"I'm heading out darlin'" Rip yelled up the stairs to where Beth was battling Katie in the bath.

"It's like swimming in the river sweetie. Rip where are you going?"

"Your dad needs a hand with something."

"I need a hand handling this kid!" Rip stuck his head around the bathroom door.

"Sorry honey but he is my boss. Be good Katie"

"Fine go."

Rip met everyone out at the field.

"Nice of you to show up Rip."

"Yeah well your daughter isn't too happy about it."

"She'll get over it. Katie ok?" Rip nodded.

"Here we go boys. Lights off until you hear it." John sat and waited whilst the bikers cut through his fence again and realised he was sitting waiting for them.

"I guess this is your land."

"You planning to burn it? What's the point?"

"We were not hurting anyone, just trying to have a good time."

"No. You damaged my fence, my field and tried to harm my family. And now you're back for more. What if I did that to your home? Your family?"

"I'd kill ya."

"Damn right." The boys turned on their lights and approached holding their guns. John threw the shovels at them.

"You didn't leave, so we are going to bury you here."

"No, we will leave."

"Too late for that. You're gonna dig." Rip and Kayce kept their guns trained on them.

"You got kids?"

"I do."

"Looks like yours would be better off without you. You tried to hurt my kid. You pulled a fucking gun on a kid. An innocent child because you couldn't handle being a man." Kayce held him back.

"I should let him kill you, but I won't. I will say this. These holes are going to stay here, and if you ever come back again to my land, I'ma fill them.

"I'm not coming back."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

"I think they'll be back."

"No I don't think so Kayce. Rip. Go be with your family. You too Kayce."

"Yes sir".

Rip got home to Beth sitting on the couch reading paperwork, Katie curled up in her side drinking milk watching a cartoon show. He hung his hat up and grabbed a beer from the fridge before heading over to the couch.

Beth moved the paperwork she was reading and pulled Katie on to her lap, Katie too engrossed in the tv to notice Rip coming in nestled in to Beth's arms as she stroked her hair.

Rip gave Beth a kiss on her head before sitting down.

"What you reading there?"

"What were you doing with Dad and why are your hands covered in dirt?" Beth ignored his question, annoyed that he left them for most of the night.

"Sorting out a problem Beth."

"Fine." Beth turned her attention to the cartoon show feigning some sort of interest.

Rip got up from the couch signing in frustration.

"Dammit Beth, I know you're annoyed but what do you want me to do?"

"I wanted you to be here for her. I wanted you to stay here and help out, I wanted you to say no to him for once."

"She's fine just like you said."

"She is now. You don't get to go help him every fucking time he asks when we are here. You got scared today admit it. Every damn day is scary with her on this ranch, making sure she is safe but that's what we signed up for."

"No it's not Beth. You signed up for that and dragged me in to it." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop.

Beth laughed harshly. "Is that what you think? I gave you the option Rip and you were in. Clearly you're not anymore. We'll go."

"Fuck Beth, I didn't mean that."

She was packing a bag for her and Katie as Rip tried to reason with her. Beth was furious, the man she completely adored had made his feelings known about the one person who had brought them closer than ever.

Beth picked Katie up off the couch and put her in the car.

"Where we going Mama?"

"For a little holiday until Daddy has a good think about what he really wants."

"Beth, wait –"

"Fuck you Rip. I love you but fuck you."

Beth drove up to the Lodge taking Katie inside with the bags.

"Close your eyes, go back to sleep."

"What are you doing here? What happened?"

"You Daddy. He is always trying to please you." Beth walked up to her old room and put Katie down to sleep before sitting on the end of the bed watching her. She couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes. John had followed them up to her room.

"I can't help if you won't talk Beth."

"Not here." She hissed back, leaving Katie to sleep as they went downstairs.

Beth poured herself a drink before sitting down.

"He chose to leave to follow you like a little lamb."

"I asked him to Beth."

"Stop asking him to do things when you know he will say yes."

"What do you want me to do."

"Let him be my partner and her Dad for fucks sake." Beth was starting to raise her voice

"He is."

"No Daddy, tonight he chose not to be. He thinks I dragged him in to it and forced it on him. So don't tell me he is." Beth slammed her glass on the table. Neither hear the little feet that had made their way downstairs and in to the lounge.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Why do you say that granddaughter?"

"Mama and Daddy said fuck a lot and Mama and I are having a holiday because Daddy needs to think. I didn't mean it."

"They're not angry at you I'm sure" Beth shook her head showing Katie that John was right. "Sometimes parents just don't agree. Now back to bed for you."

"Both of us I think. I've got it Daddy. Night"

At the cabin Rip opened another beer and sat down on the couch where Beth had been. What the fuck had he done. He picked up the papers Beth had been reading and saw they were adoption papers. She had signed them all and must have been waiting for him to sign them.

'Jesus Christ, why did I say that' he thought. It wasn't true, he loved Beth with his entire heart and Katie, well, he didn't want a kid to begin with but he did care for her and today was one of the scariest days of his life watching a gun pulled on her.

"I've got to fix this."

The next morning John, Beth and Katie had breakfast together as normal.

"What are you doing today?"

"Girls day today. We had a rough night."

"I heard from down the hallway." Beth nodded. Katie had nightmares last night and wanted Beth the entire night, she ended up sleeping with her. Beth did not want to think about Roarke or anything work related today.

"Gator could you make some sandwiches for a picnic for us two."

"Of course."

"I'll be off. Might see you later?" Beth nodded to John.

"Just you and I today baby."

"No Daddy?"

"Not today."

"No work?"

"Not today baby."

"What are we gonna do?"

"Whatever you want."

"Horses." Beth could have seen that a mile away. Of course she would want to go down to the stables.

"All right, go get your hat. What is the rule?"

"Stay close!" Katie yelled back running off to find her hat. Beth was hoping she might see Rip down there but didn't know what she would say to him if she did.

"Let's go kid." She skipped just ahead of Beth on the way down before spotting Rip who was leaning on the arena fence watching Travis and the other guys reining. She broke into a run, Beth knew there was no point in calling for her to stop as she had her eyes on one person. Rip. Just as she was about to reach him a horse slid, kicking up dust in front of Rip and Katie, going in to her eyes. She stopped and covered her face.

"Sorry Rip!" the wrangler said nodding to Katie.

Rip turned and saw her wiping her eyes.

"Daddy." Realising she had sand in dust in her eyes and probably sand in her mouth now too Rip turned and yelled at the Wrangler to be more careful.

"Where's Mama?" Katie turned back and pointed to where Beth was who gave a small wave.

"You in trouble Daddy?"

"I think so darlin'."

"I wanna sleep at home. John is fun but not like you." She cuddled his leg. Easily distracted Katie asked what was going on.

"They're reining, but about to have a competition to see who can slide the furthest on the horse. We'll sit you up here to so can see. Wear these, I don't want dust in your eyes again."

Rip put his glasses on Katie lifting her on to the fence so she could see better. He turned and saw Beth had her back to them talking on the phone.

"Go Jimmy!"

"Thanks Katie." Jimmy approached the line-up of horses hoping to win the competition.

"Who's this fucking kid?" Travis yelled out to Rip.

"A mistake waiting to happen."

"No, the one you're holding."

"Mine."

"Ha. You're not a fucking comedian Rip."

"Get on with it Travis."

"You're up first Jimmy." Everyone watched Jimmy as he slid to a stop, even Katie stayed quiet knowing that it probably wasn't as big as it was meant to be. She clapped as the Texans slid to a stop no idea that it meant Jimmy was going to be paying up.

"Get off the horse Jimmy." He shook his head at Lloyd.

"Do as he says Jimmy and come here."

"Leave him Rip. I'm not gonna take his money."

"No. Jimmy you'll be paying Travis. I hope you learnt a lesson." Jimmy sulked off to go and get his wallet.

"Can you do that Daddy?"

"No fucking way. You weren't joking. Even calls you Daddy."

"Watch next to Lloyd. I'll race you Travis." Both men got on horses and raced to the end before turning around and sliding.

"Even with a beer in hand Travis." Both men laughed.

Beth was leaning against the fence when Rip got off the horse.

"Can I try Mama?"

"Not until you're older darlin'" Rip replied. Beth agreed completely, she did not want to see Katie doing that for a very long time and would be perfectly fine if she never tried it.

"Beth. Can we talk? In private?"

"Whatever you're going to say, you may as well just say it."

"Walk with me at least." The three of them started walking to the chairs under the tree near the lodge. Katie running, Beth was pretty sure she was going to go for the water in the horse trough. For a kid that hated baths she always found water to play in.

"I didn't mean what I said last night."

"You sounded pretty fucking serious."

"Beth, I didn't grow up in a caring family. This place, the work and the stables was all I knew for a long time. I don't have a fucking clue how to raise a kid but yesterday was horrible watching her. A goddamn bastard pulled a gun on my kid, anything could have happened."

"I know Rip. I was the one who dealt with it. She had nightmares last night. You think I know how to raise a kid? I don't have a clue either, other than I don't want her to grow up feeling the way I did ok."

"I found this." Rip pulled out the adoption papers he had signed last night from his pocket.

"I love you Beth and that kid well, she's stealing my heart too. I messed up last night, I didn't mean to say that."

Beth could see he had signed the papers. "We have to be a team for her sake. I love you but if you ever say something like that again or don't put us first, that's it." Rip nodded and kissed her forehead.

"I'm not sleeping at the cabin tonight. You're still in the dog house baby. You can also deal with our kid who is trying to climb in the horse trough" Rip groaned. He watched Katie flop in to the water and resurface giggling, algae covering her clothes.

"Darlin' why are you in there. I told you it's dirty."

"It's too hot." Rip lifted her out holding her away from him as if she was the plague. Rip put her down looking for a hose.

"Right, stand there and I'm going to hose you down." Rip turned on the hose and sprayed her clothes until most of the algae and grime was off.

"Again!"

"No darlin', no more going in there. I mean it." Rip told her to sit on the step whilst he went to find Beth inside.

"Beth. I've got to get back to work."

"Where is she?"

"On the front step. Drying off. I hosed her down." Beth smirked, got up and threw a towel at him.

"You better deal with that first." Beth knew it was going to be a battle for Rip to get her to stay still long enough to dry her off and the likely tantrum that would come from trying to dry her hair. Beth knew she was going to enjoy watching him struggle.

Katie saw Rip with the towel and Beth behind, she narrowed her eyes ready to run. Beth wasn't going to stop her for once. Before Rip could get any closer she was off running.

"What the –".

"Good luck." Beth went back inside and watched from the kitchen as he tried to catch her. He gave up after ten minutes deciding to sit down and wait, she would have to run out of energy eventually. Beth had to give him credit for that, until she noticed Katie heading back to the trough. She knew she was going to have to handle it.

"Hey! Outta there!" Katie turned back to the porch looking surprised at being caught, this time by Beth.

"You've got to be kidding me. Again. I told you no." She looked between Beth and Rip, opting to go towards Beth the calmer of the two. Rip threw her the towel.

"Looks like you've been pushing some buttons."

"Sorry."

"Tell Rip not me." Katie looked sheepishly at Rip as Beth wrangler the towel around her.

"I'm sorry." Rip knew he wouldn't be able to stay angry at her.

"It's ok. But I did ask you to not do that three times now. You need to listen to me." Katie nodded tears threatening to fall. Beth dried her off before sending her off the play.

"I've got to go but take the papers." Beth nodded and Rip went back to his horse.

"What are you reading honey?"

"Adoption papers."

"So it's official then? We really should do something to celebrate Beth. Did Rip sign?"

"Yep."

"So everything is good then?"

"No Daddy it's not. Just because he signed the papers does not mean what he said is ok. He's going to be in the dog house for a while."

John muttered that he was best to stay out of it and left.

"I'm hungry!" Katie yelled running through the lodge.

"Woah granddaughter slow down! When did you get so loud?"

"That's pretty normal for her. I've got the picnic, come on." Beth and Katie headed for the tree by the porch. Gator had packed sandwiches some drinks and a blanket for them to sit on. Beth laid it all out before giving Katie a sandwich and some water.

"Is Daddy in trouble?"

"Yes baby." Beth wasn't going to lie to her.

"Why?"

"He said some mean things that hurt me, so he needs to think about what he wants." Katie nodded not really understanding. She finished her sandwich before sitting in Beth's lap.

"I want to stay with Daddy and you. I miss him."

"Me too baby, me too." They both sat in the shade, Beth holding Katie as she started to doze off. Her phone rang waking Katie up.

"Shit. Sorry baby, close your eyes. Hello? Fuck, ok. I'm coming in." Damn Roarke, just one day without him trying to ruin my life Beth thought. She dialled Rip's number.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I need to go in to the office, can you watch her?"

"Yeah, I'll come get her now." Beth hung up the phone.

"Baby, you're going to go with Daddy. I have to go to work. I'll be back for dinner with you, be good." Rip approached on his horse.

"I'll grab her hat and boots for you."

"I get them Mama." She ran off for where she had left them.

"Thanks for watching her."

"I'm her Dad Beth, it's not watching her. I'm raising her." Beth smiled, nodded and waved to Katie before getting in her car and speeding off.

"Mama says you are in trouble Daddy."

"Of course she did. Come on lets go back to work."

"You should get her flowers."

"Not sure that will fix this one cowgirl but we can try."