from anyone, especially you." She paused not sure what to say exactly, all she could come up with to say anymore was, "Why?"
Ike turned her face to him again and wiped the tears from her cheeks before he answered, =Because I still trust you, you have done nothing to betray that trust. You forgave your father for everything he did. You didn't shoot to kill even when you had your father's killer in your sights. Why can't you believe that anyone else could forgive too?=
She didn't know what to say she still felt deep down that she wanted to turn and run, but her heart held her here, she couldn't bring herself to leave.
Ike took this as a good sign and held onto one of her hands as her kneeled before her. =I love you Marie, will you marry me?=
Rick didn't blink, she suddenly felt that if she let her eyes drift from Ike's that she would sink. She stared into his eyes lost for several moments as she thought back to their few happy times together. They had been her happiest times ever. When she looked into his eyes the world just disappeared. Nothing else mattered as long as he was there with her. All confusion was gone as his words sank in. He loved her and he wanted to marry her. She too sank to her knees and they kissed. It was more than just a kiss though, it was forgiveness, it was friendship, it was love, it was trust, and it was her answer.
The day of the wedding finally arrived. Everyone was busy getting everything ready, but none was as busy as Buck. He had his hands full trying to keep the two love birds calm. A couple of times he had already thought they would have to be tied down to keep them from running off in panic. This was especially a problem after Cody decided he would help by giving each of them some of his words of wisdom.
Buck swung out of the bunkhouse and headed toward the house again after reassuring Ike that Cody was wrong, a woman wouldn't necessarily string up her husband if he had one too many drinks. Buck was sure that Ike would never have believed a dumb story like that on a normal day, but his tension was so high every bad thought sent him into a panic. Buck wished he could lose these crutches they were certainly slowing him down and his arms were getting sore, this was at least his tenth time across the station this morning. 'Maybe I should just get me a chair and sit between the two buildings then when these two start panicing they can come to me,' he thought as he approached the house. He heard loud sobs and Cody's voice saying, "that's not what I meant, what I meant to say was…"
"CODY," Buck yelled into the house. Cody came trudging out of the main house where Rick had been staying for the last 2 weeks. "I'm back now, maybe you should go help Rachael and Lou with the decorations."
"I think I will go and see if Ike is ok, he seemed pretty upset when I left him, these two sure are jumpy today."
Buck just rolled his eyes, he just hoped Cody could keep his mouth shut about anymore horror stories of marriage at least until after the wedding but somehow he doubted it. Buck was about to tell Cody to leave Ike alone for a while when he heard the sobs start again inside the house. He made it up onto the porch with some difficulty and headed inside.
"Rick? You feeling ok?"
"Is what Cody said true?"
"Probably not, but just to be on the safe side what did he say?"
"He said that ½ of all marriages that start in April end in tragedy."
"Now why in the world would Cody know a thing like that?"
"I don't know, do you think it's true?"
"No, I certainly don't. Cody just has a big mouth that he doesn't seem to know when to close."
Rick smiled, "Do you think I am doing the right thing?"
"Yes, I think you two are absolutely perfect for each other. I don't think that April, the day of the week, the weather or even Ike drinking could mess up your marriage, you two love each other."
Rick had missed the last part of his statement, "Ike's been drinking?"
"No, no, it was something Cody said to Ike earlier, never mind. He's just as nervous as you are you know."
"What if I'm not good enough?"
Buck smiled, Ike had asked him the very same question about himself. So he was ready to deliver the very same answer. "You are everything he wants. He loves you."
Rick smiled, "What would we ever do without you?"
"You know Ike just asked me the same thing."
"And what did you say?"
"I told him you better hope you never have to find out."
Rick laughed and gave Buck a big hug. Cody stepped into the room just then and he just stared at the crazy woman who a few minutes ago had been ready to jump on her horse and head for the hills. Now she simply smiled at Cody and went into her room to start getting dressed.
Cody finally found his voice, "Buck, I think Ike needs you."
Buck rolled his eyes. "Now what did you do to him?"
"I didn't do nothing, I was just talking and suddenly he had his gun pointed at me. He was waving his arms all around I couldn't understand what he was saying, something about my mouth and that I should get out. Some of those gestured he's got sure ain't for church."
Buck smiled and swung out the door and back out onto the porch, Cody following close behind.
"What did you say to her to get her so calm anyway?"
"I just told her that Ike loved her and that everything would be fine."
"I told her the same thing and she went crazy. How come she listens to you and not me."
Buck smiled and turned to head back to the bunkhouse. "Because Cody, I've got better hair than you."
"Oh," Cody said simply, then a confused look crossed his face and he turned to yell back at Buck, "You do not." He stepped over to the horse troth and looked at his reflection and ran his fingers through his hair, he smiled and shook his head, "Naaah, that ain't it."
There was only one hour left til the wedding began but Ike wasn't sure that he could make it that long. He hadn't really seriously considered killing Cody before today, but all his yammering was getting to him. He collapsed onto his bunk staring over at his new suit of clothes. When Buck came back into the bunk house Ike was still trying to decide weather or not to wear his lucky bandanna to the wedding.
=On one hand it's lucky, but on the other hand a bandanna with a suit? What do you think Rick would rather? What did we do with the rings, Do you still have them? oh no I've lost them. Where are they, what will Rick say?=
Ike's hands were moving so fast even Buck was having trouble understanding him, he was just glad that at least this one time it wasn't Cody's fault. "Ike, Ike, slow down it doesn't matter, believe me she wont care either way?"
=What do you mean?=
Buck smiled, "The last thing she is going to care about walking down that aisle is weather or not you are wearing a dusty old bandanna."
Ike smiled at the thought, he could almost see it in his mind that beautiful way her nose almost curled up when she smiled. He wanted nothing more than to keep that smile on her face always. He saw her in his mind as she walked down the aisle toward him.
"Ike, Ike, I know you are in your own little world right now, but don't you think you should start getting dressed, you need to meet your guests. I know women who get dressed faster than you."
Ike smiled, it was true, he had been trying to get ready for 3 hours but he kept getting distracted. =ok, but you do have the rings don't you?=
"No, Cody's got them."
=What? You gave them to Cody!!!!= Ike signed furiously. Then he realized that Buck was smiling again, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box.
"Will you calm down? I have the rings, now will you get dressed, Rick has enough to worry about without dealing with a half naked husband."
Ike stood at the front of the aisle, they had decided to have the wedding right at the express station since it was the only real home that Ike had ever known and Rick was getting to feel the same way. The weather was beautiful despite Cody's horrible predictions. Ike had finally decided not to wear his lucky bandanna but Buck had it neatly folded in his pocket just in case Ike changed his mind about it again. He had already done so 5 times in the last 15 minutes. Ike smiled politely at the arriving guests, but Buck seriously doubted he even knew who he was looking at, he was in his own little world.
Finally the job of keeping Rick calm had been turned over to Rachael and Lou who were helping her with her dress. Rick adopted the attitude that if she was going to do this she wanted to start now, not half an hour from now. She nearly ripped her dress trying to get ready faster.
By the time the musicians started playing everyone was tired out, all that changed though as all heads turned to watch Rick start down the aisle. Although silent, the look on Ike's face spoke a thousand words. His jaw dropped as he saw what he felt to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She nearly glowed in her pristine white gown. Her hair had been curled and some piled on top her head, the rest cascaded over her shoulders in little wisps. Ike couldn't help but stare and nearly didn't realize that they had started when Teaspoon began "Dearly beloved…."
The wedding was like a dream, Rick and Ike couldn't have asked for more. Both sets of vows were given in sign. Rick wanted it that way. When they were finally pronounced husband and wife their kiss seemed to last forever. Both had been kissed before, but neither had ever felt the love that they received from each other. When they finally broke apart, they were each so lost in each others eyes that the world didn't even exist.
Buck finally tapped Ike on the shoulder. "Umm Ike?"
Ike broke away from Rick's gaze and blushed as he realized that everyone was still there watching them. Cody gave them a little wave and Ike silently chuckled.
People crowded up to Rick and Ike congratulating them and wishing them the best. There were refreshments and dancing. Rick and Ike danced together every dance. Finally Teaspoon decided it was time for the speeches before everyone was dead on their feet.
Teaspoon rose from his seat and cleared his throat several times, no one seemed to be paying attention so Jimmy shot into the air with his colt which he insisted on wearing even to the wedding. "Thank you Jimmy, now I'm sure as much as they enjoy our company, I'm sure that Ike and Rick don't want to be here with us all evening so I think it's time for speeches. It's customary for the best man Buck to give the first speeches but I'm older and grumpier than he is so I'm going first." He waited for the chuckling to stop. "I've watched these express riders grow from restless boys to fine men. Ike, you have been through a lot in your young life, I don't know if I could have lived through half the things you have… and you seemed to have become even stronger because of these things. Rick, you are a strong willful girl, that type seems to be the taste of more than one of these riders… I know that you two have enough love to make your lives wonderful. I wish you all the best." Ike and Rick were beaming Ike stepped up to give Teaspoon a handshake.
Buck rose from his seat looking very uncomfortable. "Ok, now I'm not much for speeches, especially following a man like Teaspoon with enough words for everyone. Let me simply say this. Marie, you are a better woman than you give yourself credit for, I can tell because Ike loves you. Ike, I don't know what I can say to you except you are my best friend and always will be, I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world."
As Ike and Marie rode into town to the hotel Marie stared up at the sky. The stars seemed to shine more brightly that night than they ever had before, she leaned her head on Ike's shoulder and he turned to meet her eyes. In that moment she wished that no matter what life threw at her she would always be loved and she would have love. As the two rode off in the darkness a star twinkled and it was so.
