Author Note: I don't own Yellowstone nor any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters which are my own.
Summary: Canon compliant till 5x08. John fights to save his ranch and political career. Jamie falls further into Sarah's trap but who's playing who here. Beth is well Beth. Kayce's trying to find a balance between his father and his family.
Lloyd steps back into his role as Foremen and Enforcer with Rip going to Texas. Jimmy's made a life for himself and a sense of peace away from the violence of the Yellowstone but the past aways catching up in the end
Rip and the wranglers' time in Texas will be anything but peaceful.
Chapter 1
(I Was Born To Be A Cowboy Red Steagall)
Four Sixes, Texas.
Well before dawn Former Yellowstone Wrangler Jimmy Hurdstram walked out his front door. His spurs jingled as he walked across the porch to the steps. A thermos of hot coffee in hand. Jimmy made his way to the barns.
They were bringing in a herd from one of the back pastures for doctoring. He laughed and joked with the other wranglers as they ready the horses for a long day in the saddle.
It was funny how much his life had changed in the span of six years. Without his grandfather begging John Dutton to give him a chance. Jimmy would ever be six feet under or rotting away in a prison cell for the rest of his life possible.
The Y branded on his chest was testament to the second chance at life he'd gotten. That second chance at life hadn't been for free. It came with a price. A price he'd repaid in tenfold.
That had been the second best thing to happen to him, being taken on at the Yellowstone. The first had been sent down to Texas last year. He'd broken his word to Mr Dutton about riding broncs again.
What was meant to be a punishment turned into a blessing in disguise. Here on the Texas Pan Handles. He'd matured and grown into the man he was today. Getting away from the constant violence of the Yellowstone was one thing.
His whole disastrous relationship with Mia. She wanted him to be something he wasn't. She said they were finished if he went to Texas. He went to Texas with Travis. Here he found a sense of peace and belonging.
Here he could do his job without having to fight to the death for the right to do it. That and the angel who came crashing into his life. Emily. She loved him for who he was, she made him a better man. She didn't care about his past.
"Jimmy" Silas Anderson, the new Foramen for the Four Sixes called him over.
"Yes Sir,"Jimmy answered.
"You know the foremen for the Yellowstone Ranch. You worked from the Yellowstone before joining the Sixes right"
"Yes Sir, I worked there for a time before I came to Texas. May I ask why you're asking Mr Anderson"Jimmy asked.
"They've leased some ground from us. They are sending down a crew from Montana in the next few days. Boss's great nephews coming from California to take over the reins. God rest his soul. So I need you to work as a go between me and the Foremen of the Yellowstone Rip Wheeler."Silas explained.
"Yes Sir when are they due down"
"Sometime today, possible tomorrow. Their cook will be here later this morning. Fella called Gator or something"
"Gator, he's name was there anything else you needed Mr Anderson"Jimmy asked.
"That was all"
"Jimmy come on we gotta get going"One of the hands Connor called to him
(Still in the Fight:Breen Hill)
Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, Bozeman Paradise Valley Montana
There were just four more trucks to be loaded for the herd heading down to Texas. Colby and Ethan were pushing cattle up the ramp onto the trailer. Lloyd, Kayce, Tate and Carter were working the rest of the herd in the arena.
"What so funny"Lloyd had noticed the smirk on Carter's face for most of the morning.
"What"Carter questioned
"You're smiling like the cat that ate the canary." There wasn't a lot you could get past Lloyd.
"Oh didn't know I was"Carter blushed slightly
"You got an old shit eating grin on your face. Like you spent the night in the arms of some girl"Lloyd chuckled.
"Oh I do"Carter played coy.
"Yeah you do,"Lloyd chuckled. Young Bunk wasn't fooling Lloyd by playing coy. Lloyd didn't come down in the last shower.
"They're getting younger and younger"Colby chimed in.
"Okay"Carter knew the jig was up. But still didn't say a word about last night.
Kayce looked over his shoulder back towards the now almost bare camp. The only tent still up was theirs, Monica was making her way towards the arena. A cup of coffee in hand. Kayce left Tate with Lloyd and Carter sorting cattle.
Kayce dismounted, tying his horse to the railing fence of the arena.
"Morning"He smiled at his wife
"Morning"
"Just four more trucks to load then we can go home"Kayce leaned one hand against the fencing of the arena.
"Can we stop by the East Camp on the way home"
"East Camp. How do you know about East Camp"Kayce asked
"You're father told me. Said it was ours if we wanted. If you help Lloyd while Rip and other wranglers are in Texas and he's in Helena."
"Is that what you want?"Kayce had to ask.
"Here's what I don't want. I don't want to go back to a rented house, stare at a nursery that isn't filled. And I don't want to take it down. I'd rather move it. Start over and try again you know. It would be nice to have something of our own."
"We'd be living under this again"Kayce pointed over his shoulder.
"Well I live under it anyway."
"East Camp is not much of a house baby"It was badly run down. No one had lived in maybe close to fifty or more years.
"But it would be ours."Kayce nodded in agreement
"In my vision the choice that I saw. Was between this place and you."Kayce revealed.
"Was East Camp in your vision"
"No"Kayce shook his head.
"Well maybe this way we can have both"
"Okay we'll take a look on the way home once we're finished here"Kayce agreed.
The moment was interrupted by Lloyd hollering "Kayce bring up another load."
"I love you,"Kayce said, walking back to his horse.
"I love you too"Kayce mounted his horse heading back to work.
Colby slammed the door on the last cattle truck shut banging on the side of the trailer that the driver was good to go.
The diesel engine rumbled to life before a brief blare of air horn from the driver before he pulled away. The last truck in a long convoy of trucks headed for Texas.
Colby removed his sunglasses wiping the dust and sweat from his face with his bandana.
It had been a long morning loading the last of the trucks.
"Lloyd if you don't need me. We're heading to check out the house at East Camp."Kayce explained dismounting his horse.
"Sure thing there anit much that needs doing this afternoon anyhow. Your Dad's back from Helena.''Lloyd nodded to the cloud of dust getting closer and closer.
Sure enough the motorcade for Governor Dutton pulled up near the Lodge. Beth's Bentley was among the cars that pulled up near the Lodge.
"Tate, give Carter a hand with the horses I'm going to go talk with your mama"Kayce said to his only son as he smoothed his long hair back. He needed a haircut soon.
"Yes Dad"Tate dismounted his own horse Lucky. Helping Carter unsaddle the horses seeing as Carter's arm was still in a cast for a couple more weeks.
The two teengers worked in mostly silence, unsaddling and cooling off the horses. Carter helped Tate load Kayce and Tate's horse before heading back to the barn.
"Kayce, can I have a word?"John called to Kayce.
"Sure Dad what's going on"Kayce asked
"Jamie is what happened"John rubbed the back of his head.
"What Jamie do"
"Betrayed his family is what he did. His own greed of helping us keep this place. He's having me impeached from office"John began to explain.
"Impeached what for"Kayce questioned.
"Cancelling the Airport Lease for Market Equities among other things"John answered.
"Can't you just talk to Jamie about this"
"It wouldn't do any good. Beth already tried to talk to him,"John answered vaguely.
"Bet that went down well. You know they hate each other right"
"For good reason after what he did to your sister"
"What the abortion, I overheard them that day"Kayce explained.
"No, it was more than that. He took her to fucking Res Clincic. What do you think happened? They gave her a fucking hysterectomy and he knew never said one fucking word about it"John seethered.
"I can understand Beth's anger, Dad. But the way you two treat him, why do you think he turned against this family?. You can't kick a dog and not expect it to turn around and bite you.
If you hate Jamie so much why do you take him as your own all those years ago. Jamie and I talk. I know about the adoption. If you hated his father and him so much. Why did you take him in, raise him like he was your own.
What do you think mom would say if she could see you now Dad? The way you treat Jamie and the rest of us. We're just tools for you to keep this place. The good in you died when Mama did."Kayce questioned.
"I don't hate him, Kayce. I loved and raised like he was my own. He was your mama half sister's boy. Your mama wasn't going to take no for an answer. Lord knows I failed as a father to all of you after she died. If I could go back and change the past I would.
But I can't Kayce."
"Try talking to him Dad. It can't hurt to try talking to him,"Kayce offered, getting into his truck.
(West Texas Rain: Wade Bowen)
Four Sixes, Texas.
It was just on one in the afternoon when they pulled into the long winding driveway of the Four Sixes Ranch. Walker was driving the last shift. They all took turns driving four hours each behind the wheel.
After Rip, Ryan took the wheel for his shift, then Jake had driven, Teeter then it was Walker turn for the last leg of the drive from Montana to the Texas panhandles. The Sixes had changed very little since Walker had worked here last well over a decade ago.
It was close to fifteen years ago when he'd left the Sixes heading North. Before getting into the bar fight, doing seven years for involuntary manslaughter.
Walker pulled the truck up near some yards and a series of barns.
"This is it, the Sixes"Ryan questioned looking around.
"Yeah this is the Sixes. It may not look much but is big fucking place"Walker drawled cutting the engine.
"Alright y'all get out stretch your legs. Someone is supposed to be showing us to the main camp. "Rip and others climbed out of the truck to stretch their legs.
"SHORT STAKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE"A big bear of a man picked up Teeter putting him over his shoulder.
"Put me fucking down fucker"
"Hey, is that any way to greet your big brother T"The man smiled.
"Mama should have drowned at birth Connor"Teeter punched Connor in his chest.
"Hey no need to get violent T. What are you doing here? I thought you was working up in Montana"
"I am still working for them. We're lease ground here for our herd. What you doing here I thought you was working Nebreska or Kansas last we spoke"Teeter questioned.
"Job didn't pan out. Got a job working here at the Sixes. When you speak to Mama and Daddy last"Connor answered vaguely
"About a month or so back."
"Your Teeter brother's right. I'm Ryan, that's Walker, Jake and the big guy there's the Boss Rip. Where did the name Teeter come from anyhow?"Ryan introduced himself and the other to Connor.
"It's a nickname from when Teeter was a kid. It just stuck"
"Nickname huh what's her first name"Ryan grinned.
"You breath one fucking word of my first name. I cut your balls off big brother"Teeter threatened.
"Oh come on Teeter don't be like that. Surely Colby knows, seeing as you two have been together for nearly two years now"Ryan said as a Four Sixes Truck pulled up.
"Colby, who's Colby?"Connor asked.
"Teeter's boyfriend"
"Boyfriend. Why am I just hearing about now Sis"Connor turned to Teeter
"Cause it anit any of your fucking business Connor and I anit fifteen anymore"
"Well shit look who it is"Ryan noticed Jimmy coming their way.
"How you all doing"
"You come to show us to the camp Jimmy"Rip asked the former Yellowstone Wrangler.
"Sure just follow us"
"How far is it from here?"Rip asked.
"Bout an hour"Jimmy answered as he and Connor got into the Sixes' truck.