Chapter 9: Home On The Range

As Tamaki had promised, they were all on the private jet within 2 hours. Samantha spent the entire flight anxiously getting up and down from her seat. Everyone tried to reassure and calm her nerves, but nothing would work. Her mind kept racing with thoughts and ideas of how they were going to get the ranch back. She never really knew her Uncle Kellen, but she still couldn't wrap her mind around why he would do this.

After some long hours and multiple connecting flights, they finally landed in the small rural airport. The ranch was still a few miles away, but thankfully her brother was here to pick them up. After gathering their luggage, the squad walked out into the parking lot to wait on Jordan. Shortly after, an older red pickup truck pulled up to them. Samantha mentally smacked her head. Couldn't he have at least washed the mud off of it before coming to get them?

A man in his early twenties hopped out of the truck and approached them. If the others didn't know already, they all would have thought the siblings were twins. Jordan grinned at Samantha in which she returned. The pair fell into a tight hug.

"Sammy!"

"Jordy!"

The two laughed as they pulled apart. Sam never thought she'd be so happy to see her brother.

"You forgot to mention you were bringing company. When you texted me to 'come get us' I thought you meant you and your twelve other personalities," he joked.

She playfully hit his stomach, before introducing everyone.

"It's nice to meet y'all," Jordan greeted. "Now it might be a tight squeeze, but I'm sure we'd all fit. I can hold 5 in the cab with me. Sammy, you wanna tailgate?"

"Heck yeah! Tamaki, Haruhi, and I can all be in the back," Sam grinned.

Everyone but the three piled into the cab after Jordan secured all of the luggage in the tailgate. Tamaki spoke up confused.

"Uh… Sam, what does it mean to tailgate," he asked confused.

"Hop on up," Samantha nodded her head towards the truck bed.

"We're riding in the truck bed," Haruhi asked confused.

"With the luggage," Tamaki asked almost sounding terrified.

Samantha chuckled as she hopped up into the back.

"You city slickers ain't never had any fun, huh," She said while letting her natural southern drawl come out.

After helping the two foreigners into the truck bed, Sam patted the roof of the truck to let her brother know that they were ready. Tamaki gripped the truck bed's edge tightly as the truck jolted forward. Sam laughed, knowing full well that they all would be safe.

"Is this safe," Haruhi asked, casually.

"Probably not," Sam laughed as she sat on the bed's edge right next to Tamaki, with ease. "But it hasn't killed me yet.

Silence fell between all three of them as they hit the gravel road. They passed trees, fields, and woods as they went. Haruhi and Tamaki stared in awe. Sam just smiled. Being home and having her friends there just felt right. She felt complete. Even though the circumstances were not good, she still couldn't be happier.

"This is beautiful," Haruhi said.

"Isn't it," Sam smiled, contently.

Tamaki looked up at his girlfriend and placed his hand on top of hers. She looked down to see him smiling up at her.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you though," he sweetly told her.

She chuckled softly before poking his nose, "You're such a sap."

They were brought out of their trance when Jordan honked the horn a few times. Samantha looked back and realized that she was home. The front yard was huge along with the rest of the property. A little was back was an all-white plantation looking home complete with a full wrap around porch. In the backyard was where all of the work was done. Only a few bits and pieces of the ranch could be seen from the front of the house.

A grin formed on her face that almost spread all the way from ear to ear. It seemed to get even bigger as she saw an old golden blur sprint towards the truck. Sam vaulted out of the truck and ran towards the golden retriever.

"Daisy," she yelled with joy as she was tackled to the ground and given so much love from the old dog.

"Daisy," Jordan laughed. "Did you leave the old man high and dry with the cattle," he asked the dog.

Sam also laughed. "Oh boy, we'll never hear the end of that."

"Samantha," a confused voice asked from the front porch.

Slowly walking down the stairs was a tall, thin woman wearing jeans and a black and white plaid shirt. Her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She was in her early forties, but sure didn't look it. She likes to believe she's the next Jennifer Aniston.

"Hi Mama," Sam smiled as she stood up.

Elizabeth was speechless as she approached her daughter.

"Honey! What are you doing here?!" She asked as she embraced her daughter.

"I thought she needed to be here when we lose the ranch," Jordan said bitterly as he unloaded the luggage.

"Jordan," Elizabeth said with a sigh. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Why not? This involves her just as much as anyone else," Jordan said frustrated.

"Because she doesn't-" Elizabeth was cut off by a happy-go-lucky Tamaki.

"That's why we're here! We are going to help save your ranch," Tamaki declared proudly.

"Oh!" Elizabeth said in surprise, finally realizing they had guests. She quickly started to fix her hair in an attempt to make herself more presentable. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize we'd be having company, or I would have tidied up the place."

"No need to worry, Mrs. Jaxon. I'm sure your home is beautiful," Kyoya reassured her.

"Kyoya! It's so good to finally meet you," Liz said as she brought him in for a hug. "And you all must be Sam's friends from that club as well. It's so nice to meet you all. Please come inside."

As they were all walking in Jordan whispered to his sister confused.

"Why are those two so chummy," he asked referring to Kyoya and their mother.

"I guess he likes to call mom and 'update her with my life'," Sam said as she rolled her eyes.

"Gross," he said.

"Tell me about it," she replied.

"I'm not calling him dad," Jordan playfully said with an angsty teenage voice.

Sam laughed as they all entered the home, "You're disgusting."