Amy hesitated as she left out the back door the next morning and descended the porch steps. She walked slowly to the barn knowing she needed to talk to Ty. She paused for a second at the bottom of the loft stairs unsure of what to say when she got there. Taking a deep breath she jogged up the stairs and let herself in. Them needing to talk was long overdue. Ty was surprisingly awake. He shifted in bed to look at the door as it creaked. He sat up slowly the pounding in his head growing worse. He watched as Amy peered around the room. Amy swallowed hard the first to talk. "Ty, I think we need to talk." He nodded and slid over slightly so there was room on the bed for her. She hesitated before smoothing out the covers as she sat at the end of the bed.
"I'm sorry about last night. And last week." Ty blurred out before Amy could say anything.
"It's not about last night." She looked down at her hands on her lap. "I know why you left... before but what I don't understand is why you stayed away."
Ty sighed. "All this was only temporary."
"I know that was the plan. But I thought you liked it here?"
"I did." Ty looked at Amy pausing. "I felt something for you...maybe a month before we kissed. And for awhile I didn't understand why you'd push me away. But I soon got it. You were just trying to protect yourself from getting hurt. It was the right thing to do especially since I wasn't gonna be sticking around. I'm sorry for disrespecting that. But I have no regrets. In that moment...in the barn, I fell more in love with you. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, knowing I was leaving. But I couldn't help myself. You had to have felt it too?"
Amy nodded slowly finally meeting his gaze. "Of course I did, Ty. And I don't regret it either." Ty smiled. "But...it wasn't enough." Ty frowned not understanding. "It wasn't enough for you stay."
"Amy..." He started but knew she was right.
"Do you really feel the way you said at the bar?" She watched his reaction as his shoulders tensed.
"I don't know. Maybe." He ran a hand through his hair. "Honesty that nights a blur."
"I know it wasn't fair of me to think you'd stay. Just for me. But there's nothing wrong with thinking that." She looked away when Ty didn't answer her. "I guess I still thought you'd call or write. So when days turned into weeks I just..." She wiped her cheek. "I thought something had happened." She didn't want to get emotional but remembering back to that time was hard.
Ty nodded taking in her words and now appearance as tears rolled down her face. He hadn't once thought about what his leaving might have done to her. And in that moment felt selfish. "I'm sorry you had to think that. I never intended to hurt you." His voice now sounded venerable.
"You had been the best thing to happen to me. A nice surprise I didn't know I needed. So when you left so abruptly and soon I was devastated."
Ty was surprised by her honestly and again didn't know what to say to that. "You were the best thing that happened to me too." He forced a small smile. "You still are."
Amy blushed slightly at his words smiling back at him. "Can we...put all this behind us and be friends?" She whispered.
Ty wanted that more then anything. But couldn't help his heart telling him being just friends was gonna be harder then being angry at each other. "Yeah. Of course." He said forcing a smile.
Amy nodded and got up off the bed. "Why are you drinking?"
Ty swung his legs over the bed now revealing he was only in his boxers. Amy darted her eyes away and focused on the dresser beside her. Grabbing one of the empty bottles "I've been drinking since before I came here. It's nothing new." He said grabbing the bottle from Amy's hand almost angerly.
"It's just Ashley's stupid party is the only time I've seen you." She defended stepping back.
"Just days before I got sent here I broke into a brewery. Stole a couple cases of beer. My mother's an alcoholic." Ty stated.
"I'm sorry." She paused. "It's just you know then what I mean when this stuff tears families apart. I like the old Ty better. The one who told me to give my dad a second change after all his mistakes. l know that the last 4 years have been rough, Ty. But this isn't the answer. And you know it." She smiled sadly at him as left the loft.
"Amy, wait!" He called after her. Amy turned around. "I like the old me better too." Amy smiled at him nodding before turning and finished going down the steps.
Jack smiled up at Lisa as she came into the room. He was sitting at the desk. "That's great, Lou." He said nodding.
"Hey, honey." Lisa said leaning over to Jack.
"She says hi." He answered back for Lou. "Yes, of course. Lisa's pushing for us to take another vacation. I think she'd love Vancouver as much as you." Lisa shot him a smile as she grabbed a few items from the fridge to start on their lunch. "Okay. Tell Jackson I said hi. Okay. Bye." He hung up the phone before turning in his chair to face his wife.
"I'm making turkey sandwiches." She showed him the turkey.
"Maybe we should go for a trail ride after our lunch." He stood to face Lisa now grabbing a slide of the deli meat causing her laugh.
"What's gotten into you? First your talking vacations. Now a romantic trail ride?"
"What's wrong with us spending an afternoon together, just the two of us?"
Lisa smiled leaning up to place a kiss on his lips. "That sounds perfect."
Amy smiled at her reflection in the mirror as she got ready for her date. She smoothed out her dress before noticing Ty suddenly appear in the mirror. "Sorry." He said as Amy turned to face him.
"It's okay." She blushed as she caught him staring. "What's up?"
"That uh, new horse, Milo is weaving in his stall." He paused. "I didn't know you were going out. I'll tell Jack."
"It's okay. I have a minute." She said as Ty turned and walked away. She raced after him.
"I don't wanna..."
"It's fine. I'll just text Caleb I'll be a little late. He'll understand." She said turning back to her bed grabbing her jeans from where she threw them earlier. She smiled back at Ty. "I'll meet you in the kitchen."
A quick text later and her back in her barn clothes she made her way to the barn with Ty. He couldn't help but steal a glance. She was beautiful. Even with her dirty clothes on. Her face full of makeup and hair done up out of her face made her even more pretty. "So, what's his story anyway?" Ty asked to distract himself.
"The owner wants me to sell him. Honestly he seemed really shy when he first got here." Ty nodded. "Hey, buddy. What's the matter?" She asked patting his head. Ty again watched her. He'd thought she changed but the more time he seemed to spend with her he realized he was wrong. The old Amy was there she had just buried it away for some reason. "Lets try some herbs." She commented heading toward the tack room.
"What?" Ty asked noticing she was staring.
"Nothing. Just you." She smirked.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked watching her as she tried to find the right herb.
"Nothing." She grabbed the bottle and put a few crushed leaves into a hand full of food. "I was just having this crazy been here done that moment."
Ty laughed. "Yeah. It does feel like old times." He followed Amy back to Milo's stall. "What about putting him outside. Even in the paddock."
"That's a great idea. Let him get some fresh air. And feel like he's not so confined." She let the horse eat the food from her hand. She smiled over at Ty. "Where'd you get that idea?"
"From experience." He sighed.
Amy nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry. Poor choice of words. I didn't mean to..."
Ty cut her off. "Don't. It was my choice. I made a lot of mistakes. Jail is the only way people are bond to learn."
"Still, I'm sorry." She said. "As angry as I was at you I'd only hoped you were happy and safe. As much as it pained me to think things were better for you outside of Heartland." Ty smiled thankfully at her. "I mean it Ty. I thought that you needed more. I didn't want to stand in your way. Or hold you back."
"You were never in my way. You taught me to trust and love. And that there's nothing wrong with second chances. That one mistake doesn't define a person."
"Really?" Amy smiled proudly.
"Yeah." He's smiles back nodding the two sharing a happy glance. Amy grateful to have his friendship back.
The last few days had sure been confusing but at the same time helped Amy. It was hard for her to understand but something changed. Back when Ty had first arrived over 4 years ago she had been the one who was a mess. And he just a delinquent, in her eyes. Ty hadn't opened up about much of anything personal. That is until now. Which proved maybe he had been just as broken as her. Surprisingly to her looking back her life had turned out okay even if at the time she was sure she'd never get over Ty. He had helped her so much. And in ways neither could really understand. Her mind wondered back to the other night. The sight of him drunk and banging into the barn door as he attempted to get to the loft. He'd drunkenly opened up. Told her about his parents. And that he didn't want to be like them. He had been so down on himself. Making him out to be such a terrible person. They sure had done a number on him. And going back to Vancouver had only proved that. Months ago she overheard that sorted tale. And his misadventures that was the last 4 years of his life. She felt bad for him. And mad at her herself for treating him like she had. Not just for 4 years ago but again a few months back. She had done everything in her power to push him away. To show him he had hurt her. And there was no forgiving that. But why? Just the other day the two had a new sort of understanding of each other. Putting their issues aside they managed to act like friends. Act like they did years ago. She smiled to herself remembering that time. When she was just a naive 15 year old who had fallen for the bad boy. Jack had done everything he could to turn him into a cowboy. And keep him away from Amy. There was something intreging about Ty. Something that made her feel alive. And happy. As much as she wanted to hate him for being a jerk he somehow krept into her heart without even realizing it. Under that tough bad boy image Ty had a sweet caring nature that shown through. She let her mind wonder to Caleb. Scientifically speaking he was made for her. They both liked horses. And practically everything else in common. He was sweet and caring on the outside too not just for select people. They had a connection from the beginning. And Jack had taken a liking to him far quicker then Ty. But could she really truly be happy with Caleb long term. And yet Ty wasn't much better with his distant nature and tendency to push away. She sighed as she played with her pen as she sat at the barn office desk. Wondering why love had to be so complicated.