-Winter Tears-

Okay, this was somehow inspired while I was reading Wild Honey again the other day. This is set when Sam and Jake are a bit older, bout three years… Hope you like it! Characters not mine. Chapter edited. Chapter 2 coming soon.

Chapter 1: Ice

"Jake!" Sam screamed, trying desperately to control Tempest in the pouring rain. "Hold on!"

She didn't know what to do, 'This must have been how he felt when I had my accident,' she thought briefly before her attention returned to the present situation.

A light bulb seemed to have gone of in her head as she reached for the lariat tied to the young mare's saddle.

She inhaled deeply, given the amount of things that would have to go right in order for this to work, she needed complete concentration.

"Xanadu," she whispered to the horse beneath her. "I need you for this… Jake needs you."

The silver mare snorted loudly, bobbing her head up and down.

"Sam! Hurry!" Jake's voice came from somewhere in the darkness, she could barely make out his silhouette in the flooded river, and images of the time he'd broken his leg not that far from here flashed to mind.

She closed her eyes and threw the lariat amazed to see it fly over Jake's head, keeping it slack until he got at least one of his arms through it as well, so as not to strangle him.

"Okay, Xanadu. Back…" she coaxed her mount into reverse, watching as Jake let his body relax and be dragged out of the current.

'I hoped I'd never have to do that again…' she told her self, continuing to back Tempest further until Jake was a good ten yards from the water.

She heard him cough and sputter as she dismounted, trusting the now four year old mare to stay ground tied. "Jake…" she cried as she approached him.

"Good thinking…" he said, trying to catch the breath the river had washed out of him.

"How long were you in there before I showed up?" she asked, trying to keep him from sitting up. "Your supposed to stay lying down."

He sat up anyway, ignoring her protests. "About fifteen minutes."

Sam shoved him back down, "That long? You're lucky the ice held that long…"

"I know." He replied.

"It's the middle of December and you just fell through ice. You're gonna freeze…" she reminded him, looking to Tempest. "You're probably already hypothermic. We need to get back to River Bend, it's the only way."

She helped him stand, and upon noticing how shaky he was just doing that let him lean against her to help him move quicker. "You shouldn't be doing this, but…." She trailed off.

"Witch ran off…" he tried to explain, but Sam had to strain to make out the words, his teeth were chattering rather loudly.

Sam nodded. "I noticed that, when I got back to camp. That's why I was out here looking for you." She explained, helping him onto Tempest behind her, his soaked clothes making her cold.

Jake clung to her as she headed Tempest toward home.

"Thank you…" he whispered softly.

She shook her head. "No thanks needed. How many times have you saved me?" He was still shivering quite badly, she noted as she sent Tempest into a lope.

"You holding out okay?" she asked as River Bend finally appeared in the distance.

He nodded against her neck, still shaking. "Just keep going."

"Hold on," she told him, speeding up over the last mile or so.

When they finally reached the ranch she quickly helped Jake off, sent Tempest off toward Dallas who had appeared when he'd seen them coming, and burst through the front door.

"Sam?" Brynna looked up from where she sat at the table, flipping through a BLM file. Wyatt and Gram stepped into the kitchen a second later and, upon seeing Jake leaning against her, quickly sprung into action.

"Jake fell through the ice at the river. He's freezing…" she said, pulling him inside the house and into the bathroom where she started a bath, letting the tub fill with warm water before she helped him in. She was suddenly glad Brynna had made her take that first aid course, and that she'd aced it.

"What's Sammy doing?" Cody asked, walking into the room. The three year old boy made it to the tub before Sam could catch him. "Jake bath time?"

Brynna walked into the room, and Sam quickly handed the squirmy toddler to her, her attention returning to Jake. "Not quite…"

"We called the hospital in Darton, they're getting a MedEvac Unit to fly out here." Brynna said. "Is he any better?"

Sam nodded. "He's just a bit warmer. He was in the water for like fifteen minutes before I even found him." She subconsciously reached for his hand, holding it tightly in her own.

He opened his eyes, watching her closely. "What's… going on?" he asked his voice shaky.

"Help'll be here soon," she assured him. "Just stay awake and stay calm."

Brynna excused herself to go check on the status of the MedEvac.

She realized the water was starting to get cold and helped him out, wrapping several towels around him and moving him quickly onto the sofa covering him with a blanket.

A moment later she heard the helicopter landing outside and then three medics rushed through the doors, quickly moving Sam out of their way as they set to work, heated blankets and hot water bottles covered him as he was put on a stretcher and wheeled out of the door, Sam racing behind them.

Wyatt held her back as they loaded Jake into the MedEvac, and before she could protest the helicopter had started, taking Jake away from her.