Here's another story. This isn't in the future like the others, but somewhere in the first season, early on. I hope you enjoy and as always really enjoy reading your reviews.

Hannah Moss McFadden waited at the edge of the meadow, uncertain. She had only been a McFadden for four months, and some things still overwhelmed her. Helping to drive a herd of cattle to the southern pasture was pretty high on the list. She had lived nearby on her grandfather's ranch, until at ten, when her parents had split, she and her mother had moved away. After her father had died, her mother sold the ranch, and so her memories of ranch life were old and fuzzy.

It wasn't just the specifics of knowing what to do and when to do it, that frayed her nerves. It was The Brotherhood. Maybe if her husband had warned his six brothers that he was bringing home a wife, or maybe if he had let them meet her before they'd married, then maybe they would have been more accepting and less shocked. She hated disappointing them. She wanted to impress them, or at least not to screw things up while Brian was watching. He wasn't exactly her biggest fan.

Some days, she felt overwhelmed by her desire to be fully accepted, and she wanted nothing more to go upstairs and hide in the bedroom. She wished on those occasions that it was just her and Adam, starting out their lives together - alone. Then she would feel horrible and guilty. Adam had shouldered the responsibility since he was seventeen, and at twenty-three she was running from it like a scared child. Shame would wash over her, and then she would believe there was a good reason they didn't accept her fully. But then when she was at her lowest, Guthrie would move to sit beside her and rest his head on her shoulder, or would bring her a bouquet of wildflowers he'd found on the way home from school, and tears of gratitude would spring to her eyes. How she had longed for a real family of her own! And now, one had been given to her. Hope would return to her, strengthening her.

"Alright, you got this girl." Adam said riding alongside her. "The boys will drive 'em this way, and you me are gonna turn them up toward that pasture."

"Okay." She said her voice unsure.

"This is easy, Hannah." He smiled at her. "If you can keep six men in clean socks, driving a herd of cattle should be no problem."

"Laundry I understand, and it isn't likely to stampede you." She said trying to laugh.

"Don't worry, baby. We got this." He winked at her and tilting his hat said, "Here they come. Come on! Sit up tall and make yourself look bigger than you are!" He rode confidently toward the incoming herd and miraculously they began to turn. She pulled on the reigns and followed after him, turning out even wider to catch the stragglers and to avoid the center of the herd. She was amazed that just their presence could be enough to make a hundred head of cattle do as they were directed.

Later, as they returned to the barn, she was flooded with relief that she hadn't embarrassed herself or her new husband. But mostly she was relieved that the cattle were moved, and that she didn't have to think of having to lead them anywhere else.

"You did really well, Hannah." Crane said smiling at her.

"Thanks." She said unbuckling the saddle. "I was pretty nervous." She confessed. She and Crane were the same age, and if she hadn't moved to Denver, they would have been in the same class at school. He was quiet and thoughtful, and had been quick to accept her into the family.

"You've got nothing to be nervous about." He told her. "Ranching takes years and years to learn, and none of us got it down perfect, yet. Except, maybe your husband, but Dad always said he was a born rancher." Crane said looking up at Adam who was putting his saddle away.

"You are leaving out the part where I protested and told him I would never be a rancher!" Adam said turning to Hannah. "Here, honey, I got that." He said taking the saddle that she carried.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. "I guess I'd better work on dinner." She turned and squeezing Adam's arm she walked towards the house.

The house was still a wonder to her. It was beautiful, especially once she'd made them clean the inside. She had lived most of her life in apartments and trailers, and could never have imagined she'd live one day in so beautiful a house. She loved the wide porch that wrapped around the side, and the big picture windows that looked out over the land.

Standing in the kitchen settled her nerves. Cooking was something she was pretty good at, and so it was here that she felt the least nervous. Cooking for seven starving men was no small thing. At first, she never quite made enough food, but she had learned that if she made about twice as much as she thought she needed everyone would walk away full.

***7***

"Brian, how come you never cooked like that?" Ford teased his older brother, pushing back from the table.

"How come you never did?" Brian responded angrily.

"I'm just a kid." Ford said laughing. "Don't get all huffy. You can't help it if Hannah's a better cook than you."

Hannah grimaced and turned toward the sink to start on the dishes. Her relationship with Brian was complicated enough, she didn't need Ford making it worse. She looked out the window and watched the sun fading over the hills beyond and couldn't help but smile. There was a window over the sink in her tin-can trailer too, but all she ever saw when she looked out it, was the back of an old sign.

***7***

"We're missing six." Crane said.

"Yep." Brian said. "I guess we'll have to go out after them."

"You sure they aren't just straggling?" Adam asked.

"Daniel and I looked all around. They must still be up near the tops. I figure a day to ride up, and a couple of days searching. Should be able to find 'em and drive 'em down in about four or five days." Brian looked at Adam. "What's the matter? Can't leave her for more than ten seconds?" His voice was bitter.

"Knock it off, Brian." Crane said. "What are you nine years old?"

"Why don't you like her?" Adam asked.

"I like her fine, I guess." Brian relented. "I just don't . . . I don't like things changing. It used to be you and me, making the decisions and now you got her. I don't know." He sighed.

"You think I could manage the boys without you?" Adam asked him. "And what, I am supposed to live my whole life alone, so that you feel comfortable?" Adam felt an anger rising. "I love her Brian, and you are being stupid. She could've run out of here when she saw all the boys. She should have, but she stayed. And she's trying hard every day to make you like her. You've seen how she is with Guthrie. You think one woman in a hundred would put up with all this? She's family now, and it is high time you stopped acting like a spoiled child and accepted that." He turned and stormed out of the room.

Crane studied Brian who looked as though he'd been struck.

"I never said I didn't like her." He said weakly.

"Could of fooled me." Crane told him. "Everything about you says, 'Go away.'"

"You are happy that he just showed up with her?" Brian asked Crane.

"He gave up everything. He was just about to leave for college. He never wanted to run this ranch, and he did it all for us. Who am I to say he can't have some happiness? And he's right, Brian, she's really good to us. I like her. I like her a whole lot." He let his words fall all around Brian like heavy stones sinking to the bottom of the pond, and squeezing Brian's shoulder, he left his brother alone.

***7***

"If they don't go after the missing ones, we might lose them, or they could get hurt." Guthrie was explaining. "It happens every year. We seem to always have one or two stubborn ones, who double back or wander off. It doesn't take long to find them."

"Does everyone go?" Hannah asked as they sat together at the table peeling apples for the pies she was making.

"No, usually just Adam and Brian, or sometimes Adam and Crane. Hey, Hannah, you should go!" Guthrie said. "You and Adam could go together. It would be like a honeymoon." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. Guthrie was infinitely loving.

"Oh, but I don't know anything about herding cows." She said.

"Grabbing stragglers is easy. There's nothing on the ranch easier." He looked at his sister-in-law. "I guess, it wouldn't be much of a honeymoon, for a girl - camping out and all."

"Oh, no, it isn't that." She patted Guthrie's hand. "I think it is a wonderful idea. I just don't know if I'm a good enough rancher to do the job."

"You are. You should ask Adam. It would be fun." Guthrie said studying her.

***7***

"Adam, can I talk to you?" Guthrie asked his older brother as he walked up from the barn.

"Sure, Guth. What is it?" Adam said continuing towards the house with Brian close behind.

"It's kind of private." Guthrie said. Adam smiled at Brian who nodded and went on inside the house. Adam walked over and sat down on the porch, tired from a hot day's work.

"Come here." He said motioning Guthrie to sit beside him.

"Are you gonna go after those stragglers?" Guthrie asked him.

"Yep. Probably day after tomorrow. Listen, Guth, I need a favor too. Can you keep an eye on Hannah for me, while I'm gone? I need someone to make sure the boys don't drive her crazy while I'm away."

"Sure, Adam, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" Adam looked at his little brother. "You want to talk about Hannah?"

"Yeah. You should take her to get the stragglers, not Brian." Guthrie said.

"Oh, I don't think she'd . . ." Adam began.

"She'd love it. She's a real good rider and catching stray's is easy. It would be sort of like a honeymoon trip for her." He looked up at Adam with bright eyes.

"That's a really nice idea, Guthrie." Adam reached out and put his arm on Guthrie's shoulders. "I don't know if she'd even want to go."

"She would. I talked to her about it. Besides, she'd want to be anywhere you are." Guthrie smiled at him. "You should take her. She works really hard, and deserves something nice."

Adam was amazed daily at how much Guthrie had taken to Hannah. He had not one single thought about his brothers when he'd impulsively married her. His only thought was her, and being with her every day and every night. But looking backwards at it, he could see the impact she had on the house. Guthrie was nearly always at her side, and he would lean his head against her shoulder. It brought tears to his eyes, as he remembered Guthrie a baby in his mother's arms.

"You like her? You aren't mad I got married?" Adam asked him.

"Why would I be mad?" Guthrie looked at his brother. "I didn't think I'd like having a girl around the house, but she's . . . I don't know. I like her a lot. I feel happy around her." He stood up. "You should take her." He turned and went into the house.

***7***

"I think we should leave in the morning." Brian was saying. "If that's alright with your Mrs."

"Listen, Brian. I been thinking, but I think maybe you should skip this trip." Adam said trying to decide the best approach.

"You gonna take Crane? I thought he had the appointment over in Fresno with a potential buyer?"

"No, I was . . . well, I was thinking of taking Hannah." Adam waited expecting an explosion.

Brian studied Adam and then said brusquely, "Sure, whatever." And walked out the front door slamming it behind him.

Adam sighed.

"What was that?" Crane asked coming into the front room.

"Brian." Adam said. "I was thinking of taking Hannah with me to catch the strays. I guess Brian didn't like the idea." He sat down heavily on the couch.

"Oh." Crane said. He looked at Adam, and sat down across from him. "I think that's a good idea. You should take her."

"Guthrie suggested it."

"He loves her." Crane said. "He did from almost the first minute."

"You think I was wrong to bring her here?" Adam asked.

"You think we expect you to live like some kind of monk? God, Adam! You are allowed to have a life. Brian's just . . . he doesn't manage change well, you know that. It doesn't help that she looks a little bit like . . ." Crane looked at his older brother. "Brian's just insecure and you know how new people frighten him. You could've let us meet her first. You could've brought her home before you married her. You could've at least talked about her!" Crane laughed. "But I don't know, it's like you to just show up married."

"I could've done better by you fellas, and by her. I was just . . ." He sighed. "I loved her so, and I wasn't thinking about much else. And I thought if she knew, she'd run for sure. I mean, what girl dreams of someday marrying a man and helping him raise six orphaned brothers? I don't remember a fairytale that went like that."

"It wasn't a mistake. She belongs here. She's family, and Brian, well, Brian's Brian. He hides behind that temper of his. He's just scared, Adam. You know that."

"Yeah." Adam said. He looked at Crane. "I'm gonna take her with me, if she wants to go. Brian can . . .he's just gonna have to deal."

***7***

"You missed a really good pie." Adam said when he found Brian later.

"I'm not that hungry." Brian said.

"Listen, I don't mean to hurt your feelings, Bri. But I'm gonna ask Hannah if she wants to go. I think she'll like it. Look, Brian, I didn't even think of it. It was Guthrie's idea."

He looked at his brother, and couldn't help but think of all that they had been through together. It had been so difficult and only Brian was old enough to really understand what choosing to take care of the brothers had meant; what it had cost.

"I know I'm being a jerk." Brian said. "I'm not stupid."

"It was wrong for me to not even mention her; to just bring her home like I did. It wasn't fair to her, or to you." Adam admitted. They remained silent until at last Brian spoke.

"He doesn't wake up any more." Brian said turning and looking at Adam.

"I know."

"Not once. Eleven years of waking up every single solitary night, crying for his mother." Brian said.

"Yeah."

"She's with us three days, and he sleeps the whole night through." He looked at Adam. "It's like Guthrie was waiting for her. Have you watched them together? He loves her, and he's really happy." Brian sighed. "I just . . . sometimes I wonder if I have place now? Of course, I want you happy. Why wouldn't I want that? And she's . . . I mean, Jesus Adam, that's no ordinary girl, even I have to admit it. She didn't run screaming from the house - I would've! And it's not just me feeling left out. If anything ever happened to her, you'd be . . ."

"Nothing's gonna happen to her." Adam said.

"How can you say that? Bad things happen all the time." Brian said seriously. Adam studied Brian thinking that his brother was lot more complicated than he ever thought.

"Hey, good things happen too, Brian." He smiled at him, and reached out and grabbed hold of Brian's neck squeezing it. "Lots of good things happen. Huh? Judges decide to let a couple of teenage boys try their hand at raising their brothers, schools rearrange schedules so one kid can be home to help his older brother, and little boys sleep through the night, at last."

"He'd be pissed if he heard you called him a little boy." Brian laughed. "I'm sorry, Adam. I'll try really hard."

***7***

"So we're leaving tomorrow to get those stragglers." Brian told his brothers, watching his sister-in-law's face.

"It shouldn't take more than four or five days. It means extra chores and I expect everything to be in good shape when I get back." Adam said.

"There's just one thing," Brian said. "I was thinking that instead of me, you should go with Adam, Hannah." He watched her eyes grow big with surprise. "You're a good rider, and you'll do fine."

"I . . ." She looked up at him, her eyes huge, and then they filled with tears, and Brian felt a wave of shame come over him that he'd been so mean to her. "I'd like that."

"Don't worry about things here." He told her. "I can take over the cooking." He grinned as his brothers all moaned.

"Oh, don't go Hannah! You don't want to be chasing after smelly cows." Daniel said. "Please! We'll starve!"

"You never minded before." Brian said insulted.

"I'd never had great food before." Daniel said.

"Brian's brisket is much better than mine." Hannah said and it was true. He knew how to roast a brisket to perfection."

"I'm glad someone appreciates my cooking." He said and winked at her. "You two don't get lost up there. I can only fix brisket so often."

Hannah smiled in wonderment seeing that he was trying just as hard as she was. She glanced around at The Brotherhood and was surprised to discover that she was going to miss them.