Hi guys,

Well, I wasnt planning on uploading today but due to events beyond my control (I am noe sick with tonsilitis, AGAIN) I've had some time to work on my story lol. Hope you all enjoy and thank you all for your reviews! Keep em coming, I love reading your thoughts!

Things are going to get interesting in this chapter... I wasn't entirely happy with the middle section of this update but I know I'm the worst critic of my own writing lol... let's just say, I'm NOT a fan of Val Stanton. I hope you'll all give me that liberty... Anyway, Enjoy!

Chapter 15.0

'Where have you been? I've been worried about you.'

Jessie sighed as she slid off Ty's horse as Cindy and Jack walked out of the house to meet her, cringing inwardly at his tone. 'I needed a break to think. No need to have been worried, I wasn't going to run off and disappear. As much as I would like to have done so, I have more sense then that.' She looked over at Warrior as he stood behind the gelding, flicking his ears. 'I better go take care of him.'

Jack looked at Ty as Jessie patted the stallion's shoulder and headed towards the barn with the black following her, Cindy hurrying after them after a moment. He could feel the coldness in her tone towards him, but couldn't blame her really. After all, being told you were going to be taken away from the only thing that she had wasn't going to be a recipe to earn any favours from her. 'How is she? She didn't hurt herself did she?'

'Riding before she had those stitches taken out hasn't done her any good, but I think she'll be okay. She should still get them checked out later though, just to make sure.' Ty dismounted, keeping hold of his gelding's reins. He decided not to mention anything about what she had told him in regards to her scars, that was something she had revealed in confidence. He knew that had been a giant step for her in speaking about them, knowing how long it took to get someone's trust when they had been hurt like that. He wasn't about to blow it, Jessie really needed to be treated with kid gloves. She was fragile, not like a flower but like a bomb. He could tell it wouldn't take much for her to get upset and go off at those around her because of what she was working through. 'I can tell she's pretty upset about the foster home, she really just needs some space. I wouldn't mention anything about it for a couple days. She's pretty worked up already.'

'Thank you anyway for finding her, I don't think I'm her favorite person right now with the news I had to tell her.' He glanced towards the barn as the girls and the stallion disappeared inside. He sighed heavily, patting the bay's neck. 'She say anything to you about it?'

'She really doesn't want to leave here Jack, she's terrified of going to this new foster home. I can't blame her really, not with everything she's already gone through.' He was referring to her past before he had come back to Heartland that Mallory had filled him in on and had put the rest together. There was more to Jessie then just her physical scars, there was more to her then met the eye. She had a lot of emotional baggage and trauma to work through, and now she was going to have more with the problems that came with being a foster kid. Problems he had had to work though, like not feeling wanted or belonging. 'Being a foster kid is tough, I know how she feels.'

'I've been researching about what foster kids go through emotionally and such to try and understand her but I think I'm doing a pretty crappy job of it.' Jack sighed again. 'I've probably undone the work Lisa has been doing with her by now.'

'Honestly, I don't think so Jack. She just needs time and space. As harsh and as horrible as it sounds, she's just going to have to get used to the idea of being a foster child. I quickly learnt that I had to.'

'Yeah, unless something happens that she doesn't have to go back into foster care.' He grabbed his phone from his pocket, checking the time. 'I've got to run, I'm meeting Lisa for breakfast at Maggie's so we can talk without worrying if Jessie hears us or not. I wouldn't want to get her hopes up if she heard us talking about figuring out a way she can stay here. I'll be back in a couple hours but can you keep an eye on Jessie and Cindy while I'm gone? I've got Lou looking out for them too, hopefully between the two of you they won't get into any trouble.'

'Don't worry Jack, I'll keep an eye on them.'

'Thanks.' He placed his hand on his shoulder as he walked past on his way to his truck. 'Appreciate it.'

Lisa glanced down at her watch as she sat alone at a table in the corner of Maggie's diner, waiting for Jack to arrive. He'd rung her earlier this morning, asking if they could have breakfast together away from Heartland as he had something he wanted to discuss with her. She wondered what he wanted to speak about that he hadn't wanted to talk about at Heartland. She fidgeted with her watch as she glanced out the window, watching for his truck.

'Let me guess. Waiting around for Jack again?'

She turned around at the voice to see Val Stanton standing not far from her, knowing that she was speaking of the last time Jack and her had tried to have a meal together at the diner. She'd been waiting for over an hour before he'd finally rung and said he'd forgotten they'd had plans and Val had been there to hear it. 'Val.' She replied cordially, not the least bit impressed that she was there. 'Fancy seeing you here.'

'Yeah.' She replied, coming over closer to her table. ' I'm surprised to see you here too. I see you're not spending all your time at Heartland for a change. Such a pity that you couldn't have been at the Polo Club the other night, you missed quite the party. How's those foster kids going anyway?'

'Just fine. Thank you for asking.' She bit her tongue against saying anymore. Val was the only other person that drove her as insane as her ex and business partner Dan Hartfield did. She couldn't help but hear the sting in her tone when she spoke of Heartland. It was no secret that Val didn't like her hanging around Jack. 'They're both doing great.'

'I'm glad to hear that. You've taken on quite a task helping Jack with those two, especially with what they've been through. I'm surprised that you did really, I haven't seen you at any social events as if late. You must really like them to sacrifice your own social life to help such delinquents as them.' She smiled half-heartedly. 'But I guess I wouldn't expect any less from you. You have a way of finding lost causes, I guess it's only natural you'd find some way of getting involved with them, especially if Jack is around.' She was referring to Lisa's weakness of keeping horses no one thought were worth trying to help. 'Speaking of Jack, you really should hear the rumours going around you about how much time you're spending at Heartland. I guess Jack finally got what he was after with you staying nights there.'

'Val Stanton, that is more than enough.' She stood up, glaring at the woman. How dare she instigate that Jack and her had fooled around when it most certainly wasn't true. She didn't need to explain herself to her, to anyone but she wasn't about to let her get away with tarnishing her name. 'My personal life is no one else's business and certainly not yours for that matter. What I choose to do, be it helping the girls Jack is looking after or spending nights holding a crying child because she had a nightmare is none of your concern.' She put that in to state clearly that there had been nothing else happening between her and Jack. 'Its my life, my choices and frankly I don't give a damn about what people are thinking and saying. I'd thank you for keeping your nose on your side of the fence and keeping out of my business. I know you don't like me seeing Jack, but maybe there is a reason he chose me and not you to go out with. That's what really gets under your skin, doesn't it? The fact that Jack doesn't like you the way you like him.'

Val looked at her, clearly taken aback by how she had been so firmly put in her place by the other woman. She opened her mouth, trying to think of something to reply with but she was utterly speechless for once in her life. She hadn't though Lisa had it in her to be so abrupt and blunt. She'd imagined Lisa to be a pushover when push came to shove and yet she had held her own and then some. She stared at her for a moment, still amazed by Lisa's reaction and finally scraped her jaw off the floor. Without another word, she hurried to the door, bumping into Jack as she walked out and continuing on her way.

'Morning Val-' Jack started but the woman walked away without so much as a backward glance. He looked at Lisa as he walked into the diner, the people seated inside returning to their meals. Something must have happened, he had never seen Lisa so angry, her blue eyes still flaming as she sat back down. He raised his eyebrows as he walked over and he pulled his chair out, taking a seat. 'What on earth was that about?'

'She just said some-' She paused, watching as Val hopped in her car and drove off. 'Things. I put her in her place and she didn't take too kindly to being told off.'

'I can see that.' He chuckled and then quickly stopped when he saw the look she gave him. It must have been good to get her this worked up. 'Sorry Lisa.'

Lisa sighed, her temper calming down. She shouldn't have looked at Jack like that, she could see his bewilderment as he tried to figure out what was going on with her. God, that woman knew how to get under her skin! 'No, I should be the one saying sorry. She just makes me so angry sometimes.' Not to mention she hated the fact that Val clearly had eyes for Jack even if he couldn't see it. 'But let's not waste our breakfast talking about her.' It was exactly what she wanted, putting a wedge between her and Jack so she could worm her way into their relationship. Why was Val only going after Jack now that he was seeing her? Seriously, that woman could be so stupid sometimes. Couldn't Val tell that Jack wasn't interested in her the way she was in him? 'What was so urgent that you wanted to meet here to talk and not wait till I dropped in at Heartland?'

'I'll get right to the point.' He replied as a waitress delivered their breakfast Lisa had ordered before he'd arrived. There was no point beating around the bush. 'If there was a way you could look after Jessie, would you?'

'Of course I would Jack. In a heartbeat if I could. I love that girl.'

'You don't have to tell me that. Your eyes told me the first time you saw her. I knew you wanted to take her in the night we saw her outside Maggie's.'

'I kinda guessed that you would have noticed that.' She blushed slightly. Had her connection to the girl become that obvious? 'But Jack, you know I can't take looking after her full time with my business in France and my travelling around all the time. I can't leave her by herself at Fairfield for months on end and I can't really take her with me every time I go away.'

'That's where the idea I had comes in.' Jack interjected. 'Ty suggested a joint guardianship over Jessie where we'd be in taking care of her together so it's not left entirely on just one person. When you have to go away, Jessie can stay at Heartland and when you're home she can go sleepover at Fairfield. A guardianship has more legal rights over Jessie than being foster carers would give us and we wouldn't have to worry about them moving her to another foster home. She'd be with us permanently.'

Lisa wheased quietly. 'That's a lot to think about.' She looked at Jack, a bit surprised by his suggestion of a joint guardianship over Jessie. She could see he had given it some thought, but would it really work? 'What about us Jack? Do we both feel that 'whatever this is' between us is strong enough to look after a child together? We've only been seeing each other for a year, are we ready to really be in a serious relationship? We've never really spoken of that before.'

'I am Lisa if you are.'

'What if something were to happen between us and we called our relationship off? What would happen to Jessie then?'

'I hadn't really thought of that.' Jack admitted. 'I guess it's something we'd have to work out if something like that happened. I imagine we'd just keep it the same, Jessie spending time with both of us. One of us could always choose to take full guardianship of her if something like that happened and circumstances allowed. I guess we'd just have to wait and see where life takes our relationship. I know though, I want to look after Jessie but I can't do it by myself. I just want you to think about it, Lis, I feel that we could make this work. I just want to know if you're ready.'

'It's a lot to think about.' She raised her eyebrows. 'I'd need some time to think it over.'

'I understand Lisa. Take all the time you need.'

'Can we go build our bush tent now?' Cindy asked as she placed the shovel she had been using to muck the stalls aside and closed the last stable door. 'I've finished the stalls.'

'I don't see why not.' Jessie replied, brushing Warrior down in the isle. 'Have you had breakfast?'

She nodded as she grabbed the wheelbarrows handles and pushed it past Jessie and Warrior on her way to the muck heap. 'What about you?'

'I'll eat something later. I'm not really hungry at the moment.' She untied Warrior's leadrope from the tie ring and placed it over his neck, giving him a pat as she walked past to where her saddlebags and belongings were kept. Grabbing out her pocket knife and multi-tool she placed them on her belt then grabbed some twine from the bundle hanging on the wall. 'Does Jack have a tomahawk or axe anywhere around here? We're probably going to need one.'

'I know where one is. I'll go grab it.'

'Okay, I'll go meet you outside. Come on Warri.' She grabbed his leadrope as she walked past heading out of the barn. 'Did you enjoy your little ride this morning?'

'Where do you think you're going?' Caleb asked as he walked over, grabbing the lead from her hand. Warrior pinned his ears back, baring his teeth as he pawed the ground. 'Woah buddy.'

'Easy boy.' She glared at Caleb as she snatched the lead back and started calming the stallion. Warrior bared his teeth, snapping at him. 'Easy, easy boy.' She patted his neck, backing him away from the man. He snorted, stamping his feet as he pulled on the lead. Jessie spoke to him softly, patting him to calm him down. 'It's okay, easy. Easy boy.'

'He doesn't like me much does he?' Caleb took another couple of steps back as Warrior snorted, stamping his front hooves harshly on the ground. 'Woah, steady boy.'

'Him and I both.' She glared at him, still holding onto the stallions lead and trying to pat him at the same time. 'God Caleb, you can be so stupid sometimes. Seriously, what were you thinking? I'm only taking him for a walk.'

'I thought you were running off again.'

'If I was you wouldn't still be standing. It's okay boy, easy.'

'What's going on?' Ty called out as he headed over from letting a couple horses out into the pasture, seeing Jessie trying to calm her horse down as Caleb stood a few paces away from them. 'What'd he do this time?'

'Just made a dumb mistake, that's all.' She rubbed the stallion's forehead, the stallion finally calming down as he stopped stamping his hooves. 'Good boy. Easy.' She turned to Ty, motioning towards Caleb. 'Oh his part that is. Gosh, why do men have to be so downright stupid sometimes? How many times must I stop Warrior from trampling you into pulp before you listen and stay clear of him? This isn't a horse you can just boss around Caleb, you have got to earn his trust and you won't get that the way you are going about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take him for a walk with Cindy.'

'Where are you planning to go?' Ty asked as she glanced around for the other girl. 'Jack asked me to keep an eye on you two.'

'Just over to the grove over there.' She nodded in the direction of the trees across the drive past the arena. 'I'm going to show Cindy how to make a bush shelter. She wanted to make a blanket tent inside the house but that was a bit childish for me so we came to a compromise.'

'Found it.' Cindy exclaimed as she walked over to them, holding the tomahawk. 'Can I ride Warrior over?'

'Sure, but I'll be leading him.' She took the tomahawk the girl handed her, pushing the handle down through her belt so she had her hands free to lead the horse. 'I guess there's a first time for everything, including riding bareback.'

'Brilliant.'

'Your going to let her ride that animal?' Caleb asked, raising his eyebrows. 'Ain't that a bit much horse for her?'

'Unlike you, she isn't trying to be his boss. She has more brains then that.' Jessie turned to Ty. 'Can you give her a leg up? I can't lift her on him with my stitches.'

'Sure.' He walked closer, Jessie letting the stallion sniff him as he approached. Warrior's breath blew on his hand as he sniffed his scent and then the stallion licked him gently. 'Well, that was unexpected. Last time I got this close to him he tried to attack me.'

'He trusts you now, you respect him and he respects you.' She cast a glance to Caleb to see if he had seen how Warrior had reacted to Ty. He had, and she could read his face. He wasn't at all pleased by being shown up by a city boy when a horse like Warrior wouldn't bow to him. There was more than just Warrior between those two, she could feel it and could guess it had to do with a certain young woman who lived at the ranch. 'Alright Cindy, stand by his shoulder and Ty will help you on.'

'Okay.'

'Up we go.' Ty helped lift her onto the black's back, the girl grabbing a lock of his mane to help her stay balanced.

'Thanks.' Cindy looked down at Jessie. 'Riding bareback certainly feels different from riding with a saddle.'

'It definitely is.' She patted Warrior's shoulder. 'You okay up there?'

She nodded. 'Alright, let's go.'

'I'll come check on you in a couple hours or so.' Ty added. 'Jack will be back soon and he'll want to know that I kept an eye on you. Don't do anything too strenuous, you do need to have those stitches checked out. Make sure she doesn't hurt herself Cindy.'

'Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't do anything.' She looked at Jessie with a grin on her face at being left as the boss of her. 'Won't I?'

'Sure, whatever.' She rolled her eyes. Didn't they know she could take care of herself? She patted the horse's shoulder as she saw Cindy was settled and ready to go. 'Okay, walk on boy.'

Cindy giggled, holding on tight to the stallion as Jessie led him forward across the drive. It felt way different bareback than riding with a saddle but her smile grew as they walked past the arena. Bareback wasn't so bad. Her fingers intertwined in his mane, her legs wrapped securely around his stomach she started to relax a little, letting her body flow with his movements.

'That's it Cindy.' Jessie encouraged, noticing that the girl had stopped being so tense and had synced her movements to the horses. 'You're a natural.'

She laughed. 'I don't think so. You make it look so easy when I saw you riding him bareback. It's a lot harder than you made it look.'

It was her turn to giggle. 'Trust me, it took me ages and a lot of tumbles and spills to get that good. I'm still amazed that Lillian's mare Cherry Blossom had the amount of patience with me that she did when I was learning to ride bareback.'

Cindy raised her eyebrows in confusion. 'Who's Lillian? Is she your mother?'

'Ah, no.' She realized she had gotten herself into a little situation by mentioning her. She hadn't told Cindy much about her past at all, and knowing Cindy she wasn't going to stop pressing her for answers until she got the ones she wanted. She groaned inwardly. 'She's' She paused, trying to think of how to explain it that didn't give away anything she wanted to keep secret. 'She taught me how to ride, so you can sort of say she was my riding instructor.'

She nodded. 'I thought she was your mom, you never mentioned who your mom is.'

'I don't have a mom or dad anymore.' Jessie replied simply. 'Something happened, kind of like what happened to your parents.'

'Oh.' Cindy fell quiet. She had guessed something had happened to Jessie's parents for her to be in foster care but she hadn't thought they were dead. 'I'm sorry to hear that. Sorry for asking.'

'Its okay Cindy, I know you meant no harm by it.' Slowing Warrior down as they entered the trees she looked around for a nice flat spot to build their shelter. 'I think right here will do. What do you think?'

'I think it's fine.'

'Great.' She halted Warrior, patting the stallion as he stopped. 'Goodboy.'

'So, how do I get off? There's no stirrup.'

Jessie chuckled as she tied the leadrope around the stallion's neck so he didn't trip over on it and stood beside his shoulder. 'Put your hands on his withers like this.' She placed her hand on his withers to demonstrate for her. 'Now, just swing your leg over and slide off.'

'Okay.' Cindy replied a little hesitantly, but did as she was instructed. Holding onto his withers she swung her leg over, sliding off a little ungracefully but lading on her feet. 'Not pretty but done.'

'You'll get better with practice.' She assured her, patting her shoulder. 'The first time I had to dismount bareback I ended up on my back in a puddle of mud.'

'That would have been something to see.'

'It was rather quite embarrassing.' And you couldn't sit down for a week without being reminded of it. She was reminded by her memories. She smiled, shaking her head at them then looked around. 'Okay, let's get started shall we?'