A/N I am not really on the Harris/Ann bandwagon but this kept going through my mind. Not sure if I'll go any farther. If y'all have ideas for continuing it please share! Reviews are always appreciated.

The smell of the morning coffee helped breathe life into his sleep derpived state. What a night it had been. What a couple of weeks it had been and with any luck there would be many more to come. He wouldn't make the same mistakes or let his mother interfere. He was done listening to her. She'd ruined his life for far too long. He'd no longer wondered why his father had committed suicide before her was even born. Hell there times he'd thought about it himself. But then there was her. She really had brought light into the dark of his life. She gave him hope and a beautiful, if not willful, daughter. He'd believed his mother's lies and robbed her of years with their daughter. Well, all of that was done. After narrowly escaping being killed by the drug cartel while protecting their daughter and the revelation that Bobby had framed Cliff Barnes for murder, the path for their reunion had been paved. He promised her had changed and he meant it. She wouldn't regret giving him this change, he'd told her. He was about to make some pancakes when he heard the front door open and even in his sleep deprived state he was alert. Turning the griddle off, he reached in one of the drawers and pulled out his gun as he heard footsteps approach and then she appeared, both startling and angering him.

"Harris, are we going to through this every time I come in the house?" Judith asked with a smirk, "Now, put that thing down."

He put down the gun, "Mother, what the hell are you doing here?" He snapped, "I thought you were still in Europe for another week."

"I came back early." She explained, taking a seat at the counter "I can't trust you for too long without…"

"I can't believe I…oh boy," A sleepy Ann wandered into the kitchen stifling a yawn before stopping cold in the doorway at seeing Judith

"Mornin', Sweetheart." He walked over to her and greeting her with a kiss, "Mother's back early."

Ann turned to Judith, knowing just how to handle this, "Hello, Judith. Did you have a nice time in Europe?" She spoke so nonchalant as she walked passed Harris to get a cup of coffee

For once in her life Judith Ryland was speechless but eventually gathered herself, "Would someone tell me just what in the hell is goin' on here? What is this woman doin' in our house?"

"Mother, this woman happens to be the woman I love and this is MY house." He crossed the room to join Ann who was sipping her coffee leaned back against the counter and put his arm around her

Judith stood up, her jaw clenched, "Harris, I will not have this woman interfere in our lives again. She's already the reason Emma is off at the school thousands of miles away."

"Pipe down, Mother. Emma made that decision and it was the right one." He said, removing his arm from Ann's shoulder and moving closer to his mother, "You're not in control anymore. I am and this is what I want. Your days of pulling the strings are over. You may have Ryland Transport but you do not run my life."

"I'll freeze all the money. You do this and you won't have a dime." She said her words filled with fury

He decided to call her bluff, "Go ahead." He sneered and walked back toward Ann who had been watching with admiration and amusement as he stood up to his mother

"Well, I should get a shower. I've got quite a bit to do today." Ann looked at her watch and casually put down her coffee mug

"I can have pancakes ready for you after you're done." he pulled her close

She smiled, "Hmm…that sounds nice."

"So, what are you gettin' into today, Sassy?" He loved the confident woman she'd become, the woman she always could have been if he hadn't broken her spirit

She glanced at the gun on the island and grinned then looked at Judith who still was utterly dumbfounded and practically had smoke coming out of her ears, then back at Harris, "Target practice." She walked over and picked up the gun, "I'll be back down in about half an hour." She looked at Judith and grinned as she walked out of the room

/

That night as they got ready for bed it was the first opportunity they'd had to really talk. Ann had been busy all day with various errands and volunteer work. It felt good to be doing that again and Harris had been at a business dinner. Ann came out of the en suite master bath rubbing lotion on her hands. Harris had just come home and was sitting on the bed. He undid his tie and kicked off his shoes

"How was your dinner?" She asked coming over to him and sitting on his lap

"Boring." He said, pulling her close, "But at least I think we've got a deal."

"Did you talk to your mother again?" She asked carefully

"No and I don't care to."

"Do you think she'll really freeze the money?"

He sighed heavily, rubbing her back, "I'm sure she'll try. But I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Harris, promise me you won't…" she began

"Annie, I promised you I've changed but I've got a plan to handle my mother, a perfectly legal plan. She won't interfere with us again."

She looked him in the eye, "Okay." She whispered then kissed him

"Did you talk to Emma?" He asked, Emma had decided after the mess she'd made with John Ross and everything else she needed a fresh start and was going to school on the East Coast studying Equine Science. Her love of horses most definitely inherited from her mother

"Just for a few minutes. She was in between classes." She replied, "But she's fine. She'll be comin' home for the holidays." It had been hard on Ann but she supported Emma's decision to turn things around. They text, emailed and called daily, building a better relationship

"I feel like I'm the reason she left." He admitted

"Harris, Emma made some bad choices and she's tryin' to change that. But you have to give her time. Just keep showin' her you've changed."

"How can I, Annie, When she won't hardly talk to me."

"She'll come around." Ann assured him, "I did."

He smiled and squeezed her tight, "You sure did."

"Hmm…just remember, Darlin', when I left Bobby, I took my clothes, jewelry…and my shotgun."