Disclaimer: The characters and writing of Yellowstone belong to John Linson and Taylor Sheridan

Set after the end of S1E5 when Beth gets home and finds her dad reading a book with Tate. Rip hears her screams all the way at his cabin and comes running.

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The sun was setting over the mountains, as Rip settled into his chair on the back deck of the foreman's cabin. Before he could even take a sip of his beer he heard a loud agonized scream coming from the lodge up the hill. He jumped up from his chair and ran toward the lodge. The screaming continued as he reached the steps, but he stopped dead in his tracks when someone said his name.

"Rip." John stepped into the light on the porch. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She's been screaming like that for hours."

It felt like someone had ripped his heart out of his chest with their bare hands. That was Beth? John didn't sound worried though. Why? Had he checked on her at least? He wanted to ask if her and Jamie had come to blows again. "D-did something happen?"

John almost chuckled when he saw the terror in Rip's eyes. This was semi normal behavior for Beth so most of them were just used to it. "Ah I don't know. Jamie said she went crazy on the way home when he picked her from the club." He made air quotes with his fingers when he said "went crazy" to show those were Jamie's exact words. He also told Rip that he had a bullet hole to fix in the roof of Jamie's ranch truck so he could ask her about that.

That didn't narrow it down at all for Rip. Went crazy could mean literally a million different things for Beth. She was unpredictable, but that's one of the things he loved about her. He had no idea why she and Jamie hated each other so damn much, but he did know there was a lot of pain there for Beth. Jamie must've done something horrible for the most loyal person he knew to grow to hate her own brother. Rip began to feel guilty for not being able to go pick her up himself. She must've called Jamie when he didn't answer.

John noticed Rip's eyes kept looking toward the door during their conversation, and knew he was waiting for permission. "Go on." He waved the man inside, knowing if Beth would listen to reason from anyone right now it would be Rip. He laughed inwardly, thinking it was insane for them to hide their feelings for each other from anyone. It was glaringly obvious to everyone that they were in love, but for whatever reason depriving themselves of actually being together.

Rip wasted no time, jogging right past John and into the house. He knew where Beth's room was, so he headed straight there. "Beth!" He called out as soon as he opened the door. She wasn't in the bedroom, but he noticed the bathroom doors closed. "Hey!" He knocked loudly on the doors so she could hear him over her screams. She didn't reply, but to his surprise the doors were unlocked. Her silent expression for wanting the help no one else in this family was willing to give. He barged right in and found her curled up in a ball sitting with her back against the sink. A few feet away sat an empty bottle of southern comfort. She'd stopped screaming, but was shaking and sobbing against her knees.

"Beth..." Rip knelt down in front of her and held her chin up with his hand, forcing her back into reality. Beth leaned into his touch for a moment. When their eyes met he saw years of pain and torment that had somehow been triggered to the surface. He ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping the tears away.

"Leave me alone." She pushed him away and tried to stand, but stumbled across the floor, catching herself on the tall edge of the bathtub. Rip moved to help her, but she cut her eyes at him and jerked away. He knew she wanted to accept his comfort, but in typical Beth fashion, just wouldn't. Like a wounded wild animal in need of help.

So desperately Beth wished she could tell Rip the truth... the reason for all her pain. She couldn't even begin to think of the right words for the situation, and when was even a good time to bring up something like that? The perfect opportunity to share earth shattering truths about the past very rarely just presented itself. How would he feel knowing she aborted a baby that was his, and as a result of trusting her brother for help she now can't have kids? Beth never brought herself to regret the abortion, but she sure as hell regretted going to Jamie, and she often wondered what Rip's reaction would be... She wasn't ready to tell him, and she appreciated him just being there and not asking her to tell him what happened or what was wrong.

"I don't think you need to be alone right now." He decided to give her the space she wanted and stood in the doorway of the spacious bathroom. She was still trembling, staring at the floor, her breathing shaky. "Are you cold?" Rip grabbed a blanket from right outside the door and walked closer to wrap it around her.

She gratefully accepted, but not without reminding him, "I'm fine." She stared back at the floor, not ready to look at him, knowing when she did she'd be undone just by looking him in the eye.

"Sure you are." He nodded and stepped closer to her. She still wouldn't look at him. "Beth, I'm sorry I wasn't there to come get you." The truth was he really felt like shit for not answering, because he just didn't have the energy to have her frustrations taken out on him. He should've fucking answered the phone.

"It's okay." She sniffled and finally looked up at him. "It was a great opportunity to bond with my brother." Her voice went hard and he knew she wasn't serious.

"Yeah uh, I heard there's a bullet hole in the roof of Jamie's truck. You know anything about that?" He questioned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Collateral damage." Brushing past him she made her way into the bedroom. Rip breathed in her scent. She smelled like a mix of her floral perfume and whiskey. It was a scent he'd grown to love over the years. He followed, and found her with a new bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

"How about we save that for later?" He took the bottle from her and she looked up at him with her big sad eyes. Before he knew it she was stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Not wanting to take advantage he broke away and kissed her forehead. "Beth, you know that's not what I meant." He stroked her hair and her hands came to rest on his chest.

"Then why'd you come?" Her eyes rounded and her lips turned into a pout. Turning away from him, she slipped her dress off her shoulders and onto the floor. Now standing in front of him in only her bra and panties, she began sifting through her dresser drawers for a robe.

Rip sighed and rolled his eyes to the side, placing his hands on his hips. "I came to see if you're okay... to help you, because I care about you, Beth." His voice was soft, but stern. A simple change in the tone of his voice let her know he was unhappy. He wished she didn't only come to him for sex, or assume that's what he wanted when he came to her. "Alright. You know where I'll be if you need me.", and with that he left.

Beth pulled her silk robe on and wrapped it tight around her. She stood in place feeling awful about how they'd left things. Feeling his hurt and annoyance at her was sobering. As much as she hated to admit it, Rip being upset with her was something she just couldn't handle. She knew full well what she was capable of, and how she often took things too far when her demons came back to haunt her. Rip was the only one who didn't take her shit, but still took it at the same time. Always gracefully, always in stride... yet somehow he was her favorite punching bag... Maybe because she knew he was reliable when her family wasn't. He'd always be there. It wasn't right for her to take advantage of that though.

Ever so impatiently, Beth waited for the house to grow quiet and all the lights to go out before grabbing her boots and slipping out the door. Wolves were howling in the distance, crickets were chirping, and Beth took a moment to be still and center herself. She looked out across the valley, her eyes wandering up to where the mountains met the stars. It was a shame that a place so esthetically pleasing could hold so much hurt and toxicity.

Finally she reached Rip's cabin, and smiled at the porch light he'd left on for her. Quietly she slipped through the sliding door, and found him asleep in his lazy boy, wearing only a black t-shirt and a pair of boxers with a toothpick hanging out of his half open mouth. Beth made herself at home in his lap, burying her face in his chest.

"Hm?" He roused from his sleep, not questioning anything, just wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him, reaching up to caress his cheek.

"You don't have to apologize to me." He absentmindedly began rubbing her back. The silk of her robe felt nice against his finger tips, but Rip found himself wishing he was stroking her bare skin. She seemed calmer now, more sober. It wasn't worth arguing when she didn't get her way. Rip was honestly just relieved to see she was physically okay and not being murdered from the way she was screaming... He wasn't going to stand around and let her take shots at him for something that had nothing to do with him. A lesson he'd learned through their many years of friendship was that she would come to him when she was ready.

"I do..." She sat up in his lap, staring down at her hands. "I take things too far... and I'm never sorry for it... unless it's you." Finally she looked up at him, her eyes full of remorse. "You don't deserve it. You're the only person who doesn't deserve it." Beth knew that Rip had been through enough in this life without her giving him hell. The entire time they've known each other he had never done her wrong. She'd broken his heart countless times over the years and he took it in stride every time. He was the strongest person she knew.

"I was built to take more than you can imagine, Beth." He leaned back down against the recliner and pulled her with him. She settled in between his legs, resting her head just under his chin.

'So stoic' She thought sarcastically to herself. Rip could feel her smiling against his chest and a warmness spread through him. All he wanted was to see her happy, even if it was only for small fractions of time.

"Can I stay with you?" Her voice was barely a whisper, afraid of being rejected.

"Anytime you want." He kissed the top of her head and she stood up, reaching a hand out to him.

Beth led the way to his bedroom, knowing exactly where she was going. This certainly wasn't the first time she'd spent the night there. Before jumping into bed she rid herself of her robe as well as her bra and panties. It might not be happening tonight, but she wasn't going to let him forget how much she wanted him. She laid down with her back facing him.

Taking an audible deep breath in he let it out with a laugh. "Woman, you sure have a one track mind, don't you?" He pulled his shirt off and joined her in bed, wrapping his arms around her from behind and they both dozed off into a peaceful sleep.

*the next morning*

Beth stirred in her sleep and woke with a start, like she did anytime she slept somewhere besides her own bed. Letting her heart rate slow back to normal. The sheets smelled like him, it gave her peace. He was fast asleep on his back, snoring lightly into the darkness. She smiled and snuggled against his side, where she'd spent most of the night before they'd drifted apart in their sleep.

Being as still and quiet as possible, she studied his face. Even in his sleep he looked serious, his brow seemingly furrowed in place. He was just as beautiful as the first time she saw him, more distinguished and rugged, but just as beautiful. Placing a gentle hand on his chest, her fingers began drawing circles over his skin.

"Huh." Rip grumbled himself awake, pleasantly surprised to find Beth hadn't left him. He was even more pleasantly surprised to feel her bare breasts pressed against him. "Mm." He rolled to his side and placed a kiss right in the center of her chest, taking a breast with one hand and the other with his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue.

Beth laughed and pulled him up to face her. "I think you mean 'good morning'." She teased.

"Oh, good morning..." He trailed off, his lips meeting hers in a soft kiss. Playfully she nipped at his bottom lip and inched herself closer, letting him know she did want more. Fuck she'd been wanting him since she tried calling him to pick her up yesterday. His touch was intoxicating and she craved it. It turns out he was actually right a couple weeks ago... Rip was the one thing she can't out wrestle. Back in Salt Lake, Beth never ran into a person, especially a man, that she couldn't dominate in conversation, or business. That was what she liked to do. Be dominant. Be the one on top of everything. She couldn't do that with Rip, but she was somehow perfectly okay with it. Was it because he got to watch her grow from a scared little girl into a confident grown woman? To him it was a facade. Rip knew Beth was confident by all means, but her attitude was a smokescreen for her real feelings to hide behind... and she had never been good at hiding anything from him.

Rip's hands, and lips, roamed all over Beth's body, and she leaned into his touch, feeling a hot pressure building inside her.

Something about waking up next to him felt so... domestic, and as much as she loved it... she felt terrified at the same time. She needed to be in control here. With a small amount of force she pushed Rip onto his back, laying across his chest, but not straddling him yet. She moved closer to kiss him, but it was more heated this time, her tongue slid along his bottom lip asking for entry. He obliged, his muscled arms wrapping around her. His touch radiated heat and sent a heavy pulse rushing through her. He felt her hands trying to slide his boxers out of the way so he intervened to help things along. Beth smirked when she felt his hands at her waist urging her on top of him. She resisted however and hopped up, out of bed, headed for the bathroom. Rip groaned in disappointment, but followed after her without hesitation. He didn't mind some steamy shower sex, and it wasn't a surprise that the bed wasn't enough for her. Beth liked things a little less common, and he was more than happy to give her what she wanted.

Beth stepped in under the hot water and ran her fingers through her hair, patiently waiting for Rip to join her. She found some soap and began washing away the booze sweat from her drunken endeavors the day before. That's when Rip opened the door and stepped in behind her, taking the soap, he took over for her. He ran his hands across her back and down her sides, over the curve of her hips, leaving kisses up and down her neck. Her skin was so soft and he loved the feeling of it against his own. Beth smiled down at the shower floor. They weren't a slow, sleepy morning sex kind of couple... and they weren't really a couple either... yet anyway. Rip shifted his weight and she felt his hard, throbbing cock against her ass. She smirked and turned to face him, taking him in her hands. He groaned and rested his head on top of hers, the water raining down over both of them now. Beth looked up to kiss him before breaking away and falling to her knees. He leaned back against the shower wall in anticipation and let out a sigh when her lips met his dick.

She loved doing this to him. She took him as deep into her mouth as she could while holding the rest of his shaft in her hand. Bobbing her head up and down she sucked and swirled her tongue around, occasionally taking his tip into her throat. That got a rise out of him as he held her head in place with both hands, gripping her hair. "Fuuuucck" he let out in a long deep groan.

Beth began bobbing her head quicker, and Rip knew he couldn't handle much more of that, so he picked her up, pinning her against the wall. She gasped as the cold stone wall sent a chill through her body, but was quickly distracted by Rip's touch. He placed a firm hand under each of her thighs and lifted her eye to eye with him. There were specks of fire in his ocean blue eyes that let her know he wanted her as badly as she wanted him. With her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck Beth's weight felt like nothing to Rip. He was just enjoying her attention while it lasted, as was usual with whatever kind of relationship this was.

Beth ground her hips against his as he nipped at her ear, kissing a trail to her lips. Being a little more direct this time she reached down between them and took his cock in her hand again, positioning him at her entrance. He moaned against her lips at the sensation as he could feel just how wet she was for him. Feeling as though he'd teased her enough Rip gave in and with one quick thrust he was completely inside her. Beth gasped and dug her nails into his shoulders as she adjusted to his girth, then their bodies fell into a blissful rhythm.

Beth was lost in her own little world where only the two of them existed in this perfect moment when she felt that familiar climbing feeling starting to fill her whole body. "Rip..." She whimpered against his skin as she hurried her face in his neck.

Hearing his name roll off of her lips almost sent him over the edge, but Rip held it together. He began thrusting harder, bottoming out inside her each time, but it didn't take long until her hands found his hair, nails digging into his scalp, heels digging into his back as she clung to him through her release. She cried out against his skin, biting down on his shoulder. That was all Rip could take. A few last powerful thrusts as he spilled himself inside her and relaxed against her, still holding her up on the wall.

They stayed joined until their breathing even out and they could look at each other. Rip winced when Beth ran a gentle finger across the bite marks she'd left on his shoulder. "Oops..." She looked up at him with rounded eyes, feigning innocence.

"You making sure I have something to remember you by?" He joked, pulling her into one last sweet kiss before placing her back on her feet.

*minutes later*

Much to Rip's surprise, Beth stayed and watched him get dressed and ready for the day. She sat on the edge of his bed, her eyes following him around the room.

"It's so early..." Her hands were absentmindedly playing with the sheets under her. "How do you do this everyday?"

"Coffee." He nodded toward the kitchen as the beep from his coffee maker let him know it had started brewing. "And years of practice." He kissed her forehead before leaving the bedroom to find his boots.

Beth found her silk robe on the floor and slipped it on over her still naked body. She picked up her bra and panties and tossed them onto his bed, smirking as she left them there as a little invitation for him to come find her later.

On the porch she gave him a quick kiss goodbye before sauntering across the yard up to the lodge. Rip stood in place for a few moments, just watching her walk away, before making his way to the bunkhouse. He wasn't sure where this seemingly more affectionate Beth came from, but he was hoping to see more of her.

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Hope you guys enjoyed this! I'm sorry it took me this long to update. I'm already working on the next one shot, so hopefully you'll see it up in a few days. Thanks for reading!