*Author's Note*

Thank you for all the follows, faves, and reviews.

The Boys' First Birthdays

Shaw POV:

I'm sitting at my desk in my office, anxiously waiting for Jessa to bring my son over. I knew she was coming over today since his birthday's tomorrow, but I just didn't know what time she was showing up tho. I had Silas' present wrapped and sitting on my desk, all ready for whenever he got here with his mom. It wasn't a store-bought present, but one from my own childhood that I found when packing up my mom's things after she died. It was a patchwork stuffed bear my mom made for my when I was little and I thought it'd only be right for me to pass it along to my son.

I was going over invoices and paperwork to pass the time. Hell, it's better then just sitting around driving myself crazy and staring out the window waiting for Jessa and Silas. Every now and then my eyes peeked at the window, looking to see if a wagon was pulling up.

I had just finished filling out a form for some cattle I wanted to buy from Kansas whenever I heard the door chime go off. With a face splitting grin, I lifted my head up to see Jessa walking into my office with Silas perched on her hip. "Happy Birthday, buddy. Daddy's got a present for you." I told my son, grabbing the wrapped package off of my desk, as Jessa brought him over to me. Jessa didn't say a word, just smiled, as she passed me over our son. "Let's open this up and see what it is, buddy." I told my boy while his mom just leaned against my desk, watching me help our son with his present. "Look, Silas, it's a bear." I told the boy on my lap, handing him the stuffed animal that once belonged to me so many years ago.

"Thank you, Shaw. That's a nice gift you gave him."

"My mom made it for me when I was little. I found it in her stuff a while back; thought he could use it."

"Oh, Shaw…" Jessa gaped, placing her hand over her mouth to hold back her emotions. Yea, she was touched by the gift I gave our son.

Silas was holding the patchwork bear as I took Jessa's hand in mine. Lightly running my thumb over her knuckles, I told her, "I know our son was an unexpected surprise, but I wouldn't trade him for nothing in the world." She nodded, causing me to tell her, "I want him to know me and who I am, but with your relationship with Tolbert I don't know how we can make that happen."

Jessa's face fell and sympathy shone in her eyes as she sighed, "Shaw, I'm sorry, but since I'm with Tolbert he's going to be Silas' poppy." She smiled sadly while telling me, "You can be an old friend or something to him, but Silas can't know who you are. It'll just confuse him."

"Jessa, it's not fair that I can't be a father to my own son when I desperately want to." I told her with a deep edge in my voice.

"Shaw-" She began only for me to cut her off bluntly with, "Is Silas even legally registered as a McCoy or is he a George? If he's carrying your name then I'd say I have the right to be a father to him."

Her brows furrowed and a puzzled look appeared on her beautiful face. "What are you talking about? Of course, he's a McCoy, that's Tolbert's last name and he's taken him on as his own."

"What I meant is did Tolbert write down Silas' name as Silas Elliot McCoy or Silas Elliot George on those census papers a couple months back? If he wrote the latter then our boy's legally yours and only yours." I hope to God he wrote the latter cause I don't want him having any legal rights to my kid.

"What?!" She shouted, her indigo eyes wide with a mix of fear and shock.

"Since you're not legally married to him, if he didn't register Silas with his name of McCoy then he has no fatherly rights to him." I explained to Jessa, running my thumb over her knuckles since we were still holding hands.

"Oh my god, are you saying that Tolbert might've legally wrote my son down as a bastard on the census forms?" Jessa asked, her eyes falling onto our son that was sitting in my lap happily holding his toy.

"Yep." I popped my tongue, causing her to just curtly nod her head.

"Shaw, be honest, what did you list Olga as?" Jessa asked me, her indigo eyes curiously locking onto my honey ones.

"Since she rejected Lydia and wasn't acting like a mother, I put her down as the housekeeper and only the housekeeper." Truth was even if Olga wasn't depressed and laying around all day in bed, I would've listed her as the housekeeper anyways. I didn't want her and I didn't want her having any ties to my daughter since I didn't plan on keeping her around long enough to get too attached to raising Lydia. Olga had to go, especially since I was trying to wiggle my way back into Jessa's good graces and heart. Plus Olga wasn't puttin' out anymore so what good was she? I mean I can use my own hand so…

"Oh." Jessa nodded, accepting my sugarcoated answer. Oh, that was one thing I loved so much about her, she was so gullible when it came to my sob stories.

Looking between her and the boy sitting on my lap, I softly said, "He needs both of us, honey. We might not be together, but we're his parents and need to co-parent."

"Shaw, Tolbert will never approve of you spending time with Silas." Jessa told me matter-of-factly, sympathy shining in her eyes before they broke their contact with mine.

"Go home and ask Tolbert how he filled out the census. If he tells you he wrote Silas down as a McCoy then ignore my co-parenting request, but if he tells you that he wrote him down as George then he has no say so over Silas and you can co-parent with me if you want to." I told her, causing her to just nod a bit stiffly at me. Hell, if my instincts served me right then I'd be seeing Jessa and Silas again real soon cause I'm pretty sure that Tolbert listed Silas as George. The crazy ginger McCoy hates me with a passion, no way in hell would he willingly and legally give my spitting image his name. If Silas looked like Jessa, then that'd be a different story, but thank god my boy was my little doppelganger.

"I better go, I need to bake Silas' birthday cake." Jessa told me, pulling her hand out of mine.

Handing our son over to her, I smiled, "Have a slice for me, honey."

Jessa POV:

My mind was all over the place after talking with Shaw this afternoon. He seemed genuine about wanting to be a part of our son's life, but what he told me about how Tolbert could've filled out the census papers a couple months back scared me. Just the thought of him not claiming Silas (as his even tho he promised he would) both frightened and disappointed me. I decided that I was going to do what Shaw suggested and ask Tolbert about the census whenever he came home.

Silas was on the floor in the main room playing with the patchwork bear Shaw gave him. He seemed so happy playing with that bear. I couldn't help, but to smile at my baby boy from my spot at the kitchen table icing his birthday cake.

"Somethin' smells good, darlin'." I heard Tolbert's velvety voice declare after he walked into the house.

"It's Silas' birthday cake." I told him while he took his hat off and hung it up on the wall hook near the door.

I was secretly praying that Tolbert wouldn't ask me where Silas got the toy bear from as he walked into the main room. Seems like my prayers were answered since my husband just glanced over at our son before making his way into the kitchen. "What kind of cake is it?" Tolbert asked, going over to the pump sink in order to wash up for dinner, which was a pot of chicken and dumpling that was on the stove.

"A golden yellow one with a chocolate frosting." I answered, dipping a flat knife into the large bowl of icing I had on the table next to the cake pedestal.

"Sam's Hill, Jessa, ya wasted money on cocoa powder t'make cake frostin' wit'?" Tolbert asked, pumping the sink and washing his hands. "Hell, we don't got that kinda money, darlin'."

"I don't' see how a dollar's gonna break the bank, Tolbert. It's for Silas' birthday cake not something stupid." I told him, covering the bottom of the double layered cake with the dark frosting, as he turned away from the sink with a hard look on his face.

"It's a dollar that could've been used t'buy seed, hay, animal feed, hell anythin' we need t'care for our farm wit'." Tolbert lectured as he stormed over to the table and took his seat at the head of it.

"Stop overreacting, Tolbert. It's just a damn dollar." I ordered, annoyed that he was ranting and raving over a tiny jar of cocoa powder. Cocoa powder that I'd be using to make cookies and cakes with again too might I add.

"A damn dollar that could've been spent better." Tolbert grumbled before going on to tell me in a berating tone, "You should've just made our son buttercream frostin'. Would've been cheaper that's for sure."

I felt that this was the time to ask Tolbert about the census. He was fired up so he wouldn't be able to cover his tracks and lie about what he wrote. As I continued to frost Silas' birthday cake, I bluntly asked Tolbert, "Since he's our son did you write him down as Silas Elliot McCoy on the census papers a couple months back?"

"What? Why're ya askin' me that for, Jessa?" Tolbert asked me with knitted bows instead of giving me a simple yes or no answer.

"Cause I need to know if you legally claimed him, Tolbert. In Pike County he's known as Silas McCoy and I'm Miss Jessa McCoy, but I need to know what the government has written down. I need to know what you legally wrote down on those census papers."

Tolbert hung his head as he muttered, "His name's George, same as yours."

"I see." I tightly said, my heart sinking in my chest as hurt filled me up. Seems that Tolbert can't handle raising another man's kid after all…

"I know it was wrong of me, but I just couldn't put him down as a McCoy. Not when he looks so much like…"

"Goddamnit, you won't claim Silas as yours even tho you promised you would just because he favors Shaw? You're a jackass, Tolbert."

"Don't ya dare judge me for my internal struggles, darlin'. Yer the one that got herself knocked up in the first place instead of savin' yerself for marriage like yer s'posed t'do."

"I'm not judging you, Tolbert, but you promised you'd be a father to my son and you're going back on that." I told Tolbert, icing the cake with more force then what was necessary. I cut my indigo eyes at him and spat, "Don't ever throw it up to my face again about me getting myself knocked up out of wedlock or I'll be out the door so fast it'll make your head spin."

"I don't wanna fight, Jessa. Let's forget we talked 'bout this an' et dinner."

"Okay." I tightly told him even tho I doubt I'll actually forget anything that was said.

Since today was Silas' birthday Tolbert was acting like a proud poppy. He wasn't showing any hints or signs of struggling with being a father, but I think that's because he desperately wanted me to overlook what he told me last night before dinner. Sadly tho, I don't think I can overlook it. I mean I won't leave Tolbert cause of how he filled out the census, but I think I might be more lenient when it comes to letting Silas spend time with Shaw (given I'm there during the visit).

"Mama an' poppy might come ov'r after dinner so I think we oughtta wait t'do his cake an' candles til then." Tolbert told me as he sat in his sitting chair with Silas on his lap. Silas was holding his patchwork bear and seemed to really like the toy.

"Okay." I simply nodded, forcing myself to let a smile cross over my face, while I was in the kitchen making biscuit dough at the table.

"Ya think we should give 'im his gift now or wait til later?"

"We can give it to him after I'm done making the biscuit dough." I told Tolbert, causing him to just nod his head.

As I made the biscuit dough and then cut out the biscuits; placing them into the greased pan, I couldn't help, but to think that Silas' birthday wasn't that big of a deal to the McCoy family. It made me sad that my son's birthday just seemed to be counted as another day to the McCoys, that they weren't taking the day off from the harvest to celebrate and have a birthday party. Truthfully, Silas wasn't really having a birthday party. Honestly, I think the only reason why Tolbert wasn't in the fields today was cause of the census stuff that came to light last night.

"Okay, he can have his present now." I told Tolbert once I finished putting the biscuits into the oven.

Tolbert grabbed the wrapped package from the side table next to him as I made my way into the main room. "Lets see what'cha got for yer birthday." I heard Tolbert tell the little boy on his lap while I took a seat on the nearby sofa. Tolbert opened the package, revealing a toy wooden duck. "Here ya go. It's a duck." Tolbert smiled, giving the toy to Silas. Silas, who was still holding onto his patchwork bear, took the duck and held it for a few seconds before throwing it to the ground. "Silas, no, don't throw yer toy." Tolbert scolded the boy, who was smiling and giggling.

"Don't get mad at him, Tolbert. He's just a baby; he doesn't know any better." I told my husband while getting up from the sofa and going over to pick the toy duck off the floor.

Tolbert POV:

"I know he's just a baby, but he's gotta learn an' be corrected too." I told Jessa as she picked the toy duck off the floor. "I ain't havin' my boy grow up t'be some spoilt brat." I firmly told her as she walked over to me.

Handing our son back his toy, she sighed, "He's only a year old, Tolbert. He's not a spoilt brat."

"Not yet he ain't, but ya keep lettin' 'im do whatever he wants he'll end up one." I told Jessa as she smoothed our son's golden-brown hair back on his head. Boy needed his hair trimmed; it was gettin' too long. I'd mention that to Jessa soon.

"I'm not spoiling him, Tolbert." Jessa sighed, yanking Silas out of my hold. Cuddlin' him close, she snapped, "He's only a baby, he doesn't need disciplined yet."

Great…we're fightin' ov'r how t'raise him up. Not how I wanted his first birthday t'go at all.

Allie POV:

I was in town picking up Captain W's birthday present from the general store whenever I noticed Jessa walking out of Shaw's livery business. What the hell?! Don't tell me they're seeing each other. God, I hope not. After placing my purchase into the back of my wagon, I went to the front of it and got into the driver's seat. While I was making sure that Captain W was seated securely on my lap Jessa's wagon went down the road, passing me by. She didn't look at me, opting instead to keep her eyes on the dirt road, but I sure did look at her. Jessa had her son with her and I knew, I just knew, that she took him to visit Shaw.

I should've just gone home, but I decided to pay that livestock broker a visit and tell him off (since I was friends with Olga and felt that whatever Shaw was doing with Jessa and Silas wasn't fair to the family that he had waiting for him at home). What? I had no problem putting that jackass in his place. I mean Cap told me that Shaw had told him to 'Mind his own fucking business' whenever he tried to bring up being nicer to Olga since she was the mother of his child a few weeks back.

After pulling my wagon to a stop in front of the livery, I climbed out of it and marched right up to the door. "What the hell's going on with you and Jessa, you coldhearted bastard?" I bluntly asked Shaw over the ringing of the door chime as I waltzed right inside of his office.

"Good afternoon to you too, Allie." Shaw sarcastically droned, lifting his head up and rolling his honey eyes at me. Pointing to my son he sarcastically advised, "Maybe you shouldn't get so fired up when holding Captain W, might upset him or something."

"Shut up, Shaw." I sighed, walking right up to his desk. "I saw Jessa leave your office and I want to know what's going on between you two." I told him with a hard stare.

"Nothing's going on between us or at least it hasn't started yet. Why?" Shaw smirked in an asshole kind of way.

Why? Did he really just ask me why I'm asking him about Jessa being in his office for? That no good jackass. I narrowed my sapphire blue eyes while telling him in a scolding tone, "Oh my god, you son of a bitch, both of you are in relationships with other people and have families. You've got no business seeing each other, you jackass."

"But, you see, Allie, that's where you're wrong. Our business is our son, Silas Elliot."

"Oh my god, you hoodwinked her into letting you see him. Didn't you?" I accused Shaw with wide eyes.

No way would Jessa just be coming around on her own, Shaw must've said or done something. I swear, this guy was a piece of shit. How he's so shitty beats me since Sully seems nice enough. Hell, Sully's trying to figure out how to save certain family members from the feud while his jackass son, Shaw, is too busy feeling the feud.

"I did no such thing, dear cousin-in-law." He told me with mock innocence. "Jessa's just realizing what she's missing out on and I, for one, am all for second chances at having my picture-perfect family." Goddamn he had such a sleezy look on his stubble covered face. I just wanted to smack it off.

"You're such a piece of shit." I sneered, shaking my head and giving him a disgusted look. "You've got Olga at home pushing herself to take care of your siblings and your daughter, trying to do things to make you care for her, but you're trying to bang my best friend." I spat out, turning my nose up at the bastard in front of me.

"Nah, ah, ah, Allie Hatfield." Shaw shook his finger at me before going on to say, "You're not best friends with Jessa anymore and have no say so in her life." Leaning back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest, he smugly told me, "And you've got no right poking your nose into my business with Olga whether you're friendly with her or not."

"The way you treat her is horrible. She's my friend and she doesn't deserve your bullshit."

"She can leave anytime she wants." Shaw told me while picking up his cigarette case off of his desk. "Hell, you can even suggest that idea to her the next time ya'll visit over coffee and the leftover berry pie that I bust my ass in the kitchen bakin' since her useless as tits on a bull's ass don't do jack shit." He ranted while taking a cigarette from the case, sticking it into the corner of his mouth, and lighting it up.

"You're such a liar, I've seen her cooking and cleaning the last few weeks. She's doing better, but you just want to act like she's losing it cause it'll make you look better when you throw her out on the street like trash." I told him as he took a large first drag off of his smoke.

"Allie, I think you need to worry about who your brother's fucking and stop worrying about who I'm fucking." Shaw chuckled as he blew a large ring of smoke out of his mouth.

"Don't you dare talk shit about my brother. I know he likes whores, but that's no reason for you to insult him."

"Oh, my dear cousin-in-law, what you brother's wettin' his dick with is worse than a whore since it's Nancy McCoy." Shaw darkly told me people taking a long drag of his cigarette.

What the?!... No, that can't be true. Abel hates McCoys and he knows how awful Nancy is. Shaw has to be saying this to mess with my head since I called him out on his shit.

"Oh, cat's got your tongue? Yea, maybe you should ask your brother about his girlfriend at your son's birthday party in a few days."

I just shook my head at Shaw, feeling beyond pissed at him, before pivoting on my heel and storming out of his office.

The day of Captain W's first birthday arrived and everyone was gathered at Anse and Levicy's to celebrate. My mother-in-law went all out for her grandson's first birthday party. There was so much food set up that I'm pretty sure the entire county could show up and there'd still be leftovers. Children ran around happily playing while everyone mingled. There were so many presents stacked up in a corner for Captain W that it kind of shocked me. I wasn't expecting so many people to get my son something for his birthday.

Currently, I was outside with Vera and Olga. We were sitting on the porch steps watching our children playing a few feet away. Well, Shaw was with the babies too since he was kind of a helicopter dad when it came to Lydia. He didn't like to leave her alone too much, especially with Olga. I think he was afraid she'd run off with their daughter instead of just leaving by herself.

"So, he's adjustin' well to fatherhood." Vera told Olga, referring to how Shaw was letting our kids crawl and climb all over him.

"He's a good da, but a horrible partner." Olga sadly revealed, her brown eyes brimming with unshed tears.

I didn't know what to tell my friend, so I just put my arm around her in a silent and supportive hug.

"Well, no matter how horrible he is ya got us." Vera assured our friend, patting her knee and giving her a small smile.

Cap POV:

I was leanin' against the porch post, smokin' and talkin' with Skunk Hair. I noticed that our women were huggin' and comfortin' Olga. Poor girl, I felt bad for her since my cousin treated her like horse shit. I let out a chuckle as I watched my son tug on a piece of Shaw's hair, yankin' his head slightly to the left. My cousin was a prick, but he was good with kids. I think that was his only redeemin' quality, how he was soft hearted an' gentle 'round chil'ren.

"Hey, Shaw, don't hog all the time with my nephew." Johnse shouted as he walked out of our parents' house and down the porch, heading over to our cousin was at with the kids.

"I ain't hoggin' your nephew, Johns. Hell, Captain W's just playin' with TW and Lydia while I'm keepin' an eye on them." Shaw told my brother with a slight chuckle as my son smooshed his face with his hands.

"Looks like you're letting them beat ya up's more like it." Johnse remarked, pointing at the babies that were treating Shaw like a punchin' bag.

"Oh, shut up Johnse." Shaw rolled his eyes, a thin smirk on his face.

"Hey, Captain W, come to your favorite uncle." Johnse smiled while scoopin' up my son.

"God, the only way you'll be his favorite uncle is if you supply him with free shine when he's old 'nough to drink." Shaw joked while Johnse turned around and made his way back towards the porch.

"Mama wants to do cake and presents so everybody needs to go inside." Johnse announced, to everyone on the porch, before ascending it and going back inside of the house.

Of course, ma sent Johns to retrieve the birthday boy. "Come on, let's get inside 'fore my boy ets his cake without us." I told everybody since I was anxious to see my son blow out his first candle on the cake my mama made special just for him.

Shaw POV:

Cap, Allie, and Skunk Hair went inside of the house while Vera and Olga just stood at the bottom of the porch steps waiting for me to bring their kids over. As soon as I reached them Vera picked up her son and walked up the steps. Olga went to take Lydia from me, but I pushed right by her and walked up the porch. I didn't want to give my daughter to her. Lydia right now's the only child I'm allowed to raise and I'd be damned if I'm going to let that lazy bitch Olga tend to her. Hell, she only crawled out of bed a few weeks back and I'm pretty sure that's only cause she didn't want to be shipped off to San FRansico. Too bad for her, she'll be going their sooner rather than later.

"Shaw, ya had her all day. It's time I held her." Olga's dulcet voice sounded out behind me as I reached the front door of the main Hatfield house.

Looking over my shoulder, I coldly told her, "She's my kid, I'm not handin' her over to you.", before swinging the door open and walking into the house.

Everyone was crowded around the kitchen table, their eyes on Captain W who was sitting on Allie's lap. Cap and Johnse flanked her while Levicy brought over a cake that had a light candle on it. As soon as Levicy placed the cake down in front of the birthday boy everyone began to sing Happy Birthday. Honestly, singing to my baby cousin was bittersweet for me since I wasn't able to do this for my own soon a couple of weeks ago.

"Happy Birthday to you." Everyone finished the song, causing Allie to help Captain W blow out his candle.

God, Cap and Allie looked so happy doing the first birthday thing with Captain W that it was a bit sickening to watch. I swear, I'm going to have that happy fucking family shit with Jessa and Silas for his second birthday even if it means I got to fucking steal, lie, cheat, and kill to do it.

Sully POV:

I noticed that my son had an odd look on his face while watching Captain W blow out his candle and I couldn't help, but think, that he was scheming. Hell, I don't know what's going on in my boy's head, but I'm sure it's anything, but good. I can't deal with my brash son right now, I need to figure out subtle ways to make Devil Anse approve of Johnse being with Roseanna since that relationship's happening real soon.

AN:

And like always a bunch of angst is going on. Yikes! Anyways, next chapter is Election Day (Johnse and Roseanna's hooking up).