A/N: I'll say it again. My knock on the character of Audra in The Big Valley is nothing against Linda Evans, the actress who portrayed the character. My complaint is against the writers that wrote the character as a spoiled princess. I'm just running with that.

I could mention if you read Family Journey, you'd understand this more. But I don't do shameless plugs for my other stories. Hehehehehehehe

*Tissue alert*

Chapter 6

The next morning, Tate opened the door to take out the garbage after breakfast. There was a brown paper bag sitting on the ground next to the steps. "Dad," Tate said, waving at Aaron and pointing.

Aaron went down the steps and looked in the open bag. He picked it up and brought it in the RV, smiling at Cait as he set the bag down on the counter. There was a note written on the side of the bag.

Thank you for the wonderful home cooked meals and the memories we will treasure as well. All of you Hotchners are very special people. Nick and Johnny

Aaron pulled out a bottle of scotch and then a bottle of Bailey's.

Four hours later, they were approaching Evanston, Wyoming. Cait walked up to Aaron and rubbed his shoulders. "You need a break Aaron. And so do the boys. Plus its lunch time and we did breakfast on the fly this morning to get going."

Sean smiled at her. "Why do I think you have a plan?"

"There's a big city park in Evanston before we get on the freeway," Cait smiled back at him.

"And you have the GPS driving directions on your cell," Sean grinned. Cait nodded her head at him, handing Sean her cell.

"At least I get to see you two brothers working together," Cait growled back.

"Did we just get out butts kicked?" Sean asked with a smile.

"You really have to ask?" Aaron grinned back.

After lunch, which everyone enjoyed, eating at a picnic table in the park, the Hotchner crew climbed back into the RV. Aaron got on I-80 and headed west. Going through Salt Lake City, Tate looked out the window. "Mom, is that the Tabernickel?" he pointed, his eyes sparking with his wicked sense of humor.

"Stuff it Tate," Jack growled back at him as Wyatt and Ethan snickered.

"Yes Tate, that is the Tabernickel," Cait grinned. Now everyone was softly laughing.

"Et tu Brute?" Jack said, looking at her.

"You hang around Uncle Dave too much," Cait fired back. Everyone laughed with Jack joining them.

Three and a half hours later, the Hotchner crew was once again in the friendly confines of the Iron Horse RV Park in Elko, Nevada. After their Ethan-suggested burgers and hotdogs on the grill dinner, they all were enjoying the indoor pool at the hotel next to park. Leslie was playing with Wyatt and Ethan. Sean, Jack and Tate were rough housing around in the deep end. Aaron was in the Jacuzzi, with Cait sitting on the apron, her legs next to his sides, massaging his shoulders and neck.

Sean looked at them. "You know, we can keep the boys entertained while you two go have a quickie," he grinned.

"Nawww," Tate said. "They'll wait until tomorrow night across the hall from grandma and grandpa." Cait put her index finger to her nose with a smile and a wink.

"Really?" Sean asked.

"It's a time-honored tradition part of our Western trip," Aaron smiled. Sean just shook his head at them as Jack and Tate laughed.

-00CM00-

The next day, four-hundred and sixty miles, seven hours later, Aaron drove the RV into Maggie and Jarrod's driveway. Jarrod, Maggie and Bernie were waiting for them. The boys tumbled off, hugging them. "How was it?" Maggie asked, hugging Wyatt.

"Amazing grandma," he grinned.

Sean and Leslie got off next. "How were they?" Jarrod asked them, nodding at the four boys.

"They were rock stars," Sean proudly smiled.

"They discovered the TV in the back bedroom that had a DVD player with it. They hung out back there, giving the bed a workout," Leslie smiled.

"Nope, it wasn't us," Cait smiled at her parents as she and Aaron got off.

Jarrod shook his head at Maggie. "Yippee," he sadly said.

Sean grinned at them. "We got read in."

Aaron looked at Sean. "And you're not going to take advantage of your private bedroom tonight?" he fired back.

Jack looked at Sean. "You are so busted," he grinned, shaking his head as he took him and Tate's bag into the house.

After their pulled-pork sandwich dinner, it was hard to decide which got the biggest workout at the Barkley home on top of the ranch hill, the pool or the washer and dryer.

Saturday morning, Jake, Steph and Ellie joined the family for their late breakfast. Cait and Leslie had browned the sausages. Aaron and Sean were the pancake-making machine on Maggie's large griddle. Jake looked at the boys. "Anyone want to go riding today?" he smiled.

The boys shook their heads. "I've done enough riding this week," Tate said. "I need a break."

Wyatt pointed at the pool. "I'm riding that all afternoon."

Jake smiled. "That's cool guys. But get your giddy-up on for tomorrow. You've got one big, last ride." The NYC Hotchners looked at him.

"We're going to Victoria Falls tomorrow," Jack smiled.

Jake looked at Aaron and Sean. "You each owe me twenty bucks." Aaron and Sean pulled out their wallets, handing Jake a twenty. "And btw, the contents of your mystery box you sent to us is out in the beer fridge in the garage, unthawing."

"Perfect," Sean smiled, nodding at Aaron to follow him.

Cait smiled at Steph. "The big ride sandwich making-machine goes to work again." Twenty minutes later, Leslie and Sean were helping.

When they finished, Maggie looked at the crew. "What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Delivery pizza," was the resounding answer.

-00CM00-

The next morning, everyone got out of the vehicles they rode in down the hill. Jake and Steph were waiting for them. "Where's Ellie?" Maggie asked them.

"My Maria left with her a few minutes ago Senora Barkley," Miguel smiled at Maggie. "She will get spoiled today."

Ethan looked around at all the horses, including Duke, who was packed like usual. "I'm so excited for this, I gotta pee again."

"My Niño," Miguel smiled, "go into the horse barn and find an open stall." Ethan looked at him. "If the horses can pee in there, so can you." Ethan took off.

Wyatt looked at Maggie and smiled. "I'm glad you're going along grandma," he said, hugging her.

"I've got game," Maggie smiled.

"Even when she's playing bridge," Cait winked at Wyatt with a smile. "She just can't cheat at this one." Maggie glared at her as the rest laughed.

Ethan ran back out. Sean smiled at his youngest son. "What's the first rule about peeing?"

Ethan looked and zipped up his jeans. "Sorry dad."

"That's OK," Sean smiled. "I'm excited to be doing this as well."

With the novice riders, Jarrod, Jack and Tate kept the pace easy. Cait and Aaron had Ethan riding between them. When the trail narrowed, Ethan turned in his saddle to look at Cait directly behind him. Aaron was in front of him. "Aunt Cait, I'm OK. Pablo is the best," he grinned.

"Yes he is," Cait smiled.

They made the usual bathroom stop with all the usual snark. Jarrod, Jake, Aaron and Sean came out of the woods after taking their morning dump. Jake tossed the TP roll at Tate for him to re-pack it on Duke. "Hit it mom," Jack grinned.

"Does a bear shit in the woods," Cait said, perfectly imitating Uncle Nick.

Wyatt and Ethan roared with laughter. "That was good Cait," Sean smiled, getting back on his horse.

Getting to the falls, Wyatt looked around. "It's not like the ones in Yellowstone," he commented, getting out of his saddle.

"No they aren't," Jack said. "But they are special." Wyatt looked at him.

"This falls is named after our great-grandma," Jack quietly said.

Ethan looked around. He put his hand in Jarrod's, holding it. "What's that grandpa?" he asked, pointing at the rock pyramid Tate had built.

"That's a memorial to Beans and Mudgie," Jarrod smiled.

Sean and Leslie took their sons over to it. They shared quiet time together. The rest joined them. "Good job Tate," Sean softly smiled.

"Thanks Uncle Sean," Tate said.

Aaron put his arm around Cait. Each of them had an arm around Tate and Jack. "Jarrod," Aaron said, looking at him. "It is Sunday morning," he softly smiled.

Jarrod led them in prayer. He looked at the Hotchner families. "The verse for today is for all of you. And a good reminder for the rest of us," he smiled at Maggie, Jake and Steph. "It's from the first chapter of the Bible. Verse thirty-one. 'And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good'."

"Amen," Tate said.

"We've seen some of the greatest of his handiwork," Aaron said.

"Yes we have," Sean said. "And we'll never forget it."

Wyatt looked at Jack. "This is pretty good too," he smiled, looking at the falls.

-00CM00-

Getting back to the ranch, Maggie looked around. "I didn't get anything out for dinner."

"We've got dinner tonight," Cait said.

"Our thank you to all of you for your hospitality," Sean added.

"Hence the mystery box Steph and I got from New York City," Jake said, looking at his mother. He looked at Sean. "Do we get a clue?" Sean shook his head with a smile.

Jarrod smiled. "Why do I think we're eating good in the neighborhood?"

Jake and Steph took off to pick-up Ellie at Miguel and Maria's home. Uncle Nick and his wife Janet, along with Uncle Heath and his wife Gretchen, were waiting to say good-bye to the Hotchners.

Nick scooped Ethan off the ground. "You gonna forget big, ol' bad Uncle Nick?" he grinned.

"Never," Ethan smiled, giving Nick a big hug. "Thank you Uncle Nick." That wasn't the only hug shared.

Getting back to the home on the hill, everyone got out. Jack cautiously looked at his mother and grandpa. "Was that good-bye two people short?"

"Nope," Jarrod said. Sean and Leslie looked around, clueless. Aaron rolled his eyes at Sean, shaking his head at them.

"My Aunt Audra wasn't there," Cait explained. "And she and her husband live in the original home right there in the original family home."

"My sister, the wicked witch of the west," Jarrod said, shaking his head.

Wyatt eyed Cait with a smirk. "Yes, you can do the Wicked Witch of the West theme song from Wizard of Oz," she winked. Everyone giggled walking into the home with Wyatt humming. Tate high-fived Wyatt.

An hour later, Jake, Steph and Ellie came out onto the patio. The four boys were in the pool. Aaron was helping Sean get the Weber ready. Maggie and Jarrod were sitting at the patio table. "What's going on?" Jake asked, setting Ellie down in her car seat. He unbuckled the safety straps and pulled her out. Cocktail hour had started.

"I've been banished from own kitchen," Maggie said, taking a drink of her glass of wine. "I need a distraction," she smiled at her granddaughter.

"She's all yours," Jake smiled, giving Ellie to his mother.

Jake smiled at Aaron and Sean, pulling a bottle of beer out of his sports shorts. "You two really know how to piss off mama bear."

Aaron and Sean looked at each. "Damn, but that's our wives" Aaron smiled.

"Thanks big brother," Sean grinned.

"She is my mother-in-law," Aaron winked. "I'm very occasionally allowed." Maggie smiled at them both.

Cait and Leslie came out on the patio. "My beer is getting low cabana boy," Cait smiled at Jake, shaking her beer bottle at him.

"So is my wine glass," Leslie added with a smile.

"So is mine," Maggie added, tickling Ellie, making her coo and giggle.

"Yes ladies," Jake said, heading for the garage. "Your wish is my command." He turned and looked. "Anyone else?"

Jarrod, Aaron and Sean held up their beer bottles. Jake shook his head, moving towards the garage. "Sucks to be the youngest," Cait snarked with her grin.

"Rub it in Cait," Jake growled back.

Jake came back to the patio a few minutes and handed out the beers and poured more wine. He looked at Sean. "Holy shit," he smiled. "Now I get the dry ice in that mystery package."

"Dry ice?" Jarrod asked.

"Dad, eating good in the neighborhood is an understatement."

Ethan happened to be swimming by that end of the pool. "Grandpa, what's dry ice?"

"It's ice made of carbon dioxide instead of water," Jarrod explained. "It keeps things colder longer." He looked at Jake. "How did you dispose of it?"

Jake shook his head. "Dad, I'm a teacher. I put it out by my woodpile next to the garage. If Sammy Squirrel, Charlie Chipmunk or Wally Woodchuck happened to pass by, it wasn't their lucky day." Everyone smiled.

"I don't get it Uncle Jake," Ethan said, his elbows resting on the pool apron.

Jake whistled at the rest of the boys. "Who's Bill Nye the Science Guy of this family?"

"Mike," Jack and Tate snarked together without missing a beat.

"But he's not here dipsticks," Jake said. Sean pointed at Wyatt. "What's CO2?" Jake asked Wyatt.

"A gas," Wyatt correctly answered.

"Do you want that dispensed in a closed space Wyatt?"

Wyatt smiled. "No; unless you're a dipstick," he snarked.

"More Hotchner snark," Jake said. "I just keep getting more and more Hotchner snark," he said, taking a drink of his beer.

"That whine is your brand little brother," Cait said, taking a drink of her beer. Everyone roared with laughter.

Sean waved his hand over the Weber charcoal coals. "We're ready," he smiled at Aaron.

"Sean," Aaron said back to him, "this is solely you. I'm just here to help you if I can."

"We got this," Sean smiled at him, nodding Aaron to the garage. A few minutes later, the brothers came out of the garage, each holding a jellyroll pan. Sean's held beef tenderloins. Aaron's had four skewers of six jumbo shrimp each. Cait came out of the kitchen and handed them each a set of charcoal tongs. Sean had the charcoal separated to each side of the grill. "Aaron, put on the shrimp over the center," Sean said. "We let them slow cook for a few minutes before I add the tenderloins." He looked at Cait. "Does Leslie have the butter melting?"

"Yes she does," Cait smiled. "Our end is solid."

"Give me fifteen minutes and so will ours," Sean smiled back.

"Cabana boy," Cait smiled at Jake. "The cooks in the kitchen need one more round."

"So do we," Aaron added, with his own smile.

Twenty minutes later, everyone was sitting around the table in Maggie's formal dining room. The boys looked at the place settings. "Yes, it's grandma's big family gathering china and glassware," Cait smiled. "It's been through more kids your age than you think. Don't worry."

"Why I selected the china pattern and glassware. They can be replaced," Maggie smiled, sitting at her end of the table.

"Let's pray together," Jarrod said.

After they did, everyone looked around at the bounty on the table. Besides the tenderloins and shrimp, Cait and Leslie had three huge bowls of garlic-mashed potatoes. There were three long breadbaskets holding slices of cut up French bread that was broiled in the oven with cheese on the top. The final crown jewel to the dinner was the two huge bowls holding fresh, garden peas, cooked and served in warm milk with butter.

Sean looked at Aaron, nodding at the peas. "The way mom used to make them?" he almost whispered.

"Yes, the way your mom used to make them," Cait smiled.

The tenderloins were cooked to perfection. The outer third ends of each tenderloin gave those that liked their beef more well done their option with it getting more medium at the thicker end of the cut. The inner third of each was for the carnivores. The shrimp, having been basted in butter with some lemon juice and garlic, was just as wonderful.

Jarrod looked at Sean and Aaron while everyone was eating. "I know you ordered the tenderloins and shrimp through the restaurant." Sean nodded, putting in another bite. Jarrod took his own. "I also know you two and your fifty-fifty pact on this whole vacation." He looked at Aaron. "What was your half?"

"The dry ice, packaging and two day shipping," Aaron said. "It broke even with Sean getting the food at cost."

"That much?" Maggie asked.

"Welcome to NYC," Leslie said.

"Where did you get the peas?" Sean asked, looking at Cait as he took another bite of them.

"That's was all Steph," Cait smiled. "I sorta got her in on the plan."

"Including how to take care of the package," Steph smiled.

"But where did you get the peas?" Maggie asked.

"I talked to Mr. Ying on Tuesday," Steph smiled. "You know; he runs the fresh fruit and vegetable stand by us." Maggie nodded her head with a smile. "I told him how much I needed. He promised he would have it ready today. Cait and Leslie had already sent me the money for the rest of their grocery list through ."

"I peeled potatoes while Cait husked the peas out of the pods," Leslie smiled.

Jack shook his head. "With all due respect and compliments to everyone that cooked, I don't care about the details. All this is just really, really good," he smiled, taking another piece of the carnivore tenderloin and another shrimp. He gave half of the shrimp to Tate.

Ethan looked at his dad. "Grandma Hotchner made peas like this?"

"Yes she did," Sean smiled.

"Can I have more please?" Ethan grinned.

"Yes you may," Sean smiled back, nodding at Cait.

Ethan looked at her. "Sorry Aunt Cait," he smiled. Cait smiled back at him.

"I gotta stay out of the deep end of the pool tonight," Tate said, getting more beef and potatoes. "Or I'll sink." Everyone laughed as they continued to eat. The boys regaled Maggie, Jarrod, Steph and Jake with stories from their whirlwind trip.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the family meal and then pitched in on clean up. An hour later, the dining room and kitchen were spotless. All the rest of Cait and Jake's brothers and their wives arrived to enjoy after dinner cocktails and see the Hotchners one more time.

Jake laughed as Tom and Patty arrived last. "Stay away from Cait and Patty," he warned the others, milling around the pool area. "When Cait tells Patty about the no-show earlier today at the ranch, the cat claws will be out." All the adults roared with laughter.

"Meow," Cait smiled.

XXX

A/N: I've mentioned a jellyroll pan before. My Dutch Delight, and highly noted baker, asked me on Twitter. "What the h*ll is that?"

Think cookie sheet with sides.