I didn't think this would end up at 50 chapters but here we are! Hope you are enjoying this. On with the story.

"Hey Beth." Monica said sticking her head in the lounge where Beth was working.

"Hey."

"Jamie's kid is here and playing with Tate. Did Katie want to join? Jamie himself isn't here." Monica told her.

Beth looked over at Katie who was playing by herself with some toys. She hated that Katie didn't really interact with many kids because she lived on the ranch. Being Jamie's son wasn't the boy's fault but she couldn't help but wonder about the similarities between them.

"Ah I'll ask her."

"I'm watching them with Kayce up at our place." Monica said before leaving.

"Katie, come here." Beth called to her. "Tate is playing with your other cousin Jamie at Auntie Monica's house. Do you want to go?"

Katie looked at Beth not answering.

"No, adult Jamie isn't there." Beth told her figuring that's what was going through her head. "I'll stay, so when you've had enough we can leave."

Beth put Katie's bike in her car and drove them up to their old house. Tate and younger Jamie were playing outside on the play equipment Rip had built while Kayce worked on their old truck.

Katie hung back when they got there which was out of her normal character and Tate didn't rush over. Beth went inside to see Monica, Katie trailing behind.

"So how come you've got the nephew?"

"Jamie came around and spoke to Kayce about us having him for the day. You know what Kayce is like. He agreed. Apparently Jamie had somewhere to be."

Beth nodded.

"Tate seems to really like the boy. Although he does seem to have suddenly grown up in the past few months and have an attitude."

"He's how old now?" Beth asked.

"He's nearly 11." Monica said dryly.

"And Jamie Jr?"

"Nine, Beth. Katie, do you want to go play?" Monica asked. "I'll go get Tate." She said before going out the front door.

"What if Jamie doesn't like me? His Dad doesn't." Katie whispered to Beth.

"You know. I don't think that will happen but that their loss." Beth told her.

Beth and Katie could overhear Monica telling Tate off as they came inside.

"Mom, I'm too old to play with her. She's a baby."

"Well you weren't too old before Jamie got here. She is your cousin Tate."

Tate groaned coming through the front door and Katie looked at Beth with big worried blue eyes.

Beth knew there would be times that Katie would be hurt by what others said but she instantly felt protective and wanted to take it all away for her. Her own reaction to when she got hurt was to instantly fight and hurt someone back. She never wanted that to be Katie's response.

"Hi Tate." Beth said

"Hello." He said quietly knowing he would have been overheard. Monica shot him a look before he asked if Katie wanted to play.

Jamie's son stood in the doorway. "We were playing tag."

"I like tag." Katie said before Jamie's son grinned.

Katie let go of Beth's fingers that she was holding before going out the door, Tate following behind.

"Kayce, Katie is out with the boys." Monica said from the front door.

"Yeah, I got it under control." He said coming out from under the car wiping his hands. "Where is my Katie girl?"

"I'm here Uncle Kayce!" Katie said hearing his voice. She happily ran in to his arms before he threw her in the air. "I'm playing tag."

"All right. Off you go then." He told her putting her down to run after the two boys.

Beth chatted with Monica but kept an ear out for Katie. She could mainly hear the boys yelling and laughing.

"What are you going to do when Rip goes?"

"Stay here. Katie and I'll visit on the weekends I guess."

"How does Katie feel?"

"Oh she cracked it the other night about it to us and Dad but not sure she really does understand." Beth told Monica.

"HEY! Cut that out." Both women heard Kayce yell.

Both turned towards the front yard where Kayce was seeing Kayce telling Tate off and Jamie Jr helping Katie up from the ground. Beth watched as Tate argued back with his Dad. Kayce rubbed his forehead and pointed to the house, Monica got out of her chair to see what it was all about.

"Is Katie ok?" Monica said seeing Beth hadn't moved.

"She'll come get me if she needs." Beth said knowing it to be true.

Monica was always confused by Beth and how she handled situations. Tate came trudging up to the porch where Monica was.

"What happened?" Monica asked as Tate stormed past.

"Oh Buddy I would not ignore your mom." Beth said looking in to her mug.

"Tate. I am talking to you. You can lose the attitude." Monica started on him.

"I told you. I don't want to play with her. And that's my Dad!" Tate said getting worked up. Beth took that as her cue to leave.

"You all right baby?" Beth said leaning against the railing.

"Mmmhm."

"What happened?" She asked. Katie shrugged her shoulders. "Kayce?"

"Jesus, I don't know. They sounded like they were playing together and then I heard Katie yell out and Tate say something. Katie was on the ground-."

"Tate pushed her and called her a baby and said she couldn't play with us." Jamie's son butted in. "I told him that's not nice! I did."

"It's all right Jamie. Relax buddy." Kayce told him.

"Don't worry about it." Beth said. "Kid, I think you and I might head off anyway."

"Not before Tate apologises, isn't that right Tate." Monica said from behind them.

"Mom!" Tate said red in the face.

"Son. You did the wrong thing."

"Sorry Katie." Tate said quietly.

Beth could tell Katie didn't know what to do before she glanced at Beth. She nodded at her that it was ok.

"You weren't very nice. But ok, just not again." She told him.

Monica tried to hide her smile.

"She is all you Beth." Kayce commented making Beth smirk knowingly.

Tate didn't know what to say other than nod before running off with Jamie not before he waved goodbye.

"He isn't anything like his father. Thankfully." Beth commented about Jamie Jr before taking Katie's hand.

Kayce shook his head from where he sat on the porch before telling them they would see them another time.

Gator had a plate ready for Katie's lunch when they got in the kitchen. "I made this for her, hope you don't mind."

"Thanks Gator." Beth said putting her hand bag down on the counter. Katie went to pick it up and take a bite before Beth stopped her.

"Hey! What do you say."

"Thanks Gator."

"You're welcome kid."

There was no denying the soft spot nearly everyone had for Katie, Gator nearly more than most. He was happy to help teach her make different thing and be as messy as she liked in the kitchen. Anyone else who made a mess in his kitchen often copped a death stare as he considered it his space when he was there.

Beth watched her eat before Katie slid off the stool and went her own way to the sofa sitting back on it, twirling her hair. A sign to Beth that she may need some quiet time and have a nap. She didn't nap often anymore at all unless she had a busy morning.

She put a children's movie on for Katie whilst she worked and waited for Rip to get home. She didn't realise Katie had fallen asleep on the couch until Rip got home hours later.

"Why is she asleep?"

"Big day."

"Right. What happened?" He asked.

Beth filled him in.

"Sounds like Kayce and Monica have their hands full with Tate at the moment." Rip said. "Lloyd apparently caught him running a muck the other day and Kayce gave him a serve. I'm waking her, otherwise she won't sleep tonight."

"Hey cowgirl." Rip sat down next to where she lay down. She stretched out like a cat in the sat on the other side of Katie.

"Hey baby, I want to talk about today."

"Mama filled me in cowgirl. Want to tell me what happened?"

"We were playing and then Tate pushed me and said I was a baby and couldn't play with them." She said looking at Rip. "But I told him that I was only Mama's baby. Uncle Kayce yelled after that."

"And tell Daddy what you said when Tate said sorry."

"I told him it was ok, but not again."

Rip looked over at Beth. "That darlin' is all you in small size."

Beth ignored him. "I'm proud of you and you're right, even when you're older and I'm Grandpa's age, you'll still be my baby."