Beth woke Lucy up the next morning telling her to get ready for school. Rip had left early that morning for work out in the corral on the fences.

"You seem different Rip." Lloyd told him when they were riding out.

"Yeah Beth and I are just in a good place." He told Lloyd.

"Eat your breakfast. Here's your lunch. We're going in twenty." Beth told Lucy passing over the food.

"I haven't been back since the party." Lucy grumbled. She sat there in a pair of new jeans, her doc marten school shoes and a light sweater.

"Just tell people you had something on." Beth said walking away. She felt more rushed in the morning now having to make sure someone else was ready and fed in time and dropped where they needed to be.

Lucy got in the car waiting for Beth. She watched Beth in her office work clothes and heels and couldn't help but think how confident she appeared.

"You can drop me here." Lucy said pointing to a car space half way down from the main entrance to the high school.

"Ok." Beth said not wanting to push it. "You call me if something happens, otherwise I'll pick you up at 3pm." Lucy got out of the car nodding before joining the sea of teenagers. Beth waited keeping an eye on her, giving a small wave when Lucy looked back one last time.

Beth drove to the office to deal with whatever bullshit Bob had managed to concoct today. He was supposed to have gone back to the big smoke of Salt Lake City. She had other things on her mind. Most importantly how she was going to confront her Dad and Jamie.

Beth heels announced her at the office when her assistant came running. "Bob is furious and looking for you."

Beth nodded knowing what it was going to be about and continued on her way to her office. She sat down at her desk and waited.

"Are you fucking with me Beth." Bob said entering.

"No."

Bob didn't expect that response. "You fucked me over."

"No Bob, you tried to do that to me. So I made sure you got a taste of your own medicine."

"You stole millions from me Beth. All those properties." Beth noticed he was nearly frothing at the mouth in anger.

"You didn't read what you signed Bob. That's what happens in the Serengeti. You come out swinging. Now considering I own all this, you better go back to your big smoke."

Bob looked at her dumbfounded, turning on his heel and slamming the door. Beth lent back in her chair, 'dumbass tried to outsmart me' she thought. She looked at the clock realising it was only 11:30.

Lucy had managed to get through maths class with difficulty before it was her preferred English class. She sat down in her normal seat. So far no one had commented on where she had been since the party.

The rest of the class filed in, taking their normal seats as well. The girls from the party waved to Lucy and she offered a small smile back. Sam slipped her a note from the seat behind.

"Where you been?" It read.

She didn't bother writing one back instead turned to look at him.

"You left the party Lucy." He said. "Thought we were having fun."

"Yeah, I wasn't too well."

"I heard. You left after Nick got you a drink."

"Who?" She asked.

"My mate Nick. He's in our science class. You know tall, long dark hair? He's got a massive crush on you I'm sure."

"Oh yeah, right. Sorry." She said turning back around as the teacher started the class. She couldn't really pay attention now remembering more clearly what happened at the party. She remember chatting with Sam before declining another drink. The girls insisted and it must have been the Nick guy who took their cups and came back and that's when she must have been spiked.

The bell rang to the signify the beginning of lunch. She packed up her books and hurried to catch up with the girls from the party.

"Hey!" Lucy said.

"Oh hey Lucy. Where did you go the other night?" One asked.

"I wasn't feeling too well. Was anyone else sick?"

"No. Not other than a hangover the next day." They said all laughing. Lucy fake laughed with them to not let anything on.

"That's good. Well I'll see you in gym next!" She told them walking back to her locker.

She looked at what Beth had packed her for lunch before sighing. She'd have to eat it, she didn't have any money for the cafeteria.

She really wanted to call Beth to come and get her. She wanted to go home. Lucy couldn't remember the last time she felt vulnerable and like crying except for the last week that's all she had done around Rip and Beth.

'I'll just get through gym class.' She thought. Lunch was always short lived before the bell rang. The class gathered in the gym now in sports clothes. Lucy's runners looked worse for wear with a hole in the side, lucky they weren't running on wet grass or outside today.

The teacher organised a game of mixed basketball, something Lucy wasn't particularly good at given she wasn't particularly tall. However, she had the attitude of a bulldog as her teacher would say when it came to getting the ball. The gym class never felt long enough to most students as their preferred way to let steam off.

The teacher blew the whistle signalling the end of the game and for everyone to shake hands and get changed.

Lucy quickly got changed before calling Beth in the toilets to not get caught.

Beth saw her phone ringing with Lucy's name as the caller ID. She quickly answered

"Hey."

"It's me, Beth."

"I know. What's wrong?"

"Can you come get me?"

"Tell me what happened?" Beth pressed.

"I want to come home." Lucy said in to the receiver.

"Luce. What happened?"

"I remember what happened at the party, please."

Beth could hear her getting more upset. "I'm on my way. Don't go to the next class just wait and I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"You'll have to come to the office."

"I know. I'll text you when I'm there." Beth said hanging up the phone. She grabbed her handbag and told her assistant she would be gone for the rest of the day.

Beth parked out the front of the school by 1:15pm. She fired a quick text to Lucy before walking in to the office of the same school she once went to.

"I'm here for Lucy Whe- Wright." Beth said to the receptionist at the office.

"And you are?"

"Her mother. Beth Dutton."

Beth's name caught the ladies attention as she looked up at her before typing in the computer.

"You're not listed at her mother or guardian."

"We found out the other day."

The receptionist looked at her. "What you left your kid and just forgot about her."

Lucy came down the hallway, relieved to see Beth, overhearing the conversation.

"You have no right to talk to me about what happened. It's none of your damn business now I'm here for my daughter." Beth said.

"We need proof."

"Hey baby." Beth said realising Lucy was next to her. "You ok?"

"I wanna go home."

"Lucy is this woman your mother?" The receptionist asked.

"Yeah. Can we go?" Lucy said getting frustrated. Beth wasn't far behind.

"I'll just talk to the principal." She said getting off her office chair.

The principal came back and it was someone Beth recognised. It was Simon Lang from when she was at school herself.

"Looks like you came back for round two Simon." Beth said.

Lucy looked at Beth surprised.

Simon laughed. "They say no rest for the wicked, don't they Beth."

"Don't I know it."

"I'm sorry Beth but I really do need proof before I can let Lucy go with you. It's the departments law."

Beth nodded handing over the paperwork from the paternity test and her own maternity test.

He looked at Lucy before nodding. "See you later. We'll update it here." He said handing the papers back.

Beth nodded before leaving with one arm around Lucy.

"She's as fierce as she was when she was a teenager, Susie." Simon said watching Beth leave.

Everyone knew who the Dutton's were and the students were even more shocked to see Lucy Wright walking out with Beth Dutton's arm around her. Those who paid more attention to detail realised that the two looked similar other than Lucy have curlier hair.

"We'll talk at home Luce." Beth told her.

Lucy had her eyes shut when they got back to the cabin but wasn't asleep. She grabbed her bag and went inside.

"Go get changed and we'll go for a walk." Beth told her, going upstairs herself to change.

Lucy met Beth downstairs to find Beth now in jeans, boots and a sweater. Lucy also in jeans, her new boots and a t-shirt.

"Where we walking to?" Lucy asked as they left.

"Just out this way."

They walked down the path in silence until Lucy started to feel uncomfortable.

She stopped as Beth kept walking. "I'm sorry for calling you all right!"

Beth stopped and turned to look at her. "I don't want you to be sorry. Now keep walking."

"No. Tell me where we are going!"

Beth could see Lucy was about to lose her shit, because she was the exact same. "I'm taking you to the stables because if you're anything like Rip you'll feel better."

"Oh. I didn't mean to yell."

"I'm not trying to punish you Lucy." Beth said while Lucy followed.

Beth went into the stables, Lucy close behind. "Actually, Beth." Lucy said quietly.

She turned and saw Lucy wide eyed.

"What's wrong?"

"They're a bit scary." Beth could relate to how Lucy was feeling not being a fan of the things either.

"Just stay with me." Beth said stopping in the middle of the barn. Lucy stood as close to Beth as she could without being just about in her arms.

Beth reached out to squeeze Lucy's hand reassuringly. Lucy squeezed back tightly not letting go.

"There's a few not here." Lucy said looking around.

"Rip's out with the cowboys so they'll be riding." Beth told her. "So what happened today at school?" She asked leading her outside the other end of the stables to sit down on the grass.

"I remembered what happened. At the party." Lucy took a deep breath. "I was talking to Sam from my English class and we danced and then his friend, Nick got me a drink and after that is when I started to feel sick. I think he spiked it Beth. Why would he do that." She finished speaking quicker. "Sam said Nick has a crush on me."

"We've got to tell Donnie. He won't get away with it."

"No one else was sick. I asked the other girls!"

"Ok. What's his name."

"Nick. Umm I think Adams."

"Can I tell Rip?" Beth asked.

Lucy shook her head.

"What if we told him together?" Beth suggested.

Lucy nodded looking around.

"Who lives there?" Lucy asked pointing to the lodge.

"My Dad."

"By himself? That place is massive!" She exclaimed making Beth laugh. Lucy laid back on the grass looking at the sky while Beth sat there letting her calm down after the day.

"I can see Rip coming in now." Beth said. Lucy sat up looking at everyone coming in on their horses. Beth looked at everyone riding in to see if Kayce or her Dad were in that group. She didn't see either.

"Do you want to go and meet everyone?"

"Will your Dad or Jamie be there?"

"Not my Dad and definitely not Jamie." Beth told her standing up.

They walked back to the barn as everyone was getting off their horses. Lloyd did a double take before looking at Rip who was smiling at them both.

Jimmy looked at both Beth and Lucy, "Ah did I miss something? There is another Beth?"

"Put your horse away Jimmy." Lloyd told him.

"What are you both doing here?" Rip asked after tying up his horse.

"I picked her up early from school and we just had a talk. Thought you could introduce Luce."

"Is everything ok?" Rip asked.

"We'll talk about it later." Beth said.

Rip looked at Lucy with concern. He moved closer to her before asking her softly if she was ok. She nodded leaning in to his jacket front. He looked at Beth surprised before wrapping his arms around her. "You can tell me when you're ready Lu." He whispered before letting her go.

"Right you lot." Rip called out getting all the cowboys attention. They gathered around to see what he wanted, most ready to crack open a beer. "This is our daughter, Lucy. If you see her around don't be idiots and don't even think about taking her out on a horse without asking me or Beth."

Lucy looked at how proud Rip seemed to say the word 'daughter'. She thought he was a bit over dramatic about not letting anyone go out on a horse with her but didn't entirely dislike him for it deep down.

A few cowboys tipped their hats before walking away. Rip put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as some people came up to say hello.

Teeter and Colby came up together with Teeter doing all the talking. Lucy couldn't quite understand all the words coming out of her mouth so she looked up at Rip who shook his head and smiled, telling her not to worry.

She thought Lloyd was the nicest after he told her to find him if she ever needed help and neither Beth or Rip were around.

"Can we go back now?" Lucy asked. Rip nodded telling her to get the the truck, he followed behind with Beth.

"You're going to need a beer and to sit down when we get home for this." She told him.

"Beth. I don't like the sound of that."