11A/N: Takes place about 20 years after the end of Return to Snowy River. All familiar characters belong to Disney and the estate of A.B. Banjo Patterson.
"You leave my sister alone!" The shout echoed across the schoolyard. Eighteen year old Adam Craig's head snapped up at the familiar voice. His grey-blue eyes met those of his twin Clancy as they turned in unison; just in time to see a girl land a solid punch to the nose of the classroom bully.
"Not again, Rosie?" He sighed as they hurried to break up the fight before their sister could get herself into any more trouble. He stepped between the two as his brother wrapped his arms around their sister, pinning her fists to her sides.
"Calm down Rosie." Clancy commanded. "You're going to get suspended from school if you get into any more fights."
"He was making fun of Ellen." The girl snapped her dark brown eyes as fierce as her tone. She struggled to break free of her brother's grip.
"She broke my nose!" Her opponent said from the ground, his hands covering his face.
"And you're lucky that your nose is all she broke." Adam said firmly. "The next time you insult my family, I may not be able to pull her off you." He turned back to his siblings. "Let's get home." He said firmly.
Rosemary and Clancy followed him to the wagon, where the three younger children were waiting. Fifteen year old Henry, nicknamed Whip, had already helped Ellen and Harry into the back by the time that the fight had ended and he was sitting on the seat holding the reigns. His sharp blue eyes were focused on the trio as they joined them. Adam caught his eyes as he jerked his head back towards their youngest sister. Ellen was sitting with her hands in her lap and her face hidden by the dark brown curls peeking from under her bonnet.
"Ellen? Are you alright?" The oldest of the Craig clan asked softly. The tiniest of nods was his only reply. Whip surrendered the reigns to his brother before dropping easily into the back. He put his arm around his sister's shoulders and she laid her head against him as the wagon slowly began to jolt over the road leading out of Eureka Creek towards their home.
"What was the fight about Rose?" Clancy asked once they were well out of town.
"I told you. Donavan was making fun of Ellen." Rosemary had her arms crossed over her chest. Defiance radiated from every fiber of her body.
"That's still not a reason to punch him." Adam replied.
"It is when he calls her a good for nothing crip." snapped his sister. "He deserved to get punched a lot harder than that."
"Maybe so but fighting isn't going to solve anything. He's going to keep on irritating you because he knows you'll respond to him. You're lucky the teacher didn't see you because otherwise you'd be suspended right now."
"And I suppose you're going to tell Mum and Dad all about it when we get home." muttered Rosemary.
"No." Adam waited until his sister stared at him. "You are."
"Adam! Why do they have to know?"
"Because, whether he deserved it or not, what you did was wrong. Besides that, they need to know what happened in case Donavan's parents decide to talk to them."
Rosemary slouched back against the hard wooden back of the wagon bench. Her stony silence was enough to let her brothers know that getting the story out of her would be difficult at best.
The mood lightened as they neared home and even Ellen's pale face had a smile on it. The sun was beginning to sink behind the mountains, turning the peaks a vivid gold. They could hear the neighing of the horses as the wagon drew closer to the ranch. The figure of their father was silhouetted against the ridge as he drove the small group of horses towards the holding pen near the house.
"Harry must be coming soon." Whip observed. He stood up in the back of the wagon, holding on to the seat for balance.
"Yeah Dad said he would be coming either at the end of this week or sometime next." Clancy answered. He jumped down to the ground as his twin brought the wagon to a stop. He offered his hand to his sister, who promptly ignored it and easily landed beside him. He shook his head, chuckling a bit as he turned to the trio in the back. Whip and Harry easily vaulted the side of the wagon, but Ellen followed a bit slower. Clancy reached up to help her down but she pushed him away.
"I can do it." She muttered quickly. She landed off balance and stumbled as he put his arm around her. "I'm fine. Just let me be." The young girl limped swiftly into the house.
"What was all that about?" Their mother's voice sounded from behind them.
"She's just upset, that's all." answered Whip with a sideway look at Rosemary.
Jessica recognized the look on her middle son's face and glanced at her oldest daughter. "What did Donavan say this time?" she asked pointedly fixing a stern eye on the girl.
Rosemary flushed under her mother's direct gaze. "He called Ellen a crip. He said she should stay at home where no one could see her."
"And so you punched him again, didn't you?" Jessica raised her eyebrow at her.
"I was defending my sister! Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?"
"Yes you're supposed to defend her, but you're not to do it by starting fights. There are better ways to prove a point than fighting. Now go in the house and help me get supper on the table."
"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Rosemary sighed as she climbed the steps to the porch.
"Yes. Just how much remains to be seen after I speak with your father." She rolled her eyes at the exaggerated sigh. "And spare me the affectations of martyrdom."* Jessica called to her daughter's back
Jim looked up as his twin sons joined him. "Where you two able to get everything we needed in town?"
"Yes sir." Adam answered. "Did you bring in all the horses that we promised to Harry?"
"Not quite. I'm going to need you boys to help me out tomorrow with the rest of the muster. Is Whip at the house?"
"He was putting up the horses and wagon when we left." Clancy answered. "Is he going to come with us?"
"Whip and Harry both. Only the girls will be going to school tomorrow."
"Rosie won't like that one bit." Adam said with a grin. "She'd rather be riding muster with us than be stuck in a classroom."
"I know. But Ellen can't get to school by herself and I'd rather have one of you older kids keeping an eye on her than Harry."
"Got it." Adam shot a quick glance to his twin behind their father's back. He wondered if things would change once Jim found out about the fight.
"But Dad, that's not fair! I want to go help with the muster too!"
"I'm sorry but I need someone to help your sister and you're on restriction because of your behavior. That means you don't get to go riding and you forfeit going on the muster."
"You're making me stay because I'm a girl." Rosemary whirled around and stamped up the steps to the room she shared with her sister. The door slammed shut behind her as her parents shared knowing smiles.
"She is aptly named isn't she?" Jessica remarked as her brown eyes twinkled with merriment.
"It seems that I remember a certain young lady who was just as upset when her father didn't allow her to go on a muster either. Of course, he was trying to turn her into a lady." Jim's grin turned into outright laughter at the swat his wife gave him. He pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened had either of us actually gone with your father that day?"
"You won't have been bucked off the colt and I wouldn't have ended up on that cliff." She said softly. "And we probably wouldn't be where we are today."
"Dealing with a daughter who is just like her mother and the aunt for which she is named." Jim smirked. "Ouch!" He exclaimed rubbing his arm where his wife had punched it. He glanced over as the door banged open.
"Storm's coming." Whip pushed his straw colored hair out of his eyes. "Air feels bad."
"Better batten down the doors to the barn then." Jim said pushing himself to his feet.
"Already done, Dad." The teen said quietly. "I double checked the latch on the holding pen too."
"Thanks son." He gave his son a quick hug. "You better head to bed. We're leaving at first light."
"Yes sir." Whip lithely mounted the stairs. His steps made no sound as he disappeared into the room he shared with Harry. The twins came through the door a few moments later, bantering back and forth of some inside joke. They gave both of their parents hugs before retiring to their room. Jim stood at the window for several moments watching the wind bending the trees outside.
"I hope Whip is wrong and it doesn't storm tonight. After what's already happened today, a thunderstorm is the last thing that Ellen needs."
Jessica's arms encircled his waist. "If she wakes up we'll deal with it. I'll keep her at home tomorrow if I need too." She was quiet for a long time. "Do you think she'll ever recover from the accident?"
"I don't know. I can only hope so." Jim replied.
*a direct quote from Lorraine Bayly's Character of Rosemary Hume in "The Man From Snowy River"