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LEE DUTTON (1)

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The first thing anyone ever said about you and Lee Dutton was that you made sense.

Not in the way storms make sense over the Montana plains or the way cattle follow a fence line, but in a quieter, steadier way. Like two things that had always belonged together and somehow found their way back, no matter how far they wandered.

You met him as children, at school, you don’t remember the specifics. You can’t remember a life before Lee. Before legacy meant land and blood and sacrifice. Back then it was just dust under your boots, scraped knees, and Lee grinning at you with a missing tooth, holding out a hand like you were already his.

You took it.

And you never really let go.

By the time you were teenagers, people had stopped asking if you were together. They just assumed. Lee didn’t talk much, never had, but everyone knew where he stood when it came to you. It was in the way he looked at you across a crowded room, like everything else blurred out. In the way he stood just a little closer than necessary, like the world might try to take you if he didn’t.

He loved the ranch with a kind of devotion that ran bone-deep. Early mornings, long rides, the smell of leather and hay and sweat. That was where he was most himself. But numbers, contracts, negotiations, those things never sat right with him. He could do them if he had to, but they didn’t belong to him the way the land did.

That was where you came in.

You understood the business side. The paperwork, the meetings, the careful balance it took to keep something like the Yellowstone alive in a world that kept trying to swallow it whole. Where Lee was instinct and grit, you were strategy and clarity. Together, you fit the shape of the future John Dutton wanted for the ranch.

He trusted you. Not just because you were capable, but because you loved it too. Maybe not in the same way Lee did, but enough to fight for it.

And you loved his family like they were your own.

Beth, sharp and unyielding, had always respected you. Not easily given, that kind of respect, but you earned it. You never flinched when she tested you, never backed down, and never tried to be anything but yourself. Somewhere along the way, it turned into something softer. Not quite sisterhood, but close.

Jamie was easier in some ways. You understood him better than most people did, saw the pressure he carried even when he tried to hide it. You were kind to him without pity, and he never forgot that.

And Kayce…

Kayce had been just a kid when you started coming around. Dirt-smudged, stubborn, always trying to keep up with Lee. You’d patched him up more times than anyone could count, sat with him when he got in trouble, talked him through things he couldn’t say out loud. By the time he left for the army, he already saw you as something steady in his life. Despite what happened with his father, you made sure he was ok, and made sure he knew someone was on his side. It was because of you that he and Lee didn’t fall completely out of touch.

While he was gone, you made sure Monica and Tate were never alone. You brought groceries, fixed things around the house, sat on the porch with Monica when the nights got too quiet. You never made it a big thing. You just showed up.

That was who you were.

And Lee loved you for it.

He loved you for everything.

The day he came home and found you on the couch, something felt off before he even understood why.

The house was too quiet.

You were sitting there, shoulders drawn in, your gaze fixed on your hands. Your wedding ring caught the light as you twisted it over and over again, like you were trying to wear a groove into your own skin.

“Hey,” he said, easy and familiar, kicking off his boots by the door.

You didn’t answer.

Lee didn’t notice right away. He moved through the motions of coming home, muscle memory guiding him. Hat set down. Shirt pulled off. A glass poured from the bottle he kept on the counter.

It wasn’t until he leaned back against the kitchen and glanced toward you again that something in his chest tightened.

You hadn’t moved.

“Baby?” he called, softer this time.

Your head lifted.

“Lee.”

Your voice broke on his name.

Everything in him went still.

He crossed the room in a few long steps, setting the glass down without thinking. When he reached you, he sat beside you, close enough that your knees brushed. His hand came up automatically, reaching for you, pulling you in.

You pushed him away.

Not hard. But firm enough to stop him.

Lee froze.

You had never done that before.

“Hey,” he said quietly, confusion threading through the word. “What’s wrong?”

You swallowed, your fingers tightening around your ring.

“I went to the doctor,” you said.

The words landed heavy between you.

Lee didn’t interrupt. He just watched you, his expression sharpening, all his attention locked on you now.

“I… I’ve been noticing things,” you continued, your voice trembling despite your effort to steady it. “Changes. I thought it was nothing at first but… it wasn’t nothing.”

Your breath hitched.

“They ran tests. More tests.”

Lee’s jaw tightened. “And?”

You looked at him then, really looked at him, like you were trying to memorize his face before everything changed.

“It’s ovarian cancer.”

The room went silent.

Not the kind of quiet that felt peaceful. The kind that pressed in from all sides, thick and suffocating.

Lee didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

For a moment, it was like the words hadn’t reached him yet.

“They caught it early,” you rushed to add, the words tumbling out. “It hasn’t spread too far. The doctors think… they think surgery will take care of it. A hysterectomy.”

That seemed to reach him.

Lee blinked once, then again, like he was forcing himself back into his own body.

“Okay,” he said, his voice low, steady in a way that didn’t quite match the storm behind his eyes. “Okay. That’s… that’s good, right? They caught it early.”

You let out a small, broken laugh.

“Lee…”

He reached for you again, slower this time, giving you space to pull away if you wanted to.

You didn’t.

His hand closed around yours, rough and warm and grounding.

“You’re gonna be okay,” he said, more certain now. “We’ll do the surgery. We’ll do whatever they say. We’ll get through it.”

Tears slipped down your cheeks.

“I won’t be able to have children,” you whispered.

The words shattered something in the air.

Lee’s grip on your hand tightened.

“I… I won’t give you a family,” you went on, your voice cracking. “No kids to take over the ranch. No one to carry your name the way your father expects. The way you deserve.”

He shook his head immediately.

“I don’t care.”

You stared at him.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” he said, firm now, no hesitation. “I mean it.”

“Lee, this ranch… your whole life is about-”

“My life is you.”

The words cut through everything else.

You went still.

He shifted closer, his other hand coming up to cup your face, forcing you to look at him.

“I love this ranch,” he said, his voice steady, grounded. “You know I do. But it ain’t worth a damn thing if you’re not here with me.”

Your breath hitched.

“I’d rather have you,” he continued, softer now, his thumb brushing under your eye, catching your tears. “I’d rather have you and no kids, no legacy, none of it… than lose you over something that ain’t even here yet.”

“I wanted to give you that,” you whispered. “I wanted to give you everything.”

“You already did.”

He leaned his forehead against yours, closing his eyes for a moment like he was drawing strength from you.

“You gave me a life,” he said. “Since we were kids, it’s always been you. I never wanted anything else.”

You shook your head weakly. “You didn’t sign up for this, Lee.”

He pulled back just enough to look at you again, something fierce settling into his expression.

“Yeah,” he said. “I did.”

You frowned, tears still falling.

“The first day I saw you,” he answered simply. “When I asked you to marry me. When I stood there and promised you I was in it for life. Sickness and health. All of it.”

Your chest tightened.

“That wasn’t just words to me,” he added. “That was the truth.”

You let out a shaky breath, your hand coming up to grip his shirt like you needed something solid to hold onto.

“I’m scared,” you admitted.

“I know,” he said.

His arms came around you then, strong and unyielding, pulling you into him. This time, you didn’t resist. You pressed your face into his chest, letting yourself break against him.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured into your hair. “We’ll face it together.”

You clung to him tighter.

“And the ranch?” you asked quietly.

He let out a breath.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Same way we always do. You and me.”

A small, fragile piece of calm settled inside you.

Because that had always been true.

You and Lee.

Side by side.

Unstoppable, just like John believed.

Not because everything was easy.

But because no matter what came, you chose each other first.

————————

The surgery had gone as well as anyone could have hoped.

For a while, it even felt like life had settled back into something recognizable.

The doctors said the same thing at every checkup. Clear. No signs. You’re doing well.

Lee held onto those words like they were something solid, something he could build a future on. And you let him. You smiled when the doctors smiled, squeezed his hand when they gave you good news, and walked out of those rooms like maybe you had beaten something that didn’t get beaten.

You went back to the ranch. Back to the rhythm of things.

You still handled the business side when you could, papers spread out across the table, your handwriting steady even when your body wasn’t. Lee would come in smelling like sun and leather, leaning over your shoulder to look at things he didn’t fully understand, just because it mattered to you.

Sometimes he’d press a kiss to your temple and say, “Looks complicated.”

And you’d smile, leaning into him. “That’s why you have me.”

“Yeah,” he’d murmur. “Got real lucky there.”

Those were good days.

They felt almost normal.

Until they weren’t.

It started small again. The same quiet signs. The same things you tried to ignore until you couldn’t.

This time, the doctor didn’t smile.

This time, the word came back heavier.

It’s back.

And this time, it wasn’t something you could outrun.

You didn’t tell many people.

You didn’t want to.

Lee knew, of course. He had been there, sitting beside you, his hand wrapped around yours so tight it almost hurt. He didn’t say much then either. Just nodded, asked what needed to be done, and held onto you like if he didn’t, you might slip away right there in that sterile room.

You chose to keep it quiet.

Because that was who you were.

Because you didn’t want to become something people whispered about.

Because you wanted whatever time you had left to still feel like yours.

When Kayce came back to the ranch, it was like something long held apart finally eased.

He had Tate with him, the boy’s laughter echoing across the yard as he ran ahead, small boots kicking up dust.

Lee saw them first.

For a second, he just stood there.

Then Kayce stopped too.

There had been distance between them. Years of it. Not from anger on Lee’s part, never that. Lee had always been steady, the kind of man who didn’t chase after someone who asked for space, but never closed the door either.

Kayce had been the one to pull away.

But when their eyes met, none of that seemed to matter.

Lee walked forward first.

Kayce met him halfway.

And then they were hugging like no time had passed at all, clapping each other on the back, shoulders knocking together in that quiet, familiar way.

“About time,” Lee muttered.

Kayce huffed a small laugh. “Yeah.”

It was simple.

That was all it needed to be.

You watched it from the porch.

Wrapped in a blanket despite the warmth of the sun, your body thinner now, your face pale where it used to glow. Your hair was gone, but there was still something strong in the way you held yourself, something unbroken.

The sunlight touched your face and for a moment, you just closed your eyes and let it.

You wished Beth were here.

“Hey!”

Tate’s voice cut through the air, bright and excited.

You opened your eyes just in time to see him waving at you with both arms.

That caught their attention.

Kayce turned first.

Then Lee.

The moment Lee saw you standing there, something in his expression softened instantly. That same look he had always given you, like you were the only thing in the world that mattered.

Kayce’s brow furrowed.

“What happened?” he asked, glancing between you and Lee. “Monica said she was better.”

Lee didn’t answer right away.

He just shook his head, a small, sad smile pulling at his mouth.

“She’s real sick,” he said quietly. “But she’ll get through it.”

Kayce stilled.

“I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t want people knowing,” Lee replied. “You know her.”

Kayce did.

He looked back at you, and something in his chest tightened in a way he wasn’t prepared for.

You weren’t supposed to look like that.

Not you.

Lee was already moving, jogging toward the porch when he saw you take your first careful step down.

“Hey, easy,” he called, his voice gentler now.

You smiled at him, small and soft.

“I’m okay.”

But he was already there anyway.

Always there.

Behind them, Jaime stepped closer to Kayce, giving his shoulder a quiet pat.

Kayce didn’t take his eyes off you.

It hit him then, sharp and sudden, the weight of what Lee hadn’t said.

You reached the bottom of the steps just as Lee steadied you.

Kayce walked over, slower now.

When you hugged him, it was gentle, your arms lighter than he remembered, but the warmth was still there.

“Hey,” you said softly.

“Hey,” he answered, his voice rough.

For a moment, he was a kid again, standing in front of you with scraped knees, waiting for you to tell him it was going to be okay.

“Boys are going fishing,” you said, glancing between them, a hint of your old brightness slipping through. “Sounds nice.”

“You should come,” Tate said immediately, looking up at you like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Your smile softened.

“Oh, sweetheart…” you murmured. “I think my riding days are over. But I hope you have fun.”

“They ain’t over.”

Lee’s voice was firm.

You looked at him.

“They’re just on pause,” he added, already turning toward the horses. “We’ll ride the same one. I’ll hold you.”

“Lee-”

But he was already moving.

You sighed, the effort of it showing.

Jaime stepped closer, offering a small, careful smile. “Fresh air might be good.”

You glanced at him, then back at Lee adjusting the saddle like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“…okay,” you said quietly.

The ride was slower for you.

But somehow, it felt like years folded in on themselves the moment you settled against Lee.

His arm wrapped securely around you, his hand resting over your stomach, your fingers lacing over his without thinking. You leaned back into him, your eyes drifting closed almost immediately.

You were tired.

So tired.

But his warmth grounded you.

His presence always had.

His nose brushed against your ear, pressing soft kisses there every so often, like he couldn’t help himself.

“Been a while,” you murmured.

“Yeah,” he said. “Too long.”

You smiled faintly.

“Remember when we used to race?” you asked.

He huffed a quiet laugh against your skin. “You always cheated.”

“I did not.”

“You cut across the fence line every time.”

“It was strategic,” you corrected, your voice soft with memory.

Up ahead, Kayce and Jaime were doing exactly that now, pushing their horses faster, Tate’s laughter ringing out as he clung on.

You and Lee followed at your own pace.

Slower.

Softer.

You tilted your head back slightly, feeling the scratch of his beard against your skin.

You liked that.

“I am slowing you down,” you said after a moment. “You should’ve left me at home. You could’ve kept up.”

“That’s nonsense,” he replied immediately.

His grip on you tightened just a little.

“Everything’s better with you,” he said simply.

The words settled deep.

At the fishing spot, the world felt wide and quiet.

You lay back in the grass, the blanket tucked around you as the breeze moved gently over your skin. The sky stretched endless above you, blue and soft and uncaring in the most beautiful way.

For a moment, it felt like peace.

Lee came over after a while, lowering himself beside you with a quiet groan.

“Thought you were fishing,” you murmured.

“Caught one,” he said. “I’m done for the day.”

You smiled.

He sounded like an old man.

The thought made something warm flicker in your chest.

Until it didn’t.

Until the realization slipped in, quiet and cruel.

You wouldn’t see him become one.

The smile faded.

Lee noticed.

He always did.

He rolled onto his side, propping himself up so he could see you.

“What?” he asked gently.

You shook your head, but your eyes gave you away.

His hand came up, warm and steady against your cheek.

“You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Even now.

Especially now.

Your breath caught.

His kiss was soft, lingering. He tasted faintly of cinnamon, something familiar and grounding and so very him.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” you answered.

As the sun dipped lower, the others cooked the fish over the fire.

You tried to eat.

You really did.

But after a few bites, it became too much.

Kayce noticed.

Of course he did.

You managed half before handing the rest to Lee.

He didn’t say anything.

Just took it and finished it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Night settled around you slowly.

The fire crackled, the sky stretching out in a blanket of stars.

One by one, they lay down to sleep.

Except you and Lee.

You were curled against him, half-asleep on his chest, his arms wrapped around you like they had been your whole life.

“I don’t want you to be lonely,” you murmured, your voice barely there.

“I won’t be,” he said.

You shifted slightly.

“I mean after.”

His hand moved up, brushing gently through what was left of your hair.

“Hey,” he whispered softly. “Don’t.”

You went quiet.

“It’s been a beautiful day,” he added, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

You didn’t argue.

The next morning felt quieter.

Heavier.

When they returned to the ranch, Lee barely let you walk.

He kept an arm around you, then eventually just lifted you altogether, carrying you up the stairs like you weighed nothing.

Like he refused to let you touch anything that might take more from you.

Kayce watched from below.

Jaime stepped up beside him.

“She’s worse than he says,” Jaime said quietly.

Kayce swallowed. “What do you mean?”

“The doctors…” Jaime hesitated, then exhaled. “They say it’s terminal.”

The word landed hard.

Kayce’s gaze flicked back to the stairs, to where Lee had disappeared with you in his arms.

“He won’t hear it,” Jaime continued. “She wants to refuse more treatment. Doesn’t want to spend what time she has left in hospitals. But Lee…” He shook his head. “He can’t accept it.”

Kayce’s jaw tightened.

“I didn’t know,” he said.

“She didn’t want anyone to,” Jaime replied softly. “You know how she is. Never makes anything about herself.”

Kayce nodded slowly.

“And Lee,” Jaime added, glancing upward, “he won’t tell anyone she’s sick, he can’t even tell himself.”

Silence settled between them.

Upstairs, Lee held you a little tighter than usual.

Like if he didn’t, the years would finally catch up.

Like all those summers when you ran barefoot through the fields, all those winters spent side by side by the fire, all those quiet moments that built a life together…

Like they might slip through his fingers if he loosened his grip.

And he wasn’t ready.

He would never be ready.

——————————————

Lee woke before the sun, the way he always did.

For years, it had been a habit he never questioned. He would come up from sleep slowly, quietly, and lie there for a few extra minutes just to listen.

Your breathing had always been the first thing he reached for.

Soft. Steady. There.

Even before you got sick, he had done it. Some instinct he never put into words. Like if he could hear you, everything was right in the world.

That morning, he listened.

And heard nothing.

At first, his mind didn’t understand it. It tried to fill the silence with something else. The creak of the house. The wind outside. Anything.

But not you.

His eyes opened slowly.

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. “You awake?”

No answer.

He pushed himself up onto one elbow, looking down at you.

You looked the same.

Peaceful. Still. Your face softened in a way it hadn’t been in weeks, like whatever had been hurting you had finally let go.

Relief flickered through him for half a second.

Then his hand reached for you.

And everything inside him broke.

You were cold.

Not just cool from the morning air. Not the kind of cold that warmed under his touch.

Cold.

“Hey,” he said again, sharper now, sitting up fully. His hands came to you, one at your shoulder, the other cupping your face. “Hey, no… no, come on…”

He pulled you toward him, gathering you up into his arms like he had done so many times before. Only this time, your body didn’t lean into his.

Your head fell against his chest, and he held it there, his hand cradling the back of your skull, fingers threading through what little hair had grown back.

“No,” he whispered.

It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t panicked.

It was simple.

Like he could undo it by refusing it.

He pressed his forehead to yours.

“You’re okay,” he murmured. “You’re alright. I got you.”

He stayed like that.

Minutes passed. Or hours.

Time didn’t move right anymore.

He talked to you in that low, steady voice he always used, the one meant only for you. Quiet words, small things, the kind you’d share at the end of a long day.

Things you would never hear again.

Outside, the ranch woke up.

John Dutton stood in the yard, checking his watch as the hands got the herd moving.

Lee wasn’t there.

Lee was never late.

John didn’t say anything about it at first. Just watched the dust kick up, the rhythm of the morning carrying on without interruption.

But something in his chest had already settled into place.

He turned toward the house.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

When he opened the door, he already knew what he was going to find.

Still, it didn’t make it easier.

Lee sat upright in the bed, your body in his arms like he hadn’t moved at all. His hands held you carefully, one supporting your head, the other wrapped around you, keeping you close.

His forehead rested against yours.

His lips moved.

John couldn’t hear the words, but he didn’t need to.

He had said things like that once, long ago.

He closed his eyes briefly, then stepped inside.

“Lee,” he said quietly.

Lee didn’t respond.

Didn’t look up.

Didn’t move.

John stepped closer, his voice firmer now. “Son.”

Nothing.

Lee just kept talking to you, his voice soft and steady, like you were going to answer him any second.

It took hours before anyone else came.

The coroner arrived when the sun was higher, the light too bright for a day like that.

They spoke gently. Carefully.

Lee didn’t acknowledge them.

It wasn’t until they stepped forward, until they reached for you, that something in him snapped tight.

“No,” he said, his voice low.

“Lee,” John said, stepping in.

“They can’t take her,” Lee murmured, his arms tightening around you. “She’s fine. She’s just… she’s just sleeping.”

John’s hand closed around his shoulder.

“Son.”

Lee shook his head, his gaze fixed on you. “She’ll wake up. She just needs—”

“Lee.”

The word broke.

Something in John’s voice, something final, something unmovable.

Lee went still.

The men stepped forward again.

When they took you from him, his hands lingered as long as they could, fingertips brushing your skin until they couldn’t anymore.

John had to hold him back.

Not because Lee fought.

But because his body leaned forward without him realizing it, like something essential was being pulled out of him.

They carried you out of the house.

Lee followed.

Step by step.

Silent.

They loaded you into the truck.

He didn’t try to get in.

Didn’t say anything.

He just stood there, watching.

Then he sat down on the stairs, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

The truck pulled away.

Dust rose behind it, thick and slow.

He watched until it disappeared.

And then, when the dust finally settled…

That was when it hit.

Not all at once.

But enough.

A sound tore out of him, raw and broken, like something had been ripped open inside his chest.

He bent forward, his hands gripping his head like he could hold himself together.

You were gone.

And worse than that…

You were somewhere without him.

The thought made him feel sick.

The funeral was too quiet.

Too proper.

Lee stood there, hearing none of it.

You would have hated it.

All those people. All those stiff words.

You had always preferred something simpler. Something real.

He kept his eyes on the ground most of the time.

Until he heard it.

A small, sharp inhale.

A sniffle.

He looked up.

Beth Dutton stood a few steps away, her face turned slightly, trying to hide it. But her shoulders gave her away.

Beth didn’t cry in front of people.

Not like that.

Lee moved without thinking.

He stepped over and pulled her into him, one arm wrapping around her shoulders, tucking her against his chest.

She stiffened for half a second.

Then she broke.

Her hands gripped his shirt as she cried, and Lee just held her, steady and silent.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, even though it wasn’t. “I got you.”

When it was over, when the last person had left, Lee stayed.

They had buried you on the ranch.

Where you belonged.

He sat beside your grave as the sun went down, the sky bleeding into dark.

“I didn’t want you to be alone,” he said quietly.

The wind moved through the grass.

He stayed there all night.

Didn’t sleep.

Didn’t move much.

Just sat with you, like he had every night when you were alive, making sure you were safe.

Morning came anyway.

It always did.

After that, he didn’t stop working.

He couldn’t.

If he stopped, he might think.

If he thought, he might feel.

And if he felt…

He didn’t know what would happen.

So he worked.

Long days. Longer nights.

He didn’t sleep in the bed.

He couldn’t.

It felt wrong.

Empty in a way that made his chest ache.

Instead, he slept in the chair by the window. The same one he used to sit in when you worked late, watching you with quiet admiration.

Sometimes, his fingers brushed the clothes you left behind.

A shirt. A jacket.

He never held onto them for long.

Just enough to remind himself they were real.

That you were real.

Only weeks later, when the world hadn’t even settled from losing you, everything changed again.

When Lee was shot, it didn’t feel like fear.

It felt like recognition.

Like something familiar stepping out of the shadows.

He didn’t fight it the way he might have once.

Didn’t cling.

Because somewhere deep down, there was only one thought left in him.

Maybe I’ll see her.

When they buried him beside you, it felt right.

Later, when he had to be cremated, they made sure of it.

His ashes returned to the same place.

Side by side.

Like you had always been.

Like you had always promised.

There was a memory, one that lived quietly between the years.

A summer afternoon, long before any of this.

You and Lee lay in the grass, side by side, watching the clouds drift across the Montana sky.

“What do you think happens after?” you asked, your voice light.

Lee shrugged, one arm tucked behind his head. “Don’t know.”

“You ever think about it?”

“Not much.”

You turned your head to look at him, smiling. “I think I’d come back here.”

He glanced at you. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you said. “Maybe not as people. Maybe as something else.”

“Like what?”

You thought about it, your eyes drifting back to the sky.

“Maybe wild horses,” you said softly. “Running through the fields. Or the breeze. Something free.”

Lee huffed a quiet laugh.

“That so?”

You nudged him lightly. “What about you?”

He looked at you for a long moment.

“I’m a cowboy,” he said simply. “Through and through.”

You smiled.

“But…” he added, his voice quieter now. “Don’t really matter.”

“No?”

He shook his head slightly.

“As long as I end up with you again.”

The wind moved through the grass, soft and endless.

#yellowstone #lee dutton #Lee Dutton x reader #Dutton x reader #Yellowstone x reader

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🐴 Kayce Dutton🐴

COIN TOSS

Requested by @fictionalsfavorite “Lie to me I don’t care what you say just lie to me make me feel okay again” “You’re mine do you understand you belong to me” lots and lost of angst Kayce Dutton x reader

OMINOUS :adjective giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; At least that’s how people describe the feeling, the same feeling that was so strong you felt it in your soul, it felt as if it consumed every aspect of your life. And you supposed it did. From your career to your side job which treaded dangerously close to your marriage and family life it was all in one big mixture. But that’s one of the many things that happens when you get involved with the Duttons at least that’s what Cherry the old waitress at that diner off 96 said back when you were in high school. “That family is like a coin toss game, they could bring riches and loyalty but on the other side they could ruin your life and make you regret ever looking at the young cowboy. Is what she said being young and naïve and having nothing to loose you thought you get one side of the coin or the other. You didn’t think that you could have both. But the good was good enough to keep you from leaving when the coin flipped, but when it did get bad,oh boy it was bad.

It had a very distinct smell and feel to it that stuck to you, in the beginning a shower would was it away now as the years passed it never really went away. Taking a second to yourself to take a deep breath, ‘you signed up for this’ you reminded yourself but did you really. Years ago you got arrested by John Dutton during the short time he was a livestock commissioner. You wouldn’t call yourself a vigilante but you had a reputation of getting your hands dirty from beating the town trouble makers with a baseball bat when they decided to spray paint some sheep ruining the wool the family spun for yarn and sold for a living to keying a guys truck when he cheated on who ever hired you sister. He saw potential in you like he did Rip, or he just saw someone with nothing better that would sell their soul. And that’s exactly what you did. You started just as a wrangler, then as you got older you got dragged into the extra curricular activities at the ranch. Which you loved at the time. Being able to knock heads and not ask questions later it was perfect. But when you got a badge as a livestock agent your feelings changed. “Y/n, Y/N!” You were drug out of you inner monologue by a sheriff, grabbing the small hand towel he must’ve grabbed from the suspect’s kitchen and wiping your face clean the delicate design being stained with the blood that covered your uniform, it wasn’t yours but you’ve stopped caring if it was a long time ago. Nodding your thanks you walked out of the small house thats walls were ritteled with bullet holes and blood splatter. You were originally following a lead on some stolen tractor but unknowingly uncovered a meth lab whos cooks saw a badge and panicked showering you with bullets. Luckily you got a few rounds off and was close enough to your truck to grab your rifle. The bodies were stacking even higher with everyday, you thought with a badge you were supposed to keep things like this from happening not unloading Ammo faster than you could say duck.

Unbuckling your vest and throwing it in the bed or your ram the blood stained badge pinned to the chest plate made you pause, heaven forbid you see it shine for once since you met the Duttons you don’t think you owned anything that didn’t once have the blood of their enemies on it. You were planning on going to take a shower at the station maybe sneak into the bunkhouse but part of you wanted him to see it, see your hands dirty so his fathers weren’t call it toxic or whatever you want but you didn’t have it in you to care. So dropping your vest and gear in the mud room you tracked through the house hearing your husband’s voice you followed it to the living room. His hat was off to the side And a glass of whiskey in his hand as he spoke to his brother and father. The conversation lulled when they caught sight of you. Jamie’s eyes bulged at the red stains on your skin you even felt it bead and roll down your arm. You knew he was uncomfortable around you not as openly scared like he was with Beth but he definitely felt the oura of the body count you’ve accumulated. You were their weapon and you knew it you also knew your weren’t supposed be in this house or this close to the inner circle, so in their face but just like Rip marrying a Dutton gets you in the big house. It doesn’t change what you are. Ignoring Kayces look if worry you stormed past them and you the stairs honestly he was the last person you wanted to see, you didn’t blame him for your life, hell who knows where you’d be without them but you like to think your would’ve turned your life around. Stripping your clothes in the bathroom without care, you know from experience the bloody pile won’t stain the tile. The steam relaxing your tense muscles, you rest your head against the warm stone when familiar hands landed on your waist and his breath hit your ear. “I thought it was just a stolen piece of equipment?” You signed at his words yes that’s what he said when he sent you to investigate he thought it would be safe “Since when are things what they appear around here Kayce.” he liked to forget his father sends you out with a list of names and a gun, safe isn’t something you’re familiar with. Not anymore.

11 years ago The only sound in the barn was your sniffles and the occasional horse. The sleeves of you hoodie well Kayces hoodie were wet with your tears the Duttons took you in a year ago right after your 17th birthday and while this was the first place you could call home you were terrified of losing it, not being good enough to keep it plus you were fooling around with the farmers son which was rule number 1 of what not to do. The sound of boots approaching made you hurriedly wipe the tears from your cheeks. “Hey lunch is done at house if you want to come, wait what’s wrong?” Kayce started changing tune when he saw the tear marks on your cheeks, quickly bending down to wrap you in his arms whispering sweet nothings in your hair while the dam holding your tears back broke. “I don’t belong here, I don’t belong anywhere!” You managed to get out between sobs you were sure he couldn’t even I understand you, but he did he pulled back just far enough to see you face. “You’re mine do you understand me you belong to me It doesn’t matter where we are you belong right there with me.” And ever since he said those words things changed suddenly the brand meant something different. And the ring meant you were tied to the family not just the ranch for the first few years after that night you weren’t forced to go avenge the ranch, but you were left to be with Kayce to get married at sunset and it was perfect until the shoe dropped and John needed another weapon aka you so you both moved back to the house. But the enemies just got worse and more common cut one down and the one that took their place was worse than the last, it was an endless cycle. the more you pulled the trigger the more it weighed on you. You and Kayce had endless screaming matches about it. You wanted to leave he didn’t, his counter offer was going legit no more ranch work just being a livestock agent protecting all the land in Montana not just theirs is the line he sold you on. Now thinking back you’re sure that idea came from John, but it worked for a bit the day the badge got pinned on was the best day you’ve had in a while you felt you finally did something right you were good now. Then the coin flipped.

The hot water going cold forced you out of his arms and the shower leaving him behind as you dried off. He sighed when you left him he followed you to your shared bedroom taking a beat to glance at your ruined uniform. “What are you thinking?” He asked seeing you seated at the foot of the bed still in your towel making no move to move. Your eyes found his and he hated the broken look inside them. He fell in love with your eyes but these looked nothing like those. “I can’t do this” And your truly couldn’t do the back and forth anymore between Kayce trying to shelter you and he father throwing you into a war. Going from talks of starting a family to coming home covered in blood the coin can’t flip anymore and you didn’t know which side you were more afraid of. Kayce swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed off the wall to sit next to you being mindful to keep some space. “Baby-“ “Don’t baby me Kayce!” You snapped moving to your feet you hated that even with him sittings was still a few inches taller but with your anger the height difference didn’t matter. “I’ve been at your fathers beck and call for over a decade I can’t do this coin toss everyday not knowing which side it will land on, I wanted you not this war!” You continued to rant and while he bit his tongue for most of it he snapped back when he thought you were finished. “It’s our home Y/n we have to fight for it!” Now stood nose to nose you could practically feel the anger swirling in the room between you too. “No you don’t have to fight for a home we’re fighting, I’m fighting for a land that’s going to become our graves!” “Is this about today? Look I know it was rough but that wasn’t for the ranch.” Oh he was going to pull the whole ‘livestock agents don’t work for the Yellowstone everyone in Montana works for the Yellowstone you thought with an eye roll “oh please Kayce you know we are just pencil pushers so the real police don’t have to get involved” “Okay! You’re right, I just need some time to find a new livestock commissioner and we can leave but I can’t leave my family fighting alone. It will be okay we will be okay.” He desperately promised, his hands gripping your arms as if that will keep you from leaving. As you were about to speak your phone started to ring, breaking up the moment. You sighed and rattled through your dresser for clothes. While Kayce stood behind you not knowing if he was thankful for the interruption or irritated by it. “Who was that?” “That was ‘not okay’ calling.” You sighed grabbing an extra badge you had to put around your neck not bothering to say goodbye as you left passing John, on the way out. When Kayce saw his father in the door way he sat back on the bed rubbing his jaw. “She’s gonna leave you’re pushing her to hard.” He said, John sighed while he hated seeing his son distraught he knew what was best for the ranch, for their home. “No son, just give her time.” “You didn’t see her.” “Listen to me, you didn’t love her in the beginning but look at you both now she will grow to love this place just like you grew to love her.” Neither of the men noticed the woman slowly putting the pieces together on the other side of the door.

A few hours of paper work later you were back on the ranch you smiled seeing Beth waiting for you on the porch like she always did on rough days. With an exhausted sigh you sit next to her on the step happily accepting the shot she held out. “Saw the bloody pile of clothes we really need to give that maid a raise” she drawled making you laugh which felt nice you can’t remember the last time you had and you would love to waste time before having to back inside and talk to Kayce. After a few minutes of silence she took a deep breath “Y/n you know you’re probably my favorite person in this hell hole, and I’ve seen what this place is doing to you so I need to tell you the truth.” Now you were equally confused and intrigued unfortunately you knew how many secrets this place could hold hell you’ve created a few of them. “My father saw how valuable you were to this place you and Rip are his most prized weapons. So years ago when he saw you pulling away he had Kayce make you stay I don’t think he knew it would go this far but that was what started it.” She paused to take another drag of the cigarette between her fingers while you were in shock you couldn’t understand what this means surly it’s not true. “But, but we left Kayce didn’t make me stay.” She must’ve been able to see the conflict in your eyes because she continued where she left off. “That is true, whos idea was it to come back again? He has kept you hear longer than you would’ve stayed and while I’m sure he does love you now he loves this place more and I can’t watch you kill yourself here you and Rip put to much on the line for this place and while he won’t leave I hope I can save you.” She said pulling a large envelope from behind her back and hands it to you. “He only married you because daddy told him to, to keep you here under his thumb taking his orders, Inside that is the address and keys to a new house far from here and enough money to hold you over till you get a job one doing the right thing not what someone tells you is the right thing.” You couldn’t believe this but now it makes sense. The sudden want Kayce had to leave your life and come back here, the need to please his father of course he’s do this just for John. You were done crying over this, him, while your heart was breaking inside all this time doing the job forced onto you taught you how to ignore and override a trait you were thankful for now. And while you would miss one side of this coin you could admit when you’ve lost the game and know when it’s time to find another one. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t scare you and doesn’t hurt like hell. “Lie to me, I don’t care what you say lie to me and make me feel okay again.” You begged pulling her into a hug she was the only other woman you were close to and while you knew you wouldn’t lose her you knew things would be different. “It will be okay, just get as far as you can and then go further.” And with those words you left all your possessions in that house you will never see again along with the man you will never see again and the blood soaked clothes you’ll never have to wear again. The ring on the step will be the only part of you they get to keep.

#yellowstone imagine #yellowstone x reader #kayce dutton imagine #kayce imagine #kayce dutton x reader #rip wheeler x reader #dutton imagine #dutton x reader

Charity: Most People Are Good - Emmett Dutton x Reader (Australia)

Author’s Note: I HOPE YOU BROUGHT YOUR INSULIN!!! What have I done-!? This is ridiculous! I just really love writing him like this, he’s the perfect Mendo for it. I’m really surprised that I’ve only written him once before this! So Thank You for requesting him! Because he deserves a lot of love 💕 And the other was your idea too... sooo...

Disclaimer: Characters from Australia not mine / Requested Plot Not Mine / If you don’t have a Luke Bryan song in your playlist what kind of Mendo are you-!? AKA: Lyrics not mine

Premise: As Requested by @3134045126 😘 After the bombing everyone is leaving. A whole bunch of boys have been rescued - who's going to watch after them? Cue Reader! They make it to Adelaide; cue Reader who takes on the job of watching over the rescued boys who have no family, other than Brother Frank- Reader is sweet, and kind. Basically mothers all the boys. Giving up all her time, energy and resources to make sure the boys are well taken care of. Enter the Captain who notices her and all she's doing for the boys and decides to be as helpful as possible. Cue a gentle, sweet romance started from these two taking care of the children.

Words: 4490

Warnings: N/A... But I meant it about the insulin...

Adelaide. Dutton didn’t think he’d ever seen something so beautiful in his entire life. Having said that it could have been anything. After Darwin. But, they were due to meet the main convoy here. So… Adelaide was the place he decided was the most beautiful. It's been a long hard journey. 30+ hours would be had enough if he only had his troops to think about. But Emmett Dutton now had a group of Mission Children to think of also. And any time he could he would have the convoy break to let the children be children. Even if that only lasted 10 minutes at a time. He was plenty glad for Brother Frank at all times. Because Emmett couldn’t look after all these kids alone. Much as he would like to try. It surprised him even more how much he found himself caring for these kids. He wasn’t never a kids person. He just wasn’t at all sure he was good at it. Frank was nearly 100% sure that he was. And even other members of his troop took time for the children. They didn’t have much considering all that had happened in Darwin, but… Everyone shared everything. It was on one such break that Emmett contemplated the future of the children. Usually if he wasn’t amongst the children himself he would stand watching them with a smile. There was still innocence at a time of war. Or he would just be happy… that there were good things. He had to continue to remind himself that there were still good things. However today Emmett Dutton looked worried. And Frank noticed this, wandering over; “Penny for your thoughts, Captain.” Emmett chewed his lip thoughtfully “…Brother Frank… tell me, when we get to Adelaide… what happens to the children?” Dutton already knew it was likely he would have to move his troops on. The convoy was not about to just end in Adelaide. It was likely Australia would play a bigger part in the war now. Would he have to travel to Europe to fight? To the USA? He shook that thought away as quickly as he could and turned to his companion for answers. “Well… Adelaide is a big place. It will have a Church.” “Surely the church cannot look after so many…?” It wasn’t Emmett didn’t think it possible. But the money, the people, the resource? …The fact the children were Aboriginal?... He’d seen so much injustice already done due to that. And adoption was so hard he didn’t expect anything to happen there of any consequence either. He’d explained that to Sarah many times. (And watched her fight it, though… He had to admit as much to himself). It certainly hadn’t deterred her, hopefully they would find more such people in the city… What Emmett thought they needed was another woman like her. “Well. God works in mysterious ways…” Emmett raised an eyebrow; “Indeed he may, but… Don’t these boys need a mother as well?” Frank’s face suddenly beamed; “I’m sure they will get one Captain. It’s only a shame I am not able to call ahead!” *** So now he was here in Adelaide, Emmett hoped that Brother Frank’s promise would pay off. Dutton wasn’t worried. But, now it was like these children were his. And he wanted to make sure they were well looked after and taken care of. The majority of the main army convoy was already here; but he was told that those from Darwin were allowed respite. Thank God. And rightly so after what they had been through. This gave Emmett precious time. And now he was tailing Brother Frank through the streets. “…So… Will they go here? Not the Church?” “If she can take them all. I’m sure she can! She has… the room, and the monetary resource at least.” “How do you know all this!?” “She does a great deal for the Church that is well documented. I’m sure she will be up for this too…” They continued on walking, and ended up a little way out of Adelaide… And Emmett couldn’t help but stop dead. Frank continued on; happy disposition as always, through the front gate and down the path. Emmett thought Faraway Downs was big; but it had nothing on this. In fact this was like taking Faraway Downs and planting it in the middle of a city… Maybe it was even bigger than the Administrators property in Darwin. “W-Wait… She lives here!?” “That’s right!” “Alone!?” How could one person manage an estate like this all by herself? “Yes.” Then Frank corrected himself; “Well, she probably wouldn’t by choice!!! But does, by circumstance.” They weren’t even all the way down the path before you were outside. And Emmett discovered the second most beautiful thing he had seen today. Your eyes flicked between them, amused. “You gentlemen look like you could be here for completely different reasons… And that you’ve seen better days. Should I invite you in, or are you simply too busy…?” You walked down the steps to join them on the path, addressing them correctly “Brother, Captain… How may I be of assistance?” You looked between them again. Okay, fine. He was cute by the clergyman was off limits, but the Captain... Well, someone that easy on the eye couldn’t have been single. “Actually we are…” There was a second pause, before the sentence was clarified “Here for the same reason, I mean!” “Oh!” You smiled, what could the Church and the army have in common? If the Captain was about to ask you to host troops that would make sense. But what did the Church have to do with something like that? “We have come from Darwin.” Your eyes widened, and you placed a hand over your mouth as you gasped; “Oh my goodness! I heard-! We all did! Oh-! Wow, my goodness… I’m… I’m so sorry… Are you all, okay?” “Those of us that made it… But, there were some children sent to mission island. It was hit, but, the majority survived.” Your expression instantly softened, and Emmett took instant note of this as Frank continued; “I heard you might be the person to talk to…” “You want me to foster…. Children?” You tilted your head, but you were suddenly beaming; turning back to the Captain. “But what is the Army’s stake in this?” “Personal only… Ma’m.” You smiled; “Y/N. Call me Y/N… Please.” Then you realised “OH! I didn’t ask-!” “Oh!” He held out his hand instantly, manners maketh man, Emmett!! “Dutton. Captain Emmett Dutton… And this is Brother Frank.” “Emmett…” You liked that, and showed it by saying his name with a sweet smile; you took his hand “Thank you, for your service.” ***

It surprised you that he was still around, so you certainly hadn't expected to run into him in the middle of town; "Oh! Captain Dutton! I expected you to be long gone by now..." "No no, not yet at any rate. Just waiting for the next posting... And please... Call me Emmett..." "Emmett..." you agreed, "I like that, it's a nice name..." You weren't sure if you were really complimenting him or it was just inane babble, but he seemed to turn a faint shade of pink anyway. "Thank you... But I shall not be taking the credit there..." he smiled "Can I be of any assistance...? You must have a lot to do, all things considered...?" "Oh... That’s sweet of you, thank you..." you let him walk in step with you, smile on your face "I'm just letting them settle right now. Brother Frank is a good help too... But... You have done so much for them already Captain, bringing them here... That’s very heroic..." you looked to his face for a minute; his hesitation. Probably to correct you on his name again. "Emmett! Sorry!" "That's okay... And I don't know about heroic... But they certainly needed to be far from mission island and Darwin..." "Mission Island... Oh. I see." you shook your head "They should be allowed to return home, don't you think?" "Well, maybe we can do that together..." You weren't sure if he was being truthful, but by the look in his eyes you would believe anything Emmett said, and that intensity. That belief as you had that that would be the right thing to do, took your breath away. "Y-yes... When all this is over..." Dutton nodded; “Well, hopefully that won’t be too long… I would hope humanity would have the decency to put a stop to this…” He shook his head “Maybe I shouldn’t go on believing it, but…” Emmett shrugged almost helplessly “When that’s all we have…” You smiled despite this; “You’ve not given up your faith in us all yet… Even with what you must have seen in Darwin?” “If anything it’s only made me more defiant. The world will get through this… They said the last war was ‘the war to end all wars.’ Maybe this one will actually do it.” You tipped your head “…Will we win?” “If it was all so black and white…” but he laughed “…I would think, in the end, the people who are meant to prevail will… But our most immediate problems… The things we can change…” He paused his walk, and turned to you – inspired “…Are right here!”

"Emmett, come in for a little while, I'm sure they'd like to see you..." "well, I suppose I have time. Are you sure you don't mind?" "i just invited you didn't I...!?" you quirked your eyebrow - "Of course, also its only polite that seen as you helped me with all of this." "Oh no! That's nothing, any time..." You folded your arms with a subtle shake of your head; "That's not nothing... Anyway, please, just accept my gratitude and come inside!?" He laughed; "okay, you won't need to tell me twice..." Of course as soon as you got him through the door and the children realised, they were all over him. "Woah-! Woah-! Okay...boys!!" Emmett was laughing again, which you loved; it made you smile. So much it started to hurt to smile for much longer. "Just let me help Y/N alright then I will come and see you..." When he finally got some of the younger children to let him go, with a little encouragement from you - you both slipped into the kitchen: "I suppose you get that a lot?" he straightened out his shirt, looking curiously back into the corridor where several of them were watching you both "Less than you would think... But you? Oh, they talk about you all the time..." "Really!?" "Mmm, oh, Captain I know all your stories second hand. Granted there's some variations on what actually happened, and I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to hear them first hand, But! Yes, they certainly like you a lot. And you obviously care for them deeply..." He turned back to you, and that look on your face he hoped he might be reading correctly. But also made him bashful: admiration? Why? Hadn’t he done what any decent human would do? He felt he'd done far less than you... “Oh I…” he struggled with what was best to say, so he opted for a simple “Thank you…” instead. “No… Thank you.” Emmett set about helping you put things away, but you realised pretty quickly that you had gathered a small audience, laughing with him like this. That was understandable, they were equally curious on what was making you so happy (not that you weren’t always) and Emmett himself. Eventually you pushed him gently towards the door “Go on…” “We aren’t even finished-!” You waved away his protests “Go on, they want to listen to you… I’ll come through when I’m finished…” He hesitated “Y/N… I… Are you sure?” “They want to see you! Go on, I mean, how much time may you really get with them?” “I suppose you’re right… But I…” “Emmett…” You pushed him gently again; “Please, go!” He looked like he didn’t want to leave you, so even when he walked from the room, he did it slowly – almost pleading with you to pull him back. You couldn’t help your cheeky wink; “I won’t make you wait long!” He had to laugh again; and turned back to the children once again clambering all over him to pull him through into your extensive living room. “Okay! Okay! It’s alright! I’m here…” You tidied away and then wandered through. Each and every one of them was engrossed in every single word. And you sat yourself on the arm of one of the sofas with some of the younger children to listen too. You barely heard a word that Emmett said, and he barely registered that you’d even walked in, but the way he told it… The way he wasn’t even that animated, but his passion, the way he spoke… everything had everyone in that room hanging on his every word. You weren’t surprised that when you finally had the inclination to look at the clock it was late; But you still waited until the appropriate time to interrupt his story; “OH! Boys… Dinner…” Several of them leapt up immediately to eagerly assist you. Emmett stood “I suppose I better get going…” “Nonsense, Captain… Would you please join us? It’s only fair, considering all your help in town and telling us such wonderful stories… Also, you can finish them over dinner… What do you say boys?” “Yes! Please! Please stay…!” The clamour of voices all politely asked the same thing. And Dutton wasn’t about to resist them or you; “Oh… Then, I suppose I better stay… Thank you…” You grinned; “I better ask now if you can cook!” “Oh I---” he laughed nervously “I… Suppose I can… You do tend to pick up a few things, here and there…” You nodded, that would do, all you really needed was another pair of (firm but fair) hands to help you out. “Well, Captain, I suppose it’s time for you to put those skills to the test…” “Oh. If I’d have known there was a test… I’m not sure I would have accepted the invitation!” ***

He couldn't help it; "You're amazing, you know?" it was quiet, like a thought he hadn't meant to slip out and yet he wanted to You turned to him "Me!? No... I'm... Doing what anyone would do..." "No, no... This... Is amazing. Those boys deserve a mother and... For sure you are one... They couldn't have done better than this. But you must have helped so many people... Brother Frank alluded to it but... You are nothing short of incredible." "Captain, please..." you pressed your hands to your face, feeling it heat up, you'd never been very good at taking compliments. You didn't do this to be noticed after all, but so that other people could live a better life, or pick themselves up. He crossed to you for a minute "All you're doing, people should just thank you more often." "Well, they think I'm crazy for doing it..." His voice was quiet again "Well, I don't..." You looked back into his eyes, still blushing. Well I don't was possibly the most significant thing he'd yet said. And he'd said a lot that meant something to you. He still had that ever so sweet smile of admiration on his face. And he was getting to you. You were close enough to feel the heat from his body; and something within you was pining for that closeness – for his touch… or his love. But it couldn’t have been just you, you couldn’t have just been imagining that he was leaning closer to you. That made you instinctively lean into him. And this could happen, you could kiss, and it could be like some kind of fairy tale. And all this went through your head very quickly. Of course, reality had something to say about that – as the timer in the corner of the kitchen went off. SERIOUSLY!? He pulled away from you and took a polite step back as if he was forgetting himself; “Oh… I… I’m sorry…” You wanted to tell him not to apologise; you wanted to grab him and tell him to kiss me, dammit! But you couldn’t. Your face was still flushed and what you did do was say “It’s okay… don’t worry…” NO! DAMMIT! Y/N! IT’S NOT OKAY! IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT KISS!!! No time to dwell on that, with dinner ready, but both of you did. Standing looking at each other, hesitant for just a few more moments… Until one of the older boys cleared his throat; “Should I tell everyone it’s ready, Miss Y/N?” You didn’t want to tear your eyes from Emmett, but you had to; “Yes! Thank you!” *** Dinner passed quickly, but Emmett continued his anecdotes to the boys. Every so often one of them would pick up on a story thread of his and begin sharing a story of their own; and Emmett liked watching how you gave it your undivided attention. You reacted appropriately, and asked relevant questions. You made every boy around that table feel special. And when you caught Emmett’s eye and smiled like that, that number included him. He stayed long after dinner was over, and helped you both tidy away and put the boys to bed. Which he found was not an easy task. “Drink?” You couldn’t help giggle at his slightly bedraggled exhausted look as he tried to neaten his appearance; “Please… I don’t know how you do it! You’re a Saint.” “Oh-! Sometimes I don’t think they’d think so-!” You gave a wink, “Can be the total opposite if they won’t behave!” He shook his head, mocking shock; “I don’t believe a word of it!” You sat him outside and handed him a glass as a night cap. The air was still warm even though the sun had long since set, and it made for a pleasant evening. There was comfortable silence as you both admired the scene of your garden, lit every so often by the glow of fireflies, and you could think about the evening in a little detail. Eventually you broke the silence with a hesitant question; “Do you have kids?” He turned those inquisitive blue eyes back on you, “NO. No… Single…” You wondered why he’d added that statement, because that wasn’t what you had asked. Single wasn’t a qualifier for if he’d ever had kids. And unless he meant always been single which you couldn’t believe for a moment, it certainly had no relevance. “You’re good with kids…” You mused, finishing your glass and setting it down “That’s worth something?” You smiled back at him, gently “I think it is…” His next smile was significant as he fielded your compliment back; “You’re a good mother.” You opened your mouth to respond, but it was like it suddenly all hit you, and you took a noticeable deep breath out “I learned from a good mother…” “So you aren’t one?” “No… I had a lot of younger siblings who moved out… They are all around Australia and Europe now… some of them…” You looked back to the house “…I stayed to help look after my parents… and when they both passed on… I thought what better to do with their house than look after people…” “You really are a Saint.” You turned back to him; how he seemed to voice some kind of clarity that hit you again, full force. And your heart yearned for him. To have him here to tell you things you so desperately wanted to hear… “Maybe…” Your voice was quiet, and when you looked away from him again he reached for your hand; “Not a maybe… you have compassion and generosity that you can’t show gratitude for with mere words… And yet you do this all without shouting it from rooftops.” “I don’t do it to be noticed, I do it because, like you, I want to believe there can still be good in the world – even if I have to do it all by myself…” He set his glass down; and took your other hand in his; “Y/N… Believe me, you are not alone.” And in that moment, what you knew he meant was you have me. *** It was a few days later when Dutton found the time to wander back to your house to see you and the children again. You were out in the back garden when he arrived; still expertly keeping the attention of all the children. Engrossed in some story or other you were telling. Acting out scenes here and there with the help of some of the older boys. Emmett couldn't help but laugh to himself as he watched from your porch, relaxing himself by leaning against it. From here he was in the shade from the hot afternoon sunlight but it didn't seem to bother you or them in the slightest.

LEE DUTTON (1)

miscellaneous

The first thing anyone ever said about you and Lee Dutton was that you made sense.

You took it.

And you never really let go.

That was where you came in.

He trusted you. Not just because you were capable, but because you loved it too. Maybe not in the same way Lee did, but enough to fight for it.

And you loved his family like they were your own.

Jamie was easier in some ways. You understood him better than most people did, saw the pressure he carried even when he tried to hide it. You were kind to him without pity, and he never forgot that.

And Kayce…

That was who you were.

And Lee loved you for it.

He loved you for everything.

The day he came home and found you on the couch, something felt off before he even understood why.

The house was too quiet.

“Hey,” he said, easy and familiar, kicking off his boots by the door.

You didn’t answer.

Lee didn’t notice right away. He moved through the motions of coming home, muscle memory guiding him. Hat set down. Shirt pulled off. A glass poured from the bottle he kept on the counter.

It wasn’t until he leaned back against the kitchen and glanced toward you again that something in his chest tightened.

You hadn’t moved.

“Baby?” he called, softer this time.

Your head lifted.

“Lee.”

Your voice broke on his name.

Everything in him went still.

You pushed him away.

Not hard. But firm enough to stop him.

Lee froze.

You had never done that before.

“Hey,” he said quietly, confusion threading through the word. “What’s wrong?”

You swallowed, your fingers tightening around your ring.

“I went to the doctor,” you said.

The words landed heavy between you.

Lee didn’t interrupt. He just watched you, his expression sharpening, all his attention locked on you now.

“I… I’ve been noticing things,” you continued, your voice trembling despite your effort to steady it. “Changes. I thought it was nothing at first but… it wasn’t nothing.”

Your breath hitched.

“They ran tests. More tests.”

Lee’s jaw tightened. “And?”

You looked at him then, really looked at him, like you were trying to memorize his face before everything changed.

“It’s ovarian cancer.”

The room went silent.

Not the kind of quiet that felt peaceful. The kind that pressed in from all sides, thick and suffocating.

Lee didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

For a moment, it was like the words hadn’t reached him yet.

“They caught it early,” you rushed to add, the words tumbling out. “It hasn’t spread too far. The doctors think… they think surgery will take care of it. A hysterectomy.”

That seemed to reach him.

Lee blinked once, then again, like he was forcing himself back into his own body.

“Okay,” he said, his voice low, steady in a way that didn’t quite match the storm behind his eyes. “Okay. That’s… that’s good, right? They caught it early.”

You let out a small, broken laugh.

“Lee…”

He reached for you again, slower this time, giving you space to pull away if you wanted to.

You didn’t.

His hand closed around yours, rough and warm and grounding.

“You’re gonna be okay,” he said, more certain now. “We’ll do the surgery. We’ll do whatever they say. We’ll get through it.”

Tears slipped down your cheeks.

“I won’t be able to have children,” you whispered.

The words shattered something in the air.

Lee’s grip on your hand tightened.

“I… I won’t give you a family,” you went on, your voice cracking. “No kids to take over the ranch. No one to carry your name the way your father expects. The way you deserve.”

He shook his head immediately.

“I don’t care.”

You stared at him.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” he said, firm now, no hesitation. “I mean it.”

“Lee, this ranch… your whole life is about-”

“My life is you.”

The words cut through everything else.

You went still.

He shifted closer, his other hand coming up to cup your face, forcing you to look at him.

“I love this ranch,” he said, his voice steady, grounded. “You know I do. But it ain’t worth a damn thing if you’re not here with me.”

Your breath hitched.

“I wanted to give you that,” you whispered. “I wanted to give you everything.”

“You already did.”

He leaned his forehead against yours, closing his eyes for a moment like he was drawing strength from you.

“You gave me a life,” he said. “Since we were kids, it’s always been you. I never wanted anything else.”

You shook your head weakly. “You didn’t sign up for this, Lee.”

He pulled back just enough to look at you again, something fierce settling into his expression.

“Yeah,” he said. “I did.”

You frowned, tears still falling.

“The first day I saw you,” he answered simply. “When I asked you to marry me. When I stood there and promised you I was in it for life. Sickness and health. All of it.”

Your chest tightened.

“That wasn’t just words to me,” he added. “That was the truth.”

You let out a shaky breath, your hand coming up to grip his shirt like you needed something solid to hold onto.

“I’m scared,” you admitted.

“I know,” he said.

His arms came around you then, strong and unyielding, pulling you into him. This time, you didn’t resist. You pressed your face into his chest, letting yourself break against him.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured into your hair. “We’ll face it together.”

You clung to him tighter.

“And the ranch?” you asked quietly.

He let out a breath.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Same way we always do. You and me.”

A small, fragile piece of calm settled inside you.

Because that had always been true.

You and Lee.

Side by side.

Unstoppable, just like John believed.

Not because everything was easy.

But because no matter what came, you chose each other first.

————————

The surgery had gone as well as anyone could have hoped.

For a while, it even felt like life had settled back into something recognizable.

The doctors said the same thing at every checkup. Clear. No signs. You’re doing well.

You went back to the ranch. Back to the rhythm of things.

Sometimes he’d press a kiss to your temple and say, “Looks complicated.”

And you’d smile, leaning into him. “That’s why you have me.”

“Yeah,” he’d murmur. “Got real lucky there.”

Those were good days.

They felt almost normal.

Until they weren’t.

It started small again. The same quiet signs. The same things you tried to ignore until you couldn’t.

This time, the doctor didn’t smile.

This time, the word came back heavier.

It’s back.

And this time, it wasn’t something you could outrun.

You didn’t tell many people.

You didn’t want to.

You chose to keep it quiet.

Because that was who you were.

Because you didn’t want to become something people whispered about.

Because you wanted whatever time you had left to still feel like yours.

When Kayce came back to the ranch, it was like something long held apart finally eased.

He had Tate with him, the boy’s laughter echoing across the yard as he ran ahead, small boots kicking up dust.

Lee saw them first.

For a second, he just stood there.

Then Kayce stopped too.

Kayce had been the one to pull away.

But when their eyes met, none of that seemed to matter.

Lee walked forward first.

Kayce met him halfway.

And then they were hugging like no time had passed at all, clapping each other on the back, shoulders knocking together in that quiet, familiar way.

“About time,” Lee muttered.

Kayce huffed a small laugh. “Yeah.”

It was simple.

That was all it needed to be.

You watched it from the porch.

The sunlight touched your face and for a moment, you just closed your eyes and let it.

You wished Beth were here.

“Hey!”

Tate’s voice cut through the air, bright and excited.

You opened your eyes just in time to see him waving at you with both arms.

That caught their attention.

Kayce turned first.

Then Lee.

The moment Lee saw you standing there, something in his expression softened instantly. That same look he had always given you, like you were the only thing in the world that mattered.

Kayce’s brow furrowed.

“What happened?” he asked, glancing between you and Lee. “Monica said she was better.”

Lee didn’t answer right away.

He just shook his head, a small, sad smile pulling at his mouth.

“She’s real sick,” he said quietly. “But she’ll get through it.”

Kayce stilled.

“I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t want people knowing,” Lee replied. “You know her.”

Kayce did.

He looked back at you, and something in his chest tightened in a way he wasn’t prepared for.

You weren’t supposed to look like that.

Not you.

Lee was already moving, jogging toward the porch when he saw you take your first careful step down.

“Hey, easy,” he called, his voice gentler now.

You smiled at him, small and soft.

“I’m okay.”

But he was already there anyway.

Always there.

Behind them, Jaime stepped closer to Kayce, giving his shoulder a quiet pat.

Kayce didn’t take his eyes off you.

It hit him then, sharp and sudden, the weight of what Lee hadn’t said.

You reached the bottom of the steps just as Lee steadied you.

Kayce walked over, slower now.

When you hugged him, it was gentle, your arms lighter than he remembered, but the warmth was still there.

“Hey,” you said softly.

“Hey,” he answered, his voice rough.

For a moment, he was a kid again, standing in front of you with scraped knees, waiting for you to tell him it was going to be okay.

“Boys are going fishing,” you said, glancing between them, a hint of your old brightness slipping through. “Sounds nice.”

“You should come,” Tate said immediately, looking up at you like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Your smile softened.

“Oh, sweetheart…” you murmured. “I think my riding days are over. But I hope you have fun.”

“They ain’t over.”

Lee’s voice was firm.

You looked at him.

“They’re just on pause,” he added, already turning toward the horses. “We’ll ride the same one. I’ll hold you.”

“Lee-”

But he was already moving.

You sighed, the effort of it showing.

Jaime stepped closer, offering a small, careful smile. “Fresh air might be good.”

You glanced at him, then back at Lee adjusting the saddle like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“…okay,” you said quietly.

The ride was slower for you.

But somehow, it felt like years folded in on themselves the moment you settled against Lee.

His arm wrapped securely around you, his hand resting over your stomach, your fingers lacing over his without thinking. You leaned back into him, your eyes drifting closed almost immediately.

You were tired.

So tired.

But his warmth grounded you.

His presence always had.

His nose brushed against your ear, pressing soft kisses there every so often, like he couldn’t help himself.

“Been a while,” you murmured.

“Yeah,” he said. “Too long.”

You smiled faintly.

“Remember when we used to race?” you asked.

He huffed a quiet laugh against your skin. “You always cheated.”

“I did not.”

“You cut across the fence line every time.”

“It was strategic,” you corrected, your voice soft with memory.

Up ahead, Kayce and Jaime were doing exactly that now, pushing their horses faster, Tate’s laughter ringing out as he clung on.

You and Lee followed at your own pace.

Slower.

Softer.

You tilted your head back slightly, feeling the scratch of his beard against your skin.

You liked that.

“I am slowing you down,” you said after a moment. “You should’ve left me at home. You could’ve kept up.”

“That’s nonsense,” he replied immediately.

His grip on you tightened just a little.

“Everything’s better with you,” he said simply.

The words settled deep.

At the fishing spot, the world felt wide and quiet.

You lay back in the grass, the blanket tucked around you as the breeze moved gently over your skin. The sky stretched endless above you, blue and soft and uncaring in the most beautiful way.

For a moment, it felt like peace.

Lee came over after a while, lowering himself beside you with a quiet groan.

“Thought you were fishing,” you murmured.

“Caught one,” he said. “I’m done for the day.”

You smiled.

He sounded like an old man.

The thought made something warm flicker in your chest.

Until it didn’t.

Until the realization slipped in, quiet and cruel.

You wouldn’t see him become one.

The smile faded.

Lee noticed.

He always did.

He rolled onto his side, propping himself up so he could see you.

“What?” he asked gently.

You shook your head, but your eyes gave you away.

His hand came up, warm and steady against your cheek.

“You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Even now.

Especially now.

Your breath caught.

His kiss was soft, lingering. He tasted faintly of cinnamon, something familiar and grounding and so very him.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” you answered.

As the sun dipped lower, the others cooked the fish over the fire.

You tried to eat.

You really did.

But after a few bites, it became too much.

Kayce noticed.

Of course he did.

You managed half before handing the rest to Lee.

He didn’t say anything.

Just took it and finished it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Night settled around you slowly.

The fire crackled, the sky stretching out in a blanket of stars.

One by one, they lay down to sleep.

Except you and Lee.

You were curled against him, half-asleep on his chest, his arms wrapped around you like they had been your whole life.

“I don’t want you to be lonely,” you murmured, your voice barely there.

“I won’t be,” he said.

You shifted slightly.

“I mean after.”

His hand moved up, brushing gently through what was left of your hair.

“Hey,” he whispered softly. “Don’t.”

You went quiet.

“It’s been a beautiful day,” he added, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

You didn’t argue.

The next morning felt quieter.

Heavier.

When they returned to the ranch, Lee barely let you walk.

He kept an arm around you, then eventually just lifted you altogether, carrying you up the stairs like you weighed nothing.

Like he refused to let you touch anything that might take more from you.

Kayce watched from below.

Jaime stepped up beside him.

“She’s worse than he says,” Jaime said quietly.

Kayce swallowed. “What do you mean?”

“The doctors…” Jaime hesitated, then exhaled. “They say it’s terminal.”

The word landed hard.

Kayce’s gaze flicked back to the stairs, to where Lee had disappeared with you in his arms.

Kayce’s jaw tightened.

“I didn’t know,” he said.

“She didn’t want anyone to,” Jaime replied softly. “You know how she is. Never makes anything about herself.”

Kayce nodded slowly.

“And Lee,” Jaime added, glancing upward, “he won’t tell anyone she’s sick, he can’t even tell himself.”

Silence settled between them.

Upstairs, Lee held you a little tighter than usual.

Like if he didn’t, the years would finally catch up.

Like all those summers when you ran barefoot through the fields, all those winters spent side by side by the fire, all those quiet moments that built a life together…

Like they might slip through his fingers if he loosened his grip.

And he wasn’t ready.

He would never be ready.

——————————————

Lee woke before the sun, the way he always did.

For years, it had been a habit he never questioned. He would come up from sleep slowly, quietly, and lie there for a few extra minutes just to listen.

Your breathing had always been the first thing he reached for.

Soft. Steady. There.

Even before you got sick, he had done it. Some instinct he never put into words. Like if he could hear you, everything was right in the world.

That morning, he listened.

And heard nothing.

At first, his mind didn’t understand it. It tried to fill the silence with something else. The creak of the house. The wind outside. Anything.

But not you.

His eyes opened slowly.

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. “You awake?”

No answer.

He pushed himself up onto one elbow, looking down at you.

You looked the same.

Peaceful. Still. Your face softened in a way it hadn’t been in weeks, like whatever had been hurting you had finally let go.

Relief flickered through him for half a second.

Then his hand reached for you.

And everything inside him broke.

You were cold.

Not just cool from the morning air. Not the kind of cold that warmed under his touch.

Cold.

“Hey,” he said again, sharper now, sitting up fully. His hands came to you, one at your shoulder, the other cupping your face. “Hey, no… no, come on…”

He pulled you toward him, gathering you up into his arms like he had done so many times before. Only this time, your body didn’t lean into his.

Your head fell against his chest, and he held it there, his hand cradling the back of your skull, fingers threading through what little hair had grown back.

“No,” he whispered.

It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t panicked.

It was simple.

Like he could undo it by refusing it.

He pressed his forehead to yours.

“You’re okay,” he murmured. “You’re alright. I got you.”

He stayed like that.

Minutes passed. Or hours.

Time didn’t move right anymore.

He talked to you in that low, steady voice he always used, the one meant only for you. Quiet words, small things, the kind you’d share at the end of a long day.

Things you would never hear again.

Outside, the ranch woke up.

John Dutton stood in the yard, checking his watch as the hands got the herd moving.

Lee wasn’t there.

Lee was never late.

John didn’t say anything about it at first. Just watched the dust kick up, the rhythm of the morning carrying on without interruption.

But something in his chest had already settled into place.

He turned toward the house.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

When he opened the door, he already knew what he was going to find.

Still, it didn’t make it easier.

Lee sat upright in the bed, your body in his arms like he hadn’t moved at all. His hands held you carefully, one supporting your head, the other wrapped around you, keeping you close.

His forehead rested against yours.

His lips moved.

John couldn’t hear the words, but he didn’t need to.

He had said things like that once, long ago.

He closed his eyes briefly, then stepped inside.

“Lee,” he said quietly.

Lee didn’t respond.

Didn’t look up.

Didn’t move.

John stepped closer, his voice firmer now. “Son.”

Nothing.

Lee just kept talking to you, his voice soft and steady, like you were going to answer him any second.

It took hours before anyone else came.

The coroner arrived when the sun was higher, the light too bright for a day like that.

They spoke gently. Carefully.

Lee didn’t acknowledge them.

It wasn’t until they stepped forward, until they reached for you, that something in him snapped tight.

“No,” he said, his voice low.

“Lee,” John said, stepping in.

“They can’t take her,” Lee murmured, his arms tightening around you. “She’s fine. She’s just… she’s just sleeping.”

John’s hand closed around his shoulder.

“Son.”

Lee shook his head, his gaze fixed on you. “She’ll wake up. She just needs—”

“Lee.”

The word broke.

Something in John’s voice, something final, something unmovable.

Lee went still.

The men stepped forward again.

When they took you from him, his hands lingered as long as they could, fingertips brushing your skin until they couldn’t anymore.

John had to hold him back.

Not because Lee fought.

But because his body leaned forward without him realizing it, like something essential was being pulled out of him.

They carried you out of the house.

Lee followed.

Step by step.

Silent.

They loaded you into the truck.

He didn’t try to get in.

Didn’t say anything.

He just stood there, watching.

Then he sat down on the stairs, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

The truck pulled away.

Dust rose behind it, thick and slow.

He watched until it disappeared.

And then, when the dust finally settled…

That was when it hit.

Not all at once.

But enough.

A sound tore out of him, raw and broken, like something had been ripped open inside his chest.

He bent forward, his hands gripping his head like he could hold himself together.

You were gone.

And worse than that…

You were somewhere without him.

The thought made him feel sick.

The funeral was too quiet.

Too proper.

Lee stood there, hearing none of it.

You would have hated it.

All those people. All those stiff words.

You had always preferred something simpler. Something real.

He kept his eyes on the ground most of the time.

Until he heard it.

A small, sharp inhale.

A sniffle.

He looked up.

Beth Dutton stood a few steps away, her face turned slightly, trying to hide it. But her shoulders gave her away.

Beth didn’t cry in front of people.

Not like that.

Lee moved without thinking.

He stepped over and pulled her into him, one arm wrapping around her shoulders, tucking her against his chest.

She stiffened for half a second.

Then she broke.

Her hands gripped his shirt as she cried, and Lee just held her, steady and silent.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, even though it wasn’t. “I got you.”

When it was over, when the last person had left, Lee stayed.

They had buried you on the ranch.

Where you belonged.

He sat beside your grave as the sun went down, the sky bleeding into dark.

“I didn’t want you to be alone,” he said quietly.

The wind moved through the grass.

He stayed there all night.

Didn’t sleep.

Didn’t move much.

Just sat with you, like he had every night when you were alive, making sure you were safe.

Morning came anyway.

It always did.

After that, he didn’t stop working.

He couldn’t.

If he stopped, he might think.

If he thought, he might feel.

And if he felt…

He didn’t know what would happen.

So he worked.

Long days. Longer nights.

He didn’t sleep in the bed.

He couldn’t.

It felt wrong.

Empty in a way that made his chest ache.

Instead, he slept in the chair by the window. The same one he used to sit in when you worked late, watching you with quiet admiration.

Sometimes, his fingers brushed the clothes you left behind.

A shirt. A jacket.

He never held onto them for long.

Just enough to remind himself they were real.

That you were real.

Only weeks later, when the world hadn’t even settled from losing you, everything changed again.

When Lee was shot, it didn’t feel like fear.

It felt like recognition.

Like something familiar stepping out of the shadows.

He didn’t fight it the way he might have once.

Didn’t cling.

Because somewhere deep down, there was only one thought left in him.

Maybe I’ll see her.

When they buried him beside you, it felt right.

Later, when he had to be cremated, they made sure of it.

His ashes returned to the same place.

Side by side.

Like you had always been.

Like you had always promised.

There was a memory, one that lived quietly between the years.

A summer afternoon, long before any of this.

You and Lee lay in the grass, side by side, watching the clouds drift across the Montana sky.

“What do you think happens after?” you asked, your voice light.

Lee shrugged, one arm tucked behind his head. “Don’t know.”

“You ever think about it?”

“Not much.”

You turned your head to look at him, smiling. “I think I’d come back here.”

He glanced at you. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you said. “Maybe not as people. Maybe as something else.”

“Like what?”

You thought about it, your eyes drifting back to the sky.

“Maybe wild horses,” you said softly. “Running through the fields. Or the breeze. Something free.”

Lee huffed a quiet laugh.

“That so?”

You nudged him lightly. “What about you?”

He looked at you for a long moment.

“I’m a cowboy,” he said simply. “Through and through.”

You smiled.

“But…” he added, his voice quieter now. “Don’t really matter.”

“No?”

He shook his head slightly.

“As long as I end up with you again.”

The wind moved through the grass, soft and endless.

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Charity: Most People Are Good - Emmett Dutton x Reader (Australia)

Disclaimer: Characters from Australia not mine / Requested Plot Not Mine / If you don’t have a Luke Bryan song in your playlist what kind of Mendo are you-!? AKA: Lyrics not mine

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Warnings: N/A... But I meant it about the insulin...

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