Epilogue Part Two

The music from the living room floated out through the door, following Nick and Jarrod around the house into the back garden. They could see Audra sitting on the bench their mother and father had set underneath the tree they'd planted when their home was first built. Now it was the largest tree in the garden.

"Please," Jarrod put his arm on Nick's arm, "let me go first."

Since Audra had already given Nick an earful, he sat down on an old tree stump Heath and McColl were talking about removing. He then watched as Jarrod walked over and sat down by their sister. From where he sat Nick could have - if he'd wanted to - strained to hear what was being said. As it was, he simply let his mind wander over the past and waited.

For Jarrod's part, he said nothing at first. He knew how angry Audra still was. Slowly, he turned his head slightly. "Was I wrong?"

The question caught Audra off guard, and she finally turned to look at Jarrod. Her first thought was that he was asking if he was wrong not to tell her. Only, just as she started to open her mouth, she realized what he was really asking. Had he been wrong to think that she'd let facts slip sooner or later? That's what he was really asking. "You could have given me a chance." Audra spoke quietly…as if she already knew what her eldest brother would ask.

"Could we?" Jarrod laid his hand on her shoulder. "Yes, you have matured a lot, and I mean A LOT, in these past ten years only back then?" His eyes begged her to truly understand. "We had to keep to keep this matter quiet. Cass would have found a way to end someone's life." He went on to shock her by confessing he'd been to the prison shortly after Nick's "death". "I had a client there that wanted to talk to me." Jarrod began.

"I thought I was going to talk to my client in one of the rooms you have for visitors." Jarrod stood in the warden's office, amazed to hear they were bringing his client to him.

"We were only," the warden paused, "look, you have my condolences on the loss of your brother; however,one of the guards played stupid. He mentioned what he'd read concerning the accident… and did it where Cass Hyatt could hear. The man nearly went crazy. He yelled if Nick and his sister weren't already dead, he'd have found a way to make them pay. I'm not totally convinced he's all the way back with us-as it were. If he even catches a glimpse of you right now, I think he may just go over the edge."

Jarrod wasn't surprised when Audra's mouth fell open. He glanced over at Nick and then stood up. "So, you see, we couldn't tell you, sis. For that, we really are sorry. Now, please, talk to Nick without yelling at him?"

Audra, stunned to hear of Jarrod's experience in the prison, shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. Why would Cass hate this whole family, especially Nick? I mean, you would have killed him if it hadn't been for Nick. I'd think he'd be grateful for that."

"You're right; a person would think that." Jarrod agreed. "Only, he was not the least bit grateful." He went on to say - after Nick had admitted to him on Jarrod's first trip up to Wyoming- that the idea of faking their deaths came from Cliff, he'd traveled to Blythe Junction. "I asked Cliff that very thing. I told him I didn't understand."

"What did he say?" Audra kept her eyes on Jarrod.

Now it was Jarrod shaking his head slightly. "That man-talking about Cass-was crazy enough to be mad at Nick for saving him. He told Cliff before he went in front of the judge the second time that, if Nick hadn't stopped me, the law would have did what he failed to do. Stupid I know, but since when was that man smart?"

Audra rolled her eyes. "You're right; he was stupid. What about the rest of us? What did we do?"

Jarrod didn't answer for a moment, and then sighed. "Cliff said that he's tried to figure that one out for years. The only thing he's been able to come up with the fact that you're my family. Crazy and unbelievable, you bet it is. Only, since Cass would never say anything on that matter, guessing is all Cliff could do. Now," he glanced towards Nick then back to Audra, "Will you talk to Nick without yelling?"

She nodded, and then watched as Jarrod stood up and left while Nick walked towards her. Soon he was sitting next to her.

"I was loud, wasn't I?" Audra gave her brother an apologetic grin.

"No louder than me, nor louder than I expected." Nick looked around the garden. His mother had told him how much time his sister had spent working in the garden after Fred had stopped by the house and given them the news. "You've done wonders with this place. Never knew you had such a green thumb,"

Audra couldn't help but beam for a moment; it felt good to hear Nick say such a thing. She then said quietly, "It was therapeutic." She covered his hand with hers and grudgingly confessed Jarrod had been right to insist that she be kept in the dark. "As much as I hate to admit it, I would have slipped sooner or later." She then asked the one question she'd feared to ask, once she'd found out Nick was alive and bringing his family to the ranch. "Are you staying?"

Nick didn't answer for a moment. That very subject was something he and Heath had sat on the front porch and discussed at length when Nick had first arrived back at the ranch. Well, they had AFTER Victoria had embraced him for all she was worth. "Elizabeth and I are seriously discussing that one. It's been ten years…" he paused and continued, "Sure, we could sell the ranch in Wyoming. Yes, Heath wants to share ownership of this ranch with me; he'd would love to have me back working along side him..."

"But… it wouldn't be the same." Audra finished the sentence for him when his voice trailed off and he quit speaking.

"No, it wouldn't. Though," He gave her a hug. "We are leaning heavily towards moving back. I miss this family terribly, and we want our children to know their cousins."

"We want you back too." Audra said. Then, just as she saw Victoria poke her head around the corner, Audra stood up. "I think we best get back in to the party." She started to walk towards the house only to turn and smile. "No matter what, Nick, don't go away on my account. I am never going to disown you-maybe slap you-but that's it."

Nick chuckled and followed his sister back into the house. Soon Audra was watching as her hot temped brother was dancing with his wife and visiting with his family, along with their friends. For the first time in years, she felt as if the black cloud that had been hanging over her had been lifted. Four months later she wrote in her journal…I have not been this excited for a long time. Not only did the doctor tell Will and I that we're finally going to be parents, but Nick and his family moved back to the ranch today! It's going to be grand seeing our child grow up around all his, or her, cousins!