Disclaimer: This is an Uber fan fiction (what is now known as AU), so the characters and story line are mine, although many of the folks in here bear resemblance to those on Xena: Warrior Princess, which is property of Renaissance Pictures and so on...
Sex Disclaimer: There is mention of two women in love although nothing graphic.
Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of domestic violence (not graphic) and sexual abuse (one detailed description, with a separate warning in that chapter).
Copyright Disclaimer: The songs used in here are God Bless the Child by Shania Twain, Love is Stronger Than Pride by Ricochet and What I Meant to Say by Wade Hayes. No copyright infringement is intended, they're just very lovely songs that fit the purpose. There is a poem near the end that is my own.
Also, I got the idea and some of the commands for the dogs from teagen2's series beginning with The Gang's All Here. I must give credit to a great author; if you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do so! :) One more, this story is mine, so please don't use the plot or characters and such without contacting me first! Thanks!
Since isn't letting me save the HTML changes, so here are the links - for teagen2 /styles/athenaeum_deepblue/author _ and for Athenaeum in general - /styles/athenaeum _ .
Author's Note: I wrote this story more than a decade ago and while it needs to be rewritten, I haven't done so yet. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy it. Over the years, I was lucky enough to have this story earn several awards on the Athenaeum - Perennial Favorite Award: #68 in 2002, #11 in 2003, #95 in 2004. All my thanks to you, the readers.
Chapter 1
Walking out the front door of her house, Samantha Martin smiled at the feel of the sun on her face, and welcomed the day. The sunrise was beautiful, with orange and pink hues playing throughout the blue sky, creating a light background for the ranch.
The Ranch was on a piece of twenty-five acre Utah land, with a creek all its own, a small forest, and even a few cacti here and there. The house Sam stepped out of was a three bedroom, two bathroom, grand looking 2800 square-foot home that Sam modestly referred to as her 'cottage'. It was nestled out in the country, the nearest people nearly five miles away, and silent at night, save the crickets chirping the weather.
Just five feet from the side of her house, Sam's two German Shepherds slept soundly. Arcadia, the female, was white and black, and Eurich, the male, was black and tan, with more black in his face than tan. Both were about three years old, and well trained. They responded well to Sam's commands, and alerted her to any intruders, as well as gave her unconditional love. An automatic-filling water bowl and feeder set in the corner of the large chain-link enclosed paddock, with a medium-sized dog house in the back, allowing the dogs the rest of the pen to run.
Not more than twenty yards from the house was the corral, where Sam's horses were stabled. A nice-sized, old-fashioned, red barn gave the animals shelter from the sun and rain, and the occasional snow, as well as a place to sleep. Just ten yards from the corral, was the entrance to the Ranch, where an oak wood sign reading 'The Martin's Mustang Ranch' was visible.
The Ranch was a dream Sam had, with hopes for it to come true. It was supposed to be a place for mentally and physically disabled children to bond with the horses, as well as those who had been abused or neglected, who were unfortunate enough to have a childhood similar to Sam's. That's what it was supposed to be. And, it was supposed to be the Martin's Ranch.
The dream was shattered when Sam's husband, Ross Martin, was killed in a car accident, along with her five-year old son, Brian. The three of them were going to fix up the ranch, and get it going; together. But it wasn't to be.
A drunk driver killed the father and son on their way home from a softball game four years ago. Ross' efforts to regain control of the small white Lexus after being hit by a Dodge pickup truck were futile, and the car crashed head first into a tree, after passing through a guard rail and careening down a hill. The police said that the two were killed instantly.
With Ross having died 'intestate' - no will, and no living relatives, save his wife - Sam was left with all of Ross' possessions. His Ford F350 pickup truck, the ranch, the money in his numerous bank accounts, even the house; all were transferred into Sam's name. But she would have given them all away, just to have her husband and her baby boy in her arms again.
Sighing, Sam walked over to the corral, and whistled shrilly, one sharp note. A few moments later, a Palomino mare meandered out from the barn, and put her nose into Sam's outstretched hand, snorting softly.
"Hey, girl," said Sam, patting the mare lovingly, stroking the velvet nose. "I'm not the only one who gets up at dawn, am I? All right, all right," she laughed, as the horse butted her head into Sam's stomach, insistent. "I get the idea, Venus! Is Thunder hungry, too? Thunder!" she called.
A big black stallion lumbered out at the sound of his name, and walked up to his master, blowing a puff of hot horse breath into her black hair. Laughing, Sam patted Thunder's neck, and then called the other horses. All six of Sam's horses were trained to answer to their name; except Venus, who was the newest, whom Sam had trained to come to a whistle.
When all horses, a chestnut mare named Mercury, a Pinto gelding appropriately named Paint, an Appaloosa named Silverbow, and a chestnut gelding with a scarred tongue called Lucky, as well as Thunder and Venus, were all present and accounted for, Sam gave them their breakfast; a cup of oats and a flake of hay. With Silverbow and Paint being the only exceptions, Sam's horses were Mustangs, trained and 'started' - Sam hated the word 'broken' - with her own two hands, lovingly adapted from the wild to the domestic world.
Sam climbed through the pipes of the corral, and brushed her long black hair from her face, revealing blue eyes that sparkled as the sun finished its ascent into the eastern sky. Entering the barn, she made sure everything was in order, cleaned the stalls, and then checked her stock of hay. Satisfied, Sam left the barn, brush in hand, and walked over to Thunder. Brushing the stallion first, Sam hummed a tune as she groomed each of her horses. The ranch owner enjoyed being with her horses, and often regretted having to do anything else.
When all six horses had been thoroughly brushed, Sam returned to her home to eat breakfast. The horses always ate first. When she was having a tough time getting through the pain of Ross and Brian's deaths, her horses were the only things that gave her a reason to get up in the morning - they depended on her, and she wouldn't let them down.
Come on, now, sighed Sam, let's not get depressed this early in the morning.
The clock read seven o'clock as she poured her bowl of cereal. As she did every morning, Sam sat at her kitchen table, facing the window so she was able to keep an eye on her horses.
With Ross' involvement in the stocks, and his wealth as a computer technician, there was little Sam had to worry about in the way of money. An occasional payment for Thunder's services as a stud, as well as the odd jobs she did for people in town, kept the Ranch paid for and money in her pocket. Thus, each day was spent in the company of her horses.
Silverbow had just raised her head, apparently hearing something, and Eurich began barking, as Sam finished her meal. Stopping, Sam listened, too. After living with horses for most of her life, Sam had learned to tune into her senses, and could hear and smell almost as well as her animal friends. Now, she focused her hearing.
She heard the truck not long after the horses and dogs, and by the sound of it, Sam determined that whoever it was, they were in a hurry, but it had to be someone she knew.
Besides, Sam thought, with a smile on her face, only a few people can find the house back here. Anyone I don't know has got to be hopelessly lost. The ranch was hidden away in the hills, and the only people who came anywhere near it either had no idea where they were, or they were a close friend of Sam's.
Sam stepped out front, straightening her white sleeveless shirt and blue jeans, as she waited for the vehicle to appear. Sure enough, just moments later, a blue Blazer came into view, and Sam recognized the driver immediately: her friend, McKayla Farr.
McKayla was a green eyed woman with short blond hair. Sam noted it was much shorter than the last time she had seen her friend; the then shoulder length locks had been cropped about as short as was possible.
As the woman parked the car, and stepped out to greet her friend, Sam realized that McKayla hadn't taken off her seat-belt before she got out.
She must have never put it on, thought Sam. She must have been in a hurry, for Miss Safety to have neglected to fasten her seat-belt. A soft but firm command to the dogs, and they fell silent, still on full alert as they sat back on their haunches, watching the stranger warily, ever watchful of their master.
The girl stepped out, and Sam was once again reminded of their difference in height. While the rancher was a towering five-eleven, the bank clerk was barely five-four. She wore a light blue short-sleeved top, black Khaki pants, and tennis shoes.
"Hi, Kayla," said Sam, as McKayla walked up to her.
"Sam!" said McKayla, jogging over to the tall woman, her face red. "I did it!" she cried.
Samantha looked confused. "Did what?" she asked, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder to calm her down.
"I gave him the papers," said Kayla, trembling from fear, rather then Sam's first guess of excitement. "He didn't take it very well," she whispered.
Sam's face changed from confusion to alarm. "Are you okay?" she asked, ducking her head to meet Kayla's eyes, which were red and puffy from a recent crying session. Kayla nodded that she was fine, and Sam let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
For five years, McKayla had been married to Hank Farr, a man who demanded complete control. When he didn't get what he wanted, he threw a fit, lashing out at Kayla. While Sam, Kayla's friend of, then, four years, had tried time and time again to convince Kayla that the marriage just wasn't going to work out, Kayla insisted that Hank just needed some time. Now, it seemed, finally, Kayla had served the man the divorce papers.
"He just yelled a lot," said Kayla. "Then, he kicked me out. I figured it would be better if I left for a while, anyhow," she shrugged.
Sam glanced up at the truck, and noticed that Kayla had thrown a bundle clothes and a sleeping bag in the back of her truck. "You can stay here," she said.
"Oh!" said Kayla, not too surprised by the generous suggestion of her friend. "No, I couldn't ask you to do that."
Sam smiled a warm smile to her friend of nearly ten years. "You didn't. I offered. I've got plenty of room, you know that," she said. "You can stay in the guest room next to mine. Besides," she added, with an even wider grin on her face, "I'm sure Silverbow has missed you."
Sam knew that would entice Kayla to do almost anything. The Appaloosa had been adopted by Kayla, who took care of the horse every chance she got, taking over for her feeding, grooming, and even cleaning her tack.
Kayla brought her green eyes to meet Sam's blue ones, and knew her friend was determined. Sighing in defeat, she said, "All right. How is my girl?"
"See for yourself. She just finished eating," said Sam, and gestured to the mare. Kayla wandered over, and talked softly to the horse, as the Appaloosa snorted gently in her hand. Sam took this time to unload Kayla's truck, and carry the bags into her house. Setting them down in the corner of the guest room, she went back into the kitchen, and prepared to make a meal large enough to satisfy her friend's appetite.
Sam heard the door open a few minutes later, and knew Kayla had come inside. The small woman paused for several minutes, taking a chance to survey the scene before her, never failing to be amazed by the glamour of Sam's house.
To her left, entering from the front door, Kayla saw the living room, which was equipped with a large sofa, two recliners, a 32" TV, and full entertainment system. The oak shelves held the TV, the VCR, a high-tech stereo system, complete with CD player and radio, and something Kayla noticed was new: a DVD player was placed above the TV. Two side cabinets held videos, both cassette and DVD, and music CDs. The room was carpeted, and three small tables were used as stands for the lamps, accompanied by a small oak coffee table that set in front of the couch.
To her right was the den. The room held a sofa, a large and comfortable plush chair, and a massive Persian rug. The rug was laid out in front of the large fireplace, and two bookcases lined the back wall, filled with the horror novels that were Sam's favorite. A single lamp loomed over the chair, in a spot that made it able to give light to both the chair and the sofa, with a portable phone on a small table next to the arm of the recliner.
On one wall, Kayla spotted a black baby-grand piano, and on another, she noticed a computer desk. The cover of the oak desk was open, and Kayla saw a large monitor, as well as a big CPU tower, and could only imagine the amount of memory and speed in Sam's computer.
Continuing her tour of the house. Kayla skipped Sam's bedroom, for nothing better than the sake of privacy, and moved on to the next door, which was to her right, and marked the first bathroom. A large bath and shower could be seen, as well as a grand looking double-sink with a medicine cabinet above, and toilet off to the corner, behind yet another door for even more solitude.
The next room was the first guest room, on Kayla's left, which was where she was going to sleep. A small grin crept across her face as she saw that Sam had already placed her things in the bedroom, setting them neatly in the corner.
Sam, thought Kayla, noticing that Sam had thoughtfully placed a book on the bedside table, one that Kayla had been expressing an interest in, you're too good to me.
The bed she would sleep in was Queen-sized, and a bedside table held a lamp, the novel, another phone - this one with a cord, and an alarm clock, whose digital display was set to the exact time. There was a throw-rug on the floor by the foot of the bed, with a floral design that Kayla found attractive. There was a single window, with drapes, which were closed, and a single picture of a western scene on the wall. All in all, it was a plain room, but Kayla felt cozy and at home in the pleasant surroundings.
The second bathroom was much like the first, save the single sink and large cabinet space, so Kayla merely glanced in on her way. Finding it to be just as nice as the rest of the house, she continued on to the third bedroom, after going through a hallway of pictures.
The last bedroom held a smaller bed, without a window or rug. It was carpeted, as well, and a country farmhouse painting was mounted on the wall above the bed. A small table held only a clock and a phone.
The smell of food made Kayla smile, and she retraced her steps back through the hallways, and arrived in the kitchen. Feeling as though she had just completed a maze, Kayla grinned as she found her way out, as well as something to eat.
A round dining table was at one end of the tiled floor, and the actual cooking part of the kitchen was at the other. A stove with an oven, a large refrigerator/freezer combination, and cabinet occupied the space. Above the large double-sink was a window, so Sam could watch Eurich and Arcadia, and a series of cabinets hugged the wall. Below the counter top were several drawers and cabinets, holding cooking utensils and pans. To the right of the sink, and setting on a sturdy shelf, was the microwave. Mounted on the wall was the main cordless phone, a telephone and answering machine in one, fully furnished with a Caller ID.
Kayla, seeing that Sam was preparing breakfast, smiled again. "You don't have to do that," she protested, weakly.
Sam shrugged. "I'll bet you haven't eaten yet," was all she said, and continued stirring the pot she had on her gas stove.
"Well, you're right," said Kayla, and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs placed next to the round table. Glancing through a pair of doors which were slightly ajar, Kayla noticed a large room, with a concrete floor and various pieces of workout equipment, which kept Sam in shape.
"Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate this," said the blond, turning her attention back to her tall friend.
"No problem. It's been a while since I've seen you, anyway," said Sam, setting the pan of oatmeal, along with a plate of toast and jam, on the table beside Kayla. Then, handing her a bowl and a spoon, as well as a glass of orange juice, she sat down across from her friend.
"So, what caused you to finally get it over with?" asked Sam, straight to the point, as always. Sometimes that had a tendency to get her into trouble, but it was a habit, and more often than not, her bluntness got the answers she wanted when people tried to avoid telling her the truth? Shaking her head slightly, Sam paid attention to what Kayla was saying.
"I just got fed up," she replied, munching on a piece of toast. Taking a knife, she buttered the next piece before continuing. "I've put up with it long enough, and I realized no matter how sweet he talked, he was never going to change," she said, beginning to put a rather large dent in the oatmeal.
"But he didn't hurt you?" asked Sam, concerned.
Kayla shook her head. "No," she said, "not this time. I had Jack give him the papers, but I was there when he received them. I guess I shouldn't have been, but," she said, and gave a short laugh, "it's too late to do anything about that now." The young woman scraped the last of the warm cereal from the pan, downed the remaining juice in her glass, and swallowed the last bit of toast. "That was good," she complimented.
Sam just smiled. She still didn't understand, and didn't suspect she would ever know, how such a little thing as Kayla could eat enough at one sitting to last Sam all day, only to be hungry a few hours later, and never gain a pound. "Well, one thing I can do is cook. Just don't expect to try your hand in my kitchen while you're here," warned Sam, donning a wide grin.
"I wouldn't dare," said Kayla, acting offended. "I'm working towards paying you back, not killing you off." Sam laughed, a deep, hearty laugh. Both women knew Kayla couldn't cook a decent meal, unless it had the words "Microwavable" written somewhere, if her life depended on it.
Heck, though Sam, she even finds a way to burn soup! At that thought, the rancher laughed even harder, remembering the incident as though it had happened yesterday, instead of nearly three years ago.
Kayla eyed her strangely. Sam rarely laughed hard enough to make her cry, and yet she caught tears welling up in the intense blue eyes of her friend. "What's so funny?" she asked, Sam's laughter proving to be contagious as a smile threatened to spread across Kayla's face.
"I just got to thinking about the time you burned the soup," she explained, beginning to calm down, as she wiped at her eyes. "I thought your mom was gonna kill you!"
Even Kayla had to chuckle. "Not my fault she asked me to cook dinner," she mumbled. "How was I supposed to know she expected it to be non-toxic, much less edible?"
Sam dried her eyes with the back of her hand, and cleared the table. As she ran the water for dishes, having no desire to own an electric dishwasher, Kayla came up beside her.
"Let me do that," the girl offered.
"I've got it," said Sam, adding the soap, and replacing it underneath the sink in the cabinet.
"You made breakfast, so I can wash dishes," said Kayla, nudging Samantha gently to the side.
"All right," Sam sighed. "You want to go riding today? I can get Venus and Silverbow saddled up while you do that." Kayla nodded enthusiastically as she put the glass and silverware into the soapy water, and Sam left the house to go back out to the corral, and find the correct tack.
By the time Kayla was done washing dishes, and had changed into her boots and jeans, Sam was ready to go. Exiting the house, Kayla found two horses waiting for her, the Palomino already mounted by her friend, the Appaloosa waiting patiently and obediently, her reins held in a bronzed hand, callused by daily ranch work.
"Took you long enough," teased Sam, handing Kayla the reins.
"I refuse to ride in sneakers," said Kayla, putting her left foot in the stirrup and pulling herself atop Silverbow. Sam chuckled and clucked her tongue, and the two equines moved off at a comfortable walk.
"I forgot how nice this was," commented Kayla, softly, after a few minutes of silence.
"You know you're welcome any time," said Sam, gently, wondering if her voice sounded as harsh to Kayla as it did to her own ears. As far as she was concerned, it had been too long since the rancher had seen her friend.
No, that's not fair, thought Sam. I know she doesn't get to see me very often because Hank won't let her go out of the house. Just be glad it's over.
"I know," sighed Kayla, deeply. "I appreciate your letting me stay, Sam, I really do. I don't mean to impose, I just didn't know where else to go?" she muttered, the emotional strain finally catching up with her, as tears ran down her face.
"Hey?" said Sam, shortening the reins, and both horses stopped. "You're not imposing, Kayla. I enjoy spending time with you. I'm glad you came to me," said Sam, honestly.
"Thanks," sniffled Kayla, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry."
Sam smiled, gently. "It's okay," she said, "don't worry about it. How far do you want to go today?" she asked, clucking her tongue again.
"Can we get back about three?" asked Kayla, hesitantly. "I mean, if you've got other things to do," she started, but Sam shook her head.
"Nope, not a thing," she said, smiling. "Already checked on Eurich and Arcadia, so we can head back whenever you're ready. Oh, I want to show you something," she said, as an idea struck her. "Come on," she said, nudging Venus into a quick trot, Silverbow following close behind.
After nearly forty minutes of galloping through the trees, Sam pulled up on the reins, and Venus slowed into a canter, and then to a walk, with Silverbow following suit. Sam pointed, and as Kayla followed with her eyes, she gasped.
There, beyond the trees, trickling down a few rocks into a pond, was a small but breathtaking waterfall. The water was so clear, it almost hurt to look at it as the sun reflected off the glass-like surface. Dismounting, Sam and Kayla let the horses drink, as they leaned up against a large tree.
Pulling Venus' saddlebag from her back, Sam withdrew a few items she had packed, and handed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to Kayla, taking one for herself.
"Thanks," said Kayla, already starting on the meal. Two minutes later, Sam handed Kayla the canteen, and the woman drank half the water in three gulps, washing down her sandwich, of which no traces were evident, having been completely devoured.
"Hungry?" chuckled Sam, with an eyebrow raised, and Kayla blushed.
"Not anymore," she replied, smiling. "This is nice here," she said, and Sam nodded.
"I found it just a few days ago when I was out on Thunder," said the woman. "Figured I'd come back and make sure I knew exactly where it was. I really like the peacefulness," she added, and Kayla agreed by staying silent.
"Sam, I..." stuttered Kayla, breaking the silence, awkwardly. "I have to go back," she said, all in a rush of breath.