This installment occurs before, during, and after the few events of "Paradise Trail" and features the same cast of great characters as my previous stories plus a few new additions. Butch McMann makes his first appearance, and Molly Mason (OC) is introduced. Molly, as will be explained, is a descendant and namesake of the original Molly Mason whom we were introduced to in the episode "Paradise Trail" and also looks a whole lot like her.

Back in the Saddle PART ONE

"This looks like the right place." Katheryn sighed and slowed to a stop in front of the four-floor loft apartments that she came to. She put her red 1973 Stingray Corvette in neutral and left it running as she glanced over the list of apartments for rent that Carlos had help her make. She loved staying at the H.O.P.E. center, but she needed a place of her own. Besides, they needed the room for the truly needy back at the center.

This loft was very remote…almost secluded. A downtown train could be heard in the distance, and the Dallas skyline was quite visible. Besides this, the place seemed rather…dated. Charming even. But very much "lived in." Almost like a steel warehouse. Katheryn looked up at the place and then back down at the list in her hand. It was the third place on her list. She had already toured two other places. The first was a condo with a nightclub across the street. Not the best place for peace and quiet. And the other was a skyscraper apartment that was a bit out of her price range…way out of her price range.

Katheryn shook her head and exhaled hard. "Well…Here goes nothing." She stood out of her nice Stingray and neared the door to the building. Just then another engine revved nearby as it came to a standstill next to hers. Turning around as she stopped walking, Katheryn eyed a young woman in the car who seemed to be in a hurry. She shut the engine off and hurried out of the car and up to Katheryn. Her walk was swift but calm.

The young woman who looked in her mid-twenties approached Katheryn with a timid smile. "You wouldn't happen to be the real estate agent? Would you?"

Katheryn's awkward smile was followed with a breathy laugh. "I'm afraid not. Just a customer in fact." She glanced up at the tall building and then back at the stranger. "I was meeting the agent here today. She said to meet her here at three." Katheryn glanced at her wristwatch. "It's five passed now."

The young woman offered a shy smile and extended a free hand as she held her handbag with the other. "I'm Molly Mason."

Katheryn grinned and accepted her hand, giving it a cordial shake. "I'm Katheryn. It's a pleasure to meet you, Molly."

"Likewise." Molly smiled.

And yet a third car alerted the twosome of its presence as it came from afar.

"Ah," Katheryn looked onward. "That must be her now."

"Indeed." Molly stretched to see as she turned around.

Seconds later, a middle-aged woman emerged from the now stagnant Pontiac and near the two young ladies rather slowly. Her hearty laugh hinted to her rather colorful personality. "You'll excuse me, ladies, if I'm a bit slow." She grinned from ear to ear as she spoke. "These old legs just ain't like they used to be."

The two young women smiled broadly.

"That's quite alright, ma'am." Molly offered. "Do you need any help?" She took a quick single step forward with concern.

The woman raised a hand slowly. "No…No, young lady. I'm quite alright." She chuckled again.

"Oh, alright." Molly returned to her place near Katheryn and flashed a smile to her new friend.

Arriving at the two young women, the woman sorted through the files in her arms as Molly and Katheryn stood in awkward silence.

"Alright." The older woman finally spoke. "I got me a confession to make to you two."

Molly's smile faded. Katheryn's did too as she listened. She was afraid of what was about to be said and silently concluded that she'd be checking yet another apartment off of her list.

"I may have booked both of you ladies to meet with me today on the promise of showing you an apartment." The kind woman sighed. "Trouble is…I failed to remember that there's only one apartment for sale here out of the eight."

Katheryn had already gathered her defense as she heard what the case was. She would let the young woman here have the first say. Yes, that's what she would do.

"I see," Molly spoke as Katheryn formed her thoughts. "Then I suppose you'll have to show Katheryn here the apartment first."

"Oh, no," Katheryn was quick to jump in. "You shouldn't. There's other places I could look at."

"No, I insist." Molly pleaded. "After all, you arrived here first. You should get first pick."

The elder woman glared over the glasses which sat on the bridge of her nose as she shifted her gaze between the two young women. She raised a hand. "Alright you two!"

The authoritative voice startled them both and secured their attention back on the older woman. "I'm about to get a bad case of dizziness from all this kindness."

The two girls stifled a smile.

"Now," the woman continued. "I'm gonna give you both a tour of the loft apartment at the same time. And then you can argue or flip for it…Don't matter to me. I'll leave and let one of you call me. Save me the trouble." She sighed and returned her gaze to the papers before her. She pushed through the two girls and made her way inside. She began giving facts about the place as she walked, causing the two girls to hurry behind her if they didn't want to miss any information.

Once reaching the apartment on the third floor, the two girls went their separate ways, examining various nooks and crannies as the real estate agent continued to speak of the place's limited but varied amenities. About five minutes passed before the two young women found their way back to the broad living space that provided them with a rather enticing view of the distant downtown Dallas Fort Worth skyline.

"It's rather beautiful, isn't it?" Molly spoke first. It was the first breath of silence the agent had provided them with.

"Indeed!" Katheryn smiled. "A person would be a fool to pass this up."

"Alright." The agent barked loudly. "I'm leaving you two. If either of you want the place, you have my number." She turned to leave.

"But don't you need to lock up?" Molly asked the same question that Katheryn wanted to ask.

The agent only laughed heartily as she disappeared from view.

Molly shrugged and turned back to the view. A couple silent seconds passed. "So…what do you think?"

Katheryn sighed. "It's rather old. But I like it." She turned and paced around the shadowed space. "It has everything I need."

"Me too." Molly nodded. "And plenty of space. Perhaps too much space. I only just moved here last week. I only have a few boxes of stuff. Nothing to amount to much. And no furniture yet."

"Same here." Katheryn smiled. "I've been living at the Dallas H.O.P.E. center. Both there and spending some nights at my friends the Malloy's house. I love them all dearly, but I just needed my own place."

"I know what you mean." Molly smiled. "The H.O.P.E. center…Is that the Help Our People Excel center?"

"The one and the same." Katheryn beamed.

Molly's interest was now piqued. "And you work there?"

Katheryn nodded. "Every day."

"I've heard nothing but good things about the H.O.P.E. center and what Miss Cahill does there. I'd love to volunteer there sometime when I get a chance on my off days."

"Well, we'd be more than happy to have you." Katheryn assured the young woman and then paused. "What is it that you do?"

"Nothing right now." Molly frowned. "But I'm hoping to change that soon. I moved up this way from San Antonio last month to stay with my aunt. But I don't want to burden her anymore. So I decided to look for an apartment while I wait to hear back from the jobs I've applied for."

"Sounds like a plan." Katheryn grinned.

"Yeah." Molly sighed. "If only a place like this was available."

"Yep." Katheryn groaned a sigh as she gazed out at the sunset that was coming on. A sly smile then eased onto her face. Molly was the first to speak though.

"Say…" Molly smiled. "Do have a roommate?"

Katheryn chuckled. "I was just about to ask that."

The twosome shared a soft laugh.

"We could split the rent." Molly explained. "I'll even keep to my side of the place and make the kitchen neutral territory for the bordering countries."

Katheryn chuckled. "Military terms. I like that."

"And it would only be temporary. If another space opened up, I'd move down the hall, and you wouldn't have to worry about it again."

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Katheryn insisted. "You can stay here for as long as you need to."

"Thanks," Molly sighed. "It really is a nice place despite its few flaws."

"That's the truth." Katheryn circled the apartment and returned back to Molly, extending her hand as if she had just proposed a business proposition. "Roommates?"

Molly reached out her hand, and shook Katheryn's softly. "Roommates it is."

The two young ladies closed on the apartment within the hour much to the real estate agent's chagrin. They agreed to move into the place within a few days…enough time to finish packing their belongings. Molly lived the farthest away and insisted she might be a bit longer. But she insisted that Katheryn go ahead and move in whenever she was ready.

Exhausted after her very much filled day, Katheryn climbed into her Corvette at the real estate agent's office and charged down the road. She was already ten minutes late to dinner with Trent, Carlos, and the Rangers with Miss Cahill at C.D.'s.

Nearing the lively restaurant, she spotted Trent's Corvette and parked right near it neatly and with care. She shivered a bit as she turned off the ignition. Perhaps she should have put the top down before leaving the agent's office. Anyways…Katheryn shrugged it off and took up her handbag, crossing in between the cars and up to the door. She pushed it opened and relished the warm air that blew against her as she crossed the threshold. Rounding the corner from the entrance, the gang was already all there and had begun eating.

Katheryn frowned. "Sorry I'm late, guys."

Carlos quickly rose from his place at the end of the table and pulled out the chair beside him. "That's quite alright." He flashed her a genuine smile.

"How's the arm?" She glanced at his arm which was still held captive by the sling.

"It's alright." Carlos took his seat again next to her on her left.

Trent sat across from Carlos to her left and sighed. "Yeah. It's probably getting better faster than someone is letting on."

Carlos glared at him. "Hey, that's not true. I'm a hurt man. I got to have time to heal."

Trent and Katheryn only chuckled.

"I know," a sarcastic voice from Katheryn's far right alerted and drew her attention. "But I'm not that bad at it."

Ranger Walker stifled a laugh. "Trivette, do I have to remind you about the last time you were on a horse?"

"Please don't." Trivette hung his head in shame. "Please…spare these kind guests the horror of that story."

Miss Cahill chuckled. "I remember."

"Alex!" Trivette begged.

"Well, it's the truth, Jimmy." Alex suppressed the urge to laugh once more. "Walker couldn't get you to go very fast at all. You just trotted around his back yard at a snail's pace and nearly had a heart attack when he left the yard."

"Why were you scared when Walker left you?" Carlos leaned forward and spoke from across the long table.

Trivette gritted his teeth and refused to make eye contact with anyone at the table. "Because I was alone…and afraid to go very far without him there."

Light laughs erupted from around the table.

"Well, then we'd best forget it." Walker sighed in jest.

Alex playfully slapped at his arm. "No, we won't. I've wanted to go on a ride for a while now. We aren't canceling a thing. Jimmy will just have to get over it."

Katheryn's curiosity got the best of her. "What's this about a ride?"

Miss Cahill smiled her way. "I've been trying to find time in my schedule to go out to Walker's ranch and just have a day of horseback riding."

"Sounds fun." Katheryn grinned.

"You've rode before?" Carlos eyes narrowed towards her.

"Well…" Katheryn shrunk back. "Not exactly. But I know I could do it if I tried."

Trivette laughed.

Walker ignored him. "If you'd like to come over for a ride, I'd be more than happy to teach you a few things you need to know."

"Thanks, Ranger Walker." Katheryn was truly grateful.

"Why don't we make an event of it?" Inspiration had struck Alex as she suddenly posed the idea.

"What do you mean, Alex?" Carlos asked with apprehension.

"Why don't all of us make a day of it and go riding. We could bring a big picnic and just make a little day trip out of it." Alex's broad smile nearly lit the entire place up.

Trent leaned forward. "I bet Tandy and Ty would love it."

"And I would be right there with them." Katheryn inserted proudly.

"Then it's settled." Alex proclaimed.

Walker sighed. "Now, hold on there, Alex. I don't have that many horses at the ranch."

"Oh, we won't need that many, Walker." Alex counted to herself quickly. "Only seven or eight."

Walker processed the idea for a moment. "I suppose it would be okay."

Alex planted a kiss on Walker's cheek. "Thank you, Walker." She looked him lovingly in the eyes.

"Now how could I say no to that?" The senior Ranger surrendered.

Katheryn noticed the empty chair next to her. "Are we expecting more folks?"

Trent nodded, picking up her question to answer first. "Yep. A friend of mine. Runs a bar downtown and used to be a boxing champ. Thought I'd invite him to meet you guys."

Katheryn frowned. "Well if I would have known that I was free to invite a guest, I would have invited my new roommate over."

"Roommate?" Carlos scoffed playfully. "You don't even have an apartment yet."

"That's where you're wrong." Katheryn smiled and took a sip of her sweet tea.

"Oh?" Carlos grinned.

Katheryn nodded. "Yep. The third one on the list."

Carlos thought through the list they had made. "The place in the warehouse district?"

"Yep."

"How did you end up with a roommate so quick?" Miss Cahill inserted.

Katheryn thought through the rather haphazard event in her mind. "It was the oddest thing. She arrived just after I did. When the real estate agent got there, it was revealed that she had booked two people to tour the same apartment. So after we looked the place over, we decided it was too good to pass up and went in on it together."

Trent wrinkled his forehead and offered advice. "You best be careful, Kath. Do you know anything about her?"

"Not much." Katheryn confessed. "But it just seemed right. As if a certain higher power had arranged it."

Trent nodded. "Then I guess I shouldn't argue." He then smiled.

Ole C.D. then emerged from the kitchen in huff, plopping down in the empty seat next to Katheryn as he muttered a few things to himself. Everyone's eyes fell on him with intrigue. "What?!" C.D. barked as he straightened up in defense.

"Nothing, big dog." Trivette rolled his eyes. "We just worried that you'd drop your lip because it's sagging so close to the ground."

"Oh, shut up." C.D. relaxed and slapped the table. "I just can't believe it. I just can't."

"What's that, C.D.?" Ranger Walker prodded further.

"Oh, it's sales, Cordell. Things just ain't been going good for business since New Year's."

Trivette grinned. "Told you we should have invested in that new food."

"What new food?" Trent asked, his interest piqued.

Trivette smiled from ear to ear.

"It would never work. Tell 'em, Jimmy." C.D. shook his head in disgust.

Trivette inhaled. "Mushrooms."

Alex snorted a bit as she laughed to herself, turning away towards Walker beside her.

"Mushrooms? Isn't that already popular?" Trent asked legitimately.

"Yeah," Trivette stated sarcastically. "But…the market is booming, man. There's all sorts of new things being done." He put his hands out and counted on his fingers. "First, there's the mushroom burger. Then before long the mushroom will be the vegetarian meat option. It's the wave of the future."

Ranger Walker rolled his eyes away from his partner with a small smile. "Right."

Chuckles surged through the little crowd at the table.

"Am I late?" A deep male voice from the nearby entrance alerted them all.

Trent spun around from his seat by the door and stood swiftly, reaching his hand out for a handshake as he offered a broad smile. "Butch! I'm glad you could make it."

The man who now took on the name of "Butch" smiled broadly. His towering figure shadowed the table before him as he shook Trent's hand. "Thanks for inviting me, Trent." He glanced at the table. "I see I didn't get a seat saved," he teased.

C.D. grunted as he rose from the previously reserved seat. "Here ya go, son. I was just keeping it warm for ya. I got this place to run anyways. No time for rest. No, siree." C.D. stood to the side as Butch made his way to the seat.

"Everyone," Trent remained standing. "I'd like you to meet Butch McMann. He runs Uppercuts downtown." Trent reclaimed his seat.

"Nice to meet you." Ranger Walker was the first to greet the gentleman. A thought suddenly struck him. "Your name seems familiar for some reason."

"Should be." Butch smiled faintly. "That is…if you're a fan of boxing."

"Yeah!" Trivette pointed his finger towards Butch. "Butch McMann…I knew I had heard that name before. You were a Golden Gloves champ back in the day, right?" Giddiness settled over Trivette like a bomb ready to explode.

"Yup." Butch answered. His deep voice echoed around the table. "Except I wouldn't say 'back in the day.' Makes me sound old." He chuckled lightly.

Trivette chuckled. "Yeah…But you're about the same age as…"

He made eye contact with Walker as his partner shook his head slowly. "Don't even go there."

Butch turned to Walker. "Oh, don't take it hard. Being the oldest in the group just makes us smarter than the rest of 'em."

Trivette's smile quickly faded. He took a sip from his coffee and tried ignoring McMann's comment of jest.

Walker only smiled and reached for his coffee also.

"So when do you move in to your new apartment?" Carlos couldn't stand the silence between himself and Katheryn any longer.

Katheryn turned around to face him at her other side. "As soon as you can come help me move the boxes."

Trent chuckled to himself.

Carlos glared at her but couldn't hold the playful grudge for long as he looked onward at her smiling face. "I, um, am sort of unable to lift things at the moment."

"Oh, I forgot about that. How convenient." Katheryn turned to Trent. "What about you, Trent?"

"How's tomorrow sound?" He offered quickly.

"Works for me." Katheryn turned back to take a sip of her tea.

"Are they heavy?"

"What's heavy?"

"The boxes."

"Maybe." She grinned but stifled it as quick as it came as she faced Carlos again.

Trent let the matter go with a friendly smile.

The evening went by much too quickly, Katheryn had concluded as she arrived at her Corvette, revving the engine with a smile. These moments with her friends reminded her of where she truly belonged. She grew deeply thankful in that moment of recollection that she wouldn't have to be alone in her apartment. At least there would be someone there to take her mind off of not being with her friends as constantly as she had been these past few months what with living between the H.O.P.E. center and the Malloy's home.

As she rode the roads of the city amid the darkened winter skies, Katheryn nearly shed a tear or two. Her reminiscent thoughts took her back to the days since Thanksgiving. Only last week had Katheryn moved back to her room at the center. Even though she had only stayed with the Malloy's since Thanksgiving, she was already well-attached to them all. She would miss seeing Tandy's bright face when she got up in the morning or Tommy's bounding footsteps as he hurried to the breakfast table. Even Trent's guided voice as he read to them from the Bible every morning would be missed.

Katheryn shook away her reverie and returned her focus to the road only to see a roadblock ahead. "What in the world?" She whispered under her breath. It appeared to be police check-point.

Katheryn stopped as the uniformed officer raised his hand. "Ma'am, may I see your ID?"

Katheryn nodded and reached for her purse on the other tanned leather seat next to her. She quickly drew out her driver's license and handed it to the kind officer.

He looked over with his flashlight. Katheryn grew nervous as he took longer to look over the license than she had thought necessary. He then handed the card back. "Looks good. Thank you, ma'am."

Katheryn smiled and set the license back in her purse, accelerating forward slowly with a nod. As she drove onward, she sensed something odd about that checkpoint. She brushed it off. It had to be legitimate. She was probably overreacting. It had been a long night, and her body craved the softness of her bed. She would need all the energy she could muster to make a loft her home come sunrise tomorrow.