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Another two weeks passed.

The security plan they made was still in place as Kaycee was presently patrolling the ranch. Rip had just gotten back from dropping Beth off at the hospital and Lexi, unsure of what to do with herself these days, was hanging out down by the corral as the guys were working. Ryan had stopped by the fence and was talking with her for a moment; they had been doing a better job of coming back together those few weeks.

"Oh hold on," Lexi said as her phone was ringing; Ryan was preparing to get back to work anyway. "Hello?"

"Can you come talk to your coworkers?!" Beth was snapping at her immediately.

"What's-"

"Dad's awake, but they immediately put him back out," she started.

"It's probably so he," Lexi started to explain about his blood clot risk, but her sister was incoherently yelling.

"Beth."

More yelling.

"Bethy."

Still more.

"Look, I'm coming, ok?" Lexi said as she hung up. As she did she saw she had a text from Keith saying to come get her sister under control.

"Everything ok?" Ryan asked.

"Dad's awake," she answered and he looked surprised. The longer it took, the more she told him it would be less likely he even woke up. "Can you take me to the hospital?"

…

Ryan, of course, took her to the hospital immediately. Beth was sitting outside on a bench as she had been kicked out. Lexi told her to wait there while she went inside to see what was going on. Ryan followed her closely. As they got to his room, they could see John was groggy but waking up from the medication they had given him.

"I'll be in the hall," Ryan said as he kissed Lexi's cheek, leaving to give her a moment with her dad.

"I've got a bone to pick with your boss," John said gruffly as Lexi sat in the chair next to his bed.

"He was probably worried about you dislodging a blood clot," she informed him; she rested her hand over his. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm," he grunted in response.

"O-k," she nodded. "What do you remember?"

He paused for a moment, thinking back.

"Everything," he replied softly. She squeezed his hand gently and he squeezed back. As he did, he noticed something about her. They had told him he was out for two months and by his math, she should be about to give birth any day.

"Where's my grandson?" he asked her. She knew that was coming, but it didn't make it any easier.

"With mom and Lee," she said softly. John grew immediately concerned.

"You had him early?"

"Too early," she said, blinking away tears. "We don't need to talk about that right now, ok?"

"I'm sorry sweet pea," he said, holding her hand more firmly in his now. She nodded appreciatively. And while she told him they didn't have to talk about RJ, she knew someone was going to have to tell him all of what happened.

"Daddy."

"Hm?"

"You weren't the only one that day," she admitted.

"What do you mean?" He asked worriedly.

"Everyone's ok," she assured him right away. "But…someone went to shoot up Kaycee's office. They showed up at the ranch too, Beth got…got burned really bad," she went on. "A bomb, at her office. And um," she swallowed hard. "Someone hit my car on purpose." She shook her head. "And Jamie's ok, I guess they couldn't get him in Helena, I don't know…"

She knew Beth thought it was because Jamie was somehow involved but she couldn't wrap her mind around that. That also meant he would have to have teamed up with Matt.

"Do we know who did this?" John asked, sitting up a little more.

"Just suspects, nothing concrete," she shook her head. "Roarke is dead but, um…." She let out a breath. "Matt's here."

"I'm coming home," he said, preparing to leave again.

"Dad, you just woke up from a coma," she said as she stood, keeping him in bed.

"Alexa," he said seriously.

"If you dislodge a clot, you could stop breathing or have a stroke," she cut him off. "And you won't be any help to me at all."

John relented, settling back into his bed.

"I'll see when we can get you out of here," she gave in. "But on my schedule, not yours."

"Sometimes I regret sending you to med school," he told her seriously, though there was a lightness to his tone. She kissed his cheek before going out into the hall.

"How is he?" Ryan asked as she came out into the hall. As she was about to answer she noticed her sister further down the hall, walking into a different room with some kid that if she didn't know better she would have thought was a teenage Rip.

"One of them at a time," she muttered as Ryan had turned to see what she had been looking at. "And he wants to go home now, shockingly," she said sarcastically. "I've gotta go to Keith's office, can you just…" She motioned her hand back and forth towards the hall. "Make sure hell doesn't break loose?" She asked lightly.

"I'll do my best," he matched her tone with a slight smile, kissing her once before she left. She went downstairs to where Keith's hospital office was, just behind the ER. She explained to him what her dad wanted.

"You have to be crazy," he accused her. "He's 63 years old, he just woke up from a two month coma after being shot."

"And your best doctor lives in his house," she reminded him. "I'm on leave for another two months," she continued and he shook his head. "Keep him today, make sure the blood thinners are working and do a scan to make sure there's no clots. Other than that," she shrugged. "There's nothing I can't handle at the house."

"Dutton," he sighed heavily.

"It's less time you have to see my sister," she pointed out. "Who is back in the ICU hall right now, by the way," she tacked on.

"This family," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Two days, then he's all yours."

"Deal," she agreed, turning to go back out into the hall.

"Hey," he stopped her from leaving for a second. "If you see your donor friend, Morris, send him this way."

"Why would he be here?" She asked.

"Most people that invest that kind of money want to see exactly what they're investing in," he pointed out. "He's getting a hospital tour today, I just need to finish up a few things here."

"Noted," she said as she left the office, silently hoping to not run into Matt.

Of course, nothing could work out how she wanted these last few weeks, and the timing today was no different. As she came to the end of the small hall that led to Keith's office, Matt was coming down the hall from the ER entrance.

She simply pointed down the hall towards the office and then turned to walk away from him. He kept coming though, saying her name. She hoped to round the corner where the elevators were and disappear on one before he got there.

"Alexa, I'm talking to you," he snapped, reaching her just as she got to the corner, grabbing her by her elbow.

Again, timing wasn't on her side today. They were at the hospital, she knew she would be able to jerk away from him and keep going. But Ryan had been coming off the elevator, coming to tell her that her dad was insisting on at least walking down the hall. He came to the corner just as Matt was snatching her arm.

Lexi nearly fell over as Matt barely let go of her as Ryan punched him in the face, sending him to the floor.

"Ryan, stop!" She urged. They were at her work place and, worst of all, there were too many people around. People that weren't paying attention until the fight started.

Ryan couldn't stop though. It was for repeatedly hurting Lexi, for RJ, for going after this family that he had called his since he was a teenager. He didn't know if he would be able to stop before killing him. Matt was about the same size and build as him though and put up a pretty decent fight back, even if Ryan kept him on the ground.

"Ryan!" She kept on as Rob was running out of the ER now at the commotion, trying to break things up.

The only ones able to break it up though were the police who, at the word of what everyone saw which was Ryan starting it, took Ryan away to jail.

…

Ryan sat in the holding cell, fairly infuriated. He didn't understand how he was the only one in there, but they told him no one saw Matt put his hands on Lexi. And even if they did, what Ryan started was beyond self defense. Matt had a concussion and was spending the night in the hospital.

Good, Ryan thought to himself. Lexi had been in the hospital twice now because of his actions. He just wished she didn't have to go home alone with her sister, that someone else had been there to take them home. They figured it would at least be overnight until Ryan got out.

"You feel better?" A familiar voice was asking dryly. Ryan looked up to see Jamie there with the officer who was unlocking the cell door.

"You my attorney?" Ryan asked sarcastically.

"You don't need one, the charges got dropped," Jamie informed him. He motioned for Ryan to follow him, knowing he would need a ride home.

"What do you-"

"They pulled the security footage," Jamie told him as they got outside. "They saw him grab her. Plus her friend Rob came in and told the cops how scared she was the night of the benefit and figured Matt had something to do with that." They stopped at Jamie's car. "With both of those, you more than reasonably protected your wife."

He nodded for Ryan to get in, which Ryan wasn't sure he wanted to do. He would almost rather hitch hike back but, knowing Lexi was home and upset, he wanted to get back to her as quickly as possible. He gave in, getting in the passenger side.

"Did she call you?" Ryan asked as they were leaving the police station.

"About 30 times in 20 minutes," Jamie responded, eyes on the road.

"Guess I'm glad you answered this time," Ryan said sarcastically.

"Don't talk to me about my relationship with my sister Ryan," Jamie warned him.

"What?" Ryan scoffed at him. "She was in the hospital, she almost died," he emphasized. "Our son did die. And you did…what?"

"Ryan-"

"Sent flowers and a pre-filled in sympathy card," he finished.

"I had to distance myself from the situation," Jamie snapped. "Or I was going to have to recuse myself from the investigation."

"Into what?" Ryan snapped now. "The self defense at the ranch?"

"Self defense isn't hanging someone from the corral Ryan," Jamie snapped back and Ryan shook his head. "I had to make it all go away quietly, as usual." He rolled his eyes. "You're welcome," he tacked on.

"How about you investigate what happened to your family?" Ryan said angrily.

"What do you think I've been doing?" Jamie asked.

"I can already tell you who did it," Ryan told him like it was obvious.

"With what evidence?" Jamie asked seriously.

"The flowers, he-"

"What?" Jamie scoffed. "The white roses?" He knew Matt's pattern, having seen a vase of them at their home when he went to visit, before he saw the bruises on his sister. "What am I supposed to take to a grand jury? Excuse me, your honor?" He continued sarcastically.

"Jamie, I swear to God," Ryan cut in, annoyed Jamie was talking to him like he was an idiot.

"I know a lot of people send flowers as sympathy," Jamie continued on with his bit. "But you see, he always sent her flowers after he hurt her. You know, on all those domestic violence charges she never filed."

"What about her restraining order on him?" He reminded Jamie of their conversation so many months ago when Roarke got there. "Shouldn't he be sitting in jail?"

"It was for the property, not for her," Jamie clarified as they were pulling up to the house. "We can't get one for her without documentation of the assaults." He sighed. "He's free to see her in public."

"Bang up job keeping your sister safe, as usual," Ryan said as he got out of the car, slamming the door. As he got inside, Beth was sitting on the couch while Lexi had her back to the door, on the phone. He figured out pretty quickly she was on the phone with her boss.

"Well, what was I supposed to tell you?" She was asking in exasperation about why she never told him about who Matt was. He wasn't angry at her, just confused. "It's not something I exactly advertise and-"

"I knew I always liked you," she heard Beth saying, making her turn around.

"Let me call you back," Lexi said, hanging up.

"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Ryan said lightly as Lexi rushed over to hug him.

"Are you ok?" She asked him as she pulled away.

"It was a few hours, I'm fine," he said as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"How much trouble are you in?" She asked worriedly. This was what she was always afraid of, him or one of her brothers getting themselves into trouble over her.

"None," he shrugged. "Jamie got the charges dropped."

"Least he could have done was drive you back," Lexi scoffed, figuring maybe someone from the livestock office went to get him or something. Ryan just glanced over at the door then back at her, his eyes telling. "You're kidding me," she accused.

"We didn't have the most pleasant talk on the way back," Ryan reasoned as if it was his fault Jamie didn't come to the door, though he didn't know why he did that. Maybe because he knew how much it would break her heart that he no longer seemed to care about her.

"That is just…." She started but didn't finish her thought as she didn't know what to say. She texted Rob to see if his sister, who found out where Roarke had been living, could find out where Jamie was staying these days.

If he wasn't going to answer her calls, he was going to have to face her at his home.

…

Two days later, John returned home. Beth was gone, she didn't say where to, and the guys were all busy working. Lexi was waiting at the house when EMS brought him in, carrying him to his room where they had a hospital bed waiting for him.

"No, absolutely not," John refused immediately.

"Daddy, Keith wasn't going to let me bring you home without it," Lexi reasoned.

"Alexa Danielle," he said seriously as the EMTs moved him to the bed. She waved them off to go.

"We can talk about it after you get some rest," she told him, kissing his cheek.

"Mmm," he nodded, tone disapproving.

"Just be glad I talked him out of sending a nurse to help," she informed him as she went to go sit outside. She knew it wouldn't be long until her dad was up. Sure enough, inside the hour, he was downstairs on the porch with her, dressed and shaved.

"I didn't mind your beard," she joked as he sat with her.

"Your mother always did," he said lightly. They were quiet for a moment. "Why was Jimmy in the hospital?" He had seen him in PT.

"Got hurt, fell off a horse," Lexi said carefully, knowing her dad was going to be furious. He just shook his head, too angry now to talk about it. He noticed smoke farther out in the fields.

"What are they burning?" He asked.

"The cowboys aren't burning anything," she shook her head. "That's, ah, to clear the brush so they can start construction."

"I guess I have your brother to thank for that," John said. Kaycee was coming up to the house now in his full camouflage as he had been keeping watch. "He do this everyday?"

"Him, Rip and Ryan take turns," she told him. "He's the only one treating it like he's still in the navy," she said a little more loudly as her brother got closer.

"Best way I know how," Kaycee shrugged at her.

He talked with John now about what all happened and how they went after the militia that came after them. They still didn't know who sent them, though they felt comfortable assuming the Morris family at least had some part in it. He reiterated what Lexi thought; that Jamie had nothing to do with it.

Beth got home soon after and wanted to check in on John. Lexi asked Beth to cover for her as they typically didn't leave the ranch alone these days; Beth agreed, not telling her sister she had just come from Jamie's office.

Lexi took this chance to slip out, saying the EMTs hadn't brought everything she needed for her dad.

She had somewhere else she was headed though.

…

"Jamie!" She was yelling as she banged on the door to the house on the ranch he had bought. "Open the damn door!"

She hasn't seen his SUV but there was a truck and she wondered if he didn't get a new ride or something as she continued pounding her fist against the door.

"JAMES!" She screamed now. "Dutton, Randall, whoever the fu-" She jumped back when an older man she didn't recognize answered the door.

"Can I help you?" He asked her.

"I'm looking for Jamie," she informed him.

"No kidding," he said lightly as he fully stepped outside, letting the front door close. "Everyone in three counties probably heard you screamin'."

She wasn't sure what to make of this person. He was coming off friendly, but only like he was trying too hard; he had a smile but there was hate in his eyes.

"You wanna come in?" He offered.

"No," she answered, following her instinct. "I'll wait in my-"

"Lexi?" Jamie asked, having just pulled into the driveway. She marched down the front steps and immediately shoved him.

"Where the hell have you been?" She demanded.

"I told your husband," he said immediately. "I had to keep my distance, otherwise everyone would have ended up in jail."

She didn't accept that answer.

"My baby died," she told him, eyes welling up with tears.

"I know," he said gently.

"You were there, you heard his heartbeat the first time," she continued, blinking the tears away. "And you didn't come to his funeral. You didn't even call."

"I couldn't, I-"

"Please stop with that," she said. "I know you're mad at dad," she continued, not missing a beat. "But the investigation is over, he's home now, can't you just…." She was at a loss for words.

"What even is this?" She said as she motioned to the house. "What, are you going to start your own ranch? And you've already hired the old man ranch hand to replace…" She trailed off as Jamie couldn't look at her. She realized why and covered her gaping mouth with her hands.

"Oh my God, Jamie," she said, hands still over her mouth.

"Lexi, I-"

"Oh my God!" She cut him off, this time shoving him again. "You bailed on me for your convicted murderer sperm donor," she said, refusing to acknowledge Garrett as Jamie's father. She noticed he was still out on the porch, watching and listening.

"Well, good thing I didn't take your offer to come inside," she called over to him. "Wouldn't want to catch a shower head to the face."

"Lexi!" Jamie said as he followed her to her car.

"Dad told me everything, you idiot," she emphasized as she got to the door. "He killed your mother, you realize that," she accused.

"There was…" He knew it was impossible to justify. "She was using, it was a whole…"

"Oh, so if I get Sam to pull her autopsy report, it'll show drugs in her system?" She questioned. She had no intent of doing so, but wanted to see his reaction.

He hesitated.

"K," she said as she got into the car.

"Go ahead, pull it," Jamie told her, keeping a hand on the door to keep her from slamming it.

"It will never make it ok!" She snapped. "You know what you do when you have a kid with an addict? You take the kid and you leave."

"You of all people know about not being able to up and leave," Jamie accused her, reminding her of what people always said about abuse victims; just leave.

"And you of all people know how easily Matt could have justified killing me, even to our kids had we had them," she snapped back; her brother was being manipulated, she knew it. "Go to hell Jamie," she said as she yanked the door shut, his hand barely out of the way; she tore off, back to the house.

…

John had gone to the house to thank the cowboys for what they did the day of the attacks, how they fought for the family and the ranch. He apologized as well, knowing it wasn't anything they ever signed up for. He was about to offer to get them some more beer for the house when he saw the fridge was full. He grabbed one, challenging the guys to a game of poker.

"You sure you should be drinking?" Lloyd asked him.

"What the doctor doesn't know won't hurt her," John said lightly as he sat next to Ryan, though he looked at Ryan who made a zip motion across his lips.

"I never got to say thank you to you either," John said to Ryan as he was shuffling the cards. "For the other day," he said, meaning Matt.

"Been waiting to do that for awhile," Ryan said as he started to deal. The door flew open as Lexi had shoved it, still furious with Jamie. She spotted her dad there immediately as he was in her usual seat, though she didn't say anything as she made a beeline for the refrigerator.

"Rough day sweet pea?" John asked her.

"Rough enough that the beer you're sneaking is the least of my problems," she said as she cracked open her own. "Your son pissed me off."

"Which one?" He asked.

"Which do you think?" She countered.

"What happened?"

"Are you having fun?" She asked and he nodded. "Then, tell you tomorrow." She nodded at him. "But, you're in my seat."

"Here, come here," Laramie said, scooting over in her chair so Lexi could sit on half of it.

"It's a shame that's lost on you," Colby was saying to Ryan. Laramie rested her chin on Lexi's shoulder as she looked at her cards, arm around her.

"It's lookin' like it should be lost on you too," John commented, seeing the look Teeter was giving Colby, making Ryan laugh.

…

Lexi had fun that night with the bunkhouse crew and her dad. She forgot for a time how badly she wanted to punch Jamie in the face, which was a big win. As they got back to their room at the lodge, she could tell Ryan was about to ask her what had happened.

"I just want to keep having fun tonight," she told him before he could start, going to kiss him. And, unlike the last time she made a move like that, Ryan was more than happy to oblige her and kiss her back.

For the first time in months they were fully back together.