After the events of breakfast, everyone was relieved to be free from the constraints of the house and out in the great Montana wheat fields that Danny, still didn't think could compare to the New York skyline, much to Lindsay's chagrin.

So 5 adults, not including Danny, and 2 children, including Danny, set off into the fields, with a ready packed picnic, thanks to Beth and her innate need to feed them all, as she felt they all looked far too skinny and needed to be fattened up right away, before they wasted away. When they arrived the fields seemed to swallow them up as they left the comfort of the large Ranch house and ventured into their first day of vacation.

The morning pasted with relative ease as the adults enjoyed to peace and quiet that came with the countryside, whilst Lindsay and Lizzie became best buds as Lizzie had so affectionately called them.

"Mommy, when can I go live with you in New York?" Lizzie asked as they walked away from the shade of the tree, they had earlier set camp up under.

"Well Sweetheart when I go back to New York, I will have to work for a while to catch up on any cases that we missed whilst we are here. Then in my spare time, I guess will be spent between decorating your room and watching football with Danny." Lindsay said as they planted themselves on the ground with their heads touching, but bodies facing opposite directions.

"Can my room be a Horsey room, coz I love Shadow, Grandpa said when I'm big enough that I can ride him all on my own, with no one behind me." Lizzie declared loudly as if she was trying to tell the whole world.

"Wow and just when will you be big enough little missy, cause I want you to stay my baby girl forever."

"I'll still be your baby girl, Mommy; just I will also be able to ride Shadow, without you behind me." Lizzie whined as she crossed her arms and pouted, knowing that her Mum couldn't resist her pout.

"Hey girls we're about to make Flack, go chase after some of the cows in the next field. Come join us." Danny called over, from where everyone else was sitting and waiting for them to join the group.

Hearing that they were about to make Flack go and chase after some cows, just to lighten the mood that still hadn't gone away since breakfast, had Lindsay and Lizzie on their feet and heading towards the tree in a matter of seconds.

Whilst his family and guests enjoyed themselves with a day in the fields, Jackson sat at in the lounge with the envelope from Austin taunting him in his hands, not having decided to either give it to Lindsay as Austin asked or read it for himself and burn the thing once he was done, leaving no more heartbreak for his daughter.

His curiosity got the better of him as he tore into the envelope and pulled out the well worn piece of paper, that looked as if it had been folded, unfolded and refolded many times over. Getting his glasses from the side table next to his chair, he placed them on and began to read.

Dear Linds

First off I'll start off by saying how very sorry I am, I wish that I could go back to that night and stop it from ever happening.

Whilst I was inside, things happened and I changed, I got help for my drinking problem and I now know the reason for my excessive drinking. Truth is that I couldn't handle beings Father, I was too young and immature and I always felt that you just got pregnant to keep us together.

Now I know all that happened, was just as overwhelming for you as it was for me and in the end I had no right to turn to drinking. I became the in thing that I never wanted for myself.

I'm sorry for the pain that I caused you and your parents, I now know that for all the mistakes I have ever made, each one of them has consequences, just so happens that this is the one that finally made me pay for faults and sins.

I wish you would give the chance to be Father to little Lizzie, I know I didn't really try to be a good Father when we were together, leaving you to take care of the Twins and work 12 hours a day when you weren't on call.

Just give me a chance, please.

Austin.

Jackson silently read through the letter twice, trying to figure out he really was sorry for what he had done and the amount of pain he caused them all.

Concluding that no amount of counseling would ever change that man from anything but a drunk bastard, Jackson chucked the letter into the fireplace and set it alight, sighing as the paper was reduced to nothing more than a pile of black ash, leaving no trace of the words that once adorned it.

Sitting back in his Jackson finally rests his eyes knowing that the one thing that would ruin his daughter's holiday had been taken care of and wouldn't be hurting her in the future.

The sounds of his Granddaughter laughter reaches his ears and he unconsciously smiles at her reaction to having her Mother back in her life, and the prospect of living with her in a new city with completely different surroundings to the ones she's used to.

Knowing that it won't be long before they reach the house and then the place would once again become a mad house, he took refuge in the peace and quiet, knowing that he had protected his family to the best of his ability and no harm would come to them.

Laughter filled the air as the group of adults and a child walked through the door, stilling laughing at only what, Jackson could guess. Their arms full off picnic baskets and rubbish and large smiles on their faces as they had just spent the first day of their vacation in peace and quiet, all of them hoping that this was the one thing they needed to get them back on track and ready for the sticky times ahead of them once they returned to New York and carried on with their everyday life. Though never forgetting the time spent on the Monroe Ranch, surrounded by good friends and family.