Chapter 1.
Four years had passed and over that time Dom and Ali had become close friends. Dom was finishing his teachers training and has just accepted a job teaching geography at the local comprehensive, and Ali has just been crowned the UK Junior Eventing champion. She now had 4 horses, Calitri's Eclipse, her 14 year old Anglo Arab stallion she'd had for three years and her main competition horse, Shadow Dancer, a 5 year old Oldenburg mare currently competing at novice level, Calitri's Kestrel, a 3 year Hanovarian mare who she had just backed and Desert Storm a 12 year old Akhal Teke stallion who she had bought as a second competition horse. Dom and Seamus had been successfully competing with the college team.
One May morning Ali was in the school on Eclipse, where a large intricate show jumping course had been set up, she had a big competition at the weekend and was getting a last session's practice in before they left. They would be away for 4 days as she wanted to arrive early so Eclipse would settle before the big day. Her mind was so preoccupied she didn't realise they striding was all wrong coming into the double, by the time she noticed it was too late and all she could was hold on and hope Eclipse could recover. He didn't. The horses front feet collapsed and the floor rushed up to meet Ali, her feet were stuck in the stirrups so she was crushed helplessly as the horse rolled over her, letting out a cry as the horse trampled her whilst scrambling to get to his feet and walking off. She was vaguely aware of a shout coming from the yard and the sound of a horse been hurriedly put back in his stable before all sound faded out and her vision briefly went dark. When it returned she could hear her name being called, Dom was leaning over her, staring worriedly into her eyes,
"Ali! Are you ok? You frightened the life out of me!"
he held her close briefly and then let her go. She took a deep breath, smiled, pulled his head down and kissed him.
Dom froze his mind whirling, the small rational part of his mind screaming that she was too young for him and what was he doing kissing her like he never wanted to stop, was quickly overshadowed by the feel of her fingers caressing the back of his neck and his waist, her soft lips on his and the heat of her breath mingling with his own. He deepened the kiss and moaned slightly as her lips parted then jumped back suddenly as Maria, Ali's mother, threw herself onto her knee's beside her daughter,
"Ali -"
"I'm fine mum, my heads spinning a bit though, I assume I'll hear sirens any time now?".
She smiled again at her mothers sheepish grin and looked back at Dom, caressing his hip as she did so.