"You didn't answer my question." Lucy said as Beth pulled up outside the cabin.

"Let's get you inside and then we can talk." Beth told her. She grabbed the backpack and opened the door pointing the couch out to Lucy.

Now it was Lucy's turn to have a look around. She took a seat on the couch noticing a bookshelf in one corner with a reading chair. The kitchen had some bar stools and a wooden dining table. She liked the look of the open fireplace and noticed some photos on the mantle piece.

"I put your stuff in the spare room." Beth told her pointing to the stairs and upstairs landing.

"Thanks. So are you going to tell me?"

"All right." She started, sitting at the other end of the couch. She explained the story of how her and Rip were forced to give up their daughter in order to save his life but it was the one decision that had plagued them both. She explained that they were told she had been given to a good family who had moved away from Montana.

"When?" Lucy asked sitting there feeling numb.

"She was born on the 12th of February."

Lucy nodded. "What did you call her?"

"Lucy was her name, Rip and I picked that together. Bethany was her middle name that Rip picked and Wheeler is her surname."

"LW." Lucy whispered.

Beth nodded. "I knew when I saw that blanket that it was probably you. That blanket has LW embroidered on it, doesn't it."

"Yes." Lucy said. "My full name is Lucy Wright. And I'm born on the 12th of February. I was told my parents died and I've been in foster homes ever since. If what you're telling me is true, why didn't you try and find me?" Lucy said now looking at Beth.

"I was told you were safe and they sent a photo of you and you looked so happy. We didn't want to rip you away from that."

"I wasn't! All I wanted was my own Mom and Dad. Someone that would make sure I was safe. Instead I got shoved from place to place and learnt to fight to stay alive." Lucy said raising her voice, getting upset. "How do I even know that I am who you think I am?"

"I don't but I've never felt this way before. The only way to really tell is to have a blood test done."

Lucy sighed. "Let's do it."

"I know you have no reason to believe me."

"I also have nothing to lose." Lucy finished.

Beth nodded. "Let me make some calls." She called a few people before telling Lucy that she was going to the bathroom.

Lucy got up to look at the bookshelf when the door opened and a tall man in a black cowboy hat entered.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly.

"Uhh hi I'm Lucy." She said quietly.

Rip looked at her, seeing a near copy of teenage Beth standing in front of him.

"Beth around?"

"Bathroom." She said tilting her head. Beth came out the bathroom seeing Rio standing there looking between her and Lucy.

"Hello dear."

"Hello darling. Should we talk outside?" Rip said opening the front door. Beth followed behind.

"What are you doing?"

"She was drugged Rip. And she lives in this rundown disgusting apartment that should be condemned."

"Beth, we can't take her in. We don't know anything about her."

"She had the blanket Rip. The one you got her, with 'LW' embroidered." She said in to his chest as he wrapped her in a hug.

"Ok."

"Ok?" Beth repeated.

Rip let her go before going inside. He saw the young girl sitting on Beth's reading chair, her feet tucked under her, the same way Beth does.

"Can I see your blanket?" He asked.

She looked at him skeptical my. It was her only true belonging that mattered to her. "I just want to look." He added seeing her concern.

Lucy put the book down before going up the stairs to where Beth had put her stuff. She came down the stairs holding the rail before passing it to Rip. Beth watched her closely seeing the colour drain out of her face.

"You all right kid?" Beth asked before telling Rip to catch her as she fell.

"What's wrong with her Beth? What did the doc say?" Rip said putting Lucy on the couch.

"Um drugged and might have side affects, the ones she had so far were dizziness and muscle weakness." Beth said quickly.

Rip told her to go and get two glasses of water and a cold face washer. Beth nodded and came back with what he asked for.

"Now you drink this Beth." He said giving her one of the glasses and putting the face washer on Lucy's head.

"Fuck off Rip, I'm fine."

Rip took Lucy's temperature and watched as she regained consciousness.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You passed out. Here drink this, it's water." He told her passing the glass as she sat up.

"Thanks." She murmured.

Rip got up from where he was kneeling next to the couch to look at the blanket. He opened the blanket and saw the embroidery. He closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath. He moved to where Beth was sitting in the armchair leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

"I'm sorry." He told her as she nodded.

"I know. I know, Rip."

Lucy watched the two adults interact confused.

"Can I have it back? Please?" She asked. Rip obliged, folding it up for her. "The look on both your faces says you've seen it before."

"Yeah. I bought that for our daughter and she went with it to her new family." Rip said looking her in the eye.

"Beth said she was organising DNA tests." Lucy said looking at Beth.

"Yeah, I've got an old friend who can push through the results today." She said. "We better go now anyway."

"All of us? Darling I'm still working." Rip said. Beth shot him a look and he shut up before grabbing the keys to his truck.

Lucy grabbed the book she was reading and got in to the backseat, sitting behind Beth in the passenger seat.

"We're going to the clinic in town Rip." Beth told him as he left the ranch.

"You know I've been here before." Lucy said from the backseat.

"What?" Rip said.

"On a school tour when I was like 8. Met your Dad, Beth. Bit of a scary guy."

Beth and Rip shared a look. "Did he talk to you?"

"Well yeah. He asked us all our names. He was a bit weird, like you Rip when I told him."

Rip hit the steering wheel hard with his palm.

"I'm guessing he knew who I was?" Lucy commented.

"Yeah baby, I think so." Beth said. Both Lucy and Beth froze, it slipped out of Beth's mouth before she could stop it. Lucy had never been called that before, certainly never by anyone that was a maternal figure. Lucy turned to look out the window.

Rip reached out and held Beth's hand to reassure her.

He parked the car outside the medical clinic before the three went inside. Beth's contact pulled them in to a room straight away. He drew Beth and Rip's blood without any issues before it was Lucy's turn. Beth had pre-warned the phlebotomist about Lucy's fear of needles.

"I.. umm, I -"

"It's all right. Same as earlier. Look at me again and it'll be over quickly." Beth told her reassuringly.

Lucy looked at Beth, she stuck out her left arm to the phlebotomist and stuck out her right hand towards Beth. Beth looked at her hand and smiled before taking it in her own. Lucy closed her eyes but didn't grimace this time.

Rip watched Beth with Lucy and couldn't deny how similar they were and how Lucy seemed to be the sole focus of Beth's world these past few days.

"All done." He told Lucy who quickly pulled her arm away to inspect it, still not letting go of Beth's hand.

"If you all wait here, I'll get started now." He said opening and then closing the door.

"Beth, how the hell is this going to get done same day, let alone whilst we all sit and wait?" Rip asked.

"Everyone's got a price Rip." She told him. Rip put his head in his hands and waited. Beth scrolled her phone, replying to the odd email from work, while Lucy sat there.

"Excuse me. I left my book in the truck." Lucy started.

"I'll get it for you." Rip said. "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

He went and picked up the tattered copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird', before giving it to her inside.

"Like this one hey?" He asked.

"Ah it's ok. I have to read it for school andI managed to find the copy at the thrift store."

Rip didn't know how to respond so he sat back in his chair.

Lucy read three chapters, marking parts she thought would help her next essay with the phlebotomist's pen before he returned.

The door opened and he re-entered the room. Everyone sat up a bit straighter.

"So I'll get straight to it. Congratulations, it's a girl." He told them before excusing himself.

Rip sat there feeling numb before the anger washed over him before he stood up and slammed his fist against the wall. Lucy jumped in fright moving away from him instinctively.

"Rip!" Beth said before moving towards Lucy. "He's not angry at you."

"No I'm not angry at you. I'm angry that you were taken from us. I'm angry that John knew. I'm angry that I didn't get to be your Dad. But not angry at you Lu." He told her.

She let out the breath she was holding, nodding.

"I've had enough of today. Let's get out of here." Beth said to them both leading Lucy out to the car.

It was a relatively quiet drive back to the ranch.

"I'll do dinner if you want to get settled?" Rip told them both.

Beth took Lucy up to the spare bedroom, both sitting down on the bed.

"How you feeling?" Beth asked.

"Um, I feel everything. I wanted a Mom and Dad forever. I wanted to be someone's kid that was cheered on at school, that helped me and kept me safe. And I feel angry that someone ripped me away from people and left me with so many families that never wanted me."

Beth squeezed Lucy's shoulder. "I'm angry too but I am going to do the best I can to be those things for you now and so will Rip."

Rip called out that dinner was ready before they all sat around the table. Beth served Lucy a plate, while Rip served himself.

Lucy pushed most the food around her plate, taking small mouthfuls occasionally. Beth watched on, while Rip watched her.

"I meant what I said earlier Lucy. I know it's going to take time for you to accept us but I promise to never let anyone hurt you or take you ever again." Rip told her seriously.

Lucy nodded. "Can someone take me to school tomorrow?"

"Right. School." Rip said raising his eyebrows.

"You were told to rest by the Doctor today for the next few days. I think it'll be fine to have a few days off. You've had a big 24 hours." Beth told her.

Lucy sighed and nodded her head.

"So can you ride a horse?" Rip asked.

"No." She told him shyly. "Sorry."

"Don't need to say sorry to me. If you want, I can teach you." He offered gently.

Beth smiled, horse riding was his thing and she remember that being the thing he couldn't wait to teach their child.

"I would like that."

Rip grinned. "Great. Tomorrow then?"

"Sounds cool."

"No." Beth interjected. "She needs to rest."

"I'm fine! Promise." Lucy said not really use to be told what she could and couldn't do.

"Let's see how you feel tomorrow, Lu." Rip said, de-fusing the situation.

Beth washed up while Rip put the rodeo on the TV, she could overhear Rip explaining about horses and cattle to Lucy. 'She must be so bored' Beth thought.

She sat down at the other end of the couch to Lucy after grabbing a book from her bookshelf before getting engrossed in it.

"What are you reading?" Lucy asked leaning across to Beth's side, now half lying on the couch.

Beth looked down at her and felt a rush of an emotion she had not felt in a long time. Happiness.

"It's called 'The Solace of Open Spaces'."

"What's it about?"

"About here. Wyoming actually."

Lucy shuffled closer to Beth to look at the writing on the page. Beth lifted the book up from her lap slightly and tapped her leg for Lucy to put her head there. Lucy looked up at her unsure.

"You don't have to." Beth whispered. Lucy looked up at Beth before resting her head on Beth's lap.

Lucy imagined that this must be what all the other kids had growing up. A home with cooked dinners and Dad's to talk about sports and Mom's who would take care of you.

She read along the lines of the new chapter with Beth stroking her hair, stopping to turn the page when she was certain Lucy had finished. This went of for a while until Rip cleared his throat, nodding at Lucy who now had closed her eyes and was snoring softly.

"We probably should put her to bed." Rip told Beth standing up.

"Do we wake her?" Beth said unsure what to do.

"No, I'll just carry her up to bed." He said lifting her easily and carrying her upstairs. Beth turned off the TV following him to their own bed.

He put her down gently and covered her with a blanket. He turned the light off before getting in to bed with Beth.

"Today was something else." Rip said.

"I am so exhausted. Today was both the scariest and happiest day of my life."

"I've got a lot of making up to do." Rip said before going to sleep. Beth lay awake waiting for sleep to come.