Hi guys!

Update time! I'll be posting chapter 34 tomorrow, it connects onto the end of this one so thats why I'll be updating early. We're almost at the end of this story! Only a couple more chapters to go now. The good news is I'm currently writing the next story (title will be revealed at the end of this update) and am on chapter 54 of that now. I can't wait to share it with you all, Jessie has had a rough time but things are going to start looking up for her. Its not going to be easy for her, there will be twists and unexpected turns (of course there has to be lol) but life is going to be a bit gentler on our girl. Heck, I'm the writer and even I have come to that conclusion :) lol.

Enjoy!

Chapter 33.0

'You look like you're a million miles away.' Ty commented to Jessie the next morning, walking in from outside to grab himself a drink. The girl didn't bother to turn around to face him as she sat at the kitchen table staring out the window. He headed to the fridge, grabbing himself out a bottle of orange juice and a cup then took a seat at the table 'Something on your mind?'

'Round three of goodbyes a good enough answer? Clint is coming in a couple hours to pick me up, again.' She sighed heavily, placing her chin down on her crossed arms. 'I guess I should be used to it by now.' Cougar padded over from her spot by the fire and rubbed up against her, the girl placing her hand on the cats fur automatically to pat her. 'I've had a lot of experience with them but they don't seem to be getting any easier.' Her shoulders slumped as she looked down at the cat. 'If anything they keep getting harder and harder.'

'Especially if you're leaving behind something or someone that you love.'

'Yeah.' Jessie agreed, stroking the mountain lion as it rubbed against her. 'Lisa said she and Jack applied to have guardianship over me, that they're waiting to hear back from the authorities. I just wish I didn't have leave until they decided what they're doing with me.' Ty nodded, listening to her as she continued. 'I don't know what to feel right now. Happy that they at least want me to stay, angry that they didn't try and keep me sooner, sad because I'm leaving? I just feel like my emotions are all over the place again.'

'That's understandable Jessie, you're going through a pretty rough time. It's only natural to feel how you feel.'

'I know, I just wish I didn't feel this torn. It's like my mind is at war with itself.' She sighed again, glancing up at the clock. Lisa was on a call up the hallway that she had been on for the last half-hour and Jack was off somewhere doing something else. Amy and Mallory were in school since the roads had been cleared and they'd already had their goodbyes, again. 'However this time I won't be trying to run away from leaving. Lisa had words with me about my little escapade.'

Ty chuckled. 'She only wants what's best for you. Look what happened.'

'Yeah.' Jessie raised her eyebrows with a sigh. Her hands and feet were still slightly sore and swollen from frostbite but they were much better then they had been the day before. 'I won't be running off in a hurry again, that's for sure. I couldn't do that to Lisa and Jack so I guess I'd better behave myself for a change and do as I'm told. Even if I don't like it very much.'

'It'll only be temporary, you'll be back here before you know it.'

'I hope so.' She huffed, still not convinced. She didn't want to leave but after the trouble she had caused and gotten herself into she thought it best not to rock the boat anymore then she already had. It wouldn't look good for Jack and Lisa either if she pulled another stunt like the one she had, the atorites would say that they had no control over her and it would only make it harder for her to stay. Why hadn't she realised that before? 'I guess you didn't give Lisa that jacket did you?'

'No, I thought you'd want to and with everything that happened I completely forgot about it to be honest.'

'That's fine. I wasn't expecting to run away either. It was sort of a spur-of-the-moment type thing.' She glanced back up at the clock again, wishing that Lisa would hurry up and get off the call she was on. Didn't she realise they only had a little time left before Clint arrived? 'Where is the jacket now?'

'In the barn with your things. Do you want me to bring it over?'

'Thank you.' Jessie sighed again as she stood up, Cougar purring around her legs. 'I guess I'd better go pack, again.'

She headed into the living room as Ty went back outside to the barn, kneeling down beside her suitcase. When do I get to stop saying goodbye? She wondered, blinking back tears as she folded up her clothes she had left out under her bed and placed them back inside the bag. I'm sick of saying goodbye. I could have just left with Clint the other day and had it all over and done with but no, I had to go and pull that stupid stunt that almost got me killed, twice. Her fingers still protested slightly with pain as she did the zipper on the bag up but she bit her lip and carried on with what she was doing. The pain was a good thing, it meant that her hands hadn't been permanently damaged from the frostbite.

Cougar rubbed up against her, rubbing her chin over her shoulders as she purred loudly. 'Hey, what's up girl?' She cooed softly, placing her bag aside as she took the cat's head in her hands, massaging between her ears. Cougar purred louder, closing her eyes as she leaned against the girl. 'Oh, you big baby.' Jessie chuckled. 'You big giant baby.'

She fell silent again, massaging the cat's head with her thumbs. Cougar's future was in question, no one had any idea what was going to happen with her. She was leaving, there wasn't anyway she could take a big cat like her to the city. It just wouldn't be fair to her and she didn't think the foster careers would be too happy to have a cougar living with them under the same roof. It was just a miracle that Jack was okay with her being around, both he and Lisa had seen the attachment and connection between the two of them. 'What am I going to do with you hey?' The cat purred louder, lying down on her lap and the girl laughed. 'Oh you cheeky thing. That doesn't help at all.'

She heard Ty return and place the wrapped up parcel on the kitchen table but she didn't look up. She was too absorbed in her thoughts about her pet. She'd spoken to Jack the night before about Cougar and he was happy for her to stay but was also looking into the legal side of owning a big cat. She was relieved that he was looking into that for her but at the same time hoped that it would turn out alright for Cougar. Cougar was a pet, she wasn't a wild animal. She needed her, there was no way that Cougar would be suited for life in a zoo or circus and she definitely couldn't be returned to the wild on a permanent basis. She just didn't have the skills to survive in the wild with her reliance on her. It was just another thing that she had to worry about.

'Sorry about that Jessie.' Lisa apologised as she walked into the living room, placing her mobile back in her pocket. 'Had some Fairfield business to take care of but I'm all yours now.' She took a seat on the couch close to her and Cougar. 'Anything you need to do before Clint gets here?'

'No.' She sighed, still playing with her cat. 'My bags are packed, again. I think I've got everything sorted.' Cougar protested with a slight meow as the girl pushed her off her legs so she could get up. 'I have something for you Lisa. I was going to get Ty to give it to you but since I took off and are able to give it to you myself I might as well do it now.' She walked to the kitchen and grabbed the package, sitting down next to the woman on the couch when she returned. She smiled, placing it on Lisa's lap. 'Open it.'

Lisa carefully untied the string from around the parcel and unwrapped the paper to reveal a buckskin jacket. She gasped in amazement as she pulled it out. 'Oh Jessie, this is gorgeous!'

'You like it?' She asked with a smile.

'Like it? I love it!' She held it up, shaking her head in surprise. 'Jessie, this is absolutely beautiful.' She folded it up, trying to give it back to her. 'It's too much honey, I can't keep this.'

'Sure you can, I want you to have it.' Jessie refused to take it. 'Call it a replacement for the jacket Cindy ruined, I used it as the pattern for this one. I made it from a doeskin I cured last year.'

'So that's why you wanted my jacket.'

She nodded with a smile. 'I wanted to give you something as special and as beautiful as you to say thank you for everything you've done for me. I thought this would be perfect.'

'I don't know what to say.' Lisa looked at it, the time and effort she had put into it was obvious with the quality of her work. It was as good or even better then some clothes she had seen in the fanciest Paris boutiques. Jessie had obviously put her whole heart and soul into making it especially for her. Tears came to her eyes as she gave the girl a hug. 'Thank you Jessie.'

'Hey, don't you start crying.' Jessie teased, returning the hug with another smile. 'I'm just glad you like it.'

'The work that went into this.' She continued as she let go of the girl and turned back to the coat. 'Jessie, where did you learn to do this kind of work?'

'Lillian taught me how to sew clothes and Robert taught me leatherwork so I guess I kinda used both with this.'

'I can't believe you actually made this, it's gorgeous Jessie.' Lisa stood up, putting the jacket on. The girl laughed as she twirled around, winking at her. 'Does it suit me?'

'Of course it does.'

'Thank you Jessie.' She sat down again, looking in the girls eyes. 'I'll treasure it forever.'

'You better.' Jessie teased, playfully tapping her on the nose. 'I put a lot of work into it. I know it probably doesn't make up for the near heart-attack I gave you but I'm glad you like it.'

'I do Jess, I do.'

'Where'd that come from Lisa?' Jack asked as he walked in, detouring around Cougar who was lying sprawled out on the rug in the middle of the living room floor. 'That's a new jacket.'

'Jessie made it for me.'

He raised his eyebrows in surprise as he sat down in his seat near the fire across from them. 'You did?'

'Yep.' She nodded. 'From scratch with a skin I cured myself.' The girl glanced at the clock and sighed. 'Clint's going to be here soon, may I go spend some time with Warrior before I leave.' She caught the look Lisa gave her and quickly continued. 'No, I'm not going to go run off. I promise.'

'If you're heading out to the barn, I'm coming with you.'

'Alright, alright.' She gave up, her hands in the air in defeat. She knelt down beside the cat Cougar purring loudly as she looked up at her, blinking sleepingly. 'I've got to go girl, you're going to stay here with Mallory and Jack.' The cat yawned as she rubbed her head gently. 'You be a good girl, okay?'

Lisa looked on as the girl said her goodbye to the cougar, the girl keeping it short then grabbing her things to head out to the door. She could see in her eyes how having to be separated from the cat was taking its toll on her, how hard had it been for the girl to say goodbye to her when she'd been hidden? When she couldn't tell anyone what she was going through?

Jessie grabbed her things and gave the puma one more pat, Cougar fast asleep again on the floor, flicking her tail softly as she enjoyed the warmth from the fire. She glanced over at Lisa as she turned to leave, her and Jack getting up and following her to the door. 'Got my own pair of personal bodyguards now do I?' She teased as Jack put his coat on, handed her her gloves and opened the door for her and Lisa. She sideskidded a playful punch from Lisa, laughing as she was just out of her reach. 'Missed me.'

'Jessie.' Lisa chuckled, shaking her head as she wondered what was going through the girls mind. For the prospect of leaving, the girl was in an unusually cheerful mood. 'When did you get so cheeky?'

'I don't know. Must be the snow.' She replied, placing her bags on the chair on the porch then jumping down into the snow like a frisky colt. She smirked, picking up a handful of snow and rolling it up. Her hands were still sore but that wasn't going to let that stop her from having some fun before she left. It was better to have some fun then to be sad and moping around when she couldn't change the circumstances. 'Are you ready for that snowball fight we were talking about?'

'Hey, that's not fair!' Jack protested as a snowball exploded on his arm as it hit its target. Jessie laughed gleefully, picking up another one as Lisa ran for cover. He grabbed a handful, a twinkle in his eye as he ducked down behind a rosebush. 'Alright Jessie, your turn.'

'You gotta catch me.' She laughed, taking off towards the barn to get in a better vantage point. She felt a snowball wizz past her and she glanced back, sticking her tongue out at Lisa. 'You missed me!'

'Oh yeah?' Lisa yelled, picking up another handful of snow. She threw it as hard as she could, the snowball exploding all over the front of the girls coat. 'Not that time.'

The sound of laughter rang around the ranch yard as the three of them chased each other around, throwing snowballs at each other. Jessie ducked another snowball from Jack, her coat still covered in snow from their successful hits. She winked at Lisa, glancing at Jack and Lisa caught her gist in an instant. It was time to gang up on Jack.

'Hey, hey!' Jack protested as both Jessie and Lisa threw snowballs at him, forcing him to take shelter behind Ty's truck. 'That's not fair!'

'Oh it is!' Jessie laughed, picking up more snow as she motioned for Lisa to go around the other side of the truck to ambush him. Quickly she snuck up, her and Lisa throwing their snowballs at Jack at the same time. She laughed at the look on his face, tears running down her cheeks she was laughing so hard. 'You should have seen the look on your face.'

'Yeah yeah.' He brushed the snow off his jacket, watching Lisa out of the corner of his eye then dove for another handful of snow. Lisa shrieked as it exploded on her coat then laughed. 'Got you.'

'Maybe.' Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed a handful of snow and ran at him with it. Jessie laughed loudly as Jack turned tail and fled, pelting snow at him. Finally she gave up, panting with exhaustion as she joined the girl. 'Well, I can say I haven't had that much fun in a long time.'

Jack came over to join them, hiding a handful of snow behind his back. 'We tired you out Lisa, have we?' He went to place his arm around her but instead slipped the snow down the back of her coat.

'Not quiet.' She didn't notice the snow in his hand until it was too late. 'Jack!' She gasped in surprise then she dove for another handful of snow. 'Right, that's it. Jessie, give me a hand.'

'Yikes.'

'Yikes yes.' Jessie laughed as she took off after him, tackling Jack. 'Got him!'

'Your turn.'

'Hey, hey, not fair! Two against one! That's not fair.'

'Alright, alright.' Lisa smiled, almost like she was giving in then quickly dumped the snow down the back of Jacks coat. Her eyes sparkled as her cheeks were red from the cold and she placed her arm around Jessie as the girl giggled at Jack getting the snow out of his coat. 'There, even now.'

'So.' Jessie managed to get out as she recovered from the snowball fight and her laughing. 'Who won?'

'I'd say it's a tie.' Jack shook the remainder of the snow out of his coat and put it back on, looking at Lisa. She was hugging Jessie as the girl looked up at her, snuggling against her embrace with a happy smile. She looked so beautiful standing in the snow, her cheeks red and her hair askew. She took his breath away. 'Are we happy to call it a tie?'

'Sure. I'm happy too.' She pulled away from Lisa, looking towards the barn. 'I think we should head in now, we've had our fun.'

'Are you getting cold Jessie?' Lisa asked with concern. In the chaos she had forgotten that the girl was still getting over frostbite and the effects of being out in the blizzard. 'How's your hands?'

'My hands are okay.'

'Let me have a look.'

Jessie rolled her eyes but relented and took her gloves off to show them her hands. 'They're alright, they don't hurt much.'

'They look alright.'

'Told you they were okay.' She slipped her gloves back on, then turned to the barn. 'Clint is going to be here soon and I want to spend time with Warrior before I leave.'

Warrior neighed, sticking his head over the door as the girl walked in. 'Hey boy.' Jessie patted him, the stallion nudging her with his muzzle then started to nibble on her hair 'Hey.' She protested, pushing him away. 'It's not food.'

Lisa chuckled as she came over, standing near the girl while Jack headed off into the tack room for something. Warrior snorted, turning to her as she held her hand out for him to sniff. 'Hi Warrior.'

'Lisa and Jack are going to be looking after you boy.' She patted his neck on his near side, the stallion leaning against her as she rubbed behind his ear. 'It's only going to be temporary boy, I'll be back soon but while I'm gone you need to be on your best behaviour, okay?' Her eyes started to blur with tears as her fingers ran through his fur. 'You be good to them, I don't want you giving them a hard time.'

'Here's a carrot for him.' Jack handed her the treat he was holding as he joined them outside the horses stall. 'We'll take good care of him for you Jessie.'

'I know you will.' The girl snapped the carrot in two, offering them to the horse who eagerly snatched them up. 'Thank you so much for looking after Warrior and Cougar for me Jack. I don't know what I would have done if they couldn't have stayed here.'

'That's quite alright Jessie, I'm happy to do it.' Warrior extended his head forward to sniff at Jack's pockets to see if he was hiding any treats but turned back to Jessie once he'd figured out the man had nothing else to give him. 'And it's only temporary. You'll be able to look after them yourself again before you know it.'

'I'll exercise Warrior when I can.' Lisa continued, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. Jessie was trying to keep it together but she could understand how hard it was on her being separated from Warrior. 'I'll take him out on the trails when I'm here.'

'Thanks, he'll enjoy that.' She sniffed, patting him again. She heard a car pulling up outside, stiffening at the sound. Clint was here. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she composed herself then hugged her horse tight. Warrior nibbled at her hair again, pulling her in close against him with his neck. 'I'll see you boy, I'll be back as soon as I can.'

'It's time Jessie.' Jack gently interrupted their embrace after a few moments, his hand on her shoulder. The girl nodded, pulling away from the stallion and giving him one last pat. Without another word or glance back at the horse she walked out of the barn, he and Lisa following her. Clint was getting out of his car as they approached, Jack walking up to him and shaking his hand. 'Clint.'

'Jack.' He looked down at Jessie standing close to Lisa, her face devoid of emotion. 'I heard about your little adventure in the blizzard Jessie.' The girl looked down at the ground, refusing to look at him. 'Your lucky things didn't turn out worse young lady, I hope you understand the consequences of your actions. I hope you are not planning on running away again anytime soon.'

'I'm not.' Her voice was barely more than a mere whisper. 'I didn't mean to cause so much trouble.'

'That's all I want to hear. Where's your bags? We need to get moving before we get caught in traffic on the freeway.'

'I'll go get it for you.' Jack offered, touching the girls shoulder gently as he walked past.

'Thank you Jack.' Jessie nodded as he walked away, pressing closer to Lisa who wrapped her arm around her. She looked up at Clint, trying to hold herself together. Why did every goodbye get harder and harder?

'Have you heard anything back yet about their decision?' Lisa asked after a moment, then glanced back down at the girl. Jessie was tense, her face hard and set and to anyone who saw her they would think she was being belligerent and rebellious. She was just trying not to break completely. She was trying to be strong.

'I'm afraid I haven't, they're not exactly prompt when it comes to dealing with these sorts of matters. Till they make a decision however, Jessie is required to go to foster care.' He glanced at Jack as he put the girls bags into the back of the car then turned back to Jessie. 'Say your goodbyes, we need to be moving.'

The girl nodded, going to Jack first. Her eyes were misting again, her heart breaking as she looked up at him. 'Bye Jack.'

'Goodbye Jessie.' He initiated a hug, not sure if the girl would be comfortable with one or not but Jessie allowed herself to be embraced by him. He kissed her head gently as she held onto him then looked down into her eyes as she pulled away. 'You'll be okay.'

'Thanks Jack.' He had more confidence in her then she had in herself. She turned to Lisa, rushing into her arms as she struggled to hold herself together. 'Lisa-'

'Sssh honey, it's okay.' She interrupted as the girls voice broke. Her own eyes were filling with tears as she held on tight to the girl, not noticing Clint's phone start to ring or the man stepping away to take the call. She felt Jack place his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that he was there and it was going to be okay. His presence helped some but she felt herself loosing the fight to keep it together anyway. 'It's okay. You're going to be just fine and you can talk to me whenever you want. I'm only a phone call away.'

'I know.' She sobbed, her eyes closed as she tried to remember the feel of Lisa's arms around her. 'I'm going to miss you.'

'I'm going to miss you too.' She kissed her head gently. 'But it's only for a short while. You'll be back before you know it.'

Jessie didn't reply, unable to hold back tears any longer. She held on tighter to Lisa as she sobbed, all her emotions pouring out of her. 'Please, don't let go.' It was more than just a simple request, it was a heart wrenching cry to stay.

The girl's request shattered her heart into a thousand pieces in four broken words. Tears slipped down her cheeks, as she rested her cheek on the girl's head. 'I'm afraid I have to.'

'No, you don't.' Clint interrupted, placing his phone back into his pocket. 'I just heard from my superiors. They have decided to grant you both custody over Jessie. She can stay.'

I know you've all been waiting for this so drop me a review and let me know your thoughts!

The title of the next story in this Saga is New Beginnings...