*Author's Note*

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

Christmas Eve, '79

Jessa POV:

It's been a few months since I sent Shaw away, ending anything that was being restarted between us. Harvest has passed and winter's in the hills now. I haven't seen him since I told him to go, but I've heard talk and gossip about how he settled down with his pregnant housekeeper, Olga. I've also heard that his livery business was booming; wouldn't slow down anytime soon either. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to avoid seeing Shaw anymore since tonight's Christmas Eve and it was inevitable that we'd see each other at the church service. The church service that Tolbert was currently driving us to.

"Ya think he'll sleep thru the service or get fussy?" Tolbert asked, tilting his brown hat covered head to the baby boy I had cradled in my arms.

"I don't know." I shrugged before smiling and saying, "I think he'll sleep since the cold weather seems to make him tired, but you never know."

"He's been doin' better lately when it comes t'sleepin'."

"I guess so since he's 4-months-old now, Tolbert."

"Ya worried 'bout havin' to see that Vance bastard 'nite at church considerin' he tried t'kill me durin' Easter service?" Tolbert asked, a bit out of the blue in my opinion, as he snapped his wrist to make the horse pull the wagon a bit faster.

"No, I'm not worried about seeing him." Well, I kind of was, but I wasn't going to admit it tho. Instead I gave my husband a reason why I shouldn't be worried. "He's got a pregnant live in girlfriend so he should leave us alone."

Tolbert's face tilted up a bit. "Talk's got it he ain't too pleased they're havin' a baby."

"Well, whether he likes it or not they're having a baby so he better just scratch his ass and get glad." I bluntly scoffed, sounding a bit bitcher then I meant to. Oh well, guess I wasn't really over the fact that Shaw was going to have two baby mamas like some kind of player.

"Darlin', not all men are cut out for families an' havin' chil'ren. Don't think he's one of 'em either."

Shaw seemed just fine when it came to Silas, but who knows he could've just been going out of his way to tend to Silas and be sweet to me so that I'd leave Tolbert. Obviously, everything that came out of his mouth was a lie since he had Olga in his bed; was knocking her up too when he was reconciling with me. I still can't believe I almost left a good man for a lying heartbreaker. God and he even tried to say that Brenton was Sully's best friend and they schemed to keep us apart. Hell, could he get even worse as a liar? Brenton was Perry's brother-in-law, no way in hell was he bffs with Sully.

"I suppose you're right." I simply told Tolbert since I couldn't let him know that I'd seen Shaw act fatherly before. I'd keep that fact that I almost left him a secret, one that I'd take to my grave.

Shaw POV:

"Why're we goin' t'church for? Yer not religious, Shaw." Olga piped up, breaking the silence we were riding in, as I drove to town for the late-night Christmas Eve service, I attended every year.

"Cause my family always attends Christmas Eve and Easter services even tho we're not, as you put it, religious." I deadpanned, my grip on the reins tightening a slight bit as quickly snapped them to get my wagon to move a bit faster. The sooner I got to church the sooner I didn't have to listen to Olga anymore.

"I went t'mass every week back in New York." Olga told me, thinking that I'd give a shit when I obviously wouldn't.

I didn't say a word; just sat stoically still as I drove the wagon down the road towards the church. I heard my brother Todd, let out a tiny scoff behind me. Clearly, he didn't care that Olga used to attend mass in the Five Points either. Can't say I'm surprised she went to mass considerin' she's close to the Vallons. Goddamn, I still can't believe that Amsterdam and Jenny are real people. Hell, I hope they don't ever come down and visit cause that's a couple I don't wanna meet.

"I'd like t'raise our baby in the church." Olga's dulcet voice announced breaking the cold silence in the air like an ice pike cracking into a large ice block.

"Okay, then raise it in the church."

"I mean I want ya t'go t'church wit' me and our baby, as a family."

"Yea…that ain't happenin'." I scoffed. I had no intentions of going to church every Sunday no matter what Olga wants. Hell, I doubt I'd be going to church every Sunday with Jessa either. When ya get to the root of it I'm just not a churchy person.

"But Shaw-" She began til I abruptly cut her off with, "Olga, I'm not a church goin' or a religious man so I won't be goin' to church with you and the baby. Take my siblings with you if they want to go, but I ain't going unless it's Christmas Eve or Easter."

"Tolbert brings his family to church." Olga told me, pointing to that damn McCoy as he pulled his wagon up to a stop in an open space in front of the church.

"Don't go there, Olga…" I ground out thru gritted teeth as I pulled our wagon to a stop while noticing Tolbert take Silas from Jessa out of the corner of my eye. God my blood boiled as I had to watch that crazy drunk McCoy hold my son while helping the woman I loved out of his wagon. Damnit, if it weren't for the brunette next to me, I'd be the one with Jessa and Silas right now. "Wait til they're inside to get out. I don't want any problems breakin' out with the McCoy tonight." I told everyone, pulling the wagon's break up, since I didn't want a fight to break out around Jessa and Silas. I didn't want them getting hurt or hell him being startled awake or something cause me and Tolbert got into a row. As long as my boy was physically around Tolbert, I'd leave him alone, but when he's by himself, well then, I'll start some shit with that fucker.

"Okay." Todd and Mary let out in a chorus behind me while Olga just nodded.

As Tolbert handed Silas to Jessa her indigo eyes met my honey ones and in them, I could see a mix of disappointment and regret. I knew without a doubt that my eyes were showing her the same emotions. I felt the same way, I was disappointed with how things worked out and I had my regrets too. As quick as our eyes locked, they unlocked. Jessa stopped looking at me as Tolbert placed his hand on the small of her back, usherin' her to the church's large double doors.

Allie POV:

I was sitting next to my husband, cuddling our son Captain W close to my chest, as we sat on the pew singing Silent Night. Johnse, the ever-proud uncle, was sitting next to me. I swear, ever since I had Captain W Johnse came over to visit more. He even had family dinner with us a couple times a week too. It was nice that he seemed entranced by his nephew; made me feel that he'd be a good dad someday. Of course, Uncle Jim sat next to Cap. The old crochety mountain man seemed to have two favorite nephews now, my husband and my son. Oh, Jim dotted on Captain W and it was so adorable. I mean seeing a large grumpy man, that chews tobacco like its bubblegum, gently hold a baby and coo over it is something else. It's a sight that proves that even a mean man has a soft spot. Next to Uncle Jim was Sully, who was saving the end pew spot for Shaw and Olga for whenever they arrived. My brother was sitting in the pew behind us with some of the kids. Skunk Hair and Vera weren't in church since she had their baby, a boy named Timothy Willis, a few days ago and was resting. The Wallace family was coming over to the main Hatfield house for dinner tomorrow, or at least that's what they told us when me and Cap were visiting the other day and dropping off a present for the baby.

The sound of the door opening and closing, followed by footsteps echoing against the wooden floor of the church, made everyone on my pew lookover their shoulders to see if Shaw, Olga, and the kids had come. Unfortunately, it wasn't them, but it was Tolbert and Jessa instead. Tolbert had a tight look on his face as he led Jessa, who was tightly holding her baby to her chest, to the pew Pharmer, Bud, Calvin, Parris, and Squirrel were at. I've known Jessa since kindergarten so I knew by her slightly wilted body language that she was upset, that something was bothering her. Hmm, maybe she had regrets or something.

"Goddamnit, that baby's Shaw's spittin' image." Uncle Jim declared in his deep crackle of a tone, a smirk on his weathered face.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sully sighed out the warning of, "Jim…"

"Don't Jim me, Sully." The crochety mountain man ordered his nephew. Before Sully could say a word, Jim bluntly told him in a smartass tone, "That baby looks just like your boy did when he was lil. Remember, I was home when ya were off fightin' in the war so I know what baby Shaw looked like and it's just like Miss George's baby."

Sully's head spun so fast I thought it was gonna spin off. He looked at the baby with a thin layer of golden-brown hair, whose eyes had changed to honey brown, and let out a tiny breathy gasp. Whenever Jessa felt him staring at her baby, she gave him a pointed look, causing Sully to turn his head around to look at the front of the church. "Silas really does look like Shaw."

"She named it Silas?" Cap asked, his brow raised with disbelief.

"Silas Elliot, least that's what Shaw told me." Sully told Cap right as the doors to the church squeaked open again.

Really, Jessa named her baby after Shaw even tho she took up with Tolbert and tried to pass the baby off as his. What the hell is wrong with my ex-best friend? You don't do shit like that unless you either A. want people to figure out who the baby's daddy is or B. you're still in love with your baby's daddy. God, when it comes to Jessa's mindset, I think I might have to go with the latter…

"Shaw and Olga's here." Uncle Jim announced as everybody looked towards the doors in the back to see who'd just come in.

"I hope he don't cause no problems." Johnse remarked, clearly referring to the incident that happened on Easter.

"He shouldn't, Olga's with him." Cap told his brother, trying to sound positive even tho the slightly grim look on his chiseled face was anything but positive.

"She won't stop him if he wants to do somethin' stupid." Sully sighed, shaking his head, as his shoulders slumped with dread.

"Well, he's bein' stupid right now an' she ain't even pickin' up on it." Uncle Jim announced in a slight scoff, pointing to Shaw staring at Jessa and baby Silas with longing in his eyes as he was walking down the aisle with Olga by his side. Her hand was in his, but she was doing the holding while his hand was just stiff and didn't form into hers.

"Oh, no, she picked up on it." I corrected my favorite grumpy uncle-in-law. No way in hell she didn't, girls always know when their man's looking at another woman. While watching the Todd and Mary make their way to the pew behind us as Shaw and Olga got closer to our pew, I quickly explained myself to Jim with, "She's just not saying anything cause she knows he's her man; that he has to stay with her cause the other woman's taken." Right before Shaw and Olga reached us, I added in, "Her baby's her ace. She knows even if he doesn't love her, he'll love the baby and in extent treat her respectfully. Especially since she's the one giving him a baby he can actually raise." Mhm, no matter the era the way a woman thinks hasn't changed.

Before Jim or anybody else could utter a word back to me, Shaw and Olga appeared at the end of our pew. Olga took a seat next to Sully while Shaw plopped down at the end, leaning his elbow on the edge of the pew. He didn't say a word in greeting, just grabbed the book full of Christmas carols and passed it over to Olga.

"Hi." Olga greeted us, looking down the pew, before opening up the song book.

All of us paused in our singing to greet her with simple words of hi and hello. Olga, content to be acknowledged by the family, went on to sing the song Silent Night as she flipped thru the pages of the carol book to find the page the song was printed on. Shaw, well, he just sat like a brooding bump on a log. He didn't sing, just occasionally flittered his eyes over to look at Jessa and Silas. Oh god, even tho he's got a pregnant live in girlfriend he's still pining over his baby's mama. This isn't good, this isn't good at all for the feud.

Abel POV:

After church ended, I went home to my one room cabin that was on the edge of Logan county, but by the Tug. I got myself some land and built a cabin (eh it wasn't big or pretty, but it worked as a doable shelter) back in mid-September. The reason behind me doing it was simple, I wanted a place to bring Nancy back to so we could mess around. Yea, I was still dating Nancy McCoy.

Well, talk about Nancy McCoy, I was currently cuddled in bed with her. I was listening to her rant about how she dreaded having to go to her Uncle Randall's for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Can't say that I blame her for not wanting to go. From what I read about him I don't think I'd want to go either.

"And the way Uncle Rand'l parades that baby 'round's disgustin'." Nancy spat a bit dramatically. Shaking her head against my bare chest, causing her black curls to fan against it, she groaned, "I swear if I gotta listen' t'him coo over that baby one more time I'm gonna puke."

I started to play with her inky hair as I chuckled, "Nance, babe, of course he's cooin' over the baby, he thinks it's his grandson."

"He's a fool, anyone can see it looks like Shaw an' not Tolbert."

"Maybe he's in denial or just wants a grandson that he's overlookin' it?" I suggested, trying to give her a reason why Randall was being so accepting of a baby that clearly didn't look like his son or anyone else in the McCoy family.

"But treatin' Jim Vance's nephew as his own gran'son's disgustin'. It ain't a stray pup t'mold, it's a baby wit' murderer's blood in its veins."

I shrugged my shoulders before letting out a sigh and telling her, "Well, my Christmas dinner ain't gonna be any better. I'm stuck dealing with Shaw's brooding dick ass." Shaking my head, I told her, "He's got a permanent chip on his shoulder. I swear he's the coldest motherfucker I've ever met." My tone went a bit soft as I admitted, "I feel bad for Olga, his baby mama, since Shaw's so rude to her. She's pregnant with his baby, but he treats her like she's shit on his boot."

"If she was smart, she'd leave 'fore that Vance bastard ruins her life or gets her killed."

"I doubt she'll ever leave him. She's from a rough part of New York City called the Five Points, so I think she'll stay here cause it's a slower pace."

Pushing herself up off my chest, she looked at me and asked, "And what 'bout you, Abel? Would you ever leave here?"

Shaking my head, I honestly told Nancy, "No, my sister's here and you're here."

"Good, cause I don't think I'd ever want ya t'leave." She smiled, looking down at me with adoration in her black onyx eyes.

"Even tho we gotta keep what's going on with us secret?" I asked her, one of my brows raised. Honestly, I hated having to sneak around with my girlfriend, but since my sister was married to Cap and I worked for his dad, Devil Anse, I had no choice, but to sneak around with Nancy and keep our relationship a secret. Damn this stupid feud, it's messing with my love life.

"One day, Abel, but not now, we wont' be a secret anymore." Nancy told me with confidence laced in her sugary sweet tone. Looking at me, she ran her fingers thru my brown hair (that had grown out some in the year I'd been in Mate Creek) and softly told me, "I can wait a real long time for what I want."

Jessa POV:

After church was over, we got into our wagon and made our way home to Kentucky. Of course, Silas woke up and started to fuss when we were halfway to our house. Tolbert didn't say a word, just drove us home as I lightly rocked the baby in my arms. Once we were got home, my husband quickly took our son from me and helped me down from the wagon. He continued to hold him as we walked up to our porch and into the house.

"Ya can change outta yer dress an' I'll change his diaper." Tolbert told me as we made our way across the kitchen towards our room.

"Okay." I simply told him, thankful that he was going to tend to Silas so I could get out of my church dress. Over the last few months, Tolbert's been getting better at being a father. I was a struggle for him, but he was trying to help me take care of Silas the best he could. I've come to realize that with Tolbert the little things meant a lot since he wasn't a man that had a naturally nurturing spirit.

"I didn't like how that shady Vance bastard was lookin' at Silas when he walked into church." Tolbert gruffly told me, crossing our room to bring Silas to the changing table while I stood by our dresser and unbuttoned the few beaded buttons that lined the neckline of my navy-blue dress.

"Tolbert, don't read to much into it." I told my redheaded husband as I stripped out of my dress as he placed our son onto the changing table. I folded my nice dress and put it into the dresser since it wasn't dirty (I only wore it for a few hours) while sighing out an explanation of, "He's just pining, but he'll get over it once his baby with his wife comes."

"They ain't married. Shit, they ain't even common law." Tolbert spat, his velvet gruff voice getting caught in the back of his throat, as he finished changing Silas.

"What?" I asked, feeling as if I'd been slapped in the face. Shaw told me he wasn't married, but I didn't believe him. Oh god, don't tell me he was telling the truth about that.

"Yea, they ain't committed." Tolbert confirmed Shaw's unmarried status he watched me go over to the bed. "Heard he's makin' her keep her own name too even tho he's gonna most likely give their baby his name." Tolbert told me in a gossipy tone to his smooth Appalachian accented voice as he walked over to the bed, handing me over Silas so that could feed him.

"Oh, I didn't know that." I remarked, opening the top of my shift in order to nurse.

"Mhm…" Tolbert hummed as he took off his hat and jacket. He placed them onto the bed before unbuttoning his shirt and revealing, "Reckon that's why I don't like him lookin' at either ya or our son. Don't want him thinkin' he can take ya'll off wit' him."

Guilt flooded me for a quick second since that's exactly what almost happened. I almost ran off his Shaw and took Silas with me. If it wasn't for Olga, well I doubt I'd be with Tolbert right now. A thin, but soft, smile appeared on my lips as I assured my husband, "Tolbert, you have nothing to worry about. I'm not going to leave you; especially not for him."

"It ain't ya I'm worried 'bout." Tolbert mumbled under his breath (or at least I swore he did) as he toed out of his boots. Gesturing to Silas, who was starting to slow down in his feeding, Tolbert advised while pulling off his long-john shirt, "Let's just get him settled down so we can get some sleep." Taking off his pants he added in with a knowing smile, "'Morrow's Christmas, gonna be a big day for him wit' the family."

"Oh no, between your poppy, your brothers, and your cousins, Silas is going to be getting passed around all day for cuddles." I told Tolbert in a playful tone while watching him scoop up his clothes and bring them over to our dresser.

"I doubt Jefferson's gonna be itchin' t'hold 'im tho." Tolbert told me, putting his church clothes away. Looking at me from over his shoulder, he chuckled, "Bet he'll be too 'fraid if he or Sarah holds the baby too much that she'll want one."

"Oh dear lord, I don't think I can picture Jefferson with a baby." I shook my head, holding back a laugh, as Tolbert made his way over to our bed as I burped our son.

"I know." Tolbert chuckled, getting into bed. "I still can't believe he's been wit' Sarah since harvest. Thought he would've screwed that up since he's always drunk." My husband stated as our son let out a loud burp.

"Hey, pot don't call the kettle black. You drink too." I told Tolbert while getting out of bed in order to put Silas in his crib.

"I know I drink, but I don't get black out drunk an' don't 'member what I've been up to." Tolbert told me, defending himself, as I brought Silas over to his crib and placed him into it. As I tucked the blue-green quilt around my son, I heard my husband gruffly remark, "Shaw's a bad drunk." What? My brows furrowed as I turned away from my son's crib. As I made my way to join Tolbert in our bed he pressed on with, "Heard he don't know when t'put down the bottle. Gets himself an' anyone he's wit' tossed into jail for fightin' in the tavern ov'r in West Ginnie too."

What? Tolbert can't be telling the truth. Shaw's stepdad was a mean drunk, no way he'd be a bad drunk. I just don't see it. I mean I'm sure he has a drink or two, but I just don't see him being a binge drinker. I mean he was concerned that Tolbert was a violent alcoholic and that seemed genuine (even tho he lied about having a side ho) so I just can't picture him as an alcoholic with a penchant for fighting in bars.

"Oh…" I simply let out before resting my head down on my pillow.

"Sorry I brung it up, I shouldn't 've." Tolbert apologized for talking about my ex's supposed alcoholism before adjusting himself behind me so that we could spoon. Yep, Tolbert quite enjoyed being the big spoon. It was cute and it provided me with some warmth too.

Meanwhile In Mate Creek, WV

Shaw POV:

I felt like a complete fucking failure as I sat at my kitchen table in my long-john pants, taking sips off of my shine bottle. Seeing my family with another man, who was also my enemy, made me furious. It ain't fair that Tolbert gets to play happy fucking family with Jessa and Silas while I'm stuck with Olga. Damnit, if that Five Points bitch wasn't pregnant with my kid (hell I ain't even sure if it's really mine or not, but since DNA tests and the Maury Show don't exist yet I'm stuck being the baby daddy) I'd throw her out. It's not that she's a bad person, she's actually a nice person, but I just don't want to be with her. Hell, I feel like this entire relationship was thrown on me like a bucket of ice water. I mean I was fine with her warming my bed as a temporary thing, but I never wanted anything serious with her. I'm stuck being seriously involved with her now tho and it sucks balls.

The bedroom door creaked open followed by Olga's slippered feet pitter pattering into the room. Taking a seat next to me at the table, she sighed, "Shaw, ya should be in bed sleepin'; not drinkin'."

"Don't worry 'bout me, I'll be in after I quench my thirst." I snapped, annoyed that she was telling me what I should be doing. She wasn't my mom, my mom was dead and gone, so I didn't need her telling me what to do.

She let out a sigh and shook her head, causing her brown hair to limply bounce around her red satin covered shoulders. Her doe brown eyes looked at me with sympathy as she told me, "Shaw, lookin' into the bottom o'the bottle ain't changin' nothin'; ain't bringin' her back."

"Shut up, Olga." I ordered in a bark, taking a large sip from my shine bottle.

"Ya think yer the only one that lost someone, huh?" Olga rhetorically asked me before quickly following it up with an irritated, "Well, yer not." She let out a few deep breaths before going on to say with a shakiness to her dulcet tone, "'Fore I answered that ad an' came 'ere I had a man, was even expectin' too. He got killed in a gang fight an' I lost the baby." Looking at me with understanding she softly told me, "I too lost loved ones."

"Don't compare yourself to me, Olga. Your gang banger died, didn't get lured away by lies and false promises." Hell, that's what happened to bangers. They die or go to jail. I'm not shocked that he died. Before taking another swig from my bottle I told her, "I'm sorry 'bout you losing your baby tho." I meant it; I wouldn't wish the loss of a child on anybody.

She just nodded her head, giving me a silent thanks. A few moments of silence passed between us before she told me in a firm, but soft tone, "Yer not gonna get her back, but ya got me an' our baby now." Giving me a fixed look, she added in, "Ya needa move on for the sake of our baby."

"I can't love you, Olga. You know that." I flatly reminded her of what I said when I first brought her home to Mate Creek as I stared at the shine bottle in my hand.

The brunette in the red silky satin robe countered my reminding with the statement of, "I know, but ya can respect me as the mother o'yer child. Ya can at least treat me more caringly."

I didn't say a word, just nodded and took a long swig from my shine bottle. Eh, reckon I could try to be nicer to her. I mean she is pregnant with my kid. "It ain't gonna be easy for me, but in time I reckon I could care for you."

Taking the bottle out of my hand and setting it on the table, she told me, "Ya had 'nough to drink. It's time for bed." Before I could let out a protest, she cut her brown doe eyes at me and asked, "Christmas is t'morrow, don't wanna be hungov'r for it, do ya?"

"No…" I sighed before standing up. "I'm goin' to bed, but only cause I gotta be up early to make sticky buns." I told Olga before leaving the table and making my way over to my bedroom, the room that I was stuck sharing with her forever. Goddamnit, I'd rather have Jessa in my bed, but shit didn't work out for us. A part of me wonders if it could tho since neither of us are married (I don't view that common law shit as married, it's just a glorified word for shackin' up.). Hmm, for now I just gotta settle for Olga.

AN:

Oh no, Nancy's playing Abel like a fiddle. Not good… Well, at least no fights broke out in church this time. Do you think Shaw's going to actually try to forget about Jessa and move on with Olga or do you think he's going to end up doing something stupid? Tolbert and Jessa, they're happy right now, but how long do you think that's going to last?