*Author's Note*

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

I know, I'm just cranking out these chapters. The muses are working overtime, lol.

Happy New Year, 1882

Cap POV:

I usually didn't stay at the saloon when it was dark, but since it was New Year's Eve, I was here playin' poker. I've been here most of the day, playin' hand after hand. I've been winnin' a good 'mount of money too. Since tonight's a big one for drinkin', playin' cards, and celebratin' at the saloon I knew that I'd make more then 'nough to support my family this month; next month too.

"Thought I told ya to keep your Hatfield ass outta this here saloon?" Asked Bad Frank Phillips as he limped to a stop right by me.

"And I thought I told ya that I ain't part of my family no more." I threw back at him while discarding a card and drawing a new one from the deck.

"Ya know in order to safely be in this establishment I need payment."

"Hell…" I sighed, placin' my cigar into the ashtray. "Wait a second, boys." I told the men I was playin' cards with while I pulled my wallet from my pocket. I took some bills out and handed them over to Phillips. "Here's your payment, now leave me 'lone."

Mr. Phillips folded up the money and put it into his vest pocket. Tippin' his hat at me, he smirked, "Nice doin' business wit'cha, young Hatfield." Instead of leavin' me alone, he advised in a mockin' chuckle, "Ya ought'a think 'bout gettin' yourself into somethin' useful instead of gamblin' for ends meet."

"Shut up an' leave me the hell 'lone, Phillips. I paid ya, no need to be botherin' me." I told the man while raisin' my bet.

Meanwhile Down The Road…

Sully POV:

It was New Years Eve and instead of bein' at my cousin's or my son's I was at my best friend's. I decided that I needed to catch up with Brenton, find out what's been going on in Kentucky. Brenton greeted me with a wide grin and eagerly let me into his house while telling me, "It's been a while, old buddy. Come on in, we'll play cards ov'r some whiskey."

"Yes, it has, but a lot's been going on." I told my best friend and war buddy as I stepped foot into his house.

"Take it Jessa had the baby." Brenton stated, not asked, as he shut his front door while I made my way over to one of the armchairs in the main room.

"Yes, a boy named Endor John." I told my friend, taking a seat in a wingback chair while he walked into the room.

"Hmm, strong, but unique name." He mused, going over to the liquor cart he had set up in the corner.

"He's a very big baby. A redhead too." I told my friend as he poured us some glasses of bourbon.

"Oh…he's a redhead…" Brenton remarked, his face going into a long 'oh really' kind of look as he made his way over to the wingback chairs.

Taking the offered drink from my longtime friend, I bluntly told him, "Don't play dumb with me, Brenton. We both know why my grandson's a redhead."

"Oh, so you know then?" The law clerk inquired, taking a seat in the chair that was next to mine.

"It's hard not to put two and two together when the baby's got Tolbert's hair and facial features." I deadpanned, taking a large sip of bourbon.

"How's your son dealin' with it?"

Setting my glass down on the small table between us, I honestly told him, "He's not, he's in denial." Opening up the cigar box and taking one out, I added in as an afterthought, "Oh, and he's drinking again."

"That boy of yours is gonna end up drinking himself into an early grave like Peter did if he don't get his drinkin' under control." Brenton told me, setting his glass down and taking a cigar out of the box for himself. "The booze'll either pickle his liver or et up his stomach an' kill 'im." He told, lighting up his cigar as I took my first drag off of mine.

"I know, Brenton." I sighed around a ring of smoke. "I know." I shook my head before taking another puff off my cigar.

"That boy of yours needs to put down the bottle or else it'll slowly kill him." My friend said matter-of-factly while picking his glass off the table. "You know I'm right, Sully." He took a sip of his bourbon.

I didn't say a word, just nodded and grabbed my own drink. My friend was right, if Shaw slipped back into his bad alcoholism, he most likely wouldn't live past 40 due to either liver or stomach damage. Only god knew how many more New Years my son, my only child, would get.

Mary POV:

Since I was almost 11, Shaw and Jessa gave me permission to go to a New Year's Eve bonfire party with Todd in one of the back hollers. Since Todd and our step-cousin Robert E. was gonna be there Shaw thought it'd be fine for me to go. Jessa was a bit reluctant, but when I said that some girls I knew'd be there she said it was okay for me to go.

I've never been to a bonfire party 'fore, since I was always too young, so I did feel a bit outta place when my brother an' Robert E. ditched me after we arrived in order to talk wit' Mariah Wolford an' one of her friends. Teens of all different ages were at this bonfire, but most people knew each other or of each other cause the Tug Valley's a small place to live in.

I managed to find some girls I used to go to school with, Paige and Sarah. So, I just took to talkin' to them. We were huddled together, tappin' our toes to the beat of the tune some banjo player was playin', whenever Billy McCoy arrived. "Oh, Mary, look, there's Billy." Paige nudged me, smilin' as she subtly pointed out where the auburn-haired McCoy was on the other side of the bonfire.

"He's lookin' awfully handsome tonight too." Sarah swooned as Billy's gaze fell on us from across the flames of the bonfire.

I couldn't help, but to blush as I felt his blue eyes on me. I adverted my gaze while tellin' my friends, "He looks like he always does."

"Which is handsome." Sarah told me with a smile.

Turning to me, Paige sighed, "Hopefully he doesn't fight wit' your brother and Robert E. over Mariah again."

"I hope not." I told my friend, agreein' that a fight breakin' out would be horrible.

"Oh, my lordy, he's headed this way." Sarah shrieked, nearly jumping out of her skin with excitement.

With a raised brow, I turned to my friend and asked, "Who?"

"Who'd ya think? Billy, ya silly goose." Sarah snipped at me, causing Paige to just giggle.

Oh…But why would Billy be comin' over for? He hated my brothers and my step-cousin. It didn't make sense, not one bit. Maybe he wanted to talk to one of my friends? Yea, that must be it.

"Hi, I'm Billy McCoy." Billy introduced himself as he came up to me and my friends.

"I'm Sarah Major." Sarah smiled at Billy before pointing to us and saying, "And these two are Paige Brightly and Mary Eldridge."

Billy's brow quirked. "Eldridge?"

"Yes, I'm Mary Eldridge." I awkwardly answered him, feelin' his blue eyes on me as if I was something he was studying or trying to figure out.

"Last time I saw ya you were a lil girl with blonde pigtails at your mom's funeral." BIlly told me, makin' me want the ground to swallow me up so I can disappear. Oh god, why did he have to bring up my mom's funeral for? That day was so bad for my family.

"Yea, well, that was nearly 4-years ago so…" I trailed off a bit uncomfortably.

Sensin' my discomfort, he scratched the back of his neck and asked, "Uh, ya wanna sit on a log an' talk?"

Biting back a blush, I nodded, "Um, okay."

Without another word, we walked off together towards a nearby log. As soon as we sat down, he asked, "So, that sister-in-law of yours have my brother's baby yet?"

"Yes." I told him before quickly furrowing my brows and askin', "But how'd you know it's not my brother's, but your brother's baby?"

The orange-yellow glow of the bonfire surrounded us as we sat on the log together. The fire's light reflected in Billy's blue eyes as he told me, "Tolbert let the entire family know the baby was his." Oh, well, that makes sense. The light brought out the red of Billy's curly auburn hair as he went on to tell me, "Got into a big fight wit' poppy 'bout. Got kicked out an' moved in wit' Aunt Betty ov'r Jessa an' the baby too."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Oh no, that sounded so stupid. Why did I say that?

"Yea…" He nodded, his voice hangin' heavily in the air. Turnin' his attention to me, he asked, "So when'd it come an' what as?"

"His name's Endor John; he was born on December 23rd durin' the bad blizzard and I helped birth him."

He arched a brow. "Really, ya acted as the midwife?"

"Yea, but I didn't really have a choice tho."

"Does he look like his mama or his poppy?" He curiously asked. No doubt he'll relay my answer to his brother too.

"He looks like Tolbert." I honestly told him. I knew he was Tolbert's the moment I saw his bright red hair and rich blue eyes. Nobody in my family looked like that, but I suggested to Shaw that maybe he was a redhead like his cousin Ellison cause I didn't want Jessa to get into trouble.

A thin smile appeared on Billy's face. He seemed proud that his nephew resembled his brother. The bonfire crackled a few feet away from us as he asked, "Will ya promise me you'll watch after my nephew?" I went to open my mouth, but before I could give him my answer he added in, "If somethin' happened to that baby, it'd drive my brother insane; to his grave too."

"I promise, I'll watch after our nephew." I swore cause I adored that lil boy. Endor was a happy baby that brought joy to my family. I wouldn't let anything happen to him; I'd be a good aunt to him too.

Billy just nodded. He didn't say a word, just pulled a small flask out of his jacket. He took a swig from it, just starting at the flames of the bonfire. After an unmeasured amount of silence, Billy admitted, "I liked Jessa. She was always nice to me; was able to calm Tolbert down in a way that no one ev'r could."

"She's very nice. She let's me help her in the kitchen and always double checks my schoolwork to make sure it's right." My voice cracked as I revealed, "I'm glad I got Jessa cause after my mom died, I didn't have nobody. Nobody at all cause Shaw's too drunk an' self-centered to care 'bout nothing, but himself and what he wants."

"What 'bout yer friends?" He asked, sounding a bit curious and concerned.

"They're closer to each other than to me." I told Billy before admitting in a barely audible tone, "It's never been easy for me to make friends."

"Why not? Yer a nice 'nough girl, purdy too."

"I dunno, but I just ain't too good at makin' lots of friends."

"Me neither." Billy told me, takin' me by surprise since I thought he'd have tons of friends. He let out a bitter laugh. "All my friends are kin. Seems nobody wants t'get too close to a McCoy these days." He took a sip from his flask before suggestin', "Reckon we could be friends."

"Yea, reckon so." I nodded with a small smile appearing on my face.

Billy just smiled back. For the rest of the party (well til my friends drug me 'way from Billy to tell me that Todd was lookin' for me) we talked and laughed over the smallest things. For the first time in a long time, this was a happy New Year's for me.

Jessa POV:

It was a quiet New Year's Eve considering that Silas and Lydia were asleep and Todd and Mary were out at a bonfire party being held for teens in one of the local hollers. I wasn't too keen on the idea of her going, but she insisted she'd be fine since her friends Paige and Sarah would be there along with Todd and Robert E. Since Shaw gave her permission to go, I ended up giving it too even tho I felt a bit iffy doing so. I wouldn't be letting my daughter go to a bonfire party at nearly 11, but the thing was that Mary wasn't my daughter, but she was my sister-in-law. Lydia was my daughter, so I'd be stricter in raising her. Besides, Mary had already grown up so fast in the past few years that I don't think keeping her home from a party would slow down her growing up.

"It'll be midnight soon." Shaw told me, pointing at the grandfather clock near the entranceway of our house.

"Yea." I nodded.

Gesturing to Endor (who was sleeping in a Moses basket next to me on the sofa) with a tilt of his whiskey glass, my husband remarked, "I'm surprised he hasn't woken up yet."

Before I could reply to Shaw, Endor's lip quivered and he suddenly started to cry. Picking up, I told Shaw, "You spoke to soon. Jinxed it."

"Yea, well, he was bound to get up anyways." Shaw deadpanned as I stood up with my son against my chest.

"Are you gonna drink all night?" I asked my husband, walking away from the sofa and towards the kitchen.

"Why?" He asked between sipping on his whiskey.

"Cause if so then you can sleep on the sofa. I don't feel like sharing my bed with a drunk tonight." I answered my husband while walking across the kitchen and towards our room.

"I'm not a drunk." Shaw denied as I reached the bedroom door.

"Could've fooled me." I scoffed before walking into my bedroom.

After shutting the door behind me, I went over to the changing table and placed Endor on it. I grabbed a clean diaper and the baby powder, then proceeded to change my son's stinky butt. Right as I was pinning on Endor's fresh diaper the bedroom door slammed open. I looked over my shoulder only to see Shaw leaning against the doorframe, a fresh glass of whiskey dangling from his hand. He had an irritated look in his honey eyes and I knew, I just knew, that I was in for it.

"Don't ya dare call me a fuckin' drunk 'gain, Jessa." Shaw ordered me in a deep, but steely tone, as I finished dressing Endor. "I ain't a drunk." He defended his drinking while I picked up Endor and went over to the rocker in front of the window. As I unbuttoned my blouse, untied my shift, and positioned Endor to nurse, Shaw ranted, "I work 5-sometimes-6-days a week patrolin' a loggin' camp. I'm on my fuckin' feet all damn day for hours on end so if I wanna relax by drinkin' the whiskey I bought with my hard-earned money then I can and I damn sure will."

"It's our money, Shaw, and you need to slow down on your drinking or you'll be stuck at Uncle Jim's again." I told my husband as he raised his glass to his lips, taking a long sip of whiskey.

Pulling his glass away from his lips, he pointed a finger at me and barked, "I make the money, not you, so don't tell me not to buy whiskey with it." Shaking his head incredulously, he scoffed, "Just tend to the baby. I'll be out in the main room, ringin' in the New Year with my whiskey."

Shaw spun on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen and into the main room. It was clear to me that he was struggling with the fact that Endor was 9-days old with copper hair, rich blue eyes, and an angular face that gave away his true parentage.

Oh god, it was only a matter of time before Shaw either confronts me about it or drinks himself into a depressed stupor.

Happy New Year to me. Seems that nothing in my life can be easy. Nothing at all. Yay…

Tolbert POV:

I rang the New Year in wit' a good fuck wit' my go to whore Misty. I mean I was more or less wit' her cause I needed t'get out some stress. I knew it'd catch hell for bein' out all nite from Aunt Betty once I got home in the mornin' (eh, prolly afternoon if I keep up my drinkin' an' fuckin' 'round wit' Misty).

"Happy New Year, Tolbert." Misty said in a sultry tone, leanin' on one of her elbows as she trailed a finger up an' down my breastbone.

"If ya wanna 'nother go yer strokin' the wrong thing, Misty." I smirked, wagglin' my brows at the pretty blonde whore that I was lyin' naked in bed wit'.

Misty stilled her motions an' laid her hand flat 'gainst my chest, right by my beatin' heart. One of her blonde brows rose as she asked me, "Is that all ya want from me tonight?"

"Ain't it what I paid ya for? A whole nite o'whiskey an' yer company. Company which is fuckin' since yer a whore."

"Damnit, Tolbert, I'm more than just a whore." She shouted at me while pullin' her hand off my chest an' sittin' up in bed. Her eyes looked pained as she asked, "Why can't ya see that I'd be good t'ya; make ya a good wife?"

"Don't, Misty, don't ya dare start talkin' 'bout bein' my wife." I ordered in a gruff snap as I sat up, glarin' at her. "As god be my witness, I ain't makin' ya or any other whore my wife."

"Why? Cause of Jessa?" She dared t'ask me. Shakin' her head, causin' her golden curls t'sway 'round her shoulders, she stated, "Hell, Tolbert, she's married to Shaw Eldridge; she don't want'cha no more." Touchin' my cheek, the whore had 'nough stones t'add in softly, "But I want'cha, Tolbert."

I roughly grabbed her hand an' pulled it off my cheek. My nostrils flared as I told her, "I don't want'cha like that, Misty. Yer just my fav'rite whore, nothin' more an' nothin' less to it."

Her eyes fell as she told me in a shaky whisper, "Take the money off my dresser an' leave."

"Why? That's yer payment for t'nite, which I'm spendin' wit'cha."

Lookin' up at me, she sighed, "I can't see ya no more, Tolbert. You bein' my customer's too hurtful on my heart an' I can't handle it no more."

"Fine, have it yer way." I nodded 'fore gettin' out o'bed an' gatherin' my discarded clothes off the floor.

I quickly dressed while Misty sat in bed wit' the sheets up 'round her neck, cryin' her eyes out. I know, I should feel bad that I made her cry, but honestly, I don't. I just don't care 'bout the whore. Reckon that makes me a bad man. After pullin' on my boots, I went ov'r to the dresser an' grabbed the greenbacks I had put their when I first arrived. I stuffed them into my pocket 'fore goin' ov'r to the door. Her cries grew louder an' more hiccupped as I walked out the door. Whenever I shut the door b'hind me I heard a loud wail echo from wit'in her room. I just shook my head an' shrugged 'fore walkin' down the hallway and out into the sittin' area on the balcony.

Reckon I better go to my still an' drink some of my shine 'fore goin' home t'Aunt Betty's since I didn't have anyone to spend time wit'. Parris was spendin' the nite wit' his whore an' Squirrel was at some barn dance wit' a girl he met while workin' at the general store. Jefferson was up the mailman's sister's ass while my other brothers were off at dances or parties. The only person I had to spend New Year's wit' was Misty the whore, but now I don't even have that.

Yep, reckon I better just head up t'my still an' drink til I'm numb. Some New Year's, huh?

AN:

Well, that was one hell of a Happy New Year wasn't it? So, Billy McCoy & Mary Eldridge are friends now. Well, how do you guys think that's going to play out with the feud and all? Jessa and Shaw are about to blow up, aren't they? And Tolbert, poor guy's all twisted up and lonely. Man, you know you hit rock bottom when the whore kicks you out, lol.