Yikes! Sorry it took so long to get this done. I can only really work on it on my days off (Wednesday and Thursday). I also wanted to let you guys know that AL is gonna play more of a part than just my alter ego. If you see this story to the end, you'll figure out what I mean. The title of the chapter is the stable slogan (if you will). Since I really don't have 'em hear Kevin's speech again, here's what it is: "questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, critiques, or controversies". Special thanks to my beta reader for helping me in the rewrite.
          Reviews (from old version): J0: We have fun up at the stables. ^^ You'll be happy to know that how they met is now in Chapter One. As for Amanda, check Chapter Three (that's this one ^^).
                          Cass8: Signed reviews can't be deleted. Only Anonymous. Anyways, I tend to get…what's the word?…protective of my stories/characters. That's why I seem smug/snide/arrogant and everything else. I apologize.
                          DMFAN: Double review, there. ^^ I'll delete one just as a courtesy to others. I have a few ideas as to what happens to my intended victim. *evil cackle*
                          I e-mailed you before: One thing before I start: I e-mail a lot of people and don't remember all of them, so a name would help in the future. Thanks. All I can say is thanks for your comments, so thanks for your comments. ^^
                          Cass: As I would've done the same thing (as a matter of fact, I think I did once or twice…) I'll let it pass.
                          Taxi Driver: One of my goals is to make Jesse, Mark, and Steve true to the characters we see on TV (I'm actually watching the show as I type this; "Murder at the Telethon" to be exact). As for a strong story…let's cross our fingers and hope, shall we?

Chapter Three: Do It on the Trail

"So, Amanda's working overtime lately, eh?" Lisa said as she and her guys rode through the forest. Dr. Amanda Bentley was Community General's pathologist. Lisa met her at the same time she met Mark.

"Yeah," said Jesse, who was right behind her. "You did invite her to come, right?"

Lisa twisted in the saddle to face him. "Of course I did, Jess. Really. How else would I know she was working?" She shook her head, as if the idea was preposterous.

As they approached the loop in the fire-road, Diego tossed his head. "I want to run…can we run? I want to run."

His rider reined him to a stop ("Easy on the teeth!") and again turned back to her companions. "You guys want to do a little warm-up trot?" She was addressing the horses as well as the men.

"YES!" Diego always wanted to run, though a lope would be more satisfying. Lisa would allow that on the Cantering Track halfway into the trail.

"Sure," said Jesse.

"All for it," was Steve's hesitant reply. She sensed he was still uneasy, but gave him bonus points for trying lighten up, as it were. She had always thought if he would just let go of some of that stupid macho pride and be willing to look like a fool once in a while, he would have a lot more fun trying new things.

"Let's go." Mark responded.

Dillenger, Amigo, and Sancho were willing to do a trot, as well, "As long as we're careful on the rocks," said Amigo. "I just got new shoes put on and I don't want to go through it again." Amigo wasn't very fond of the farrier.

Lisa chuckled and related his concern to the guys. "You know I slow down before I hit the rocks. Okay, just stay single file, don't pass, and shout 'stop' if you feel uncomfortable." She gave Steve a pointed look. "Let's go!" She gave Diego a light kick in the sides and he trotted down the road with the others following behind.

They couldn't go very long, as the turnoff for the standard hour trail came up rather quickly. Diego desperately wanted to lope, but he held himself back with the knowledge that they could once they were halfway in.

"Lean back in your saddles as we go down the hill," said Lisa as they turned to the right.

They did as instructed and the horses began to grumble about the rocks. Not one of Lisa's trails went by without at least one of them making some kind of complaint, even though Lisa was the only one who understood. Sometimes, she thought they made a big deal out of it because she understood.

"Hey, guys," Lisa said, turning around, a thought striking her, "it just occurred to me. What about BBQ Bob's?"

BBQ Bob's was a small, struggling diner Jesse and Steve both owned. She'd just realized that there'd be no one there to run it with them there with her.

"Well, we weren't about to say no to you." Jesse began.

"As if you could," Steve joked.

"We got our professional chef and wait staff to take care of it," he finished.

She grinned. "You hired them just for me?" she said, pretending to be excited and flattered. She knew they had decided to hire qualified people to work in the restaurant on their opening night, as soon as they realized Steve had forgotten to light the ovens.  The next day, they had a cook and a trained wait staff doing most of the work.

So they rode, mostly in silence but occasionally breaking it with small talk. When they got to the Cantering Track, they had a spirited lope after Lisa made sure the saddles were tight.

"Can we go again?" asked Diego.

"Can't go again," said Lisa, repeating what he'd asked for the benefit of the guys. "Sorry. Not enough time."

"Aww."

"He does like to run, doesn't he?" said Mark.

"Yeah. Why do you think I fell in love with him?" she laughed. "C'mon, we have just enough time to go across the bridge."

They rode over the stream, then made a loop around a sort of jug handle. "Lean forward in your saddles when we go up the hill," said Lisa, and they went back the way they came, though turning right instead of going across the Cantering Track again.

"This is the way we come back for the night rides." Lisa said. "The way we come down, too. Opposite way."

"What's the night ride?" asked Mark.

"I didn't mention them? I usually do. Well, it's a two-hour trail ride with an hour-and-a-half barbeque afterwards."

"Trail in the dark," said Sancho.

"Right. The trail's in the dark. So, if you can picture going through this – " she gestured to the forest around her. " – in pitch darkness, you have the night ride."

"Sounds like fun." Steve said, finally sounding like he was beginning to relax and enjoy himself. "How much is it?"

"Fifty bucks per person. It's the same as a regular two-hour trail, except you get to party for an hour-and-a-half later. And, if you got fifteen or more people, we'll do a private one for you."

"How often do you have them?"

"Friday and Saturday nights. Need to make a reservation with Kathy."

"Is there one tonight?" asked Jesse.

"Actually, I have no idea." She paused to think. "There's something to ask Kathy when we get back. They're really a lot of fun. In fact, let me tell you something that happened at my first night ride…"

End part three.