AN: So sorry about the length of the last chapter. I would like to try and make my chapters longer, but I felt like it was a good place to end that chapter. I think this chapter might have some spotlight on Ty. I never know how it's going to end up until I write it. I've been trying to write a lot right now so when school resumes I'll have some chapters saved up. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
"Welcome home Amy!" Mallory rushed off the porch and into Amy's arms. She was stronger than Amy remembered. Amy must of looked uncomfortable because her mother came to her rescue.
"Mallory she's been through a lot today." Her eyes watching Amy's as they were watering. Mallory let go and backed up, she missed Amy but knew better then disobey Marion. She stared at Amy like she was a china doll about to break.
"Thanks Mallory. I missed you a lot too." Amy said quietly. She looked past mallory on the porch to see a guy immersing with her grandfather. He was tall, had messy brown hair, and a very sarcastic tone in his voice.
"That must be Ty." She knew she was right based on her Grandpa's short mention of him earlier. Amy was looking around her family and she felt guilty for all the grief her disappearance caused. She walked toward the barn, half expecting someone to call for her to go inside, but no one did. They didn't even notice that she disappeared again. She didn't mind though. She loved the barn and missed seeing horses everyday. Her horse Jazzy was right where she'd left her. Amy smiled as she approached Jazzy, she stroked her fuzzy face gently. She knew that she would be herself in no time when she stroked her horse. She stood there smiling and staring at her horse not hearing the sound of boots on the barn floor.
"You missed this place a lot I bet." He paused for a second before adding softly, "I would." Amy looked into his eyes they were a brilliant green. She let her smile answer for her, hoping he wouldn't press for more. He didn't. Ty knew more about her then she knew about him. Her Grandfather; Jack had told him three days ago briefly about the girl in all the pictures in the house, after he asked why he couldn't stay in the house. How she was tricked into a relationship with a guy and how he took her with him when he skipped town. He didn't think he'd ever get to meet her. He thought he'd be done with his probation and long gone before she came back home. He had an understanding of what she was going through. Before he came to Heartland he was in a relationship with a girl who happened to be a con artist. She took him away from home and then ditched him, so he could understand what Amy went through. He had looked at one of her more recent pictures almost every time he came in because something about her smile drew him to her. And he was starting to get upset he'd never get to meet the pretty girl in the picture. But here she was in front of him. Her smile lighting up his face almost instantly. He was worried that she caught him blushing, but she wasn't even looking at him. Her attention only on her horse. He was going to walk away, but she stopped him.
"I know that Mallory told you everything about me, you don't have to play dumb about it." Her smile faltered. He gathered the courage to look her in the eyes.
"What do you mean?" He asked questionly.
"Acting like you don't know what happened. Acting like I chose to leave." She said angrily.
"They don't blame you, so why should you blame yourself?" He could see through her like she was glass.
"How'd you know that?" Amy sounded offended, how had he known how she felt.
"Because I've been there. Something that was out of my control hurt others and I blamed myself." He managed to let out his own guilt. Amy saw the look in his eyes, the same one she saw in her own when she looked in a mirror. The look of shame.
"He is on probation, but for what?" he seemed nice enough to her but her judgement of people's character was pretty bad. She wasn't sure if she should even be talking to this boy.
"I think it's time for dinner." She suggested, trying to end the awkwardness happening between them. It didn't work, he walked next to her in silence back towards the house. She didn't know if she should say something or not. She chose to stay silent. So did he.
Ty didn't know what else to say to Amy. She seemed determined not to talk to him and he respected her wishes no matter how much he wanted to talk to her. He wished that he could tell her what a beacon of light her picture was for him. They walked in and sat down across from each other. Amy felt strange sitting at her old spot at the table, she was glad to have a home cooked meal. She hadn't had one in so long.
"OMG did Jesse even feed you? You look so thin!" Mallory gapped at Amy's trimmer than usual figure. Everyone stopped and stared at Amy. She just blushed.
"Some nights there wasn't enough compassion in Jesse's heart to feed me. It's no big deal." She tried to assure everyone with no success. She wished that dinner could be over, as her mom added a second helping of pasta on Amy's plate. Everyone seemed so interested in her like she was broken, and in a way she was.
"Please excuse me, I'm going to do night check." She excused herself. She couldn't take the stares any longer.
"Amy you barely touched your food." Her grandpa told her like she didn't already know.
"I haven't done night check in so long. I missed doing it so much. Please Grandpa!" She begged to be released from being goggled at. She felt lost, like they thought she wasn't the same and that they thought she was in need of constant attention. She walked out into the darkness taking a big gulp of fresh air. She felt out of place at her own home.
"Is it still home?"
"Of course it is!" She scolded herself out loud. She was just being silly, they loved her that's why they were so concerned. She turned around and opened the door only to run into Ty.
"Did they send you out to find me?" She sounded glad that they cared. Ty rubbed his neck nervously.
"Well no, I thought you shouldn't go alone, in the dark, you know." He didn't want to tell her he followed her because he wanted more alone time with her. Amy laughed.
"I've been doing the same trip to check on the horses since I was a little kid. But yeah I could use some company." She could read him like a book already.
"So why are you really out here?" She kindly demanded.
"Just trying to get to know my new boss." He told her half the truth. She looked so pretty in the moonlight.
"Okay then let's get going. These horses aren't going to check up on themselves." She joked. He laughed. And followed the captivating blonde off the porch. He could understand why her ex would want to take her with him.
"She was a beam of light in the dark and to have her all to himself." Ty stopped himself, she didn't belong to him. He wouldn't be like her ex. He would share her, and let her enjoy herself. He had to jog to keep up, she was already inside the barn talking to the horses. He laughed gently at her.
"Hey!" She threw a small pile of hay at him. He picked what wasn't on him up and threw it back at her.
"Oh no you don't." She exclaimed merrily. Her face was alive, her eyes glowing. She threw back more hay and soon they were having a hay fight.
"Ahem." It was Marion. She watched her daughter and Ty have fun together and it made her happy to see Amy smile. She joined in the fight, and they all were covered in hay by the time they finished night check. Amy and Marion walked back towards the house laughing while Ty watched from the loft. His smile getting bigger when she laughed. He closed the loft door and went to bed. Unable to stop thinking about her. While Amy lay in her bed awake replaying the last 24 hours. So much had happened. She was happy at last after a year of being numb she was finally feeling something.
