Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom Stallion or any of the characters. Terri Farley does.

W00T for boring disclaimers? XD I'm just to lazy to think of a good one.

~~&&~~

Sheriff Heck Billiard slowly drove over the bridge to River Bend ranch. His cruiser's wheels rolling over the ridges on the bridge. It felt like it was taking years to cross it. Maybe he wanted it to. He wasn't going to have fun telling his friend.

~&~

Wyatt Forester was sitting in front of the TV watching the afternoon news. He had just gotten back from riding fence with the ranch hands and taking a shower. Sam was in the kitchen, helping Gram-or rather hindering- make cookies. Louise was out getting something, she had said it was a surprise. She sure had been gone awhile. Louise left a bit after Wyatt did.

The buckaroo heard a vehicle cross the bridge, assuming it was Louise back from her "errand". He got up from his big recliner, and walked out to the porch, taken aback a little when he saw the sheriff's car, not his wife's.

"Hey Heck. What can I do for 'ya?" He asked the young Sheriff.

Heck pulled his hat down a little harder on his head, and slowly walked towards the porch. He cleared his throat before talking.

"Wyatt . . . I got some, ah, bad news."

Wyatt's breathe caught in his throat. Any bad news from the county sheriff probably would be worse then bad.

"We found Louise's car, upside down, on the side of a rode near Antelope crossing." Heck looked to Wyatt for his reaction.

His face blanched.

"I'm sorry, but . . . By the time paramedics got there, it was too late. Louise is gone Wyatt." The sheriff looked down at his boot toe, when he looked up, Wyatt had sunk to the porch step, and buried his head in his big sun tanned hands.

"That isn't all Wyatt. I don't know if you knew or not, but, Louise was pregnant."

Wyatt 's back straightened. He lifted his head and looked at Heck.

"No . . . She . . . She never told me." He buried his head in his hands again.

The cowboy felt a small hand on his shoulder.

"Daddy? Whats wrong Daddy? Wheres Mama?" little Sam asked her father, confused.

Gram was standing behind Sam, her hand covering her mouth, and for the first time in almost 20 years, she saw her son cry.

~~&&~~

FIN. R&R please!