Hi guys,

I had an extra few minutes spare today so I thought that I'd treat you all to an extra chapter of my story!

Ya all might have noticed that I've changed my name, I decided that my old one no longer fitted me and so I now have the same name on here as the other places you can find me. I am doing fan videos of Jack and Lisa now, they are available on my YT channel (imajisaheartlandfan) and I post sneekpeaks of them on my instagam account (also imajisaheartlandfan) I hope you'll all go check them out, your support would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, enjoy this extra chapter, Lisa's BACK!

Chapter 28

The sun was shining brightly a couple days later as Jessie rode Warrior tackless over the grassy field. She laughed as the wind blew her hair into her face as Warrior galloped against the breeze. Jack let her go have a ride to watch for Lisa, since she had gotten home the day before and was dropping by to see her before they went for lunch.

'Woah boy, woah.' She brought him to a stop, squeezing her thighs against his back to tell him what she wanted him to do. She was getting better at just using her legs and thighs to control him, it was like they were one. No saddle, no bridle. Truly free. 'Good boy.' She rubbed his shoulder, the wind blowing softly through his mane and tail as he stood sniffing the wind and pawing the ground. He wanted to run again. 'We'll run again soon, we're just taking a breather.'

Sighing with contentment, she breathed in the fresh mountain air. It was good to be out, just her and him. She couldn't be happier. 'Up boy, up.' She grabbed a handful of his mane as the stallion reared, pawing the air. 'Good boy. Good boy.'

A glint of silver on the horizon caught her attention and she smiled with excitement. Lisa was finally here. 'Up boy, up!' The stallion reared again as she waved at Lisa, then nudged him with her heels as he landed again. 'Now, you can run.'

Warrior spun on his hindquarters and was stretched out into a full gallop before he had reached three strides, his ears flat against his head as he raced down the hill back towards the house. Jessie laughed as she urged him on, the wind stinging her eyes and making them water from the speed. It always thrilled her to ride Warrior at full speed, it never ceased to take her breath away.

'Woah boy, woah.' She laughed as she slid him to a stop in the grass beside the round yard and turned back to look at Lisa who was just pulling up to park. 'Hehe, we beat her!' Even though it wasn't really a race, she chuckled. 'Come on.'

'Look at you.' Lisa exclaimed as she hopped out of her car, Jessie riding up and jumping off Warrior next to her before giving her a big hug. 'You look wonderful.'

'Thanks Lisa.' Jessie smiled as she relished the hug, looking up at her with a big grin. 'Warrior and I beat you.'

'Yes, yes you did.' She laughed, then placed her hands on the girls shoulders. 'You look so much better then the last time I saw you. Must be Jack's cooking.'

'Must be.' She grinned cheekily as she hugged Lisa again. 'I've missed you.'

'I missed you too sweetie.'

Jessie laughed as Warrior nudged her from behind, bumping her into Lisa and she turned to him. 'You want attention too hey?'

'How has Warrior been?' Lisa rubbed his neck as the girl gave the stallion a hug. 'Hasn't tried to kill Jack?'

'No, he's been very well behaved.'

'That's good.'

'Hey Lisa.' Jack walked out of the house and joined them. 'How was your trip?'

'Good.' She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. 'You ready for lunch?'

'Yep. All ready to go.'

'Okay.' Lisa turned back to Jessie. 'We'll catch up some more when I get back, and I may have a little surprise for you.'

'Awe, Lisa, you didn't need to buy me anything.'

'Trust me, you'll love it.'

'You've got me wondering now.' Jessie teased. 'That's mean, telling me you've got me something and then saying you'll give it to me later.'

'It will be worth waiting for.' Lisa chuckled. 'Trust me.'

'Hmmm. Two words that get people into a lot of trouble.' She smiled. 'Off you two go then, I've got something to work on.' She quickly added. 'And it's not for either of you, it's for Amy.'

'Okay, there's some sandwiches in the fridge if you-'

'Go Jack, I'll be fine. Go.'

'Yes, yes. Bye Jessie.'

'Bye.' She patted Warrior's neck as Jack climbed into Lisa's car and waved as they left. 'Well, what are we going to do with ourselves boy?' Lou had borrowed Jack's truck and headed to town, Amy and Mallory were in school and Caleb was off somewhere. 'We've got the whole place to ourselves.' Warrior nudged her towards the house and she laughed. 'Right, right. Amy's drawing. I'll be right back.'

Going inside, she grabbed the sandwiches that Jack had left for her in the fridge and her drawing pad then headed back out to find a suitable spot to draw. 'Cougar, you can come out now.' She called as she sat down on the stump at the back of the house, Warrior lying down behind her. Cougar trotted out of the bushes and over to her, smelling the bag with the sandwiches in them. 'Yes, yes. Here you go.' She pulled out a turkey and cheese sandwich for the lion, then began eating her own lunch. Handing Cougar a couple more, she ate her fill then began to work on Amy's present.

'You know what I like best about you?' Lisa smiled at Jack as they ate lunch together at Maggie's.

'No.'

'The way that you absolutely embrace change with such an open and adventurous attitude.

Jack chuckled. That certainly wasn't true and both of them knew it. 'Well, things have changed enough over the last year.'

'I know. Your right.' She admitted. 'It hasn't been easy.' She placed her hand on his. 'But you've asked my advice, and I'm going to give it to you. I think you should let Lou go for it.'

'You do?'

'I really do.'

'Fine.'

'She's a highly educated girl.'

'I know.'

'And she's given up a huge job in New York.'

'I know that too.'

'So, no wonder she's determined to find something for herself. I'm sure she wants to show you what she can do. And show her father what she can do. And you know what? It might be fun.'

'No.'

'It might be. A corporate equine retreat.'

'Dude ranch.' Jack corrected. 'Let's change the subject. What's this surprise you've got planned for Jessie? You didn't mention it on the phone.'

'I wasn't sure if snooping ears were around.' She chuckled. 'I did a little shopping while I was in Vancouver and brought her a couple of things.'

He raised his eyebrows. 'Couple of things?'

'A dress for Amy's party, a suitcase because she's going to need one. A few other clothes.' She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and got up a photo of the dress. 'That's the dress I got her.'

'Do girls her age wear those things these days?' The dress was almost ankle length, with long sleeves. 'Don't they go sleeveless and above the knee these days?'

'Yes, but have you seen Jessie wear short sleeves or shorts.' Jack shook his head. 'That's because she's embarrassed.'

'About what?'

'What her father did to her. Jack, she's covered in scars. Her arms, her shoulders, her legs. She's ashamed of them.'

'So that's why she didn't believe me when I said she was beautiful.' He sighed. It made sense now. 'That's why you brought her that dress.'

Lisa nodded. 'Don't mention anything to her about her scars. She'll open up to you if she feels comfortable about it. She feels embarrassed from what her father did to her.'

'At least she doesn't have to worry about him any longer.'

'Yeh, at least.' She sighed. 'I thought that my trip away would make me detach from Jessie, but I couldn't stop thinking about her the entire time. When I saw her on the Ridge today, she reminded me of someone I used to know.'

'Who?'

'A person I knew, a girl about her age.' She played with her cup thoughtfully. 'Jessie is one hell of a girl.'

'That she is.' He chuckled, but wondered what was going on in her mind. He'd learn to read her face, and there was something that she wasn't telling him. 'She keeps on saying how cute we are together.'

'We are cute together, aren't we?' She kissed him gently on the cheek , then tapped him playfully on the nose. 'Come on, we better head back. I want to spend some time with Jessie before I have to go to Fairfield.'

Jessie was still drawing that afternoon when she heard a car pulling up and she quickly shooed Cougar off into the bushes as she grabbed her stuff together. Going around the side of the house, she smiled as she saw it was Lisa's car. Placing her stuff on the chair on the porch, she grabbed the stallions halter and led him to his stall, then headed back to Lisa and Jack. 'So.' She grinned cheekily as Lisa got out. 'What's the surprise?'

'You'll have to wait a moment longer, we'll take it inside first.'

'I'll see you two later. I have work to do.' Jack gave Lisa a kiss on the cheek. 'Behave yourself Jessie.'

'I always do.' She replied cheekily as Jack headed off towards the barn, then skipped around Lisa like a newborn foal. 'So, what is it?'

'It's been driving you nuts, hasn't it?' Lisa grabbed a couple of bags from the boot, then pushed Jessie's hand away as the girl tried to peak in the bag. 'Patience Jessie.'

'You know that's not one of my virtues.' She complained as she ran up the path to the house. 'Come on Lisa.'

Lisa chuckled, a tinge of sadness crossing over her face as she walked into the house. She was definitely going to miss the girl when she went to foster care. She was already used to her being there at Heartland whenever she visited, and she once she left it was all going to change. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she placed the bags on the table as Jessie took a seat. 'Slow down Jess, it's not going anywhere.'

'Can I look now? Please, pretty pretty please?'

'Yes Jessie.' Lisa laughed at the girls enthusiasm. 'You may.'

'Great!' Jessie opened the first bag and gasped as she pulled out a gorgeous dark blue chiffon dress. 'Oh Lisa, you shouldn't have.'

'I saw it in Vancouver and I thought it would look good on you.' She smiled. 'You've got a party to attend on Saturday, you need a dress and I remembered what you said about your scars so I made sure to get you a dress a wouldn't show them.'

'Awe, thank you so much Lisa.' She got up and gave her a hug. 'Its the nicest dress I've ever seen.'

'Your welcome Jessie. You deserve a little spoiling. There's still another bag for you to open.'

'Right.' Placing the dress back in the bag, she opened the other one and pulled out a couple of button up shirts like the one Amy had lent her. 'Thanks Lisa.'

'Now you won't have to borrow Amy's. Go on, go try them on.'

'Yes, yes definitely.'

'Go.' Lisa chuckled as the girl hurried up the hallway, then made her way to the living room and sat down on the couch. She smiled as she shook her head. Jack was right. She was one hell of a girl, and that girl had her hook, line and sinker. It was a shame that she would be leaving. It almost felt selfish to her that she wanted the girl to stay with Jack, but it was in her best interest to go to the foster home. Or was it? She just didn't know.

'What do you think?' Jessie asked as she walked back out, spinning around in the dress. 'I love it.'

'It looks gorgeous on you Sweetheart.' It really did. 'You won't recognise yourself.'

Jessie laughed. 'I hardly doubt that. I can't believe this dress is really mine.'

'Well you better believe it, because I highly doubt that it would fit me.' She grabbed the girls hand. 'You look stunning.'

She blushed. 'What about my hair though? How should I wear it for the party?'

'You let me worry about that. I'm free Saturday, and I'll be here helping Lou set up Amy's party. I'm sure that I can find a few minutes to do your hair.'

'Alright then.' She giggled. 'I can't wait till Saturday.'

Lisa smiled again as the girl left to change back into her other clothes. Today was the first time she'd seen the girl really really happy. It made her feel good. Jessie deserved to be happy, after all she had been through.

'How do you think you'll do my hair?' Jessie asked as she curled up on the couch next to her. 'That braid you did perhaps?'

'I was thinking more along the lines of a half up-half down bun style and a bit of curl. I think it should look nice, you've got the thick hair for it.'

'Sounds girly. I like it.' She smiled with contentment as she leaned against Lisa. 'Why would you go to all this trouble for me though?'

'Because you deserve it Jess.' She patted the girls head. 'I got you a suitcase too so you can keep all your things together. I'll grab it out of the car before I leave.'

'That's too much Lisa.'

'Nonsense Jessie. I don't mind. I don't have a girl of my own to spoil, so let me spoil you.'

'Okay.' Jessie chuckled.

'So, how have you been Jess? Really.'

'Good. Jack's great, for a guy. Amy's really nice and the others aren't too bad. Oh, and my stitches are finally gone!'

'Bet your glad about that.'

'Am I ever.' She looked up at her. 'I'm just happy to see you though.'