Ty watched through the loft window as Amy entered the round pen. Attila was over on the far side, his back to Amy. She slowly walked toward him, speaking softly to let him know she was there. She was about to the center of the pen when suddenly Attila spun around and charged straight toward her.
Ty's heart leapt into his throat as he watched Amy make a hasty retreat to the rails. Hanging on to the top rail, she caught her breath. This horse was going to be more of a challenge than she'd initially thought.
Climbing the loft stairs, she heard Ty talking on the phone. Stopping to stare out the window at a very agitated Attila, she was lost in thought and didn't hear Ty come up behind her.
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I was watching you out there. That was pretty close, Amy." He rested his head against hers.
"Ty, you worry too much." She shook her head and tried to pull away from him. His arms gripped tighter, twisting her body to face him. His lips sought hers. His kiss was soft and sensual, shattering her defenses as her body slowly melted into his.
"I love you, and I will always worry about you." His lips brushed hers again.
She held the kiss, acknowledging his concerns for her safety. "I love you too." She rested her head against his chest. They stood like that for several minutes, Ty noticing her reluctance to let him go.
"Who were you talking to on the phone?"
Ty released his hold on her and walked over to the kitchen. "It was Jonah, Bob's friend. He wants me to come help him in BC with the wolf cull. He says that wolves are being wounded and just left to die. I told him to call Bob, and I'll mention it to him tomorrow when I see him at the reserve."
Amy noticed the look on Ty's face as he talked about the wolf situation. She could see how much it was bothering him. "This cull has gotten out of control."
"Yes, it has," he replied with a tone of anger.
Amy knew how much injustice bothered Ty, and she knew he would want to go. Their life was just getting back to normal after he'd been so ill when he'd returned from Mongolia and almost died. And then the baby was born, and they had to buy a new truck, draining their savings.
She didn't want to stand in his way, but she didn't want him to leave either. She needed him to be here with her. Their life had been a roller coaster ride for the past year, and she needed calm, especially now. She needed him.
Lyndy was fussy as Amy walked out of the barn to see Allan dropping off the shipping create. Ty rode up on his bike and greeted Allan. They talked for a few minutes before making their way over to Amy, who was watching Attila.
"So, Amy, have you made any progress?" Allan asked, a little put off by Lyndy's crying. Amy didn't respond right away, her thoughts going back to the day before when they'd met Allan at the reserve.
"Allan, there was a mare and foal at the reserve that were quite agitated when Attila left. Is that his baby?" she asked.
Allan looked a little confused by her question. "Yes, why do you ask?"
"Would it be possible to bring them here?"
"Why, what for?" Allan's temper flared.
"I believe Attila is missing them. That's why he won't work with us. He needs to see them, to know they are all right."
Allan looked at Amy with disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Ty stepped in, seeing his wife's emotions come to the surface. "Allan, Amy knows what's she doing; can you give her the benefit of the doubt, please?"
"Fine, I'll try, but it won't be easy to get them loaded."
Ty put his arm around his wife, comforting her as Allan walked back to the truck.
Amy was up early the next morning, working to open the crate up on both ends, so Attila could see straight through it. She talked softly to Attila as she went about the task, being careful around him.
Ty had Lyndy fed and bathed, and they were lying on the floor playing on her activity mat when Amy made her way back up to the loft. She was tired, but she smiled as she watched the two people she loved most in this world play. Removing her boots, she slipped up behind Ty, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his neck.
"Hey, you were up early this morning. Working with Attila, I take it."
She took his hands in hers, snuggling into his neck and breathing in his scent. "Yes."
Ty pulled her body around him to sit in his lap, planting a kiss on her cheek. She raised her head, staring into his green eyes, caught up in the moment as their lips connected.
Amy's eyes teared up with emotions. The love she felt for Ty was overwhelming. A tear escaped and trickled down her cheek.
He reached up to brushed it away, a little concerned. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."
Ty held her close, having noticed a change in her emotions lately. They seem to be on her sleeve, and she couldn't hide them like she'd done for so long.
Ty knew she was such a loving mother; he wondered if, seeing Attila so upset about leaving his family, she was reliving him leaving to go to Mongolia.
Looking over, he noticed Lyndy had fallen asleep. He went to say something to Amy and noticed her eyes were closed, her head resting up against his chest.
Just then he heard the sound of a truck and trailer pulling into the yard. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead.
"Hey, I think the mare and foal are here."
She nodded. "Okay, why don't you go down and I'll get Lyndy and be down shortly." She didn't make eye contact with him.
Ty kissed her cheek. "You sure you're okay?" She smiled and nodded. Ty helped her stand before grabbing his jacket and heading down the stairs. Amy went into the bathroom to look in the mirror, making sure her eyes weren't red from the tears. She needed Allan to see a strong, confident woman, not an emotional basket case.
Attila had calmed down somewhat with his family now in sight. Allan was surprised by the affect it had on the horse. Ty smiled, giving Amy a nod of approval as she spoke to Attila. He was better, but he was still fighting staying in the shipping create.
It had been a long day, and she couldn't sleep. Ty had told Allan that she could do this, but she hadn't worked with horses much since her pregnancy. Maybe she had lost her touch; maybe she wasn't the Miracle Girl anymore.
She was tossing and turning, and her emotions were getting the best of her, so she decided she should get up before waking Ty. She threw the covers back when she felt his arm wrapped around her.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Her voice was a little shaky.
"Amy, what's the matter?" Ty sensed that something was bothering her.
"What if I can't help Attila, Ty? I haven't worked with horses a lot since Lyndy, and I might not have what it takes to be the Miracle Girl anymore." The feel of his arms wrapping around her made her feel safe. She snuggled her face into his neck, taking a deep breath.
"Amy, you'll be fine. Trust yourself. I've seen you work with much worse horses before, and you always manage to work your magic."
She laid her head against his chest, the sound of his heart beating gently in her ear. She closed her eyes and relaxed, letting his familiar scent fill her senses as she drifted off to sleep.
His words echoed in her mind, not making much sense to her.
"You know that shirt of yours, my favorite?" Ty asked.
Amy thought for a minute. "You mean the blue plaid one?"
She saw Ty hold up the very shirt in front of the camera. "You took it with you? Ty, I've been looking everywhere for that shirt!"
"It's the only thing that helps me sleep, and besides, it won't fit you right now anyway." His green eyes smiled.
She laughed. "Ty!"
Ty turned to the sound of her voice. He could tell she was sleeping. "Amy, I'm right here." He reached to touch her arm.
She sat up with a jolt, scaring Ty. "What's wrong?" She looked down at him, her eyes focusing in the dimly lit loft. His words made perfect sense to her now. "I know how to help Attila, and it's all because of you." She planted a big kiss on his lips.
"That's great, Amy." He kissed her back. He wasn't sure what he had done, but he was happy he could help. He pulled her back down into his arms. "Can we get some sleep now?"
Her lips made their way down his neck, nipping and sucking as her hands ran across his chest. Ty shuddered at the chills that ran down his spine from her touch. He could never refuse her.
The morning sun shone through the loft windows. The sound of Lyndy cooing in her crib and the smell of coffee brewing made Ty smile. He raised his head, seeing Amy standing at the kitchen counter.
Making his way over to her, he wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her hair, his lips leaving soft kisses on her neck.
She squirmed, his stubble tickling her skin. "Morning," she said, leaning back against him as his hands made their way under her top.
"Mmm, morning to you too." He turned her body to face him. The taste of her lips was soft and sweet, while his hands rubbed across the soft skin of her back. "So, are you going to tell me how I helped you solve the problem with Attila?" He kissed her again.
She smiled. "I love you too, and you'll find out soon enough." Lyndy started fussing, and Amy went to pull away from him.
"I'll get her." He kissed Amy's forehead before he turned and walked over to the crib. Amy watched as he bent down and picked up the baby. His smile was radiant as he cooed and talked to Lyndy and kissed her cheeks.
Amy loved their life right now: Ty being home and healthy and Lyndy growing more active each day. She couldn't imagine being any happier. But it was about to change again, and she felt bad that she couldn't support Ty going to BC. She knew he wanted to, but she needed him here. Amy's mind was wandering until her phone rang.
"Hello." It was Allan, letting her know that he would be over later today to see the progress she'd made with Attila. She hung up the phone, a look of worry on her face.
Ty asked who it was and saw the look on her face when she replied. "It's okay, Amy. You'll do your best; that's all anyone can ask for."
She wasn't sure about that, but she was determined to make her idea work. After kissing him and Lyndy and grabbing a baby blanket, she headed down the stairs.
Ty came down a short time later with Lyndy asleep in the stroller. He stood by the round pen, watching as Amy walked slowly toward Attila with the blanket in her hands. He held his breath, hoping the horse would be better behaved than yesterday.
Attila turned toward her, his nostrils sniffing the blanket she held out in front of him. She slowly moved toward the crate as Attila followed her. After Amy threw the blanket in, the horse took a step up into the crate, finally having all four legs in. She closed the door, waiting and hoping there would be no panic this time.
Attila remained calm, and she turned to see Ty smiling at her. "Wow, impressive."
"One step forward," she said as she walked over to the fence.
"I'll call Allan and give him the good news," Ty said.
"I'm not sure it's good news." She explained that she couldn't imagine leaving her family. Ty shook his head, understanding what she was saying. He found it hard to go to work each day, knowing he was missing time with his girls—but also knowing that they needed to find that balance in their lives.
"Ty, you should take the job in BC. Lyndy and I will be fine." A forced smile was on her face.
He reached for her through the fence. "Come here." He kissed her lips, his eyes full of love for her.
Allan was impressed by the progress Amy had made and said he would be back tomorrow to get Attila. Amy felt good that she'd managed to solve the problem, but she also felt bad because Attila would be leaving his family soon.
She had another restless night, dreaming about the horse and Ty both leaving. "Please don't go. I love you and I need you."
He rolled over on his side, pulling her carefully into him. He snuggled his face into her neck, kissing her softly and whispering, "I'm right here Amy."
The next day, Allan showed up with the trailer, taking Attila away. It was tough on Amy, putting herself in his place. Having to say goodbye wasn't easy, and she would be saying goodbye to Ty soon too.
The truck and trailer drove down the driveway. Ty wrapped his arms around her. He could see her struggling to keep her emotions in check. Her eyes filled with tears.
He knew she'd told him to go, but how could he leave her, knowing how hard it would be? He'd put a lot of pressure on her when he'd left for Mongolia. And the Attila situation seemed to really affect her.
Her words replayed in his head about going now before the baby was born, because she wouldn't let him go after. But she was telling him to go, even when he could see it was tearing her up.
"Hmm, I need to go over to the reserve for a bit. Will you be okay without me?" Ty watched her face.
"Yes, I'll be fine." She pulled away from him and walked back toward the barn.
Watching her, he felt bad for leaving, but he needed to talk to Bob. He drove off down the driveway, formulating his plan in his head.
"Hey man, right on time. I have Jonah on the phone; let me put him on speaker," Bob said as soon as Ty got to the reserve.
The guys talked about the cull, and what was happening in BC. Finally, Ty spoke up. "Guys, I have an idea. How about Bob going out to BC to help you, Jonah, while I stay here and take care of the reserve and any wolves that need rehabilitating?"
"What? I thought we were a team. Why the sudden change in plans?" Bob asked. Ty explained his situation, letting them know this wasn't a good time for him to leave again. Besides, Bob needed someone to watch the reserve, and Ty already knew the ropes.
They talked a while longer and decided that Ty's idea would work best for everyone. When he returned to Heartland, Amy was out by the ring with Georgie, Lyndy in her stroller.
"Hey, she's looking good," he said as he walked up to the fence. Amy nodded but didn't speak.
Ty could tell she was upset, so he didn't push it. He took Lyndy and walked back to the loft.
When Amy finally came up the stairs, he was sitting on the couch folding laundry. Her eyes scanned the room for the baby.
"Lyndy's sleeping. Come here; we need to talk." He patted the seat beside him.
She removed her boots and made her way over to sit beside him.
"Amy, I've decided not to go to BC. I'm going to stay here and take care of the reserve while Bob goes to BC to help Jonah."
"Ty, I can't hold you back from doing something you feel so strongly about. You want to go; I can see it in your eyes every time you talk about it." The tears started to well up in her eyes.
He pulled her into him, tilting her head up to looked at her. "Yes, I wanted to go, but the timing isn't right, Amy. We have Lyndy now, and me leaving would put all the responsibly of her care on you. Besides, something is going on with you. Amy, don't shut me out. We said we would be honest with each other, remember?"
She nodded, looking away to hide her emotions.
Ty wrapped his arms around her, his green eyes full of concern. "Amy, talk to me, please."
Her hands ran through her hair, her lips quivering. She couldn't deny she was relieved. She needed his strength, but she felt bad that he wasn't going, knowing it was because of her. "Ty, I can't lie; I want you here. This parenting thing is tough, and I'm not sure I can do it on my own. But I can't keep you here if you want to go." Her voice was shaky.
He did want to go, but he could not do that to her again. He needed to be there for her and Lyndy. "Amy, I went to Mongolia because you said I should go before the baby came—that after the baby was here, you wouldn't let me go because you would need me. Now you're telling me to go. Why?"
She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "I can't keep you from doing something you feel so strongly about, Ty. If I tell you no, you'll regret not going and end up hating me." The tears streamed down her face.
"Hey, I'll never hate you, Amy. Are you all right? You're scaring me. Amy, I need you to talk to me, please." He held her tight, her body shaking from her sobs.
"I'm sorry. You're going to hate me, but I can't say goodbye to you again. Especially not now, Ty. I need you home."
His finger brought her chin up, so he could look in her eyes. "Amy, what do you mean by especially now? Is something wrong? Just tell me, please. We'll deal with whatever it is together. But I need to know."
Taking a breath and wiping her nose on her sleeve, she looked him straight in the eyes. "Ty, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. Lyndy was sick—well, we thought she was, and I forgot my appointment to get my shot, and I know you're going to hate me."
Ty let out a huge sigh. "Amy, are you pregnant?" His eyes were as big as saucers.
Amy looked at her husband. "Yes, and I'm so sorry! Are you mad at me?" Her eyes searched his.
"Oh, my god, Amy, of course I'm not mad at you. I thought you were—never mind what I thought. We're expecting, really?" His arms squeezed her tight. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, he kissed her lips over and over until she was out of breath. "I'm not going to miss this chance again. Being home with you is where I want to be. I love you, Amy Fleming-Borden!"