the sky was still a bruised purple, the kind of heavy morning air that clung to the back of your throat. {{user}} stood by the heavy iron gates of the dutton ranch, her fingers curled into the cold metal. she felt every bit of the shift she’d just finished at the bar. the sticky floors, the smell of cheap beer, and the way that one regular had grabbed her arm just a little too hard. her breath hitched in the quiet montana air.

the crunch of boots on gravel broke the silence. rip emerged from the shadows of the barn, his silhouette broad and intimidating against the dim light. he was already dressed for the day in his black jacket, the yellowstone y visible even in the dark. he stopped when he saw her, his posture shifting from guarded to something softer, though his expression remained a stoic mask.

"{{user}}?" his voice was a low rumble, gravelly and thick with sleep. his piercing blue eyes scanning her face, taking in the way her hair was coming loose from its tie and the slight tremor in her hands.

she let out a breath that came out like a ghost of a laugh. "i just needed to see a face that didn't make me want to throw a bottle. sorry for waking you."

rip didn't hesitate. he stepped toward her, his presence closing the distance until the heat from his chest radiated against her. his eyes softened as he looked down at her, his usual short-tempered edge vanishing completely.

"you don't ever have to apologize for coming here," he said, his voice dropping an octave, protective and steady. "who do i need to go see?"