by Dee

Part 1

Coming out of the saloon, James Butler Hickok stopped as the stage came rolling up, and he could not believe his eyes. There on the driver's seat was the friend and woman he had left behind in Rock Creek seven years ago. Even though her hair was long now, and her figure was fuller, he would have known her anywhere.

"Martha Jane what the heck do you mean rolling in here like that?" The angry stationmaster shouted.

"Martha Jane?" Jimmy questioned in his mind.

"Well, it was either that or let them outlaws stop this stage. And you know that's not going to happen. Besides I had control of the team the whole time. Now I need a drink to wash this trail dust out of my throat. So if you will excuse me, and welcome to Whippoorwill Canyon ladies and gentlemen," and with that she jumped down from the stage and walked into the saloon, the crowd of men that had gathered following her in.

Around him Jimmy heard snickers and out right laughs, as she told the story have out running the outlaws to her admiring crowd. But for him it was all drowned out by the memories that came flooding back. Memories of the girl he had mistaken for a boy at first. The day he had discovered she was a girl and the sudden attraction that he had felt. The kiss that they shared that one time. The evening of dinner and the fair. The last one bringing back the fear of loss he felt when she had disappeared. The terror when he saw the rope around her neck and the man who would kill her to get to him. The relief when she was finally safe. Then the absolute loss when he realized he wasn't the one she would choose.

By the time they had passed, he noticed he was standing alone just outside the swinging doors of the saloon.

"Calamity that was some mighty fine drivin'."

"Yeah, where'd you learn to drive like that?"

"Well, boys, I'll tell you I learned it while ridin' for the Pony Express."

"No girl ever rode for the Express." Jimmy smiled as he heard that last remark from the back of the room. Before he could defend her though, he learned once again that she was very capable of taking care of herself.

"Curtis, are we going to argue this again. I'm too tried today so just shut up. Now, boys, the stage is leavin' early tomorrow morning so I'll be turning in now. So, don't get to rowdy tonight and don't do anything that I wouldn't. Besides I need my sleep, so try to keep it to a low roar. Nite," she called as she turned and walk to the doors and right past her old friend.

Jimmy watched her walk out the saloon and down the walk. He thought to himself, "It was Lou, and I know it but why is she going by the name Martha Jane? And where is the Kid? What's happened to my friends? And why in hell is she here of all places, in this lawless town? She should be with Kid, raising kids of her own. Not driving a stage. I have to find out what is going on."

He started toward the hotel following her and stopped. She was tired, and when Lou was tired you couldn't talk to her. But he kept moving. He'd just stay at the hotel tonight instead of his office, and be there when she came down in the morning.

As she walked in to the hotel the manager called out "Bath's ready, and so's the room, Sarah will bring up dinner shortly, Martha Jane."

"Thanks, Earl. Any news makin the rounds I should know?"

"Oh, just the fact that we got a new sheriff, a famous gunfighter. And a fellow came by askin' for you. He's with the army, goes by Buffalo Bill. Says he's an old friend."

"I don't know a Buffalo Bill and I guess a gunfighter is as good as any one for sheriff. What's on the menu?"

"Rabbit stew and fresh apple pie."

"Thanks. Tell Sarah to bring it up in a half hour."

"Will do, glad you made it back safe."

"Me too, nite Earl."

"Nite."

Lou slowly made it up the stairs to the room, Earl and Sarah, his wife, kept ready for her. She had begun staying here when she took the job with the stage line. They kept the room ready for when she was in town and were like family to her, just like the riders, Teaspoon and Rachel had been. Sarah was the only one who knew her real name and she promised long ago not to reveal it to anyone.

She hadn't intended to change her name it had just happened. And a new name had just seemed to make a fresh start that much easier.

She stopped on the stairs and wondered, "Why? After such a long hard day did this have to happen." She knew next would come the memories and then the guilt and then....then she would start drinking to forget. Drinking away the memories and the fear.

As she reached her room the memories flooded back. Rushing out of the church, the death of the boy that was to be her replacement. Kid pulling her away from the dead boy and holding her close. Jesse riding away and Teaspoon calling after him "Ride safe, son." Shortly after that Cody left to scout for the army. Buck had returned to the Kiowa, for the coming war he knew would bring no good to his people. And Jimmy, that skunk, had just ridden out shortly after the wedding and Noah's death.

That had left just her, Kid, Rachel and Teaspoon. And then Teaspoon left shortly before the war broke out. Rachel had gone with him saying someone had to look out for him. Texas was where they were headed and she had not heard from them in a very long time. She prayed they had made it through the war okay.

Then Kid and her had settled into the station and had started building themselves a home. The word came one day though that the fighting was bad in Virginia and Kid felt he had to go back and see about what was left of his family. He said he wanted to go alone, that it wasn't safe, and he couldn't do what he had to if he was worried about her. She had agreed and let him go, let him go without telling him that their child was coming.

The first tears fell as she recalled the day the letter came. Six months later the letter, that had changed her life forever, came. It told of how Kid had died trying to protect the land his family had worked for years. Not fighting for either side. She didn't have to take the letter from behind the picture she had kept of their wedding day. No, she knew it by heart. She lost the child shortly after that, and then she lost Lou.

Now she had a new life in a new town and a new name to go with it. She was Martha Jane. Called Calamity by some for the trouble she got in at times. She never even looked back when she left, just saddled her horse and rode out. Just like Jimmy did.

"Calam, you ready for supper?" Sarah called from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, just a minute," Lou called out. She climbed out of the tub and wrapped the soft dressing gown around herself as the door opened. "Can't you wait a minute Sarah? I'm not even decent yet!" she snapped as Sarah came through the door.

Passing the open door way Jimmy turned when he heard the remark. Lou looked right at him. He could tell she had been crying but also that she didn't recognize the mustached gunfighter with a badge as an old friend.

Sarah turned and winked at him as she shut the door with her foot. "Well, I guess you might be thinkin' that the new sheriff doesn't have anything better to do then look at a soaking wet stage driver." Sarah teased back.

When that didn't get a raise out of Lou as Jimmy expected it should, he retraced his steps back to her door and listened.

"Sarah do me a favor get me a bottle." He heard Lou ask the woman with the tray.

"No, we've talked about this and it ain't going to do you no good, gal."

"It's today don't you see. It's been six years ago today that I got the letter, and lost my child. Only six years since I lost my child and husband."

"Don't you think I know that, but that bottle won't bring them back, girl. Here eat this, and I'll be right back with something to help in a bit. Now eat up, from what I heard you've had a really rough day." Sarah said in a motherly tone.

Jimmy backed away into the shadows as Sarah left the room. "Ike, Noah, and now Kid, all dead, all gone." The tears slowly slid down his face.

Then he heard the heartbroken sobs on the other side of the door. Not stopping, not knocking, not thinking, he opened the door.

"What are you doing?!" She shouted at him as he came though the door.

"Doing what I should have seven years ago," he said as he pulled her to him. "I wouldn't have left if I knew what would happen, Lou. I'm so sorry. I wish I had been there for you."

Pulling away from him, Lou looked up into his face. "What? Huh?" was all she could manage at first. He could have told you the minute she recognized him. Her face went from surprise, to anger, to relief, as she collapsed against him. "Jimmy, it is you isn't it?" The relief she felt wads in her voice.

"Yeah, Lou it's me."

"Where have you been?"

"Everywhere, nowhere, you know me."

"Yeah, 'bout as good as anyone. Why'd ya leave Jimmy?"

"I had to, couldn't stay it was too hard."

"Noah's death was har....."

He cut her off there, "Lou look at me. It wasn't Noah's death. It was seeing you so happy with someone else, even if it was The Kid."

"Oh, Jimmy," and with that familiar gesture she covered her face.

"It's ok, I'm here and so are you. I'm sorry about your troubles but I'm glad you're here. Now maybe this time I can get it right."

Staring at him, Lou knew what he meant and wondered if she could find the courage, after all she had lost, to return the love she saw shining in Jimmy Hickok's eyes.

Neither of them saw the man in the shadows below, as he watched them in the window of the room. A myriad of emotions could be seen on his face. Love, hate, envy, and jealousy just to name a few. He jumped when he heard the voice behind him. "When are you going to let her know that you're alive?" a voice from his past taunted.

And just like in the past he responded, "Ah, Cody, shut up."

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