Amy smiled as she watched Ty trying not to laugh. "I don't think I can do this." He finally said.
Amy chuckled slightly but didn't mean too. "Thought you said it was like riding a bike?"
"A very big bike." He was clearly frustrated. "Can you help me, please?"
Amy jumped down from Spartan. "Okay, hold here and pull yourself up. I'll push." She held in her laugh at the face Ty gave her. "Ty, please? Before Grandpa gets back."
"I could do you know? If it wasn't for the broken arm." He stated firmly.
"I know." She paused. "But I also know it's been 4 years since you've been this close to a horse let alone ride one. I get it."
Ty wasn't impressed. "Yes, okay! Do I have to admit it." He watched Amy's face. "I don't know what I'm doing. Okay? Happy?"
"Yes." Amy smiled proudly.
Ty shook his head as Amy helped him mount. "We better not ride too far I'm not sure about this."
Amy giggled. "Where's all this venerable Ty coming from?"
"Very funny."
"I'm serious. I was kinda getting use to moody, never wrong Borden." She hopped back up on Spartan. "You do remember how to make the horse step forward?"
"Yeah. Of course. I'm not an idiot." He watched as Amy nodged Spartan forward. His cockiness suddenly making him second guess this whole idea. Amy glanced back at him when he hadn't caught up yet to find him still standing near the rear of the barn. Ty waved embarrassed before his horse finally decided to move. He caught up and pointed his finger at Amy sternly not wanting a word. Instead Amy bit her bottom lip fighting the on set of giggles. There was something about Ty that made her giggle. No one else had ever been able to do that. Ty found it adorable. Ty waved her hand with his casted one to get her attention. "Laugh all you want. It's cute." He said proudly knowing he had made her so happy. A smile that was rarely seen when he first got there now Amy was always having to hide it. Amy stuck out her tongue.
Ty walked slowly on the sidewalk toward the building. He surveyed his surroundings every so often. No one was following him. He glanced up at the tall buildings no one on a porch or outside. His heart rate increased the closer he got. But he wasn't backing down. A few guys poked their heads out of near by ally. He nodded at them as the pair walked on joining him. It had become a weekly thing. A part of him hated himself for doing it. For being a part of something he knew wasn't right. But his morals had vanished just like he did that day. Away from the only real home he'd ever known. Away from Heartland. Away from Amy. He hated himself even more for thinking about her. She was far better off without him. Especially for what he got himself roped into. His life was a mess. And it always was. He was kidding himself if he thought Heartland had somehow changed that.
"Ty?" The only guy shouted. "You coming?"
He picked up speed to catch up. "Yeah."
"Let's do that place." Another guy pointed.
Ty glanced in the direction he pointed. He then noticed his 'friend' had something in his hand. His eyes going wide as he seen it was a gun. "Dude."
"What?" He said waving it around. "We needed back up at the last heist."
"And why was that? Rob?"
"Don't yell at me. It was Ty." Voices now raised.
"It was not. I did my part." Ty grabbed his hood pulling it over his head. "Just shut up and do what we agreed on. Without the gun." He said grabbing it and shoving it into his hoodie pocket. Rob shook his head discussed. But did the same."
The small group bailed into the near by restaurant. People who were eating already knew what was about to happen. Ty made his way to front of the diner style restaurant. It reminding him of Maggie's for a about a second before he shook the thought and carried on. "Give me all the money in the register." He demanded. The man behind the counter looking over at on the other hooded bandits blocking the entrance. His hesitation making Ty angry. "I said now!" He reached and grabbed the older mans apron from across the counter. Despite the sunglasses that blocked his eyes he was shooting the guy daggers.
A noise from the far end of the diner caused both Ty and the cashier to turn around. "He said now!" Rob had shoved everything off a table he was standing beside.
"Okay. Okay. Just give me a minute." The worker said shakily as he tried to get the register open but was clearly too nervous to do so.
"Do I have to do everything myself?" The guy blocking the door shouted for Ty.
Ty jumped the counter in the process the gun slipping out of his pocket and onto the floor.
"Freeze!" Was shouted. Ty and the other guys jumping at the sound of the ununiformed officer who was enjoying lunch with his family. Of course Rob managed to escape since he was near the door. Ty and Stan watched as their so-called friend took off running down the street. A few cars honking as he got in their way. Ty and Stan locked eyes.
"I'm sorry." He said as he jumped clearing a table to get the door.
"Stan!" Ty yelled his breathing now increasing.
"Put your hands where I can see them, boy." The officer said as he bend down for the gun and pointed it in his direction.
He hesitated at first but he had nowhere to run. Another person was now blocking the end of the counter. And the door was way to far away. Ty put his hands up above his head.
"Ty..." Jack said trying to get the boys attention. "Ty?"
"Oh, sorry Jack. What'd you say?" He said looking up from the barn office desk at the old man a bridle in his hand.
"How's school going?" He motioned toward the books in front of Ty.
"Good. Hard, but the teachers are pretty nice."
Jack watched him noticing he seemed a bit off. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Why?"
"No reason. You just seem lost in your head, that's all." He nodded before walking back into the barn.
"Jack...?" Ty asked as he joined him. "Um...So Amy told me. Don't get mad at her, I just..." He trailed off.
"Oh..." Jack set the tack down rubbing a hand over his face. "Look it doesn't mean anything. You knew the way your mother was before you came here. Don't take it personally." He patted his shoulder.
"What?"
"Your mom."
"What about my mom?" Ty was confused. "Amy never told me anything..."
"Oh." Jack realized his mistake.
"She told me that you all tried to kick me out." He voice trying to hide the anger.
Jack let out a loud sigh. "Ty...it's not like that. You have to understand from our..."
"I know. You had no choice." He hung his head.
"You've proven yourself. Going to school. And you've stopped drinking." Jack smiled.
"What about my mom?" Ty said jumping back to that noticing Jack seemed like he wanted Ty to forget all about that.
"It's nothing." He picked up the bridle again and walked toward the stalls.
"Jack..." His voice venerable. "Please?"
He stayed with his back to Ty as he spoke. "Lisa had called her. Wanted her to know about the accident the moment we found out you were with Amy." He turned to face Ty.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, Ty." Jack finished a look of hurt on his face.
"She didn't..." He trailed off as he pieced things together. "So you all just felt sorry for me?"
"Not at all, Ty. You are a part of this family. I told you before you can always call this home."
Ty nodded bitting his lip. "Until I screw up."
"No, Ty." He shouted as Ty angerly walked out the barn door.
"I've lived in that fear my whole life." He shouted back turning to face Jack. "Worried my dad would just disappear and stay gone. He was mixed up with the wrong people. And I've seen a lot movies. I know how that goes. And there's my stepdad, if you could call him that. My mom and I both feared him coming home. He was always drunk and looking to take it out on someone." He looked away to hide his emotions. "I don't need your pity. And I don't want to be walking on egg shells. Scared you'll kick me out."
"I'm sorry. I am. We never meant it like that." Jack tried to reason.
"I only needed you to bail me out and help me get settled. I don't need to still be. I could get my own place." He sighed. "After all this is temporary." He shouted it more as a question before walking back toward the house.
"Hey, I'm almost ready." Amy said as she caught sight of Ty in her doorway. "If you want we could grab a bite to eat." She looked up from her dresser her smile fading. "What's wrong?"
Ty shoved it off. Shaking his head as he stepped into her bedroom. "Nothing."
Amy didn't believe him but didn't want to press. "Okay. So what about lunch?"
"Yeah. Sounds good." He nodded as he grabbed Amy's jacket off her bed. "I'll wait for you in the kitchen."
Amy sighed as he left. There was something bothering him. Which only made the trip to Calgary that much more awkward. Jack has asked her to take Ty to his doctors appointment. Everyone else had plans. She agreed as honestly she had wanted to go anyway. But hoped she hid her eagerness. "So you must be kinda excited?" She said trying to make convention.
"Sure." Ty shrugged. His head never turning from the window.
Amy sighed. "Fine." She said slightly angrily. She slowed up letting her foot off the gas and pulled to the side of the road.
"What are you doing?" His tone upset as he turned to look at his girlfriend.
"What's the matter?"
"Amy..." He said annoyed.
"I'm not driving until you tell me what's bothering you. Did I do something?"
"We have to be at my appointment in 20 minutes."
"Ty..." Amy wasn't giving in. She watched as Ty fitted with his seatbelt. She nervously waited for him to undo it and hop out to the truck. Expecting a full on fight at the side of the highway. But he surprised her.
"Did you know? About my mom?"
She let out a sigh. "Yes. I overheard Lisa telling Jack."
"It's the only reason they let me stay." He asked as more of a question.
"No. But I used it to get my dad to let you stay."
"Why?'
"Because you're important to me. I wasn't gonna let them drive you away. I didn't want to lose you." She undid her seat belt as she slid over to him.
"Do you feel bad for me?" Ty's expression looking hurt.
"Never." She smiled.
"I just...what happens after today? I get my cast off and then everyone is gonna expect me to move out?" He asked hurt.
"You made your mistakes. But I don't think Jack would kick you on it. Believe it or not he was just as upset to find you ran away as I was." She intertwined her fingers with his.
A smile spreading across Ty's face instantly. "I love you."
Amy blushed. "I love you too." She leaned over and kissed him softly. Ty brought his hand up behind her head. His fingers playing with her hair. The kiss getting more and more heated. Amy finally pulled away. "As much as I'd love to continue this we have to go or we'll be late."
Ty nodded before giving her another kiss. "Rain check?"
Amy giggled. "Sure." She said mockingly to the way Ty had answered her earlier.
A shocked expression etched Ty's face playfully. He reached over and tickled her she squirmed away from him.
Amy and Ty walked hand in hand as they walked on the sidewalk. It was nice being able to show their relationship to the world. No one in Calgary was gonna notice. Their lunch had been everything the pair had been dreaming of as a perfect second date. The whole thing feeling like a fairytale. She smiled over at Ty unsure of how they got to this moment. His smile warmed her heart at his joy and happiness. The brokenness he had months ago no where to be seen. Their moment of bliss was short lived. A guy about Ty's age with a baseball cap on backwards noticed them and seemed to know Ty. He waved his direction before approaching them. "Hey. What you doing here? We were gonna met up on Monday." He said as he looked between Amy and Ty.
She felt his hand tense the minute the guy walked over to them. "Uh, no. We're just having lunch." Ty's voice sounding nervous like he didn't want to be caught in a lie.
The guy nodded his head at Amy. "You weren't kidding. She's gorgeous."
Amy blushed. Ty had told him about her. It was sweet until she realized he was a complete stranger. Ty however just shook it off. "We'll talk." He said again in a tone Amy didn't recognize. Everything about him screamed suspicious. A side of Ty she had never seen before. Ty quickly put his arm around her instead and lead her off the sidewalk so they could get back to where she had parked the truck.
"How do you know him?" She asked looking over her shoulder.
"I don't. Not really anyway. Let's go. We don't want Jack worried." He said all of a sudden in a hurry.
"Is he who you were with last week? When we had our first fight?" She studied him. "I wanted to come with you but you wouldn't let me."
"No. I just told you I don't know really know him." Ty shoved the door open for her to get in. She hesitated but got in anyway. She seen Ty look back over to the other side of the street a weird panicked expression there instead of his happy one from earlier.