Fandom:	Houston Knights
Series:	Other Authors
Rating:	PG (for now)
Pairing:	Joe/Levon
Archive:	Starwinder's
Title:	Ride'em... cowboy?
Author:	Glo
e-mail:	Goglow@mailcity.com
Standard Disclaimer: Houston Knights belongs to Jay Bernstein and Michael Butler and Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This is fan fiction, written out of love for the shows. I am making no money off this. I have no money so please don't sue me. Any original characters who may appear in these stories are the property of the author.

Ride'em... cowboy?
By Glo

Levon Lundy sat at the counter looking dazed. Chicken swiped the surface in front of him while watching sympathetically. "Levon, you want somethin' to drink? How about a cold beer?"

Levon didn't answer and Chicken glanced over at the cowboy's partner who was sitting two stools away and staring down at his coffee, looking irritated. "Give him the beer, Chicken, maybe then he'll talk to me," Joe LaFiamma said without looking over.

Behind them, others from the station were engaged in a lively exchange at a round table. "You could'a hit me with a whole hawg an' Ah wouldn'a noticed," grinned Joe Bill McCandless to the group.

The others guffawed. Nudging Carol, Esteban Guiterrez laughed and threw his eyes back towards the two quiet cops at the counter. "You think Lundy's gonna recover from finding out about his partner?"

Carol smiled, her eyes sparkling. "It was the surprise, that's all. Joe's never said anything to any of us about it."

Annie Hartung, who had been watching the tension at the counter with quiet understanding said, "I wish I could have seen it. It must have been pretty spectacular to get Levon all stirred up like this."

Joe Bill hooted in laughter, "Annie, my friend, I ain't seen horsemanship like that eny place but the rodeo - 'til today! That Rotary Club parade won't be the same none, neither. When we started chasing Hobart and his compadres out of the Savings and Loan, they still had a couple of hostages. Then Hobart, he done shoved his down and took off running. Must have figured none of us could'a kept up. He's pretty fast, you know. Used to play for the Houston Oilers backfield afore they threw him out for drug abuse."

Joe Bill paused to take a sip of his beer, looking toward Lundy and LaFiamma, both of whom had stiffened in their seats. It was easy to see that McCandless's words were carrying and the two men were being forced to listen to a replay of what had happened earlier that afternoon.

Joe Bill continued, "That's when Lundy went after him, charging right through the parade, he musta knocked over at least two of the clowns walking the sides of the line o march."

"Yeah," Esteban added, "and we all had our hands full with the rest of the gang and the hostages, so Joe dropped two of the gang with his guns and left after Lundy."

"He ken move pretty fast, that boy, but weren't no way he was gonna catch up with Lundy and Hobart. I seen the way Hobart turned and pulled his gun up the street, cool as you please. Aiming for Levon who was going fast, trying to break through the crowds. Trouble was, he couldn't see what Hobart was doing from there and couldn't hear us yelling at him, trying to warn him." McCandless shook his head.

Carol O'Brien nodded seriously, "Annie, Levon was about to be shot and there was nothing any of us could do. Too many people, too many innocent bystanders."

"Then," Joe Bill said with obvious relish, "LaFiamma goes and surprises all 'a us. He gets off a shot Ah'd a been proud to make, with one of those little 38s of his, and Hobart is on the ground."

Chicken, who had been listening to all this from his post behind the lunch counter, looked first at Levon who had his eyes crunched closed, then at LaFiamma who was looking oddly morose. The large black man raised his voice to carry to the table group, "So how come none of you could make that shot?"

"We wasn't high enough, Chicken," explained Doug Chiles who had been listening 'til now.

At that everyone started to laugh again.

"Gimme that beer, Chicken," Lundy muttered to Chicken under the noise of the whooping behind him.

"Lundy, it's not like I was hiding anything," LaFiamma hissed sideways at his partner, under cover of the general laughter.

Levon looked over at his partner now. He studied the dark, handsome, almost pouty face of the ex-Chicago cop. "I thought you were a city cop, from Chicago."

"I am...I was," Joey answered in angry confusion.

"Then how come I never knew? Huh?"

"Lundy, I don't tell you everything. You don't tell me everything. We ain't married or anything, just partners, for God's sake."

Lundy turned back to the counter and took up the beer, silently swallowing and ignoring his partner, Joe LaFiamma.

"So," Annie asked patiently, as the laughter began to die down slightly, "how did Joey get to be up high enough to make the shot?"

Joe Bill coughed and grinned, "You didn't hear that part?"

"No," Annie said beginning to look suspiciously at the others who were all smirking and casting looks at Levon Lundy's stiff back.

"Well, Ah'll tell you. Joe there, he ran up to one of those parade riders and grabbed the hoss's bridle, then pulled back and shoved the rider right outta the saddle."

"...and?"

"And showed us the prettiest fast mount I seen in some time. He's up in that saddle and spinning that high-stepper like she was a little top! He has her back on her haunches and he's STANDING in the stirrups taking that shot, calm as you please!"

"Joe?" Annie looked stunned.

"Yeah," Doug put in, "and Levon, when he sees what went down, he looked just about like you do now!"

Carol took over, "We got Hobart, the whole gang and no hostages hurt. Levon was safe. It was a good arrest," She paused, "but none of us knew that Joe could ...ride."

Up at the counter, Joe said quietly, "Lundy?" Joe was looking at his partner now in an openly appealing way, "It just never come up in conversation!"

Levon pushed back his Stetson, stood up from the stool, and turned to face the Italian. "'It just never come up?'" He growled. The crowd at the table had fallen silent and all had turned to watch. "Jest when did you think that maybe you should tell me?"

"Didn't seem to be any reason to, after all, it isn't as if I do any regular riding down here. I'm not on a mounted patrol anymore. Hadn't been for some time when I got sent here," LaFiamma answered indignantly. "Ya know, Levon, they do have horses in more places than just Texas!"

- Finis -