First light came and Heath heaved a sigh of relief as he and Adam left the hotel they'd slept in the night before. He was glad to be heading home to his family and the woman he loved. And even gladder to be bringing her big brother to see her. He could only hope that Adam understood how he felt when he saw the two of them together.

The two men rode out of town together heading for the ranch, not knowing that someone was following them.

Arriving back at the ranch shortly after breakfast, Heath was greeted by his mother and Jarrod on the porch. He was surprised that Karen and Audra weren't heading over to the stable to saddle the older horses for their daily ride.

Hugging his mother, Heath kissed her cheek. "Good morning, Mother." He looked around. "Have Karen and Audra already left for their morning ride?"

That was when he noticed the tears building in his mother's eyes. "Ms. Victoria? What happened?" Adam asked.

"Audra and Karen went out riding yesterday. They came back sooner than expected." The tears started falling. "Audra had been shot. The doctor says it isn't a dangerous injury." Heath's heart skipped a beat worrying about his sister and Karen.

"And Karen?"

"Karen wasn't hurt. At least not physically. But I think that she was scarred mentally by the entire incident. When I came out to see what had happened to Audra, Karen ran off and hid. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even realize that she hadn't been seen after the doctor arrived until nearly supper time. I sent Jarrod and Nick to look through the house for her. Nick found her curled up in your wardrobe, Heath. She'd fallen asleep in there. Nick lay her on your bed and covered her with a blanket."

"Where is she now?" Heath wanted to see her, make sure that she was as uninjured as his mother told him that she was.

"Still asleep in your bed. We decided to let her sleep until she woke up on her own. The doctor said that it would be good for her to sleep and let her mind heal from the shock of Audra being shot."

"Adam, would you like to see her too?"

"I think I will. It might be good for her to see me." Heath walked into the house and Adam followed him.

The two of them stood just inside the doorway looking at Karen curled up in Heath's bed and wrapped around one of his pillows. Heath and Adam could make out the tear tracks down her cheeks.

Adam walked over to the bed and sat down next to his sister. He brushed some hair back from her face. "Poor Karen. To go through all that you have and yet still keep going. You truly do have the strength of a Cartwright."

"You and Pa and the others taught me well, Adam." The sleepy voice that came from the young woman on the bed made Adam smile with memories of a time when she had been so innocent and care-free. Suddenly, she started up. "Adam? What –?"

Adam smiled at her. "I decided that I missed you too much to avoid a trip out here to check on you."

"Is everything alright back home? Pa? Hoss? Little Joe? Hop Sing?"

Adam chuckled. "Everyone's fine. Now what's this Heath's been telling me about some trouble you've had?"

She threw herself into her brother's arms, crying as if her heart were broken. "It's all my fault!" she sobbed.

"What is, honey?"

"I was stubborn and wanted to go for a ride. To exercise the horses. Audra went with me and she got shot."

"If you had gone alone,-" Adam started as Heath just stood near the door not making himself known at the moment. He knew that Adam needed to talk to his sister for the moment.

"I would have been the only one hurt. Audra got hurt because of me. I just couldn't wait for Heath to get back so that we would have an extra set of eyes around."

"But can't you see how that would have hurt everyone else? How they would have felt if you had gotten hurt because they allowed you to go without anyone there to watch out for you?"

"But it wouldn't be their fault."

"They wouldn't see it that way. They would see it as they had let you and Pa down. As well as us three boys. They think of it as their responsibility to keep you safe. And they don't consider it a chore."

"How would you know, Adam?" she asked sitting up and looking into her brother's eyes.

"I told him so. We've all said it at some point since your arrival. How much we appreciate the fact that you trust us with your safety. Just like you trust your family to help you protect yourself. That's what we think of this as. We're helping you to protect yourself. Making it easier for you to do so and taking some of the pressure off your shoulders." Heath stepped forward at that point, only wanting to help convince Karen that they didn't think she was to blame for the whole situation. He sat down on the opposite side of the bed from Adam. "Honey, we don't mind helping you protect yourself. That's something we appreciate you trusting us enough to let us do."

Karen switched from her brother's arms to the arms of the man she loved. "Heath, I'm sorry. I just didn't want the horses to fall out of their routine. I didn't mean for Audra to get hurt. I swear it."

"Karen, no one here blames you. I'm sure of it. I honestly am certain of it." Heath was certain his mother would have at least attempted to convince the young woman that none of this was her fault. Obviously, Karen wasn't buying any of it.

"It is my fault. Maybe I should just go home and stop causing all of you so much trouble."

"Do you really want to do that? How would you continue your schooling? You went to all the trouble to get into the school here. Was that all just a waste of time?" Adam asked.

"I don't know, Adam. I just don't know." Karen's tears were tearing Heath's heart out. He just wanted to shelter her in his arms and hold her forever.

"Do you want to leave me? My family? Do you know how much that would hurt them?"

"I don't want to leave you or them, Heath. But I just seem to be causing you all so much trouble. I hate that."

"Karen, do you honestly believe that my mother would ever lie to you?"

"No! Never!"

"Then why don't you believe her when she says that this is not your fault?"

"I do believe her. But I seem to keeping bringing trouble to you and your family. I don't like that. I hate that some people are starting to think that you could be anything less than a gentleman with a lady."

"Karen, honey, let me tell you something. I have never cared what people thought. I know what the truth is and if they can't see it, well, that's their problem not mine."

"He's not lying to you, Karen. Heath has never been one to worry about what others thought about him. He worries about us but not himself." Karen turned to see Audra standing at the door and leaning on it very heavily.

"Audra, should you be out of bed?" Karen ran to her. Adam reached her first and guided her to a chair nearby that she could sit in.

"I doubt it. But I needed to make sure that you were okay." She held her hand up. "I know that I saw that you weren't hurt. But I needed to make sure that you were okay up here." She pointed to her head. "Something like this can really mess a person up and make them think all kinds of things that aren't true."

"Like me thinking that I'm causing you all too much trouble and maybe I should just go home?" Karen asked with a small voice. Audra stood up with a gentle look for the young woman she had come to see as a little sister.

"Yes, silly. Just like that." Audra lay a gentle hand against Karen's cheek and smiled down at her. Leaning down, Audra kissed Karen's forehead. "Don't leave us, Karen. I believe that we need you as much as you need us. Stay. Please."

"I'll stay. But please forgive me for all the trouble I seem to be attracting to your home?"

Audra smiled at Karen. "I don't believe that there is anything to forgive but since it means so much to you, I do forgive you, Karen. And I hope you stay as long as needed to complete your education."

Heath was there when Karen turned around. "I forgive you as well. Not that I believe there is anything to forgive any more than Audra does." He wrapped his arms around the young woman in front of him and hugged her close to him.

Everyone looked to the doorway when they heard Victoria's voice. "I forgive you too, dear child. Although, much as with my two youngest, I see nothing to forgive. Do stay with us. We would all miss you if you left."

"Mother isn't wrong, Karen. We would all miss you if you left. And I too feel that while there is nothing to forgive, I need to say it. I forgive you."

"If it's what you need to make you feel better, little sister, I forgive you too. Not there is anything to forgive as the rest of my family has said."

Jarrod's and Nick's words cemented the thought in her head. She was forgiven and she had no need to leave.

"I'll stay. I can't let this be the reason that I don't complete my studies. Pa promised my mother that I would have a good education and I can't break his promise to her. Adam, you aren't upset that I really won't be returning home until the summer?"

"Of course not, Karen. You will someday need your education and I am very proud of you for choosing to continue. I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice to make." He hugged his sister.

"Adam, would you like to stay for a few days and visit with Karen? I'm sure that we can find a space for you."

"I would indeed, Ms. Victoria. Thank you."

Karen smiled. She was certain that a few extra days with Adam would be just what she needed after all of this.