~Joknotor Corner~
Hey guys! So I've found a new show to get hooked on, a CBC Show called Heartland! Anywho, this story starts during the episode where Tim gets shot by the cow thieves while trying to protect Amy, only instead of Tim getting shot, Ty does. I also kind of switched the episode order so imagine that the whole Wes stealing Spartan thing had already happened just a week or two prior to this fanfic, and there is no Kit/Ty nonsense (Sorry that's what it was). Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Heartland, or any of its assets.
Chapter One: 3 Inches of Luck
Red. It wasn't Amy's favorite color. Never had been. Reminded her too much of blood, and she'd seen enough of that for one lifetime. Life, however, seemed to have a cruel sense of humor, because that was all she could see right now; red, hot, real blood. The only thing that made it worse was where the blood was coming from, and that would be Ty. Everything had happened so fast, she hadn't noticed the man with the gun, or the desperate cries from her father and grandfather to stay back, or Ty calling out to her, right on her heels. However, everything jerked to a halt when she heard the gunshot, and watched, horrified as Ty hit the ground, hard. For the next few seconds, which felt like an equal amount of lifetimes, all Amy's brain could register was red, the red protruding from Ty's chest. Memories of the past few months since his return flooded her mind, their kiss just a few nights prior in the rain, his apparent reluctance to accept her feelings for him and his feelings for her, their other kiss at the cattle drive, his foolhardy bull-riding stunt for which she had berated him, and then back to their first kiss just four months before his return to Heartland. "TY!" Caleb's roar tore through Amy like a bucket of ice cold water as she snapped back to reality, taking a step forward just as Caleb skidded to a halt in front of her, leaning down to see to Ty's injuries, Tim and Jack racing over just behind him to see how they could help, if they could at all. Tim began to apply pressure to the wound, as Caleb stood to make the call for an ambulance, while Jack embraced Amy in a hug, trying to tear her eyes away from Ty, only succeeding in diverting her attention to the trailer full of her dad's cattle that was speeding away. The fading sound of the trailer's engine was replaced by the high-pitched whining of the ambulance's sirens, which grew louder until the paramedics rushed over to where Ty was lying, bleeding out fast. Jack was the one who said he'd ride with them to the hospital, and Tim replaced him in embracing Amy, trying to reassure her as best he could that everything would be okay. "You'll see Amy, Ty will be just fine" Tim said quietly, as though trying to convince himself of the same fact "He'll be fine."
The journey to the hospital was long for Amy, and the entire way she just felt numb. Caleb had gone ahead on his own, right after the ambulance had left, while Tim had stopped by the ranch with Amy to pick up Lou and Mallory. They rode in silence, save for the occasional comment by Mallory asking what had happened. Tim's responses were short and to the point, as he did not want to upset Amy anymore than she already was, and Lou eventually managed to silence Mallory, saying they'd know more when they got to the hospital so asking questions at that point didn't mean a whole lot. Of course, Lou was also bursting with questions, but she kept them to herself for Amy's sake, although she wasn't sure if her little sister was even listening to the conversation going on around her, she seemed like she was a million miles away. Lou's guess was right on the money; all Amy could process right now was the way Ty had jumped in front of her, and the way his limp body had hit the ground with a THUMP! Everything before and after that was lost to her, she jut kept replaying what had happened in her mind over and over again. When he had started to cry, she couldn't remember, but as they pulled into a parking spot outside the hospital, the stinging in her eyes brought her back to reality, and she hopped out of the truck, racing inside a fast as she could, Lou and Mallory following closely behind her, Tim bringing up the rear. Amy stood in the small waiting room for a moment, before racing over to her grandpa who pulled her into a tight hug as she began to shake, crying into Jack's shoulder. "How is he?" Lou asked her grandpa, once Amy had calmed down a little. "He's in the ICU right now, they took him into surgery the moment we arrived, something about a blood transfusion or something like that" Jack replied, barely holding it together himself. "What happened?" Mallory piped up, and Lou nodded at her, turning her own inquisitive stare to her grandfather. "He was shot by the thieves who were stealing my cattle" Tim said from behind them, taking off his hat and running a distressed hand through his hair, as Lou responded "Shot? But why...?" Amy wheeled around, hanging her head, and said "He was trying to protect me. He was shot because of me." Lou didn't say another word, she just pulled her sister into a hug, rubbing her back in an attempt to console her "Amy it wasn't your fault, don't say things like that." Amy was going to protest, when a man in a white coat cleared his throat behind them "Ahem! Are you Mr. Borden's family?" Jack responded to the doctor "Yes we are. Well, the closest thing he's got anyway." Sighing, the man extended his hand "I'm Dr. Graham, please sit down; we need to talk."
"So what's the story Doc?" asked Tim, once they had all sat down. "Well, I have some good news and some bad news" Dr. Graham replied, before continuing "The good news is that we successfully managed to repair the damage that the bullet did to Ty's torso, as it went straight through. He was very lucky to be honest" at their confused looks he clarified "What I mean is that the bullet struck his body 3 inches to the right of his heart, and hit no vital organs on it's way out either, so in that respect he was very, very lucky." Tim, Caleb and Jack sighed in relief, while Lou and Mallory hugged, but it was Amy who asked the next question, in a quiet, shaky voice "And the bad news?" Her question caused the others to tense up slightly, looking at the doctor, and he sighed as he said "He lost a lot of blood. We performed an emergency blood transfusion, but I'm afraid the stress on his heart may have done some permanent damage. We put in a medically induced coma, but his pulse is very weak, and the rest of his body seems to be giving out. The may of course just be temporary, but I'm afraid you need to be prepared for the worst. I am very sorry." Amy slumped in her seat, staring aimlessly at the floor, while Mallory ran out of the room, Caleb taking off after her, as Lou, Jack and Tim hung their heads sadly, unable to say anything. Once again, however, Amy piped up, and asked "Can I see him?" Dr. Graham eyed Amy over, debating in his mind, then eventually sighed and said "I'll let you see him, but ONLY you. I don't want to put any unnecessary stress on Ty if he does wake up."
Amy walked slowly to the room they had put Ty in, trying to mentally prepare herself for what she would see, but as she rounded to corner which led to the room he was lying in, Amy felt her knees give way, and it took all her strength not to fall over right there. Gripping the wall for support, Amy walked to the doorway, and felt more tears well up in her eyes again as she saw him, unconscious, hooked up to multiple IVs and monitors, his skin pale as snow, his staggered breathing clouding up the mask that was placed over his nose and mouth. Gathering up what was left of her strength, Amy walked over to the chair next to his bed, and sat down, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in, gripping his hand tightly in hers, tears flowing freely down her face. Nurses came in for the next few hours periodically to check on hiJm, giving Amy sympathetic looks and small words of encouragement, although they fell on deaf ears. In fact, Amy was all but dead to the world, her mind swirling with memories, both good and bad, of her time with Ty. Her rocky relationship with the boy in the loft was something she often thought about, but usually she just put it in the back of her mind, electing to focus on other distractions such as school and new horses that needed her help at Heartland. This time, however, her mind brought everything she had suppressed for so long to the forefront, and she remembered many different things, all at once. She remembered the day Ty had shown her the jumping course he had made just for her, and Amy had stopped and wondered if there might be more to him than just a bad boy exterior. She remembered their first kiss, and his sudden departure, the pain and betrayal she felt because of it. She remembered his return 4 months later, how angry she had been, yet somehow how relieved she was that he was alive and mostly well, save for the bumps and bruises. She remembered their kiss at the cattle drive, and the sadness she had felt that he still didn't respond how she needed him to. She came to their most recent kiss, the one in the rain the night after Ty's dad took off with the money, how Ty's inability to just take a chance had frustrated her to no end. She settled on his words the night after they had returned from trying to save Spartan from Wes, when he had said "I'd do anything for you." Those words stuck in Amy's head like an ugly neon sign reminding her that this was all her fault. If she had just listened to Ty in the woods, and hadn't tried to run after her father, maybe, just maybe, Ty wouldn't be here in the hospital, on the verge of life and death. The fresh wave of guilt sparked another set of tears to find their way into Amy's eyes. She picked up Ty's hand, placing a kiss on the back of it before saying quietly "I'm so sorry Ty. I never wanted you to get hurt. Please...please don't die. I can't lose you now...please." With that Amy leaned back in the chair and cried softly until she fell asleep.
Jack had left early from Heartland that morning, though if he was honest he hadn't slept hardly at all that night, worrying about Ty. As he walked down the corridor to Ty's room (he had spoken with Dr. Graham and had been informed it was alright for him to visit for a while), Jack stopped and listened to what could only be Amy crying. He poked his head in the doorway and his heart broke when he saw the state Ty was in, from his pale face to Amy's tear-stained face, eyes puffy from the excessive amount of crying she'd done since Ty had been shot. Jack quietly walked into the room, placing a gentle hand on Amy's shoulder, to which she jumped at, having not heard him come in, but stood up when she saw who it was, embracing her grandfather in a tight hug. If she had any energy left to cry, Amy would have, but all she could do was lean into Jack's arms and say quietly "It's all my fault grandpa. All my fault." Jack placed a hand on the back of Amy's head, trying to comfort her, saying "Now don't you even think that. What happened to Ty is NOT your fault. He'll be fine, just you wait and see." Amy, however, remained unconvinced, and her mind kept replaying Ty's words over and over again "I'd do anything for you." Scrunching her face in pain, Amy clutched at her chest, as it felt like someone had put her heart in a blender and just kept it running. Jack caught on to this, and sighed, hugging her tighter and saying "Come on, let's let Ty get some sleep. Besides, you gotta go to school tomorrow, and it looks like you need some rest too." Amy looked up suddenly, and was about to argue but Jack cut her off by saying "Now don't try and argue, Ty wouldn't want you to miss school on his account. Your studies are too important to abandon now, and he would say the same thing" Jack finished, waving a hand towards Ty. Sighing wearily, Amy caved in, replying "Alright, fine. But I can still visit him after school right? I wanna be here when he wakes up." Smiling softly, Jack placed a kiss on Amy's forehead, and said "Of course you can. Now come on, let's go. You need to eat something as well, and Lou's worried sick about ya."
Food was the last thing on Amy's mind as Jack's truck rolled into the driveway at Heartland, and the young horse whisperer found herself staring blankly at the loft where Ty lived, half expecting the big barn door to swing open and for his smiling face to be there staring back at her. That wasn't going to happen this time though, and Amy just got out of the truck and walked into the house, her whole body numb and unfeeling. Lou tried to sit her down to eat, but Amy just said that she wasn't hungry and wanted to get some rest. She flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes, but her sleep was constantly interrupted, and she gave up about 5 hours later, putting on her boots and walking out to the barn, stopping at Harley's stall to pet Ty's horse, a horse he had initially bought Amy to help take her mind off of Spartan. A gesture at the time she thought was inconsiderate and wrong, but that she now thoroughly understood, and she wished more than anything she could take back the harsh words she gave him when he presented Harley to her. She was following this guilt-ridden train of thought when she was brought back to the horrifying events the day before. The sound of the rifle, Ty's body in front of her, the red blood that had been spilled in her defense, because of her actions. Why hadn't she just stayed in the forest like Ty had asked, no begged her to? If she had only listened, she'd probably be sitting here with Ty right now, cracking jokes or talking about the horses. She had finally begun to warm up to Ty again, to let him back in (despite Caleb's best efforts), and now she might have ruined it all. She knew the odds, and she wasn't much of a gambler but she knew it would take a miracle to help Ty recover from such a serious injury. Tacking up Harley, Amy decided she needed some fresh air, and rode out into the forest, taking in the fresh country air and clearing her mind as best she could, letting Harley guide them through the trees until they came to a familiar clearing. Amy froze, dismounting slowly as Harley sniffed around, finding his way to the spot where Ty had been shot, the blood still fresh on the ground. Amy came over to where the horse was, patting his neck and saying "You can smell him huh, can't you boy?" Amy looked down at the blood-stained earth, and she broke down, slamming her fist into the dirt in frustration, cursing herself for being so blasted foolish. She sat there for hours, crying and screaming out, trying desperately to find some reason, some justification that after coming so far why Ty had to have been taken down so harshly, so cruelly. Eventually she calmed down, once again mounting Harley and riding back to Heartland, putting the tired horse back in his stall before walking slowly up to the loft, Ty's loft, the place where he had lived for nearly 2 years now. She had only been up to the loft a few times, and the last time had been just after Ty had returned from his 4 month absence, and once again all she had done was criticize and berate him, instead of try to understand why he had left. Sighing softly, she turned out the light and walked back to the house, as it was dark now. She made some excuse about missing dinner to Lou, who could only stare after her little sister, concerned at how Amy seemed to be dealing with Ty's current state. Amy crawled into bed, and suffered a series of recurring nightmares, each one replaying the incident over and over and over again, each time jolting her awake, sweat covering her entire body. The final time she woke suddenly she cried out "TY!" her arm outstretched, as if reaching out to him somehow. She checked the clock, it was 6:30. Sighing, Amy climbed out of bed to get ready for school.
Toast was the only thing Amy could manage to stomach for breakfast, and soon she found herself on the bus, her best friend Soraya trying to comfort her as best she could, having received the news about Ty from Lou the night before. The entire day seemed to go on around Amy like a blur, and all day her thoughts lay with the boy in the loft, and his pale face, the IVs hooked up to him for life support, then to the ground where his blood had been spilled. Once she got home, she quickly grabbed the keys to Ty's truck, and sped over to the hospital, where she stayed as long as she could, gripping his hand and muttering to him, as if trying to wake him. She left at around 8 o'clock, and ignored her sister's pleas to eat something when she got home, going straight to her room without saying a word. She continued this routine for the next week and a half, barely eating or sleeping, and spending most of her free time by Ty's bedside, brooding over the shooting and ignoring everything else going on around her. She was so desperate for him to wake up, to look into his mesmerizing green eyes, to tell him she was sorry, for everything, and just how much she truly cared or him, not just as friends but as more than that. She wanted more than anything for him to hold her in his arms, and to kiss him again, let him know that she would always be there for him, just as he was always there for her. It was with this thought that Amy fell asleep the following Friday, her head resting next to his hand on the bed, the sound of machines and his breathing the only noises around her.
Ty awoke suddenly, breathing hard, but was confused by what he saw. He was alone in a field, the same field where they had seen the cow thieves, the gun pointed at Tim and Jack, where Amy had foolishly run out towards her father and grandfather, Ty hot on her tail, trying to stop her, especially with the gun now pointed right at her. He had finally reached her when he saw the look in the man's eyes, and knew what he was planning to do. Feeling the adrenaline rush through him, Ty dived, feeling something hit him in the chest just before he had passed out in the grass. Ty instinctively clutched his chest, then regretted it as he felt a sharp pain course through him. Looking around, Ty realized how dark it was, and how cold he felt. Climbing to his feet, he wandered aimlessly through the forest, trying to figure out the best way back to Heartland, to Amy. He couldn't explain it, but he just knew he had to see her, to make sure she was okay. Suddenly, he heard her voice calling through the forest, like an echo. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but whatever it was, she sounded sad, in pain, much like she had the night he tried to explain to her why he had left Heartland for 4 months, without even calling. He grimaced as he thought of all the times he had hurt her, whether physically or just by being unable to talk to her openly, too afraid of how she might react. He thought of his dad, and how even though Ty had sworn he'd never turn out like him, he had managed to follow in his old man's footsteps anyway, leaving in the middle of the night without any reason, abandoning the woman he loved. Yes, he did love Amy, very much, and the idea that maybe she didn't share his feelings is what tore him apart, prevented him from getting too close to her. Ty kept moving through the trees, until he came to the edge of the forest, to where Heartland was. What he saw turned his blood cold. A small gathering of people were gathered just outside the barn, and Jack stood at the head, holding a jar, with what seemed to be a portrait perched on a stand behind him. As Ty got closer, he immediately recognized the person in the picture, the shaggy hair, the green eyes. Ty froze as he realized it was him, and tried hard to figure out what Jack was saying, but the older man's lips made no sound as they moved. Looking around, Ty's heart beat like a drum in his ears when he saw Caleb and Amy, how close to each other they were, how they were holding hands, how she was resting her head on his shoulder. He fell to his knees as it all hit him; this was his funeral. The jar held his ashes, and as Jack spread them to the wind he realized that he was actually dead, that he had died trying to save Amy. As if someone had hit the unmute button, Ty suddenly heard Ashley and Soraya whispering to each other, with Soraya saying "It's a real shame about Ty, he seemed to be a decent enough guy. But maybe it's best he's gone; at least now Amy won't be tossed around like an emotional rag doll all the time." Ashely smiled bitterly, and responded "Yeah, Caleb's a good man, and he'll take care of Amy like Ty couldn't." Soraya nodded slowly, and replied "Exactly. Not only that, Caleb won't hold Amy back, she'll be able to grow with Caleb." Their words hit Ty like a ton of bricks, but the final blow came when Tim looked down and saw him sitting there, shattered at their words, and said "Great, you're here. Look, why don't you just leave and not come back, huh? You're only going to hold Amy back, and besides she's happy with Caleb. Now clear off, will ya? And don't come back." The world began to go black, and just as the darkness threatened to take over completely, Ty saw Amy and Caleb, smiling at each other, and Amy lean in to kiss him. Pitch black nothingness enveloped Ty, and he curled into a ball for what felt like forever. He didn't notice the small tunnel of light until it shone directly on his face, and as he looked up he saw the last thing he expected to see: Pegasus, Marion's horse, standing before him. His confused look was answered by a female voice, who said kindly "He was worried about you. Can't blame him either, sounds like you've been through quite the personal hell so far kid." Ty whirled around to see who had spoken, and his jaw dropped when he saw her, Marion Fleming; Amy and Lou's mom, the reason he had come to Heartland. "Come on now Ty, it's rude to stare" Marion laughed "Besides, you and I have a lot to talk about, come with me." Without another word, Ty followed her as she led Pegasus into the tunnel of light, towards something that felt warm, not the cold that was behind him.
Amy jerked awake when she felt someone patting her on the back, and rubbed her eyes when she realized it was Lou. "Amy, come on, you need to get something to eat. You can't keep going like you've been going, you're going to burn out." Amy stared back at her defiantly "I'm not leaving. It's my fault he's stuck like this, the least I can do is say here with him." Lou sighed, clearly irritated, and was about to respond when the sound of Ty coughing cause both girls to look at the injured young man. Ty reached up and pulled off the oxygen mask, coughing slightly before opening his eyes and staring at Amy "A-Amy?" He said hoarsely, and Amy began to cry out of joy, burying her face in his shoulder and saying "Thank god" quietly, over and over again. Lou smiled, saying to Ty "Hey, how do you feel?" Ty licked his lips, and said "Like hell. And thirsty. Very thirsty." Lou laughed softly as she rushed over and handed him a glass of water. He drank it gratefully, before turning his attention to the blonde that attached herself firmly to his shoulder. He patted the back of her head softly, hugging her closer and whispering "Hey, what's with the tears? I'm okay Amy, I'm okay." Amy merely nodded her head, sitting up as he once again looked at Lou "How long was I out?" Lou looked at Amy, then back at Ty "About 2 weeks now. Amy's been here every day, making sure you were looked after." Ty glanced at Amy and grinned, as she smiled sheepishly, however as he tried to sit up further he grimaced in pain, clutching at his chest. "You need to stay still, that bullet did a lot of damage, and you lost quite a bit of blood" Lou said, gently pushing him back onto the bed, his face contorting from the sudden pain he felt. "I'll go get Dr. Graham, you stay put" Lou said as she left the room. Ty breathed in and out slowly, trying to relax, as Amy watched quietly, muttering "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Ty looked at her quickly, and started "Amy, you're not-!" but by that time Amy had stood up abruptly, rushing out of the room, saying "Yes I am!" Ty looked after her, a worried expression on his face. However, realizing he could do nothing in his current state, he just leaned back, smacking his forehead and saying to no one in particular "Great. This'll be an awesome one to fix."
Whooo! Tense chapter huh? Don't worry, there'll be plenty of Tamy to go around, just give it another chapter! As always, please review if you enjoyed! Until next time!