Baby

43

Ryan didn't let her go during the ride back to the Yellowstone, staying with her in the back seat while Kayce held on to Tate in the front seat, another livestock agent behind the wheel. The drive back to the ranch was silent, no one having the courage to speak, which was something she understood, the woman lifting her head from Ryan's shoulder when the truck came to a stop in front of the house. Monica and Beth were the first to run out, the doors to the truck opening, Baby looking at her older sister with tired eyes, reluctantly, oving out of Ryan's hold and sliding out of her seat, keeping weight off her right leg. Beth's arms instantly wrapped around her little sister, which caused her to do the same with one arm, using the other to level out her weight, Rip quickly making his way over to the truck as well.

"Let me look at her" he said gently

Beth pulled back, allowing Rip to walk closer, gently cupping her face in his hands, tilting her head to look at the cut on her forehead,

"You'll need stitches" he informed

". . Joy" she muttered

"Let's get you cleaned up, Baby" Beth said softly

She gave her a small nod, Rip placing her arm over his shoulder and one of his own at her waist to keep her weight off her leg, helping her step away from the car, and allowing beth to close the door. John walked out of the house, stopping in his tracks at the sight of his youngest daughter, blood nearly covering the right side of her face and fresh bruises, he couldn't see anything else because of Ryan's shirt, but tears were already in his eyes. He walked down the porch steps, making his way to his daughter and wrapping his arms around her, causing her arm to unwrap from Rip's shoulder, both of them wrapping around her father, who sobbed lightly as he tangled a hand in her curly hair,

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart" he said "I'm so fucking sorry"

"Are they dead?" She asked

"Killed Malcom Beck myself" he assured "they're dead, Baby. Both of the Beck brothers, erased"

". . I'm tired, Daddy" her eyes closing

"Ryan, take her inside?" looking at the man

"Yes, sir" he replied

John gently passed his daughter over to the wrangler, who curled an arm around her shoulders, and one under her knees, picking her up from the floor and making his way toward the house.

"I'll have a doctor come out to check on her" John informed, wiping his cheeks as he watched her, looking at Kayce "do you know what happened?"

". . There were four bodies when we got there" honesty in his voice "she protected my boy, Dad. As best she could, she protected my boy"

"He's her nephew" he replied with a small smile

Ryan set her on the sofa in the living room, making sure to be as gentle as he possibly could, looking down at the makeshift bandage that was around her right thigh, seeing that the bleeding had nearly stopped, but she was still going to need stitches.

"Stay?" looking up at him ". . Please?"

"I ain't going anywhere" he promised

∆

True to his word, Ryan stayed with her, helping out with getting her cleaned up -- washing the dried blood from her face while Beth cleaned up around the cuts on her stomach as best as she could. They weren't deep enough to scar -- as the doctor had said -- and they should heal quickly, but she was going to have a limp for a little while due to her thigh, and she was lucky that she didn't have a concussion from where she was hit. Stitches were added to her forehead and thigh, bandages placed over them, and around her wrists where the cuffs had dug into her skin. Ryan wished those men were alive so he could kill them himself, but he had felt slightly satisfied when he figured out Baby was the one to kill them.

"Her getting hurt like that cannot happen again" Beth said lowly as she made a peanut butter and honey sandwich for her sister

"That's not exactly something we can stop" John replied, pouring some milk into a glass

"We can fucking try" looking at him "she's the heart and soul of this place, Daddy, you know that. It's not Kayce, it's not Tate, and it sure as fuck isn't Jamie"

"What do you suppose we do?" closing the refrigerator "chain her to the house? Make sure she can't leave? There are things in this world beyond our control" letting out a sigh "the Beck brothers are dead, sweetheart. This won't happen again"

He set the glass down, walking out of the kitchen without another word, pausing for a moment when he saw his youngest and Ryan sitting in the sofa, her head leaning on his shoulder with her eyes closed, knowing that she had been mentally and physically exhausted. Who wouldn't be? And he knew Beth was right, Baby is and always will be the heart and soul of The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, so they all had to do whatever they could to make sure she was safe. Even if it meant the possibility of hiring a security team, which may or may not go over well with Baby.

"Ryan . ."  he began, causing the wrangler to turn his head, looking at John with slightly widened eyes, not expecting him to be there "I want you to know you're welcomed in this house. Whenever she needs you, I'll trust you to be there?"

"I'll always be there for her, sir" Ryan replied with a small nod "I give you my word on that"

There was only honesty in his voice, causing John to give him a small nod in response, walking toward his office as Beth walked out of the kitchen, a small plate and glass of milk, setting them down on the coffee table in front of the two,

"Congratulations, Ryan" she said "you get to wake her up"