Ray Family

August 22, 1840

Virginia City, Nevada

Cooper was just getting ready to harvest his crops, he likes to be prepared for the winter early, waiting is not an option. His youngest son Dalton was helping Cooper with the crops. Dalton was 12 years old he's was a little on the short side but to girls he was considered handsome. Well with those big ole brown eyes and that cute blonde messy hair no girl could resist him. He looks nothing like his father. Unlike Dalton Cooper was always very tall, about 6'3 he towered over a lot of people in town. Cooper's always had blue eyes, and brown hair which he had to frequently cut. They'd been out in the heat since 6:00 a.m. It was 12:30 by now.

Cooper stopped picking the corn and he was feeling pretty worn out and hungry. But not Dalton, he was sweatin' like a pig but kept on going, he had to drag a barrel with him to put the corn in. Cooper didn't want to strain his son but he needed to grow some muscles. He was a scrawny as a twig.

"Dalton!" Cooper's voice echoed throughout the field.

Dalton stopped what he was doing and turned to Cooper with tired eyes.

"Why don't you go on inside and....drink something, you look more dead than a cattle in the desert." Cooper said shaking his head at his son.

"I'm good pa. I ain't need nothin' right now. I'm almost done anyways." Dalton replied picking out some more corn.

Cooper hates it when his kids don't listen to him, when ever Cooper "suggest" something he means to do it. "Dalton it wasn't a suggestion."

Dalton stopped and turned around stomped to the house looking annoyed. Walking past Dalton was his mother, Charlotte.

"Howdy Dalton." Charlotte smiled swaying her hips and holding a basket and a washboard. Dalton nodded at his mother and walked inside they're cabin. Charlotte turned away and shrugged she walked over to the well and set down the clothes. Exhausted from doing housework and sighed and looks over at Cooper.

Smiling she walks over to her husband. "Howdy darlin" she amplified. Cooper looked up at his beautiful wife. She was pale, as pale a eggs, her skin was the definition of soft. She had those beautiful sky blue eyes, and pink lips, her hair was golden like a horses mane, and always up but when she let it down it was beautiful.

When she walked she walked like she owned everything, men stare at her everywhere she goes she may be 57 but she didn't look a day over 30 which was even more crazy. What ever she did was always perfect, every time she'd talk it was like she was singing. Her cheeks were pink and rosy, and when she blushed it was the most adorable thing you'd ever see. As soon as Cooper saw Charlotte he walked toward her and kisses her with his fiery passion. Every time he'd kiss her there wasn't a care in the world for him. Just him and his lover Charlotte. Even if it was a three second kiss on the lips it was 3 seconds of heaven. Cooper lips parted a little for entry into her mouth, Charlotte complied and for a few more seconds they kissed. Charlotte pulled away and smiled, "You look like a angel, I'm so glad your mine." Cooper said kissing her again.

"Ahem!" A voice squeaked. Charlotte instinctively pulled away from Cooper's kiss and turned to her left. To find her two daughters Grace and Bessie standing there. Grace holding a doll and Bessie holding what looked like a wet rag. "If ya'll are quite done I would like to eat now." Bessie said unamused at her parents fraternizing. Bessie was 11 and Grace was 9. Bessie doesn't really like Grace that much but tolerates her, she won't admit it but she's really jealous of Grace.

"Bessie I told you to heat the stove and put on the boiling pot of water." Charlotte said in her sweet voice.

"You said no such thing." Bessie replied glaring at her mother.

"Yes I did so lil lady. If I didn't tell you before then go do it now." Charlotte said losing her patience.

"Yes ma'am." Bessie groaned turning around with Grace following behind on her heels. Bessie walks just like her mother, with attitude. Bessie was disrespectful and a complainer. But she was hard working and nice at times, when she wanted to be.

"Grace don't you have somewhere to be?" Bessie asked with a sigh. "Nome." Grace said shaking her head. "You don't have to follow me, everywhere I go, do you?" Before Grace could answer Bessie's question and manly deep voice yelled out "Hey ya'll!" The girls turned around to see they're old brothers Wyatt, Maverick, and Carson. Cooper has 11 kids, Wyatt, Maverick, Lacey, Carson, Paisley, Tess, Cecily, Dalton! Bessie, Grace, and the youngest Esther. Wyatt, Maverick, Carson are the law around in Virginia City, Maverick was Marshal, Wyatt was sheriff, and Carson was a officer.

"Well I'll be damned it good ole Wyatt." Bessie said smiling. Maverick frowned "You'll be what?" He asked looking at Wyatt. Maverick who was 29 years old and had 5 kids of his own doesn't like when Kids around Bessie's age have the audacity to curse around adults. "I said I'll be-" before Bessie could finish Maverick smacked her dead in her mouth. Bessie covered her hands over her mouth and tears started to uncontrollably flow from her eyes. "MAMA!!!!" She screamed throwing down her rag and sprinted to her mother.

Grace looked at Maverick in disgust. "What're you, the big bug or somethin'? That wasn't very nice." Grace said. Maverick walked up to his little sister and towered over her "Listen here youngin', I am the big bug 'round here. So I reckon you be a good lil girl and not curse like your silly sister." he growled.

"Hey Maverick come on now, that ain't necessary now, stop bullying her." Wyatt said putting a hand on Maverick's shoulder. Maverick started to tense up, it was obvious he wasn't in a very good mood today. Charlotte walked over to her kids holding Bessie's hand with her still crying.

"Maverick have you lost your mind?! You are to grown to be hittin' yer sisters!" Charlotte yelled walking straight up to him in utter anger. "Can you bring out your son, Dalton?" Maverick asked getting straight to the point. Charlotte glared at Maverick and shook her head. "Grace go get your brother." Charlotte ordered.

Grace skipped on inside her house. Charlotte looks back at her son, her sky blue eyes turning to deep dark blue stared him straight in the eye. "Why did you think it was okay to hit your sister?"

"She cussed." was all Maverick said.

"what'd she say?"

"Damn."

"That's it?"

"Yes ma'am."

Charlotte closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.

Grace came back with Dalton, as soon as Maverick saw Dalton he piratically sprinted toward him and grabbed his little brother by the collar.

"Maverick!" Charlotte yelled letting go of Bessie's hand and grabbed Maverick's left arm, trying to make him let go.

"You think you slick huh?!" Maverick yelled. Wyatt and Carson both grabbed Maverick trying to make him let go of Dalton. "You tryin' to get yourself killed? Do you know what you started?! DO YOU?!" Maverick yelled. "MAVERICK PUT HIM DOWN!" Cooper yelled fast walking over to the situation. Maverick threw down his brother. Charlotte pushed Maverick away and attented to Dalton. "What the hell is goin' on here?" Cooper asked. "Dalton you ain't gonna live to see 13 the way this is goin'!" Maverick yelled again.

"Maverick!" Carson yelled finally saying something. Maverick was quiet and looked away from Dalton.

By this time Cecily and Esther were standing in the door frame curious. "We ain't gonna say what Dalton did here." Wyatt said looking over at his younger sisters who had fear all over they're faces.

"We gotta go to the jail." Wyatt finished.