Chapter One

A/N I've wanted to write as story on Victoria for a LONG time only...nothing would ever come until now. This is set in the same AU as Jarrod/Georgia. The plot bunny started yelling at me in the last chapter of that story.

The wind was just beginning to pick up, when Victoria walked out of the house and headed towards the barn and the wagon that McColl had just finished getting ready for her. She was carrying a few boxes in her arms; boxes that were meant for the orphans. When McColl saw how many boxes Mrs. Barkley was carrying, he hurried to help her. Though, he wasn't surprised when she balked at the help. Truth be told if she hadn't he would have checked her temperature. However, when she about dropped one of the packages, he was he successful in getting her to accept his help.

"Thank you," Victoria smiled as their long time foreman sat the box she'd almost dropped in the back of the wagon. "I didn't realize that one was beginning to slip."

"No problem," McColl smiled, biting his tongue to keep from saying anything else. It didn't do any good though, his eyes betrayed him, and Victoria smiled.

"I know, if I weren't so bent and doing it myself, I'd have known it." She smiled at McColl who chuckled, and then allowed him to help her into the wagon.

The good father had approached McColl the week before and asked him if he had some time to spare to help with repairs. Victoria also took the opportunity to deliver the packages her and Audra had put together. Within moments of Victoria sitting down McColl was sitting next to her and had the reins in his hands.

As the wagon pulled away from the house, Georgia, who was sitting in her chair with one year old Zebulon on her lap, looked away from her son. She frowned slightly when Jarrod, who was taking a small break from some work in his study, muttered something inaudible underneath his breath. However, it didn't really surprise Georgia at all. Jarrod was having quite the struggle with the idea that McColl was actually courting his mother. "What is the problem? You know McColl well enough to know he'd never do anything to purposely hurt your mother. Besides, they're only going to the orphanage to help the good father."

Jarrod felt like a child being chastised by its mother. He might have tried to defend his reaction only his wife was right. He did know McColl well enough to know that the man could be trusted. "I don't know; it just seems so strange is all. I mean," he paused and then said, "She's my mother!"

Georgia couldn't help it... she started laughing and laughing hard. Though, she did manage to ask, "What? When a woman becomes a mother she's supposed to stop living?" The 'oh get real' look that came upon her husband's face only made her laugh harder and, even though he was too young to understand why his mother was laughing, young Zebulon started giggling also.

"Oh, not you too!" Jarrod started grinning and took his son, who had stretched out his arms, from Georgia and held him close. The child started playing with the chain that was attached to his father's pocket watch. Jarrod then looked at the wagon which was disappearing from view and sat down in one of the porch chairs near Georgia, while Zebulon continued playing with the chain.

"She'll be fine, Jarrod. She's a strong willed woman who, if a person has a lick of sense to them, one does not cross. McColl knows that better than anyone on this ranch. That is, anyone that isn't actually family." Georgia said, not knowing whether to try to have more patience with her husband or take a two by four to his thick skull.

Jarrod sighed and nodded. "I guess I know that, just can't help seeing her with father all those years and then, after he was gone…" he hesitated to finish his train of thought, afraid Georgia might read something into his words that weren't there. He needn't have worried as she gave him a sympathetic smile.

"With you being a 'widower', your mother and you shared more of a common bond than the rest of your family." Georgia held out her hand and laid it on Jarrod's arm. Her sympathy for his feelings showed in her eyes as she spoke. "It's natural to be concerned for her, Jarrod. However, you don't need to dwell on it. She's a good woman and can take care of herself." She told him as her eyes lit up when their young son looked at his parents and let out a giggle.

"How come I get the feeling he knows something we don't?" Jarrod asked as he laughed and put his son, who was struggling to get off his lap, down upon the grass. Once down, the young child started wobbling around the yard, falling more than once only to get stand back up.

"I'm sure he does." Georgia answered. She and Jarrod then changed subjects and started discussing other matters.

~oOo~

While Georgia and Jarrod talked, Nick was standing alongside the barn doing his own thinking. Like Jarrod, he'd grown accustomed to their mother being just that, their mother. However, he was also fully aware how long McColl had really been looking at his mother as a prospective wife. For that matter, after realizing just how interested McColl was in his mother, it was Nick that had encouraged McColl to speak up and say something in the first place. Still, as he thought on it, Nick couldn't help but wonder if he'd done the right thing when he encouraged their foreman. After all, if things didn't work out between the two, his mother could wind up with a broken heart. If that happened, would she be able to stand McColl continuing to work around the ranch the way he had in the past? Nick walked around the corner of the barn and headed for the stable. Having done what chores he had to Nick figured a long ride would give him some time to clear his head. After all, having been the one to push McColl, he didn't feel like had the right to interfere now. No, all he could do now was pray for the best, and take that ride. It didn't take Nick long to saddle Coco and head out on the ride.