The summer drew to a close. Adrien began to become closer and closer to herself. For a couple weeks after Travis arrived, she walked around like she was treading on eggshells. The first couple days of school where rather hard, but she had Travis and Adam to pick her back up when she got home.

Adam saw how much better Adrien was doing with Travis around, so he decided to have him stay. The Ponderosa was looking for a foreman anyway…

Adrien was not happy about the idea, but Travis did not have any exact plans about when he was going home. So, he decided to stay. Ben was skeptical about Adam's hire, but Travis proved to be a more than able hand, and despite his age, he commanded the rest of the hands with ease.

Adrien started coming back to herself. She started going back and forth between her home and the Ponderosa on her own, and once again Adam didn't worry every night about whether she would be all right or not the next morning. It's not that she was forgetting Rebecca entirely, but she was dealing with it. Things proceeded immensely as she learned to deal with the death of little Adam two and a half years before. With less guilt lying on her heart, Adrien began to walk taller and sit straighter. The day she actually laughed again, Adam had to step outside and say a prayer of thanks with tears of joy in his eyes.

The cool of fall began to settle in, and it was not long before September had almost come to a close. Adrien's birthday rolled around. Adam arranged a private celebration for just the two of them. They had a romantic dinner on the East Hill, overlooking the lake. It did not upset her much seeing it. Secretly, Adam hoped that she was making it through.

That night he finished the sapphire set of jewelry by giving her a matching necklace.

"Oh, Adam, this is beautiful. Why do you keep giving me these beautiful things? I don't deserve it." Adrien exclaimed breathless.

As Adam put it on her, the softness of her skin almost took his breath away. As he let the chain to the necklace drop around her delicate neck, he kissed the curve of it. The quiet groan of pleasure she expressed sent a thrilling chill through his body, making it almost impossible to resist her.

They walked together and talked together for what seemed like only minutes, but upon returning they found that it had been hours. It was the first night since she had arrived in Virginia City that they actually spoke freely to one another, no inhibitions, and nothing to hide. She was free with her feelings and her emotions. She was warm and loving again, and when she smiled, her eyes seemed to outshine every star in the heavens.

That night riding back home, Adam felt almost like he could not take being without her completely and totally. He was almost impatient to show her how much he loved her, but he wasn't sure how or when that it would be appropriate.

One thing was set in his mind for sure. He had not thought about it in a very long time, but he could not get it out of his mind, even through losing Rebecca and learning the story of little Adam, he could not shake it. Ever since Founder's Day when they buried the time capsule, Adrien had said, "Well, you always could have something to do with it," when he mentioned her not teaching someday and leaving.

He had not really known for sure what she meant, and still did not. He hoped that she meant what he wanted it to mean, but with Adrien, there was usually an underlying meaning.

He tossed and turned the entire night wondering if this was a good idea or not. The market drives were in a week, he was going to show Travis the ropes. He knew that he really did not have to, but he needed this time to think. He might even talk to Travis. Travis always looked over things with a very analytical eye, and his advice had not failed Adam yet, especially when it came to that older sister of his.

The question wasn't if but when. He had to decide before this drive was over. He needed to move to another stage in his life anyway and he knew he did not want to do this without Adrien. Would she want to do this with him? If he even decided to try, he knew he'd need to stay in San Francisco for a few days after they got the steers to market.

If I'm going to do this, he thought, I will do it right this time.

He decided that he would get her something special, a one of a kind something she would regret turning down, if she did, and if he decided to go for it.

I'm not going to sleep for weeks, he thought as he watched the sun rise for the third morning in a row. What am I going to do?

Adam spent the week before he left for the fall drives in a half-asleep daze. During the day, his mind was consumed with his wonderings, and at night he was overtaken with them. Seeing Adrien did not help. He wanted to spend every minute possible with her, but it was pure torture at times. He would fall asleep in a chair in the sitting room, and he'd wake up to her arms around him and her kiss on his lips. He wanted to take her right then and there, but he'd hold back. He knew that she would not comply, and he respected her feelings too much to even suggest it, but then again when they kissed, he could hardly help it.

Do I just lust her? He asked himself sometimes. No. I love her…I know I do… I just want to show her… I want to show her more than anything else in the world…

He did not want to go to sleep another night without her beside him, and he did not want to wake up another morning alone.

Yes, I'm sure how I feel, he confirmed. But how does she feel? She's been through so much with me that she may not want to be stuck to me for the rest of her life.

There was only one way for sure to find out, but if it didn't work, he could lose her forever.

He tried to find out by talking about her teaching contract. It was the last year that she had to teach, but he did not know what her plans were after the school year ended. When he asked, the only answer he got was:

"I'm not exactly sure. I might go back home. I think dancing again is out of the picture, but I wonder sometimes what it would be like to be a ballet mistress. There's still the theater ideas that John had that he still is trying to make a go of."

"Really, no thoughts of settling down or having a family?" he asked.

"I'd like to someday."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I don't think that I'm really marriage material," she answered.

"Adrien, don't say that."

Well, we're back to that again aren't we, he thought.

"Yes, but I'm pretty much happy here, renewing my contract isn't out of the question."

"So have you given up on settling down?"

"No, if someone ever asks me, I'll think about it, but it all depends on if someone proposes or not."

After that, Adam was more confused than ever. He did not know what to do at all. Maybe time apart would help straighten things out. Luckily, he was leaving for three weeks quite soon…

Adrien sat on the fence watching Adam saddle Sport for the long trip. Adam had been acting really strange lately. He'd been extremely quiet and withdrawn. Sometimes she could be talking for just a few seconds and he'd already be completely lost in other thoughts. She wondered why he had been asking strange questions. He actually expected her to know what she was doing when this school year was over. She occasionally wondered if Adam would ever propose to her, but she knew it would never happen. When he asked her to come here with him from Boston, marriage was never mentioned even then. Eventually, he would come to his senses and realize that he did not really love her. He didn't have Rebecca to hold them together anymore, and maybe that's all he held onto her for. So, for now, she would enjoy her time with him, until it ended.

She knew what he really wanted sometimes, but she did not want to end up like she was when little Adam was born. She did not ever want to see those eyes fade again. He had had his father's eyes, and they were so big in that sweet baby head, already so loving, so caring, just like his father. He would have been a wonderful son. She didn't think that she could bear losing any one else she loved, but she'd lose Adam eventually. She was convinced of it.

Maybe Adam already wanted to move on and be with someone else, maybe that is why he was asking all those weird questions, hoping that she was leaving. He just wanted her to be gone before he made his move. Well, she would make it easy for him. As soon as this school year was over, she would be out of his hair.

If you love someone, she thought, just let him go…No, not yet… I don't want to yet.

"Adrien, could you hand me my saddle bags." Adam asked.

"Sure, dear." she answered, a little bit coldly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, surprised at her tone.

"I'm just thinking," she answered.

"About what?"

"Nothing important."

"Dear, if it's gotten you down like this, then it is important."

"It's not important enough to trouble you with."

"Be careful, if you don't tell me, you won't get rid of me for three weeks," he playfully threatened.

He stopped his packing for a moment and wrapped his arms around her.

"Have I told you lately that you're beautiful, and you're the best thing that's ever happened to me?" he asked slyly.

"You just did," she smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"I love you," he told her, following it with a long, passionate kiss.

"I love you too, darling," she answered, the kiss made her lose her breath and her heart pounded, "I'm going to miss you."

"Adam, are you ready to go?" Ben asked, coming outside to see his son off.

"Yes, I am, Pa," Adam answered, quickly letting go of Adrien and putting something in his saddlebags, blushing slightly, "Travis, is everyone ready to head out?"

"Yes." Was the answer.

"Are Hoss and Little Joe waiting on us at the corral?" Adrien saw that what Adam got out of his saddlebags was a roll of money.

"Yes, and so are the rest of the hands." Travis answered again. "Adrien, do you want to give us a hand getting started?"

"What?" Adrien asked surprised.

"Do you want to help us get started?" Travis repeated.

"I don't think that that's a good idea, Travis." Ben interrupted.

"Why not? I used to do this stuff all the time." Adrien stated.

She began to untie Beauty and mounted up.

"Really, Ben, she's good. She taught me almost everything I know about cattle and horses. Adrien taught me how to bust broncs too. She's the best in Colorado Springs." Travis stated.

"Travis, let's stop with the bragging or whatever. If you want me to get you guys going, then I'll help."

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Adam asked.

"It's fine." Adrien answered. "Let's go"

At first, the cattle scattered, and Adrien surprised everyone by how well she was able to round up strays.

"See, what'd I tell you?" Travis bragged to Adam. "You can tell she taught me everything I know."

"At least you're not like your brothers and are too ashamed to admit it," Adrien giggled, "Way to be a real man, brother."

"Oh, yes, I'm being a real man." Travis confirmed with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, if we're done here, I better go." Adrien stated.

"If you want, you could go with us." Travis suggested.

"I would, but I have a little thing called the school, and they don't tend to like it when I just take off and stuff like that," she answered.

"I better get going. Be careful, both of you," she told her men, and she rode off.

"Adrien, wait." Adam called, and rode after her. She stopped to let him catch up.

"Adam, actually, I'm glad to get you alone. I wanted to ask you why you're taking so much money with you." Her tone was obviously worried. "I saw what you put in your saddle bags. Its not a good idea to be out in the middle of nowhere with that."

"I have a reason," he told her.

"What?" she asked.

"I have my reasons."

"So you're not telling me?"

"You might find out after I get back," he told her.

"Alright. I love you." She leaned over to quickly kiss him.

"I love you too. I'll see you in a few weeks."

She started to ride off towards home.

"Wait," Adam called back. She turned back one last time.

"What?" she asked.

"There's something I need to talk to you about when I get back."

"Can't we talk now?"

"No, not now."

"The minute you get back then?" she asked.

"The minute I get back," he confirmed, "I love you."

And he rode off to catch up with the herd.