Come Home to Us, Randy

by Western Gal

How the events of Season Two's 'A Man Called Kane' solidified the love that Judge Garth, Betsy, The Virginian, Steve, and Trampas had for Randy before Season Three's new beginning. And how that love helped Randy deal with the near death experience caused by his outlaw brother

1. Chapter 1

Come Home to Us, Randy

[Prologue]

Randy's Background Before Shiloh

Randy was born in the hills of North Carolina in 1882, the same year Betsy was born at White Wing on what would become Shiloh. Randy came from the rural area in between

the Appalachian Mountains and Fayettville \Cross Creek. His mama was most likely named Katy and along with his older half-brothers Brett and Johnny [John], his mama more than

likely had two other children after Randy, one of whom may well have been a daughter named Katy as well. There had been a back- country feud with another family for years,

since before Randy was born, in fact. At twelve, Randy testified at a murder trial and his testimony sent the accused man to prison. And after it was all over and done

with, men from Claiborne's family came looking for Randy's family and they were lured and murdered right in front of Randy. He may have been away hunting at the time or also hiding

which was the only reason he survived. With his family in their graves and almost no one left for him, Randy pulled up stakes and went west. Through Virginia, Kentucky, then through

Tennessee and Arkansas, then into South Texas up into Colorado. Then into Medicine Bow\ Carbon County Wyoming via Montana. Randy was thirteen when he left in 1895 and he came to

Shiloh Ranch five years later. He had worked on ranches before to survive, evidenced by his clothing and skill with a six gun. Randy keeps Melanie safe from the killers in the cave

because she is also an orphan like him even though they're not ''kin'' to one another, but he also remembers that his Pa was killed in the same way as hers. Betsy also realizes

that his family were killed too and that's the reason he is so mistrustful of her and she helps him. After finding a home at Shiloh, Randy starts to not only trust his new family,

but love them. And Betsy loves him like a brother from the start, so the Judge and the boys start to understand him and love him, too. In ''A Man Called Kane'', after the incident

with the skeleton, Randy reveals his last name, which is Benton; for the first time, not only to the Sheriff and a local newspaper man, but also to Betsy and the Virginian, too.

Randy had to know that his new family loved him and would protect him from those men that killed his family before he'd reveal his last name. And the Virginian and Steve did protect

Randy from an outlaw half- brother who nearly killed Randy and the Virginian because they knew he killed a man. And because Randy said that he would'nt keep quiet about the Virginian's murder.

This story is about how Randy and his real family on Shiloh became closer because of that incident.