There weren't any more nightmares that night. Sofia wasn't sure if Sara slept a lot, she herself was awake often to make sure the brunette wasn't having a nightmare. When she woke up for the last time Sara was gone. First Sofia worried then she smelled coffee and knew, Sara was about to make breakfast in the little kitchenette.

What a night. She had never thought Sara's childhood had been that bad. She knew it wasn't good, especially after Sara had mentioned a few things over the last weeks and her close relationship to Jamie was another hint of there was something that connected them. That it had to be the worst thing you could imagine wasn't something Sofia wanted to think of.

Sofia wasn't sure if it was the mother or the friend who worried most. She couldn't ignore all these things she had learnt about Sara in the last night. How was she suppose to react? Should she talk about it with Sara now that there was daylight that gave both some comfort? Or was it better to ignore it, to leave it in the past, not to reawake so much grief?

"Morning." There were shadows under Sara's eyes. Barely visible for people who don't know her, visible for Sofia. With two mugs Sara came in the room, left one mug on the nightstand and took the second with her to the other bed. Now they were in each others beds.

"Morning. Are you awake long?"

"No, fifteen minutes. I thought it's time for a shower, we need to get up soon anyway and it's better if one is ready to make sure the boys will be dressed in time while the other is in the bathroom."

"Shouldn't the mother worry about that? Get up soon and prepare everything for the babies? While the other one sleeps."

"Not when the mother has her personal slave to do things like that and bring her some coffee to bed." Sara smiled.

"Personal slave? I'd call you my woofer if I have to give you a work title. Otherwise, what do you think of when I call you my friend?"

"Sounds good."

"It does, doesn't it?" Sofia got up, left Sara's bed to go to her bed. "Did you sleep after all?" She put the coffee away.

"A bit."

"I can see shadows." With her finger she drew the line of the shadows under Sara's eyes. Carefully she let her finger run over the skin while her eyes studied Sara's face who had closed her eyes more because it was a reflex than of fear.

"I'm the darker one, I can say it belongs to my look. You detective, on the other hand, are the blonde one, you need some make-up for your shadows. They don't suit you."

"They don't suit you either."

"You know, CSI, nightshift, short-handed, it belongs to me."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I."

"Do you like waking up in my arms every weekend?" Sofia smiled a bit.

"It becomes a habit, doesn't it?" Sara chuckled a bit.

"Yes."

"So where will we share our bed next weekend?"

"I thought of staying at home. You know, let the kids go away for a night and be at home. No drives, no rides. Having a barbeque, a beer, play with the babies. A cozy night."

"Sounds good."

"Yes it does." Sofia took another sip of her coffee. "I'll have my shower before both boys are awake. We need to be out of here within the next forty-five minutes to be on time and have the time for some breakfast."

"I'll wake them up."

"Gently."

"Of course. I'm the CSI I don't play soldier, kick the door open and yell 'Get up men!' like they were at the police academy."

"I don't do that." Sofia furrowed her brows. "That's a horrible way to wake somebody up. It's much nicer with a kiss and a smile."

"Is that a hint how I should wake you up the next time?"

"You woke me up with coffee, that's even better."

"Sofia, believe me, coffee is nothing compares to my kisses but I respect your choice. Coffee for you, kisses for the boys."

Sofia laughed. "That sounds fair." She let her hand stroke over Sara's arm before she went for her shower. No talk about what Sara had told her last night but it seemed like the brunette was fine – as fine as she could be after a night like this. Sofia would keep an eye on Sara.

"How do I recognize a slaughter?" Sara asked when they sat down on a bench, Pat and Kieran between them.

"Evil red eyes." Kieran said seriously.

"Really? Okay, I'll have a look for that. In case I can't see their eyes, is there anything else? A big knife in their hands? A horn?"

"You see and you'll know. I've got three horses that will be here for the third time. Paul will get one of them and Annie another so if there'll be a buyer for the third one we might go home without a horse." Sofia hoped it would come this way. Not that she didn't want to give another mustang a nice life, she was there as the last rescue before the slaughter got them and there were so many horses.

"Can I have a mustang too?" Kieran asked.

"You've your pony, young man. When you're too tall for your pony you'll get a mustang. Or another horse."

"I want a mustang."

"You'll get a mustang in a few years. Bobby will be perfect for you the next five or six years. Only if you make the decision to grow very fast we need to get you a mustang sooner. But think of that Bobby loves you and loves to spend time with you. He is your friend, do you want to give your friend away?"

"No." With some guilt in his eyes Kieran looked to the ground. "Can't I keep him when I've a mustang?"

"Of course you can keep him but you need to take care of him and the mustang, that means you have to be strong and a good worker."

"I can do that."

"I know. A few more years, Kieran. The next thing we'll do is finding a pony for Pat. His first own pony. What kind of pony do you want, Pat?"

"Black."

"A black one? Okay we'll look for a black one."

"There's the first horse." Sara felt a little bit excited. She knew their goal was NOT to buy a horse but if they did, it would be the first horse Sara had bought. Was with somebody who bought a horse.

The first half dozen horses went through, two were sold, the other four had two more chances. Then the first of their horses on interest came in. Nobody tried to buy it. The man got the price down a bit. Sofia's eyes laid on a man she knew was a slaughter. There was no need for him to bit, if nobody bought the horse he'd get it later for less.

Within the last second Sofia's friend placed his bit and got the horse. She sighed. It would live, it would have a good life. An eleven years old mare. The next two mustangs got sold and it was time for the second of their horses. Again nobody was interested in the first place, but when the price sunk a young man bought it. An up and down jumping girl next to him let Sofia hope this horse found a family.

"We're out of this for today." She said to Sara. "If number three won't find a home Annie will buy it."

"This isn't fun, this is sad." Sara had to swallow a few times.

"No, it's not fun when you understand what it is about."

"I'll take the kids for a walk. Care for some ice cream, boy?"

"Yes!" Patrick smiled.

"I want to stay." Kieran's eyes were on the next horse.

"You can bring us some ice cream." Sofia suggested. "I'd like to have some."

"We'll do that. Come on Pat, we'll find something delicious for us."

"I recognized that hint, Sara." Sofia gave her the evil eyes which Sara answered with a wide smile. She hadn't meant it that way only after she said these words she realized what she had actually said. Well, she didn't regret it.

With Pat on her hand she walked to the carriages with the food. An ice cream much too big for Patrick and one too big for herself Sara smiled. That was good.

"Mom say too big."

"Yeah I know, we won't tell her. We'll have our ice cream and go back after we had enough. I think we deserve as much ice cream as we want." Sara could remember when she was a child she had dreamed of having as much ice cream as she wanted. Not that she got any ice cream at all, all she had done was watching children having huge portions of it with their parents. Now she could buy her own ice cream and she didn't want Patrick to remind that he wanted ice cream and didn't get anything.

"Horse looking?"

"Yes we can look at some horses if you want." She took Patrick on her right arm and held her ice cream with the left. This way she was sure the boy didn't share his food with a dog or a horse. Both were safer up here and he wasn't heavy, Sara could easily carry him.

"Look there's a nice horse." Sara sat Patrick on a bench. In front of them was a light brown horse with a black mane.

"Fat horse."

"Yes, she has a few pounds too much…" Sara cocked her head. Or this horse was pregnant. In foal.

Two men came to the horse.

"Thousand and she's yours." The older one on the left side said.

"Too much."

"Come on, look at her."

"That's what I do. It's not freaking meat, she's in foal. I can't use her yet. Five hundred. And another hundred for the foal."

"Take them both now for six."

"I'm not a freaking rancher, I don't want to have a mare standing around, waiting for the foal and after all the days and work I can use her."

"Five now."

"You really want to get rid off her?"

"Can't use her and if I wait until the foal is there the wife will make problems. Stupid sensitive bitch. Can't kill a foal. She has no idea about quality. Good meat."

Sara was about to drop her ice cream. How did they talk about the horse and the foal?

"So five."

"I'll give you six." Sara didn't realized that she called these words out. Both men turned and looked at her.

"I beg your pardon?" The owner said.

"I'll give you six." Sara repeated this realizing what she was doing.

"You take her right away?"

"Yes."

"Give me the money and she's all yours."

"Take a check?"

"Sure."

"Okay." Sara got her wallet out and wrote a check. That was why she kept them with her, in case she needed money and couldn't pay with her credit card. And she had thought of giving them away. Thanks God she didn't do that.

She bought a horse. Only by saying a sentence. She didn't bid, she didn't checked anything. All she did was saying she'd pay six hundred dollar. The man handed her the papers of the horse and took the check.

"Enjoy your horse." He gave her the rein.

"Thanks." Sara looked at the horse. Her own horse. What was she suppose to do with it? She couldn't take it to Vegas. She could but she needed to find a place where she left it. And the foal. She had no idea when the mare was due to give birth.

"Horse."

"Yeah…mine." Sara couldn't believe her ears. "Your mom will kill me."

"Fat horse."

"She'll have a baby soon, that's why she's so fat. She'll be a mommy."

"Baby horse."

"Yes, we'll have a baby horse and a mommy."

"Nice horse."

"She is, isn't she?" Sara smiled a bit. If she saw it that simple like Patrick did, she could stop to worry about what she did and even worse, what she had to do.

"I think we need to find your mom." She wanted to lift Patrick on the horse but stopped. She had no idea if this horse was broke in. It was too dangerous to sat Patrick on it. She threw her ice cream away, got Patrick back on her arm and the rein in the other hand. Slowly they made their way back to where they had left Sofia and Kieran.

"Do you see your mom?"

"Yes."

"Go and get her here please." Sara let Patrick down and followed him on his way to Sofia. There was no chance she could go up there with the horse. She saw when Patrick reached his mother, saw when Sofia started to look for her, she caught the eyes of the blonde and waved her towards herself.

Sofia took Patrick on her arm, took Kieran's hand and came down to Sara.

"I won't tell you that you bought too much ice cream for my son and forgot mine."

"Sorry." Right she was supposed to get some ice cream for Sofia too. That had slipped her mind when she bought the horse.

"What are you doing with this mare?"

"I bought her."

"What?"

"She in foal…"

"I can see that…"

"And her owner was about to sell her for five hundred dollar to a slaughter. They had been arguing who kept her until the foal was there, the owner didn't want because his wife would give him a hard time when she finds out he sells a foal to a slaughter and the slaughter said he can't use her in foal. They met a five hundred, he wanted to take her, let her give birth to the foal and kill both. There's no reason why…I couldn't let them do that, I had to…"

"Sara, I'm not telling you off." Sofia placed her hand on Sara's arm.

"You know where the man is?"

"No, I think he left after I gave him the check. Why?"

"This mare is young, it's probably her first foal and she hadn't been on an auction for three times. It's illegal to sell her to a slaughter."

"I don't know…I didn't pay attention…"

"It's alright. Let's get her out of here." Sofia took Sara's left hand. "It's alright, really."

"I'll take care of her, I don't intend to give you any work, I…"

Sofia stopped, pulled Sara in her arm and hugged her. "Don't worry. I'm glad you bought her. You saved two lifes Sara. You did exactly what we are here for. I'm happy you did what you did and that you were there, could stop him from selling her to a slaughter. Really. Stop worrying and apologizing."

"Okay."

"The only mistake you made was not getting me my ice cream. You have to make up for that later."

"I will." Sara smiled a bit.

"Good." Sofia let go of the brunette and walked back to car. Sara followed her, having her first own horse behind her and Kieran on her hand.

Carefully they got the horse in trailer.

"Okay, kids on the backseat, we'll get home."

"Now?" Kieran asked surprised.

"Yes. She in foal I've no idea how far she is but she looks like she due soon. I want her on the ranch when she's due and I want her to feel comfortable. Plus it's a long drive. We'll leave, have some food later on the road. Sara, can you help the boys, I'll get her some water."

"Sure. Thanks." Sofia just smiled and took the bucket with her.

Sara had bought a horse. Only ten minutes she had been gone and came back with a horse. In foal. First Sofia had been surprised then she was proud. Sara had done exactly what Sofia wanted anybody to do: she saved a life of a horse. Two.

She could say Sara acted without thinking, buying a horse when you live in Las Vegas in an apartment isn't like buying a cat you could leave in your apartment while you're away. But she wasn't mad, she was glad. A young horse, in foal, and Sara had rescued both.

She secured the water, stroke the horse, mumbled a few words to calm it and left the trailer. Tine to leave.

"Ready to go home, boys?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Good. Ready to go home, Sara?"

"To the ranch? Yes."

"Sara, that's home for you. The next few weeks at least. I won't drive you to Vegas, you can be happy if I let you leave at all in three weeks." Sofia blinked at Sara and started the engine.

"Want to chain me to the barn?"

"Don't put ideas in my mind."

"Just asking." Sara grinned. Time to go home. Yes, it felt like going home even when she knew she was going to her holiday place. Somehow the ranch had become a home to her.