*Author's Note*

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

The Asking

Shaw POV:

The ride to Louisville was long and took up most of my day. I had both a pistol and a rifle with me since I was carrying a lot of money and didn't want to get robbed. I didn't trust anybody from Kentucky not to rob my ass. I didn't like Kentuckians, never met one yet that was trustworthy.

The Pinkerton office was getting ready to close for the night whenever I arrived. I didn't care tho, I needed to hire Bad Frank to get me my kid back. After hitching up my horse on one of the posts by the sidewalk, I rushed into the large Pinkerton office. A woman was sitting at a desk up front and I knew that she must be a secretary.

"We're getting' ready to close." The secretary informed me as she sat with a bored expression on her face.

"I know, but I need to see Frank Phillips for a job. It's important, my daughter's missing and I need her tracked down."

"Follow me." The secretary told me, standing up from her desk and heading down a hallway.

Quickly, I followed the woman down the hallway and to a door that's plaque read Frank Phillips, P.I. The secretary knocked once on the door before opening it and popping her head in. "Mr. Phillips, there's a man here that says he needs his kidnaped daughter tracked."

"Send him in, Martha." Bad Frank ordered from inside of his office.

Martha just nodded before opening the door for me. She didn't say a word, just gestured with her head for me to go into the office. I nodded my thanks to the woman, then walked inside of Bad Frank's office. The office was small with only a desk and some chairs in it. Bad Frank was at his desk, smoking a cigar. He looked at me and took his cigar out of his mouth only to say, "Martha says your girl got stolen."

"Yes, by my former housekeeper."

"Hmm…" The man hummed. "You know why she did it?" He asked, placing his cigar into the ashtray that was near the corner of his desk.

"Olga Becker always seemed to want to be more then a housekeeper. She always seemed a bit off, but she snapped and kidnapped my daughter whenever I fired her after working thing's out with the mother of my firstborn." I told the Pinkerton, giving him only the details that'd paint me in a good light.

"What 'bout your daughter's mother? She 'round?"

"No, she was a whore that I got with after my woman's foster family broke us up. She's been gone for a long time."

"A'ight." Bad Frank nodded before quickly going on to ask, "Well do you know where this Olga Becker might've gone?"

"She has family in San Francisco, the Vallons."

Leaning his elbows on his desk, he informed me of the length of the trip. "That's a week's ride on train; half a month on horse."

"I'll pay ya $100 now plus another $25 for train fare and an additional $100 when you return my daughter, Lydia, to me." I quickly remarked, naming a high price that I knew that savage and ruthless man wouldn't be able to resist. Money talks and bullshit walks; money's how I was gonna get my daughter back. Nobody can resist the lure of hundreds of dollars, especially in a time when it was considered a lot of money.

Bad Frank mulled over my offer before nodding and telling me, "I'll do the job."

I knew he'd take on the job with the high price I was offering.

As I took my wallet out of my jacket's inside pocket and grabbed the money, I told the ruthless man, "Do whatever you have to in order to get my daughter back." Handing him the money, I went on to say, "If you gotta be savage, then be savage. I don't care, as long as Lydia's returned safe to me." I took a picture out of my wallet and handed it to him while saying, "That's a photo of Lydia. It's from a few months back, but it'll help you find her."

"Don't worry, I'll get her back for ya." Bad Frank assured me, taking the picture and looking at it. "She looks like ya." The ruthless Pinkerton remarked before opening a desk drawer and taking out a notepad and a pencil. "Write down your name and address so I know where to bring the girl after I find her." He instructed while handing me the pad and pencil.

"She's 8 ½ almost 9-months old now, like I said before she was younger in the photo." I told Bad Frank as I quickly wrote down my information.

"Don't worry, I'll get your girl back." Bad Frank confidently told me as he took the notepad from me.

"Thank you, Mr. Phillips. I'm much obliged." I told the man before rising from my chair and exiting his office.

The smart thing to do would be to get a room for the night, but I wasn't going to do that. I was going to travel countless hours to make it home by sun up mainly cause I didn't want to be away from Jessa and our son for too long.

Jessa POV:

I spent the entire day yesterday with Silas, Todd, and Mary since Shaw had gone to Louisville, Kentucky to hire Bad Frank Phillips to track down Olga and Lydia. I knew that it was a long ride so I wasn't expecting him home til sometime tonight. I didn't mind tho since I knew he was away for a good cause. Shaw was determined to get Lydia back and I had to say that his devotion as a father warmed my heart.

I was in the kitchen making breakfast while Todd was outside milking the cow for me since the milk container was low. Mary was in the living room with Silas, keeping an eye on him for me while I cooked. I was pulling the biscuits out of the oven whenever I heard the front door open. I looked lover my shoulder expecting to see Todd bringing in a bucket of milk, but was met with the sight of Shaw taking off his hat and coat instead. Setting the biscuits down on the counter, I told him, "I wasn't expecting you home til sometime tonight, honey.", as he hung up his hat and coat.

"Well, I decided to ride all thru the night to get home to our family sooner." Shaw told me, stopping in the living room to pick Silas up off of the couch, where he was sitting with Mary. "I don't like bein' away from you and Silas for too long." He admitted while sitting down in his arm chair as I put the biscuits onto a platter.

"Here's the milk, Jessa." Todd announced, walking into the house with a large bucket. "Oh, you're home." He simply told his brother while making his way into the kitchen to drop off the milk.

"Yea, I'm home." Shaw nodded, his voice heavy and giving away that he was exhausted, while I placed the biscuit platter along with a jar of jam on the table. "Hey, can you go feed my horse and stick him in the barn?" Shaw asked his brother as the boy poured the large bucket of milk into the jug near the pantry.

"Yea." Todd nodded before walking out the back door.

Looking at Shaw, Mary asked, "Can I go help him?"

"Sure." Shaw nodded, his eyes drooping slightly from being tired. Without a word, Mary quickly took off to go help Todd. "It's gonna take a couple of weeks, but I'm sure that Bad Frank'll get Lydia back for us." Shaw told me as I fried up some bacon.

"So, she'll be home for Christmas." I stated, moving the bacon around slightly so that it wouldn't burn in its own grease.

"Reckon so." He nodded before closing his eyes and resting his head against the back of his chair.

"Dada. Up." Silas told Shaw, looking at him and smacking him on the chest, as I grabbed a platter out of the cupboard.

Shaw's honey eyes popped open as he groggily told our son, "I'm up, buddy. Daddy's up." As I was placing the bacon onto the platter, Shaw told me, "Next week I need to go to the large hardware store in Charleston to buy some paint and wallpaper to fix the spare room up with for Silas. I'll also need to buy a crib."

"What about another high chair?" I asked, placing the bacon platter down on the table.

"I can make that, babe." Was Shaw's answer as I went over to the stove to make some eggs.

"Okay." I nodded cracking an egg into the frying pan.

As I cracked some more, he assured me, "I can take care of things for the kids, for our family." I grabbed the wooden spoon form the counter while hearing him say in a deep, but heartening timbre, "Just remember that, baby."

Devil Anse POV:

I was rockin' on my porch, havin' a mid-mornin' smoke, when Johnse took a set next to me. By the look on his face I knew he wanted t'ask me somethin'. Pullin' my pipe out of my mouth, I asked my eldest, "What is it, son?"

Johnse didn't waste any time givin' me an answer. "I wanted to know if you'd go to Uncle Wall's with me on Monday; witness me marryin' Roseanna." Came tumblin' outta his mouth faster then spilt milk outta a glass.

"You're not askin' for my blessin' or permission or ya?" I asked, restin' my arm on the rocker's armrest while starin' straight 'head.

"No, pa. I ain't." Johnse told me, turning my fears true. I was afraid he'd go 'gainst my wishes and here he is doin' so.

Lookin' Johnse in the eye, I curiously asked, "If I say no what'd you do?" My gut was tellin' me he was marryin' Randall's daughter no matter what, but I just had to hear it outta my boy's mouth that's what he's doin'.

"Marry Roseanna with just Shaw and Jessa present." My eldest told me, causin' me to nod.

"I reckon Sully and Jim might just show up if ya ask them." I knew that Sully would go since he had a soft spot for the McCoy girl. Jim, hell, he'd go just to talk shit and cause a ruckus.

Johnse's blue eyes looked yonder at the vast rollin' hill in the distance as he remarked in near flat voice, "Reckon so, daddy, but I'd like it if you an' mama'd be there."

"I'll talk it over with your mother, but I ain't makin' no promises so don't get your hopes up if we don't show." Hell, Levicy was even more 'gainst Johnse and Roseanna then I was. She couldn't stand them bein' together, just kept her mouth shut cause she didn't want to upset her baby. Hell, she didn't keep her mouth shut with me tho. Nope, she ranted 'bout how them bein' together was wrong almost every night.

"I know, daddy." Johnse simply sighed. A few silent moments passed 'fore my son gestured to the door an' told me, "I'm gonna take Roseanna over t'visit Cap and Allie for a bit."

"You're gonna ask the same of them ain't ya." I stated, not asked, since I knew that's be the only reason why he's go over there right after talkin' wit' me 'bout his weddin' plan for next week.

"Yes, I am." Johnse nodded 'fore goin' into the house to fetch the meek blonde he had his heart set on.

I just smoked my pipe and rocked while starin' out at the vast hills and mullin' over my son's words. Hearin' that he was gonna marryin' the McCoy girl, Roseanna whether he got my blessin' or not took my aback. I was so used t'my chil'ren listenin' to me, not defyin' me. As I blew a puff of smoke outta my mouth the door opened. I saw in the corner of my eye that Johnse had walked out onto the porch with Roseanna. As they walked down the porch, hand in hand, I got the feelin' that my son wasn't bluffin' when it came to Randall's daughter.

Shit, now I have to talk to my wife about what to do when it comes to Johnse and the marriage he's insisted on. I let out a sigh 'fore gettin' up and goin' over to the door. Whenever I walked inside, I saw that Levicy was at the sink washin' clothes. Two large baskets were by her feet, one full of washed clothes an' the other full of dirty clothes that needed washed. I took my pipe out of my mouth and came up to her side while sighin', "Johnse asked me somethin' of us."

"What's that, Anderson?" Levicy asked, lookin' up at me for a quick second 'fore focusin' her attention back to the shirt was scrubbin'.

I took a deep puff off my pipe 'fore answerin' my wife with our son's hard tell request of, "He wants us at Wall's office on Monday t'stand witness for his marriage."

"Marriage?" Levicy let out in a whispered whoosh, her eyes wide with shock. Shaking her head, she firmly declared, "No, Anderson, him and Roseanna marryin' at right. She's a McCoy."

"I know, Levicy, but nothin' I say'll change his mind. He's determined t'marry her come Monday."

Levicy shook her head and let out a deep sigh. "I don't like it, Anderson. It don't settle right with me."

Taking my pipe out of my mouth, I honestly told my wife. "I don't like it either, but he's defyin' me on this." I placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Either we go or don't, the choice is yours, Levicy." I let my hand fall from Levicy's shoulder and told her, "I wash my hands of our son and his love life.", 'fore placing my pipe back into my mouth and leaving her alone to think over what to do about our son's impendin' weddin'. I was makin' her decide what we're doin' since Johnse's her baby. Personally, it didn't matter to me whether I witnessed his marriage or not, but I wasn't so sure Levicy felt the same way.

Well, reckon I'll find out later how she truly feels 'bout witnessin' our son take on a McCoy bride.

Allie POV:

I was sitting on the floor in the living room with Cap. We were trying to teach Captain W how to walk, but our son just liked to stand, take a step, and then plop down on his butt. "Come to mama. Come on." I cooed, making come hither motions with my hands, as Captain W was standing with Cap's hands on either side of him to help him balance.

"Go on, go to mama." Cap encouraged our son, trying to nudge him to take a few steps towards me.

"Mama. Mama." Captain W smiled before taking a step towards me. He stretched his hands out and took another step. He was wobbly on his feet and plopped down on his butt, but the fact that he took a couple of steps made me smile with motherly pride.

"Well, he's makin' progress." Cap chuckled, pride oozing in his deep rolling timbre, as I went over to our son.

"Yea, he is." I nodded, standing our boy up so that we could continue teaching him how to walk.

Before Cap could call our son over to him for a walking lesson a knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it." Cap sighed while standing up.

Well, looks like our family moment is over with for now. I held Captain W's hands while telling him, "Looks like it's just us right now so we're gonna practice standing."

"Mama." My little blonde boy smiled as Cap opened up the door, revealing Johnse and Roseanna.

"What's she doin' here?" Cap rudely asked, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his nose up at his brother's girlfriend.

"Cap, be nice." I chastised my husband since I didn't like his rude behavior.

"I brought her over to visit with Allie while I ask ya something." Was Johnse answer as he stood in threshold, waiting to be invited into the house.

Before Cap could say no, I stood up with Captain W and said, "Roseanna, come in and I can put some coffee on for us."

Roseanna and Johnse went to come inside, but Cap blocked the doorway. "No, I'm not in the mood for a McCoy visitin' in my house." He told the couple, his mismatched eyes narrowed at them. "Now, just ask me what'cha came here for so I can get back to what I was doin'."

Johnse nodded before telling me husband in a hopeful tone, "I'm takin' Roseanna to Uncle Wall's office on Monday to get married. We'd like it if you and Allie'd come."

"No, Johns, we won't be there." Cap told his brother in a cold and firm tone. "Now, if you're smart, you'd dump her off at the Tug and go home."

"Don't say that, Cap." I hissed at my husband while giving him a dirty look.

"Allie, don't start with me." Cap warned before looking back at the sweet blonde couple standing at the doorway and telling them, "If there's nothing else to be said can ya take her off my property. I don't like a McCoy bein' on my land even if it's a twit."

Roseanna looked like she wanted to cry as Johnse wrapped an arm around her and led her off of the porch while whispering soothing words into her ear. Cap slammed the door shut and shook his head. Looking at me he said, "She's going to get him hurt or killed. No way in hell Ole Rand'l McCoy's just gonna sit back on his drunken ass once he hears his favorite child became Mrs. Johnse Hatfield."

"Randall won't do anything, Cap. Hell, the man already disowned her so I doubt he'll give a shit if she gets married." I told my husband since it's how I truly felt. Also it was true since I read in my history book that Randall never talked or had anything to do with Roseanna again, up to her dying day.

"Well, if he won't do somethin' then the other McCoys will." My husband firmly declared, walking by me and into the main room. I was hot on his heels as he took a seat in his arm chair while telling me in a hard and sure tone, "Hell, Tolbert's already torn up over Jessa leavin' him for Shaw; reckon hearin' his sister married the man's cousin'll give him reason to snap and go on a bloody tirade."

"Cap, I understand that you're concerned about Johnse's wellbeing, but you can't cold shoulder him on his wedding cause you don't like who he's marrying." I softly told Cap while placing Captain W on the floor and taking a seat on the sofa.

"Sure, I can." Was my husband's simply answer as he pulled his cigarette case from his pocket.

"Cap, Johnse was at our wedding so it's only fair that we go to his." I told Cap in attempt to soften him up to the idea of attending Johnse wedding as I watched him light up his smoke.

"I said no and that's final, Allie. I ain't bendin' on this." Cap told me, his rolling wave of a voice firm and sharp, as a large waft of smoke billowed from his lungs after he took his first drag off of his cigarette.

I went to open my mouth to protest, but the cold piercing look my husband gave me with his icy ice and it's milky right twin made me keep my mum on the subject of Johnse and Roseanna. He didn't approve and never would, no use getting into a fight about it. Instead, I stood up and announced, "I'm going to do the laundry."

Cap didn't say a word, just nodded his head approvingly as he smoked. Quietly, I went to retrieve the laundry basket from it's place stored under the stairs. I felt like a failure since no matter what I said Cap still harbored hate for Roseanna and disapproved of her with Johnse; all because her name was McCoy and his Hatfield.

AN:

So, its official, Bad Frank's got the job of tracking down Olga and getting Lydia back for Shaw. Oh boy… Johnse's going to marry Roseanna in the next chapter. Who do you think's going to show for that?