Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

All you have is your fire
And the place you need to reach
Don't you ever tame your demons
But always keep 'em on a leash.
Hozier - Arsonist's Lullabye

She came like a spectre. Black horse appearing from what seemed to be nowhere. Rain coming down heavy from the heavens.

It was at least midnight when she arrived, her horse's reins held tightly in one hand, her meager belongings in the saddlebags slung over the other shoulder. Even Rip Wheeler, for all he prides himself for his observance, didn't see her. If he wasn't there, keeping watch for the night, she might've not even existed at all, the howl of the wind covering the sound of the hooves and footsteps.

The wraith crept closer to Rip, dark hat pulled down over her face, obscuring her eyes.

"You lookin' for somethin'?" Rip questioned, his voice carried by the wind. The brim of the wraith's hat tipped up, displaying bright eyes framed by long lashes. Eyes that seemed to bore their way into Rip's soul. Jesus Christ. I've seen that look before. Rip's mind warned him, every instinct screaming at him to send this woman away.

"Do you have a place I can ride out the night in? I'd keep moving, but Kelpie here doesn't do well in the rain." Rip couldn't place her accent. Somewhere up north, he'd guess. New York, maybe? Didn't matter. She was here asking for shelter, and by damn would he give it to her.

"Kelpie your horse?" He asked, pointing to the sleek black quarter horse, standing beside the young woman. Jesus. Even the horse looks fucking creepy. "She's mine."

The rain was pelting down, only getting heavier and heavier as Rip considered his choices. He could head up to the main house to ask Mr. Dutton, or he could give the woman a chance - but only for the night.

"What's your name?" He asked, voice rough as gravel. "Rook."

Of course her name is Rook. A damn omen of bad luck "Well, Rook, there's space for your horse in the stables, and you can take a bed in the bunkhouse for the night." Rip proposed, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "You can decide what you want to do in the morning."

The wraith's demeanor seemed to change, brightening at the mention of a place to stay. "Look, I can't promise you any long-term thing, but you can stay for the night. The night. You understand me?" The black hat bobbed up and down as the woman firmly nodded her head.

"Thank you for this. I'm grateful." Rip nodded, turning on his heel. "Follow me. We'll get your horse a stall." Rip gestured for the woman- Rook to follow him, leading her to the stables.

The walk to the stables was silent, save for the howling of the wind. Rip not once looking back at the woman, her horse's hooves the only confirmation she was indeed following behind.

The lights of the stables were thankfully still on, allowing Rip to easily lead the woman inside. The barn doors clattered from the wind before Rip slid one along the runners, opening it just wide enough to let them through. The horses inside were restless, many whinnying and neighing at the intrusion. Their noises oddly didn't seem to affect the black mare being led by the wraith, the only sounds coming from her being the occasional snort or sigh.

"There should be a free stall in the back. You can put your saddle over there on the wall." Rip said, pointing towards the back of the barn and then over to the wall lined with various tack belonging to the other wranglers. Swinging her saddlebags down from her shoulder, Rook placed them onto the bench along the other wall, over by the wheelbarrows stocked full of hay and feed for the horses.

"Come on, Kelpie. Let's get you a bed for the night." Rook mused to her horse, clicking her tongue as she led her to the very back of the stables, Rip watching from the door. Hands in his pockets, he approached the woman, and found her whispering something unintelligible to her horse, looking completely distraught. Rook's face shifted when she noticed Rip's presence, no longer looking as frightened as she had a moment earlier.

"You're not from 'round here, are you?" Rip questioned, leaning against the stall door. "Family's from Vermont. Moved here when I was thirteen." Rook's voice sounded detached when she spoke of her family, and Rip knew better than to press for information. After a few beats of silence, Rip tilted his head towards the door they had entered through. "Let's get you a bed before the storm gets worse."

Once checking Kelpie was good for the night, Rook followed quickly behind, stopping momentarily to pick up her saddlebags as she passed before tucking her chin into the collar of her jacket and braving the downpour outside.

The walk to the bunkhouse from the stables was shorter than before, but that didn't stop Rip and Rook from getting soaked to the skin, their clothes sticking against their bodies. As they got closer to the building, the tell-tale sound of ranch hands drinking and gambling together reached their ears, which only got louder when Rip shouldered the door open, not even bothering to knock.

The second Rook stepped inside, the commotion died down completely, everyone's eyes finding her standing in the doorway. "Listen up! This is Rook. She's stayin' for the night." Rip said pointedly towards the table surrounded by rugged wranglers, all men - save a young woman sitting at the head of the table who tipped her hat to Rook. "Get her a bed - and no funny business. I don't want to wake up to any stories of one of you lot watching her in her sleep." Without so much as a parting word, Rip left Rook standing there, in a room full of people she didn't know.

As if sensing her discomfort, the female wrangler stood up from her chair, nodding towards the back of the room. "I'm Avery. It's good to have another woman around here, even if it's just for the night." Avery's words calmed Rook, even gaining a small smile from the woman. "Hey, guys?" Avery called over to the table of men. "Are there any bunks free?" One of the wranglers, a handsome man with dark hair and a beard angled his head up, blue eyes falling on Rook. "The bunk below mine is free."

Nodding her head, Avery pointed over to the bunk tucked in the very back corner. Setting her bags down on the covers, Rook shucked off her soaked jacket and dark green flannel, hanging them both to dry on the hooks to the side of the bed, high up on the wall. "Is the bathroom through there?" She asked nobody in particular, pointing over her shoulder to the door at the other end of the room. "Yeah. In there's the washroom." Another of the hands, an older man with greyed hair and a similarly coloured goatee, replied.

After gathering her things and disappearing into the bathroom, the chatter slowly resumed, beginning with Avery's peal of laughter. "Oh, you guys are so fucked!"

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Rook

The sun was nearing the horizon when Rook met the other wranglers outside of the bunkhouse, Rip standing at the head of the yawning procession. There was a lesson in this: don't drink and gamble well into the early morning when you needed to get up early. The sight of the men forced Rook's lips to turn up slightly in the corner, just barely. It had been only a day since she had joined the Yellowstone family, but she already felt more at home than she'd ever felt before.

"Listen up. Last night some fuckers dropped clover in the fields. The only choice we've got is to move the cattle up through the mountain pass." Rip's words shocked everyone awake. "But our first job is to burn the fields with the clover in it so it doesn't take root. Mr. Dutton has everything sorted. Grab your stuff and let's go." With a whistle, every wrangler set to work grabbing their gear and heading over to the quads. No horses today. Rook was thankful the stable boy taught her to drive one all those years ago.

Falling into step with Ryan and Colby, Rook picked up an axe and loaded it into the nearest quad which was already overloaded with gear. Despite growing up on a ranch, she'd never encountered a problem like this before. They'd never had to burn any of their fields because someone who had a vendetta against them had dropped clover all down the valley. Yeah, they were usually dead before they could. Rook shook her head, dispelling the thought.

Rook was lost in her own mind when she noticed an older man standing across the yard. He was a good distance away, but even from there could she see the bruises and swelling on his face. She hadn't even realised she'd stopped moving until Jimmy- one of the other wranglers- had run over to the man, dropping the piping he was carrying. Rook couldn't help but study Jimmy. The way he stood while he was talking to the man made it obvious that this wasn't just an accident or coincidence. Rook knew her own fair share of that feeling to know that something had happened.

It was only when Ryan came over to her that she snapped out of her reverie, pretending as if nothing had happened.

"You're not from around here." He observed, causing Rook to roll her eyes. "Can everyone please stop saying that. I've been living in Montana fifteen years." She said it only half-jokingly, to which Ryan held up his hands in mock surrender.

"I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" The tone of Ryan's voice, paired with the smile lines around his lips drew a smile from her. What happened to the stoic image? A small voice inside her head scolded. "I can't." She replied, desperately trying to keep the mirth out of her voice, but failing. "You have offended me greatly. For that, you must earn your forgiveness."

Rook's grin mirrored Ryan's, giving up on trying to hide her delight. The rumbles of the quads as everyone started their engines snapped Rook's attention back on the task at hand rather than the charming cowboy staring at her as if she was the sun, and he a man who had just learned the heat of her rays. "Well, ain't no rest for the wicked." She muttered to Ryan before he walked off to his quad.

Swinging her leg over the seat of her quad, Rook settled in, mentally admonishing herself for her thoughts. One day here and you're already letting your guard slip. Thankfully, Rip speeding out of the gates cut that dangerous thought before it could go any further. Just put him to the back of your mind. Rook urged herself. You're safe here.

Revving her engine, Rook noticed Ryan's dazzling smile on her left side before he followed Rip out of the gates. He's going to be a problem. Rook averred to herself, the smile not waning from her face as she sped, falling in behind Ryan.

◇◇◇

By the time they had reached the pasture the clover was dropped into, the sun had already dropped to the western horizon, casting a golden hue across the whole landscape. The harsh smell of gasoline, oddly comforting to Rook, assaulted the other wranglers' nostrils as they poured it over the grass and dead cattle.

The jerrycan in Rook's hand shook as she reached the end of the gas. With each wrangler having been given two of the cans, the pasture had been well and truly soaked in no time. All that was needed now was the match.

Mr. Dutton had organised for water trucks to be brought up to the pasture, and now they were parked bracketing the area where most of the dead herd were laying. A hose had been dropped into the river nearby, bringing water to the pasture in the event the fire got out of hand. The last thing they wanted was to start a forest fire that couldn't be put out.

Once all of the gas had been dumped around the field, Rook expected the call for the fire to start, but John's phone rang out of the blue. From where she was standing, she couldn't make out what the phone call was about, nor who it was, but whatever the cause, it didn't seem good. Mr. Dutton seemed angry, or perhaps more frustrated, as he rushed off to one of the quads, muttering something to Rip before taking off back the way we had come, as if the hounds of Hell were on his heels.

While Rook was busy watching her boss drive off, she hadn't noticed Avery walking up to her, two nearly-empty jerrycans in her fists. Holding one out to Rook, she nodded over to the other side of the pasture, a place well put of earshot of the others.

"Want to help me?" She asked, squinting in the evening sun. "It doesn't seem we'll be setting it alight any time soon. And I'd like to get to know you better, considering we're gonna be working together and all." Without much consideration, Rook took the can, nodding. "I'd like that."

Together, the two women slowly made their way over to the corner of the field, pouring the remaining gasoline there, coating the dried grass in amber liquid. "I wanted to ask you something." Avery confessed, her head dipped low enough to obscure her eyes from view. At the serious tone in Avery's voice, Rook stopped walking, instead turning toward the woman. "You can ask me whatever you want." Rook was slightly shocked that she meant those words. If Avery asked her almost anything, she would answer truthfully. Almost anything.

"If someone you knew had gotten wrapped up in some shady things, what would you do?" Avery's head tipped up, her dark eyes boring a hole into Rook's. For once, Rook was at a loss. "Um. What kind of shady things?" A million other questions raced through her head, but many she deemed as far too personal to ask. "I don't know." Avery shook her head, looking dismayed. Clearly, whatever was going on troubled her deeply.

"Avery. Is there something going on that needs to be discussed with Mr. Dutton or Rip? Are you in danger?" Rook couldn't keep the concern out of her voice. "It's not me. And it's not my place to decide for him. He said he'd handle it, but I feel involved, and I can't do anything to help. I feel so fucking useless." The distress in the woman's voice shook Rook to her core. Gone was the fierce wrangler that made her feel comfortable her very first night on the ranch. Here stood a woman, feeling just as helpless as Rook had her whole life.

"What's it about? A fight? Money?" Avery's attention was piqued at the latter. Money. Even though Avery hadn't mentioned any names, Rook had a sneaking suspicion that it was Jimmy who was in trouble, based on what she had seen back at the yard. "I can't promise anything, but if money is the problem, I can try to help get some. If that's what's need." Rook could get a fair amount of money if she really needed it, but it would paint a massive target on her back. A paper trail that could, and most likely would, lead straight to her, but if the situation was so terrible, she'd gladly do it.

"I'll do my best to help, Avery, but I suggest you go to go to John Dutton or Rip. Keeping this to yourself isn't going to help anyone." Rook offered a small smile, and placed her hand on Avery's shoulder, trying to comfort her. To tell the truth, Rook had never been too good at comforting people, but an instinct told her that it was the right thing to do, so she tried her best. As if sensing her discomfort, Avery let out a little laugh. "You're really terrible at consoling someone. But you give good advice." Rook's started laughing too, allowing all her worries to ease away, as they gazed out across the trees to the sunset. "That means a lot coming from you."

◇◇◇

The sun had nestled itself below the horizon when John Dutton returned from wherever he had disappeared off to. Flamethrowers had been distributed among the ranch hands, and at Rip's say, the pasture would be set alight. At some point while they were waiting for the go ahead, Ryan had ended up leaning up against the jeep Rook had been resting against.

"Have you forgiven me yet?" The deep timbre of Ryan's voice sent shivers zipping down her spine, but she passed it off as the chilly night air. Rook was too tired to come up with a quick-witted retort, simply turning her head to the side to gaze at the man beside her. "I guess I could find it in myself to forgive you, but you need to give me a reason to."

Ryan's eyebrow quirked, as if saying 'oh really', and Rook nodded her head, deadly serious. "I think a week of wages would work." A disbelieving gasp left Ryan's mouth, drawing a smirk from Rook's. Rook didn't actually expect Ryan to give her the money, which meant she was surprised when he held out a hand for her to shake. "Deal."

Taking Ryan's hand in a firm shake, she found them rough, a story of years spent on ranches etched across his palms. Rook didn't quite know what to make of this man. This man who seemed so easygoing and laid back. She couldn't help but wonder what led him to end up here.

"Let's go! Light it up!" Rip called out from where he was standing with John Dutton. Ryan let go of Rook's hand, trading it for his flamethrower, and she immediately missed the contact. Stop that right there. She told herself, focusing on picking up her own flamethrower and setting to work setting fire to the field.

The bright orange of the flames painted everything a hazy ochre, the heat of the blaze turning Rook's cheeks red as she worked. When it was clear that the flames had caught and would spread throughout the pasture, everyone gathered together on top of the hill, gazing out at the inferno before them. There was something so beautiful about fire. It had the power to destroy, but it also cleansed, just as it was doing now. As Rook looked into the fire, she saw something of herself gaze back. An untamed flicker deep within herself that begged to be let out, and that scared her. Scared her far more than she ever wanted to admit.

Chapter Text

Rook

The ranch was swarming with people, much livelier than Rook had ever seen it. Travis Wheatley, an apparently famous horse trainer and friend of Rip's, had come to visit, bringing with him a tough-as-nails family from somewhere in Texas. To be completely honest, Rook had no clue why her and the other wranglers were seated on the fences in the paddocks, beer in hands while watching all the cowboys showing off how well their horses handle sliding stops, but it was nice to just relax, taking in the atmosphere of the ranch while not rushing around trying to do ten thousand jobs at the once.

The midday heat made Rook feel lethargic and happy. Oh so happy. She hadn't realised she wore a grin until she caught Ryan looking at her, almost puzzled.

"Do I have something on my face?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow. Earlier, Kayce, John Dutton's youngest, and Ryan had been out paying someone a visit for Mr. Dutton on behalf of the Montana Livestock Commission, and, according to Avery, who had heard it from Colby, Ryan had ended up handcuffed in the back of his own truck.

"Yeah. A smile." Rook rolled her eyes back as far as she could in her skull at Ryan's grin, the tell-tale sign he found his own joke much funnier than anyone else. "Very funny, Mr I-got-handcuffed-and-stuffed-in-the-trunk-of-my-truck." For a second, Rook thought she had gone a step too far, but then Ryan started laughing and all other thoughts left her head. If she could bottle a laugh and get drunk on the sound each night, she would in a heartbeat. She had never heard a sound so velvety and rich.

Rook must have been look at the wrangler with heart eyes because Avery quickly tapped her on the shoulder, jumping into the conversation. Rook mentally kicked herself for acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. He's just good looking. She assured herself. That's all this is.

"You know, I wouldn't actually mind seeing you in handcuffs." The words had left Rook's lips before she could think twice, and oh how she regretted it. Jesus fucking Christ, Rook. What the Hell was that?! Rook wanted the ground to swallow her right at that moment, her gaze locked on Ryan's as laughter rang out down the fence line, but then she noticed the slight tint of pink on his cheeks, how his lips parted in a gasp. Did Ryan like that? Suddenly Rook didn't feel all too stupid. What a dangerous piece of information. Even her damn thoughts were teasing her now!

Avery leaned in to whisper in Rook ear as everyone's attention was drawn back to the horsemen fucking around in the arena and challenging each other to see how far their horses can slide. "That definitely was something."

Rook was still laughing at her own stupidity when murmurs and groans drew her attention up. There, riding towards the group of cowboys, was Jimmy, a determined look on his face. Well, shit. He's gonna challenge them, isn't he? They'd seen Jimmy practicing with Walker earlier, but nobody really put much pass on it. Until now.

Ryan was the first to say anything to the man, calling him over before doing anything stupid. "Listen, I've been watching these guys. I don't know if you can choose who you ride against but don't go against him." Ryan declared, pointing to a middle aged man in a black hat. "And whatever you do, don't go against him." This time, the point was directed right at Travis himself.

Poor Jimmy didn't seem to take the hind. "You saw him slide this morning. I feel kinda lucky." With a few comments from the other wranglers about just how fucked Jimmy was, he rode away, Travis asking for his name and calling him over.

Rook's pity only grew the longer Travis explained to Jimmy what a pay up was. If he came in last, he would have to pay everyone ahead of him. Second to last, everybody but the bottom, and so on. There was no way Jimmy was gonna come first, and knowing his financial struggles already, it wasn't easy to watch.

When Jimmy rode down to the end of the arena, Rook's heart was in her mouth. Since he was a newcomer, he went first. She desperately wanted him to win, but as he spurred his horse, leaning back in the saddle, belt-buckle to the sky, he only managed about three or four feet, and she knew that wasn't going to happen. Every single other rider slid their horses for much longer distances, all the while Jimmy watched, his dismay growing and growing the longer it went on. She couldn't watch anymore. Turning to Avery to her right, she asked something that had been playing on her mind since the night in the pasture.

"Are you two a thing?" The surprise on Avery's face was enough of an answer. Clearly not. "Me and Jimmy?" The laugh Avery let out caused Rook to burst into hysterical laughter herself. "Let's just say he's not really my type."

Oh.

My god have I missed the target on that one. "I am so sorry." Rook apologised between giggles. This whole time she'd thought they were a couple, only for Avery to like girls. "Well, in that case, do you have a girlfriend?" Rook asked, swinging her legs against the fence. The smile that split Avery's lips told another truth, words not needed to do so. "Her name's Georgia. She lives just outside of Bozeman."

Rook was filled with happiness as she listened to Avery talk about her girlfriend. It was clear they shared a special bond and made each other incredibly happy. In less than a week, Rook had come to think of the woman as her sister, and hearing her speak of how proud she was to be with Georgia just reinforced the feeling.

Rook had thought Jimmy's ordeal was over once Travis had rode, but apparently not. No. Travis had offered to trade horses with Jimmy when he had complained about his horse not being good enough. She had to fight to not bury her face in her hands for the man as Travis, already at the other end of the arena on Jimmy's horse, removed the bridle from around the gelding's head.

"Oh, Jimmy, you are so fucked." She breathed, shaking her head. Travis spurred Jimmy's horse, holding the reins hanging down the horse's neck, and leaned back, sliding a good twenty feet. The look on Travis' face spoke before he did. "Ain't the horse, kid."

Before Jimmy could embarrass himself further, Lloyd swung over the fence. "Jimmy, get off the horse before you hurt yourself, the horse, or both." Lloyd's words didn't sway Jimmy much, at least, not until Rip told him to do as the man said and get off the horse. Jimmy looked miserable, his eyes downcast as he passed Rook on his way to get his wallet to pay Travis.

◇◇◇

That night, there was no game of poker. No bawdy songs sung well into the morning. No. Everyone just went to bed, barely even saying goodnight to each other.

Chapter Text

Rook

The door to the bunkhouse creaked when Rook and the others entered, shuffling in, absolutely wrecked from running the cattle down from some of the far pastures for vaccines and then all the way back up again. The stiffness in their legs a testament of the hard hours in the saddle with no respite.

The first thing Rook noticed when she walked over to her bunk was Jimmy, lying down, a deeply confused look on his face.

"Hey, did one of you guys accidentally leave like thirteen hundred dollars on my bunk?" Jimmy called out, holding the wad of cash in his hands. Everyone shook their heads, including Rook.

Early that morning, Rook had slipped the money she'd gotten from her deal with Ryan under Jimmy's pillow. She knew she didn't have to give him the money, but she had promised Avery that she would do what she could to help him. But she wouldn't take the thanks for it. She didn't want any thanks. It was just the right thing to do.

With the shake of every head, Jimmy became even more confused, and nobody could blame him. Wranglers, living salary to salary wouldn't just accidentally leave nearly one-and-a-half grand on the wrong bunk and not own up to it.

Rook was changing her shirt when the door opened again, Ryan trudging in with the barest hint of snow on his hat. Winter had come to some of the mountain pastures, and it was only time now that it would arrive for everywhere else, blanketing the whole landscape white. Winter was beautiful in Montana. Rook had always thought so. Even working and riding out in the cold felt less of a chore when you could gaze across the fields and see them transformed into something straight out of a fairytale.

Peeking his head around the threshold leading into the kitchen. "Ryan, did you leave a thousand dollars on my bed?"

Ryan, shaking the snow off his hat and shrugging out of his thick Carhartt jacket, stopped, looking at the young man incredulous. "Jimmy, why the fuck would I leave a thousand dollars on your bed?"

Jimmy, still finding no answers, flopped back down on his bunk, pocketing the cash. Suddenly, Ryan's head whipped in Rook direction, his eyes asking the silent question of "You?"

Rook's nod was almost imperceptible, but Ryan noticed it. A crease appeared in between his eyebrows as he waited, perhaps for Rook to explain something she wouldn't. Explain why she had done something like that. She gave him a little shrug, as if to say "You're guess is as good as mine."

Chatter from the table drew Ryan's attention, and Rook disappeared into the bathroom, desperate for some alone time to think through what exactly she was going to do if Ryan confronted her about the money. Money that had belonged to him not three days before.

◇◇◇

The sunlight filtered through the pine trees, cresting a hazy atmosphere as Rook rode Kelpie through the fields, taking up the rear of the procession. Today was quiet. Not much to do save surveying the land to make sure no fences or gates were broken or in need of repair. A much needed reprieve.

Ryan hadn't said anything to Rook about the money yet, but she knew it was coming. Only a matter of time. If he really had a problem with it, she'd be more than happy to reimburse him, but she didn't think it would come to that.

Ryan didn't seem the type to do something like that. He was riding further ahead, Colby and Jake bracketing him on either side. Avery rode on Rook's left, both women just basking in the comfortable silence.

"I need to tell you something." Rook halted Kelpie, turning so she was facing Avery. Every part of her brain was praying that Jimmy hadn't gotten himself into any more trouble, but she wasn't prepared for the next words to leave Avery's mouth.

"I'm leaving." No nonsense. Straight to the point. She was leaving the ranch. Every logical thought flew out of Rook's mind, being replaced by those two words: I'm leaving.

"Why?" She knew it was too personal to ask why someone was moving on, but the words slipped past her lips before she could catch them. Avery simply shook her head, and Rook knew not to pry any more, despite her heart breaking. It had been almost a month since she had arrived at Yellowstone, and in that time she had found a sister in Avery. Knowing that she was leaving felt like a knife in the gut, but it was her choice to move on, and Rook repected that. "Have you told anyone else?"

She shook her head. "Don't really know how to." The woman shrugged, gazing across the Montana landscape.

"If you ever need a place to stay, you'll find one here. I hope you know that." Rook asserted. She knew how hard it was to have nowhere, and she'd rather die than have Avery go through the same. With a nod from her, both women spurred their horses, joining back up with the others, not saying a word about what was said.

◇◇◇

Rook lay in bed, reading her beaten and bashed copy of The Lord of the Rings that she got for her ninth birthday. She had read it cover to cover pretty much once a year since then, which is more than likely to blame for the condition the book was in.

Rook hadn't been there when Avery left. She'd been tending to Kelpie, and when she got back to the bunkhouse, she was gone. Colby said she'd just packet her shit and left, offering no explanation, and that didn't surprise Rook. Avery didn't like goodbyes.

The bunkhouse was quiet for once, Lloyd, Jimmy and Walker all absent. Walker was out doing God-knows-what, but Lloyd had brought Jimmy to the local rodeo after learning the man was a natural bronc rider. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up dead, and tonight would determine whether he was cut out for it or not. Rook was rooting for him, especially since the prize for first was apparently $8000, a hefty sum for something even as dangerous as bareback bronc riding.

The creak of the door made Rook glance up, thinking it was Jimmy coming back, but she came face to face with Ryan, only a towel wrapped around his waist. From around the corner, Jimmy came into view, but Rook was too occupied with prying her eyes off Ryan's toned abdomen, not three feet from her face. It was only when Jimmy held up a belt buckle that she put down her book and climbed out from the bed.

"Hey, your alive." Ryan exclaimed, somewhat surprisingly. Upon seeing the buckle, he stopped getting dressed, his eyebrows raising in admiration. "No shit." He remarked, giving a thumbs up, but clearly looking relieved that Jimmy hadn't gotten badly hurt like the all worried.

"Good for you, kid." Rook said, walking over to squeeze Jimmy's shoulder. She was incredibly proud of him, but her smile fell when he looked over to Avery's empty bunk.

"Where's Avery? I just wanna show her." Ryan answered before Rook could. "She left."

"Left where?" Jimmy's face fell a little bit, but it was clear he thought she had just left for the night. "Didn't say. Just grabbed her shit and left." All pride and happiness at winning vanished off of his face.

The creak of the door opening again drew everyone's attention. Walker, not saying anything, just walked over to his bunk, gathered up what belongings he had, and turned back towards the door. "Adios, assholes."

"Jesus boys, it looks like leaving this place is getting contagious." Colby hit the nail on the head there. The numbers were small already, but now there was barely enough wranglers to handle the ranch.

Walker and Lloyd disappeared out the door, but the older man returned a second later, his face grim. Something was going on, and Rook didn't like it one bit. There was something dark in that expression, as if someone was going to die. Before Rook could think too much of it, Lloyd was already gone, and the sound of an engine starting could be heard outside.

Something was coming. Rook could feel it, deep in her bones. A premonition that something was going to happen, she just didn't know what.

Chapter Text

All of my past, I tried to erase it

But now I see, would I even change it?

Might share a face and share a last name, but

(We are not the same)

Conan Gray - Family Lines

Ryan

Sometime during the night, Walker returned. Ryan was sure he'd never see the man again, based on how much he hated working at Yellowstone, but that didn't seem to be the case. He clearly wasn't happy about still being there, but he was, so he guessed that must could for something.

With the bustle of the morning, everyone getting ready for the day, Ryan hadn't noticed Tate, Kayce's son, lying on the couch, plating with what looked to be a tin of shoe polish. The boy wasn't there for long, Rip making sure he left before the guys taught him something his mother would absolutely disapprove of.

"Tate, what are you doing here?" Rip muttered, taking the tin from the boy's hands. "Dad went off with Grandpa. Told me to stay here." Rip shook his head. "I guess your dad forgot what here's like. Let's go. Come on." He said, ushering the kid out the door.

When Ryan looked back to the bunk he shared with Rook, he found her already looking at him, a disassociated look in her eye, as if she was too far away to realise she was staring directly at him. She can stare at me as long as she wants. Ryan's mind answered for him, beating him at trying to remain just friendly with Rook.

Every wrangler knew not to mess around with other wranglers. It was a disaster waiting to happen, but Rook was different. Ryan couldn't care less if she didn't feel the same way as him or if she only wanted to be friends. He was more than happy just being near her. That was enough for him.

At first, Ryan had thought she was strange. A type of alluring quality followed her like a ghost, forcing everyone who looked at her to stare. He thought she'd use that against the guys, but he quickly realised his mistake. A terrible mistake he wished never had happened. She wasn't what he thought she was. It was clear now that she'd give up anything for those she cared about. A prime example was the money she had won from him.

One and a half thousand dollars was an enormous sum to lose in a bet, especially for a wrangler, but Ryan hadn't thought twice about giving it to her, no matter what she was going to spend it on. Hell, he'd give her anything if she asked it from him. Whoa. That's a bit much for friendship. His mind admonished him for those thoughts. Despite the reciprocated flirting between him and Rook for the past month, Ryan didn't want to take it any further. Didn't want to make her uncomfortable in the place she now called home, even if his heart desperately wanted to lay itself on a platter for her.

The real reason Rook had asked him for the money didn't make his feelings any better, either. It was written all over her face the other morning when Jimmy had woken up to find the wad of cash on his bed. Why she had given the money to the young man was beyond Ryan, but knowing her, there was a damn good reason for it.

"You okay?" Ryan's voice snapped Rook out of her reverie, but it took a moment for her to realise he was talking to her. "What?"

Picking up his flannel and putting it on, Ryan sat down beside her on the bed, their knees touching just slightly. "I asked if you're okay. Are you?" Rook nodded her head, but her eyes didn't exactly tell the same story. Ryan didn't want to push her to tell him if she didn't want to, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned for her. "Well, if you wanna talk about it, I'm here." If he had his way, he'd always be there for her, no matter where in the world they were, or the miles between.

◇◇◇

Rook

Kelpie was even unsettled when Rook went to check on her this morning. The gnawing feeling that she woke up with was still there, but she didn't have any idea what it was from. It was as if every instinct in her was screaming to run from something.

In the middle of the night, Walker came back, obviously due to something someone had said to him. It was easy to see he still didn't want to be working on the ranch, but it seemed he had no other choice. Don't I know that feeling.

Now, they were thankful for his help. They had four trailers filled to the brim with hay bales that needed to be transferred to the shed, and there was a report of wolves in the area, so they'd have to make sure the cattle in the far pastures are okay.

Walker lifted a bale down to Rook, and she carried it inside the shed, avoiding an almost collision with Jake pushing a wheelbarrow.

Outside, she could hear the sound of tyres on the gravel of the driveway, as well as everyone stopping, presumably watching the car. It was only the sound of the slamming of a door that drew Rook towards the door, but the rasp of a voice threw her out of her body, and suddenly she was back there, staring into the lifeless eyes of her brother.

"Where is she?!" He demanded, rage not even hidden in his voice. Rook could only stand there. She couldn't move, despite her mind telling her to. "That horse is mine, and so is she!" The tears spilled down her face as she stared out the door. She couldn't see him from where she was standing, but she didn't need to. His voice was enough. He'd found her, just like she knew he would.

"Whoa! Now you listen to me. You're on private property, and you need to leave right now or you won't get the chance." Rip's voice cut through the silence, but Rook didn't register it. She was shaking.

"I know she's here! You can't keep her from me!" Even closing her eyes didn't help. The image of her brother still danced across her eyelids. Her perfect brother, killed because of her.

"Oh, Wren! I know you can here me!" Rook broke, scrambling backwards until she reached the wall of hay bales, hiding behind them and sinking to her knees, curling into a ball. The shaking turned into weeping. Rook sat there in the fetal position, clutching the bandana tied around her neck, praying for this to be all a dream and that she would wake up any second, released from this hellish nightmare, but this was reality. She was awake, trapped in a living nightmare.

A hand on her shoulder scared Rook, her body going to into flight mode, making her scramble backwards, away from danger.

"Hey, hey, hey. You're okay. It's okay." Ryan held up his hands in surrender, looking at her with deep distress. "I can't- can't go back." Rook sobbed, grabbing hold of Ryan's jacket. Immediately, the man wrapped his arms around her, holding her as sobs wracked her body. "Don't let him take me back. Please." Her voice broke.

She'd rather kill herself than go back, knowing what awaited her if she did. "Please."

They sat like that for a long time, until the crunch of gravel had long disappeared, and the tears had dried on Rook's face.

◇◇◇

Ryan

Seeing Rook crying broke a piece of Ryan inside. Something had happened to her. That much was clear. And it had every bit to do with that man.

The battered Ford Ranger had pulled into the yard, a very angry man behind the wheel. He was past middle-age, but he was by no means weak. Muscle built from decades of hard labour made him look dangerous. That and the wicked look in his eyes.

When he'd gotten out of the car, it had all happened so fast. One second, he was beside his truck, the next, he was trying to force himself into the shed where Rook had disappeared into.

Thankfully, Rip had intervened, warning the man to get the Hell off the ranch, but the damage was done. Once he'd drove off, Ryan had rushed into the shed and found Rook on the floor, her knees to her chest. He didn't know who that man was to her, but he had hurt her. Emotionally or physically, it didn't matter. This fearless woman he had come to love was so incredibly terrified. Love? The answer came without him having to think about it. A piece of Ryan loved Rook, but you couldn't waterboard that information out of him.

The pain in Rook's eyes when she looked at him, and the way her body recoiled from his touch was worse than any injury Ryan had ever experienced. All he could offer her was a small bit of comfort, so that is what he did. Now, she rode Kelpie across the field, staring directly ahead of her. She hadn't said a word since he had helped her out of the shed. Not a word to him or anyone else.

Ryan reined in his horse close to Kelpie. "Are you okay?" He asked, recieving no answer.

"Rook?" This had the woman's head turning towards him, as if she'd only realised she wasn't alone. Ryan didn't really know what to do. He was terrified of saying the wrong thing to her in this moment, so he just stared across the landscape, trying to come up with some words of comfort for her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Her voice sounded cold. Completely unlike the Rook he knew.

Instead of pressuring her for an answer, Ryan came up with a different idea. "I first ended up here when I was freshly eighteen. I had no money. Had never been too good in school."

"My mom kicked me out on my birthday, told me to find somewhere to stay. That was the last time I spoke to her." Ryan's father had never been in the picture, leaving the second he found out his mom was pregnant. "Growing up, I thought she blamed me for my dad leaving. Now I know I reminded her of him too much."

Rook didn't say anything. She didn't have to. The silence that stretched between them wasn't awkward. It wasn't the silence of someone not knowing how to comfort you because they had never had to go through what you did. It was the opposite. Rook knew exactly how terrible family can be, probably more than even Ryan himself.

"I'll always be here for when you need to talk. Or if you want to take your anger out on something. I promise."

"I had a brother." Rook confessed, taking off her cowboy hat. "His name was Henry, after my grandfather. He's dead now." There was hardly any emotion in Rook's voice when she spoke of her brother, as if she'd long ago come to terms that he was gone forever. "He used to call me his 'carrion'. That's where the name Rook came from."

"Your name isn't Rook?" Ryan asked, a little surprised. She shook her head. "Rook fits better anyways."

Turning Kelpie, Rook rode off in the direction of the yard, leaving Ryan standing there, mulling over the little insight into who she really was. After a moment, he followed her, pushing everything else out of his head.

If they had rode to the pasture closer to the river instead of this one, they would have come across a camp, the coals in the fire still warm, a crude shelter made from leaves and logs. But they hadn't, which meant Michael Barrows wasn't found. He was left in the trees, plotting exactly when he was going to strike at the Duttons. Strike at the Duttons for taking his horse and his daughter from him.

Chapter Text

Are we all just crows to you now?

Are we all just pulling you down? You didn't put those bones in the ground

You didn't put those bones in the ground

Noah Kahan - Orange Juice

Rook

Late the night before last, Jamie, John's eldest living son, had joined the bunkhouse. It hadn't made a blind bit of difference to Rook. She hardly noticed him. She couldn't get Henry's lifeless eyes from her head. When her and Ryan got back, everyone was already drinking and gambling around the table, but she didn't join in, opting for whiskey instead. She had lost count of how many she had, but she could feel it this morning.

The sun hadn't risen yet when Kayce walked into the bunkhouse, heading straight for Jaime, and telling him to go with him. Rook didn't notice it. She hadn't really notice anything since the afternoon, too busy worrying about what was going to happen. And something was going to happen.

Rook was staring at her boots when another pair slowly walked into her vision. "You mind if I sit?" Lloyd asked, pointing to the spot next to her on her bed. Shaking her head, Rook scooted over, allowing the man to sit down. "Look. I don't know who that man was yesterday, and you don't need to tell me. But if he's gonna be a problem, you need to tell Mr. Dutton."

Rook had contemplated it. She knew who they were up against, it's just that she hadn't mustered up the courage yet to confess her past. Not to anyone. "Yeah. I know." Her voice sounded small, even to her ears. Patting her shoulder, Lloyd got up, sighing. He had been working on the ranch the longest, and yet he didn't know what to do with Rook.

With everyone ready for the day, the wranglers filed out one by one, heading off to different ends of the ranch, and as Rook hurried over to the stables, she promised herself she'd speak to John later. A promise she wouldn't break.

◇◇◇

Astride Kelpie, the main Dutton house came into view. By now, it was early morning for anyone other than wranglers, and John would surely be awake.

The closer Rook got to the house, the clearer she could make out the details. The lawn chairs out the front, the patio, and the woman currently smoking on the steps. Rook didn't recognise her from far away, but up close she realised it was the only Dutton daughter.

From far away, you couldn't see the bruises and cuts marring Beth's face, but they were all too prominent. Painful purple bruises tainted her skin. A black eye and still-bleeding cuts finished off the grim painting. To be honest, she looked like shit.

Urging Kelpie over to the hitching post, Rook dismounted, quickly securing her to it before removing her hat and making her way over to the steps Beth still occupied.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but is Mr. Dutton available?" She questioned, standing at the bottom of the stairs, not wanting to impose.

"You're the new one. Rook, is it?" Beth's voice sounded hoarse, undoubtedly from screaming. Rook nodded. "It's nice to finally meet you, although I wish it was under different circumstances." Beth nodded her head solemnly, turning away from Rook. "I'll get him for you."

Rook awkwardly nodded, unsure of whether she should stay standing there or follow the woman. She chose to simply stay where she was, surveying the view of the mountains from there. "Rook. You wanted to talk to me?" John Dutton's drawl made it all too real to Rook what she was about to do. She took a steadying breath.

"I'm scared." She confessed. Before she could explain why, John interrupted her. "It's about the man from yesterday, is it?" At once, as it a switch turned on, tears streamed down her face, and John ushered her towards the garden chairs on the lawn, gesturing for her to sit down.

John waited for her to compose herself before urging her to continue. "He's my father." Father. As if those words ever meant something. They meant as much as 'mother' did when the woman who gave birth to me had left as soon as she could. "He knows I'm here now, and he's not going to stop until he has what he wants."

"And what does he want?" There was a foreboding tone in John's voice. He'd do whatever he needed to in order to keep his family safe. You and me both. "Me. I'm what he wants."

A beat of silence. "What do you want me to do? You're safe as long as you remain on the ranch." Rook shook her head, her panic growing by the second. "You don't know him like I do. He'll do anything, and I really do mean anything to get what he wants. Only death will stop him" Cracking her fingers nervously, she got up, eager to get back to work. Something that kept her mind off of her father.

"Keep your family inside tonight. I'll deal with him if he shows up." The way she said it must've told John all he needed to know. Like calls to like, and in this case, blood understands blood. Nobody was better suited for what needed to be done than Rook herself.

◇◇◇

The picture that greeted Rook when she returned from speaking with John was not a happy one. Jimmy's grandfather had been found that morning, dead from a ruptured blood vessel which was directly caused by the beating those pricks gave him to get Jimmy to give up his money.

When Rook heard the news, her heart broke for the man. He'd just lost the man who raised him due to something he would undoubtedly see as his own fault. She knew what it was like to do that to yourself, but she hadn't accounted for how badly things would be affected after it.

◇◇◇

The sun was setting, but Rook didn't let her guard down. Not once. She stood close to the arenas, the collar of her coat pulled up to ward against the chill of the cold air. One of the new wranglers, a North Dakotan named Oliver, kept watch nearer to the pastures, close the trees.

Rook knew her father. A feeling in her bones told her that he was going to strike that night, but she had no other proof, making her seem a little paranoid to the others.

The sun having just dipped beneath the horizon, Rook heard steps approaching her, joining her where she stood vigil. Rip Wheeler's presence was certainly unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. Rook had noticed the man moving significantly slower than usual, and she knew it had something to do with the condition she had seen Beth in. What was going on between the two people, she couldn't be too sure, but there was definitely fondness there, romantic or otherwise.

"I need you to do something." As soon as the words left Rip's mouth, Rook was shaking her head. "I can't leave. Not now." But her refusal fell on deaf ears.

"Trust me. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important." To give him credit, Rip did actually sound genuinely apologetic. "It's Jimmy."

Jimmy. That's all it took for Rook to change her mind, albeit, a little warily. "It's about the men who killed his grandfather, isn't it?" Rip didn't answer, but his eyes told her all she needed to know. Nodding her head, Rook started towards the trucks, finding Jimmy, Kayce, Lloyd and Ryan all waiting. So this it gonna be some major shit if there's six of us.

"She doesn't wear the brand. Neither does he." Kayce exclaimed, nodding towards Rook and then Ryan. "Don't worry. They will." Rook knew it was coming, and she oddly looked forward to it. Looked forward to it because it would sever her tie to the Barrows ranch forever.

"Come on. Let's get going." Everyone having filed into the truck, the engine started to life, and so did the knawing feeling in Rook gut, the same one she had before her father showed up.

◇◇◇

Oliver

Oliver was watching the treeline when he thought he saw movement from the corner of his eye. His heartbeat picked up, but slowed when he recognised the figure as Tate Dutton, carrying a bit of hay for the horse his grandfather had recently bought him.

Rolling the tension from his shoulders, Oliver turned his attention away from the boy, choosing instead to lean against the fence, suspecting Rook was just paranoid. Before long, his eyes had drooped shut, but by that point, Tate was already gone. Oliver thought he saw a taller figure holding the hand of a child heading down to the woods, but he passed that off as his sleep-addled mind.

◇◇◇

Rook

The mobile home situated pretty much in the middle of nowhere looked like the house of someone who would beat up an elderly man over money. To say the outside was sparce would be an understatement. Even the snow covering the ground done nothing to make it look nicer.

Rip had given everyone the instructions on the way here. Drill through the floor, gas pipes up, then set fire to the building. Simple. Quick.

At first, Rook felt uneasy at what they were planning on doing, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. It wasn't legal, but it was right.

From the bed of the trucks, each wrangler took a canister of gas and a drill, turning the dial to let the gas slowly leak in through the floor. Everything was going perfectly until Rook spotted Jimmy on the balcony, in front of the door.

"Jimmy! What the fuck are you doing?!" She whispered, harshly, but she was too late. Jimmy was already inside before anyone could stop him. A chorus of whisper-shouts echoed in the silence of night, but Jimmy still didn't reapear.

Suddenly, a crash came from inside, and Jimmy ran out, a man brandishing a gun hot on his heels. "Son of a bitch!" The man shouted, rock music spewing from the speakers behind him as he aimed his gun towards Jimmy and let off one shot. Then another, the gas in the mobile catching fire and causing the whole place to blow up, throwing Jimmy onto his front.

"Jimmy. Hey. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Rip exclaimed, marching over to the man and helping him onto his feet. "It's mine. I won it. I won it." Nestled between his cupped hands was the belt buckle he had won at his first rodeo. He almost got himself killed over a damn belt buckle.

The inferno still blazing, the six of them got back into the truck, all slightly shocked by what had happened. Rook thought the terrible feeling she had would've gone away once the job was over, but now, homeward bound, it had just gotten worse, as if it was her body's way of telling her get the fuck away.

◇◇◇

When the truck pulled into the ranch, little lights dotted the fields surrounding the yard. "Something happened." Kayce was the first to jump out, barely putting the car into park before doing so. Rook was the next.

Jake ran up to Rip's side, explaining what had happened when Rip asked. "We can't find the boy." Dread surged through Rook, and before she knew it, she was running towards where Oliver had been stationed on watch. The others were too focused on getting the flashlights to have seen her, but that didn't matter. All that mattered now was Michael Barrows.

Rook found Oliver with his head in his hands, just as Kayce flew around from the other side, hate in his eyes. Despite his son being the one missing, Kayce, ever the gentleman, let Rook confront the wrangler first.

"What the fuck did it tell you, huh?! To make sure nobody left the fucking house! Especially a fucking child!" Rook found it hard to stop screaming at the man, knowing just how fucked this situation was if what she thought had actually happened.

"What did you see?" She asked, switching her tone to something a little less harsh, but still grave. "I don't care if it's something you thought you made up. Anything!"

"I thought I saw a man and a child heading into the woods, but that was just a dream." Oliver's sheepish tone made Rook want to slap him. Clearly he didn't think a missing child was all too big of a problem.

Leaving Kayce to have his own interrogation with the man, Rook sprinted into the stables, opening Kelpie's stall and leading her out into the yard, not bothering with a saddle. She'd grown up riding bareback, and there was just no time. Stopping one more time beside Oliver, Rook turned to face him.

"Which way?" She asked hurriedly. The man managed to point somewhat north, towards the towering pines. There was no use looking for footprints. The snow had started again, covering whatever ones were left.

Using one of the fences to vault up onto Kelpie's back, Rook took off at a breakneck speed towards the woods, the black mare easily clearing the fences around the yard. Ducking her head low against Kelpie's neck, Rook repeated a mantra over and over in her head, one that her brother taught her when they were young. I'll save you if you can't do it yourself.

There was a chance she would be too late, her father already having killed Tate, but she didn't left that thought linger too long. Tate was still alive, and Michael Barrows would pay.

Kelpie slowed when the trees became denser, until Rook could no longer remain mounted. She quickly threw her left leg over the horse's neck, jumping down from her back, and leaving her there in the event she needed to make a quick getaway.

Standing in the forest, snow covering the ground beneath her feet, Rook felt panic for the briefest of moments. How the fuck am I going to find them? That's when the tiniest drop of red caught her eye. Blood. As if some gory version of Hansel and Gretel, the crimson drops were exactly what she needed.

Following the trail, it wasn't long until Rook came upon a clearing, deep at the bottom of a hill, the wet snow almost causing her to slip all the way down to the bottom. There, in the distance, Rook could barely make out the shadow of a small being tied to a tree. From here, she couldn't tell if Tate was still awake, let alone alive, but that didn't make a difference. She'd kill her father with her bare teeth if it came down to it, which it might.

Giving the tree a wide berth, Rook crept as silently as she could around to face Tate, hopefully to where her father would be blind to any attacks from the front. As she got closer, Tate was the only person she could see, no sign of Michael anywhere.

Tate, so small against the tree, had been tied using what looked to be homemade rope, a strip of tape covering his mouth to stop him from screaming. The boy's eyes widened when he spotted Rook, but the hope was shortlived. Unbeknownst to Rook, her father had been hiding in her blindspot this whole time, biding his time to attack.

The first sign of threat was the almost imperceptible crunch of snow under a boot, the next the sound of the gun being loaded. Whipping around, Rook came face to face with her father for the first time in a year. For the first time since he killed Henry.

"Wren. It's so lovely to see-" Rook didn't let him finish his sentence before throwing herself at him, brandishing the knife she kept hidden in the secret pocket of her jacket. The knife didn't do much. After all, they do warn against bringing one to a gunfight, but the familiar weight made Rook less conscious of her odds.

Michael Barrows was a large man, strong from decades of hard labour, and ex-military to boot, but his daughter had grown up with him as a father, meaning she'd been taught almost everything that made him weak, like the injury he'd gotten when he was a boy. Aiming directly at his knee, just below the scar she knew cut through his skin, Rook's foot made contact, and the sickening crunch was music to her ears.

Barrows growled, punching Rook in the stomach over and over, causing her to join her father on her knees, where he aimed punches to her face and jaw. Rearing her head back, she headbutted him in the forehead, blinding pain bursting from her own. Barrows' unconscious body lay there in the snow, and Rook took the undetermined amount of time he was down for to free Tate.

Scrambling over to the boy, picking up her knife from where she had lost it, she used it to cut through the bindings, taking the tape from over his mouth.

"You need to listen to me, Tate. At the top of that hill, you'll find a horse. You know Kelpie?" A small nod. "Good. Find her, and follow the lights from the house. You father is just behind me, so you'll be safe, but you need to be brave." Rook felt tears prick her eyes as she looked into Tate's gaze, fear plain in them. "Can you do that for me?" She urged in a gentle tone, ignoring how her vision swam as waves of nausea threatened to take over. Tate nodded again.

Oh shit. The gun. Scrambling around to looking for where the gun had fallen during the skirmish, Rook found it at the base of a tree, turning the safety on before rushing back over to Tate.

Holding the gun out to him, handle first, Rook crouched down to his level. "If he comes after you," She said, pointing to the man lying face down. "Press this button and shoot." Being the grandson of a ranch owner, Tate probably knew how to use a gun, but she didn't want to take any risks. "Do you understand?"

"I understand." Tate replied, climbing up the hill after safely tucking the gun into the back of his jeans, heading in the direction Rook told him to.

Rook hadn't noticed her father get up, let alone wake up, but suddenly she was forcefully pushed against the nearest tree, hot breath against her neck as she fought to keep hold of her knife, but ultimately failing.

"Be a good girl and stop fighting." The sick, lewd tone of his voice made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. He'd never done anything like this before. Not even insinuated it as a punishment. She broke out into a cold sweat as her father kept a hold of her wrists while simultaneously searching the cut pieces of rope for one he could use to tie her up. Finding none, Barrows chose to simply hold the tip of the knife against her throat.

"I'm here to take you home." He whispered in her ear, turning her around to face him, knife still held in the hollow of her neck. "I told you you'd never leave. And I'm a man of my word." Rook struggled against his grip, the panic rising within her chest. I'll kill myself. I'll kill myself if he takes me back.

A whimper left her throat as Barrows dragged the knife downwards, releasing her hands. The look he gave her made it clear what he would do should she try to fight, so Rook just sat there, shaking in equal amount from the snow melting underneath her and from the fear.

One hand still clutching the knife, the other slithered down to begin unbuttoning her jacket, the chill immediately settling into her bones, but she just sat there, knowing too well what would happen if she resisted. The knife continued it's path downwards to just below her clavicle. "Do you remember what happened to Henry?" As if she could forget. The blood. The sounds he made as he died. The terror in his eyes. "That was all your fault."

The blade reared back and embedded deep in her lower abdomen. Agony. That's all Rook could feel.

"That's for killing my son." When her father pulled the knife out, blood soaking her shirt, Rook wanted to scream. Wanted to shout in his face that she hadn't been the one to pull the trigger, but she didn't. Didn't want to give him that satisfaction. He's going to kill me. Her brain screamed. He's finally going to kill me.

Barrows didn't manage to do anything else before the shouts reached their ears, a weak smile appearing on Rook's face, her head lulled back against the tree. Delirious from the pain, she absentmindedly noticed the splatter of red on the ground. Blood upon the snow. I didn't know my death could look so beautiful.

The alarm etched into Barrows' face was exquisite. The sheer terror at the calling of Rook's name getting closer and closer, the walls closing in around him. He looked like the rabbits he caught in the traps back home.

Eyes honing in on where she lay, slumped against the trunk, Rook thought he'd slit her throat, but he melted into the shadows, not uttering another word, maybe out of fear of being caught. Paying no mind to why he ran, Rook pulled herself onto her feet, following the sound of her name.

Rook couldn't see how bad her wound was in the dark, but the blood flow had stopped flowing unhindered, soon stopping altogether. The pain was bad, but nothing compared to if he had nicked her liver, which gave her hope that it wasn't as severe as she initially thought.

Every now and again, Rook had to clutch onto a tree to stop her legs from giving in underneath her, but she kept going, spurred by the commotion. Soon, she could see the vague figures, riding hard towards her, and let herself feel hopeful that maybe she wasn't going to die.

The thunder of hooves beat almost as strong as her head did, weariness coming over her now that the adrenaline had stopped. Rip was the first off his horse and beside her, giving her the once over, his light almost blinding Rook.

"Where is he?" He asked, rage barely contained. Something to note about Rip Wheeler is that, no matter who you are, if you make a move against any of the Duttons, he won't stop until you're dead. "Gone." From her lips, it sounds pitiful. How could she let him escape when she knew just how dangerous he was.

Ryan appeared just behind Rip, his eyes widening as he took in her bloody shirt. "Is that yours?" Rook had never heard someone sound so... lost. As if the thought of the blood being hers physically hurt him more than it did her.

She shook her head, even as her blood trickled down, staining the waistband of her jeans. "It's his." Despite lying about her wound, it was clear to everyone that she was still injured, although they didn't know how badly. "Can you ride?"

"I can ride." Swinging up into the saddle of an extra horse they had brought, Rook fought away her urge to wince, pretending everything was completely fine as they rode homeward bound.

◇◇◇

In the yard, everyone waited for their return, including Tate, who clutched tightly to his mom, Monica. It filled Rook's heart to know he was alright.

The blood loss was starting to get to her, making her feel bone-tired, but she needed to get through this. Just a little more.

Riding through the gate, Rook spotted Kayce standing behind his wife, looking as relieved as her to have his son back unharmed. When she slid down from the mare's back, Kayce crushed her in an embrace.

Rook's expression was equally of shock as it was pain, but she quickly schooled her features before anyone noticed.

"Thank you. For bringing him back to me." The youngest Dutton said to her, gratitude thick in his voice. Rook managed a weak smile, nodding towards Tate where he watched the exchange. "You've got a good kid. I only done what anyone would have." With that, she pushed passed him, towards the bunkhouse, not turning back out of fear they'd see the anguish she couldn't keep from her features any longer.

◇◇◇

It was late, and Rook had been in the bathroom for over an hour now, her hair up as she meticulously tried to stitch up the knife wound in her side. Thankfully, it hadn't damages any of her organs, but it bled a lot when she tried to try her shirt from inside.

The offending shirt lay on the sink, now used as a rag to staunch the blood whenever it started again. Jesus, this would be much better if I had help. But she didn't want help. Didn't want anyone to see her like this.

As if by some sick summoning from God, commotion abruptly began just outside of the door. "She's been in there for an hour. I need to fucking piss!" She could make out a few noises of agreement before the door opened fully, her eyes connecting with Ryan's, just before his gaze dipped down to her back, where scars painted a picture of her childhood.

Ryan

Her back. Scars crisscrossed every inch of her skin, most faded to pale, silvery lines, others an angry red where they were still healing. What sick bastard could do something like this.

The boys had shut up when they saw Rook's scars, and noticed the blood coating her hands from the wound in her side. On instinct alone, Ryan herded everyone out, shutting the door behind him as he approached the injured woman. "Who did this to you?"

Rook didn't answer. She broke down, sobbing. It was all Ryan needed to piece it together. This was the work of Michael Barrows, both the wound in her abdomen and her back. When Rook's legs buckled, unable to support her any longer, Ryan caught her, holding her on the floor as she cried.

"You're okay. I've got you." Ryan murmured, rocking Rook back and forth. When her sobs subsided to sniffles, he helped her back onto her feet before leading her over to a sink sturdier than the one she was at.

"I'm going to lift you up, okay? Tell me if it hurts." Positioning his hands on the backs of her thighs, Ryan lifted her up to sit on the edge of the sink, conscious to not jolt her.

Hurrying back over to the sink, Ryan gathered up the needle and thread, quickly dousing them in the rubbing alcohol lying on the counter before returning to the pale Rook.

Rook spread her legs, allowing Ryan to position himself in the best place to begin stitching, beginning in the middle of the wound and then the halfway through that section, just as Rook had begun. He had only ever stitched up smaller wounds, but his aunt had made sure he knew how to sew growing up, which had to have counted for something. It certainly made it easier, that's for sure.

Rook's breath came in pants, her eyes screwed shut and tilted towards the ceiling. Every pass of the needle through her skin made her breath hitch, and once in a while, she'd let out a little whimper. "God, I'm so sorry, it'll be over soon. I promise."

When Ryan had finished stitching Rook up and applying a bandage to her side, he eased her down from the sink, steadying her when she looked like she was going to collapse. She was in no condition to walk. Despite (weak) protests from Rook, Ryan lifted her up smoothly in his arms, careful to not cause her any pain, and made for the door. He hadn't really thought through opening said door while holding a person, but he eventually made it work, a little laugh escaping from Rook's mouth as he struggled.

Rook curled into Ryan's chest as he brought her to their bunk, gently lifting her under the covers. Leaning into to whisper in her ear, Ryan placed a tiny kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, Rook."

Pulling over a chair, Ryan settled in for a long night standing vigil to make sure she was alright. Avery was right. I'm so royally fucked.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook couldn't stay in the bunkhouse for longer than necessary. That's how she found herself standing outside of the main house, wondering if she would be imposing by checking in on Tate. She didn't know how badly her father had hurt him before she got to him.

Lost in her own thoughts about her father, she hadn't noticed when Beth came wandering out onto the porch, a glass containing a thick, orangey smoothie clutched in one hand, her cigarette case held in the other.

"You look like shit." The woman called out to her, stating the obvious. Rook felt like shit, and one look in the mirror told her she also looked it.

"I can say the same for you." The words slipped passed her lips before she could stop them. Her smile fell. A special stupidity was reserved for the idiots that practically insulted their boss' daughter to her face. A beat of silence.

Beth's peal of laughter made her jump, scared she was going to end up without a job, but no. There was Beth Dutton, pissing herself laughing at something not necessarily all that funny. Rook stood watching, confusion etched onto her face.

"You're the first person that has commented on this." Beth explained between breaths, gesturing to her face, a motley collection of different shades of purple, wincing slightly as her smile pulled on her cuts and bruises, which were still tender. "Everyone just pretends nothing has happened."

Rook stepped close to the porch, eager to get to properly speak to Beth for the first time. "I know how you feel," She remarked as the woman lit a cigarette, offering one in an outstretched hand, to which Rook shook her head. "The boys avoid looking at me, as if they're afraid I'll snap at them or something."

"I heard what you did for Tate." The comment sounded terribly sincere, especially considering it was something anyone would do. "Look- I don't say this often, but thank you. Not many people would do what you did." Rook didn't know how to respond. She wasn't use to thanks or praise, so she shrugged it off. "I just did what was right. That's all."

"Come. Sit down." Beth smiled, ushering her towards the plush seating behind her, patting one of the chairs. With only slight hesitation, Rook stepped forward, taking a seat beside Beth.

"You have no idea how nice it is to have more women around here." The sigh Beth let out perfectly described how Rook felt on a daily basis. She loved the boys, but there's only so much a woman can put up with.

"Tell me about it." Rook exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "Since Avery left it's been near insufferable sometimes. Is it really so hard to clean up after yourselves?" Rook let out a little laugh, allowing herself to relax slightly for the first time since Barrows showed up. Don't think about him.

"Some men make me wonder how humanity survived in the first place." Beth chuckled, sipping on her smoothie. "I'll let you in on a little secret," She leaned her head in close to Rook's, whispering conspiringly, as if they were schoolgirls. "It's thanks to the women. Without us, men would be dead long ago."

"Women should rule the world." She said with a sigh, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"If women ruled the world, men would call it a dictatorship just because things would actually run smoothly." Beth leaned back in her chair, looking at Rook as if at a whole new woman.

"Where have they been hiding you, and why haven't we met sooner?" Beth questioned, to which Rook shrugged. "They didn't want a unity of hell."

Both women doubled over laughing, Rook regretting it the second she felt her stitches pulling, but not caring due to the joy she felt at just being able to let her worries go for a second.

The two women sat there, trading stories well into the late morning, the roots of a bond forming between them, all thanks to the similarities they didn't even know they shared.

Chapter Text

Rook

Around a week had passed since the Barrows fiasco and Oliver's firing, and Rook was finally beginning to settle down again, although not completely. She had made that mistake before and look where it had gotten them all.

The wranglers were all busy building the new barn, which meant Rook hadn't gotten the chance to properly thank Ryan for what he had done for her that night. Not many people can say they'd help stitch someone up.

Taking a break from sawing the lengths of wood for the fences, Rook swiped her forehead with a bandana, absentmindedly watching Ryan carrying over a gate with Ethan, his forearms flexing against the weight. Oh, what I'd give to feel them wrapped around me. Rook's eyes widened at her own inner voice, the comment coming unbidden from a deep recess of her mind.

In the months since she'd first arrived on the ranch, Rook had come to terms with her growing attraction to Ryan, but she would rather the ground open up and swallow her than ever admit it to anyone. She didn't want to ruin their blossoming friendship because she couldn't keep it in her pants.

While mentally scolding herself, Rook hadn't noticed Ryan staring pointedly at her, clearly after observing her blatant staring, his lips curled up slightly in a smirk, as if he'd caught her with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Hey, what's wrong with the old barn?" Jimmy asked to nobody in particular, breaking the tension between Rook and Ryan like a knife. Lloyd was the first to answer the young man, laughing. "It's seven miles from this half of the ranch, Jimmy."

"Hey, Lloyd," Jake stepped in, interrupting the previous conversation in favour of a new, more entertaining one. Rook barely picked up on some crude joke about two women and a wheelbarrow over the sound of her sawing, but she caught Lloyd's retort, which even drew a snort from her. "That wasn't a joke, Jake," The wrangler laughed. "That was you at the Cooper branding."

On the topic of jokes, Jimmy pitched in. "You guys wanna hear a joke?" Every single soul begged him no, but Jimmy continued anyway, seemingly unfazed. "Alright, check it out. There's this big Texas oil guy, right? Goes into this bar down at the border, sits next to this vaquero and says, 'Hey, man, you a rancher?" Jimmy's imitation of a Mexican accent made Rook cringe internally, knowing that the joke was more than likely not going to be all the best.

"Vaquero says, 'Yeah, I got fifty acres down by the river.' Big Texas oil guy says, "Oh? Oh, on my ranch I can get in my truck in the morning, and I still don't reach the front gate by sunset.' Vaquero sits for a second, nods, and says, 'Yeah, man. Yeah, I used to have a truck like that too.'" Rook stood, waiting for the punchline, before realising that was it. Only Jimmy laughed. No pity laughs or anything. Jimmy didn't seem to realise nobody found his joke funny, thinking instead they hadn't understood it, so he began to explain it with fervour. "He was bragging about the size of his ranch, and the vaquero..."

"That was almost funny." Colby cut him off in a monotone voice, which was somehow funnier than the joke itself.

"Alright, I got one." Ryan piped up. "Y'all hear about the guy that goes to see a doctor, and the doctor says, 'Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you got cancer head to toe. Only have one week to live.' Man says, 'A week?! Well, that's not enough time! Doc, you gotta do something. I need more than a week!'" Rook was watching, fixated on how good Ryan was at telling a story. I could listen to him talk from sunup to sunset.

"And the Doc thinks, he sits down and he says, 'I'll tell you what to do: you go find yourself a barrel racer girl with two little dogs, and you marry her.' And the man says, 'That's gonna make me live longer?' And the Doc says, 'No. But it'll make that week feel like a fucking eternity.'" A chorus of laughter rang our from all around the new barn, Rook's included. Only Jimmy disagreed, claiming that he thought his joke was better.

Hearing Jimmy's claim, Colby called out to him, a gleeful smile on his face. "Jimmy, when you're all growed up, and you've actually dated a woman, you'll think it's hilarious."

"I've got one." Rook calls out, putting down the lengths of wood and clearing her throat. "A man dies, and his family arrange a beautiful open-casket funeral, the best money can buy. The flowers are perfect, the music is solemn, and his grieving widow stands beside the casket to pay her respects. One by one, those in attendance whisper condolences."

"Then, an old friend of the man walks up, takes one look, and freezes. He leans in to the widow and whispers, 'Uh... that's not him.' She blinks. 'What?' She whispers back. 'That's not your husband.'"

"Panic spreads, and the funeral director rushes over, sweating bullets. He checks the paperwork, then pales. 'Oh, oh no.' He cries out, the room falling silent. The widow glares, asking 'Where is my husband?'"

"A long pause. Then, in the quietest voice possible, the director mutters, '...I think we cremated him.' The air in the room is sucked out, and someone faints. The widow clutches her pearls, but the old friend whistles."

"'Well,' he says, 'I guess that urn over there just became and open-casket funeral too.'" Just like when Jimmy finished his joke, nobody laughs at Rook's, only staring at her open-mouthed.

"Jesus Christ, Rook. That's a little dark, isn't it?" Ryan exclaimed, a wicked smile on his face as everyone else stared in semi-horror. It wasn't that dark of a joke. She thought. I've heard much worse.

"Alright. Alright. I've got a better one for those of you without gallows humour." She cleared her throat again, a grin on her face.

"A cowboy is walking down the street in a small western town when he sees a sign outside a bar that says, "Free drinks for anyone who can tell a better story than the bartender." Intrigued, the cowboy walks in and sits at the bar.'

"The bartender looks at him and says, 'So, what's your story?' The cowboy grins, and starts. 'Well, I was out on the range last week, right? It was a hot day, sun blazin' down, and my horse was lookin' real tired. But I was miles away from any place where I could find water or shade. My only option was to keep riding, so I spurred my horse forward, thinking I could find some shelter ahead.'"

"The bartender, trying to act unimpressed, crosses his arms. 'So, what happened next?' The cowboy leans forward, lowers his voice, and says, 'I kept ridin', but then my horse got real wobbly, and I started worryin'.'"

"'Just when I thought I couldn't make it another step, I saw it. A mirage– looked like an oasis right ahead, with green trees and a big pond. So, I pushed forward, hoping to make it. But the closer I got, the more I realised it was just a bunch of dust and rocks... just a desert illusion. I was tired, thirsty and lost.' The bartender grins, thinking the cowboy's story won't be any good."

"'So what did you do?' The cowboy looks the bartender dead in the eyes and says, 'I made my way to the nearest saloon, ordered a drink and told the bartender... 'I think you've got a mirage, too. But yours is just a little more obvious'.'" The wranglers burst into laughter, Jake almost falling from where he was precariously pirched on the edge on one of the higher floors.

The laughter filled Rook with a sense of pride, something that grew tenfold when her eyes locked on Ryan, his body shaking with laughter, a delight in his eyes.

Everyone was still laughing, throwing around insults and jokes, when Rip and Kayce rode over, serious faces putting an end to the banter.

"That's it. Let's go up to the big barn. You're done. Let's go." Rip said, turning to Lloyd as everyone swung down from where they were sitting or gathered up their gear. "Lloyd, let's get them mules out of the field. Let's clear up that chuck wagon. We're running a spike camp this summer, understand?"

Rook's heart took off in a gallop. A spike camp? She hadn't taken part in one of them since that summer she worked on Mr Doherty's ranch when she was not much older than fourteen.

"Wait, what's a spike camp?" Jimmy questioned. "It's a temporary campsite where we'll be staying for the entire summer while keeping an eye on the cattle. That's pretty much the jist of it." Rook explained, smiling at the young man before heading to where Kelpie was tethered.

◇◇◇

Cheers and clatters are bouncing around the bunkhouse later that night. The boys, all well into the bottoms of their drinks, thought it would be hilarious if they spun around until they almost vomited, run, and have someone try to rope their legs. So far, only Lloyd had avoided crashing to the floor, sticking to the roping himself.

Rook lounged on the tabletop, content to watch the men acting stupid. That was until Ryan called out to her, egging her to join in.

"Come on, Rook. Have some fun!" Out of the men, it was clear he was probably the drunkest. "I bet you couldn't rope me." The taunt in his voice made Rook quirk her eyebrows at him, a challenge clear in her eyes.

"Is that so?" She asked, slipping down from her seat, taking a swig of her beer, and slowly sauntering over to Ryan until she was a hairsbreath from the man. They stood there for a second. You could cut the tension with a knife. Ryan's eyes flitted down to Rook's lips just as she reached around his shoulder, taking the lasso from Colby.

"Go on then, cowboy. Let's see just how bad I am at roping."

Ryan let out a chuckle, mimicking the way Rook had prowled over to him as he walked towards Jake, the Yellowstone brand in hand. Jake held the brand out, leaving enough room so Ryan could spin himself around it. This will be fun. Rook palmed the rope, a little smirk on her face, but feeling downright giddy inside.

"One! Two! Three! Go, go!" A chorus of voices entoned as Ryan stumbled towards the kitchen, struggling to run. Rook swung the lasso over her head. Once. Twice. Thrice. On the third rotation, she let it go to the top, holding tight to the bottom part as the loop wrapped around Ryan's boot. She pulled it taut, and the man came crashing to the ground. In the split second it took for Ryan to reach the floor, Rook had a wicked thought.

Pulling a short rope from the table, she advanced on the man, making quick work of tying his hands together as one might a calf they were roping. The moment Rook secured the knot, she realised her mistake. Ryan's eyes blazed at her, two smoldering coals deep in the lakes of them. His breath came in gulps, as if he couldn't physically get enough oxygen into his body, but he didn't look away from Rook, didn't dare break eye contact for even a second.

Ryan

It could've be seconds or days that they stayed there staring at each other, Rook almost straddling him, bound on the floor of the bunkhouse as everyone watched them.

As Rook had tied his hands in front of him, Ryan, despite his better thoughts, had felt that unmistakable jolt of attraction. His skin felt flushed and his cheeks hot, but he didn't want to stop looking at her. She looked beautiful with the devilish twinkle in her eyes. She was enjoying this just as much as Ryan, perhaps even more.

Ryan forgot all about the other wranglers in the room, his focus solely on the woman before him, and the effect she had on his body– Hell, even his jeans felt a little too tight.

Rook

Rook didn't know how long she knelt gazing at Ryan, but it was Colby who broke the tension by clearing his throat. As if waking from a dream, Rook shook her head, making quick work of cutting Ryan's bonds and helping him up, playing the undeniable tension as a playful activity between good friends, nothing more. She didn't know if the lie was for them or for herself.

"I told you I'd win." Rook taunted Ryan, acting as if the last few minutes were completely normal. "Maybe I should trust you more often, in that case." Ryan replied, taking a seat and propping his feet, crossed at the ankle, on the table.

"Jimmy." Lloyd hollered, paying no attention to Rook or Ryan, or their little problem. Settling back into her seat of the table, Rook leaned back, resting her hand behind her, not too far from Ryan's boots.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, come on." Jimmy said, motioning for Lloyd to 'bring it on'.

"Come on, you get bucked off shit for a living now. This'll be a piece of cake for you." Ryan proclaimed, his voice not as cheerful as it was before his roping, something hidden in the tone.

"Take into consideration that you got to have a brain in order to get it concussed, so you'll be alright." Colby joked as Jimmy chugged his beer.

"Don't listen to him, Jimmy. Colby's just too much of a pussy to run. Doesn't want us to see how badly he holds his liquor." Rook teased, sipping her own beer. Colby spun on her, a fake insulted look on his face as he threw a cushion from one of the bunks at her. Laughing, Rook swatted the pillow away, almost dropping her can.

"Hey, bro, just try not to rope my dick or your mom's gonna be really pissed." Jimmy retorted, catching Colby off guard. It was a common occurrence for Jimmy to make jokes about fucking Colby's mother, but each time the man doesn't expect it. Colby's face was a picture of irritation. "Gimme the fucking rope."

"That's funny." Ryan pointed out, a gleeful, drunk smile on his face. He looks cute, Rook thought, all out of it like this.

"Okay, here we go!" Jimmy announced, turning to spin around the brand three times before running. Colby released the rope, but just as it looked like it was going to find purchase around Jimmy's ankle, he jumped, evading it. He was doing so well until his face met the wall, two consecutive crashes. One from his head, the other from him hitting the floor.

Laughs echoed around from all of the wranglers, but Rook felt a little stab of panic as Jimmy lay there for a second, but her concern was misplaced as Jimmy rolled onto his side groaning.

"That's what we call karma, bitch!" Colby shouted happily as he walked over to where Jimmy was curled up on the floor.

"Your mom's gonna be really pissed." Jimmy replied, but this time it didn't have the intended effect, Colby simply walking away.

As they were walking back, Jake's gaze locked on Jamie, where he was lying in his bunk, watching the display. "Hey, pretty boy, you're up."

To tell the truth, Rook had forgotten he was still there. She hadn't ever really spoken to the man before she learned from her little chats with Beth that the woman didn't hold any loving feelings towards her brother, and now she was less inclined to do so.

"Uh, no, I'm good." Jimmy dismissed the call, instead turning around to face the wall. That was no answer the boys wanted to hear, all of them questioning why. Only Lloyd was on Jamie's side, claiming that he didn't have to participate if he didn't want to, but Colby had other ideas.

"No, no, Jamie, you gotta pay your dues, bro." Something in that sentence must have changed his mind because Jamie practically lept up from the bed to the cheers of everyone.

"So, how does it work?" He questioned.

"Spin on the 'Y'." Jake answered as Jamie looked about, as if searching for something. Lloyd held up a can of beer, but Jamie pushed that aside, striding up to Ryan and taking the whiskey from his hand before downing at least three mouthfuls in one go. Honestly, Rook was impressed, if only slightly.

"Alright, I don't really understand the purpose of this, but let's go."

Ryan declared that he was going to throw, settling in behind where Jamie was spinning. Once hos three rotations were done, he took off running, Ryan swinging the rope and letting it fly. Usually, you'd go for the feet as it would cause the person to fall forward, their hands unobstructed in order to be able to catch themself, but whether it was down to the drink or something else entirely, Ryan went straight for around Jamie's chest, meaning that when he pulled back, the man landed hard on his back.

As Jamie hit the floor, everyone stopped in shock, but Rook couldn't help a little giggle from behind her can, one that thankfully no one seemed to notice.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd asked Ryan, taking the rope from him as he walked over to see if Jamie was alright.

"I tried to lay it on his waist so he wouldn't go down hard!"

"Yeah, well, you sure fucked that up." Lloyd helped Jamie to his feet, Ryan staring with his mouth agape.

Everyone watched in concern, wondering if he was okay when he suddenly straightened up, a smile on his face. "When's it my turn with the rope?"

The laughter resumed, but quickly ended altogether with the appearance of Rip in the doorway, an angry look on his face. Upon noticing the man, Rook scrambled down from the table, a sheepish look on her face as she hurried to her bed, leaving behind her drink.

"What the fuck are you doing? And why are you still awake?" Rip shouted, walking around. "What, is it late?" Jimmy, not fully getting what was going on, asked, causing the man to turn on him. "Jimmy, it's 3:30 in the morning. Get a fucking watch, will ya?"

"In one fucking hour you have to saddle the whole barn. We're pushing pairs in the morning. And that means I want wall tents set up and I want that chuck wagon up fucking wind or you'll be sleeping with the goddamned grizzlies." Rip announced to the bunkhouse before walking up to Lloyd. "And you... you're supposed to keep a cap on these morons. Act your fucking age, will you, Lloyd?" From the way he was standing, the others couldn't see the smile on Rip's face as he spoke to the older man, but Rook could. And it was clear to her he mattered a great deal to him.

Choosing to do the responsible thing for once that night—or technically morning as Rip had pointed out—Rook settled into her bed, closing her eyes and trying to get as much sleep as she could before the long day ahead.

◇◇◇

Just as Rip promised, dawn came much earlier than usual for the wranglers, and Rook learned to regret her actions the night before, the throbbing pain behind her eyes a testament of that.

The atmosphere was very dull when she strode into the yard, the horses already saddled and many of the guys ready to hit the road. Even just glancing at the boys, Rook could tell they felt much worse than she did, and that was saying something.

There was a little bit of a delay when John flagged Jamie down, telling him to put his horse back in the stables and move his gear out of the bunkhouse for a reason Rook didn't hear, but soon they were moving, getting started on pushing the herd, her and Kelpie taking the right flank.

◇◇◇

It didn't take too long to reach where the spike camp was to be set up, but Rook already felt weary. Weary, but at the same time, more free than she'd ever felt before, out here in the Montana wilderness she felt alive. Her blood hummed with the beauty of it all.

It was mid to late afternoon when camp was fully set up, the wranglers not keeping an eye on the cattle sprawled out enjoying the sun, leaving John and Tate to bond a good distance away, to stop the boy from learning any new vocabulary his mother would surely not approve of.

Rook lay against a large rock, her eyes closed, just listening to the sound of the wind through the trees. With the sun beating down on her face, she wondered how she ever lived without it. Wondered how she stayed in Vermont for thirteen years when she was born for this.

A presence appeared beside Rook, but she didn't need to open her eyes to tell who it was as he sat down beside her.

"Just like the good ol' days." Ryan mused, taking off his hat to fan himself with it. Despite it being cool enough, without much shade where the tents were, the sun created a hot atmosphere, in more ways than one. Throughout the day, Rook couldn't help but notice Ryan's arms in the sleeveless Wrangler shirt he wore as he worked. If she could make him wear one piece of clothing for the rest of his life, that shirt would be it with just how perfectly it displayed his biceps.

"You ever done this before?" She asked, putting aside all thoughts about Ryan's physique as she cracked an eye open. He shook his head. "Never had a need to."

Staring out across the landscape, both of them fell into a comfortable silence, happy to be in each other's company without feeling the need to fill it with meaningless chatter.

◇◇◇

The sun disappeared begrudgingly, taking with it the heat of the day, leaving a bitter cold that chilled to the bone. The tents did little to keep the cold out, but Rook didn't mind layering up. She'd slept in worse conditions in her life.

Listening to the quiet conversations floating from the other tents, Rook was lulled to sleep, her mind blessedly empty.

Rook didn't know when the screams started, or when they became those of her brother. Flying to sit up, she found him standing in the corner of her tent, a bloody hole in his chest and a gaping one in the side of his head, lower jaw hanging open from the force of the gunshot up through his head. The last image she ever saw of Henry, painted in vivid detail in the deep recesses of her mind, hidden away until times like these when her mind, too sleep deprived to block them, conjured them up.

Rook woke with a start, her bedsheets tangled around her legs and sweat sticking to her skin. Breathing ragged, she sat on her mattress, curling her legs underneath her and hugging herself, trying to will her body to stop shaking. When that didn't work, she donned her clothes, boots and hat, ducking out of her tent and heading over to where the horses were tied up. Trying to be as silent as possible, Rook saddled Kelpie and rode over to where Kayce was standing vigil, watching over the cattle to stop wolves from getting to them or causing panic.

As Rook approached the man, he turned around, surprised to find her there.

"You should be with your son. Go on. I'll take the watch." She tipped her hat back towards camp, towards where Tate was sound asleep for the first time in a week.

"You should be asleep." He commented, not budging or making a move to leave. "Can't." That's all Rook needed to say to get a sympathetic reaction from Kayce. She'd heard he was a Navy SEAL before he came back to the ranch, and she knew he probably had dreams he wished he didn't from it."You want to talk about it?"

"Not really." She replied, staring off into space and hoping that he'd take her up on the offer and return to camp, but he didn't.

"Kayce, I want in." She confessed after a moment, her voice hard and determined. A puzzled look crossed his face, unsure of what she meant by that statement.

"I want to be all in when it comes to this ranch. I want the brand." Rook was slightly surprised at the calmness of her voice as she said it. The thought had been rattling around in her head since her father showed up over a week ago, but now she knew that's truly what she wanted, more than anything right now.

"That's a big commitment. And you're not exactly in the right headspace to make these kinds of decisions right now." He tried to talk her down from it, no doubt thinking about the pain of his own, but she didn't particularly care.

"I'm in the perfect headspace for this, Kayce. Please, let me choose this." Maybe it was the pain in her voice, or the pleading, but he finally nodded, sighing before turning his horse and heading back to camp, leaving Rook with only one thought. I'm home.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook was awake when the sun started to rise, painting the landscape beautiful reds and oranges. Just another thing to make her wonder why she should ever go back to living under roofs when scenes such as this one existed.

With only the cattle to mind during the day, most of the time was spent lounging around by the fires, or, like John and Tate, fishing, something Rook never had a great hand at.

Rook had been setting the fire, just after getting back from her shift with the herd, when John had climbed to the top of a nearby hill, calling to all of the ranch hands in camp.

"Hey. Everything moves up here. I want everything up here. The tents. The fire. The whole goddamn everything." The no-nonsense tone he said it in, paired with the fact he was the boss, meant everyone immediately set to work moving everything, regardless of what they actually thought.

As the saying goes, 'Many hands make light work', and it was definitely the case with moving camp. Soon, the tents had been pitched atop the hill and the horses brought up too. They left the cattle where they were as they were still close enough to camp, which meant there was no real need to move them.

Some point during the early afternoon, when Rook was seeing to the horses and keeping them watered, Rip and Jake rode back into camp, Monica in tow. Monica rode on Jake's horse, and with all of the good ones up here at camp, leaving the man to be forced to choose between the 'freight trains and monsters' left in the stables.

The colt he had chosen was the one Rook had affectionately named Havoc, and it certainly looked as if he'd given Jake a ride from Hell.

Walking up to the man, John even commented on his choice. "Didn't think that one was broke, Jake."

"By God, after a day like today he is." Rook could actually see much improvement with Havoc. He didn't try to buck Jake off like he had the countless times they'd tried to break him, all of them taking turns to no avail. When Jake dismounted, she slowly approached, taking Havoc's reins and leading him over to the temporary hitching post.

Once the horse was secured, Rook tried to make her way over to Jimmy, but to do so she had to pass by where John and Rip were caught in a conversation, one that Rook tried to ignore, but couldn't when she heard John mention Avery. To everyone's knowledge, she'd been a drifter, not destined to be in one spot for long, but Rook knew better than that. It was clear that something had caused Avery to leave. Something she didn't want to say. Despite knowing better, Rook chose to act busy, pretending while listening in on the conversation.

"She was a drifter. Drifters drift, you know how it is." Rip explained to John when he asked what had happened to Avery. "Yeah. Probably for the best. Girl in the bunkhouse was just a disaster waiting to happen." Rook couldn't keep her guffaw in, causing both men to turn and stare at her.

As if just realising his words, John began to laugh, shaking his head in disbelief at himself. "Sorry, Rook. I can't believe I just said that." John kept laughing, and she soon joined in, not at all insulted that he didn't think of her when mentioning the 'disaster' of a woman in the bunkhouse.

"You're okay, sir. I forgive you." She replied, wiping tears from her eyes and still chuckling as she made her way over to Jimmy and threw herself down in the chair across from him. She registered him asking her what she was laughing at, but she didn't answer, content to just savour the giddiness in her from being out under the open sky.

◇◇◇

In the middle of the night, Rook was awoken by the sound of the cattle lowing. She didn't know who was on watch, but it was clear something was wrong.

Struggling into her jacket and boots in the dark, she peeked her head out of her tent before ducking out of it completely, wadering around camp to see if there was any commotion or problems. On the very edge of the camp, near the forest, she was welcomed with the sight of John and Kayce wielding guns, pointed towards a shock of whitish-grey fur in the trees. A wolf.

Kayce was crouched down, closer to the wolf than either his father or Rook, and from where she stood, it seemed like he said something to it, but she couldn't hear exactly what he did. Either by some miracle or by Kayce's possibly words, the wolf took one last look at the camp before bounding away, back deeper into the forest.

Kayce turned around, finding his father watching him, and Rook left, leaving them to talk alone, not wanting to impose.

When she got back to her tent, she barely managed to get her jacket and boots off before she fell back into her pillow, drifting off faster than she every remembered for a beautiful, dreamless sleep.

◇◇◇

The days passed in a haze, everyone lulled by the carefree atmosphere. One night, they all sat around the fire, some of the wranglers trading stories while others drank coffee from battered tin cups.

Tate seemed to be the only one not tired from the day, running around like a mustang. Watching the boy made Rook feel happy knowing that she'd stopped her father. She felt proud to say she had taken a beating so he didn't have to. Speaking of her wounds, Ryan had done a superb job at stitching her up, probably better than she could have done to herself, and she thought it might be soon that she could take the stitches out, but for now, she was happy to just not think of anything, particularly anything connected to her father.

It was a welcome sight when John cleared his throat and told a story to Tate of his late wife, Evelyn. Even though he was telling the story to his grandson, everyone stopped what they were doing to listen.

"You know my wife... she used to make two Dutch ovens full of biscuits: one for your father, one for the rest of us. He'd stand right by the fire and ask his mother, 'How long?'. And she'd say, 'Five more minutes', which just meant 'soon' to my wife. It didn't mean five minutes. Didn't mean thirty minutes sometimes..." The fondness in John's face when he spoke of his wife cut Rook right in two. And she knew then that's the kind of love she wanted. Out of nowhere, Ryan appeared, handing her a mug of coffee before taking his seat across the fire from her. Taking a sip, she found the coffee strong. Black. No sugar. Just the way she liked it.

"He'd stomp off and pout and walk away and come back and ask again and that shit would go on for an hour..."

"And when they were finally ready, he'd take a plate of biscuits, nothing else, and he'd just go sit at the edge of the firelight with his back to us and just go at it with both his hands." At the mental image of Kayce stuffing his face with his mom's biscuits, chuckles rose from around the fire, Rook catching Ryan's happy gaze from across the flames.

"They were really good." Kayce said, trying to justify his actions to which everyone started laughing more.

"Why's that funny? They were really good."

"Like a wild dog." His father continued, a smile on his face.

"After an hour of standing over that Dutch oven, she'd sit beside me, her hair a mess, smelling like smoke, madder than hell because she hated cooking them damn biscuits. And I looked at her and said, 'Sweetheart, he'll eat anything you put in front of him. Just make something else that doesn't take all night.' Your mom looked at me and she said, 'I know. But if I don't make 'em I can't watch him eat them.' Then she went to the tent, laid down and fell asleep."

"We were branding, so I was up before her. That was the last thing she ever said to me. Branding cattle on her goddamn birthday." He tried to keep the tears from coming, but they fell anyway, and he got up, leaving everyone sitting or standing around the fire feeling somber.

Kayce got up from the fire too, following his dad to where he stood beside one if the tents, clutching at one of the guy lines to steady himself.

With John's story, the lively atmosphere was gone, everyone slipping away to their respective tents with little to no other chatter, the bats and wolves the night's only orchestra.

Lying awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, Rook only vaguely realised she didn't remember ever telling Ryan how she took her coffee, or even that she liked it.

Chapter Text

Rook

The new barn was close to being finished when Rip pulled up in his truck. From the front, a young woman with pink hair ducked up, carrying saddlebags and a bedroll as everyone stopped to watch.

Rook had heard they were getting new wranglers to keep up with the work they'd be doing all summer, but she wasn't what Rook pictured, and she was glad of that.

"Listen up, you lot!" Rip shouted, calling for all of them to come closer so he wouldn't have to scream. "This is Teeter. She's the new hand. I want no funny business." Once everyone had nodded their understanding, Rip just turned around, got back in his truck and drove back the way he came.

Seeing an opportunity, Rook approached Teeter first, before any of the guys could.

"I'm Rook. It's nice to have another woman around here. Let me show you to camp." She inclined her head to nod towards where smoke was drifting distantly above the trees.

"Hey guys! Teeter and I'll be back in a bit. We're just going up to camp." Rook shouted to the men before heading off in the direction of camp, the pink-haired woman following her.

◇◇◇

"So, that's when I pulled the big fucker from out of my tent. The bastard was nearly the length of my leg!" Teeter exclaimed as her and Rook made it back from camp. They had used the time to bond and get to know each other. Teeter had told her all about what growing up in Texas was like, and Rook told her about her own childhood—the good parts, at least.

The barn was coming on well, the roof already up, but it wasn't finished yet. Sighing, they got to work, leaving the storytelling until they could do it over beers and a bonfire later that night.

◇◇◇

In the afternoon, John Dutton himself came up to see how the barn was coming along, and how Rip was dealing with the new hire.

Rook and Ryan were up painting the 'Y' on the roof when the truck pulled in, and Teeter was already up at the very tippy-top of the roof, standing as if it was the most normal thing in the world. How she got up there was certainly a question that crossed Rook's mind. She didn't even have a ladder over on the other side, and she certainly hadn't used their one.

Colby was climbing down the ladder when Jimmy, forever without a watch, asked what time it was.

"It's time you got a watch!" Rook called out from the roof, grinning to herself despite how overused that dad joke was.

"You know, Jimmy, when the sun's directly above you, what time do you think that is?" Colby wondered, chucking a paint can over beside him as Rip walked up to the man.

"Jimmy, you got somewhere you need to be?" "Oh, no, it's just the qualifier in Livingston starts at 3. So if we're done here, is it okay to...?" Jimmy fell silent when he noticed John over Rip's shoulder, a very serious look on his face. At this point, both Rook and Ryan had stopped painting, instead just watching what was unfolding below them from a great view.

"What's the matter, I don't pay you enough?" The comment from John made Jimmy visibly uncomfortable, clearly not expecting the to be his reaction, and Rook sympathised with him. She certainly didn't want to be in his shoes right now.

"No, sir. No, I've just been saving it up. Finally got enough to get my pro card, so... Tonight's the first rodeo that counts towards my standings." Rook remembered Jimmy telling her that he was getting close to having enough for his pro card, but she hadn't realised how close that actually meant. Gone was the man that was scared to try his hand at bronc riding. Now look at him!

"It's a rough way to make a living, Jimmy." John warned, the serious look still written across his face. "You break an arm chasing buckles, it's hard to... it's hard to stay on any man's payroll."

It was clear John was just looking out for Jimmy, but the finality of his tone and the brokenhearted look that crossed Jimmy's face made Rook's stomach drop. She knew just how much rodeoing had meant to Jimmy, and to be warned that if he wasn't careful, he'd have to choose between something he loved or his job wasn't something anybody should have to do.

The crunch of gravel put an end to the conversation as Jamie pulled up, telling his father that the governor wanted to see them. Rook, from where she was perched on the roof, couldn't hear what was being said, but she could've swore she caught John mention something about the rodeo Jimmy wanted to go to. Her thoughts were confirmed when he called out to both Rip and his son, stating that if the governor really wanted to meet with him, he'd be at the rodeo in Livingston.

"Rip, decide who's stayin' with the herd tonight. I'm gonna take this outfit to town and we're, uh... we'll go watch Jimmy rodeo." John announced, to the glee of all the wranglers, especially Jimmy.

"Okay. Hey, Teeter." Rip called up to the woman. "You're with the herd tonight. Colby, you stay with her, too." Colbygave the biggest sigh known to mankind as Rook reached the bottom of the ladder, just after Ryan. For some reason, he just hadn't hit it off with Teeter like the others had, so this would practically be torture for him.

Stopping right in front of Colby, Ryan spread his arms wide, a grin on his face. "Who am I to come between you and nature, Colby?" Rook slapped him in the chest with the back of her hand, giving him a warning look that was full of mirth. She enjoyed the jokes about Colby having a crush on Teeter as much as the rest of them, but she needed to make sure they kept it a little reserved.

"Hey, real quick, who's on top?" Jimmy asked, pointing to the unlucky two.

"I don't think there's any debate about that." Ryan told Jimmy, Rook stifling her giggles with her hand. "We're gonna go get cleaned up, go into town. You have a great night, buddy. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Colby clearly wasn't finding any of this funny. "You know, I want both of you to just drop dead right in front of me right now. That would be a dream."

Ryan, ignoring his comment, just continued talking, making the situation much worse, but also a hell of a lot funnier. "Oh, I think you're gonna have a new dream in a little while."

"Alright, you all have fun. And take care of our friend, okay." Jimmy called up to Teeter on his way to the horses. "And go slow, he's a romantic."

Teeter just laughed. "Hey, hey, you look like a plucked mother fuckin' chicken. Boc, boc, boc!" Jimmy looked up at her, slightly unnerved at her brilliant impression of a chicken. "Thank you. Don't fall. Okay? You're really high up."

Rook was the last to leave, nodding a little apologetically towards Colby before waving to Teeter. "Make sure to ease him into it. He's not used to women from Texas. Go slow and he'll warm up to you." Rook was practically beaming.

"You know what, Rook? I hope you drop dead too." Colby responded, Rook just flipping him off as she hurried off to Kelpie eager to get ready to go into town.

"That one's got a real mouth on her." John commented while saddling his horse, nodding towards Teeter who seemed to be dancing on top of the roof, well, as close as you can get to dancing while straddling the ridge of a roof so you don't go careening off of it.

Rip stared up at her, smiling. "Yeah, I like that girl." Rook mounted Kelpie as the others did the same with their horses, all riding back to camp so they could get ready.

◇◇◇

The stands surrounding the arena were packed to the brim of people, all standing for the national anthem as a young woman rode, an Americal flag trailing behind her. Cheers erupted as her horse slowed, and the wonderful singer concluded.

Rook settled into her seat in between Ryan and Beth, around the middle of the row. With the sheer amount of them that come to cheer Jimmy on, they were packet in like sardines, which meant Rook had to choose between rubbing shoulders, literally, with Beth, or stay squashed up against Ryan. She decided on the latter, just because of the way Beth was gazing at Rip. It was so obvious to everyone, not just Rook, that they loved each other. She'd been betting that they'd get together eventually, she just didn't know when, but it seemed that time had come.

Next to Rook, Ryan was a pillar of just hard muscle, as if he was trying his best not to move or keep from being pressed fully against her, ever the gentleman. Regardless, the heat radiating from him was very welcome, especially as the sun set and the air got cooler. The man still had his sleeves rolled up, clearly not feeling the chill the same way Rook was, and she even contemplated curling up fully into him but thought against that.

Sipping from her beer, Rook noticed Beth's hand snake into Rip's before he purposely avoided it by adjusting his hat. Rook couldn't see Beth's face, but she could picture it clearly. She waited for Beth to make some retort, but unexpectedly, it was John who spoke up first.

"I guess everyone thinks I'm the dumbest man in the valley. You can hold her damn hand, Rip." He said, exasperated. Rook grinned when Beth held her hand in Rip's lap expectedly, smiling when he finally grasped it, unafraid now that he was given permission from her father. "Thank you, daddy."

"As if something could happen on my ranch I don't know about. Jesus Christ." Feeling eyes on her, Rook, still grinning, turned around and found Ryan gazing at her. He had a small, reserved smile on his face, as if watching something he hadn't seen before. Heat rose to her cheeks, and she felt a little embarrassed, dropping her eyes to her lap as her expression faltered a little. Noticing how her smile faded, Ryan used his finger to turn her head back to face him.

"Hey. Don't do that." He said, serious.

"What?" She fiddled with her cup, uncomfortable for once with his undivided attention. Usually she would jump at the opportunity to have him looking at her this directly, but now, she just felt bare.

"Don't hide your happiness. Not from me. You want to be happy, then be happy." Ryan stared into her eyes, making it clear to her that he wasn't just joking or that it didn't actually matter. It did, to him.

Rook's lips curled back up into a grin, and she felt Ryan's hand slid into hers. Her skin tingled from the contact, the calluses on his hands rough, but gentle in the way he grasped her hand, his fingers tenderly curling around her. She knew it was meant as a reassuring gesture, but her heart lept at even such a small act while her brain argued that it didn't mean anything beside friendship.

Caught in a war with herself, Rook hadn't registered the first rider had come out, got bucked off and now lay curled in the dust. Sympathetic groans and winces rose up from the crowd, Rook and Ryan joining in as the man was helped out of the arena and the next one called up.

It was dark when Jimmy was finally called to get ready. Ryan's hand had never left Rook's, even as the night went on. Every now and again, she felt his thumb stroking her knuckles, a small smile ghosting her lips every time. She felt content like this. Imagine living like this for the rest of your life. Surrounded by people who feel like family, and a man– Absolutely not. She scolded herself, putting a stop to that very dangerous thought. He's not your man. He's not even attracted to you. For your own sake, stop it.

The speakers crackled overhead, announcing that Governor Perry was in attendance just as Rook spotted her on the stairs, stopping when she got to their row. Ryan, Rook, and everyone sitting from the end to John stood up, allowing the Governor to sit next to him to talk, undeniably the reason why she was at the rodeo in the first place.

The two gave John and the Governor space to talk business, Ryan leading Rook by the hand out of the stands and down the steps, heading in the direction of the bar. Rook followed happily, pretending like her feelings were reciprocated in the way she wanted them to be.

◇◇◇

Rook had just settled back into her seat when Jimmy's name was called over the speaker, the commentator announcing that he would be riding a horse named 'No Name'. Based on the horse's name, Jimmy was certainly going to be in for a ride.

When No Name was released, Jimmy was doing great, but out of nowhere, that all changed and he was flung of, Rook's hand flying out to clutch Ryan's leg, her heart skipping a beat as she watched him lying in the sand.

She didn't register getting to her feet, but as the ambulance pulled in, she drew her hand shakily to her face, covering her mouth as she looked on in horror. Concern was etched onto everybody's faces, unsure of how badly Jimmy had been injured, or if he was even alive. Only Lloyd and Jake were down there with him, the rest of them forced to watch on, unable to do anything.

Ryan pulled Rook in, draping his arm over her shoulders. "He's okay. He'll be okay." He whispered, but she wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

Chapter Text

Rook

It had been a day since Jimmy's fall, and apart from John, nobody had been to see him in the hospital. He had suffered a compression fracture in his neck and two in his back, a bone fragment that was pressed against his spine, a shattered hip, a grade three concussion and a fucked up arm. What level of fucked up that was, he didn't say.

Rook hadn't slept most of the night, and had taken over the watch when she realised it wasn't going to change. Jimmy had really fucked himself, and a place on the ranch for him when he eventually healed was uncertain. It's not that John is a cruel or unforgiving boss, but he did warn Jimmy of the consequences and the man still went ahead and rode.

Most of her thoughts had been about Jimmy, but every now and again, ones about Ryan snuck into her mind. His arm wrapped around her shoulders. His breath in her ear as he whispered reassuring words to her. Her hand clinging to his, their fingers intertwined. Rook didn't know how to feel. Her brain screamed at her that he was only being nice and that she was looking too deeply into that which didn't exist, but her heart dared to hope differently. Maybe it wasn't a feeling of friendship that made him comfort her yesterday.

"Rook, would you mind splitting more logs for the fire?" A rich voice called out to her, pulling her back to reality. She hadn't noticed Ryan standing watching her, let alone approach her. Fuck, I'm losing it.

"No problem. Just let me finish setting the fire first." She answered, sweeping any romantic thoughts about Ryan under the rug of her mind. She'd deal with them later.

Picking up the axe from where it rested against the chuck wagon, Rook marched over to the chopping block set up just outside camp, in a little clearing in the trees.

There was a small pile of logs sitting next to the block, but it would hardly do to keep the fires going for long. She mentally made a checklist to gather more wood a little later as she set to work cutting smaller timber for the fire. Swinging the axe, it met the log with a satisfying thunk, allowing Rook to focus only on the task at hand.

She made quick work of the timber, cutting each log into four quarters. Wiping the thin layer of sweat from her forehead, the axe resting over her shoulder, Rook spotted the quad driving towards camp, Jake and a woman sitting in the front. Jake was easy to pick out thanks to his hat, but from there, she couldn't make out who the woman was until the quad had stopped and the Governor had gotten out, John meeting her there.

The Governor certainly wasn't dressed for summer camp, which could only mean she had an urgent meeting with John, and the man being his usual stubborn self, had refused to meet back at the house or the barn.

Whatever it was they were talking about didn't concern Rook in the slightest, so she got back to chopping the wood, thankful for something to do to keep her mind busy.

◇◇◇

Rook strolled back into camp, arms full of wood. It was past midday, and everyone was feeling lethargic. She had met Kayce, Monica and Tate heading down to the river to fish on her journey, and John lounged out on a blanket with Governor Perry beside him, both looking very relaxed.

Chucking the logs in the pile near the chuck wagon, she dusted off her flannel, heading over to where Colby fanned himself with his hat under the shade, Teeter watching him, the heat having no affect on her.

"Well, Teeter. I heard you two had a very eventful night." She said pointedly to Colby. Nothing had happened, that much was obvious. Colby still pretended to hate the Texan to her face but Rook had caught him looking at her more times than she could count on both hands. Her, Ryan, Jake and Jimmy even had a bet on how long it would take for them to get together. Rook bet on it being less than two weeks, but the boys thought it would be more.

"Shut the fuck up, Rook." Colby sighed, exasperated, causing Rook and Teeter to fall into a fit of laughter, the man slowly getting up and leaving.

◇◇◇

Rook was woken early by Ryan tapping her on the shoulder, jolting her awake and making her hand subconscious flying to the knife she kept by her bed.

"Hey." Ryan exclaimed in a whisper, his hands shooting up. "It's just me."

Her groggy mind catching up, Rook eased her hand from the hilt of her knife, sitting up on her bedroll. "What's the job?" She asked. If they were being woken up this early, there was definitely a job back at the ranch to be done.

"Buying more cattle. Rip needs us to load them up." Ryan looked just as tired as Rook felt, and she randomly had a stab of longing as she saw him standing in the doorway. This could be her view every morning, in a perfect world.

Swallowing thickly, she rubbed her eyes, dispelling the thought harshly from her mind. This wasn't a perfect world. Not by a mile. Throwing her covers back, Rook got up, reaching for her jeans and shirt as Ryan's gaze found the ground to be very interesting. "I'll be out in a minute." She said, amused that he was so sheepish about her in her underwear despite living in the same bunkhouse for months now. It was very... respectful of him.

Nodding, his eyes still stuck to the floor, Ryan backed out of her tent.

Rook slid into her jeans and t-shirt quickly, throwing on a flannel shirt and her boots, grabbing her hat from the back of the chair in the corner of her tent.

The sun was barely up when she ducked outside, and the wranglers were all sitting around the fire, breakfast in hand, when she walked up, taking a seat beside Teeter and grabbing a plate.

It was silent as everyone ate, nobody making small talk, just content to keep to their own thoughts until they had to leave, which came much sooner than wanted.

Swinging up into Kelpie's saddle, Rook fell into step with Ryan and his horse as they rode back down to the ranch. "This is why we can't have nice things." He leaned in close, murmuring as though they shared some deep secret, a shit-eating grin on his face. Rook swatted at his arm, her smile mirroring his even if she didn't want it to.

◇◇◇

Rook, Colby and Ryan stood in the loading chute, urging the newly bought cattle into the trailers when Rip shouted from where he stood at the end.

"Hey, Colby! Turn that charolais back, it ain't ours!"

The aforementioned cow managed to get past both Colby and Ryan, and was heading to get past Rook when Teeter jumped in, shouting random words at the charolais until it turned away.

"That skinny girl's a hand, I gotta say it." Lloyd remarked, a smile on his face.

Teeter cornered the charolais, still shouting at it as Colby and Ryan brought the rest of the cattle around it and into the trailer.

"Hey, Rook. C'mere." Rip called out, waving his hand. Wiping her hands on the bandana tucked into her jeans, Rook walked over to where Rip and Lloyd were talking. "How's Teeter working out?" Rip asked them both, Lloyd chuckling. "Well, you gotta define 'working out'."

"Boys leaving her alone?" This time Rook was the one to laugh. "Leaving her alone?"

"That little hyena, she looks at a man like he's a rented mule. She's got the bunkhouse so scared they're goin' to bed with the chickens." Lloyd said, laughing. Rip turned to Rook. "That the truth?"

"Every bit of it. The boys are scared shitless."

"Bring em' all to the new pen, will ya? We'll be right behind you." Rip directed Ryan, Colby and Teeter. "You too, Rook."

She nodded her head, hurrying over to the truck and getting in the back, the hint of a smile still on her face.

◇◇◇

The drive back to the ranch was more than a little awkward. Teeter, sitting in the passenger seat while Ryan drove, shoved a piece of chewing tobacco between her cheek and gum, spitting saliva into Colby's unfinished coffee cup.

If anyone was to take a look at the two of them, they wouldn't guess that there was a bet going on between the wranglers over how long it would take them to kiss. Honestly, Colby looked like her hated Teeter.

"You was done with that, wasn't you?" She asked him, as if it made any difference whether he was or he wasn't. "I am now."

"How you doing back there, baby?" Teeter teased Colby. Rook stifled her giggles behind her hand, trying so hard to not smile as the man responded that he was fine in the driest tone she had ever heard.

"Cause you ought to be up here on mama's lap, but that's alright. That's okay." Rook and Ryan lost it, not even trying to hide their laughter this time. "Y'all think I'm joking." Teeter responded, her voice telling the opposite.

"No, unfortunately, we don't." Colby said, taking his sunglasses off.

In the rear view mirror, Rook watched as Ryan's smile fell, his brow furrowing. "What in the..."

As the truck passed one of the Dutton fields, Rook got a good look at what Ryan had spotted. All along one side of the fence, right next to a gap cut in it, were parked motorbikes, their riders sitting around a bonfire in the field.

"They cut the fucking fence." Ryan exclaimed, taking off his seatbelt.

"It's too early to get in a fight." Colby stated. Rook hummed in agreement. It really was too early to get into a fight, especially one with bikers.

Getting out, old-school rock music drifted to their ears, coming from a portable speaker stood over by a biker with a beard long enough he could almost trip on it.

Ryan, the livestock agent, put up his hand to the group, Colby, Teeter and Rook following him into the field and over to the trespassers.

"Hey. How you doing?" The bikers didn't look at all pleased to see them.

"Listen, you can't be here. This is private property." Ryan explained to a man wearing a leather vest, his hair in a manbun, more than likely the leader. "This is a national park." He responded, clearly thinking her was correct.

"That's national park." Ryan pointed to the land across the road. "This is the Dutton Ranch."

"Sign says 'Yellowstone'. Got a big fucking Y on it."

"The Y is for the Yellowstone Ranch." Ryan clarified, but the man wasn't having any of it.

"You said Dutton Ranch."

"It's the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Listen, I need you to move across the road or I'm gonna have to cite you for trespassing." Ryan pulled out his livestock commission badge from under his shirt and the bikers all took a step closer. The three other wranglers did the same when they noticed, Rook facing off with a burly man wearing a Rammstein t-shirt.

"That badge says 'livestock agent'." The man commented, as if Ryan was unaware of that. At this point, the bikers that were sitting on fallen logs had gathered around.

"Ooh. It's the fucking cow police." The biker announced, causing his friends to laugh.

"Look at this pink-haired hick mad-dogging me." The red-haired woman standing opposite Teeter said. "You got a problem bitch?"

"The fuck you just say to me?" Teeter questioned, advancing on the woman.

"Called you a fucking bitch!" Her words hadn't left her mouth before Teeter was on her, landing a right hook straight to her jaw.

The bikers swarmed them, each aiming hits and punches to the face. The girl fighting Rook went for her throat, but she ducked at the last minute, landing a hit to the girl's leg, causing her to go down. Hands clamped around her neck, throwing her down to her back. Rook curled in on herself, protecting her head, as the kicks came.

Rook tried to scratch her attacker, but the man just knelt on her wrists, stopping her from moving as he punched her repeatedly in the face.

There was too many of them. There was no sign the man was even thinking about stopping his punches, and Rook thought there was a good chance this is where she'd die. From a fight on the side of the road after surviving her father for years. This is how her story would end.

The sound of tyres screeching and metal crashing into metal drew everyone's attention, and Rook threw the man off of her, scrambling to get to her feet and away from him, holding a hand to her bloody nose.

The road was a massacre of broken bikes, parts scattered all over the place.

The bikers ran towards Rip and Lloyd. If they were angry before, they'd be downright murderous now.

With the distraction, Ryan, Colby, Teeter and Rook fought back, harder than before, this time catching most of them by surprise due to them being focused on the man that just wrecked their most prized possessions.

One of the bikers pulled a gun on Rip, but Lloyd followed suit, right before Rip pulled it out of the man's hand and struck him over the head with it.

Rip advanced on the red-haired woman from before. "Which one of these assholes is the boss of you?"

She hesitated, and Rook thought she'd try to fight but she didn't. "The big guy with the beard."

Rip stormed to the front of the floored bikers, pointing at each man until the woman said which one he was. Rip picked the man up by his leather vest, brandishing the Yellowstone brand in his face.

"I'm gonna give you one last chance. You leave now or you never leave. I'll bury you where you fucking stand. Get the fuck out of here!" He shouted, holding the gun up to his face before pushing him forcibly away.

The bikers, suddenly terrified that they might not make it home, all scuttled away like ants, or rather dogs with their tails tucked between their legs.

Rook let them go, but Ryan looked like her had more fight in him with the way he shoved his man to the ground. Honestly, Rook didn't even try to temper the attraction she felt when she saw that.

Lloyd kept an eye on the bikers as Rip checked in with them, making sure nobody was hurt too badly.

"Colby, you alright? He questioned.

"I think I broke my hand."

Rip moved on to Ryan, silently asking what the actual fuck had happened. "All I did was ask them to leave." Ryan explained, sounding weary.

He nodded, going to stand opposite Teeter. "What about you, Teeter? You okay?"

"That is fun." She replied, spitting in the dirt and grinning, showing off her bloody teeth.

Rip passed by Rook, and she nodded, telling him that she was alright without needing to actually say anything.

Lloyd turned back from the bikers, walking down closer to Rip so he didn't need to shout. "Bunch of assholes taking the scenic route to Sturgis. You know, when they come back for them bikes, they gonna fuck this field up something fierce."

"Probably so." Rip said, dejected. "Let's go fix the fence. Come on."

With the thump of the bikes drifting into the distance, the four wranglers slowly made their way up to the road, each clutching their sides or massaging their jaws, wincing in pain.

◇◇◇

That night, two trucks and two bikes returned. The men parked the bikes up at the top as the ones in the truck went to the bed and pulled out two canisters of some type of fuel. They cut the newly mended fence and waltzed in, as if they owned the place, dead set on setting the whole place on fire.

What they weren't expecting to find was John Dutton sat on a rock, four shovels propped up next to him, a rifle in his hands.

"Let me guess: this is your field." The leader stated, walking closer to the man.

"You gonna burn it? That's your plan?" John didn't seem fazed in the slightest.

"Might burn you with it."

"Why? Why would you do that?" He asked, genuinely curious why that would be their first course of action.

"We weren't bothering anyone. We were just having some fun." The biker explained, putting down the gas cans, his friend following his lead.

"This field is mine. That fence is mine. You damaged both. Then you came back to damage it more. This is my home. If I did this to your home, what would you do?"

The biker smiled. "I'd kill you."

"That's right." Flashlights turned on behind John, bathing the men in a sickly white light, the shock evident on their faces. None were normal flashlights, all were the lights attached to Heckler & Koch rifles, held by Kayce, Rip, Ryan, Lloyd and Rook. Technically, she wasn't supposed to be here, but at the last minute Rip asked her if she knew her way around a gun. There's not much you can do but learn when you grew up with an ex-military father.

John threw the shovels at the feet of the bikers. "My man said if you didn't leave we'd bury you here. And you didn't leave. We keep out word in this valley."

"Fine, we'll leave." The head biker promised, but John shook his head. "No, no, it's too late for that."

"I said we'd leave." John shut him up with a cock of his rifle. "I don't want you to leave. I want you to dig."

It took the better part of the night for the men to dig holes big enough for graves. And by the time they were done, the sun was starting to heat up the sky.

Seeing this himself, John called for them to stop digging. "Nobody said get out." Kayce commented when the men tried to climb out of the holes.

"Yeah, not much point in that." John joined in, striding over to the man in the hole. The biker tried to reason with John, saying he had children.

"So do I. And from what I've seen, yours will be better off without you." John stated. "Where are you from?"

"California."

"Figures..." Rook's breath fanned out as she looked down the barrel of the gun, waiting for John to give the signal.

"I'm gonna leave these holes just like this. Right here in the middle of my field. And if you ever come back again, I'm gonna fill 'em. You understand?" John announced. Well, Rook wasn't exactly expecting that. She didn't really think he was going to kill them, but she didn't know for certain.

"Thank you." The head biker said, the gratitude radiating from him and all of the others.

"Thank you's not an answer. Repeat what I say: I'm going back to California. Montana doesn't want you." To give the man credit, he repeated it, word for word without stuttering.

"I'm never coming back. I swear." He vowed, looking John direction in the eyes. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Taking the following silence as a dismissal, the bikers climbed out of their graves as if the hounds of Hell were nipping at their ankles. Rook, Ryan and Lloyd followed them out, just in case any of them got any bright ideas to take the boss out with them.

When the last truck drove off, heading back to Cali, Rip called Rook and the two men over to him, looking serious.

"You told Kayce you wanted the brand." Rip said to Rook and she nodded. "Tonight's the night you're gonna get it."

Rook didn't know how to feel. It was her choice to get it, and she had asked for it, but that didn't mean she wasn't scared for the pain of it.

"Boys, get a fire set up. Rook, take off your jacket and sit down."

◇◇◇

The air crackled with the heat from the flames, and Rook's skin hummed with adrenaline. She couldn't feel the cold despite being half-naked from the waist up, her chest only barely covered up.

Rip held the brand in the fire, waiting until it turned red from the heat before picking it up using gloves.

Rook kept her eyes focused right ahead, not daring to look at the brand, but not wanting to close them completely, which was why Ryan gesturing to look up at him was such a welcome sight. Her kept his gaze locked on hers, even as the brand got closer and closer to her skin, the heat radiating from it singeing her hair slightly.

White-hot agony shot through her when the metal touched her flesh, and Rook fought to keep her screams from coming out, forcing them back down her throat. Tears pricked her eyes, but those too she batted away. The pain didn't disappear when Rip pulled the brand away, shoving it back into the fire, but a wave of euphoria hit Rook instead. This was her choice, and, in a way, it was freeing. No longer could she be claimed by Barrows. She was part of the Yellowstone, until her death.

A laugh escaped her lips, and the men looked at her as if she was deranged, only John smiling with her. To him, she nodded, whispering a thank you.

"This isn't something you should thank me for, Rook." With that, he walked away, heading back to the hidden trucks as the wranglers put out the fire but they left the holes where they were. John's orders.

Ryan helped Rook up, his hold on her arm even more gentle than usual, as if he thought she'd break.

"We'll make a criminal out of you yet." He whispered in her ear, flashing her his trademark grin. To be honest, Rook didn't really care what they made of her so long as it was by Ryan's side.

Her chest feeling like it was on fire and her mind full of thoughts about Ryan, Rook eased on her shirt with a little help from Ryan and climbed into one of the trucks, eager to get home and fall into her bed to sleep the pain away.

Chapter Text

Rook

When Rook woke, she was immediately hit with the pain in her chest. She knew the brand would hurt, but she hadn't realised just how badly it would itch. I felt like ants were crawling over her skin.

Late last night, John announced that summer camp was to be dismantled in the morning. As much as she loved living out in the wilderness, Rook was happy to know she'd get to sleep on a proper mattress again and proper showers.

She was letting one of the tents down when she overheard Monica scolding Tate for his language.

"Where are you learning this stuff?" She asked in confusion.

"Jesus, look at the size of that fucking spider." Ryan exclaimed and Rook struggled to not laugh, the other wranglers coming over to look at the offending insect.

"That is a big-ass toad." Jake commented.

Teeter stared at the spider in wonder, commenting on its size. "Shit. You could saddle that sumbitch, and ride his fucking ass back to the barn."

Rook grinned, thoroughly amused when she heard Monica mention to Tate that she knew where he had picked up his vulgar vocabulary from.

Rip and Lloyd rode up on their horses, instructing Ethan and Jake to take the pack horses back while Teeter saddled two gentle horses for Monica and Tate.

"Colby, Ryan, Rook? We're running the fence." He stated, the three wranglers nodding. Not the most exciting job, but it was better than lugging heavy bags back to the ranch. Rip didn't wait long for them to saddle their horses and ride after him, spurring their horses to catch up.

◇◇◇

It was a calm ride, nobody really saying anything, until Ryan broke the silence, crying out in confusion when he spotted what was in one of the fields.

Buffalo. Around thirty of them grazed in the field, two men on horses watching them. Rook didn't recognise them, and from Rip's reaction, neither did he.

"You think they wandered in from the park?" Colby wondered, but Rip shut him down. "Nah, there's too many fences." When he spotted the men, he urged his horse forward. "Who are these son of a bitches here? Come on. Let's go."

As they got closer to the men, recognition shown on Rip's face. "Sporting club running buffalo now?" He taunted to an older gentleman, a thick mustache furrowing his upper lip.

"Sporting club ain't running shit no more." The man replied in a disdainful tone, meeting Rip and the trio at the edge of the fence line, the other man following him like a lost puppy.

"Yeah, well, whose are those, then?" Rip questioned, inclining his head towards the buffalo.

"Don't matter, as long as they're not yours." Rook didn't like the man's tone. She knew by hearing one sentence from his lips that he thought himself higher than any of them.

Rip ignored the man's comment, continuing with business. "You got permission to run them things here?"

"Nah, I just decided today I'd run some buffalo across a field for no reason." The man's voice dripped with sarcasm, but not the good kind. What Rook would give to shut him up.

"Yeah, well, I don't want my cattle getting brucellosis from them fucking things." Rip declared, anger starting to peek through his calm exterior.

"Keep your cattle on your side of the fence." This came from the dog seated on the man's left side. If Rook thought the man was bad, boy was she in for a shock speaking to this one.

Rip seemed to share her sentiment.

"You oughta tell your boy to watch the bass in his voice when he speaks to me."

"Boy?" The young gentleman exclaimed, getting down from his horse, Rip following suit.

The boy vaulted over the fence, and straight into Rip's waiting fist. Rook had a great vantage point from where she stayed seated atop Kelpie. She'd gotten into one fight already that week, and she still felt the affects from it. She didn't want to get into another.

The boy fell back into the fence and Rip used his momentum to lift his feet, throwing him back over the fence to his side.

The cocking of a gun drew everyone's attention. There the old man sat, a pistol held up to Rip's head. "I'll blow your shit-for-brains all over this field."

"Then fucking do it." Rook had to hand it to him, he wasn't scared at all, despite having a presumably loaded gun to his head.

Before the man could cause some real problems and pull the trigger, Ryan dismounted, unholstering his own gun and displaying his badge.

"Reserve agent, Livestock association. I will shoot you where you stand." He shouted, coming over to stand beside Rip. "Put that fucking pistol down."

"Reserve agent?" The man asked, only lowering his gun slightly. "Duttons still running that scam?"

"We don't know you." Rip pointed out, but the man still isn't lower his gun.

"You wouldn't. But your boss does. Tell him Wade Morrow said hello. We'll see each other again, I'm sure."

Rip pointed at Wade Morrow, who had finally put down his pistol like Ryan had told him. "You better hope I never see you again."

"Next time, fight me fair." Morrow replied, not even glancing towards Ryan, who still held his gun.

"Shit, I'll fight you fair. Get off your horse."

"We'll save that for a rainy day." Morrow shifted in his seat. Rook thought he actually might be uncomfortable at the thought of fighting his own battles rather than getting his lackey to do it for him.

"I need proof those are brucellosis free." Ryan announced. He looks so good doing his job. Rook thought to herself, unapologetically watching Ryan. So authoritative and sexy.

Morrow looked him over once before turning his horse around. "If you're man enough, come and get it."

The four watched as the men rode off, leaving the buffalo in the field.

"Why would they leave buffalo out here? They'regonna tear this fence to pieces." Colby said.

"That's why." Rip knew exactly what type of men those two were by one conversation, and Rook had surmised the same. They wanted the buffalo to break the fence and give the cattle brucellosis because it wouldn't be blamed on them. It would be blamed on the Duttons for not having a strong enough fence.

They mounted up in silence, riding back to the ranch knowing that the buffalo could break through at any moment until they could replace the fence.

◇◇◇

Rook, Ryan, Colby and Rip had just got back to the barn when Kayce came riding up to them.

"Boyd Nelson died." He said, a mournful look on his face.

"The horse breeder?" Rook had heard of him, although not many good things.

"He's got around 300 brood mares and some babies. We're planning on rounding them up and taking them to Billings to put 'em in a sale. Could do with the help, if you're willing." Kayce explained, the last part directed more towards Rip than any of the others.

The man nodded his head. "We'll be there."

◇◇◇

More people turned up to help than Rook expected. Excluding John, Kayce and the wranglers, at least seven other ranchers had agreed to it.

The horses were all saddled and ready to get going. The only problem was figuring out how exactly they were going to do it without getting injured. This was a dangerous plan, even by Rook's standards.

She was standing near enough to John when one of the other ranchers who had come to help walked up to him.

"How do you plan on doing this?" He asked, voicing the question everyone was thinking.

"Rip, have you figured out how to do this without all of us getting trampled?"

"Best we came up wit sir is like, 'fuck it', you know? Let's get up there fast as we can and just chase them sons of bitches down the mountain." Oh, fuck. Now that was a straight up way to end up injured or dead. Perfect.

"Fuck it." John repeated, sounding sceptical. "That's your plan, too? Fuck it?" John looked towards his son, his eyebrows raised.

"It's gonna be a shit show no matter what we do. May as well do it fast. Less time for things to go wrong."

"Your logic is so flawed, son, it... Hell, it almost makes sense." He chuckled, swinging up into the saddle. "All right. Fuck it."

John led the procession, Rip and Kayce following behind him and the others slotting in wherever they could. Rook and Teeter rode almost side by side for most of the journey, Ryan and Colby just ahead of them.

They came across the herd down at the bottom of a shallow valley, the mares staying as best as they could out of the shade by using some of the trees dotted around. Colby, Ethan, Ryan and Jake took the rear, herding them up to where the others waited.

The horses took off running, urged by the wranglers coming up behind them. They ran with their heads high, their hooves beating a rhythm that reminded Rook of distant thunder. A sound that drummed in her chest, flowing in her blood.

Her and the ranchers flanked the herd as they passed, falling into step with them but making sure to keep enough distance so the mares wouldn't panic.

As they pushed them down the mountain, Rook wondered how she had every thought she was free when she had never done something like this before. She thought she was free when she slept under the stars, but that was wrong. This is where her soul truly sang.

A perpetual grin split her lips as she rode, all thoughts in her head melting away, leaving only the here and the now.

Rook was surprised when the makeshift paddock came into view. Nothing had gone terrible wrong, which was saying something for that lot. It seemed the wranglers could do something completely meaningless and still end up causing a million problems or getting into a fight. Case in point: the other night with the bikers.

The riders flanking the horses fell back to the rear as the neared the paddock, the mares following the fences. When Jake shut the gate behind them, everyone let out relieved sighs, some even cheering. Nobody ended up getting fucked up or trampled. That was a first.

"I thought for sure someone was going to the hospital." Kayce laughed, Rip nodding along with him and laughing too. "I thought someone was dyin'."

"You know, I've got half a mind to run up that hill and do it again." Rook agreed with John. If he ran up that hill, she'd go with him. It was the most exhilarating feeling she had ever experienced.

She spotted Ryan leading his horse over to the barn and she decided to follow him.

"Hey, Ryan." Rook called out, speeding up slightly to catch up with him. The man turned around at the sound of his name, eyes brightening when he saw her. "We need to talk."

"Sure, but if it ends up with me adopting a dog, I'm in." Rook stopped with her mouth slightly agape. That sure as Hell wasn't the response she was expecting.

"Maybe the dog can come later. Right now, I need you to tell me why you helped the night my father came." Rook said, Ryan's expression turning serious as he secured his horse's reins to the hitching post.

"What do you mean?" He looked puzzled, as if he didn't know why she was asking him something like that in the first place.

"Why did you stitch me up? Why didn't you just leave me in the bathroom like the others?"

Ryan's gaze was intense, an emotion Rook couldn't place evident. "Why do you think?" It was less a question. More a statement. With it, he walked away, leaving Rook to wonder just what he had meant by it.

◇◇◇

Rook opened the door to the bunkhouse, eager to lie down, when she was greeted by the sight of Jimmy, looking battered in a neck brace, with two gorgeous women dancing around him, 'Long White Line' by Sturgill Simpson playing in the background.

"We helped ourselves to your beer. Hope you don't mind." The darker haired woman pointed out, sipping from her can.

"Yeah, we can see. They with you, Jimmy?" Colby questioned, heading for his bunk.

"Yeah, this was not my idea." The two women kept dancing, ignoring Jimmy.

The bottles and cans of beer were passed around as everyone ditched a few layers of clothes, thankful to be out of the cold night air.

"Fuck it. It's Friday night somewhere." Teeter exclaimed, grabbing herself a beer to Colby's exasperation.

"No, today is Friday. Like literally, right now is Friday."

"Then Friday's your lucky fucking day." She commented, swinging her hips and throwing her hat to Colby, who caught it, the tiniest bit flustered.

Ryan looked over at the man, raising his eyebrows knowingly. "She's growing on you."

"She's not growing on me." Colby declared, even as his eyes tracked Teeter around the room. Rook and Ryan looked at each other, wiggling their eyebrows at each other, which Colby noticed. "Okay, she has like a couple of moves and stuff. It's kinda like... She's a dancer. She studied." Looks like Rook was going to win the bet after all.

"Where in the fuck did she study dancing? Fucking sheeper cabin in Ten Sleep?" Rook laughed, but she wasn't going to admit it to anyone that she didn't really understand what the fuck Ryan had just said. Genuinely, what the fuck was a sheeper cabin, and where is Ten Sleep?

Rook's inner monologue cut off abruptly when she noticed the blonde friend of Jimmy's walking over to Lloyd. She was obviously flirting with him. Rook nudged Ryan's arm, subtly nodding her head in their direction, watching as his eyes widened as he took in the scene.

"Seems like everyone's hitching up in this place." Rook commented offhandedly, smirking slightly at Ryan as she took a seat at the table, grabbing two beers: one for her, one for him.

"Fucking barrel racers." Jake commented, chuckling at the women. So they were barrel racers. That explained a lot.

"You're getting the joke now, aren't you, Jimmy?" Looking at the two girls, Ryan's joke really did make a lot of sense, and by the look on Jimmy's face, he thought so too.

"Hey, guys!" Rook called out from the head of the table. "I've got an idea."

◇◇◇

They were all sat around the table, cowboy hats on their heads. The game was simple. One person would stand up, everyone would close their eyes and that person would place their hat on the person they thought was the most attractive. After a minute, they'd take their hat back and sit down, leaving only them and whoever they placed their hat on knowing.

It's technically not a game, but she'd learned about it from Ronan Flynn, a wrangler who worked on the Doherty ranch the summer she was there who became like a brother to her. It was like a spin on the whole "cowboy hat rule", but for a group of cowboys.

"So, let's say I go first. I'll stand up and everyone will close their eyes." Rook explained to the group. "I will place my hat on the head of whoever I find attractive. Then I'll take it off, sit back down, and the next person will do the same thing, so in this case it would Teeter. Any questions?"

They all shook their heads.

"Perfect. Colby? How about you start." Rook didn't want to be the first to go. She wanted to drag it out for as long as she could before it was her turn.

As instructed, everyone closed their eyes, some laughing and giggling at how strange it felt. The sound of the legs of a chair squeaking against the floor was the only thing they heard for a minute as Colby walked around the table once. That was something she'd forgotten to say. It's better if you walk around a couple of times to throw everyone off.

"You can open your eyes." Colby said, now sitting back in his seat with his hat on. Pretty much everyone in the room could guess whose head he put it on, but that's notthe point of the game.

That's how it went. Clockwise around the table. Rook would be one of the last ones to go, so it was perfect. Surprisingly, nobody fucked up, at least from what she noticed. Everyone seemed to respect the privacy of the game.

When it got to Ryan's turn, Rook mentally crossed her fingers. Even though she claimed to herself that she had gotten over him, it was a lie. She wanted him to feel the same way she did, even if it was unrealistic. He'd probably put it on Laramie's head. She was gorgeous.

The thought rattled around her head, even as the slight scuff of shoes passed by her chair, stopping where Mia, Jimmy's girlfriend was sat. Rook's heart plummeted to her stomach, right before the hat was lowered onto her head, the crown still warm from Ryan's head.

You're actually fucking kidding me! She screamed internally, only getting a hold of her emotions when the hat was taken back. As everyone's eyes opened, she fought to keep her gaze from finding Ryan's, which would pretty much announce to the table who he had chosen, instead keeping her eyes trained on her glass of whiskey in front of her.

The game carried on, but Rook's mind didn't move on from the feeling of wearing Ryan's hat. Surely that was confirmation her feelings were requited, right?

So caught up in her own mind, Rook hadn't realised it was almost her turn until Mia, who didn't have a hat with her, turned to Jimmy, the telltale sound of a kiss following.

"That is shocking to me." Ryan commented, pointing towards where Mia lounged on Jimmy's lap.

"Come on, Rook. It's your turn." Laramie laughed, her hand fixed to Lloyd's thigh. It seemed the game worked better than she thought it would.

"Okay, okay." She stood up, holding her hands above her shoulders as everyone's eyes dropped shut, Ryan's lingering a little longer before doing so.

She pushed her chair back, the creaking of it hopefully throwing some of the wranglers off. She tried to keep her steps as silent as she could, slowly making her way past Teeter, Colby and Ethan until she stood behind Ryan's chair, her hat in her hand. Not stopping for long, she placed the hat on his head, or rather on top of his head due to the tight squeeze.

Her steps didn't speed up or slow down as she placed her hat back on her head and took her seat again, but her heart soared to finally know that she had, in a way, told Ryan how she felt about him.

After her, only Teeter was left to go, and she didn't take any time at all, only standing up and then sitting back down again. Clearly, it was no secret who her choice was, but still nobody commented.

Right after the game had ended, Beth appeared in the doorway, not saying anything, only grabbing a bottle of Tito's from the table, cranking up the music and dancing, not a care in the world.

Slowly, the crowd around the table disappeared. Laramie and Lloyd were lounging on his bed, kissing, and the same could be said for Jimmy and Mia. Teeter was annoying the absolute shit out of Colby when he just wanted to sleep, and Jake and Ethan were caught in a heated discussion over something fishing related. That left only Rook and Ryan left, still nursing their drinks, neither willing to be the first to break and comment on what had happened.

She was done with pretending. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or alcohol talking, but she didn't think there would be a better moment to tell him, with words, how she actually felt.

Rising from the table, she threw on her coat, going out of her way to pass by Ryan while heading to the door just so she could lean down and whisper in his ear. "Wait a few then follow me outside."

Not looking back to see if he had understood, she headed out the door, pretending to be doing it to only get a little bit of air.

The night air hit Rook's flushed skin like a balm, the moon's light clear as it shone down on her. She didn't have to wait long for the door to open again, Ryan joining her in the night.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ryan asked, his eyes dark in the moonlight as he came over to stand in front of where Rook leaned against the wall.

"Nope." She replied, her hands in his shirt, pulling until their lips collided. It was soft at first, Ryan's hands falling to hold her waist, but it quickly grew in ferocity.

Rook threw her arms over Ryan's shoulders, smiling against his lips. Rook felt like she was drowning, but in that moment, she would've given her very heart to the sea.

They broke apart, gasping for breath but giddy, pressing little pecks here and there. They looked like love-dumb teenagers, and that was perfectly fine.

"Fuck, I've been waiting so long to do that." Rook said, giggling while still holding Ryan's shirt with one hand.

"You could've kissed me earlier if you wanted." Ryan had that infuriating grin on his face. The one that made Rook want to kiss him again, but what stopped her was the flicker of movement far over his shoulder. Rip.

"Oh shit. Come with me." Rook grabbed Ryan's hand, making a beeline for the back of the bunkhouse. She prayed he hadn't seen them as she ducked around the corner, covering her mouth to stop her laughs from being heard. Now she really felt like a teenager, running off and hiding after kissing a boy.

Both of them bit their lips as Rip's footsteps crunched on the gravel, mere feet from them. The door to the bunkhouse creaked open, and the sound of Rip shouting drifted outside, causing the two to fall back into a fit of laughter.

"We should probably go inside, or someone will come looking." Ryan pointed out between laughs, Rook nodding her head before pressing a last kiss to his lips.

When they entered the bunkhouse, it was eerily quiet compared to not a minute before. It was obvious why that was. Rip stood in the middle of the room, watching Beth dancing with a bottle of Tito's in her hand. Immediately, his face changed, a smile working it's way onto his lips at the sight of the woman he loved enjoying herself.

Despite knowing they were together, Rook was still a bit shocked when the man walked over to Beth and planted a kiss on her lips. They were such an odd couple, in her opinion, but they clearly cared deeply about each other.

Giving Ryan one last look from over her shoulder, Rook returned to her seat at the table, his eyes burning a hole in her back the rest of the night.

◇◇◇

Ryan

The kiss played over and over in his head for the whole night. Her lips were so soft.

Ryan couldn't help but feel somewhat angry at Rip for interrupting them. He wanted to show Rook just how much he wanted her, but it looks like that would just have to wait until another day. That's fine. I'm a patient man. He thought, watching Rook from across the table, a huge smile on her face when she caught his looking.

He loved the little crease her nose makes when it scrunches up. He loved the way her hair looked when she woke up in the morning, wild and untamable, just like her. He loved how you could always guarantee her copy of the Lord of the Rings was in her saddlebags, quote "in case of emergencies". Most of these Ryan didn't remember noticing, but they were a part of her nearly as much as her spirit, and he loved her for it.

Wait. Did he love her?

Chapter Text

Ryan

Ryan, Kayce and Rip sat atop their horses, near Officer Hendon, the other wranglers a few feet away. John looked through binoculars at the two men from a few days ago: Wade Morrow and his lackey.

"Who is he?" Kayce asked, his father lowering the binoculars.

"Just a horse trading, lying... half a criminal." He handed the binoculars back to Kayce, turning his horse around to face Rip. "Rip, push those cattle up to the field above the new barn."

"Sir. Y'all listen up, if those sons of bitches say anything to you, you don't react, you hear me?" Ryan saw Rook nod her head. They hadn't talked yet about what had happened the other night, and they really needed to. I need to know if it was a drunken mistake or not. He didn't see it as such, but that didn't mean Rook didn't.

John turned back to the livestock agents. "Cool heads. Understood? This bastard will try and test you." He stated before riding off in the direction the men were. Ryan didn't know why, but he felt a little uneasy, yet he willingly rode headfirst into the very situation causing that unease. This better not go to shit.

Rook

They met the men at the fence line, the hound leering at her from beneath his hat, as if she couldn't see him. That or he genuinely didn't give a shit who saw.

John, Kayce and Ryan, as well as Officer Hendon, were the closest, the wranglers a little further away, pushing the cattle up to the field John instructed. Only Rook and Rip remained behind, staying away from the agents, but close enough so they could still hear everything, staying at the sidelines just in case anything turned ugly.

"Long time, John." Morrow called out, a faux smile on his face. John didn't even grace him that in return.

"Not long enough for me, you son of a bitch."

Kayce leaned in, whispering something akin to "what happened to cool heads" but it was too quiet for Rook to make out.

"What scam are you running today?" The man asked, ignoring the comment from his son.

"No scam. We're babysitting them bison for the resort." Ah yes. The infamous luxury ski resort that was planned to be built on Dutton land. As if that was going to go ahead.

"Resort's in the buffalo business now?" John questioned, sceptical.

"They're in the tourist business. Charge six hundred dollars for people to ride up here on a dude string and have pictures taken of 'em." The way Morrow explained it was as if he thought it the most obvious thing in the world. The joys of an arrogant man.

Kayce interrupted him before his spiel could go on for too long, getting right to the question at hand. "They been tested for Brucellosis?"

There was a beat of silence before Morrow gave his man a signal, causing him to root around in his saddlebags until he came out with a rolled up piece of leather and handed it to Hendon.

"Got a whole army now, I see." The man observed, watching not only Rook but also the wranglers who had just returned from the field.

"He's always got an army, don't you, John?" His boss inquired, a certain look on his face that screamed of age old rivalries between them.

"Papers are good." Hendon said, Kayce turning to face Morrow again. "Why didn't you just show him that the other day?"

"Cause I didn't like the way he asked."

"I don't want to see them things on our side of the fence." Kayce stated, Morrow's man crossing his arms haughtily. "Law says it's not our job to keep 'em from getting in."

"It's your job to keep 'em out." His boss joined in. "You should know that, Commissioner."

That snapped something in Kayce, but not enough to have his fist meet either man's face. Instead, he calmly rode closer, looking Morrow dead in the eyes. "Oh, I'll keep 'em out. But you're gonna fucking hate the way I do it."

Turning his horse, Kayce rode off towards Rip and Rook, Ryan and Hendon following closely behind, leaving John to talk to Morrow alone.

"We're a little long in the tooth for old feuds, Wade." John pointed out.

"Without old feuds I got none at all. And where'sthe fun in that?" With one last look, the three men rode away, the rivalry very much still intact.

When John rejoined the group, they all spurred their horses, heading back to the barn. Rook fell into step with Teeter, just behind where Colby and Ryan rode.

"So, uh... you two hit the sack yet?" Teeter broke the silence, inclining her head towards Ryan, who looked so damn good in his vest.

Rook, a tad bit bewildered, slowed Kelpie, turning as best she could to the woman at her side. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She tried her best to sound innocent, but it was so obvious, even to her, that something had changed between them.

"It's fuckin' clear y'all have done somethin'. I'm guessin' he finally got you to fuck him." Teeter's grin spoke volumes, and all of a sudden Rook was afraid Ryan would overhear their conversation. They hadn't spoken about what had happened between them, and Rook didn't know if they would. She didn't know if he saw it as a drunken mistake, only to happen the once, or if he wanted something more.

"We haven't had sex, if that's what you're asking." Rook replied, a smirk on her face. It technically wasn't a lie. Perhaps if Rip hadn't interrupted it might've been a slight lie...

"Anyways, enough about me. Has Colby made a move yet or is he still pretended like he hates you?"

The look Teeter shot her way spoke numbers. Not yet, but she was damn sure it was coming.

"I'll start planning my maid of honour speech for your wedding." She teased, Teeter guffawing.

"I ain't gettin' married." She replied, looking Colby up and down where he sat atop his horse. "But I'll sure as Hell make him mine, like you're gonna with Ryan."

Rook's mind took a split second to catch up to what the woman was implying, and when she did, her mouth fell open. "Ryan and I just kissed. Hell– I don't even know if he actually likes me or if it was only a once off thing."

Teeter looked at her as if she was the dumbest person alive. "Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit." She exclaimed, shaking her head but refusing to elaborate further. Rook tried to pester her enough to get her to break, but eventually gave up, her gaze settling on the man riding in front of her.

He didn't feel the same way she did, did he?

◇◇◇

The air was thick as they readied the horses, the midday sun beating down on all the people waiting. They were surrounded by the Broken Rock Reservation rough terrain. Rook hadn't been on the Reservation before — she'd hardly left the ranch in the last few months — but she wished it was under better circumstances that brought them there today.

When John had gotten back to the house, Chief Thomas Rainwater was waiting for him. A young girl by the name of Sila had gone missing from her home and he was wondering if John could spare anyone to help in the search for her.

Rook's heart broke when she heard about Sila, and she immediately volunteered to help. Too many people, young girls especially, disappeared every day on reservations. It made Rook sick.

Three cars pulled up and parked beside the horse trailers, Monica and a group of what Rook could only imagine were her students. All somber and serious. There wasn't many of them, but Rook had to hand it to them. Not many people would go out of their way to help, as much as she wished it was otherwise.

"All right folks, listen up! Everybody stays ten feet apart. You scan the area around you. Now don't just look for Sila, right? You look for clothes, footprints, a phone, a set of keys." Tribal officer Ben Waters announced to the group of volunteers. "If you find something, do not touch it. You stand over it and you shout 'hey', and you wave your arm. An officer will come to you."

"Alright, let's go."

Rook mounted Kelpie and set off after Kacey who rode further ahead, scanning the ground as she did so. She hoped they found a clue that could help find Sila, or better yet, Sila herself, but a knawing feeling in her stomach warned her not to be so hopeful. Not in a world like this one.

◇◇◇

An hour passed with no sign of Sila.

Rook grew more anxious at every sweep of the ground. She desperately wanted to believe they'd find the girl alive, but it was starting to dawn on her that they might not be so lucky.

A whistle pierced through the air, stopping everyone in their tracks. Across the ravine, Mo, Chief Rainwater's assistant, pointed towards something in the bushes. A coyote. Fuck.

Rainwater held up a hand as he approached the gully, stopping anyone from coming any closer. When he gazed down into it, his face told Rook everything she needed to know.

"Tell them not to come any closer."

Sila was at the bottom of the ravine. Her life cruelly taken away before it could ever truly begin. Rook didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to honour the dead in Sila's culture, so she just took off her hat. The universal act among cowboys. Her heart broke, especially for her mother. As she turned Kelpie around, she wished they could've done something more to help the girl, but that was up to the tribal police now.

It was somber as she rode back, Monica's students glued to where they stood, eyes wide. It hadn't caught up to some of them just what had happened, but the words that hadn't been spoken were clear all the same. Sila had found, but sadly not soon enough.

◇◇◇

That night, Rook lounged out beside Ryan on her bunk, everyone gathered around the tv that was currently playing a show aptly named 'Guy on a Buffalo'. From the name alone, she gathered it was about some guy who rode around on a buffalo. Great cinema.

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life." Jimmy sat on the couch, one arm around Mia, the other pointing at the tv.

"You just don't appreciate quality filmmaking." Colby retorted, laughing.

"I mean, I feel like he just looks like some kinda like sexy Jesus on the buffalo riding to the—" Teeter was cut off by Colby. "No one knows what you're saying. No one can understand you."

"You understand what I'm saying, baby. You understand.

"Guys. Honestly, if you think Teeter's accent is bad, you have clearly never met anyone from Cork." Rook exclaimed, laughing.

"Where's Cork?" The puzzled expression on Jimmy's face was absolutely gold.

"It's in Ireland." She explained, deciding against making fun of him for that. Mr Doherty and Ronan would've been appalled, but they weren't here.

"How is he staying on that fucking thing?" Jimmy's attention was drawn back to the guy on the screen somehow staying on the back of the buffalo.

"Well, it can't buck." Lloyd commented, to the surprise of a few of the wranglers. "Can't buck, can't rear up. But they can roll over on your ass." The man was sitting at the kitchen table, Laramie almost sitting in his lap.

"I need this whole dynamic explained to me." Ryan mumbled, looking in the direction of the blonde bombshell and wrangler. Raising her eyebrow, Rook held up her hands, pointer fingers slowly moving further away from each other, a wicked smile on her face. She didn't miss the pink tinge to Ryan's cheeks when he looked away.

"It must be the wobble of the earth, creating a magnetic shift–" Lloyd cut Colby off by pointing energetically at the screen, declaring that the man was about to get shot.

"Hey, we oughta ride the buffalo out there in that field." Rook thought the woman was joking, but Teeter was fully serious.

"Wait, what field?" Laramie asked, intrigued, despite everyone else thinking it was a bad idea.

"Out back there behind the corral." This caused Laramie to turn to her lover? Boyfriend? Lloyd to ask where the corrals were, to which he started to answer before Ryan butted in.

"Whoa, she speaks, they understand her. How is that even possible?" Ryan was downright incredulous now, Rook beside him laughing her ass off.

"It's the wobble of the earth, I'm trying to tell ya." Colby shook his head, as if it was the most obvious explanation ever.

"There ain't no buffalo out in the field by the corrals." Lloyd said to which Ryan made a dubious noise. "There's about thirty. Resort put 'em there for the tourists to look at. And they got this mean old bastard watching them. What was his name?"

"Wade Morrow." Rook supplied.

At the sound of Morrow's name, Lloyd's ears perked up. "Who feels like riding a buffalo?"

Rook was about to announce her displeasure but Ryan beat her to it. "Uh... not me."

"Yeah, I would, but, uh..." Jimmy made gunshots directing to the various parts of his body that were fucked up in his fall just as Colby opted out of riding too.

"Fuck it, I'll ride a buffalo." Teeter said, rasing her hand as if she was in school.

"Yeah, we'll ride the buffalo. You ladies can watch." Mia looked to Laramie and Teeter, nodding her head. Rook's mind told her it was a bad idea, but that didn't stop the way her heart thrummed at the thought of it.

Shaking her head in exasperation, a grin on her face, she climbed out from the bunk, everyone around her also getting to the feet.

"Wait. This is happening?" Colby questioned to nobody in particular. "Apparently so." Rook answered.

"I've done some dumb shit in my life." Knowing as much as she did about Jake, Rook didn't doubt it.

"This is gonna be dumber." Ryan stated, down his drink while grabbing his coat.

Oh this would be fun.

◇◇◇

It didn't really dawn on Rook how stupid the idea was until they were sitting on their horse in the field with the buffalo.

"Well, what's the best way to do this?" Laramie asked, seemingly unfazed by what she was about to do. Damn barrel racers.

"Well,  you can't rope 'em around the neck. You'll crush their larynx. So you gotta rope 'em by the horns." Lloyd knew a shit tonne about roping and riding buffalo. Rook was impressed.

"Then what?" Ryan questioned, always so sceptical.

"And then you pull 'em to a stop. You jump on and off you go–"

"I'm just here to watch." Rook had to laugh at that. Her strong boyfriend too scared to ride a buffalo. Wait. He's not your boyfriend, Rook. You kissed. Once. You're sure as hell not his girlfriend.

Thankfully, Laramie gleefully throwing her hand up snapped Rook out of her thoughts, shoving her back into the here-and-now, surrounded by her family who were about to do the craziest shit she had seen in a long time. Oh, Ronan would love this place.

A grin was plastered onto her face from the moment the set off running to the buffalo to when Laramie jumped from her horse, running to climb onto the buffalo with the rope around its horns.

"Barrel racer girls are gonna get us killed." Ryan said to Colby, taking along drink from his hip flask.

"And they ain't even our girls." Rook hadn't noticed Ryan's eyes on her, but when she looked up, she wondered how she hasn't. His gaze burned into her, hotter than even the midday sun.

Laramie's laughs and cheers snapped them out of it, a wide grin splitting Rook's lips again as she watched the woman jump on the back of the buffalo and cling on for dear life as it ran until she could hold on no longer, sliping down from its side and just laying in the grass for a minute.

"That was fuckin' awesome." She screamed, climbing to her feet as Teeter held up her hand, begging to go next. That's how it went. Up until around one in the morning, everyone barely able to keep their eyes opened for long enough to get the horses ready for the night.

Rook was finishing taking care of Kelpie when she heard footsteps behind her. She stilled, despite the heady cologne that reached her nose only belonging to one person.

"I need to talk to you." When Rook slowly turned around, Ryan was standing with his hands in his coat pocket, the bandana he was rarely seen without tied around his neck, just begging for her to use it to pull him closer. No. You're absolutely not going there.

"Okay. Hit me." She said, mustering her voice to sound normal despite the rabid beat of her heart. Jesus, it felt like it was going to pop out of her chest, literally laying itself at Ryan's feet. Too morbid?

"About what happened that night..." Ryan didn't specify what night he was talking about. He didn't need to. "I need to know if you regret it."

Rook was speechless. Regret it? Fuck, she regretted not doing it sooner.

"Do you regret it?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't say he did. If that happened, she didn't know what she'd do. Go on with life pretending everything was normal like you do every time something bad happens to you. The voice in her head wasn't wrong. That's exactly what she'd more than likely do.

"What? Of course not!" Rook's spiralling mind took a second to catch up. "Then why did you ask me?" She questioned.

Ryan looked sheepish, but she just waited for him to answer.

"Rook, I– fuck. I like you. I've thought about you pretty much every night since I first met you. Hell– I've wanted to kiss you for months." He said, his heart practically laid out before her. "No more almosts, Rook. It's driving me insane not knowing if you want me like I want you." The more words that left his mouth, the more she wanted to kiss him. So she did.

Rook took a step forward, gently pressing her lips against his. This wasn't like their first kiss. It didn't get any more passionate. It was gentle, a promise. When they separated, Rook kept her hand on his chest, content to just stay there with her forehead pressed against his.

"If we're gonna make this work, we're gonna need to work together to get Colby and Teeter together." She commented, Ryan's lips splitting as he grinned down at her.

"I think we can make that work." He pressed a peck to her lips before he slung his arm around her shoulder, both of them heading out the barn door to the bunkhouse. No more almosts. That was perfect for her.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook lay on top of Ryan's sheets wearing one of his flannels, a worn royal blue one he was particularly fond of, her boots falling over the end of the bunk as she rested her head on her arm curled up beneath her, just watching everyone going about their mornings. Jimmy and Mia lounged out in his bunk and Lloyd kissed Laramie on her head, tucking her up in his bed. Seems like she was right after all. Everyone was gettin' hitched, including herself.

Ryan's lazy smile caused her heart to flutter, even now. They didn't give a name to what they were, but they didn't need to. They were together, and that was that.

"Hey, baby, I wish some bronc'd break my back so I could lay in bed all day bumpin' fuckin' uglies 'til noon." Teeter announced, stopping right in front of where Colby stood beside Ryan. "Don't that sound nice?"

A giggle bubbled up Rook's throat and Ryan joined her, only chuckling harder when they saw Colby's dismayed expression.

"Just a matter of time." Ryan proclaimed, grinning as Colby glared daggers at him. "It ain't happening."

"It's one hundred percent happening."

"Colby, you're either in denial or you're just a really bad liar." Rook said, a shit-eating grin on her face, mirroring the one plastered to Ryan's.

Colby ignored her, shrugging on his shirt as he walked into the kitchen, stopping across from where Teeter was pouring her coffee. "See? This is how you get your eyeball poked out at three in the morning."

The sudden clatter of the front door snapped the all out of their fun, an angry-looking Rip striding into the middle of the bunkhouse.

"When the fuck did the bunkhouse become Paradise Island?" He questioned, walking into the bad where Laramie and Mia were still in bed. He briefly passed Rook and she gave him a saccharine smile, the sweetest she could muster. Oh, if she wasn't friends with Beth, that would've definitely got her in deep shit, but Rip just walked past, pretending to ignoring her but she didn't miss the little shake of his head as he went.

"C'mon, Lloyd. You've got to be kidding me." He said, subtly pointing to where Laramie was cozied up in his bed.

"She's old enough to vote and buy bullets. Don't be blaming me for her bad judgement." Lloyd gave the man a small, reassuring smile.

"Get these goddamn barrel racers out of here before the whole bunkhouse is carrying their groomed bag to the rodeo and feeding their sausage dogs like fucking assholes." Mia's ears perked up at the mention of her and Laramie, and she stepped in, standing up for herself.

"Hey, we're not freeloaders. If you want to put us to work, we can work." Rook had to hand it to her. She wasn't afraid to hold her own with Rip.

"Jimmy, get your shit together. You're with me today." Rip said, turning on his heel and heading out the door, leaving Jimmy looking less than thrilled to be spending the day with Rip and presumably his girlfriend too.

Rook felt the barest brush of a palm on the small of her back as she climbed down from Ryan's bunk, and she caught the wink he threw over his shoulder as he passed by. Her heart fluttered again, a blush creeping up her neck. Fuck. She didn't expect to fall in love so quickly.

◇◇◇

Rook was feeding the horses when she spotted Beth strutting over to her, a floral sundress blowing in the breeze. She looked incredibly happy.

Rook raised her hand to shade her eyes from the sun as Beth reached her, her smile infectious as she leaned against the fence.

"You're lookin' happy." Rook pointed out, noticing the slight flush to Beth's cheeks.

"I asked Rip to marry me." She nearly dropped the pitchfork she was using to lift the bales of hay into the paddocks. Married?! Jesus fucking Christ!

When Rook's brain caught up to what was going on, her mouth fell open in a gape. "Well? What did he say?"

Beth gave her a conspiring smirk, not actually telling her what Rip had answered. Rook threw the pitchfork against the fence, not caring when she heard it clatter to the ground. "You can't not tell me. Spill. I need to know when I'll have to start planning for your bachelorette party."

After a moment, Beth opened her mouth. "He said yes."

Rook grinned from ear to ear, throwing her arms around Beth, who hugged her back. "You're gonna be the most beautiful bride." Rook whispered, feeling her eyes well up the longer they held each other. When they broke apart, both Rook and Beth went to wipe their eyes, giggling when they noticed the other doing the same.

"Nevermind standing here crying, this calls for drinks." Beth declared, Rook picking up the pitchfork and depositing back inside the shed. Thankfully, she had finished all her work for the day, and what was more important than celebrating her best friend's engagement.

"I've just the thing." She led Beth over to the bunkhouse, intending to finally open something she'd been saving for a long time now that she finally had the chance.

◇◇◇

Beth and Rook sat around the kitchen table, a newly opened bottle of poitín, a homemade Irish spirit known for being incredibly similar to moonshine. Mr Doherty had given it to her three years ago when she ran into him, or perhaps more ran to him. She'd told him she was leaving, and he'd given it to her, but she didn't know why, so it sat unopened in her bags for three years because she never had a reason to open it, until now.

Rook had taught Beth the proper etiquette to drinking poitín: don't drink water for a while after as it can make you terribly sick, and to take a spoon and a lighter, and to light a small bit of the liquor on fire. If it burned blue, it was good poitín and safe to drink, but if the flame was yellow, it contained impurities or other alcohols which would be toxic if consumed.

Rook hadn't realised just how strong it was until she tried it, and fucking hell was it. It must've been at least sixty percent, but it could've been closer to eighty for all she knew. That's why only a tiny bit was missing from the bottle, both her and Beth uncharacteristically going slow on the alcohol to not end up dead by the end of the night.

"You'll never guess what happened to Rip today." Beth commented, tapping her lit cigarette in the makeshift ashtray Rook created using a plate. She shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.

"He got a real introduction to Jimmy's girlfriend, Myia? Mia? Mia. She wouldn't stop talking all the way to Hamilton. Fuck, I thought he was going to kill Jimmy when he got home." She explained, laughing.

"Then, when they were coming back, one of the tyres went flat, and Rip just raged at it. Kicked it. Cursed at it. Oh, what I would give to have seen it."

"When he came back home, he didn't say a word to me. Just walked inside, picked up a six pack and drank three of them before speaking. He asked me, 'How was your day, dear?' with a smile on his face as if he hadn't had the worst day of his life." Beth trailed off, a fond smile on her face. She looked truly in love.

The look on Beth's face gave Rook a stabbing pain in her chest, nothing at all similar to the one that caused the light pink scars on her stomach. No. This was different. She wanted what Beth and Rip had. Desperately. And she couldn't help but wonder what it would look like if she was the one walking up the isle, Ryan waiting for her on the other end— It's way to soon to be thinking about any of that. She scolded herself. It was the truth. As much as she loved being with Ryan, it was way too early to start planning her life with him. Maybe give it a couple of months... I'm joking.

"Do you have anyone, Rook?" The mischievous glint in Beth's eye as she asked spoke numbers. She already knew but she wanted to hear it from Rook directly. "You don't have to say anything. I already know, and I support you."

"Look, I promise I meant to tell you when it happened, but I haven't seen you until now and it's so young that I haven't really wrapped my head around it yet. Ryan and I haven't talked about what exactly we are, but I do know this: we're together." Rook took a sip of her poitín, relishing in the duel burn in her throat and on her cheeks.

Leonard Cohen's I'm Your Man drifted through the speakers just as the front door opened, Ryan walking– no, limping, in clutching the centre of his chest. Rook immediately got to her feet, rushing over to him, guessing that Beth's knowing smirk followed her all the way to Ryan's side.

Ryan nodded to the table and to the bottle on top of it. "You finally had a reason to open that." He chuckled, but it quickly devolved into groans.

"You alright?" She asked, her eyes searching his entire body from head to toe for any injuries. There was no blood from what she could tell, but that didn't mean he wasn't hurt.

"Yeah, M'fine." Ryan mumbled, wincing when she lightly brushed her hand over where he covered his chest. "Just got shot. Normal, everyday shit." Her eyes widened.

"You got shot?! Why didn't you lead with that?"

Ryan shrugged as best he could, and Rook ushered him towards the bathroom, but not before she made a pitstop by Beth to down the remaining bit of her drink. When she looked up, she found the woman's eyes studying her.

"You deserve someone who looks at you like he does." With that, Beth finished her drink and got up, bidding both her and Ryan a goodnight.

When the latch on the door shut, Rook rushed into the bathroom, finding Ryan leaning against the sink, struggling to remove his shirt.

"C'mere. Let me help." She said, Ryan sighing and giving in, letting her gently tug the shirt over his head before moving lower to unbuckle his belt. She didn't mean anything by it, but Ryan's hands caught her wrists before she could. Only then did she realise the other implications of such an act, blood rising to her face.

"Let me help you, Ryan. Let me repay you." She didn't have to explain what she meant. It was clear.

"You don't have to." He said, his voice more tired than she'd ever heard it.

"I want to."

This time, when she helped him unbuckle his pants, he didn't stop her. Soon, he stood in only his underwear, a big red bruise in the very centre of his chest.

Rook slipped past him to turn on the shower, making sure the water wasn't going to boil them alive when the stepped into it. Rook's mind thankfully reminded her to lock the door this time, learning from her mistake. Then again, if Ryan had never seen her in such a vulnerable position, maybe they wouldn't be where they were now.

Coming to stand in front of Ryan, Rook began removing her clothes one at a time. First the shirt she had taken from him, then her worn Metallica t-shirt, then her jeans after she had kicked off her boots. She stood there, goosebumps rising on her body, both from the cold air and the intensity of Ryan's gaze on her skin.

Keeping her gaze locked on Ryan's, not allowing her mind to drift towards the scars cutting through her body, her past writ upon her flesh, she unhooked her bra from behind her back, slipping the straps down her arms before stepping out of her underwear, leaving herself completely bare in front of Ryan.

His eyes didn't stray from her face, even as he slipped his boxers from his hips. They both stood there, unmoving, for a minute before Rook snapped out of it and gently, but firmly, shepherded him to the shower. Hot water cascaded over Rook's body when her and Ryan stepped into the spray, shutting the curtain around them.

"Lean your head down." Rook said, motioning for Ryan to tilt his head far enough so she could tip the shampoo in her left hand onto his hair. Ryan was quiet as she scrubbed his hair, tenderly rinsing it under the water, making sure none got into his eyes.

When the shampoo was rinsed out, Rook moved on to Ryan's body, a damp washcloth clutched in one hand, pine-scented bodywash in the other.

"Can I?" She questioned, her eyes pleading. If Ryan didn't want her to touch him, she would respect his decision, but she desperately wanted to help him.

"Yeah. But try not to fall in love with me." Ryan's expression was tight with pain, but it was clear the hot water eased some of the pain from his other muscles, relaxing him slightly.

"Might be too late for that one, Ry." The words were out before she could stop them. Shit. She literally just confessed that she loved Ryan. Please tell me he didn't notice. She begged the higher being she didn't believe in, but she was out of luck. When Rook looked up, Ryan was watching her, an indiscernible expression marring his face, his eyes wide and shining. Rook hadn't noticed before how easy his eyes were to get lost in. She swore she could see her soul staring back at her.

"What'd you say?" Ryan took a step forward, closing the space between them.

"Are you really so oblivious?" Rook asked, incredulous. "I fucking love you, Ryan. Now turn around so I can wash your back."

Just like that, the secret she had been keeping for months was out.

Ryan stood, a little gobsmacked, for a moment before obeying her, probably wondering if she'd turn him around herself if he didn't. She ran the cloth over his back, her eyes following the occational silvery scar from working on ranches since he was eighteen. As her hand brushed against one low on his side, Ryan sucked in a breath.

"I've loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you." He whispered, as if the words were some forgotten prayer, only to be said in reverence. Rook stilled. Her heart stopped. No– her heart didn't stop. Her heart was telling her how much her loved her while she was showering him.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her head between his shoulder blades. They stayed there until the water began to run cold. Ryan maneuvered Rook's arms and head so that he could repay her for what she had done, his fingers massaging the thick tresses and rinsing them under the water as if he was scared they'd snap off.

Ryan didn't say anything as he gently brushed her hair over her shoulder, her back to him. Rook's breath hitched as she felt the feather-light touch of fingers tracing her scars. Each one on her back, all the way down her spine. Ryan counted them all. Eighty lines cut not only into her skin, but also in her soul.

"He whipped me." Rook answered the unspoken question, her voice steady. Even though Ryan didn't ask it, she knew what he was thinking.

"I'll kill that son of a bitch if he comes back." There was no hesitation in his voice. Only determination. Rook didn't respond, content to let Ryan continue caressing her body.

When the water ran cold, they hurriedly jumped out of the shower, giggling and laughing. It was still early yet, which mean the others likely hadn't gotten back yet. Donning a towel around her, Rook unlocked the bathroom door, peeking her head around it to scan the room. No wranglers. Perfect.

"We're alone." She announced to Ryan, stepping into the main area and immediately heading for her and Ryan's bunk. He followed her, his hand occasionally skimming her waist.

"You know, we're probably never gonna get to be alone again." Ryan's expression turned roguish, his eyes saying what his mouth hadn't.

"If I wasn't mistaken, I'd say you want to do something you're definitely not in condition to do." She responded, her eyebrows raised. As much as she wanted Ryan. As much as she craved his touch, she didn't want him to get hurt. "Need I remind you that you were fucking shot in the chest?"

"I was wearing a vest."

"You were still shot."

Rook turned her back to Ryan, a pleased smile working onto her face as his strong arms slipped around her waist, pulling her back flush to him, their damp skin sticking to each other.

Chatter drifting from outside the bunkhouse made them jump apart, and none too soon. Jimmy staggered inside, a grim looking expression on his face with Mia on his arm, a gleeful smile on hers. Rook could only guess this had something to do with what had happened with Rip earlier, but she didn't much care right then.

"You're back." She said, wiping the dismayed look from her face.

Jimmy walked over to the fridge, grabbing a Coors Light from the fridge as his girlfriend threw herself down on his bed, only now noticing the state Rook and Ryan were in. A smirk replaced her smile.

"So you two a thing now?" She asked as Rook donned another of Ryan's shirts, nothing underneath it this time. From the glance she took at him, it certainly caused a few thoughts to run wild through his head.

She raised her hand to her mouth, covering one side of it like you used to do when you were a child telling a secret. "Yes, we are." She mouthed. "But this is between you and me." Mia raised her hand in a salute.

When she turned back around to her lover, he was fully dressed, his hair still dripping water. He had never looked better than when he was looking at her, unbridled joy in his eyes. Fuck, how could I have ever thought he didn't feel the same way about me?

Jimmy joined Mia in their bunk, just as Ryan hopped up on his, pulling Rook up after him. She settled down beside him, conscious to not put any pressure on his chest. Her squirming ended up making her knee slam into Ryan's crotch a little harder than gentle.

"Yep, just jam your knee right up there. That's no problem." He replied, his eyebrows creased together in pain. Despite not wanting to cause him pain, she couldn't help laughing. She laughed until tears streamed from her eyes and then kept going.

"You guys look good together. Fucking strange, but good." Jimmy called out. Without a second thought, Ryan flung a pillow towards the general area of the man's bunk, grinning in triumph when he hear a solid thump and a hiss.

Biting her lip to stop herself from laughing any more, Rook rested her head against Ryan's shoulder, her hands wrapped around his arm. The last thing she noticed before dozing off was the steady beat of his heart, lulling her to sleep.

Chapter Text

Rook

Dawn had come and gone long before Colby and Teeter returned, nearly a full day late. Yesterday, they had been sent to fix the fence along the pastures close to the river. When they came back, they were bruised and bloody, Teeter in a far worse way than Colby.

They had been trampled by those cunts. Morrow and his son.

Now, the entire bunkhouse sat in their bunks, loading rounds into their guns, grim expressions on their faces. Rook sharpened her Bowie knife, imagining all the ways she could make Morrow pay for what he had done to Teeter and Colby. She hadn't realised she had nicked her finger until Ryan sat down beside her, not saying a word, offering a bandaid as if it was a peace offering. Despite the situation, it brought a small smile to her lips.

Nobody had said much since they were told the situation, not even about the gigantic elephant in the room: Walker. He'd left over three months ago, not even saying he was going. One minute he was there, the next, he was gone. The bruises marring his cheeks spoke of a great time in the world, but based on Rip's love for the man, she could guess who was really responsible.

Choosing to ignore him too, Rook went back to sharpening her knife, this time taking more care.

The door creaked open, Mia and Laramie walking in, puzzled expression on their faces. Jimmy immediately headed to his girlfriend, planting a kiss on her forehead before telling her that she needed to get the fuck out of there.

"Okay, we're headed to the rodeo in Pocatello, then Ogden. I'll just call you when we swing by this way." Mia said, not asking what was wrong or why they couldn't stay. She'd been here long enough to know better than to ask.

Movement right in front of Rook caught her attention, and she watched as Laramie sauntered over to where Walker sat on his bed. "Where'd you come from?"

Rook internally winced for Lloyd. He was not gonna take that very well.

"Nowhere. Life just likes to hunt up fucking trouble. Throw it at me." He replied, to which she giggled.

"A poet." The door swung open again, this time Rip and Lloyd walking in. Knowing she was playing with fire, Laramie slinked away, throwing a wink at the man over her shoulder.

"All right, get up, let's go." Rip called out. Rook sheathed her knife. She didn't need to pep herself up for this. This is what she was good at, whether she liked that or not.

"Y'all need to stay clear of here for a little while, you understand that?" He asked Mia, moving on to round everyone up.

Rook fell into step behind Colby, stopping when he stopped in front of Teeter, telling her that she didn't have to go with them.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't miss this for the fucking world." She replied, managing a little grin as they walked out the door, heading over to the stables.

The blood on Rook's hands was growing, and soon she wouldn't be able to wash it off.

◇◇◇

They lay low, waiting for the two men to take the bait. The bait in this case being Walker. They didn't have to wait long.

The thudding of hooves rumbled through the ground and they spurred their horses out from the trees, closing in on the mounted cowboys.

The men tried to turn back, only now realising the trouble they were in, but there was nowhere to go. Every side was flanked. Morrow reached into his belt and pulled out a gun, brandishing it in the air while claiming that he'd shoot them all. Too bad he didn't get the chance.

Rip gained on him, getting in close before lassoing him from his saddle, dragging him by the neck into the treeline while Lloyd tracked down the son.

When Lloyd joined them, he was alone.

"Fucker got off easy. Bashed his head on a rock." He explained. Clearly he had no hand in it, but he sure wished he did.

Rip threw the rope around Morrow's neck over a particularly high branch, Colby and Ryan holding the end for the go ahead to start pulling.

"I need a name." Rip declared, cracking his knuckles through the leather of his gloves.

"What name?" Morrow squirmed, trying to get loose but it was no use.

"The motherfuckers that hired you. I'm not gonna ask you again. I'm just gonna start cutting shit off of you."

The wranglers watched on in anticipation for when he'd take the stick from his ass and give the name. Which he did, eventually.

"Name's Rourke. Market Equity son of a bitch." Morrow disclosed, looking Rip dead in the eyes. "Let me down."

"Why would I do that?" Rip asked with a smile. "I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch. But before I do, I'm gonna take something back. You don't deserve to wear this fucking brand." As Rip clutched both sides of Morrow's shirt, ripping it open, Rook's mouth dropped. There, on Morrow's chest, was the Yellowstone brand. The same one that adorned her skin.

"Walker, come here." It was the first thing she'd heard Rip say to the man since her returned. "This is your last chance. You prove yourself, and you have out trust. You turn your back on me now and I'm gonna take something from you, too." The threat was clear, especially to Walker, and he decided to play it smart, taking the knife offered to him.

"Mister, I don't know you," Walker said, striding up to Morrow. "But if you're wearing that brand, you must be a bad man. And if these motherfuckers want it back, you must be even worse. Karma comes in all shapes and sizes. Looks like it's me today." Walker shot Colby and Ryan a look. "Y'all best hold him."

Walker wasn't gentle when he put the blade to Morrow's chest. Wasn't gentle when he began sawing at his flesh, blood pouring down in rivules. Wasn't gentle when he yanked the brand off, ripping skin.

With a go ahead from Rip, Colby and Ryan pulled the rope, hoisting Morrow into the air, securing it to a sturdy branch before walking around to the front to witness his last moments.

"Y'all wanted revenge. Well, now you got it." Rip stated, turning his back to Morrow's cooling corpse. "But there's a prince to pay for revenge. Now you gotta pay it."

◇◇◇

Rook stood behind Ryan, a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. Two seconds ago, she had watched him recieve the brand, kneeling before Rip. He took it well. Almost better than she had. Almost. Now they matched, like some sick sort of couples tattoo.

Teeter was the last to get branded, handling it much better than any of the others had, her head held high, a bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand.

Rook's hands were bloody, and she'd never change that.

Chapter Text

Rook

Ooh boy, Lloyd was not happy. And Rook didn't blame him. When the group of them came back late last night, Mia and Laramie were waiting for them. Long story short, Laramie flirted with Walker and ended up in his bed. Technically the bed that was once Lloyd's. It was bad enough that he stole his woman, but his bed too? That was low.

Walker definitely knew that. Jesus, he was practically reveling in making snide remarks. In a place like Yellowstone, it was gonna end in one of two ways: Rip would end it before it began, or somebody was gonna die. I know which I'm placing my bets on.

The bathroom was packed, everyone sharing the tub of silver sulfadiazine cream, silvadene, a prescription strength burn cream. How they'd gotten their hands on it without a prescription, Rook didn't know, but then again, she worked on the Yellowstone. It wasn't much of a surprise.

Instead of dressing in her work clothes, she rooted into the very bottom of her trunk for the least worn band shirt she had, which happened to be a monochrome Silver Side Up Nickleback t-shirt, and her worn Docs. Beth had requested that dressed in Anything as long as you don't look like you've been fucked around by horses all day. The best Beth was gonna get was clothes that weren't like a decade old and worn so bad you could almost see through them.

They had one job in mind for today: operation find a wedding dress.

Rook was no expert on weddings. She'd only ever been to one in her life and that was when she was a toddler. She didn't know what Beth was thinking while inviting her, but she was glad none the less.

It was still a little bit too early to leave yet when the string of wranglers came out of the bathroom, Ryan the second from the back, his dark grey hoodie open, displaying his broad chest and the red 'Y' on his left pec. Rook knew just by looking at his that it hurt like a motherfucker, but he still gave her a dazzling smile when he saw her looking.

"You like what you see?" He asked, walking over to her before planting a kiss to her lips. Besides the wolf whistle from Colby, there were no real reactions, everyone going about their mornings. And even then, Colby couldn't say much. Rook caught him and Teeter making out in his bunk last night.

Rook wasn't a fan of PDA, but neither was she avoiding kissing Ryan or holding his hand just because someone might see them. Hell, if she waited until they had total privacy to do anything, they wouldn't have made it past kissing yet. Not saying they have...

"Your babies are gonna look so cute." Teeter called out, causing Rook to laugh. She'd rather die in the most excruciating way possible than have a child. That's absolutely not happening.

"Yeah, you can go fuck yourself with that."

◇◇◇

As soon as the clock hit six, Rook grabbed her jacket and hat, emptying her half-finished coffee down the drain.

"I'm gonna be late." She stated, rushing over to give Ryan a little peck. "I'll see you later, honey."

"Don't let Beth trick you into having a joint wedding. I don't think I could handle that." He replied with a laugh, leaning back in his chair to look Rook in the eyes.

"But you could handle marrying me?" Ryan was silent, the question clearly mulling over in his head. Jesus, it's way too soon for these kinds of conversations. "I really need to be going."

Saying a last bye to the bunkhouse, Rook yanked open the door, heading in the long direction to Beth's cabin. It was at these times she wished she had a car, or better yet, a damn good motorbike.

All the lights were off when Rook reached Beth and Rip's. When she knocked on the door, there was no answer for a second until Rip opened it, wearing the same clothes she'd seen him in yesterday. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen him wearing anything different. Is his closet just a hundred pairs of the same shirts and jeans?

"I'm here for Beth. She asked me to come dress shopping with her." She explained, awkwardly standing on the porch. Rip knew they were friends, but that didn't mean he didn't find it a little odd that someone who worked underneath him was waiting at his door at six in the morning.

"You wanna wait inside? She might be a while." Rook graciously took Rip's offer, stepping past him into the kitchen. No matter how many times she'd been inside, it never failed to make her gasp. She'd never been inside the main house, but if Beth's cabin looked as lavish as this, she could only imagine the inside of the house looked like.

Rip and Rook stood awkwardly for a few moments until her left without a word, muttering something about Beth that she didn't quite catch. Rook wandered around, looking at the decor in the rooms right before the click of heels sounded on the wooden stairs, announcing Beth's arrival.

"You ready for the adventures of Bitchface and Go Fuck Yourself?" She asked, Rook's face a tapestry of confusion.

"You're bitch face and I'm go fuck yourself. It's funny." Rook grinned. Of course she was bitch face. To give Beth credit, it did actually fit.

"I'm gonna take that as a sign that you're ready to go." Rook replied, following Beth as she headed for the door.

"We're taking the Mercedes." As if that wasn't a given. Costing more money than Rook had ever seen, it cut a sleek figure at the front of the house, making her feel even more out of place.

With a click, the car unlocked, Rook climbing into the passenger seat as Beth took the driver's. The interior of the car screamed wealth. As if everything the Duttons owned doesn't.

The car's engine started with a rumble. The last thing Rook noticed was Beth smirking before pulling off, going much faster than she should.

◇◇◇

The lush opening notes to Chris Isaak's Wicked Game blasted through the speakers. Rook's hair trailed behind her on account of the windows, which were rolled down, and she grinned from ear to ear. Oh, she needed this.

"Did you hear about the man who was killed last week in Boseman? Apparently it was ruled a suicide but there were trace amounts of thallium found in his system." Rook said, her voice low.

"Thallium? Isn't that toxic?"

"It's usually used in rat poisons and insecticides. Very toxic to humans." She answered, trailing off as she hummed the lyrics of the song.

"Speaking of toxic, when are you gonna tell me about your dad?" The question took her off guard. Sure, she'd mentioned her father to Beth before, but never in great detail, and by the way the woman was watching her, it was obvious she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Where to fucking begin?" She started, laughing bitterly. "My mother left when I was three, a couple of months after my brother Henry was born." Even saying his name still hurt.

"Dad started hitting us when I was five. He said it was to 'make us stronger', but I know it was really because he blamed us for what happened with mom. The hits turned to belts, and by the time I was nine, whips." Rook took a breath, trying to calm her ragged heartbeat and shaking hands. She'd never told anyone the full story before. Not even Ryan. "We moved around for most of my childhood, never really staying in one place for very long. At least, not until we came to Montana."

"He bought a rundown ranch that needed a lot of work. Said it would be his 'passion project'. What he wanted was an empire that he could rule with an iron fist."

"I'm not going to bore you with the details, but I tried to leave about three years ago. I was the eldest, but my father was a very traditional man. He'd rather die than have his ranch passed down to a girl, so I thought the best thing I could do was leave. Since he didn't want me there, why should I stay? I should've known better." Beth stays silent, letting Rook speak without interrupting.

"When I told him I was going and I'd be taking Kelpie, he dragged me by the hair out to one of the sheds, tying me up while he went and brought Henry too." The scene flashed behind her eyes, tears threatening to spill over. "He made Henry kneel, put a gun to his head and shot him."

Rook fell silent, not knowing what more to say.

"He told me it was my fault. My fault he killed my brother. My fault that mom left. From then on everything was my fault and he'd punish me accordingly." She said, her voice quiet.

Suddenly she let out a bitter laugh, one without any humour. "I remember one time he even threatened to shoot me too. I looked him dead in the eyes and told him I'd save a seat for him in Hell, at the right hand of the Devil himself."

As Rook finished, Beth didn't say anything, the gravelly vocals of one of Zach Bryan's songs the only company in the silence. Multiple times Rook noticed Beth opening and closing her mouth, as if wanting to say something but thinking against it. Eventually, she bit the bullet and did it anyways.

"When I was sixteen, I got pregnant. The baby was Rip's, but I knew I wasn't old enough to take care of a child." She muttered, her eyes focused on the road ahead of them.

"I went to Jamie, my big brother that I trusted, and asked him to help me. He brought me to the clinic on the Reservation– didn't want word getting out to anyone that a Dutton was having an abortion." Beth practically spat the words, her hands clutching the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. "He told me it was fine. Perfectly safe."

"He gave me a fucking hysterectomy. He took my ability to have children away from me without my consent."

Rook didn't have any words to console Beth. They had both gone through completely different trauma but understood how it had affected the other. Fuck, it felt good to finally have someone know what had happened to her and not shun her or run away the second it got hard.

"Whoo, let's get onto a happier note." Rook exclaimed, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. "What does your dream dress look like, and just how fucking expensive is it going to be?"

◇◇◇

The sun was well below the horizon when Rook stumbled into the bunkhouse, her head spinning from the shots they'd done in Beth's kitchen, and her stomach hurting from laughing so hard. She wished every day could've been like the one she just had.

Rook was more than a little tipsy, but she still tried to be as quiet as she could. Everyone was asleep when she walked inside, discarding her boots at the door and carrying them in her hand instead, her socked feet causing a lot less noise than her Docs would.

When she reached her bunk, she slipped her clothes off, managing to do so without any rustling, even when it came to the belt, which was quite a surprise. What she didn't account for was accidentally elbowing the post at the head of the bed.

Rook clutched her arm, squinting her eyes shut against the pain. She'd been stabbed, whipped and branded, yet this is what almost made her scream, waking up the entire bunkhouse. Thankfully, she schooled her expression before that could happen, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes.

Fuck! She jumped, a hand flying to her chest, her heart beating at a hundred miles an hour.

Leaning out over the bed, staring directly at her, was Ryan, a tired smile on his face. He slipped out from his bunk, his bare feet hitting the wooden floor with only a slight thump. He was shirtless, boxers the only thing adorning his lower half. Despite literally seeing him naked not three days ago, this was quite possibly the closest she had been to skin on skin with him. His half-lidden eyes told her he thought the same.

"Did you have a good day?" He asked in a hushed whisper, sitting down on the edge of her bed when she did. Rook couldn't think straight. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, or maybe it was fully Ryan's fault. Either way, it didn't really matter.

"The best." She hadn't noticed her hands roaming until one traced around the brand on Ryan's chest, making sure to give it a wide berth since it was still healing. As soon as she dragged her eyes from their descent down Ryan's stomach, she found him already looking at her, his pupils blown wide, leaving only the barest sliver of blue visible.

They're lips were on each other's. It wasn't like their other kisses. It was claiming. As if they wanted to get even closer, despite that being possible.

Rook slid her hands into Ryan's hair, gently tugging on the short strands, eliciting a low hum from deep in his throat. She smiled into the kiss.

Ryan pulled away, his breathing laboured. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to." He whispered, pressing a kiss just below Rook's ear. A wicked grin reached her face.

"I've been waiting so long to fuck you, Ryan. Please don't deprive me of this." She could only imagine how she looked right now, her cheeks red from the alcohol and her lips bruised from kissing.

"Well, if you insist." He smiled, tilting her chin up to capture her lips again. She moved her mouth against his as he maneuvered her, gently laying her down atop the covers of her bed, never once breaking the contact with her.

Rook didn't know what to do with her hands. His seemed to be everywhere at once, robbing her of breath and setting her skin on fire. His fingers were feather-light as he trailed them down her side, over the silvery scar on her abdomen, and under the waistband of her panties. Rook's breath hitched.

"Do you want me to stop?" Ryan asked, his eyes wide and pleading.

"Ryan, if you stop, I'll kill you." Rook's skin was practically buzzing, the sensations too much for her. Ryan's breath. The taste of him in her mouth, the mint of his toothpaste and the slight sweetness of honey. The feeling of his fingers just shy from where she needed him the most. It was too much, but also too little at the same time.

Ryan gave her his dazzling smile, sliding his fingers down until his middle finger grazed her clit, sending a jolt of pleasure through her body. Claiming her mouth again, he focused on the little bud, circling it with his thumb as he slid his finger into her, capturing her gasp with his mouth.

Ryan added another finger to join the first, and Rook's eyes nearly rolled back in her head. She didn't notice anything except for Ryan and how he was touching her. Hell, if every one of the wranglers got up right now, she probably wouldn't care.

She rolled her hips against Ryan's palm, silently urging him to go faster. She was so close. Ryan trailed kissed down her neck, sucking gently on the side of her neck, right where it met her shoulder.

Ryan curled his fingers, applying a little bit of pressure to the place inside of her that always made her toes curl. Once. Twice. Then on the third time, he felt her clenching against his fingers, her climax so close. So, he switched tactics. Well, not entirely. His thumb, which was drawing light circles around her clit, sped up, rubbing with intent. He wanted to get her there as soon as he possibly could. Wanted to give her the pleasure he had imagined for so long.

Ryan's hand clamped down over Rook's mouth as she came, her back bowing from the mattress and her eyes rolling back. He didn't stop his ministrations, his talented fingers drawing every ounce of pleasure from her body until she was a satisfied husk lounged on her bed, her breathing ragged and face flushed.

A shit-eating grin split her lips as she looked up at Ryan. Maybe it was her lust-addled brain, but the way he was hunched over, trying not to bash his head against the top of the bunk, was the funniest thing she'd seen in a while. This is a man I'd spend the rest of my life with.

"Take off your clothes, Ryan. I want to show you how much you've been in my head these past months."

Ryan

Rook was going to kill him. Her body fit like it was made for him. From that first entrance, she gripped him like a glove.

I don't think she's ever looked better. He thought, gazing up at her as she rode him, her hips rolling against his as she lowered down fully on him, on hand positioned on his chest, the other between her legs, heightening her own pleasure. It was a very egotistical thought. Of course he thought she looked gorgeous after being the reason her lips were red, almost the same shade of flushed as her cheeks.

Rook's dark hair cascaded over her shoulder in a wave. There wasn't much room for her to sit up fully, but she somehow made it work, looking completely in control compared to how he hunched over her before.

She looked so happy. It'll be playing over in my head for the rest of my life.

Ryan let out a low hiss as Rook's speed increased, chasing her own orgasm. He could tell she was close again, and she wasn't the only one. The feeling at the bottom of his stomach was the first sign, and all Ryan wanted to do was flip her over and fuck her, but that would cause too much noise. Besides, he enjoyed how she looked on top of him. Using him to gain her own satisfaction.

As Rook came, she slammed her lips down over Ryan's, muffling her scream, him swallowing the sound. She went limp on top of him, and he took over, pumping in and out of her twice before following her over the edge, spilling into the condom she'd thankfully produced earlier. The last thing they needed in this place was a child.

They lay beside each other, their skin slick with sweat, but terribly happy.

I wouldn't mind the rest of my life being like this.

Rook

Rook dozed, her head resting on Ryan's chest, lulled by the sound of his heart beating. He had fallen asleep easily, almost right after he had cleaned her up, adamant that she stay right where she was in bed.

The gentle rise and fall of Ryan's even breathing eventually dragged Rook back to sleep, her body craving rest after what he'd done to her that night. I could get used to this

Chapter Text

Sleeping on the Blacktop by Colter Wall played through Rook's headphones. Her eyes were closed as she lounged on her bed, an arm curled behind her head. Nothing had happened today, but that didn't mean she wasn't tired come the evening.

I wonder what's keeping Ry– Bang! The tell-tale sound of a gun made her jump, springing to her feet as she ripped the headphones out of her ears, grabbing her shotgun from where it was set in the corner as more shots rang out.

She had thankfully loaded it last night, meaning there was five rounds. Hopefully she wouldn't need any more than that, and if she did, it would end up getting very messy very quickly.

She crossed the room, her shotgun angled up towards the ceiling and her finger resting just outside the trigger-guard. Her footsteps sounded on the floor louder than she hoped, but from the commotion outside, that didn't matter.

Rook, holding the gun in her right hand, leaning it against her shoulder, reached for the doorknob, the cool brass turning with a metallic click.

Kicking the door open with her foot, she rushed out, looking down the barrel of her gun while surveying the yard. Two men greeted her, dressed in balaclavas and holding cruel looking guns. One lay dead on the ground, his body riddled with bullets. The other man was being dragged by Ryan, Teeter punching him over and over again, Walker following behind, sending out warning shots incredibly close to them.

As Rook approached the wranglers, a horse cut across, heading in the opposite direction to the paddocks.

She unconsciously made a headcount. Ryan, Colby, Teeter and Walker were dragging the man into one of the paddocks, a rope around his neck. Laramie sat with her back to one of the barns, her body wracking with sobs as Mia called out for Jimmy, not knowing where he was. Besides from Lloyd, Jimmy was the only one unaccounted for, and that didn't make Rook feel very good.

Two shapes darted down the bank leading to the gate. Monica, brandishing a rifle, with a scared-looking Tate trailing after her.

Rook was about to head to the when she saw them stop, Monica's hand coming to cover Tate's eyes while hers were fixed on the paddock with the wooden beams inside. The paddock where most of the wranglers now stood. It didn't take long to figure out what Monica was staring at.

There, at the centre of the paddock, Ryan, Colby, Teeter and Jake were stringing the man up, throwing the rope over the other side of the beams, pulling him up until he swung in the wind before securing the end of the rope to the fence.

"There's more in the field!" Someone called out, although Rook couldn't make out who. She was too busy staring past the swinging man to one of the other paddock where a dark shape lay face-down on the ground, unmoving. Jimmy.

Mia rushed to his side, turning him over, but still there was no sign of life in him. His body looked broken, and from there, Rook couldn't make out if his chest rose and fell with his breath or if it was still.

◇◇◇

A car rolled up, the headlights shining in the darkness. Thankfully it was Rip's black truck instead of more men come to attack them. Rook didn't think she could stomach any more killing today.

She was positioned at the side of the bunkhouse, Lloyd out front by the trucks with Jake inside the barn door and Walker wandering around the back with her.

When Rip got out of his truck, his face was that of a very angry man. And, Rook hated to say it, but he'd be even angrier when he heard what Lloyd had to tell him.

Rook approached the four men, missing out on the first part of the conversation but clearly hearing Rip question what was burning beyond the barns, smoke rising in the distance.

"Sorry, Rip, I just... didn't have the heart to tell ya'." As the words left Lloyd's mouth, Rip's face fell. He didn't need anyone to explain it to him. He already knew what he would find when he reached the smoke. His house, the one he had made into a home with Beth, now little but a pile of ash, burned by the men in the commotion.

Rook watched as Rip's figure faded into the distance as he walked all the way to his ruined home, his hat in his hands. Only when she could no longer see him did she turn away, returning to her spot by the bunkhouse.

Chapter Text

Three Months Later

Rook

Rook sat astride Kelpie, watching as Lloyd, Jake and Ethan rode out to pasture nine to mover the heifers. That alone was strange, only three going, but what made it weirder was that it left eight of them there to doctor the cows they had wrangled earlier.

There was something going on. Rook knew it, she just didn't know exactly what it was. Everything had been different since the attack three months ago.

Rook didn't know it at the time but there had been an attack on all of the Duttons, not only them at the house. Kayce had been attacked in his office, Beth had been sent a bomb that went off in her office and John had been gunned down while helping a woman on the side of the road chain her tyre. Thankfully both Beth and Kayce were okay, at least now, the former taking a lot more time than her brother to heal from her wounds, extensive burns covering most of her body.

For months it hadn't been clear if John would pull through, or whether he'd ever wake up from his coma. Maybe a week ago Rip had announced, much to the glee of everyone, that their boss had woken up, finally, and seemed to be on the mend.

Rook didn't want to assume anything, but she'd put her money on today being when John got to come home.

She guessed she'd know for certain later whether she was right or not.

◇◇◇

She was right, as always. John Dutton had indeed been brought home today, but he was still bed bound—despite what she heard of him not being at all happy about it.

She sat at the kitchen table, her attention occasionally being drawn to the tv playing some rodeo somewhere in the country. That wasn't what she was focusing on. It was the two people that sat in front of it that kept her eyes from the cards she was holding, disrupting the game of poker she was losing to Ryan and Colby.

Walker and Laramie lounged out on the couch, cuddling into each other. That was a development she still hadn't gotten used to, and by how Colby and Ryan began watching them too, they felt the same.

A development she absolutely could get behind, however, was Ryan's new hair, longer than it had been three months ago, the ends curling up against his neck. Too many times had she gotten distracted running her hands through the thick strands.

The sound of chair legs scraping against the floor made her look up, immediately locking eyes with the empty chair across from her, making the absence all the more apparent. Even though Jimmy was thankfully still alive, he wasn't there with them, and he might never again be.

Early that day three months ago, Jimmy had saddled one of the unbroken horses and tried to ride him. He suffered a terrible fall that resulted in a broken back and partial paralysis. He was alive, but at what cost? Especially since John explicitly told him not to go back to bronc riding. Rook felt sorry for Jimmy. He loved rodeoing, but had to make the choice between it or keeping a job at Yellowstone.

The door creaked open, and John Dutton walked in, everyone sitting up straighter in their chairs.

"No picnic working here, huh?" He observed, the joke not getting even so much as a smile out of anyone. "I'm here to say I'm sorry. And I'm here to say thank you. I'm sorry people came after you to get to me. That's not what you signed up for. I'm sorry you... I'm sorry you went through that."

The bunkhouse was probably the quietest Rook had ever heard it.

"Now to thank you. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart: thank you for fighting back. Thank you for protecting this place, and protecting my family. I'll never forget it." John said, his voice sincere. "Now, you, uh... you stop worrying about fighting. Worry about cowboying. You leave the... you leave the fighting to me."

John's gaze was caught on the stacks of empty beer boxes piled up in the corner, a smirk playing on his lips. "Good Lord, looks like you boys could use some beer, huh?" He kicked the boxes but stopped talking when he opened the fridge, cans and bottles staring back out at him. "Oh my goodness."

John took one the the bottles, crewing off the cap much to the surprise of everyone.

"You alright to drink, boss?" Lloyd asked, very concerned but John passed it off with a laugh. "Lloyd, I've come to the conclusion that the only thing on this earth that can kill me is me. Any of you dipshits feel like loosing a week's wages to the boss?" Immediately there were cheers, Rook vacating her seat at the head of the table for John to sit down, his attention obviously on Laramie, who was walking around dishing out bottles and cans.

"Can someone explain to me how this whole deal is working out?" He asked.

"Oh, that. Well, that's what you'd call a constant state of evolution." Jake commented, cracking open a can to the sound of John's laughter.

"Well, look at the big words from Jake."

"Are we playing Hold 'Em?" Ryan asked, almost conspiringly. "We can play anything you want ti lose your money to."

"Just to let you know, when we play cards we like to... talk a lot of trash, so don't get your feelings hurt, all right?" Colby explained, a well-meaning smile on his face. Oh, Rook would put good money on the boss knowing all there was to know on talking some shit.

"If one of you boys think you can insult me, give it your best shot." Oh and give it their best shot they did. The shit talking kept going long into the night, long after Rook had folded and gone to bed.

◇◇◇

Travis Wheatley was back, for better or for worse. Rook wasn't much a fan of his. If you asked her, he was a dick who had a habit of pestering women to sleep with him. At least this time he brought along friends.

"Goddamn, I love it when Travis comes to the ranch." Jake exclaimed, to which Rook simply rolled her eyes from where she sat on the fence, watching the riders go past on horses that cost more money than she'd ever see in her life.

Rip walked up to where Travis was arguing with Teeter about whether she was from Texas or Arkansas (it was technically Arkansas but Rook wouldn't ever say that to her face).

"Had Andy Masci make you something." Travis pointed to the saddle beside Rip, and elegant—and expensive—looking piece of art.

"Oh, yeah? What's that for?" Rip questioned.

"Little wedding present."

"How'd you figure that out, motherfucker?" Rip joked, a wide grin on his face.

"I'm a horse trainer, brother. When a woman goes off the market, I get a fucking e-mail." Rook wanted to hurl her drink straight at his head, and Ryan seemed to notice it, too, making a show of lacing his fingers with her to prevent her from doing it. She could still throw with her other hand, but for Ryan's sake she shrugged that thought off.

◇◇◇

Rook got to hand it to Travis. He was a good rider. Biggest son of a bitch she had ever heard of, but good at what he does.

They were still sitting on the fences watching the show when Rip showed up, a boy aged about fourteen trailing behind him as he walked over to the boss, a bruise and a black eye standing out on his face. The Yellowstone is recruiting them younger, it seems. Making the next generation of killers.

The conversation with John didn't last long, Rip bringing the kid to the stables. Shit. Maybe they were recruiting them younger.

◇◇◇

Jimmy was back. Mia too. Rook hadn't even heard a word of him being discharged until she had opened the door to the bunkhouse and found him sitting on the couch, an uncomfortable-looking brace around his neck and back. He didn't look to great if she was being honest, but then again, almost getting yourself killed by getting bucked off a horse would do that to you.

Jimmy had explained that he wasn't staying for long, only a day. Mr Dutton had pulled some strings and got Travis to agree to taking him to Texas when he left, which was in the morning. Even if it was only for a night, it was good to have him back.

"Did you see those fucking horses today? Goddamn, what I'dgive to ride one of those sons of bitches." Ryan exclaimed. She couldn't blame him. They were nice fucking horses. Not as good as Kelpie in her eyes—none would be—but nice all the same. They were all sitting around the table, Colby dealing everyone except Rook a hand. She was happy to watch for the moment.

Jake scoffed, handing him a beer. "Get your ass dashboarded right into the dirt."

"Bullshit! Fuck you, coming from a guy that could get bucked off by a fucking seesaw." Ryan retorted, pointing a finger in Jake's face.

"I heard riding and I heard fucking. What are we doing?" Teeter bypassed the table on her way to the fridge, handing Rook a beer on her way back.

Rook barely registered the door opening until it closed again, but she didn't know who had entered or whose swift exit it was.

Walker finished whatever original song he was playing, but instead of choosing another, he decided to add gasoline onto the already burning bonfire.

"Hey, Lloyd? Got any requests?" When the man didn't answer, he turned to Laramie, who was practically sitting in his lap. "I guess I'll pick."

He strummed his guitar, the chords sounding very forlorn and lonely, right until he started singing. When Walker opened him mouth, the song became something less depressing and rather nostalgic instead.

Even Lloyd seemed to think so, at least, that's what it seemed to Rook with the way he began to stomp his foot in time with the guitar. Maybe they'll learn to put their differences aside.

◇◇◇

The Next Day

Rook

Travis had his whole posse out here today. And they were all riding horses that probably cost enough to buy at least three really good motorbikes, if not a whole really expensive truck.

"Just once I'd like to ride a horse like that." Colby mused as a man riding a gorgeous dun gelding.

"If you tried to stop a horse like that it would lawn dart you into a cattle trough. Ryan's comment definitely got a rise out of Colby, that's for sure.

"What? No. Have you trotted a horse past a mirror lately? Cause you look like a drunk cat trying to fuck a football."

"What? What are you talking about?!" Ryan exclaimed, his eyebrows raised and his mouth hanging open.

"Don't worry, Ry. You look absolutely resplendent to me." Rook pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, slipping in between him and Laramie at the fence.

"Resplendent? What does that even mean?" He asked, turning to her before doing a double take, nodding his head in the other direction. "That's what a lawn dart looks like."

Sure enough, Jimmy was walking up to them, stopping where Mia stood, her back turned to him completely. Trouble in paradise. It was so obvious something had happened. She still ignored him, even when he asked to talk to her. Then when he was a step away from begging.

"Hard to believe you can sell one of those and and buy a brand new truck." Jimmy didn't exist to her.

"You can sell one of those and buy a house." Ryan corrected, his voice wistful. It was like Christmas for the wranglers, to see all these horses that cost an arm and a leg (and perhaps the rest of a body if you sold it on the dark web) yet knowing they'd never be able to afford one. A really shit Christmas. Yet, those were the only ones Rook was used to so she didn't mind.

◇◇◇

Travis spun on a the dappled brown a white horse right in front of the line of wranglers watching, eliciting soft cursing and praise when he came to a stop.

"Travis," Ryan held up his hand and the horse trainer turned around at the sound of his name. "Let me run and stop just once."

"You bet... for three hundred thousand dollars." Rook had to laugh. Ryan definitely couldn't pay that, not even in his dreams. As much as she loved him, there were some things he just couldn't do.

"Come on, just once."

"This is a 'you break it, you buy it' kind of situation here, brother. And you can't afford to buy it. Nope. Only race car drivers on the race cars."

"Is the gimp all packed up?" Travis asked, directing his question to Jake and Ethan who sat on top of the fence.

"The gimp?" Rook hadn't noticed Mia coming back from wherever she had gone, but the accusatory tone of her voice told her enough about her opinions on Travis than she needed. Damn, I'm really starting to like this girl.

Travis went to call him Jerry before he was corrected by Jake. "We'll get out of here around sundown." He said before riding off to the other side of the arena, to where his team were standing with equally expensive horses.

"You're going with him?" Ryan asked Jake, to which he said yeah. "Where's the first stop?"

"Well, we gotta go to Scottsdale. Then we gotta swing off to Vegas, meet the cutters." There was a chorus of 'lucky son of a bitch'.

"Then we drop dipshit off at the Four Sixes."

"He's going to the Four Sixes?" Mia asked, her eyes widening. Damn. Lucky Jimmy.

"He won't last a week." Ryan was probably right, in all honesty. That was the worst thing.

◇◇◇

As promised, Travis left at sundown, but they were gone before Rook had the chance to say goodbye.

She could only hope Travis looked out for him, but God knows how unlikely that was.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook was taking up the flank of the cattle drive when Lloyd called for them all to stop. He'd spotted a cow with pink eye, and soon they discovered that most of the herd had it too.

"Let's push 'em into the arena, we'll run 'em through the chute." Lloyd called out, nobody making to follow his orders. That's a shit idea. Why not just doctor them here?

"You don't want these sick sum'bitches in the arena. Why don't we just doctor 'em right here?" Walker rode closer to Lloyd, his brows furrowed. Seems like she wasn't the only person who thought it was a bad idea.

"Well, I fucking said so."

"I didn't know you was the boss when the boss is gone." Walker stated. Lloyd took one look at him before driving his horse right at him.

"Hey, I'm always the boss when the boss is gone!"

"Look, he's right," Colby jumped in, Ryan behind him unable to wipe the shocked smile from his face. "We should doctor 'em right here."

"Push 'em in the fucking arena! We start dragging 'em in the pasture they'll scatter to hell and gone." His tone made it clear there would be no arguing. Well, it was Lloyd's problem if Rip or John found out.

◇◇◇

Rip and John found out all right. They were standing right in the yard when they pushed the cattle into the arena. And it didn't take long for Lloyd to be called over.

Rook could make out most of what was said considering the distance she was standing away, but nothing could've obscured Rip's shouting.

"Lloyd, you listen to me. You move those fucking pairs out! Do your fucking job! Go!"

Lloyd turned his horse around, a sheepish look on his face. "Push 'em back out! That means you too, Walker."

"Hell, you're the boss. Hear that, boys? The boss is going to let us play cowboy today. How 'bout that shit?"

Honestly, Rook suspected Walker was getting to Lloyd. That has to be what's going on. Fuck, maybe I was wrong about them getting past their differences.

◇◇◇

She was definitely wrong about Walker and Lloyd getting over their differences. The elder wrangler was practically boring holes in the other man's back from how hard he was glaring.

"Will you stop eatin' that fucking garbage? Dinner's almost ready." Teeter shouted to the table of wranglers, simultaneously stirring a pot with only God knows what inside of it. Gator, the Duttons' private chef, had been gone for a few days now, and you'd think they hadn't had anything to eat since then based on how they were acting.

"You're wasting your time, Teeter. No one is gonna eat a thing that you cook." Ryan said, continuing to deal out cards. He was wearing Rook's favourite shirt of his: a sleeveless Kimes Ranch t-shirt that showed off just how gorgeous his arms were. Oh, I'll never get tired of staring at his arms.

"When does Gator get back?" Colby asked. "Thursday."

"Thursday?! I'm gonna be dead by then. I can already feel my organs shutting down. Walker, do you know any hunger songs?" Teeter ignored Colby's comments, simply placing a bowl right in front of him with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, um... No, I'm good." He pushed the bowl away, a disgusted look on his face.

"Come on, baby, I keep cooking and you keep not eating. I need you strong for later." Rook didn't have to guess what Teeter meant. One of the massive downsides to living in a 70 by 35 foot box with nine other people.

"Fuck it, I'm so hungry I'll eat anything right now." Ryan declared, snatching the bowl from Colby's hands and shoveling a spoonful into his mouth. The wranglers all watched in anticipation, waiting for him to spit it out in disgust, but that never happened.

"It's fucking great."

They all swarmed to the stove where the pot simmered, Teeter stopping them before they could get any, claiming that she had slaved over the meal so they'd have to wait their turn.

"What's in it?" Colby wondered, peering over the edge of Ryan's bowl. "Everything, baby."

Rook took her spot in line as Ryan continued listing out ingredients that he thought could be in it. Tomato, possibly chicken, maybe little sausages. "I don't know, it's just kind of different."

"What does that mean? What's in it?" Colby was still sceptical.

"Not really sure, but never tasted anything quite like it. What do you call it?"

Teeter, peering around Laramie answered, "Sum bits." and Rook saw Jake, who had just sat down and begun to dig in, spit out everything that was in his mouth. "For fuck's sake."

"What does that mean?" Colby asked. "It means it's good for you, honey."

"What does that mean?" This time his question was directed at Jake, who was swishing water around in his mouth.

"Literally everything from the cow that nobody else wants."

"It's the whole cow." Ryan butted in, somehow still chewing, not giving a flying fuck.

"You mean everything in the cow?" Colby's eyes were the size if dinner plates. "Evidently."

"Ew, I got an eyeball." Someone said from the table, causing Colby to look as if he was about to spill his guts right where he sat.

Rook wished she had gotten to try it before finding out what was in it, but when she put the spoon in her mouth, she found that everyone wasn't lying. It was actually really good, minus the questionable ingredients.

She leaned up against the counter, her eyes following where Walker brought a bowl over to Lloyd, slumped in his bed. When the man didn't take the food offered, Walker questioned if he wasn't eating.

"Oh, no. Bro. He's intermittent fasting. Getting ready for swimsuit season." Colby and Ryan answered, laughing. "Yeah, cold water doesn't bother him too much."

They were all still laughing when Walker threw the spoon on the ground and Lloyd's foot caught him in the stomach, sending him flying back into the kitchen.

Immediately, Laramie threw herself between them, trying to make them stop, as the others got to their feet.

Everything happened so fast. Walker and Lloyd throwing and taking punches while Teeter and Rook kept a hold on Laramie, stopping herself from getting hurt in the crossfire.

Walker got the upper hand, shoving Lloyd until his back was against a bed, punching him repeatedly in the face before he managed to throw him off. Laramie broke out of Rook and Teeter's hold and threw herself at the rancher, hitting him square in the jaw before they could grab her again.

Rook and Teeter held Laramie back, and Colby and Ryan did the same to Lloyd, preventing him from going after Walker again as Ethan and Jake kept him away. A loud clatter from the door told them they wouldn't have to do it for much longer.

For a few beats, Rip didn't say anything, just standing there with his hands on his hips.

"What's the rule about fighting, Lloyd?" He asked, walking over to the man. "Goddamn you for making me do this."

Rip punched Lloyd once in the face. Then in the stomach before grabbing him by the shirt and flinging him over the table, causing all of the plates and bowls to crash to the ground, shattering on impact. If Ryan hadn't have jumped onto the counter when he did, his legs would probably have been pinned against the table when Rip shoved it forcibly to the side.

Lloyd lay on the ground, barely moving, but Rip didn't follow him this time, instead leaving him where he had landed, covered by shattered crockery and chairs. When he passed by Walker, a bruise blooming on his cheek, he grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him as close as he could to shout in his face.

"There's no fighting on this ranch. You wanna fight somebody, you come and you fight me. I'll fight you all fucking day."

In a blink Rip was gone, taking with him all of the tension and negative energy, leaving only two beat-up cowboys with more ego than sense.

Walker went stomping off to the bathroom the second Rip had left, and multiple times did Rook make eye contact with Ryan as he was trying to help Lloyd to his feet, their lips pressed into lines and their eyebrows raised. They didn't need to speak to know what the other was thinking.

Yeah. They definitely still hate each other.

◇◇◇

The next morning, as Rook was leading Kelpie out of her stall, the boy from a few days ago appeared at her side, scaring the absolute crap out of her.

"Jesus fucking Christ, kid." She exclaimed, clutching her chest, her heart beating rapidly. "You nearly gave me a goddamn heart attack."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to." Rook was never good with kids, let alone guessing their ages, but he looked to be around fourteen. Maybe fifteen, but that was pushing it.

"Christ, kid. Nobody's been able to sneak up on me for years. Wear that badge with pride." She said, the kindest smile she could muster on her face. At least she meant it to be kind. For all she knew, it could be closer to a damn grimace. "What's your name?"

"Carter."

"Well, Carter, it's nice to meet you." She held out her right hand, her left removing her hat. "I'm Rook."

"Strange name. Like the bird?" Carter asked, his hand gripping hers to shake once.

"Like the bird."

A whistle cut their conversation short, Carter giving her a little apology before running off in the direction Rip had just exited from.

Now that was Beth and Rip's kid if I ever saw it.

Chapter Text

He looks like he works with his hands,
And smells like Marlboro Reds
It makes me so, uh, and I can't get enough of it
Ethel Cain – Crush

Rook

Rook leaned against the fence, shoulder to shoulder with Ryan and Colby as Jake and Ethan drove the green horses into the paddock, closing the gate behind them. There was about twenty of them, meaning each wrangler would have to break roughly two each. Their work was cut out for them.

"All right. Here we go. Jake, you're a sorrel bald face filly with four stocking feet. Ethan, bay colt, blaze." Rip said, reading from the notebook in his hands. "Ryan, Colby, you'll be Buckskin filly and dun colt. Walker, you're red roan, blaze face. And Rook, chestnut filly, star."

It wasn't lost to any of them that Lloyd hadn't been given a horse to break. Not even to John, who stood beside Rip, watching Lloyd with an unreadable expression. He was interrupted by his phone ringing, an urgent sounding voice on the other side when he picked up.

"Ryan. Let's go work for the state." John called out, hanging up the call and shoving his phone back into his pocket.

"What happened?" Ryan sauntered over, his hands in his pockets and an unimpressed look on his face. That definitely her boyfriend, all right. Pissed off that he gets to miss all the fun.

"I don't even know how to explain it." John turned away, Ryan following them as the others gathered up their horses, taking them to the round pens a little further away.

◇◇◇

The filly flared her nostrils as Rook stepped into the pen, the gate clanging behind her as she shut it. The horse tossed her head, mane whipping back and forth as she paced along the fence line, desperate to get out. She couldn't blame her. If she was locked up, she'd want to get out of there. Oh, wait.

She clicked her tongue softly, approaching the horse gently, but not too fast. She didn't want to spook her. She only held out the rope in her hand, allowing the filly to circle her, snorting and tossing as she pleased until her curiosity won her over.

It took a little bit of time, but she eventually nudged her nose against the rope, even allowing Rook to gently brush her hand on her muzzle. She worked slow, getting the filly used to her being in her space, stopping any time she flinched. It wasn't long until the filly wore Kelpie's saddle, albeit a little bit warily.

Once the horse was more comfortable and accustomed to wearing the saddle, Rook set to desensitising her to someone mounting her. For the first while, she alternated between putting her foot in the stirrup, and hanging onto the side, not daring to fully sit in the saddle yet. Then, when she was happy with the progress, she swung her leg over, holding onto the pommel of the saddle just in case she bucked.

The filly only bucked twice before settling, even allowing her to spur her around the pen, muttering encouraging words all the while, and rubbing the side of her neck. Rook couldn't help the little proud smile on her face. No matter how many horses she took care of, it always gave her pride afterwards.

"Think she's ready, Rip."

Rip walked over to her pen, looking over the fence at her, then the horse. "Nicely done, Rook."

Rook swung out of the saddle, slipping it off along with the halter over her head as Mia, Laramie and Teeter proclaimed that it was 'beer o'clock.' I think I deserve a drink. We all do.

◇◇◇

"That's your cousin?" Ryan asked Colby, a finger pointing to the young man on the television, roping a calf. He'd spent the last half hour chewing everyone's ear off about how great of a roper his cousin was. Now they'd get to see it for themselves.

"Watch how smooth this is, watch this. Come on, come on." He chanted, elbows planted on his knees as he urged his cousin on from where he sat on the couch, God knows how far away from the actual rodeo.

Rook had to hand it to Colby, he wasn't lying when he said his cousin was damn fast.

"Goddamn, that is fast!" Cheering and hollering followed. "That's how we do it! That'show we do it!"

"Clearly the ability to rope is not hereditary." Ryan commented, causing Rook to laugh, but the look Comby threw her shut that down quickly. "What?Fuck you. I can out-rope your fucking ass ."

"In what fucking world can you out-rope me?

"In any world! Literally on any fucking planet. I'll take you to outer space and I'll out-rope your fucking ass in outer-space. I don't fucking care." Colby argued, not even stopping when Jake jumped in.

"What the hell kind of roping are you going to do in outer space? It's called gravity—"

"What the fuck are y'all talking about, roping in fucking space?!"

The chattering continued, only made worse by the consumption of alcohol, but Rook realised something. Despite all if the shit they had to put up with on the daily, she wouldn't trade this place for the world.

◇◇◇

It was midday and Rook and Ryan leisurely rode side by side, following the fence line, watching out for any holes or damage. It felt nice, just being beside him. They were silent mostly, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was the silence shared by two people who were wholly at ease in each other's company that they didn't need to say anything.

It took about two hours for them to finish, thankfully not finding anything amiss or damaged. Around an hour earlier than planned–at least by Rook. Ryan had everything figured out.

"Hey, since we've got time before we need to head back, I thought we could stay here for a bit." He said, dismounting his horse and tying the reins to a low branch, Rook following his lead.

"I'd like that." She watched as he pulled out a small array of food from his saddlebags. Slices of jerky, a block of sharp cheddar cheese, and some of Gator's homemade biscuits with honey butter alongside. He really did plan this right.

"We'll aren't you full of surprises?" Rook commented as Ryan piled his arms with the goods, reaching back into the pack and coming out with a hip flask.

"I aim to please." Ryan brought his offerings over to the base of an oak tree, laying them down gently on the ground before motioning for Rook to join him. She sat down opposite where he sat, leaning against the tree's trunk. "It's not much, but I couldn't take took much otherwise the others would notice."

Noticing how Ryan looked down at the ground, she placed her hand over his, rubbing soothing circles over his knuckles. "Nobody's done this for me before, Ry. This is more than enough." She didn't have to say what they both know she meant. You're more than enough for me.

They ate, joking all the while, laughing like two lovesick teenagers who had snuck out of school to make out under the bleachers. Snatching a biscuit from Ryan's hand, Rook took a bite of it, holding it aloft when he tried to reach for it, causing them both to fall over, Ryan's arms bracketing either side of her waist.

Rook didn't know when the energy changed, but soon the biscuits was forgotten, Ryan's mouth descending on her own. They kissed for what felt like years but also not nearly enough. Rook felt like she was dying of thirst and Ryan was her only oasis, simultaneously fulfilling her needs while stealing her breath by the way he was going about it.

Ryan's hands slipped under her t-shirt, but she stopped them before they reached her breasts, breaking contact with his lips to take control, using momentum to turn Ryan over until she was on top. Rook peppered kisses down his neck, lingering at the base of his neck, where the neckline of his shirt was pushed to the side.

She sucked and licked his neck, savouring the salty taste of his skin. Ryan let out a soft groan, not much more than a low sound from the back of his throat, but that was all it took to spur Rook on. Slipping down the length of his body, she settled in between his legs, which were propped up and spread open for her. Ryan's pupils were blown wide from just watching her, and there was a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks, as if he didn't believe she was about to do this.

"Are we really about to do this?" He asked, not at all sounding like he opposed the choice.

"Only if you want to. I ain't gonna make you, Ry." She meant it. She didn't want to do anything he wasn't fully comfortable with.

"I want to. Fuck I want to." He replied. Rook smiled, slipping her hands up his thighs until she got to his belt buckle, making quick work of undoing it and pulling down his pants, freeing the considerable bulge in his boxers.

Ryan's breath was coming in pants as she slipped her fingertips into the waistband of his underwear, pulling it down to fully free his cock. The sight never failed to cause a little flitter of pride in her chest. I did that to him. Me. Nobody else.

Rook pressed a kiss to the length of him, noting how Ryan's breath hitched, still propped up on his elbows watching as her mouth slid along him. On the first pass of her lips, his head dropped back, a soft thud sounding. He didn't seem to notice, fully focused on the feeling of her mouth.

Rook licked a stripe up the underside of his cock once, then again, before closing her lips around the head, sucking gently. A low whine tumbled out of Ryan's mouth as she slowly took more of him, her eyes beginning to water. Strands of her hair fell over her face, but Ryan helped her out, one of his hands gathering up the dark tresses gently, as if he was afraid she'd break, despite having his cock deep in her mouth.

Rook took her time, taking him further into her mouth until he hit the back of her throat, causing her throat to constrict around him. Ryan was shaking as she eased up, swirling her tongue around his head before sliding down on him again, this time taking him as deep as she possibly could go.

Her head bobbed up and down, Ryan moaning her name while trying desperately to keep his hips still. He didn't want to hurt her, but he should know it'd take a lot more than a good blow job to kill her. When she slipped his cock out of her mouth this time, taking over with her hand, she gazed up innocently, as if tears weren't streaming down her cheeks.

"You don't need to be gentle, honey. It's gonna take more than that to break me." Ryan's eyes snapped open to look down at her, his pupils blown wide with lust, leaving only a sliver of blue around them.

"I don't want to hurt you." Rook smiled, tightening her fist slightly as she continued to jerk him off.

"Please, Ryan. I don't want you to hold back." She confessed, descending once again on him. It was like a switch turned off in Ryan. This time, the hand gripping her hair tightened its hold, pushing her down further onto his cock (albeit not very roughly). A few times she fought not to gag around the stretch in her throat, especially when he hit the back of it hard enough to probably bruise. Rook didn't care. This is what she wanted, to see the perfect gentleman of hers so turned on that he stopped being so goddamn gentle with her.

Ryan's hips bucked up, his back arching from the ground as curses slipped from his lips. Anyone with eyes would see how close he was, and Rook had the sudden urge to stop. To tease him again and again until he was begging for it, but she decided against it. She wanted to make him feel good.

Rook sped up, her head bobbing up and down frantically, Ryan's thrusts meeting her as he chased his orgasm. Digging her nails into his hip, Rook took his cock as deep as she could and then deeper as he came, his cock twitching on her tongue. She had no choice but to swallow every last drop of his cum, a wicked smile on her face as she eased his softening length from her mouth.

Ryan was still panting when she crawled above him, a faint sheen of sweat on his brow, his eyes closed as he basked in the afterglow of his climax. Pressing a kiss to his lips, she knew he could taste himself when his tongue swept into her mouth.

When he slowly opened his eyes, Rook wasn't beside him anymore. She was already by Kelpie, going to put her foot into the stirrup.

"Where are you going?" He asked, finally sitting up fully.

"There gonna be looking for us." Rook's grin was full of mirth as she took in Ryan's appearance. There'd be no hiding what had happened. Good. I don't want to hide it anyways.

Swinging herself into her saddle, Rook didn't look back as she spurred Kelpie back towards the ranch, laughing as she left Ryan sitting there, an unabashed smile on his face, the food from the picnic left for the most part untouched.

Ryan

She is going to kill me. If it isn't with a knife then it'll surely be with that gorgeous mouth of hers. The feeling of her lips wrapped around his cock hadn't left his mind for even two seconds. Not on the way back to the ranch, the sight of her on Kelpie riding in front of him, her hair whipping fiercely behind her in the wind. It hadn't even left when he woke up in the middle of the night, stiff as a board and unknowingly grinding against his mattress.

Oh, she will definitely kill me. Ryan thought as he slipped his hand down his front, working himself to the image of her mouth doing the same mere hours before.

Chapter Text

Rook

"I'm going four." Laramie declared, cards strewn around her on the table. They were playing Hold 'Em, at least everyone else was. Rook liked her money staying hers a little too much for playing to become a habit.

Ryan immediately scoffed at Laramie's words, but Walker was the first to comment. "Anybody named after a city... is a crooked fucking card player, if you ask me." There was a fond and teasing smile on his face when he said it however, and Rook was reminded again that they genuinely seemed to love each other. At first, she thought it was a fling bound to fizzle out, but as the weeks have gone by, their relationship has only strengthened.

"Hey, keep your comments to yourself or get in the game." Laramie joked, pulling her boyfriend down by the hat so she could plant a kiss to his cheek.

"Hell, you know I work too hard for my money." Whistles echoed around the table, Rook along with most of the others shaking their heads in disbelief.

"You hear that, boys? Walker works hard." She commented, raising a mocking eyebrow as the boys chimed in.

"I gotta jump in her real quick, you work hard?" Ryan turned to Colby, murmuring to him as if he hadn't quite heard correctly. "Did you hear what that man said?"

"I don't know nothing 'bout him working hard, I'm usually too hard working to notice."

"Dude, y'all fucking kidding me? Y'all wouldn't know hard work if it crawled up your leg and sucked on your fucking pecker." Teeter exclaimed, raising her hand to high five Rook as she passed by to get a beer from the fridge. Without her asking, Ryan took it from her hands, opening the cap by hooking it on the edge of the table and hitting the top. It was such a small gesture, but her heart nearly stopped by just how sweet he looked doing it.

As Ryan handed Rook her drink back, he turned to Colby again. "You gonna let your girlfriend talk to me like that?"

"Don't even start, don't even start."

"Teeter, it's official. Isn't it?" He questioned, smirking.

"I don't know. He don't like labels." The movement wasn't obvious, but you'd be hard missing Teeter slipping her hand down Colby's thigh, causing Rook's eyebrows to dart up to her hairline and a impressed expression appearing on her face.

"Do you guys have a song?"

"Do you and Rook?" Colby jumped in, trying to silence Ryan.

Rook was about to join into the conversation but Ryan answered before she could. "We do, actually."

"What? Animals by Nickleback? You damn teenagers." Colby retorted, laughing his goddamn ass off.

"Hey, there'll be no Nickleback slander on my watch." Rook knew the hate the band got, and she thought it was unfair. Her music taste was just superior.

"Whatever you say, Ms Divorced‐Dad-Rock."

"Well, jokes on you, my dad was actually divorced." At the mention of her father, the bunkhouse got a little quiet again, Laramie turning to Walker to ask why that was a bad topic. Before anyone could answer the silent question, Ryan butted in.

"I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen." A chorus of 'ooh' echoed around the table.

"Well isn't that something? Next you'll be bringin' her to dinner in some fancy restaurants in Bozeman or somethin'." Teeter commented, giving Colby a look that said 'now, why don't you do that for me?' almost as if she had spoken the words out loud.

Ryan, seeing this, decided to give them a little push. It's only right that they get a song themselves. "Walker, now you can work for your money. They need a song."

"Oh, yeah, I've got... Mm-hmm. They do." Walker agreed, strumming his guitar. "Take it easy mama, won't you lay your head down?"

Cheers and laughter rose from around the table, Teeter turning on Colby and claiming that she wasn't his 'mama'.

There were all too occupied with enjoying themselves, listening to Walker as he sang, to notice when the door opened, an annoyed-looking Lloyd walking in.

Out of nowhere, he walked right up to the musician, grabbing the guitar out of his hands and smashing it against the nearest bunk. Everyone shot to their feet, Ryan shouting at Lloyd that there was supposed to be no fighting.

"I ain't fighting. I'm smashing a fucking guitar."

Laramie peeked around Walker's shoulder, glaring daggers at the wrangler. "You're a fucking asshole."

"You're done smashing it." Ryan commented, a disappointed look on his face. Lloyd noticed it and didn't seem to like it at all.

"I've known you since you was eighteen years old. You only known him a year and you think you know what he is?" Walker shot to his feet, turning on the man across from him.

"He don't fucking know me any more than you do. But I fucking know you. I seen a thousand of you in prison. Thinking you're some kind of bully 'til a bigger bully comes along. We all know how that ends. With you on your fucking knees, bitch." Yeah, they all knew how tonight was gonna end too, but that wasn't how. It was gonna end with them both on the wrong end of Rip's fists.

Except Lloyd didn't use his fists. He pulled a knife from up his sleeve, flinging it into Walker's chest. Chair legs scraped against the floor as anyone who wasn't already standing lept to their feet. Jesus fucking Christ. That was a bit much, even for this place.

There was a flurry of movement, some going to check on Walker, others trying to subdue the very angry Lloyd. To give him credit, Lloyd did put up a fair fight and got a few punches in, but he wasn't quick enough to stop Ryan from ducking under his swinging arms and pulling him into a headlock.

Rook stood beside Laramie, a scared look on her face. Walker had been given a seat, but he thankfully didn't seem too bad, all things considered.

"What do I do, just pull it out?" Ethan asked, wide eyed and looking like he was about to keel over at any second. Jake shot him a serious look, stopping the man's hand from inching any closer to the blade protruding from Walker's chest. "No, no, no. Fuck, dude, don't. It's too close to the goddamn heart or an artery." He turned his attention back to Walker. "Dude, let me call the vet."

"Fuck the fucking vet. Call the fucking doctor."

"We're not calling any doctor!" Ryan shouted over the commotion. Good move. The last thing they needed was for a doctor to start questioning how he ended up with a knife in the chest in the first place.

Ryan told Colby to bring his car around front while he was handcuffing Lloyd, who was sprawled out on the ground. Only then did Mia show her face. She'd been packing her bags for the last hour, not saying a single word to any of them, not even Laramie.

Shoving her way past, Mia avoided all eye contact, as if she was afraid to be stabbed next.

"Where the hell are you going?" A distressed Laramie questioned as her best friend continued walking, barely even giving her one last look. "Fuck this place." Without a look back, Mia left, followed closely behind by Ryan and Colby, half-dragging, half-carrying Lloyd to the truck.

◇◇◇

"It looks like the knife entered just beneath the clavicle–" One of the vets began before quickly being interrupted by Walker, who was now shaking on his chair. The vets had gotten there about thirty minutes ago  but they hadn't done much more than talk about the elephant in the room: the knife embedded in Walker's chest.

"Yeah, I'm aware of where it fucking entered, Doc." The man continud, as if Walker had never spoken in the first place. "Went in just above the lung. Didn't penetrate an artery. You're lucky." He turned to his assistant, a young woman in her mid to early-twenties. "Sterilised the site and prepare an 0.4 suture. It looks like the tissue has adhered to the blade. When we remove it, there will be considerable bleeding and considerable discomfort. I don't have anything to give you for the pain."

"What about some Banamine?" Walker asked. Rook's eyebrows shot to her hairline. Banamine? As in the anti-inflammatory drug used for horses?

"We don't know the long term affects of Banamine on a person." The vet explained.

"Do I look like I'm gonna live to be fucking seventy? Just give me some fucking Banamine."

Sighing, the vet turned to his assistant again, asking for three ccs.

"Three ccs? I drink more than that for a fucking hangover. Fill that son of a bitch up. Shoot some in my mouth and put some in my fucking arm. Please." Well, it's good to finally see that Walker's mother had actually taught him manners.

"It's gonna taste like shit and burn like hell right there." Jake commented, nursing his beer beside Rook. She had opted out of drinking. It was wildly different sewing yourself up after being stabbed than watching two vets tiptoeing around pulling the knife out. The former she could do no problem, the latter nearly made her feel like she was going to vomit.

Once Walker had been given the Banamine, the vet gripped the handle of the knife but when he went to pull it, Walker shifted and squirmed, his instincts yelling at him to go in the opposite direction that was causing the pain.

"Feels like the blade hit bone." The vet mentioned, taking his hand away from the knife. "I need to check the x-rays again."

"Someone pull this fucking thing out of me!" Laramie, who had been pacing around the room, her head in her hand, since the vets got there, ran over before anyone could stop her, wrapped her hand around the blade, and pulled.

"Fucking barrel racers." Jake said, a smirk on his face. 'Fucking barrel racers' was right. Goddamn.

The blood immediately started pouring down Walker's chest, and tears started streaming down Laramie's face again when she saw the red. "You said pull it, baby."

"What the hell was Lloyd thinking?" Jake questioned as the vets began stitching Walker up.

"That's the problem. He wasn't. At least I fucking hope he wasn't." Rook thought it would be a little better if he wasn't thinking, at least not properly, compared to the alternative.

◇◇◇

It was a quiet night. No card games or any drinking. Everyone simply went to bed without much to say, unaware of what was to come in the morning.

◇◇◇

In the morning, everyone tried their best to pretend nothing had happened. It was partially helped by the fact that Walker had taken to sleeping in Laramie's trailer instead of the bunkhouse. They might have to look Lloyd in the face knowing what he had done, but they didn't have to see the evidence walking around, possibly starting another fight that would surely kill one if not both of them.

Rook sipped her black coffee, her brain refusing to wake up fully. Last night, she had a dream about her mother, calling her home. When she woke up in the early hours of the morning, confused and a little disoriented, she contemplated waking Ryan too, but seeing how cute he looked asleep, she decided to leave him be. She still didn't know what it had meant.

It was later than usual that Rip joined them in the bunkhouse, closely followed by Laramie and Walker. His expression was not that of a happy man.

"Is everyone here? Where's Mia at?" He peered around the doorframe, finding nobody back there, until Laramie mentioned she had left the night before. He nodded, not fully hearing the words, instead reaching into the inside pockets of his jacket and coming out with four white envelopes, handing two to Laramie. One for her, one for Mia if she saw her.

"Teeter, Rook, pack your shit up. You three are gone." Rip handed an envelope to Teeter before sliding hers over the table to her. Rook's sleep-addled mind took a second to catch up, but when it did, it hit her like a fucking freight-train. Gone? Oh, fuck.

"Hey, what the fuck did I do?" Teeter questioned, staring at Rip's retreating form. Ryan stood up, his face angry, but Rook didn't notice. "Barrows is still out there, and you want her to leave? She could fucking die!"

"It ain't my decision. The rest of y'all can come with me. Let's go." Rip didn't wait any longer, not even giving another sympathetic look to any of the three of them. Not even when the tears fell from Rook's eyes.

Rook thought she felt eyes on her, and when she looked up, she found Ryan staring, his brows crinkled together with worry. I always loved that little crease between his eyebrows. Always so serious.

Her fingers ghosted over the envelope in her hands, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. A year here and a brand didn't mean much, it seems.

She managed to keep the tears from falling until she scrambled from the table, passing a guilt-stricken Laramie, and into the back to her bunk. Absently she heard footsteps following her and strong arms holding her as the sobs came. Ryan whispered hushed words against her hair, rocking her as she cried. His presence was gone far too quickly when Rip shouted from outside for everyone to hurry up.

Rook's sobs faded off, her trying her best to put on a brave face. "Rook. I'm gonna find a way out of this, I promise." With a kiss to her lips that tasted of Ryan's coffee and her tears, he was gone out the door, giving her one last look over his shoulder.

When Ryan was gone, she broke again, her legs giving way beneath her as she collapsed onto the bed. I can't breathe. Oh, god. What's happening? Her arms were shaking and her heart was beating fast. Too fast. It felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. Am I dying?

I've been fucking fired. After all I've done for this place? He's gonna kill me. He'll find me and kill me. She tried to take deep breaths but it felt like she was drowning. Tossed out to sea with no lifeboat and now the water was seeping over her head.

Teeter ran over to Rook, her eyes wide and scared, checking every inch of her body as if looking for some hidden injury. Finding nothing, she sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her. "Hey, hey. You're alright. You're okay." Teeter sounded like she was on the brink of a panic attack too, honestly. "We're gonna get through this, just you 'n me. We'll figure it out."

Rook's breathing eventually eased, but the feeling in her chest didn't stop. It didn't subside as she packed her things. Didn't get better when she grabbed her hat from where it hung on the bedframe of her and Ryan— just Ryan's bed. It definitely didn't stop as she signed her name on the bottom of the letter she wrote to him. Not the name she chose for herself. Her real name.

She left the letter on his pillow, scared to leave it anywhere else out of fear he wouldn't see it. He needed to see it.

Rook didn't know where she'd go. Didn't know where it would be safe, but she had to leave. If she stayed any longer, she'd never go.

Teeter was still packing when Rook slung her bag over her shoulder, stopping in front of her.

"I don't know if you'll ever see me again." She confessed, trying but ultimately failing to keep the dread out of her voice. "I want you to know how much I care about you. Just in case I—" The last word was left hanging in the air between them. It was obvious what she meant, but she couldn't bring herself to actually say it. Then it would be too real.

Teeter dropped whatever it was she was folding, pulling Rook into a hug that nearly broke her ribs. "Get the fuck outta 'ere with that. You're gonna be back before you know it." Their hug lingered, neither woman wanting to let go. Then it would be too late to do anything.

Rook was the first to break contact, slipping from Teeter's hold and giving her a reassuring smile, despite all the emotions at war in herself. "Where you gonna go?" Teeter asked to which Rook shook her head. "I don't know, but can you make sure Kelpie is looked after? Tell Ryan. He'll know what to do."

Rook turned her back on Teeter, shutting her eyes against the wave of grief that surged over her. This could possibly be the last time she ever saw her.

"I'm sorry, Teeter. I have to go." With her head ducked, Rook walked towards the door, passing Laramie. Even though this was ultimately her fault, she gave her a small smile. It wasn't much, but it was either that or ring her neck for getting them fired.

The door creaked open, the crisp air bringing a red tinge to her cheeks as she headed to the barn to say goodbye to Kelpie. She'd stay here. If Barrows was to find her, Rook would rather he never get his hands on her girl.

Carter was notably missing when Rook walked into the stables, all the stalls empty except for Teeter's horse and Kelpie.

As if sensing something was wrong, Kelpie whinnied, tossing her head as Rook walked up to her stall.

"Hey, girl." She smiled, rubbing Kelpie's neck. "I have to go for a while and I don't know when I'll be back. Don't worry. Ryan will take great care of you, I'll make sure of it. You like Ryan. You'll be good." She pressed a kiss to her nose, sniffling as she walked away, hurriedly wiping away a few stray tears.

Hiking her back further up her shoulder, Rook stepped out into the chilly air, the sun beating down on her face as she began walking. To where? That was yet to be decided. Anywhere that Michael Barrows couldn't find her. The dirt of the driveway crunched under her boots as she said goodbye to the only home she'd ever known.

◇◇◇

Ryan

Rook was gone by the time Lloyd and Walker had finished fighting. Walker had been done almost from the beginning, but Lloyd had no give in him. All he wanted to do was keep fighting. It took an appearance from Mr Dutton to finally put an end to it.

Ryan shouldered the door of the bunkhouse open, half expecting Rook to be waiting for him, but she wasn't. All of her stuff was gone. Her hat from his bedframe, the scuffed Docs she always kept at the end of her bed, even her beaten copy of The Lord of the Rings was missing. It was as she'd just vanished, or never had existed at all.

Ryan felt a stabbing pain in his chest, as real as if someone had walked up to him a buried a knife to the hilt in it. She was really gone. He hadn't believed–didn't want to believe–she'd go without putting up a fight but she did, and they were all worse off for it.

He felt like one of the walking dead when he trudged over to their bunk, hanging his hat where hers used to be. As he was shrugging off his coat, Ryan noticed a letter on his pillow, addressed to him. With slightly trembling fingers, he flipped it over, breaking the seal made with candle wax and what looked like the imprint of a knife blade. There was no question who it was from, but that didn't stop his chest from constricting at the sight of the slanted scrawl he knew better than his own.

Ryan,

If you're reading this, then I'm gone.

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I have no idea what I'm going to do. And by God am I scared. Even as I'm writing this I'm scared. I keep imagining him waiting for me at the end of the road, waiting for when I drop my guard to strike.

I know he'll find me. That's going to happen whether I like it or not. What I don't want is for you to worry about me. I know you're probably going to do it anyways. That was always something you were good at, even before we got together. But please try not to worry. I'll be okay, even if it's not certain right now, I know I'll make it back to you, one way or another.

I wish we had more time. Fuck me, I wish I had never questioned if you felt the same way as me. I wish I had kissed you the first time I realised how much I cared for you. Why did we both have to be so stubborn? Maybe this would've happened anyways even if we did change it. Maybe this was bound to happen from the start. Who are we to guess? I'm sorry, I think I'm still panicking so that's why some of this might not make sense. I can't fully explain how much you mean to me. Sometimes I don't even think there is a word in the whole English language that could explain it. You are a piece of my soul. You have seen me at my worst, yet never turned your back on me. Instead you welcomed both me and my problems into your world, not caring how broken I was or demanding that I tell you anything.

You never pushed me to tell you about my father. Not even when you saw the scars he gave me. You didn't question it when I cried in your arms, not even blinking when you stitched me up, putting more care into the sutures than anyone ever has. And when I did tell you what had happened to me, you stood by me, protecting me even whe I didn't know I needed it. Ryan, I know I've told you this over and over, but I need to say it again, especially if this is the last time I can.

I love you, Ryan. I always have and I always will. If I don't make it out of this, I want you to know that. I also want you to survive. Survive for me. Live for me. I'll wait for you, however long it takes. And I'll be damned if our souls don't find each other in every lifetime.

All my love,
Wren

P.S. I have left Kelpie. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I was the reason he got his hands on her again. Please take care of her for me. I know you will, you're perfect.

Tears pricked Ryan's eyes as he finished reading, dropping the letter back onto the covers of his bed. What have I done, letting her leave? I should've fought harder, now she might never come back. Thoughts spiraled through his head, each one worse than the last. But one was consistent, always at the back of his mind. I'll find her. And I'll find that fucking bastard that made her so scared.

Those two sentences burned behind Ryan's eyes throughout the rest of the day and well into the night. Even as he shut them to sleep, he saw them. The promise he made to Rook. A promise he'd rather die over than break.

Chapter Text

Beth

"You did what?!" Beth screamed, pointing a finger in Rip's face, her own a tapestry of rage.

"It wasn't my decision–" Rip tried to plead his case but all he succeeded in doing was accidentally throwing the boss under the bus. "Whose fucking decision was it then?" It took her a moment, but the pieces slotted together easily. "My dad."

The three female wranglers had been let go two days ago but Rip had only brought it up now. Beth wasn't worried for Laramie or Teeter–they'd be fine. She was worried for Rook. Her cunt of a father was still walking for all any of them knew and now Rook didn't have the protection the ranch had given her. If Beth was a gambler, which she wasn't, she'd wager a shit ton of money on this ending horribly for Rook, the ranch, or both.

"We're not finished. You hear me?" She leveled a glare at her husband-to-be while shrugging on a brown, suede leather jacket, everything about her demeanor warning him that he was in big trouble, regardless of it not being wholly his fault.

Without another word, Beth strode out of the room, heading for the front door. Oh she was going to rip her father a new one when she got her hands on him. "What fucking idiots." She muttered to herself, opening the door and slamming it a little harder than necessary once she had crossed the threshold. Clicking her keys once, the engine of the Mercedes coupe flared to life and she wasted no time in getting in and putting the car into drive, her foot putting pressure on the gas as the car sped down the driveway, heading for the main house where she knew her father would be.

She didn't bother ring ahead. Better he be surprised than prepared for half-truths or excuses. There were no excuses for this. Rook was at risk here and she'd be damned if she let it happen without putting up a fight.

Tires squealing, stone chippings flying from underneath them as the car came careening to a stop, not too far from the front door. Beth hadn't bothered with a seatbelt, which meant less things to worry about while getting out of the car. She also didn't bother closing her door, rushing towards the steps without turning back. If someone wanted to steal it, they'd be fucking with the wrong woman.

Beth's heels clicked on the wooden porch, announcing her presence. She tried the door and found it open, immediately stepping inside the house. "Dad!" She called out, laying her coat down on the back of the plush chair in the corner. "We need to talk!"

Hearing his name, John peered over the banister of the stairs. "Yeah, honey? What do you want to talk about?" He questioned calmly, not realising the tempest waiting for him downstairs. As he descended the steps, now able to get a full look at Beth, John understood his mistake.

"You fucking fired her?! Barrows is still out there, waiting for the chance to kill her, even more now that she risked her life to save your grandson, and you fired her? Some thanks that was." Beth shouted, coming closer to stand in the hallway. "She would do anything for this ranch and you betrayed her."

"You're talking about Rook." John pronounced, as if it wasn't obvious already, his hands on his hips. "Honey, you need to realise they're employees. I could fire any of 'em right now." This was the wrong thing to say and John only realised that when he was faced with Beth's glare. Definitely not the right thing to say.

"She was my friend, dad. And I don't know if you haven't noticed but I don't exactly have many of those. Now, her psycho ex-Navy father might kill her. Oh, you didn't know about that? Did Jamie not fill you in on Michael Barrows before he fucked us over?"

Sighing, John shook his head. There was only so much he could deal with at the once, so he opted to ignore the mention of his adopted son. "Beth, I wish I could've figured out some way of sorting things so Rook could stay, but that wouldn't have been fair to Teeter, Laramie or Mia. I'm sorry, honey. I really am."

"But you didn't fire Lloyd or Walker, who were actually to blame for it. You fired the women. Careful daddy, someone might think you're picking favourites." Beth spit the words like they were venom, strutting away, not even slowing to pick up her coat. The door rattled on its hinges as she slammed it shut behind her, one of her heels almost getting stuck on a crack in the porch steps. That would have to be fixed. She lamented to herself, angry that she couldn't make him see the error of his ways. That was her father alright, always adamant that he was correct. Beth wanted to prove him wrong. Wanted the inevitable to happen if it meant he'd learn to believe her, but she quickly took that thought back when she realised that it would mean Rook getting hurt or even possibly dying. That's something Beth wanted the least.

Rook

Two days earlier

Gravel crunched under her boots as she wandered beside an empty road, one that didn't seem to get much traffic, even during rush hour. Rook didn't know where she was going, only that the road headed towards Bozeman and hopefully she'd be able to find some place to crash until she could find her feet. Yeah, getting fired has really been a pain in my ass.

She shrugged the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder as she stopped, taking a moment to survey the land surrounding her as a wave of sadness welled up inside of her. Feeling the all too familiar prick behind her eyes, Rook stared up at the gloomy sky, feeling a little lost.

"Oh, fuck you, Rook. You're not gonna cry over this. You'll figure something out, just like you did before." Even as the words left her lips, she was sceptical. This wasn't like the last time. The last time her father hadn't tried to kill her a few months earlier.

Stuck in her spiraling mind, Rook didn't notice the crackle of loose stones underneath tyres until it was right behind her. When she turned around, she came face to face with a beat-up, firehydrant-red 1970 Ford F-100. It was a miracle the thing was still going.

The pickup truck pulled forward until the window was level to where Rook was standing and the window lowered at a glacial pace.

"Hello, stranger." The driver said, taking off her sunglasses (which weren't exactly needed since the weather was far from good) and Rook was struck as if she'd been hit by someone's fist. Sitting behind the wheel, a black hat with Stetson scrawled across it, was Avery.

"Avery?! It's so good to see you!" Rook exclaimed, a genuinely smile on her face. She hadn't seen the woman for a few months, not since she left the ranch and she certainly hadn't expected to run into her like this.

"Get in, I'll give you a ride." As Rook reached for the handle of the passenger door, Avery shook her head. "Shit. I should've probably mentioned that it only opens from the inside." She reached over the seat to hook her fingers in the handle and the door popped open, Avery giving Rook an apologetic smile. "She still runs, don't worry."

"I trust you. They don't make 'em like they used to, do they?" Rook replied, climbing into the seat and setting her bags on the floor. Avery put the car into drive an pulled out onto the road once she made sure there were no cars coming there way, as if one of the maybe two cars that ever passed this way would miraculously be there when they were.

"How'd you end up on the side of the road? You get fired or something?" Avery's tone made it clear it was meant as a joke, but little did she know, she'd hit the nail right on the head.

"Yeah, actually." Rook answered, watching as Avery's eyes widened. "Shit, I shouldn't have said that. I didn't know–"

"It's alright. How were you supposed to know." She said with a shrug. She was still pissed about the whole situation, but what was there to do now? "Lloyd got a girlfriend. Yeah, I was as surprised as you are. To cut a really long story short, she left him for Walker and they got into a fight over her. Then again. And again, and again, until Lloyd eventually stabbed Walker, but neither of them paid the price. No. No, Teeter, Laramie and I were fired because of it." At Avery's confused expression, Rook realised she didn't know who those people are.

"You don't know who they are." Rook observed, smacking her lips together. "You would've like Teeter. Gives the boys a run for their money alright." She drifted off, not sure what more there was to say.

"Where you gonna go now?" Avery asked after a few minutes of driving in silence. Rook was hit by the sudden reminder that this wasn't a nice little catch up. She didn't have anywhere to go and she didn't know if she should lie to Avery to make her feel less worried for her or if she should just tell the truth. Se decided on the latter since she couldn't come up with anything that sounded even mildly convincing, even to herself.

"Fuck, Avery. I don't know? The ranch was the only place I've ever called home. Where the fuck am I gonna go? I've got no money– Hell, you know what a wrangler's salary is like– and no family around, at least any that I would consider family." Her words were devolving into mumbles as her mind tumbled off of the cliff and beginning to spiral again, but then Avery interrupted her with words she hadn't even thought of being a possibility.

"You could stay with me and Georgia, if you want. We've got a spare room we can set you up in until you find your feet."

Rook turned to the woman, gratitude written clearly across her face. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose or cause any problems." She had many other worries that she was about to voice but Avery shut her down before she could continue.

"It's no problem. You need a place to stay, we have a place for you to stay. Simple." Avery stated, as if it was no longer an invitation. It was settled. Rook would stay with her and her girlfriend until she figured something else out, and no longer. She didn't want to be a burden, even if Avery said it was okay.

"You really are a godsend. I hope you know that." She replied, accepting the incredibly generous offer. Avery smirked, looking like she'd been told that her entire life, and lowered her foot down on the gas, heading for Bozeman and the beginning of Rook's new life.

Chapter Text

Ryan

Ryan's hands shook as he wrote the third attempt at a letter, crumpled sheets littered around his bed. It didn't matter that he had nowhere to send them, he just need to write them.

That day kept playing over in his head repeatedly, the voice he thought Rook's presence had successfully killed whispering in the quiet that it was all his fault because he hadn't fought enough. Hadn't tried hard enough to find a way to fix everything.

With a frustrated groan, Ryan crumpled up this sheet, not much more than Dear Wren written on it. It felt strange to use her real name, despite having known it since Barrows came knocking for the first time. It suits her, but not nearly as well as Rook does. It felt stranger to not know what to say to her. How could he have spent over a year with her and not know what to write the second she's gone?

Ryan held his head in his hands, black splotches of ink staining his fingers and the cuffs of his flannel, a flannel that still vaguely smelled like Rook. The other wranglers were strolling around the place in a weird lull but Ryan didn't pay them any mind. The only thing he could think about was trying to get his girl back and fixing this massive fuck up.

The door of the bunkhouse opened with a clatter, the door swinging and hitting the wall as Rip strolled inside, acting as if he wasn't part of the problem.

"We're sortin' the heifers today. Walker, Lloyd, you're not working. Everybody else, let's go." Rip called out, making to turn and walk out the door before Ryan jumped down from his bunk and took a step towards him.

"No. I want to know why Rook's gone. She risked her life and bled for this ranch only to be fucking fired when a fight happened that had nothing to do with her!" Ryan knew getting into a fight was what led them to this problem in the first place, but he couldn't just sit by and let Rook die because some people were too afraid to own up to their mistakes.

The silence in the room was palpable. The tension so thick, you could almost cut it. And then Rip spoke.

"I'll talk to the boss."

Ryan couldn't stop the shock from being written plainly across his face. He was expecting to be dragged to the arena and beaten halfway to a pulp just like Walker and Lloyd, not... acceptance. Definitely not from Rip Wheeler.

The silence lingered as Rip walked out, followed close behind by the rest of the wranglers, just as astonished as he was. All they had to do now was hope John could see some sense.

Beth

Beth lounged in the wooden patio chair on her porch, a laptop open in front of her even though she didn't intend to use it and a bunch of mismatched flowers beside it. Courtesy of Carter.

She watched as his small frame slowly got smaller and smaller as he walked away, replaced by Rip's much larger one. They hadn't spoken much since the fight after coming back from her father's two days ago. A fight that would've been easily solved if Rip had just accepted that what he had done was wrong instead of playing the ever obedient dog.

"You come to apologise?" She questioned, quirking an eyebrow as he got closer.

"You know I can't change what happened, but I'm sorry. I wish Rook didn't have to be fired but you need to understand that it was the best option." Once again, Rip made a very bad mistake with his words.

"How the fuck was that the best option you two could come up with? Maybe you could've fired the wranglers actually involved in it or perhaps just sorted it out without firing anyone. But no. That wasn't an option, was it?" She taunted, a sneer on her lips. She loved Rip so fucking much but he really wasn't helping right now.

"Baby, you know I can't do anything now. What you want me to do, chase after her and bring her back?" He stood with his hands on his hips, clearly not happy this whole situation was happening. If he expected her to drop it as quick as they fired Rook, he's sorely mistaken.

"Well, I need you to know that I can't marry you until you fix it."

The flash of pain was immediate. Good. He needs to know this isn't something that can be brushed off and never spoken about again.

"I'm sorry to do this, baby, but Rook's in danger. I can't let anything happen to her. Trust me, this is the best option." Beth added, a smug little part of her grinning at spinning his words back on him.

Without saying anything else to her, Rip strode away, his hat in his hands, leaving her feeling both triumphant and absolutely miserable. She hadn't thought she'd be able to say those words to Rip when the idea first came to her mind, but if it made her father change his opinion, then it was all worth it.

It would be all worth it when Michael Barrows' head was on a stick.

Ryan

The boys were finishing off separating the cattle when Ryan spotted Teeter wandering the edge of the fence. While Rook and Laramie had left as soon as they were fired, Teeter had hung around, presumably hoping for her job back. Ryan couldn't blame her. She was the hardest working out of the lot of them.

He wasn't the only one to notice her.

John and Rip were caught in a conversation when she approached, hopping over the fence as the men pulled the horses closer to the fence.

"Yeah?" John asked, expectantly.

"Sir... whatever's between Walker and Lloyd, it's got nothing to do with me or Rook. Nothing to do with Laramie either. That was just their excuse. I was the first one up in the mornin' and the last to be done. Ask him. Ask him if anyone works harder'n me." She pointed to Rip where he shifted in his saddle.

"She ain't lying, sir." Rip responded, nodding his head to Teeter's words.

"So the fight wasn't over you, huh?" John turned his attention back to the wrangler in front of him.

"No, sir."

"You just did your job. Never fooled around with anyone in the bunkhouse?" Teeter's face fell a little and for the first time since he started working on Yellowstone, Ryan hated John Dutton.

"Ain't no one said I couldn't."

"Well, common sense says you shouldn't 'cause the next fight will be over you." John stated, making to turn his horse around, smothering any hope left in Ryan at getting Rook her job back.

"So all that 'this is my home forever' is just talk?" Teeter pulled the neckline of her shirt down when John turned back around to face her, the spark of hope flaring to life in Ryan's chest again, this time beside a twin flame of pride for Teeter. It took some balls to stand up to the boss like that. Ryan wasn't even sure if he could've done it had he been in her position.

"Fucking scarred for life and it don't mean nothin'? Rook's fucking scarred too and now it'll be used to mark her dead body." Ryan could see John shifting in his saddle uncomfortably, caught in a situation he didn't expect. Instead of replying to Teeter, he told her to wait over at the side while he had a long talk with Rip, no doubt about the brands.

"When the hell did that happen?" He asked Rip, who looked a little sheepish.

"The night that we took care of that thing in the forest for ya. Rook got it the night those bikers tried to burn the field."

"So they all wear it? And it just slipped your mind to fucking mention it to me?" Even through his sunglasses, Ryan could see the look John shot Rip.

"It was the night before you got hit. Before everyone got hit."

"Does Kayce know about this?" He asked instead of thinking back on that day. Fuck, Ryan wished he could say he didn't still see the terror on Rook's face when she came out of the bunkhouse with her gun most nights when he went to sleep. Wished he didn't remember the flash of disgust in her eyes when she watched him stringing up that man.

"Sir, it ain't his fault. I should've come to you and talked to you." Rip replied, jumping to the man's defence.

"Does he know?"

Begrudgingly, Rip nodded his head. "Yes, sir, he does." John only sighed, shaking his head before riding off.

Ryan called out to the man as he rode past, so eager to have a word with him that he almost missed Rip asking Teeter where her gear was and telling her to put it back in the bunkhouse. There was that hope again. Damn fucking hope that could drive a man mad.

"Sir? Can I have a word?" He called out once more, this time being heard by John.

"What is it, Ryan?" It was clear the man was fed up of dealing with shit but he was the reason it was a problem in the first place, so he should be the one to fix it.

"It's about Rook. The ranch was the only place she was protected from her father and she's even bled to keep everyone safe from him. Now she's out there with him. Sir, I know you told Teeter that she shouldn't have messed around with anyone in the bunkhouse, and I don't expect you to think differently with me and Rook, but I'm scared about her." He confessed, his hat in his hands as he gazed up at his boss in the most pleading way he had ever looked at anyone. Well, anyone besides Rook.

"Rip told me. I can't make exceptions, Ryan. If I give Rook her job back, what about Laramie and Mia? I'm sorry, Ryan, but the answer is no." Without looking back, John rode off, leaving Ryan contemplating various actions that he would greatly regret.

His hands balled into fists at his side, Ryan watched John ride away, wondering if this place actually cared about the workers. Never before had he thought he'd agree with Walker, but he was starting to see the man's side of things.

By Ryan's side, Rip joined him, leading his horse by the reins.

"If you can find her, bring her back." Rip murmered. It took Ryan a minute to figure out what he was talking about but then it made total sense. He was telling him to go after Rook.

"I don't know where she'd go. I don't even know the first place to look." He confessed, his head ducked slightly. She could be anywhere right now.

"We'll figure something out." Rip sounded as genuine as Ryan had heard in a long time. He actually found himself believing the man. They'd figure something out. They had to.

◇◇◇

Teeter made herself at home in the bunkhouse as if she'd never left. She sat in between Colby and Ryan on the couch, cheering on a cowboy cutting a calf while riding a Yellowstone horse.

"That's a Yellerstone horse?" She asked, her drawl getting thicker the faster she spoke.

"For hell's sakes, the last three have been Yellowstone horses." Jake sounded tired when he responded but Ryan found a grin on his face anyways.

"Look, it's not 'Yellerstone'. It's Yellowstone." Colby corrected.

"Whatever you say, baby, just take your pants off."

Ryan immediately pinched the bridge of his nose. Yup. It was like she'd never left. "Other room. Take your pants off in the other room."

Whatever chatter was going on died down like a fire smothered by a wet blanket when the door creaked open, Lloyd, still sporting bruises, walked in, a guitar case held in his hand. As the man walked further in the room, closer to Walker, everybody got up, Ryan even swinging himself over the back of the couch to perch there should anything happen.

"I don't know shit about 'em. The guy at the store said it's a good one." He said, looking at the case he held out to Walker.

When Walker took the case from Lloyd's hands, bringing it to one of the beds to open it up, Lloyd watched nervously. It was nice of him to buy a new guitar, but a little part of Ryan was still pissed off that the fight happened in the first place. Alright, a little more than just pissed off.

"Well... hell of a lot better'n the one you fuckin' tore up. That's for sure." Walker laughed. Actually fucking laughed. And they all joined him.

For the first time since Rook left, Ryan allowed himself to be happy instead of worrying what he'd do. He didn't have a plan but he knew they'd manage something. There was no way he'd leave her to her fate. No fucking way.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook's bags swung from her shoulder as she hopped out of Avery's truck where it was parked in the driveway of a cheery-looking one story house, the bright red door almost an exact match for Avery's pickup. When she noticed Rook giving them both a once over, she answered the question she hadn't even asked. Red was Georgia's favourite colour.

"Come in. She doesn't bite... often." Avery said, smirking as she led Rook through the door and into the foyer. The first thing she noticed was just how clean everything was. She felt out of place standing in her worn to Hell Wranglers and dusty boots. Should I take them off? Leave them on? Avery once again noticed Rook lingering in the doorway and gestured to her own boots, which were in far worse condition to Rook's. "I can just clean the floor later. Don't worry about it."

Before she could overthink anything else or mention that she didn't want to burden Avery or Georgia by living with them, Rook dropped her bags by the door, followed Avery into the kitchen where a delicious aroma was wafting from.

Standing in the kitchen with her back turned to the door was a woman dressed in black overalls with colourful flowers embroidered on the legs, down to where they flaired out around the ankles, a shock of red hair sweeping the tops of her shoulders held back by a clip in the shape of bird wings. She definitely had a thing for red.

Rook stood awkwardly beside the table as Avery snuck behind her girlfriend, catching her off guard with a kiss to her cheek, causing Georgia to playfully swat at her shoulder.

Georgia turned around and her face fell momentarily when her eyes landed on Rook. It only lasted a minute before a warm smile replaced it on her face, slightly chapped lips cracking as they stretched.

"You must be Rook. I've heard a lot about you." Georgia said, striding over to Rook to wrap her arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. Rook's back was ramrod straight, her arms hovering over Georgia's shoulders. She wasn't a big hugger, but she could at least try for the woman whose house she'd be staying in for a while. Rook lightly wrapped her arms around Georgia's arms, giving her a smile when she pulled away.

"All good things, I hope." She laughed. She really did hope it was all good things. "You must be Georgia. Avery told me about you."

"Did she? All good things, I hope." Georgia beamed as she repeated Rook's words to her, eliciting a chuckle from Avery.

"Rook's looking for a place to stay until she can find her feet. I told her we have a spare room she can use." Even though Avery was telling her girlfriend what had happened, it was clear it was still a question.

"Of course she can stay! It's so nice to finally get to meet you. Avery doesn't really have many friends that come to visit." Georgia commented, flitting around the kitchen. "I'm making chocolate chip cookies, if you'd like one when they're done." So that's what the smell was.

"I would love one." She answered, nodding enthusiasticly.

"I'll show you your room so you can settle in while you wait." Avery inclined her head to the door, holding it open for Rook to follow, which she did.

As Avery led her further into the house, towards the west wing, Rook was able to get a better look at the inside. Just like she noticed when she first entered, it was extremely clean. Trust me, if you had been living with a bunch of wranglers for the better part of a year, you'd notice how clean the place was too. There were few pictures on the wall but plenty of decor, from anatomical artwork to gorgeous taxidermied butterflies, but all of it fit into this little part of paradise Avery and Georgia had made with each other. It made Rook's heart pang knowing she'd probably never have this with Ryan.

"This room is yours." Avery announced, pulling her out of her head when she realised she was stood in the middle of the hall just staring at a painting of the skeleton of a stag surrounded by gardenias. My favourite flowers.

She gave her thanks to Avery when she led her into the room, mentioning that she'd come call her once the cookies were ready. The spare room was sparsely furnished but it still had a lived-in feel. It wasn't the kind of room you stepped into and knew somebody hadn't set foot in it in years. No, it had a homely feel to it–just like the rest of the house.

For a while, Rook sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the stack of paper on the otherwise bare desk. She had left Ryan the letter on his pillow before she left but somehow that didn't feel like enough. Should she send him another to let him know she was alright or would that be putting herself and, now, Avery and Georgia? Leave it a few days. Until you know for certain you're safe.

She didn't mean to keep her guard up around Avery. It's just that it snapped back into place the second she stepped out onto the road and would take a hell of a lot of persuasion to be lowered again.

"Rook! The cookies are ready!" Georgia's disembodied Boston accent floated through the walls, summoning Rook into the kitchen where the two women were waiting for her, a rack of steaming cookies laid out before them.

Avery and Georgia had their heads tilted together, whispering conspiringly to each other before they noticed Rook's presence, immediately stopping and giving her a smile. Based on their reactions, their conversation was about her. She subconsciously reached up to her throat, fiddling with her necklace as her mind came up with hundreds of reasons she imposing.

"We were thinking of watching a movie if you'd like to join us." Georgia commented. She was covered in a light dusting of flour and when she turned around, the rack in hand, Rook noted the handprint on the back pocket of her dungarees.

"I'm not imposing on date night or anything?" She hadn't even considered that possibility. Oh, God, what if she was? The rich sound of Avery's laugh silenced her neurotic mind.

"Date night? Fuck, we haven't done that in months. We probably should get on that..." She added to herself, grimacing back at Rook. "When was the last time you were on a date?"

The question took Rook a little by surprise. Avery didn't know about Ryan. Of course not! She'd left long before Rook had even confessed her feelings for him to herself, let alone to him.

When was the last time they went on a date? A proper one, not just a late night ride together. It must've been two weeks ago when Ryan taught her how to line dance–arguably one of the sweetest things he'd done for her. They had no music but it still didn't feel awkward or weird. It was only them and the sky above their heads.

"About two weeks ago? I think it was around then." She answered earnestly. She knew the question of 'with who' was going to come up eventually, may as well rip the bandaid off right now.

Avery shifted forward in her seat, her face as serious as Rook had seen it since she told her that she was leaving. Speaking of which, she'd eventually have to ask her why she left the ranch, but not right now. "With who?"

"Ryan."

"Ryan?!"

"Who's Ryan?" Georgia asked, an eyebrow raised when she returned to the table, carrying a plate pilled high with cookies.

"One of the Bunkhouse Boys." Rook shot Avery a look at the 'Bunhouse Boys' but she waved a hand, indicating that she'd explain all of that later. For now, they had much more important matters to attend to. "What do you mean you went on a date with Ryan?"

"I meant it exactly how it sounds."

"Wait–are you dating? I knew you had a thing for him, Jesus fucking Christ was it obvious, but I never thought you'd actually get together. I thought it was like that time Beth fucked Walker." Avery said, the cookies all but forgotten about.

"Beth fucked Walker?!"

"I have so many questions." Georgia butted in, an extremely puzzled expression on her face.

"What do you mean?! Is that why Rip always hated Walker more than he probably should have?" It finally made sense. She'd always wondered if something had happened between the two men before she had arrived but had never actually asked about it.

"Wait–you didn't know about that? I thought somebody would've mentioned it." Avery frowned, the cogs turning in her head, probably wondering what else she didn't know about.

"Eat the cookies before they get cold. We can leave the gossiping for later." Georgia shoved the plate forward, leaning against the table as Rook hesitantly picked one up, taking a bit. Immediately, the cookie melted on her tongue, its taste rich in a way only something homemade from a recipe passed down for generations could. To sound a little cliché, it was by far the best chocolate chip cookie Rook had every tasted in her life, which wasn't saying a lot based on how abysmal her childhood was, but still.

◇◇◇

Rook twisted and turned in the bed, clips of Constantine dancing in her head. Georgia was kind enough to let her pick the movie and seeing Keanu Reeves play a tortured priest-adjacent character always seemed to raise her spirits when she was down. Maybe it was because she saw a piece of herself in him, in how she always felt damned since birth to end up exactly where Constantine was afraid of going, or maybe it was just because she found Keanu Reeves attractive. What the answer was, she'd never know. Maybe it's both.

Rook always had trouble sleeping in places she wasn't familiar with. Her first night on the Dogherty ranch, she stayed awake until dawn broke. It was only until Ronan saw her the next morning did he realise she hadn't gotten even a wink of sleep. He said most people don't sleep well their first night somewhere new, and that she'd probably settle down in a few days. Just like he said, once she got used to her new living arrangements, she slept like a baby. Rook could only hope the same could be said for here. At least then she wasn't plagued nearly constantly by nightmares.

Rook's slumber was fitful when it came, filled with half-formed apparations of what looked like her mother and mutated versions of animals. None of it made any sense, which is what caused the relief her consciousness felt when her brother showed up.

Henry looked immaculate. Not a single brown hair out of place. He was wearing worn jeans, and a Metallica t-shirt hung a little ragged from his shoulders. Her surroundings were familiar in a way that an old relative is familiar. You know you've seen them before but you don't know how. Trees reached up to the heavens as straight as poles, not even the slightest breeze swaying them.

Rook stood, frozen as she watched her dead brother try to open his mouth to say something but instead of words, blood poured out. The crack of a gunshot rang out all around her, echoing from the trees as Henry's body crumpled at her feet, revealing a hooded shadow standing behind him. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her brother's body, his blood forming a halo around his head.

When she looked back at the shadowy figure, she expected it's hand to be outstretched, a gun held in it. What she found instead was empty space. Where it stood was empty, not even crushed leaves to show that it had been there in the first place. Her heart sped up the longer she stared, something in her hand growing heavier but she couldn't make herself look down at it. She didn't want to confirm what she already knew would be there.

Clutched in Rook's right hand was a gun, pointed towards the hole in her brother's head.

With a barely muffled scream, Rook bolted up in the bed, her sheets sticking to her sweat-slick skin. The digital clock on the desk read 4:37am and Rook knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep even if she tried. She didn't even try to turn over and get comfortable. She was awake now, whether she liked it or not, the image of the shirt she was wearing splattered with her brother's blood, donning his still warm corpse. It had been one of his favourites, and she'd taken it before her father could burn them all.

Rook threw the covers unceremoniously to the bottom of the bed, creeping to the desk where she knew she'd find a stack of pages and an envelope.

Taking a seat, her feet rapping gently against the wood of the cabinets, she scrawled Ryan's name and the address for the ranch on an envelope, taking a little more time to consider what to write.

Time ticked by while she sat wondering what to write. Should she tell him she was alright? Ask about the ranch? She refused to beg for her job back. It had been a day, surely she'd be able to figure something out before resorting to begging.

Eventually, Rook landed on a very simple letter. Straight to the point, except it wasn't straight to the point. No, it was hidden under layers of vague hints, all which would be needed if worst came to worst and Barrows had already been informed of her lack of protection now.

Dear Mr. Ryan Henderson,

This is a letter concerning your mother. She has settled in well here and wished me to contact you. The phone number you left with us seems to be an old one which explains why we were unable to contact you via a phone call, hence the letter. Please do not hesitate to update this whenever you have a chance.

If you have any further questions or if you wish to visit her, you can do so at Ashmere Residential Home 2800 West Fork Street, Bozeman, Montana.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely, Ashmere Residential Home.

Rook felt a little foolish the more she wrote, wondering if she really had to hide her true words in a letter about a nursing home, but with the ever present risk of being found by Barrows, she couldn't make that mistake. She could only hope he realised it wasn't her but she thought it was pretty obvious since she was, to her knowledge, the only person he'd ever told about his mother leaving.

Weariness settled deep in her bones when she folded the page in half and then again. As pathetic as it sounded since she'd only been gone for a day, she missed Ryan. Missed sleeping knowing he was right above her. Missed hearing his whispered jokes in the dead of night. Missed his presence keeping her nightmares away.

She wasn't sure when her eyes closed and her breathing evened, but she knew it had everything to do with Ryan.

Ryan

Ryan pulled his truck up outside the book store in Bozeman. A Little Slice of Eden was the only book store in the town, but it just so happened to be a very good one too.

Ryan had been inside maybe three times in the past few years since it opened, but he knew Rook had spend almost all of her free time there spending almost all of her paychecks on books. Yet her favourite always remained the tattered copy of the Lord of the Rings that was always stuffed into her saddlebags. He had way too many photos of her lying under trees reading it.

It had been nearly a week since she left and he felt like only half a man. He still found himself wondering where she was or searching for her at the end of the day to no avail. Colby, trying to lift Ryan's spirits, joked that he was wrapped around her finger but it was the honest truth. He cared about her so much that he felt empty without her.

The little bell over the door rang when he walked inside, raising his hat at the firey-haired cashier at the register. Making a beeline between the classics section and the romance to the section titled Sci-fi and Fantasy, it didn't take Ryan long to find what he was looking for.

He skimmed the spines with his eyes. He recognised a few books from Rook's collection, even the filthy one about two serial killers the boys found hidden under her bed. It had them all in tears laughing when they each took turns reading sentences. Never in a million years did Ryan think Rook would be reading a book like that, but, to be honest, he kind of understood the appeal.

Even though he didn't have much free time to go book shopping, he had to admit that searching for any titles that jumped out at him was oddly relaxing. I can't blame Rook for enjoying this. It was nice to focus on something other than work for a little while.

Arms laden with three books, Ryan headed over to the checkout, pulling out his wallet after he had placed them down.

"Lord of the Rings, huh? My girlfriend's friend is absolutely obsessed. I gotta say, they're really good." The cashier–Georgia, if her name tag was correct–said, a pleasant smile on her face.

"My girlfriend is a big fan. I can't remember any time she didn't have it with her." He confessed. He wanted to surprise her when she came back.

"Your total is $27.60 whenever you're ready."

Ryan handed over two twenty dollar bills, shaking his head when Georgia attempted to give him his change back. "Keep the change."

"I hope you enjoy the books as much as your girlfriend. She has good taste." Georgia commented, stacking the books in a paper bag.

"I'm a lucky man to have her." He thanked Georgia again, taking the bag from her and heading back to his truck, the books secured on the passenger seat beside him. Rook would've probably put the seatbelt on them. She never messed around when it came to books.

Ryan pulled off, wondering if Rook would've been friend with the cashier's girlfriend's friend had things been a little different. They'd get on well.

Chapter Text

Ryan

Ryan was sat on the edge of his bunk, his legs dangling over the side, when Rip shouldered the door open, holding an envelope in his hand.

"Ryan, it's for you." Rip declared, handing the envelope to Ryan once he got close enough to do so. Ryan wasted no time in ripping it open and pulling the folded piece of paper out. He knew it was from Rook the second he saw the perfect loops and swirls of her handwriting, but the contents of the letter caught him off guard.

The letter, which was addressed to Mr. Ryan Henderson, spoke of his mother. The mother he hadn't seen or spoken to since he was freshly eighteen. It was also signed by an Ashmere Residential Home.

If anyone else had received a letter like this one, he could nearly guarantee they would find it beyond strange, but not Ryan. If Rook thought she needed to do this, then she needed to do it. She knew her father better than anyone, meaning she'd know the lengths he'd go to get what he wanted.

What snagged his attention was the address. He had never heard of a retirement home near West Fork Street, but then again, he probably wasn't paying the greatest attention to what businesses he was passing by. Unless...

Rook, you genius! It wasn't a residential home. It was where she was staying, or at least someplace he could send her things. Fuck, this changed everything. He actually had somewhere to start, now.

When Ryan folded the letter and stuffed it into the inside pocket of his jacket, he found Rip staring at him. Ryan gave him a tiny nod, as if to say 'I know what to do' and jumped down from the bed, heading for the door with a newfound pep in his step.

"C'mon. Let's go." Rip said to the others, garnering many groans of protest but Ryan didn't pay them any mind. All he could think about was what he was going to do with this information. He couldn't exactly show up there, even though he wanted to do nothing more. He needed to think this through, talk to Rip about possibly getting her job back. He needed to do something, goddammit! He couldn't sit by while the woman he loves was out there in the world with her psycho motherfucking father.

Colby fell into step beside Ryan, noticing how lively he looked but not saying anything. That was what Ryan loved about his friendship with Colby, neither of them had to say something for the other to understand. Sometimes, all you need is someone there beside you. Someone to listen to you.

The idea hit Ryan so hard he almost stopped walking, but he managed to keep going, playing it off quite well if he did say so himself. He didn't know what it was about that previous thought that made him come to a conclusion, but it did nonetheless. When they got back tonight, he was going to sit down and write Rook another letter. A letter he had every intention of sending. A letter that he would use to figure out what they would do next, all with her help. He now had a way to contact her and would he be damned if he didn't use it.

Rook

Rook never remembered how awful job hunting had been before she found ranch life to suit her better than any other job could. She'd had many random jobs thoughout her teenage years especially but never did they feel so hard to find.

She had been to four different places inquiring about jobs and each time they turned her down, stating they already had too many people applying for jobs. Bozeman was a big enough place but it didn't seem like anywhere was in desperate need of workers.

Rook was starting to lose hope when she ended up right outside a little dive bar, red neon light illuminating the inside. There was giant sign above the door, reading The Howling Raven, a carving of a bird carrying a bottle of wine in its claws. What was perhaps the funniest thing about the sign was that it wasn't even a raven. It was a magpie.

Rook decided to venture in, even if it was just for the single drink she could afford. Inside, the bar looked better than she had expected. Well worn barstools lined the entire length of the bar, vintage couches that looked to be much older than her were tucked in the back corners and there was even a pool table set up. The place smelled of old smoke, the kind that no matter how long you clean a place you'd still be able to smell it. Strangely, she didn't hate it.

The bar was almost fully empty, only a couple and an older man except for her. The floorboards creaked under her feet as she walked up to the grizzled bartender.

"What can I get ya?" The bartender asked, his thick Southern twang reminding her of Teeter, causing that all familiar sharp pain in her stomach she'd come to know incredibly well over the last week and a half. She still felt a little foolish for feeling so fucking sorry for herself even though it had been only a week and a half, but Avery and Georgia were both trying to reassure her that it was totally normal. Another downside to having a shitty father: having a hard time understanding emotions.

"Just a whiskey, please. Neat." She replied, taking a seat at the end of the bar. The bartender held up a bottle of Jack Daniel's, silently asking her if that was alright, to which she nodded. It didn't really matter what kind. She wasn't picky.

Rook watched as the man poured a finger of the dark liquor into a glass before sliding it over to her. She handed him a ten dollar note and surprisingly recieved a five back. She wasn't expecting such a cheap price for a whiskey, even in a dive bar such as this one.

"You know, the sign outside is actually a magpie, not a raven." She said to the bartender after a little while of staring into space, wondering if she should go back to Avery and Georgia's or continue searching for a job somewhere.

"Yeah, we get that a lot. This place used to be The Flyin' Magpie. Used all the money to get the name changed." He shrugged, a smile on his face. "By the time we got 'round to it, it had stuck. You from 'round here?"

"No, actually. I'm technically from Vermont but I've been living in Montana since I was thirteen. Right now, I'm staying with a friend until I find my feet. Got fired and don't really know what to do now. You know how it is." Rook sipped her whiskey, enjoying the burn as it slipped down her throat, a settling warmth in her stomach.

"If you're lookin' for work, we're low on staff." At first, Rook thought she had misheard him. There's no way he was offering a job to a customer, not that she was complaining. She didn't have much leeway to complain right now.

"Really? That would be wonderful. I's Rook, by the way." She held out a hand to the bartender, who grasped it in a strong grip.

"James."

"Thank you so much for doing this. I've literally been searching all day for somewhere not already filled high with people applying for jobs. So, when do I start?" She asked, trying her best to hide how genuinely happy she was to have been given the offer. She didn't need her new boss to pity her on the first day. That could come later.

"Saturday alright with you? Busiest day of the week for us." James answered, watching as she got up from her stool.

"Saturday's perfect. Is there any uniform or anything?"

James made a huff, bordering on a chuckle that sounded more like choking to Rook. "Hell, girl. Does it look like there's a uniform?" She took that as a no.

◇◇◇

The sun was threatening to set when Rook left The Howling Raven. She'd spent the better part of two hours talking to James, learning everything he wanted to tell about himself. I mean, it's probably best to find out as much as you can about your soon to be employer, right?

It took Rook a little less than half an hour to walk from the bar back to Avery and Georgia's place, and that was when she was drinking in the nice feeling of being employed again. If it came to it, she could probably do it in less than fifteen minutes. Let's hope it never comes to that.

When she got in, the house was quieter than normal, meaning Georgia probably hadn't gotten back from work yet. Avery worked in a mechanics not too far from the house, which meant she was usually back late. Georgia, on the other hand, worked in a bookstore and was home most nights before seven. There must've been a lot of stock to sort through.

Rook returned the spare key to its place in a little box hidden beneath the soil under a shrub. She got to hand it to Georgia and Avery, they always thought before doing something.

As Rook passed the threshold of the front door, a crinkle from beneath her drew her attention downwards, where she found a letter. Picking it up, she found no name attached to it. It didn't say who it was for or anything. Just the address. How strange?

She shook her head, heading into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. It wasn't her house, so it probably wasn't her letter, but she couldn't help wishing it to be. She didn't even know if Ryan had got her letter yet, or even if he understood that it was her. Surely he did. It was obvious. She chuckled lightly. I hope he knows it's me.

She left the letter on the kitchen table, dumping the rest of her water in the sink and putting the glass in the dishwasher. What she needed was to curl up with a good book, and she knew exactly which one would do the job. Wandering to her room, she thought back to all of the times she had used Lord of the Rings to escape whatever shitty thing her father had said or done. The book had been her thirteenth birthday present from Henry, and even now she could remember the happiness on his face when he gave her the book, all wrapped neatly with parchment paper. He was only eleven at the time and had found it hidden under the floorboards with some of their mother's things. They should've been scared of what punishment they'd get if their father found out they had stolen from him, but that didn't even cross their minds. Surprisingly, the punishment never came, and Rook read it cover to cover hundreds of times since.

She had been too young when the movies came out to see them in the cinema, but the second the boys at Doherty's had found the book tucked under her pillow, they made sure everything was stocked for three nights in a row of them watching the extended editions once all the work was done.

Rook could feel her throat getting a little tight at the thought of Doherty and the boys. It had been three years since she saw the man himself, longer since she'd seen them all. Ronan would like Ryan. I hope he'd approve. He was like a brother, even when Henry was– She cut that thought short, the image rearing its ugly head. Ronan was like an older brother to her, overprotective as hell but well meaning. She never did tell him about her dad, worried he'd try something and get himself killed.

Rook settled back on her bed, propping herself up against the headboard and flicking on the bedside light, turning to the very first page of the home she had found before Yellowstone.

"Concerning Hobbits.This book is largely concerned with Hobbits, and from its pages a reader may discover much of their character and a little of their history..."

As Rook read, her eyes tracing over the words she had devoured many times, it felt like putting on an old coat. A coat that, no matter how long it had been since you last wore it, still fit you perfectly. A coat that would always fit you perfectly, no matter what.

◇◇◇

Commotion at the front door drew Rook out of her peace and she put the book down, dog-earing the page she had left off on. She had just got to the part where Frodo inherited Bag End and the One Ring, but she could put it down long enough to interact like a normal human being.

When Rook stepped into the kitchen, she found both Avery and Georgia gathered around a piece of paper, squinting at in in confusion.

"Hey, Rook? Do you know why we've gotten a letter addressed to 'Ashmere Residential Home'? I don't even think there is a care home around here." Avery asked, holding out the letter. "It says it's from... Ryan Henderson?"

Rook rushed over to the table where the two women were standing, gently taking the letter from Avery's hand. She didn't read it fully, only the start and who it was signed by. It was incredibly professional, just like hers had been.

"You're gonna think I'm crazy." She answered, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

"I've worked on Yellowstone. It takes a lot for me to think someone is crazy after that."

Rook sighed, chewing on the inside of her lip. She couldn't tell them everything about Barrow. She didn't want them to constantly be living in fear of him, like she was, but she owed them at least some of the truth.

"My father is a very shitty man. He's... stuck in his ways, shall we say. Since I'm the eldest child, a daughter, he thinks I'm his property until I'm married off. I've managed to stay away from him for months thanks to the Duttons, but that ended with me getting fired, I guess. I don't want him finding out I'm staying with you guys and putting you in danger." Rook confessed, holding the letter close to her chest. "I sent a letter to Ryan a few days ago, telling him that I was okay, but I had to hide it in a letter pretending to be the care home his mother was in."

As she spoke, Rook flicked her eyes from Avery to Georgia and then back, searching for the slightest sign of concern but she found none. Instead, there in its place, was pity. Or maybe compassion.

"He's not a good man." She whispered, using all of her strength to keep the tears that were threatening to spill at bay. She didn't need this right now.

"I can tell." Georgia answered, as deadpan as she had ever heard the woman. It was so out of character, Rook couldn't help but laugh. The smirk tugging at the woman's lips told her that her reaction was precisely why she had said it in that way.

Georgia flitted around the kitchen, making herself a hibiscus tea. When she asked Rook if she wanted a cup, she gladly accepted. "Eden busy today?" She asked when the woman handed her a steaming mug.

"Not really. We did get a lovely man you might've got on well with. His girlfriend is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and he wanted to surprise her by reading it. He also handed in two twenties and told me to keep the change." Georgia sat across from Avery at the table, Rook leaning against the wall, tea in hand.

"His girlfriend sounds cool. Maybe I'll end up running into her someday and we'll run away to Middle Earth together." She chuckled. She'd been trying to get Ryan into the books to no avail. Maybe it'll work eventually.

The letter burned a hole in the pocket she had shoved it in as Avery and Georgia chatted about their day, but Rook didn't process even half of what was said. The damn letter...

◇◇◇

The second Rook's bedroom door closed with a click, she tore the letter from out of her pocket, careful to not rip it but far too excited to care about much else. When she unfolded the page, she was surprised to find her hands shaking. It was from Ryan, what could she possible be scared about?

Dear Ashmere Residential Home,

Thank you for the letter. I am very glad to hear about my mother and I have no doubt everyone there is taking great care of her. I can't apologise enough for my phone number, I knew I was supposed to update it and completely forgot about it. I will put it to the top of my 'to do list'.

I was wondering when I might be able to visit my mother. I've been quite busy lately with my job but I shouldn't have a problem getting time off to visit.

Once again, thank you for being so kind to my mother, and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Best regards, Ryan Henderson.

As weird as it felt to be beaming at a letter from her boyfriend hidden in one to a residential home, she felt so much better now that she knew he didn't think she was crazy. Not that he ever would think that, but it's nice to get confirmation that your worst thoughts are, in fact, not true.

Maybe everything wasn't as bad as it seemed. Oh, boy would she probably regret saying that. Let's be honest, something always has to go wrong for me. I can't have anything normal or nice happen without something coming to bite me in the ass.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook shrugged on a faded AC/DC shirt as she waited for Georgia to get out of the bathroom. She was already running a little behind and not being able to get into the bathroom for over half an hour was not exactly helping. She didn't want to end up showing up late on the first day of her new job.

Surveying herself in the full length mirror on the back of the door, Rook pulled her hair into a high ponytail before scrapping it, choosing a loose braid instead. Despite James' promise that there was no uniform, she still felt as if she should be dressed differently. Black jeans and a band shirt wouldn't be too bad, right? I'm overthinking this too much.

The tell-tale creak of the old hinges on the bathroom door kicked Rook into action. Grabbing her toothbrush and the very limited selection of makeup she owned—mascara, eyeliner and a blackberry flavoured lip balm—she all but ran to the restroom, warning Georgia that she better not have left anything she needs in there because she wouldn't be getting it back until she was done.

◇◇◇

When Rook looked into the mirror in the bathroom, she could hardly recognise herself. It was only a bit of eyeliner and mascara, but she felt a little better than she had in a while. The bunkhouse didn't have any mirrors save the ones in the toilet, and she hardly cared to check her appearance at four in the morning.

Rook rinsed her toothbrush under the faucet and shook off the water before finally turning the key in the door. What she wasn't prepared for, however, was the audience she'd have.

Georgia and Avery stood just beyond the threshold of the bathroom, not even trying to look like they weren't waiting for her to come out.

"That's what you're wearing?" Georgia asked, trying to keep her tone light but ultimately failing. She definitely didn't have the same taste in clothes as either Rook or Avery.

"I mean, I can go change if you don't think it's appropriate. Is it not appropriate? Should I change?" Rook worried her bottom lip as both women stared at her, their brows furrowed.

"No, it's just a little... dark, don't you think?"

"I thought black was probably the best colour to wear since it's very likely I'll be covered in liquor by the end of tonight." She answered. The thought had crossed her mind if she should dress more... fashionably, but it was a dingy dive bar in Bozeman, Montana. It'd be fine.

"I mean, that's actually a good idea, you have to admit." Avery quirked an eyebrow at her girlfriend who begrudgingly nodded in agreement.

"Oh, shit. I've gotta go." Rook glanced at the clock in the hall that read 5:23pm. James told her to be there for six, so she had roughly thirty-seven minutes to walk to the Howling Raven.

"Good luck. Hope you don't get too many creeps trying to hit on you." Georgia called out as Rook ducked into her bedroom to grab her bag before heading for the front door.

"And if you do, use some of the skills you learned back at the ranch. That'll teach 'em." Avery winked, a fond smile on her face as she followed Rook to the foyer. She grabbed hold of the handle and pulled the door open, giving a last word of thanks to the two women before closing it and heading for work.

◇◇◇

When Rook got to the Howling Raven, only a few of the regular customers occupied the bar, but it was only early yet. There was still time.

James was waiting behind the bar for her. He was busy cleaning glasses as she walked up to him, passing the few patrons already nearing the bottom of their glasses, but the second he spotted her, a wide grin enveloped his features.

"Did you think I'd bail on you?" Rook joked as she rounded the bar, shrugging her bag from her shoulder to drop it just behind it in a little alcove where James pointed to.

"No. You seem too desperate for a job."

"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Rook rolled her eyes, even as her lips parted on a laugh.

Wasting no time, James immediately got to work showing her the ropes, explaining to her what she needed to know and what would be expected of her, and in the short amount of time she spent with him, Rook fell into a comfortable relation with him, as if they'd known each other for years.

◇◇◇

For the most part, the night was quiet, a few customers leaving, who were quickly replaced by other regulars. It was about nine when things started picking up, younger people and groups arriving to spend money and get fucking hammered.

Rook settled into her new work with ease. At the beginning, she was worried she'd accidentally make a mistake or give a customer the wrong drink, but it thankfully didn't take her long to find her feet. Every now and again she'd have to ask James where something was or how to make a particular drink a patron had drank once while they were on holiday in the Bahamas, but every time he was happy to help her.

The night was far more relaxed than any job on Yellowstone, at least until a certain man with his group of followers showed up.

The second the man and his friends stepped through the door, Rook knew what type of man he was. An ill-fitting cowboy hat sat on his head, thick wrap-around mirrored sunglasses obscuring his eyes despite the sun having set hours ago, and a patchwork beard barely clinging to his jaw. Trouble is what he was.

Plastering on a fake smile, Rook served a few of the other members of the group, all beer drinkers thankfully, which made her life a lot easier. She watched them warily as the night dragged on, finding her gaze locked on their table even as she was making a drink for a different customer.

Although she had spent so much time watching them, Rook was still caught off guard when the man from earlier sauntered over to her, clearly feeling himself. The faux smile on her lips again, she greeted him, asking if there was anything she could do for him.

"Yeah, sugar. There actually is something you can do for me," he said, a sleezy grin on his face that made Rook's hackles raise. "You can give me your number." He attempted to reach out to touch her hair but she slyly maneuvered her way around it, feigning grabbing a bottle from a shelf behind her.

"I'm flattered, really, but I have a boyfriend." She turned back around to the man, giving him her best 'I really don't fucking like you but I'm afraid you might kill me for saying the wrong thing' apologetic smile all girls are taught at a young age. When her gaze locked his, she understood that it was a good idea.

Rook could see the predatory look in his eyes as he watched her, his eyes fixated on her chest.

"I don't see your boyfriend anywhere around here, baby. Let me take you out back and show you what a real man is like."

"I have a real man." Rook chuckled awkwardly. "I'm really sorry. But I'm sure there's plenty of women knocking on your door."

"None of them have a body like yours."

Another awkward laugh.

"Well aren't you nice–" She started but was cut off by the man's increasingly insistent voice.

"You gonna give me something for bein' nice? Just a little taste, sweetheart. Your boyfriend won't mind–"

"Will you leave the girl the fuck alone?!" A voice called out to the man, the singsong quality to the words completely at odds with what was actually being said. "She said she has a boyfriend. What she really means and is just too nice to say is 'I wouldn't fuck you with a hundred-inch pole. Kindly get the fuck out of my bar'."

Rook watched as the man's face turned completely red, every other person in the bar falling quiet to watch as a young woman with shoulder length black hair, blonde roots barely visible in the dim lighting. Dressed in a dark green dress, a leather jacket thrown over it, she looked like someone who didn't take shit from anybody, and judging by her expression and what she had said to the man, her observation was fucking perfect.

The man tried to speak but silently raged when she held up a hand, a saccharine smile on her blood red lips as she pointed towards the door.

Surprisingly, to perhaps everybody in the dive bar, the man scuttled back to his table, gathered his things and rushed out the door, all the while muttering something she'd undoubtedly heard a million times from men who thought catcalling or groping were the finest form of seduction. His friends begrudgingly followed, hot on his heels.

The second the door swinged closed, Rook turned back to the woman, everyone resuming whatever conversation they had been having when the altercation began.

"You are a saint. Thank you so fucking much for saying all of that. I had no idea what I could say without possibly getting fired, and it's only my first night on the job." Rook commented.

"Don't worry about it. I've been in many similar circumstances where nobody was willing to help, so I thought I'd do what I could." The woman shrugged, pulling out a stool at the bar to sit on. "I'm Ivy, by the way."

Ivy held out her hand and Rook grasped it in a firm handshake.

"Oh, I knew an Ivy once. I'm Rook, and I think you deserve a little something for saving me back there. Pick your poison."

"Whiskey." Ivy's eyes gleamed as she studied Rook's face, her brows furrowed in concentration. "You look so familiar but I have no idea why."

Rook pucked out a fairly good whiskey from the shelf and poured it into a glass. "I have a popular face, I guess."

"Huh. Weird. I could've sworn you looked exactly like a girl I used to know." Ivy muttered, shaking her head when she clearly couldn't pinpoint where she had seen her before. Rook slid the glass across the bar to her and held up her hand when the woman tried to pay.

"No, no. It's on the house," she leaned in a little closer, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth. "Just don't tell my boss."

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Ivy promised, giving Rook a conspiratorial wink. "So, what are you doing in Montana? Your accent is from Vermont, right?"

"Oh, bravo. Not many people are actually able to pick out where my accent is from. I moved her when I was thirteen, so that's why it sounds a bit strange. Um, I used to work on a ranch around here but unexpectedly got fired not too long ago."

"Shit, sorry to hear that." Ivy gave her a sympathetic nod, as if she knew all about being unexpectedly laid off.

"I've come to terms with it now. It's not the best situation but I'm trying my best." She asserted, wiping down the bar top with a cloth as they spoke. "So, why are you in Montana?"

At the repeated question, Ivy chuckled lightly, shaking her head slightly. "I was away at university for the last few years, psychology, and haven't been back home in so long. My dad hasn't been in the best of health recently so I thought it was the time to come home."

"Where did you go for university?"

"Stanford. I specialise in forensic psychology." Ivy explained, a proud look on her face.

"Oh, that's so fucking cool, and Stanford. That's very impressive. I know quite a few people you could use your skills on." Rook chuckled, throwing down her cloth to lean on the bar. "You back for good now or are you heading back to California?"

At her words, Ivy visibly deflated, her mood taking a shift.

"I think it'll be for good now. Dad's not doing well and we're afraid if I go back, it'll be the last time I see him."

Rook gave Ivy a sympathetic look, nodding her head in understanding. "My dad was never sick, at least not in that way, but I know how bad it is. I'm so sorry for you and your family."

To apologise for bringing up a clearly sensitive topic, Rook topped up Ivy's glass, bringing a finger to her lips and nodding towards where James was engaged in a heated discussion with another customer.

As the night dragged on, Rook came to learn quite a lot about Ivy's family. She had no brothers but her father owned a ranch, and one of the wranglers was like a son to him. She also learned that Ivy secretly had feelings for him for years. In return, Rook told Ivy a few details about her father–not the whole truth, but some of the lesser dangerous stories–and many stories of her brother.

It was nearing eleven when Ivy stirred to leave. Neither women had noticed how much time had passed until James announced the last call, signifying the bar was closing soon.

"Shit–" Ivy clutched her side, nearly in tears from laughter. "You're really fucking funny."

"The feeling is mutual. I haven't laughed like that in a long time." Rook said, wiping the side of her eye where a tear escaped. "If you ever want to meet up again, you know where to find me." She joked, holding her hands wide to gesture to the dive bar around her, which set Ivy off again.

"Gimme your phone, I'll add my phone number."

Without hesitation, Rook unlocked her phone and opened the app, handing it across the bar to the woman. She watched as Ivy typed in her number, adding her name at the top before saving it and handing it back to Rook. The app was still opened when she took it from her hand, and she almost stopped dead at the sight of the name.

"Wait—you're Ivy Doherty? Is your dad Colm Doherty?" Rook's eyes were wide as she stared across the bar.

"You know my dad?"

"I'm Ro–Wren Barrows."

It was obvious when the realisation dawned on Ivy, recognition sparking in her eyes.

"Fuck–I haven't seen you since we were fourteen. I knew you were too familiar for it to be a coincidence." Ivy commented, shaking her head in disbelief. Everything made sense now. Her father's ranch, the stories that sounded far too familiar, even Ronan being like a son to Doherty. Everything. "How has life been treating you?"

"For that, we're going to need a good few hours." She laughed, Ivy shooting her a look.

"Are you free tomorrow? There's a little café run by the local bike club just up the street."

"Tomorrow works for me." Rook agreed, still trying to wrap her head around the chances that her childhood best friend happened to be in the exact same place as she was all these years later. Montana wasn't small or anything.

"Perfect. 11am?"

"I'll mark my calendar."

With a nod, Ivy hoped down from her seat and headed for the door, leaving Rook reeling from the shock. Maybe her past coming back wasn't always a bad thing.

Chapter Text

I did not create this mess
Yet I live with no address
I have only known the fear
But you won't find cowards here
Kiki Rockwell - Apocalypse Child

Ryan

Carter deftly delt five cards out to everyone around the table, showing off skills a fourteen year old had no right knowing.

"Look at this fucking kid. He's done this before." Colby exclaimed, gesturing wildly at Carter.

"It's my first time."

"Aight, you've been shuffling the cards in the air." Ryan pointed out, his eyebrows up to his hairline.

"My first time actually playing."

After a quick look at their cards, Carter picked up a twenty dollar note and threw it in the pot, the significant pile of chips and dollars in the centre of the table.

"Triple it." Carter said, staring Ryan down to see what his reaction would be. As he probably assumed would happen, Ryan gave him exactly what he was looking for.

"Triple the bet he says?" Immediately, everyone folding and tossing their cards face-down in front of him with grumbles calling him a madman.

"This little card shark motherfuckin' kid." Lloyd whined, staring the kid dead in the eyes as Teeter piped up from beside him, cutting off whatever he was going to say next.

"He ain't no kid, he's just a motherfuckin' card sharkin', little elf."

"You tell him, baby." Colby intoned, his voice a bored cadence.

"I love it when you call me baby. You want to scratch me behind my ears?"

"No."

"What about my other ears?"

"Alright, alright." Rip, who was leaning against the wall behind Carter jumped in, tapping his shoulder. "Don't listen, just start."

After a lot of complaining from the wranglers about Colby and Teeter, and perhaps getting a room, Carter finally started, having taken long enough.

"Here's the flop." The boy said, catching Ryan off guard.

"The flop? He even knows his terminology. What did you do, buy him at a fucking circus?" To say this game was what Ryan was expecting would be an all out lie.

"Poker circus? That's disrespectful." The rest of the conversation blended into many voices all trying to talk over each other, but Ryan couldn't hear half of it. He was too busy imagining Rook seated beside him, throwing insults far worse than he could ever come up with at Carter. Fuck, he missed her so much.

Wiping the depressed look from his face, Ryan turned his attention back to the game at hand. The game he would win.

"Check." Lloyd called out, but Carter stopped him in his tracks.

"Ain't no checking today." He declared, throwing another twenty in the pot and looking back up at Rip with pride. Smug little fucker.

Lloyd made a disgruntled sound, folding once again, leaving only Carter and Ryan left playing.

"It's down to the kid and the unluckiest card player on earth now." Lloyd chuckled at his own joke, seemingly very entertained by the thought of him getting his ass handed to him by a kid.

"I wonder how that's gonna work out." Walker rose from his seat and heading for the door as Carter flipped over an ace of hearts on the table. "And the river..."

"Oh you're fucked, kid." Ryan laughed.

"What, you got a boat?" Carter had a shit-eating grin on his face, Rip standing behind him looking no better. Yeah, if there were any doubts in his mind about him being Rip and Beth's kid, they were surely all gone now.

"Listen to this fucking kid," Colby exclaimed. "The boat."

"He's a cheating little squirrely haired little twat mouth cunt motherfucking faced dick nose." By now, Teeter wasn't actually insulting him any more than just spewing whatever expletives came to mind first.

"What's wrong with her?" Carter asked Colby, playing a dangerous game. You don't ask a man what was wrong with his girl.

"What do you mean?"

"She bite of her tongue or something?" Everyone around the table burst out laughing, much to Teeter's displeasure, but nobody laughed harder than Rip.

"What's so fucking funny back there?" Lloyd demanded, a grin on his face. To be honest, even Ryan was happy to see him relaxed and enjoying himself for once. All he'd been doing since Rook and the others were fired was trying to sort it out, for his sake and Beth's. Someone even said she was refusing to marry him until he fixed it and got Rook her job back. He didn't know how true it was, but it was comforting to know he wasn't the only one trying to fight for her.

"He's kicking your ass and talking shit at the same time." Rip wiped a stray tear from his eye, still laughing.

"Pot's right. Let's do it."

"Yeah, that's right. I do have the boat you little bastard. Aces up." Ryan taunted, throwing his cards, an ace of clubs and seven of spades, face up in front of him.

For a moment, Ryan thought he had won, but then he saw the wicked glint in Carter's eye as he threw down his cards, both aces.

"So did I."

A chorus of raised voices broke out, everyone cheering for Carter or simultaneously jeering Ryan.

"He had the same exact cards last time." Ryan's accusation fell on deaf ears, everyone too busy congratulating Carter for his win against 'the unluckiest card player on earth'.

He was still attempting to argue to no avail when Rip wandered towards the door, slamming it shut after a moment and returning with a much angrier look on his face. Nobody mentioned it, they knew better than that, but everyone noticed it.

Two Weeks Later

"Alright, let's not over bet the pot here." Colby suggested, even as Teeter and Ethan slid more chips to the centre of the table. Even Ryan sacrificed some of his chips.

"Forty."

"Betting like you made the flush." Lloyd chuckled, taking a swig of his beer.

"That's because I did make the flush."

"If you made the flush, you'd be acting like you didn't make the flush. You're just trying to put me off of my flush." Colby replied from where he sat between Ryan and Laramie. It was weird and a little hurtful for Laramie and Mia to be back. They'd shown up a few days ago and when they weren't kicked to the curb again, they stayed. Yet Rook wasn't allowed her job back. How fucking fair was that?

"That is absolutely ass backwards. I am begging you to match the pot. Begging you. Daddy needs a new pair of shoes."

"Hey, we don't need to hear what Rook calls you in bed." Colby retorted with a laugh before his face fell, realising what a sore topic Rook was at the moment.

The wranglers noticed the shift in Ryan and Jake immediately jumped in to attempt to steer the conversation back to where it was. Even though her name still hurt like a wound to the gut, Ryan didn't blame Colby. Didn't blame any of them for mentioning her. She was still a part of the family, even if she wasn't here right now.

"Let me see, let me see your face." Jake pointed his finger across the table at Ryan, staring him dead in the eyes. "You are so full of shit again. You're bluffing."

"If he's bluffing why are you folding?" Mia demanded, raising her eyebrows haughtily.

"I ain't got shit either." Jake shrugged, flicking his cards on the table.

"I am bluffing..." Ryan confessed, just as Mia picked up a few of her chips.

"You know what? I'm going to raise you forty... 'cause you're lying and it's not nice." Mia smirked at Ryan, daring him to make his move or come out with something he'd surely regret saying, even if it was for Rook.

"Yes. Let's put the man to a decision." Colby taunted, wicked glee in his eyes.

Ryan threw a glare over his shoulder but he couldn't stop the smile from forming. "Oh, I've already made my decision. I'm all in."

"Me too." Mia declared, matching Ryan's cocky expression.

A chorus of 'Turn 'em over' rose up and Ryan flicked his cards upright. "Ace, king, seven, jack. All diamonds."

Mia nodded enthusiastically, flipping her own cards over. "Okay, so you weren't lyin'... alright. But, gee, and all I have is this Ace and seven."

Ryan's face fell as cheers erupted, Teeter jumping up and hitting his shoulder.

"She went and dry fucked 'em right there didn't she? Yes she did!"

"Didn't you three girls get fired?" Ryan retorted, not realising what he was about to say until it was too late. Immediately, he felt shameful and a little like a bastard.

"He didn't say we couldn't come back." Laramie shrugged, making Ryan's mood all the worse. If that was the case, why wasn't Rook here with him? He'd sent her letter after letter but still hadn't gotten a response. The last one that had come told him not to visit because it could "disturb the other residents of Ashmere". Ryan still didn't know whether she was living there or if it was just somewhere she knew was safe to send things to, regardless, it was something. Maybe she didn't— fuck off. She wouldn't do that. That's not the Rook you fell in love with.

"That's exactly what it means when you get fired. It means you're not supposed to come back ever." Ryan knew he was raising his voice, but it just pissed him off so much that neither Laramie nor Mia knew what Rook was facing and wanted to joke about getting fired, something that could've possibly caused his girlfriend's death.

"So, if I get fired from McDonald's, I can't ever go back to McDonald's and get something to eat?" Mia joked, a massive grin on her face.

"Oh, sorry. You weren't here so I wouldn't expect you to understand. My girlfriend is out in the fucking world with her nutjob of a father that wants her dead. She might die because she got fired, but I'm happy you think of all of this as a joke." All humour and glee was gone from Ryan the second Mia made it all seem like a joke. How the fuck could she be so fucking insensitive?

Before Ryan could let his rage get the better of him again, commotion from the door drew everyone's attention.

Standing in the doorway, a red Four Sixes jacket on his shoulders, was Jimmy.

Ryan, whose blood was still a little hotter than normal, didn't miss the look Mia threw Laramie at Jimmy's return, and it gave him a wicked kind of happiness to know she was pissed of now, too.

"Hey, guys. How y'all doin'?" Jimmy said, looking just as uncomfortable at being in the same room as Mia as she did with him. To say they parted on bad terms would be a severe understatement.

"Everyone's great, Jimmy." Colby tapped Ryan on the shoulder, giving it a squeeze full of false sincerity. "Everyone except for Ryan."

Ryan stuck up his middle finger at Colby. You might not think it, but the joke was actually just what he needed to forget about Mia and Rook and all of the other shit. Well, almost.

"You can see thing's haven't changed here," Lloyd interrupted Ryan and Colby, motioning for Jimmy to come closer. "Pull up a chair."

"Actually, uh... I'm gonna need two chairs."

At Jimmy's words, a woman with dark brown hair wearing a red puffer vest with the same logo as Jimmy's jacket. The little look Jimmy gave her told them everything they needed to know.

You'd have to be blind to not figure out that while Jimmy was in Texas, he'd found himself a new girlfriend. And now was introducing her to a room with his ex-girlfriend in it. Well, this'll go over well.

"Oh, that's going to go over like a fart in church."

"Where's Rook?" Jimmy asked after surveying the room to see whether everyone he wanted to introduce his new woman was there, ignoring Jake's comment. Ryan was about to answer when Colby shot the man a look, saying 'we'll tell you later' without actually opening his mouth or speaking. For that, Ryan was thankful. There was only so much he could talk about Rook without feeling fucking pathetic for sitting there while she was out in the world, no matter that she'd told him not to go find her.

"Everyone, this is Emily." Jimmy announced, a fond smile on his face. An expression Ryan hadn't seen on it when he was with Mia... "She's a vet down at the Sixes. And, uh... She's my fiancée."

If you could hear jaws hitting the ground, you probably wouldn't be able to hear anything else in the bunkhouse at that moment. Fiancée? Fucking hell, Jimmy was busy.

Jake muttered an "Oh, shit" while Laramie turned to face Walker, mouthing 'fuck'. Mia, however, just stared daggers at Jimmy, her face mottled with rage that, if you asked Ryan, wasn't deserved. Unless he was mistaken, she'd broken up with him before he left. How could she expect him to not get into a relationship if he technically wasn't with her anymore?

Before Ryan could blink or anyone could congratulate Jimmy, Mia was on her feet and throwing a punch to his face.

Mia's fist collided with the side of Jimmy's face just as Emily's found hers. There were scattered calls of "no fighting" but for the most part, everyone watched. None of them worked there anymore, and the others didn't need to get fired because they got dragged into a fight they had no part of.

"Let them fight, they don't even work here!" Colby called out, speaking everyone's minds. With slight enthusiasm, the wranglers watched as Emily grabbed hold of Mia's collar, using momentum to swing her until her head connected with the refrigerator hard enough that Ryan wouldn't be surprised if they found a dent there in the morning.

"I got $20 on Texas." Ethan commented, waving a twenty dollar bill in Jake's face right before Mia launched herself at Emily, shoving her back until she hit the table, climbing onto it after her all the while Jimmy was trying to stop her.

Jimmy managed to pull Mia from Enily, literally kicking and screaming, but not before she landed a few good punches. With a lot of effort, he dragged her outside, followed closely by Laramie, while the others helped Emily to her feet.

"Well, shit!" Ryan exclaimed, a huge grin on his face. That was one way to get his mind away from his problems.

"Always good to exercise after a long drive." Emily tucked her hair behind her ears, not even slightly panting despite being in a fight less than a minute ago. "What're the chances there's some whiskey in here?"

"Chances are good." Lloyd said, picking up a bottle and pouring a healthy amount into a glass. "Nice hook."

Without asking if she could, Emily pulled over a chair, seating herself where Ryan was sitting before everything kicked off. "What's the game?"

"Whatever you want it to be." Ethan replied with a laugh, even as the screaming continued outside. Yup, Jimmy is in for one hell of an evening.

◇◇◇

Ryan was lounging in bed, contemplating the next letter he was going to write Rook, when the loud sound of an engine startled him. It wasn't the sound of a truck or any car Beth might own, it was the renowned rumble of a motorbike, an old one by the sounds of it. Unless Beth changed her tastes recently, he had no idea who it could belong to.

Sitting up in bed, careful as to not accidentally whack his head on the ceiling, Ryan peered out over his bunk, finding Colby's equally puzzled expression at the sound.

"The fuck is a motorbike doing here?" He questioned, a few tired voices expressing their agreement.

"Maybe the boss has decided now is the time to pick up a new hobby." Ryan shrugged on a shirt and buckled his jeans, struggling to keep himself upright as he shoved his boots onto his feet even as he was walking towards the door.

Outside, everything was pitch black except for whatever the headlight of the bike was able to illuminate, meaning Ryan still couldn't get a clear look at who was riding it.

From the limited visibility, he could only tell the person wasn't wearing a helmet and they didn't have one in their hands. What also struck him as odd was how fast they seemed to be going. They didn't look they were lost or looking for something, they looked like they were running away from something.

Looking back to see if anyone had followed him, Ryan found most of the wranglers wrapped in coats haphazardly thrown on, most still in their pajamas. None seemed to know what was going on, not even Walker, who was–unfortunate to say–the most crafty and intuitive of them all, didn't know.

The gravel leading to the bunkhouse skidded underneath the wheels of the motorcycle, covering almost all of the sound of guns being slipped into hands. Ryan had stupidly left his own underneath his pillow, the place he'd taken to keeping it since the night with Barrows. Now he was possibly standing in the centre of a fight about to break loose without a weapon. Well, a traditional one. Anything could be made into a weapon if the need was dire enough.

The bike lurched to a stop several feet from them, the rider clearly agitated. From here, Ryan could make out their eyes, but their lower face was obscured by a black bandana, probably to keep the winter chill of the air from causing any problems, as if riding without a helmet wasn't problem enough. He could see her eyes clearly–and he knew it was a her the second he saw her eyes.

She pulled the bandana down, a wild look not even slightly hidden in her gaze, and switched of the engine. Time stopped as Ryan watched her put the kickstand down, gently resting the bike on it. His breath stopped as she threw her leg over the saddle, planting both feet firmly on the ground beside the bike. His heart stopped as she stood watching him, waiting for him to do something.

Without wasting another moment, Ryan threw himself forward, almost tripping multiple times in his rush to wrap his arms around her, all semblance of courage gone. She met him in the middle, crashing into him with an urgency he'd never felt before. The moment his hands found her, he broke, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

The stayed like that for what few like moments but could've easily been hours, holding each other, both afraid to let go in case it was a dream. Hesitantly, Ryan pulled back, gently lifting her face so he could look at her. She looked older than she had been the last time he'd seen her, not in the lines of her face he'd come to love, but in her eyes. He couldn't even begin to guess what she had gone through sonce then, but he knew she was safe now. Safe with him because he'd happily burn the world down for her if it meant she'd be safe.

"You like the bike?" Rook asked, giggling through her tears and grinning up at him, and Ryan knew for certain he was ruined. Ruined completely because there was nothing that could come between him and Rook.

◇◇◇

Earlier That Day

Rook

The day had been completely uneventful. It was a Sunday, which meant neither the Howling Raven nor A Little Slice of Eden were opened, leaving the day completely relaxed.

Georgia decided baking would be a fun activity to fill the day, and she even invited Rook to join her and Avery. As much as she wished she could, there was not a single ounce of her that was cut out for baking. Everything she ever tried to bake ended up a hunk of burnt ingredients unworthy of being called a baked good, meaning she was content to watch as Avery and Georgia fluttered about the kitchen, both looking so happy to be in the other's presence.

Watching Avery and Georgia together made Rook long for Ryan more than she had been. It had been over a week and a half since she sent her last letter, telling him it would be best for him to not come and find her. She recieved no response, not even an acknowledgement of what she was asking. Nothing.

A little part of her mind, a voice that had been with for far longer than she could remember, whispered false truths about him hating her for her letter, about him already after moving on, about her father getting to him already. All lies conjured up by her mind, but even lies cam have a big impact if left to fester.

"Is the bar busy recently, Rook?" Georgia asked as she slid the tray packed full of delicious-looking triple chocolate cookies. She rose gracefully from where she was crouched to untie her apron, proudly displaying the glorious 'I Eat Cement' t-shirt that had made Rook nearly choke on her coffee when she first saw it. It had a weird-looking cat front and centre with a stack of cement bags behind it. Utterly hideous, but incredibly funny.

"I mean, no busier than normal. Some days are busier than others, usually Friday and Saturday nights, but it changes frequently. Eden doing well? I was supposed to pop in during my break but never thought of it." She swung her legs back and forth from where she was seated on the counter.

Georgia was about to say something else when the doorbell rang, a loud shrill cutting through the otherwise peaceful place.

"I'll get it." Avery answered, even as Rook was jumping down from the counter, heading to the door before Avery could.

"Ya snooze, ya lose." Rook called back, turning the corner to the hall. From where she stood, she couldn't see a figure in the glass of the door, but that didn't mean they weren't standing off to the side. Walking closer, Rook nearly missed the piece of folded paper on the floor, a bird drawn on the front. Confused, she picked it up as she reached for the handle of the door.

Rook pulled the door open, forgetting about the paper for a second, and found nobody standing on the steps or anywhere in the front yard. It didn't even look like a soul had even visited briefly. Shrugging, she closed the door behind her.

A puzzled expression on her face, Rook returned to the kitchen studying the paper. She was on the threshold of the kitchen when she managed to rip the piece of tape sealing the letter off, allowing her to read what was written inside. Her blood ran cold as her eyes tracked the red lettering, written in a hand familiar as her own.

"This horror will grow mild, this darkness light."

Milton's Paradise Lost. In the poem, it was meant in an optimistic way, as Satan tried to rally his fellow fallen angels after they had been cast out of Heaven. In Rook's childhood, it had a very different meaning.

Rook felt her breathing speed up, her heart beating out of her chest. She didn't notice falling to her knees until she was curled up on the floor. She must have knocked something over or made a loud thunk when she fell because Avery and Georgia were there in seconds, rushing around her, not quite knowing what to do. Rook didn't pay much attention to any of it, only to the letter in her hand.

◇◇◇

Rook sat curled around a mug of steaming black coffee, a thick blanket draped around her shoulders. Both Avery and Georgia sat in front of her, their coffees untouched.

"Hey, Rook? You know you can talk to us about anything? Please, tell us what's wrong." Avery pleaded, her eyes betraying the sheer amount of worry she felt. Georgia wasn't even trying to hide her panic.

"You know how I said my dad was a bad man? Well, he's worse than you think."

Neither woman said anything, simply waiting to see if she felt comfortable enough to elaborate.

"He's killed people. I don't know how many. People who didn't deserve it. When you left," She nodded towards Avery, clutching her cup tighter. "He tried to kill Tate. I caught him before he could, and ran him off, but he's persistent. I knew he'd come back again."

Rook bit her lip, her eyes unfocused as she recounted that night many months ago.

"He's been hunting me for longer than that. Since before I showed up at Yellowstone." She confessed, her gaze snapping up to Avery and Georgia. "And he has every intention of killing me. I knew it was fucked up to come here and stay with y'all. Don't get me wrong, I'm so incredibly grateful, but I've put you both in so much danger."

"Hey, I was a wrangler on Yellowstone too. Don't you go dismissing my ability to protect what I love." Avery shot a glance at her girlfriend tucked against her side, and smiled. "If that bastard comes here, we'll send him right to fucking Hell."

"No we won't."

"The fuck does that mean?" Avery asked, her blood high with anger.

"It means I'm leaving as soon as I can. I'm not going to put you two in danger. Barrows won't take a hit at you because I stayed with you, not when I'm still within his grasp." Rook set her cup down on the table when it was obvious she wasn't going to drink it.

"Where are you gonna go?" Georgia stood when Rook did, crossing her arms as if that action alone could make her change her mind.

"The one place Barrows is scared of. Yellowstone."

◇◇◇

"And then I stole a motorbike." Rook explained to the many stunned faces around her. They were sitting in the bunkhouse, her at the head of the table and everyone else perched on various different furniture.

"What do you mean you 'stole a motorbike'?" Colby exclaimed, his eyes wide and brows furrowed. "Where the fuck did you find one?"

"The Bozeman Area Motorcycle Club meet for drinks in the Howling Raven every week. I might have taken one that luckily still had the keys in." Rook was a little sheepish about the theft. Killing bad men? She could do that with her eyes closed. Borrowing a motorcycle to escape her father? That was crossing the line.

"So you think that cunt is coming back here?" Ryan asked from where he sat at her side. He had barely let her go long enough for them to get inside, Carter sent up to the house to get John, Beth and Rip.

Rook nodded solemnly. "He thinks he'll catch us off guard. He's probably been trying to find me since I left and only got close enough today to strike. He's cocky. He'll think I'll be thrown out for him to take."

"I'll kill him if he comes anywhere near you or this ranch. That I promise you." Ryan stated, loud enough for everyone to hear yet it was directed at Rook and Rook alone.

"He's mine. I want to take from him what he took from me."

Without any hesitation, Ryan nodded, but Rook could see it in his eyes. He might not kill him, but if he got his hands on Barrows before she did, he'd sure make him wish he was dead.

◇◇◇

It wasn't long before the bunkhouse was full to the brim, John and Rip arriving seconds before Beth, who wore an expression Rook had never seen on her before. She looked... rhapsodic. Happier than Rook had thought possible.

When Beth all but ran into the bunkhouse, she had stood looking at Rook for a blink, her eyes wide as if not quite believing she was actually there instead of her being a figment of her imagination, before rushing forward to pull her into a hug.

In that moment, everyone stopped talking, turning to watch Beth Dutton, Ice Queen extraordinaire who never showed emotion, wrap her arms around Rook, clutching onto her as if she'd disappear in a second if she let go.

"I was so fucking worried about you." Beth confessed into Rook's hair, still hugging her.

Rook blinked away tears, smiling in unbridled joy. "I'm hard to kill."

"Ain't that the truth." Beth pulled back from Rook as her father spoke, tentatively approaching her. "It was brought to my attention... repeatedly... that I was wrong to fire you. I'm sorry, Rook. I truly am."

Rook stood, a little gobsmacked, watching John apologise. On her way back to the ranch, every possible reaction played through her head. Every reaction except this one.

"I... I didn't see what was wrong until Beth screamed at me and by then it was too late." John continued. Vaguely, Rook noticed Beth tense beside her, undoubtedly at the 'too late'. She was probably coming up with a million responses to that but decided to keep her mouth shut. "What I'm trying to say is you have your job back, if you want it."

The wranglers waited with bated breath, anticipating Rook's answer, but none more than Ryan. Rook glanced at him, staring deep into his eyes and found a tiny, almost imperceptible part of them filled with fear. Fear that she wouldn't take the offer. Fear that was completely needless.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry at you, sir. But a big part of what makes a family is forgiveness. So, I'd be more than happy to accept. Thank you. For giving me another chance." She answered, holding out her hand when she decided a hug was far too familiar.

"Don't thank me." John chuckled, his hands on his hips as he nodded towards Beth, then Ryan and then the rest of the wranglers. "You thank the family that fought for you the entire time you were gone."

Rook didn't even try to hide the tears that flowed down her cheeks, even as Ryan rushed over to her to bundle her up in his arms. Never did she think she'd have a family. Before Henry died, he was it, but after... she thought that chapter closed from her forever, not even filled by Mr. Doherty and his lot. Now she saw that she was terribly wrong. So fucking wrong it hurt.

These people were her family and she'd fight with her bare hands and fucking teeth if that's what it took to keep them safe.

"I heard Barrows is coming back." John said, his voice grave and urgent. "How are we gonna do this, then?"

By 'do this', it was obvious John meant 'how are we going to kill him'. That, Rook had planned meticulously.

"Well, he's overconfident now that he's gotten as close to catching me as he did. That means he'll probably be so focused on finding his prize he won't find it strange that there isn't many of us waiting for him."

"I will use myself as bait." She continued, resting a reassuring hand on Ryan's arm when he tried to interject. "I'll need to be somewhere open. Somewhere everyone else can be lying in wait for him. He won't go to the house, he knows I won't be there and he wouldn't dare try harming your family again. He learned from the last time."

"Outside the bunkhouse? I mean, I don't know you or your dad but he sure sounds like a mean fucker." Emily, the fiancée Jimmy brought back from Texas with him, suggested. "But it's important enough for it to not seem weird for you to be protecting. It's also out in the open–a bit."

Rook contemplated it for a second before agreeing. It had been her first thought as well. "It's settled. I'll be posted right here and a few others should stay around the property–to throw him off. Everyone else will lie in wait."

With a chorus of agreements, the bunkhouse erupted with motion, everyone flying around the place to get everything ready. Rook had no idea how much time they had before Barrows showed his face, but it would be tonight. That was for sure.

Chapter Text

What is it that stays my hand now?
With so much misery that I could mercifully put ends to
For that animal I let slink off into the undergrowth, unscathed
Do I no fear death but only pretend to?
For it was starving, it was hungry
But had eyes to close to let me
If you were easy to kill, I would have done it already
Hunter - Paris Paloma

Rook

The wind whistled past as Rook perched on her chair in front of the bunkhouse. From here, she couldn't see any of the others, but she knew they were there, waiting for Barrows to show up.

Rook clutched a shotgun in her hands, dipping her chin into the collar of her Carhartt jacket to ward off the Montana cold. She didn't know what time it was but guessed it had been maybe half an hour since the plan was decided.

Ethan, Jimmy and Emily were elsewhere on the ranch, keeping watch in case Barrows came in a different way but Rook knew, deep in her heart, that he didn't care now. He'd come through the main gate and end up right in her trap.

Distantly, Rook could hear the howls of wolves and chattering of crows, and, very faintly, the sound of tyres on gravel. She readied herself as much as she could, her blood humming in her veins.

She'd never been this close to killing him before. At least, she'd never been in a situation where she was so ready to kill him. She was anticipating it, craving it. Call her whatever you want, but the bastard deserved what was coming to him.

The gun in her hands chilled her fingers and she could smell the faint scent of gasoline, probably from her– the bike she had stolen. Yeah, that's going to be an interesting one to explain... But they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

The sound of footsteps against the driveway snapped Rook up, her heart beating a million times an hour. Ultimately, she didn't know who the steps belonged to. They could be a random person looking for shelter, just as she had that faithful night. But she was smarter than to believe that.

Rook remained where she was as a figure slowly moved into sight far up the road. From here, she couldn't make out any of the person's features but his build and the way he held himself told her everything she needed to know.

In a deep brown cowboy hat, Michael Barrows strode towards where he undoubtedly saw Rook. All the lights in the yard had been turned off except for the one outside the bunkhouse. It's easier to hide in the dark, but he needed to see her.

Rook watched as her father got closer and closer to her, cutting across the patch of grass in the middle rather than choosing either of the driveways. No, that would mean he'd have to pass out of her eyeline and he didn't want that. He wanted her to see him.

Only when Barrows had stepped from the grass did Rook level her gun at him, her hands steady as she looked down the barrel.

"Now, Wren. Is that any way to greet your father?" He questioned, his voice the same rough and cold tone it had always been.

"Take one more step and I swear to God I'll kill you where you stand." She stood, taking a step towards him.

Slowly, Barrows raised his hands, almost mockingly, as if he thought her threat a mere joke. Knowing him, he probably did, despite having taught her how to take a life himself.

"You're not going to kill me, Wren. We both know you closed that door when you put that bullet in your brother's head. Now put the gun down and I'll take you home." He stated, lowering his hands and shoving them into his pockets despite Rook's warning for him to keep them up. Her blood was at boiling point, her brother's glassy eyes staring back at her from inside her mind, but she refused to let her anger rule her. Not now. No, this she wanted to have full control over.

"Take your fucking hands out of your pockets or I'll show you just how much I remember about my lessons." Brandishing her gun, Rook took another step closer.

"You don't have the–" Barrows' words were cut off by the crack of a gunshot. Rook didn't flinch as the shell ripped through his thigh, sending him down to the ground.

"Don't have the balls? No, Michael. I don't. That's always been the problem, hasn't it? I was the heir, and you couldn't handle that." She retorted, prowling towards where her father lay on his back, gasping from the impact and the shot. With little emotion, she pressed the barrel of the gun against his head, feeling him still at the contact.

Rook didn't hear the crunch of gravel under boots as Ryan, John and Rip approached, choosing to give her a wide berth. He was hers to kill, and they truly believed that. It was only her and the man that ruined her life.

All smugness and righteousness was gone from Barrows as he lay in the dirt, his completion pallid and his eyes wide in fear. All of a sudden, her father seemed small. Insignificant. He didn't look like the man who had cut and whipped her back until she was covered in blood, didn't look like the man who had taken her hunting when she was nine, didn't look like the man who forced her—

"You are going to listen to me for once in my life. This is where you die. Don't for a second think there is some way to get out of this. Here, your blood with water the earth by my hand. Your reign of terror over my life is over, father. Say hello to our old friend, Death, for me." Without letting him say another word, stealing his last words like he stole her childhood, Rook squeezed the trigger and shot her father in the head, his blood splattering across the ground in red rivulets, just as she had promised.

Staring down at her father's lifeless body, Rook didn't think she was breathing. She half expected him to jump up and attacked her, even though there was a hole in the middle of his forehead. Without thinking, she reloaded and pulled the trigger again, the blast splitting the silence. Again, she reloaded, and shot him. Tears were freely falling as Rook shot her father over and over again until there were no more rounds in her gun.

Rook had absently noticed screaming coming from somewhere around her but it took her far to long to realise the sound was coming from her, the sound akin to that of a dying animal. In a way, she did feel like she was dying, at least a small part of her that was buried long ago.

Rook's howls cut off as Ryan rushed to her side, pulling her into his arms as he handed the empty gun to someone she couldn't discern over the rushing in her ears and tears in her eyes.

Ryan led her away from the body but her legs gave way beneath her after not even three steps. Instead of trying to get her back to her feet, Ryan eased her onto her knees before joining her down there, concern written plainly on every inch of his face. He didn't say anything for a few moments, letting her cry into his chest. It was only once her sobs dulled to sniffles did he speak.

"What do you want us to do with him?" Ryan asked, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over her cheek. He nodded towards where Colby and Walker stood, Barrows suspended by his arms and legs between them.

Shakily, Rook rose to her feet again, a little pissed off at the power the man still had over her, even in death. Thankfully, Ryan was there by her side for all of it, helping her rise and walk back to the men.

"Burn him. Give him a little preview of how eternity is gonna be." Without hesitation, Walker and Colby nodded, hoisting him up and carrying him away to the paddock to prepare for the bonfire.

As her dad drifted out of view, Rook felt a bone-deep weariness overwhelm her. It felt surreal that he was dead. Truly dead. She hardly ever let herself belive this would end with his death, it felt like a fairytale where the terribly evil villan was defeated. The world wasn't like that, except for when it was.

"Come on, let's get you clean." Ryan murmured into her hair, drawing her back towards the bunkhouse as the others followed the procession to the paddock.

◇◇◇

By the time Ryan led Rook out to the stables, the crude pyre had been erected in the centre of the paddock. It was little more than leftover planks of timber but it would suffice. To tell the truth, Rook couldn't care less if he was dumped somewhere for the coyotes to eat but she knew a decomposing body wouldn't be a good look for the Duttons should it be found.

Ryan opted to cut through the barn because it was shorter than going through the gates, but also because he knew there was a certain someone she had yet to reunite with.

Kelpie was restless in her stall—the same one Rook had put her in the very first night she got to the ranch—but she calmed when she saw Ryan approaching. As a matter of fact, all the horses seemed uneasy until they saw Ryan. He just had a calming quality to him, something that had endeared him to her since the very beginning, even before they finally gave in to their obvious chemistry.

When Rook walked around from where she was hidden behind Ryan, Kelpie's ears pricked up. A high whinny left her as Rook reached out to give her nose a stroke. It had been weeks since they last saw each other and a wave of guilt clawed up her throat at not having ran to Kelpie the moment she stopped the motorcycle. As exhilarating as it felt to ride one for the first time since Ronan taught her—technically for the first time ever since she was fourteen when he taught her—it didn't have anything on riding a horse that you trusted nore than any other.

"Hey, girl." Rook murmured as Kelpie nudged her hand with her muzzle. "Don't worry, girl. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to leave you again."

From behind her, Ryan cleared his throat gently to get her attention. Rook turned around, her hand still petting Kelpie's head, and found Ryan nodding towards where the others lined the paddock.

"It's about to start."

"Well," Rook placed a kiss on Kelpie's head before backing away and dusting down her coat anxiously. "We can't let him burn without an audience, now can we?" She tried to keep the humour in her voice but found it alluding her. She was just so tired. Once Barrows' body was ash, she'd sleep for days.

Outside, everybody was waiting for them.

On the pyre, Barrows looked smaller than he had in life. He had looked small when she had a gun pressed to his head, but this was different. Then, he no longer looked mighty and warranting the fear she had for him. Now, he looked physically small, as if death had stolen his strength from him and left a husk of bones. Technically, that's exactly what it did.

John stood with a torch already alight in his hand, a grave expression on his face, Rip across from him holding a gas canister, an equally dower look marring his features. Despite the amount of people who wound up dead in this place, Mr Dutton never looked happy for it to happen, no matter how evil or dangerous the person was.

"Do you want to do the honours?" He asked her when she jumped down from the fence, her boots sinking down to make impressions in the soft sand of the arena. She shook her head.

"No thank you, sir. I want killing him to be the last thing I do to him."

Nodding at her words, John looked around to each wrangler before giving Rip an imperceptible signal to start pouring. In seconds, her father was drenched in gasoline, his skin glistening in the lights from the barn that were switched back on sometime before she came back out of the bunkhouse.

No sooner had Rip finished screwing the cap of the canister closed than John set the torch against the wood beneath Barrows. His clothes went up first. With the aid of the gas, flames engulfed him faster than Rook could blink, the warmth of the fire blasted her, even from far away, rendering the man to ash.

◇◇◇

It took the better part of the night for Barrows to be reduced to little more than dust and bones, but Rook remained, keeping vigil over his burning form. Every now and again, Ryan came to stand beside her, clearly wanting to say something but never mustering the courage to. He always retreated back inside when it was clear she wasn't going to join him.

For what felt like the hundredth time, Ryan's boots shifted in the sand, his feet sinking slightly as he walked towards her. Even as he neared, Rook didn't turn around. Her gaze was locked on the charred remains in front of her. Absently, she felt raindrops hit her jacket but made no move to escape the downpour.

The tears she had shed had dried on her face, leaving only a deep weariness behind. Even her anger and hatred for the man were gone, but she didn't think that would last all that long.

"Baby, can I ask you something?" Ryan had his hands in his pockets but Rook could still see them fidgeting. He always did that when he was nervous about something. Somewhere behind them, a lone crow cawed his forlorn song echoing over the valley.

"Yeah, you know you can ask me anything." She answered, her voice sound hollow even to her own ears.

"Why did he say you shot your brother?" It was no question, not really. He already knew the answer.

In a second, Rook world came crashing down on top of her. As she turned to look at Ryan, she hated what she saw.

Distrust and betrayal were plain in his eyes, tears already gathering there the longer he stared at her. Never did she think she'd see hate on Ryan's face when he looked at her, but it seems she was wrong.

Rook didn't try to keep her face neutral. She hadn't been able to lie to him for ages now, not since she fell in love with him. Even if she did try to play the card she had been from the start, he wouldn't have believed it.

"I didn't want to." She sobbed, one hand coming to cover her mouth, perhaps her body's way of keeping a secret she'd kept for four years inside. "He put a gun to my head and another in my hand and said if I didn't shoot him, he'd kill both of us."

Ryan didn't move. Didn't attempt to comfort her as he'd done every other time he saw her crying. He simply crossed his arms, waiting for her to keep talking.

"I wasn't going to do it, I was going to shoot myself. I knew that would solve the problem but Henry–he held the gun to his head. There was so much blood." Rook's legs threatened to give way again but she forced herself to stay upright, even as she wrapped her arms around herself and retreated further into the collar of her jacket. A spark of irritation rose up in her chest the longer Ryan stayed quiet. "It's a bit hypocritical for you to get mad over me killing someone. How many lives have you ended for this ranch, Ryan? How many?"

That made him snap.

"I don't give a shit about you killing him. Not a fucking shit. What I do care about is you lying to me! You lied from the very fucking beginning, Rook!"

"Can't you see why I did it? Is it so hard to figure out why I lied?" She knew her voice was too loud but she couldn't stop. "I lied because I didn't want you to see me how I do! I didn't want you to hate me like you do now!"

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

"Yeah? Well, I don't believe you. Eyes can be cruel like that." She spit the words as if they were poison on her tongue. All sadness had burned away from the heat of her anger and shame, leaving her blood at boiling point.

"I can't fucking do this right now." Ryan tried to turn away but Rook grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn and look at her again.

"Please don't—"

"You've lied to everyone, Rook. Lied about your dad, your brother, fuck. Even your name's fake, Wren." Ryan interrupted. His chest was heaving and a vein popped out of his neck, but his eyes were the worst part. She recognised the emotion there but never thought it would be directed towards her. "How much of this was all a lie too?"

"Get the fuck away from me."

"What?"

"Fucking get out of my sight!"

His face screwing up with rage, Ryan turned on his heel and all but ran back to the bunkhouse, purposely slamming the door behind him. Rook watched him leave, finally giving in to her exhaustion and grief.

Even though he hadn't said it, Rook knew her and Ryan's relationship was over, dead just like her father was. What was supposed to be a triumphant day for her ended in misery, like always. And it was completely her fault.

Guilt consumed her and threatened to claw up her throat as tears spilled free again.

In the sand of the paddock, Rook cried to the sky, begging any and all deities for the chance to go back and fix the mistakes that had led to this point, but nobody answered.

Chapter Text

Oh, thinkin' about our younger years
There was only you and me
We were young and wild and free
Now nothin' can take you away from me
We've been down that road before
But that's over now
You keep me comin' back for more
Heaven - Bryan Adams

Rook

To say the last few days weren't some of the hardest Rook had gone through would be a lie.

Alright, maybe not the hardest physically considering the awful shit she has experienced, but definitely emotionally.

Unless Ryan had mentioned their breakup before she'd ventured in out of the cold, the entire bunkhouse were able to pick up on the 'I don't want to talk or even look at you' energy radiating from both Rook and Ryan.

Now that her anger had dissipated, Rook felt like a complete idiot.

She loved Ryan more than she had ever loved anyone and she possibly just fucked everything so terribly they'd never go back to the way they were. If there was anything she wanted at that moment, it was to be smart enough to create a time machine and go back to tell Ryan what had happened from the start.

A part of her wanted to claw her eyes out for her mistake of not telling him. She knew she should've from the beginning but it had been too scary. She didn't want him to see her differently because of what happened. How great the ended up.

Rook was sat between Walker and Ethan as Colby, Ryan and Jimmy argued. Her seat beside Ryan had stayed empty for far longer than she had thought it would all things considered. She contemplating taking it and pretending nothing was wrong but thought against it. She knew he probably wouldn't want to be anywhere near her. That's why Colby thankfully gave up his seat without causing too much of a commotion, absolutely after he was told to do it by Teeter—No way did he notice it on his own.

"Look, I'm just sayin' it's not chili." Jimmy argued for the umpteenth time, much to everyone's disappointment, especially Colby and Ryan's.

"It's chili."

"It's got beans in it."

"The whole point of chili is to use up all the shit you got in your kitchen, you can put whatever you want in it." Ryan argued, rolling his eyes.

"No, no, that's stew. As soon as you out beans in chili, it ain't chili."

Colby turned his attention to where Emily sat, trying to avoid eye contact just in case she was dragged into the argument. It appears that didn't help much. "Then what the fuck do they call this in Texas?"

"They don't call it anything 'cause it doesn't exist. It's got beans in it." Emily scoffed.

"They don't eat beans in Texas?"

"They eat beans all day, they just don't eat them in chili." Jimmy answered Ryan's sarcastic question before Colby could jump in again.

"So why the fuck does Texas get to decide what the fuck is in chili."

"Uh, because they invented it?"

Lloyd, clutching the spoon in his hand, looked up and pushed his hair back from his face. "Will y'all shut the fuck up? I can't eat whatever the fuck you call it with you assholes jabbering."

At the mention of the origin of chili, a forgotten memory came to Rook's mind as if she was a sleeper agent. "Um, I actually think the first chili recipe came from a Spanish nun who apparently visited Texas in a dream. I swear I read that somewhere."

A few mumbles and hums of interest echoed around the table but the conversation was officially over, even before Rip walked in, a barely hidden grin on his face.

"Lloyd, I need you. Grab your stuff, will you? Rook, Beth also wants you. She said you have something?" Rip clearly didn't know what his fiancée was talking about but Rook sure did. A flame of excitement ignited in her chest, scaring away all other doubt and sadness.

"You got it." She replied, a grin overtaking her face as Jimmy refused to let the chili conversation go.

"Hey, Rip, will you tell them? If you put beans in chili, is it still chili?"

"Jimmy, shut the fuck up. Nobody cares about your goddamn chili." Rip said, his face completely serious but a little glint of happiness shone in his eyes. There was only one thing that could do that.

"Yeah, fuck you, Jimmy. You still owe me a rope." Walker laughed as Rook excused herself. She rushed over to her bed–the same one she had before she left–and searched for the ring Beth had asked her to take care of. It was a simple silver band, but what more would a man like Rip want? He had expressed his feelings over a ring multiple times, saying he didn't need one since he had Beth, but she wanted him to have one, and so, one was bought for him.

"You know," Jimmy started again, pointing at Colby, a wry smile on his face. "When your mom makes chili, no beans."

Ah, shit.

"Don't start this shit again."

'This shit' was in reference to the long running joke of Jimmy's where he insinuated sleeping with Colby's mother many times. It was so overdone but never not funny, at least not to everyone except Colby.

Jimmy turned to Emily, a fake sheepish look on his face.

"I feel really bad, I should have said something before we came. I had a very, very brief relationship with Colby's mother. It wasn't love. At least not for me. I can't speak for her. It was a very, very physical relationship."

"Jimmy, I'm gonna come across this table—"

"Okay, I'm sorry." He began and Rook thought he actually meant it, but of course not. "Although it's crazy you would say that, cause that's exactly what I did with your mom."

Colby actually started to climb over the table and Rook took that as the best moment to slip out. Ducking out of the doorway, she could hear the cheers and screams still coming from inside. Fuck, she missed it. Avery and Georgia were family in their own right but being surrounded by the wranglers, all together, made her feel much better about any of the many shitty situations she'd been in.

Up ahead, she could see the faint figures of Rip and Lloyd walking up to the house and she sped up, not wanting to be late. Beth would surely have her head if she fucked up the wedding, although, it didn't seem like it had been planned to happen then based on Lloyd's confused expression.

Holding her hat on her head, Rook bolted towards the two men, a massive grin on her face.

A little bit later, longer than she would've hoped, Rook reached Rip and Lloyd, just before they reached the house. She was gasping for breath and had a stitch in her side but she was so happy. Neither man addressed her, simply reflecting the joy she was clearly expressing. No matter how often she saw it, Rip smiling never got any less strange to her.

When Rook approached the front of the house, Beth was flinging patio chairs all over the place while shouting at a man in an all black suit with his back to her. It was an odd sight to say the least. She wasn't dressed in any of the options her and Rook had picked out months ago but somehow it fit her better than any of them had. Her hair was slightly messy and her makeup a little smudged but she looked just as beautiful as always, even more so thanks to the happiness written on her face.

John stood a little further back, beside what Rook realised was a priest, conversing with him more than a little panicky. From what she gathered, Beth had sprung this on everyone very last minute.

Beth put down the chairs when she spotted Rook, rushing over to greet her. Rook waisted no time in pulling her into a hug, willing the tears pricking at her eyes not to fall. She didn't think there was a photographer anywhere near but just in case, she'd rather not look like a sobbing mess. She had a reputation to uphold.

"You look so beautiful." She stated, glancing down at the dress Beth had picked. It was a very... improper dress for a wedding but it was Beth through and through. It was a gold cowl necked dress that fell around mid-thigh with a white fur coat thrown over, making the considerable amount of cleavage it displayed less obvious. Of course she wouldn't have picked a dress most people would wear for their wedding.

"You're too sweet. I know I look fucking insane right now." Beth took out the pin that was keeping her hair piled on top of her head, shaking it out so it fell around her shoulders. A single hair stood up at the back but Rook smoothed it into place for her.

"I thought you and Rip were gonna take a ride to find the perfect place to have the wedding? Did everything happen while I was away?"

"No, you didn't miss anything. Well..." Beth grimaced, immediately piquing Rook's interest. "I might have called off the wedding until you came back..."

"You did what?!"

"I knew you'd come back, so it wasn't a big deal."

"Did Rip know?" She suddenly felt really bad, but then again, it was Beth's decision.

"Who do you think it was directed at?" Beth laughted. "But you're back now so it doesn't matter. Shall we?"

Beth pointed towards where the priest was explaining how everything would work. Nodding, Rook linked her arm with Beth's leading her over to the small congregation.

"So... you stand there. And, uh... you'll take her hand and walk her here to...what would be an altar."

Rook stood off to the side, unsure of where she was meant to stand. I mean, she technically wasn't even the maid of honour, at least, not officially. Beth hadn't exactly got that far into planning for this wedding that was supposed to happen in at least a few months.

"And you are?" The priest asked Lloyd, who stood by Rip's side.

"I'm the best man."

He pointed towards where he wanted Lloyd to stand and did the same to Rook, just assuming she was the maid of honour. When the priest's eyes landed on Carter, just behind Rook, confusion took over. "I'm just the stall cleaner."

Clearly not expecting that answer, the priest said Carter could stay where he was, but Rook moved slightly to the side to allow Carter to see a little better, nodding conspiringly to him afterwards, to which he did the same.

Without further ado, Beth and John walked further away, just underneath the canopy of the pine tree that took pride of place in the garden. Quietly, Rook thought she could make out John commenting about Beth's choice of attire, which was only confirmed by her reply.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I won't be wearing it long." It took all of her willpower not to burst into laughter, but standing next to a priest, regardless of your faith, will have a profound effect on your composure.

Without guests or even music, Beth floated along the nonexistent aisle with her father beside her, looking like he was about to cry. Sneaking a glance at Rip, she found him not much better and it made her smile all the harder.

Around halfway, John stopped and turned towards his daughter, whispering something so low Rook couldn't hear it but she didn't have to. It was between him and Beth and no one else.

Once he had said what he wanted to, John seemed to brighten even more as he led her the rest of the way to the priest.

"Who presents the bride?"

"Me. I'm–I'm her father." With a fond smile, John kissed Beth on the cheek before passing her arm for Rip to take, falling into line behind the couple, right beside Rook.

"So normally I would say a few things about the couple, but I don't have any idea who you people are, so I'll just move onward to the vows." The priest remarked with a little chuckle. "I, state your name..."

"I, Rip Wheeler..."

"Do take, state her name, to be my lawful wedded bride."

"Take Beth Dutton to be my lawful wedded bride."

"To have and to hold, to honour and cherish, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

"To honour and to love, to cherish through everything until I die. And then somehow longer, baby." Rip reached up to stroke away a tear from Beth's cheek and Rook felt her own starting to ache from smiling so hard.

"And now, Miss Dutton, repeat after me: I, Beth Dutton–"

"Fuck yes, I do." Beth replied, immediately going in for a kiss, much to the priest's chagrin. He tried to get them to stop but it was a losing battle.

"You do, I suppose. Are there rings?"

At her cue, Rook fished into her pocket for the box she'd been entrusted with. Taking the ring out, she carefully handed it to Beth as Rip took out one from his own pocket.

"It was my mother's ring. We didn't have much, Beth, we were poor, but it's yours. And so am I." Rip confessed, pure unbridled love shining in his eyes, as he slid the ring onto her finger.

"This might not have as much significance as your mother's ring," Beth said, slipping Rip's ring onto his wedding finger. "But we can make our own history, baby."

Beth and Rip met in the middle for a kiss and the priest proclaimed the husband and wife. Looking around the small group, particularly to John himself, there wasn't a dry eye in sight.

Rip picked Beth up, spinning her around to the cheers crying out around them. Rook fell silent as John came over to the priest, thanking him for officiating the wedding.

"You're welcome. And don't worry, I won't press charges."

"Charges?"

At that moment, Beth thought it the best moment to interrupt to explain. "Sorry, Daddy. I had to kidnap him."

Beth's deadpan tone made Rook laugh, clearly and out loud, before she could stop herself. She held up both hands when she realised everyone was staring at her. "Sorry, Father."

"If I could get a ride back to my church, I'd really appreciate it."

"Hold on, hold on." John interrupted, a more worried expression on his face at the revelation. "How exactly did she kidnap you?"

"Pistol."

"It was just a little one." Beth argued, making the exchange all the funnier to Rook and Carter, who was clutching his side laughing. While Beth was still explaining herself, Rip took her hand and pulled her with him towards the house, the grin of a kid in a candy store on his face.

"Jesus Christ." John exclaimed as he watched the retreating figures. "Excuse me, Father. Why don't a I take you home myself?"

John led the priest over to his truck, leaving Lloyd, Rook and Carter.

"Damn, that was beautiful." Lloyd stated, both Rook and Carter humming in agreement.

"They all like that?" Carter asked, his eyes wide and inquisitive.

"Hell, kid. Ain't none of 'em like that."

"That's for fucking sure." Rook added as they strolled away, back towards the bunkhouse, their hearts lighter than they had been in a long time.

◇◇◇

It had been a few days since the wedding and everyone's spirits seemed to be high. Rook hadn't seen much of either Beth or Rip but who could blame them. They were undoubtedly enjoying their honeymoon to the fullest.

Everything was lethargic and laid back, well, as lethargic and laid back as a busy ranch can be, the morning Jimmy and Emily announced they were heading back to Texas. This time, Rook made sure to give him a proper goodbye. She felt shitty for ages for not having been there when he first left with Travis.

The other wranglers gave Jimmy and Emily their best, but not to the extent they expected. Each and every one of them headed out to saddle their horses for the day, pretending like nothing was happening out of the ordinary. Rook didn't miss the hurt in Jimmy's eyes but little did he know they weren't gonna let him go that easy.

"How long is this gonna take, I'm freezing my dick off." Colby mutter, his hands wedged deep into his pockets.

"Don't worry, Colby. You didn't have much to begin with." Rook grinned, begrudgingly taking her own hands from her pockets to ward against the fake attack Colby threw her way.

Before he had time to come up with some like minded insult towards her, the bunkhouse door opened with a creak, Jimmy walking out with two bags, closely followed by Emily.

When they rounded the truck and trailer, their eyes widened as they took in everyone lined up against the trailer, waiting to say a proper goodbye.

Starting at the end with Jake, Jimmy recieved well wishes and heartfelt goodbyes from each and every one of them, even the dog that had shown up one day without Rook's knowledge. She wasn't even sure on what his name was or if he even had one.

Teeter stepped up to Jimmy when it was her turn, handing him a tin of some kind of fish. A bit strange, but what wasn't when it came to her? "Now, when you get back to Texas, y'all start making fucking babies and have yourselves a hell of a life. Okay?"

Jimmy turned to his wife to be, a comical expression on his face. "Did you understand a word of what she just said?"

"Something about our taxes."

Without questioning it, Jimmy moved on to Ryan, who pulled him into a big hug. Neither man said anything else, they didn't need to. That action was more than enough.

When Colby stepped forward to follow Ryan, Jimmy held up a finger. "Actually, I'm gonna see you at Thanksgiving at your mom's house." He flinched slightly when Colby raised his hand but it was only to pull him into a hug strong enough to rival even Ryan's. From experience, she knew that was a hard feat to do.

Once Colby let go of him, it was Rook's turn.

"C'mere. You're not getting off that easy." She said, wrapping her arms around him. She had to stand on her toes, but she managed it all the same. "Now, I expect an invite to the wedding. Clearly I'm the best emergency wedding planner the world's ever seen."

"Don't you worry, you'll be the top of the guest list." Emily replied, smiling as she watched the exchanges.

Rook let go of Jimmy and rejoined the line, aware of a pair of eyes tracking her movements. She hadn't spoken to Ryan more than she needed to since their breakup, and he hadn't been any more enthusiastic either. She felt so shitty for the whole situation but she didn't want to make it any worse by overstepping the boundaries he surely had.

"See ya around, Walker." Jimmy held out a hand for Walker to shake and the man took it without hesitation.

"You were right 'bout that chili. No beans in that shit. Big old howdy to them boys in Texas for me."

Jimmy agreed and tipped his hat to Laramie, moving on to where Lloyd was choking back tears. He tipped his hat to Jimmy once before walking off, causing Jimmy's face to fall until Rip pulled him to the side.

"I want you to know you always have a place here. Alright?"

Jimmy stared into the man's face, as if searching for any lie but finding none. "Thank you, sir. I do."

Rip patted Jimmy's shoulder and opened his mouth before closing it again. He did the same once again but said what he wanted to this time. "Hey, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. I, uh..." Jimmy looked down, huffing out a laugh when he didn't know what to say.

"Jimmy, cowboys don't said goodbye. They say, 'see ya later', until we're in the fucking dirt. We'll say our goodbyes then." Rip said, holding out his hand which Jimmy took graciously, shaking it. After a minute, Rip stepped back with a hand on his shoulder. "Got a long drive. Come on, get out of here. Let's go."

With more goodbyes and shouts, Jimmy and Emily climbed into the front of their bright red truck and Rook watched as they disappeared down the driveway.

Who knew all it would take to turn Jimmy into a cowboy was a smokeshow of a Texan?

When she turned for the bunkhouse, she found Ryan watching her, but he quickly averted his gaze when she caught him. He's probably hoping I'll leave again. Go back to Bozeman and pretend the ranch or he never existed. Too bad for him, then. He'll be waiting a long while for that day to come.

◇◇◇

It appeared returning a stole motorcycle was easier than expected, all things considered.

Rook rode it back into town when it was clear she couldn't exactly do it any other way. They tried to get it onto the back of one of the trucks but the bed wasn't long enough and they didn't have any ramps high enough, making the feat impossible. Luckily, she had rode it there, she could, in theory, ride it back and be fine as long as the cops didn't catch her.

The crisp wind blew her hair every which way and her eyes stung but it felt incredible. She'd seriously consider getting one if it wasn't for Kelpie. Kelpie was all she needed and more, what was a hunk of metal compared to a living, breathing creature that loved and cared for you?

The country roads were completely bare now that winter had officially hit, but everything had a strange kind of calmness to it. She suspected this is what everyone meant by 'looking at the world through rose coloured glasses', but she'd never experienced that so she wasn't sure. Whether she was correct or not, it didn't matter. Now that she no longer had to fear her father finding her, her heart felt lighter. She had never realised how horrible the constant fear made her feel. Well, she obviously did but the absence of it made it all the clearer.

As she pulled into Bozeman, she parked the bike on the sidewalk just outside of The Howling Raven, making sure it wasn't in the way. She thankfully didn't see any other bikes anywhere near her. She meant well but she didn't feel like chancing her luck with a group of bikers, regardless of their reputation of being very nice people for the most part.

Kicking down the kickstand, Rook pulled the bandana down from her face, a black one she'd stole from Ryan early in their relationship, and she dismounted. The bar was uncharacteristically empty, even for a Tuesday, when she opened the door, the bell announcing her arrival. As expected, James stood behind the bar, cleaning glasses and restocking the ice so they'd have enough for the rare visitors who came during the week.

When James spotted her, he waved her over, concern radiating from him.

"Your roommates, Avery and Georgia? They told me what happened to you. Fuck, Rook. If I had've known, I woulda done something." He said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, James. Really. I know how to handle myself, plus, it helps to know people who hate him as much as I do."

"He still a problem?"

"No. He won't be bothering me anymore."

James mulled that over for a second before nodding and clapping his hands together. "I'm happy to hear it. You back for work or is there something else?" Clearly the something else meant he knew about what she'd done.

"Yeah... I might have taken a bike a few nights about from someone who'd left the keys in the ignition. I really wish I didn't have to but it was the only way to lead Barrows to where I needed him to be." She sighed. "You don't happen to have the details of the owner, by any chance. I'd like to explain it to them."

James let out a sudden bark of laughter, clutching his side. "As a matter of fact, I know exactly who the bike belongs to. My nephew, Tom. It's his bike."

Rook started to offer an apology to James but he stopped her before she could finish it.

"I already explained it to him. He's not gonna press charges or anything, don't you worry. He ain't here at the moment but feel free to wait for him if you want to apologise."

"As much as I really want to, I managed to get my old job back. I'm really sorry for not telling you before I left. I really thought I'd have more time." She confessed, trying not to feel bad about leaving the bar. She dropped the keys to Tom's bike on the counter and James pocketed them for his nephew.

"Hey, don't worry. You had a lot of shit goin' on no wonder your job wasn't the first thing you thought of." He chuckled, pulling her into a hug which she reciprocated just as hard. "You ever need a place to stay or get hammered in, you drop by. Shit, drop by even if you don't."

"You have my word. I'll even bring company next time."

With a final hug, Rook headed out if the door, realising her predicament the second she did. She didn't have any way of getting back to the ranch. Well, shit.

Chapter Text

Rook

Rook wandered down the sidewalk, heading in one specific direction. She had wanted to call the second she got to the ranch but with everything that had happened, she lost track of time.

When Rook rounded the corner, she spotted Avery's beat-up Ford truck parked outside the house. Even though it was a Tuesday and the bookstore would almost certainly be open, she hoped both Avery and Georgia were home.

She eased open the gate at the end of the garden and walked up to the front door, weighing up whether she should knock or use the doorbell she was nearly certain was broken–not one had she ever heard it be used during her time staying there.

Rook hesitated before reaching up and knocking. You couldn't really go wrong with knocking, even if the doorbell did work. On the second knock, Avery answered.

"Rook? You're alive!" She said, laughing. Some might think it insensitive to joke about your dad almost killing you, but Rook thought it was fine. She much preferred someone making light of the situation than pitying her.

"It takes a lot to kill me." For once, she initiated the hug, sinking into Avery's arms with a sound she was sure she'd never made before.

"Hey, you're alright. I've got you." Avery murmered, leading them both past the threshold and into the livingroom. To Avery's credit, she let Rook hold onto her for as long as she needed, muttering reassuring words all the while.

"Avery, I fucked up." Rook whispered as she let go of her friend, still resting her arm on hers as if taking it off might send her spiraling downwards, stuck in her own thoughts and fears.

"Everyone fucks up. Even fucking badasses like you."

At that, Rook let out a little chuckle. "You're more of a badass than I am. Don't you dare think the boys haven't told me about that time you guys played cowboy poker." Cowboy poker was an extreme version of the game where everyone sits around the table set up in the arena while a bull is released inside. The last person still seated at the table wins. Apparently, the wranglers had played a little game of it only a few days before Rook arrived, and Avery was the reigning victor. "You smoked their asses."

"Psh–that was nothing." She replied, waving her hand. "Fucked me up for a few days though."

"What I would give to have been able to see that. Any chance you'll do it again?"

"Fuck no. You couldn't pay me all the money in the world. Georgia'd kill me." Avery chuckled before falling silent again, her face serious. "What did you fuck up?"

"Oh nothing, only my whole entire relationship and possibly any trust Ryan ever had in me." Rook answered, shaking her head as she sat down.

"You want to share what happened?"

"I lied about something–" Rook stopped, knowing damn well it might ruin her friendship with Avery, and continued, this time telling the truth. "I killed my brother, Avery. I said it was him but it wasn't, at least, not really. He made me do it. Put a gun against my head and threatened to pull the trigger."

Avery didn't say anything for a few minutes, which only made Rook spiral more, each thought more and more malicious towards herself. Finally, after a moment, Avery found the words.

"It wasn't your fault. You're not to blame for what happened to your brother. You were forced." Avery affirmed. "It wasn't your fault."

"That's not why I fucked up. I fucked up because I lied. I didn't tell Ryan the truth and then he even questioned if our entire relationship was a lie. He fucking hates me now."

"If that man hates you then I'm fucking straight." The comment rendered Rook at a loss for words. She stared at Avery for a second before bursting into laughter. "What? It's true. Ryan couldn't hate you even if he fucking tried."

"Try telling that to him."

"Maybe I will. God knows he'll need to be told."

"Avery, can I ask a favour from you?" Rook questioned after a minute, the reason she had come there in the first place–besides visiting to let Avery and Georgia know she was alive–rising in her thoughts.

"Sure."

"Would I be able to get a ride to the ranch? I kinda forgot I didn't have a way back after I dropped off the bike." She said, her voice sheepish.

"Bike? You turn to engines in the time you were away?"

"No, I stole a motorcycle from someone at the bar." Avery waited, as if expecting a punchline or Rook to start laughing. When neither came, her mouth dropped open.

"You fucking stole a motorcycle? Jesus Christ, Rook. I never would've guessed that would happen."

"I mean, I didn't really have another choice." She claimed, shrugging her shoulders. "If I didn't, I'd probably be lying in some ditch somewhere. Instead, it's Barrows who's dead."

"You killed him? Good on you, girl. I hope you made the bastard suffer. And don't worry, I'll drive you to the ranch." Avery replied. "We packed up your bag for you when you left. We thought you might very gotten your job back... did you get your job back?

Rook laughed again. "Nothing gets past you guys, huh? Mr Dutton offered me back my job. Everyone had complained about it at one time or another and Beth even called off her wedding until I came back, so I guess he eventually saw the error of his ways. I actually can't believe it..." She trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief. She'd die for any one of them. Her family.

"We all care about you more than you could ever know. That what a family does. Look out for one another." Avery stated before disappearing down the hallway to grab Rook's bags, Rook following behind her.

◇◇◇

As Avery's Ford pulled into the yard, it was evening time. It was only six but the sun was already beginning to set. It usually didn't disappear below the horizon until a little past eight in the winter, but it was still quite dark.

As expected, they found the wranglers inside the bunkhouse, except they weren't playing cards for once. No. Everyone was huddled around the tv watching what Rook realised was Mr Dutton's swearing in as Governor of Montana. She had known it was today after Rip explained the boss and Beth would be gone for most of the day, but it slipped her mind.

Creeping into the building as quietly as they could, a few head turned their way, eyes widening when they spotted Avery but a quick motion from Rook cut any outburst short. They could reunite properly after. This was about their boss becoming Governor of Montana.

As everyone watched Jamie walk into frame, Rook pulled over two chairs for herself and Avery behind the couch. She was a little surprised at how many cheers Jaime got, but then again, they didn't know what she knew about him.

"Wow, wow. Well, the future of Montana is right here. The future of Montana is today. The future of Montana is a fifth generation rancher whose family moved here six years before Montana became a state!" TV Jaime said to the crowd, each person cheering and waving banners that read 'John Dutton for the Land'. "It's fitting that a founding member of this state a century later now leads it. And defending you in Washington is another fifth century rancher who has served Montana in the house of representatives, and two terms as your Governor. Allow me the honour of introducing you to your next Governor John Dutton and U.S. Senator Lynelle Perry."

Jaime pointed to the side of the stage and on their cue, John and Senator Perry walked to the podium.

"I'm surprised he didn't give a longer speech. Hell, I'm surprised he even got down from the damn podium." Lloyd exclaimed to a chorus of hums and cheers of agreement. Yeah, Jaime can go fuck himself.

"Well, the open bar was my daughter's idea. I see it worked." John chuckled and the audience held up their glasses in a toast. "We have a lot of work to do and a lot of work to undo. The question that we all have to answer, the one that I will look to every day is... what will Montana look like in one hundred years? Much of that is dictated by the way the world sees us today. Right now, we are seen as the rich man's play thing."

"Damn fucking right we are." Colby grumbled before Ryan silenced him.

"Will you shut the fuck up? I want to actually hear what he's gonna say." Avery tried not to fall from her chair laughing at the men and Rook just watched in amusement.

"We're New York's novelty and California's toy. Not anymore. You've elected me to be a steward of this state, of its land, and its people, and that's exactly what I will be. You know, environmentalists, they just love to debate what's Montana's most valuable resource. Is it the water, is it the wolves, is it the trees? The answer's actually pretty simple. It's you. The farmers and ranchers who live with the land, not on it. Protecting you now is how Montana still looks like Montana when none of us here tonight are here to see it. Thank you." John declared, stepping from the podium to stand between Beth and Jaime. Cheers errupted from the crowd and the wranglers alike, everyone still clapping as Senator Perry took to the mic.

"How do you follow that?" She exclaimed, drawing many laughs, include one from Rook. "I don't know. Uh, ditto. The wars that Montana faces here at home, those will be my wars in Washington." For a final time, the camera focused on the elated faces of Senator Perry, John and Beth before panning slightly to the side to show the less-than-happy face of Jaime Dutton, the Prodigal Son. The camera was still on him when the cannons went off, confetti and balloons dropped from the ceiling obscuring his scowling face. Yeah, he wishes that was him so badly.

"This place hasn't changed one bit." Avery exclaimed from beside Rook, drawing every single man's attention as she laughed maniacally at their reactions, Rook not much better beside her.

◇◇◇

Ryan

Avery showing back up after almost a year was definitely not on Ryan's Tuesday night bingo card, but it was a very welcome surprise.

Once everyone had calmed down from their initial shock, they rushed over to the woman, greeting her properly with hugs. Apparently, Rook had gotten stranded in Bozeman when she dropped of the bike and Avery had been more than happy to bring her back. And when they got here, the urge for her to sneak in had been too much to resist.

Watching Rook laughing with Avery physically pained him. He fucking hated himself for what he said the other night. He'd been angry and sad and so fucking scared that he'd lose her that he couldn't think straight and ended up saying things he wished he could take back. Did it hurt that she'd lied to him? Fuck yeah, but he knew why she'd done it. Hell, if he'd been forced to kill someone he cared about he wouldn't want anyone to know either.

Ryan desperately wanted to try to make it up to her but he didn't know how. She surely hated him, fuck, he could see her watching him with those cold, forbidding eyes of hers. He never had fully realised just how unfriendly they could look, not when they were filled with such warmth directed at him. It was only a few days since the fight but he still felt as though he was missing a limb every time he caught her watching. Always watching. What he would give to look into her head and see all the hateful thoughts about him.

"Ryan, can I talk with you?" Avery asked, gently shaking him on the shoulder when he didn't respond. Her touch dragged him out of whatever reverie he found himself caught in and he nodded, finding his voice a moment later.

"Yeah. Of course." Thinking it was going to be them reminiscing over a shared memory of her time on the ranch, Ryan eagerly followed her outside, not knowing what he was about to get himself into.

As Ryan shut the door behind him, the dulcet notes of Walker's voice drifted to them, lulling him into a false sense of security. One that was immediately destroyed by Avery.

"You are such a fucking idiot."

Ryan's mouth dropped open as he stared at the woman, unblinking. He was taken aback, amd definitely shocked, but the worst part was... she wasn't exactly wrong.

"Have you been in cahoots with Colby?" He joked back, mistaking it for a friendly, banter-filled conversation. It wasn't.

"You need to listen to me, Ryan. I know what's happened between you and Rook and all I have to say is that you're an idiot." Avery crossed her arms over her chest, staring Ryan down. She was scary when she wanted to be.

"That's a little unfair. True, but unfair," Ryan conceded. "I feel like shit for what I said but Rook lied to me. She lied not only to me, but the others too. Fuck, she lied to the boss about it."

"What would you have done in her situation? Told everyone 'Oh, hey. Yeah, I killed my brother'? No, Ryan. You wouldn't have. God, I wouldn't either. She was scared you were going to hate her and she'd be back where she started. Without friends and without a family."

Ryan anxiously cracked his knuckles. Goddammit. He was being such a fucking ass about this.

"I know I fucked up. I know that. But I don't know how the fuck to fix it. She doesn't want to be in the same room as me right now, let alone speak to me! I don't think she'd listen even if I did manage to talk to her."

Avery groaned, covering her eyes with her hands even before Ryan was finished speaking.

"I don't even know what to say to that." She whispered to herself and Ryan didn't know whether he should respond or not. He decided to not dig himself further into the hole he found himself in. "Do you love her?"

"How could you even ask me that? Yes! I've never loved anyone more than I love her."

"Then you should know what to do. Do what the wranglers on this ranch do best." Avery's voice cut right to the core of Ryan, deep into the pain he still harboured from his mother leaving him. But without another word or even an explanation, Avery strolled past him. Ryan still had his back to the door but he knew when she disappeared the second the music got louder before dulling again.

Do what the wranglers do best. What the fuck does that mean? Rook would know. She knows everything. But it wasn't like he could ask her. He expected the conversation with Avery to clear a few things up, but it just confused him more. He simultaneously wanted to run and fall to his knees to beg Rook for her forgiveness and disappear into the Montanan wilderness and never be seen again.

Rook had a damn lot on her plate right now with coming to terms with her father's death, and he didn't want to add to that. For now, he'd leave her be until she was ready to talk things through. If that day never came, then so be it. It was her choice, and if she couldn't forgive him, he'll live with that regret until the day he dies.

◇◇◇

Rook

It had been a few weeks since John's inauguration and the party planning and preparations were in full swing. Beth had originally wanted it to be right after he was elected but it seems becoming the 26th Governor of Montana took up a lot of time.

Rook didn't think she'd ever seen so many people at the ranch at the one time, even when Travis and his lot paid a visit. And at such an unfortunate time too. Of course the party had to have been in the middle of calving season.

"Jesus Christ. Can you believe this fucking shit show?" Rip exclaimed, turning in his saddle to face where Lloyd was approaching. Nobody was all too happy about the people there, but Rip felt it the worst.

"It's gonna be quite the party." Lloyd grinned, staring at the group of people who passed carrying large garlands of some kind of pink flower.

"Party ain't for us, Lloyd. We got calves on the ground. Take that shit and go around the other side." Rip was cut off when a man carrying a very vibrant yellow box tried to push his way past them. Seeing the anger on his face, the man wisely did as he was told. "Listen up. You see a coyote prowling our calves, I want you to shoot it. If you see a wolf prowling our calves, I want you to shoot it. If you see a bear, let's try to haze him off. Now, if he's on a carcass, we call it in. Just take a picture with your phone. Let's go to work." With that, Rip spurred his horse and the wranglers followed, casting a few last glances at the party planners.

"Why not shoot it?" Teeter asked, a little confused. Rook guessed it was because there weren't as many bears in Texas.

"Take a picture and run it off. You can't shoot a bear unless he's chasing livestock." Ryan answered, ever the proud livestock agent.

"Makes no fucking sense."

"It's 'cause they're an endangered species. You're only allowed to shoot them in the most extreme of circumstances. Just ask Rip. A little birdy told me he once shot a grizzly." Rook answered. She watched as Rip turned in his saddle to look at her, fully expecting to be shouted at judging by his attitude at the party planners. Imagine her shock when she saw him laughing.

"She told you that, did she?" He chuckled, making no move to stop her from telling the story.

"Yeah. She thought it was so ridiculously funny. Is it true that the fish and wildlife agent who was called up got impaled on a broken fence?" It happened a long time before she got to the ranch, but Beth had told her the story.

"That whole week was fucked up." Rip commented, his smile faltering slightly. He'd found two tourists stuck to a cliff side while hunting a grizzly. The woman fell when he tried to pull them up and the man willingly jumped, joining his girlfriend in death. To make everything even worse, the bear had attacked him right at that moment, and Rip was barely able to get his gun out in time.

"She wouldn't let me get a horsefly off or her horse and when it bit 'im, he bolted straight for the broken fence. She was thrown off and onto one of the fence posts. Nobody fucking listens to me." He finished, chuckling to himself.

"She alive?" Teeter pulled her horse into step beside Kelpie, just behind where Rip rode.

"Fuck yeah. I would've been blamed if I didn't save her."

Moral of the story: always listen to Rip Wheeler.

◇◇◇

The wranglers, as per usual, sat around the table playing cards. The party was set to begin in only a couple of hours so they got off early to make sure they were respectable enough for the crowd that was going to be there.

Teeter came prancing out of the bathroom in her underwear and an old shirt that had seen better days. "Hey, how dressy is this dale?"

"I don't know. It's a party for the fucking governor. So pretty dressy, I guess. But since you don't have any dresses, it doesn't really matter how dressy it is." Ryan replied, from his usual seat at the head of the table.

"Screw you. I have dresses."

"You have dresses?" Ryan asked, astounded.

"I've got dresses."

"You've got dresses?" Colby questioned this time, as equally shocked as his friend.

"Is there a fucking echo in here or what?"

"Hey, Teeter. Jake's got dresses too if you need to borrow one." Walker joined in, dragging Jake into a conversation he wasn't even a part of in the first place.

"That's a little out if left field. What the hell you messing with me for?"

Lloyd was probably laughing the hardest out of the lot of them, trying to keep from dropping his cards as he laughed. "I'd love to see the dress that Jake could fit into."

"Be about the size of a fucking bedsheet."

Jake looked as if he was about to come across the table at his antagonists. "What the hell are you all on my ass for?"

"Aw, hell, Jake. Something frilly might look good on you. You know? A little lace in there." Walker added, throwing a poker chip at the man.

Jake hit Ethan lightly on the shoulder when he spotted the man laughing a little too hard. "What the hell are you laughing at?"

"Hey," Rip exclaimed, putting a dampener on the joking and teasing. "I don't need you all drunk. This party ain't for you. Ethan, you want to tell me what is so fucking funny?"

"Jake's trying to pick out his dress for tonight."

"His what?"

"He wants to wear a dress, sir." Teeter added, expertly managing to keep from smiling. It was a war Rook was fighting with herself and failing miserably.

"He wants to... Jake, hey, you got a bet to settle, you settle it somewhere else. You put on a fucking dress and go to the Governor's ball tonight, I'm gonna hang you in it, you understand me? You understand what I'm fucking saying?" Jake getting shouted at by Rip almost made Rook break completely, but she somehow scrounged for a bit of composure.

"I ain't wearing no damn dress."

"Just... woah, woah, woah. Just behave." Rip pointed to everyone at the table before doing the same to Jake directly. "And don't be an idiot. Now, let's go. Put your show shirts on. Get your shit together."

When Rip left, the entire table errupted into laughter. The only person not laughing was Jake himself.

"Now y'all got me in trouble."

Chapter Text

Now there's no holding back, I'm making to attack
My blood is singing with your voice, I want to pour it out
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallow'd ground
Howl - Florence + The Machine

Rook

The show shirt tugged a little around Rook's shoulders as she and the rest of the wranglers headed to the arena which was decked out completely for a party fit for the new Governor of Montana, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as she had imagined it to be.

"Gosh damn, boys, look at this." Jake exclaimed, walking into the arena. "They ought to have a party like this every year."

"Actually, Jake, they throw it every four years. When there's a new Governor." Ryan picked out a few bottles of Coors from the buckets set up at the entrance, handing them one by one to the others.

"Well, excuse me for not studying government in college."

"The Diesel Academy is not a college."

Colby groaned from beside the two men, turning back to Ryan. "The more you talk to him, the more he talks back. Just in case you haven't caught on to that pattern yet."

"They is on your ass tonight." Teeter pointed out to Jake, not a sympathetic note in her voice.

"He's bein' a prick."

"Look at this here, guys!" Lloyd called out from where he stood underneath a makeshift cabana. "Hey, can I get a double Buffalo Truce on the rocks, please? How much do I owe you?"

At that moment, Rook realised it was a bar and made sure to be the next in line after Lloyd.

"It's an open bar, sir." The bartender replied enthusiastically. Fuck, he must be getting paid serious money if he's happy to be giving up on all the money the cowboys would be spending.

"Uh, could you make another one of those?" Ryan asked, followed by Jake, Colby, Teeter, Ethan and Rook herself asking for one too.

"I get the picture." The bartender laughed, not pissed of in the slightest at having to make seven drinks.

After a second, Walker raised his hand as well. "Hell, while you're makin' 'em–"

"How 'bout I just make one for anybody in a cowboy hat?"

"That'll work." Lloyd answered before spotting a group of men Rook didn't recognise over by the fenceline. "Hey, it's the Bar M boys. Hey, Stetson, what do ya know."

While they were waiting on their drinks, they all went over to the men to say hello, even Rook who had never been introduced to them before.

"I don't know it. I do know there's a cowboy in the Capitol, though. I mean, look at all this." The leading man–Stetson–replied, shanking Lloyd's hand.

"It's gonna be a hell to clean up tomorrow, I bet."

Ryan had approached behind Rook and she moved to the side to let him greet the boys first. Stetson warmed at the sight of him and grasped his hand firmly. "Ryan."

"Stet."

"And who is this?" Stetson crooned when he spotted Rook. Tipping his hat, he held out his hand to her. "Ma'am."

"Please, call me Rook. I'm no more a ma'am than I am a fucking model." She grasped Stetson's hand just as firmly as Ryan had, smiling politely at him. She always loved when a man had some manners.

"Well, Rook, I wouldn't be so sure about that model thing. You've sure got the looks for it, let me tell you."

"Well, aren't you a charmer? Should give these boys a lesson or two." She chuckled, aware of the eyes on her face, but she didn't bother looking over to see who they belonged to. She already knew. Let him stare. If he doesn't want to come talk to her, then he shouldn't get jealous when she speaks to another man.

Stetson, probably noticing Ryan, let go of her hand, quickly changing the topic of conversation. "Hope they don't make us sit in there and eat supper. I'll never figure out them damn forks."

"Well, you know what? They can't make us do nothing if they can't find us, huh? Come on, guys!" Lloyd exclaimed, heading off to one of the other paddocks that wasn't fully packed.

"Best news I've heard all day."

Grabbing their ropes, the others followed Lloyd.

◇◇◇

"What's up, everybody. We're Shane Smith and the Saints from Austin, Texas and we'd like to thank Mr Dutton and your family for havin' us and congratulations. It's a privilege to be here. We're gonna play a dancin' song for y'all, if that's okay." The man on stage–presumably Shane Smith–called out to the crowd below the impressive stage set up in the field next to the paddocks.

As the band started the song, the wranglers and the cowboys made two separate groups facing each other. Colby, who was at the head of their line, faced off against someone Rook didn't know, both palming ropes.

Someone counted down from three, and on 'one', both men ran at each other, swinging their ropes and aiming for the other's legs.

A grin spread on her lips as she watched, expecting Colby to go down at any second due to the angle she was watching from but a cheer escaped her when Colby stood triumphant, the other man being pulled off his feet and into the sand.

As Colby helped the cowboy up, she noticed the group of other guest who'd gathered to watch them.

From the corner of her eye, Rook spotted a blonde woman in a gaudy orange jumpsuit watching them, or more in particular, watching Ryan.

A spark of something ignited in her chest when she saw how the woman looked at him but she smothered it. He wasn't hers anymore. He hadn't come to apologise to her or even just talk about anything. Hell, it felt like they didn't even know each other. That gave her the only hint she needed.

If Ryan didn't want to get back together, then she didn't have any right to be jealous when she saw him with another woman. That was his choice, and he was free to make it.

Before she could linger too long and risk the jealousy rearing its ugly head, she was paired up against Stetson.

"You want me to go easy on you, cowboy? I hardly know you." Rook taunted to the man, swinging her rope around in her hand.

"Show me what you can do. I can take a beating." Stetson replied in a drawl, tipping his hat to her again.

He wasn't bad looking. Many people would give a lot to get to know a man like him, but there was something missing, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Teasing him, however, was a lot of fun.

"I did warn you."

On the count of three, Rook and Stetson ran at each other, swinging their ropes. At the last second, Rook jumped, narrowly avoiding the loop of his lasso. She, on the other hand, didn't miss. Her rope looped around both of Stetson's feet, and with a yank, he came crashing to the ground, clutching his stomach as he laughed.

Rook found herself in tears laughing along with him as she held out a hand, helping him back up to his feet.

"Remind me to never doubt your words again."

◇◇◇

Beth

Beth nodded her head along with the music blasting from the speakers, but only slightly. She managed to get away from all the stuck up business men that she didn't know and certainly didn't want to. Humouring them was her father's job, not hers.

Beth spotted the wranglers and another group of cowboys trying to rope one another, all laughing, even when they fell flat on their asses. A few people watched on, but one caught her eye.

Pulling a cigarette from her pocket, Beth slipped in beside her, taking out a lighter and pointing to the cowboy the blonde was eyeing with fervour.

"That one yours?" Beth asked, nodding her head at where Ryan was helping one of the other cowboys up from the ground, his rope wrapped around his legs. He wasn't hers. He was Rook's, but that was a whole other problem at the minute. Technically he wasn't anyone's.

"None of 'em are mine. Too smart to date a cowboy. I like lookin' at 'em, though." The blonde woman responded, making Beth scoff.

"You're wearing an orange jumpsuit with tassels and you're saying you're too smart?"

"I'm singing later. Gotta wear something flashy on stage. Somethin' fun. Crowd likes it." The woman explained, not even slightly offended at the comment.

"Well, mission accomplished." Beth retorted, taking a drag of her cigarette. "Why no cowboys?"

"Cause they always love the life more. And the horse more. And the job more. The rodeo more. I wanna be first."

"You do?" Beth exclaimed, a little shocked. "I prefer a man whose life is already full. That way he's got something to share with me. You know what I mean? If I want blind adoration, I'll get me a dog" Her gaze drifted from the stage to further up the hill where Rip was sat watching everything.

The woman laughed at her words, following where Beth nodded to with her eyes. "I'm gonna go sit with my cowboy now." Beth put her cigarette out and turned away, heading up to join Rip at his lookout.

Absently, she thought she heard someone asking the woman to dance but she was too far away at that point to care who it was.

◇◇◇

Rook

Rook was perched on the fence as she watched some of the wranglers join in on the dancing. Another band had come on and started playing a song intended for couples to dance to. She was neither a dancer nor part of a couple... anymore.

Rook tapped her boot against the fence along with the beat, nodding her head in greeting when Beth passed her by, heading up to sit with Rip. Her smile faltered slightly when she saw Ryan heading over in the direction of the woman from earlier.

"Ain't gonna work." The woman called out to him, shaking her head.

"What ain't gonna work?"

"I'm just window shopping." She explained, remaining where she was by the fence.

"So no interest in a dance?" Ryan tried again, his charming smile wide.

"None."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." She assured him, but that didn't deter Ryan in the slightest.

"What if I insist?" He tilted his head, and even though Rook couldn't see his face fully, she knew what that smug tone meant.

"How you plan on doing that." Without hesitation, Ryan swung his rope and looped it over the blonde's head. It settled around her shoulders and he used it to pull her closer to him. Pretty smooth, Rook had to admit. "That was pretty slick.

"One dance."

"One dance." She agreed, tugging the rope over her head as Ryan discarded it on the ground, taking her hand and leading her to the middle of the paddock, where other couples had started dancing too. Rook's smile reappeared when she spotted Colby and Teeter dancing together, Lloyd dancing with a young woman, and even Jake with a date. Everyone had a dancing partner except for her.

She contemplated heading to the bunkhouse but that thought ended when she caught Stetson watching her from across the arena. From where she sat, it looked like he said something to himself before pushing off from the fence and cutting through the dancing couples to walk over to her. She watched him the entire time, unsure on whether she was right about what he was going to ask her.

"Would you care for a dance? I saw you watchin' 'em and wondered if that's what you wanted." Stetson held out his hand to her, his eyes big and pleading.

"Stet, I think you're really nice–"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that–don't get me wrong, you're very beautiful, but I've noticed how you look at Ryan. You just look... lonely. Thought I might be able to help." Stetson explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"In that case," Rook jumped down from her perch on the fence, landing right in front of the cowboy. "I would love to."

With a grin, he took her hands and pulled her into the throng, her giggles left in their wake.

◇◇◇

Rook's heart still felt light from the day before as she rode at the back of the cattle drive. The party was still ongoing, but just because of that, it doesn't mean all the work is miraculously finished. She didn't mind. It was nice to have a bit of routine in an otherwise very stressful event.

Rook was staring off into space when commotion from the head drew her attention. Standing up in her stirrups, she spotted Rip, Lloyd and Ryan standing over the carcass of a cow, her guts hanging out around her.

"Shit. Wolves. It's odd that they'd go after the mama, though." Lloyd answered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"She was probably protecting her calf." Rip shrugged, but Ryan shook his head, crouching down to inspect the body further.

"I don't think wolves killed it."

"You got wolf tracks all 'round. They ate the stomach and ass out. That's what wolves do." Lloyd scoffed.

"Not sayin' they didn't eat it, I'm sayin' they didn't kill it. No bites on the hocks. Wolves found her down–"

"It don't matter, they got the taste of beef." Rip declared, turning to where Colby had approached. "Can you get us depredation tags?"

"Let me call Kayce, let's get a state hunter out here." Ryan said before he was swiftly shut down by Rip.

"We ain't going to Kayce with all the shit he's dealing with. And we don't need state hunters out here three days into Mister Dutton's term. Just get us tags and we'll deal with it ourselves. Lloyd, let's start moving this herd back towards the barn."

"Got a stray over here, boys." Walker called out, going after the calf that had broke away while everyone was distracted.

"Get that calf back to the barn." Rip shouted to Walker before turned back to Colby and Ryan. "Boys, I want you to get after those fucking wolves."

Both men nodded, their faces grave. It was a necessity to prevent further attacks on the cattle, but it wasn't a job anyone particularly liked.

◇◇◇

For some reason, pushing the cattle back down to the barn felt like it took far longer than what it did to get them as far as they did. However, it went far more smooth than the ascent had, at least, that was before Carter.

Carter, who had nearly doubled in size during the time Rook had been gone, was trusted to ride Jihn's horse since he didn't have the time now that he was Governor. Genuinely, when Rook saw Carter for the first time since she got back, she thought he was someone new. They grow up so fast. She joked to herself as she saw him go after two calves who had broke away.

In a split second, not longer than it took to blink, the horse went down, taking Carter with him.

"Fucking–" Rook exclaimed, rushing over to where Carter and the horse had gone down. When her and Kelpie slowed a second later, she knew what had happened.

Carter's arm was bent at an awkward angle and so was the horse's leg. A pang of sorrow hit Rook when she looked at the shattered remnants of the horse's leg. There was no way it would ever heal.

"What happened?" Carter asked from where he sat on the ground, his eyes wide and scared.

"Horse fell. Stepped in a hole, I think." Lloyd explained to both him and Rip, who towered over the boy.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see the hole."

"You need to keep one eye on the cow, and the other one on the ground." Rip shouted, turning around to grab his gun from his saddle.

"Is the horse going to be okay?" Carter was in tears, trying desperately to keep them from spilling down over his cheeks. Oh, the poor kid.

"No, he ain't." Rip murmured, gently stroking the horse's neck before rising to his feet.

"You gonna shoot him?"

"That leg'll never heal. I don't need him suffering." Rip held the gun to the horse's head, and pulled the trigger, the shot reverberating through the valley. When the act was done, he put his gun back and signalled for the others to get back to work. "Go on, get back to work."

Carter was left mumbling incoherently beside John's horse. It was bad enough for him that the horse had been put down because of an injury he inadvertently caused, but it wasn't even his horse. Rook knew he'd feel guilty for the rest of his life. "I'm sorry."

"I bet you are. I'm sorry, too. Now take that bridle and that saddle, and walk it back to the barn. Lloyd, help him out."

Without question, Lloyd and Ryan dismounted, helping lift the horse's body while Carter removed the tack sniffling back tears. And he was probably so happy to be given the chance to ride John's horse. How fucking awful.

With a heavy heart, she watched him carry the saddle away, the shaking of his shoulders cutting her deeper than she thought it would.

◇◇◇

Ryan

Ryan lay belly down beside Colby in the trees, two Sig Sauer MCXs in their hands. Through the scope, Ryan watched the pack as they descended on the fresh kill they had left out as bait.

"Got 'em. Fire on three, two one. Three. Two. One." Ryan whispered, pulling the trigger four times on the count of one. "Safe."

Picking up their gear, Colby and him headed down to where they left the horses, far enough away that they'd be out of harms way, but close enough for them to reach.

Both men were silent as they approached the cow surrounded by the bodies of the wolves, shining their flashlights around to make sure none were left alive. A flash of something bright caught Ryan's eye but his heart nearly stopped when he saw what it was.

Orange collars.

"Oh, fuck."

"Uh, these wolves are from the park." Colby called out, after making the same conclusion as Ryan just had. They'd killed the wolves from Yellowstone National Park.

"Fuck!"

"What do we do?" Colby asked, still staring at the collars.

"If these radio collars are motionless for twelve hours, they send out a distress signal, then there's fifteen Gane Wardens standing in this field in the morning and you and I are on the fucking news tomorrow night!" Ryan ran his fingers through his hair, tugging on the strands in an attempt to ground himself while he thought.

"So what do we do?" Colby repeated, as if it wasn't obvious what they needed to do.

"We gotta get these collars off and keep them moving 'til I figure this out."

"So what you wanna do is jog them around in a fucking circle?"

"These wolves have fucking Facebook pages. People walk around in t-shirts with their pictures on them. People find out we killed them, on the Governor's ranch?" Ryan barked out a laugh, which had no humour in it.

"We have tags. It's legal." Ryan pinned him with a look to say 'you try telling them that'. "Son of a bitch."

◇◇◇

In the end, Ryan and Colby landed on ringing Rip.

"Why in the hell did you shoot the ones with the collars?" He asked, as if that hadn't crossed their minds at all.

"We were using thermal. You couldn't see the collars."

"Is that right? Well, start taking the collars off. We're taking 'em with us." Rip said, pointing to the closest wolf. "These record every step these wolves make, so we're gonna have to move like a wolf pack. I want you to take one and out it in your saddlebags and I want you to take the other and put it in front of you while you ride."

"Where we going?" Colby asked, breaking the silence.

"Back into the park."

They rode long into the night, heading further and further into the park until they got to a river.

Rip looked on as Ryan and Colby crouched beside the river's edge, securing the collars to logs they had found.

"No, no, no, Ryan. Not that tight. They need to come off somewhere." Ryan adjusted the collars until Rip was happy they'd fall off along the way, making it appear that they'd just falled off of the wolves' necks.

Colby and Ryan took turns flinging the logs into the river, feeling slightly better knowing that they'd managed to find a way around their predicament.

When they were readying to go home, Rip turned to them both, holding up a finger. "Listen up, you don't tell a fucking soul. Ever. This never happened."

"Who am I gonna tell? That could out me in jail for a fucking decade."

"Ryan, next time don't shoot the ones with the GRS beacons on them."

Chapter Text

Are you ready? Hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway, the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat, yeah
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

Rook

Rook leaned against the bathroom wall, content without having a mirror. She didn't need one to brush her teeth. The bathroom was packed to the brim, even more than usual.

It had been over a week since the Governor's ball and since calving ended but that didn't mean there wasn't still a shit ton of things to do. For now, she was happy to pretend there wasn't.

Teeter shoved Ryan over where he was brushing his teeth, sticking her arm up in the air and shaving right in front of his face. "Teeter, please. Oh, for fuck's sake."

"Baby likes 'em smooth." She replied, as if that explained everything. Rook nearly spat out her toothpaste.

"Well, then go shave over with baby."

"It ain't your fucking sink." She argued back, dipping her razor under the water and sticking up her other arm.

"Hey, it's your big day." Jake commented, drawing Rook's attention to the doorway. Lloyd strolled in, as if today wasn't his birthday.

"Happy birthday, Lloyd!" She garbled around a toothbrush, trying to keep from spitting any toothpaste out. He gave her a smile and a thumbs-up, showing that he was able to understand her.

"How old are you, Lloyd?" Colby asked but Ryan cut him off.

"Is this the big seven-oh?"

"Seven-oh?! Does this look like the face of a seventy-year-old?" Lloyd was rightfully offended.

"To me, yes." Ryan commented at the same time Colby said "Well, here's a mirror."

Shoving past the wranglers, Rook rinsed her toothbrush under one of the faucets and spit into the sink. "Don't listen to these pricks. They're jealous they're not going to look as good as you do when they get to your age." She said, laughing at the insulted faces of Colby and Ryan.

"Yeah, you don't listen to a word these assholes are sayin'. You just keep doing' them pushups every day and yous is gonna live to be a hundred." Teeter added, pecking a kiss to Lloyd's cheek.

"I agree with Teeter." Ryan commented, grinning. "He does look about a hundred."

"That ain't what I fucking said!"

From the shower, the disembodied voice of Walker drifted out. "How long does it take y'all to  brush your fucking teeth?"

"Do you need a towel?" Ryan asked, facing the shower where Rook suspected there was more than one person hidden, though she didn't say anything.

"I need some fucking privacy."

"Don't be ashamed of what God gave you." Jake stated, Ryan adding insult to injury.

"Yeah, there's no insignificant people in the world, just insignificant penises." He handed two towels over the railing of the curtain and Rook had to use her hand to smother her smile. "I'm going to give you two towels because we're out of the big ones."

"Will you sumbitches just give me some time in here by myself?" Walker asked,

"Yeah, guys. Him and his hand want to become acquainted again." Rook added, making a fist and gesturing up and down.

She got a few chuckles even as Ryan pulled the curtain open, revealing Laramie tucked against Walker's side, both wrapped in towels.

"Well, well, well. Look who's back in town. Congrats on the win in Redding."

"Thanks, Amigo." Laramie said to Ryan as she climbed out of the shower, her gaze snagging on Lloyd in the doorway. "Happy birthday, Lloyd. Hope you have a good one."

Lloyd chuckled, nodding to Walker beside her. "If my day ends like yours began, it'll be good enough for me. Thank you." He wandered back to the main room, leaving Rook, Ryan, Walker and Laramie left.

As Ryan headed for the door, he passed Walker looking into one of the mirrors. "Having barrel racer for breakfast, I see."

"You can't say much. You've been havin' cowgirl for breakfast for months now." Walker retorted, causing Rook's cheeks to heat. Some of the wranglers really needed to remember they weren't together anymore.

"Pussy, the breakfast of champions." Rook said, taking the opportunity to slip out of the room before the silence stretched too long and it got to awkward.

"Happy birthday, brother." Rip said to Lloyd as Rook shut the bathroom door behind her only for it to be opened a second later by Ryan. Rip clapped Lloyd's hand and pulled him in for a hug.

"Thanks, pard."

Colby, walking past, turned to Rip. "Is he seventy?"

"Fifty-eight, come on."

"Fifty-eight?!" Ryan and Colby exclaimed at the exact same time. "You have cancer or something?"

"Must be terminal." Colby added to his friend.

"Accelerated aging. I saw something about that on TV."

Rook rolled her eyes, shoving past the two men to get a cup before they were all taken. "Will you two stop being bastards and say something nice for once?"

"Says little-miss bitch face over here." Colby retorted, to which Rook simply laughed sarcastically, pouring herself a coffee.

"Yup, definitely have never heard that one before."

Rip rested his hand on Lloyd's shoulder, ignoring them all. "Gator will make you whatever you want for supper."

"Steaks."

"Steaks it is." Rip laughed before turning to the rest of the wranglers. "We're prowling pairs. Let's go."

Rook took a last scalding gulp of her coffee before pouring the rest down the drain sadly. At least she got a chance to have some of it.

Grabbing her hat from her bunk, Rook followed the others out the door, gently shutting it closed behind her.

◇◇◇

Like every night, the wranglers were playing cards.

"Come on, birthday boy." Ryan taunted, cheering when Lloyd threw another bill into the pot.

"I'm in." Ethan declared

"Jake, fifty to go."

"I fold." Jake said, throwing his cards face down on the table.

"Fold? Your mother should have named you 'Fold', it's all you ever do, son." Ryan teased, failing to get a rise out of the man like they had before the Governor's ball.

"I'm out." Laramie and Rook both said, gently placing their cards on the table and laughing when Walker did the same without saying a word.

"Walker's out. Birthday boy?"

"I'm in."

"Birthday boy's callin' for fifty." Ryan commentated, far more energetically than he had any right being. Rook felt like she was one of the walkers from The Walking Dead. Better yet, one of the ones Daryl had shot in the head.

"Alright, show me yours," Teeter murmured to Colby, leaning over to whisper in his ear as Ryan caught them.

"Hey, this isn't a fucking team sport."

"I wasn't talking about his fucking cards." The smug look on Teeter's face told Rook all she needed to know.

"Hey, we don't need to know about that. You keep that to yourself."

Carter, who had been sitting beside Rip for the past half an hour, looking like he wanted to fight the whole lot of them for the chance to play, turned to his pseudo-dad. "Can I please play against these clowns? I can clear this table in thirty minutes."

"Carter, they thought it was real cute watching you cheat before you hit puberty, but they ain't gonna think it's cute anymore. So you just sit and watch."

After another minute of poker, Beth piped up after holding her tongue for far longer than she wanted to. It was so obvious she had been expecting a proper celebration. Sadly, there's not much you can do when you're cooped up in a bunkhouse after a long day's work. "Is this how you celebrate a birthday?"

A chorus of 'yes' answered her.

"Don't you do this shit every night?"

"Pretty much."

Beth, begrudgingly taking that as an answer, pulled out a chair across from Lloyd, and took a seat. "How old are you Lloyd?"

Before the man could answer, Colby did. "Eighty-five."

"Fifty-eight, asshole." Lloyd swatted at Colby's arm as Ryan dealt the river.

"It's a pretty big birthday." Beth continued, and Rook picked up on what she was putting down. She wanted to do something specific but she knew she'd have to get the wranglers on her side, especially the man of the hour.

For a little while, Lloyd kept his focus on the game, not getting caught up on the possibility of doing something else. "I'm all in."

"No way. Nope, you don't get it. Call." Ryan shook his head, pointing to Lloyd.

"Here," Lloyd said, waving his cards in Ryan's face. "Read 'em and weep."

A wave of cheers rose up around the table as Lloyd absolutely smoked Ryan.

"That would be called 'the Dead Man's Hand'," Jake explained before he was cut off by Colby.

"Which is appropriate considering his age."

"Why don't we go to a bar in Bozeman?" Beth said, rendering everyone speechless. You don't go to bars in Bozeman unless you want trouble.

Ryan turned to face her. "That's a terrible idea."

"I think it's an excellent idea."

Before Beth could dig herself further into a hole, Rip came to the rescue. "The bars in Bozeman, Beth, are full of tourists and fake cowboys."

"He's right," Rook declared, pointing her beer at Rip. "I fucking worked in one and that's all I ever saw. Tourists and wannabe cowboys who've never seen a cow before let alone been on a horse."

"We can go to a real cowboy bar." Beth shrugged, causing them all to laugh.

"Those don't exist anymore, honey. Listen to me, you take fake cowboys and you put 'em with real cowboys in a fuckin' bar, and there's gonna be fighting and we don't need fighting." Rip explained, putting everything the rest of them were thinking into words.

"It's a bad idea," Colby added. "Every time."

"Hm. Well, we'll be home before midnight. Nothing bad happens before midnight." Beth made to get up as cheers and hums of agreement surrounded her.

"That's what my mama always used to say."

"Beth, I said no."

Immediately, everyone shut the fuck up, watching wide-eyed at Rip and Beth, waiting for the inevitable. Rook traded a grimace with Laramie, trying to contain her laughter.

"Oh, you said no, huh?"

Rip hummed in agreement, already realising his mistake.

"I guess that settles it," Beth said to the wranglers, all who had sad faces plastered on, even though going to the bar was probably the worst idea of terrible ideas. "I'm buying, boys."

With a cheer, Rook grabbed her hat from the back of her chair and headed over to her bed to throw on a slightly less distressed band shirt, this time an Alice in Chains one to replace her Johnny Cash one.

"Happy birthday, Lloyd." Lloyd jokingly said as he got up from the table, doing the same as the others.

Rook, who was a little distracted, barely caught Carter's disappointed cry as he undoubtedly flipped over their discarded cards. "I could've smoked this whole fucking table."

Rip, thankfully seeing sense, didn't extend the invite to the bar to Carter. "Why don't you go back up to the house?"

"See ya, Carter. Don't worry, you're better off staying here. Trust me." Rook said, giving the kid a fist bump as they had taken to doing since she got back. She didn't think she'd ever be an aunt–for obvious reasons–but with him she did. The cool aunt who vouched for them when they were lying.

"See ya later, baby," Beth said, giving Carter a kiss on the head. Only when the door shut did she turn her attention to Rip. "You said 'no', huh?"

"Uh, might have been a poor choice of words, honey."

Rook turned away to stop either of them from seeing her grin. Fucking hell, Beth. Walk him like a dog.

"Oh, I think so. I'm gonna force your ass to have fun tonight." Beth declared as if it were a threat, though, for Rip, it might as well be.

"Is that so?"

"Mm-hmm."

Without other words, Rook shepherded them out the door and towards the trucks. At least one part of tonight could go smoothly.

◇◇◇

The bar was jam fucking packed when they managed to get inside, a crowd gathered in front of the stage where none other than the blonde from a week ago was singing. To give her credit where credit was due, she was a damn good singer. And she seems to have good taste in men. For better or for worse.

"Hey, start a tab. All these cowboys are gonna be on it." Beth said to the bartender, an attractive man in his mid-thirties. "Start with a dozen whiskey shots and a dozen beers."

"We're doin' a special on Tequila shots." Beth stared at the bartender as if he had three heads.

"Do I look like I'm on spring break? Whiskey." She answered, flashing her black card. Without delay, the bartender grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel's from behind him, pouring it into twelve shot glasses.

Beth hands out the shots to each of them and Rook settles against the bar, resting her arm on top.

"This is a terrible idea," Colby said from beside her, taking his shot. Yeah, this night was going to end one of two ways, and that was with them on their feet or with them on their asses. I've got my bets on the former.

"Awful." Ryan took his shot too, still watching the blonde from the Governor's ball–Abby if her research wasn't mistaken.

"Probably the worst idea of the year."

"I'd say so." Ryan nodded, still not taking his eyes off of Abby as he strolled closer to the stage.

Rook watched Ryan walk away, a spike in her heart digging deep. No. You've no right to be jealous. We've talked about this. Her mind admonished. It was true, he wasn't hers to be jealous over anymore.

Teeter slid up to her boyfriend, holding out a beer to him. "It's fucking stupid coming in here."

"Yeah, I just said that."

"Yeah, well..." Teeter started, cutting herself off by taking her shot. "Fuck it. Let's dance."

Teeter all but hauled Colby to the dance floor but you'd have to be blind to miss the absolute adoration on his face. And to think, back at the start, he couldn't stand her.

When Rook scanned around the bar to see if there was anybody worth talking to, she landed on Ryan again, tipping his hat to Abby on stage, who stared back at him as she sang.

Beth and Rip and Laramie and Walker joined Colby and Teeter on the dance floor just as Abby and her band finished their set. "We're gonna take a little break. Isaac Hoskins is gonna keep y'all company 'til we get back."

Rook signalled to the bartender for another shot of whiskey just as Beth mentioned to Rip that they should get another round.

With a smile that probably didn't reach her eyes, Rook accepted the shot and tipped it back, letting the comforting burn wipe her mind clean. Except it didn't this time.

Sauntering from the stage, Abby headed directly for Ryan, stopping right in front of him. "My cowboy's back."

Rook's stomach felt like a lead balloon. She could watch them any longer without possibly drawing attention to herself. Instead, she headed back over to where Rip had joined Ethan and Jake, who were nursing their beers.

"Give me another round" Rip said to the bartender before turning to them. "I've got about another half hour of this shit."

Rook hummed in agreement, Jake and Ethan also voicing their opinion. "Hey, look who it is." Jake pointed down the bar to a man with an impressive mustache, wearing the same shirt Stetson had been and a cowboy hat adorning his head.

"Bar M, no?"

"Yes, sir."

"Miss, take that whiskey and run it down to that cowboy, please?" Rip asked one of the bartenders, who did just what she asked. "Thank you."

The four of them watched as the man took his shot. Rip held up a hand in greeting and the man grabbed his beer, heading over in their direction.

"What are y'all doin' in here?" He asked Rip when he reached them, shaking his hand.

"We're asking ourselves the same damn question. What are you doing here?"

"Wide wanted to go dancing. I told her we should drive to Three Forks. This place... I remember when every ass on a bar stool belonged to a cowboy." The man stared wistfully around the bar, a deep longing in his eyes.

"That was a long time ago." Rip said, sharing the same longing. Rook wasn't old enough to remember that time but it made her sad nonetheless. One day, there'd be no more cowboys, and that would be a damn sad day.

"Sure as hell was. Thanks for the whiskey, pard."

"Good seeing you." Rip shook the man's hand again, letting him rejoin where his wife was waiting. "Jake, Ethan, pass these out, will ya?"

Without taking another shot, Rip wandered closer to the dance floor, watching Beth and Teeter dancing with a smile.

Rook was grinning at the two women when a dark-haired woman she didn't recognise slinked to Rip's side, putting her hands all over his arms.

"Well, aren't you a tall drink of water?" The woman asked Rip, who surprisingly didn't push her away immediately. When Rook looked up and found Beth staring daggers at the woman, she realised why. He doesn't want this night to end with a massive fight. But by the looks of things, he's not going to get his way.

"What are you doing?" Rip asked, still smiling at her in an attempt to keep the peace.

"What?"

"I'm married, darlin'." Rip said, but the woman still didn't leave. In fact, she took that as more of an incentive to continue.

"Me too."

"Yeah? Where's your husband out there?" Rip scanned the room in the hopes he could find her husband and get his attention. Sadly, that wasn't going to happen.

"He's in Sacramento." She giggled, squeezing his biceps. "Where's your wife?"

"My wife is standing right over there staring at you." Rip pointed to where Beth was glaring at her, watching the entire exchange.

"I'll handle this." The woman scoffed, striding right over to Beth. Rook's hand flew to cover her mouth. The fucking audacity of that woman.

Rip tried to get her to stop but the woman was dead set on her course of action. "Shit. Hey, Lloyd! We're done." He called out to the birthday boy who was chatting up a table full of women. Someone needs to study his ability to pick up women as easy as breathing.

"It ain't midnight yet!"

"It's midnight enough." Rip signalled for Ethan, Jake and Rook to wrap it up, right as Beth smashed her bottle on the woman's head. She hit the deck as hard as a sack of bricks and in the blink of an eye, the entire bar was punching each other.

Rook cackled maniacally as the bartender, ordering a last whiskey. "It ain't a night out if it doesn't end in a fight, am I right?"

Taking her shot, she only managed to duck beneath a swinging arm as it came crashing towards her.

"I wasn't even doing anything!" She shouted at the person as her fist collided with their face.

◇◇◇

Sirens screamed and the lights from police cars flashed. The entire bar were lined outside, most nursing bruised faces and split knuckles. For the most part, everyone bloodlust had calmed down. All but Beth's.

As the Sheriff's car pulled up, Beth spotted the woman and without hesitation punched her again, sending her down to the ground. Colby and Ryan pulled her back, keeping her from attacking the woman like she had in the bar.

Rook held a bandana up to her bloody nose, keeping it there to stop the bleeding. A man managed to catch her off guard with the leg of a goddamn table. He'd gone to hit her again when the back of her head smashed against the floor but a quick punch from Walker stopped that in its tracks. Her entire lower face was stained bright red but it was slowly stopping. She'd have a bad fucking headache in the morning, though.

The Sheriff, a man Rook hadn't seen before, strolled forward, his men grabbing both of Beth's arms and hauling her kicking and screaming to the car. Much more calmly than Rook expected, Rip approached the sheriff, pointing over his shoulder to his wife.

"You know who that is, don't you?"

"I know exactly who that is. You need to stop worrying about her and start worrying about yourself." Easy for him to say. It wasn't his wife getting arrested.

"The fucking bouncer out her in a chokehold. Okay? All one hundred and ten pounds of her. What would you do if that was your fucking wife?" Rip argued. It had honestly been scary to see Beth put in a chokehold. The bouncer was almost three times her size with arms the size of tree trunks.

"Look, I hear you. But these ain't the fucking old days. The new sheriff, he doesn't put up with this shit." Referring to yourself in the third person, really? "You decided to come to town and toss the entire bar, I see." The sheriff looked Rook's way and she waved, flashing bloody teeth at him.

"You put hands on my wife then you get the horn." Rip stated, Lloyd jumping to his defence by reiterating that Beth had been put in a headlock by the bouncer.

"I could charge every one of you with battery."

"You could." Rip agreed. "You could charge the whole fucking bar if you like."

The sheriff didn't respond this time, instead turning on his heel and strolling over to his subordinates, acting like he'd rather be anywhere but there. I mean, it's kinda your job to sort out this kinda thing.

After a moment of deliberation, he returned, motioning to everyone lined up against the wall. "You and the rest can go. But she hit that girl in the head with a bottle."

"Come on, now."

"That's aggravated assault." The sheriff pointed out, as if they needed any clarification.

"Is she even going to press charges?" Rip was immediately cut off by the woman.

"You bet your fucking ass I'm pressing charges." She declared as if Rip was to blame for all of this. Sorry, lady. But that's what happens when you try to take someone's husband. You just picked the wrong husband.

"You know this is is going to be a real problem for you, right sheriff?" Rip rested his hands on his hips, looking like her wanted to wrap them around the man's neck and wring it.

"A problem of her own making."

The cops started to shove Beth into the back seat of the car but she fought back, unsurprisingly. "You're pressing charges, you fucking pussy?"

The woman turned her nose up at Beth. "I hope you die in there, you fucking bitch!"

As the car started to pull away, all you could see in the back window was Beth flipping the woman off. Rook let out a giggle when she saw it but immediately regretted it thanks to the shark pain in her head, stemming in part from her nose. Beside her, Teeter looked concerned but she waved her off. She'd been through much worse than a broken nose.

"Shit. Alright, let's go. Come on." Rip shouted to them, signalling that it had finally come time to leave, and definitely not soon enough.

What a shitty idea coming to Bozeman was.

Chapter Text

And this ain't no place for the weary kind
This ain't no place to lose your mind
This ain't no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
The Weary Kind - Ryan Bingham

Rook

Kelpie snorted as they rode along towards the barn. Rook thought she heard the sound of someone digging but nobody else commented on it. Until they got closer to where six generations of Duttons had been buried in the graveyard, she had thought she was wrong. Apparently, she wasn't.

Rip and Lloyd pulled their horses to a stop suddenly on a little hill above the graves where they could see Mo Brings Plenty and some of his men digging.

"What are they doing?" Lloyd asked Rip, to low for the men to hear but just loud enough for the wranglers.

"For Kayce's boy, is my guess." The answer hit Rook like a ton of bricks. Of course it was. It had been a little over a week since Monica and Tate suffered a terrible accident on the way to the hospital. Tate and Monica suffered only minor injuries, but her unborn son–who they'd named John after Kayce's father–had only lived a few hours in the hospital.

Rook wasn't very close to Monica, but her heart broke for her. Even though she'd never had a child nor likely ever will, and could not possibly comprehend the thought of losing one, she could only imagine the grief she was going through.

Rip rode down closer to Mo and his men, leaving the wranglers where they were. With an unspoken agreement, none of them said a word. Something about the act was sacred that they didn't want to disturb.

As Rip got closer, Mo stabbed his shovel into the ground, picking up his hat and signalling for his men to take a break. "They told us this spot." He explained to Rip, which he had no problem with. If Kayce decided that was the spot he wanted his son to be buried, then that was the spot.

"If I had've known, I would have dug that hole for you."

"We don't mind. It's part of the ceremony." Mo said, stroking the neck of Rip's horse. "There's a dead horse over there. When did he die?"

"He died Monday. I got an excavator coming out tomorrow to bury him."

"Wells bury him now. We'll put him in the ground beside the boy." Mo said. At his words, Lloyd slowly walked his horse closer, the others following his lead.

"Can I ask you why?" Rip questioned, but Mo just chuckled.

"You can ask, but I ain't gonna answer."

"Kayce's alright with this, then?" Rip swung down from his saddle, taking the shovel that Mo had discarded.

"He knows."

"Well, you're gonna need a big hole." Rip commented, turning to shout up at the wranglers. "Jake, Ethan, run back to the barn and grab us a bunch of shovels. We'll help you, Mo."

They left the horses underneath the trees, where they'd be shaded from the sun while their riders worked. They were all more than happy to help. To Rook, there wasn't a higher honour than being accepted to help in something as important as a burial, even if it was just digging the hole for a horse. That's still important. After all, every warrior needs a mount to ride.

◇◇◇

It had taken the entire day and part of the evening to finish digging the hole, and by the time they were done, Rook was covered head to toe in sweat.

The second the bunkhouse door swung open, she headed for the bathroom, only stopping briefly to grab clean underwear. She was too tired to grab clothes to bring with her. She'd just get dressed out there.

Beside the only clean towel she could find in the place, she threw down her bra and underwear, not caring where they went. She'd deal with that later.

Stripping off, she stepped into one of the showers, pulling the curtain and turning the dial. Ice cold water sprayed her from head to foot as she stood shivering, waiting for the water to warm.

Rook had to bite back a moan when the hot water flowed over her sore muscles, washing away all the aches of the day. She took a moment to soak in the peace she felt before slathering a generous amount of shampoo in her hands and massaged it into her scalp. Since her hair was so thick, it took up most of her time just to wash it, let alone trying a hairstyle than wasn't a braid or ponytail. Her arms weren't toned from the manual labour, they were toned from dealing with the weight of her tresses.

Rook took her time when it came to washing her body, allowing th conditioner to work its magic. She laved her arms and shoulders, letting the suds cascade down her chest. She traced a finger gently over the brand on her chest and then the long silver line on her lower abdomen. She couldn't reach the ones on her back but she didn't want to. Those had been a part of her for longer than was needed for her to become very familiar to how they feel. Only when the water started to run cold did Rook rinse herself off.

She switched of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel, stepping into the bathroom just as the door opened. Ryan didn't notice her at first but when he did, he stopped dead in his tracks, his shirt unbuttoned almost fully. It seems he's had the same idea as me.

Ryan stammered out an apology but he didn't move, which was less than ideal as he was practically blocking the doorway. And it's not like she could get dressed when he's in the room.

"It's okay. Honest mistake. Technically mine since I didn't lock the door." With one hand keeping the towel covering her, Rook picked her bra and panties off of the floor, hoping Ryan hadn't quite caught sight of them, but judging by the red on his cheeks, he had. "I might've used most of the hot water. Sorry."

She tried to slip past him with them touching but their arms brushed, which threatened Rook's brain to go into overload. After weeks of someone pretty much ignoring you, and contact is welcome. Ryan didn't break eye contact, and there was a storm in those blue eyes. A fucking tempest warring in his mind.

Before the situation could get any more awkward, Rook darted out the open door, shutting it behind her.

◇◇◇

The two trucks pulled into the Poison Creek ranch's yard a little earlier than intended but there was still a group of maybe thirty people already saddling their horses and getting ready for the day.

Rook drifted on autopilot, unloading Kelpie and saddling her. Multiple times was she caught in monotonous conversations where all that was running through her head was the exchange from last night. It was such an idiotic move to leave the door unlocked but she didn't think she'd be that long. It seems she should've been safe considering how sorry she was now.

Her mind was still lingering on last night as they rode up to one of the far pastures, finding the herd of about five hundred grazing. From there, they pushed them down towards the ranch, Rook relishing in the breeze on her face. She hadn't fully realised how empty she had felt while she was away until now, surrounded by the gorgeous Montana wilderness. There were rolling hills of grass as far as the eye could see and even farther, mountains stretched up to the heavens. How could I ever say goodbye to this again? That's a simple answer. I can't.

Dogs darted around Kelpie's hooves, running to herd the few young cattle who broke away from the group.

Rook rode beside Teeter at the back as they came down to the road, which they needed to cross in order to get to the ranch. For the most part, the stretch of road wasn't all too busy but a few cars were caught in the middle.

"Shit. Look at 'em." Teeter exclaimed, pointing to the drivers who had gotten out of their cars, phones held aloft to capture videos of the cattle. When Rook past a woman with the biggest grin she'd ever seen, eyes shining like a kid in a candy store, she tipped her hat in her direction, continuing to push the cows.

"Cowboys are getting too scarce." Rook commented to Teeter once they had passed the woman. "Soon there won't be anyone left to bring that kind of joy to people like her."

Teeter hummed her agreement sadly. "Damn fucking right. Good thing we're here."

Rook smiled, allowing herself to think on the positives for once. "Damn fucking right." She repeated, both of them falling into giggles.

It took a few hours to get the cattle to the ranch, and from there, branding jumped into full swing. With Lloyd and Rook roping, Rip branding and the others holding the calves, the job was finished in no time, letting them enjoy a relaxing evening among friends.

Rook was seated around a fire with the other wranglers, who were engaged in animated conversation about some sport she didn't know the rules of. Kids ran to and from, some practicing their roping skills on makeshift cows made from pallets and sticks while their dogs lounged at their feet, waiting for leftover food to be given to them.

For a while, Rook stared out across the landscape, her mind blank of all except how peaceful it was. That was until Delbert, the owner of the Poison Creek ranch, engaged Rip in conversation right behind her. It's a little hard not to listen when someone's talking right behind you.

"So how many are y'all running this year?" He asked from where he was leaning against the fence, motioning for Rip to come closer.

"Bout the same as last year. But we won't add any yearlings this year, though." Rip strolled closer, sipping from his beer.

"Not with diesel prices and corn?"

"No."

"Shit." The cowboy groaned, briefly shutting his eyes for dramatic effect. "When this finally makes it to the butcher shop, it's gonna sting."

Rip didn't bother agreeing. He already knew that. "It's good to see your boy back." Rook's eyes found a man around her age dressed in brand-spanking-new Wranglers and Ariats, a brown hat discarded on a chair.

"It's just for the summer. He graduated, got a job in Boise. But my daughter wants to stay. We'll see if I can make a cowboy out of her shit-for-brains husband. Only thing he seems to like making is babies."

Rip laughed with the man for a while until the conversation took a sadder tone, as was far more common that she liked these days. "World sure is shrinking where you are. It's good to see that airport squashed."

Ah, yes. The good old airport that was set to make Paradise Valley a tourist hot-spot, or rather, more of a tourist hot-spot than it currently was. As his first act as Governor, John squashed all plans for construction indefinitely, angering a hell of a lot of people, even Jaime,or so she heard.

"That ain't gonna change nothing, Delbert." Rip commented, staring off into the sky above him. "I mean, shit, it might slow it down a bit. At least the world hasn't found out about this place, yet."

Two children ran past, their ropes gripped in tiny hands. Delbert nodded to them, his face grim. "It breaks my heart to think of the world we're leaving them."

"Breaks my heart, too. Hell, and I don't even have kids."

A young woman with dyed cherry-red hair had invited herself to a seat around the fire and–to Rook's great surprise–invited her horse too. None of the wranglers had ever spoken her or even recognised her, but they welcomed her anyway.

"What's you're name?" Colby asked, breaking the ice.

"Alyssa. This is Mr. Peanut Butter Brittle." She stroked the dark brown stallion beside her, whose hair was braided and adorned with plenty of bows. It certainly was a sight to behold. "I call him Mr. PBB for short. So where are y'alls horses?"

Alyssa chatted their ears off for a good chunk of the night, predominantly about things concerning horses, and any time they tried to change the subject, she masterfully managed to turn the conversation back to what she wanted to talk about. To tell the truth, Rook left with a smidge more knowledge than she'd arrived with.

◇◇◇

Rook felt like she'd never gotten any sleep in her entire life.

The wranglers dressed and brushed their teeth in relative silence. It was around three in the morning, earlier than the usual start to the day on account of the spring gather where the cattle from the higher pastures are brought down for branding. She was there for the last one but it wasn't going to be anything like this one... perhaps due to something connected to John's election.

Rook was brushing out her hair, braiding it away from her face, when Ryan stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his hair that he had still chosen to keep long, much to Rook's pleasure. Longer hair really did suit him so well. The brand, now healed for quite some time, was puckered away from his skin and Rook felt her own prickle beneath her shirt too. Sometimes she forgot it was there since she was so used to it, but she noticed the few stares she got in the bar when it peeked over the neckline of the shirt.

Ryan ran a hand down his face, tiredly smothering a yawn as he stumbled out of the bathroom.

"Last one of those for a while," Walker commented, much happier than anyone else. Fucking criminal, always awake even running on two hours of sleep. That's probably the only perk of prison.

"Yeah."

Nobody spoke much around the table while they ate breakfast, which wasn't actually more than cups of coffee, in retrospect, not a great idea since they'd be riding for pretty much the whole day. Boy would they regret it later.

Breakfast was over earlier than she expected–or maybe she'd zoned out for most of it. Either way, it didn't really matter. Outside, once everyone had finished their coffee or dumped the rest down the sink, they met Rip in the stables, already saddling his horse.

Quickly and methodically, they saddled their own horses, packing food and water in their saddlebags. Soon, they found themselves waiting in the arena for John, all forty of them, including Emmett Walsh, one of the last true cowboys and a good friend of John's since they were young men.

Rook was making sure Kelpie was comfortable when Beth appeared, decked out in an entire cowboy outfit and riding a horse. It shocked Rook so much that she needed to do a double-take. She'd never seen Beth ride and knew she didn't exactly have fond memories of it on account of her mother's death. It appears her opinions may have changed, even if only a little bit.

She was about to go over to Beth when a woman who looked like she'd been hit by a fucking freight train and then pummeled about fifty times by the woman from Misery, strolled over without a care in the world. Upon closer inspection, which wasn't all that close, Rook discovered her to be Summer Higgins, John's new environmental advisor and possible lover. They'd never officially met but she'd seen her arrest broadcast on the news the time she assaulted a police officer. Apparently, since he's the Governor now, John managed to grant her clemency and had her sentence reduced to house arrest. But his house. A little iffy law wise if you asked her but hey, he was the Governor now. He got to choose what those laws were.

Looking at Beth, she looked only a little better than the other woman did, and Rook was able to put two and two together. It wasn't exactly hard when Beth had complained about Summer to her for ages. At least it seems they'd gotten over their differences... eventually.

Conversation floated here and there as everyone waited on John, but after a few minutes of waiting, he rode in on a gorgeous bay, his assistant Clara at his side on a brown mare.

As John rode up to them, he stopped in front of Emmett. "You sure you got another ride in you?"

Emmett laughed and Rook was honestly a little scared he'd tip over and fall before the ride had even begun. "I'll race your ass up to the top, Governor."

"Thanks for coming," John muttered, low and sincere. To be honest, Rook didn't think he suspected as many people to show up. He'd made a whole party of the gathering but that did exactly equate to people. At least, it never had before he became Governor. That changes a lot.

"Nowhere I'd rather be."

Giving his friend a fond smile, John spurred his horse into the centre of the paddock so that everyone lined up could see and hear him. "We'll ride up along Mount Chisholm, push them down to Lenis Creek and hold 'em all in the meadow over night. If we're lucky, we'll get 'em all in one drive. No way to get a camp up there, so it'll be empty stomachs and cold backs for a couple of days. Yee-haw."

With cheers and hollers, they were off. Seated in her saddle, Rook could stop smiling. The first spike camp at Yellowstone had been absolutely incredible, but this was something else entirely. She'd never taken part in any drive where they had no amenities of any kind. It didn't dull her spirits in any way.

◇◇◇

They were still riding when the sun came up, golden and warm and brightening her spirits even more. Most of the wranglers rode on when John, Rip and Beth stopped on the very top of a large hill to watch the sun, but Rook stayed to watch the sunrise too.

Rook was about to comment on how gorgeous the sunset was, somehow even more beautiful now that she was free, when John spoke.

"And they wonder why we fight so hard. You see what you've been missing?" It was a rhetorical question, but yeah. She did see what she had been missing all those years before she found her home.

Unfortunately, Beth being Beth, ruined the moment for her father completely. Not for Rook, though.

"Did anyone think to pack any Vodka?"

"Beth, just... look at the horizon." John sighed, sounding incredibly exasperated.

"Yeah, I see it, Dad. It's very pretty." With a small laugh, John turned in his saddle to look at his daughter, undoubtedly shocked that she thought the sunset was pretty. "What? I said it's pretty. Don't make a thing of it."

While Beth and John argued, a duo of cowboys Rook still wasn't familiar with met them on the hill.

"You two drop in here. I wanna go down a hundred yards where she can't ruin this for me." John made to ride away but Beth managed to get the last word in anyway.

"It's the same view from the porch. Just a different angle."

John didn't respond, but Rook called out to him before he could ride away.

"Sorry, sir. Would I be able to go with you? I'd like to see it in peace, too."

"Sure. That's no problem, Rook." He replied, giving her a smile that said 'thank God I'm not the only one who thinks that'.

As they rode off, Rook heard Rip comment that Beth had 'a mean streak as big as this damn valley' and her even snarkier reply.

"Well, it's a woman's job to give men perspective, baby. I do not find this beautiful. Personally, okay? Too big, too much space to be beautiful. To comprehend it. Now, give me a meadow and a little lake, and a little stream. No one knows about it but me and I have it all to myself. That I understand. I don't like to share the things I find beautiful. You know what I mean?

"Everytime I look at you, I know what you mean."

◇◇◇

Rook and Kelpie followed John down the hill around a hundred yards where they could still see the sunrise over the tops of the pines. Neither spoke, even though that was precisely why Rook had asked to come, well, in part. She did want to enjoy her first proper sunrise as a free woman. There was plenty of time for conversations.

After a couple of minutes, the sun shining down on their faces, Rook turned to her boss.

"I'm sorry, sir, for interrupting your peace and quiet, but I wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you gave me my job back. I know I've already said it, but this place is more of a home than I've ever know. You've showed me such kindness since I arrived, and that means more to me than you will ever know."

John chuckled as he swung his horse around to look back at her. "You know, you're probably the only person in this goddamn valley who'd thank me twice."

"Except Rip." She corrected.

"Yeah," John sighed. "Except him. Come on. They'll be waiting for us."

John rode off in the direction they came and Rook followed, happy that what she'd wanted to say had been said. She knew she really didn't have to thank him again, but a lot was still on her mind and she was afraid that she hadn't thanked him properly.

◇◇◇

It was around mid afternoon to early evening when they had almost wrangled the cattle to Lenis Creek, and everyone was chipping in to keep the herd from wandering off. And I do mean everyone.

In less than a day, Beth found her own again while riding. It was obvious when she first got on the horse that she wasn't fully comfortable but now it looked like she was in her element. She darted in and out of the other riders, herding the strays back in before they ran off too far, and all with a smile on her face.

Rip rode past her at one point and she stared at him, her face puzzled.

"I can't believe you're not smiling." She declared, pointing to his–forgive Rook for saying it–resting bitch face.

"I'm smiling on the inside." Rip's face didn't change in the slightest, even for his wife.

"Don't ever call this work, okay? Ever." Rook started laughed at the comment and couldn't stop the moment she thought of what the others would say. No, Beth. This is precisely what our work is. But I appreciate the sentiment all the same.

They were actually ahead of schedule by a good bit by the time the cattle reached the Creek. Rip and few of the other cowboys offered to go on first watch, leaving the rest to do as they pleased until it was their turn.

Rook secured Kelpie to the picket line running from a few of the trees surrounding where most chose to make their beds. Beds being a very loose term for where they put their horses' saddles.

Once she'd watered Kelpie and left her to graze, Rook found the most comfortable tree she could find and lay down against it, her hat tipped down to keep the sun off of her face.

And even though she wasn't somebody who ever napped during the day, Rook fell asleep beneath the foliage.

◇◇◇

The great thing about having so many hands, sometimes you don't need to be woken up. Rook's shift never came, meaning she was able to sleep the whole night through, peacefully.

Once everyone was awake, they saddled the horses while preparing to make the home stretch, just like they had the morning before.

"I don't mind working for less than minimum wage, but these mornings with no coffee bullshit..." Ryan commented, groaning as he saddled his horse.

"It's cowboy shit." From Ryan's reaction, Rook guessed Teeter's comment was not helpful.

"Hell, it'll just make it taste that much better once you get down the hill, Ryan."

"I have to agree with Lloyd." Rook said. "Absence does make the heart grow fonder." Ryan's eyes locked on hers and stayed there for far longer than what was probably right, all things considered. Thankfully, Walker knew some sense to start talking, snapping them both out of whatever episode they were in.

"There you go, Ryan. Drink up a little bit of that cowboy wisdom." He was still laughing as Rook turned away, trying to will the blush from her cheeks, imagining the red creeping higher and higher until she was just one big blush. She was a second away from slapping herself when she heard hooves incoming and decided in a split second that she couldn't be acting the way she was. He'd moved on with somebody else. It was time she did the same.

◇◇◇

Praise be to whatever God is out there, the pushing of the cattle went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, the gathering as a whole had not escaped it.

Late in the night, Emmett Walsh had passed away in sleep. There was nothing that could've been done for him, he died as a cowboy should: his saddle beneath his head and the stars above, but it was a somber affair nonetheless. Especially when John broke the news to Emmett's wife that her husband would not be coming home.

Mrs. Walsh's bravery blew Rook away when she didn't balk from serving those awaiting food or needing help. In a way, she probably didn't even realise he was dead yet. The human mind has a strange way of trying to keep itself safe. She was perhaps one of the toughest women Rook had ever had the pleasure of meeting.

John had mentioned that Emmett would've turned in heaven if he knew his death cast a shadow over the gather, so they didn't let it. The branding went on. Rook and Ryan were roping with John branding and the rest holding the cows.

They had an audience, but that was to be expected. What wasn't, however, was Abby being a part of that audience.

"Yeah, you like it?" Ryan taunted to the singer when he noticed how intently she was watching him.

"I like it. Show me what you've got, cowboy."

Rook ripped her eyes away from the duo, mentally admonishing herself from going back on what she had told herself just that morning. He was moving on, she should too.

Rook roped a calf and dragged it to where Teeter and Colby were already waiting. With a little effort, they flipped it over and held it down for John to brand.

"Mr. Dutton, burn, sir?" Teeter called out but John wasn't able to understand her.

"What the hell is she sayin'?" He asked Colby, who thankfully answered.

"She says she's ready, sir." To be honest, it was still a little shocking to her just how many of them couldn't understand Teeter. Sure, there were words here and there that were spoken too fast for her to pick up, but for the most part, you could put two and two together and wind up with the right answer. Seemingly, it wasn't all that easy.

John brought the hot iron down on the calf's hip and it attempted to buck but Teeter and Colby held fast. When John pulled back the brand, they released it from the rope, signalling for the next.

◇◇◇

Once the day's work was over, the commotion settled down, most choosing to spend their time dancing with their loved ones. Not Rook, though. She had her ass planted firmly on the fence reading her book. Abby was up on stage with her band and Colby and Teeter were dancing. Where the rest of the wranglers were, she didn't really know.

Ryan was seated on the fence a little bit up from her, staring at Abby so hard she thought hearts would pop out of his eyes. Every time she noticed, she went right back to reading.

Walker's voice drifted to her as he took a space beside Ryan also after noticing how I love her looked.

"She's pretty damn good." He commented, nodding to Abby, who was rocking out on stage. Rook had to hand it to her. She sure did have one hell of a stage presence.

"She's great!" Ryan didn't even look to the man. He was far too transfixed by his new love.

"She sure has her eyes on you."

"How do you dance with a woman when she's the one performing on the stage? You see, that's my problem." Ryan jumped down from the fence, choosing to lean against it instead.

Without saying anything, Walker strolled to the edge of the stage once Abby and her band had finished their set, acting like there was nothing of interest. He held a hand out to Abby, helping her down when she gripped it with her own. Her band stayed where they were, and when he pointed to where Ryan stood, they launched into a song Rook had heard on the bunkhouse playlist a few times, Nobody Knows My Trouble. Fitting. At least for her, right now.

Now that she was free, Abby made a beeline for Ryan, chuckling when she got close enough. "Pretty handy keeping a musician in your back pocket."

"For moments just like this." He pulled her into a dance, and Rook buried her head in her book again, but the words didn't make sense to her brain, which was still short circuting. She was took focused on keeping her eyes down that she didn't notice a man taller than six foot, with a close-cropped beard and shaggy black hair standing right in front of her. When she noticed, her eyes resembled dinner plates.

"Hi." She said, her book still open in her lap.

"Hi." The man parroted, his voice a husky drawl. A dimple popped out as he smirked and she found herself momentarily forgetting about whatever the fuck Ryan was doing.

"Shit, sorry. I'm Rook. Nice to meet you." She dog-eared the page and closed the book, holding out a hand to the man, who grasped it in warm hands. They were rough from work, but no rougher than her own.

"A beautifully strange name for a beautifully strange woman. I'm Benji. The pleasure is all mine, Rook." Instead of shaking, he brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles. "I couldn't help but notice you over here. Would you care to dance?"

Benji's ridiculous dimple revealed itself again and some of his hair flopped over his face. I mean, I did say I should get over Ryan...

"I'd like that a lot, Benji." He broke out in a full smile, showing off his pearly white teeth, and she forgot all her worries, focusing on the now rather than what might never come to pass.

As Benji led her to the dance floor, Rook caught sight of Ryan and Abby kissing but she kept her gaze trained on Benji. Here and now.

The last notes of Walker's song drifted over the crowd and everyone stopped to clap as Abby and Ryan broke apart, the singer rushing back to her spot on the stage. Her band jumped into an upbeat song and Benji didn't miss a step in swinging her around, making her laugh so hard tears streamed freely from her eyes. Here and now.

Chapter Text

You come and go in waves
Leavin' me in your wake
You come and go in waves
Swallowing everything
The Death Of Peace Of Mind - Bad Omens

Rook

It was late and most of the others had already retired to their tents. Not Rook, however. She was still dancing with Benji, even though the stage had cleared off hours ago. They didn't need music.

She could feel her eyes beginning to grow heavy, and she knew she'd have to address it eventually. So she opted for sooner rather than later.

"Benji..." She murmured against his chest.

"Yeah, what is it?" He tilted her chin up so her eyes met his.

"There's something I have to tell you. I was... involved with one of the other wranglers." She confessed, her tone serious as they stopped moving. "I'd like to say I've gotten over him, but that wouldn't be the truth."

There was a beat of silence as Benji mulled the fact over, and a spike of fear shot through her that he wouldn't take kindly to it. Instead, he smiled.

"I'll let you in on a little secret, but you better promise me you ain't gonna tell a soul." Benji held out a pinkie finger and Rook wrapped her own around it. "My ex girlfriend's here and I might have come to make her jealous."

Rook nodded, also mulling over the revelation before bursting into giggles. "It seems we're in the same boat. To making exes jealous." Rook held out her hand, waiting for Benji to shake on it, which he did.

"And to making new friends... or maybe even something more." He added with a wink, pulling her to the tents.

◇◇◇

Benji was still fast asleep when Rook slipped out of her tent, making sure the owner of the one across from her got a good look in.

Despite what it looked like, her and Benji didn't do anything last night. They simply told each other about their exes and their lives in general. Rook learned that he'd gone to college for teaching but had soon discovered his passion for cooking. He switched courses and had been a chef ever since. Her story was quite boring, especially after removing pretty much everything about her father and brother's death from it. He didn't need to know all of that on the first night.

Rook was quiet as she dressed, not wanting to wake Benji, and she silently made her way to where Gator was serving breakfast. She passed Ryan's tent just as he opened the flap, revealing a curled up Abby in his bed. From the way he was staring at her tent, he had spotted Benji in hers.

"Mornin', you sure had a busy night." She commented, not trying to sound snarky in the slightest. She had a feeling she failed.

"So did you by the looks of things." So he had seen Benji. Rook didn't know what to do with the knowledge or the pride she felt but she certainly wasn't going to stomp it down.

"Yeah. Yes, I did." She replied, much more cheerfully than she felt for such an early morning but the flicker in Ryan's eye was enough to justify it. Together, they joined the group slowly building around Gator. They all filled their bowls with steaming porridge and washed it all down with coffee that certainly tasted like one of the best cups Rook had ever had.

Breakfast was over quick and they offered their thanks to Gator as they passed to get to the horses.

The sun still not up, the wranglers rode off in single file, trusting their horses eyesight better than their own to be able to see.

◇◇◇

Beth

It was around ten before anyone joined Beth at the fire. She'd gotten up just before seven, hours still after Rip's body alarm went off, telling him it was time to get back to work. How the fuck can somebody get up at four every day and not be tired? Tell me that.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted three blonde heads bobbing up and down among the sea of tents. The three made their way to Beth, Summer pucking up coffee cups along the way and hading them to Laramie and the other woman, Abby.

"Look at all you sluts." Beth commented when they got closer. Summer spun around to glare.

"You're sitting here too. I doubt you just wandered down from the house to take in the view."

"Yeah, well, I'm a married woman. You tramps..." Summer cut her off with a laugh, garnering a glare from Beth this time.

"Ah, yes. That arcane ritual where you stand before friends and family and swear before god deity that you will surrender your independence and obey the man you are betrothed to." Summer said, pouring Abby and Laramie coffee.

The two women sent side eyes Summer's way while laughing. "Betrothed?"

"See, what Summer is attempting to do here is make out that marriage is designed to somehow oppress and control a woman. You know, if you're married to a piece of shit, it can be, but if you married the love of your life, the mirror to your soul, it's pretty fucking great."

"I thought we agreed to get along." Summer retorted as another tent opened, a man dressed in plaid getting out. The four women watched as he approached them, taking his hat off when Laramie handed him a cup. Beth didn't have a damn clue whose tent he came out of but he sure as hell wasn't from around here. She'd remember than kind of face. A damn pretty but dangerous one.

"We did." Beth continued, acting as if the man wasn't there. "I didn't agree to placate some of your hippie bullshit where every institution and every custom is designed to oppress."

"They are."

Beth flashed Summer her ring, her lips pinched in a grin. "They are what you make 'em, babe."

Summer looked on unfazed and utterly unchanged. "I'm going to take a shower."

"You could probably use one."

At the mention of showers, Abby turned to Laramie. "There are showers here?"

"Yeah, in the bunkhouse. I'll show you." Both women got up, discarding their cups beside them. Only after taking a few steps, Laramie turned around to face Beth, clearly waiting for something.

"What?"

"Just waiting for another zinger." She explained.

"I'm all zinged out." Laramie nodded, pointing towards the bunkhouse and hurrying off, the singer at her heels. The man wandered off somewhere Beth couldn't find him. She didn't even know him enough to insult him if he came back.

"Why are you so mean?" Monica asked, coming over from where she'd been watching the conversation.

"No reason. It's fun."

"That's fun for you?" Monica asked, shocked.

"What, to point out the very thing that everyone's thinking but they don't have the spine to own it and say? 'Yeah, damn right romped in the tent all night. You should try it'." Which I did. Most of the night. Yes, I find that amusing."

"Well, I think it's cruel."

"Well, that's why I don't do it to you. Those cowgirls, they give as good as they get and that patchouli-scented know it all, well, she needs it. You don't need it." Beth said, sincerely. She didn't need it. Never had.

"Well, I don't need to be treated differently just because I lost a child." Monica folded her arms over her chest, wandering closer to Beth.

"Yeah, you do." Beth nodded. "I'm going to tell you something I've only told one other person, so let's keep this between you and me."

"Okay." Monica said, sitting down on the empty bench.

"I know how you feel because I've felt it. And I feel it every day. So when I say that I am sorry, Monica, I really mean it."

Monica wiped her eyes, her voice breaking as she spoke. "Thank you." Standing up, she turned back again. "That's why you're mean. Nobody knows. Because you keep that inside yourself."

"I keep it inside because of... all of the people knowing it would hurt. Anyway, that's not why I'm mean. I was a real fucking bitch before it happened, so..." Beth revealed. Monica chuckled behind her.

"Well, you're very good at it." She pointed out.

"I try." Beth watched Monica walk away, pouring out her mug of leftover coffee and deciding to take a trip back up to the house.

◇◇◇

Rook

They were pushing the cattle to the ranch, cutting through one of the farther pastures that hadn't been grazed yet that year, when a panicked looking Lloyd came riding back, hurrying for John and Rip. His group was a little ahead of the others and it seemed they'd found something. Something unwelcome.

"Ah, shit. This ain't gonna be good." Rip commented, drawing John's attention to the man.

When Lloyd reached the men, they all stopped, the wranglers keeping the cows from wandering. "Buffalo from the park been in this pasture. Found two dead bison calves there, stillborn. Walker said he's seen two more of 'em." As he finished, an equally panicked Jake appeared.

"Let me guess, you found a stillborn bison." John said to the wrangler, who replied that it had been two.

"Why would that happen?" Clara asked, confused, and Rook realised that it made complete sense that she wouldn't know. Sometimes she forgot not everybody knew what she and the others did.

"Brucellosis, Clara." Just then, Kayce appeared, rushing to his father.

"Found something you're gonna want to see."

"We found it, too." This was definitely not needed. Not with the airport pasture also out of commission.

"Can cattle get it?" Clara asked, still keeping that almost perpetual cheer in her voice.

"Yes, cattle can get it."

"Well, how can you tell?" John was lost in thought for a second before he shook off whatever unwelcome idea had popped into it.

"We'll test 'em for it. And if one cow has it, the state destroys the whole herd." He explained, their shitty situation becoming all the clearer to his poor assistant.

"All out cows have calves." Kayce pointed out, even more panicked than before.

"We're not going to solve this on the side of a hill. Let's get them to headquarters. We'll figure it out there." John spurred his horse and they all followed his lead.

◇◇◇

Rook had swapped her usual roping job for something a little more hands on this time, just to give Kelpie a well deserved rest. But right now, she was standing between Colby and Ryan, watching Teeter, Clara and Summer vaccinate one of the calves with a lot of interest.

"You jumping in on this? You doin' it?" Teeter called to Clara, who nodded her head enthusiastically. "Hell yeah. Alright, come on. Ready?"

Clara gripped the calf's bound back legs as Teeter took the front, careful not to tangle it up in the rope. On three, the flipped the calf onto it's side. Once Teeter was sure Clara had a hold of the calf, she gave it shots.

"Great, man, look at the fuckin' girl power." She exclaimed to Clara, who didn't have a fucking clue what she was saying.

"Gun powder? For what?"

"Girl power! Fucking girl power, man! You speak fucking English?" The grin on Teeter's face was replaced with a look of annoyance.

"You speak fucking English?" Clara parroted back to her. "What the fuck are you saying?"

Summer had been hanging back, clearly very unwilling to give the calf the medication, even if it was for its own good. "Just do it!" Lloyd shouted, which snapped her into motion.

"Come on little miss sunshine." Teeter looked to Summer expectantly, as if silently hoping she'd move faster.

Summer threw herself forward, constantly muttering to herself and the calf under her breath. "I'm so fucking sorry, little calf. It's for your own good so you don't get sick. I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry."

Colby, still watching, said what both her and Ryan were already thinking. "I feel like I shouldn't be watching, but I can't stop."

"It's riveting!" Ryan said, turning to his friend.

"Fuck yeah it is. Best entertainment I've gotten in a long while." She chuckled as Summer held her head in her hands.

"Ughhhh. This is so fucking traumatising." She sighed, the two men peeling away from the fence.

"We're up." Ryan tapped Colby lightly on the arm as Walker roped another calf. As easy as breathing, they flipped the calf over and held it down as Jake castrated it, Summer looking away in disgust.

"You tell me when you're ready for me." She ventured another look but turned away again just as quickly as she had the first time. "Yeah, okay. This is fucking traumatising."

"You ever seen with blackleg?" Colby waited for Summer's 'no' before continuing what Ryan had started.

"That's traumatising. You're doing the calf a big favour."

"And if you could do that favour a little faster." Ryan jumped in, now struggling to keep the calf still.

"Okay! I'm sorry, little calf, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Rook was still laughing at Summer when Rip called her, Teeter, Jake, Ryan and Walker over to where he stood at the fence.

"Rook, Jake, Ryan, Walker, Teeter! Get over here." None of them were sure why he was calling them over, but they went anyway. "Alright, listen up. After we brand these cattle, we're going to hold 'em here then we're gonna out 'em on trucks. We're gonna bring them to lease ground. You five are comin' with me. We're gonna get some day workers when we get down there."

"Where?" Ryan asked, speaking the thought on everyone's minds.

"I don't know. Somewhere it doesn't snow in the winter. Go and pack everything you got. Your tents, all of it. We'll be gone for a while." Rip explained. Rook was honestly incredibly excited and honoured to be chosen, but she didn't want to break the news to Benji. They weren't together by any means, but she valued his presence and wanted to get to know him better. An undisclosed amount of time away from the ranch could mean she'd never see him again.

When she looked up, Rook saw Ryan unabashedly staring at Abby, clearly thinking along the same lines as she had been. Behind her, Walker laughed.

"What are you smilin' about?" Rip questioned, looking at Walker.

"Gonna go do some cowboy shit now. You keep that bunkhouse and cable TV." He highfived Teeter, both wranglers cheering at getting to back down south. Teeter was from Texas (Arkansas if you were really being picky) and Walker from New Mexico, but he'd lived all throughout the south. Rip was smart in picking them to come.

"Thanks for picking us, boss." Jake said, everyone else echoing his words. Rook couldn't really wrap her head around the fact that she'd be leaving again, this time for a good reason however, even as they regrouped in the middle of the arena, the only person missing being Ryan. A few moments later, he joined them again, holding a small wad of cash.

"The boss says we're to celebrate our last moments of freedom for a while. Looks like the bunkhouse is going to the county fair!" He declared, calling over the other wranglers who hadn't been included in the conversation.

"What's this about a fair?" Colby asked, shoving between Rook and Teeter.

"We're going, so you'd better get dressed up." Rook commented, eyeing his dusty-ass boots. "I've got someone I need to see."

◇◇◇

Rook strolled her hand wrapped up in Benji's much warmer one. She'd asked if he wanted to accompany her to the fair, not just because most were going with their partners, but she also had some news to share with him.

Through the crowds of people, Teeter managed to spot the gaudiest, brightest giant pink bear Rook had ever laid eyes on and declared that she wanted it. Pulling Colby behind her, they all had no choice but to follow as well.

"Hey, he's about to win me a fuckin' bear. Let's go, right here. I want that fuckin' bear." Teeter's pronunciation of 'bear' made it sound more like bur and it was clear by the stall owner's bewildered expression that he didn't know what she was talking about.

"All these games are rigged." Colby complained, still following his girlfriend.

"Who gives a shit. I want it."

Colby, who very obviously didn't want to play for the bear, offered Teeter a handful of notes. "Why don't I just give you the thirty dollars it's going to cosy me to win that bear?"

"Give me the bear, come on."

Rolling his eyes, Colby accepted his fate. "Can you explain this game to me?" He asked the stall owner while handing over the cash.

The man nodded, pointing to the object on the back wall of the stall, a big circle in the middle cut out with four surrounding it. "All you gotta do is toss three balls into the centre hole and you can pick your prize."

"You got it, you got it." Teeter encouraged Colby, albeit in a very strange way. "You get it in the hole all the time at home. Let's do it just like home."

Rook, Benji, Abby and Ryan all had to muffle their giggles, which was much harder to do when they saw Colby's horrified expression.

"There's kids around, relax." His eyes darted around, checking to see if anyone children had unfortunately overheard their conversation. Luckily, it didn't seem like any had.

With not a whole lot of enthusiasm, Colby picked up one of the balls, and staring right at Teeter, he threw it. Miraculously, the ball soared right into the hole and Rook felt her mouth drop open. When she looked to Benji, she found his expression mirroring hers.

"Holy fuck, that just went in." Teeter cheered but Colby looked on, unamused.

"That went in? Okay, but nobody gets two in a row, so it doesn't really matter."

"Whatever, you want to step closer and get me my bear." Once again, Colby threw the ball while looking back at his girlfriend and just like the last time, it went in as smooth as butter. "Right in! Fuck yeah. One more."

"That went in? Okay. Wait, so if I get this... then I win?" Colby asked the owner who nodded is head and confirmed that he would. A little shocked, Colby righted himself and settled to throw while looking straight ahead.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ryan butted in, stopping Colby before he could throw. "Don't start trying, now. Just throw it like you've been throwing it."

"Yeah, but I haven't been looking."

"Then throw it again without looking." Rook said, acting like it was the obvious course of action.

"Right here, you just do the same thing again." Teeter and Colby kept their eyes on each other as the ball left his hands and found the exact middle of the target once again. Rook doubled over, laughing at how downright ridiculous that this was how she introduced Benji to her friends. But then again, this was very on brand for the Bunkhouse Boys.

"Woo! Fuck yeah, baby. Mama is gonna be so good to you tonight." Teeter exclaimed, throwing herself in Colby's arms even as he stumbled back, looking downright scandalised.

"What's wrong with you? There's kids around!" Teeter ignored her boyfriend, turning to the stall owner instead.

"Give me my bear." With her accent, he still couldn't understand her, but Teeter didn't realise it and thought he was just refusing to give it to her. "Come on, man, you give me my fuckin' bear."

"She wants the bear." Everyone intoned, including Benji, who had already settled in with these people after knowing them five minutes.

The stall owner looked a bit shameful for not realising, but he handed the bear to Colby with at least some decency before Teeter took it. Carrying her enormous teddy, Teeter led them all to stall after stall, and Benji even won her a toy crow (which he said was actually a rook) on a shooting game.

Once the sun when down, the band really got going. Everyone, still too lively to go home, lounged on the grass in front of the stage. Teeter, still clutching the bear, lay against Colby's chest as they watched the singer. Beside Rook and Benji, Ryan and Abby snuggled, their hands intertwined. Hell, even John himself was kissing his 'environmental advisor'. Rook and Benji hadn't kissed on account of their shared ulterior motives. Neither wanted to hurt the other, so they had agreed to not go that far... yet. First, they needed to have a conversation.

"Benji?" Rook murmured, her head still on his shoulder, hat place on his head to cover up that he'd left his own in her tent.

"Yeah?" She could feel his eyes on her face, so she sat up.

"I'm gonna be gone for a while. We don't have anywhere to keep the cattle, so a place in Texas has been rented. A few of us have been chosen to go with them." She confessed, trying to still her heart a little. This is what I should've done with Ryan at the beginning. She swept that thought out of her mind. Benji wasn't Ryan.

"How long are you gonna be gone?" He asked, no hurt or anger in his voice. Only curiosity.

"It's hard to say for sure but Rip thinks it'll take a year for things to pencil out." Her voice drifted off as she contemplated removing her hand from Benji's before he could do it first. To her surprise, he kept it there.

"Well, I've enjoyed these last few days incredibly. If you want to keep in touch, you certainly know how." He chuckled, his gaze drifting down to her lips as a conversation broke out beside them.

"So, how long do you think y'all be gone for?" When she turned, Rook found Jake and Lloyd to be the culprits and immediately thanked whatever god pushed her to have the conversation with Benji right before. Unfortunately, someone else didn't have that foresight.

"Hell, it'll take at least a year for it to pencil out." Lloyd answered, and Rook saw Abby slowly turn to face Ryan.

"You're going to Texas for a year? You didn't care to mention that?" She pulled her hand from his, glaring daggers as the other fell completely silent.

"We just found out today." Ryan argued but it was too late. Abby had already picked up her bag and was leaving. Ryan chased after her, unwilling to let her go without at least getting to tell her his side of the story.

"Well, he seems to be in tough waters." Benji commented, still staring at Rook's lips. She didn't stop him.

"Maybe he deserves it." She shrugged. She didn't actually mean it, but maybe it would make him see her side of things better. "Besides, I think there could be something better that we can do besides wondering over someone's relationship."

"And what might that be?" Benji's voice dropped an octave, his eyes flicking up to hers for a split second before returning to her lips. Smiling, she took his chin in her hand, tilting his head down as she gently pressed her mouth to his. It was a tame kiss to begin with. But Benji's hand snaked beneath her jacket, pulling her closer to him and Rook had to fling out her hand to stop from toppling over.

Boots crunched beside them and Rook briefly opened her eyes to find Ryan staring openly at her and Benji. Instead of breaking apart, she closed her eyes and smiled into the kiss, deepening it. She dragged a ragged moan from Benji's chest, which spurred her on more. She didn't care if Ryan was still watching. Let him fucking watch.

Chapter Text

I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Don't stop me
Highway to Hell - AC/DC

Rook

By mid afternoon, all the remaining cattle that were bing shipped down to Texas were loaded up, awaiting their journey to Hell, much like they were. Texas was everything Rook was naturally afraid of. A big state full of nothing but things trying to kill you with absolutely no cover and days that could melt the tyres off a truck. What was a girl from a small town in Vermont doing preparing for Texas?

That thought was at the forefront of her mind as they rode back to the ranch, thankful that there wasn't any people still lingering from the party. The branding had officially ended yesterday, and most packed up and pulled out during the morning. Although, based on the girl chatting to Carter, not everyone had left yet.

They were too far away to hear what was being said, but it was clear she might've been flirting with him, something that made Rook almost giddy. He'd grown up a hell of a lot more than she realised.

Once Kelpie was comfortable in her stable, where she'd stay until they loaded her and the other horses up, she rushed into the bunkhouse, regretting not having packed already. She didn't know when they were set to leave but she certainly didn't want to be late.

"I got two pots of coffee on. Grab your mugs and get 'em filled." Lloyd called out as she shut the door behind her, and she made a quick pit stop to fill the 'Damn I Love Fish' mug she got Ryan as a joke one time. She took a scalding gulp before setting down on the table.

"It's not cold in Texas, is it?" Ryan held up his jacket as she slid past him to get at her bunk.

"You think it's cold here? You gonna freeze the fuzz of them little peaches down there." Teeter chuckled, nodding towards Ryan's crotch. That seemed to get his attention and he wisely rolled the jacket up and shoved it into his bag.

Walker, who was already finished packing, carried his bags to the front door. "The coldest I've ever been is prowling heifers on the Pitchfork in January."

"Pack everything you got. Your long johns, your jackets. There ain't no trees to break the wind where we're goin'." Rip called out from the kitchen, spurring Rook to pack faster. In went all her t-shirts and jeans. Then the only other jacket she owned besides her Carhartt one. Then her Docs and finally, in the spot of honour, Lord of the Rings.

"And you won't call a twenty-mile-an-hour wind a wind after a winter down there, guys." Lloyd added, not making any of them more excited about going. Except maybe Walker. Bastard seemed more happy than when Laramie came back from rodeos.

Colby sipped from his mug, pranced precariously on the table. "Better than here. They're damn near to Mexico."

"It's colder than a mother-in-law's heart down there, boys. I'm telling you." Jake said, finishing his packing and joining the others in the kitchen.

Rip rolled his eyes at the back and forth. "Just pack it all. It's better it lives in the truck than not to have it at all."

Teeter turned to Colby, eyeing him up and down like he was a piece of meat. Rook couldn't help but laugh as she dumped her back on the couch. "You gonna miss me?"

"I don't know how to answer that considering I was forced into this relationship." Colby didn't even crack a smile, even as everyone else laughed.

Ryan finally joined them too, lugging a bag that looked heavier than hers. "If you love something, Teeter, set if free." Is that what you did to Abby? The thought came unbidden but she stopped it before it passed her lips. She couldn't say that.

"I mean fuck that. He's lucky I ain't chaining his ass to the fucking radiator."

For the first time that night, Ethan spoke up. "I don't know if going back to Texas is gonna be the best thing for her speech therapy."

"There it is. The zinger from the cheap seats." Laramie narrowed her eyes at where Ethan lounged beside her.

"Shit, Ethan. I've known you ten years, and you've finally said something half-funny." Rip retorted, chuckling.

"That was pretty funny." Teeter agreed, even laughing at her own expense.

"You got all the dresses packed?" Ethan threw a hit to Jake, who just walked past him. He hadn't even said anything to warrant the attack, yet it was still funny to watch.

"Don't start that fucking shit."

"They all gonna fit in there?"

"I said don't fucking start it."

Walker kissed the top of Laramie's head before leveling a look at both men. "He's got them in a hanging bag in the trailer."

Before Jake could respond, Rip cut everyone off. "Alright, y'all, let's roll."

Without question, everyone bar Ethan and Lloyd got to their feet, following Rip out the door. Rip stopped briefly to give Lloyd a hug, at the same time Ethan gave his well-wishes to them all.

"Adios, boys." Ethan waved them off and Lloyd saluted.

"See you, guys."

Outside, the horses had already been loaded up, no doubt Rip's handiwork. All they had to do was get in. The only problem was that the truck only seated five. Including Rip, there was six of them. Rook tried to make it to the truck fast enough to snag a seat, but she missed out by just a second.

"You bastards." She groaned, throwing her bag into the back before she climbed over Jake's feet, making sure to kneel on them more than she needed to. If he was gonna take a seat from her, bruised feet were the least of what he deserved.

Rook was still kneeling, looking out the window, when Beth pulled up in her car. Wasting no time, just like she had in driving based on the sheer speed she was going at, she ran over to her husband, fishing a handkerchief from her bra to hand to him. She thought about making a joke but Colby's voice cut her off, Teeter running back to the bunkhouse.

Her, Jake and Ryan watched as Laramie rounded on the truck, pulling Walker into a very passionate kiss. At one point, Rook thought she caught Ryan staring at her but thought better of it. He's definitely thinking of his singer.

Walker climbed back into the truck at the same moment Teeter and Colby collided, their lips far each other first. From the open door, Rook could barely make out a hushed 'I love you', but it was still there and made her grin wildly. Forced into the relationship my ass.

◇◇◇

The day was scorching. It was so hot Rook couldn't really breath. She adjusted the straw hat shielding her face from the sun just as her eyes wandered over to Rip, his face grim as he hung up the phone.

In a blink, Rip was spurring his horse to the gate, giving them a bare explanation that wasn't really an explanation at all.

"Hey, Ryan! Something's happened. You're wagon boss." He shouted, pointing as best he could at them. "You listen to everything he says."

Jake opened the gate just in time for Rip and his horse not to barrel right through it and they all watched him ride off in silence, a pit of dread opening in all of their stomachs.

◇◇◇

Six Weeks Earlier

Rook's legs were cramped from when she was still camped out on the floor. At one point during the journey, Teeter had swapped with her to let her look out the window at the gorgeous views but they swapped back when it got dark. She didn't mind being on the floor that much.

Her legs cracked and groaned as the five of them walked out of the gas station, arms full of snacks for the journey. They still had hours to go yet.

Once again, Rook ran to the truck but was too late to get a seat. "Oh you fucking bastards. The lot of you." She cursed, a grin still on her face as she plonked down on the floor, this time crushing Walker's feet. She was sure it had been him to push her out of the way.

The good thing about being on the floor, however, was that nobody could really interrupt you from reading. You were down too far for anyone to want to have a conversation, and you also didn't have a window to stare out of. She was almost halfway through the book when she noticed Ryan was reading as well. She couldn't make out the title from where his hand was covering it but she didn't need to. She knew that cover like she knew her own name.

No matter the perks of the floor, it didn't outweigh the cons, particularly the leg cramps. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one to need to stretch their legs.

They were parked on the side of a small road near a few stores in a state she had no idea of, treating the horses to a walk around the patch of grass they had found when she spotted a mother and father taking a picture of their children with the horses in the background.

"Can we pet them?" The boys asked when his mother ushered him back to the car.

"Uh, they're not ours to pet, honey." She smiled when she noticed Rip watching the exchange but he called out to them, surprising Rook more than ever.

"You want to pet them? Come on." He beckoned the boy closer, and with a final look to his mother, her complied. "You mind if I pick your boy up?"

The mother motioned that he had her permission, and Rip picked him up as if he was light as a feather. "I'm gonna show you a little trick. It'll let you know right off the bat whether you can trust a horse, okay?"

Rip lifted his hand until it covered the horse's eye for a second before removing it. "See this?"

"Now you know you can trust him?"

"Well, now I know he trusts me, which means that I can trust him, too." Rip explained, patting the horse's neck.

"You're a cowboy?"

"I am."

The boy turned in Rip's arm to glare back at his sister, a smug smile on his face. "Told you cowboys were real." He turned back to Rip. "She didn't think there was such a thing as cowboys."

"Well, there might not be someday." Rip replied, putting the boy down. "There you go. Does she want to pet them?"

The girl shook her head, clinging to her mother's hand. Rip asked again just to make sure and they walked back to their car, soon being replaced by a couple who looked like they'd fit in perfectly in Midsommar.

"Hey, you think we could get a picture with the horses?" The man asked, waving his phone. It took less than a second for Rip to respond.

"No."

"Uh, you just let that kid pet them." The man argued, not letting it go.

"Yep."

"Why not us?" The woman butted in, acting as if they were entitled to the photo.

"You do it once, you're being nice. You do it a second time and you're a petting zoo. You want to pet a horse, go buy one." Without leaving the couple time to respond, Rip walked away, leading the horse to the grass with the others.

Rook noticed the disgruntled and slightly nasty looks they threw Rip's way but it just made it all the funnier. The fuck did they think was gonna happen?

◇◇◇

Half an hour later, they were back on the road, Rook comfortable after stealing Walker's seat while he was still loading up the horses. Every now and again, he threw her a look but she ignored him, a smug grin on her face.

A car that looked familiar appeared in the windscreen but it took her a little bit of time to realise it was the family's from earlier. Honking the horn, Rip gave a thumbs up out the window at the boy who watched wide-eyed. The others waved to him and his sister, reveling in the feeling of being inspiring. Maybe the world wasn't so doomed after all. Yeah, no. It's still doomed as fuck. But maybe there's a littl bit more hope for the cowboy way.

An hour and another stop later, Rook was back on the floor. It was getting tiring running for a seat, so she just didn't. She didn't care enough anymore for that.

She was contently reading when Rip's phone buzzed in his pocket and he picked up the call, relaxing visibly the second Beth's voice reached his ears.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"How's Texas?" Beth's disembodied voice asked, slightly garbled from the less-than perfect speaker on Rip's flip phone. Yes, a flip phone. Makes sense.

"I don't know, we ain't there yet."

"You've been gone two days." Beth replied, as if that would magically transport them to Texas. It had been two days and, boy, did they know it.

"Yeah, well. It's been slow rolling. Pulling horses. Besides, Texas is halfway across the world."

Rook could practically hear Beth's smirk over the phone. "Not really, but it's cute you think it is."

"Well, it's too far from you. I know that." Rook's eyes met Teeter and she knew they were thinking the exact same thing. Jake, on the other hand, was rolling his eyes as far back in his head as they could go.

"Well, I got some good news." Beth declared, shutting her husband up immediately. "I finished my community service early, so... I can come visit."

Rip was silent for a minute, thinking over what he should say. "Um... let me see which way is up around here first, okay?"

"Hey, I went to jail for you. Now I'm picking up trash for you. When I'm done picking up trash for you, I'm going to fly down there and I'm gonna fuck you like I won you in the state fair. What part of that do you have a problem with?"

Rip slowly turned his head to look at Ryan, who was staring directly at him. Without Rip having to say a word, Ryan answered.

"Yes. Every word. She is the perfect woman." He turned back to look at them in the back, all muffling their laughs with their hands.

"You know I'm stuffed in a truck with a bunch of cowboys, honey. Let me call you later tonight, alright?"

Beth's laugh drifted from the speaker. "Don't worry, baby. Rook's already heard it all before. She's not going to judge."

For a brief moment, Rip pried his eyes from the road to look back at her, embarrassment obvious in his eyes. She shrugged, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. It was bad enough that she'd heard about her boss' sex life, having him know she knew was another level of shame.

"I'm booking a flight. Don't argue." As promised, albeit silently, Rip didn't argue. He just looked over at Ryan again, looking incredibly self-conscious.

◇◇◇

Another few hours later, they pulled into the lane way leading to the Four Sixes ranch.

"Hey, bud, we're about to pull through the gate. Where do you want us?" Rip asked over the phone to Travis, whose scoff was the only thing they could hear.

"Look, I ain't there, man. I'm in Weatherford. We're getting ready for this derby. But I got you covered. Kory Pounds is there. Just head past the headquarters around to the right 'til you run into cows and a whole pile of cowboys, alright?" Of course he wasn't there. Rook didn't care whether he was the best horse trainer in the entire country or even the whole fucking world, that didn't make him any less of a prick.

Rip and Travis said their farewells to each other before they pulled into the driveway, just underneath the sign that proudly read '6666'.

Just as Travis had told him, Rip took a right at what was presumably the headquarters and almost ran right into a bunch of cowboys. He parked the truck and everyone slid out from the back. Rook waited until Walker was gone to climb out, her legs protesting after being crammed in an uncomfortable position for hours.

They unloaded the horses and saddled them, wasting no time in heading over to the cowboys. She knew Rip felt bad about the cows arriving earlier than they had–it wasn't like he mentioned it pretty much every day on the road. I guess making up for lost time makes him feel better.

"Hey Kory." Rip grasped the hand of the cowboy seated near the fence.

Kory chuckled as he spotted Teeter riding behind Rook, pointing at her when they got near enough. "You brought Arkansas with you."

"I ain't from fucking Arkansas!" Once again, the argument was useless. What Travis said was taken as gospel around these parts.

"You need to stop hanging out with Travis." Rip laughed, almost choking on a breath. "Goddamn, the air is thick down here."

"Yeah, we like to call it oxygen. We're not in the mountains anymore, old cowboy."

"Well, you can keep your oxygen. We'll keep out rain." Rip stated and Kory feigned confusion.

"Never heard of it."

"Oh, it's water that falls from the sky, Kory."

Kory gazed up at the sky in fake wonder. "Well, now you're just making shit up."

Rip's expressions turned serious and he nudged his horse closer to Kory. "Look, I hate that we had to send 'em down here before we hit the road."

"Look, we all do this for a living." Kory said, waving Rip away like the help they were giving was nothing. "I've got your pastures to the south." What fucking pastures? All I see is ground dry as fucking hell.

After a minute, Kory remembered another point he thought he should mention to them. "I will say, you're gonna get real tired of those teepees. There's motels not ten miles from here."

Rip was shaking his head even before Kory finished speaking. "No, the ground is free. We're trying to cut every corner we can."

"Well, a twenty-mile-an-hour wind means the wind isn't blowing here. I just want you to know I warned you." Kory stated, eyeing Rip up and down like he was a little crazy, which made Rook less excited about the whole ordeal.

Rip pointed to the horse Kory was riding, a beautiful dappled grey mare. "They got you pretty damn good mounting on them, don't they?"

"Well, life's too short to ride bad horses." Kory replied, smiling. Damn right, man.

"Yes, sir. Let's get to work."

Kory opened the gate for them and they followed Rip through, staring at the man across the arena from them.

"Look who it is." Ryan exclaimed, and Rook's eyes darted up and found Jimmy, who had yet to notice them.

"This ranch must have one of those 'hire the handicapped' programs." As the words left Jake's mouth, Rook was about to clock him in the head but Ryan got there before her.

"Can't say that, Jake. Gotta say something like 'employment for the disabled'." Teeter met Rook's gaze from around Ryan and Jake, silently asking what the fuck they were on about. Rook simply shook her head. It was usually better to just let them talk than to question anything.

"What if it's a mental disability?"

"Not a disability," Ryan corrected. "It's a challenge. Mentally challenged. That is a pretty fair description of him."

"But if he's stupid, hell, we can still call him stupid?"

"You can as long as you apply it directly to Jimmy. Anyone else and you're getting into some stormy waters–"

"Would you two stupid motherfuckers shut up? Y'all are fucking embarrassing yourselves." Teeter cut Ryan off, making Rook smother a laugh.

"We're embarrassing ourselves? Okay, record your voice one day and then listen back to it." Ryan said, raising an eyebrow as if he'd got Teeter on that one. As if she hasn't heard every accent joke in existence by this point.

Teeter grinned wickedly at him. "Wait 'til you hear me sing."

Rook laughed maniacally at the horror on Ryan's face. She briefly caught the confused look Rip threw their way but ignored it. No explanation could perfectly sum it up.

Chapter Text

Share the silence with a fire, roll the rest of my tobacco
Tellin' stories to myself, but I know them all too well (mm)
When the desert night is cold, I just want someone to hold me close
I don't wanna die alone, who's gonna love me when I'm gone?
Lonely Cowboy - KALEO

Rook

Chatting amongst themselves, the wranglers returned from a hard first day in the wild of Texas, the sun beating down on them with nothing to shade. At least their work was done for now since the cattle were all out in the pastures. Again, what pastures? She couldn't help but ask herself.

Gator was setting up his wagon beside where the truck was parked, offering some break from the sun for the man. They unsaddled the horses and tied them up near the trailer, making sure they had water and plenty of shade. Something they all wanted.

"I saw a dragonfly out there about as big as my fucking head." Jimmy exclaimed to Walker.

"Yeah, they're pretty big. They say out here 'big enough to fuck a turkey flat-footed'." Walker chuckled at Jimmy's lost expression.

"Wait, what does that mean?"

For most of the day, Jimmy had been filling them in on everything that had happened since they last saw each other. One thing in particular caught and held all of their attention, mainly because they had no idea that it had happened.

Before Walker could respond, Rook walked up to the man, holding out her hand. "Congratulations, you motherfucker. Can't believe you didn't tell us you got married."

Apparently, it wasn't long ago that he and Emily had tied the knot, but nobody had been told. Sure, they knew they were engaged but the marriage? Not a word.

"Yeah, it was sort of a last minute thing. We didn't think there was any reason to wait any longer." Jimmy looked like he was about to say something else but Rip cut him off.

"Jimmy, you're missing your ride."

Jimmy smiled gratefully, waving him off. "Oh, no, sir. I came with Kory Pounds."

"No shit. Your ride is leaving."

Jimmy's eyes darted to the figure not so slowly getting further and further away from them and he cursed, saying nothing as he spurred his horse in the attempt that he'd catch up, a futile dream.

As the man disappeared, Ryan mimed wiping away a tear. "They grow up so fast."

"You gotta cherish the moments when they're young." Jake added, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Capture every milestone. Lots of pictures."

Teeter turned to Ryan and Jake. "Y'all are so gay."

"Oh, you can't say that anymore, T." Ryan stated, holding up a hand to the woman but she kept going.

"Fuck I can't. Hell, if a gay man was standing here, he'd tell you how gay y'all are. If a gay hairdresser from fuckin' Santa Monica was standing here holding a fuckin' chihuahua, he'd tell you you're the gayest motherfuckers he's ever met."

"I think there's a movie they remind me of. Not sure though. Something about two cowboys?" Rook chuckled but fell silent when she spotted Rip looking at Teeter, the rest of her Brokeback Mountain joke hanging from the tip of her tongue.

"Teeter?" Rip stared at her until she turned to look at him.

"Yes, sir?"

"We're gonna play a little game. It's called no one talks for a week. Won't that be fun?" Rip's deadpan voice made everything all the funnier to Rook. Teeter hesitated for a second before agreeing.

"Not a fucking word. Jake, Walker, unhook that trailer." Rip strolled towards Gator, fed up of all of their shit. Honestly, Rook couldn't really blame him.

"Them teepees ain't gonna set up themselves," Walker pointed out, heading in the opposite direction to Rip. "Y'all think about this, boys. Quanah Parker rode right through here. I mean, right here. He dropped down the Palo Dura Canyon, came up the Llano Estacado. Beat the damn cavalry running in circles. 'Cause they'd have died of thirst or just went mad. Them Rocky Mountains may be cruel. This land doesn't care about you to be cruel. It'd just forget you. Forget you 'til you disappear."

Walker fell silent and nobody else wanted to break it. Those were perhaps the most impactful words she'd heard in a damn long time. The mountains back home were cruel as fuck, but this land was wild and untamable for a different reason. This land had secrets that went back hundreds of years and not a soul to remember them. They were quite literally walking where legends once stood and where others would be long after they were gone.

◇◇◇

Rook tucked herself further into her coat as the chill slowly seeped into her bones. They only had their jackets and clothes to keep them warm, and it certainly wasn't doing much against the bitter wind.

"Never camped without a fire." Ryan said, rubbing his hands together and murmuring to himself.

"Really? I never camped with a fire until I met you guys." Rook let her eyes drift shut, still listening to the conversation.

Ryan shifted in his seat, probably a little uncomfortable over the mention of the dead man. "Well, your dad wasn't the best example of a loving parent, if you don't mind me saying."

She chuckled. "I mean... you're not wrong."

"Yeah, well, we start a fire out here and we'll set the whole damn county on fire." Jake said, shoving the conversation back the way it had started.

Ryan rolled his eyes, even before Jake was finished. "I know that, Jake. I'm just saying—ow! Ow! What the fuck? What the fuck is that?!" He jumped to his feet, tugging at his shirt until something was flung onto the ground.

"Oh, shit." Teeter exclaimed, her phone's flashlight illuminating the scorpion that he been in Ryan's clothes.

Jake asked Ryan if it hurt and Rook could've sworn he'd hit him. "Fuck, yeah, it fucking hurts."

Walker strolled over to them, drawn by the commotion. "That's a little 'Welcome to Texas' for you right there. That's what that is."

Rip threw a bottle of ointment to Ryan. "Ryan. Put that on there. It'll numb it." They all watched as Ryan dumped a bit of the liquid onto his fingers, his face melting into bliss when they reached up under the hem of his shirt.

Teeter, her gaze locked on his face, looked confused, as if it wasn't plain why he was so happy. "Does it work?"

"Yeah." He sighed, sinking back into his chair.

Walker plucked a few cords on his guitar, tuning it here and there as the conversation died down. "What do you guys want to hear?"

"Nothing sad." Teeter supplied, Rook humming in agreement. She didn't need anything sad right now.

Ryan glanced up, his eyes full of longing. "Nothing about lost love."

"Don't play anything about love at all." Rip corrected, most nodding and speaking their agreement. That's probably for the best. Lovesick cowboys are worse than regular cowboys. Boy, did she know that from experience.

Jake burst out laughing, almost choking on his beer. "That's why I stay single. He can sing whatever the hell he wants. It ain't gonna bother me none."

"Even if it's about a lonely cowboy who can't rope?" Walker waited for a response, his lips splitting in a grin.

"What the hell are y'all picking on me for?"

Instead of answering Jake, Ryan pointed in Walker's direction. "Yeah, Walker, play that one. Play the Jake song."

Rook glanced over at Rip but found his staring up at the stars, lost in thought. She didn't think he heard any of the last few minutes and, once again, she wondered what it would be like to see inside of his head.

"You know, in thirty years from now, nobody's gonna be doing this. Nobody. All this country you see will be wind farms and solar farms and we'll be getting our beef from Brazil. After they burn off the rainforests," Rip declared, still not tearing his eyes away from the sky. "Walker? Go on and play us a sad song."

His face turning serious, Walker nodded, doing as he was told. Even the melody of the song sounded foreboding, unwillingly dragging much of what she'd buried deep within herself to the surface. Walker continued, adding vocals to the already somber tune and Rook wanted to curl up into a ball and feel sorry for herself. What she did best. Here isn't the place. You can leave that for when you're alone.

Only when she had composed herself to the point where she didn't think anyone would notice did she raise her head, immediately finding that someone had, in fact, noticed.

Ryan sat staring at her, not even a hint of the concern on his face hidden. She didn't know whether he meant for her to see him or if he hadn't fully realised his emotions were very clearly displayed on his face.

Contemplating for far longer than she needed to, Rook gave him an almost imperceptible nod of her head, as if to say 'I'm alright'. That seemed to do the job.

Ryan settled further back into his seat, satisfied with her response for the time being.

Will he ever stop caring so much? It makes trying to stop loving him nearly impossible.

Chapter Text

To the ends of the earth, would you follow me?
There's a world that was meant for our eyes to see
To the ends of the earth, would you follow me?
Well If you won't, I must say my goodbyes to thee
Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron

Rook

Rook was nursing a cup of coffee, relishing in the calm before the storm of the hot Texas sun beating down on them with the wind cutting them to the bone. Her first night camping had been much more pleasant than she had imagined. Except for the occasional time she stirred out of her slumber to find her tent as cold as she imagined winter in Scandinavia would feel like, it was fine. Nothing a little extra clothes and a blanket couldn't fix. In Rook's opinion, damp cold was worse than any biting wind or freezing temperature she would ever experience. At least here, you didn't get the former.

Rook sipped from her coffee cup, soaking up the welcoming burn and subsequent warmth that it offered her. They'd all been up for about half an hour, eagerly awaiting the brief time in the morning when it wasn't cold but also not as hot as during the day. Well, everyone except for Teeter.

"Where's T?" Rip asked when it was clear she wasn't just 'still getting ready' like they all originally thought.

Ryan shrugged, shaking his head. "Haven't seen her."

Sighing, Rip strolled over to her tent, all the while calling her name. From where Rook stood, she didn't hear a response. "Teeter?" He called out again, pulling back her tent flap. "What's wrong?"

"Rattlesnake."

Rook's mouth dropped at the same time Rip presumably dove for the snake, shuffling and thumps echoing from the tent as Teeter ran out, screaming and not looking back for even a second.

"Ryan! Get your ass over here!" Rip shouted, the man all but dropping his coffee cup in his rush. She discarded her own, not caring that it spilled onto the dry earth. She could always make a new one. She couldn't say the same about anyone who was bit by a damn rattlesnake.

"Shit, hold it on the ground!" Walker was the first to reach Rip as he exited the tent, snake dangling by the head from his closed fist. He threw it to the ground, stepping back for only a moment.

"Stomp on its head, will ya?" The snake's head crunched under Walker's heel, its vertebrae snapping as he ground it down.

Ryan stared in wonder at the limp serpent, his mouth agape. "That was in your teepee?"

"In my bedroll, on my fucking chest." Teeter answered, still trying desperately to catch her breath, her chest heaving with every attempt.

Jake clapped her on the shoulder, giving it a little squeeze before letting go. "You're one lucky cowpuncher."

"So when they talk about sleeping with serpents in the Bible, hell does that mean?" Teeter's lips quirked a little but she refrained from smiling fully. Too close to almost death and all that.

Rip didn't seem to share the sentiment. "It means that you left your flap open and you weren't under your canvas. This ain't Montana, and you can't fucking sleep under the stars out here. You need to zip your teepee tight, you got me?"

"Yes, sir." Teeter kept her eyes on the ground, and Rook felt bad for her. She couldn't remember how long Teeter had said it had been since she was home but she knew all to well herself how lax you could become after not experiencing something for a long time.

Walker pulled out his pocket knife, making quick work of cutting the rattle from the snake's body and handing it to Teeter. "Here, put that in your hatband and tell everyone how you cheated fate."

"You might've used up all your luck on that one, T." Jake commented, chuckling as she whirled around to face him.

"Fuck, I hope not. We just got here."

"Alright, you need to back in there and make sure there ain't any more." Rip stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for Teeter to get her herself again.

"You think there's more?!"

"These things seek heat and you left the front door open. You're goddamn right I think there could be more. Now go on and get in there." Hesitantly, Teeter picked up a long metal rod, brandishing it as one would a sword, and tiptoed into her tent.

Rip held the front flap open for her, watching her use the rod to pull back her clothes and whack her boots to check for any unwanted visitors. Just when she got comfortable, expecting for Rip to be wrong for once about there being nore of them, she hooked the rod underneath her bag. Teeter flicked it back, revealing another snake curled up underneath.

Without a moments hesitation, Teeter dropped the rod and bolted away from the tent, leaving it for Rip. "Fuck, there's another one!"

"Guess what." Ryan said, not ten feet from them, shining his flashlight on the ground in front of him. "Here's another."

From the corner of her eye, Rook spotted something slithering into a patch of brittle grass, its scales blending in perfectly. "We got another one here, too."

"Damn, boys. We're camped on a den." Walker had also stumbled upon another snake, the telltale rattle already beginning.

"Gator, get your ass over here!" Rip shouted to the man unpacking his gear. "You see that?"

"What me to cook that thing up?"

Rook was to shocked to even say anything. Whatever she thought was going to come out of his mouth could not beat what actually did.

"No, I don't want you to cook it up." Rip responded, just as horrified as Rook felt.

"They're pretty good if you fry them."

Rip stared off at the horizon, taking a moment to compose himself before walking away. "Jake, get those, will you?" Shit, it's an old prairie dog town. You camped us on a fucking snake den."

Walker shrugged. "This time of year they den up."

"We'll wait for the sun to rise, and then we'll break camp. You just watch where you're walking. They're fucking everywhere."

Teeter all but ran towards Gator's cart, climbing on top when she got close enough. "I'm stayin' right fucking here 'til morning. Y'all can call me whatever you want."

"I ain't gonna call you nothin' but smart." Jake stated.

"Yeah, I'm honestly considering joining you." She really was. She didn't want to fuck with any snakes.

"Had dumber ideas. Jesus–" Ryan brought his foot down hard on another snake that had snuck up on him, barely a foot from his leg. "Is that another one?!"

"I swear, fellas, these things are real good once you fry 'em up. Tastes like alligator." Fuck, Gator has quite the sense of humour. She thought until she saw his eyes. The damn bastard was completely serious.

"That's another thing I don't want to see! Or eat!" Ryan climbed up after Teeter, deeming her action not just one of her lesser dumb ideas, but an actual smart one.

Shrugging, Rook followed his lead, joining the growing congregation on Gator's cart.

◇◇◇

The sun had been up for a few hours by the time they finished moving everything a decent distance away from their first camp, Teeter leading the way, searching high and low for any sign of snakes or even holes in the ground."

"Guys!" Teeter cried, drawing all of their attentions as quick as a gunshot would. "I don't see any holes." She gave a big thumbs up, as if that could get rid of the momentary panic they probably all had felt when they heard her shouting.

"Crazy woman." Jake commented before a car drew all their attentions, the speed of which the car was travelling undoubtedly being the main reason.

"By the looks of things, another crazy woman." Rook joked, inclining her head to where the car pulled in haphazardly, Beth scrambling from the front seat to run to her husband, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he picked her up. Even if she hadn't recognised the car itself, there was only one person Rook knew that would drive that fucking fast.

Beth spoke very briefly–it wasn't much of a conversation considering she did most of the talking–and all but dragged him over to the wranglers, who had congregated to watch the exchange.

"Hi. So, um, I'm kidnapping him for a couple of nights. In exchange, next weekend, I'm gonna fly out boyfriends, girlfriends. Same hotel, same room. Drinks will be on me." Beth explained, her voice a tad giddy. "We have a deal?"

Despite not entirely having anyone to visit her, Rook grinned. "Yes, ma'am." Her and Benji's agreement had fizzled out with the end of the branding but they had promised to stay in touch.

The more people Rook met, the more she believed in platonic soulmates. It sounded a little strange in regard to Benji, even to her own ears, but it was the truth. Yes, they had kissed, but even as it happened, they both knew they didn't fit each other like that. And that was okay. They were destined for other people and would cheer the other along the whole way.

Walker, and Teeter, who both had partners, agreed enthusiastically, Jake and Ryan, not so much.

"Uh, we don't have girlfriends." Jack stated, pointing from him to Ryan. Rook was momentarily surprised. She knew Ryan and Abby had gotten into a fight but had no idea they had broken up. Hell, she didn't even know they were technically together in the first place.

"Well, I'll get you two hookers."

Jake contemplated it for a second, voicing his inner thoughts that nobody really wanted to hear. Rook could've gone her entire life without the mental image of Jake having sex. "I mean, is it immoral if somebody else pays for it?"

"Well, thank you for the offer, but I'm just gonna stay here and watch over camp." Ryan said, a flash of hurt or longing dancing across his face one moment, gone the next.

Rook chewed on her lip, considering whether she should or shouldn't give in to the idea that crossed her mind. In the end, it was always a losing battle. "I'll stay, too. I ain't got nobody either. And besides, looking after a herd isn't a one-person job."

"Oki doki, so just one hooker for Jake." Beth nodded, looking like she was mentally taking notes.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble..."

"There'll be no damn hookers." Rip cut in, stopping that thought in its entirety, even as the rest of them chuckled.

Beth smiled at her husband and his gaze softened. "You know, a deal is a deal, baby. Go pack your suitcase, cowboy."

Rip, God bless him, still didn't give up without a teeny tiny bit of a fight. "I'm not leaving them here alone."

"Don't think you got a choice, boss." Walker commented as Ryan walked closer, his hands on his hips.

"All we're doin' is walking through pairs, boss. If we can't do that without no supervision, then we probably ought to find something else to do anyway."

Beth stared at Rip lovingly, her lips pursing as she agreed enthusiastically with Ryan. Chuckling and looking downright gleeful, Rip let his wife lead him by the hand to her car. "You're out of your mind," He said, pointing to Ryan. "You're wagon boss 'til I get back."

"Why the hell is he wagon boss?"

"Oh, I don't know, Jake." Ryan replied, his tone mocking.

"Been with the ranch the longest." Teeter supplied, even if it was just plain wrong. Lloyd had been with the ranch the longest. Hell, Ryan wasn't even the longest worker amongst the five of them.

"I was hired before him." Jake looked like he was about to tear his hair out, well, whatever hair he had left. Ooh, that was a low blow, even for you.

Teeter rolled her eyes, throwing her hands in the air. "Well, after you, he's been here the longest."

"Well, that makes me wagon boss." Jake declared to everyone's shaking heads.

"Honey, they don't make idiots no wagon boss. Can you still say 'idiot'?" Teeter looked to Ryan for answers, who chuckled as he removed his sunglasses, walking off.

"You can say 'idiot'."

◇◇◇

Six Weeks Later

"Hey, what time is it there?" Teeter asked Colby over the phone, standing right behind where Rook was half-asleep in her chair. As much as she loved Teeter and Colby and their relationship, it was way too early to hear about it.

"An hour earlier than it is in Texas."

"Ain't it strange how it's like different times in two places, but we're talking at the same time? Hell, it should take my voice an hour to get to you." It took Rook all of her willpower to not laugh. She didn't want Teeter to know she was talking so incredibly loudly. For her sake.

"I'm gonna let you think that one through and never tell anyone you said it. That's how much I love you." Colby said and Rook's ears perked. It sounded like he said 'I love you' but she wasn't certain from the wind interrupting.

"How much you what?" Teeter was grinning, which gave Rook all the confirmation she needed to know she was correct.

"I-I mean, as a person, as a friend. Don't read too much into it." Colby stammered, trying to dig himself out of a hole. Damn. First time I've heard someone be friend-zoned by someone they're in a relationship with.

"Oh, fuck you. You love me and you said it."

"I'm not... Look. I'm about two coffees away from from having this conversation." Colby sighed over the phone and Rook could imagine him digging into his eyes with his fingers like she did any time she had a headache, something he always did when he was frustrated.

Teeter's laughing died down, her teeth clamping down to bite her lower lip. "Hey, you know what's going on? Ryan won't tell us nothing."

There was a beat of silence and Rook sat up straighter in her chair, straining her ears for any whisper or murmur. She was just as in the dark as everyone else. Since Rip disappeared with no explanation days ago, Ryan had been acting weird. Staying up later than Rook ever seen him. Pretending to eat when she knew damn well he hadn't. He even kept surveying the land, as if he expected something fucked up to happen at any moment. She'd never seen him look so weary. That's a lie. You know perfectly well when the last time you saw him look like that.

She swept the thought away before Colby started talking. She didn't need her mind feeding her possible false information. Ryan would tell them whenever he was ready to. "It's not really my place to say. But I'll say this: if you have any big plans for the future, I'd start working on them."

"I got plans."

"Teeter!" Walker shouted from near the tents, waving her over. Rook assumed they were both wanted so she rose from her chair, lingering while washing out her cup just in case Colby was going to mention something else. He didn't.

"I got to go. I love you, too." Teeter murmured to her boyfriend before ending the call and shoving her phone in her pocket.

If you have any big plans for the future, I'd start working on them. What the hell did that mean? Were the Duttons going bankrupt and needed to let most of them go? Did something happen while they were away? Was it like when her, Laramie and Teeter were fired all over again?

She didn't have much time to think things over, but she promised herself she'd look into things. They couldn't keep them in the dark forever.

◇◇◇

The afternoon sun shone down on the Montanan landscape, the autumn air alive with the scent of pine and the decaying leaves littering the forest floor. The faint scent of hollyhocks drifted down from the mountain combining to create a calming aroma, offsetting the piercing screams coming from the stables.

If you were to wander down the lane marked by the sign reading 'Yellowstone' that day, intrigued or concerned about the screaming, you would've found a young man in his late teens acting as if there was nothing wrong.

Carter wheeled the wheelbarrow up and down through the stables, topping up the hay left in the pens. Every now and again, a high-pitched squeal was accompanied with a swift kick against the stall door but he'd gotten used to it. At first, Carter didn't want to go anywhere near the horse they'd aptly named 'Maneater', but the longer he'd been in his presence, the more comfortable he got. He did still try to give him a wide berth whenever he could.

Maneater's stomping drew his attention until he was leaning over the door, looking at the coal-black horse, who was standing menacingly in the corner, his bucket of water lying on its side across from him.

"I ought to let you stand there and die of thirst." Even as he said it, Carter knew he wasn't going to. Water was free, so he didn't give a shit about 'wasting' it on such a bastard of a horse. Colby did make him promise to not go into the stall with the horse alone, but he didn't look too angry today.

Keeping an eye on Maneater at all times, Carter opened the stall door, warily stepping forward. The horse didn't move as he inched his way further into the stall, grabbed the bucket and inched his way back out again.

It took a few minutes to fill the bucket as much as Carter could lift, Maneater getting more and more agitated the longer time stretched.

The bucket was almost too heavy, Carter's arm threatening to give way under the weight. Just because the doctor said it was time to take off the cast didn't mean it was back to normal. With a small bit of a struggle, he heaved it from the faucet back to Maneater's stall, the horse watching him with beady eyes all the while. Carter opened the door with his foot, easing forward more tentatively than before.

Maneater was no longer in the corner, braving a few steps forward, his eyes darting around, frenzied. Noting the change in the horse, Carter slowed down his movements, even if every cell of his body was screaming for him to move.

Carter moving slower didn't seem to have the effect he wanted but it didn't matter. He'd just reached the corner and leaned down to drop the bucket, his eyes leaving the stallion for one second.

All the horse needed was a second. One second Carter was holding the bucket, the next her was on his ass, his back hitting hard against the wall.

–-–-–-–

Colby's boots crunched on the gravel leading to the stables, which he noticed were oddly quiet. You'd usually hear Carter whistling or talking to the horses as he went about his work, but not today.

Confused, Colby wandered further in, calling Carter's name.

"I need help!" The urgent tone of his voice went like a shot through the wrangler and he followed it to Maneater's stall, where Carter was crouched against the far wall, trying to keep as far away from the angry horse's hooves as he could.

Colby held him hand out to Carter, the silent command to stay the fuck where he was. Certain the boy was going to follow his instruction, Colby dashed to where the bridles were hanging, picking up a whip to help him keep the horse away.

"When I push him back, you crawl out as fast as you can." He told a shaking Carter. "Ready?"

Carter nodded and Colby rushed into the stall, holding the whip in front of him like one would a shield. Carter scrambled behind him, making it to safety at the same moment Maneater whirled around, aiming a kick that connected with Colby's abdomen, the momentum throwing him back into the wall.

Admirably, without hesitating, Carter ran to the front of the stables, grabbing the shotgun leaning against the bench. He almost slipped on the floor in his haste but he steadily aimed for the horse's head, pulling the trigger before he could kick Colby again.

The horse hit the ground with a thump and Carter dropped the gun, rushing over to where Colby lay groaning.

Drawn by the shot, Rip ran in, Lloyd hot on his heels.

"It's my fault. He told me not to go into the stall alone but he spilled his water... his side got me down." Carter babbled to the men, tears beginning to stream down his face. Colby breathing was shallow but it was still there, thank God.

Lloyd fished his hand into his pocket, dialling 9-1-1 and asking for an ambulance to rush to them, all the while Carter murmured variations of 'It's all my fault'.

"It ain't your fault." Rip stated, grabbing hold of his shoulder and not letting go. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. There's nothin' we can do now but wait."

With a heavy heart, Rip walked away, leaving Colby in the care of Lloyd and a distraught Carter.

◇◇◇

Rook

They'd just finished loading up the last of the cattle into trucks, just like Rip had instructed them to do. None, save probably Ryan, knew what was going on and he didn't explain, leaving them all to come to their own conclusions.

One of Jake's bawdy jokes still lingered in the air as Ryan's phone cut through the laughter, his ringtone, a normally cheery-sounding noise, sounded different. Rook knew that wasn't possible but she didn't find it cheery this time.

"Hey, yeah, they're loaded up. Trucks are pulling out right now. I should have the last one on the road in about an hour." Ryan explained to Rip. He started the conversation with a smile, but that soon fell. "Huh?"

Rook's gaze was locked on his face as his eyes got glassy, but she was too far away to hear what was being said. Ryan looked at her for a brief minute before staring past her at Teeter, nodding almost imperceptibly, even though the man on the phone couldn't see it. "Yes, sir. I'll tell her right now."

Ryan's hand shook as he hung up and slipped the phone back into the pocket of his chaps. Rook was about to spur Kelpie over but Ryan shook his head, his eyes telling her almost exactly what she needed to know.

"Everything alright?" Jake asked, just as concerned as Rook was.

Ryan took a deep breath to steady himself. "Could've lost my best friend today, Jay."

The words cut her right to the bone, her thoughts running a hundred miles an hour around her skull as her eyes darted to Teeter. Fuck. Oh fuck, not Colby.

Rook locked eyes with Walker, who was frozen in place beside Jake as they all watched Ryan ride over to Teeter. She grinned wildly at him when she spotted him, oblivious to the way her world was about to come crashing down. They couldn't hear what Ryan said from that far away but they didn't need to. Teeter bursting into tears told them better than words could.

Ryan rode back, giving Teeter the space she needed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. He inclined his head towards the trailer and they nodded, riding over and dismounting. Soon, Teeter joined them, saying nothing.

"Teeter, can I give you a hand?" Walker asked, motioning to where she was removing her horse's saddle.

"I ain't forgotten how to unsaddle a horse."

◇◇◇

Rook was just finishing taking down her tent, her bags already packed and dumped into the truck. Everyone else was in the same boat as she was, except for Teeter. Walker had offered to take her tent down for her and this time, she graciously agreed. Soon after, the tears came again and she retreated to the truck, climbing in before breaking down. Rook knew something had happened to Colby but Ryan didn't say what and Teeter was almost inconsolable, which made them all fear the worst.

"Hey, where's Ryan?" Jake called out, nodding towards the lone tent that was still standing.

Rook was the furthest along so she dropped the canvas and jogged over to the tent. "I'll check. He might be asleep." She highly doubted it but something happening to your best friend would make anyone do things they normally wouldn't.

The closer Rook got to the tent, the clearer shuffling and the occasional sniffle were. She couldn't exactly knock, so she settled on just calling out his name. At the sound, the flap opened, revealing a tearstained Ryan, his eyes bloodshot.

Without asking, Rook dropped to her knees beside the man, pulling the flap closed behind her. She didn't say anything when he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his shoulders heaving with sobs.

Absentmindedly, her hand drifted up to his hair, rubbing back and forth from the top to the nape of his neck. His arms bracketed her but she didn't care. This was physically the closest they had been since their breakup but that didn't matter. What he needed right now was a shoulder to cry on, and that's what she would give him.

"You're okay. You're okay. I've got you." Ryan's hands bunched into fists at her back, his cries getting quieter and quieter. Time ceased to exist as she held him.

Wiping his eyes, Ryan pulled away, staying on his knees. Without Rook having to ask what was wrong, he explained.

"Mr Dutton is dead." Her mouth dropped open, a hand coming up to cover it. What the fuck did he mean 'Mr Dutton was dead'? How the fuck could he doe, he's the fucking Governor. "Colby's in a coma and he might be dying but I'm stuck here. My life is crumbling in on itself, Rook, and all I can think about is you."

It was sweltering in the room. Rook could feel the sweat trickling down her back but she remained where she was. "Colby's not going to die." She supplied, the weight on her heart a little less heavy now that she knew it wasn't as she feared, that he wasn't dead.

"I've been such a stupid dick, Rook. Especially to you. I've played that night over and over in my head, praying that it was all a dream and I didn't say those fucking things to you, but then I wake up and you're as far away from me as the fucking moon." Ryan shuddered, gasping for breath. "I fucked it up with Abby too but I don't know if it was on purpose or not. I liked her but... fuck, she wasn't you."

The words hung in the air, Rook feeling as if she might throw up. "You asked if any of our relationship was real. It was all real, Ryan. Every fucking inch of it. What I did, I did because I loved you. Hell, everything I do is because I love you. That night, I saw hate in your eyes. Hate, Ry."

Tears spilled from Ryan's eyes again, the dam after breaking. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You refused to speak to me. Left every room I was in for days. You couldn't even look me in the eye!"

"I thought you hated me! Shit, I would've hated me. Did hate me. I didn't think you wanted to see me, let alone speak to me." Ryan answered, tentatively tilting her head up. "I fucking love you, Rook. And I will do anything if it means you'll look at me the way you used to."

Rook's eyes fluttered closed, her lashes damp with unshed tears as she rested her head against his hand, letting his thumb brushing away a tear.

"I never stopped looking at you like that." She murmured against his skin.

"I'm willing to go to hell and back for you, Corvid. I'm willing to fight for us if that's what you want. If you don't, you just tell me and I'll never mention it again."

Rook's tongue darted out to wet her lips as she giggled. "Corvid? That's a new one."

"Yeah, well. I had a lot of time to think on it." Ryan replied, helping her to her feet.

"I want to fight for us, too. That's what the wranglers of the Yellowstone do best. Fight." Something flickered across Ryan's face, as if he'd just had some kind of epiphany.

"So that's what Avery meant." He didn't elaborate but he didn't need to. Rook didn't mind. All she had to think of was the man at her back, who had just begged for her forgiveness, something she thought would never happen.

For the second time since Rook got to the ranch, the future was uncertain. Would Kayce take over, following in his father's footsteps? Or would Jaime finally get the airport he was after? Either way, Rook knew the time of the Yellowstone was coming to a close, but at least she had gotten back something she had thought she had lost forever.

To fighting for what you love.

◇◇◇

Rook sat up front in the truck, Ryan taking up the mantle of driver in Rip's stead. She offered to instead of him but a single look shot her down. Working was the only thing keeping his mind from his best friend who might've been dying half a world away.

They had just pulled out of the gate when Jake spoke up, the first person to acknowledge what had happened. "Rip say what happened?"

"A stud got Carter down. Kicked Colby when he went in to help. It was quick. Never saw it coming." Ryan answered and Rook swore she could hear the sound of his heart splitting open again.

"That don't make it any better." Teeter whispered, a fresh wave of tears falling down her red cheeks.

"I'm sayin' he didn't suffer. He was unconscious before he knew what had happened."

"I wish he could suffer a little longer so I can say goodbye." Teeter sobbed, hugging herself as Rook spun around in her chair to face her.

"You listen here, he'll be there when you get back. And by fucking hell will he be glad to see you. He's not gonna die, T. I promise you." Rook didn't know why she promised he wasn't going to die. He was in a fucking coma in the hospital, but deep down, she knew he wasn't going to. He and Teeter had fought too hard for their love to have it end like this. I guess I'll crawl all the way to hell and pull him up by the scruff of the neck if I have to. Orpheus' got nothing on me.

Chapter Text

There's a place where the sun doth shine
And the birds keep time with the pines up ayonder
That's the home of my Caroline
She's dancing in the sky
Caroline - Colter Wall

Rook

The first thing Rook spotted out the windscreen of the truck was around ten white marquee tents dotting the surrounding fields, a stage half put together facing the buildings. Rook didn't really know what it was for but she had her suspicions. They all did.

The second they pulled into the yard, the engine being silenced by a turn of Ryan's key, Teeter jumped out, demanding someone take her to the hospital that fucking moment. Nobody argued as they followed her out of the truck, Ethan running out from the bunkhouse and offering to take her.

The yard was full to the brim of people rushing back and forth, their arms laden with items. At first, Rook thought it was for the funeral, but it didn't look like it.

"Think this is for the the funeral?" Jake asked, taking his bags from the back seat.

Walker chuckled lightly before cutting himself off, no doubt feeling a little bad for laughing, all things considered. "Ain't ever seen no bleachers at a funeral."

"It's for an auction." Carter, a purple bruise blooming on his face, walked towards them as Ethan's truck pulled away, speeding down the driveway.

"What are they auctioning?" Jake asked, looking around at the hundreds of people getting shit ready. It was like the branding all over again.

"Everything from the looks of it."

She didn't know what to say. John's death hadn't felt real to her until that moment, the future of the Yellowstone seemingly uncertain. If Beth and Kayce were selling everything, what would be left in the end? She hated to see the place she thought would be still standing long after she could no longer ride or even saddle a horse brought down like this.

It made perfect sense now what Colby was talking about on the phone to Teeter. If they were selling pretty much everything on the ranch, how long did they have until they started letting them go? If Rook was a betting woman, she'd tell you not very long.

◇◇◇

The auction started a lot earlier than Rook first thought it would. By late afternoon, things were already selling about as quickly as pre-packaged food during a recession. They even had goddamn auctioneers.

Something that made Rook's cynical heart happy, however, was Jimmy. Him and Emily had taken a ride down with Travis to pay their respects, even though they were unfortunately going to have to leave before the funeral. It was good to have the back, regardless.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Yellowstone dispersal sale preview. We'll begin with the dry work in lot number 44: GT Shooter, a six-year-old stallion by Gunners Tinseltown and out of the Hollywoon Dun It mare. He's already won over 140,000." The first auctioneer announced as Travis rode out on a chocolate brown stallion.

The second auctioneer nodded enthusiastically to the first man, a grin on his face. "And, boy, that is a big bull-dragging lookin' stud, ain't he?"

"Yeah, a lot of these performance horses, they don't have the size for ranch work, but he sure does."

"Well, the Yellowstone has always sought out a lot of bone for their horses." Damn right we have. I couldn't name a better person as seeing the potential in horses than John Dutton himself. Hell, he saw potential in me, which must count for something.

The bidding started soon after, the amounts of money rising to such dizzying heights that Rook needed to take a walk. She'd never even seen that money before in her life, let alone seen someone spend it on a horse. It was crazy what people were willing to pay for things. Those who had money usually got to the point where they'd buy legitimately anything just for the sake of burning some cash. Insane.

Rook pulled at the collar of her show shirt, but she just ended up unbuttoning the top anyways. Spotting some of the others hanging around the fence, she made a beeline for them, taking a detour only to grab a drink from one of the many coolers dotted around the place. Thinking again, she pucked up another one for Ryan. If they were gonna be working on fixing their relationship, she could at least get him things without asking. At the very least.

◇◇◇

The air was still warm when the auction finished, the sun beginning to set, showering the entire ranch in gold. Rook sat squashed between Walker and Ryan on the fence, Jake to the former's right, everyone else dotted beside the latter.

A band called the Tornpike Troubadours dominated on stage, country music flowing through the outrageously large speakers all over the place. She tapped her foot against one of the lower rails, from the corner of her eye noticing Ryan watching her, his emotions etched in plain words across his face. He looked at her like he was finally realising he had a future and not just an unknown. She discovered that she could fault him for it. That's exactly what she saw when she looked at him.

"Just day work 'round here, now?" Jake asked, bending over to look around everyone to where Lloyd was staring at the stage, leaning against the fence.

"I'm afraid so."

Gator, who had joined them once all the barbecues and grills were fully clean. "Hear Wagonhound Sunlight, they're always looking for hands."

"You got that new deal of Turner's, too." Jake added. Ethan supplying the name, Flying D.

"Now, that's buffalo, right?" Walker fiddled with a chain around his neck, a ring far too small to be his dangling from it.

"Yeah." Ethan replied, sounding oh-so happy about the fact.

"You don't want to chase buffalo around?" Walker grinned at the man's expression, which looked like you'd just informed him that everyone he'd ever loved had died.

"No, sir."

Walker took a swig from his beer, smiling around the neck. "Hell, I'm going back to Tejas."

Ryan peered around Jake to look at Jimmy, who had his arm around his wife. "Sixes hiring?"

"Sorry. Only married men work camps on the Sixes." Jimmy answered, flashing his wedding band.

Ryan's brows furrowed and he shook his head in disbelief. "Why only married men?"

At the same time, Rook hit his arm lightly. "Guess we're gonna have to get on this relationship solving thing quick." She whispered in his ear, causing his breath to catch.

Emily responded to his question, not noticing or at least not commenting on their shenanigans. "Cause they don't want a bunch of you coyotes chasing the vet techs to hell and back."

Ryan's eyebrows shot to his hairline. "You mean like that coyote right there with his hand in your pocket?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

Jimmy jumped in, raising a hand as if he was back in school. "Although, to be honest, she did most of the chasing."

"Hell, chase you with a broom, maybe." Walker chuckled, Jimmy joining him.

"Tell them the truth, baby." He begged Emily, who gave in to his request.

"Alright. No, I must admit, I was smitten at first sight for sure." Jimmy gave a triumphant smile, just beginning to get out a 'thank you' before it fell at Emily's next words. "Must've been the way you were holding that stallion's penis, baby."

Rook couldn't stop her jaw from dropping almost as far as her boots. Ryan was doubled over, holding onto her for dear life to stop himself from tipping head-first onto the ground, tears streaming down his face from laughing so hard.

"For veterinary purposes." Jimmy added, but it didn't help his case whatsoever.

"He keeps sayin' that, but..." Emily trailed off, giggling at Jimmy's incredulous face.

"I haven't heard that story yet." Ryan said, hoping to get an explanation from the woman. Rook wanted an explanation as well. She couldn't just drop that bomb and leave it be.

Unfortunately, Rook didn't get to hear any of it.

"There's my cowboy." A voice announced from behind them, Laramie vaulting over the fence only to be picked up and spun around by her boyfriend. "Oh, come here, you." Giggling, she pulled him into a kiss, taking his hat from his head.

Rook was still smiling until she spotted Teeter's retreating form. Without hesitating, she handed her half-finished beer to Ryan, following the woman away from the numerous couples.

"Hey, Teeter." Rook called out when they were far enough away from everyone to hear what they were thinking. "You okay?"

Rook had seen her face when Laramie showed up, the flash of jealousy overtaken by a deep longing and sadness. She couldn't begin to imagine how bad Teeter was feeling, stuck having to continue with her job that was slowly crumbling beneath her while her boyfriend was in a coma in the hospital. Rip had tried to give her the day off but she'd turned it down, stating that it wouldn't make Colby wake up sooner.

When Teeter turned around, she had tears in her eyes. "I just can't stop thinkin' 'bout him." She sobbed, Rook pulling her into a hug as she broke down.

"He's gonna be alright. He's a fighter just like his girl." Rook held Teeter until she pulled away, still holding onto her arms to stop herself from falling. "And if he isn't, what did I promise you I'd do?"

A small chuckle broke through the sobs. "You'd kick his fucking ass and drag him back to me."

"And what you need to know about me, Teeter, is that I'm a woman of my word. And you have my word." She gave the woman a reassuring smile, brightening slightly when she noticed her shoulders relaxing.

"Just need to be alone right now." She whispered, her breath catching. Rook nodded in understanding, giving Teeter's shoulder a final squeeze before releasing her.

Attempting a smile back, Teeter spun on her heel, wandering back to the bunkhouse where it would be a hell of a lot quieter and less stressful than out here. As she passed the fence closest to the building, Beth's eyes found Rook's, something unspoken passing between them. Beth didn't seem to need confirmation on what Rook had meant, she understood immediately, jumping down from her place with Rip and heading after Teeter.

"What was that about?" Ryan asked, startling Rook a little. At first, she didn't know whether he was talking about Teeter, but then she was him nodding to Beth, and understood.

"It doesn't matter. Just a little telekinesis, no big deal." She answered, taking the hand he offered her and letting him lead her back to the others. Except he didn't stop when she thought he would, leading her out onto the dance floor instead. "Um, what are you doing?"

"Well, you've never let me teach you how to dance. I thought this would be a great time." Ryan gave her a grin, breaking through the fake disgusted face she made.

"I did promise you that, didn't I?" A while ago, she'd mentioned never really learning how to dance. From then on, Ryan made it his solemn duty to teach her.

"It's pretty simple, you kinda just sway back and forth movin' your feet. Watch, I'll show you." Ryan placed his left hand on her waist, his right placing her left on his shoulder. He then took her free hand and grasped it in his, their fingers twining through each other. Ryan started slow at first, letting Rook get a feel for the music, only speeding up when he was sure she had a grasp of it.

Ryan was right, it was pretty simple when you got the hang of it. Soon, they were swaying together, the music drifting over the crowds of other couples but there was nobody else in the world to Rook at that moment than Ryan. It was only him and her.

◇◇◇

Beth

Rook, albeit silently, had told Beth to go after Teeter. She'd heard the woman mention something about wanting to be alone, but from experience, Beth knew that was precisely the worst thing for her at that moment. So she did what any normal person would do: follow her.

The door to the bunkhouse creaked open as she pushed it, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent place. Following the sound of quiet sniffles, she found Teeter wrapped up in Colby's bed.

"You know what I do when I'm really upset? When my day can't get any worse?" She asked, dragging over a chair, not really caring about the squeaking coming from the legs scraping against the floor, and sat down. "I go to a bar. Not a cowboy bar or a hole-in-the-wall, but a bar for the tourists and the transplants. Those rich fucking invaders that wrecked this place. I go to the bar. I order a drink. And I sit there and wait. I wait for one of them fuckers to come pick me up. And when they do... I slice them from pecker to sternum. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

Teeter rolled over in the bunk to face Beth. "I don't know what that means."

Beth smiled. "You want to get drunk with me and fuck with a bunch of out of towners?"

Teeter nodded furiously, her pink head bobbing up and down. "Let me grab my hat."

As she vaulted up, Beth smiled to herself. "Attagirl."

◇◇◇

Beth sat at the bar, calmly sipping her drink, Teeter beside her looking like she was about to either throw up on the floor or bounce off the walls.

"This place looks pretty fancy." She commented, still looking around as if begging someone to try to kick her out.

"It's a great bar. Garbage people."

Teeter nodded to a few couples and the occasional 'business man'. "Where are they all from?"

"L.A. San Francisco. New York. All the failing cities of our nation. They come here every summer, like locusts, buying up all the fucking houses, saying they live here year-round so they don't have to pay the taxes that they voted for." From over Teeter's shoulder, Beth spotted a boringly average man eyeing them up. "Alright, we've got one circling the decoys. Put out a little more bait. Hurry up. Finish your drink." She rubbed the chilled glass on her chest before downing it in one gulp, Teeter following soon behind. And just in time.

The man sauntered up to the bar with a swagger that one can only buy with a membership from some cheap as fuck golfing resort made to look the height of wealth. "Get another round for these ladies." He said to the bartender, throwing a wink Beth's way.

"Hey." She replied, her saccharine smile perfect. Hook, line and sinker.

"My name's Aaron."

"Of course it is. Okay, let me guess, Aaron. Not Yale. Right? You're too handsome to have the GPA for any Ivy League school." She regarded the man for a minute, pointing at his chest when she figured him out. "Penn State. Yeah, you look like one of those guys that picks the college for the football team. Ivy League for grad school 'cause your dad paid for that. And then you, uh, you traded for Morgan Stanley or... B of A."

Slowly, Aaron's face lost all colour, any desire that was once there now gone with Beth's words. Teeter just watched on, as shocked as the man was.

"You don't like to work hard enough for Goldman or Vanguard. You've got a two-kid look about you. But your wife, she fucking bailed as soon as the youngest was out of diapers. She was tired of you fucking your interns, right?" Beth continued, not holding back even in the slightest this time. "She burned you so bad in the divorce, you said, 'I'm never doing that again'. You moved to Miami the second you saw your first surgical mask on Wall Street. You never went back."

Beth only stopped long enough to relish in Aaron's horrified expression, one that told her she'd struck a loose cord with a fucking bazooka.

"You bought a condo. You bought a fucking boat and you've just been banging all these wannabe models. Just, you know, trying to fuck away that dick you sucked that summer abroad. But you know what they say, Aaron? You suck one cock, and you're a cocksucker for life." She smiled sweetly at him, the drinks being place in front of her and Teeter. "Run along, now."

"I'm not paying for those drinks." The man declared, a wild and furious glint in his eye. Yeah, he wasn't gonna do anything about it, that's for sure.

Rolling her eyes, Beth flashed him her black card, practically waving it in his face. "You got one of these, motherfucker? Yeah, I didn't think so." She called out, mockingly. With a pathetic snarl, the man stormed away, leaving the two women grinning.

"Are you psychic?" Teeter asked, her eyes wide as she looked at Beth with newfound admiration.

She smiled. "You just gotta learn how to read the tea leaves, Teeter. Okay? That's all life is."

"Hell, you're a witch."

Beth cackled like one, giving the Weird Sisters from Macbeth a eun for their money. "Yeah, I'm a fucking witch. Oh, we got another already. Slam it." They both down their drinks once again, humming at the burn. "You wanna have a go?"

"Yeah, sure."

Their next victim was shorter than the first, his stripped shirt bearing more than one leftover lipstick stain he'd obviously tried to scrub away but only made worse. A dusty pink also marred the corner of his mouth but it was Teeter's turn to have fun, so Beth stayed silent.

"Those are empty." He commented, his bleach-blond hair falling over his face.

She offered a moderate smile, her eyes boring holes in his face. "That they are."

"What are you drinking?"

Beth was about to reply again when Teeter jumped in. Jumped in wielding a fucking machine gun. "Your motherfuckin' ass after I shove your head so far up it you got heartburn in your fuckin' eyeballs."

The man recoiled like a shotgun, his face a mottled shade of red. "What the fuck?" He wheeled to face Beth, who sat watching as if nothing had happened. "Yeah, let's bring the girl with Tourette's to the bar. That'll be fun." With a huff, she walked away, going back wherever the fuck he came from.

"Teeter?"

"I showed his fuckin' ass."

"I'm not sure this game is for you." Beth stated, signalling for another round of drinks since they didn't get far enough for the man to pay.

Teeter twiddled her thumbs for a minute before speaking what had been on her mind for the entire night. "Hey, thanks for takin' me out. I know you know how I'm feelin' it ain't gonna make it go away, but..."

"Nothing makes it go away. The waiting is the fucking worst. I've always said it. But I've found that what you do can sometimes take your mind off it, at least for a little while."

Teeter stared at Beth for longer than needed, the words opening some part of her she didn't know was in there.

They stayed in the bar for a few more hours, managing to wrangle five unknowing sacrifices. Two paid for the drinks before Beth could beat them to a pulp and the other three Teeter took down a lot less cleanly but just as savagely, her heart hurting a little less with each one.

Chapter Text

If you want a partner, take my hand, or
If you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man
I'm your man - Leonard Cohen

Rook

The National Anthem drifted from the speakers, everyone holding their hats against their chests and standing atop the bleachers.

The wranglers were all standing together as close as they could get to the fence, which meant Rook got a real good look when Kayce came riding out, leading another horse behind him.

The woman singing stopped, the silence lingering in the late autumn air.

In the stirrups of the spare saddle were two backwards cowboy boots.

It was a tradition every cowboy knew but most had never seen, including Rook herself. The backwards boots were supposed to signify the rider looking back at the living one last time before making the journey beyond.

"I ask you all to remain standing as we honour a man who dedicated his life to preserving our way of life. Just as we honour a cowboy currently fighting in hospital for giving his life in service of that land and the livestock that nourishes your body." The auction manager announced from the small stage erected in the arena.

Kayce trotted around the arena once, coming to a stop facing the crowd. His eyes met Rook's once before coming to rest on his wife but from the brief moment, she could see how much pain the small action brought him. For the first time since he was brought the news of his father's death, he realised that he was truly gone.

"Dear Lord, we know you have already recieved him. He looks down on his family and friends and knows a love and peace that we all seek. We know he looks down and sees us all hurting. Hurting from his absence in our lives." The auctioneer continued. Rook spotted Beth gasping beside her and reached a hand out to rest comfortingly on her arm. The woman looked over, offering a brief but thankful smile before turning grimly to the scene in front of her.

"If John Dutton were here today, his one hope would be that he inspired in you the tenacity to persevere in a world that sees you, the farmer, the rancher, the food producers of this nation and the world, as an obstacle instead of the keystone to their very survival." Rook didn't realise her hands were shaking until Ryan's found them, his fingers threading through hers at their sides. It was such a tiny act but one that meant a lot to her.

"May we all learn from John Dutton's tireless defence of your freedom and your purpose. To him, we say farewell and thank you. And to Colby Mayfield, we give our prayers and blessings. Please be seated."

As he finished speaking, Kayce led the horse out the gate, drawing the auction closed along with the gate. Only once he was gone did they sit down, feeling a lot more pensive than they had been not ten minutes before.

◇◇◇

"Did I see Jake's on Instagram now?" Travis yelled, more than a little tipsy. "Did you see that? I don't know how he's gonna manage both of his followers."

"I'm one of 'em." Ryan declared, his face flushed with drink. "Hey, I followed you." Rook had once said drunk Ryan was one of her favourite sights, and she wasn't about to backtrack yet.

Laramie handed Jake a beer from the fridge, passing him to take a seat on Walker's lap. "I followed you too."

Jake exaggerated counted on his fingers, holding up his thumb, pointer and middle fingers. "Three." He corrected. "I got three."

"That's what you're gonna do now? You're gonna be an influencer? Go to a truck stop and say, 'I'll post from here if you'll give me some free nachos'?" Travis looked on expectantly, as if he wanted Jake to agree with him. The whole situation was too funny not to laugh.

"Extra cheese."

Travis drank deep from his beer, clearly pondering on something. It was a while before he found what he was looking for. "Hey, do you remember—do you remember Stacy's? Remember that old saloon? There's a saloon..."

Rip chuckled at his friend, grinning from ear to ear. "Do I remember Stacy's?"

"In Gateway. And back in its day, it was pretty wild. In the men's bathroom, there's a hole in the drywall above the urinal. And the staff put a sign there that says, 'Customer looked down and saw the size of his penis and put his head through the wall out of fucking despair'. That's how rank this place is." When Travis finished, Rook had to choke down her drink.

"Definitely not where I thought that was going..." Heads turned abruptly to look at her, not a single person saying anything. She just shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry that's where my mind went. You never fuckin' know with this guy." She pointed at Travis, everyone breaking into laughter.

Travis clutched his stomach, looking as if he was going to fall off his chair before managing to compose himself enough to continue his story.

"You're one dirty minded motherfucker, you know that right? Anyways, so, we're outside, and there's this old boy, and he's very drunk. He sees us, and he throws his keys as hard a he can, hits Rip in the chest, and says, 'Where's my fucking truck?!' like he's a valet. Like he knows where the fuck his truck is." Travis turned to Ryan. "You remember this?"

"Shit, yeah." Ryan shook his head, laughing. "How could I forget?"

"And Rip looks at his and says, 'Son, you would think there were ten of me'. And he was drunk, but he wasn't stupid, so he grabs his keys and off he goes. We hop in our truck and leave. Ryan looks at his and just goes, 'Rip, where did you hear that? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard' and Rip says, 'Yeah, it wasn't funny the first time I heard it'." As Travis finished his story, Ryan burst out laughing, bordering on crying. He tried to say something but it came out a garbled nonsense, making him laugh even harder. Rook didn't think she could name a time she was more in love with him.

"Trust me, it wasn't." Rip assured them, his wife butting in before he could elaborate.

Beth regarded her husband with displeasure, most of which was definitely directed at Travis. "I can't ever get you to a bar. But you've been to every bar in the fucking state with this son of a bitch."

"Hold on. Hold on a second." Rip jumped in, holding up a finger. Oh, this is gonna be good. Rook observed, taking a swig from her beer. This is gonna be real good. "I've taken you to two bars, and I'm zero for two getting your ass home. Don't start with me, now."

Before Beth could respond, ending the night with an explosive fight, Travis' whistle cut through the air. "Jimmy, let's go. We've got to get on the road."

"You're riding back with us?"

Travis stared at the man as if he had just told him that the moon was made of fucking cheese. "Fuck no, I'm not riding back with you. I'm driving to the airport and I'm gonna get out and you're gonna drive to fucking Texas. Let's go."

Rook was going to comment on Travis saying he was going to drive despite having drank at least two beers, but then she considered how likely it was that he was his completely normal self when she thought he was drunk. Either way, it wasn't the safest course of action. That's why she was so glad when Emily offered to drive the truck to the airport.

As the trio got up from their seats, Walker clapped Travis on the arm. "Might be heading your way soon, Amigo."

Travis, for once, looked genuinely happy. "Yeah? You found yourself an outfit?"

Laramie giggled, flicking the hat from her boyfriend's head. "Yeah, it's called my Capri Camper. He's gonna babysit me on the rodeo circuit."

"Tough job." Walker shrugged. "Somebody's gotta do it."

After giving everyone his well wishes, Travis strolled over to Beth and Rip, hugging them both in turn. Beth thanked him again, presumably for showing up since she heard it was uncertain whether he'd actually show up or not.

"My pleasure." Travis started, and Rook mistakenly assumed that drunk-ish Travis might be a little more of a gentleman that sober Travis. God, was she wrong. "Boy, those legs do go all the way to the ground, don't they?"

Rip swatted at his friend but Rook's tongue was quicker. "And your dick doesn't even go past your balls."

Travis turned to face her, a grin totally undeserving of what she'd just said to him as everyone else in the bunkhouse burst into laughter or oohs.

"Rook, it's never been a pleasure." Travis said, tipping his hat her way. Giving a little grin, she mirrored his action.

"Right back at ya."

Jimmy and Emily promised to come back soon before they left, but nobody had the heart to remind them that there wouldn't be much of a place to come back to if all of the wranglers were gone. It felt wrong to think about this possibly being one of the last times they were all together. Wrong and fucked up, so nobody said it.

Travis was about to follow the two lovebirds out the door when Teeter shot up from her seat, chasing after him. Rook didn't know exactly why she wanted to talk to the man so urgently but she guessed it had something to do with the predicament they all found themselves in: joblessness.

It was a few minutes before she returned. Rook was leaning against the counter next to the fridge, just settling into her second beer, as Teeter burst through the door, grinning from ear to ear.

"Guess who's got a fucking job, y'all!"

Rook's lips split in a a grin that mirrored Teeter's, happy to see such joy on her face again. Without asking if she wanted one, Rook pulled another beer from the fridge, popping the top off of it and handing to to the woman, who took it graciously.

"When do you sta—" Rip began to ask just as his phone rang, cutting off whatever he was going to say. "Shit. Sorry."

Rip flipped open the phone as he was walking further into the bunkhouse, far away from the celebrating wranglers. Every now and again, Rook managed to pick up a word here or there but it wasn't until Rip hung up and told them who it was that she understood.

"That was the hospital. Colby's awake."

Teeter's entire demeanor changed with those two sentences. In a second, she had her coat on, already standing at the door waiting for everyone else to gear up.

"Let's fucking go, already!"

◇◇◇

Ryan

It had been about two hours since Rip and Beth left for the hospital with Teeter, eager to see Colby even if it was likely he was asleep. Not in a coma anymore, but just asleep. Ryan wished he was able to go but it was only family for now. Technically Teeter wasn't family but a few strong words from Beth usually got the nurses to consequently overlook that fact.

As usual, they passed the time the exact same way they always did: poker. And as usual, Rook got cozy on the couch with Lord of the Rings, happy to listen to the commotion. From where he sat, Ryan had a perfect view of her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she read, her teeth worrying her bottom lip and the little crease appearing between her brows whenever she got to a particularly tense scene, even though she'd already read the book from cover to cover probably hundreds of times.

Ryan hadn't told her yet, but he'd stayed up all night for the past week to finish it before her, conversations and questions he could ask her running through his head. He hated the rift that had grown between them, a chasm that he hoped to fill with orcs and Sindarin and plucky hobbits who defied all the odds. He didn't know a better way to her heart than that.

"500, let's go." Jake exclaimed, throwing another ten dollar bill into the pot as the other watched on.

"I've never seen 500 dollars." Ryan mused, looking longingly at something the others couldn't see, imagining owning five hundred dollars, which he absolutely did. He had actually seen five hundred dollars, but it was fun to pretend he hadn't. They didn't get paid that shit or anything.

None of them heard the truck pull up or even knew Teeter was on her way back until she walked through the door and took a seat at the head of the table. Ryan usually took that seat as him, eventually until it because synonymous with him, but he'd decided to mix things up a bit, particularly because that seat didn't have the view his new one had.

Teeter didn't say anything for a while, but she looked happier. That was good news. The knot in Ryan's abdomen loosened, finally letting him breath easily again. He'd been in a constant state of panic since they got back from Texas, terrified that they'd get that call from the hospital. Colby wasn't out of the woods yet, but the future no longer looked so dim.

"Looks like I'm headed to Texas." Teeter eventually announced, waiting for a response, which came quick.

"Yeah? For real? Travis wasn't just fucking with you yesterday?" He asked, genuinely happy for her. If she could get past Travis' general attitude towards everything that wasn't horses or hot models, she'd do great with him.

"Nah, he meant it. What about you?"

Ryan recycled through the many explanations he'd come up with but found none fit what he wanted to say. "I'm gonna stop wasting time."

"That ain't a direction."

Ryan stared at Rook, his eyes tracking the way some of the strands of hair that escaped her braid fell over her face. He didn't miss the almost imperceptible curl of her lip and his heart almost felt like it was going to stop.

"Yeah, it is."

◇◇◇

Rook

Rook was curled around a mug of coffee, dozing on the couch, long after everyone else had gone to bed. Well, almost everyone.

Ryan was still up, pretending like he hadn't been eyeing her the entire night. She had thought about confronting him or teasing him multiple times but thought acting as if she didn't notice was more fun.

She hadn't fully acknowledged the fact that her eyes had drifted shut again until a weight settled beside her on the couch, the plush cushions dipping under Ryan's weight.

"Do you always look at me like I am a slab of meat and you a lion who hasn't been fed in weeks?" She asked, her voice light with humour. She didn't open her eyes but she could see his smirk all the same.

"Is that how I was looking at you?"

At that, she turned her head and looked at him, finding his eyes full of want, his pupils blown wide in the dim lighting.

"It's how you are looking at me."

Rook's breath hitched as Ryan's hand brushed over her wrist as he took the mug from her hands, breaking contact only long enough to put the cup on the floor where it wouldn't be tripped over. In a blink, he was back with those heavy-lidded eyes of his.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, a hint of genuine concern in his voice. Rook knew exactly what that concern stemmed from. She felt it to every time she did anything for him. The fear that all this they had recently got back could be pulled out from under their feet at any moment.

This was something that Rook wasn't going to let go of.

"No. I want you, Ryan. And I'm tired of being scared." Gently, she pressed her lips to his, smiling as his molded into the kiss, one of his hands coming up to cup the back of her head. Just as many of their past kisses, this one started soft and grew harder, teeth and tongues clashing. They kissed as if they were releasing all their pent up anger, gasps and groans being swallowed by the other.

Rook's fingers found the collar of Ryan's shirt, skimming her hand down the front until she reached the hem, tugging it over his head impatiently. The broke the kiss for a split second before finding each other again.

Rook felt like she was drowning after so long without water. She didn't realise how much she missed Ryan's touch until now. That was a lie. She absolutely did, but even her very vivid imagination couldn't compare to the real thing.

Rook and Ryan pulled apart again to catch their breaths, chests heaving, foreheads pressed together. She could feel the heat of Ryan's palm on the dip of her back, even through the t-shirt and she traced the edge of his exposed brand, appreciating the sight of his naked chest.

"You like what you see?" He murmured in her ear, having caught her blatantly ogling him.

She grinned, making a show of removing her shirt in one swift motion. She watched was Ryan's throat bobbed, his eyes darting down before flying up again to stare right in her eyes. "Perhaps I do. Is that alright with you or would you rather I just go to bed?" She made to stand up but his hand darted out, fast as lightning, to catch her wrist.

"Please, Rook..."

She turned, a wicked gleam in her eye. "Yes, Ryan?"

"Let me... let me make it up to you."

Her heart jumped to blurt out an agreement but her head knew it was too much fun to tease him. Instead, she sat back down, lounging against the back of the couch, daring Ryan's eyes to dip downwards. Which they did.

"How would you make it up to me, Ryan? Hmm? I want to know."

Ryan's eyes darted down to her lips, staying there. "However you want me to, baby. I'll do it fucking all."

Rook's lips curled as she inclined her head to the front door. "Do it fucking all, will you? In that case, we'll need to go somewhere a little more private." Throwing her flannel over her shoulders, Rook pulled Ryan with her, him shrugging into his shirt too.

She led him by the hand out the door, across the yard, and all the way to the barn where they kept the hay. It wasn't the most ideal place by any means but there wasn't a lot to work with on a ranch.

Inside the barn, it was almost pitch black, only the barest slivers of moonlight filtering through the gaps in the wood, illuminating their steps. It was much cooler than the bunkhouse but Rook doubted they'd notice.

"Can't believe I didn't think of this before." Ryan commented, his breath fanning over the back of her neck. She stopped in the centre of the room as Ryan trailed his lips down along her spine, her whole body shivering.

Rook reached back, pulling his face closer as she turned, their lips colliding again. The kiss felt punishing, but not because of Ryan. It felt like her mind was raging at her, wondering how she ever could've given this up. It felt like a missing puzzle piece finally snapping into place.

Ryan dragged her flush to him, pushing her back until they lost their balance and landed with a thump on the hay bales, breaking the kiss to laugh. He trailed kisses along her jaw, working his way lower as his hand slipped higher before stopping at her waistband.

"Tell me to stop and I will." Ryan looked into her eyes, staring deep into her soul with his molten eyes, as dark as the sea during a storm.

"I don't want you to stop." She declared. "Make it up to me, Ry."

As she hoped he would, Ryan didn't stop. He scrambled out of his hastily buttoned shirt, and, with joy, Rook noticed a few of the buttons were through the wrong holes. It was a little detail but she still noticed it, just like she'd noticed the tiny scar at the corner of his lip that hadn't been there before she was fired, or the added lines creasing his eyes when he smiled.

With a heart lighter than air, she gazed up at Ryan, knowing exactly how much she loved him.

They still had so much left to fix, but Rook knew she'd love him no matter what. He was half of her.

She didn't know she was crying until concern took over Ryan's face, the man immediately kneeling to check her over.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Rook shook her head, smiling. "Nothin'. I'm just happy."

Ryan joined her, chuckling as he wiped her tears away, soothing them with kisses until she was a giggling mess, lying beneath him.

His kisses slowly drifted closer to her lips but she grew tired of his teasing, instead pulling him flush against her, his hand flying to grip her thigh. With a sigh bubbling up her throat, she reached for his belt, making quick work with the buckle. Ryan stood, breaking contact for only long enough to remove the offending clothing, boots and all, before returning to her, helping her take off her jeans.

Rook shivered in nothing but her underwear, but Ryan's skin warmed her, his hands tracing fire down her limbs. She subconsciously lifted her hips as he drew circles with the pad of his thumb on the inside of her thigh, hand just shy of where she was aching for him. From the smirk she could feel against the crook of her neck, he knew that too.

Just when she was about to open her mouth, Ryan's fingers slid over her panties cutting off whatever snarky comment that was on the tip of her tongue. He continued peppering kisses over her throat as he stroked her, her blood thumping in her ears. His touch felt so good after such a long time without it that she had to remind herself to breathe.

"Ryan..." She crooned as he pulled her panties to the side, his thumb finding her clit without any barrier between them. He rubbed lazy circles over it, drawing out whines that grew increasingly louder each time. It took an embarrassing short time for her to feel the ache in her core, the knot growing tighter and tighter, but Ryan didn't stop. He kept the same pace, lulling her into a relaxed stupor.

Rook's back arched up from the bales as she came, a wave crashing through her. Even though they weren't in the bunkhouse, Ryan still smothered her scream with his mouth, drinking in the sound as though he was a man starved of it his entire life. His fingers continued their gentle coaxing, drawing her back to her body.

"I missed this." He murmered against her hair, panting as if it took great restraint from keeping himself planted beside her. "Missed how you feel on my fingers."

"I bet you missed how I feel on your cock more." Rook replied. She'd meant it as a joke but she couldn't help it if it hit the nail harder than she thought it would.

Rich laughter enveloped her, the sound sending shivers over her skin. "Can't say I didn't miss that either." He confessed, his words cutting off with a whimper as she reached out her hand, cupping his erection through the thin material of his boxers.

She hummed, biting her lip as she watched Ryan's eyelids flutter shut, his hips bucking against her hand. "Mmh, you really weren't lying, were you?" She slowly slid her hand down, taking the underwear with her until his cock sprung free. Ryan helped her remove it fully, kicking it off somewhere into the dark before climbing back onto her, letting her legs wrap around his waist.

"I missed you so fucking much—" Ryan gasped, sinking into her heat with a thrust. Rook clawed at his back, her nails digging in almost deep enough to draw blood but it didn't faze him at all. His thrust never stuttered as he drove into her over and over, his thumb dancing across her clit, making her see stars.

Ryan's thrusts grew sloppy, his cries growing in fervour the closer he got to the edge. Rook wasn't much better, her climax already threatening to overwhelm her. She clenched around Ryan's length, catching him off-guard and almost sending him plummeting off the edge. He stopped, fully sheathed inside of her, his brows drawn together as he attempted to stave off the orgasm at least until she'd come.

"You alright there, cowboy?" She asked, her voice much breathier than usual. It took all of her willpower to not beg him to move again, but she managed it.

"Never been better." He gritted out, pulling out only to push back in again, his thumb putting just enough pressure on her clit to have her legs shaking, the undeniable wave reappearing. Rook squeezed her eyes shut, a ragged moan leaving her lips as she came, Ryan pumping in and out until he followed her over the edge, coating the inside of her thighs and abdomen with warmth.

When his legs gave in beneath him, Ryan angled his body so he'd fall beside her rather than on top. Pulling a bandana seemingly from thin air, he wiped her down as best as he could, cleaning her as she lounged like a queen. With a giggle, she rolled over, nuzzling into his chest and smiling against his sweat-slick skin.

"If that's how you make it up to me, maybe I should break up with you more often." She joked, grinning at Ryan's horrified expression. "Sorry, too soon."

He wrapped his arms around her, hauling her to lie atop him, her laughter reverberating through his chest. "If you do that I'll drag you back here and kiss you until you're sick of me."

She quirked an eyebrow at him, her smile growing. "Don't threaten me with a good time, Ry. Or you might not be able to follow through with your promises."

"Oh, yeah? Is that what you think?" He teased, and before she could answer, he rolled her over onto her back, her screams echoing through the night.

Chapter Text

What can I do? I will always be in love with you
What can I say? It can never be another way
One day, you'll see, you will always be a part of me
'Til the end of time, our fire eternal
Life Eternal - Lord Huron

Rook

The atmosphere was somber as they dressed in their best shirts–well, second-best shirts. Their best were saved for the funeral.

Rook's head was a mess to say the least. She felt a little guilty for having fun the night before John's funeral, but she reassured herself that he'd probably be celebrating with them if he was still here. Still, it took a lot of effort not to feel bad.

She was finishing up braiding her hair back from her face, a feat considering the amount of it she had, when Laramie pulled back the curtain and climbed out of the shower using her boyfriend as a railing.

"Remind me not to go a month without seeing you again." She murmured to Walker, not even trying to keep quiet. "Goddamn. I have horses to ride today."

"Hey, little ears." Ryan admonished, miming covering his ears. Beside him, Rook grinned from ear to ear, choosing not to comment on the pleasant ache between her own legs.

"Where?" Laramie exaggerated looking around the room, finding nobody with little ears.

"Mine."

"Oh my god." She rolled her eyes, making her quick escape out of the bathroom.

Lloyd glanced sideways at Ryan, winking when he met Rook's gaze. "You know what they say about guys with little ears, don't you Ryan?"

"Oh really? Well, you must have to tuck your pecker in your boot judging by the size of those mud flaps stuck on your head. I'm surprised the wind doesn't blow you off your horse like a fucking kite."

Rook pressed a quick kiss to Ryan's cheek, returning Lloyd's wink, before she tied off the end of her braid. She seemed to have caught him unawares, judging by the shocked expression on his face. They hadn't spoken about how long it'd take before they told everyone, or at least until they'd start to become a little more lax about keeping it a secret, but if their split had taught her anything, it was that she didn't much like secrets.

Leaving a flabbergasted Ryan to Lloyd's questions, she joined the growing group in the kitchen. Shoving Jake out of the way, she grabbed the only mug left in the cupboard, one that read 'Our Love Triangle' over a triangle joining me, you and horses together. The entire rim was chipped to hell, but she didn't have much of a choice other than drinking straight from the pot.

"Gotta take this one with me." Ethan muttered, taking great care to take down a pinup poster of a woman wearing a cowboy hat from one of the other cupboards. He rolled it up almost reverently, treating her better than he treated the place for the last year.

Ryan, his hair still damp, joined her and the others. He reached up to rummage around for a cup, coming up short. He shot a half-hearted glare at her, which she threw right back at him, adding a little shrug.

"If you're good, I might let you borrow it when I'm done." She joked, patting him on the shoulder as the front door clattered open, Rip waltzing in.

"You want to come take a seat?" He asked, waiting for everyone to make their way to the table. Once they were all there, he fished a stack of envelopes from his pocket. "Does everyone know where they're going?"

"Ethan and I hired on down to the N Bar." Jake stated, nodding his head to the man standing at his side.

"Well, that's a good outfit. Teeter, how about you?"

"Travis hired me and Colby. Said he can join us in Texas once he's better." Rook hadn't thought to ask whether Colby was going with her, but she was glad Travis had agreed. It might still be a while before Colby was right, but it was good to know he had somewhere to go.

"Shit. God help you both." Rip chuckled lightly, turning his attention to Rook. "Rook?"

She took a deep breath, her fingers wrapping around her mug tighter. "Ryan and I were hired by Calla Ivy, Colm Doherty's ranch. Took a few strings being pulled but they said there was space for two more hands." Rip nodded, humming in acknowledgement. Rook took a glance at Ryan, only to find him already looking at her.

Rook hadn't gotten the chance to tell him. She only called Ivy the day before to ask if there was any jobs going for wranglers. To tell the truth, she said they would've probably had too many had it not been for her father's illness. She practically handed the jobs to her on a golden platter, but it had completely slipped Rook's mind.

Without a word, Ryan slid beside her, leaning down to whisper in her ear as Rip continued around the room, asking if everyone knew what they were gonna do.

"Were you planning on telling me you got us a job or did you want me to guess?" At first, her heart almost plummeted down to her boots, but then she felt his breath on the shell of her ear, the laughter soft as to not draw any attention away from Rip.

She didn't look up at him, instead staring at the table. "I was going to, but I was just too tired from last night to think of anything but you."

The words had their intended effect, Ryan's gasp music to her ears. He was about to retort something undoubtedly dirtier, but Rip cut him off by handing out the envelopes containing their last paychecks.

"I just got a favour to ask."

Even before they knew what Rip was asking, they nodded, agreeing to help.

"What do you need?" Lloyd asked, standing at his friend's side when it didn't seem like he'd answer.

Rip, lost in thought, shook his head before addressing the room again. "Get ready and meet me outside."

Doing what he asked, they all grabbed their coats and hats, following the cowboy out the door.

◇◇◇

Rip led them, shovels in hand, to the quiet graveyard tucked in a clearing on the Dutton land. There were dozens of stone markers, most reading the names of Duttons from long ago. Except for the time they'd helped Mo Brings Plenty and his men dig the grave for the horse, she'd never set foot inside. Until now.

"How far do you think we should put him?" Lloyd asked, stopping when Rip did the same, ushering to the headstone engraved with Evelyn Dutton.

"Well, let's put him as close as we can. And let's pile all the dirt on this side." Rip called out, waving his hand onto the right side.

Without anyone having to say anything, they started digging, happy to give their boss a good burial as their last act for him.

◇◇◇

Rook stared up at the sun peeking over the trees, caught in her head. The day was warm and the air was alive with the sounds of birds and insects, as if they too were paying their respects to the Dutton patriarch.

John's coffin had been brought to the ranch while they were still digging, the sight being the first thing that greeted them when they returned. In a way, it was what Rook needed to fully comprehend that her time here was coming to an end.

For the last few days, she'd been working in a daze, not fully realising that she'd be back at Doherty's, the other wranglers all heading in different directions, not even a week from then. In a way, the funeral was probably one of the last times they'd all be together. As a family, that is.

The lone casket propped on a bench in the empty stable is what it took for all the emotions to come rushing back, the thoughts and worries of the future overtaking the forefront of her mind. One of the only constants in her life was this ranch, and now that was all about to change.

The sound of gravel crunching under wheels sounded behind her, drawing her attention back to the group and away from the treeline. In her haste, Rook almost tripped right over Colby.

To tell the truth, the man looked a hell of a lot better than Rook expected for someone who'd been kicked by a horse and in a coma for weeks. He was still wheelchair bound, his entire abdomen bandaged to cover the mottled shades of purple, but he was much better than he had been. According to Rip, he'd been in surgery for hours, the doctors racing against the clock to stop the internal bleeding. By all accounts, he should've died on the table, but it seemed like the devil knew better than to face the wrath of a Texan woman.

"Rook, I heard what you said to Teeter." Colby said, waving his nurse away. With a tremendous amount of convincing from Beth, the doctors allowed Colby to go to the funeral, but only so long as his nurse, a scary woman with a permanent scowl, accompanied him. Based on the look on his face, he didn't much like her. "I wanted to thank you. She ain't the best at gratitude, but it did mean a lot to her."

Almost immediately, the back of Rook's throat started to burn, her vision becoming blurry. "I didn't want her to feel alone. She has so many people who love her and hate to see her in pain. I just comforted her in the best way I knew how to."

"By threatening to beat my ass if I died?"

"You bet. You'll find I'm a very resourceful woman, Mr Mayfield, your ass wouldn't have been safe from me even in the deepest pit of hell." She grinned as the man shook his head. He chuckled, but immediately regretted the action, his arm cluching his side. "Thankfully, you're alive, so you don't have to worry about that anytime soon."

Colby opened his mouth to say something, but Nurse Ratched cut him off by wheeling him away, the cowboy complaining all the way. Rook giggled watching the scene, completely at odds with the solemn reason why they were there. To lay their boss to rest.

Tyres squealed as Beth sped down the driveway connecting the big house to the rest of the ranch. Rook expected Carter and Rip to also appear as she got out of the car, but two figures further up the road told her that Beth hadn't exactly waited for them to be ready before leaving.

Beth wore a simple black dress, her hair tied back from her face in an elegant chignon. Her eyes were obscured by large sunglasses, but underneath, Rook knew, lay bloodshot eyes.

She drifted from her car across the yard, nobody daring to approach her even just to give their condolences. As she passed, Rook held out her hand, which Beth grasped. They didn't say anything, but Rook just wanted to let her know she was there, no matter what.

Beth's fingers slipped from Rook's, her mouth forming a 'thank you' before she continued on to the stable to say her final goodbyes.

It took around a half an hour for the funeral to begin, Tate, Lloyd, Ryan, Jake, Kayce and Rip lifting the coffin onto their shoulders and carrying it through the fields.

Rook followed, side by side with Walker and Laramie, her hat in her hands. A deep chasm opened in her stomach every time she spotted Beth being led by Carter. She'd never seen her so sad, and it only made it worse knowing she couldn't do anything to help. When her father died, she'd celebrated. She didn't have a single clue what it was like to lose a father, a real father, that is.

The pastor was waiting for the procession at the head of the grave, a large bouquet of white roses stacked beside him. With reverence, the men lowered John's casket onto the scaffold above the grave, stepping away as the pastor blessed himself.

The ceremony didn't last very long, the pastor saying a few prayers that Rook found difficult to follow along to, pretending as if she had been to church since she was a child. After offering a small overview of John's life, one that didn't even chip the surface of what the man was truly like, he called Beth up, handing her a white rose.

"Lay this upon him and say goodbye."

Taking the rose from out of the pastor's hand, she all but snarled. "I think I'll say something else." Holding the flower in a grip tight enough that Rook was surprised didn't result in thorns pricking her fingers, Beth approached the coffin, laying the rose in the very centre. Resting her hand on the wood, she leaned down, her face only inches from the surface. "I will avenge you."

Without looking back, Beth walked away, rubbing furiously at her eyes. In quick succession, Kayce, Tate and Monica laid their roses next to Beth's muttering words only they could hear. After Tate, Senator Perry hesitantly took a rose, gently placing it atop the coffin.

"Well, John, I, um, wore the tightest skirt I could find in your honour." She chuckled sadly, her eyes glazing over. It wasn't a secret that her and John had been known to have a relationship through the years, and Rook knew it must've broke her heart to hear of his death. "You go easy on the angels up there. You will be missed and though of often."

With a shuddering breath, the senator marched away, her form being replaced by Chief Rainwater. It was a little bit of a shock to see him at first, but Rook knew John would've been happy to know the man had come to pay his respects.

Before placing his rose down, Rainwater rested his palm above where John's face would be, saying something in Lakota that Rook didn't understand, but she didn't need to. The meaning was clear.

"You and me." He continued, placing a ceremonial pouch with his rose. "I will protect this for you and for all our relations."

After Chief Rainwater finished, it was the wranglers' turns. One after the other, they took a flower, softly setting them down over the other ones, whispering their thanks and farewells to a man who had given them a place to call home. After what felt like an age, it was Rook's turn, very last.

Anxiously, she cracked her knuckles as she took the rose from the pastor, thanking him briefly. By then, it was just him, her and Rip left, the others gone back to celebrate John's life with beer and some of Gator's incredible food.

Rook shakily placed her flower on the only free space she could find, careful as to not knock any of the others off. With a sigh, she said what was in her heart before her head could overthink it.

"You gave me a home when I never thought I'd have one. You also gave me a father, but you didn't know that. The world has lost a good man." She confessed, a sad smile on her face. She hadn't been there long before she realised that she regarded John as more of a father than anyone before him, even Mr. Doherty. She had never known how to tell him, and she regretted it now that she'd never get the chance to. All she could hope was that wherever he was, he knew.

She made to walk away before stopping, turning to where Rip was still planted, as stoic as ever. "Do you mind if I help?" She asked, nodding to the shovel in his hand. Rip shook his head, instead turning his attention to the pastor.

"How does this work?" He pointed to the scaffold.

"Uh, well, I believe the poles rotate and you lower the straps with that crank." He explained, but as Rip went to do it, he stopped him. "Uh... we have people who will do that."

"No, no, no, I'll do it." Rip held down the crank and they watched as the coffin lowered itself into the ground. To tell the truth, Rook didn't even know such a thing existed. Where she was from, you lowered it into the ground by yourself.

As the casket disappeared into the ground, Rip and Rook both took a shovel that was stabbed into the pile of dirt, the pastor jumping to stop them.

"Well, that's just symbolic. It's just in case the family want to lay the first bit of earth down." He explained, Rip looking on unimpressed.

"Well, it ain't symbolic today. Today this shovel works."

"Would you like me to stay?" He asked, looking as if he'd rather take a day trip down to hell than suffer a minute more.

"Nah, I think we're about prayed out." Rip stated, Rook's jaw slowly dropping more and more as he spoke. "If he ain't already in heaven, then he ain't going or there ain't one."

Rook wasn't religious in the slightest, but even that shocked her. Most would describe her as pretty blasphemous, but saying it to a pastor was certainly somwthing she'd never done.

A little disgruntled, the man took his bible and sped away as fast as his legs could carry him, probably thankful that they hadn't asked him to stay.

Rook picked up her shovel, watching the retreating form in black. "Well, I wouldn't have pegged you to be a sceptic."

"What?" Rip turned to her, confused.

"About heaven and all."

Thrusting the shovel into the dirt, he heaped a large amount into the hole, sighing. "When you've seen what I have, you don't put much faith in what's up there."

She found herself nodding to his words, far more familiar to her than he expected. "I've never really been good with religion." She confessed, throwing dirt over the casket. "God never answered my prayers, so why should I give them to Him? He never protected me, but you know who did? That man right there." She pointed into the ground, where a thin layer of soil covered the resting place of John Dutton.

Rook felt her throat start to close up, wondering if Rip was going to shut her down, but he didn't.

"When I was younger than you are now, he took me in. I ain't gonna tell you why, but if he hadn't, I'd be dead by now. He offered me a place here, just like he did you." Rip balanced the handle against his shoulder, wiping the sweat on his brow. He took off his hand and ran his hand through his hair. "He was as much of a father as I've ever had, and I promised him I'd wouldn't make him regret it."

Rip trailed off into silence, Rook not knowing whether she should reply. She didn't want to overstep, so she just kept shovelling until the hole was filled and sweat ran down her spine in rivers.

As she made to walk away, she noticed Rip lingering behind, and gave him space to say what he wanted to. She had taken a few step before she turned around, biting the bullet.

"If he regretted anything in this world, boss, it certainly wasn't giving you a place here."

She didn't wait for a response, instead heading to where she could already smell Gator's gorgeous food on the air.

As she rounded the corner, she was ambushed by people handing her plates piled high with barbecue and other gifts, her mouth flooding at the sight. Ryan waved her over to a picnic table occupied by only a few wranglers, handing her a blessedly cold beer. The first sip felt so good as it slipped down her parched throat, she could've kissed him right there and then.

Screw it. She gripped his chin between her fingers, tilting it to capture his mouth. Ryan gasped, but quickly regained his composure, kissing her back just as hard. When she pulled away, breathing roughly which had nothing to do with the heat, she grinned across the table at where Teeter was staring, her mouth agape.

"Now when the fuck did that happen?" She asked Colby, waving her arms at the two in front of her.

Colby's eyes rolled so far back in his head, Rook was afraid he might see his brain. "Gee, I don't know, sometime between when I was in a fucking coma and woke up from said fucking coma."

Rook smothered her laughter behind her hand, catching Ryan's eye. "Is this what we have to look forward to in our future?"

She didn't miss the glint in his eye when he processed her words. Quietly, he whispered right in her ear. "Baby, I don't care what's in my future as long as it's with you."

Her cheeks heated as he leaned back, Teeter and Colby falling silent as they watched, noticing the change.

"Yeah, I couldn't tell you what the fuck is going on." Colby started, his nurse coming up from seemingly nowhere and wheeling him away, everyone laughing as he struggled to get her to bring him back, fighting for control of the wheels.

Suddenly, something zipped past, little more than a blur of wheels and dark metal.

"Where's she going?" Rip asked, having just reached them, watching Beth's car disappear down the driveway.

"Hell, maybe she just needed to take a drive. That was a lot to swallow." Lloyd replied, even though Rip hadn't exactly meant it to be answered. Rook couldn't blame Beth. She knew she'd always has trouble expressing her emotions, it made sense if driving fast enough to give Max Verstappen a run for his money.

Rook had just taken a bite of her burger, Rip jumped into motion, all but pushing Lloyd to the trucks. "I know where she's going."

A second later, they sped off after Beth, not nearly as fast as she'd been. I hope it ain't anything serious.

It wasn't until she was lying in bed that night did she realise that she'd never seen Rip look as scared as he had in the split second before running to chase after his wife. Not since the hit on all the Duttons. Maybe that should've been the only hint she needed. But she wouldn't know for sure until a few days later.

◇◇◇

Beth had gone after Jaime. That's where she had been speeding off to after the funeral. According to the police, she'd confronted him about not going to John's funeral and then accused him of being involved in his death, something Rook wouldn't have been surprised at. He beat her within an inch of her life, breaking ribs and almost puncturing her lung.

Beth had tried to fight him off, using pepper spray and sheer will, but nothing could stop him. Jaime punched her over and over until she was unconscious, and when she woke up, he was gone. Where, she didn't know.

Beth had been in the hospital for almost a week before she demanded to be released, actually managing to convince the doctors that it'd be best for her. Say what you will about Beth Dutton, but she ain't anything if not persuasive.

◇◇◇

Rook hefted her saddle against her hip, leading Kelpie by the reins over to the trailer hitched to Ryan's truck. Ryan walked by her side, carrying his saddle. Unfortunately, the horse he'd been riding for the last while had been sold along with the rest, but Doherty, or rather Ivy, had promised to fit him out with one when they got there.

To their surprise, it seemed the truck was already loaded up with something.

Teeter and Laramie lounged in the bed of the truck as they rounded the trailer, the others standing around them, bittersweet smiles on their faces.

"That better have a full tank of fuel in it." Ryan stated, shooing Laramie and Teeter out of the truck so that she could load up the saddles, graciously taking Rook's from her before she keeled over.

Rook hurried around to the back, leading Kelpie up the ramp and into the trailer, only returning to the group after she made sure the horse was safe and secure.

Ethan held his hand out to Ryan when she reached his side. "See you around, friend." When he let go of Ryan's hand, Rook gave him a hug.

"See ya, Ethan. Take care of Jake for me, God knows he'll need it."

Ethan mocked a salute. "Yes, ma'am."

"It's been a ride, hasn't it?" Ryan sighed, a little overcome now that they were going. For the past few days, she noticed he'd spent more time with everyone, watching when he thought nobody could see it. He'd been with these people longer than she had, so she could only comprehend a stream out of the ocean of what he was feeling.

"Sure has."

Beside Ethan, Walker and Laramie stepped forward.

Ryan clasped the man's hand as Laramie wrapped her arms around Rook. "I beat your ass out of this place."

The man returned the laughter. "You sure did."

"Who would've thought it? Take care of yourself. No more holes in you." Ryan's eyes flicked down to where Walker still had the scar from Lloyd's knife.

"Yeah, your girlfriend sure wouldn't like it." Rook winked at Laramie, who grinned right back at her. At the beginning, she hadn't know what to think of the woman, but time had corrected whatever doubts she had. Now, she'd miss Laramie just as much as the others.

As Rook whispered her goodbyes to Walker, his hat almost falling from his head as hers was squashed against it, Laramie wrapped her arms around Ryan, standing on her tiptoes to reach his shoulders.

"Love you, big dog."

Rook chuckled lightly at the moniker, making a mental note to ask him where it came from.

"Laramie." Ryan said, returning her hug. "How come barrel racer get cremated when they die?"

"Why?"

"Cause the ground is never good enough." Ryan's eyes crinkled as he laughed, much harder than the woman he was telling the joke to.

"Oh, alright, alright."

Ryan was still laughing when Walker and Laramie stepped back, Carter replacing them. Before he got a chance to say anything, Rook pulled him into a hug, still slightly shocked at how much taller than her he was.

"Keep an eye on your mama for me." She knew he was about to correct her, but she didn't let him. "I know she doesn't like you calling her that. Don't worry, it'll be our little secret."

When she pulled back, Carter nodded. "Yes, ma'am. You have my word."

She watched as Ryan patted the young man on the shoulder, telling him to be safe. Suddenly, she was overcome with the thought that this was how someone looked at their younger sibling. This was how Henry looked at her. And her heart plummeted once again, this time because she'd realised too late. Pull yourself together, it ain't the last time you'll ever see him. He might be a man by then, but you'll see him again.

Carter was shoved out of the way by Teeter, who seemed to think he was taking too long. She wrestled Ryan into an embrace, whispering in his ear only just loud enough for Rook to hear.

"You suck at cards."

When Ryan let go, laughing, Rook wrapped her arms around her. "You ain't fucking wrong." She giggled. "Good luck not killing Travis. You're a lot damn braver than I am. And tell that boyfriend of yours not to forget what I said to him."

Teeter nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear, even though she didn't know exactly what she had said. She probably didn't need to, she could guess.

Waiting patiently behind Teeter for his turn was Lloyd, a sad expression on his face. He hugged Ryan first, and then Rook. "Don't be fucking strangers." He admonished, a smile curling his lips but the unmistakable glaze to his eyes preventing her from thinking he was fine. "See you down the dusty trail."

Ryan mirrored Lloyd's sad smile. "That's where we'll be."

Lloyd took his hat off, pushing back the white strands of his hair as he walked away, his eyes on the ground as if a single glance would set him off.

From Beth's car, Rip and the woman approached, their hands clasped together. When they got close enough, Beth let go, pulling Rook into the tightest hug she'd even been given. Rook was gentle with returning the embrace, careful to not squeeze too hard against Beth's broken ribs. Her face was mottled with bruises from her run-in with Jaime, one that had apparently ended with him fleeing the country, but she had a feeling there was something deeper there, although she had no real reason to suspect anything. Based on context clues, it seemed the man wouldn't bother them again.

The news had announced that his car had been found in central Idaho, intentionally burned to destroy evidence, but he wasn't found. What a shocker.

"You better invite me to the wedding. If you don't, I'll tell everyone about that time you got so drunk you took a swim in a cattle trough." Beth warned, a wicked edge to her voice as she said it that made Rook laugh.

"Well, there's no need for that. You'll be the first to know, I swear. Take care of Carter for me. He'll have one hell of an upbringing with you and Rip." She let go of Beth but still rested her hands on the woman's shoulders, unwilling to say goodbye just yet.

"Good luck, Ryan." Rip clasped his hand, looking to where his wife was slyly wiping a tear from her eye. "You'll always have a place with us. Both of you."

Beth slipped out of the embrace, making a beeline for Ryan. They swapped over, Rook clasping Rip's hand as Beth whispered something into Ryan's ear, which made him go as white as a sheet, his eyes darting to her.

Rook firmly shook her former boss' hand. "Thank you, sir. For everything. I ain't gonna forget it anytime soon."

Rip shook off the gratitude, gazing back across the lawn and towards the entrance. "Yeah, I just did what's right, that's all."

Rook wanted to thank him again, but decided to let it lie. Rip Wheeler wasn't exactly a man who'd take gratitude or credit lightly. If he said it was nothing, then it was best to tell yourself it was nothing, 'cause he wasn't well known for changing his mind.

With all the farewells over, Rook knew it was past the time they should've left but still she lingered. The second I get into that truck, It'll be the last time I'll ever set foot on this ground.

As if sensing her thoughts, Ryan walked over to her, resting his arm around her shoulders as he guided her to the passenger door. She managed to croak out a few last goodbyes before the tears came, stealing her voice as she climbed into the seat, buckling her seat belt. Ryan joined her a moment later, looking only slightly better than she did.

"What?" She demanded when he didn't stop looking at her.

Instead of answering immediately, Ryan smiled. "You're perfect."

Rook giggled, wiping her eyes, which only succeeded in smearing her eyeliner further over her face. "Even looking like I got dragged through a field backwards?"

"Especially then."

As Ryan pulled away, Rook turned around in her seat, watching the waving figures get further away, soon becoming only specs before disappearing behind trees.

Calla Ivy was around two and a half hours from Yellowstone, which meant they had plenty of time to talk about the important things.

"So, I had a think about it, and I'm nearly certain I figured out why you never replied to any of my letters when you were gone." Ryan blurted out, his eyes fixed on the road.

For a minute, Rook was too confused to answer, her mind still addled from sadness. "What?"

"I think I know why you didn't write back." Ryan repeated, glancing at her. As he took in her startled expression, his face morphed to match hers.

"Ryan, you never replied to mine." Rook corrected, more confused than she had been. Had she missed letters and forgot to reply? What the fuck?

It was Ryan's turn to act bewildered. "I sent you a letter after you told me not to visit and you didn't write back. I sent you letters almost every day without an answer."

Rook's eyebrows drew together, and she fiddled with her necklace, deep in concentration. There was a beat of silence before her gasp broke it. "That fucking cunt."

Ryan's gaze snapped to her the second the words left her mouth, silently asking for an explanation.

"That's how my father found me. He took the letters." Suddenly it all made sense. Not just how he managed to find her when she was so careful, but also why they never showed up. "It was right in front of me all this time."

Silence fell over the car for a moment before Ryan found the words he was searching for. "You want me to write them again?"

A laugh bubbled out of her throat and she laid her hand on his arm. "I don't need your letters when I've got the real thing. Just promise me they won't be the last you write to me."

"Cowboy's honour. I'll write you letters everyday if you ask me to. Hell, I'd do anything if you asked me to."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Rook rested her head on her fist as she watched Ryan driving, Lord Huron's Fire Eternal drifting from the radio. If you asked her there and then, life had never felt so perfect. Never.

Rook felt her eyes drifting closed as Ryan broke the silence again, immediately snagging her attention.

"I finished reading Lord of the Rings."

All other thoughts went out of her head at those words. "You can't just drop that and not tell me what you thought."

Ryan shrugged, noncommittal. "It was alright."

"You're joking." She declared. He couldn't be that unfazed by it. He had to have something else to say.

He opened his mouth, not saying anything for a second. Then, when she was losing faith, he nodded his head, laughing. "Yeah, I'm joking. You should've seen your face, though. It looked like you were about to kick me out of the truck while it was still moving."

"Well, you weren't far off it." She commented, settling back into her seat, trying to wipe the smile from her face, finding it much harder than she though. "So, what did you really think of it?"

"I get why you love it so much. I can't believe it took you leaving to convince me to pick it up." He look at her and her stomach dipped a little at the weight of his gaze. "You remind me of Arwen."

Despite attempts, Rook blushed. "Are you my Dúnedain, then? Or are you a long lost king?"

Ryan took his left hand from the steering wheel, cradling hers to his lips before pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I am whatever you want me to be, meleth nín."

Rook's eyes lit up, her mouth hanging open. "Oh my god." Ryan couldn't hide his proud-as-fuck smirk, telling her he'd probably been practicing for quite some time to learn endearments in Sindarin for her. "You're gonna have to tell me all the Sindarin you learned."

"We've got a long drive ahead of us, we've got time." He commented, grinning at the road in front of him. Rook did the same.

This is where I'm meant to be.

"What can I do? I will always be in love with you. What can I say? It can never be another way. One day you'll see, you will always be a part of me. 'Til the end of time, our fire eternal." Ben Schneider sang from the radio, the lyrics fitting in place as if they were written about her and Ryan.

I will always love him. That much is true. As Samwise Gamgee said, "Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer." Maybe he was talking about us. Hell knows he wasn't wrong. Rook grinned harder, trying to smother her giggles with a hand, to no avail. She was just too happy.

"I love you, Ryan." She gasped out through giggles, but Ryan didn't comment, he just or at her as if she was the closest he would come to seeing the sun.

"I love you too, Rook."

Chapter Text

What if the world dies with the sunrise?
Baby it's alright we'll be up all night
What if we're unmade when the stars fade?
Keep me going 'til the night turns into the day
Until The Night Turns - Lord Huron

Four Years Later

Rook

Rook stared into the mirror, her hair cascading over her shoulders in dark waves. The cool silk robe she was wearing did nothing to soothe the flush of her skin and the pounding of her heart.

Somehow, she'd managed to sneak away from the main bedroom, which Mr Doherty had graciously offered to her. The only quiet place in the whole damn house was the bathroom, so that's where she went.

"Rook?" A shout sounded from outside the door, snapping her out of her reverie. It was all so surreal, she needed a moment to herself.

"One second!" She called out, brushing her hair back from her face before reaching for the handle.

As the door swung open, Rook came face to face with a, slightly, panicked-looking Beth.

"The makeup artist is ready. C'mon." She said, waving over her shoulder as she led her out of the room. Beth looked gorgeous in her dress. Royal blue and reaching to the floor, it suited her far better than any other one she could've chosen. The navy satin had a subtle jacquard floral pattern, its structured sweetheart neckline highlighting her considerable cleavage before flowing into voluminous tiered skirts that skimmed the tops of her feet. She looked perfect.

But Rook didn't follow.

When she noticed Rook still standing where she was, Beth turned around to fully face her. "You're not going to be late to your own goddamn wedding on my watch."

The comment broke through Rook's anxiety, bringing out a smile. Even with her laughter, Beth noticed there was something off with her. Her face was serious when she walked back over to her, her eyes flitting up and down to check if Rook was alright.

"Hey, what's wrong? You get cold feet? I mean, that's totally understandable considering how big of a deal this is—"

"Beth, I love you, but you're not exactly helping." Rook commented, stopping the woman's spiral before it began. Secretly, she suspected Beth was just as nervous as she was. "I just need a minute. It's a lot to take in."

Rook didn't blame Beth for wanting everything to go as smoothly as possible. In a way, she never did get the wedding she had wanted, so Rook gave her the opportunity to plan since she was so excited to do it the first time. In other words, when Rook asked Beth to be her maid of honour, she'd informed her that she would have everything under control.

Most people would've probably been at least a little pissed off if their maid of honour declared that they'd be organising almost everything, but Rook was beyond relieved. She hadn't even wanted a big wedding, just something between friends and family, but Beth had all but begged her to at least have a proper ceremony, which she'd agreed to.

"Did Ryan say something? I swear to god I'll kill him." Beth made to storm out of the room, undoubtedly heading downstairs to where Ryan was staying in the guest house, his boys looking after him all the while drinking more than they probably should. Rook grabbed her wrist before she could leave, stopping her in her tracks.

"Ryan didn't say anything. I'm just... scared." She let out a shaky breath, fiddling with her necklace, a dainty evenstar pendant, a birthday gift from Ivy. "I'm so scared something is going to go wrong and I can't stop thinking about it. This should be the happiest day of my life, but—"

Beth held up a finger, silencing her before she could get the words out. "I'm not going to let you be miserable." Without warning, she dashed back into the main room, coming back a minute later holding two glasses filled to the brim with champagne. Handing one flute to her, Beth clinked them together, taking a large sip of hers. "There. Much better. Now you are gonna forget about all your worries. If anything goes wrong, I have a sniper set up on the roof."

The way she said it made Rook less sure that she was just joking.

She nodded, trying her best to shake off all her unease. "Alright. I trust you." She said, letting Beth lead her back into the bedroom where her bridesmaids lounged, drinks in hand, or who were rushing to get their makeup perfect.

They were chattering amongst themselves, Avery, having introduced Georgia to the others at the beginning, was passionately talking to Teeter, and Rook couldn't help but grin. I knew they'd get on like a house on fire.

Ivy was finishing up on Laramie's hair when they walked in, Georgia waiting patiently for her turn. And when Laramie spotted her, she rushed over, taking the empty glass from her hand and replacing it with a full one, giving her a conspiratorial wink as Ivy yelled at her about possibly burning her.

Tears pricked her eyes as she took in them all, feeling a sudden swell to her heart. Here were all the women she loved, and she knew she wouldn't be standing there without each and every one of them.

Beth turned around, her mouth open as if to say something, but no words came out. It was like she was able to read Rook's mind, somwthing silent passing between them, and she smiled, true joy mirrored back at her.

The morning went without a single hitch, all thanks to Beth.

The makeup artist that Beth had hired, supposedly the best that money could buy, was truly an artist. At first, Rook was sceptical considering how much she was charging, but she vowed it would be the last time she doubted Beth. She was honestly incredible.

All of her bridesmaids looked gorgeous, the colours of their dresses perfectly matching them. One of the only requests Rook had asked for was that they dresses didn't have to match. She didn't need a perfectly normal wedding. Realistically, the stranger the ceremony, the better in her eyes.

Avery's dress was browny-red and cinched at the waist, the sleeves flowing down to her elbows. It had a v-neckline that stopped in the centre of her chest, a gold pendant glittering against her skin. On multiple occasions did Rook spot Georgia staring openly at her girlfriend, and she couldn't blame her. With her hair draped around her in loose curls, she looked like a god.

The dusty pink of Georgia's made her red hair pop even more, bringing out the green in her hazel eyes. She had her hair pulled up into an elaborate updo, gold pins matching Avery's necklace adorning it, small gold hoops hanging from her ears. Just like all of them, her dress was gorgeous and wholly her. The bodice had visible boning and the skirts flared out asymmetrically, shorter in the front, longer in the back with a slightly ruffled slit hitting just above the knee, which was proudly displayed with how she was lounged while waiting on Ivy.

Ivy's dress grazed her ankles, a green the same colour as the pines in winter. A square neckline and gathered detail at the shoulders led into puffed sleeves that cinched at the wrist, and her skirt had a slit up the left side, reaching around mid-thigh. The green offset her black and blonde hair, making her look like a rockstar with a wedding at seven, a concert at ten.

As Rook strolled further into the room, Teeter passed by, searching desperately for her second earring. Her gown was a dusty-blue chiffon, a gentle ruffle overlaying the off the shoulder neckline and sleeves. Her pink hair looked like an inferno against the material, the pleating at her waist creating an insanely flattering drape of the skirt. Whatever Jake had said all that time ago about Teeter owning dresses, he'd sure choke on his words when he saw her. And based on what she'd been saying the entire morning, another of Ryan's boys would be choking on something different when she got her hands on him.

"Oh fuck yeah, I love this song!" Laramie jumped up from the bed, all but running to the speaker to turn it up at the first chords of Julia Cole's Day Late & A Buck Short, her dark purple dress swishing around her legs. It had a cowl neckline and a bodice that cinched in at the waist, displaying her absolutely phenomenal figure. The skirt flowed down to the floor in an unbroken waterfall of silk, whispering over her skin. Walker's not gonna be able to keep his eyes off of her.

They all looked so beautiful, and Rook couldn't have been happier, watching all their faces bright at the promise of lots of drinks, but also at the knowledge of how much the ceremony meant to them.

Beth, already fully ready, ushered Rook behind the folding screen when she had enough of her dilly-dallying, handing her the dress on a hanger, careful to not let it even graze the floor.

When Beth passed the gown to her, Rook smoothed her hand down over the lace, amazing at how beautiful it looked. She had fallen in love with it the moment she laid her eyes on it, with it's semi-sheer bishop sleeves that hugged her wrists, the intricate embroidery of flowers catching the corners of her eyes at every moment. It's bodice was cinched with a wide sash, the flower details continuing all the way down to the skirt, which ended with a slightly ruffled hem. It was beyond gorgeous.

Beth had tried to get her to at least consider other dresses, far more expensive than the one she had chosen and far more expensive than she would ever consider spending on a single dress, but she'd refused. She knew it was the dress for her.

Rook slipped the hanger from the sleeves, depositing it in the top of the screen before lifting the dress over her head, careful to not smudge her makeup on the pristine neckline, and letting the fabric settle around her body. She tried to reach behind to the zip but her arms weren't long enough.

"Beth?" She murmured, still struggling to maneuver her arm into position. A hum answered her before the woman materialised behind her, zipping the dress up before she could even get the words 'can you please zip me up' out. "Thank you." Rook turned around, facing her with a massive grin on her face. But Beth wasn't looking at her. She was looking at the dress, a faraway look in her eye.

"You look so beautiful, Rook." When Beth looked up, her eyes were full of tears.

"Wait, everyone turn around. I want to do this properly!" She shouted before lifting her skirt up, and dashing to the side table, which was laden with alcohol of various kinds and makeup belonging to all of them. Thankfully, her bridesmaids understood what she had meant and complied with her instruction.

Not even stopping, Rook grabbed the box of tissues she'd thankfully thought of bringing. Returning to the other side of the room, she pulled a few from the box and handed them to Beth, who dabbed at her eyes.

"There'll be none of that. I don't want you to fuck up your makeup. I heard she's the best of the best." She said, mimicking what Beth had told her when she booked the artist.

Beth chuckled, rolling her tissue up into a ball and chucking it into the trash. "I'll cry if I want to. Now get over there and stop making those women wait."

Rook did as she was told, padding over to the centre of the room. The women all stayed with their backs to her, but she could tell they were itching to turn. She didn't have her shoes on or her bouquet but she didn't need them. She had her girls, and that was all that mattered.

"You can turn around now."

All at once, they spun around, hands flying to their mouths.

"Rook, you look so beautiful." Ivy declared, Avery enthusiastically nodding in agreement.

"Ryan ain't gonna know what hit him." Laramie walked over to her side, hugging her as carefully as possible.

"Ain't that the fucking truth. You ain't gonna have that dress on for long." Rook's mouth dropped open at Teeter's words, everyone else turning to stare at her. "What? I'm just sayin' the truth."

All of Rook's fear melted away with her laughter, the thoughts that had been plaguing her mind for the last few weeks disappearing.

"Okay, we ready to get this show on the road or do you want to be late?" Beth asked, holding up her phone and waving it around.

Rook smiled at her maid of honour, and even though they had so much time, she hurried to put on her shoes while Beth herded the women out the door and down the stairs to the car that had been waiting for about an hour.

It didn't take long for Rook to slip into her heels and follow the others downstairs, but she stopped in the doorway, taking one last look at the place in all its messy glory. The next time I walk through this door, I will be a married woman.

With a tiny smile, one only for herself, she turned away.

◇◇◇

Rook stood in the trees, anxiously fiddling with her necklace as she waited for the music to start. She'd been waiting for what felt like forever, but she knew it had only been a few minutes.

She was about to start clawing at her skin when she saw the broad figure of Colm Doherty approaching her.

Mr Doherty towered over her at six foot three, his shoulders and arms strong from years building this ranch up from the ground. Four years ago, it seemed like he was on death's door, but that seemed so strange to Rook now. Almost as quick as it had appeared, his illness had gone, taking his strength with it. Years of recovery and help from family had saved him, and she was beyond thankful.

"You ready, Carrion?" He asked, the deep timbre of his voice feeling like a well-worn blanket. Years of living in America had rounded his Irish accent but it was still there, if you listened hard enough. The nickname threatened to bring a fresh wave of tears to her eyes, reminding her of someone who she'd give anything to be there today, but she blinked them away.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Mr Doherty offered Rook his arm as the music began, and she didn't miss the glazed quality to his eyes. He'd looked the exact same when he gave Ivy away on her wedding day two years ago, bursting into tears the second he passed her off to Ronan at the altar. It had been a beautiful ceremony, filled with joy and laughter. If her wedding was even half as wonderful, Rook would be happy.

It doesn't matter how wonderful the ceremony is. All that matters is who's waiting for you at the altar. He's all that matters.

Without any more hesitation, Rook took Mr Doherty's arm and let him lead her to the rest of her life.

◇◇◇

Ryan

Ryan faced the treeline behind the makeshift altar, his back to where his bride waited to walk to him. He anxiously fildled with anything he could grab, which meant his cuff links. At his side, Colby stood at his side, Rip, Lloyd, Walker, Jake and Ethan lined up beside him, across from Rook's bridesmaids.

The morning had been a lot more stressful than Ryan had ever imagined it would, but it was all worth it to see the look on the boys' faces as he walked out dressed in his suit, a simple black three-piece. He hadn't put a lot of thought into finding an elaborate suit. I didn't want to take any attention away from Rook, even though she'd steal it back the moment she stepped into view.

As if on cue, the violinist hearing his thoughts, the most beautiful rendition of 'Concerning Hobbits' started, the sound of chairs being knocked into as the guests rose from their seats.

Ryan still had his gaze fixed ahead, furiously trying to keep the tears at bay when Colby rested a hand on his arm, nodding. Slowly, Ryan turned, and stopped trying to keep from crying.

At the end of the clearing, where the trees split into a perfect passageway, was Rook. At her arm was Mr Doherty, who had been kind enough to let them get married on his ranch, but Ryan had eyes for nothing except for her.

She had never looked more beautiful, her hair hanging down her back in loose waves, a bouquet of gardenias, wildflowers and ferns clutched in her hand, but the star of the show was her dress.

Ryan didn't have the words to describe it, and if he did, they would've been drowned with all of her other thoughts at the sight of Rook, her beauty outshining even the sun. Yeah, fuck trying not to cry. God would weep at the sight of her.

Ryan was a gonner from the second he laid eyes on her the first night she wandered into Yellowstone, but he knew he was a dead man the second her rosy lips parted, a wide smile directed at him when their eyes connected.

Rook's heels made no sound on the aisle, made up of vintage rugs that the Dohertys had supplied, completely at odds with how much money Beth had spent on the finer details of the ceremony. It had been one of the only requests from Rook, who'd read it in a book once and couldn't get it out of her head. The other was an empty seat in the very first row.

The seat was adorned with only a framed picture, but it held more weight than the rest of the ceremony put together. The photograph of Henry was from when he and Rook were teenagers, both of them grinning at the camera in a moment of adolescent rebellion, but Ryan didn't think there could've been a better photo chosen.

The walk was agonisingly slow, each footstep seemingly longer than the last and his heart only picking up in pace the closer she got.

At last, when he ran out of tears to shed, Rook and Mr Doherty stopped in front of him, turning to each other. A dazzling smile broke Rook's lips again, this time directed at the man who'd become a father to them both, taking them in when they needed it the most. She said something to him that Ryan didn't catch before he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Mr Doherty took Rook hand and passed it to Ryan, nodding fondly to him, as if he was accepting him into the family. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded back, his heart swelling at the thought of belonging to not only the woman at his side, but to an actual family.

Gently, almost reverently, he opened his palm and felt Rook's slip into his grasp. Standing side by side, gazing into her hazel eyes that always seemed to know what he was thinking, Ryan knew he would give the world for her. Burn it down at one simple flick of the wrist if that's what she asked of him. He was hers, wholly and entirely.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Rook Barrows and Ryan Henderson in marriage."

◇◇◇

Rook

"Do you, Ryan Henderson, take Rook Barrows to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to stand by her side through all the days of your life?" The officiant, a tall blonde woman, asked and Rook had to fight to keep her face reserved. There'll be so much time to smile later, when you're not right in this woman's face.

Ryan, although he wasn't necessarily supposed to, grinned at her and her resolve broke. "I do."

"Do you, Rook Barrows, take Ryan Henderson to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to stand by his side through all the days of your life?"

As Rook stared into Ryan's eyes, she knew she'd kill for him. She would do anything to keep him safe, even if it meant burning down the entire world. She would do it. And even if it meant carrying him up the side of a volcano to destroy a ring.

"I do."

Rook tightened her hold on Ryan's hands, if only to stop hers from shaking or reaching up to fiddle with her necklace. He simply squeezed them back.

"At this time, Rook and Ryan will share the vows they have written for each other." The officiant explained, taking a step to the side to allow for pictures.

Her heart beating a million miles an hour, Rook watched as Ryan let go of her hand to take out a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"Rook, you are my entire world. I fell in love with you the day you stepped into my life, and a little more every day since. I am still falling deeper in love with you, and I don't think I'll ever stop. Words will never come close to explaining what you mean to me, nothing can, but I'll still try. My soul has felt incomplete my whole life but I never knew why. Now, standing before you as your husband, I understand. You are the half my soul was missing, and I will find you in any lifetime. That, I promise you."

Rook bit hard on the inside of her cheek when Ryan's eyes reconnected with hers in an attempt to stop the tears from coming, but they still fell down her cheeks. With shaking hands, she took the little notebook Beth seamlessly handed to her from the side. Taking a breath, she smiled down at the page.

"Ryan, my cowboy, where to begin? Writing these vows was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever done for you, and that is saying something." Chuckles rose up from the guests, and Ryan, before they fell silent again. "There wasn't a specific moment I fell for you, all I remember is loving you. Our lives have not been the easiest, even together, but being with you made it better. You taught me how to love again, something I never thought possible. You made me realise I shouldn't feel guilty for it. And you showed me that home doesn't have to be a place, it can be a person. Should I die, my one wish is for my gravestone to bear your name, for I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone."

As Rook finished talking, dabbing the tears from her lower lashes, Ryan didn't let his eyes stray from her for a second, a deep crease between his brows and his shoulders shaking from crying, even as a shit eating grin was on his lips. Just like always, he was infectious, an answering smile appearing on her face, too.

With the vows finished, the officiant took her place again, inclining her hand to Colby.

"May I have the rings?" Colby didn't answer, instead pointing to the bottom of aisle where two familiar figures of brown and black appeared.

Ghost and Jess, Rook and Ryan's dogs, their matching white and black collars jangling together, padded down the rugs, everyone turning to watch them, some people even holding out their hands for pets. Ghost, every inch a labrador puppy despite being almost five, jumped all over the place, licking at hands, legs and even pants as she went. Every person who managed to get to stroke her head for even a second before she bounced off to the next person commented on how beautiful her smile was, and she lapped up all the attention.

Jess, on the other hand, simply walked up the aisle, sticking close to the right side because that's where she knew Ronan was, his pockets always stuffed full of treats for her. Jess wasn't nearly as energetic as Ghost on account of being a little old lady, but she made up for it with her grin. Like her owners, Jess beamed up at everyone, the black collar sinking into the black and white of her fur, the band almost being swallowed up by how much of it she had. Even to this day, they didn't know exactly what breed she was. The shelter they'd found her in said she was a labrador-boxer cross, but it was no question that she absolutely wasn't. Regardless, they loved her and Ghost more than anything.

Ryan crouched down, still holding Rook hand, as he called the dogs over when it was clear Ghost was making it her mission to greet every single guest personally.

Ryan untied a ring from around Jess' collar, sonce she'd reached him first, holding it tight in his fist as he scratched under her chin. "Hey, girl. Thanks for keeping this safe." He whispered to her, giving her a scratch behind the ears and kissing the top of her head before she darted off, making a beeline for Ronan in the front row and flopping down at his feet. Ghost, it seemed, needed more persuasion.

Rook joined Ryan on the ground, holding her hands out to Ghost, who mimicked their position before running full-force into them.

The brown blur connected with Ryan's chest, knocking him onto his back and smothering his face in kisses.

"Ghost." Rook hissed through giggles, trying to pull her off of Ryan, who was clutching his side in hysterics. "Hey, Ghosty." She patted her thighs, the universal signal for 'hugs' in the dog's mind, which managed to do the trick. Without a second glance at Ryan, Ghost ran the really short distance between her owners, her entire body wiggling as Ryan dusted himself off and untied the second ring from her collar.

When she realised their attentions were elsewhere, Ghost pranced off, finding someone in the crowd who whould give her an adequate amount of care while they finished the ceremony.

As Ryan handed the officiant the rings, she laughed at the absurdity of the event. "This is probably the strangest wedding I've ever been to." She commented, the words feeling like a compliment more than anything. "Please place the ring on Rook's finger."

Ryan, taking her left hand in his, slipped the simple braided band onto her ring finger, the glint of the silver matching with her engagement ring, the deep green stone standing out against the paleness of her fingers.

"With this ring, I promise to love you for eternity and longer, until the very last living thing on this earth breaths its last."

Her breath hitching, Rook took the ring from the officiant's hand. It was a plain silver band, looking completely inconspicuous from the outside, but the details were all on the inside. Engraved on the band was a single sycamore leaf. Ryan had asked her to be his wife at the base of the sycamore tree that stood like a soldier on the very top of the hill to the west. They'd gone out for a ride, Ryan claiming that it was just because he wanted to spend time with her, but clearly it wasn't. It took him long enough to ask. If I hadn't started to drop hints, I think today would've been like every other day here.

"Please place the ring on Ryan's finger." Rook gently took Ryan's hand, his calluses ghosting over her skin, and guided the band over his knuckles until it fit snug at the base of his fourth finger.

"With this ring, I promise to go to the very ends of the earth for you. Into the very fires of Mordor."

Rook giggled as Ryan shook his head, his eyes so full of love it nearly made her stop breathing.

"By the power vested in me by the State of Montana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

A beat passed before they descended on each other, the kiss not at all as reserved as it probably should've been, but neither of them cared. It didn't even enter Rook's mind for a split second as Ryan's tongue slipped into her mouth, his hand threading into her hair as he deepened the kiss.

Rook didn't know if they would've stopped if Colby hadn't clapped Ryan on the shoulder, all but dragging the man away from his wife. Wife. Rook thought as she broke the kiss, her teeth snagging on Ryan's bottom lip. His eyes held hers, all but the very edge of blue in his iris swallowed by black. We're not finished. The look said, and Rook smirked.

Oh, we're not even started.

◇◇◇

Rook was honestly a little surprised at how fast everyone got absolutely hammered.

The dinner and cake cutting went without a fault, except for Jake almost tripping over his own feet and into the cake, but it ended up being okay–for the cake that is. Jake's face? Rook wasn't sure.

If she thought the last tears of the night were shed during the ceremony, boy, was she wrong. From the moment Beth stood up to the very last sentence of her speech, Rook was a mess. It was longer perhaps than any she'd heard while preparing for the wedding but that didn't matter. The whole ceremony seemed to be ass-backwards and that just made it all the more perfect.

As she gazed over the sea of people dancing, a glass of whiskey in her hand, the words ran through her head on repeat: "For those of you who don't know, which there's probably less of you than nuns in a strip club, I'm Beth, the Maid of Honour. Before anyone comments, yes, I'm married, and yes, I am still the Maid of Honour. I wrote this speech a long time ago, so long that the page left an outline on the shelf with dust. Ryan, I did try to make it subtle at first but, Jesus, I didn't think Rook owned your common sense as well as your cock." She giggled into her glass, feeling the slight buzz from all the alcohol she'd consumed throughout the night. Ryan had gone as red as a fucking tomato, but everyone else thought it was the funniest thing ever, Rook included.

"Okay, seriously, I told you to put a ring on her finger years ago but you took your sweet time doing that. In a way, however, I think the time strengthened you in ways I can't even begin to describe. When I met Rook, it was on the steps of my house after we'd both been beaten to living hell, and somehow we bonded without even saying a lick to each other. Then, I saw a soul trying to find it's missing half. Now, I see two people so perfect for each other not even hell could rip them apart. And Rook, you might be his now, but just remember you were mine first."

Rook was a mess, there was no doubt about it. But by the time Beth had finished talking, she wasn't the only one. Colby's speech was quick and to the point, but it apparently wasn't the real thing, it was just the PG rated one. The rated R one, he had given Ryan and the Bunkhouse Boys before the ceremony. Rook desperately wanted to know what was said but she settled for Ryan's promise to tell her in the morning. That was if they survived the wedding night.

As if sensing her train of thought, Ryan's hand slipped into the dip in her back, his breath ghosting over the shell of her ear.

"If this party goes on for any longer, I might just have to sneak under the table." He whispered, his voice husky from alcohol and lust. "You always were interested in voyeurism."

She lightly hit his arm but the other continued downwards, towards where the hem of her dress rose up from her position. Even though all of her instincts told her to stop since anyone could see them if they looked over, she didn't say anything. Her breath hitched as Ryan's fingers skimmed over her leg, his eyes honed in on hers as he dragged his hand back up, taking her skirt with him. Subconsciously, Rook's legs parted, but he stopped just as he reached her knee.

Rook was so focused on the digets drawing patterns against her skin, only tightening the ache deep in her core, that she didn't spot her entire bridal party watching, knowing smirks on their faces. Teeter even gave her a fucking thumbs up, and from the blush on Ryan's cheeks, his groomsmen had also noticed.

Beth's chair scraped back from the table as she rose, glass and knife in hand. Gently, she hit the edge of the glass with the cutlery, a sharp tinkling sound drawing every guest's attention to her.

"Y'all have had enough champagne and Tito's to even put me to shame and had your fair share of dance moves that'll haunt you when you're not more than halfway to blackout drunk, but I think it's past time that we leave Rook and Ryan to get to know married life, intimately, with each other. If you have any other well wishes for the newlyweds, please offer them now."

A flurry of people ambushed Rook and Ryan, eager to make their mark before the night was over, even though they probably wouldn't remember half of what was said in the morning.

Lastly, Carter, Ronan and James approached, each taking their turns to say what they wanted to.

"I thought Ryan wasn't ever going to wrack up the courage to ask you to marry him, but I was wrong." Carter chuckled, hugging Rook first and then Ryan. "I'm so happy for you guys."

From behind the young man, a gorgeous brunette that they had yet to be introduced to appeared, looking like she simultaneously wanted to be anywhere but there, and also like she wanted to do nothing but wish them well. Realising he'd missed out on something important, Carter held out his hand, taking the woman's and leading her closer.

"This is Alannah, my girlfriend." Carter declared, his gaze dropping to her face, a warmth in his eyes that wasn't unfamiliar to Rook. "Alannah, this is Rook and Ryan."

The woman held out her hand, her smile enveloping her entire face in unbridled joy. It was infectious.

"Alannah, it is so good to meet you." Rook said, taking taking her hand and squeezing it in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. When she let go, Ryan did the same, mirroring her smile.

"Welcome to the family, Alannah." Ryan murmured as they made a hasty exit to make room for Ronan, who was attached to Ivy at the hip.

Without hesitation, Rook wrapped her arms around the man, hugging him for a moment before releasing him.

Ronan chuckled right in her ear, whispering so as not to be overheard by either of their partners, who were engaged in animated conversation. "You're gonna have to tell me everything that goes along with wedding planning."

It took a second for the words to connect in her head, but when they did, it took all of Rook's remaining willpower not to gasp. Her eyes darting over to Ivy, making sure she wasn't listening, she cupped a hand around Ronan's ear.

"You're fucking engaged?!" She knew she had a shit-eating grin on her face but she didn't care.

Pulling back, Ronan gently shook his head, mouthing the words 'not yet' before he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Rook had been the leading cause of getting them stuck in the shed, which had exactly the effect she wanted: getting two of the most stubborn people she'd ever met together. And I thought Ryan and I were bad at communicating our feelings. To hear Ronan was planning his and Ivy's future made her impossibly happy.

Ivy came over to rest her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, not noticing the tiny wink he shot Rook's way. Ivy shoved him over to Ryan, who shook his hand, before all but jumping into Rook's arms.

"I know you probably don't need me to tell you this, but make sure you put that care package I gave you to good use." Ivy whispered, giving Rook her most sultry look before breaking into hysterics. Ivy's 'care package' had been opened in front of all her bridesmaids, much to her entertainment. From ropes to vibrators to even a gag or two, Ivy certainly had every base covered. But Rook's favourite item was a black lingerie set, the lace barely covering anything. It was perfect.

"It'll take a week to try out everything in that box." She chuckled but her friend just gave her a knowing smile.

"In that case, I'll see you in a week." Taking her boyfriend's hand, Ivy all but dragged him away from Ryan, knowing that he was probably more than desperate to get to bed.

Last but certainly not least, James came up to Rook and Ryan, giving them a warm, fatherly smile. His hair was streaked with grey now but he was still commanding The Howling Raven like a captain on a ship with his no-fucks-given attitude. Some days, Rook missed her time there but she knew she was right where she belonged.

"Congratulations, Rook. I ain't the best with words but I'm happy for you." James said, opening his arms to let Rook wrap hers around his neck. When she released him, he honed in on Ryan. "Don't fuck this up."

Ryan, his face serious, held up his hands. "You have my word, sir. I fucked up enough for a lifetime. I ain't gonna make that mistake again."

Pacified, James shook his hand, resting his other on Ryan's shoulder. To Rook, he shot a smirk. "He's a keeper."

James lingered for the longest out of the guests, on account of the time since they'd last seen him, and by the time Beth was ushering him out, Rook's skin was ablaze. Every brush of Ryan's fingers against hers set her on edge, fire running through her veins. Beth, an angel sent down from the very heavens, ushered her and Ryan down the pathway leading to the house, claiming that she'd handle cleaning everything up. Somehow or another, Rook suspected it would likely be left until morning and cleared by someone Beth paid handsomely. Either way, it didn't really come close to the front of her mind.

Rook swayed slightly in her heels as she held onto Ryan's shoulder, using it to keep her upright. She wasn't that drunk, heels just didn't usually pair well with gravel. Instead of laughing like she thought he would, Ryan stopped, a brief thought flickering over his face.

"What?" She asked, grinning like a madwoman.

Ryan didn't answer, instead sweeping her up into his arms quicker than she could blink and taking off like a shot down the track.

By the time they reached the front door, Rook was gasping for breath, her hand clutching Ryan's shirt for dear life. Gently, he lowered her to her feet, unlocking the door.

"Technically, I should carry you over the threshold." He mused, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"I think we've broken pretty much every wedding tradition there is, darlin'. What's another one?"

Ryan's gaze darkened impossibly more, tracking up and down her body with a hunger only barely held at bay. "Well, I know a tradition I ain't breaking."

Without having to be asked, Rook dashed inside, giggling uncontrollably as Ryan cursed, chasing after her. Her heart thundered in her ears as she kicked her shoes off somewhere and slipped across the floor to the master bedroom. Skidding to a stop, Rook gently eased open the door, taking in the lack of mess. It had looked like a bomb had gone off this morning, but whoever Mr Doherty had hired deserved to be paid triple what they had been. There was even a bouquet of gardenias in the window, right next to the velvet box of Ivy's.

Ryan's steps thundered up the stairs behind her, and she turned just as he reached the top of the landing. Her eyes met his and a wicked grin broke out on his face.

"Are you going to wait to claim your wife, Ryan?" She giggled maniacally as he lurched for her, fingers only barely missing her waist as she swept into the room.

Standing in the doorway, Ryan's chest heaved. "You're going to kill me, you know that? Kill me before we even get to consummate this marriage."

Rook sighed dramatically, whirling around to face her husband. "I'm not that cruel. I'll let you have the most life-altering sex you could ever imagine before I kill you."

"That a promise?" Ryan's voice was husky, each chuckle sending shivers down her body as he prowled towards her. Before he could reach for her, Rook held up a hand.

"I have a surprise for you, but you're just going to have to wait for it." She said, noting how Ryan's eyes drooped with lust at the words. "Can you wait for me, Ryan?"

He all but snarled at her, shrugging off his jacket and loosening his tie. "You better get a move on, otherwise I can't promise anything."

Winking over her shoulder, Rook grabbed the black fabric from the box and ran for the bathroom, Ryan's laughter following her all the way.

◇◇◇

Rook adjusted the straps of her bra, checking herself over in the mirror. Straps crisscrossed her chest, drawing the eyes downward to where lacy vines curled over her nipples, only barely covering them. The rest of the bra was made of sheer fabric, matching with the panties, which were practically non-existent. Perhaps the most scandalous thing she ever wore, Rook couldn't help but stare into the mirror with a smug little smile on her face. Rook hadn't been the best of friends with her body over the years, but she had to admit she looked fucking sexy.

He's gonna choke when he sees me.

Smirking, Rook reached for the handle of the door, twisting it after flicking the bathroom light off, drowning her in darkness for the time being.

◇◇◇

Ryan

When Rook stepped out of the bathroom, only the bedside lamps illuminating her figure, Ryan nearly choked on his inhale.

She looked like a god, wearing nothing but the most incredible pair of lingerie Ryan had ever laid eyes on and her heels, the white cutting a striking figure against the black of the lace. Ryan didn't think he'd ever been feral in his life, but he would've done anything for just one taste of her in that moment. And based on the quirk of Rook's eyebrow, she knew.

"You okay there, cowboy?" She asked, as if she was talking about the weather ans not standing a few feet from him with barely anything covering her.

"You're gonna kill me." His breath came in ragged gasps as Rook sauntered over to him, swaying her hips more than usual. Ryan couldn't move underneath her piercing gaze, not even as she rounded the bed, sliding her leg over his lap to settle onto her knees.

So close they were sharing breaths, Rook chuckled, deep and seductive. "That was not my intention, I promise." She whispered in his ear, her breath fanning down his neck as she pressed kissed down as far as the collar of his shirt would allow. "I intend to fuck you harder than I ever have."

In a split second, Ryan's mouth was on Rook, devouring. It was all tongues and teeth and vicious want. Ryan's hands found Rook's hips, digging in hard enough to cause bruises but it never stopped her for even a second, if anything, it spurred her on.

Rook's hands tangled in Ryan's tie, getting caught as she tried to remove it. Breaking the kiss, he chuckled as he watched his wife's confused face as she fiddled with the offending accessory.

"The fuck?" She murmured, making a little sound of victory as the knot came undone, and, giving him a grin, she used the material to pull his mouth back to hers.

Ryan groaned into Rook's mouth, his trousers suddenly feeling way too tight, as she absentmindedly rolled her hips back and forth, not knowing what torture it was for him. With a gasp, Rook sealed her lips to the side of his throat, sucking on the skin before soothing it with her tongue, continuing down and repeating the ministrations to where his neck met his shoulder, and further again as she opened the buttons of his shirt with an agonising slowness.

Soon, Rook was kissing down his abdomen, settling between Ryan's parted thighs, her lipstick smeared over her face.

"Can I suck you, Ryan?" He groaned out a confirmation but her hands stopped where they were sliding up his legs. "Need you to use your words, honey."

"Yes, you can suck my dick, Rook." He replied with a huff, his breath catching as she palmed him through his pants, his hips bucking wildly.

Undoing the button and zip with one hand, Rook guided the hand that wasn't propping himself up into her hair, his fingers threading around her dark tresses. Teasing her, Ryan gave it a little tug, knowing damn well she liked to have her hair pulled while he fucked her. As expected, the action tore a ragged moan from her lips, quickly followed by a death glare.

"Do you want to end this night with your wife at your side or your hand?" Ryan immediately relaxed his hold on her hair, and she seemed appeased, for the moment. "That's what I thought."

Every whitty retort or snarky remark left Ryan's head the moment Rook resumed unzipping his pants and pulling them down only far enough to free his erection from the tight confines. Ryan hissed through his teeth as Rook's nails dragged lightly over his length, his head tipping back as she pressed a kiss through the material.

Before he could catch his breath, she pulled his boxers down fully, her mouth descending upon him.

If Ryan was a holy man, he would've been convinced he met God as Rook's hot tongue slid down his cock, tears pricking her eyes as she took him as far down her throat as she could. Bobbing back up, Rook dragged her tongue underneath his head, licking at the tip before descending again.

It took every ounce of Ryan's willpower to keep the hand fisted in her hair loose and to not buck into her mouth, chasing his release. It felt like exquisite torture to have her mouth and hands on him, but he wouldn't have traded places with anyone in the world.

"Fuck, baby, look so good choking on my cock." He ground out, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above them. One of his favourite things was seeing Rook's makeup smeared across her face, mascara running, as she sucked him off, but he couldn't force himself to look down out of fear he'd finish embarrassingly fast.

Rook hummed in agreement, which just made Ryan's predicament all the worse.

His other hand was holding the duvet in a white-knuckled grip, trying desperately to tether himself to reality, which was slipping through his fingers. Every pass of her mouth threatened to send him over that edge, groans and whimpers slipping freely from his throat with ease. Ryan didn't care what sounds he was making. He was too far gone to even notice.

His hips jerked wildly the longer Rook sucked his cock, whatever restraint he'd mustered dead buried. Now, all he needed was to bury his dick in her and fuck her 'til kingdom come.

"Gonna come if you keep doin'—" Ryan's words cut off with a gasp as loud as any sound he'd made, the feeling of Rook's teeth grazing his skin almost too light to even be felt, but by God did he feel it. His hips stuttered and he pulled her down fully as he came, muffling the sound by biting his palm hard enough to draw blood.

Rook didn't move as he twitched in his mouth, just swallowing again and again without complaint. Ryan hissed out a curse as he stilled, Rook pulling her mouth from around his cock impossibly slowly. Torturous woman.

Ryan watched in awe as she rose from her knees and stood in front of him expectantly. Without needing to be told what to do, Ryan pulled her towards him, all but throwing her onto the bed and burying him face between her legs.

Rook mewled as he licked a strip up her still-clothed pussy, the fabric already damp. One of her hands clamped around his head, curses strong enough to make the Devil blush spilling from her tongue. But even with her nails digging into his scalp, Ryan wanted to take his time.

Groaning, Ryan threaded his hands into the straps clinging to her hips, slowly pulling them down her legs to reveal her fully to the room. Grinning wildly at her, he watched her shiver as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, and again when he trailed his tongue along her flushed skin. By the time Ryan reached where she wanted him, his wife was shaking.

Ryan slid two fingers up to part her flesh, blowing cool air onto her pussy. "You want me here?" He asked, his voice low and throaty. Even though only Rook would be gaining direct pleasure from him eating her out, it was still one of Ryan's favourite activities.

Rook nodded but opened her mouth when she saw the pointed look he threw he way. "Yes, Ry. I want you there."

"What do you want me to do?"

Rook rolled her eyes, clearly not loving the game he was playing. "I want you to eat my fucking pussy, Ryan. Is that better?"

"You know, you're such a brat when you want to be."

"Well, if you did what you promised, I wouldn't have to be." She retorted, trying to stay perfectly still but failing due to how fast her chest rose and fell.

Ryan ducked his head down again, sliding his tongue all the way up until he reached where her leg met her hip. As he sucked, Rook's hips ground into his head, as if the movement could force his mouth closer to her centre. Well, if she's that eager...

Ryan continued the kisses just shy of where she was practically dripping for him, teasing more than what was probably safe. The night was still young, after all.

Humming, Ryan pressed a chaste kiss to her clit, flicking his tongue when he heard her gasp. Pulling her leg over one of his shoulders, he fixed his lips around her clit, sucking exactly the way that always made her writhed beneath him. This time it was no different.

He alternated between sucking her clit and licking strips up her pussy until she was a babbling mess, screaming his name out to God.

"Ryan, please don't stop. Don't you dare fucking stop." She all but shouted, her eyes squeezed shut and her fingers tightening around his hair to keep him where he was.

Instead of answering, Ryan did as he was told, eating her out like a man starved. He never got sick of how she tasted. To him, nothing could ever taste as addictive, not even the fucking forbidden fruit.

Rook bit her lip, muffling her cries as she came, flooding Ryan's mouth with her taste. As any good husband should, he didn't stop, even when her legs were shaking and she was writhing beneath his tongue, the stimulation too much. Still, he didn't stop. Not even when her eyes rolled back.

◇◇◇

Rook

Rook sat on the edge of the bed, her legs crisscrossed as she stared at where Ryan was bound to the headboard.

"I said seeing you at the altar was the best thing I've ever seen," Rook started, her eyes roving up and down Ryan's body, clinging to the tattoo of a rook across his ribs. "I lied."

Ryan's skin was a flushed pink, every breath laboured as he watched on with hungry eyes. If I had've known this would've been such a turn on for him, I'd have done it years ago.

Climbing down from the bed, Rook shed her bra, not missing Ryan's fixed gaze on her breasts. Paying him no mind, she sauntered over to the table, picking a few of Ivy's goodies for herself. Having made her decision, quite quickly actually, Rook returned to the bed, settling on her knees just shy of Ryan's legs. She displayed the multitude of vibrators in front of her, winking.

"Which shall I try first, Ry?"

Chapter Text

This is an extended author's note just because I think everyone deserves a full chapter dedicated to how much your support means to me. Also, sorry to anyone who thought this was another chapter!

Firstly, I'd like to thank my good friend Julia. Without you, this story literally wouldn't exist. You listened to me ramble for entire classes over what I wanted to add, even when I had to be insanely vague to stop from spoiling it all on you. I'd also like to thank my other best friend @aroplane56 for her constant support. You absolutely should go read her stories! (And so she doesn't complain, go read my sister's fics as well @kellykellykellythrice)

To anyone who left kudos, comments, or even just read Arsonist's Lullabye, thank you so much. When I started this, it was just something that was knocking about in my head that I didn't think anyone would like very much. I'm beyond happy to know I was wrong.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that I have a plan for a spin-off about Ivy and Ronan, but it unfortunately won't be happening for a little while (I've gone too long without updating my other fic as is).

Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all.

~ QueenOfWitches