Note: Hello! Yes, I have returned- let me know how this one is, still have to get in the grove of the story again so pardon if it is a bit...on the slow side or anything else.

I was also wanting to rewatch the show to get a feel for the characters before proceeding since it has been a long while... so if something doesn't add up please fire me a message and let me know!

I will say, if anyone has amazon prime and can access STARZ - they have superb quality for Laramie. I have never seen it in this format before and its amazing!

Again- I welcome any ideas! :)

"I ain't ever gonna get this, Jonesy," Jess groaned as his grip tightened on the writing utensil in his hand.

Jonesy slowly peeked over the newspaper that he had been using to rattle off words for Jess to spell. Four words and several mistakes in and Jess had already gotten to the point of hopelessness, or more likely boredom.

"You only have four words down." The monotone response came and Jonesy's eyes traveled back to the words on the page he was reading.

"Four words and too many mistakes," the young boy began to trace circles with the pencil and Jonesy rolled his eyes as he folded the newspaper.

"Believe it or not, mistakes help us learn," Jonesy paused as Jess leaned back in his seat and folded his arms with a huff. "Alright, I'll let you go this one time."

"Thank you, Jonesy!" Jess shot out of his chair and made his way to find the other boys.

Jonesy shook his head and chuckled as he placed the newspaper neatly on the table. He picked up Jess' sheet of vocabulary words and observed that even after three days the boy's handwriting was getting better, but the mistakes weren't any different.

"Lessons over?" Mary inquired as she stepped out of her bedroom with some nicely folded towels to store in the kitchen.

"Yeah, he was losing his focus so's I decided to just end it and let him have fun."

"I'm sure he appreciated that," Mary chuckled and pulled out some ingredients she needed to prepare bread.

"I'll go see if Matt needs any assistance," Jonesy stated as he slowly left through the kitchen door.

Jess circled the house once in hopes of finding someone, but with no success, proceeded to the barn. He called out their names, waited a few seconds and when no one replied walked back outside. Matt was slowly approaching the barn with his horse in tow.

"Have you seen Slim or Andy?" Jess asked.

"Last I was told they were going down to the pond...most likely to fish."

"Oh, okay." Jess dashed off to get his pole. Running got Jess there in no time and he was glad they were still fishing. Andy was turning around to put his catch into a bucket and smiled upon seeing Jess.

"Hey, Jonesy let you free!"

"Yeah, how's the catching?"

"Slow, we caught three so far." Andy pointed at the bucket with a dreary look.

"Hurry up and cast," Slim interjected.

They sat in silence, which surprised Jess because usually Andy would not stop talking, but he assumed with the fishing the six year old knew to be quiet. Jess' eyes moved from the ever slightly rippling water to the two nearly motionless people sitting next to him. Slim was still hard to figure out in Jess' mind, some days they would get along and some days not. Today seemed to be one of those days since in the morning they started off not on good terms. It was not like Jess was trying to start off on the wrong foot with Slim but it sure seemed that way. His thoughts were interrupted by Andy glancing in Jess' direction and grinning.

"What should we do after fishing?"

"You can pick, Andy." Jess offered while shrugging his shoulders. His attention quickly turned towards his line as the tension increased and he reeled in a decent sized fish.

"There is four now!" Jess grinned as he held the fish up by its mouth.

"Yay, another one!" Andy gently reeled back his line since it was slowly starting to drift back.

Jess laid the flopping fish down with the other ones and proceeded to recast his line. Suddenly, his ears caught the sound of pounding hooves in the distance which seemed to be approaching steadily. Slim glanced around in response to hearing them as well. He reeled in his rod and stood up just in front of his younger brother as the rider stopped his horse in front of them.

"Do you kids know how far the nearest town is?" The man's voice was raspy and he took his brown hat off to wipe his brow.

"I...I'm not sure exactly," Slim's voice was a little weak as he replied. Visibly he hoped he didn't look as nervous as he felt. He felt the presence of someone else next to him and found it to be Jess, who was eyeing the man on the horse with uncertainty. Annoyance took over Slim and he stepped closer to the cowboy.

"We can walk you to my home where a stage will arrive and it can guide you to Laramie," Slim offered the man who nodded in agreement.

"That would be nice actually I'll walk the way with you then." The man got down off his horse and adjusted the saddle a bit.

Slim became even more uneasy. He wasn't sure if he should have done what he did or not, but if the man meant harm he wouldn't be asking for help would he? Slim turned around and proceeded to gather his things then had Andy walk ahead of them as he and Jess remained between the cowboy and their younger brother.

As they approached the ranch, Slim's stomach grew more uneasy with the uncertainty of how his parents would react. He hadn't had to deal with a stranger like this, most came off the stage and it was usually a short ordeal.

"My pa's probably around the b-back of the barn." Slim's stuttered a bit as he proceeded to find his father. The drifter cowboy removed his hat and set it on the horn of his saddle before tying the reins to the hitching post outside the house.

"Hello, I see you tagged along with my boys?" Matt Sherman emerged from the barn before Slim could make it to the entrance. The boy stopped short as his nerves got the better of him and it took him a moment to speak.

"He's looking for the nearest town, pa, and I said a stage usually comes by going in that direction." Slim explained, and seeing his father wasn't displaying any disapproving signs, his nerves slowly settled out.

"I'm sorry I never introduced myself. Names Clint Harding and I'm just moving through honestly. I saw your kids and was hoping since they were fishing they would know where civilization was. I've just been wondering for a few days more than I would have liked." The man named Clint held his hand out to the older Sherman, who shook it.

"Names Matt Sherman. This is my oldest Slim, then that's Jess, and Andy." Matt put two firm hands on top of Slim's shoulders.

Jess still was a little unsure about the man and he quickly left for the house without giving any form of greeting. Andy gave Clint a shy hello and left to follow Jess inside with the bucket of fish.

"You can come inside, I am sure we have something food-wise for you to eat."

"That would be much appreciated," Clint grinned, his teeth a white contrast against his dirty sun tanned face, and followed the two Shermans into the house.

Slim left the adults at the table and went to his room where Jess and Andy were already sitting on the two beds in conversation.

"Jess doesn't trust the guy, Slim, do you?" Andy inquired the instant Slim closed the door.

"What has he done to not earn your trust?" Slim put his rod in the corner.

"Nothing...I just have a feeling, besides Andy wasn't really supposed to share it."

"Well, I don't have 'a feeling' and I have met plenty of people on the stages to tell." Slim leaned against the wall and folded his arms.

"I've met plenty of people too, probably more like that guy out there than you have."

"Don't think so, plus I'm older. I know more." Slim replied with irritation that only Andy could detect because he had had his fair share from his brother. He took a few steps closer towards the bed that Jess was on.

"Age don't matter, you weren't really too sure at the pond either. I definitely don't believe you know more."

"I-" Andy attempted to say something but was soon silenced into surprise as Slim shoved Jess to the floor. Jess leaped onto his feet in time to make a dive at Slim. Their scuffle didn't last long before Jonesy and Matt came through the door to check on the noise and promptly broke it up.

"Now, what on earth was that all about?" Jonesy grumbled as he wrapped his arms around Slim's arms and torso to get the boy to calm down. Matt made Jess sit back on the bed, but still kept his hand wrapped around Jess' arm.

"Slim started it." Andy spoke up, and received a glare from his older brother.

"Andy, go outside and help your ma host our guest." Matt nodded in the direction of the door. "Yes, sir." With downcast eyes, the youngest Sherman quickly left the room.

Jonesy released Slim from his grasp when he decided that all signs of fight had left the boy. Silence lingered for a bit as Jonesy and Matt waited for someone to tell them what happened. When no one seemed to have any desire to speak, Matt demanded an explanation and both chimed in soon afterwards.

"I just told Slim and Andy that I don't trust the man…"

"Then Jess claims he is better at knowing people because he's met more different people…"

Matt covered both their mouths.

"To begin with, let's not speak over each other. But what I can gather, this should not have developed into a fight. Should it have, Slim?"

Neither said a word after Matt removed his hands. Jess' gaze shifted towards the ground and Slim stared back at his father.

"When is it ever good to start fights?" Matt pressed on.

Casting his eyes around to the people in the room, Slim softly spoke the reply he knew his father was looking for, "Never…but I only shoved him; he attacked."

Jess' mouth fell open and in protest was about to speak but just as he attempted to form the first word Jonesy had his hand over the boy's mouth. He was ready for these two to get over themselves. Jonesy had detected it for a while now and it didn't seem to be going anywhere. He knew Slim was already weary of new people, but now with Jess he wasn't sure why it kept on.

"I don't care if you only shoved him, we don't do any sort of that behavior. Especially with you being the older one you should know better." Matt's tone of voice seemed to get more harsher.

With that last statement Slim's stomach began to feel uneasy and he felt the conversation was no longer involving Jess, only him. He knew he was in the wrong, but something was just keeping him from giving up his stance on the situation.

"Sorry," Slim could only stare at his bare feet. He wasn't sure what he meant sorry for exactly though, that feeling towards Jess hadn't changed. Only knew his father was waiting for a response.

"You're spared the punishment that you would've gotten if we didn't have a guest in the other room." Matt ended the conversation and started walking to the door, "but if anything does happen again don't expect the same treatment."

"Won't happen again!" Jess quickly said as earnestly as he could, he wasn't about to get punished for something he didn't do.

Jonesy patted the dark haired boy's shoulders and followed Matt out the door. The boys' eyes met, but Slim quickly left the room. Jess wandered over to his bed and collapsed onto his belly. He reached for his folded paper and rubbed his fingers on it before unfolding it. He studied the man on the page once again to make sure he didn't forget any of the man's features.

'At least this Clint guy isn't the guy.' Then he wondered, how exactly would he deal with this Clint guy if he were the one. He sighed then shoved it under his pillow to save the thought for another day and walked into the main room. Andy and Slim were summoned to help in the kitchen, since it was their turn, so Jess hung around with the adults in the main room. He listened closely for any hints of who this guy really was and what he was after. Though the conversation seemed to be about the Sherman's more than anything. Thus, Jess decided to think about how he would go about getting his revenge in a house where a kid was so closely watched.

"Jess?"

Jess was shaken out of his thoughts upon hearing his name and scanned the three amused men with a quizzical expression.

"Didn't mean to disrupt your deep thoughts, just curious how old y'are?" Clint smiled and leaned against the table.

"Oh uh, ten. I'm ten..." Jess answered hesitantly.

"That's a fun age. Life was always easier then." Clint chuckled.

Jess shrugged and started looking closely at the stitching pattern of the cloth covering the table, "I wouldn't really know."

"He came into our family recently. Roughing it out in the territory on his own, that's all we've been told." Matt explained, and gently put his arm around the boy as a reassuring gesture.

Clint nodded, he could definitely sense the boy was being distant so he wasn't going to inquire too many details.

"I see. Where do ya come from then?"

"Uh, Texas."

"Ah, a tough soul then. I lived there for most of my life as well, even was a'part of the Alamo. It's a state now."

"Huh?" Jess was a bit confused, he really knew nothing aside from the sharecropping his folks did on their little piece of land. He knew pieces of information from people he ended up with to get to Wyoming, but then again not much talk about Texas.

Clint saw the confusion on the boy's face and explained, "it was about four years now, when did you leave?"

Jess was not about to give anymore away, he looked between Matt and Clint and then the table. The Sherman's guest could tell the boy did not trust him completely yet and decided to stop questioning Jess.

"Well, it doesn't matter- I left years back."

"That's a long way to come. Though I guess there is a reason." Matt inquired.

"Just doing some digging…how long have you lived here?" The drifter leaned back in his seat and interlocked his hands in his lap.

Matt glanced at Jonesy as he thought about it, "oh, not terribly long- enough to establish this ranch. We had our youngest here- 4 or 5 years just about?"

"Then maybe you can help me with finding someone?"

Jess decided to leave, in case the cowboy decided to inquire of his past again and he wasn't about to revisit some. He peaked in the kitchen but realized it was only Mary, who was engrossed in cleaning the grease off the stove. Wandering outside, he found Andy playing with the yo-yo, but no sign of Slim.

"Wanna try this, Jess?" Andy beamed as he watched the small spinning object glide up and down.

"Sure."

They traded and Jess had his go at it, it wasn't that difficult and oddly amusing for something so simple.

"Andy, do you think I will ever fit in?"

"Uh, how do ya mean?" The younger boy sat on the ground with his hands behind him and leaned his head to the side.

"Some days it feels like I can't be here and some days it does, so I just want to know when it will."

"Will? When it will feel like you can be here? I want you here. It's jus' Slim that don't have his mind sorted out, I think."

"That's just it."

"Well, pa says that just because two people fight it doesn't mean they won't stay fighting forever. Just happens ever' once in a while. Ma and pa still are together."

"They've fought in front of you?"

"No, I couldn't sleep…and I heard them and walked out to see. Then pa told me what I just told you."

"My folks fought ever so often too…guess it happens with everyone."

"Even Slim and I fight sometimes...recently it has been pretty easy though- I've almost figured him out."

"Figuring people out is hard, but I think I have you figured out."

"Oh?"

"You are as wide open as any young kid," Jess chuckled.

"Then since you have me figured out...guess what I wanna play?"

"I can't read minds, but I can guess." Jess crossed his arms and concentrated on Andy, who copied the gesture.

"Boys, it's about time to start prepping dinner. So- What's going on here?" Mary inquired as she approached Jess and Andy in their similar stances, only Andy held a smirk on his face.

"Jess thinks he's got me fig'red out so he has t'guess what I wanna play." Andy now positioned his hands at his sides as Jess shook his head.

"That's not what I mean by that, but maybe hide n' seek?" Jess quickly threw-out one of the many games Andy enjoyed.

"Nooope! See you don't know me!" Andy giggled.

"Alright so I don't," he turned around to face Mary, "want some wood?"

Mary smirked in amusement at their banter and wiped her hands on her apron, "yes, please Jess, thank you. Andy, come help me with the green beans."

"Ah okay."

"Is that what we say?"

"I mean, 'yes ma'am'."

Mary nodded and ruffled her boy's hair as they walked back inside. The stage showed up just as they were closing the door and Jonesy and Matt hurried outside, and Clint was not too far behind them as he gathered his hat and gun belt.

Jess observed everything as he held onto the wood. The stage held one passenger but they only got out for a walk around and exchanged a few words with Matt before re-entering the stage. He eyed Clint who checked the cinch on his horse's saddle. At least the man was leaving. Though, after all that Texas talk did he really want the drifting cowboy to leave? What if he had some information about a certain person he was searching for? Jess dropped the wood and ran over to where Clint Harding was standing with his horse.

"Will you be back here?" Jess quickly spoke in a soft voice and glanced around to make sure the other adults were occupied with the horses.

Clint raised an eyebrow, "would you want me to? Or are ya wanting me to be gone forever?"

"I actually wanna ask ya somethin'..." Jess trailed off and pressed his lips together tightly as Matt Sherman started to approach. Clint took note of the boy's demeanor change, and gave Jess a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"Jess here was apologizin' and wanted to know if I could stop by again before I left after my business in town?" Clint smirked.

"Certainly, I hope your trip in town is successful."

"Thank you, I hope so too."

They parted and all Jess could think about now was the potential information this Clint guy could give as he finished the job he was tasked with.

With the wood fire a-blazing, Mary had dinner ready in no time. A lot of chatter was done by the adults and Andy who always had some little story to share. This time it was all about their fishing expedition, which ended too soon in Jess' mind.

"Do you suppose we could try fishing again tomorrow?" Jess inquired before Andy could start talking again. Andy gave Jess a pouting look but quickly smiled broadly and looked eagerly at his parents. Slim shook his head with a chuckle at his younger brother's behavior.

"Don't see why not if everything chores-related gets finished by you three," Matt shrugged.

"It will!" Slim spoke up for the first time since starting dinner. Mary was glad he finally spoke up, her oldest son's quietness was starting to worry her.

"Then it's okay with me."

"Yay!" Andy clapped his hands with excitement.

"Alright the sun has been down a while now and you young man need to head to bed." Mary stood up and walked over to Andy, who frowned.

"Ain't Slim and Jess going too?"

"Aren't...and yes, they will shortly, but you need to be wide awake for tomorrow. So I'm getting you in bed now."

"Andy, sooner we get to bed the sooner tomorrow will come!" Slim said in an attempt to convince his younger brother to go to bed.

"It does come faster when you're asleep doesn't it?" Andy's eyebrows knitted together as he tossed the thought around in his head before giving in, "alright."

Good nights were said and Andy was soon hustled off to bed by Mary. Jonesy started to gather the dishes and got the other two boys to help. Once everything was done, Slim decided to sit on the bench under the window and read. Matt and Jonesy left for the porch since the night had become pretty cool. Jess grabbed Andy's yoyo and started rolling it along the floor, deciding on what mood Slim might be in. He helped with getting their fishing privilege tomorrow, so he couldn't be too bothered by today.

"What are you reading?"

Slim peaked over his leather bound book quickly, then returned to staring at the book, "a story about Robin Hood."

"Oh, I heard that story! I didn't know it was written on paper. That's just one story that was told to me…"

"We have other stories...like King Arthur. On the book shelf." Slim pointed towards the books in the corner.

"Ah it's alright...I was just curious. Which do you like more?"

Slim leaned the book on his lap with a hint of annoyance, "Probably the knight one."

"I don't think I was ever told that story. Or maybe I was?" Jess shrugged. Slim returned to reading his book and Jess got the message to stop talking.

He left to see Mary in the kitchen who was prepping the material she needed for tomorrow morning's meal.

"Do you have a favorite story?"

Mary glanced up and smiled, "story? Like the ones discussed in the other room?"

"Yeah...you were listening?"

"Not much gets missed when you're in the kitchen, Jess." Mary nodded and kneeled by the stove. "As for which one I like- I'm not sure, they both are just as enjoyable. However, neither are my favorites.

"Neither? Do ya like stories?"

"Of course, I just have other ones in mind. Ones you probably would never be interested in."

"Could you tell me a story though? I hopefully will be able to read one of them books on the shelf one day. But it's been a while since I've heard a story."

"Hmm, in that case- should I tell you a tale of Arthur and his Knights?"

"Thought you di'n't like it?"

"It's not in my favorites list but I like it and I am sure you will too." Mary corrected him and offered the place on the floor next to her for Jess, who took it. Wrapping her arm around the boy she started off with the key words 'once upon a time' and she did her best to create a living picture for Jess.

Slim's mind drifted from the book he was reading to the story being told in the other room. Just hearing his mother's voice was enough to make him drowsy. He wasn't about to go in there, but he wanted to be the one in there, it shouldn't be Jess. Leaning back against the bench's cushions, he listened to the tale he had heard and read many times until he could fight the sleep no more.

Back in the kitchen, Mary stopped speaking as her ears caught the familiar sound of heavy breathing from the raven haired boy who had fallen sound asleep against her side. Very slowly she eased Jess against the stove, and stood up, then proceeded to carefully lift him into her arms. Noticing Slim on her way to the boy's bedroom she shook her head with a smile, she first laid Jess down then went back out to wake her oldest. She sat on the edge of the bench and combed her fingers through his hair.
"Slim," she spoke softly and closed the book which was left open on his stomach.

He slowly opened his eyes and gave her a sleepy smile, "I fell asleep."

"Yes, you did. You should head to bed, love."

He nodded as he sat up and then hugged her before entering the bedroom. Mary walked out to tell her husband she was turning in for the night. Soon the Sherman ranch was in complete darkness.