Sorry for the delay on this chapter...thank you for all the understanding and kind words. Life goes on...just need to navigate through the new path as hard as it may be.

There is a mild steam alert in this one...but nothing major. I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review...I love to read what you think.


June 19th, 2014 – Stockton State Park, Missouri

Jack stepped out of the trailer after getting it set up, pulled his arm to the side stretching his shoulder, and walked over to the firepit where Lee was already working on the fire.

"Doesn't get much better than this," Jack said, staring out to the lawn area where the kids were all playing.

Lee stood and moved his gaze to the children, "No, Brother, it sure doesn't." Returning his gaze to Jack, he asked, "Your shoulder still bothering you?"

"Just a little stiff sometimes, but not too often. How's Rosie feeling?"

Lee picked up another log and added it to the burning pile. "She is feeling remarkably well. She said this has been the easiest pregnancy so far."

"So, if you end up having another girl, are you going to try one more time for a boy?"

Lee turned and faced Jack, "Jacko, I will not be able to cope with another Rosemary. I think one original and three carbon copies will be more than I can handle."

Jack laughed and laid his hand on Lee's shoulder. "Just the original would be more than I could handle."

The two men continued to laugh as they stacked more wood next to the firepit.

Rosemary approached them, carrying two bottles of water. "What's so funny?" she asked, taking a seat at the picnic table after handing the water to the guys.

"We were just talking about how lucky I am," Lee said, bending down and kissing his wife.

"And that's funny?" she asked, eyeing the men.

"Well...," Lee cleared his throat. "Jacko here thought it was," he said, pointing over his shoulder toward Jack. "But I was just saying that I'm the luckiest man on earth." He bent down and kissed her once more as she continued to eye him.

"Uh huh. I'm sure that's exactly how it went," she replied, accusingly. Standing, she walked back to the trailer to check on Autumn as Lee turned around to face Jack.

Jack was staring at his friend, his arms crossed, shaking his head. "Wow, run me over with the bus, put it in reverse, and back it right up, why don't ya."

Lee simply grinned, shrugged his shoulders, then moved onto his next project.

…..

Wyatt snatched up a piece of lunch meat from the ground that Colton had just dropped and ran to the shade of the truck to eat it. Colton proceeded to pick up his bread and place it back on his plate.

"No, buddy," Jack said, taking the bread. "That's dirty. Let's get you a clean one."

"Otay, Daddy," the little boy replied, staring at the man and smiling ear to ear.

Once Jack had a new sandwich assembled and on his son's plate, Colton took a seat in his little camping chair, his plate on his lap, and picked up a large potato chip, shoving it into his mouth.

Blake and Peyton were already seated, their sandwiches half eaten, while Austin, Luke, and Noel were on a blanket under the large oak tree eating theirs.

Savannah was having a conversation with Charlotte while the rest of the adults discussed what trails they wanted to ride later that evening. With one ride already under their belt on the north trails, the group wanted to explore the south ones.

"There's a large water crossing along Cedar Ridge trail, I believe," Tom added to the conversation. "Will the ponies be able to make it?"

"Do you know how deep it is?" Jack asked.

"I don't think it's that deep, but I'm not sure. I haven't ridden that trail for years."

"We can always put the kids up with us when we get there if it's too deep. The ponies can make it across without the kids on them."

"That should work," Lee stated. "Sounds good to me."

They finalized their plans, finished their food, then sat back and watched the kids play with the dogs. Tuff was tugging at the pantleg of Blake as the little boy was trying to get away, his laughter filling the air. Bandit and Wyatt were constantly trying to herd the kids back to the center of camp if they got too close to the edge of the grassy area. The children would run back toward the adults, then slowly make their way toward the edge, laughing as the dogs paced back and forth in front of them, nervously attempting to get their little people to turn around and run back to their parents.

Elizabeth was sitting on the ground in front of Jack, who was in a camping chair, her back against his legs, his fingers in her hair. He dragged his fingers through her long, silky tresses as the couple proudly watched their three children playing with their cousins.

Lee and Rosemary were so close with the Thornton's, they were considered part of the family, and their kids were thought of as cousins to all of the children. Rosie was reclining in her chair, her hand gently grazing along her growing belly, stopping now and again as she felt the baby rolling or kicking. Lee, sitting in the chair next to her, reached over and laid his hand on her stomach as the pair reveled over the life growing inside her.

Frank and Charlotte were in their chairs, side-by-side, hand in hand, watching their grandchildren, smiles filling their faces. Occasionally one, or all, of the kids would run up to their grandparents and jump onto their laps for extra hugs and kisses.

Tom leaned forward and kissed Sam's cheek. She was sitting on the ground in front of him like Elizabeth was with Jack, her arms resting on his knees. She tipped her head back and Tom kissed her once more, this time on the lips.

Another hour passed as the adults watched the kids play with the dogs until they began to wear down and settle on the ground around their parents. Time for the next trail ride arrived, and everyone made their way to the horses and ponies to retrieve them, leading them to the trailers where their saddles and bridles were waiting.

…..

Peyton, Blake, Colton and Noel were riding their ponies, two wide and two deep in the center of the pack. Their voices echoed through the trees as they chattered, sang and exclaimed over each and every animal that they spotted. They were closely followed by Savannah, Austin and Luke. Jack, Tom and Lee led the group as they discussed the upcoming rodeo and things that needed done back on the ranch.

Sam, Rosemary and Elizabeth rode behind the kids, and were currently talking about Rosemary's pregnancy. Constantly checking on her, making sure that she was alright to ride. Rosie repeatedly assured them that she was fine and trusted her horse fully.

Frank and Charlotte stayed at the campsite to watch ten-month-old Autumn due to this trail being a long one. Autumn was included on the shorter rides and rode on the saddle in front of Lee, usually squealing and giggling the entire ride.

As the group approached the large water crossing, the men stopped and waited for everyone to reach them. Jack took Harley across the water first to test the depth, and finding the water level quite high, he returned to the group and pulled Blake up onto the saddle behind him. Peyton rode in front of Elizabeth, Colton with Tom, and Noel with Lee. With the ponies in tow, they began to make their way across the water that reached halfway up the horses' sides. The ponies swam alongside them as the men held tight to their leads.

Once they reached the other side, the kids returned to their ponies and the group continued on their way. After another two hours of easy terrains and beautiful views, they reached camp, untacked and fed the horses, then settled in for supper that Charlotte and Frank had waiting, surprising everyone.

…..

That evening, Jack and Elizabeth were finally able to get all three kids to sleep on the sofa bed together, then retreated to their own bed and were quickly lost in their own dreams.

The couple had similar dreams, with mild differences in the details, as visions of riding through the trees, Elizabeth behind Jack, her arms around his waist, her cheek against his back as Harley ran down the trail, filled their minds. As they came to a clearing, the most beautiful sunset was painted across the sky.

In Jack's, a group of wild horses could be seen below in the valley as a flock of Canadian geese flew by, silhouetted against the oranges, golds and yellows. Elizabeth's involved a field filled with a rainbow of colors across blossoming wildflowers.

Jack tightened his hand on his wife's arm as her breath drifted across the back of his neck. He turned his head, meeting her lips with his. Gripping her arm, he lowered her to the ground and was soon next to her, his arm around her waist. Jack pulled the blanket from behind the saddle and spread it across the soft leaves.

Their clothes laid discarded in a heap beside them as they made love among the trees. The sky was now filled with a breathtaking number of stars and a full moon, casting just enough light on the couple as they took great care of one another.

Jack and Elizabeth both woke, staring at each other, the light of the moon reaching through the trailer windows. Both of their hearts were racing as Jack reached up, touching his wife's cheek. She moved closer to him, their bodies touching, their intentions obvious. They quietly removed each other's clothes and Jack slowly moved over his wife, paying mind to keep the covers over them both.

With slow movements and quiet breaths, they continued what had begun in their dreams. When they finished, Jack lay behind Elizabeth and pulled her body to his. He rested his hand over her heart, feeling it pounding just beneath her flesh, the beat matching his own.

…..

June 20th, 1014 - Stockton State Park, Missouri

The next day was much of the same. With a short trail picked for that morning's ride, Frank and Charlotte joined the group as Autumn rode with her daddy. All three dogs kept close watch on the group; ensuring that no squirrel, beetle, or bird threatened their people.

With two small water crossings along this trail, the kids screeched and giggled as their ponies stopped in the middle of the creek for a drink of water.

That evening, Jack and Lee prepared mentally for their competition the next day by practicing with their lariats at the back of their trailers. They had brought the plastic steer head and had it attached to a bale of hay and took turns tossing their ropes, capturing their prize.

After half an hour of trying a few new tricks, the kids had joined them and Lee and Jack began teaching them how to toss a rope. Luke had learned to rope a couple of years ago and began showing off his skills; getting some advice from Jack on how to fine tune them.

With the sun set and all the kids in bed, the adults gathered around the fire for a couple of beers before turning in themselves.

…..

June 21st, 2014 – Stockton Lake PRCA Rodeo

Jack was tightening the cinch on Jake's saddle when he looked up and saw Rick, a fellow bull rider, approaching him.

"Hey, stranger," Jack said, resting his arms on top of the saddle.

"Hey, Jack. Long time, no see." Rick stopped near the horse and rested against the fence. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you around in...what...four years...five?"

"I've been around," Jack said, walking to the other side of Jake and leaning his back against the horse. "Life just happens, and we compete when we can."

"I hear you're team roping now."

"Yep. Lee and I compete together."

"That's great. I'd hate to see you drop out of rodeo all together."

"What have you been up to? Are you still riding bulls?"

"Yep. I probably will until the day I die," Rick chuckled.

The men continued a few more minutes with small talk, until Rick asked Jack a personal question.

"Hey, I saw a couple little boys running around here that look just like you. I had heard that you had twins, one boy and one girl. Is that right?"

"Well, yes and no."

Rick gave Jack a confused look.

"My wife and I had twins, Peyton and Colton. Then I found out recently that I actually had another son that I never knew about. His name is Blake and he's four and a half."

"Whoa, I bet that was a real shocker. Who's the mom? Someone I know?"

"I don't know if you knew her. Becky Hardin."

"Oh, yeah, I remember her. What? Did that bitch just show up one day demanding money from you or something?"

"Hey," Jack said, shaking his head. "No. It wasn't like that. There's no need to talk like that."

"What? You're protecting her? She kept your son from you for over four years and you're defending her? I'd be pissed. Where is she? I'll tell her off for you."

"Rick, stop." There was a tone in Jack's voice that set Rick on edge.

The man straightened, crossing his arms in front of him. He easily had two inches over Jack and stared down his nose at him. "Or what?" he asked in a stern voice.

Jack knew Rick's reputation of always starting fights and rarely losing them. Jack pushed himself off his horse and stood up straight, holding his own. "I just said stop. You don't need to talk about her like that."

Rick took one step toward Jack, shortening the eight-foot distance between them. "You having an affair with this woman or something? Does your wife know? I'm sure she'd like to."

Jack could see Rick curling his fingers over his bicep, the blood draining from his knuckles, leaving them white. "You have no idea what you're talking about, man. Just step away and let it go." Jack's voice was low and demanding.

Rick took one more step toward Jack and dropped his arms to his sides, his fists in balls. "This is obviously a sore topic for you. Which tells me that you are in fact cheating on that beautiful wife of yours. Maybe I should go let her know and comfort her myself."

Jack took a step forward this time, his hands clenched, his own knuckles white. Just as he was thinking about drawing a fist back, he felt a body step in front of him and push him back.

"Rick," Lee said in a low voice, his arms across his chest. He stared up at the man that towered over him, never wavering.

"Lee Coulter. You're still Jack's sidekick, I see."

"Do you need help finding your truck?" Lee asked.

Just as Rick was about to completely close the gap between him and the two men, a third one stepped in. Tom stood shoulder to shoulder with Lee and crossed his arms.

"And who might you be?" Rick asked, moving back one step.

"Tom Thornton," he simply answered.

"Another Thornton. You here to fight your brother's battles for him now?"

Tom shook his head, "Nope. Jack needs no help with that."

Rick lifted a hand and with his palms and fingers up, he motioned for Jack to come toward him by moving his fingers back and forth. "Then move out of the way and let Jack fight for himself," he said, staring into Jack's eyes.

"Oh," Lee began, waving his hand between himself and Rick, "you are clearly mistaken by our presence. We aren't here to protect Jack. We're here to protect you from Jack." A chuckle had surfaced between his words.

The large man let out a laugh as he looked back and forth between the two men that he could easily take out with one blow each. He was used to this, men ganging up on him, most times unsuccessfully. Then his eyes moved to Jack's and he froze.

Jack was staring at Rick, with a look in his eyes that would frighten any man with a tiniest bit of sense. But Rick wasn't known for having much and he narrowed his eyes.

"Man," Tom said, laying his hand on Rick's shoulder. "Trust me, you do not want to do this."

Rick knocked Tom's hand away and squared his shoulders once more. "Well, I can see that this is going nowhere, so you gents have yourselves a great day," Rick stated sarcastically as he began to walk away. "I'll just go find the little missus and see if I can show her what a real man is like."

Just as he finished his sentence, he began to turn his head to look back at Jack and felt a heated blow across his cheek and into his jaw, then everything went black as he hit the ground.

"Jack!" Tom shouted as he grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him back. With the help of Lee on Jack's other side, the two men pulled him away from the man on the ground.

Jack threw his arms up letting the men know he was done, and took a few more steps away from Rick before turning around. "Please check him and make sure he's okay," Jack said, removing his hat and nervously dragging his fingers through his hair.

A group of men that had been standing nearby and had heard the whole thing ran to Jack's side as Lee and Tom checked on Rick.

"You alright?" Billy asked Jack, looking back and forth between him and Rick.

"I am...but is he?" Jack asked again as he waited for an answer.

Rick slowly sat up with the help of Lee and Tom, and got to his feet. Rubbing his jaw, he turned to face Jack and pointed at him, "You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

"For what?" Billy asked him. "We all saw what happened. Pursue that and see what happens to you at future rodeos," Billy threatened. Several men stood behind him, nodding their heads in agreement, arms across their chests.

"Whatever," Rick said, throwing his arms up. "Y'all are a bunch of pussies," he said as he turned and walked away, his cheeks red, his jaw stiff, his pride hurt.

…..

Rick was next to his truck when Adam, another bull rider, walked past him and saw the bruise that had already begun to form on his face. "What happened to you, man?"

"That jackass, Jack Thornton. That's what happened."

"What did you do now?" Adam asked.

"What did I do? What makes you think I did something?"

"Because you usually do," Adam answered smugly.

"Whatever, man. That jerk punched me for no reason."

Adam leaned his back against the truck behind him. "I find that hard to believe. What did you say? Jack doesn't just go around punching people for no reason. He's really changed and it just isn't like him."

"He's changed? Not that much, he hasn't. He's cheating on his wife with that Becky Hardin girl that runs barrels."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's got a kid with her and every time I asked him about her, he brushed me off. It's obvious he's hiding it from his wife." Rick rubbed his throbbing cheek. "I just let him know that I'd be glad to let his beautiful wife know and I'd be there to comfort her."

"Wow, dude. You deserved that punch...and much more in my book."

"What is everyone's problem?"

"Becky died, man. She had cancer and brought her son to Jack for him and his wife to raise after she was gone. She only lasted like a month after that."

Rick could feel the color leave his face as he listened to Adam. "What?"

"Yeah, Rick. Maybe you should check around before jumping to a conclusion like that. And for future reference, Jack will defend his family to his death if needed. So don't ever say anything negative about any of them again...unless you want to meet your own demise soon." Adam pushed himself from the truck and walked off, shaking his head.

…..

Jack and Lee were on their horses walking toward the arena when Elizabeth skipped up to Jake's side. She laid her hand on Jack's thigh and smiled up at her husband. "I just wanted to tell you good luck."

Jack leaned down and kissed her, and when he straightened, she noticed he winced and pulled his hand back so she couldn't see it.

"Jack," she said, her eyes meeting his.

"What?"

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Show me your hand, please," she said, holding her hand out, palm up.

Jack didn't move for a moment, then knew he should just get it over with. Lee watched from the back of Cisco, waiting for Elizabeth's reaction, as Jack lifted his hand and showed her his red, swollen knuckles.

"Jack Thornton," she exclaimed, taking his hand in hers and examining it. "What did you do?"

Letting out a breath, he answered, "I punched a guy."

"The guy deserved it!" Lee shouted, hoping it would keep Elizabeth from getting angry.

"Really? What could he possibly have done to deserve it?" she asked, her voice at the edge of anger.

Jack told her the whole story and as he did, both men could see her eyes soften.

"I'm sorry I hit him," Jack said, bending down and kissing the top of her hand. "I won't do it again."

"It's fine, Jack. I probably would have punched him, too," she grinned.

The three laughed as Elizabeth patted the top of Jack's thigh. "Good luck, Cowboy," she said again, stretching up onto her toes, waiting for Jack's lips to meet hers. When they did, she felt a current quickly spread down to her toes.

When Jack straightened, their eyes remained locked on each other as grins formed across both of their faces. Jack clearly had felt the same electricity and bent down for one more kiss. When they separated, Elizabeth squeezed her husband's knee, then turned and went back to her family.

"We sure hit the jackpot with our wives, Jacko."

"Yes, we did, Brother. I most definitely agree with that."

They turned their horses and headed to the staging area. As they sat and waited, Jack was rubbing his aching hand, trying to get the pain to subside long enough for their event.

Lee watched Jack as they waited their turn. He had been rubbing his hand frequently, obviously in more pain than he was letting on.

"We can pull out, you know," Lee finally said.

Jack turned his head toward Lee, "What?"

Motioning to his buddy's hand, Lee stated, "You're hurting. We can withdraw today."

"Nonsense. I'll be fine," he assured.

"Are you sure? Because you haven't stopped rubbing your hand for the past ten minutes."

Jack looked down and saw that his knuckles were more swollen than earlier, and his hand was red from his constant massaging. "I'll be fine. Really. I just need some ice as soon as we're done."

"If you say so," Lee commented, not believing Jack.

When it was their turn and both men had their horses backed into the box, Lee took a quick glance over to Jack and find him pumping his hand just before gripping the rope. Returning his focus to the task at hand, Lee checked Cisco, felt he was ready, then gave a quick nod.

Just after leaving the box, Lee let his rope go, narrowly capturing the steer. As he turned the animal, Jack released his, missing the steer entirely. Lee followed the steer out, waiting for one of the ringmen to remove the rope from its head, then turned to see Jack riding out of the arena, shaking his head and beating his lariat against his leg.

When Lee finally caught up with his friend, Jack was still on Jake behind the arena, cussing himself out for being stupid and hitting Rick.

"Jacko, stop beating yourself up. It's no big deal. We'll get it next time."

"If I could have just kept my temper at bay, this wouldn't have happened."

"Brother, if you hadn't punched that jerk, I would have. Then it would have been me missing the steer. So, either way, this would have been our outcome," Lee grinned, trying to cheer up his friend.

"I'm sorry, Lee. I blew it today."

"Jack, seriously. We win some, we lose some. But today, we won," Lee said, a huge grin taking over his face.

"What? How did we win?"

"The look on Rick's face...that was priceless."

Jack tried not to laugh, but was unsuccessful. He dropped his gaze, shook his head, and chuckled at his friend.

…..

Jack was pulling the saddle from Jake's back when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. Recognizing the touch of his wife, he laid his hand on top of one of hers, dropped the saddle to the ground, and turned to face her.

"Your hand?" she asked, her eyes filled with empathy.

"Yep," he answered, guilt covering his face.

"Was Lee upset?"

"Not at all," Jack answered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her toward him.

"I didn't think he would be." She draped her arms across his shoulders and reached up to kiss him.

"Where are the kids?" Jack asked as he picked up the saddle and carried it to the trailer.

"Your mom and Frank took them to get popcorn and drinks." She followed Jack around the trailer to the side tack compartment.

Jack stepped up into the room and slid the saddle onto the rack and turned to find Elizabeth standing next to him. "Mrs. Thornton," Jack said, tipping his cowboy hat down to her.

"Mr. Thornton," she responded, pulling his hat from his head and taking a step closer, pressing her body to his.

"What are you doing, Beth?" he asked, falling back against the saddles.

"Well, if I have to explain, Cowboy, then we've got problems."

"Baby, I need no explaining," Jack said as he pressed his body against hers, pushing her against the wall that was covered with hanging halters and lead ropes, and slid his hand under her blouse.

"Are you kidding me?!" Lee shouted as he stepped into the trailer. "Get a room," he called out as he turned around and jumped out.

Jack stepped back, and with flushed cheeks, Elizabeth stuck her head out the door just in time to see Lee vanish around the corner of the trailer. "How does he keep timing it like that?" she asked, straightening her shirt.

"He's got a talent," Jack answered, laughing at his wife's embarrassment. He took her face in his hands, kissed her gently, then looked deep into her eyes, "Let's go find our babies."

Elizabeth nodded, placed his hat back on his head, took Jack's hand in hers, and stepped out of the tack room.

…..

Jack and Elizabeth were sitting on the bleachers with the family, waiting for Savannah's turn with the barrels. It was a larger rodeo and she was fifteenth on the roster.

Blake was sitting next to Elizabeth when Peyton ran across the bleacher and jumped onto her mommy's lap.

"Hi, Mommy," she said, kissing Elizabeth's cheek.

"Hello, sweetheart. Are you having fun?"

"Oh, yes, Mommy. Fun." The little girl scooted down and was off and running again.

Elizabeth caught Blake staring at her and turned in the seat to face him. "Is something wrong, honey?"

"No," Blake answered, quickly moving his gaze away.

"You don't want to go play with them?"

"Maybe later," the little boy answered, watching the kids run around. "Lizbeth?"

Elizabeth pulled Blake onto her lap, "What's on your mind?"

"Ummm...nothing. Nevermind."

"Blake. What's wrong? You can talk to me about anything."

"Well, I...ummm...would my mommy be sad if I wanted to call you Mommy? I mean...can I call you Mommy? I really miss having a mommy." Blake's gaze dropped and he laid his head against Elizabeth's chest.

Elizabeth tucked her finger under his chin and lifted Blake's face toward hers. "Blake, you can call me whatever you're comfortable calling me. Your mother told you that, too. Do you remember?"

Blake nodded.

"If you don't want to, then that's fine. You don't have to. But if you do..." she bent her head down to catch his gaze that began to drop again. "But if you do, I would love it." Elizabeth smiled, a soft, loving, motherly smile. "There's no rush, Blake. You can keep calling me Elizabeth until you're ready."

Blake nodded and smiled, "Okay."

"Are you ready to go play with them now?"

He nodded, moved off of her lap, and climbed down the bleachers to join the other children.

"What was that about?" Jack asked as he slid closer to her, shifting the bag of ice that rested on his hand.

"He was asking if he could call me Mommy."

"Really? Already?"

"He really misses her and I think hearing the twins call me Mommy all the time is making it harder on him."

"Yeah. I never thought of that."

"I hadn't either until he started asking me. He asked if Becky would be sad if he called me that."

"She told him that you would be his mommy after she was gone. I guess that doesn't erase the guilt of actually following through though."

"No, it's just too much for a four-year-old to comprehend until he's actually faced with it."

The couple watched as the kids played in the open area between the bleachers and the arena fence. Colton and Peyton were climbing on Luke's back while he acted as if they were taking him down, dramatically rolling onto the grass, causing the twins to bust out in laughter. Blake and Austin were driving Hot Wheels through the dirt, making tracks to race each other. Noel, who wasn't feeling well, had fallen asleep in Lee's arms as he combed his fingers through her long blonde hair.

Jack and Elizabeth had both been watching all of this, loving the life they were blessed to be a part of. Their hearts were overflowing with love for their little family.

"Look," Elizabeth said, motioning with a nod of her head toward Frank and Charlotte.

The couple were sitting side-by-side, Frank's arm behind Charlotte, as he whispered something into her ear. She let out a small laugh and pushed her shoulder into his side. Frank pushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear, and kissed her cheek.

"I'm so happy they found each other," Jack said, taking Elizabeth's hand in his good one. Moving his gaze to his wife, he added, "and I'm so glad I found you."

"Oh, I think I'm the one that found you," she teased, leaning in to kiss him. "I showed up at your barn...remember?"

"Oh, trust me. I remember. How could I ever forget?" He pushed her hair back behind her shoulder. "I thought you were the most beautiful woman that I'd ever seen."

"And I thought you were the sexiest cowboy that I'd ever seen."

"I was the only cowboy you had ever seen at that point," Jack laughed.

"Well...there is that." She leaned into him, pushing him slightly, before kissing him.

"Savannah's next," Sam stated, returning to her seat after having waited with her daughter.

Everyone turned their attention to the arena and the kids returned to their seats. As the announcer introduced Savannah, they could see her just outside the arena, holding Cash back by turning him in circles. The gelding was as excited to run the course as his rider.

When she was ready, Savannah let the horse go, and the duo burst into the arena at full speed. After two perfect turns around the first two barrels, she kicked him to move faster as they approached the last one. Slowing him, they turned tight around the barrel and her foot caught the edge, sending the barrel over. But before it could fall, she reached down and pushed it back upright as the horse headed to the gate, running as fast as he could.

The Thorntons and Coulters jumped to their feet, cheering loudly for the young lady as she finished her run. Her time put her in second place and the group could see the smile on her face from across the arena. She jogged Cash down the aisle and out toward the grass where Tom was waiting for her.

When she reached the trailers, the entire family was there waiting for her, with celebratory hugs, high fives, and kisses. The smile on her face said it all, it had been her best run yet. She would ride again that evening in the finals and she was shaking with excitement.

"At least someone gets to compete tonight," Lee stated, winking at Jack.

"Very funny, Bro," Jack said, pointing a finger of his swollen right hand to his friend.

"Just messin' with ya," Lee assured. "I was tired of being near the top anyway."

Jack quickly moved toward him, dropping the bag of ice, as Lee spun and took off running for his life. The two men tore across the grass as Jack soon closed the gap and had Lee in a headlock that the man had no chance of escaping from.

"Those two will never grow up," Rosemary said, shaking her head.

"I hope not," Elizabeth added, grinning.

…..

The whole family were in their seats when an old car entered the arena with a horse sitting in the back seat, his front legs next to the driver. The kids were laughing hysterically at the site as the old man drove the beat-up car around the outer edge of the arena before stopping in the middle.

He climbed out of the car, followed by his horse, Shotgun, then mounted the animal and began riding him across the dirt, doing different tricks that made the crowd exclaim in awe.

As he neared the end of his show, part of the car was lit on fire, he began running Shotgun toward it, and the animal jumped over the flame covered metal with no hesitation.

Seven kids lined up in front of the Thorntons and Coulters were all clapping as hard as they could as the horse cleared the flames. Their eyes wide, and their mouths opened into wide smiles. Peyton spun around and ran to Jack, jumping onto lap as he pulled her up.

"Daddy, Daddy! Did you see dat? Da horsey jumped over fire!"

"I saw that, Pey Pey. That was awesome, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yes, Daddy. Awetum!" She slid off his lap and returned to stand between her brothers as the horse backed into the car and sat down for the ride out of the arena.

"You need to up your game on your horse training, Jacko," Lee called back over his shoulder.

"Maybe you should give that a try, Brother," Jack replied. "I'll have a car waiting at the ranch when we get back."

The group was in laughter as the two men bantered back and forth over their training skills. But silence fell over the crowd as a woman entered the arena on horseback, carrying an American flag, for the opening ceremonies of the evening's events.

With everyone on their feet, hats in hand, the rider ran her horse around the arena with the colors flying behind them. A man sang the anthem as most sang along with him, followed by the announcer's prayer.

The air filled with roars and cheers as everyone took their seats and the first bronc riders began their preparations over their horses.

…..

Jack was on the edge of his seat as he watched the team ropers begin. We should have been competing tonight, he thought to himself. He was kicking himself for being unable to control his anger, but the man had said things about Elizabeth that he couldn't let go. He had seen Rick around later that day. The man had placed fourth that afternoon on the bulls and would be riding again that night. A fact that was aggravating Jack even more, with him and Lee sitting on the sidelines and watching.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked quietly into his ear.

Jack turned and smiled at his wife. "Just thinking of what an idiot I was."

"Jack, should you have hit him? No. But you did, it's over, there's nothing you can do about it. No one blames you for what you did. Well...no one but Rick," she grinned.

"Ha ha."

"There's no point in sulking over it, is there? Will it change anything?"

"Maybe keep me from doing it next time," Jack said softly, giving her a forced grin.

"Really?" she asked, her eyebrows up in question. "If someone said those things again, would you really do it differently?"

Jack shrugged and thought about it, then grinned. "Probably not."

"I don't condone fighting, you know that."

"I know, Babe."

"But that guy was a creep." Elizabeth smiled and leaned into Jack's side.

Jack wrapped his arm behind her, holding her close, and kissed the top of her head. "I'll walk away next time. I'm sorry."

Elizabeth looked up at him, her eyes catching his, sincerity filling the dark hazel staring back at her. Jack kissed her and the pair began watching the teams compete for the fastest time.

….

It was time for the barrel racers to begin and no one could see Savannah in the group of girls on their horses on the other side of the arena.

"Where is she?" Charlotte asked as the family scanned the riders.

"I don't see her," Sam answered. "Or Tom."

Jack stood, looking over the heads of riders, and could see Savannah on Cash in the distance. "She's back there," he stated as he sat back down. "Looks like Cash might be acting up a little."

"You should go help her," Charlotte stated, turning to face Jack.

"Tom has it. He's with her."

Charlotte nervously turned back, facing the arena, stretching up to try to catch a glimpse of her granddaughter.

A few minutes later, everyone could see Savannah walking her horse over to join the others.

"See, she just needed to work the nervous kinks out of him," Jack stated when he saw her.

The family relaxed as the horse had done, while they watched Savannah talking with her dad. Several girls that hadn't seen Savannah ride before, were staring at her as she signed, shock on their faces when they came to realize that she was deaf. Whispers were shared between them as others began to watch her as well.

The juniors were to ride before the adults, and the girls moved to the end of the arena to wait their turns. Savannah was fifth to go, and as she moved Cash toward the gate, the energy level of the horse went up as it always did when it was time to run. Savannah held the horse back until she got the signal from her father to go.

She loosened the reins and kicked the horse, holding on as Cash dug into the dirt and began what he'd been trained to do. The duo cleared each barrel perfectly, shaving the tiniest bit of time off by keeping their turns tight at each one. As they began their final run down the straightaway toward the gate, everyone saw the horse shift into a faster speed, one they had never witnessed from him before. Cash took off another three-tenths of a second, putting the team in first place with a 14.08 run.

The announcer shouted, joining the crowd, commenting on the speed of the horse. And then he'd done something no other announcer had done up to that point.

"Folks, I don't know how many of you know this, but this little gal and her horse are quite an amazing team. I've seen them at three rodeos now over the past year, and this horse gives his owner just a bit more each time. And folks, Miss Thornton is deaf and is quickly becoming one of the best little riders that I've ever seen."

Sam froze and covered her mouth; she had been waiting for this moment and wasn't sure how Savannah would react. They watched as Tom was signing to her what the announcer was saying and the crowd went wild with cheers.

Savannah scanned the bleachers, seeing everyone clapping and waving at her, she waved back, smiling ear to ear.

Sam felt her body relax as she watched Savannah, her hand over her heart now, tears clouding her vision.

Jack reached forward and laid his hands on Samantha's shoulders, squeezing them. She placed a hand over his, turned and smiled at him.

They watched as rider after rider attempted to beat her time. A couple had come close, but no one succeeded. The event ended with Savannah and Cash in first, and the young lady rode her horse into the arena and took her victory run around the outer edge, waving at the crowd as she passed by. She accepted her buckle with tears and a smile, then ran Cash out to find her dad. Jumping off, she rushed into Tom's waiting arms.

When she reached her excited waiting family, she held her buckle out for everyone to see. She was signing frantically in her enthusiasm, as everyone encircled her, congratulating her.

Once Cash was put away and she returned to the stands to her family, proudly wearing her new buckle, other spectators began to approach, praising her for her achievements with Luke beside her as translator. Savannah was relishing the attention and answered each person's questions the best she could. Tom and Sam stayed back, allowing their daughter her time in the limelight.

….

The family remained until the last event to watch the bulls. Jack and Lee sat next to one another, pointing out familiar bulls and fellow competitors. Blake stood behind Jack, leaning against his daddy's back, his arms wrapped around Jack's neck. As the night went on and after only a few riders remained on the for eight seconds, it was Rick's turn and Jack watched with clenched fists.

The man had drawn a tough bull and Jack knew it. He was on the edge of his seat, his elbows on his knees, as Rick prepared for his ride. Blake was now sitting next to Austin, and the boys were talking about bull riding as if they'd been on the back of one.

When the gate opened and the bull burst out, the man held on. The bull covered a lot of ground as he made his way across the dirt in Jack's direction. As the timer passed seven seconds, the bull twisted his body completely to the right, catching Rick off guard as the man lost his balance and hit the ground.

Jack and Lee watched as the bull turned back, eyeing the rider he'd just dumped, lowered his head and charged him. Jack and Lee were both on their feet as the bull trampled over Rick, stepping on his leg and arm and possibly his shoulder. The bull fighters immediately began distracting the animal, luring him away from the fallen man. Jack and Lee, without thinking, scaled the fence and were at Rick's side.

Rick was unconscious when they reached him, but after a few seconds of talking to him, the man opened his eyes and began to try to sit up. Jack held him down, telling him not to move. Confusion flooded Rick as the sports medicine team reached him, each person checking over and assessing him. Jack and Lee remained by his side, Jack holding his head and Lee holding his feet, while the team got Rick onto a board and prepared to carry him out.

"Jack?"

Jack heard his name and looked down at the man that was finally making eye contact with him. "Hey there, Rick. They're going to take good care of ya, buddy."

"What happened?"

"Well, a very large bull just ran over you," Jack grinned at the man.

"Did I make eight seconds?"

Jack laughed, remembering his time on the circuit, knowing he would have asked the exact same question. "Close, but not quite."

"Damn," Rick replied, wincing as one of the medical team members moved his left arm. "Sorry about earlier."

"Don't worry about it. Just focus on getting better," Jack replied. "Sorry I punched you," he said as the team stood, lifting Rick.

The man lifted his arm, his hand in a fist, waiting for Jack to return the gesture. Jack bumped his fist to Rick's just as they began to carry him out.

When Lee and Jack returned to their seats, Elizabeth was waiting with a smile on her face. "I'm proud of you, Cowboy," she said just before kissing him once he was seated.

"Thanks," he responded shyly. "It needed to be done." Jack smiled at his wife, a genuine smile now, as his heart was no longer heavy over his actions.

"Well, not everyone would have done that. I felt in my soul that you would find a way to make amends."

Jack looked back to his wife, "Really?"

She nodded, "Yes, I prayed about it because you were beating yourself up over it so badly. Then I had a feeling that things would work themselves out."

Jack moved his arm behind her, hooked his hand around her hip, and pulled her across the bench until there was no space between them. "Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

Elizabeth giggled, "Yes, a few times I do believe."

"Well," he kissed her, "I'll probably say it many more times, so get used to it."

"Daddy!" Colton shouted as he jumped onto Jack's lap, startling his father.

"Hey, Colt," Jack said, squaring the little boy on top of his legs. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Dat bull was close. He drew dirt on me." Colt's eyes were wide and his smile filled his face.

"Did he, now?"

"Ya! It was cool!"

Jack and Elizabeth both chuckled at their son's excitement.

"Is the man otay?"

"Yes, Colt. He'll be just fine."

"Dat good."

Jack wrapped his arms around the little boy and held him against his chest in a big hug. "You're such a good boy," Jack stated, kissing the top of Colton's head.

Colton stood and faced Jack, wrapping his arms around his daddy. He patted him on the back and looked directly into his eyes, "You a good boy, too." He kissed his father's cheek, then carefully made his way down the bleachers to join his siblings.

"He's not wrong," Elizabeth said, sliding her arm through Jack's. "You are a very good boy." She winked at him and kissed his cheek.

They watched the remainder of the bull rides, then enjoyed the firework show afterwards. The kids piled on top of their parents' laps and covered their ears, oooing and ahhing over each explosion.

…..

June 22nd, 2014 – Stockton State Park, Missouri

"I'm going to stay back with Autumn this time," Rosie said as Tom took Noel's hand to lead her down to the horses.

"Are you sure? You feeling alright?"

"I'm just tired. It's been a long week. I think we'll take a nap while you're gone."

"Okay," Lee replied, and kissed her goodbye. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will. Have fun, baby," Rosie said to Noel as they walked away.

The little girl turned and waved, "Bye Bye, Mommy."

Rosie picked up Autumn and the two disappeared into the trailer, closing the door behind them.

Jack had Lee's horse saddled already by the time Lee reached him. "Thanks, Brother. You didn't need to do that."

"Not a problem. Rosie not coming today?"

"No, she's tired. She's staying back to take a nap."

The group finished tacking up the horses while the kids ran around, being chased once again by the dogs. The animals seemed to be working together, keeping the children corralled near their parents.

Once the ponies were ready, the adults began getting each child on and directions repeated as they did each time.

Frank and Charlotte were in the front this time, leading the group down an east trail that they hadn't been on yet. Thirty minutes into the ride, a steep hill loomed before them as they sat on their horses and stared at it.

"We need to get the kids on with us," Jack stated, feeling the hill was too long and steep for the kids to safely remain on the ponies.

"I agree," Lee added.

With Peyton, Colton, Blake, and Noel moved onto horses with an adult, and ponies in tow, they began their ascent.

"Lean forward," Jack told Peyton, who was riding in front of him. The little girl did as she was told, gripping onto the saddle horn. Jack had one hand on the reins and the other wrapped around his daughter's waist.

When they reached the top, Jack turned Harley to watch the rest of the group work their way up. Charlotte and Frank followed behind Jack, Peanut in tow behind Frank's horse, and Daisy with Charlotte. Elizabeth was next, with Colton, followed by Lee holding Noel. Blake was riding with Sam so Tom could lead Doodle. Savannah, Luke and Austin remained on their horses and made the climb with ease.

With everyone at the top and the kids returned to their ponies, the group continued on through the trees. A few does with their fawns were spotted by Luke, and everyone stopped to watch the babies hopping around until the deer realized they were being watched, and quickly darted away.

Another forty minutes later, they approached a water crossing. Deciding it wasn't too deep, they let the young ones remain on their ponies, which excited the children very much. Noel had her knees lifted almost to her chin to keep her new pink boots dry as the water reached her stirrups. Colton and Blake both kicked and splashed the water once it reached their feet, filling their boots with water.

Another group of riders waited at the bank, watching the children ride their ponies back and forth, splashing enough water that even their hair was wet by now.

"Sorry," Jack waved at the waiting riders.

"No worries," the man called out, laughing at the sight before him. "Nothing like the laughter of a child to brighten our day."

Jack smiled and waved again, seeing that everyone in the group was enjoying the kids and their ponies.

Finally getting the kids out of the water, they moved forward, back into the thick trees. A rustling in a nearby bush had the ponies frozen and staring, trying to see the source of the noise. Two squirrels darted from the branches and ran up the closest tree. As one chased the other, the small animals ran in circles around the diameter of the large oak, sending the kids into a fit of laughter once more.

Conversations flowed like the nearby streams, laughter filled the air off and on throughout the ride, and the weather was a perfect addition to a perfect day. Lee had sent a text to check on Rosie and quickly received a reply, a photo of Autumn fast asleep along Rosie's side.

As they left the shelter of the trees and neared the campgrounds and the end of their visit, Luke suddenly began to sing Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. He dropped the reins across his horse's neck and signed the words for Savannah. The adults joined in, catching the attention of campers around the sites.

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

By the time the song ended, half the campgrounds were singing along with them, a guitar could even be heard being played in the distance.

With the horses loaded in the trailers, tack and supplies put away, the site cleaned up and engines running, each trailer pulled out of their respective spot and headed for home.