A/N As you will see, I changed the age Heath was supposed to have been when he joined the family…. but not too much. Also, I know the saddle in Nick's room said '6', but since he disappeared when he was five in this AU it was changed as well.

Previously:

Heath stopped and sat down on a bale of hay. He had time on his hands. If John wanted to talk, Heath figured he'd listen…even if he did wonder what was coming. He only wondered more as time began ticking away and John remained silent. Heath might have been tempted to leave only he could tell by the way John was brushing Coco that whatever John wanted to talk about had to be serious. This being the case, Heath patiently waited.

~oOo~

John, who had remained silent for a good five minutes, finally turned away from Coco and walked out of the stall. Making his way towards another bale of hay; one that sat a few feet from Heath, John sat down. He chose his words carefully, not wanting Heath to get the wrong impression right off the bat. "Jarrod says the two of you don't share the same mother. He says you only joined the family a few years ago."

Heath stiffened ever so slightly, not sure of where the conversation was going to go. "That's right." He answered, deciding not to read anything into John's statement unless John gave him cause to do otherwise.

Still feeling more than nervous about the visit he'd consented to, John stood up and began pacing the floor. "It couldn't have been easy, joining the family as a full grown adult. Especially…" he stopped pacing and hesitated to continue, not knowing how Heath would take his words. He needn't have feared as Heath simply gave him a crooked smile.

"Being illegitimate did make it harder," Heath leaned against the brown wooden post that stood behind the bale of hay he was sitting on, folding his arms as he did so. "But it was worth it; we have an extremely strong bond now. However, you won't have to worry about the ranch hands gossiping about you when it comes to the subject. Audra was more than willing to let everyone know her very much full blooded, long lost brother was coming home. She's very eager to get to know you, as are the rest of us."

John shook his head as he sat back down, doing is best to relax. "How old were you when you came to the family?"

"Twenty-one," Heath threw him another crooked smile, feeling sure he knew where the twenty-eight-year-old 'John Summers' was coming from. "When you're adult, seven years doesn't make any difference. It will take time only, like I just said, the adjustment won't be made more difficult due to any illegitimacy issue."

'The adjustment'... Would he adjust, or would he simply go back to Nevada? John kept the question to himself. He clasped his hands together and, resting his elbows on his knees, leaned slightly forward. "This ranch is huge, even the barn is bigger than the one we have at the Davies. I've never seen anything like it in my whole life. Don't get me wrong." He looked around the barn as he spoke. "I don't mind, and I'll still work just as hard as I did in Nevada. I just…" he paused not knowing how to put his feelings into words.

Heath waited until he knew John wasn't going to continue, and then said quietly, "it's just that you feel more than overwhelmed to find out who your family is and how much materialistic wealth they have."

John couldn't help but chuckle as he heard an 'I've been there and done it' sound in Heath's voice as the blonde haired cowboy answered him.

"Jarrod wants me to change my name, never said it I admit. Still, I can see it when he talks to me." John quit chuckling and grew serious.

Heath remained silent for a moment. That very subject, whether or not they should press John to change his name, had been discussed more times than Heath could count since Jarrod had sent a telegram informing the family of John Summer's true identity. It was the main reason Heath had sent Jarrod the warning look as the two of them rode with John up to the ranch; the family had decided they'd rather have Nick on the ranch as 'John Summers' than to not have him at all. "What name you go by is up to you. I, all of us, know a twenty-eight-year-old man is more than capable of deciding things like that for himself."

Slowly, John stood up. "I guess we best get into the house. It's got to be getting closer to supper time. I'm sure the others would appreciate it if I didn't hold things up. Besides," he admitted as his stomach growled loudly, "I'm hungry."

Heath stood up and nodded. "So am I."

~oOo~

Victoria and Jarrod sat in the living room while Audra, Heath and John headed upstairs. Audra was retiring for the night and Heath was showing his new brother to the room that would be John's; Silas had taken her son's luggage up to the room once the family had arrived home, so John had yet to see it.

"I think Silas best be prepared to cook twice as much as he normally does from here on out. Nick ate quite a lot." Jarrod couldn't get himself to say the name John unless his dark haired brother was actually present, even then it was difficult.

Victoria's face lit up as the wheels in her mind turned back through time. "Your brother always had a huge appetite even as a baby... made it look as if I'd starved you before I learned how to feed a child."

Jarrod chuckled, "After seeing him eat tonight, I believe you." He paused and then grew serious. "I put his saddle in the middle of his room, like he had it before."

Victoria's eyes widened as she thought of the saddle that read "Nick, 5, PRIVATE KEEP OFF". Her middle son had been so happy when Jarrod had presented it to him for his birthday. Nick had even been happier when their father helped him put the words that Nick wanted on it. "It might help him remember, it might not." She let out a slow breath and then said quietly, "I think you best not put anything else in front of him for the time being. He needs space, love and support, just like Heath did." She then stood up and walked over to Jarrod and put her hand on his shoulder. "He'll come around; he'll stay longer than six months. I just know it." She then left the room and headed upstairs.

"I hope so." Jarrod whispered only to himself once he was alone.