Lucy knocked off her shift, not without a stern talking to from Sleazy Steve as they called him. He didn't care what happened at the bar as long as money was made.

She got home to her apartment grateful for tomorrow being the weekend. She took the gauze off her hand before running it under warm water. It stung but she figured it would be fine. Climbing in to bed she thought about how weird it was that she had never managed to bump into Beth Dutton at work and then twice in two days.

Beth got home before Rip and started cooking dinner. He arrived as she finished plating up.

"You seem like you're in a good mood." He said giving her a kiss. "What did you do today?"

"I went to the bar again."

"Sweetheart-."

"Listen Rip. I was right. She's 15 and working in a bar to pay the bills because her parents are dead and she's been moving home to home. Now that checks out."

He pulled her in close. "Baby, lots of kids don't have parents it doesn't mean she is ours."

Flashback:

"What about Lucy?" Beth suggested.

Rip smiled. "Lucy. Yeah I like that."

"Seems like she does too." Beth said feeling her kick.

"Hey Lu, go easy in there all right." He said gently to her heavily pregnant stomach. There was only a few weeks to go before they would be having their baby.

"I've been thinking." Beth started, Rip looked over at her waiting for her to continue. He noticed her looking uneasy. "We have to do what Jamie said. I can't lose you."

"Beth, I'm trying to find a way. Please."

"No Rip. I can't. She'll go to a good family, my Dad will make sure of it."

Rip was stunned. He didn't want to give up his child. He hung his head. "If it's what you really want."

"It's not but it means you don't die."

He nodded.

Lucy woke the next morning to someone banging on her door. She scrambled out of bed and opened it to see her furious landlord.

"You're late on rent and bills again. Give me the money or you're out!"

"It's here all right buddy. Calm down." Lucy told him. He was nearly frothing at the mouth but seemed to relax more once the money was in his hand.

He nodded before leaving her standing in the doorway. She closed the door before sliding down it. 'God dammit.' She thought.

There was no such things as a rest day or weekend on the ranch. For anyone. Rip was off working while Beth made her way up to the lodge to have breakfast with John.

"Morning honey." John said as she took her usual seat.

"Morning Dad."

"What are you doing today?" He asked watching her make a plate of food for herself. John waited for a response but one never came.

"Beth? Everything alright? You seem distracted."

"Hm. Yeah. Fine." She said swallowing a mouthful. "Actually no. Do you remember 15 years ago? Do you remember what Rip and I went through. What you and Jamie put us through?"

John wiped his hands on his napkin before putting it on his plate. "What's this about Beth?"

"You know perfectly well what you made him do to us. You had my baby taken from me!" She hissed standing up.

Kayce stood in the door way catching the end of the conversation. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Beth said pushing past him.

"Wait, Beth. Talk to me!" He said turning to go after her.

"Leave it Kayce." John warned.

"Leave what Dad? What is she talking about?"

"Sit down son." John said pointing at the chair to his left.

Kayce sat there dumbfounded as his Dad told him the story of Rip and Beth's baby that they gave up 15 years ago.

"Why don't I remember?"

"You were only a boy. Your mother had died a few years earlier. I didn't know what to do."

"You know what Dad. What you did then was exactly what not to do. I understand perfectly why she is as angry as she is. How could you do that."

"I know that now, son. I know."

"Where is she?" Kayce demanded.

"I don't know where but I know she's safe and doing well. I always kept an eye out." John said.

"You use to tell us as kids that Dutton's stuck together and we never left anyone behind. Good to know you never meant it." Kayce shook his head and left. He saw Beth walking back to her cabin and jogged to catch up with her.

"Why didn't you tell me Beth."

"You were so young Kayce." Beth said. She always looked out for him as their mother had wished.

"I would have done anything to change it. Is that why you never came around when we had Tate?"

Beth nodded sadly before leaving him standing there.

He kicked the dirt before walking away muttering to himself that he would find a way to fix it.

"What's going on Kayce?" Rip said from his horse. "Saw you with Beth over there."

"I know Rip. I know about the baby." He said looking him in the eye.

"Don't go there Kayce." Rip warned.

He nodded that he understood before getting in his truck.

Lucy thought that she would spend her afternoon in town window shopping, it's not like she had enough money to buy anything she wanted. Her clothes fit and were clean so she really didn't need anything else.

She walked up and down the shops looking in the windows listening to the music playing through her earphones. She stopped outside the most popular clothing shop for girls her age. Inside she could see a few of the popular girls from her school, they noticed her and waved her inside. Lucy wasn't unpopular at school but she wasn't interested in socialising with those that were two faced and these were those sorts of girls.

"Hey Lucy! What are you doing?" One of the girls asked.

"Just having a look around. How about you all?"

"Oh we're getting some new clothes for a party tonight. You should come, it's at Jake's house." Another one piped up.

"Oh uhh..." Lucy said trying to think on her feet.

"Come on! It'll be fun."

"All right. I'll come for a little bit."

"I'll get my Dad to pick you up on the way -"

"Oh I'm sure it's out of your way." Lucy insisted.

"Not at all! If you want you could meet us at the diner at 7 and we will go from there."

Lucy swallowed not seeing a way out. "Sounds great." She forced out with a smile.

"Wear something cute!" They said as she left.

It was 6:30 at night and Lucy grabbed her jacket before she started walking to the local diner. She had on a pair of black boots, corduroy black skirt and striped top and denim jacket. She had pinned her hair back and put light makeup on. Lucy shoved her hands in her pockets finding the scrunched up paper with Beth's number on it. She left it in her pocket.

She arrived at the diner just before 7 and the girls pulled up in one of their Dad's truck not long after. They were all excited and had high pitched voices making Lucy internally cringe.

Jake lived in town, not far from the high school. The girls piled out of the truck to the sound of loud thumping music. There were people out the front of the suburban home and the front door was open. A few other trucks had pulled up with teenagers piling out.

Lucy made her way inside with the girls and a red solo cup was quickly put in her hand with god knows what in it.

She had a mouthful, feeling the burn as it went down. She went further in to the house looking around before one of the boys in her English class started chatting. He was the guy that sat behind her, he seemed decent enough most of the time, unless he got caught up with the likes of Jake and his friends and then his ego would come out.

"You look great Lucy." He said giving her the up and down with his eyes as he lent against the door frame.

"Ah, yeah thanks..."

"Sam. I sit behind you in English."

"I know." She told him.

Lucy moved to the rhythm of the music feeling uncomfortable.

"Do want to dance?" He asked as someone turned the song up.

"What?" Lucy asked tapping her ear.

Sam lent in and repeated what he said. Lucy nodded moving towards the dance floor. The pair danced with the other high schoolers for a while before Sam's friend grabbed their drinks to re-fill. Lucy shook her head saying she didn't want anymore but the girls encouraged her to keep drinking.

Lucy had another drink and danced for a bit longer before beginning to feel hot and that she needed some air. Sam offered to go outside with her but she insisted he didn't before she slipped out the front door. She sat down on the curb out the front, the other party-goers ignoring her.

'What is happening to me.' Lucy thought starting to feel worse. 'I'll just walk home.' She said to herself, she stood up and started to walk in the direction of the main street to her apartment.

Lucy began to feel worse the closer she got towards home, she suddenly felt the drunkest she had ever been and dizzy. She felt that her world was going dark before she fell.

Donnie the sherriff had just left a house party out of control near the high school that he had just shut down after receiving a complaint. He was driving down the main street when he saw someone lying on the sidewalk. 'What now.' He thought before pulling the car over.

Getting out he saw a young girl lying there unconscious.

"Wake up kid." He said shaking her shoulder. He got no response before he checked her pulse. He found one before calling for an ambulance.

He checked her pockets for any ID before finding a school ID card and scrunched up piece of paper with the name 'Beth' on it and a phone number.

The ambulance arrived and got her on to a stretcher while Donnie called the number.

"Beth Dutton." Beth said answering the unknown number.

"Beth. It's Donnie."

"What's Kayce done now?" Beth said, knowing Kayce had gone out for the night with the other cowboys.

"Nothing. Do you know a kid called Lucy?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just found her. Looks like she's been drugged. I've called the ambulance and they'll take her to the hospital. I found your number in her pocket."

"What the fuck. I'll be there in half an hour. Thanks Donnie." She said hanging up.

"What's going on? It's 1am Beth." Rip murmured half asleep.

"Donnie just found the girl Lucy. She's been drugged." Beth said getting out of bed and changed.

"Beth, let the girl's actual family deal with it." He said sitting up in bed.

"I can't Rip." Beth told him, grabbing her keys and going downstairs. She got in her car and sped off to the hospital. She met Donnie at the door.

"Beth! I'll take you up there. She looks like you, any relation?"

"How is she?" Beth asked avoiding his question.

"Alive. She's awake but groggy." He told her opening the single hospital room door.

Inside Beth saw the young girl lying in the bed, her chest rising and falling rhythmically with the sounds of the machines around her. She looked pale, one of the palest people Beth had ever seen.

"I'll leave you to it." Donnie said closing the door.

Beth sat down in the chair and looked at the girl. She scrolled on her phone whilst Lucy slept, only looking up when the nurses came to do observations.

"Hey." A small croaky voice said as the sun began to rise.

Beth looked over and noticed Lucy's blue eyes looking at her.

"Hey kid. How you feeling?" Beth asked.

"Everything hurts. Like a horse has trampled over me."

Beth chuckled passing Lucy a glass of water.

"So why are you here?" She asked Beth after having a sip of water.

"You don't recall?" Lucy shook her head. "The Sheriff found you passed out, called an ambulance and me."

"I.. I can't remember. Why can't I remember!" Lucy said starting to panic.

"It's all right." Beth said getting closer to the bed, tucking Lucy's hair behind her ear.

"I can't afford any of this. I've got to go." She said suddenly trying to sit up, not before grimacing in pain.

"Lie down." Beth told her.

"I can't. I don't have the money." Lucy continued to say trying to pull the cords off herself.

Beth couldn't help but think about how Lucy's emotions were all over the place. It didn't help that she was 15 and had likely just been drugged.

"Hey! Kid, come on." Beth said standing up reaching for her arm. "I'll help you alright."

She lay back on the pillows. "Why are you being nice to me? Don't you have your own family to look out for?"

Beth pulled the hospital chair closer, sitting down "Just my husband and me. Lost our baby years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." Beth said with a weak smile. "I'm going to get something to eat, want anything?"

"Peanut m&m's are my favourite?" She said tentatively.

"Mine too." Beth said slinging her handbag on her shoulder and leaving.

Lucy lay there completely confused, the stories she had heard from people about the Dutton's, in particular Beth Dutton. Except the woman that was just sitting by her bedside was totally different.

"Everything all right Beth?" Rip asked on the phone.

"Yeah. I'm at the hospital."

"Come home Beth, the girl is in the right place."

"And what if she is our Lucy?" It was the first time Beth had said out loud 'our Lucy'.

"Beth, she is not a pet." Rip told her.

Beth could hear yelling from where she was paying for the m&m's. Next thing, a 'code grey' was being called over the PA to the same room she was just in. She grabbed the food and took off for Lucy's room.

"Please. Leave me alone!" Lucy was yelling from the bed surrounded by nurses and doctors.

"We need to take a blood sample. Be still!" An older nurse was saying.

"Oi. What are you doing?" Beth said from the doorway, pushing herself in to the room. "Get away from her." She growled at the nurse. The medical team stepped back.

"I don't like needles!" Lucy said looking at Beth.

"Just give us a second would you" Beth told the team before they slowly filed out of the room. When the door closed, Beth looked over at Lucy and her tear stained cheeks.
"I know you don't like needles but they do have to take a sample to see what you might have been drugged with."

"No." Lucy said pulling the blankets up closer to her chin.

"I got you these." Beth said changing the subject and passing the m&m's.

"Thanks." She said taking a few and popping them in her mouth.

The pair sat in silence eating m&m's before Beth decided to broach the subject again.
"So, I know you don't like needles but its important. I can stay with you until it's over."

Lucy nodded as Beth hit the nurse call button so they could draw the blood. This time a young nurse came with the necessary supplies.

"Why don't you roll over and look at your Mom." The nurse said.

"Oh I'm-." Beth started to say before Lucy rolled over to look at her. Beth could only see the fear in Lucy's eyes as they held her gaze. Beth held her other hand as the nurse drew the blood.
Lucy grimaced at the sting from the needle and gripped Beth's hand tighter.

The nurse left once she collected what she needed but Lucy didn't roll away from Beth.

A doctor entered the room, Lucy kept her back to him. "The results will be back this afternoon and then we will probably discharge her." Beth nodded as he left.

"You can go if you need." Lucy told her.

"At least let me make sure you get home safe, huh." Beth said.
Beth watched as Lucy closed her eyes and her breathing evened out. She sat there for hours until the doctor returned with the results.
She gently shook Lucy's shoulder to wake her.

"The results show that you have rohypnol in your system. You'll likely experience some after effects. These may include muscle pain, dizziness, confusion. All which we believe will revert after a few days rest. I do need to advise you that we have been required to let the sheriff know, he will likely come talk to you." Lucy nodded once in understanding. "You'll need to keep an eye on her, otherwise you're free to go home." He said passing Beth the hospital bill. She signed the necessary line and passed it back before he left.

"Let's get you out of here." Beth said helping Lucy up.

"I got it." Lucy told her standing before quickly sitting back down. "Like the doc said, a bit dizzy... maybe a bit weak too." She laughed weakly.
Beth helped Lucy to her car before she got the directions to her apartment. Beth pulled up and looked around.

"It's not much."

"You could say that kid." Beth retorted, noticing the bottles of broken glass on the ground and building that barely looked like it was standing.
She helped Lucy up the stairs and into her dark musty apartment.

Lucy flopped down on her mattress on the floor exhausted. Beth walked around before announcing that Lucy wasn't going to be staying there.

"I dont have anywhere to go. Thanks for everything but I'll be fine."

"You'll stay with me. I really don't take no for an answer so get your shit and we're going." Beth told her chucking her backpack on the bed.

Lucy felt out of her comfort zone and instead just did as she was told. She grabbed her school books and some clothes shoving them in to her backpack before grabbing the blanket. Beth caught a glimpse of the blanket and felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Nice blanket. Who gave you that?"

"My parents." Lucy said protectively.

"I have a similar one at home." Beth said helping her back in to the car.

Lucy stopped to think. "You didn't have a baby girl did you?"

Beth now was the one out of her depth. How was she going to handle this.