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 always catching up in the end
Rip and the wranglers' time in Texas will be anything but peaceful.
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Chapter 3
(Flesh & Blood: Johnny Cash)
Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, Bozeman Paradise Valley Montana
It had been a week since Rip and the wranglers had left for Texas. John was in Helena dealing with Governor business. Kayce, Monica and Tate had moved into Lee's old house till the house at East Camp was fixed up.
The contractor said it would be a lengthy job to fix up the old run place. It needed to be gutted and completely renovated so the place was liveable for anyone to live in.
Beth and Summer hadn't killed each other yet, so that was something. Carter was going to Texas with Beth. So Kayce and Lloyd would be another man down. They'd put the word out they were hiring wranglers. With half the ranch workforce down on the Texas Panhandles for the next year or more they needed all the extra hands they could hire.
Tate helped out on the ranch before and after school.
Carter had been up before dawn feeding the horses, getting them sorted. He'd forgotten all about packing that he was going to Texas with Beth. His morning started off great with his only pair of boots breaks. The sole making a bid for freedom.
He had the bothersome thing tapped up. They'd do till he could get to town.
"Carter, are you packed? "Beth asked him as he came into the lodge.
"Packed for what "he asked, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.
"We're leaving for Texas in an hour. Don't tell me you've forgotten never mind. Go get changed and pack for a week. Take a jacket with you."
Carter packed what little clothes he had. He was going to need a new pair of boots before they left for Texas.
"You ready baby"
"Ready might need to buy a new pair of boots before we get there "Carter held up his hastily repaired boots.
"And jeans by the look of it to come on "Carter had gone from a short chubby boy to a tall lean teenage boy. He'd certainly had a growth spurt in the last six months. He was going to be as tall when he stopped growing. Well over six feet going by the way he was growing.
"You flying from Bozeman or Billings "Kayce asked him to help Carter put their bags in the truck of Beth's Bentley.
"Bozeman our flight leaves at seven we should be at Dallas by eleven. Then we've got a four, five hour drive to the ranch."
"Alright, drive safe. Text me or Monica when you get to Dallas then to Sixes. "Kayce hugged Beth before she and Carter got into her Bentley.
Chris Steinberg-Pierce and his twin brother Logan also known as 'Cash' sat beside him in their Dodge Ram turning off the highway into the long driveway of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
It was a long drive from their former home and ranch in Nebraska near the town of Harrison. They had to sell up after their grandfather Logan Steinberg Senior died. Logan's medical bills had started to pile up. Eating away at any spare cash that was left.
So they sold their ranch to the next door neighbour to the Forbes. They could stay and work the ranch without having to pay rent or really any money on it. Selling the ranch had allowed them to have the money to pay the ever increasing medical bills.
When Logan finally died a little over eleven months ago. Chris and Cash stayed on till the estate was settled. It was settled last week.
Chris and Cash went looking for their biological father Lloyd Pierce. He was working on a ranch somewhere in Montana, they'd been told.'
So they packed up their gear and headed to Montana. They stopped at a dinner in Bozeman asking around if there was any working going. Waitress at the dinner had pointed them to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch about forty five minutes out of Bozeman.
The place was fucking huge. Chris pulled their truck up near the barns. There were a few people around.
Kayce was coming out of the barn when two cowboys stepped out of a mid 2000 Dodge Ram. They had to be brothers, twins possible. As they looked identical to each other.
"Can I help you fellas?" Kayce asked.
"Is the foreman around we're looking for work. Waitress at a dinner in Bozeman said you were looking for hands, "Chris answered.
"We are. You worked Ranches before"
"Yes sir, Our grandfather's ranch back in Nebraska. We worked for new owner Mr Andy Forbes when he took over. We can give you references from him if you need it "Cash spoke this time. "That would be great. I'm Kayce Dutton. My family owes this spread. I didn't catch your names sorry"
"I'm Chris Steinberg-Pierce, this is my brother Logan 'Cash' Steinberg-Pierce II" Chris extended his hand to Kayce as did Cash.
"Cash "Kayce questioned
"Mama and Grandpa had to play Johnny Cash to put me to sleep when I was baby. The nickname just stuck."Cash explained the origin of his nickname.
"Kayce who's this "Lloyd joined them.
"Lloyd, this is Chris and Cash Steinberg-Pierce from Nebraska, they've come about the job vacancies we've got. Chris, Cash this Ranch Foreman Lloyd Pierce he's standing as Foremen while our other Foramen is in Texas.
"Nice to meet you "Lloyd shook Chris and was it Cash's hands. Lloyd knew those eyes from somewhere. A pair of eyes he hadn't seen in twenty five years. Sara. What had been her last name? Steinburn no. Steinberg. It couldn't be possible that these two young cowboys from Nebraska where his long lost sons could it be.
(When I See You: Aaron Watson)
Four Sixes, Texas
Rip dismounted his mare after a long day in the saddle. Gator was cooking up enough food for an army by the smell of it. The camp was full with the Yellowstone wranglers, the wranglers they hired here in Texas and Travis's crew.
His phone beeped with missed calls or texts. Checking his phone he had several missed texts from Beth. The last one was from five hours ago. She and Carter were leaving Dallas heading to the Sixes.
They would be close to the Sixes and Base Camp by now. With his wife not far away. Rip though he better clean up some. Not smelling like his horse.
"You fuckers better not have used up all the water "Rip said gruffly heading for the camp shower they had set up. Where they were camped there was water.
"Showers all yours Boss. "Ryan pulled on his jeans heading to his tent.
The sun was starting to go down when they found the base camp. Beth parked the rental truck beside the Yellowstone Ranch Truck.
Rip sat with Travis near his tent talking and drinking when a truck pulled up beside the Yellowstone Truck.
"I let you go spend some time with your wife' brother. 'Travis left Rip sitting beside his tent, as Carter and Beth got out of the truck.
"Hey Cowboy"
"Darling, how was your trip? "Rip greeted his wife. It had been seven days since they had seen each other but it felt like it had been seven years since they had laid eyes on each other.
"Oh there's nothing like first class travel."
"Carter, you're in the tent with Ryan and Jake. "Rip helped Carter with the bags. "Gator's cooked a stew with fresh biscuits if your hungry"
"I could eat a horse figuratively speaking "Carter hauled his bag over to the tent that Ryan and Jake were sharing.
Carter grabbed himself a bowl of stew and some biscuits joining the others around the large campfire. He sat beside Jake and another wrangler.
Walker and another cowboy were picking their guitars.
"You want to sing the first Levi or do you want me to? "Walker asked the cowboy named Levi.
"You can sing first Walker"
"Alright"Walker agreed before playing the chords to 'Desperados Waiting For A Train' by Guy Clarke.
'I played the Red River Valley
He'd sit in the kitchen and cry
Run his fingers through seventy years of living'
And wonder, "Lord, why has every well I've drilled gone dry?"
We were friends, me and this old man
We's like desperados waitin' for a train
Desperados waitin' for a train'
Levi sang the next part.
'He's a drifter, a driller of oil wells
He's an old school man of the world
He taught me how to drive his car when he was too drunk to
And he'd wink and give me money for the girls
And our lives was like, some old Western movie
Like desperados waitin' for a train
Like desperados waitin' for a train '
Walker and Levi sang the next part together.
'From the time that I could walk he'd take me with him
To a bar called the Green Frog Cafe
There was old men with beer guts and dominoes
Lying 'bout their lives while they played
I was just a kid, they all called me "Sidekick"
Just like desperados waitin' for a train
Like desperados waitin' for a train'
Walker sang the next part
'One day I looked up and he's pushin' eighty
He's got brown tobacco stains all down his chin
Well to me he was a hero of this country
So why's he all dressed up like them old men
Drinkin' beer and playin' Moon and Forty-two
Jus' like desperados waitin' for a train
Like a desperado waitin' for a train'
Levi sang the last verse
'The day 'fore he died I went to see him
I was grown and he was almost gone.
So we just closed our eyes and dreamed us up a kitchen
And sang one more verse to that old song
Come on, Jack, that son-of-a-bitch is comin''
They sang the chorus together.
'And we're desperados waiting for a train
Like desperados waiting for a train
Like desperados waiting for a train
Like desperados waiting for a train'
(Because of You: Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson)
Four Sixes, Texas
Jessie Evans followed the direction her older half brother had given her. Their parents had split up when they were young. Matt stayed in California with their mom, Jessie went to Kentucky to live with their Daddy.
It had been five years since she fled Kentucky in the dead of night. The night they arrested her husband Dalton with the help of Dalton's childhood friend Jay Mitchell. Dalton was still in prison as far as Jessie knew.
Jay had said as much on his one and only visit six months ago. Jessie had changed her last name to her mother's name of Evans from her father's surname Hayes. There had been one reason for Jessie disappearing in the middle of night. Her little boy sitting in the back of her car.
Cody was sound asleep as they drove down the long dirt road towards the ranch house of the ranch they had inherited from their great uncle on their mama's side of the family.
Matt was waiting for her when she pulled up.
"Dinner's ready if you're hungry. "Matt helped Jessie with her bags into the house.
"Cody baby wake up we're here" Jessie woke her son up.
"Uncle Matt "Cody hugged his uncle.
"Hey buddy, dinner's ready if you're hungry. Matt picked up his nephew.
(You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive: Brad Paisley)
Undisclosed location Kentucky.
Dalton Fordson freshly released from prison. Thanks to a large amount of money paid to the warden and judge to secure his release from Prison. The Fordsons had an ample amount of money. None of which had been earned legally mind you.
Whatever criminal activity you could think of they had their hands in. Dalton sat with a glass of Bourbon. His old friend Jay had turned up unannounced at the Prison Dalton had been serving his jail time at.
Saying something about his missing wife turning up dead in Maine killed in a car accident under an assumed identity. Dalton wasn't stupid, nor did he come down in the last shower of rain.
Jessie was alive somewhere with about ten million dollars of his money she'd stolen the night she disappeared and he'd been arrested.
It didn't take long to put two and two together. He'd find her sooner or later. Once he did, she'd wish she was dead when he finally got his hands on her.