A/N: Hey there! New chapter -yay-! Kind of boring though...more like a filler before their new day :]

Chapter 9 by: horse-nerd


Sam quietly entered the house with Tara behind her; luckily Gram wasn't there for questioning. She headed for the freezer and pulled out a tub of chocolate ice cream.

"Chocolate milkshakes cool?" She asked indicating to the container she was holding.

Tara nodded lightly and started heading for the stairs. "I'll go see if they want any," she rushed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Sam's room.

Sam smiled and started making milkshakes; she never would have thought she could get through to Tara so easily. Actually, she thought she would never get through to Tara at all. She just hoped the new attitude would stay.

She heard giggling and the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Jen burst through the kitchen door and Sam shushed her. Jen smiled sheepishly before she went to stand beside Sam, she gave her a questioning look and Sam smiled reassuringly.

"It's good," she said squirting chocolate syrup into her concoction. Jen gave her a playful shove on the shoulder.

"I'd say…," she nodded towards Tara who was flipping through a horse magazine with Allie. "I don't even know who that girl is!"

Sam and Jen turned as they heard a screech of one of the chairs. Tara was clutching to the magazine and looking at them excitedly.

"Oh my gosh! This looks like your hottie Sam!" She exclaimed pointing to a picture that had made Sam blush a few nights ago because she was thinking the same thing.

Tara let out a low whistle. "I definitely need to get myself a cowboy…forget entrepreneurs."

Sam laughed and cringed as she turned on the loud blender. She peaked over at Allie who was quietly drawing designs on the table. She sighed and poured them all a glass. She grabbed one for Allie and sat down next to her. Allie looked up briefly before going back to her table drawing. Sam was about to say something before Tara loudly sat down next to her.

"Speaking of cowboys, we should invite the guys in for a shake," Tara waggled her brows before taking a big sip from her shake.

"No!"

Everyone looked at Allie with a bit of shock. Her eyes were wide and her face stunned. Noticing everyone's stares she softened up and looked back at the table quickly.

"I—uh…"

"No, Allie's right…it's a girls night," Sam quickly covered for her. Tara pouted slightly and shrugged.

"Whatever."

Jen cleared her throat and grabbed another magazine from the stack she brought down.

"Hey, I brought Teen Scene! They have a huge special coverage on that mega hottie from that crime show!"

Tara smiled and scooted her chair closer to Jen.

"Ugh, he is like sickly gorgeous," Tara and Jen continued to comment about Sir Hot Stuff but Sam just watched Allie's ever growing scowl.

Sam scooted her chair out and stood. "I'm going to go check on the horses…Allie you want to come?" Jen and Tara hardly acknowledged her but Allie perked up.

Hiding her excitement she just shrugged and followed Sam out.

Sam walked with Allie silently to the barn. She just wished that the girl would say something, anything really. But not a sound. She peeked again at the girl and saw her looking up at the stars. She tripped and Sam steadied her.

Allie looked at Sam embarrassed. "Thanks."

Sam shrugged and smiled kindly. "No problem…happens to me often."

In the barn she flicked on the lights and let her eyes adjust. She walked to Ace's stall and gave him a big kiss. She motioned for Allie to come stand beside her.

"This is my horse…Ace," she said proudly searching for any reaction out of Allie. Allie smiled brightly at Ace and took hesitant steps closer to him. She cautiously reached out her hand and Ace snorted making her jerk it back.

Sam smiled. "It's alright, he won't hurt you," Sam gently grabbed Allie's hand and she flinched a little but didn't pull away. Guiding her over to Ace's side she placed the girls hand on Ace's neck. Allie's eyes gleamed with joy as she stroked Ace's neck lovingly. Sam stepped back and watched the frail girl. Ace nudged her on the shoulder lightly and Allie giggled…actually giggled! She scratched his forehead pushing his forelock to the side uncovering his star. Allie glanced back excitedly at Sam.

"This is called a star right? It's so pretty…," Allie said rubbing circles on the white spot. Sam smiled at this girl's fondness of horses…and stars. She continued to rub the horse affectionately, she moved to his neck and brushed his mane aside uncovering his brand.

"What's that?"

"It's a freeze brand, all mustangs that have been rounded up have them," Sam explained.

"Wow he's a mustang?"

Sam nodded and watched Allie tenderly touch the freeze brand, she seemed sad.

"That's so mean…taking them away from their home I mean. And then they have to be so scared already and then they do this…," she brushed the mark again.

Sam sighed, so many times has she felt the same way, but then again…

"I know, but look how happy he is now? If they didn't take any of them off the range they would probably struggle for survival," Sam said shocking herself. To think she has always been against BLM's downsizing.

Allie shrugged and kissed Ace on the nose before moving to the next stall. She continued down the aisle patting a horse every now and again. When she got to the dark corner of the barn she paused. Dark Sunshine looked at her warily from the back of her stall.

Allie watched and the mare slowly chewed a mouth full of hay, deliberating whether or not it was safe to come and investigate the new girl. With a heavy sigh she left her hay and walked to the door slinging her head over it.

"Who's this?" Allie asked. Sam told her about the mare and her story while Allie listened petting the happy mare. Their connection surprised Sam but she didn't mention it.

"Poor girl…" Allie muttered.

"Hey," Sam and Allie both spun to find they had a visitor.

Sam smiled at Jake and gave him a hug as he came up beside her, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"What are you guys doing out here?" He asked looking at Allie curiously.

"What are you doing out here? And…oh my gosh you left Darrel with Ricky?!" Sam whispered the last part frantically and Jake gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Relax, their playing Grand Theft Auto…and I came out here to check on the horses, but I see that was already taken care of."

Sam rolled her eyes exasperated. "Great…just what they need."

Jake bent and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't worry it's just a video game," he chuckled lightly.

"For Ricky it's more like a guide book…"

Jake and Sam both looked at Allie forgetting she was there for a moment. She was still caressing Sunshine but watched Jake warily out of the corner of her eye.

"You know that's a good point…," Jake said rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Sam I'm tired can we go inside now?" Allie asked nervously glancing at all the dark shadows in the barn.

Jake sighed sadly as Sam untangled herself from him smiling at the girl. "Oh, of course! C'mon."

Allie walked past her and Jake quickly and stopped at the barn door looking at Sam expectantly.

Sam gave Jake a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

"We really picked a bad time to start a relationship…," Jake said exasperated worrying Sam.

Seeing her worried expression Jake gave her another hug. "No not like that! I'm just saying we have no time to ourselves."

"Sam," Allie called impatiently fidgeting by the door.

"Night Jake," she said walking to the door to be practically dragged out by Allie.

"Night," Jake whispered but she was already gone.