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"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever,
the goal is to create something that will."
-Chuck Palahniuk

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Arizona stood with her arms crossed as she watched the explosions in the distance knowing that her father had rerouted the river to stop Dan Jenkins and his 'progress' plans. She looked over to Lee as he adjusted the bulletproof vest, others behind him including Ryan and Colby. "You be careful out there, Lee. Please," Arizona's voice cracked slightly causing Lee to look up and pull her into a hug. The livestock agents, officers and cowboys were heading out to the reservation for the cattle.

Arizona knew that a war was brewing between Yellowstone and the Reservation over the land and she feared who she may lose to it. "I'll be careful, okay?" Lee assured his younger sister as he rested his hand on her face, "Hey. I need you to smile for me, okay?" Arizona closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before nodding at him. She opened her eyes and smiled genuinely at her older brother who leaned forward and kissed her head. "I love you, little sister. Always," Lee spoke before walking over to his horse and riding away.

Ryan looked to Arizona as a tear fell down her face, she let out a shaky breath before looking to the others. "Y'all be careful out there, you hear me?" Arizona ordered, all of them tipping their hats to her before riding off after Lee. She shook her head and made her way inside, smiling at Beth as she walked past her and up the stairs to her room for a shower. After tying her hair back into a bun, she crawled under the blankets with her laptop playing Harry Potter.

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Arizona was half asleep when she heard the commotion outside, slipping out from under her blankets, she made her way out of her room and down the stairs spotting Beth. "Are they back?" Arizona questions her older sister. The older woman sighed before turning to her, "Yeah. They're back." Arizona smiled lightly at her sister before stepping outside to look for her dad and Lee. "Where's Lee?" Arizona questioned out loud, her eyes searching through the crowd as her father stepped up next to her.

"He was behind me," Colby spoke up as he looked toward Arizona, the woman's eyes began to water as a pit formed in her stomach. The horses nearby whinnied as Arizona bit her lip, she rushed toward the barn before anyone could stop her; she didn't bother with a saddle or reins as she climbed upon Flash and clicked her tongue. Flash took off without hesitation, the two racing past the others as they called for her to stop. "Oh, shit..." Rip muttered as he watched Arizona disappear in the distance. Ryan didn't hesitate, he climbed onto Colby's horse and rushed after her; but Flash was too quick for him to catch up.

Arizona's heart was racing, tears threatening to fall at the thoughts pushing through her mind; he had to be okay, right? Flash came to a stop as she spotted two people right before a gunshot echoed through the empty fields. Arizona pushed off of her horse noticing the body on the ground, she ran toward them before sliding across the dirt onto her knees. "No!" Arizona cried out as she spotted the blood on her older brother's lips. "L-Lee..." Arizona muttered as Kayce dropped down next to her. "Z-Zee..." Lee breathed out before his chest stopped moving.

Arizona let out a painful cry before resting her head down on his chest, Kayce watched with tears in his own eyes. "Ari... we gotta take him back," Kayce mumbled to her, she sniffled and nodded at her brother as Flash approached them. Kayce helped his sister onto her horse before placing his brother across Lee's horse, they began their journey back to the Dutton Ranch but Arizona was numb with tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't really know how to respond to this, she always had Lee and now . . . He was gone.

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The sun was rising over the hills as they reached the ranch, Arizona didn't realise how far Flash had actually run in such a short time. Arizona didn't want to spare a glance at anyone when she'd ride by them, all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and forget reality for a little while; pretend that Lee was just working somewhere and would be home in a few hours to bake cookies with her or watch her "boring" shows that he secretly enjoyed. Arizona could feel Kayce's worried gaze on her, he hated seeing her so numb and broken.

Arizona's focus locked onto her father who was riding toward them, she swallowed slowly as they came to stop by him. Kayce climbed down from the horse, his focus was on John Dutton while Arizona kept her breathing focused. "Give me the reins," John instructed Kayce instantly as he dropped down from his horse, his eyes flickered over to his quiet daughter before looking back at Kayce whose shirt had blood spread over it. Kayce handed John the reins and approached the second horse as Arizona bravely looked at her older brother's body.

"Arizona, don't look," John ordered, the young brunette woman turned her gaze from Lee's body. "Go straight to Jamie. Tell him everything while it's fresh, all right?" John instructed his two children, both of them looked broken and defeated. Arizona and Kayce headed back to the house while John went in a different direction to say his own goodbyes to his eldest son. "What happened?" Jamie asked as Kayce and Arizona reached the house. Arizona brushed off her brother's questions and headed to the barn, she ignored the looks from the cowboys and headed to Flash's pen.

Arizona climbed off of her horse and lead him into his pen, brushing down his coat with her hand before resting her head against his. Flash whinnied softly before applying more pressure on Arizona's head, he was making sure that Arizona knew she wasn't alone in her pain. "Arizona?" Shane Jones' voice caught the young Dutton's attention, she turned her head to him and sniffled. "Lee's gone..." Arizona muttered before letting Shane pull her into his arms, the man smirked to himself as he held her.

"It's gonna be okay," Shane whispered before pulling back slightly, he cupped her face and lightly kissed her forehead. Arizona let out a slow breath before stepping back, her cheeks a light tinge of pink but her pained loss was her focus. "I... I wanna be alone," Arizona told the older man, he nodded with a sigh. "If you need me, you know where to find me," Shane told her before she walked out of the barn. Shane rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance, "So close..." Shane walked away though Ryan and Colby stood nearby watching.

Arizona walked into the house and immediately was stopped by Jamie, he let out a slow breath before opening his arms. Arizona instantly took the chance to be hugged by her brother, she closed her eyes and let the tears fall as Jamie quietly whispered reassuring words and rubbed her back. Kayce had told Jamie that Arizona witnessed Lee's death, the girl had been silent and that was never a good sign for the brunette. In the silence she would bottle everything until she snapped, in the past, it was a depression that only Lee could help her through.

And now that Lee was gone, they wouldn't know what to do to help the youngest Dutton. Jamie couldn't watch the sunshine of the family lose her light because he'd lose whatever hope and faith he had left for the family. "Whatever you need . . . just ask," Jamie told her as she pulled back, sniffling as Jamie wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I-I just wanna have a shower and... be alone," Arizona replied to her brother before making her way toward the stairs. "I'll be checking in on you in an hour," Jamie warned her, she knew why but she just smiled and nodded before heading upstairs to her room.

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"Is the ranch really all you want in life?" Arizona asked Lee as the two sat on their horses, the rising sun on their faces in the warm summer air. "I wouldn't mind a wife and child to be apart of it. But yeah, why not?" Lee replied to his little sister before sighing, "Sunshine, if the ranch isn't what you want for your life, don't force yourself to stay." Arizona chuckled at his words, "Actually, I love this ranch. Every crack in the dirt to the river banks in our land. This is my home and I'll fight for it but... I don't know... I'm scared of..." She lowered her head feeling guilt for her next words.

"I don't wanna be dad or grandad who only cared about the ranch and not the people. That is too focused on a legacy for the future generations but is happy and enjoying every moment without worrying about that," Arizona continued with a slight frown on her face. "Then leave that worry behind. When you and I take over here, Sunshine. We'll do just that. We'll do it all your way," Lee promised her before smirking, "Race you back to the house. Last one cleans the stables for a week!" Arizona scoffed when Lee took off, she clicked her tongue and Flash quickly caught up to Lee and got ahead.

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Arizona Dutton knew that death was a natural end to anyone's journey, but that doesn't mean you are truly prepared to lose the ones closest to you. Arizona Dutton had to say her final goodbye to the one constant in her life; Lee Dutton was always there to hold her when she was sad, to laugh with her when she pranked the cowboys, to watch horror movies or terrible romance movies; he was there, and now he was gone. And it pained Arizona when she woke up the next morning, she waited for Lee to walk in and ask her for blueberry pancakes only to remember those days were gone.

"Arizona?" Rip's voice pulled her from her thoughts, she looked away from the mirror where she had been staring at her reflection. She wore a plain black dress that ended at her knees, she wore plain black heels and her hair was pinned back into a neat bun. "Yeah?" Arizona spoke softly as Rip walked toward her. "You sure you can handle today?" Rip asked her, he could see the hesitancy in her eyes. "I'm a Dutton, Rip. I just gotta push through it," Arizona told him, she was thankful that her voice didn't crack as she pushed it all down.

"If you want to leave, just tell me and I'll cover for you," Rip told her as he rested his hands on her shoulders, she nodded her head at him before letting out another shaky breath. "Let's do this," Arizona told him before the two headed out of the house. The front yard was filled with people paying their respects and saying goodbye, Arizona felt overwhelmed by the eyes watching her like she was a fragile flower that was bound to wither with a simple touch. She held her head high and walked down the steps, nodding to those who spoke their condolences.

Arizona stuck with her father as they walked toward Lee's resting place on the ranch grounds, she looked up at him as they stood in front of the coffin. "Let us pray," The priest spoke as Arizona swallowed slowly as she looked around at all of the faces until her gaze locked onto Ryan's, he sent her a small reassuring smile that helped ease her. Arizona zoned out the priest's prayer and let her mind run through the memories she held off her brother, she knew one day she'd be buried next to her brother and that was the only thing giving her peace.

After the funeral, Arizona made her way toward the barn to spend some time with Flash; she needed the company of her true soulmate. Arizona heard the barn door open followed by hooves on the ground, she looked up to see her father walk by and enter the pen next to Flash's with a familiar horse. She frowned as he began to sob to himself, his vulnerable state showing in the privacy of his own comfort. "Dad?" Arizona spoke softly after John left the pen, he turned his head to his youngest as a tear fell down her face.

John opened his arms for his daughter and she instantly took the opportunity to cherish this vulnerable side of her father. The two Duttons cried together over the loss of Lee Dutton, John's oldest son and Arizona's biggest supporter. After a few minutes of pain and tears, the two Duttons stepped back from each other. John wiped the tears off of his daughter's face, he kissed the top of her head and made his way out of the barn. Arizona sniffled as she hugged her arms around herself, she smiled sadly before looking toward the sky, "Goodbye Lee."

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━━━ 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 ꒱࿐

Can we just point out how hectic it is that Lee dies in the first episode... Like, I grew attached and we lost him instantly. It's so cruel yet enticing. But poor Arizona, she really felt the pain of it.

Thoughts on the chapter?

See you in the next chapter!