January 1st 1:00 am
Truckee California

For Larry Rawlings, New Years wasn’t that big of a deal. Neither was Christmas, Thanksgiving and any other Family type holiday. Thankfully this year he was home, and not in the middle of a delivery. So instead of spending it alone, he was with his neighbor, Liz.

He loved spending time with her. She was the only person he could really call a friend. For the past six years, she had lived across the hall, living alone and getting her mind together after a bad break up. The two of them found themselves hanging out quite often. And as much as Larry cared for her, he was afraid to get with her. He feared she would ask about his past. He was unsure how she would react to the news of his brother becoming a woman.

Liz sat on the couch, watching one of the movies they had picked, just to pass the time. Snow slowly drifted through the Early morning sky. It had been a comedy, and the two of them had been enjoying it, along with the beer and popcorn. It was also a Saturday now, so there was no worry for her to rush home and go to bed. She lucked out and had the weekends off.

Larry was also lucky and had managed to be off until the third. This gave the two of them a lot of time to hang out. Later they had planned for dinner. To her side, Larry sat there watching the movie. He was enjoying it, and his company. He hadn’t really thought about his family in a long time, so this was just another day he could ignore them and just live his life how he wanted.

January 1st 6 am

Tegan sat at the mic in the ranch’s radio studio. Her goal was to start out the morning by giving out the best morning intro she could. She had wished she had gotten more sleep, having been up till almost one thirty. Then she woke at five to make hot chocolate and set up stuff for a six am broadcast. Not that she had to do this shift, she just wanted to take the first broadcast of the year. “Happy New Year everyone. And may it be a great year for everyone listening. This is KHPE radio, coming from Hope’s Ranch, between the lovely towns of Beckworth and Chilcoot-Vinton California. Currently it is about twenty five degrees and trying to snow. We don’t expect even half an inch from this storm. High for the day should be around thirty three. For those traveling, it looks like most major routes are open. Seventy is open from Hallelujah junction to where it merges in Sacramento. The ninety five is open from Susanville to Reno. Forty nine is open, just snowy so watch your speeds. Now to the morning show. We here at the ranch would like to wish you and yours the best during this new year.”

She paused long enough to set up a record. “Now we’d like to start the morning off with a lot of soft music, for those still partied out.” She had done some searching and pulled up almost three hours of soft pop and soft rock.

The radio station was tied to the school. This helped get her credit on school work. This had also been her dream, to be a DJ on a radio station. She was the driving force to getting the station put in. After it was, she took over almost all control, except for Hope acting as the adult in charge, which was needed by federal rules.

Any way she looked at it, she loved her life in these mountains.

January 3rd 2005
Southeast of Portola California
25 degrees, Fahrenheit

Christmas and New Years were over now. The life around Portola could return to normal, again. The rush of the Holidays had been tough at the ranch and for those who lived nearby and were involved with it. Buying presents, making sure the little ones had a good holiday. The Ranch itself made very little money. It survived due to the fact that it partly sustained itself and was partly helped though money from the state.

While what was considered the Ranch was actually three different sets of ranches, Rawlings Ranch, Hope’s ranch and the old Prison ranch, All these were looped together when using the name Hope’s Ranch. Other places had come to join the large ranch, making it even larger. Both Cledus and Sylvia Carter owned a lot of property that bordered the ranch. All bought as people were running from the ranch. Then another group had shown up, a father Jackson and his daughter, Rori.

It was only the third of January and as Rori stepped out of her father’s home, the snow was still on the ground. There seemed to be way too much of it, at least to Rori. The snow had its way of being like that, especially in the mountains where they lived. She was under the impression that there was some kind of scale. The more you hate winter, the more Snow you got. Either way, Rori didn’t have time to care. This was the first Monday after the holiday break and that meant school.

As for the weather, the sweater, coat and other warm clothes she had on would keep her warm until she got to the ranch. Sure, it was a school day and the sun wasn’t set to rise for another hour or so, but she wanted to spend time with her BFF, Carly afterwards. They also had a project they needed to get done, one that both of them had put off until after the holiday break.

When she had first started attending the school, Rori had dressed like a typical teen girl from her last school. While it hadn’t been a private school, it had been in a very nice part of Los Angeles and that meant kids who had access to money. So to try and fit in, she had bought top fashion clothes, all the best her father could afford. No matter what, it was the thing between her legs that made others shun her. So she went to the Ranch, for a chance at a good education. But she realized that while they had access to money, the ranch didn’t. After all, it was mostly a state run place, or at least State funded. So Rori had gone home and raided her closet, then she had her father take her to the store, where they bought more clothes and then the two of them descended on the girls dorms and Rori made sure to give a bit of her fancy wardrobe to the girls of the ranch.

She didn’t mind. After all, her father was worth a decent amount. Although he had always told her to never lord her money over people. He had often told her that money wasn’t a fix all. Even before they had moved to the Ranch, they hadn’t lived like Millionaires. They had money tied up in numerous funds and charities. Even though Cledus did his best to prove that statement wrong, by using money any time the ranch needed help. Of course, his mother, Sylvia Carter also helped out with the Ranch’s need for cash.

So now, Rori always bought her clothes where the kids at the ranch would get theirs, the Goodwill. Sometimes they had great deals. Things like shoes and undergarments were store bought. But the rest was always second hand. And she found many styles she could make her own that way.

She had already called for a ride and was sure Cledus was on his way. Her dad was aware she was taking off soon, but she still had to check in with him, just before she went. So she crossed the snowy yard to the large renovated barn that had become the private training facility of Jackson the Jackhammer Callaghan, pro boxer and occasional mixed martial artist.

Rori peeked her head into the heated gym. She looked around until she saw her father, who was already into his daily workout. Even though he had just had a bout a few weeks back, he always trained. For him it was better than trying to get ready with just a month or two to go. This way his weight was a constant. His workouts were constant and he wasn’t struggling to come back from off time. Off to one side, by a television and with a small bag of trail mix was a man whom Rori had known all her life. Paulie was her dad’s manager. “Hey Paulie. How’s his training going today?”

“Good. Another three hours, then the ranch, then the plane.”Paulie stated. “Then New York for a couple days, then home. We’ll be back by the end of the week.”

“Excellent. Travel safe, Paulie.” She leaned over and hugged the old man.

"We'll try." The old man replied to her.

“Yo Dad! Headed to the ranch. See you Friday morning." Rori called out to the large man who was punching the bag as hard as he could. Normally she stayed home with him. But with him being gone, she would have to stay at the Ranch dorms, something Hope had already agreed to. Rori was the first student at the ranch who wasn’t a foster or state placed. She was Transgender, but Jackson had moved them there and they lived on a piece of property that bordered the ranch. Plus they let the ranch farm the fields.

The two of them looked nothing alike. Anyone that seen him on the street would never catch the relation between the two. His skin was white, almost pale. His hair was red and he stood Six foot six and was wide. Very wide. He had muscle, but he wasn’t like a weightlifter. Instead he used it for his work. Rori took after her mother. Dark skin, curly black hair and a shorter frame, almost five foot currently. But Jackson was her father, they had proved that just a year earlier, after Rori had been wrongfully taken from the home. It had almost led to both of them being arrested. Rori for assaulting the lady at the home she was put in. She had stabbed the woman when the lady tried to cut her hair without permission. Jackson had almost attacked Rufus.

He paused his punching exercise and looked at her. “Be good and if you need anything, just give me a call, alright? And call me if that stupid Sierra county asshole of a deputy comes after you again. I’ll be there a bit later. Hope wants help for that health fair and I’m free until tomorrow.” This was his usual reply to her. Ever since the incident a year before, at least all but the health fair part.

A Deputy of the next county, a self proclaimed champion of morality, Rufus Ralston, was a constant thorn in the side of the Ranch. He was always running there, even where there was no need or reason. If there was a wildfire in California, he blamed them. Even for fires in surrounding states, like Nevada, Oregon and Idaho, he blamed them. If someone was knocking over mailboxes, he blamed them. Speeding through Sierra county towns, also them. And none of it had proof. He tried to enforce laws for other groups, like the Department of fish and Wildlife. He would go by, when the ranch was using a barbeque and try to cite them. He was persistent. And very bigoted.

He had tried to remove Rori from her father a year earlier, all because he believed that blacks and whites couldn’t have children, not that they shouldn't, but he truly believed that those of different races were unable to have children together. A belief that he had openly stated to a reporter and a statement that got airplay across the country.. They both knew that Hope had many complaints on him, but so far, the Sierra County people didn’t seem to care. Even Jackson’s suit was taken care of quietly. And all the money he made from that went into helping fix up Hope’s Ranch. Of course, with Jackson being a sports celebrity, when Rori was taken away, the media descended on the Ranch and Rufus like ants on a picnic. What confused everyone affiliated with the ranch, was how Rufus had managed to keep his job after his blunder.

“You know I’ll call you. The second I see him, I’ll text you, Aunt Vivian, and Paulie. Aunt Vivian still wants a piece of his backside for what he did.” she turned as she heard tires on Gravel. The pickup truck that Cledus owned pulled into the driveway and he waved at her. Rori looked back to her father. “Gotta go Dad. Hayseed is here.”

“Be good and have fun.” Jackson said before he turned back to his workout.

“Will do, Dad.” Rori said as she pulled the door shut on his gym. She quickly jogged over to where Cledus was parked and hopped into the passenger seat. Cledus Carter, once daughter, now son to Sylvia Carter of Texas, the real estate magnate. Sylvia was worth billions, with her two sons being worth millions, at least until their maternal great grandfather died, then there was the chance that Cledus would be worth billions himself. How Cledus had ended up at the ranch still confused her, but Sylvia had joined in on his effort to help out, while keeping her involvement mostly secret. She had control of two separate companies now, although they had merged into one larger company, and she had people’s welfare to worry about. So she wanted few people to know her involvement to the ranch.

Rori had no issues with any of the Texas kids. Cledus, Lucky and Dusty were all good people. One Transmale, one Gay and one just an ally, or asexual. Either way, it didn’t matter. They were good people.

“School Jeeves.” She said with a smile.

“Yes Ma’am. Thank you for letting me drive you ma’am.” He replied in jest.This was how things happened, daily. Cledus would get up early to get Rori, while the weather was bad. At least until the bike path was clean to ride on again. He’d come get her, while the Reverend and Henry would run the vans half an hour later to get the students who were coming from other areas, like Portola, Reno, Susanville and Quincy. Many of them were placed at the ranch for school due to different reasons. Most were pregnant teens. Some were considered troublemakers due to their sexuality.

As they pulled into main drive of the ranch, she pointed to the girl’s dorms. The main gate was opened for them, so they didn’t have to stop. As they pulled through, Hank pulled it shut again, just to keep Rufus out. The school and foster care dorms was at the site of a failed California penal facility in the mountains, just behind the small ranch Hope had bought and that was next to the place Hope’s parents owned with the garage. The state had made it as a place to get minor prisoners a chance. Not really a maximum security place. But it had all the parts that had made it a prison. Tall fences, razor wire. A gate, big buildings.. The plan never really took off and a few years later, the buildings went up for sale, all bordering the Rawlings ranch. All bought by Hope. After sinking a lot of money from a big lottery win into the buildings, to help the place she started up a foster care center, focusing on those kids who were LGBTIQA and some pregnant teens. The boys had one dorm, the girl had another. In the center, in the main buildings was what became the school.

It was early enough that Carly was either in bed still, or just in the shower. Cledus nodded and he headed that way. “So you gonna be a part of that health fair thingy they got going on?”

Another idea that sprang up at the last moment. Doctor’s had contacted Hope at the last minute and they were coming to do a fair and give the kids all check ups. It worked for Hope, so she didn’t have to sit at a doctor’s office for nearly a full day while several kids were seen.

“Nah. I already got a doctor. We go through him for everything. Got the therapist too.”

“So what are you gonna do all afternoon?”

“Hang with Carly, Jane, Courtney, Billy and Kyra., until they are seen.” Rori replied. “Or get a snack and waste some time. Maybe help Dad in whatever he is helping with.”

“They are going to be helping the doctor’s see the kids in a timely fashion.” Cledus said as he pulled the truck to a halt. “See you at lunch, Rori.”

“Thanks for the drive, Hayseed.” She said, while sliding out of the truck and grabbing her bags.

Rori used the keypad to the side of the door and entered the code to the dorms. A light turned green, so she opened up the door and she walked into the first room, which was Bishop’s. The door was open and Bishop was in a chair, already dressed. Three little girls were asleep on her bed. Rori spoke to her in a whisper. “Hey Bishop. Can I go see Carly?”

“Yeah, Rori. Go on. But she’s still asleep, I think.”

“I know. I’ll be nice.” Rori replied. “Anyplace you want me to leave my stuff?”

“Carly’s room works. You know both her and her roommate.”

As Rori walked down the hall, there was little noise that could be heard, other than snoring. The room across from Bishop’s was empty at the moment, but she was sure that Sylvia Carter, Cletus's mother, would show up at some point. She was usually there at least once a month, for about five days. Sometimes she stayed a couple weeks in a month. Normally she took little jobs, mostly watching the real young kids. She treated the kids as though they were her children and grandchildren. She had been at the ranch, just a couple days before Christmas, in an effort to make sure all the kids had a good holiday.

The door for the girls aged three to six was open and she could see empty beds in the room. Past those was a room waiting for another adult to take it. But unlike the past few times she had been there, the bed was made, and the room had been made up all nice and neat. Rori kept going down the hall. From what she had heard, the place had been an old prison camp decades before. With help from both the state and the Carter’s, the dorms had been renovated to something more homely and less prison chic.Although, her and Carly had gone investigation one night, and found that the lower part of the dorms still had the old prison cell doors.

“Hey Carly.” Rori said as she climbed onto the bed of her best friend in the world. While she was just five foot five, Carly was shorter, coming in at under four foot. She was about Rori’s age, maybe a bit older. Also she had the worst temper on the Ranch and a mouth like a sailor.

“G’ way.” A groggy feminine voice replied. “I’m ‘leepin.”

“Come on. It’s almost seven. We gotta get up and finish that project for class.”

“‘O way!”

“Carly, I need you awake and working on that project. We’ve put it off and there’s a week to go, but we got other projects to do.”

“No.” The smaller girl stated, then she rolled over.

“You don’t get up, I will uncover your toes and go get some snow to rub on them.”

Instead of snow, Rori began to tickle the bottoms of Carly's feet. This only went on for about a minute when the little girl sat up in bed. "Okay! Awake now!"

"Good. Get dressed and I'll go to the bathroom. We have work to do today." Rori said before she headed out the door.

Ten minutes later

“Hey Tink.” Carly said to Tink as they exited Carly's room. “We’re headed to the mess hall. Mrs. Pain-in-my-Ass wants to do school work now.”

“Alright. Walk carefully. I fell on my ass near the dorms. The sidewalk is slick. The computer lab is already up and running.”

“Why can’t we stay on the indoor path?”

“You know that last group stopped working it. Until those repairs are done, we’re all banned from there. Too dangerous.”

“Kinda shocked that Rufus hasn’t tried to use that to shut this place down.” Rori stated. “Say the word and Dad may help. We could find groups willing to work.”

“Contracts.” Tink said. “It’s all in contracts. We have to wait for them to pass the limit of time they gave, then we can sue.”

“Come on. We’re getting cold, because of you.” Carly said as she headed for the door.

Rori shook her head and pointed at the shorter girl. “Oh no you don’t. You agreed to doing this work. Today. So don’t throw me under this bus. You said to wait till the Monday after Christmas and New Years.”

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And It's returned. Hopefully I can post once a week. I got a few I want to do that shows how some of the kids got to the ranch. But for now, I hope you like it