Well I never thought I'd be here, rewriting a story for a show I haven't watched in years. But sometimes life just gives you unfinished WIPs and you…make an ending for them!

"Faster Farland, faster!" Lyndy shouted into the wind. The strong legs of the gelding sped up, Farland strived to take his owner's command. It was mid-spring and Lyndy was enjoying the warmth, as the previous winter had been a snowy one. Just as cold as it had been when Lyndy was born, about eleven and half years earlier.

Her younger brother, TJ, matched her speed as they raced back to Heartland. Earlier, Lyndy and her brother had gone for a trail ride which of course led to a race home. Arlo, TJ's gelding, was young but feisty, and brought on a good challenge for Farland; he was ten and had some better horse manners. Normally Lyndy and TJ couldn't race home, as six year-old Lily wasn't allowed to gallop without Mom or Dad present. But Lily didn't join them this morning, so the older kids could do as they pleased.

As they neared Heartland, Lyndy slowed down and yelled for TJ to do the same. There was a car in the driveway that hadn't been there when the two of them had left after breakfast.

"I wonder who it is," Lyndy asked, sliding to the ground and wrapping Farland's reins around the tie-up outside the barn.

"Maybe it's Esme, although the truck looks unfamiliar," guessed TJ. Esme was Caleb and Cass's only child, a shy girl, but someone who got along with TJ's personality perfectly. The two of them were best friends, and Ezzy—as she preferred to be called—came over often.

Lyndy didn't respond as she pushed through the screen door leading into the main house. "Mom?" she called out, confused by the lack of lighting.

Suddenly, two figures jumped out from behind the couch. "Surprise!" shouted Lou. TJ grabbed Lyndy in fright but soon let go, as he realized it was just his aunt and cousin, Katie.

Lyndy didn't scare easily, so she recovered quickly and jumped into Lou's arms. "Auntie Lou! What are you doing here?" she asked, as she gave her aunt a big hug.

"Mom needed to talk to Jenn about something to do with Maggie's, and thought an in-person meeting was better. Plus, she has a week off and wanted to come stay here for a couple nights," Katie answered. Jenn—Wyatt and Brick's mom—had taken over running the Dude Ranch and Maggie's in Hudson, whenever Lou was in New York.

"Yay! Does my mom know that you're here?"

"We phoned about it yesterday, and she said to keep it a surprise for you kids. Speaking of your mom, she had to run out with Lily to take Lily's friend home, so you're stuck under my watch." Lou ruffled TJ's messy helmet hair; the sides were long enough to hook over his ears, just like Ty's had been when he went to Mongolia.

Just then, Lou's phone buzzed, so she pulled it out of her pocket. Katie too it upon herself to entertain her cousins. "What do you want to do?" Katie looked toward the barn as silence ensued. "I'd love to see your horses again."

"Sure! You coming TJ?" Halfway out the door already, Lyndy pulled Katie with her before remembering about her younger brother.

She sure has a lot of energy, TJ thought. He smiled at his aunt, and motioned towards the door. "Want to join us?" TJ held the door ajar, in case Lou was up for a trip to the barn.

Lou looked up from her phone at her nephew. "That's okay. I have to head over to Maggie's as soon as your mom gets back. I'll come see Arlo after dinner, does that sound good?"

"Okay." TJ shut the door and raced out to the barn. He entered through the side door and watched as his sister showed their cousin the horses. Katie was seventeen now, and looked the same as she always had. She was full of energy like Lyndy, which was the main reason they got along so well regardless of the age difference. TJ was more of the reserved type, and got along better with Ezzy. It didn't mean he didn't love his main cousin, though.

Technically Georgie was also his cousin but she had already moved out when TJ was born. Before he started school, she got married and moved on to follow her dreams of jumping horses in the Olympics, and other really amazing places all over the world. Married to Wyatt McMurty, Georgie enjoyed her life on the move. She hardly ever came home due to her extravagant lifestyle. To TJ, she was more of a young aunt instead of a cousin. Although, he was sure she would visit soon, when the jumping competitions came closer to Hudson in the late spring.

"TJ?" Katie's voice broke through his thoughts. "You okay buddy?"

TJ nodded, embarrassed he had zoned out. "Yeah, sorry, what were you saying?"

"I asked if you had made any good friends." Katie repeated patiently.

TJ shot a quick look at Lyndy, who shook her head. She tended to speak for him in question situations but this was Katie they were talking too. He sighed and turned back to Katie. "I have a few, mainly Emmett and Brexton," he answered carefully.

"That's good." Katie could see there was tension between the two siblings, and drifted over to pat Princess and let them work it out alone.

Lyndy couldn't understand why her brother didn't mention Esme to their cousin. "What about Ezzy?" she whispered, moving closer to her brother.

"I didn't want Katie to get the wrong idea, I mean we're just friends," TJ replied. "Remember Lou telling us that when Katie was in kindergarten, she made a friend with a boy named Abraham? And how she "married" him? I just don't want her to think it's like that."

"Okay," Lyndy nodded and headed out of the barn. She returned seconds later with Farland and Arlo's reins in her hands. "Katie, do you and TJ want to untack the horses and brush them? I think I hear Mom's car in the driveway and I want to ask her a question." To prove Lyndy right, the sound of Amy's truck could be heard pulling into a parking space by the gate.

"Sounds good." Katie took the reins from Lyndy and passed TJ, Arlo's. "Shall we get started?"

TJ nodded. He watched his sister leave the barn and wondered what Lyndy had to ask their mom. But instead of just standing there, he grabbed the saddle and pulled it off his horse, letting the silence of untacking wash over him.

I'm hoping to post one edited chapter per week minimum. Then after chapter 15, I have to start anew for writing content (using my old ideas), so I'm not sure how long that'll take. Regardless, feel free to shoot me an ask or a private message on Tumblr for more consistent updates! find my on tumblr at thedefinitionofendgame. thanks for reading!