Buck carefully laid the little redhaired girl down. This wasn�t the first time he�d brought her here, but she�d never been beat up this bad. It was the last time though, since he and Ma would be leaving soon. He quickly looked up, prepared to explain, when he heard Ma come in. However, Marjorie took one look at the girl and marched out of the house.

Carefully, Buck felt along her arms to make sure they weren�t broken. They weren�t, but when he tried to check her legs, she drew away from him.

"Don�t."

"But I need to make sure-"

"Mama says it�s evil to let anyone except her touch me until I�m old enough to earn my keep."

"Your mama�s a mean lady."

"No she�s not. It�s just that I�m a lot of trouble and-"

Buck quieted her, and talked her to sleep. She didn�t have any broken bones, and he had just finished cleaning a cut on her head when Marjorie returned. Buck was surprised that she had a small bundle under her arms.

"Ma? What�s that?"

"Laurie�s things, she�ll be coming with us."

"But Louisa�"

"Louisa isn�t important. She�ll be dead drunk and asleep until noon tomorrow, and the three of us will be halfway to Quemada."

"How do we tell the brat?"

"Why do you call her that?"

"Because that�s what she acts like, always following me around and pestering me when Louisa ain�t watchin�."

"Well, she�ll be pestering and following you a lot more now."

Buck wasn�t sure if he should grin or groan. Marjorie went over to Laurie and shook her gently.

"Hmmm�"

"Laurie?"

"Jus� a second Mama, I�ll move an�-"

"No, no, you don�t have to move."

Laurie opened her eyes.

"Ms. Wilmington?"

"Yes Sweetie. How would you like to go on a trip?"

"A trip?"

"Yes, with me and Buck."

"I have to ask Mama."

"I already did, she said it�s just fine."

Laurie looked in the mirror. She was forteen now. For the last ten years, she had mercilessly followed Buck and his friend, Chris around. Despite her small size, she wore Buck�s old clothes, rolled up at the wrists and ankles so that she could use her hands and feet. Her once bright red hair has faded to a dark auburn, and it would be short except that Ma would have a colt if she did. Right now, she was brushing her hair to make sure it was smooth and shiny, and hoping that the sun wasn�t as bright as it seemed to be through the window so that her freckles wouldn�t be noticeable. Buck and Chris were going fishing, and she was going with them, provided she could talk them into it. She hurriedly braided her hair as she rushed to the door, realizing that they would be leaving soon, and she still had to get Ma to let her go.

She stopped off for Ma first, knowing that if she could get Ma on her side, Buck would give in. Unfortunately, she forgot about the dirty old clothes.

"Ma, Buck and Chris are going fishing, and I was wondering if I could-"

"I sincerely hope, young lady, that the sole purpose of those clothes is fishing."

Laurie glanced down, remembering that she had used those when she cleaned out the stables yesterday because Bobby was sick. They were smelly and had manure on them.

"Uhm, yeah."

"Good. Did you buy that dress I gave you the money for."

Her sheepish look said it all. She�d hoped to hold on to the money and wait for Ma to forget about the dress. She was saving up for her own gun, and having a gun made a lot more sense than another dress.

"Before you even THINK about going fishing, I suggest you buy that dress, and possibly change, or the fish will be chased off."

She rushed back into her room and changed as quick as she could, yanking the dress money from her gun stash. As she rushed out the door, she collided with someone. She had expected to find Buck- or worse, Chris, but instead found Eric Collins.

"Hey Laurie, whereya goin�?"

"Away from you."

All through school, Eric had tormented her because of what her mother did, and starting when she was twelve, asked her almost everyday how much an hour would cost. She wished she hadn�t changed, the smell might have made him leave.

He grabbed her arm.

"You�re not goin� anywhere." She kneed him in the groin, but he didn�t let go. "You�re gonna be just like your Mama girl, a whore." He spat in her face. "And I�m gonna be your first customer."

"She�s not gonna have any customers boy."

Eric let out a shriek of pain as the hand holding Laurie�s arm was suddenly yanked back, the wrist breaking. Laurie looked up at the sound of the voice, already knowing that it was Chris.

"You okay Laurie?"

She nodded.

Chris released Eric. "Go away." He did, but not before spitting in the ground at her feet. From the look in Chris�s eyes, he wasn�t through with him, and she decided to change the subject.

"Chris, are you and Buck going fishing?"

"Yup."

"Can I come?"

"What�d your Ma say?"

"She said it was okay."

"Fine by me."

"Great. I have to go buy a new dress first."

Laurie rushed off as Marjorie came out.

"Chris, have you told her about Sarah?"

"No ma�am. The right time just hasn�t-"

"Your getting married in less than a month, I think the right time is rapidly approaching."

"I know. I just�Don�t wanna hurt her."

"Waiting any longer will."

"I guess you�re right. I�ll tell her tonight then."

"Good. Here comes Buck. I suggest telling her when he�s not around, otherwise he might kill you."

Chris grinned, knowing that Buck wouldn�t kill him for breaking his sister�s heart- although there would be a good deal of torture before he died because of it- but because Laurie had a crush on him in the first place, and no man on the face of the planet was good enough for her.

"Why�m I gonna kill ya Chris?" Buck asked as he got within earshot..

"I invited Laurie to come fishing with us."

"You what!?!?"

"I invi-"

"Hi guys!" None of them had noticed Laurie coming up.

"Brat, there is no way that you are coming fishing with us."

"Yes I am."

"No you-"

"Yes, she is Buck." Laurie grinned. Ma had spoken, and there was no way Buck would make or could make her stay now, since he was the only one who didn�t want her to go. And he was just being a jerk about it to make her mad. "Now, you three catch a lot of fish and we�ll have it for dinner."

That night, over a dinner of fish- Laurie had caught more than either of the men- Marjorie made an announcement.

"Laurie and I will be moving east, so she can finish her education." She left off the more important part, that with Buck and Chris leaving, Chris to get married and settle down near his bride�s home, Buck to help him out, keeping Laurie safe from the repercussions of Marjorie�s business would be almost impossible. Buck was about to make a comment when Chris said that it was a good idea, and Laurie ran out of the house. Buck and Chris both started to follow her, but Marjorie stopped Buck.

"I think she needs to talk to Chris more than she needs to talk to you."

"Huh?"

"I�ll explain in a moment. Chris?"

Chris was almost to the door. Partially out of concern for Laurie, partially because he didn�t want to be in the room when Buck found out.

Laurie hadn�t gone far. Chris found her on the porch.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Laurie, there�s something you need to know."

"I already know. You don�t love me."

"It�s not that, it�s just that I don�t love you in that way."

"How do you love me then?"

"Like Buck does."

The sound of an enraged "SHE WHAT!!!!!!!" distracted them.

"I don�t think you love me quite like that." She said.

"Well, I�m not quite as, ah, outspoken, about it as he is."

Inside, a chair was knocked over, most likely by Buck.

"I�LL KILL HIM!!!"

"Uhm, Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you may wanna go home now."

"I think your right. You might wanna sneak in through your window."

"Good point. Ruin the dress though."

"What a tragedy." She grinned. At least SOMEONE didn�t mind that she hated dresses. Lately, even Buck had been complaining about her wearing his old clothes.

"Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"What�s her name?"

"Excuse me?"

"If I�m smart enough to know that there�s more than one kind of love, then I�m smart enough to know that that look in your eyes that you�ve had for the last few months is for someone."

Chris grinned his �devil�s grin� as she called it.

"Sarah."

A few days later, Laurie and Marjorie saw the two young men off. Buck was somewhat cold to Chris, holding him solely responsible for Laurie�s crush. He may have not gone on with Chris except that he was sure he could convince Sarah that he, not Chris, was the one she was meant to be with. Impulsively, Laurie pulled both men down for kisses on the cheek, whispering "Behave." in Buck�s ear. Buck grinned replying "You first." He knew that she was gonna be okay, if for no other reason than to prove to him that she could take care of herself.

Laurie fidgetted with her dress. Buck and Chris wouldn�t recognize her in it, she was sure of that. Even when she had visited them in Eagle Bend, she had worn pants.

"Stop that Laurie."

"Ma, Chris and Buck are both gonna� have a heart attack when they see me in a dress."

"No, they won�t. They know that you�re a teacher now, and having a woman teacher dressed as a man wouldn�t be appropriate. Besides, the pants only encourage Buck to call you brat."

"Yeah, but-"

"Laurie." She�d known that tone for as long as she could remember. No matter how old they got, Buck and Laurie- Chris to for that matter- would always and forever obey that tone of voice.

Laurie settled back, deciding to get a little sleep before they got to Four Corners and Buck and Chris started bombarding them with questions. She wondered how Chris was doing, she hadn�t seen him since the summer before Sarah and Adam died.

In Four Corners, a nervous Buck and Chris are amusing their friends-although that certainly isn�t their intention.

"Are you sure I look okay Vin?"

"Buck, I�ve never seen you in that gooda� shape."

Josiah and Nathan were giving Chris the same speech.

"Might I inquire as to whom the two of you are so nervous about meeting on this coach?"

"Buck�s mother and sister."

"Buck, you got a sister?" J.D. asked, astonished.

"Yup. School teacher. Or at least, that�s what Ma wants Brat to be." He added with a chuckle.

"Brat?" Asked Vin.

"Buck�s been calling her that since she was five. I don�t think he remembers her real name."

"�Course I do, it�s Laurie."

"Mr. Larabee, might I inquire as to your reason for distress?"

"Well, Buck�s Ma practically raised me. And Adam would choose Laurie over me, Sarah, and Buck any day."

The others, except Buck, stopped short. They�d never heard Chris mention his wife and son like that, with joy instead of pain in his voice.

"I think I�m going to enjoy meeting these ladies." Josiah commented.

After another hour, however, Buck and Chris were starting to get worried.

"Ah hell. Vin, come with me."

"Where we goin� Buck?"

"To find my Ma and Laurie."

"You want me to come along Buck?"

"Nah, they might still show up, and they�d be pissed if neither of us was here. Brat�d never forgive us."

Several miles outside of town, Laurie was slowly, and painfully, regaining consciousness.

"Uhn. Buck? You there?"

No answer.

"Ma?" She noticed her surroundings, and remembered what had happened. Bandits had tried to attack the stage, but their shots had scared the horses into a frenzy and the stage coach had flipped over several times. The coach was on it�s side now. She was okay, except that her head hurt. "Ma, are you-MA!!!" Marjorie was unconscious, and had a shaft of wood protruding on both sides from her left thigh. Unable to revive her mother, Laurie started trying to get the door open, but wasn�t strong enough, so she started kicking it and calling for the driver. The person who responded, however, wasn�t the driver. It was one of the sweetest sounds that she�d ever heard though.

"Laurie? That you?"

"Buck?"

"Just a sec Brat, we�ll get you out."

She wondered who �we� meant, but assumed he meant Chris. She wondered why he hadn�t said anything yet. Before long, the jammed door opened breaking when it caught, and she saw Buck�s arm- and another that she guessed was Chris�s- reach for her.

"C�mon Brat."

Laurie took the hands, but was surprised to find, not Chris, but another man, several years younger than Buck and Chris. From Buck�s descriptions, she assumed he was Vin Tanner.

"You okay Brat?"

"Yeah, my head hurts a bit, but I�m ok."

"Where�s Ma?"

She glanced at the coach.

"Ah Hell." Buck swore. "Laurie, take my horse to town, if Chris isn�t outside waiting for you, look in the saloon, tell him to bring Nathan."

Laurie mounted the horse, and saw Mr. Tanner�s eyes bug slightly and Buck�s grin as she lifted her skirts and petticoats above her knees, revealing the small gun strapped to her left calf. In town, a guy wearing one of those stupid eastern hats stopped her.

"Hey! What�re you doin� with Buck�s horse?" He went slack jawed when he noticed her hiked dress and gun. She was willing to bet good money that he was J.D. Dunne.

"None of your business. Is Chris in the saloon?" He nodded gulping.

"Good. Hold onto Beavis."

Chris looked up when the saloon went quite. Turning, he saw the shock of his life. Laurie Wilmingtome in a dress and petticoat. He wondered how Marjorie had got her to wear it. As he moved to hug her, he noticed her face.

"Laurie? What happened? Where�s Marjorie?"

"Bandit�s tried to attack the stage, but the shots scared the horses so much they made the coach flipped. Buck, and I think the guy named Vin, got me out, but Ma got a piece of wood in her leg. Buck said to get someone named Nathan and-"

Chris shushed her, and already a large black man, and two others, were rising from a nearby table. Nathan apparently, and the rest of the seven peacekeepers.

"Laurie, go down to the Clarion and tell Mary Travis that your Buck�s sister." Mary Travis, Buck had told her about Mrs. Travis, as soon as she learned that Ma was gonna be all right, she was gonna have to get Chris�s head out of the haystack regarding her, just as soon as she knew that Ma was okay.

Unfortunately, Marjorie wasn�t going to be all right.

"Mrs. Wilmington, I have to cut that leg off, or it could kill you."

"That�s �Ms Wilmington� Nathan Jackson, I never have been married and never will, and I�m to old to be called �Miss�. And I know perfectly well that it�s going to kill me. I will not, however, have my children looking after a cripple for the next ten years."

"Twenty Ma, at least."

"Hush Buck."

Laurie looked around Buck�s small room. It was somewhat crowded, with Nathan, Buck, Laurie, and Chris crowded around the bed.

"Laurie, give me the gun you told me you wouldn�t wear."

"Ma-"

"Now."

Laurie lifted her skirt, wondering why she had thought Ma wouldn�t figure it out. Maybe Buck or Vin had told her.

"Thank you dear. Now, Mr. Jackson, should you attempt to remove this leg, I will shoot you in the heart, understand?"

Nathan nodded, dumbstruck. The look in her eyes left no doubt that she would.

"Now, everybody except Buck, out."

When they looked about to refuse, she cocked the gun. "Out."

"Come on Laurie."

Chris took her arm, almost dragging her out.

When they were alone, Buck reached for the gun, only to find it pointed at him.

"Give me the gun Ma."

"No."

"Ma."

"Buck, I refuse to have you and Laurie looking after me for the rest of my life when I can�t take care of myself anymore."

"Ma, it wouldn�t be a problem. You know Laurie and I would nev-"

"No, you wouldn�t regret it, and you you�d be bitter or complain, but I will. And you both have important responsibilities. This town depends on you, and Laurie is a teacher." Buck snorted, Laurie had had almost ten teaching jobs in less than three years. Marjorie ignored him. "Neither of you can do that if you have to take care of a cripple."

Buck was silent for a moment, trying to think of a reason that would change her mind.

"Okay, keep the leg. But before you die, you�re telling Laurie about Louisa."

"There�s nothing to tell. Laurie remembers nothing about that woman, and she probably never will."

"So you�re gonna die lying to her?"

"There is no lie. I�m her mother and you�re her brother in every way that could matter."

Buck�s silence told her what he thought of her reasoning. They had argued over it a number of times over the last five years. Even though he felt the same way, he thought that Laurie deserved to know about Louisa, but Marjorie had refused.

"Go get that physician, I need to talk to him." At the hopeful look on his face, she added, "No, I�m not keeping the leg."

Outside, Chris was attempting to convince Laurie that the entire accident wasn�t her fault.

"Look, there�s no way you could have caused those bandits to try to attack the coach."

"It�s my fault that we�re here. I kept yammering about Buck�s letters-none from you incidentally." She pointed out. "Until she gave in and we came."

"Then start blaming us for being here in the first place, but don�t blame yourself for something you couldn�t control."

"You first." She said leaving the table. Chris knew what she meant. Even though this was the first time they had seen each other since before Sarah and Adam died, she knew that he blamed himself for not being there. But it was very, very different.

Inside, Marjorie told Nathan a large part of the reason she didn�t want her leg amputated.

"What do you know about lumps in the breast Mr. Jackson?"

"I know that they can kill a woman, and it ain�t a nice death." Then he realized why she was asking.

"I watched my mother die from one. My children won�t see the same thing."

Nathan nodded. He could understand.

"After I�m dead, tell Buck that he�s right." At Nathan�s questioning look, she told him, "He�ll know."

Buck found Laurie in the stables, talking to Beavis.

"Why�d you name him that?"

"seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Stupid idea."

"Probably. Look, Brat, you can�t blame yourself."

"I take it you saw Chris.�

"He stopped me outside a� Ma�s room."

"Chris needs to listen to what he preaches."

"Yeah, he does, but that�s not the point right now."

"What is?"

"Look, horrible, senseless things happen sometimes, and there�s no way you can control them. Even though you did always blame yourself for things that happened to you."

"This didn�t happen to me, it happened to Ma."

"Laurie�"

"Look, I don�t wanna talk about this." She wiped the final traces of tears away. "So, was the kid who tried to stop me when I came into town that J.D. that you like so much?"

"Yup. By the way, I don�t think he�s quite recovered from seeing you ride into town like that."

"Why is it that men lose all rational thought when they see a little bit of female flesh?"

Buck laughed. "Damned if I know, but I�m no better that the rest of �em."

"No, you�re worse."

The next morning, a woman with dark red hair stopped her as she was headed for the hotel after a visit to Mary Travis at the Clarion. She was gonna� wake Chris and Mary Travis up to reality if it killed her. From her first impression, it might. They sure were stubborn about having a purely professional relationship.

"Hello Laurel."

"Uhm, hi." How did this woman know her name. She might have found out that her name was Laurie from someone who knew that she was Buck�s sister. But no one called her �Laurel.� Half the time, she forgot that it was her full name, the other half she wished it wasn�t.

"You don�t remember me, do you?"

"Ah, no. If you�ll excuse me, my mother�s sick and I need to-"

"Actually, I�m quite well, thank you."

Laurie stared at the woman. She was definitely crazy.

"Yeah. I really need to-"

"You�ve really forgotten everything about me, haven�t you?"

"Look, lady, I don�t know what�s going on here, but I�ve never seen you before, and I have no idea who you think I am so-"

"Allow me to elaborate. Your name is Laurie Wilmington, but you were born Laurel Hart. When you were five years old, Marjorie Wilmington and her son, Buck stole you from your mother, me, and moved away. I found you ten years later, in Quemada, but you were constantly with either Buck or his friend, Chris Larabee. A few days after they left, you seemed to disappear for over a week, until you and Marjorie left. And then I heard that Buck was here, and came and waited for you." This lady was crazy. But she did know about her past.

"Who are you?"

"Go ask Marjorie who Louisa Hart is. And if she tells you the truth, come see me at Alan Daniels� place."

Laurie rushed to the hotel, barely noticing Chris and Buck coming out. When she got to the room, she found Nathan there.

"Out."

Nathan looked at Marjorie, who nodded. Once he was gone, Marjorie questioned Laurie about her obvious outrage.

"Who�s Louisa Hart?"

"Louisa-where did you here that name?"

"From her. She also said that you stole me when I was five, and that she�s my�Mother."

"It�s not that simple. She be-"

"I don�t want to hear it." Laurie struggled to keep her voice calm.

"Stealing a child from it�s mother can�t be justified by anything."

"Laurie, wait." Marjorie called as Laurie left the room.

She stopped. "What?"

"Do you remember, when you were little? How you were afraid to let anyone touch you?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"It wasn�t because of what I did, of your fear of it. It was because that woman beat you, sometimes until you were unconscious." But Laurie was gone before she could finish.

Outside, she ran into Buck and Chris, who had just been told that Laurie kicked Nathan out. Before either could say anything, Laurie reached back and hit Buck�s jaw as hard as she could, knocking him down, and was gone before either could react.

Laurie didn�t go to the Daniel�s place immediately. She knew where it was, after their talk in the stable, she and Buck had gone to the saloon, and he had introduced her to the rest of his friends. A strange assortment. From what she could tell, it was strange that these men, so incredibly different it was amazing they hadn�t killed each other, seemed as if each could almost tell what the others were thinking with just a look. She�d always been amazed that Chris hadn�t killed Buck outright. Even more so now that she wanted to. They had been talking about the place, something about squatters, and she had asked where it was.

She went to a bluff overlooking the town. She had seen it when she road in. It seemed to be a good place to think. She knew Marjorie was right about Louisa beating her. From the moment she had called her Laurel, she had started having memories of old nightmares. She had thought that it was because, in the nightmares, the person hitting her always called her Laurel, it was part of the reason she always went by Laurie. But now�

She heard a horse approaching.

"Sorry."

Vin Tanner.

"Buck and Chris send you?"

"Nope, haven�t seen them all day. Why?"

"Never mind. Do me a favor?"

"Sure.

"If I�m not back in town in about three hours, tell Buck and Chris that I headed for the Daniels� place. And then duck."

"Duck?"

"Trust me."

Laurie tied Beavis to the rail outside, with any luck, she wouldn�t be very long.

"Louisa?"

No answer.

Laurie took in her surroundings. The house was small, but she had expected that. What she hadn�t expected, was the dresses she found on the table. They were old, probably about twenty years.

She looked up when she heard someone coming. It was Louisa.

"They were yours."

"I know." She saw a stain on one of the dresses, it looked like blood. Hers.

"Laurel-"

"Don�t call me that either. I just came here for two reasons. One was to thank you for letting me know the truth, the other was to tell you to never come near me again."

"What? Laurie, I�m your moth-"

"You�re the woman who almost killed me. You�re the woman who held a four year old girl�s hand over a candle because she had wanted a little warmth, and then pressed your thumb over the burn when she yanked it away, and then put the hand back over the flame." Laurie fingered the faint scar. Marjorie and Buck had told her that it had happened when she slipped and hit the candle with her hand. "That�s all I�ll ever see when I think about you, you hitting me and yelling at me. But I won�t see you as my mother."

"You spiteful little bitch! I gave birth to you! I-" She raised her hand to hit Laurie, but she grabbed it.

"Never. Touch. Me. Chris told me once, if someone hits you, hit them back. Do you want me to hit you back for all the times you hit a little girl?" Louisa flinched. Laurie didn�t realize that her grip was tightening. But Louisa could feel the strength that Laurie was forcing herself to hold back.

"I came here to tell you that, nothing more. You may have been my mother once, but that was a long time ago, and you�ll never be my mother again."

"Who will? The whore who kidnapped you?"

Laurie grinned. "Better than the whore who beat me."

She was almost to the door when Louisa lunged at her. Laurie reacted instinctively, not even thinking before she drew her gun, or before she fired it.

Buck and Chris found her there an hour and a half later. Louisa had died almost instantly, the bullet had entered her heart. Neither asked Laurie how it had happened, neither wanted to know.

Marjorie looked up when she heard the door open. "Buck?" She didn�t expect Laurie to visit her, Buck said that she hadn�t even looked at him all the way back to town, and hadn�t spoken to him since.

"Not quite."

"Laurie!"

"Yeah." She looked horrible. She hadn�t slept at all in the last three days, but then, neither had Marjorie.

"I�didn�t expect to see you."

"Neither did I."

"Just came by to tell you something."

"What?"

Laurie held out a piece of paper. It was the deed to the saloon, under name of proprietor, it said�

"Laurel Hart Wilmington. Oh, Laurie�"

"Well, I�m gonna be here for a while, and after Louisa, nobody in this town will ever accept me as a teacher."

"You�re�not leaving?"

"Nah. You�re stuck here, and I have to drive Buck crazy, I�ve got a lot of time to catch up on. Not to mention getting Chris and that Travis woman-"

"Laurie�"

"What? Anybody could see that they care a lot for each other, maybe even love each other."

Marjorie was just about to give the girl up as hopeless, when she realized what was happening. Laurie had forgiven her, she would never say it, but she was showing it.

"Where did you get the money for the saloon?"

"From the money Mr. Raynolds gave me when we left."

"Oh Laurie, that�s not what it was meant for�"

"Maybe not, but he knew I�d never make it as a teacher."

"Well, if you tried to be more ladylike�"

"Ma, I�m gonna go before this turns into one of those lectures that you have an endless supply of. Besides, Buck doesn�t know yet�"

Marjorie died two weeks later. Laurie renamed the saloon "The Marjorie." Buck and Chris blamed each other, although most people tended to agree with Chris.

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