Chapter 2

While helping Jack with the morning dishes, Lou says, "I can't stand seeing Amy this way. It's been days since she and Ty broke up and things aren't getting any better. She hardly leaves her room. Someone should talk to Ty and I'm thinking you're probably the best one to do it, since you two seem to share a special relationship." Jack shakes his head as he says, "I'm not getting involved, Lou. They should work this out on their own. They've done it before and if it's meant to be, they'll do it again." Lou protests saying, "But this is serious. It's never been so bad between the two of them and I think Ty is blowing this all out of proportion."

With an irritated look, Jack responds, "Out of proportion? I don't think so. Did you see the look on Ty's face when he was hit with that bombshell? I hate to say it, but I don't think I can blame him one bit. If anyone needs a talking to though its Amy, but I'm not so sure how to go about that just yet. I think it's probably best that we wait, take a breath, and let everyone calm down a bit."

Lou protests again, "But it's so serious...don't you think..." Jack interrupts, "It is serious, but like I said, this is something they should work out between themselves without interference, that's why I'm staying out of it, at least for now and you should too." Jack pauses and then says, "I've always tried to give you two girls the best advice I could over the years, but sometimes I have to just step back and let you make you're own mistakes and hope you learn from it."

With Jacks refusal to get involved, Tim being away with Casey and Caleb out on the rodeo circuit, Lou reluctantly decides to take it upon herself to speak to Ty.

…..

Lou knocks on the trailer door and calls out, "Ty, it's me Lou...I need to talk to you." Ty answers, calling out through the door, "There's nothing to talk about. I've already said everything I needed to. We've made our choices." Lou's insistent and won't take no for an answer. Ty knows Lou well and, realizing that she won't give up, he relents and let's her in.

As Ty opens the door, Lou is immediately shocked when she sees that Ty looks like he's been in a fight. She asks, "What happened? Are you okay?" Ty responds, "I'm fine...I just had a little disagreement with some poachers from the wildlife refuge." Lou asks again, "Are you sure you're okay? I can take you into town to see a doctor if you want." Ty answers, "I'll be fine, Lou."

Ty offers her a seat at the table and seating himself across from her, he says, "So I suppose you're here to talk about Amy and me. Like I said, we already made our choices, so there's really nothing to talk about, unless you want to hear about my job at the refuge." Lou says, "Ty, I think you're over reacting about all this." She quickly comes to realize it was the wrong thing to say when Ty responds, "Overreacting? Are you serious? Do you have any idea how humiliated I felt finding out like that? It turned my life upside down."

Ty pauses for a moment, trying to calm himself, and then says, "Listen Lou, you, probably more than anyone else, know what's happened between Amy and me over the years and you don't see a pattern here? Caleb, Chase and now Ahmed? With Caleb and Chase, it was me who came back and tried to mend our relationship...at the same time thinking that Amy had changed, but she hadn't. I'm not doing that anymore...I'm not going to do that now with this thing between her and Ahmed. She's not the girl I once fell in love with, so it's not happening. I'm finished with her. I wish that I had never asked her to marry me. How many times do you think I can allow her to break my heart? How many times would you allow someone to do that to you before you'd say to yourself enough is enough?"

Lou can hardly believe Ty's response. She's set back by the tone of hurt and anger in his voice. She tries to calm the conversation by saying, "She loves you Ty. I know she does. One day, shortly after that first time you asked her to marry you, I found her crying. When I asked her why she was crying, she told me that she regretted not saying yes. She told me that you were the type of person she always envisioned herself marrying and she couldn't understand why she wanted to wait. She was then the happiest I've ever seen her when you asked her again. Don't you see? You're the one for her. She loves you more than anyone in the world and wants to marry you."

Ty won't allow himself to be swayed. He answers saying, "Those are only words, but actions speak louder. I've done so much over the years, even almost going back to jail, because of the love I had for her. I would do almost anything for her and all she has ever done in return is push me away and break my heart. I should have learned my lesson after that Chase episode. Even years later, when Chase returned with his wife and after all he had put Amy through previously, she couldn't immediately say "No" to the guy. Look what happened because of that. He kissed her again! I can only imagine what might have happened had he not been married. I don't doubt for a moment that at some point it'll be the same with Ahmed. She obviously has no real love for me, otherwise there would be no reason to have this conversation...no matter what you or she says."

Ty shakes his head and continues, "I'm not going to be a doormat...a place for her to plant her feet until she decides to move on. That dream we shared to someday work together? I'm sure she told you about it...well, I think for her that's all it was...a dream. Nothing more than something to occupy her imagination until a more attractive opportunity comes her way."

Ty pauses briefly again and then says, "You know, it use to be that every time I saw her it made my whole day, but now all I can feel is sadness and regret. I can't trust her anymore. I've had enough and can't live like this. I deserve better."

Ty sighs and then says, "If it'll make Amy feel any better, you can tell her that it's not about her. It's about me...because it is. I'm taking ownership of my life and intend on living the rest of it doing what makes me happy...hopefully, some day I'll find someone else with whom to share in that happiness."

...

Lou comes to realize that speaking with Ty wasn't a very good idea. Jack was right. It was too soon to involve herself and she should have waited until Ty had more time to calm down. She stirred up so many hurt feelings in Ty that she now worries that she has only made things worse, if that was possible considering that the divide between the two is wider than she had first thought. Her talk with Ty however causes her to rethink her assertion that Ty was overreacting.

As she drives back to Heartland, her thoughts revert to everything that Ty had said and she begins to understand why he feels the way he does. Ty was right. She did know better than anyone how rocky their relationship had been at times over the years and it was mainly due to Amy's immaturity.

First it was Caleb who kissed her out of the blue because she allowed a business relationship to evolve into a personal one with him. In doing so, she pushed Ty right into the arms of Kit. Then there was Chase. He knew how to push all the right buttons and Amy couldn't say "No" to him. He had a thing for her and she knew it. He kissed her as well. Once again, unable to keep the relationship strictly professional, it became personal. Amy allowed Chase to manipulate her and it tore her relationship with Ty apart. Just as with Caleb, it was during a time when she and Ty were having their own relationship problems. Now there was Ahmed and when she went on that tour she was mad at Ty over his purchase of Charger. It caused a rift in their relationship.

Just as Ty had asserted, there did seem to be a pattern. She had thought that her sister had grown up by now and wasn't as naive and immature as she had once had been.

Amy had demonstrated how naive she could be most recently when she ignored several warnings from her about Ahmed's intentions before Amy flew off to Europe. His feelings for her were obvious, but not to Amy. She picked up on it quickly. When Ahmed first offered Amy a job as his head trainer and called her his lucky charm, she warned Amy, telling her that the way Ahmed looked at her was with more than professional admiration. Amy's only response was accusing her of being crazy. Lou also recalls that it was at a time Amy confessed to her that she accepted Ahmed's job when she was mad at Ty.

It all supported Ty's assertion of a pattern. Lou can't help thinking that Amy wasn't as mature as she had thought since she obviously hadn't learned anything from past experience.

It's very clear to her now that it will be up to Amy and Amy alone to fix this. She will have to find a way to prove her love to Ty before it's too late, if it isn't already. A lot of damage had been done to the relationship and Lou wonders if her sister is capable of repairing it in the state she's in. Telling Amy of her conversation with Ty might only make things worse, so she decides that it's best, considering what Ty had to say, that she not mention her conversation with him to her.

She feels however that she needs to do something more, but her advice to Amy thus far hasn't been stellar. Knowing it's only a matter of time before Amy asks her what to do, Lou recalls a conversation she had years ago with a woman friend under similar circumstances, back in New York.

...

At Hillhurst, Prince Ahmed is sitting at his desk, looking through a file, while waiting for his head of security. He keeps files on people who are of particular interest to him. It's something he learned from his father who made a habit of keeping tabs on both friends and enemies.

Akeem walks in and Ahmed immediately asks, "Akeem, did you make the contact I asked you to?" Akeem responds, "Yes, Prince. He was very agreeable with the offer, although somewhat surprised. He should be here within the next 2 weeks since he has a job he has to finish first. Ahmed smirks and says, "Very good. I'll be leaving tomorrow for the tour in Europe, so make sure everything goes as planned." Akeem answers, "I will, but if he should ask..." Ahmed interrupts, "Tell him whatever you need to. Just make sure it's believable. You know what I want done, so see to it. If there's a problem...call me right away."