As Kathryn closed the gate behind Gal and Vacquero, releasing them to frolic with the other horses in the pasture, she felt something plow into her legs.

Looking down she found "Raphael!" She joyously exclaimed as she fell to her knees and hauled him close, burying her face into his fur as he tried his best to wiggle around to lick her face.

"Well, boys, look who finally showed her face."

Bringing up her gaze, she was met with a few of the hands, led by Ernest; who had been the one to speak.

She stood to her feet, placing a reassuring hand on Raphael's head, where his lips were beginning to pull back in the beginnings of a snarl. "Ernest, I've been gone a day." She stated simply.

He crossed his arms across his chest, a scowl adorning his features. He was well beyond Kathryn's 23 years of age, probably in his late 40s. "You haven't been around to deal with Nick's ire; anger that was caused by you!"

Kathryn sighed inwardly. So, this was how it was going to go. She resigned herself to it when-

"Kathryn! There you are. I-" John stopped abruptly as he came alongside Kathryn and found her "squaring off" with the men. "What's going on?"

Ernest jerked his chin at her. "Just letting her know that her absence was not appreciated."

John made a distressed sound. "Ernest... she found Mr. Barkley!"

Ernest's arms uncrossed and fell to his sides, as his face furrowed. The other men behind him turned to each other, murmuring.

"Speaking of, Ms. Kathryn," she turned to John as he addressed her. "Mr. Nick and Jarrod have asked you to come back to the house. They want to know what happened."

Kathryn inclined her head. "On my way." And without sparing a parting glance, she whirled around and stalked off.

She didn't even have to knock as Silas opened the door.

"I was told-" She found herself in a tight hug. Returning it cautiously, he pulled back and smiling brightly exclaimed "Bless you, miss! Bless you!"

Kathryn smiled at his genuine sentiment. She opened her mouth-

"Come on, Kathryn. You've already been slacking off for a day. I'm already irritated enough."

Rolling her eyes exasperatedly, she excused herself, easing around Silas and walked into the parlor, to find Jarrod standing with his hands on the table that was situated behind the couch. Nick was standing at the fireplace, staring into the banked embers. The house was plenty warm, but with it being November already, it was nice to have the fire started and ready for when the temperature did drop.

"You wanted to see me, sirs?" Kathryn asked, announcing herself.

Jarrod graced her with a smile "Indeed, dear lady. Please, come sit." He brought her to the seat nearest the fire, facing Nick.

Nick turned to face her. "Now, I want to know what happened."

Kathryn opened her mouth to do just that-

"Starting with where you got the gall to just leave."

Kathryn cocked her head, arching an eyebrow. He had better watch himself.

"Nick!"

He whipped his glare to Jarrod. "Oh no, Pappy, I think I'm entitled to a little bit of anger." Putting her in his sights again, he began. "I sent you into town to see if Heath had sent a telegram. When you didn't return by supper, I asked Jarrod if he had seen you in town; to which he replied he had, and that you were taking time off and had left immediately. Now, imagine my surprise because not only had you not told me yourself in person, sending Jarrod as the messenger, but I couldn't even lay into you for daring to take time off when we're short a man and have a decimated herd."

"Which shouldn't be for much longer, I assume, since either we'll be going down shortly to collect it or it will be delivered any day now; considering how much time has passed since Mr. Heath sent the telegram confirming that he had made a purchase."

"Oh, don't you fret your pretty little head. We'll be going down once the cattle arrive and have a nice cattle drive to bring 'em home. And that is not something that you will be missing." Nick told her sweetly.

Kathryn smiled back just as sweetly. Nick would soon let her know why he was so bent out of shape. That's the thing about hotheads; let them steam long enough and they'll slip.

Case in point.

"We already had no clue where Heath was. And you left without asking me and without telling Jarrod where you were going! I thought you were more responsible than that."

Kathryn quirked an eyebrow. Oh no, he had not. Before she could reply to that particular brand of stupidity-

"Brother Nick, we're getting off point." Fixing Kathryn with an imploring gaze he asked softly "What happened to Heath?"

She sighed in frustration. "I honestly don't know."

At Nick's scoff of disbelief, she turned her blazing, swirling eyes to him and snapped "Heath couldn't remember."

She then went on to account how she had found him, had him checked over in Niles, sent the telegram and returned him to the Barkley estate.

Jarrod smiled. "Is that all?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Heath told us about you getting in trouble in Niles!"

Ah... Kathryn rose slowly from the chair at Nick's thundered accusation. Towering over the two men, she stated cooly "Your brother heard a gunshot. And unless he was informed of my presence, it's mere speculation on his part as he was laid up at the doctor's office. Now, forgive me, gentlemen, but if you don't mind, I'll head out and see what the rest of the hands are up to. After all," Nick received the full force of her icy glare "This is a working ranch."

And she glided from the room.

A few moments after the front door had clicked shut, Nick sighed heavily and grumbled "Not... a word, Jarrod."

Kathryn eased the door open. Closing it softly behind her, she walked further in, returning to the task of using her bandana to dry her hair.

After she had stormed from the house, she had found John and asked what she could help with. She knew the work day was ending, but she had to work out some of her anger or she would not be held accountable for when she returned to her room that night. She had resolved that if she wasn't feeling civil enough, she would sleep outside, no matter how cold it had turned.

John must have seen this for he sent her to help the other hands put up new fencing.

Where she had promptly been set upon by Jake's associates Sid, Percy and Amos, who made sure that she knew just how affronted they were that not only had she gotten Jake fired — because a lowly orphan such as she apparently had an undue influence over all the Barkleys — but then, she had nerve to leave and make their work harder.

Surprisingly, it was Ernest and the men from earlier, Howie and Ray, who had come to her aid.

The knaves didn't seem all that impressed that she had brought Heath home, as they walked away, muttering under their breaths.

Ernest had gently suggested she start putting up the fencing near the mountains, to which she had readily agreed to.

Even though she was madder than a kicked hornet's nest at Nick, she knew Raphael had grown attached to the gruff Barkley sibling — all of them really — so she had ordered Raphael to stay with Nick or in the house. He was getting spoiled. She smiled at the musing; pretty soon he wouldn't want to spend any time outside in colder weather.

And that had been a mistake.

The sun was getting lower and Kathryn figured she would start heading back.

Since she had been staying at the house, she had been attending the family meals; which always made her feel out of place what with Audra and Victoria, even the men, being more formally dressed; the sublime tableware; the obvious feeling of "family."

But Victoria had insisted, ignoring her pants and shirt attire; and Kathryn still could not say "no" to the woman.

She figured she was cooled down enough that she should be able to be cordial during the dinner and she was looking forward to the soft bed in the warm room, compared to sleeping on the road the previous night. Huh; maybe Raphael wasn't the only one getting spoiled.

And that's when Sid, Percy and Amos had attacked.

They knew not to do anything remotely inappropriate. So she had been subjected to a few cuts, a few bruises and being pushed into a large mud puddle that had appeared with the melting of the few snowfalls they had undergone. Nothing she couldn't handle, nothing she wasn't used to.

However nice it would have been to have a hot bath, she wasn't going to track mud through the house for Silas to clean up. So she had found a small stream, not yet iced over. The clothes she had packed to go after Heath were still in the saddlebags on Vacquero. She was glad she had not given into her temper and had decided to ride the paint out here. If she had walked out here, her anger only would have gotten worse and she would have been exhausted as well. Thankfully, most of the mud was on her clothes, but the rest... was in her hair.

The water had been freezing.

But her hair was almost dry now and she was already starting to warm up. Now, if she could just get to-

"You weren't at dinner."

A candle flickered to life.

Kathryn bit back her anger. There stood Nick, leaning back against the counter, arms crossed over his chest and Jarrod sitting at the table, his elbows on it and his chin resting on his clasped hands.

"Time got away from me." She hissed, moving closer to the staircase.

"... What happened to your hair?!"

"Mr. Nick, I really don't think this time of night is appropriate for that volume."

Jarrod blocked her from reaching the stairs. "You didn't answer his question." He stated gently.

She rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in exasperated surrender. "I fell into a mud puddle!" She snarled.

"Fell or were pushed?"

She whirled around to meet Nick's glare with her own. So much for having cooled down. "If you don't mind, it's been a long day. I would really like to get to bed."

"Not on an empty stomach you're not." Nick walked to the table and softly pulled out a chair. She waited a moment, holding on to her anger, ready to march up those stairs, but... She hesitantly sat and could've cried when Nick moved the candle closer. She could see steam wafting from the bowl of thick, hearty stew with generous portions of meat and vegetables, the thick slices of bread, that even as she watched, had butter melting on the spongy surface and-

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming and that is indeed peach cobbler."

Jarrod chuckled softly at her anticipation as he resumed his seat at the table, sitting across from her. Nick quietly pulled a chair out so he was sitting away from the table, next to Jarrod, facing Kathryn. She said a quick, but no less heartfelt, prayer of thanks before beginning to eat.

"Nick made sure that Silas put some away for you, for when you decided to come back. He's been having it simmer on the stove and warming in the oven."

"I figured you weren't eating with us because you were mad at me. And frankly, being a martyr when it comes to food on a working ranch isn't the greatest idea."

She leveled a cool stare on him, made more potent by the fact that her eyes had taken on her more recessive icy blue hue. Blowing on the bite of stew she stated "Mr. Nick, I'm more responsible than that." She felt a small thrum of ruthless glee as he squirmed. "However, I do have to thank you for the food." He practically beamed at that. "And as I said, I would probably have been on time or close to; however, I wasn't going to make a mess for Silas to clean up first thing in the morning."

"And I'm sure he'll be mighty grateful. Just make sure you're at breakfast so he can show you." Jarrod gently ordered, taking the bowl and plate over to the sink once they were empty. Kathryn made to rise. She was not going to have him clean up after her, too! "Mr.-"

"Finish your cobbler before it gets cold." Nick gruffed, his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her to sit back down again. With the water running faintly, he cleared his throat. "Ms. Quinn," She came to attention at the formality. From her few experiences with Nick using her surname, this wasn't going to be good. "I... apologize, for what I said, earlier. You're very responsible, very capable." He gave a soft, derisive laugh and pushed his hand back through his hair. "I really don't know what came over me. I was so relieved to see Heath. Hoping that nothing was wrong, but something had to be wrong... he sent the telegram and then... didn't come home." He took a breath. "I didn't want him to think I didn't trust him, but I just..."

She reached over and placing her hand on his that was clenched on the tabletop, she gave a small, reassuring squeeze. "I know... we knew. You kind of weren't yourself." She poked gently with an understanding smile.

He gave her a grateful smile. "And then, there he was. You'd found him, brought him back to us. I was so mad when Jarrod told me you had left, but he didn't know where. I knew where Heath had gone and I was still worried. You... you don't even have to look for trouble, it finds you!" Her eyebrows rose at the exclamation. She would have to rid Nick and Heath of that foolish notion.

"Nick... not so loud." Jarrod admonished gently.

Nick sighed and casting his gaze down, took a calming breath. "Right, right... I was ready to lay into you, have your ears ringing for a couple of months," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "I don't... I don't like talking about... feelings." She could see why, his vulnerability clear as day. "And I couldn't very well yell at you anymore... not, not when you brought Heath back to us." She gave a quick intake of breath as his eyes shone with unshed tears in the weak candlelight from the candles by the sink and on the table, and in the lone sconce lit on the stairs. "I can't thank you enough for that."

"We can't thank you enough for that." Jarrod informed her solemnly. "But we sure can try."

"If I'll allow you."

At their looks of disbelief, she smiled gently "I don't know your family's story, but I know Mr. Heath belongs here. Without him, there seems to be something missing that none of you quite know how to handle. And I know that he would not like it if he knew he was the cause of such distress." Here she took a fortifying breath. "My family may be gone. I won't stand by if it's within my ability to make sure one survives."

She easily walked past the stunned men.