Stay Strong

JISA/ sets in somewhere in Season 11/maybe Spoilers for those who haven't watched S11 yet – You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice

(New story. Not sure yet what the whole story will be like. Step by step. So I am not promising anything and especially no quick updates *sorry*. Hope your are patient enough to follow the story anyway :)
English is not my native language, so pls excuse any grammatical mistakes.)

Chapter 1

He didn't quite like what he saw. There was too much turmoil on the race track. Several horses were on the track to be galloped down the lane. More were waiting in the starting gate that was about to open any second. On the side stable hands, jockeys and coaches were holding on to prancing animals that waited for their turn to be put into the gate. Loud talking filled the air, next to the consistent snorting and neighing of the nervous horses. It wasn't a racing day yet an important race lay ahead and everyone seemed to go crazy about it.
So was Lisa.
Jack couldn't blame her. Since her business had been classified as nearly broke, she was desperately trying to keep it afloat. Every little penny was needed to be passed on to the salary of her employees. She still hadn't dismissed one of them, although the stress of the last months had worn her out. Jack was proud of her for being so strong but he was also worried that it would burn her out soon.
Right now he was sitting in the first row of the grand stand and watched his wife standing at the side of the race track talking to Amy who stood next to one of Lisa's racing horses – her hope but at the same time greatest worry – Chandelier Glow. The big black horse was a champion. He won several races already but lately seemed to be out of balance and highly stressed which caused him to buck and rear whenever someone sat on him. A case for Amy's healing hands. His granddaughter had been working with him for a couple weeks now, switching back and forth between Heartland and the race track, giving him total care and getting him checked through by Ty and a physical therapist. Chandelier Glow had improved and kept being focused most of the time, doing his job. Still, the source of his behaviour was a mystery. From time to time he would fall back into his pattern and act unpredictable. Amy wasn't satisfied with the current state of the training and was highly skeptical if not to say worried that the horse was ready for such an important race Lisa was counting on. She agreed to let him run in the race only if the test run went well.
So here they were. Besides all the other horses the black one seemed pretty calm and relaxed which was a good sign.
Lisa and Amy discusses strategies that were relevant for the racing day. It wouldn't be easy to stand a chance against various top horses. One of them was Dan Hartfield's French Kiss that was everyone's favourite and the bets on him had been running high for weeks. Despite Lisa's stressed situation Dan made sure to remind her of his big win ever so often, especially since she was sending in a horse that was all nuts. Although Jack secretly had to admit that the man wasn't all wrong with his opinion, he was close to send a flying fist into his grinning face. Yet, Lisa held him back. As reasonable as she always was she ignored her ex-husbands derisive comments, not willing to put too much energy into it. There were other worries she had to deal with. Jack admired her coolness in those situation but also knew that his wife was fighting inside. Not only against such jerks like Dan Hartfield but also with herself. It wasn't easy for her to open up and talk about the situation at Fairfield. By now Jack knew which points he had to trigger to make her talk and sometimes she would just break down right in front of him, crying and letting go some of the stress that kept growing from day to day. It hurt to see her like this and since there wasn't much Jack could do, he at least could offer her a strong shoulder to lean on. Sometimes he wondered how much longer she could go on like this. A topic Lisa refused to talk about. Fairfield had been in her family for decades and she would be ashamed of herself to lose it. Not to mention all the people that relied on her.
Jack sighed. He really hoped the fortune was on her side this time and Chandelier Glow would pull himself together and win this damn race.
With a loud bang the doors of the starting gate opened yet another time and released three horses that were running in full speed and head on head down the track. Jack followed them with his eyes for a moment before drawing his attention back on his granddaughter and wife. Lisa was holding on to the reins while Amy mounted the horse with the help of one of the men that were running around, looking out where help was needed. Although the guy resolutely sent the young woman up onto the horse's back, Amy made sure to lower herself carefully into the saddle, knowing to treat the animal with caution. But Chandelier Glow seemed calm and Lisa patted his neck. From the distance Jack could see the relieved smiles on both women's lips and couldn't help but smile as well. Everything looked fine so far.
A new line of horses was formed behind the starting gate, waiting for the back doors to open.
Again Jack smiled to himself as he saw Lisa still talking to Amy while she rode a cross the track towards the gate. It indeed was an important race for Lisa otherwise she just would let Amy do her work. However this time she tried to make sure everything went well. Her business depended on that horse. Jack was sure, he needed to find a way to distract her until and on the day of the race otherwise she would go crazy and besides that would drive Amy mad as well who had been really patient with her so far. While in thoughts about possible distractions, the black horse suddenly stopped near the gate. Calmly Amy encouraged him to keep moving but he refused to get closer. Jack watched attentively from where he sat. Somehow a bad feeling spread in his gut. Something wasn't right.
With a frown Jack's eyes moved from Chandelier Glow to the chestnut that stood behind Lisa and next to two other horses that all were waiting at the starting gate. The back doors were still closed. It was uncommon that they would let the horses wait for so long to get in and the result was already visible – nervous and headless horses that couldn't keep their feet still. The jockeys had a hard time to calm them down and the chestnut was the worst of them. His nervousness was reflected in aggression. Backwards pointed ears, clenched lips and scrunched up nostrils were not only signs for humans to stand back but also for Chandelier Glow who swerved to the left and the right as a man was pulling on his reins to move him the last steps towards the starting gate. The chestnut's head swung dangerously through the air, yet Jack seemed to be the only one to notice. Amy was shouting at the man to let go of the reins while Lisa stood behind him with a hand on his shoulder, trying to persuade him that his actions weren't helpful. Jack didn't like that his wife was in the middle of the whole scenario and especially that she stood only a few meters from the chestnut. Awful images were running through his head when he left his seat and started to hurry towards the little side entrance of the race track. He'd better give them a hand before it was too late.
As Jack passed the people that were standing like frozen in his way, he heard an all too familiar high pitched voice that sent a terrible chill down his spine.
"Amy! Watch ou-! No no no NO!"
But Chandelier Glow already jumped forward and with force swung his hindquarters around towards the threatening chestnut yet ended up falling hard against Lisa who was now trapped between the two nearly fighting animals and the still closed starting gate. Her arms flew up into the air, trying to shield herself from the horse's weight.
It all happened too fast. The next thing Jack saw was his wife being hurled against the starting gate and her head violently hit an iron bar.
"LISA!", his voice loud and reedy as he squeezed past a couple to get through.
The riders and men pushed and pulled the panicked horses to get away from the body.
Yet, in panic to the yelling and hectic Chandelier Glow kept backing up, pressing his side against the woman who seemed to already lean unconsciously against the gate. An awful cracking noise swept across the field.
"C'mon boy. Go. Move on.", Amy shouted and finally managed to send the horse forward. Like a puppet Lisa immediately went down to the ground, laying there lifeless on the short grass.
His legs had never carried him so fast. He was almost stumbling across the race track to the other side, trying to keep his eyes on the motionless figure of his wife but horses and people kept blocking the view.
On his way he saw one of the stable hands bending down and starting to roll Lisa over.
"STOP! Don't touch her!", he bellowed loudly and as soon as he reached him grabbed the man's collar and pulled him back. The cracking sound still echoed in Jack's ears. Something must have broken and he didn't know what it was. Moving her would probably cause even more damage and in the worst case leave a permanent damage. Falling onto his knees Jack immediately reached for the pulse under her jawbone. Relief washed over him as he felt it right under his trembling fingers. Still, there was not the slightest movement. On her side Lisa lay unconscious in front of him. Blood appeared right above her temple, escaping from a deep cut.
"Grandpa, I am... I-", Amy's shaky voice suddenly appeared from behind, her hand dropping onto his shoulder.
"Ambulance! NOW!", he shouted without taking his eyes off his wife. The red and thick liquid ran across her forehead, leaving a dangerous looking path on her pale skin before soaking her hair. With shaking fingers he drew a cloth from his pocket and carefully pressed it on the wound to stop it from bleeding.
The words were stuck in his throat. His mouth felt dry and numb. He couldn't say anything but gaze at her with wide and panic-stricken eyes. Inside of him the urge to pull her into his arms. But no. He was too late.
He was caught in the middle of his worst nightmare.
Yet, this time it was real.