*Author's Note*

Thank you for all the follows, faves, and reviews.

WARNING!: Peggy's funeral is going to be a big shitshow! Okay, carry on and read…

With The Loss Of A Woman

Shaw POV:

I had just sent Todd and Mary to their room for bed and sat down in my sitting chair whenever a knock sounded at the door. With a sigh, I stood up and crossed the small distance in the main room to go over to the door. I opened it only to find Sully standing on the walkup landing, holding the brim of his black hat with a white knuckled grip. Ah, so Jim Vance broke the news to him bout mom. I didn't say a word, just nodded my head and stepped aside to let him in. As soon as he crossed the threshold and stepped foot into the apartment, I shut the door, causing it to make a slight slamming sound.

"So, Uncle Jim told me ya want her buried by my parents." Sully remarked, breaking the ice, as he pointed at the coffin laid on the coffee table with his hat while takin' a seat in an armchair.

"Yea. I didn't get along too good with Peter so…" I told him while making my way over to my armchair.

"I understand, you wouldn't be able to visit her next to him." Sully told me as I sunk down into my chair. I didn't say a word, just nodded my head while subtly eyeing my mom's casket that was a few feet away. "So, now that you got the kids to take care of what's happening with you and Jessa?"

"After the funeral I'm gonna ask her to move in with me to help with my siblings." I honestly answered him as I attempted to relax into my chair.

He arched his brow at me. "Well, it's that serious then?"

"It is." I nodded. "After the house's built we'll move in there, sell this diner, and get married."

"Oh…" Sully's voice hung heavily in the air. After a few silent moments he asked, "So, what do you plan on doing for work once the diner's sold?"

"I wanna open up a livery."

"Oh, livestock."

"Actually, I want to raise horses, but yea I'm gonna be a livestock broker."

"Hmm, Mate Creek could use a livery since the only one's over in Pikeville." Sully told me as a way to let me know that he approved of my choice of career. I just silently nodded my head at him, letting him know that I appreciated his approval. "I hope that you and Jessa never have to go thru the heartbreak me and your mom did. I truthfully hope everything works out for ya'll."

"Thanks, dad." I nodded, giving him an appreciative look.

Giving me a sad smile, my dad told me, "Your mom liked Jessa, ya know that?"

"I know." I smiled before going on to explain, "They got along good the handful of times I brought her over for dinner or to visit."

"Let me guess, Peggy told her all of these embarassin' stories bout you as a boy."

"Yea, she did." I nodded, a slight smile crossing my face. Hitchin' my thumb over my shoulder and pointin' to the rack by the door my hat was hung on, I told Sully, "Mom told Jessa how I got my hat, well your hat, by snoopin' in the closet for Christmas presents."

"I was shocked that she kept it let alone gave it to ya." My dad told me with a slight chuckle lodged deep in the back of his throat.

I chewed on my bottom lip before telling him my honest feelings of, "I think she still loved you in her own way, cause if she didn't, she would've thrown out the hat."

I mean that's what girls do, they throw out all the shit the ex ever had or gave them. I mean girls only keep shit if it's meaningful. Mom obviously had her reasons for holding onto that hat; giving it to me too. Hell, my parents had one train wreck of a relationship. Mom married another man and Sully avoided her after that said man took his ticket out to Clarksville. Mhm…some fucked up shit. Thank god my relationship with Jessa ain't full of drama.

Sully looked down at the casket resting on the coffee table between us. He let out a long heavy sigh before looking at me and telling in a deep drawl, "Son, let me give ya a fair warnin' 'bout men with a drop of Vance blood in their veins. We only fall in love once in our lives; it's a one-time thing. Once a woman wiggles her way into our hearts, she stays there no matter if the relationship lives or dies."

"Is that why you never married, just dated here and there?" I asked him since that's the vibe I was getting from his warning speech he just gave me.

"Yes." Was his simple one-word answer. He reached his hands underneath the collar of his shirt only to pull out a chain with a simple small diamond chip on it. He pulled the chain over his head and took the ring off of it. Handing me the small diamond ring, Sully explained, "That was my mother's, your grandmother's, and I'd planned on givin' it to your mom, but…well I'm sure that it'll look nice on Jessa's finger."

"Thanks, I'll give it to her after the funeral." I told my dad, taking the ring from him and looking at it for a moment before stuffing it into my pocket that had my new hankie in it.

Jessa POV:

Getting dressed in a simple black dress and matching bonnet felt so wrong. I still wasn't over the shock of Peggy's death and having to go to her funeral today wasn't doing much to calm me either. The McCoy family had driven over to the gravesite in West Virginia in their large wagon while Tolbert had taken me in his wagon. He drove us so I wouldn't feel crowded and suffocated or at least that's the excuse he gave me. I wasn't sure what Tolbert's real reason was and I don't think I really cared either. I was too emotionally exhausted to care. I was still reeling from the harsh reality that I discovered Peggy, a lovely middle-aged woman, dead in the middle of her diner's kitchen.

The entire ride over into West Virginia was silent other then the sound of horse hooves and wheels going around and round on the icy dirt road. Once we reached the cemetery, Tolbert stopped his wagon on the side of the road right behind his poppy's. I noticed that Randall had said something, causing Sally to shake her head at him before they got out of their wagon. I wonder what was said.

"That's odd, the crowd ain't over by where Peter Eldridge's buried at." Tolbert remarked after we got out of our wagon.

"What?" I asked while giving him a confused look as we began to walk away from his wagon.

"Wives get buried by husbands, the crowd bein' on that far side instead of closer up front where Peter's headstone's at ain't settin' right wit' me." Oh…well I don't know what to say to that. I knew that Tolbert was making a valid point, but I also knew that Shaw didn't like Peter so Peggy not being buried next to him wasn't shocking to me. I couldn't tell that to Tolbert tho.

I just shrugged and picked up my pace, determined to reach the funeral crowd and by default Shaw's side in a timely manner. I could hear Tolbert's boots stomping behind me, no doubt he was grumpily following me. Since he really didn't want to be here, I bet if I looked over my shoulder, I'd see him making a snarly face or something. As I got closer to the crowd and Shaw, I noticed that Sully (Mr. Sullivan my old history teacher) was standing next to him. I didn't know why, but I knew that I didn't want to deal with him today. Oh, and also most of the crowd was filled with Hatfields too. I even spotted Johnse, Abel, Allie, and Cap standing not that far from Jim Vance who was, of course, a stone throw away from his nephew Mr. Sullivan.

I took a calming breath before quickly rushing over to Shaw's side. Once I was next to him, I grabbed his hand, causing him to turn his head to look at me. "Hi." I told him while offering up a sad line of a smile.

"Hey, honey." Shaw replied, his voice a bit melancholy, before dropping my hand and wrapping an arm around me, pulling me close to his side.

Mr. Sullivan looked at us, his eyes centering in on how Shaw was holding me close to his side. With a tight look the teacher told me, "Nice to see you at Shaw's side during this."

"Hi, Mr. Sullivan." I politely told my old history teacher, struggling to keep my voice even and level since I didn't want to deal with him. He was Jim Vance's nephew and something was odd with him.

"You can call him Sully, honey." Shaw told me, causing me to look up at him with one of my brows raised up high to my hairline. Shaw, upon seeing my funny look, just patted my shoulder and gave me the simple explanation of, "Everyone calls him Sully, Jessa. Don't think much 'bout it."

"Oh…" I just nodded before looking straight ahead at Reverend Garrett, who was standing by the flower covered coffin by the freshly dug hole.

The reverend gave Shaw a questioning look to which Shaw just nodded. Clearing his throat, Reverend Garrett spoke the words of, "We're here today to say goodbye to a good woman that was a mother, a friend, and a strong pillar in the community business wise."

Tolbert POV:

I should've been payin' attention to the reverend, but I wasn't. As I stood in the back, a lil far off my my family, but close 'nough to keep an eye on Jessa and watch the funeral, I noticed that the stone next to the wooden cross marker set in the ground for Peggy was marked Rhett Hector Sullivan. Hell, that was Sully's poppy wasn't it? I shifted my sight slightly only to see the stone marker next to Rhett's read Lila Grace Vance-Sullivan. Holy shit, Peggy Eldridge is gettin' laid t'rest right next to Sully's folks. What the hell? Why?

Hatfields weren't a friendly bunch o'people, only kept to their own. Then it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks, Shaw was one of 'em. That was it, that was why they never bothered wit' him an' were lettin' him burry his mama in their sacred land. As my eyes roamed over the crowd in front of me, I realized that Shaw, Sully, Cap, and Devil Anse were all wearing large black Stetsons, but that ain't what caught my attention. What caught my attention was how all of 'em looked eerily similar in height, build, stature, an' facial features. Alarm bells were goin' off in my head as I realized that Shaw had'a be related t'em. Not just related, but most likely Sully's son. Those two standin' side by side looked like spittin' images of one 'nother. It was clear t'me that Shaw had Vance blood in him thus makin' him a Hatfield. Hell, bet he's just wit' Jessa t'spy on my family, on us McCoys, cause that's how low a Hatfield'll stoop.

"Today Peggy will be brought into the lovin' embrace of our blessed savior in the promised land."

"Didn't know whores got into heaven." Slipped out of my mouth in a deep biting scoff.

The Reverend looked like he'd just swallowed his teeth while everyone's heads snapped t'look at me. Hell, even the graveyard workers were starin' at me instead of lowerin' the casket into the ground. Poppy gave me a hard stare while orderin' me, "I know ya didn't like the woman, but shut up Tolbert. This ain't the time t'be disrespectful."

"I ain't bein' disrespectful, I'm bein' truthful." I remarked with a slight smirk on my lips. Everyone was gonna know the truth I figured out, whether they wanted to or not.

"Rand'l, just shut your boy up 'fore I do." Devil Anse threatened poppy with a deadly cold look in his icy eyes.

"It's clear as day t'anybody wit' workin' eyeballs that looks at all 'em black Stetson wearin' men that they're all related. Hell, Shaw's the spittin' image of Sully an' there's only one way that can be. The shifty bastard belongs t'Sully; he's a Vance an' Hatfield kin."

Sully looked at me with a blood chilling stare while snapping out, "Now is not the place an' the time for this, Tolbert. Ya wanna hash up shit, fine, but don't do it here."

"Aw, how cute, yer defendin' yer son." I sarcastically scoffed, pointing between him and the shifty bastard that Jessa was with. Well, she wouldn't be with him for long…

"Tolbert!" Poppy shouted at me, warning me to shut up. He looked worried for me, like he thought the Hatfields might start attackin' or somethin'. Hell, my siblings all had wide eyes and looked dumbfounded while mama looked whiter then a sheet. Damn, bet she had her suspicions, but kept 'em to herself since she was girlhood friends wit' Peggy.

I just shrugged, pulled my flask outta my pocket, an' turned around. I said what needed t'be said, so I decided to make my way to my wagon an' leave.

Jessa POV:

I was shocked at what I just heard. Tolbert's words were reeling in my head as Peggy was lowered into the ground. I knew he'd left after his rant, but I wasn't sure if the rest of the McCoys had gone or not. I couldn't help, but feel like a fool as Tolbert's words began to make sense in my mind. MY wheels turned as I subtly looked over the black Stetson wearing men that Tolbert had pointed out. Oh my god, he was right they all did look similar. They shared familiar characteristics, from Shaw to Sully to Cap to Devil Anse. Between their height, build, jaw line, and nose shape, they looked alike. Yes, Tolbert was right, they were all kin. Not just kin, but cousins sharing the same uncle. Jim Vance.

I was shaken out of my mental reverie whenever Shaw had grabbed a handful of sand along with my hand, making to bring us to the grave to toss it in. My feet were firmly planted in the ground, I couldn't move I felt so shocked by everything. Shaw looked at me with furrowed brows which just made me asked him in a soft piercing squeak, "Is it true?"

"What?" Fell out of Shaw's mouth as he gave me a sideways look, his honey eyes were full of disbelief.

I could feel everyone's eyes boring into us as I repeated, "Is it true? Are you Hatfield kin?"

"Hell, we're not doin' this here." Shaw snapped, dragging me along with him to the grave. My heels were literally making drag marks in the ground too as he pulled me along hastily. "We'll talk 'bout it at the diner." He told me, grabbing my hand and putting half of his handful of sand in it as we reached Peggy's grave. "Mom liked you, just do her this one respect and place dirt on her pine box."

I just nodded my head, agreeing to his terms. I'd get my answers from him at the diner in a few minutes. Together, we tossed in our handfuls of dirt and then walked off. Shaw silently motioned for his siblings to join us, to which they quickly did. They chose to walk a few paces in front of us as we walked away from the funeral crowd. As soon as we got a few yards away, Randall's voice started to loudly boom in the air as he yelled, "It true that Shaw's not Peter's, but Sully's? That he's the nephew of you Jim Vance, the man that murdered my brother Harmon in cold blood."

"Your brother was a Yankee traitor piece of shit!" Jim Vance spat at Randall in a deep growl that echoed loudly in the air.

"Shut up, we're not havin' a fight at Peggy's funeral!" Devil Anse shouted at both his rival and his uncle.

The shouting died down and I couldn't hear any more of what was being said since we were too far away. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Randall stormed by while dragging Sally right behind him. She looked at me with a very sad look in her eyes. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw that the McCoy boys along with Alifair and Roseanna were shuffling their younger siblings along in a fast pace powerwalk. When I looked straight ahead again, I saw the Randall was getting closer to his wagon with every huge angry step he took.

Whenever Randall and Sally reached their wagon, we were almost to Shaw's. Sally had gotten into her wagon and took a seat while Randall grabbed the corn pudding casserole the was tucked underneath the front seat. Holding it high up into the air he gave Shaw an angrily look and dropped it. As the dish hit the ground with a loud shatter, he told him in a stern, but loud tone, "None of my food's gonna feed a Vance; Hatfield kin."

So, it was true. I stopped in my tracks and pulled my hand out of Shaw's. "You're Jim Vance's nephew?!" I asked in a shout, my voice a bit shaky with disbelief.

"I thought I said we weren't doin' this here?" Shaw asked me thru gritted teeth as the McCoy children began to pass by.

I stood my ground with him by saying in a tight, but firm, tone, "Yes, we are." Shaw narrowed his honey eyes at me, making me let out a sigh of, "I can't go with you if it's true and you know it."

"What, are ya serious?" He spat as he gave me a hard look, slightly narrowing his eyes at me. Shaw shook his head incredulously while letting out a scoff of, "You're gonna pick the McCoys over me? They ain't your family, honey."

My indigo eyes widened, hurt shining in them, as I told him in a squeaky high-pitched snap, "They're the closest thing I got to a family and you know it. Damnit, you knew this before you even approached me."

"No, actually you weren't a McCoy when we first met." He had to be referring to when he met back in 2017 Tulsa with that remark. How could he bring that up? Things changed whenever we landed in the Tug River Valley during 1878. His jaw went a bit rigid as he ground out at me between his teeth in a slight sarcastic spat, "I'm so sorry that I thought ya were a nice girl, but appears I was wrong 'bout that."

"Well, I was wrong 'bout you too. I thought you were honest and trustworthy, but instead you're a liar." I shot back at him, pointing a finger in his face and getting high-pitched as I got to the words (you're a liar) at the end of my rant.

"I never fuckin' lied to you, I just didn't tell ya who my real dad was." Shaw told me, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal that he never told me the truth about his heritage.

"You're just like the rest of the Hatfields, liars and cutthroats that try to get their own damn way."

"Oh, yea, so that's what you think of me now that you know the truth. Damn, Jessa, those McCoys did a helluva number on ya."

Before I could say anything back to Shaw that'd carry on our fight, Randall's voice firmly rang out in the air with the ultimatum of, "Jessa, either ya go with that Vance or come back with the family. Choice is yers, but ya gotta pick now."

Shaw placed a hand on my cheek, his honey eyes raw and wild, as he pleaded, "Please, Jessa, let's just go to the diner. We can talk everything over and work this all out, honey. Just don't leave me, not when I need ya the most."

"The McCoys took me in when I had nothing. They're like my family; I can't…" I told him, my voice soft and breaking a bit. I was in a miserable and hopeless situation, having to choose between Shaw and the McCoys, but I couldn't leave my new family. No, not when they've been so kind and good to me. They didn't have much, but what they had they gratefully shared with me and they invited me into their family fold with no conditions other then I work the land and do chores alongside them. "You don't need me. You have your family, the Hatfields." His hand fell off my cheek upon hearing my words. Quickly I backed away from him. Turning around, I called out to Mr. McCoy, "I'm coming home, Randall."

Shaw POV:

I could do nothing, but watch with a heavy heart as Jessa quickly rushed off to join the McCoys at their wagon. I felt a pain piercin' my chest, like sharp daggers bein' stabbed into my heart, as I watched Jessa climb into the wagon and sit next to Roseanna McCoy. The fair skinned blonde that'd catch Johnse's eye in a couple of years wrapped an arm around Jessa, pulling her into a sisterly embrace in an attempt to comfort her. As I watched the wagon roll away, I felt my heart go with it. It was as if a string was tied to both my heart and the back of McCoy's wagon, pullin' my heart right outta my chest the farther it went down the road.

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, causin' me to turn my head and look at who was next to me. It was my dad. Sully gave me a sympathetic look and patted my shoulder before walking off towards where he had his horse tethered. God, my mom was right…I was too much like my dad…Well, at least me and Jessa weren't together long 'nough to have a kid.

Swallowing down the lump trying to form in my throat, causing my Adam's apple to bob up and down quickly, I made my way over to my wagon where my siblings were at waiting for me. I had to worry about taking care of them now; didn't have the luxury to wallow in my own feelings. I took a deep breath and pushed my hurt deep down before getting into my wagon. My siblings just looked at me as I snapped the reigns and directed our wagon away from the edge of the cemetery and onto the main road that's take us back to town and to the diner.

So, this is how the million broken pieces of my heart will not mend, but turn into stone (like Sully and Jim Vance's did). With the loss of a woman.

AN:

Well, wasn't that dramatic?... Anyways, next chapter Allie shares some good and exciting news with Cap. Also, Tolbert and Jessa will finally become a couple even tho the reason behind it is well very heavy.