He jolts forward in his bed as his heart continues to hammer in his chest. The remnants of his restless sleep casts a fog over him – keeping him in the same place – in a daze for a few minutes. His limbs are heavy and unmoving – his strength momentarily drained as he tries to gather himself.

It's been a week since that day and a few nights since Erin stopped sleeping next to him – four nights to be exact. The nightmares he had been having before she stayed with him, are back with a vengeance and he wishes with all of him that she was still here to keep the bad memories and dark dreams at bay. But after her dad had to go back to the hospital for an infection, he knew that she'd want to be closer to her father just in case anything else were to happen. And though he gets it – understands that she came back for the only family member she has left, it doesn't stop the yearning he feels to be with her again.

He looks over at the alarm clock on his nightstand – the green numbers a bit blurred before he's able to focus. A groan of frustration makes it's way past his lips and out into the room when he realizes that he only got an hour of sleep. As the drowsiness continues to fade he begins to hear music – so loud it's rattling his windows. His frustration quickly turns to anger as he realizes that the offending noise is coming from the bunkhouse. The duvet covering him from the waist down gets tossed aside as he moves out of the bed. He steps into his boots once he gets downstairs and grabs his hat off the hook as he pulls the front door open. His feet move quick as his blood continues to boil the closer he gets to the bunkhouse. When he gets there the door swings back with so much force that it slams against the wall behind it. Jay sees red as he sets his sights on his fellow wranglers – most of the younger men are sitting around the table in the middle of the room while Kevin is standing off to the side. Jay looks at the sound system set atop the bookshelf and turns the volume down until the song is barely audible. That gains the rest of men's attention, some of them visibly gulping when they see him and the hardened expression on his face.

"You do realize we have a fucking auction tomorrow, right?" His jaw is set tight as he looks at each and every one of them as they take turns nodding. "So any of you want to explain what in the hell you're doing when you're expected to work in five hours?"

"We were still planning on coming to work Jay." Adam defends, getting Jay to narrow his at him.

"Oh I know, but none of you will be of use to me if you're fucking hungover or worse, still drunk." Jay snaps back and the guys recoil – looking like dogs with their tails between their legs.

"Take it easy on them Jay." Her voice is calm and her words are a bit slurred – letting him know without him even seeing her that she's a little tipsy.

He instantly feels lighter and his anger all but dissipates just knowing she's there.

"This was my idea and I was hoping that you'd join us." She adds as she appears from behind Kevin who has been unintentionally shielding her from Jay's line of sight.

He makes his way over to her and she does the same – meeting in the middle. The smile that dances on his lips is small but genuine as he gets lost in her hazel orbs.

"I should have known you were behind this." He jokes, looking around to see the guys cleaning everything up – none of them paying any attention to him and Erin.

She lets out an amused hum as she wraps her arms around his neck and his hands settle on her hips.

"I figured you needed to have a little fun after the last week and what better way then playing cards and having some beers with your closest friends." She shrugs giving him a look that almost resembles that of a pout.

"I'm supposed to be their boss while your dad is out. He'd want me to be setting an example."

"Well my dad was the one who bought all the beer and booze, so I'd say he approves of this little shindig. He seems to think you boys will still be able to do your job tomorrow." She tells him – biting her lip in that enticing way she does when she sees his resolve begin to crumble. Then she gives him another pout as he looks back at her again after surveying their surroundings once more.

"Fine." He concedes, causing her to stand on the tips of her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. "Just one game."

She nods – not fully believing him as she makes her way over to the little kitchen to grab them both a beer.

Six games, a twelve pack and nearly two hours later they all finally call it a night. The wranglers stumble to their individual bunks – leaving the mess for tomorrow, just wanting to get a couple hours sleep before dawn.

Jay walks with Erin, who's a little more than tipsy towards the main house but she shakes her head once she realizes where he's guiding her.

"What are you saying no to?" He asks, his words now a little slurred too.

"I want to go to bed with you." She admits – looking up at him with sad, glassy eyes. He can see that there's more behind those words but decides not to delve into that as he tries to ignore the impure thoughts that come to his mind with that sentence – instead choosing to focus on turning them in the direction of his house. He doesn't argue or try to change her mind – once again feeling that sense of yearning that he felt earlier on in the night.

After she trips over her feet for the umpteenth time during their walk, he decides to pick her up and carry her bridal style towards his front steps. His body is tired causing him to feel a bit weak and wobbly on his feet. But he knows he's ok to carry her the remaining distance to his house.

By the time he makes it up the stairs she's already asleep. He chuckles as she lets out a little snore while he's removing her shoes and covering her with the comforter. She turns over to face his side of the bed and he just stands back and admires her sleeping form for another moment before he too gets comfortable on the bed. It's like there's a magnetic force pulling him towards her to place a feather light kiss to her forehead. She lets out a content hum as his lips linger for a few seconds before he pulls away. It doesn't take long for the exhaustion to take over and pull him into a peaceful slumber. She once again keeps his nightmares at bay long enough for him to manage two hours sleep before he's getting up for the day. He smiles when he wakes to find her still asleep next to him. His lips meet her forehead again as he moves off the bed.

He chuckles hearing his friends mumble and groan as he walks up to the trucks and trailers.

"Let's get those cows and calves in and head out." He points to the small herd of cattle in the pen to the right of them.

Adam and Kevin nod their heads and do as they're told. Once all of the cattle are in the trailers they head out.

The livestock auction goes off without a hitch and before they know it the last of the animals are being brought into the ring. Jay was just about to go to the truck when he sees the brand on one of the cows. It's obvious that there's an old mark – a clear V covered by a fresh scar in the shape of a triangle. Then he sees the seller and an image from the night Voight was shot flashes through his mind. The auctioneer lists off the ranch again before the final bid comes in. Jay grits his teeth as he moves off the bleachers and sends a text to Erin. He doesn't give it much time before calling her. The words he wants to say are on the tip of his tongue after her name but someone shoulder checks him causing his phone slip out of his hand and fall to the ground.

"Good to see you again. How's your boss?" The rustler asks with a snide grin on his lips as he walks past. Jay doesn't get the chance to reply before the guy yells out. "Never mind, my guys should be giving me an update on him and his hot daughter soon enough." He adds with a chilling chuckle, before he's disappearing into the crowd just as Jay reaches for the gun in his waistband. The cool metal is held low as he attempts to find the other man. It's feeble – he tells himself as he looks over the sea of brown and black cowboy hats. And even if he were to spot him he knows he couldn't take a shot no matter how badly he wants to. That thought has him replacing his gun on his waistband and picking up his phone. The line is silent so he hangs up and tries her again as he proceeds to the exit.

He practically runs to the trucks when she doesn't answer again.

"We need to go now." He yells as he jumps into the driver's seat.

The gas pedal is pressed against the floor as soon as they exit the parking lot. Jay keeps one hand on the steering wheel as he tries to call Voight's phone and then Erin's again.

"Come on babe, pick up." He blurts out and it causes Adam to look at him confused but he comes to the conclusion that his friend – in his worried haze - didn't even register his slip up.

Adam's questions of what's going on are left unanswered as they continue to speed towards the ranch. He's gathered that whatever it is, isn't good but nothing could have prepared him – any of them for the scene before them as they pull up the driveway of the ranch.

The black clouds at the end of the gravel road are seen before anything else as the smoke gathers in the sky. Horses run at them through the dark fog as they finally reach the main house. Jay doesn't even realize he's barking out orders as he slams the truck into park. And he doesn't look back as he moves towards the first of two structures engulfed in deep orange flames.

His search starts the moment he gets through the door - disappearing into each room before moving on to the next when he finds it empty. He feels a sliver of relief when he finds Voight on the first floor. Though he's struggling to breathe, the older man is easily guided out of house and into the safety of one of the trucks as Jay returns to get Erin. When he can't find her, his heart begins hammering in his chest like when he has a bad dream. And he hopes with everything in him that this is all something he'll soon wake up from – that he just has to open his eyes to find her there next to him. But when he gets through the house with no signs of her – he soon realizes that this isn't just another nightmare.