Rachel was washing her hands in the kitchen sink when she heard a knock on her apartment door. She turned, chuckling a little. It was just like Dakota to start banging on the door without checking to see if it was even locked first. Either that or maybe Rip forgot something. But since she just saw him in the hall a few seconds ago, she didn't think he would bother to knock.

Rachel shook the water from her hands, looking around for the kitchen towel that always seemed to be in a different spot every time she needed it. Giving up, she wiped her hands on her thighs and headed for the door. She was ready to scold her daughter for knocking on an unlocked door. But it wasn't Dakota in the doorway. Rachel's eyes widened, her hand rising nervously to cover her mouth.

"What are you doing here?," Rachel asked, stepping back so Beth could enter her small apartment.

"I need to talk to you about…," Beth started, her words cutting off abruptly as her gaze settled on the round swell of Rachel's stomach. Rachel lowered her arm as though she might be able to hide her obviously pregnant stomach with her hand. She felt a flutter against the right side of her abdomen. It felt like little bubbles and for a moment she forgot about her worry over Beth's discovery of her secret. Rachel just felt her baby move, she was sure of it. Her expression softened as her love for the tiny life growing inside her belly washed over her. No matter what the status of her relationship was with her baby's father, Rachel was completely enamored with the idea of having another child from the moment she figured out she was pregnant.

"Holy shit!," Beth exclaimed, her carefully prepared talking points now long forgotten. "That's Jamie's baby, isn't it?"

"It is," Rachel reluctantly admitted, nodding her head as she rubbed her hand over her stomach.

It wasn't often that Beth was at a loss for words. But this was one of those rare instances. Beth assumed that Rachel was just staying away because she was upset with Jamie for lying to her. Which she still might be. But now it appeared that she was also hiding out because she was pregnant and either didn't want him to know, or didn't want any of them to know. Beth's thoughts jumbled around in her head, mixing with the hurt she felt at being left out of such exciting and important family news and the sting of seeing someone close to her experience something she wanted desperately but would never be able to have.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Rachel said, the guilt rising in her as she took in the wounded look on Beth's face. "I know this must be hard for you. Especially since…" Rachel's words tapered into silence. She wasn't sure what to say. And she wasn't even sure if she was supposed to know about what happened to Beth. Or the fact that she was barren.

"Jamie told you about that?," Beth asked. She was honestly shocked. Jamie was a private person. Maybe even more private than her. Most of the girls he dated didn't even know his middle name. Let alone his deepest darkest secrets. And she realized that he really must love Rachel. A lot. Maybe even as much as she loved her husband. She didn't think he was capable of loving anyone other than himself. And for a moment she considered going back on her promise to help Jamie. Beth knew she could ruin his life if she wanted to. She could tell Rachel so many horrible things about him. About how he murdered his own father. And all the skeletons that were at the bottom of that canyon because Jamie put them there. She could make sure that Rachel left and took Jamie's child far away from him. But one more look at her rounded stomach and Beth knew that she couldn't hurt Jamie. Not without hurting herself. And Rip. And everyone else she cared about.

"I'm sorry," Rachel repeated. "I know it wasn't really Jamie's place to tell me. But I asked him what the issue was between you. He told me he took you to that clinic. And about what they did to you."

"Did he tell you that he knew?," Beth asked. Rachel's brow lifted as she looked at Beth in confusion.
"Knew what?," she asked.

"He knew what they were going to do to me," Beth said, her throat bobbing slightly as though she might choke on the words. "When I woke up, he told me we'd never have to worry about this happening again. Like it was a big relief to him that I just had my insides ripped out."

"Oh god," Rachel murmured. The raw emotion in Beth's voice was more than she could take. Rachel wrapped her arms around her and began crying enough tears for the both of them.

"I wanted my baby," Beth gushed, unable to stop the rest of the truth from spilling out of her. The truth she never told anyone before. That she wanted that baby desperately. That she already had names picked out for it. When she asked Jamie for help, she meant help telling their dad in a way that wouldn't get Rip killed. Not a ride to the abortion clinic. Jamie was her older brother. Her best friend. He protected her all her life. He told her that he would take care of her. And she believed him. She went through with the abortion, telling herself that she and Rip would have another baby someday. After they were old enough to get married.

"Have you told Jamie any of this?," Rachel asked, pulling back slightly so they could look at each other. From the look on Beth's face, Rachel already knew the answer to her question was no.

"Doesn't matter," Beth grumbled. "I'll never forgive him." Rachel squeaked, giggling slightly through her tears.
"You'll never forgive Jamie," Rachel repeated. "...But you came over here to talk me into forgiving him?" She had no idea what Jamie offered Beth in order to get the woman to do his bidding. And she wasn't sure she ever wanted to know. In fact, Rachel was quite sure she could live the rest of her life without knowing any more of the Dutton family secrets.

"Pretty much," Beth admitted. The irony of the situation was not lost on her. And Beth laughed when Rachel pulled her into another rough hug. Beth squeezed her back tightly, smiling at the feeling of Rachel's rounded belly being pressed between them. There was a little more crying. And a lot more laughing. And finally Rachel kissed Beth's cheek and whispered into her ear.
"I really missed you."

"I missed you too," Beth gushed.

Rip knocked on the open door, announcing his presence. Rachel supposed he stood outside for as long as he could stand it before coming up to check on his two favorite ladies.

"Everything going okay in here?," he asked, eyeing their splotchy faces and watering eyes nervously.

"Everything's good," Rachel said, tucking her arm around Beth's waist.

"Everything's not good," Beth argued, eyeing her husband. "I'm gonna kill you later." When her threat failed to elicit terror from the man, she added, "...Seriously. I love you. But also, FUCK you."

"It's not his fault," Rachel said, quick to defend her brother's honor. "I asked him not to tell anyone where I was." Beth grumbled a little more, mostly under her breath. But it seemed she'd decided to deal with her marital problems later. Because after flipping Rip off, she returned her attention to Rachel.

"I gotta take those birds back to the ranch," Rip said. "Dakota wants to know if she can go with." Rachel sighed and nodded her head with only slight reluctance.

"She can go."

"Will you be coming by later?," he asked, obviously hopeful. Rachel cracked a grin.
"I think I have a little business to take care of first," she admitted, rubbing her hand over her stomach and giving him a knowing glance.

Rip moved forward, hugging Rachel first. Then he grabbed Beth and forced his lips against hers, laughing when she tried to wriggle away from him. On his way out the door, Rip offered up a choice piece of advice.
"Give him hell," he told Rachel with a wink and a tip of his hat. Her laughter followed him out the door. And he was glad to hear it. Rachel led Beth into the kitchen, apologizing when she handed the woman a glass of juice. She didn't have anything stronger. They sipped their drinks, letting the high emotions of their sudden reunion slowly settle.

"You really think I ought to forgive him?," Rachel finally asked. Beth wrinkled her face up into an ugly little scowl. But after another look at Rachel's stomach, she shrugged her shoulders and answered Rachel's question.

"There's worse things on this earth than loving a man that would kill for you."