So... I've had a great week this week (sarcasm intended here) and after already having a rotten week I finished it off by falling down some stairs and twisting my ankle. So that's been fun.

But besides that, here's chapter 100! I never thought when I started this story that I'd even get close to this amount of chapters, Thank you all so much for your support and feedback. It really means a lot. Things are starting to get heated again, no spoilers here but over the next few chapters I've taken the liberty of re-writing one of the episodes from season 1... If you look close enough there's been hints already...

Anyway, here we are at our update. Enjoy folks.

Chapter 28.1

Jessie stared at the photograph in utter bewilderment, a thousand questions racing through her mind as she continued looking at it. It couldn't be her mother, could it? What on earth were the odds of finding a photograph of her in basically a total stranger's wallet? She was just fooling herself. It wasn't her mother. It couldn't be. There wasn't a logical reason she could think of as to why it was, except this pull that sturried a torrent of emotions inside her. Even though she had only been five the last time she'd seen her, looking at this picture brought back to life an image of her that she had thought had been lost forever. An image of her as she had been before she had been killed. Her memories of what her mother actually looked like were sketchy at the best of times, all she remembered were bits and pieces that made up the picture of her in her mind.

Her mother's brown eyes gazed at her, did she actually have brown eyes? It was a detail that had long been forgotten but even though her memory of her face had faded over the years a new image came to life in her mind. No, as she ran her fingers over the faded picture she knew deep down that it was. Even though the woman in the photograph was a whole lot younger than she remembered her being, she knew her face out of a million people. It was her mother, she was positive of it.

'Jessie, you found them?'

Lou's voice and the sound of her footsteps coming closer stirred the girl from her shocked stupor. Quickly she shoved the picture back in Scott's wallet and nodded as she turned around to face her. 'Yeah, I was just about to take them out. Cougar just wanted a pat. Bye.'

She didn't wait around for her reaction as she hurried past her and made a hasty exit out of the house. Why? Her mind was racing with questions and scenarios as she headed out of the yard and towards where Jack was talking to Scott at the vet's truck. How? Had Scott known her mother? How on earth did he have a photo of her? Why did he have a photo of her?

'Thanks Jessie.'

'Here.' She handed her his phone and wallet through the open window, unable to look him in the eye. 'Thank you for checking Warrior over. See you later.'

Scott raised his eyebrow as Jessie hurried off to the barn, glancing back at Jack. 'What was that about?'

'I have no idea.' He shrugged, looking in the direction the girl had fled. 'But knowing Jessie it's probably something.'

'You've been unusually quiet today.' Jack remarked as he untacked Paint from his afternoon round of checking on the cattle. 'Something up?'

Jessie glanced over at him, seated on a hay bale just outside Warrior's stall. 'No, no. Just trying to figure out what's going on with this guy. That's all.'

He nodded, glancing over at her. He could tell there was something bothering her, she'd been distracted and quiet the entire day and he knew it wasn't just from her problem with Warior's behaviour. Come to think of it, her behaviour had changed since Scott had been there the day before. 'You sure?'

'I'm sure.' She lied, hoping that he wasn't able to read her. It drove her crazy sometimes, especially when she wanted to hide something and what she had seen was definitely something she wanted to hide until she had got her thoughts and emotions about it sorted out. 'How was your ride?

'Nice. Wish you'd been able to come along too.'

'Yeah.' Jessie sighed as she stood up, walking over to Paint. The gelding nudged her with his muzzle and she smiled, patting him. Regardless of how she felt inside, interacting with the horses always put a smile on her face. She glanced down at her sling. 'Couple more days of this and then Warrior and I will be back to keep you on your toes.'

'I don't doubt it.' He replied, carrying his saddle over to its designated spot on the tack rack, almost tripping over the heater cord left on the floor. 'I thought I told Mallory to put that away.'

She raised her eyebrows. 'What's a heater doing in the barn anyway?'

'Mallory was using it last night. Apparently Copper was cold.' A hint of annoyed sarcasm was in his tone. 'It's expensive and dangerous.'

'I think it was probably more Mallory who was cold then Copper.' She chuckled as he hid the heater down behind the tack and got rid of the extension cord. 'Isn't she heading to one of her school friends for a sleepover tonight?'

'Something like that, Lou and Amy are both heading out for the night too. I can barely keep up with what the three of them are doing.'

'Hmm, sounds like it'll be a quiet evening. Maybe we could play some chess or do some singing?'

'Sure.' He smiled, glad to see the girl was somewhat back to her usual self. Maybe he'd just been imagining it. 'Don't forget you and Lisa are video calling each other tonight too.'

'I couldn't forget that, could I?' The girl teased. 'It's only Friday and I'm missing her like crazy. Hey, maybe you could video call her with me.'

He shook his head. 'That's not my kind of thing.'

'Fair enough. Offer still stands though.' Jessie glanced around as she heard the school bus pulling up and headed back to Warrior's stall. 'I better go get this guy ready, Amy is going to try and help me with him again. We didn't have much luck with him yesterday.'

'Just be careful with him-'

'The shoulder. I know.' She replied, clipping his lead to his halter and she opened the stall door. 'I'll be careful.'

She led him out of the barn, looking up the driveway as Amy and Mallory walked down towards the ranch. Ty was leading one of the horses back to another pasture as she and her stallion stopped near the corral, waving at him. 'Hi Ty.'

'Hey Jess. Any luck with Warrior yet?'

'No yet but hopefully we'll find out what's going on today.'

'Good luck.'

'Thanks.' She gave Warrior a pat as Ty continued on with his gelding, glancing towards the arena. She did hope they got to the root of his issue today, it had been driving her crazy. Another thing that had been driving her crazy was what had happened the day before, she just couldn't make sense of why Scott had a photograph of her mother. It just didn't make any sense at all.

'How's he doing?' Amy asked as she placed her school bag down near the corral fence and walked over to the girl and the horse. 'Hey boy.'

'He seems to be alright, but that's because we've steered clear of the arena.' She sighed, rubbing his neck. 'I have no idea what to do and I have no idea why he's even like this. It's not like I've abused him in there or something. He knows I'd never intentionally hurt him.'

'Well, let's just see if we can get him comfortable with being near the arena again. Shall we?'

'I guess it's worth a shot.'

'Want a hand?'

'You can help if you want Mallory.' Jessie replied, turning to her as the girl placed her schoolbag down with Amy's. 'As long as it's okay with Amy.'

'Yeah, I don't see why not. Just don't get too close to him if he starts acting up. I don't want you getting hurt.'

'What about you getting hurt? He's been acting crazy lately. Look at what happened to Jessie.'

'Mallory-'

'Mallory, what happened to me was my fault.' Jessie interrupted. 'I pushed him when he didn't want to do it, that's why he acted the way he did. Warrior wouldn't intentionally hurt me. There's something else going on behind why he won't go in there.'

'Is training him in the arena that big of a deal? I mean, do you really need to train him in there?'

'I need to train him on sand so he can get used to it for the rodeo, otherwise I'd just throw the towel in and start practising out in the clearing again.' She replied, turning back to Amy. 'So, what are we going to do?'

'Well, I thought we'd just try leading him onto the grass near the outside, stay away from the gate and see what happens.' Amy looked down at her. 'You want me to lead him?'

'Thanks.' She handed her the stallion's leadrope. 'I promised Jack I'd be careful. The shoulder, you know.' She had a hint of sarcasm in her voice but deep down she knew he was only being overprotective because he cared for her. Somehow it managed to annoy her and make her feel loved and wanted at the same time. 'Only a couple more days of this though, thank goodness.'

'Alright, let's see how you go boy.'

Jessie took a couple steps to the side as Amy led her stallion towards the arena, waiting back with Mallory a safe distance away. 'How was school?'

'Boring as usual.' She rolled her eyes. 'But I'm happy it's the weekend. I'm heading over to Sophia's house for a sleepover in a couple hours.'

'Sounds like fun.'

'Hey, you should come. You'd have fun.'

She shook her head. 'I appreciate the invitation but I don't think so. Sorry.'

'Oh, because of-' Her voice trailed off as she nodded in understanding. 'I didn't think about that. Sorry Jessie.'

'It's okay.' She shrugged. 'I'm going to have plenty of fun playing chess with Jack tonight and talking to Lisa.' They stopped at the arena fence and she climbed up to take a seat, watching Amy lead Warrior around on the grass beside the arena. The stallion was completely relaxed, almost oblivious to the arena right next to him. She sighed, motioning towards him. 'I'd love to know what is going on.'

'Yeah, he's as cool as a cucumber. Pretty different from yesterday and this morning.'

'I know. That's what has me confused. It's just so weird.'

'He doesn't seem to have a problem.' Amy called out, looking over towards the girls as she stopped the stallion. 'Its weird.'

'If he's okay standing over there, maybe bring him over closer?'

'Alright, we'll try that.' She replied, walking him on closer to the fence. She held onto his lead tightly, fully expecting him to start playing up but he couldn't have been more calm as he walked up to the girls and even started sniffing Jessie as she sat on the fence. She shrugged in bewilderment. 'Okay, I admit that he's got me baffled.'

'You and me both.' Jessie sighed, rubbing the stallion's forehead. 'It's almost like he's barn shy or something, but instead of a barn it's an arena.'

'Yeah, something like that.' She patted the blacks neck, wondering what they should try next. 'Maybe we try leading him in? I know we've tried riding him in the last week, maybe we start right back at the beginning and get him used to it again.'

'I guess that couldn't hurt.'

'But he never had a problem with it before, so why now?' Mallory asked, frowning. 'Cindy told me you took him over the jumps when she was here, he didn't have a problem going in the arena then?'

'No.'

'Then maybe it's not him that has the problem. Maybe it's the arena.'

'What do you mean Mallory?' Amy questioned. 'Nothing has changed with the arena.'

'Maybe not the actual arena itself, maybe what's inside.'

'I'm still not following.' Jessie added, frowning as she tried to understand what on earth she was going on about. 'What are you talking about?'

'You changed the jumps for barrels.' She replied in exasperation. 'Maybe he wants to jump instead of barrel race.'

'I don't know Mallory-'

'Well, what other reasons have you got?'

'Maybe she does have a point Amy.' Jessie interjected, glancing behind her at the arena. 'But I don't see how that would make a difference now. He did the barrels fine in there when we first started.'

Mallory sighed, throwing her hands up as she slid off the fence. 'I tried!'

Amy chuckled as Mallory strode off to the barn then looked back at the girl. 'We try taking him in?'

'Can't hurt. We'll just see how he goes.'

'We'll leave the gate closed and take him up to it, then open it and see what happens.'

'Alright. Let's do that then.' She climbed down, careful not to jar her shoulder then followed Amy at a safe distance as she led the horse to the gate. Warrior was calm and gentle, almost like he was bored by the whole thing as Amy halted him outside the gate. 'Well, maybe he's gotten over his problem.'

'Yeah, I don't know.' Amy rubbed the stallion's neck as they stood outside the gate, the stallion standing quietly beside her. 'Open the gate, we'll see what happens.'

Jessie nodded, stepping forward to open the gate as Amy moved Warrior back from the gate so she could open it. Warrior snorted, lifting his head as he heard the sound of the gate opening, snorting. She looked up at him, pausing opening the gate to make sure that Amy had control of him. 'You okay with him Amy?'

'I'm fine.' She nodded, holding onto the lead tightly. 'Open it up.'

'Alright.' The gate creaked as she continued opening it, the stallion snorting and stepping back again. She stepped back as the gate was fully opened, giving Amy a wide berth so she could work with her stallion.

'Easy mate, easy.' Amy soothed, patting his neck. She could feel his muscles tense underneath her hand, he stood with his head up, nostrils flared as he looked at the arena. 'It's okay mate, there's nothing to be afraid of. The arena is fine. Come on.' She tried to lead him forward and the stallion exploded, sidestepping, pig rooting, jumping, in a frantic frenzy to not go into the arena.

Jessie sighed, watching Warrior as Amy tried to calm him down and shook her head. 'Alright, I think we'll call it a day at the moment. There's no point stressing him out further till we figure out the cause of his behaviour.'

'Yeah.' She patted his shoulder, trying to sooth him now that he had finally come to a halt again. 'Let's go turn him into the corral and then we'll go take a look in the arena. Maybe Mallory is right, maybe something is going on.'

'I'll start looking.'

'Alright. Come on boy.'

Jessie sighed as she walked into the arena, looking around. As far as she could see there was no difference between the way it was now at the way it had been when she'd been practising with him before the cattle drive. It had her in a loop, what on earth was the reason for his behaviour? She had no idea.

She was about to leave when something sparkling in the sunlight caught her eye and she turned around, trying to figure out where it had come from. She frowned, seeing something buried in the sand near the second barrel. What? She knelt down, carefully sifting the sand with her fingers. What on god's green earth? She held up a piece of broken glass, almost as big as the palm of her hand. How on earth-

'Find something?'

'Yeah.' She replied, standing up. 'Somehow, this was almost buried in the sand.'

'What?' Amy exclaimed in disbelief, seeing Jessie holding a piece of broken glass. 'How on earth did that get in the arena?'

'That's what I would like to know.'