*Author's Note*

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

Leona Garrett (the preacher's daughter) makes an appearance in the 2nd scene. Her face claim is Daisy Ridley.

Grim Tidings

Cap POV:

When I stepped out onto my front porch, I was taken aback t'see my pa ridin' up to my cabin. I hadn't seen him in months. What in the blazes could he be wantin'? I walked down my porch, Winchester slung over my shoulder, as pa rode up to the hitch-post. "Why're ya here, pa?" I asked him as he dismounted from his horse.

Tyin' it up, he simply answered, "To talk."

To talk? What the hell? He hasn't talked to me since he'd cut me off; disowned me, so what's there to talk 'bout? I didn't say a word, just nodded as I stood by the hitch-post.

Pa came up to me with a hard look on his face. So hard that I couldn't get a read on what he was thinkin' or feelin'. I'm sure my face mirrored his at this moment since I wasn't givin' way nothin' either. "You an' your wife's proven loyalty to the family by keepin' to yourselves. I haven't gotten any word of her conspirin' wit' McCoys so, son, I'd like to bring ya'll back into the family."

"What? We're not turned out no mores?" I asked, my mismatched eyes wide wit' shock, as I leaned a hand on the hitch-post.

"No, son, you're not." Thank god. I hated bein' disowned. It was hard goin' from havin' a big family t'just havin' a wife an' a couple of kids. I enjoyed bein' a part of the large Hatfield clan, so much so that I'm relieved to be allowed back into it. Bein' on my own's hard. "In fact, I'd like to offer ya your job back too." Pa added in, grabbin' the reigns that he'd just tied up on the post a few moments ago.

"Thanks, pa. I appreciate it." I told him wit' a grateful nod.

"I gotta get to the loggin' camp, but I expect t'see ya there soon." He told me as he unhitched his horse and mounted it.

"Yea, I'll get goin' once I tell Allie we're back in the family." I told my pa, earnin' me a nod from him 'fore he trotted off 'way from my house.

Quickly, I ran up the porch steps and into the house. I startled my wife when I burst thru the door since she nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped a dish into the sink at the loud sound of the door bangin' open. "It's just me, darlin'." I assured Allie, causin' her to let out a sigh of relief 'fore turnin' 'round to look at me.

"I thought you were goin' huntin' this morning, Cap." She told me; her brows slightly furrowed as she leaned against the sink.

"I was gettin' ready to, but pa came by to talk. He gave me my job back; said we're welcomed back in the family too." I explained while standing in the doorway, lookin' across to my wife in the kitchen as my children sat on the floor playin' by the fireplace.

"Oh, thank god. He finally came to his sense." Allie let out in a sigh of relief, a grateful smile spreadin' over her face.

"Yea, he did." I nodded in agreement. "I gotta get down to the loggin' camp, but I'll be home for supper."

"Go on, Cap. Get to work; a feast'll be on the kitchen table when you get home." She told me with a smile on her face while wavin' towards the door; signalin' for me to get goin'.

Calvin POV:

I'd just talked to Reverend Garrett to make arrangements for my brother's funeral an' was walkin' towards the door to leave whenever Leona called out to me, "Cal, you're not just gonna leave without seein' me, are ya?", as she rushed downstairs.

Spinning on my heel, I sadly told her, "I was just here talkin' to your poppy 'bout arrangements for my brother, Tolbert."

"Tolbert? He's…?" She asked, leavin' the question hangin' in the air even tho it was implied she was askin' if he was dead.

"Got murdered last nite by Shaw Eldridge." I informed my girl in as level of a voice that I could muster.

Her brown eyes grew to the size of saucers as she asked, "What, are you sure he'd done it?"

"We know he'd done it, but just can't prove it." I scoffed, my jaw clenchin' angrily. I hated not havin' any proof of what happened. Not bein' able to get my brother justice hurt; left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wonder if poppy feels the same way 'bout Uncle Harmon?

"Oh…" She sighed, both sadly an' sympathetically. "Now with Tolbert gone you won't be askin' for my hand, will ya?" She asked wit' a knowin' look in her eyes.

Oh god, how I wanted to tell her she was wrong. I wanted to talk marriage, I really did, but I just couldn't right not. My shoulders sagged as I told her, "Leona, if I could, I would, but now's not a good time. Poppy's drinkin' to numb the pain of Tolbert's death an' mama…well…Tolbert was her fav'rite an' I'm sure she'll crack up soon."

"I understand, Calvin." She softly, but sadly told me. A glimmer of hope shinned in her brown eyes as she suggested, "Perhaps in a few months, when things have subsided, we can carry on 'gain."

"Perhaps." I simply said, aggreein' that once my family got stable 'gain I'd pursue marriage wit' her. "I gotta go tell my cousins 'bout t'morrow's service for Tolbert. I'm sorry I can't stay; sit wit'cha a while."

She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my cheek. Softly, she told me, "I'll be there, Cal."

I just nodded, "Thank you, Lee."

She just gave me a soft, but sad look, as she wit'drew her hand from my shoulder. Her brown eyes held empathy in them for me as she watched me pivot on my heel an' make my way over to the front door. I had a feelin' that if I walked out of the house right now wit'out a proper proposal to Leona that I'd nev'r have the chance to propose; to make her my wife. The feelin' was absurd, but eerie at the same time. I just shook it off and walked out onto the porch.

I had a long day of bringin' grim tidin's to my kin 'head of me. I couldn't think 'bout things that were absurd.

Shaw POV:

"Son, what's got'cha nippin' on hooch so early in the mornin'?" Uncle Jim bluntly asked, wavin' a hand a bit dismissively at me, as we did patrol duty together.

"I ain't drinkin' this mornin', Uncle Jim." I flatly denied. Truth was I poured a hefty shot of whiskey into my mornin' coffee, but he didn't need to know that.

"Yea, an' I'm still as fit an' handsome as I was 30-years 'go when I was your age." The crochety mountain man deadpanned. "Tell me another one, Shaw." He chuckled a bit dryly. Before I could open my mouth, he gave me a narrowed look and said, "Boy, don't make me have to lock ya up 'gain to dry ya out, cause I will an' ya know I will too."

"My drinkin's fine, Jim. Promise, it ain't bad or out of control." I told my uncle since I didn't want to endure round 2 of his makeshift detox/rehab. Once was enough of that shit.

My uncle tilted his head and pointed a finger. "I'm keepin' my eye on ya 'bout that, Shaw."

"Don't see why you're so concerned since you drink." I scoffed, rolling my honey eyes at Uncle Jim as we slowly walked 'round the mountainside.

"I'm an old man, not a young one in his prime wit' a family t'support and care for."

"Jim…" I sighed, rollin' my eyes at him since I wasn't in the mood for his shit. Before I knew what I was confessin', "I killed Tolbert McCoy last night.", came flyin' outta my mouth.

"Well, good for you, son." My uncle simply told me, his crochety tone oozin' with pride, as he gave me a quick pat on the back. Givin' me a serious look, he went on to say, "It had t'do wit' your boy, Endor didn't it? That McCoy was tryin' to enact rights cause tells got it the boys a redhead, wasn't he?"

"What?" I asked, wide-eyed and a bit shocked that my uncle knew why I killed that ginger fuck.

"I'm a lot smarter than I look, Shaw. Hell, I knew from Christmas who sired that boy; that it happened when ya were locked up an' Jess was lonely; mixed up an' twisted inside." My uncle told me, takin' me aback and nearly causin' me to trip over my own two feet.

After catchin' myself and regaining my balance, I sighed, "Great…so who else knows?"

"Your pappy. That's it since we didn't tell no one."

Giving him a skeptical look, I asked, "Why ain't ya'll tellin'? Hmm, isn't it a family sin to have a…well…kin of the enemy mixed in?"

As we walked 'round, aimlessly patrolin' the lumber mill, Uncle Jim lengthy answered my curiosity with, "Endor's a baby, son. One that your pappy enjoys bein' a gran'pappy too an' I must say that I find the prospect of nature verses nurture interestin'. I find it promisin' that one of theirs will be raised t'hate an' kill 'em, raised as one of us from birth, which is what they tried to do wit' your boy, Silas, by the way."

"Oh…" I trailed off in a long sigh, noddin' my head since I didn't really know what else to do. Reckon I should be relieved that Uncle Jim and my dad weren't gonna tell the truth 'bout Endor's paternity.

"Damn, well I'll be, look ov'r there. It's Cap." Uncle Jim chuckled in astonishment while pointin' down to the main part of the saw mill that we were watchin' from our post on the hill.

Cap?! What the hell is he doin' here? I thought that one-eyed prick was disowned months ago? The hell? "He's comin' our way." I dryly told my uncle as I watched (in horror) my cousin trudgin' over to the base of the hill we were at.

"Reckon Levicy got t'Anse; made 'im soften up towards Cap for the sake of the gran'chil'ren."

"Hmm…reckon so…"

"Hey, Shaw, pa wants ya down stackin' boards!" Cap called up to me, causin' me to cringe.

Damnit, I would get demoted back to my old job cause the cue ball got brought back into the family. I think it's fuckin' bullshit. Dude's married to a traitorous bitch, he should be out in the cold and away from the family. Hell, of course Devil Anse just had to let his gold boy, his prized lieutenant, back into the family fold. Ha, and he had enough nerve to say he disowned Cap for good. Apparently, that was a lie. Devil Anse didn't disown his one-eyed son for good. He caved; let him come runnin' back to the family.

Looks like I'm back to bein' a bottom feeder. Yay… This is bullshit, complete and utter bullshit. After all the work and ass kissin' I've done, I'm just bein' tossed aside like yesterday's trash. Yea…I see how it is in this family. Hell, bein' a Hatfield bastard (*Cough* Cotton *Cough*) is worth more then bein' a Vance bastard. Fuck this shit. I'm out for me and only me. Family loyalty my ass. Only one that gives a damn 'bout me's Uncle Jim. Reckon he's the only one outta the lot I give a damn 'bout too.

"Okay." I simply nodded, makin' my way down the hillside so that I could go to work stackin' boards.

I'd work and bite my tongue, but I'd also be scheming and calculating in the shadows. I'll do what's best for my family, not the Hatfields. Right now, that's workin' stackin' boards, but one day it won't be. One day I'll hold some sway; be able to call some shots.

Nancy POV:

After Calvin told me 'bout Tolbert's funeral tomorrow (and him bein' murdered by Shaw Eldridge too) I left Harmony wit' Abel (who protested an' wanted me t'stay home an' just mourn properly) and went straight to Roseanna's cabin, the one she shared with her Hatfield husband, in order to tell her 'bout her brother's murder at the hand of the man she had dared name her daughter's godfather. Roseanna needed t'see how evil Hatfields and their kin were; I was gonna have to open her eyes to it too.

I was standin' on her porch, tappin' my foot while waitin' for Roseanna to answer her door after I'd just knocked on it. Hell, what's takin' her so damn long t'answer the door? Not like she's got a big house or nothin' like that. Impatiently, I balled my hand into a fist and knocked onto the door 'gain.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'! Just wait a minute!" Roseanna's sweet tone echoed from inside of her house as she rushed over to the door. When the door opened, Roseanna stood in front of me with a small, surprised smile on her face as she greeted me wit', "Oh, hi, Nancy. I wasn't expectin' your visit." Movin' aside from the door, she told me, "Please, come in and I'll make us some tea."

"I ain't here t'visit over tea, Roseanna. I'm here to tell ya that your brother, Tolbert's, done gone been murdered by Shaw Eldridge last night; that his service is tomorrow at noon."

"What?" Whooshed out of her as her face paled an ungodly color.

"I'm so sorry that I've gotta be the one to tell ya this since your pap's strictly forbade any o'your siblin's to talk to ya." I told my cousin with fake sympathy in my voice. "I hope you can make it to the funeral, but considerin' who your husband is and how friendly he is wit' your brother's murderer…well…I don't know how you'll be welcomed at the gravesite."

"Thank you for tellin' me 'bout Tolbert. You're a good friend, Nance." Roseanna sadly told me in a tone that portrayed that shewanted to be left alone.

"I'll go, let'cha be so ya can mourn, but I also think that ya should reconsider who you call friend an' kin, cousin." I told the naïve blonde 'fore turnin' my back to her and walkin' down the porch steps.

As I made my way ov'r to my wagon I heard the door shut followed by a loud cry echoin' from the house Roseanna was in. The cabin walls muffled her cries, but not by much. Roseanna was stunned and heartbroken that her brother was murdered by a man she considered friend an' kin. A man she assumed was good since he's good at lies an' bullshit.

Roseanna mournin' Tolbert's death ought'a put a wedge 'tween her friendship with Jessa an' Shaw Eldridge (those horrible demons) along wit' makin' things tense in her marriage wit' Johnse.

Well, since I've done what I needed t'do, I better get on home t'my husband an' daughter now.

AN:

It's official, Cap's back in the Hatfield family. Yikes, Shaw's a nasty one, isn't he? Oh, what do you guys think of Calvin and Leonna, the preacher's daughter?

Next up is Tolbert's 'funeral'.