Baby

12

When Baby woke up the next morning, she saw the beginnings of a bruise in the shape of a handprint, and she debated on applying makeup to cover it up, but there wouldn't be much of a point. Even if it was cool out, she normally sweat during the day, and she didn't have anything waterproof, so she had just decided to get ready for the long day ahead of her. The cattle lowed as they were moved along the pasture, Ryan glancing at her every now and then, keeping a hold of her walkie talkie that was on the same channel as the helicopter flying above them. They had no choice but to have the horses walked as the cattle moved, since running them made the cattle nervous, which didn't end well for most.

"Rip, you got stragglers in the timber" John informed from his position in the helicopter above them

"We're coming at you" Rip replied, then glancing back at Jimmy "we got stragglers in the trees. I want you to come with me"

"Uh . ." Jimmy trailed off

"I ain't asking your fucking permission, Jimmy, I'm telling you" looking at him completely "now let's go" urging his horse to run "keep up, let's go"

"I thought you said running the horses makes the cattle nervous" he said, catching up to him

"What do you think that chopper's doing?" looking at him "now let's go, keep up"

As the two of them approached the stragglers, the cattle actually made Jimmy's horse nervous, Baby holding in a laugh when the low man fell to the ground.

"Jesus Christ" John commented "somebody get Jimmy's horse"

"I'm on it, Daddy" Baby replied, her voice slightly higher from holding on her laugh

"Stop laughing, that's not nice" he chuckled

His words caused laughter to emit from her, shaking her head slightly as she grabbed her rope,

"Ebony, chet-chet!" She called out

Her hands tightened on the reins as Ebony broke out into a run, Baby swinging her rope as they quickly approached Jimmy's horse, throwing it to the animal. The rope landed around it's neck, which caused it to settle almost instantly,

"Get a hold of the rein before you take the rope off" Lloyd instructed as Jimmy walked to the horse "at least you're starting to walk like a cowboy"

"I don't think I'm cut out for this" Jimmy replied, grabbing the reins before removing the rope

"No one is" Baby replied honestly, winding up her rope

"It's gotta be cut into you" Lloyd added "where's your hat?" causing him to look around

"Find it" she suggested "and don't come back without it. Otherwise, we'll never let you live it down. Chet-chet!"

Ebony broke out into another run, catching up with the cattle in a few seconds.

∆

After a long day, Baby dismounted her horse, a groan emitting from her as she rotated her shoulders, causing her back to crack in a few places, which had also been sore due to last night with Jamie, and she wasn't sure if the impact gave her a bruise. She handed the reins to a ranch hand, who took it and led Ebony to the stables to be washed off and cooled down before he was fed, turning her attention toward the side of the bunkhouse, running in that direction as Rip threw Fred to the ground. He picked him up, throwing him against the fence before throwing him against the side of the bunkhouse, Baby coming to a stop next to Ryan,

"What's the rule about fighting, Fred?" He asked, placing a boot on his chest "you wanna fight somebody, you come fight me! I'll fight you all goddamned day!"

"I'm the one that started it!" Jimmy spoke up "it wasn't him, it was me!"

Fred coughed as Rip removed his boot, walking over to the low-man, who was being held up by Lloyd. Rip moved Jimmy's shirt to the side, making him face Fred,

"You see this?" He asked "you know what this means? This means don't fucking touch, Fred! Don't fucking touch!" releasing Jimmy, turning to the others "now, you guys can go get the supper that you didn't earn. Get out of here"

Ryan and Colby gave him small nods, turning around and walking away,

"I didn't start it, he said it" Fred informed

Lloyd cracked his whip, causing Fred to groan as the top made contact with his face, falling to the ground again,

"Do it again" Baby said

The older man smirked, cracking the whip again, light laughter emitting from her when the tip made contact with Fred's ass this time. Rip forced him to his feet once more, throwing a hard punch to his stomach, causing the drifter to retch and cough at the impact.

"If you ever hit a branded man again, I will kill you, Fred" he informed "I'll kill you, Fred" shoving him to the ground

"These guys, they just work here" Baby said, looking at Jimmy "thousands of them will come and go"

"But not us" Rip added "we die here. This is your family. We're your family" turning to the man who pushed himself up "Jimmy's no longer cleaning the stalls, Fred, that's your job"

"No" he replied "no, I ain't cleaning no goddamned stall"

". . Uncle Lloyd, give this man his weeks wages" Baby instructed "and get him off my Daddy's ranch"

She turned around, walking toward the other guys and removing her hat from her head with a low groan,

"Fucking bitch" Fred muttered

The woman stopped in her tracks, lowering her head as a chuckle emitted from her, shaking her head as she turned around and looked at him. She walked over to him, holding her hat out, causing Lloyd to grab it, Baby throwing a hard punch to his jaw, which knocked him to the ground again, a groan emitting from him at the impact. Working the ranch gave her a strength that no other woman had, and since she was almost constantly surrounded by men, she picked up a thing or two when it came to fighting, something she rarely did.

"Call me that again and I'll rope you by the neck and drag you across this entire ranch" she promised, looking down at him

"Still got that mean right hook" Rip smirked

"Well, I did learn from the best" shrugging slightly

Her hat was handed back to her, causing her to give Lloyd a small smile, walking over toward the others without having to turn around again. Yes she can throw a mean hit, but with what happened with Jamie, she wasn't expecting that, especially from him.