Disclaimer: I do not own Heartland
Chapter 1
Ty frowned as he walked through the entrance to the alleyway that led to his father's so called house. He gagged as the smell from the trash bins reached his nose. That stench almost made him turn around right then and there and go back to Heartland where Amy was waiting. His heart sank as he realised that Amy won't be waiting for him. She was probably cursing his name right about now. Shaking his head he hefted his bag over his shoulder and walked up to the door. It's large metallic shine felt imposing to Ty as he hesitated before it.
An image of Amy appeared in his head as he stepped forward to knock. He remembered that night in the barn, after the Fall Finale. Amy was so excited from the win; they were both feeling the high. The dingy scene around him dissolved as he was swept away in the memory. It was the first time they kissed. He desperately wished that he could go back, back to the barn, back to the loft, back to Amy.
Ty was startled out of his reverie as the metal door in front of him slammed open and standing before him was his father. Brad Borden was a tall lanky man around his late 40's with brown hair and a scraggly beard. His blue eyes crinkled as a smile split across his face. Ty was annoyed at how much he looked like him. As if I wasn't enough like him already, thought Ty, with our knack for running away and hurting those closest to us we're positively twins.
"Ty!" exclaimed Brad as he stepped aside to let his son in, "I thought I heard something outside! I'm so glad you decided to come. In fact I have a bit of a surprise for you-" Ty held up his hand to stop his dad's flow of words as he squeezed his way inside the small hallway.
"Whoa dad. Let me get inside first." Ty could see Brad nodding excitedly as he hurriedly closed and latched the door behind him. This poor lighting did nothing to hide the fact how run down this place was. Paint was crumbling off the roof and in the places where there was wallpaper on the walls, it was flaking off. The air was thick with dust and Ty coughed as he took his first mouthful of air.
"I know it's not much," said his dad as he followed behind Ty, "but, it's better than nothing, and it's home." Ty didn't say anything as he reached the end of the narrow hallway. Where there was supposed to be a door, there was just a sheet nailed to the arch. Taking a deep breath, steeling himself for what's on the other side, Ty pushed his way through.
Surprised, Ty glanced around. The air was much cleaner and the wallpaper had been stripped from the walls leaving them bare and grey. The roof had also been stripped of paint, leaving the floor clean of any falling strips. There was an old second hand brown couch against the left hand corner of the room, actually it looked like a fourth or fifth hand but, anyway, it looked in good shape for a piece of furniture that his dad owned. A rickety coffee table that looked like it was about to collapse stood in front of it. A small four person dining table occupied the right side of the room with three mismatched chairs around it. The kitchen was in the back right corner, just big enough for one person to cook in. There was a rusty sink that he assumed didn't work and a small beer fridge next to the counter. Next to the kitchen were three doors, which Ty assumed lead into two bedrooms and a bathroom. All in all, despite the shape that house was in, the place was well kept and looked after.
"What do you think?" asked Brad nervously as he moved towards the middle of the small main room.
"I'm surprised," told Ty truthfully, "I expected it to be like last time."
A look of embarrassment passed across his dad's face for a second before he replaced it was a forced grin.
"Well, I've changed Ty, and well, there's something I need to tell you-"
"Wait," interrupted Ty again. He couldn't believe that he had been here less than two minutes and his dad was already unburdening all his problems on to him. "Just let me put my stuff in my room first before we settle. I'm pretty tired from the trip."
"Yes, yes, of course!" exclaimed Brad as he hurried over the middle of the three doors. Pointing to the one on the left he said, "That's the bathroom, sorry but at the moment we only have cold water, but I'm trying to get that fixed. And that door," he said, pointing to the door on the right, "is my room." Ty walked across the room and stopped by his dad in front of the middle door which he assumed led into his bedroom.
"Ty before you go in there, there's something I really need to tell you."
"Come on dad." Sighed Ty as he pushed ahead and opened the door. Stepping into the bedroom more shock caught hold of Ty. A plain single bed with fresh sheets on the end was pushed against the right wall but what surprised Ty was the other twin bed in front of him, against the right wall. The bed was neatly made with green sheets and a light blue blanket. A couple of posters of some people on horses were plastered above the bed head. An old large chest was sitting at the foot of the bed with a duffel bag on top. A few old tops and a pair of jeans were hanging on a rack next to it.
Confusion was all Ty could feel as he turned and stepped back into the main room where his father remained.
"Care to explain?" he asked, dumping his things on the floor where he stood. Anxiety radiated off of his father as he backed up a couple of steps, holding his hands up in a calming gesture.
"Now Ty, there's something I need to tell you."
"There damn is!" Ty replied, barely containing his need to shout.
"Ok, the thing is-"
"Dad! I'm back!"
His father stopped short as the sound of the front door shutting reached them. Light footsteps sounded down the hall before the sheet was pushed away revealing a young girl, around 15 to 16 years old, a few years younger than Ty. She had long dark brown hair and bright green eyes. She was small in stature and had a slight tan. She wore faded, slightly ripped jeans and a plain t shirt that hung a little too big on her, making her look even skinner than she actually was. She held a brown grocery bag in her arms and a grey hoodie tied around her waist. Defiance showed in her eyes as she realised there was a stranger in the room. Ty saw her body tense up as she stopped dead, taking in the scene in front of her.
Clearing his throat, Brad stepped towards the girl, "Ty," he said facing him, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"This is your sister, Rebecca."
