Days felt like weeks and weeks were beginning to feel like months around the ranch. Rip had fully thrown himself in to working, the same way he had before Beth returned to the ranch and well before Katie would wait for him on their porch. Everyone except Rip stayed away from the lodge and in particular Beth, she was a force to be reckoned with if you happened to come across her.

For the most part, she stayed indoors. She would spend most of the day on the couch in front of the fire. The picture of Katie with Santa still on the mantel.

Rip was coming up the porch when Beth opened the door dressed in work clothes.

"Beth?" He asked unsure what response he was going to get.

"I'm going to work. For the rest of the day and I'm going to make someone's life fucking hell doing so." She planted a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you tonight baby."

He furrowed his brow confused. "Hold on a second"

"I can't take her. I can't get rid of him. And no one can do a damn thing. They're certainly not going to help. So I'm going to work Rip." She slammed her car door and drove off.

Rip ran his fingers through his hair. He knew she was right. He had done nothing and like she was doing, he had just gone back to work to not think about it.

Beth grabbed herself a coffee before walking to the office. She did her best to force a smile when the coffee shop girl asked where her little one was, having come to know Beth Dutton to often have Katie with her. She sat at her desk pouring a shot of whiskey to the coffee.

"Girl! Hurry up." Shane yelled.

Katie was worried, she had been quiet and done as she was told. She had no idea what she could have done wrong this time.

Shane was mad. Taking his brother's kid was meant to be a piece of piss. He was meant to be able to live in their place, give the kid a bit of food to keep her alive and he would collect the money for having her and be able to do whatever he wanted. Except now he had to prove that the kid was ok or the money was going to stop and they told him he had to attend a follow up appointment and bring the kid.

He finally got her to get in the car before driving in to town. They were running late by the time Shane found a carpark and he was furious.

"They better not stop the money." He muttered pulling Katie along as he walked up the street to the building. Katie winced, it hurt where Shane was holding her and she wanted him to let go. He finally did when they were outside the doors.

"Listen here. You tell them what they want to hear. Tell them I'm good to you and if you don't I'll give you the biggest hiding you've ever gotten. You hear me."

Katie grimaced and whispered "Ok.". Shane stood up before a guy on a bike knocked his shoulder. Katie jumped in fear as both Shane and the bike rider fell.

"The fuck is your problem?" Shane yelled shirt fronting the bike rider whose helmet was askew.

"Dude. It was an accident."

"An accident! Do your eyes not work or something?" Shane continued, a crowd was starting to form as another man tried to get Shane to let the bike rider go.

Katie stumbled back as other adults moved forward. She looked around and realised that she knew where she was, she was near Beth's office. She saw the zebra crossing where she was nearly hit by a car once before and started running. She just had to get there.

Her legs her so much more than normal and her lungs felt like fire as she reached the automatic doors which opened. She coughed, chest burning before hitting the number her Mama would press when she came to work. Katie wasn't sure what the number was but she could only just reach it.

Beth's receptionist looked up hearing the elevator doors open, she was confused when she didn't see anyone. She got up when she heard footsteps approaching her boss's office and realised it was Katie.

"Kid?" She called out.

Katie turned and the receptionists eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. That was not the child she knew. This child was dirty, the knees of her leggings had holes in them and she could see cuts on her arms and legs. Most concerning was the bruise on her face and dark eyes to go with it.

"I.. uh..." The receptionist struggled to find the words.

The crowd had dispersed and Shane realised he couldn't find the kid anywhere.

"Little fucker. Where would you have gone?" He hissed. He started to walk up the street racking his brain as to where a kid could hide. He had to find her quickly otherwise the payments would definitely stop.

"What are you muttering about?" Beth said hearing her receptionist talk to someone, or try to. She came out of her office and saw a small child standing with their back to her. It wasn't any child it was her child, Beth knew instantly.

"Katie?"

Katie turned to face Beth before bursting in to tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She repeated standing still.

Beth waved the receptionist away before kneeling in front of Katie. Beth wanted to grab her and hold her close but saw all the marks on her skin.

"Breathe." Beth told her. "Breathe for me Katie." She tried to calm her down.

She continued to scan her eyes over Katie. "Where is Shane?"

Katie shook her head. "Don't make me go. He hurts me."

The receptionist overheard but kept her head down.

"I'm sorry baby. I am so fucking sorry." Beth told her. Katie reached out to put her arms around Beth's neck. "I've got you." Beth whispered picking her up taking her in to her office.

Katie clung to Beth for dear life. "I'm not going to make you go but where is Shane, Katie?"

"He was fighting and I ran."

"Ok. I'm going to call Daddy." She said trying to get her mobile. She picked up the internal office phone and told the receptionist to phone Donnie and get him down here ASAP before dialling Rip's number.

"What's going on Beth?" Rip answered.

"I've got Katie. Get here."

"Beth. Where? Please tell me you didn't just take her."

"Don't be fucking stupid. She's been beat by him and ran away. She came to the office."

"I'm coming. Don't take her anywhere." He told her before hanging up.

"The sherrif is on his way." The receptionist called out.

Beth moved towards the window to see who was down below.

"Lock the doors." Beth called out to the receptionist seeing Shane below on the sidewalk looking at what she knew was her name on the door. She watched him look side to side at the people on the street before opening the door.

"Fucking checks out." Shane muttered seeing the name on the plaque, 'Beth Dutton'.

He found the elevator and hit the button before it started to move upwards.

Rip opened the newest message from Beth.

Hurry up. He's found us at my work. It read. He hit the accelerator harder on the way in to town.

"Katie. You need to go and hide under my desk." Beth said prying her grip from her neck.

Katie shook her head.

"I know. But you have to. Right now." Beth told her more firmly hearing the main door to the office shake.

"There is a man out there and he's trying to get in here." The receptionist came to tell Beth.

Beth nodded. She stood before closing the glass door to her own office leaving Katie in there.

"Make sure she doesn't come out." Beth told the receptionist.

"Give her back to me!" Shane shouted in to the glass, pointing a finger at Beth.

"Leave Shane."

"Not without her. The kid is mine."

"What happens when they find out you're beating her?"

"Shut up! She's a brat, she only gets what she deserves. Open the damn door."

Beth wanted to kill him. Bastard, she thought. "Where the fuck is Donny!" Beth said aloud.

"Beth... Mama..."

Beth felt her blood turn to ice, before Katie's small hand wrapped around her leg and her head rested against her thigh. Beth watched as Shane began to grin. She turned to look at her receptionist who unsurprisingly couldn't manage one job.

"How did she -"

They were interrupted by Katie's scream and the door being kicked in.

"Give her to me!" Shane yelled taking steps towards Beth as she backed away half holding up Katie.

"Ow!" Katie cried at Beth gripping her.

Beth half turned to pick Katie up, shielding her with her own body.

Rip couldn't see a park out the front of Beth office, instead just stopping on the road. Cars honked him as he got out, he waved them off before going inside.

"Rip!" Donny yelled, jogging to catch him. "Beth's receptionist called."

"Yeah, bastard who took Katie away is up there and so is she."

Donny nodded, both men opting to take the stairs.

"You're going to have to hang back Rip." Donny said before they went up the last flight of stairs.

"Give her to me you stupid bitch."

Beth kept moving around the room to avoid being cornered, she had Katie on her hip who was sobbing.

"There is no chance she will ever go with you. Ever, you bastard." Beth told him.

Donny had his hand on his gun, Beth's back to both him and Rip as they entered through the smashed glass door. Beth cradled Katie's head holding her as close as she could.

Shane saw the sheriff and the cowboy from the ranch behind Beth.

"Get back!" Shane yelled, pulling a knife out from behind his back. He waved the knife towards Beth and Katie.

Rip took a few instinctive steps forward.

"I said stay back!" Shane repeated. He looked around before grabbing the receptionist.

"God damn." Donny said. "Shane. Put the knife down."

"No. I want her back."

"Put the knife down and we can talk about it."

"I said no! Give me the fucking kid." He yelled tightening his grip making the receptionist squirm.

"Take her Beth." Rip whispered. He looked at Beth and then Katie's red eyes as she sniffled. "I'll meet you downstairs."

Beth readjusted Katie on her hip, stepping over the glass as she went down the stairwell. She put Katie down on the park bench on the street below. People were beginning to congregate on the sidewalk.

"Jesus Beth." John said jogging up to them both. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Beth told him. "Rip is in there with Donny." Her attention didn't turn away from Katie.

John squatted to look at Katie to check on her. Both adults noticed that she tried to scramble backwards away from John.

"I.. uh." John stuttered out surprised, standing up.

Two gunshots rang out giving everyone a fright. Katie covered her ears with her hands, Beth and John looked up towards her office.

"He didn't have a gun." Beth said before scooping Katie up.

Rip exited the building looking for Beth, Donny behind him holding up the receptionist who had blood splattered on her face.

"He's dead Beth." Rip told her. "And your receptionist will be fine." Rip lifted his hat to look at Katie who turned her head in to Beth's neck. "Hey baby, it's Daddy." He said gently to her.

"If she comes back." John muttered. Beth had a talent for losing receptionists.

Katie turned to look at Rip slowly before putting her hand out. Rip held her hand as she lent away from Beth. Beth passed her off to Rip who wrapped her in his jacket holding her close. She could hear his heart beating through his shirt.

Donny approached the Dutton's and Rip. "Take her home. I'll write a report and pass it on but take the girl home tonight."

Beth nodded. She did not give a shit what was happening around her, she only wanted to get Katie back to the ranch as soon as possible.

People that had gathered were starting to disperse. Rip and John stayed while Beth took Katie to her car before driving back to the ranch.