Mitch and Amy find an unexpected connection due to absent lovers. Set around season 11.

A/N: I didn't have a beta for this story, so hopefully there won't be too many grammar errors.

When Tim walked inside the house with Remi tailing him, he was lost in thought. The meeting with Mitch had been brief, but some big themes had been touched, and he didn't like how it had left off. He especially hated the part where Mitch had gotten the last word, but for some reason he had froze and had not been able to utter another word.

The accusation the younger man had made had made Tim stop and think if that was how people really saw him.

"Hey", Casey said when Tim walked in. She was sat by the hearth, carefully placing papers into the fire not only to keep the house warm but also to get rid of the stuff that they had had lying around. "Who was that that came by?"

Tim was jolted back to this moment and he looked at Casey across the room as he took off his boots to make his way to the kitchen that overlooked the living room. "Mitch."

"Oh yeah? What did he want?" Casey said, looking through the papers she was about to burn.

"Just talked about our business", Tim summarized. He wasn't sure what he thought about Mitch's proposal about making Casey a partner, so he would have to digest it a little before he would even talk about it with her.

"Oh..." Casey said, only half focused on Tim, because she then frowned as she looked at the postcard pile Tim had in one of the boxes. "Are you sure you want to get rid off all this stuff...?" she checked.

It had been long time coming, but the house was starting to finally look presentable now that they had merged their things together and gotten rid of the stuff that just didn't fit in. Casey couldn't wait to invite some friends over, because after living in a trailer for years, she felt like she had better capability to entertain them in a space like this.

In an actual home.

"Yeah. It's mostly just old junk I dragged from Big River. They've been collecting dust there, so clearly I don't even really need them", Tim said, looking for his thermos mug so he could take the coffee Casey had brewed to-go.

"But it's Christmas cards?" Casey checked one more time. "From... your dad", she read.

For her that would probably be something she would want to save, especially if she had a father that had passed, like Tim did. Casey knew that deep down Tim could be sentimental about things like that; after all he had had a calendar from 2007 on his fridge when they had met after years of not seeing each other in 2014.

Tim froze. "Just toss it", he said coldly.

There was a brief silence in the conversation as Tim found his mug and filled it with coffee, waiting for the situation to be over as the hair on his neck stood up.

"Wait... When did you say your dad died? Didn't you say that was years ago?" Casey asked as she was looking at the stamp on the card. "This is from last Christmas."

"What...?" Tim turned around, putting all his acting skills in good use. He shook his head, in what he thought would look like disbelief as he turned around. "Must be a mistake."

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. John Fleming. And a stamp from last year" , Casey read and showed him the card in case he had suddenly forgot.

"You must be reading the stamp wrong", Tim said when he closed the lid of the mug. "Sometimes they get smudgy."

"This isn't smudgy", Casey continued. "I thought you said your dad died years ago", she repeated, hoping Tim would explain why she was under that impression.

"Well, he... did", Tim stuttered.

"Then what's this?" Casey asked, holding onto the card and seeing Tim had gotten them every year since who knows from when. "Or do you know another John Fleming?"

Tim shrugged. "It's like I've said; he is no longer with us."

"So this is some other John Fleming then?" Casey asked, waving the card.

Tim walked closer and grabbed the card, a scornful look on his face. "Does this look like the handwriting of an old man to you?" he asked, showing it to Casey as if she had not just seen it.

He then took the rest of the cards and tossed them to the fire, making Casey gasp. "What'd you do that for?"

"They are meaningless", Tim said point-blank and started walking to the door to get his boots on.

"They are from your dad", Casey realized it now more than ever. "Who is alive."

"I don't want to talk about it..."

"Maybe you should", Casey said, getting up and putting a pause on what she was doing. "Why have you been lying about that?"

"Because he doesn't even remember who I am", Tim said, feeling cornered, but also wanting to find a way out. Maybe if he gave Casey some form of answer, she'd leave it be. "So it doesn't matter."

Casey walked up to him, not ready to leave it at that. Clearly this was a sore subject for Tim, but it was exactly why it needed to be processed.

"Is there something wrong with his memory...?" Casey asked, feeling like maybe that was the problem. When Tim looked down and sighed, she felt like she had found the answer. "Where is he now? Where does he live?"

"In Golden Acres Nursing Home in Okotoks", Tim finally revealed. "If it was up to him, he wouldn't be sending those cards. It's the nurses, they do it. And every time I get one of those..." He bit his cheek. "It's like being hit in the gut. So, that's why I don't really want to think about it or talk about it."

Casey put her hands on Tim's arms. "When was the last time you went to see him?"

Tim sighed, looking around. "It's been years. I don't even remember."

"When?" Casey repeated firmly.

Casey always had this hold over Tim, so he replied. "Over ten years, maybe."

"Ten years?" Casey echoed, but when she got a look from Tim, she tried to sound a lot less judgmental. "I mean... he's been there for that long?"

"Yeah..." Tim nodded. "He got one of those early cases of Alzheimer's. It wouldn't matter if I went there or not, he doesn't remember me."

"But you remember him", Casey pointed out. "Doesn't that matter?"

Tim took his truck keys from the wall. "I need to get going, my shift at Maggie's starts soon. I'll bring some leftovers so no need to cook tonight. Go for a ride, or something. Have the day for yourself."

"Tim..." Casey tried when he had all of a sudden completely ignored what they had been talking about. She didn't believe that having a shift at Maggie's was the only reason he had decided to leave the conversation here.

"I'll see you later", Tim said, as if he couldn't read social cues all of a sudden. He planted a light kiss on Casey's forehead before heading out. "Love you."


At Heartland, Amy was out cooling down Copper after an exercise in the pen when she saw Casey driving in. The woman didn't come around much without Tim and it seemed like this time she was alone, so Amy couldn't help but wonder what this was about.

Though now that Amy had her eyes on Casey longer, it seemed like she wasn't actually entirely alone, because when she jumped down from her truck and walked on the other side, she let out Remi who seemed happy to be back at the ranch and started to sniff everything in her sight.

"Hey", Casey greeted her as Amy walked closer.

Amy smiled. "Hey, you two."

"Is Georgie around?"

"Oh, you just missed her. She went on a trail ride with Wyatt", Amy said, walking to the wooden bars that Casey was peaking through.

Amy was happy to have some help around - especially now that Lou had forbidden Mitch to come here - and with the help of Georgie and Wyatt, she didn't have to exercise as many horses today as she usually did. It seemed like her niece was excited to be back home and reuniting with all the horses too, and spending time with Wyatt while riding probably was a nice little extra on top of everything.

"Ah..." Casey sounded disappointed. "I heard from Tim she had come back, and thought I'd bring Remi around and show her few tricks I've been able to teach the old dog", she shared and smiled.

Amy knew about the arrangement Georgie had done with Casey before she had left for New York and she was excited about the thought of having Remi around to help with the cattle someday.

"Well, I don't know how long she'll be, but you're welcomed to stay and wait, if you want. I could make some coffee too at the loft, if you want", Amy offered. "I was pretty much done with Copper here, anyway."

"Yeah, sure. If that's alright?" Casey checked.

"Of course", Amy said, then going and collecting the horse that was already bored and looking for something to eat from the ground even though it was a little bit muddy and cold.

"So, where's the tiny cowgirl?" Casey asked, referring to Lyndy.

Amy smiled as she attached the lead on Copper's halter. "Inside the ranch house. She's happy to have Katie back. Makes playing much more fun."

"That's good", Casey said and came to open the gate for Amy.

"Thanks", she said as she walked Copper out. "So, how's your new place? I've been meaning to come by, but... I've just been really busy", Amy explained.

"It's good, sort of finally coming together", Casey talked as they walked into the barn where Amy would take care of the horse after the exercise. "I didn't have much to bring in anyway since I pretty much got rid of most of my stuff when I moved from my house to my trailer. Your dad however..."

She did a little whistle that made Amy laugh as she kind of figured what Casey was talking about.

"That bad, huh...?" Amy asked as she went through Copper's legs. They would need some washing up, but the horse also wasn't as young as he used to be and gained weight easily, so she needed to make sure his legs were still doing well and there was no swelling or anything else she would need to worry about and report to Mallory.

"He has all sorts of stuff. Mostly trophies, belt buckles and all that stuff, but there's other things too. Surprisingly for someone who has collected all that, he doesn't seem too sentimental about most of it, so I've been able to throw away a lot or just burn them. We figured it'd be best if I go through that stuff with an outsider's eye or otherwise he'd just keep everything because "you never know when you're going to need it"."

"Yeah... I know the type", Amy said as she was picking up Copper's hooves.

"Speaking of which..." Casey figured this might actually be a good opportunity to ask about Tim's dad. "What do you know about your grandparents?"

"My grandparents?" Amy echoed, looking at Casey, wondering if she was referring to Jack and Lyndy or...

"I mean Tim's parents", Casey added.

"Oh..." Amy said, checking Copper from other angles too and running her hand through his coat and muscles. "Well, not much, to be honest. I know my grandmother died when dad was pretty young, so it was just him and his dad for a while. But... actually, I'm not sure when he died. Dad never really talks about that, I've figured maybe it was too painful for him."

She knew from experience that losing a parent wasn't always something you processed openly.

"So, he's actually said your grandfather is dead?" Casey checked.

"Well... it's not like I remember him exactly saying that", Amy admitted, thinking back. "I guess I've been told when I was little or something by either him or someone else. Or somehow that's how I've come to know that because that's what I know. - I mean, for the longest time dad's name was a swear word in this household, so not only wasn't he talked about but his parents never came up either."

"Yeah, I get that", Casey nodded, trying to puzzle it all together. He had Tim's confession about his dad still being alive, but there was still something about it that she needed to figure out. "So he was never talked about...? Like in any form?"

Amy was sensing there was something going on. "Why are you asking?"

"Well... while cleaning up, I came across these postcards. They were pretty recent too", Casey shared. "And I think they are from your grandfather. He's been living in a nursing home for about ten years or so."

"What?" Amy frowned. "No", she said immediately, not believing it. Her other grandfather was dead after all. "Maybe you've been mistaken."

"I asked about it, and Tim admitted that they were from him and that's where he is, but that's pretty much all he said because I guess his dad doesn't really remember him anymore. For him it was the end of the conversation."

"So... you're saying my grandfather from dad's side is actually still alive...?"

"I mean... yeah. I think so", Casey said. She didn't like to be the one telling her this, but at the same time maybe Amy had a right to know. For some reason this whole mystery seemed like something that needed to be figured out. Not only for Tim's sake but also for Amy and Lou's. Who knew how much time they had left to get to know this man.

"Wow..." Amy replied, shocked. So many thoughts were running through her mind. She had never really imagined what kind of man Tim's dad was, but now he was beginning to wonder. Was he like Tim? Or something completely different?

"I shouldn't be the one telling you this, I know, but seems like your dad has decided to give up on him. I just don't think he can make that choice for you and Lou too", Casey explained.

"Or Shane", Amy added.

"Or Shane", Casey repeated. "I don't know... I just always felt like to me it was such a natural thing to know where I come from and to think I wouldn't have that... I mean, to imagine what if you didn't know Jack. What could be missing from your life."

"Yeah..." Amy said, knowing just how much Grandpa had made a difference in every way possible. Of course the same couldn't be said about Tim's father, since Amy had never known him, but at the same time years had gone by without Tim around and Amy had not really cared, but now she couldn't imagine her life without him or the relationship they shared. "I'll talk dad about it. Thanks for telling me."

Casey nodded, hoping she hadn't stepped over any boundaries.