After exercising Bruni and Venus, Amy gathered all the horses that needed the hoof maintenance inside the barn so they'd be ready for the farrier. She caught a glimpse of Lyndy with Jade here and there and felt good about being able to work while still having the opportunity to spend time with her daughter between the chores. The little girl was loving everything Jade came up with, whether it was riding with Monty, building a pillow fortress or doing art with finger paints, and Amy was pleased this arrangement was really working and beneficial for everyone involved. Even though Jade had no prior experience with children, she had a playful nature, so she could come up with things that Lyndy found interesting and kept everything entertaining for the toddler.

When the farrier was taking care of the horses' feet on the hallway, Amy heard the barn office phone ring. She excused herself and walked over to her desk, looking at the phone number. From what was written on the screen, Amy could tell the call had been transferred most likely from Lisa's number now that she was in the hospital. Amy picked up the phone and took a pen as she sat down, ready to talk to someone about something involving the Dude Ranch.

Even though she was no expert when it came to that side of the Heartland business, every now and then Amy took in bookings and calls asking about their services if the person responsible was busy as she herself was somewhat aware about the answers to the frequently asked questions and if not, she would promise to find out about it.

This was one of those times.

Some time later, just as she was done with it and put down the phone, Jade walked downstairs while holding Lyndy. "Just came to check if you're hungry. I was thinking of making something to eat, and maybe you'd like to join us."

"Uh, yeah, sure, why not", Amy said, absentmindedly as she wrote in the booking to the cloud storage calendar from the scribble she had just wrote on the paper. Before Jade took steps back to the loft, she stopped her with an inquiry. "Hey, weird question, but do you know what cosplay is...?" she asked, wondering if Jade was familiar with the term. Her fingers were already hovering above the laptop keyboard in case she would have to look that up.

"Cosplay?" Jade repeated as Amy looked at her over the laptop and nodded. "Oh yeah, I know what it is. Adam does it sometimes with whatever nerd stuff he likes at the time. You know, Star Wars, Star Trek, whatever. Why?" she asked, not really seeing Amy being the type that would find it interesting.

"Oh, just... someone called and asked if they could book all the cabins and horses at the Dude Ranch for this "cosplay group" for a weekend", Amy explained. "He said something about westerns and robots... Sounded kind of odd, but then again a guest is a guest, I guess."

"Well, these people basically dress up as characters from some type of thing, movie, TV show, comics, whatever it may be and then pretend they are those characters. It's like having this play, basically", Jade gave her a brief summary. "I guess it makes sense why they'd ask from you if it involves westerns. It's the perfect spot."

"Yeah, I guess. I have to tell Lisa about it when she gets home", Amy said, reminding herself out loud so maybe it'd stick better. "Will you let me know when the food's ready? I'll be helping the farrier."

"Okay, will do", Jade said, then getting back upstairs with Lyndy.


Later that day, when Amy was mucking out the stalls, she heard a truck pull in. She put the stall fork aside and walked to the doorway, seeing Lisa helping Jack out.

For a few seconds, Amy felt frozen as the fear of losing Jack washed over her again even though she was now seeing he was still doing well and had been able to get back home from the hospital. Maybe it was the brain's way of somehow reminding her to be grateful of things being like they were instead of them being like she had feared them to be.

As Amy walked inside the ranch house couple of minutes later, Jack was sitting in the kitchen, by the table, while Lisa was going through the cabinets.

"The coffee at the hospital was horrible... I'm glad I don't have to deal with that anymore", Amy heard Jack say as Lisa was loading the coffee maker.

"Grandpa, thank god you're home..." Amy said as she took off her boots and walked in. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she came to give him a hug from the side. She was trying to keep herself calm even though she was nervous. But it was the magic of hugging Jack as it almost seemed like all her worries faded away at that second.

"I'm fine, don't you worry about me", Jack tried to assure her. "I don't understand why Tim even called Lou for this... Now she's coming home with the girls for nothing... Everyone's making such a big deal about this. All I want is to get back to normal."

"Well, it's not for nothing. They want to be here to support you", Lisa said as she was preparing something small for Jack to eat. "I can understand that."

"I'm fine!" Jack repeated, making the heart attack seem like it was somehow comparable to a common cold.

Amy sat down next to him, still looking at Jack with a trace of worry in her eyes. He seemed fine, but he had seemed fine yesterday too and yet...

"Don't look at me like that", Jack requested. "I know that look."

"I just... It really scared me", Amy admitted, taking Jack's hand that was resting on the table to hers, "what happened."

"See?" Lisa pointed out to Jack. "You might feel like you're fine, but maybe rest of us aren't. We are worried about you because we love you."

"But everyone's going to make a big fuss about it - how's that going to help me get back to normal?" Jack said, seemingly annoyed about the attention on him.

"Well, the thing is... you can't go back to normal, that's the problem. There has to be some changes so nothing like this happens again", Lisa said as she pressed the button on the coffee maker to turn it on. "You need to take better care of yourself. And I know you don't want me or Amy or Lou to fuss about it, but we don't have to if you just do it yourself. So if you want to make this easier for yourself, you take more responsibility of your health. You heard what the doctors said."

"What did the doctors say?" Amy asked from both of them, wondering which one would give her the answer.

Jack sighed, clearly not liking what they had said. Since he wasn't about to explain it, Lisa seemed like it was left up to her.

"They suggested retirement. And he really needs to get his life in a balance. Everything from sleeping to his eating habits and stress levels", Lisa briefed. "They all need to be balanced if he wants more years around the sun."

"Retirement...?" Amy repeated. It did make sense for Amy, seeing Jack's age, but it was going to be a big change for him and the ranch. Even without commenting on it, she knew what Jack's thoughts about it were.

"I just need couple days to bounce back, that's all", Jack belittled.

"No, you don't. Couple of days won't do." Lisa was being firm about it as she walked on the other side of Jack. "We discussed this and we agreed that it was time for you to retire."

Jack sighed. It seemed like maybe the man had just said earlier what Lisa had wanted to hear and it was now catching up with him - but Lisa wasn't about to let it go.

"Jack, you have to take better care of yourself", Lisa repeated. "I just don't understand why it's so hard for you to understand. Your body is sending you a message and if you don't listen, you will-"

She suddenly broke down in tears after trying to keep it together for Jack's sake. It wasn't just about this moment. It was also about her guilt of not being there when Jack had had his first heart attack, even though they had been broken up back then. She had tried to help afterwards, but Jack had refused to be treated like "an invalid" and so she had decided to respect his wishes and had backed off. But the guilt still lingered inside of Lisa and she had sworn that she would make sure it would never happen again - and now it had.

"Lis..." Jack looked at her, worried, and gently brushed her cheek. "I'm okay."

"For now. But I can't keep living like this. I'm tired too, you know. Tired of worrying, tired of being scared, tired of you not hearing what I'm trying to express to you. It's like my care for you doesn't even matter", Lisa explained her side, and Amy felt a sting in her heart. She too had been there, maybe not in the same sense, but she recognized these feelings Lisa was having. Worrying over someone who wasn't valuing their own safety and life, thus causing pain for the others around them by playing with death. "I'm not trying to be difficult or make your life harder. I'm only trying to help you because I love you."

Jack sighed, taking in Lisa's words and nodded. It was going to be hard for him to change his life as he didn't want to let go of what he had become so accustomed to for years now, but he also cared too much for Lisa to hurt her like this. The ranch work wasn't as important as getting more time with Lisa and all his other loved ones. If stepping back was what needed to happen, then it was what was going to happen, Jack decided.

"I'm sorry. I've been a fool and too stubborn", Jack finally said. "You're right. There needs to be changes."

"Thank you", Lisa sighed finally, leaning in to hug him. Jack wrapped his hands around her and kissed her hair.

Amy looked at them and felt a lump in her throat. She was relieved they had been able to find a connection and were making some progress by listening to each other, even if it wasn't going to be easy to go on, especially for Jack. Even though it had been a struggle to get to that point, somehow they had been able to achieve it. It gave Amy new-found trust in love again.

It also reminded her about what Mitch said about his parents as she could see the same thing happening with Jack and Lisa in front of her eyes. She herself had not been as lucky, but maybe she could be one day. She shouldn't have to settle for less than this - and maybe this was a good reminder of that.

Eventually Lisa leaned back and wiped her tears, trying to compose herself. "Okay..." she sighed, clearing her throat. "Your decaf coffee's ready."

"Decaf...?" Jack repeated, looking after Lisa as she went to the coffee maker, then getting a look from his wife, reminding what they had just talked about. "I guess that's what I need... Decaf..." he said, looking Amy with a defeated expression.