A/N: I'm actually surprised I didn't do this one earlier—I love that quote. I was writing this while I was supposed to be paying attention in math. Heh, whoops.

Disclaimer: I don't own the series, but the oneshots are of my own inspirations.

"He leaned out of his saddle, and his gloved fingers spread wide, reaching for her, for a rein, for anything to make her safe." (--pg. 227, Run Away Home)

The roaring snow careened up the hill, finally slowing against the steep incline. Witch staggered on the still-shifting ice, shuddering and shaking from her struggle to remain upright. Her rider could do little to comfort her, as he was shaking for an entirely different reason.

Sam.

Jake stared at his hand; she had been just out of his grasp. He remembered her wild eyes, her pale face, her lips forming his name before she was snatched by the blinding white.

Sam.

The broken cowboy dismounted and sank to his knees. Again, he was with her, could have protected her… and he failed. The silence suffocated Jake, the settled snow glittered innocently around him.

Sam.

The quiet was shattered with a faint whinny. Starved of sound, the tracker in Jake began to pick up the familiar pawing and movements of a horse herd. Struggling to his feet, Jake reeled. The Phantom's band survived?

Sam.

He stumbled up the hazardous terrain, Witch trailing wearily behind. Without warning a deep valley opened up before him. It was breath-taking and sudden and Jake felt the need to pinch himself. Ignoring the urge, his eyes scanned among the horses searching for the brown Stetson, the bright auburn hair—there!

Sam.

Jake's heart sped up at the sight of her, alive and… currently staring hard at the cliff wall above her. Surely she wasn't going to—shit. Unsteady at first, then with a bit more confidence, Sam began picking her way up the wall. That settled it. Sam was definitely trying to give him a heart attack. Clenching his fists, Jake focused on the girl, searching out every handhold, hissing when she fumbled on the rock face.

Sam.

Several eternities later (it could not have been the ten measly minutes his watch suggested), Sam had reached a small ledge and paused. Jake shifted, trying to see what was wrong, and sent a small shower of gravel tumbling. Her head snapped up and their eyes locked. He could see her fear and exhaustion and began trembling in his helplessness.

Sam.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he muttered, relieved that he effectively hid the tremor in his voice.

"How long have you been there?" Sam asked.

"A while. I didn't want to break your concentration." He sucked in a breath as she began to turn to look down at how high she was… Heck, he was dizzy, and he was on fairly solid ground. "I wouldn't do that." Jake grabbed his rope and began lowering it. "Take this, instead."

Her face lit up and Jake felt his heart flip. Damn nerves. He cleared his throat. "You know how to tie a bow knot." He knew she knew. He taught it to her himself, when they were kids and the highest she could climb was the barn rafters. Lost in his memory, he was startled out of his thoughts when she refused.

"I'm not going to fall. I've made it this far without the rope, I can finish on my own."

"No—."

"Yes."

Sam.

Oh Lord, she was going to make him beg.

"Well, I'm kinda scared," terrified might be more accurate. "I've been kinda scared. Just do it for me, will ya?" He caught the confused and fearful look Sam cast at the rope in her hands. She wasn't remembering. Ah well, memory lane, here they come.

"It'll give me something to do if you let me talk you through it." He proceeded to dreg up the old lesson, relieved as she began picking it up. Tightening the knot, Sam had the gall to joke.

"I'm being careful. I won't dash my brains on the rocks below." Jake almost groaned aloud as he began pulling steadily on the rope. Her life was in his hands, and she was making jokes. Agonizing seconds later, Sam appeared over the edge, shivering and panting. Jake suppressed the urge to hold her tight and never let go, opting instead to get her away from the deadly drop.

Sam.

She came to a halt, calming slightly. "Did you see my hat?"

Did climbing do odd things to people's minds? She just scaled a cliff, and she was worried about her stupid hat!?

"Yeah," Jake said, deciding honesty would get some sense in her. "It's buried under about a thousand tons of sow. I was just glad your head wasn't in it." Sam winced. Oops. Maybe that was too honest. Jake back tracked quickly. "Maybe you'll get a new one for Christmas." Still not satisfied, she asked about Jeep. Jake assured her he was fine, wondering at how she seemed oblivious to the horrible situation she was just in.

He must have given her a look, because she faced him fully.

"Don't worry none about givin' me heart failure. Just fret over that rattailed Appaloosa." She defended herself, exasperated, but Jake silenced her with a hand.

Sam.

Scooping up the reins, he thought back on the past year, and before that, when they were kids. No matter how closely Jake watched over her, despite his protectiveness, she still managed to get herself into all sorts of trouble.

"You gonna be like this for the rest of your life?" he asked quietly.

"Like what?" Jake grabbed his jacket off his saddle horn, wondering when he had taken it off. Vaulting onto Witch, he offered Sam a hand up. "Guess that answers my question," he muttered grinning a bit. Oddly enough, Sam dissolved into giggles.

"You wouldn't like me any other way," she managed, plopping her hands on her hips. He rolled his eyes and told her to get on. Her eyes glinted stubbornly.

"Admit it."

"Just get on the horse." For once, she complied, still laughing. But as she wrapped her arms around his waist, Jake thought of the way Sam's smile lit her face up. Her burning love for the wild and free. Her laughter still brushing against his ear. Her words echoed in his mind.

"You wouldn't like me any other way."

Jake smiled.

"I guess it's true…"

Sam.

A/N: I realized I've made something of a habit of echoing one thing throughout my oneshots. Sorry if it annoys, but I like the way it seems to resonate and enforce the point of a story. Again, if you find a spot in the series that seems to scream 'missing moment' to you, review and let me know and I'll see if I can make a story to go along with it. Remember, creativity knows no bounds! (ick, corny. Forgive me, I'm tired.)

P.S. I slipped in some allusions to my 'Care and Keeping' chapter. Virtual cookies to those who can spot them!