A/N: Hello Big Valley Fanfiction! This is my first story to contribute to this fandom, and you can thank my sister for turning me loose on this show, resulting in this fic I wrote for her. Its AU because I gravitate towards what-if's, it seems, no matter what genre I'm writing for.

This particular tale was spawned by a line from Season 1 episode 1 when I thought Hannah said (more or less) to Heath, "Your ma had many children, but you were her joy." I have since been informed Hannah said Leah had many TRIALS. What if one of her trials was having a child taken from her?

I hope you all enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Big Valley. I have the first season and half the second on DVD.

Prologue

Stepping out of the buggy, the woman looked around the mining town, a look of disgust on her face. "I'm looking for Mrs. Charles Sawyer," she said to the man sitting in front of the tiny general store. "Where is she?"

"That whore?" the man asked. The newcomer pursed her lips into a thin line of disapproval. "She goes by Thomson now. She's down at the end of the street, in the little cabin. What's your business with her?"

"With her and not with you." Lifting her skirt to avoid the mud, the woman hurried in the direction he'd indicated. When she saw the cabin, she paused, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Oh, Leah. What have you gotten yourself into?"

Praying the man had been wrong, the woman approached the front door. She knocked on the wood door. "Can I help you?" a black woman asked, opening the door. She eyed the visitor in open suspicion.

"I'm looking for Mrs. Charles Sawyer," the woman said with dignity. "I'm a friend."

"Katherine?" Leah Thomson moved to the door, holding a swaddled babe. "Katherine Jones? What are you doing here?"

"Leah!" Katherine leaned forward to hug her friend. "I got your letter, with the happy news! I had to come."

Stepping back, Leah gestured for her friend to come. Katherine pulled her gloves off and took her hat off. She set these items on the table, and as she did, she saw the second black woman holding yet another bundle. Shocked, Katherine turned to Leah. "Twins?" she asked. The new mother nodded. "Congratulations, Leah!"

"Would you like to hold him?" Leah asked. "This one is Heath. And Rachel is holding Liam."

Nodding, Katherine accepted the baby. She smiled down at the sleeping child as she took a seat in a dilapidated chair. Leah sat in a rickety rocking chair and the two friends began speaking of their shared experiences at school. When asked, Katherine enthusiastically spoke of her work as a teacher at a San Francisco girl's school, and her impending marriage to a rancher she'd met.

"I'm so happy for you, Katherine," Leah said sincerely. "You deserve a good life."

"Don't we all? What about you, Leah? You haven't said a word about your husband. Is Charles at the mine?" Katherine responded, shifting her gaze to her friend. She frowned as Leah shifted uneasily. "Leah? Don't tell me he's still not taking the responsibility of working and caring for his own children!"

"Charles is dead," Leah answered quietly. Almost defiantly, she met Katherine's eyes. "He's been dead for over a year. He drowned in a stream."

Freezing, Katherine stared at her, taking in the impact of what her friend had just told her. "I have to go, Miss Leah," the servant holding the other baby said, taking the child to the mother. "I be back soon."

"Thank you, Rachel," Leah answered. She smiled down at the fussing bundle in her arms. "Aren't they just perfect, Katherine? They're going to look just like their father when they're grown, I can tell. They have his eyes."

There was a challenge in her voice. "How would I know, since I've obviously not met the father responsible for them," Katherine replied sharply. "Why hasn't the scum done right by you?" Leah stared at her and Katherine caught her breath sharply. "No. Not a married man, Leah! What have you done?"

"Nothing that I regret," Leah said, defiance in her stance and voice. "I found him, Katherine. He was beaten near to death, and I was the only one who would help him. I brought him home to make him well. One thing led to another, Katherine. I don't regret it. Look at my sons; how beautiful they are. How could I regret it?"

Silently, Katherine tried to take in this information. She found she couldn't bear to look at her friend, and so looked at baby Heath. She couldn't help but smile at the sleeping babe she held. When she looked up at Leah, though, her smile left her face. "Leah, what are you going to do? How can you, an unmarried woman, possibly expect to raise two sons alone?"

"I'll manage," Leah answered, her tone sharp. The babe she held shifted, and she swiftly shushed it, rocking back and forth gently. "Katherine, please. What's done is done. I didn't ask you here to scold me."

"You didn't ask me here at all."

Shrugging, Leah stood up and went to the rough cradle that rested on the floor only a few feet away. She carefully laid the babe in, and rocked the cradle for a few moments, just to be sure. "Katherine, you shouldn't have come," she finally said, her tone very serious. "You are about to be married. Your reputation can't afford to be stained."

"No one knows where I've come," Katherine protested. "I told Jeremiah I'm visiting a friend, which is perfectly true. Outside of this mining camp, no one knows what you've done. You should come with me. I'm sure we can find something for you to do."

"Katherine, I can't," Leah said wearily. She stood up and faced her friend. "My home is here. Rachel and Hannah are here. My brother is here. Besides, I don't have the money for a move like that." She straightened her shoulders. "No. I'm going to find a way to get by."

Shaking her head, Katherine moved to put the second sleeping babe in the cradle. She looked at the babies, unable to see a difference between their little faces. Turning from them, she focused her attention on the small cabin she stood in. At the stove, the other black woman, obviously loyal to Leah and must have helped with the birthing, was cooking.

Angry, Katherine shook her head. "I can't believe you were so stupid," she said, her tone harsh. "How could you get involved with a married man, Leah? And what kind of man leaves a woman to deal with a situation like this without providing some kind of help?"

"It happened, all right?" Leah snapped, her patience growing thin. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "Katherine, you are one of the few friends I have left. Let's not quarrel. You've only just come, and you can't be staying long."

Sighing, Katherine reached out and took her friend's hands into hers. "Give the babies to an orphanage," she begged. Horrified, Leah jerked her hands free. "You're still young, Leah! You could find another husband and have a good life! You made one mistake. Don't let it ruin the rest of your life!"

"Katherine!" Leah exclaimed. "How could you suggest such a thing? My children are not mistakes. They came into this world in love, and they will be raised the same way: with love."

"Who was it?" Katherine demanded. "Who could you have possibly

Taking a step back, Katherine bit her lip as she took in the other woman's anger. At the stove, Hannah looked over, clearly worried. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Please don't be angry with me. I'm just so worried about you, Leah."

"Don't be," Katherine replied, her tone still sharp. She shook her head. "I have to get back to work. I'll be back in a few hours, Hannah. You'll watch the babies?" Hannah nodded. Leah paused as she brushed at her apron and she looked questioningly at her friend. "Will you be here when I come back?"
Uncertain, Katherine hesitated. "I'm not sure," she said. "It took me longer to get here than I thought it would, and I have to return to Stockton. My fiance is there, talking business with some rancher."

Leah nodded. She hugged Katherine. "It was good to see you, even it was briefly," she said honestly. "You will still write to me?"

"Of course," Katherine said swiftly.

Smiling, Leah left the cabin. Katherine glanced at Hannah. The black woman was watching her warily. Going to the cradle, Katherine knelt down. One of the babies, the one Leah had been holding, was fussing and she lifted it out of the cradle.

"Liam is the sickly one," Hannah offered, breaking the silence. "Miss Leah, she try to earn enough for a doctor, but it ain't easy."

"No respectable doctor would have anything to do with someone like Leah is now," Katherine murmured, half to herself. She frowned as she considered it. "Leah wouldn't accept money from me, would she."

"No, ma'am, she wouldn't."

Going to the rocking chair, Katherine took a seat. "She can't do this on her own," she said in frustration. "Oh, Leah. Why did you have to do this to yourself?"

"Rachel and me, we won't be leaving Miss Leah," Hannah said fiercely.

"I appreciate that, but you can't stop the people of this camp from judging her," Katherine answered. "Their opinion of her, of what she's done, of these babies, is already set. These boys' lives will be hell."

"Miss Leah love those boys."

"Love isn't everything," Katherine snapped cynically. "Look where its got Leah."

Hannah pursed her lips saying nothing. "I wish I could help her somehow, but she wouldn't accept money," Katherine continued, her tone becoming thoughtful. Little Liam began to cry, and she tried rocking to sooth him. "Not many men would take a woman with two children, born in wedlock or no, and certainly none of them are to be had here in this mining camp. But, maybe..."

"What you be thinking, Miss Katherine? "Hannah asked fearfully.

Looking up, Katherine smiled slowly. "Never you mind," she said. She reached over and got her reticule. She took out some coins and held them out. "Run to that poor excuse of a store and get some medicine for this child. I'll stay."

"I's supposed to be keeping watch on the babies," Hannah protested. "Miss Leah won't like-."

"Go already!" Katherine snapped. Flinching, Hannah took the coins and left the cabin in a hurry. Getting to her feet, Katherine searched the small room quickly until she found a basket. She put her shawl in and laid Liam in it. She snatched up her gloves and lifted the basket. Turning, she glanced one last time at the baby remaining.

Baby Heath slept on, and she left the cabin. Ignoring the mud, Katherine rushed to her buggy. She set the basket on the floor next to her feet, and pulled herself up. She hesitated for a brief moment, thinking of the crime she was committing. Shaking her head, she slapped the reins and drove out of Strawberry.

Carrying a basket of laundry, Leah caught sight of the buggy leaving. Sighing, she turned and saw Hannah leaving the general store. A pit of dread filled her heart, and she dropped the basket. She lifted her skirts and ran back to her home. She flung the door open and rushed to the cradle, dropping to her knees by it.

The lone baby slept still. "No!" Leah sobbed. She reached out and lifted Heath, waking him. He began to cry as she held him tightly. "Oh, God, no!"

"Miss Leah, I so sorry!" Hannah said, rushing in. Rachel was only a few steps behind her. "Miss Katherine said she stay." She stared at the sobbing pair, and guilt hit her. "Miss Leah-."

Shaking her head, Leah refused to listen anymore, rocking back and forth. "How could she take him?" she asked. "My little Liam."

Tears brimming in her eyes, Hannah knelt by the mother and held her as tightly as Leah did Heath. "Lord, forgive me," she asked, avoiding the accusation in Rachel's eyes. "I knew what she was thinking and I didn't stop her. Lord, forgive me!"